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Recent Articles from Virginia Business
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: GRAMM, JAMES
In 1983, barely five years after graduating from high school in Alexandria, Gramm sold two new cars on his first day as a sales rep at a dealership in Vienna. “The retail automobile business has been in my blood ever since,” he says. Gramm worked in car sales in Virginia and Maryland, becoming vice president of […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: HAMILTON, JEFF
Hamilton stepped in as CEO of Arlington-based Nestlé’s Zone Americas division and joined the executive board on July 1. He succeeded Steve Presley, who worked at the company for almost 30 years. Hamilton previously served as business head of Purina PetCare Zone Europe. Now, he oversees Nestlé’s business in North America, Latin America and the […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: FARINO, DALE
A former board vice chair, Farino was named CEO of Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority in April 2024, succeeding Travis Hill, who led the agency for nearly a decade. Farino was executive vice president of Sandston-based Breakthru Beverage Virginia and previously worked at Tidewater Wholesalers and Coca-Cola Bottling. He also was president of the Virginia […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: FOSTER JR., WATT R.
In 1989, Foster bought Foster Fuels from his father, the late Watt R. “Bobby” Foster Sr. The younger Foster marks the third generation to run the family business, which was founded in 1921. A James Madison University alumnus, Foster held the titles of CEO and president until January 2024, when the company named a new […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: FISHER III, ARTHUR ‘BO’
Fisher Auto Parts, one of the nation’s largest automotive-parts retailers with about 500 locations, is a family affair. Blair Coiner, Bo Fisher’s grandfather, founded the company in 1929 as a small auto-parts sales concern, and it grew under the leadership of Fisher’s father, Art, who died in 2004. A James Madison University graduate, the younger […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: DAVIS, MICHAEL
In January 2024, Davis assumed the role of CEO at Cort Business Services, a Berkshire Hathaway-owned company that includes Cort Furniture Rental, Cort Trade Show and Events, and other businesses. Cort has more than 100 offices, rental showrooms and retail furniture outlets nationally and provides furniture rentals in more than 80 countries. A member of […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: BROWN, REID A.
Brown is among the fourth generation to run Brown Distributing, a company that began in 1919 as a bottling operation for cherry cola and has grown into a major beverage-distribution business. He joined the family business in 2006. His brother, Jason Brown, came on board in 1999 and serves as vice president. Brown Distributing serves […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: BORCHES, ELIZABETH ‘LIZA’ MYERS
Founded in 1924 by Borches’ great-grandfather, Carter Myers Automotive is one of Virginia’s largest car sales groups, with 24 dealerships selling 18 brands. It ranks 80th on Automotive News’ Top 150 Dealership Groups list, up seven spots from the previous ranking. Borches became CEO in 2012. CMA employs more than 1,000 people in Virginia, all of […]
Agriculture 2025: KING, JOHN
After multinational food company Pilgrim’s Pride announced it was closing a Hinton poultry processing plant in 2004 — constituting a major hit to the local economy — Shenandoah Valley turkey growers formed the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative. The co-op employs 565 people and has 165 member-growers; 100% of VPGC’s profits go back to its growers. […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2025: CREEDON JR., MICHAEL C.
Creedon became permanent CEO of Dollar Tree in December 2024, after being appointed interim CEO the preceding month, when Rick Dreiling stepped down, citing health problems. Creedon joined the Fortune 500 discount retailer as chief operating officer in 2022, after over six years with Advance Auto Parts. Recent years have challenged the chain, which employed […]
