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2025 Virginia Business Person of the Year: John Asbury | Atlantic Union Bank
Atlantic Union CEO John Asbury is Virginia Business’ 2025 Business Person of the Year, recognized for leading the bank’s growth.
Arlington defense tech firm reaches unicorn status
Govini, an Arlington County defense tech contractor, has joined the unicorn ranks with a $1.25 billion valuation.
100 People to Meet in 2026 — and one cat
Virginia is full of fascinating people, and for the seventh year, Virginia Business has chosen 100 of them to highlight — challenging and encouraging our readers to get to know this cohort of scientists, real estate developers, attorneys, government contractors, physicians, writers, restaurateurs and others. Some are brand new[...]
The December question every leader should anticipate
As the year winds down, our calendars fill with two things: out-of-office replies and existential dread. December has a funny way of putting a mirror in front of us. In the quiet between deadlines and family gatherings, a perennial set of questions shows up: What am I doing with my life? Do I still want […]
JMU focuses on strengths for strategic planning
JMU President Jim Schmidt outlines plans to boost rural health care, expand nursing programs and strengthen civility on campus.
Investment advising in the AI era
When wealth advisers and clients meet these days, it’s likely an AI tool will join in some capacity. As seems true of every industry right now, artificial intelligence is transforming wealth management and, by virtue, the adviser-client relationship. It might be tempting to predict — as some analysts have — that AI cou[...]
2025: The year of living disruptively
Looking back on 2025, the best symbol of the past year’s upheaval might be the White House, if not its most famous occupant. Since moving back into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in January, our real estate mogul president has launched into a series of home renovations worthy of its own HGTV series. The most prominent changes [&he[...]
Virginia advisers outline 2026 investing strategies
One of the great ironies of investing is that even as the stock market notches record highs as it has this year, investors know the good times inevitably cannot last. If 2025 overpromised on uncertainty stemming from a new presidential administration, it also underdelivered on volatility. Aside from a steep — albeit short-live[...]
Bristol hopes for bigger share of casino tax
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol this November marked its first year in its permanent facility — a milestone that the city’s mayor says prompted officials to move ahead with trying to change how tax revenue from the casino is divided. “We’re excited to have them here,” says Mayor Becky Nave, “but we j[...]
HEARD AROUND VIRGINIA: December 2025
McLean government tech contractor BigBear.ai announced in early November it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Warren County startup Ask Sage for $250 million. Ask Sage is a fast-growing, secure generative artificial intelligence platform tailored for defense and national security. BigBear.ai expects the acquisit[...]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: WAYNE F. WILBANKS
FIRST JOB: I worked in a Baskin-Robbins in downtown Chicago. Lost my appetite for ice cream for at least a decade. ADVICE FOR NEW COLLEGE GRADS: Several items of advice: Choose your business environment or partners very carefully as it will reflect directly on your success. Take entrepreneurial risks early in your career as you[...]
FOR THE RECORD December 2025
Central Virginia Pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly & Co. and Merck & Co. have committed a cumulative $120 million to develop a workforce training center for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing in Central Virginia. The companies, each of which plans to build major manufacturing facilities in Virginia; the s[...]
