The 2025 Virginia Black Business Leaders Awards: The Achievers
Black business leaders have played a pivotal role in shaping modern Virginia’s economic and cultural landscapes and driving progress across industries and communities. From the entrepreneurial spirit of pioneers who built thriving enterprises during times of immense adversity amid segregation and civil rights battles to today’s leaders breaking boardroom barriers, their stories are a t[...]
2025 Virginia Black Business Leaders Awards: Clyde Clark Jr.
In addition to serving in Blue Ridge Bank‘s middle market banking group, Clark is assistant treasurer of the Virginia Maritime Association board, board chair of the Urban League of Hampton Roads and past chair of the Chesapeake Economic Development Authority. Clark has worked in community banks for more than 30 years. FIRST JOB: Bagger/cashier at […]
Blue Ridge Bank names CEO
G. William “Billy” Beale became CEO of Blue Ridge Bank National Association on Sunday, giving the bank a leader separate from that of its parent company, Charlottesville-based Blue Ridge Bankshares Inc. “I am excited to have the opportunity to join this team at a critical time in the banking industry,” Beale said in a statement. […]
Va. bankers say they’re not worried by SVB collapse
Last weekend was pretty tense for bankers, even for those leading institutions quite distant and different from Silicon Valley Bank, which Friday became the second largest bank to fail in U.S. history. Federal regulators shut down SVB after a run on the bank. By Sunday, regulators also shut down New York’s Signature Bank, which became […]
Embedded finance
Several years ago, Blue Ridge Bank President and CEO Brian Plum began to notice a movement across the broader economy. “We live in a world where data has value,” Plum says. “It only made sense that over time, [as] you would see more sellers or other service providers that have built out platforms to try […]
Blue Ridge Bank, FVCbank merger called off
The merger of the parent companies of Charlottesville-based Blue Ridge Bank and Fairfax-based FVCbank has been called off, the companies announced late Thursday. Blue Ridge Bankshares Inc. and FVC Bankcorp Inc. mutually agreed to terminate the agreement, which was first announced in July 2021. The companies delayed the merger, which would have created a $5 […]
Blue Ridge Bank, FVCbank merger delayed
The merger of Charlottesville-based Blue Ridge Bankshares Inc., the parent company of Blue Ridge Bank, and Fairfax-based FVC Bankcorp Inc., the parent company of FVCbank, will be delayed, the companies announced this week. The two regional companies announced the merger, which would create a $5 billion combined company, on July 14. The expected closing at […]
Va. bank is first to allow customers to buy, redeem bitcoin at ATMs
With cryptocurrency use on the rise, customers of Charlottesville-based Blue Ridge Bankshares Inc., the parent holding company of Blue Ridge Bank, will now be able to purchase and redeem bitcoin at its ATMs, making them the nation’s first commercial bank to do so, the company announced Wednesday. Blue Ridge Bank cardholders can purchase and redeem bitcoin […]