From salutes to startups
When Navy veteran Leland Remias was preparing to launch his Newport News real estate startup, VroomBrick, he looked for every resource possible to help him learn about business and scaling up. First, he completed an MBA from William & Mary in May. And in 2022, he participated in the Veteran Startup Challenge, a five-week int[...]
Boeing CEO to step down by end of year
In late March, Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun said he would step down by the end of the year. The announcement came amid ongoing bad press over production problems and fallout from a high-profile January incident in which a 4-foot wall panel blew out of a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet cabin in mid-air. […]
Rock and a hard place
The global shipping industry is currently juggling crises taking place more than 7,000 miles apart: Houthi rebels’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea, and a drought that has slashed ship crossings in the Panama Canal. And those came before the East Coast was hit with additional supply chain stresses following the collapse of Balt[...]
Gas exchange
Alternative fuels such as hydrogen and compressed natural gas are attracting interest from trucking companies as the federal government prepares to reduce emissions limits by 2027. The Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules on heavy-duty diesel engine standards starting with 2027 models includes stricter standards aimed a[...]
Lighthouse Labs leader has ‘deep heart for entrepreneurship’
Explaining how she became involved in supporting entrepreneurism, the new managing director of Richmond-based accelerator Lighthouse Labs jokes that “it was all accidental.” As a James Madison University senior putting herself through school, Debbie Irwin couldn’t find a class that lined up with her work schedule, so her d[...]
Clear waters
After receiving its final federal approvals in January, Dominion Energy’s $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project remains on track for completion in late 2026, at which point the 2.6-gigawatt project could power up to 660,000 homes. “CVOW is on budget, on time, and we’re gearing up for construction and excited [...]
Commentary: Navigating risk
After the chaos of the pandemic years, 2023 brought a sense of normalcy and familiar market dynamics. By December, however, the industry was reminded of the fragility of global trade. Low water levels constrained transits at the Panama Canal, and the Suez Canal became virtually impassible by global container carriers due to terr[...]
Assembled with care
If you’re trying to visualize what powers manufacturing growth around Roanoke these days, picture 3D-printed helicopter blades and robotics, not old-style grommets. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing produces objects by creating a series of consecutive layers, as opposed to “subtractive” manufacturing, which[...]
StartVirginia: HEARD AROUND VIRGINIA
Comcast said April 9 it is opening grant applications for a program benefiting small businesses across Greater Richmond. The global cable broadcasting company said the grant packages include business coaching, education sources, media schedules, creative production, technology makeovers and $5,000 in cash. Comcast’s RISE program is aimed at supporting the growth of small businesses while […][...]
VCU revives Atlanta’s Creative Circus ad school
Editor’s note: The print version of this story in the May 2024 issue of Virginia Business incorrectly reported the amount of Virginia Commonwealth University’s purchase of the Creative Circus. VCU acquired Creative Circus’ branding and intellectual assets from Texas-based Ancora Education for $75,000. The potential[...]
Executive Insights: Cargo convo
Leaders from Virginia’s maritime sector share their views on offshore wind, supply-chain challenges, workforce recruitment and other factors impacting the industry. JEREMY BRIDGES President and chief negotiator, Hampton Roads Shipping Association Norfolk VB: You were vice president of labor relations for CMA CGM. What labor issues do you see arising in the next few years, […]
Watercourse of study
Starting this fall, Old Dominion University students will have a new interdisciplinary school dedicated to maritime work, logistics and supply chain management — an upgrade from an earlier program offered through the Strome College of Business. In September 2023, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) appro[...]