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byline: Beth JoJack

15 Va. schools make U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 national universities list

Fifteen Virginia schools ranked on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best National Universities list released Tuesday. Several Virginia schools were noted on other education rankings released by the media company, including 16 Virginia colleges on the best national liberal arts colleges list.

For U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges lists, researchers evaluated nearly 1,500 colleges and universities using up to 17 measures of academic quality for its national universities list and 13 indicators for the national liberal arts colleges list. 

The University of Virginia was again the highest-ranking Virginia school on the list, maintaining its No. 24 ranking. It tied with Georgetown and Emory universities. Also notable: Mary Baldwin University jumped 34 spots in the ranking, to the 377th spot this year. 

The 15 Virginia universities on the 2025 Best National Universities list are:

  • No. 24 U.Va. (tie)
  • No. 51 Virginia Tech (tie)
  • No. 54 William & Mary (tie)
  • No. 109 George Mason University (tie)
  • No. 136 Virginia Commonwealth University (tie)
  • No. 148 James Madison University (tie)
  • No. 273 Hampton University (tie)
  • No. 288 Marymount University (tie)
  • No. 296 Old Dominion University (tie)
  • No. 315 Radford University (tie)
  • No. 315 Shenandoah University (tie)
  • No. 329 University of Lynchburg (tie)
  • No. 377 Mary Baldwin University (tie)
  • No. 377 Regent University (tie)
  • No. 392-434 Liberty University 

U.Va. ranked No. 4 on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of top public schools list, up one spot from last year’s ranking.

“We’re grateful that U.S. News has once again recognized the strength of the university and especially the success of our students,” Stephen Farmer, U.Va’s vice provost for enrollment, said in a statement.

Virginia Tech ranked No. 21 (tied with Texas A&M University) in top public schools. William & Mary ranked No. 23 (a tie with Florida State University and University of Minnesota Twin Cities). George Mason ranked No. 52 (tied with eight other schools), while James Madison University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University and Radford University rounded out the public schools with rankings of Nos. 78 (tie), 69 (tie), 161 (tie) and 170 (tie), respectively.

Hampton University ranked No. 7 among Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Norfolk State University ranked No. 23 on that list, tying with Virginia State University as well as Prairie View A&M University in Texas and the University of the District of Columbia. Virginia Union University ranked No. 47 (tie).

On the best national liberal arts colleges list, 16 Virginia colleges made the 2025 rankings:

  • No. 19 Washington and Lee University (tie)
  • No. 22 University of Richmond (tie)
  • No. 59 Virginia Military Institute (tie)
  • No. 103 Hampden-Sydney College (tie)
  • No. 103 Randolph-Macon College (tie)
  • No. 122 Roanoke College (tie)
  • No. 132 University of Mary Washington (tie)
  • No. 136 Hollins University (tie)
  • No. 136 Patrick Henry College (tie)
  • No. 162 Randolph College (tie)
  • No. 165 Bridgewater College (tie)
  • No. 173 University of Virginia’s College at Wise (tie)
  • No. 173 Sweet Briar College (tie)
  • No. 175 Virginia Wesleyan University (tie)
  • No. 182 Southern Virginia University (tie)
  • No. 187-204 Virginia Union University

 

Manufacturer plans $5M expansion in Scott County

VFP, a manufacturer of enclosures used to protect critical infrastructure, will invest $5 million to expand its Scott County facility, a move expected to create 50 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday. 

The expansion will allow VFP to respond to a growing data center market. 

“Virginia’s robust data center industry relies on manufacturers like VFP, and those synergies have created a robust ecosystem of partners and suppliers,” Youngkin stated in a news release.  

Founded in 1965 in Roanoke County, VFP began manufacturing products in Scott County in 1997. It currently employs 350 workers at its campus in Duffield, according to Scott File, its president and CEO. 

A man wearing a blue blazer.
Scott File is president and CEO of VFP. Photo courtesy VFP

Workers at the employee-owned company, manufacture a variety of products using materials ranging from heavyweight concrete to lightweight flexible metal. VFP shelters are used primarily by utility providers, municipalities, data centers and broadband providers. The products are used on all seven continents. 

