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byline: Veronica Garabelli
UVA signs agreement to offer new program in three continents
The University of Virginia has signed an agreement to offer a new program in the U.S., Europe and China.
U.Va’s McIntire School of Commerce has partnered with ESADE School of Business in Barcelona and Lingnan (University) College at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China to offer a new dual master’s degree in global commerce and global strategic management with a certificate in international management.
The new program, which is pending approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), is designed for candidates with an undergraduate degree in business with little to no work experience. As part of the program, students will spend 15 weeks at U.Va.; nine weeks at Lingnan College and conclude with 15 weeks at ESADE.
“This program will provide students with unparalleled in-depth exposure to unique cultures and different business environments in Asia, Europe and the USA,” Xinzhong Xu, dean of Lingnan College at Sun Yat-sen University, said in a statement. “These exposures will not only enable the students to have fast-track careers, but also will have great impact on their lives as individuals.”
The program’s first cohort starts in September 2016.
Wegmans hiring full-time employees for Richmond-area stores
Supermarket chain Wegmans said Monday it is hiring 200 full-time employees at its Short Pump store, which is opening summer 2016.
Available positions at the 120,000-square-foot Short Pump store include entry-level management, customer service, culinary and restaurant service. The store will be located at West Broad Marketplace on West Broad Street.
The company also is hiring and training for its Midlothian location, set to open in spring 2016.
Each store will employ approximately 550 people.
Wegmans will begin scheduling interviews for its Short Pump location in mid-November.
The company also is opening a store in Charlottesville next year as well as Owings Mills, Md.
Applicants can apply online at www.wegmans.com/careers, or call 1-877-WEGMANS.
Rochester, N.Y-based Wegmans Food Markets Inc. is an 87-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. The family-owned company has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by Fortune magazine for 18 consecutive years.
Booz Allen Hamilton adds new director to its board
McLean-based Booz Allen Hamilton said Friday it has appointed Melody Barnes to its board of directors, effectively immediately.
Barnes formerly served in Barack Obama’s administration and is currently a domestic policy strategist and a vice provost and senior fellow at New York University.
Barnes was an assistant to Obama and served as the director of the Domestic Policy Council from 2009 to 2012. In the latter role, she coordinated the domestic policy-making process in the White House.
Before serving in the White House, Barnes was the senior domestic policy adviser to Obama’s campaign. From 2005 to 2008, Barnes was the executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress.
She will also serve on Booz Allen’s compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees.
Barnes also is co-founder and principal of MB Squared Solutions LLC, a domestic policy strategy firm; chair of the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions and serves as a director at Ventas Inc., a real estate investment trust.
Barnes will serve for a term, which expires in the summer of 2016.
Her addition brings Booz Allen’s board to 11 directors.
Lumber Liquidators pleads guilty to environmental crimes
Toano-based Lumber Liquidators plead guilty Thursday in federal court in Norfolk to environmental crimes related to its illegal importation of hardwood flooring.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the hardwood flooring retailer has agreed to pay more than $13 million for violating the Lacey Act, a federal law that protects plants, fish and wildlife.
The crimes related to Lumber Liquidator’s illegal importation of hardwood flooring, much of which was manufactured in China from timber that had been illegally logged in far eastern Russia, in the habitat of the last remaining Siberian tigers and Amur leopards in the world.
Lumber Liquidators, however, still faces another federal investigation about the levels of formaldehyde, a carcinogen, in its Chinese-made laminate flooring, a concern that was the subject of a “60 Minutes” television report in March.
The formaldehyde controversy prompted a sharp drop in the Lumber Liquidators’ stock (it is down more than 75 percent for the year). CEO Robert Lynch also resigned unexpectedly in May and was replaced by company founder Thomas Sullivan.
Under the plea agreement, Lumber Liquidators has agreed to pay more than $13 million, including a $7.8 million fine; community service contributions of $880,825 and $350,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation fund, respectively; and a $969,175 forfeiture payment. The violations do not require the company to have acted with intent to break the law. According to the DOJ, this is the first felony conviction for import of illegal timber and largest fine ever under The Lacey Act.
Lumber Liquidators also has agreed to implement an Environmental Compliance Plan to ensure future compliance with the Lacey Act. Lumber plans to pay the $10 million penalties over the next two years.
In addition, company also will pay the DOJ $3.2 million in lieu of civil forfeiture for some of its engineered hardwood flooring. Lumber Liquidators suspended sales of a limited amount of flooring earlier this year because of Lacey Act compliance concerns. The company now will be permitted to sell the flooring and keep the proceeds.
“We appreciate the opportunity to have collaborated with the DOJ to develop an Environmental Compliance Plan, which we believe when fully implemented will be one of the strongest and most comprehensive in the industry,” Jill Witter, Lumber Liquidator’s chief compliance and legal officer, said in a statement earlier this month.
Trex plans to create 89 new jobs in Winchester
Trex Co. said Thursday it has invested $15.4 million to expand its manufacturing operations. The project is expected to create 89 jobs in Winchester, where Trex is headquartered.
