Professional Services 2025: ROGISH, ALISON
In 2021, Rogish became the first woman to lead Big Four global accounting firm Deloitte’s Central Virginia market. Rogish joined Deloitte in 1998, specializing in human capital services for clients in the financial services industry. She became a relationship leader for several clients in the Washington, D.C., metro area in 2005. In 2015, she was […]
Professional Services 2025: RYAN, PATRICK
In July, Ryan became KPMG’s national managing partner of advisory strategy and markets. He’s responsible for building a profitable growth strategy for the Big Four accounting firm’s advisory business. Ryan remains D.C. metro office managing partner and U.S. federal business leader, roles he has held since June 2024. He has more than 4,000 employees in the […]
Professional Services 2025: SPROUSE, LAURA
In 2024, Sprouse was named CEO of Brown Edwards, the accounting firm where she has spent more than 25 years of her career. She succeeded Jason Hartman, who retired after 38 years. Sprouse’s expertise focuses on accounting information system services. She has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance and decision support systems from Ferrum College […]
Estes family donates $15M for William & Mary accounting center
Estes Express Lines' owners donate $15M to William & Mary to create the Estes Center for Excellence in Accounting at the Mason School of Business.
China raises its retaliatory tariff on the US to 84% as it vows to ‘fight to the end’
BANGKOK (AP) — China is boosting tariffs on American goods to 84% and vowed Wednesday to “fight to the end” in an escalating battle that threatens to disrupt trade between the world’s two largest economies. The new rate, which takes effect Thursday, comes in response to President Donald Trump’s move to raise the tariff on […]
Digital tools improve workflow, efficiency for CPAs
When David Chase started working as a certified public accountant 25 years ago, he and his colleagues kept documents in big paper binders, the kind high school students commonly used in the 1970s and 1980s. “The client would give you their paperwork, you’d make copies, put them in three-ring binders and work with pencils,” says […]
2025 Virginia Black Business Leaders Awards: Lee Mariano
With more than 20 years in human resources, Mariano now heads the HR department at one of the largest regional public accounting firms, a job she has held since 2023. Before that, she started her own executive coaching firm and held executive HR positions at multiple companies, including AgEagle Arial Systems and LookingGlass Cyber Solutions. […]
Virginia 500: The 2024-25 Power List
Who are Virginia’s most powerful and influential leaders in business, government, politics and education this year? Find out in the fifth annual edition of the Virginia 500: The 2024-25 Power List. Read more about how we assembled the Virginia 500 from our editor. Executives are listed in alphabetical order by industry. Below you will find links […]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: THOMAS L. MILBURN
THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE ME: Innovative. Compassionate. Driven. HOW I CHOSE MY CAREER: I initially majored in English [because I was] interested in storytelling and communication. I even spent some time in seminary, where I developed a strong sense of purpose and leadership. Ultimately, I realized that I could combine my analytical skills and desire […]
Grant Thornton taps new D.C. market managing principal
William “Bill” Marx Jr. is Grant Thornton’s new market managing principal for the Washington, D.C., area, the Chicago-based U.S. arm of the global accounting firm network announced Wednesday. Marx succeeds Greg Wallig, who was the company’s metro D.C.-Arlington County market managing principal and added the role of public policy head in June 2023. Wallig left […]
SARAH STRASSHEIM
One of Sarah Strassheim’s University of Mary Washington professors once told her that if she started out in finance and understood the numbers, she could go anywhere in an organization. “As a result, I started out as a finance analyst and haven’t really ever left,” says Strassheim, who now serves as chief financial officer for […]