 “Since relocating to Scott County over 25 years ago, VFP has experienced continued growth across all market sectors,” Scott File, president and CEO of VFP, stated in the release. “VFP attributes this success to the loyalty and talent of our employee-owners who share the common goal of supplying industry-leading, quality products and services to our valued customers.”

In 2008, VFP participated in the Virginia Leaders in Export Trade Program, an international business acceleration program offered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. It’s also part of the VEDP’s Supply Chain Optimization Program, which helps companies evaluate their supply chain management and import processes. 

The VEDP worked with Scott County to secure the project for Virginia, which competed with Louisiana and Missouri. 

Youngkin approved a $75,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Scott County with this project. Support for VFP job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program. The program, created by VEDP in collaboration with higher education partners, offers recruitment and training services at no cost to the company.

Va. casinos report $63.1M in August revenues

August gaming revenues for Virginia’s three casinos totaled $63.1 million, according to Virginia Lottery data released in September. 

Last month, the Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock temporary casino reported about $15.94 million in adjusted gaming revenues (wagers minus winnings), of which about $13.29 million came from its 905 slots, and the remaining roughly $2.65 million came from its 29 table games. The Bristol casino’s temporary facility opened in July 2022, making it the first operating casino in Virginia. 

The permanent Hard Rock Bristol casino’s opening has been pushed back from July to sometime in late fall. The permanent resort casino is expected to have a 303-room hotel, more than 1,500 slots, 75 table games, new dining venues and a 2,000-seat indoor entertainment venue.

After the lottery board approved its license in November 2022, Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened as Virginia’s first permanent casino in January 2023. In June, it generated about $19.19 million from its 1,378 slots and about $7.46 million from its 85 table games, for a total AGR of close to $26.65 million.

The temporary Caesars Virginia casino in Danville, which received its casino license in April 2023 and opened in May 2023, reported about $15.63 million in AGR from its 826 slots and about $4.85 million from its 36 table games, totaling about $20.48 million last month. Its permanent location, which will cost about $750 million, is slated to open late this year and will include a 320-room hotel and a roughly 90,000-square-foot casino floor.

August’s casino gaming revenues were a roughly 6.4% increase from the $59.3 million reported in July. 

Virginia law assesses a graduated tax on a casino’s adjusted gaming revenue. For the month of August, taxes from casino AGRs totaled about $11.77 million.

The host cities of Portsmouth and Danville received 6% of their respective casinos’ AGRs: about $1.68 million and $1.23 million, respectively. For the Bristol casino, 6% of its adjusted gaming revenue — more than $956,400 last month — goes to the Regional Improvement Commission, which the General Assembly established to distribute Bristol casino tax funds throughout Southwest Virginia.

The Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund receives 0.8% of total taxes — more than $94,000 last month. The Family and Children’s Trust Fund, which funds family violence prevention and treatment programs, receives 0.2% of the monthly total, which was approximately $23,530 in August.

Plans are once again moving forward for the delayed Norfolk casino. On Sept. 10, Norfolk City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday to approve a development agreement between the city, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and Boyd Gaming, which replaces Tennessee investor Jon Yarbrough as the King William County tribe’s corporate partner.

In paperwork filed with the city, the partners have scrapped the casino’s old name, HeadWaters Resort & Casino, and provided a timeline to start construction of a temporary casino and a permanent structure within a few weeks of each other in early 2025. A new name for the facility has not been announced. 

In Central Virginia, Petersburg will hold a casino referendum on this fall’s ballots, asking voters to approve casino gaming. During an April meeting, the Petersburg City Council voted to endorse a proposal from The Cordish Cos., canceling a competitive bidding process.

Charlottesville Realtor named Virginia Realtor of the Year

Virginia Realtors named Denise Ramey of Charlottesville the 2024 Realtor of the Year on Sept. 18 in downtown Richmond at its annual awards ceremony. 

The award is given to professionals who make “proven contributions to the real estate industry through both personal and professional achievement and outstanding volunteerism.” She leads Denise Ramey Real Estate, which is based in Charlottesville and sells homes in Central Virginia. 

A committee of peers selected Ramey out of 36,000 members, according to an announcement.

