Former Bush White House staffer named Akima VP
Rachael Duffy, a former assistant press secretary in President George W. Bush‘s administration, has joined Herndon-based federal contractor Akima as vice president of marketing, communications and government relations. An Alaska Native corporation that handles federal contracts for the for-profit NANA Regional business owned by Indigenous Iñupiat shareholders, Akima has more than 10,000 emp[...]
Lexington tech firm aims to bridge last-mile broadband gap
Broadband access may become easier to attain for businesses as a Lexington-based company looks to wirelessly transmit data more reliably. Over the past 22 years, Attochron has been working towards improving what’s referred to in the industry as free-space optical communications (FSOC) — using lasers to send data through air instead of via fiber optic […]
Northrop Grumman subsidiary scores $3.4B Navy contract
Northrop Grumman Systems, a subsidiary of Falls Church aerospace and defense giant Northrop Grumman, has been awarded a $3.459 billion contract by the Navy to engineer and manufacture new nuclear aircraft, according to announcements from the Department of Defense and the Navy last week. E-130J jets will take the place of the Navy’s current E-6B […]
Leidos wins $331M Army IT contract
The U.S. Army has awarded a $331 million IT contract to Leidos to modernize its network, the Reston-based Fortune 500 federal contractor announced Monday. The Army Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Network (PEO C3N), formerly known as the PEO C3T, awarded the contract, which has a one-year base period of performance with […]
Leidos wins $823M task order
The U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has awarded Leidos an $823 million task order to provide operations and sustainment for the Department of Defense Network program (DoDNet), the Reston-based Fortune 500 federal contractor announced Monday. In 2022, DISA, which provides information technology and communications services for national leaders, the military services and others, awarde[...]
Intelsat strikes $250M deal with Eutelsat Group
McLean-based satellite services provider Intelsat has committed to secure low-Earth orbit service for six years for $250 million from Paris-based Eutelsat Group’s OneWeb low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation service, with an option for another $250 million, Intelsat announced Tuesday. “We’ve been partnering with Eutelsat for quite some time now, leveraging its OneWeb LEO constellation [...]
W&M Law School hires comms, marketing officer
William & Mary Law School has named Doris Taylor as its first chief communications and marketing officer. Taylor began her new role June 12 and has primary responsibility for developing and executing strategic communication plans and initiatives to support the engagement and professional needs of the law school. Taylor was most recently interim director of […]
Two Hampton Roads marketing agencies to merge
Norfolk-based WB Marketing‘s parent company has acquired majority interest in Virginia Beach-based marketing and communications firm Meridian Group and will merge the two into one agency, Meridian Group announced Tuesday. Mike Matacunas from Norfolk-based private investment firm Five Hill Capital — WB Marketing’s parent — acquired the majority interest from Meridian Group founder J[...]
Telus International to acquire WillowTree for $1.2B
Charlottesville-based WillowTree Inc., recently recognized by Adweek for being one of the fastest-growing agencies in the nation, has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Canadian tech company Telus International Inc. for $1.225 billion, Telus announced Thursday. The acquisition is expected to close in January and is subject to regulatory approvals. Under the agreement, […]
Virginia Tech promotes VP of comms, marketing
Virginia Tech announced Tuesday it has promoted Tracy Vosburgh to be its inaugural vice president of communications and marketing. The university is also renaming its University Relations department to Communications and Marketing. Vosburgh has served as Virginia Tech’s top communications administrator since 2015, when she joined the university as senior associate vice president for universi[...]
Chantilly’s CTSI acquires Fla. security firm
Chantilly-based technology firm Corbett Technology Solutions Inc. (CTSI) announced Tuesday it had acquired Orlando, Florida-based risk, resilience and security services provider Star Asset Security. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. CTSI is a portfolio company of Chicago-based private equity firm Wind Point Partners. The transaction is CTSI’s sixth acquisition since it w[...]
Va. Tech Innovation Campus hires communications and marketing director
The Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria hired Franki Fitterer as the director of communications and marketing, the university announced Monday. Fitterer joined the campus’ team on Aug. 25. Fitterer will direct marketing and communications strategy for the Innovation Campus and will focus on enrollment marketing and the campus’ brand strategy. “We are thrilled to […]