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byline: Richard Foster

State offering relief grants to destination marketing organizations

A new state relief program, the WanderLOVE Recovery Grant Program, will provide up to 50 grants of up to $10,000 apiece to destination marketing organizations (DMOs) across the commonwealth that have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday.
The program, which is being administered by the Virginia Tourism Corp., began taking applications Thursday. Applications will close on July 2 and awardees will be announced by July 15. Grants are open to any of Virginia’s 114 recognized DMOs. Funds must be used for recovery marketing and may be used for participating in Virginia Tourism Corp. co-ops, local advertising, out-of-state marketing and other allowable items.
WanderLOVE, a new summer tourism campaign created by the Virginia Tourism Corp., will provide travel inspiration for road trips, outdoor recreation, hidden gems, small towns and its signature LOVEworks program. Grant recipients will be equipped with creative assets and a toolkit to implement in their own marketing.
“The coronavirus pandemic had an immediate and devastating impact on our tourism industry,” Northam said in a statement. “When it is safe to resume travel, we want to equip Virginia destinations with the tools they need to support and promote the diverse communities that travelers love to visit. There will be a lot of demand for leisure travel, and the WanderLOVE Recovery Grants will help towns and cities across our commonwealth position themselves as an ideal getaway when visitors are ready to get back on the road.”
The Virginia Tourism Corp.’s traditional Marketing Leverage Program (MLP) grants will also open to all Virginia tourism industry partners in August.
“Tourism is an instant revenue generator for the commonwealth, and a major contributor to our economy,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “The pandemic has had catastrophic effects on tourism nationwide, and these grants will help get Virginia back on its feet as a premier travel destination.”
Visitors to Virginia spent more than $26 billion on tourism spending in 2018, contributing $1.8 billion to local and state tax revenue and supporting 235,000 jobs, according to the state government. Following the pandemic, Virginia’s lodging industry has been extremely heavy hit, with tens of thousands of employees laid off and furloughed and revenues down by more than 60% compared to last year.

Richmonders launching large hemp processing facility in South Boston

Blue Ribbon Extraction, a company started by two Richmonders, is investing $3.26 million to establish Virginia’s first large-scale industrial hemp processing and cannabidiol (CBD) oil extraction facility in South Boston, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. The project will create 22  jobs and the company plans to source about $70 million in hemp — more than 90% of its expected supply — from Virginia farmers over the next three years.

The facility expects to process up to 5,000 pounds of industrial hemp per day.  The company’s founders and primary investors, Richmonders Rick Gregory and Sterling Edmunds, are both natives of Halifax County and serve as co-chief executive officers for Blue Ribbon Extraction.

“Encouraging the development of new markets for Virginia farmers is one of our top priorities for growing the commonwealth’s agricultural economy,” said Governor Northam. “I am pleased to see that industrial hemp continues to create opportunity and economic vibrancy in rural Virginia, and I congratulate Halifax County, Blue Ribbon Extraction and all other partners involved in bringing this important new processing capacity to our commonwealth.”

“We look forward to partnering with farmers to establish a local market for a new agricultural crop right here at home in Halifax County,” Edmunds and Gregory said in a statement. “We currently have 1.2 million pounds of hemp under contract with farmers for the 2020 growing season. With the support of our partners in Halifax County and the town of South Boston, Blue Ribbon is off to a great start and, at full capacity, has the ability to process 6 million pounds of hemp annually. Approximately $10 million will be invested in bringing this project to reality for Southern Virginia.”
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with Halifax County, the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), South Boston, the South Boston Industrial Development Authority and the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance to secure the project. Northam approved a $200,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund, which is being matched by the Halifax IDA to assist with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission’s Agribusiness Committee also committed $250,000 to the project. Blue Ribbon Extraction qualifies for state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Funding and services to support the company’s job creation will be provided through VEDP’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

Northam releases Phase Three reopening plan details

Virginia isn’t ready to enter Phase Three of the state’s Forward Virginia reopening plan yet, Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday, but when it happens, it will bring some big changes back to public life — like allowing social gatherings of up to 250 people.

“We are not entering Phase Three this week. While statewide [COVID-19 case] numbers are trending in a positive direction, we need to continue to evaluate the data,” Northam said during a news conference at the Fairfax County Government Center. He added that he’s closely monitoring recent coronavirus surges in other states that reopened “prematurely” before he makes a decision to ease more restrictions in the commonwealth. “We are going to be cautious and careful and watch the data for a little while longer before we move forward.”

Other Phase Three details will include:

  • Occupancy/capacity limits will be lifted on retail stores, restaurants, bars and breweries.
  • Museums, zoos and other outdoor entertainment venues will be allowed to open at 50% capacity, serving a maximum of 1,000 people.
  • Gyms and fitness centers will be allowed to operate at up to 75% capacity.
  • Personal grooming and hair salons will still need to follow physical distancing requirements.
  • Child care facilities will remain open.
  • Overnight summer camps will be closed.
  • Recreational sports will still require physical distancing.
  • Swimming pools will be able to operate at up to 75% capacity, with physical distancing in place.
  • Face coverings will still be required in indoor public spaces.