Born in Iceland, Ramey grew up in a Navy family that frequently moved. She received a degree from the University of Florida in criminal justice in 1985 and worked as a sales executive for two decades, according to her LinkedIn page. In 2006, Ramey started out as a Realtor in Charlottesville. 

Ramey spent several years on the Virginia Realtors board and served as its president in 2022. She’s also active with the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (CAAR) and served as that organization’s president in 2013. In 2015, CAAR named Ramey its Realtor of the year. 

Topsoe buys land for $400M plant in Chesterfield County

Topsoe, a Danish electrolyzer manufacturer, paid $4.95 million for about 57 acres in Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield County this summer, where the company plans to build a $400 million manufacturing plant.

In April, Topsoe announced the investment, which is expected to create 150 jobs. 

The company will manufacture Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell stacks, which are used to produce renewable hydrogen. Under the federal Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022, about 35 companies, including Topsoe, received clean energy tax credits totaling nearly $2 billion, which the U.S. Department of Energy announced in April. Topsoe received $135.9 million in tax credits. 

“Electrolyzers are key for decarbonizing energy-intensive industries like steel, mining and long-distance transportation, which account for approximately 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions,” the U.S. Department of Energy said in a statement about the award.

The land, which is located at 11700 Meadowville Lane and 1301 Meadowville Technology Parkway, was purchased from the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority on June 25. 

Topsoe plans to spend $140 million on building construction and $260 million on production machinery and tools, according to a performance grant agreement unanimously approved May 15 by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. 

A spokesperson for Topsoe confirmed the land was purchased for the previously announced plant and added that the company expects construction on this project to take two years.

Garrett Hart, director of economic development for Chesterfield County, noted Topsoe is currently working on a site plan and expects to begin construction in 2025.

“They’re moving forward,” Hart said.

To secure the project, Chesterfield County received a $6 million grant from the Commonwealth Opportunity Fund, and Topsoe is eligible for benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program also will support job creation and training, according to the governor’s office.

Additionally, in May the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors approved a performance agreement that would give Topsoe $2.1 million from the county’s Economic Development Authority from the land sale. The county will also provide an annual grant for six years equal to the amount of machinery and tools tax Topsoe would pay for six years, an amount estimated to be $3.9 million. 

In return, the company must make $400 million in capital investments to the facility by the end of 2029. 

The property purchased by Topsoe sits across the street from where Lego plans to build $1 billion building-block manufacturing facility. 

Output of electrolyzer stacks at Topsoe’s Chesterfield County plant will enable the planet to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by planting over 33 million tree seedlings and allowing them to grow for a decade, according to an August post on Topsoe’s website. 

Founded in 1940 in Denmark, Topsoe has two U.S. facilities in Texas and California, and it has offices around the world and more than 2,800 employees. The company specializes in technology that helps reduce carbon emissions, including heavy industry, long-haul transportation and producing cleaner fuels.

Pittsylvania tapped as home for $1.5M+ training center

TECHnista, an education consulting company that develops curriculum for K-12 programs in defense and advanced manufacturing industries, will invest about $1.56 million to establish a National Training and Technology Center in Pittsylvania County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. 

The project, which is expected to create 15 jobs, will assist in the implementation of a five-year federal contract with the U.S. Department of Defense’s office of Innovation Capability and Modernization. 

Called the Manufacturing and Engineering Education Reimagined for All program, TECHnista’s middle-school manufacturing initiative seeks to attract students and equip them with skills needed for careers in advanced manufacturing. “These skills will propel the next generation of defense manufacturing workers,” the announcement from the governor’s office stated. 

By 2029, the programs produced at the National Training and Technology Center are expected to assist in training 110,000 students. 

“Our mission at TECHnista goes beyond building a successful business—we are committed to innovating K-12 education and strengthening local and national manufacturing workforce pipelines,” Kelsey Robertson, TECHnista founder and CEO, said in a statement. “We are excited to bring our K-12 manufacturing education solution to fruition in Pittsylvania County.”

Before launching TECHnista in 2021, Robertson taught math, science, and career and technical education at Pittsylvania County schools. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Averett University in 2015. 

