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Hospitality | Tourism 2025: KAMENSKY, JANE

Kamensky started work as the head of the foundation that owns and operates Monticello, in 2024. Home of Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president and author of the Declaration of Independence, Monticello draws more than 300,000 visitors annually.

Before coming to , the Yale alumna was a history professor at Harvard University and director of the university’s Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. She has authored or co-authored seven award-winning books about American history and was the chair of Brandeis University’s history department.

Among many board appointments, Kamensky serves as co-leader of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences’ America250 working group and is on the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation’s Council of Advisors.

MY MOTTO: “Here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.”
— Thomas Jefferson to William Roscoe, Dec. 27, 1820

BOOK I’D RECOMMEND: Rick Atkinson’s “The Fate of the Day,” which brings the middle years of the grueling American Revolution to life as the brutal war it was.

Return to the full list of this category’s recipients.

VCU’s business school preps students for AI economy

Summary:

  • 99% of marketing professionals report using AI, study finds
  • launches AI labs and new courses, including an AI minor
  • Students tackle real-world business projects with AI tools
  • Faculty stress ethics, bias, and energy use in AI adoption

It’s the human factor that’s key to the acceptance and success of in the marketplace, says Cesar Zamudio, a professor who researches brand perceptions.
For consumers to buy in, he explains, “there always has to be a strong human element. The mileage may vary, [but] no human in the loop is wrong.”

As most people in the are aware, generative AI adoption is on the rise in nearly every industry. But for those in the marketing field, artificial intelligence tools are all but inescapable.

The 2024 State of Marketing AI Report, which surveyed 1,800 marketing professionals, reported that 99% say they’re personally using AI in some fashion, “and the level of AI usage is rising significantly. Thirty-six percent of respondents say that AI is now infused into their daily workflows,” up from 29% who said the same in 2023, according to the report.

Brian P. Brown, dean of the VCU School of Business and a marketing expert, says that the speed with which AI-powered tools are developed and updated means that he and his faculty colleagues have to work hard to stay on top of the innovations.

“Almost by the day there’s a new technology, a new application,” he says. “We’ve been aggressive. We have new courses, a new AI minor. We have a number of labs.”

But also, faculty members are excited about new opportunities and information to pass along to their students, Brown says.

“They love learning new things. They love experimenting with it.”

Of course, AI is also making many people nervous, especially those who are concerned about being replaced by Claude or Copilot in their jobs.

Brown gets it. A VCU marketing professor who was named interim business dean in 2024 and permanent dean in April, Brown worked in marketing for The Coca-Cola Co. and Snapper Power Equipment before entering academia.

Years in the corporate world helped prepare him for the AI explosion, he says. “I was in the dotcom space. AI reminds me of that boom. That has allowed me to realize that change is inevitable. You have to embrace it.”

VCU School of Business Dean Brian Brown compares today’s generative AI era to the dotcom boom. Photo by Caroline Martin

‘Everywhere, like electricity’

Since the advent of ChatGPT in 2022, AI has become “a general-purpose technology. It shows up everywhere, like electricity,” says Carol Scotese, the ‘s interim associate dean of academic and faculty affairs. An associate professor of economics, Scotese says that the newness of the technology gives her and her colleagues a great deal to think about in terms of what to teach their students.

“A lot is in the experimentation stage,” she says. “We’re a business school, so we want to prepare our students for how AI is being used in the workplace” and give them the skills they most need in the future.

That means developing multiple programs and labs, like VCU’s Human-AI ColLab, which opened in September 2024. The lab’s focus, says director Victoria Yoon, is on finding solutions in cybersecurity, health care data, digital transformation and .

Inside the lab, faculty and students are working on complex national security challenges that require AI to collect and process vast amounts of data, while others are figuring out ways to use chatbots and generative AI for health care services.

The AI for Transformative Business research program takes on larger questions about using , social media and other analytics to reshape business models, and participants in the ethics program are working to eliminate bias and untrustworthy results in AI tools.

Another goal, says Yoon, an information systems professor, is “to show students what they can do by themselves, how they can excel beyond the AI system. We want to give them a sense of accomplishment.”

Associate marketing professor Zamudio agrees that student buy-in hinges on showing them that “you have given them a valuable tool. Our curriculum has evolved to not just show how to use AI, but how to enhance your work. It’s not just knowing the tool but knowing when and how to use it.”

Scotese notes that respecting their students’ time is important as well. “We try not to duplicate what’s being done at the university level. You didn’t hear me say we have introductory classes on the basics [because] the university provides basics on AI.”

Seeking better jobs

Alejandro Porrata is a student in VCU’s decision analytics master’s program, which he pursued after earning his bachelor’s degree in information systems at the university. He says he was ready to “to dig a little deeper.”

The information systems department, home of the decision analytics master’s program, is where “we produce people who serve as bridges between technical expertise and business acumen,” says professor and department chair Paul Brooks.

