Va. Tech Graduate School appoints next dean
Virginia Tech has named Aimée Surprenant of Memorial University of Newfoundland as the next dean of its graduate school, effective Sept. 1. Surprenant will lead the Graduate School’s budgetary, admissions and program development operations. She will serve as a member of the executive vice president and provost’s leadership [...]
Roanoke region anticipates outdoor events boon
For more than a century, Roanoke has been known as a rail town. But in recent years, the city has endeavored to rebrand itself as a trail town. Since 2008, the Roanoke region has worked to leverage its vast outdoor assets to attract business investment and talent with its high quality of life, as well […]
Roanoke construction firm to renovate Homestead’s Warm Springs Pools
Roanoke-based Lionberger Construction Co. has been selected as the general contractor to renovate The Omni Homestead Resort’s historic Warm Springs Pools, Omni Hotels & Resorts announced Monday. The contractor will restore the men’s and ladies’ bath houses at the formerly named Jefferson Pools and the reception house o[...]
Northam appoints members to newly created cannabis boards
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has appointed members to three newly created oversight boards for the legalization of recreational marijuana, his office announced today. On July 1, Virginia’s adult-use cannabis legislation changes began going into effect. This year, the General Assembly legalized possession of up to one ounce in p[...]
Plastics equipment manufacturer to reopen Pulaski facility
Plastics industry equipment manufacturer Xaloy Holdings LLC will move its barrel manufacturing operation from Ohio back to Virginia, reopening its former facility in Pulaski County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. Xaloy will invest $1.75 million in its 100,000-square-foot, 30-acre site in Pulaski to produce bimetallic bar[...]
Draper Aden Associates names new CIO
Richmond-based engineering, surveying and environmental firm Draper Aden Associates promoted Lud Eng to chief information officer on July 1. Eng, who is based in Blacksburg, previously served as the firm’s director of information technology. He has been with Draper Aden for more than 25 years. “We are pleased to announce Lud[...]
Valley Wealth Group buys former Truist office in Roanoke
A Truist Bank office in Roanoke was sold for $1.9 million in late June, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer announced. VWG/RNK Properties LLC purchased the 6,715-square-foot office building at 3119 Chaparral Drive from Truist. The property will be the future location of Valley Wealth Group, a Roanoke-based financial management[...]
Va. Tech researchers make Spot go
Spot can’t dance. Well, Spot could, but you’d have to pay extra for that. “Spot out of the box cannot do all those tricks,” says Virginia Tech doctoral student Srijeet Halder. Spot is Boston Robotics’ $74,500 four-legged walking platform, a star of viral dancing videos that also has the ability to navigate stairs, avoi[...]
Three Blacksburg housing complexes sold for $146M
Three off-campus housing complexes in Blacksburg geared toward Virginia Tech students have been sold for $146 million in a deal closed May 5, Berkadia announced Friday. The buyer, California-based Reliant Group, added the portfolio to its earlier purchase of a student housing property near Virginia Tech. According to Montgomery [...]
Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber hires executive director
Andy Bruns, a former regional newspaper publisher for Lee Enterprises, has been tapped as executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, the chamber announced June 4. Bruns replaces Christopher Finley, who resigned in March to become director of marketing and public relations for LewisGale Regional H[...]
Botetourt wind project hits resistance
Apex Clean Energy Inc. continues working toward a day when wind turbines standing atop Botetourt County’s North Mountain might generate enough energy to power up to 21,000 homes each year. Dubbed Rocky Forge Wind, the proposed wind farm north of Eagle Rock would be Virginia’s first onshore wind project in operation. However,[...]
Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council names new executive director
Erin Burcham, the Roanoke Regional Partnership’s director of talent solutions, is leaving the economic development group to become executive director of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council. The tech council noted Burcham’s experience in talent and workforce development. About a year ago, the tech council starte[...]