Recent Articles from Virginia Business
Banking | Finance 2025: RANSOM, THOMAS
Ransom has spent a quarter century in the banking industry. He started as a commerial going on to become market president for the greater Washington, D.C., region. After the that formed Truist, Ransom moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, as an executive vice p commonwealth in 2021 to become president of the bank’s Virginia region. The […]
Banking | Finance 2025: GRINSPOON, JEFF
In a 2022 nomination for the Savvy Ladies’ Male Ally award — which recognizes men in the financial field who value equality — VWG CEO Elana Fine talked about how Grinspoon created a culture at the firm that attracts, retains and promotes women. “Jeff gave me the room to lead and placed his trust in […]
Economic Development 2025: TOUHILL, RYAN
Since joining Arlington County in 2022, Touhill’s efforts have included helping launch the Arlington Innovation Fund, which helps support local tech startups. Recipients have included SportAI, which provides analytics for fantasy sports and sports betting, and GenLogs, an AI company specializing in ground freight supply chains. Amid the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal workfo[...]
Economic Development 2025: SMITH, DOUG
Since 2019, Smith has led the Hampton Roads Alliance, a regional economic development organization representing 15 municipalities and numerous private sector investors. Before that, he served as city manager for Norfolk and as deputy city manager in both Virginia Beach and Portsmouth and is also a past president and CEO of Kaufman & Canoles Consulting. […]
Banking | Finance 2025: KARP, DAVID W.
In 2011, Karp and Paul Pagnato left Merrill Lynch to launch their own firm: PagnatoKarp. Initially, the outfit was part of Hightower Advisors, but PagnatoKarp dropped the affiliation in 2016. Four years later, Illinois-based investment firm Cresset Asset Management announced it had acquired PagnatoKarp, which then had $2.3 billion in assets under management. At Cresset, […]
Economic Development 2025: ROMANELLO, ANTHONY J.
Romanello announced in August that he plans to leave his post as Henrico’s economic development leader, a position he’s held since 2019, after working as a deputy county manager. He previously was county administrator for Stafford County and worked in local government for Richmond and West Point. In April, the Henrico EDA filed a lawsuit […]
Banking | Finance 2025: KUHLMANN, DIETRICH
Last year, Kuhlmann took the helm of the world’s largest credit union, with $180.8 billion in assets and more than 14 million members, succeeding former leader Mary McDuffie. After retiring from the U.S. Navy as a rear admiral, Kuhlmann joined Navy Federal in 2019 as head of branch operations. He later worked as chief real […]
Banking | Finance 2025: HODGES, CECILIA A.
Hodges has worked in banking for nearly four decades. Leading M&T Bank’s greater Washington, D.C., and Virginia regions since 2018, she manages teams across more than 55 branches. A Virginia Tech graduate, Hodges grew up in Rocky Mount, where her parents ran a construction supplies store. In 2009, M&T Bank acquired Provident Bank, where Hodges was […]
Economic Development 2025: WAKEFIELD, JENNIFER
Before assuming her current role leading the Greater Richmond Partnership in 2021, Wakefield twice served as interim president and CEO for the regional economic development organization representing Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico. She has also been its chief operating officer and senior vice president of marketing. Wakefield previously served as Orlando […]
Banking | Finance 2025: FRANTZ, MARK A.
Co-founded by Frantz in 2009, Blue Delta is a venture capital firm that backs growth-stage companies providing services to the federal government. In September 2024, Arlington-based ITC Federal, an IT services provider for federal government agencies focused on law enforcement and national security, announced it had received an investment from Blue Delta to help it […]



















