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Betting on biotech
Virginians have often sought experimental medical treatments outside the state — traveling to North Carolina, Boston or one of the Mayo Clinic’s locations. However, the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology at the University of Virginia aims to change that. “We intend to tackle the biggest challenges in health care and to empower our […]
U.Va. commerce alum donates $10M for scholarships
A University of Virginia alumnus, John Connaughton, and his wife, Stephanie, have donated $10 million to fund need-based undergraduate scholarships for McIntire School of Commerce students, the university announced Thursday. U.Va. will match the couple’s gift, which establishes the Connaughton Bicentennial Scholars Fund. Portions of the Connaughtons’ gift will go toward the launch of &[...]
Virginia ABC to hold Secretariat bourbon lottery
Bourbon fans should gallop to enter the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority’s online lottery later this month for 187 autographed bottles of Secretariat Reserve Straight Bourbon, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the thoroughbred’s 1973 Triple Crown sweep. The bourbon comes from Charlottesville-based Ragged Branch Distillery and includes grain grown at Meadow Event Park in Caroline[...]
Building blocks
If you ask economic development officials in Central Virginia about 2022, they might respond with a familiar slogan: “Everything is awesome.” With almost 5,000 announced jobs and $1.6 billion in capital investment, the Richmond region had one of its best years in the last two decades. By October 2022, the region recovered 100% of jobs […]
Paying it forward
In the last year, Virginia philanthropists continued making generous donations toward health care research, while others maintained their longstanding support of art museums. Leading the pack were two nine-figure donations for medical research. In February 2022, Dr. Todd Stravitz, who built his expertise researching and treating liver disease, donated $104 million to Virginia Commonwealth Universi[...]
Charlottesville chamber CEO to step down
Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Elizabeth Cromwell will step down in February after four years helming the organization, the chamber said Tuesday. Cromwell’s last day is Feb. 17. Andrea Copeland, the chamber’s director of committee engagement, has been named interim president to manage the organization until a new president is named. The […]
$100M donor gift to launch U.Va. biotech institute
The University of Virginia will build a biotechnology institute funded with a $100 million donation from Charlottesville investor Paul Manning and his wife, Diane, the university announced Friday. Along with the Mannings’ gift, U.Va. will contribute $150 million, and the state has allocated $50 million in initial investments for the institute in its 2022-24 budget, […]
Fertility testing startup to establish $1.4M Albemarle HQ
Life sciences startup PS-Fertility Inc. will invest $1.4 million to establish its headquarters and operations in Albemarle County and plans to create 31 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. PS-Fertility Inc. will commercialize a male fertility diagnostic technology that was originally developed at the University of Virginia. The company will lease 4,000 square feet at […]
VCU names medical school dean
Dr. Arturo P. Saavedra will be the next dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and executive vice president for medical affairs at VCU Health, the university announced Monday. His appointment is effective April 15. Saavedra is currently chair of the University of Virginia’s dermatology department and interim CEO of the U.Va. Physicians […]
$1.2B WillowTree purchase completed
Telus International Inc.’s $1.225 billion purchase of Charlottesville-based software company WillowTree Inc. has been completed, the Canadian tech company said Wednesday. The acquisition was announced in October 2022. The purchase included $210 million of assumed debt, of which $125 million was to be settled in Telus subordinate voting shares. Approximately $160 million will be reinvested [...]
U.Va. credit union names new COO
The University of Virginia Community Credit Union in Charlottesville has named Belinda Tucker as chief operating officer, the institution announced Monday. Tucker will report directly to Susan Gruber, the credit union’s president and CEO. In her new role, Tucker will support the credit union’s marketing, retail delivery strategy, loan servicing operations member service center and [&he[...]
Lawyers aim to lower barriers to legal advice for startups
It takes a lot to start a business — a marketable idea, available capital and good advice, among other resources. Tricia Dunlap puts legal guidance in the same bucket. A former history teacher who became a lawyer in her 40s, Dunlap started her own Richmond-based law firm, Dunlap Law PLC, in 2015 to help “un-lawyered […]