TECHnista will lease-to-purchase a facility at 2311 Cane Creek Parkway in the Ringgold East Industrial Park owned by the Pittsylvania County Industrial Development Authority. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the project. 

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Pittsylvania County and the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance to secure the project. Youngkin approved a $50,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Pittsylvania County with this project and TECHnista is eligible to receive benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, which provides grant-based incentives for job creation and redevelopment or construction of commercial or industrial sites. 

$10M Biochar plant opens in Waverly

Restoration Bioproducts’ executives and employees gathered with state and local officials Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the company’s Sussex County biochar production facility.

Through a thermal decomposition process known as pyrolysis, the facility heats waste wood to high temperatures in an environment without oxygen to transform the material into syngas — a combustible gas that can be used for fuel —  and biochar, a charcoal-like substance commonly used to improve soil health, as an animal food additive, and as an odor absorber.

It’s no accident that Restoration Bioproducts’ executives chose to build the facility next door to Wood Fuel Developers, a wood pellet manufacturer, in the town of Waverly. Initially, the Restoration Bioproducts’ plant will rely exclusively on wood waste from its neighbor as a front-end fuel for the system. Later, the company will need to source waste wood from other Virginia operations, according to senior partner Andy Raines.

Restoration Bioproducts, which has its headquarters in Lynchburg, has hired a manager and seven employees to work at the Waverly plant, which cost nearly $10 million to build. 

Initially, Restoration Bioproducts leaders estimated they’d be able to build the plant for $5.8 million, but supply chain issues and inflation raised costs. “We were able to scramble around and raise the extra capital through our funding partners, but it did slow us down a bit,” Raines said. 

Early estimates calculated that 18 months would be needed to build the plant. It ended up taking over two years.

To build next to Wood Fuel Developers, Restoration Bioproducts also had to figure out how to design the plant to fit on a site that’s a little over an acre. 

“Normally, we would sort of spread ourselves out on, say, a 7-, 8- [or] maybe even a 10-acre site,” Raines said. Instead, the company decided to build up instead of out. Restoration Bioproducts’ Sussex County plant is 2,500 square feet and stands 60 feet tall, according to Raines.

Currently, the biochar plant is in a commissioning period, “when you turn everything on and see how it runs,” he explained. 

Sometime in 2025, Raines added, the goal is for the facility to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

​​“There’s an advantage from an efficiency standpoint and from a carbon impact standpoint to leave it at temperature and leave it running,” Raines said. 

As production ramps up, more employees will be hired. “That’ll move us up to about 15 jobs,” Raines said. 

Another goal is for the plant to eventually be fueled by its own syngas. “As we heat the wood, the gasses are pushed out of that wood, and we recirculate that to run the facility,” Raines explained.

Restoration Bioproducts plans to sell biochar produced at the plant for agricultural use. Biochar can improve soil’s fertility, yield and water retention. “We’re big believers in helping to heal the soil,” Raines said. 

Additionally, the biochar plant provided an opportunity to companies looking to offset their emissions. Converting wood to biochar removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Restoration Bioproducts worked with Carbon Streaming in Canada to sell carbon removal credits that will be generated by the work at the Waverly plant. In September 2023, the carbon credit streaming and royalty company announced it had made a deal with Microsoft to buy credits generated at the Restoration Bioproducts’ plant. 

“They stepped in early and said, ‘Great, great project. We’d love to have those credits,’ and they’ve spoken for those,” Raines said of Microsoft. 

The Waverly facility is expected to deliver up to 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide removal credits per year, according to Carbon Streaming. 

 

Summit for entrepreneurs planned for Danville

Two South Boston-based economic development organizations will host a summit for entrepreneurs and business leaders Oct. 19 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville.

Launched by the SOVA Innovation Hub, a nonprofit working to drive economic transformation with digital skills and entrepreneurship, and RISE Collaborative, a regional initiative driven by a mission to build “a more inclusive and vibrant regional economy,” the inaugural Regional Innovation Summit for Entrepreneurs (RISE) Summit will offer skill-building workshops, speakers and networking.

