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Charlottesville regional chamber names prez and CEO
Natalie S. Masri will assume the role of president and CEO of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce on June 1, the chamber announced Tuesday. She succeeds Andrea Copeland, who has served as the chamber’s interim president since February and will become the chamber’s chief operating officer. Masri most recently founded Brave May LLC, a […]
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. […]
Agtech startup to invest $25M in Albemarle expansion
Agricultural biotech startup AgroSpheres will invest $25 million to expand in Albemarle County, creating an estimated 50 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday. The company will increase production at its facility at 1180 Seminole Trail and build a research and development and demonstration facility for new products, which will be a pilot plant for a […]
Under the radar
Considering that four of the world’s five largest defense contractors are headquartered in Northern Virginia and that Hampton Roads is home to the world’s largest naval base, it isn’t surprising that Virginia was ranked the top state in the nation for defense spending in 2021. But what many observers may not know is that quiet, […]
Charlottesville car dealerships acquired
Flow Automotive Cos. has completed its acquisition of five Umansky Automotive Group dealerships in Charlottesville, the company announced April 18. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Flow’s acquisition includes locations selling Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram automotive brands, according to a news release. Flow currently has dealerships representing Au[...]
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 [...]
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, […]
