Barkin: Raising interest rates is correct course
As inflation remains high and the fallout from recent bank failures seems contained, the Federal Reserve Bank has good reason to continue raising interest rates, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President and CEO Tom Barkin said Thursday in a speech to the Virginia Council of CEOs at the University of Richmond. “It is worth remembering that not […]
COVID challenges continue for Va. restaurants
Liz Kincaid faced a major problem in August after the walk-in refrigerator in one of her Richmond restaurants — Max’s on Broad — broke. Her usual supplier told her the wait for the replacement part would take two months. “I have raw oysters and produce and fish and chicken,” recalled Kincaid. “I’m like, ‘What am […]
Virginia companies weigh office returns
Many companies in Virginia are taking a flexible approach on whether employees must return to work in offices or continue working remotely or via hybrid models. For instance, Capital One Financial Corp., the McLean-based credit card company, is planning to reopen its U.S. offices in a hybrid model on Sept. 6. Capital One delayed its […]
Future shock
As companies across Virginia continue to adjust to workplace changes created by the COVID-19 pandemic, many human resources managers say one thing is clear: The way people work has changed for good. “This is a new work environment — the workplace has changed now,” says Kirstin Shelton, vice president of human resources for Octo Consulting […]
Statewide hotel revenues continue to lag 2019
Hotel revenues in Virginia for the first half of 2022 continued to lag behind 2019, and reduced business travel is still the culprit. That’s according to data released this week from STR Inc., a division of CoStar Group Inc. that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. Hotel rooms sold decreased by 4.6% in Virginia through June […]
April Va. hotel revenues down slightly from pre-pandemic
Virginia hotel revenues in April were down 3.5% compared with pre-pandemic April 2019 revenues, largely due to the lagging Northern Virginia market, according to data released Wednesday by STR Inc., a division of CoStar Group Inc. that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. Hotel rooms sold decreased by 4.7% last month, compared with […]
Capital One to reopen offices in September
McLean-based Capital One Financial Corp. will return to U.S. offices in a hybrid model on Sept. 6, CEO Richard Fairbank announced Wednesday. Capital One has delayed planned hybrid reopenings twice, from September 2021 to November 2021, and then indefinitely when the company announced its decision to postpone again in October 2021. “As we get closer […]
Bioscience firm to create 70 jobs in Prince William
Manassas-based Virongy Biosciences Inc. will invest $471,000 to expand in Prince William County, creating 70 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. The company relocated within Prince William County in February, moving from a roughly 600-square-foot space to about 2,000 square feet in the Northern Virginia Bioscience Center. It plans to develop diagnostic technologies to monitor […]
Va. hotels expect 28% drop in 2022 biz travel revenue
Virginia hotel revenue from business travel this year is projected to be down 28.3% from pre-pandemic levels, or about $674 million less than the $2.39 billion the lodging industry took in during 2019, according to a report released Tuesday by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Kalibri Labs. Nationally, the associations forecasts a 23% […]
Feb. statewide hotel revenues were 6.1% lower than 2019
February hotel revenues in Virginia were 6.1% lower than those recorded in February 2019, according to data released Monday by STR Inc., a division of CoStar Group Inc. that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. Hotel rooms sold decreased by 5% last month, compared with 2019 levels. The average daily rate (ADR) paid […]
Code red
Although many business sectors focused on moving on from the COVID-19 pandemic once vaccines became broadly available in 2021, Virginia’s health care industry has remained heavily burdened by continuing caseload surges and extreme staffing shortages. In September 2021, Gov. Ralph Northam voiced frustration at a news conference, saying, “It’s getting to the point where we […]
Kicking the can
In April 2020, Savan Group LLC, a federal contractor specializing in digital transformation, information technology and management consulting, gave up its 10,500-square-foot office space in Tysons. Like many other companies, Savan Group shifted to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but by summer 2021, company President and CEO Veeral Majmudar was ready to look […]