“The biggest benefit of an event like this is really showing up and meeting your peers and finding out that the challenges of entrepreneurship that can be so lonely are really quite common, and there are so many resources available, not just locally but regionally and across the state,” says Lauren Mathena, director of economic development and community engagement for Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities, who helps with managing both the SOVA Innovation Hub and RISE Collaborative.

The roots of SOVA Innovation Hub date back to 2017 and the launch of Microsoft TechSpark, a program developed to provide greater economic opportunities and job creation in rural and small metropolitan communities. Organizers tapped Southern Virginia as one of seven communities across the country to receive help with needs such as job training, using technology to expand businesses, promoting computer science in schools, and expanding broadband.

Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities, a nonprofit middle-mile broadband provider based in South Boston, and Microsoft TechSpark went on to launch the SOVA Innovation Hub, which opened in downtown South Boston in 2021. The building provides space for coworking, training and includes a Microsoft Experience Center where individuals can try out digital equipment like the HoloLens, a mixed-reality device.

In 2021, leaders at the SOVA Innovation Hub and Longwood University worked together to establish the RISE Collaborative to provide training and networking to grow entrepreneurship and innovation in the counties of Halifax, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Brunswick, Buckingham, Prince Edward, Cumberland, Amelia, Nottoway, Patrick, Henry, Pittsylvania and the cities of Martinsville and Danville.

“It’s kind of always been part of the vision to host a large gathering, to bring people together in person,” said Mathena. Since both organizations formed during the pandemic, that goal got put on ice for a bit, but “now is the time,”  Mathena added.

Among the speakers at the RISE Summit, Natalie Hodge Davis, founder and CEO of Rudy’s Girl Media, a multimedia company based in Martinsville, will offer tips for finding small business funding. Jenn Kinne of Farmville’s Letterpress Communications, a provider of boutique marketing strategies specializing in serving rural clients, will talk about topics like how to make the most of budgets for social media advertising. Michael Scales, a business analyst for the Longwood Small Business Development Center, will talk about essential financial skills for entrepreneurs. Robin Allen, president of Birdie’s Pimento Cheese, which is based in South Hill, will speak on product development, scaling and expanding into new markets.

“They have multistate distribution,” Mathena said of Birdie’s, “And so trying to encourage more folks to really think bigger and dream bigger in terms of how they can go, for example, from our farmers market to widespread distribution is part of what RISE Collaborative  is all about.”

The RISE Female Founders Fund for Woman-Owned Businesses, which provides microgrant funding to female entrepreneurs in 15 localities in Southern Virginia, will award a $1,000 grant at the summit. Applications to be considered for funding are due Oct. 11.

Tickets to the summit, which can be found at sovarise.com, are $50 through Sept. 30 and then increase to $65. A limited number of student tickets and scholarships are available.

This story has been updated to correct an error about the SOVA Innovation Hub building. 

Kongsberg to build $101M missile plant in James City County

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, a subsidiary of Norway’s Kongsberg Group, plans to establish its first U.S. defense assembly plant in James City County, investing more than $100 million and creating an estimated 180 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday.  

The company expects to invest $71 million in a 150,000-square-foot facility in James City County, as well as an additional $30 million on engineering and software, according to the governor’s office. Founded in 1814, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is one of three business units at Kongsberg Group, an international tech company that provides products and systems to military, offshore industries and renewable energy customers, among other business sectors. KDA is based in Alexandria. 

According to a news release, the James City County plant will be tasked with maintaining and refreshing cruise missiles that the Department of Defense will procure for the U.S. Navy. The naval strike missiles are for littoral combat ships and the new Constellation-class frigate. Also, the Air Force is purchasing Kongsberg joint strike missiles for F-35 fighters. The new plant, according to Kongsberg, will be its “first production facility in the U.S., and it will expand domestic suppliers, building capacity and redundancy for these critical capabilities worldwide.”

“Following our productive meetings in Europe, Kongsberg’s decision to establish its first U.S. defense assembly facility in Virginia reaffirms our status as America’s top state for business,” Youngkin said in a statement Tuesday. “Not only will this investment create more than 180 new jobs, but it will also showcase our strategic location to attract global leaders in defense industries. We are proud to welcome them to the commonwealth and look forward to supporting their growth.”