Northam added that even after the state is ready to move into Phase Three, “It still means you’re safer at home, especially if you’re vulnerable. It means we still strongly encourage teleworking. People need to focus on physical distancing in all situations outside of their home. Face coverings are still the right thing to do in indoor public spaces. … We all need to wear them and wear them properly. This is easy to do and I’m proud of  all the Virginians who are showing a responsibility for their neighbor by wearing their face coverings.”

And if a business doesn’t feel comfortable opening or can’t meet state requirements, it does not have to reopen, the governor said. He also cautioned the public to be cautious about their activities. “Just because there are more places to go,” Northam said, “does not mean you need to go there.”

Northam also spoke Friday about the disproportionate toll the pandemic has taken on the Latino community. Latino people make up more than 45% of coronavirus cases and 35% of COVID-19 hospitalizations, even though Hispanic and Latino people make up only about 10% of Virginia’s population. This is somewhat due to the fact that Latino people are work likely to work in jobs that put them at higher risk for contracting coronavirus, Northam said, and the problem is worse among the undocumented community. He said his administration is stepping up outreach and testing efforts in an effort to assist the Latino community fight the virus.

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2020 Legal Elite balloting now open

Balloting for Virginia Business magazine’s 2020 Legal Elite project has begun.

For the 21st year, Virginia Business, in partnership with the Virginia Bar Association, is holding its annual Legal Elite nominations project.

The Virginia Business Legal Elite recognizes the top Virginia lawyers across 20 specialties as selected by their peers.

Ballots are open to all lawyers licensed to practice in Virginia.

Entry ballots can be found at law.virginiabusinessvoting.com.

The deadline is July 31.

For questions, please contact Richard Foster at [email protected].

Va. COVID cases down nearly 38% from prior week

New COVID-19 cases in Virginia dropped by nearly 38% this week, with the commonwealth reporting 3,635 new confirmed and probable cases for the 7-day period ending June 15, down  5,853 new cases during the prior week.

The state has had 1,552 deaths from the coronavirus since the pandemic began.

Nevertheless, last week, the United States passed a milestone of 2 million total coronavirus cases, as experts predict a surge in cases by September.

These are the Virginia localities that have seen 400 or more cases, as of June 15:

  • Fairfax County: 13,092
  • Prince William County: 6,608
  • Loudoun County: 3,404
  • Arlington County: 2,346
  • Henrico County: 2,289
  • Chesterfield County: 2,194
  • Alexandria: 2,160
  • Richmond: 1,832
  • Manassas: 1,314
  • Accomack County: 996
  • Virginia Beach: 899
  • Stafford County: 893
  • Harrisonburg: 856
  • Spotsylvania County: 837
  • Culpeper County: 783
  • Chesapeake: 672
  • Norfolk: 668
  • Rockingham County: 629
  • Buckingham County: 521
  • Shenandoah County: 511
  • Frederick County: 435

Globally, there are 7.9 million reported COVID-19 cases and 433,959 confirmed deaths as of June 15. The United States, which has the most confirmed cases and deaths worldwide, has seen 2.09 million confirmed cases so far, with 115,732 deaths nationwide attributed to the coronavirus since February.

Below is the latest data from VDH:

 

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SOSi consolidates defense IT and intelligence solutions units

Reston-based defense and government contractor SOS International LLC (SOSi) announced Tuesday it is consolidating its defense information technology and intelligence solutions business units into a new Defense and Intelligence Solutions Group.

The new business unit will be led by Ed Bachl, co-founder of Vykin Corp., a Florida-based information technology solutions company that SOSi acquired in July 2019.

“The lines between analytic services and technologies are continuously blurring as more defense and intelligence customers adopt and deploy cloud, machine learning, and artificial intelligence solutions enterprise-wide,” SOSi President and CEO Julian Setian said in a statement. “As a bold and agile organization, we are adapting our business structure to align with the operational and procurement strategy shifts exhibited by our customers in the defense and intelligence markets.”

SOSi has announced its intent to bid on an $8 billion Air Force contract to be solicited later this summer combining the MPE and Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation Systems Extended (BICES-X) contracts.

SOSi’s Defense and Intelligence Solutions Group makes up one-third of the company’s business portfolio. The organization’s Mission Solutions Group provides long-range logistics, operations, maintenance and supply chain solutions to the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of State (DoS). Its Federal Solutions Group provides software development, enterprise IT engineering, enterprise resource system management, network operations, cybersecurity and language services to numerous non-DoD and non-Intelligence Community government customers, including the DoS, Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service.

Former UPS CEO joins Northrop Grumman board

Former United Parcel Service CEO David Abney has been elected to Northrop Grumman Corp.’s board of directors.

Executive chairman of the UPS board of directors, Abney served as CEO of UPS from 2014 until May 2020.

