Altria CEO Howard Willard contracts coronavirus
Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc. CEO Howard Willard has tested positive for COVID-19 and is taking a temporary medical leave of absence, Altria’s executive vice president and general counsel Murray Garnick told all salaried and hourly employees through a memo released late Thursday. “Howard has been out of the office for several days, and we […]
Richmond ABC store near VCU closes due to COVID-19
A Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) retail store near Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond has been closed until further notice after a store employee’s roommate tested positive for COVID-19. Both roommates are quarantined at home. Located at 1217 West Broad Street near the corner of West Broad and North Harrison streets, the store is […]
Richmond ad agency launches website to help restaurants during crisis
Richmond-based advertising agency Familiar Creatures launched a website this weekend called “Keep Calm and Nom Nom RVA,” where Richmonders can buy gift cards from local restaurants to support the businesses during the coronavirus crisis. On Tuesday, Gov. Ralph Northam issued a statewide mandate for restaurants to “significantly reduce their capacity to 10 patrons, or close,” […]
Richmond restaurateurs closing dining rooms to slow COVID-19
A coalition of Richmond-area restaurant owners led by Richmond Restaurant Group (RRG) announced in an email early Tuesday morning that they will close their dining rooms to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus. “We have been doing all we can to keep our people working, while also keeping you as our guests healthy and safe,” […]
Madison+Main names new president
Richmond-based brand communications firm Madison+Main on Thursday announced that it has promoted Chief Operating Officer Molly Whitfield to president, effective March 1. Whitfield, who will continue in her COO role, is the second president in the firm’s 15 years in business. Whitfield began working with the agency in 2007 and is Madison+Main’s longest-tenured staff member. […]
Richmond’s Liqui-Box completes $585M DS Smith plc acquisition
Richmond-based packaging company Liqui-Box Corp. completed its acquisition of London-based international packaging business DS Smith plc’s plastics division to create a combined company with 35 manufacturing facilities and approximately 3,000 employees, the company announced Thursday. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but media reports last fall stated that the United Ki[...]
VCU Honors College names new dean
Virginia Commonwealth University has tapped Scott C. Breuninger as dean of its honors college, VCU announced Friday. Breuninger starts on July 1. Breuninger currently works with the University of South Dakota (USD) as the director of its honors program and as an associate professor of history. He has been with USD since 2011 and grew […]
Old Navy taps Richmond’s Martin Agency for ad campaign
Old Navy has chosen The Martin Agency as a creative agency partner, according to reports this week from AdAge and Ad Week. “The Martin Agency is thrilled to announce that we’ll be working with Old Navy on a new campaign that will launch in May 2020,” the company said in a statement. The Richmond-based advertising […]
$32.4M apartment complex coming to Scott’s Addition
A $32.4 million, 350-unit apartment complex will be built in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood in Richmond, Glen Allen-based real estate investment group Capital Square 1031 announced Tuesday. The project will be developed by CSRA/GS Opportunity Zone V LLC at 1601 Roseneath Road, which is a designated opportunity zone in the city — and the fourth […]
Beer Marketing & Tourism Conference coming to Richmond in 2021
Richmond will play host to next year’s Beer Marketing & Tourism Conference, Richmond Region Tourism announced Friday. The annual conference draws attendees from breweries, guilds, tour operators, marketing agencies and media from around the country. The 2021 conference will take place Feb. 23-25, 2021, at the Omni Richmond Hotel downtown. Richmond’s craft beer profile has […[...]
City of Richmond moves up in general obligation debt rating
Moody’s Investors Services upgraded the city of Richmond‘s general obligation debt rating to Aa1, its second-to-highest creditworthiness rating, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced Tuesday. A city’s credit rating determines the amount that a locality may borrow for capital projects, including schools. The city has not received an upgrade since 2014. With this change in rating, [...]
VCU receives $2.5M grant to extend battery life development
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers will receive a $2.5 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop long-lasting rechargeable batteries, the university announced Thursday. VCU researchers believe they can significantly extend battery life, drive down costs and reduce safety risks by redesigning materials found in lithium-ion batteries, which are commonly use[...]