“On our recent trade mission to Europe, we met with leaders of Kongsberg,” Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick said. “The exciting announcement will provide excellent opportunities for Virginia’s talented workforce, and we are excited about the impact this will have on the commonwealth’s high-tech defense manufacturing economy. Kongsberg’s investment in a 150,000-square-foot facility in James City County is a perfect example of why Virginia is an ideal destination for businesses around the world.”

Also on Tuesday, Kongsberg announced plans to invest $10 million to expand a U.S. remote weapon systems factory in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where more than 220 people are employed.  

Youngkin met with Kongsberg executives at the Farnborough International Airshow in England in July and at the Paris Airshow in 2023, according to a spokesperson for the governor.

Youngkin approved a $1.5 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the county in securing the James City County project, and he approved a $750,000 Virginia Investment Performance Grant. Also, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Talent Accelerator Program will assist Kongsberg in recruitment and workforce training efforts at no cost to the company.

The decision to pick James City County for the facility “was heavily influenced by the continuous availability of well-trained and highly skilled workers coming from the various military installations in the region,” Heather Armentrout, president and general manager of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, said in a statement. In February, Armentrout was hired to oversee the Norwegian company’s U.S. activities; she previously worked for Northrop Grumman and the CIA. Tuesday’s announcement is part of Kongsberg’s worldwide expansion of missile plants and facilities.

In June, Kongsberg opened a new missile manufacturing plant in Norway where it will produce its Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and its Joint Strike Missile (JSM).  

“The interest in NSM and JSM has grown over the past decade and is now the leading fifth-generation strike missile in 13 countries, including Norway, NATO countries and other close allies,” Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS and executive vice president of Kongsberg Group, said in a June 20 news release.

In August, Kongsberg announced plans to build a factory in Newcastle, Australia, that will manufacture and service missiles used by the Australian Defence Force. 

“The new missile production facilities in the U.S., Australia and Norway address the strong and long-term demand for our unique technology and the critical need to strengthen collective defense capabilities,” Geir Håøy, Kongsberg Group’s president and CEO, said in a statement Tuesday.

VACU names Member One regional head for Roanoke, Lynchburg

Tim Rowe will be president of Virginia Credit Union division Member One’s markets in the Roanoke and New River valleys and Lynchburg, as the former Roanoke credit union integrates with VACU. 

Member One Federal Credit Union and VACU finalized their merger Aug. 1, creating a combined institution with 500,000 members and $7 billion in assets, the third largest credit union based in Virginia. The integration of Member One into VACU will likely be completed in 2026, according to a news release. Until then, Member One will operate as a division of VACU, and its members will bank as they did before the merger. 

As market president for Member One, Rowe will lead regional efforts in member services, employee engagement and community involvement.

A lifelong native of the Star City, Rowe previously was executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Member One, where he has worked since 1986, according to his LinkedIn profile.  

After earning a bachelor degree in finance, insurance and business law from Virginia Tech, Rowe earned a MBA at Radford University. He’s also completed several trainings, including programs with Harvard Business School and Wharton Executive Education.

Rowe sits on the local advisory board of Virginia Western Community College and on the board of the Virginia Council on Economic Education, which provides economic and financial education, resources and training. For more than three decades, Rowe has been active with Roanoke area youth and high school sports.

Picture of woman wearing a black top and a gold necklace.
Jean Hopstetter

Additionally on Monday, VACU named Jean Hopstetter its senior executive vice president and merger integration executive for Member One. Hopstetter, who has spent 16 years at Member One and close to 30 years in the credit union industry, will lead integration of member-facing operations and the work of support and administrative staff.

Hopstetter holds a degree in business administration and a MBA from Saint Leo University in Florida. 

A current member of the board of the Roanoke County Public Schools Education Foundation, which raises funds to assist students and teachers, Hopstetter recently finished a six-year term on the board of the Taubman Museum of Art. 

“We understand the critical role local decision-making, engagement and leadership play in serving the unique needs of our various markets,” Chris Shockley, VACU’s president and CEO, stated in a news release. “Our regional leadership team balances continuity with change and positions us to deliver value for our members, to effectively collaborate with our community partners, and to successfully integrate our operations.”