Richard D. Calder, president and CEO of McLean-based telecommunications company GTT Communications Inc., left the company on Monday, June 1. He had been the president and CEO since 2007.
“We appreciate the many accomplishments Rick has achieved since joining GTT as CEO in May 2007 over 13 years ago,” H. Brian Thompson, GTT executive chairman, said in a statement. “We have initiated an executive search for a new CEO to lead GTT moving forward.”
GTT confirmed Tuesday that the company has not yet released a timeline for hiring a new CEO. GTT board of directors members including Thompson, Nick Adamo and Benjamin Stein will support the senior executive team during the company’s search.
The company also announced that Division President Ernie Ortega has been promoted to chief revenue officer. He joined the company one year ago, and was previously the CEO of Towerstream Corp., a telecommunications company based in Middletown, Rhode Island.
Founded in 1998, GTT specializes in Tier 1 internet network and cloud networking services. The company reported revenues of more than $1.72 billion in 2019.
Fredericksburg-based Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) announced Tuesday that president and CEO Kent D. Farmer, who has served since 2004, will retire Aug. 1. He has been with the company for a total of 41 years.
“It has been my honor and privilege to lead REC and to serve its membership for the past 16 years,” Farmer said in a statement. “Having served two decades in executive leadership, now it is time for me to allow the next generation of leaders to take the helm.”
John Hewa. Photo courtesy Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
John D. Hewa, REC’s vice president of corporate services and chief operating officer, will succeed Farmer as president and CEO. There has been a multiyear succession plan in place, Christopher G. Shipe, chairman of the REC board of directors, said in a statement.
Hewa has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the electric utilities industry. He has previously served as CEO of electric cooperatives in Texas and Florida and as vice president of research, engineering and technical services at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in Arlington.
REC serves 22 Virginia counties and has more than 17,000 miles of power lines across the state. It has more than 170,000 customers.
Construction industry veteran Colin Robinson — who’s had a hand in some of Richmond’s most prominent redevelopment projects, including the Virginia State Capitol, the Altria Theater and Carpenter Theatre — will head Gilbane Building Co.’s Richmond office. Robinson succeeds Matt Sarver, who will become the vice president and business unit leader at the company’s Washington, D.C. office.
“I’ve been extremely fortunate in my career here in Richmond to be a part of some really cool projects, and some things that a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to do in their careers,” Robinson says.
General Assembly building construction. Photo courtesy Gilbane
In his new role, he will continue to lead the General Assembly Building renovation as well as Altria Group Inc.’s corporate headquarters expansion. Renovations on the 400,000-square-foot General Assembly Building in downtown Richmond began in 2016, and are expected to be complete by 2022. Altria’s headquarters will be expanded by 170,000 square feet and undergo renovations.
Robinson got his start in the construction industry while working as a temp on a construction site while he was attending James Madison University. After graduation, he moved to Florida to start his 24-year career in construction development. Less than a year later, he moved back to his hometown of Richmond and was hired by Gilbane. He’s been with the company ever since.
“Richmond is … home, so I’m biased, but Richmond is great,” Robinson says. “We were the fastest growing city for millennials two years in a row. The vibrancy of the city is really starting to grow.”
Taking on a new leadership role during a pandemic has been challenging, but Robinson says the General Assembly and Altria projects are on track to be completed on time and on budget. “Part of the reason I did it was to push myself and challenge myself with something new,” Robinson says. “You can’t grow unless you get out of your comfort zone. There’s nothing like jumping into the deep end of the pool.”
“Not only does Gilbane in Virginia do capital projects, but we also have a special project group that does all sorts of smaller commercial projects for a wide variety of clients,” Robinson says. “So that diversity is part of what gives us our stability here.”
As Virginia’s mask mandate goes into effect Friday, both Gov. Ralph Northam and Rita Davis, counsel to the governor, told residents Thursday that it’s their personal responsibility to wear a mask in businesses and other enclosed public places.
Davis clarified the enforcement process of Executive Order 63, which requires face coverings in public, saying that there are “two avenues”: a civil process by which an injunction can be obtained and “a warrant issued by a magistrate.” Northam, she added, said that the Virginia Department of Health should not get involved unless there is “gross, egregious and repeated conduct in violation of the order.”