“David is an accomplished and respected business leader and is a great addition to our board,” said Kathy Warden, chairman, CEO and president of Northrop Grumman. “His experience leading a complex, global business will be extremely valuable as we continue to position our company for long-term growth.”

A Fortune 500 global aerospace and defense technology company with 2019 revenues of $33.8 billion, Northrop Grumman is based in Falls Church.

Perspecta CEO becomes chairman of board

Mac Curtis, president and CEO of Chantilly-based federal contractor Perspecta Inc., has been appointed chairman of the company’s board of directors, effective Aug. 5, the date of the company’s 2020 annual shareholders meeting.

Curtis has served as president and CEO of Perspecta since the publicly traded company was launched in June 2018 as a result of the merger of the U.S. public sector business of DXC Technology with Vencore Holding Corp. and KeyPoint Government Solutions. Prior to leading Perspecta, Curtis was the president and CEO of Vencore.

He succeeds Mike Lawrie, who is retiring from the position he has held as Perspecta’s board chairman since its founding. Philip Nolan, the current lead independent director, will continue to serve in this role following Lawrie’s retirement.

“As president and CEO of Perspecta, Mac has delivered solid results, making Perspecta a leading U.S. government IT services provider focused on mission-critical outcomes,” Lawrie said in a statement. “Mac has led Perspecta for two very successful years, executing a seamless integration of the legacy companies, enhancing Perspecta’s innovative solutions and services and developing a talented workforce. Mac’s deep industry knowledge, executive management skills and strategic and tactical capabilities make him ideally suited to lead Perspecta’s continued growth as chairman.”

“On behalf of Perspecta and the board, I want to thank Mike Lawrie for his leadership and guidance over the past two years,” Curtis said. “Mike’s experience and perspective helped accelerate Perspecta’s integration and growth as a leading U.S. government services provider. I look forward to working with the board as we continue to effectively execute our strategy and grow the business while driving value for employees, customers and shareholders.”

 

 

Shenandoah University removes Byrd Jr.’s name from biz school

Shenandoah University in Winchester announced Wednesday that its Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to remove the name of the late U.S. Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr. from its School of Business and board room.

“At Shenandoah, we encourage the best, the brightest, the inspired, to come learn with us, in the spirit of equitable access for every one of our students,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Frogale. “This decision today about the business school is reflective of our commitment to continuing efforts toward racial justice and equality for all.”

The move comes amid widespread national protests against racial injustice and police brutality, which were sparked by the May 25 police killing of Minneapolis man George Floyd.

In 1984, the Board of Trustees of Shenandoah College and Conservatory voted to name the business school after Winchester native and resident U.S. Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr. A longtime state senator as well, Byrd was a distinguished lecturer at Shenandoah. He died in 2013.

Byrd was the son of former Virginia Gov. and U.S. Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr., one of the key architects of the Massive Resistance movement to oppose desegregation of Virginia schools. Byrd Jr. was a key supporter of Massive Resistance and was a major player in the Byrd Machine, the Democratic political machine founded by his father and grandfather that dominated Virginia politics for much of the 20th century. He left the Democratic Party in 1970, becoming an independent due to the party’s leftward shift during the 1960s.

“The board and I understand that we cannot be an institution that serves all students equitably when our business school still holds the name of an individual who denied full integration of schools,” said Shenandoah University President Tracy Fitzsimmons. “Although we cannot change history, we have the power to build a better future in which everyone is treated with respect and receives the same opportunities, regardless of race or ethnicity. With life comes experiences, relationships and education that illuminate historical injustices and help us better understand the injustices in our world today. That is what has happened here at Shenandoah. It is during this time in our national history, in which Black individuals continue to experience daily and systemic acts of racism, that we must stand up and act swiftly in order to move forward to a more fair and equitable future.”

Shenandoah University held a virtual forum Wednesday titled, “Past, Present & Future: An Open Forum on the Naming of the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business.”

 

Reston software company names new CFO

Reston-based software company LeaseAccelerator Inc. has hired Keith Haas as its new chief financial officer.

A certified public accountant, Haas was vice president of finance for GeoEye, a Herndon-based satellite imaging company that is now a subsidiary of DigitalGlobe. He also held a prior leadership position at Herndon-based education technology company K12 Inc. Haas succeeds David McCullough, who served as LeaseAccelerator’s CFO since 2014.

“We are tremendously excited that Keith has joined our executive team. LeaseAccelerator has experienced exceptional growth over the past several years as companies of all sizes around the world have adopted our free cash flow and compliance platform as the demand for life-cycle lease management and accounting has skyrocketed. Keith has all the right stuff as CFO for our next phase of growth — the integrity, leadership experience, global view and deep technical expertise needed to help us continue to scale and lead the market,” said LeaseAccelerator founder and CEO Michael Keeler in a statement. “We’ve been able to attract the best and the brightest talent to our company. I’m grateful and humbled that Keith selected us.”

LeaseAccelerator provides global lease life cycle management software. Its platform manages and automates real estate and equipment leases.