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Economic Development 2023: CORRIE BOBE
Bobe is sparking growth in rural Southern Virginia, which is still rebuilding from losing its textiles industry decades ago. In January, city officials participated in the groundbreaking for Dan River Falls, the $85 million public-private mixed-use redevelopment of the shuttered White Mill textiles factory building. And in May, Caesars Entertainment opened a temporary casino in […]
Economic Development 2023: JASON EL KOUBI
El Koubi has served as head of Virginia’s top economic development organization since March 2022, following a five-year stint as VEDP’s executive vice president. Part of the team that helped bring Amazon.com’s $2.5 billion-plus HQ2 East Coast headquarters to Arlington County, El Koubi continues to land big economic wins for the commonwealth, such as last […]
Economic Development 2023: H. GARRETT HART III
A major success for Hart this year was the announcement of the Springline at District 60 mixed-use development project in Chesterfield County. Long in the making, it features apartments, office, entertainment and retail areas. Demolition of the old Spring Rock Green shopping center began in March, making way for a $210 million, 42-acre first phase […]
Economic Development 2023: JENNIFER WAKEFIELD
Assuming her current role in 2021, Wakefield served as interim president and CEO twice for the Greater Richmond Partnership, a regional economic development organization for Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico. She has also been the partnership’s chief operating officer and senior vice president of marketing. Previously, she served as Orlando Economic […]
Economic Development 2023: BARRY DuVAL
DuVal, who has led the Virginia Chamber since 2010, oversaw the launch this summer of the chamber’s WiseChoice Healthcare Alliance, a multiple employer welfare association to offer health care plans for small businesses. Made possible through new state legislation, WiseChoice was the first such self-funded health insurance consortium in Virginia. A longtime advocate for Virginia’s [&he[...]
Economic Development 2023: STU SOLOMON
Solomon has been leading the public-private Connected DMV economic development group since 2019. In May, the organization and partners submitted a landmark U.S. Department of Energy application to create the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub, which would displace more than 420,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year and create an estimated 8,000 jobs by 2030. In […]
Polish glass fabricator expanding in Henry County
Poland-based Press Glass Inc. will spend more than $155 million to expand its operations in Henry County and add 335 jobs, marking the largest expansion in the county’s history, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. The largest independent glass fabricator in Europe, according to a news release, Press Glass will construct a 360,000-square-foot addition at its […]
Central Va. Transportation Authority names first leader
Chet Parsons will serve as the Central Virginia Transportation Authority’s first executive director, the organization announced Thursday. Parsons has served as director of transportation for PlanRVA, also known as the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, since 2019. CVTA finances transportation projects across the Richmond region. It was established by the General Assembly in 2020[...]
Charlottesville-based Virginia Diodes to expand, invest $2.5M
Virginia Diodes Inc. (VDI) will invest $2.5 million to expand its operations in Charlottesville, adding an estimated 24 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday. VDI was founded in Charlottesville in 1996 as a spinoff from the University of Virginia and in 2004 established its headquarters at the city’s Ix Art Park complex. The company manufactures […]
Henrico County, Markel|Eagle acquire land for GreenCity
Henrico County and an affiliate of Markel|Eagle Partners LLC came to an agreement Thursday to purchase the 110-acre Scott Farm property, which will be a key part of the $2.3 billion mixed-use GreenCity development, for $35.1 million. First proposed in December 2020, GreenCity plans to include what is billed as the nation’s greenest arena, with […]
Henrico insurer to create 72 jobs in $6.2M expansion
Henrico County-based insurance company Berkley Insurance Co. will invest $6.2 million to expand its office in the county’s Innsbrook area, with plans to create 72 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday. A subsidiary of Connecticut-based Fortune 500 company W. R. Berkley Corp., the firm will lease an additional 8,920 square feet of office space from […]
Big deals
CENTRAL VIRGINIA Appomattox: In November 2022, Virginia MetalFab, a precision sheet metal fabricator, moved from Nelson County’s Gladstone area to nearby Appomattox, where it’s leasing the former Thomasville Furniture plant, which shuttered in 2011. Founded in 2002, Virginia MetalFab manufactures metal parts and assemblies for industries ranging from utilities to transportation and tec[...]