According to the order, refusing to wear a mask is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. State Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver also can seek an injunction in circuit court for a violation. The order also says that anyone under the age of 18 cannot be charged criminally for failure to wear a face covering, although the order includes all Virginians ages 10 and older. Younger children between the ages of 2 through 9 should wear face coverings according to “the adult’s best judgment,” the order says.
Speaking hypothetically, Northam said if a non-mask-wearing patron in his business were to “become confrontational, I would call our security, and the law could be involved,” he said. “But it would not be about not wearing a mask; it would be about becoming confrontational, and we would follow a different line of enforcement.”
Mask wearing has become heavily politicized nationally and locally, as President Donald Trump mocked presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for wearing a mask while laying a wreath on a grave during Memorial Day, while refusing to wear one himself at news conferences and other events. Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., a Trump supporter, tweeted Wednesday that he would only wear a mask if it depicted Northam’s racist yearbook-page photo — featuring one person in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan robe.
Northam said Thursday that he would like to get politics away from the issue of wearing masks.
“It should not be the responsibility of the Virginia Department of Health to make sure you are wearing your mask. It certainly should not be the responsibility of law enforcement or a business to make sure you are wearing a face covering,” Davis added. “Rather, it is the personal responsibility of each and every one of us to comply with Executive Order 63.”
Also announced at the news conference: No localities in Virginia will enter Phase Two of the Forward Virginia reopening plan until at least June 5, Northam said, as Northern Virginia, Accomack County and the city of Richmond start Phase One on Friday. If those localities want to start Phase Two with the rest of the state, they can, added the governor.
Also starting Friday, all public beaches will be open to the public, following the same precautions taken last week in Virginia Beach.
Approved activities include sunbathing, swimming, fishing and surfing, Northam said, but will not include group sports, alcohol consumption, grouping umbrellas or the use of audio speakers or tents.
“Virginia Beach’s plan for social distancing and sanitation can serve as the model for other beaches to follow,” Northam said. “I expect everyone to follow the restrictions so that people can be safe while enjoying our beautiful beaches.”
Northam also said that starting Friday, the state would revise its orders to allow NASCAR and other racetracks to host single-day events, but without crowds. NASCAR plans to host a race on June 10 in Martinsville.
“Because these are open-air events with space in between the participants, we believe there is minimal risk in allowing them to move forward with restrictions,” Northam said.
While Department of Motor Vehicles offices have started slowly reopening this week, Northam said that the DMV will also extend the time that Virginians have to renew their licenses. Those who have licenses or identification cards that expire before July 31 will have until August 31 to renew them.
More than 402,000 Virginians are still unemployed following the economic devastation from the COVID-19 pandemic, though the number of initial jobless claims in the commonwealth continues to decrease.
Nevertheless, a total of 402,926 Virginians filed for unemployment benefits last week — down 631 from the previous week. People receiving unemployment benefits through the VEC must file weekly unemployment claims in order to continue receiving benefits.
“The continued claims total is mainly comprised of those recent initial claimants who continued to file for unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic,” VEC Economist Timothy Aylor said in a statement. “Continued claims during the May 23 filing week equaled 53% of all initial claims filed during the pandemic to this point. This percentage has trended downward in recent weeks.
More than 2.1 million people in the United States filed initial claims for unemployment last week, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, bringing the total of unemployed Americans to more than 41.1 million in the wake of the economic crisis.
Last week’s U.S. claims were down by 323,000. In the week ending May 9, 33 states reported that 7.79 million people are claiming federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which provides temporary benefits for people who are not eligible for regular or traditional unemployment insurance.
In Virginia, 193,684 filed the Pandemic Unemployment claims, according to the VEC, 12,705 of which were initial claims.
The regions of the state that have been most impacted continue to be Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads.
Below are the top 10 localities, listed by number of initial unemployment claims, for the week ending May 23:
Twenty-two states reported 222,300 individuals claiming Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which provides up to an additional 13 weeks of regular or traditional unemployment insurance benefits to those who have exhausted their eligibility.
The seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 14.5% for the week that ended May 16, a 2.6% decrease from the previous week.
The states with the highest insured unemployment rates for the week ending on May 9 were Washington, Nevada, Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, California, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut and Georgia.
States with the largest increases in initial claims for the week that ended on May 16 were California, Washington, New York, Florida and Michigan, while the largest decreases were in Georgia, New Jersey, Kentucky, Louisiana and Pennsylvania.
Through its nonprofit foundation, Delta Dental of Virginia will donate $3 million directly to 4,500 dentists in its network to cover expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic, the dental insurance provider announced Wednesday. Practices can use the funds for personal protective equipment (PPE) for their employees. Gov. Ralph Northam lifted restrictions on doctors’ and dentists’ offices earlier this month, allowing them to resume non-emergency procedures.
“We know dentists need access to funds as soon as possible to meet new safety precautions,” Delta Dental of Virginia president and CEO Frank Lucia said in a statement. “We’re empathetic to dentists and patients alike who remain concerned about how and when to safely return to the dentist office. Quickly supporting dentists is crucial to ensuring patients receive the oral health care they need, when they need it.”
The American Dental Association issued guidance on March 17 that recommended postponing elective procedures, and on March 25, Northam issued an executive order to postpone all elective treatments and surgeries. Virginia dentists started opening their offices for routine dental care on May 1.
Some of the guidance provided from the ADA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes limiting the number of patients in the office at once, requesting that patients wear masks and have their temperatures taken, adding protective barriers and wearing PPE during procedures.
Founded in 1964, Delta Dental of Virginia is a dental benefits provider which offers dental plans to more than 2 million members. Its foundation was established in 2012 and focuses on initiatives to improve oral health and access to care.
Microsoft Corp. will invest $64 million to expand its presence in Reston Town Center in western Fairfax County, creating 1,500 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday.
The software giant will occupy 400,000 square feet in the Reston Town Center, which will include a software development and research hub, as well as retail space. The project is expected to be ready for employees in summer 2021. Microsoft established its first Virginia facility at Reston Town Center in 2002, the Innovation & Technology Conference Center. Since then, the company has built a corporate presence in Richmond and a data center in Mecklenburg County.
“One of Microsoft’s core principles is actively listening to our customers, so we can build and improve our technology based on their feedback. Being close to our customer base is extremely important to our ongoing collaborations,” Terrell Cox, general manager at Microsoft, said in a statement. “We’ve had a presence in Reston for many years now, and this expansion will allow Microsoft to deliver even more solutions from a region known for its innovation and passion for technology.”
Microsoft also has partnered with Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp. in building the SOVA Innovation Hub in South Boston, expected to be finished in the fall. The company plans to move its TechSpark Virginia job-creation initiative to the building.
“Virginia, like the rest of the nation, is facing unprecedented job loss due to COVID-19, so this announcement couldn’t come at a better time,” Northam said in a statement. “Virginia is a leader in the information technology industry, and Microsoft’s continued investment here is a testament to our top-ranked business climate, infrastructure, and world-class workforce.”
“Microsoft is a valued corporate partner, and we are excited to see the company expanding its footprint at its new software and R&D regional hub in Fairfax County,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball said in a statement. “The demand for cloud services is steadily increasing, and Microsoft’s newest operation will serve its growing customer base while developing cutting-edge software and creating 21st-century tech jobs.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and the General Assembly’s Major Employment and Investment (MEI) Project Approval Commission to secure the investment for Fairfax County. Microsoft will be eligible for a $22.5 million grant to fund partnerships with local colleges and universities for tech talent pipeline development.
As the hospitality industry has taken one of the biggest COVID-19 hits of all, McLean-based event software company Cvent Inc. confirmed Friday it is laying off or furloughing 10% of its global workforce due to business impacts from the pandemic.
“Meetings and events boost the global GDP by more than $1.5 trillion and impact nearly 26 million jobs,” Cvent co-Founder and CEO Reggie Aggarwal said in a March letter. “The economic significance of our industry is undeniable.”
But with hotels, restaurants and event venues being closed for months now, Cvent said it had to cut its headcount.
