Sign In
Free Newsletter
Real Estate 2023: W. TAYLOR FRANKLIN
Franklin was promoted to CEO in January, succeeding his father, Wendell, who is now chairman of the real estate development, management and investment firm they co-founded in 2013. Previously chief operating officer, Taylor Franklin oversees about 680 employees, including nearly 500 in Virginia. In 2022, Franklin was the youngest-ever King Neptune at Virginia Beach‘s Neptune […]
Finance | Insurance 2023: HANS VonKRUGER
In college, VonKruger took a part-time job as a teller to help pay for tuition. After working for JPMorgan Chase for more than 20 years, VonKruger joined Bank of America in 2016, becoming consumer banking market leader for southeastern Virginia. He has been the Hampton Roads market executive since 2018, managing about 575 employees and […]
Real Estate 2023: DONNA MacMILLAN-WHITAKER
As the development partner to fashion and music superstar Pharrell Williams, MacMillan-Whitaker has achieved a significant level of prominence in Hampton Roads, but she’s no flash in the pan. MacMillan-Whitaker has worked in the commercial retail industry since 1985, representing national retailers throughout the mid-Atlantic region. She also founded Commercial Real Estate Services, which me[...]
Real Estate 2023: GERALD S. DIVARIS
Divaris co-founded Divaris Group in South Africa in 1974. Since 1981, the firm has been headquartered in Virginia. Divaris Real Estate, one of the companies under the Divaris Group umbrella, opened its first office in the United States in 1982 in Virginia. Along with its Virginia Beach headquarters, Divaris has offices in Newport News, Norfolk, […]
Real Estate 2023: MICHAEL A. CULPEPPER
Culpepper serves as Venture Realty Group’s in-house attorney and managing partner, coordinating deal formation, land-use entitlement, and predevelopment services. He previously was an associate with law firm Williams Mullen’s real estate and land use team and was a principal with Fee Simple Legal, focusing on real estate transactions. Culpepper earned his bachelor’s degree from W[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2023: TOM WALKER
After a 17-year stint as a Navy officer, serving as a nuclear power engineer on submarines, and another 17 years as president of software company Web Teks, Walker launched DroneUp, a provider of aerial drone services, in 2016. The Virginia Beach tech company has grown quickly since then, purchasing Web Teks in 2021 and partnering […]
September 2023 Top Five stories
The top five most-read daily news stories on VirginiaBusiness.com from July 15 to Aug. 15 included news about Buc-ee’s planning to build a mega-convenience store in Rockingham County in 2025. It would be the chain’s second Virginia store, following a New Kent County store also slated to open in 2025. 1 | Plans revealed for […]
Real Estate 2023: TIMOTHY A. FAULKNER
Named CEO of Breeden in January 2022, Faulkner oversees a real estate development and property management company founded more than 60 years ago by Chairman Ramon W. Breeden Jr. Faulkner previously served as chief operating officer and president of property management for Breeden, which has about 425 employees in Virginia. This year, the company’s Breeden […]
Real Estate 2023: STEPHEN BALLARD
Ballard’s construction career goes back nearly 40 years. He has served as a project manager, superintendent, estimator, carpenter and laborer. Today, he oversees all construction operations and corporate functions for his company, including strategic planning, project management, estimating, business development, corporate communications, safety and quality. Ballard Construction served as ge[...]
Law 2023: BRADLEY J. LINGO
Lingo became dean of Regent University’s law school in June, after former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin left to become founding dean of the High Point University School of Law. Lingo has guided Regent Law toward records for enrollment, median LSAT and U.S. News & World Report rankings. In the publisher’s 2023 […]
Arts | Entertainment | Sports 2023: PHARRELL WILLIAMS
* EDITOR’S NOTE: Since this entry was written, Williams has moved with his family to Paris, where Louis Vuitton’s corporate headquarters is located. He previously had dual homes in Virginia Beach and Miami. Williams made a worldwide splash in June when the 13-time Grammy winner debuted his first fashion collection as men’s creative director for […]
The Breeden Co. adds new multifamily regional director
The Breeden Co. has named Sydney Balmer to its multifamily property management’s regional director team. The Virginia Beach-based real estate developer announced Balmer’s hire Aug. 8. She will oversee a portfolio of multifamily assets in the South Hampton Roads market. “Sydney brings her passion for problem solving and elevated resident experiences to the multifamily operations [&hel[...]
