George Mason, school districts to launch data science lab school
George Mason University and several Shenandoah Valley school districts are partnering to launch a regional lab school in August 2025 that will focus on data literacy to provide students with training in this high-demand field. The Shenandoah Valley Rural Regional College Partnership Laboratory School for Data Science, Computing [...]
For the Record: December 2024
CENTRAL Richmond-based international foam producer Carpenter acquired omnichannel bedding brand Casper Sleep for an undisclosed amount, it announced Oct. 29. Under the agreement, Casper will operate as a subsidiary of Carpenter. The deal marks the third acquisition Carpenter has made in the past 16 months. In November 2023, Carpenter acquired North Carolina-based NCFI Polyurethanes. That […][...]
Coldwell Banker Premier acquires Hampton Roads Coldwell affiliate
Winchester-based Coldwell Banker Premier has acquired Virginia Beach-based Coldwell Banker Now, merging into a brokerage with a combined $600 million sales volume in 2023. Coldwell Banker Premier did not disclose financial details of the merger, which it announced Monday. The combined real estate company is the second-fastest gr[...]
Omni Homestead GM receives lifetime achievement award
The American Hotel & Lodging Association presented Mark Spadoni, managing director of The Omni Homestead Resort in Bath County, with the association’s General Manager Lifetime Achievement Award on Oct. 28. The association honored Spadoni in San Antonio at its second annual The Hospitality Show conference, cosponsored by Qu[...]
FOR THE RECORD NOVEMBER 2024
CENTRAL VIRGINIA Altria Group and Virginia Commonwealth University are discussing the possibility of the university buying the 450,000-square-foot Altria Center for Research and Technology in downtown Richmond, the two parties acknowledged in October. The East Leigh Street building is assessed at $275 million. If the deal comes to fruition, Altria plans to build a new […]
Harrisonburg coworking hub slated to open in December
UPDATED NOV. 1 James Madison University in Harrisonburg has long wanted to be more involved with innovation and entrepreneurship in the Shenandoah Valley region. So, when a co-founder of the Staunton Innovation Hub coworking space announced plans in 2022 to renovate the historic Wetsel Seed building into the Harrisonburg Innovat[...]
Dairy products manufacturer to expand in Augusta
Shamrock Farms, an Arizona-based dairy products manufacturer, will invest $59 million to expand its Augusta County manufacturing operation, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. Shamrock Farms expects to create 28 jobs through the expansion, which will add 81,000 square feet to the manufacturer’s 250,000-square-foot facility in Mill Place Commerce Park. The company opened its Augusta facility […][...]
Growth in the valley
It can take a village — or a valley — to attract a multinational corporation. Shenandoah Valley economic and workforce development officials combined forces to entice Northrop Grumman to locate a 315,000-square-foot advanced electronics manufacturing and testing facility on a 63-acre site in Waynesboro, a project announced i[...]
Staunton Crossing industrial site gets ready for business
A $9 million state grant is helping Staunton reach the finish line on Staunton Crossing, its long-awaited industrial site. The state Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) development grant awarded Aug. 8 will help pay for a 1 million-gallon water tower and water supply lines, which will help complete water and sewer ac[...]
Culpeper tech zone attracts data centers
A Dallas-based developer seeking to build its fourth data center campus in Virginia had a problem. Finding sites large enough was getting difficult in Northern Virginia, where DataBank has two locations in Ashburn’s Data Center Alley and one in McLean. “Virginia is still a solid data center market,” says DataBank Chief Ope[...]
South Asian yogurt manufacturer to open Frederick County facility
Desi Fresh Foods, a producer of Indian-style spoonable and drinkable yogurt products, is opening a new manufacturing facility in Frederick County, creating 56 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. The New York-based company will “invest a significant amount of money to open a new manufacturing facility,” according to a news release. Desi Fresh Foods and […]
Big deals
These economic development announcements were some of the largest in Virginia for 2023 and the first half of 2024: CENTRAL VIRGINIA Chesterfield County: In April, the offices of U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan announced that Danish electrolyzer manufacturer Topsoe plans to build a $400 milli[...]