“Furloughs and layoffs have greatly impacted professionals across the meetings, events and hospitality industries – industries that we directly support,” Cvent said in a statement. “As the pandemic initially took hold, we aggressively pursued multiple expense reduction measures. Unfortunately, today we have had to follow others in taking the expense reduction of last resort, reducing our headcount and furloughing some employees, a decision we have not taken lightly.”
In total, the company employs 4,300 people among its 21 locations worldwide (with 14 U.S. locations), so more than 400 people were affected by the layoffs and furloughs. A company spokesperson would not comment on the amount of jobs lost in Virginia. Reports cite, however, that approximately 80 jobs were lost in the Washington, D.C. area, where the company employs approximately 1,200 people.
“These Cventers were valued members of our team who made great contributions to the business, and we will miss them,” Cvent said in a statement. “They were more than just our colleagues and our hearts go out to them and their families. This decision weighs heavily on all of us.”
Founded in 1999, Cvent specializes in software that supports event planners, event marketers, hotels and corporate events. The platform has 30,000 customers and 300,000 users worldwide.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved an additional $5.7 million in grant funding for a second and third round of its COVID-19Business Interruption Fund, which supports small businesses affected by the pandemic. The funding was allocated from the $36.1 million in federal funding to Loudoun County from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
“The Board of Supervisors wanted to be responsive to the feedback we received from solo entrepreneurs and small enterprises that were left out of the first round of funding,” Phyllis Randall, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors chair at large, said in a statement. “We’re excited to offer this financial lifeline.”
During the first round of the Business Interruption Fund, $1.4 million was distributed among more than 200 businesses in the county. This second round of funding will devote $3.7 million to fund businesses that were not randomly selected during the first round. Each of the 475 eligible businesses will receive $7,500 grants. The remaining $2 million will go to a third round of funding, which will be open to fund an additional 400 randomly selected businesses with a $5,000 grant.
Eligible businesses for the third round of funding are those that have between zero and two W-2 employees, have less than $2.5 million in gross annual receipts, have at least a 25% loss in revenue attributable to COVID-19 and are licensed and operated in Loudoun County. There is no limit on 1099 contractors that a business may have to be eligible.
The application for the third round of funding will open at 12 p.m. on June 3, and will be open until 12 p.m. on June 6. All applications will be time stamped, and all applicants will be randomly selected for funding until the funding is depleted. The Loudoun Economic Development Authority will disperse the funds to selected businesses starting the last week in June.
“We know that many in our community are hurting as a result of COVID-19, but I’m pleased that the county is now able to help hundreds of more businesses as a result of this additional allocation by the board of bupervisors to our Business Interruption Fund,” Supervisor Matt Letourneau, chairman of the board’s finance, economic development and government operations committee, said in a statement.
“We are excited to begin our work that will provide critical mobility and safety improvements on I-95 including the interchange at Route 17,” Greg Andricos, Wagman president and COO said in a statement. “Wagman looks forward to safely and expeditiously delivering this project through partnership with VDOT, city of Fredericksburg, Stafford County and all other stakeholders.”
The project was awarded by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which regulates and funds transportation projects in Virginia. The contract includes the design and construction of three general purpose lanes for I-95 north and a bridge across the Rappahannock River. Three existing lanes will also be converted into collector-distributor lanes (lower capacity lanes), with the goal to reduce congestion. Wagman is also working on the $101.6 million I-95 southbound Rappahannock River Crossing project, which includes design and construction of three general-purpose lanes for I-95 southbound, converting three lanes to collector-distributer lanes and a bridge built over Route 17.
The new contract also includes three bid options: an extension of the auxiliary lane along the I-95 northbound general purpose lanes, reconstruction and widening of I-95 northbound collector distributor lanes and installing a sidewalk along the north side of northbound Route 17.
Construction is expected to begin this fall.
Founded in 1902 and based in Pennsylvania, Wagman is a heavy civil contractor and is a fourth-generation, family-owned company. Wagman specializes in design-build, infrastructure, marine construction, modified concrete, grooving and grinding and geotechnical construction services. In 2019, Wagman completed its $22 million project to replace a pair of bridges on I-95 over the Meherrin River in Emporia.
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