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DroneUp taps former NFL exec as board chair
Virginia Beach-based DroneUp LLC announced Tuesday that former NFL executive Eric Grubman is the company’s new board chairman. “Eric is incredibly respected across many business sectors for his tremendous vision, insight and passion for technology,” DroneUp CEO and founder Tom Walker said in a statement. “[...]
Va. Beach launches small biz loan program
The Virginia Beach Small Business Capital Access Program is offering loans of $15,000 to $25,000 to small businesses, with no payments required for the first six months. The program, which is a collaboration between the Virginia Beach Economic Development Department and the Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) of Hampton Roads, provides $400,000 in zero-interest loans […]
Va. Beach industrial building sells for $6.79M
An industrial building in Virginia Beach has sold for $6.79 million, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer reported. The 69,120-square-foot industrial building is located on 3.93 acres at 5740 Bayside Road, near Norfolk International Airport in the Airport Industrial Park. It was built in 1975 and renovated in 2015 and has six loading docks. 5740 Bayside […]
Newport News housing authority elects new chair
Kenneth D. Penrose Jr. has been elected to serve as chairman of the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NNRHA). An office and leasing specialist in Cushman & Wakefield Thalhimer’s Newport News office, Penrose has been with the firm since 2000 and is in the second year of his second four-year term on the NNRHA. […]
Chrysler Hall plans $76M upgrade
The Broadway blockbuster “Hamilton” generated more than $1.2 million in admissions taxes for Norfolk during its monthlong engagement at Chrysler Hall in December 2019. However, city officials warn that similar productions could bypass Norfolk unless the theater undergoes major renovations. City Manager Chip Filer has propose[...]
The Visionary
The online version of this article includes additional material from Virginia Business’ interview with Pharrell Williams. Pharrell Williams is a 13-time Grammy winner, an Oscar nominee, a fashion designer, a film producer, a music superstar and innovator. He’s also a native Virginian — a point that comes across stron[...]
HII names new president and CEO
Christopher D. Kastner will become president and CEO of Newport News-based Huntington Ingalls Industries, the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, on March 1. Mike Petters, who has served as the Fortune 500 company’s president and CEO since Northrop Grumman Corp. spun off its shipbuilding division in 2011, will bec[...]
Hilb Group founder to lead acquisitions for Virginia Beach firm
Robert “Bob” Hilb will lead mergers and acquisitions at Virginia Beach-based insurance agency Choice Financial Group and continue to serve as a senior adviser and board member, the company announced Wednesday. “Bob’s experience and knowledge assisted my agency in achieving 700% growth from 2018 to 2021,” Richard Braun,[...]
Port of Va. had $100B+ economic impact in FY21
Amid some of the toughest months of the pandemic, the Port of Virginia set cargo records, processing more than 3.2 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, and generating more than $100.1 billion in ancillary economic impact, according to the port’s fiscal 2021 economic impact repor[...]
ODU’s Strome Center to host tech entrepreneur weekend
Old Dominion University’s Strome Entrepreneurial Center will hold its 3 Day Startup weekend entrepreneurship program, where participants develop and pitch a product, from Feb. 4 to Feb. 6. ODU previously held the program in 2018, 2019 and 2021. This year’s event is focused on technology solutions. Attendees form groups on Friday afternoon and begin to […]
Elizabeth River Crossings announces CEO
Elizabeth River Crossings OpCo LLC (ERC) has promoted Anna Bonet to CEO, the company announced Wednesday. ERC finances, operates and maintains the Elizabeth River Tunnels from Portsmouth to Norfolk. Bonet joined ERC as deputy CEO in September 2021 and worked with former CEO David Sullivan, who announced his retirement last week.[...]
Va. economic growth will slow in 2022, ODU economists predict
Virginia’s economy is likely to grow at a slightly slower pace in 2022 than it did last year, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to make future predictions murky, according to the 2022 Annual Economic Forecast released Wednesday by Old Dominion University’s Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. “If we can [...]