Trex, which makes wood-alternative decking and railing, will invest $12.3 million in Winchester and $3.1 million in Frederick County for the expansion.
The company plans to lease warehouse space in Frederick County for a training facility and plastics recycling center and to relocate a Trex distribution center for deck railing.
The new warehouse spaces are valued at $50 million. They are being developed and built by another Winchester-based firm, The Shockey Cos.
Trex qualifies for rail access funding from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and is eligible to receive benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program.
Trex also will receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program and is eligible for Sales and Use tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment.
The Virginia Jobs Investment Program will provide funding and support for employee training.
Trex is a publicly traded company with more than 6,700 retail locations.
TeleTech Holdings plans to create 300 jobs in Scott County
TeleTech Holdings said Wednesday it plans to invest $4.07 million to establish a customer experience center in Scott County. The move is expected to create 300 new jobs.
TeleTech is a publicly-traded, business process outsourcing company headquartered in Englewood, Colo.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Scott County and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority to secure the project. Incentives included a $100,000 Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund grant and $645,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity funds.
“Scott County, in the e-region of Virginia, was a natural choice for TeleTech’s domestic expansion for a number of reasons, including an outstanding labor force, low cost of living, and great access to the market through the Tri-Cities airport,” Todd Baxter, senior vice president of Global Operations at TeleTech, said in a statement.
TeleTech works in more than 80 countries and has 40,000 employees.
Virginia competed against North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee for the project.
Scott Ukrop joins New Richmond Ventures
New Richmond Ventures (NRV), an early-stage venture capital firm, has named Scott Ukrop director of business development.
Ukrop previously held the same title at The Fahrenheit Group, a Richmond-based advisory firm.
In his new role, Ukrop will be responsible for developing NRV’s network of investors and originating deals that fit its investment criteria.
Ukrop’s father, Jim, is a principal at NRV.
Before joining Fahrenheit, Scott Ukrop oversaw marketing, business development, and client advocacy for 3north Architects. He also was the co-founder of a design and construction firm focused on residential additions.
Scott Ukrop began his career at his family’s business, Ukrop’s Super Markets Inc., serving as vice president of marketing and category management.
Three companies expanding in Virginia Beach
Three companies are ramping up operations in Virginia Beach, and two are moving to new locations.
The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development reports that Back Bay Brewing Co., a city-based craft beer company, will open a facility at 1140 Loretta Lane. The company’s tasting room and small-batch facility at 614 Norfolk Ave. will continue operations.
The Loretta Lane property sits on 2.2 acres and will include a 9,106-square-foot production brewery facility. An additional 2,176 square feet will be occupied by Union Brick Construction Co., which is moving from Laskin Road in Virginia Beach.
The Virginia Beach Development Authority has awarded Back Bay an economic development grant of $80,000 based on the company’s capital investment of almost $2 million.
This month, Back Bay also will open Wolf Street Brewing Co. in Harrisonburg.
Meanwhile, Stock Design and Machine Inc. will expand its operation at 2500 Squadron Court because of two new contracts.
Stock Design is a computer-numerical control (CNC) machine shop. The company serves a range of industries and customers, including the aerospace, gas and oil industries, and the military.
The development authority awarded Stock Design a $20,000 grant based on the company’s capital investment of $995,000.
Trident Security and Holdings, which operates as 215 Gear, will relocate from Taylor Farm Road to a 7,000-square-foot facility on 2501 Encounter Court.
The company manufactures and distributes tactical nylon gear for the military.
It will purchase the facility with a capital investment of $725,727 that includes real estate, machinery and tools.
The development authority has awarded the company a $30,000 grant based on the company’s capital investment.
The businesses are or will be located in the city’s YesOceana corridor. The program was established in response to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission’s recommendation to close Naval Air Station Oceana in 2005.
The program moves nonconforming businesses out of Accident Potential Zone 1 and recruits businesses that meet zoning and conformity specifications into the area.
Thermal Gradient relocates from New York to Virginia
A small, biotechnology company is relocating its operations from Rochester, N.Y. to Richmond.
According to a Greater Richmond Partnership news release, Thermal Gradient has signed a 10,000-square-foot-lease at the Virginia Biotechnology Park.
The operation is expected to grow to 45 employees in the next two years.
Thermal Gradient designs and develops devices and systems that perform nucleic DNA and RNA tests.
The firm’s technology is applicable in fields such as infectious disease diagnosis, cancer detection, DNA finger printing, biodefense, and counterfeit product testing. According to Thermal’s CEO Robert Juncosa, the company is developing its first commercial product—a portable instrument capable of detecting HIV in under 10 minutes.
“The Greater Richmond area better suited our expansion needs because it offers a more favorable tax structure, a larger scientific and engineering labor pool, as well as available facilities that don’t require significant build out expenses,” Juncosa said in a statement.
All scientific operations are moving to the park immediately. The remaining functions will relocate to Richmond over the next 12 months.
Richmond competed against Boston, San Francisco and Raleigh, N.C. for the project.