Faculty prepare students to understand a wide variety of tools and “to decide which tools are appropriate for the problem and the job,” Brooks says. Student teams, under faculty supervision, get experience in real-life projects, like using AI to analyze trends and recommend investments or sports bets.

The master of decision analytics program takes place on weekends and attracts experienced professionals who are looking to make career changes.

“They’re in class on the weekend. Then they go into work on Monday and use what they learned,” says Brooks, who specializes in machine learning and decision analytics. The program, for example, has been popular with nurses who want to learn to analyze health data.

Porrata has had the opportunity to use tools like LangChain, an open-source framework for building applications based on large language models, and Hightouch, a data and AI platform for marketing and personalization.

As part of the program, students work directly with businesses on live projects. Porrata’s team has been building a chatbot for a car repair business, he says. “It’s a tool operator mechanics can use for unplanned maintenance. It’s a tool they use as a first line of defense before having to escalate the issue.”

The team is doing testing and development this fall, and Porrata expects to deliver the product to the company’s executives before he graduates in December.

With degree in hand, Porrata hopes to parlay his analytical skills into a new job at the bank where he works.

“I’m looking for something in the data science and the machine learning space,” he says. “I want to provide business value.”

Students also take part in the annual Business Analytics and AI Challenge, sponsored by Altria Group and hosted by VCU’s departments of information systems and supply chain and analytics.

Now in its sixth year, the challenge asks students to leverage analytics and AI tools to solve real-world business problems. More than 160 students signed up for this year’s semester-long challenge, forming 50 teams. Of those, 38 submitted final proposals.

Altria’s judges selected three finalists to visit the company’s Richmond headquarters for a day of workshops, networking and final presentations. The winning student team took home $3,500 in prize money.

Ups and downs of AI

With Brown’s expertise in branding and marketing, as well as Zamudio’s deep research into AI-based ad design, VCU’s business school and its award-winning Brandcenter, where the school’s graduate programs in advertising are based, are well positioned for students entering the AI marketing economy.

Zamudio, who helped develop VCU’s AI Ad Design Lab, says that these tools help businesses advertise without spending much of their own capital.

“If you want to put an ad in social media and you don’t have the design skills, you can look around and create your own ad. It costs from nothing to $20,” he says. “There are easy-to-follow instructions and tutorials for small businesses.”

Users can even get ChatGPT to help, Zamudio adds. “It can be used as a sounding board to critique your ideas.”

But Zamudio and his colleagues are not 100% rah-rah about the technology. The use of artificial intelligence raises several ethical red flags regarding data privacy, cybersecurity, fairness and bias, as well as cheating at the university level, Scotese says. “It’s a real challenge all over.”

The American Civil Liberties Union has warned that AI tools perpetuate discrimination in tenant selection and mortgage qualifications, as well as hiring and financial lending discrimination.

The Washington Post reported on police departments using AI-powered facial recognition to make arrests that often lead to prosecution, even though the results are less accurate than traditional detective work. And AI résumé-screening programs sometimes discriminate against Black male names, a 2024 University of Washington study found.

It comes down to societal bias that seeps into the training data for such tools, UW’s researcher said.

Zamudio acknowledges that he hears a lot of concern about AI algorithms that “carry some of the biases” that humans have, and “we don’t have a good way to remove them,” he notes.

There’s also the environmental impact of AI and the hyperscale data centers being built to support increased data usage.

According to projections published by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory last year, by 2028 more than half of the electricity going to data centers will be used for artificial intelligence. At that point, AI alone could consume as much electricity annually as 22% of all U.S. households, which means more data centers and water used to keep them cool.

Power demand is expected to grow 5.5% annually over the next decade in Virginia and North Carolina, and double by 2039, according to a regional forecast by PJM, which runs the electrical grid in Virginia.

Ed Baine, president of Dominion Energy Virginia, said last fall that the state is currently experiencing “the largest growth in power demand since the years following World War II,” partly fueled by increased use of artificial intelligence.

All of these issues must be raised during discussions about AI training and use at VCU and other institutions, Scotese says. “We’re working on the guardrails.”

VCU at a glance

Founded
Virginia Commonwealth University was founded in 1838 as the Medical College of Hampden-Sydney and was later renamed the Medical College of Virginia. In 1968, MCV merged with Richmond Professional Institute to form VCU.

Campus
VCU has two campuses in downtown Richmond covering a total of 198 acres. The Monroe Park Campus houses most undergraduate students and classes. VCU’s five health sciences schools, the College of Health Professions, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and VCU Health are located on the MCV campus.

Enrollment
Undergraduate: 21,563
Graduate: 5,800
First professional: 1,468
International: 1,165
In-state: 85%
Minority: 57%

Faculty
Full-time faculty: 2,441
Full-time university and academic professionals: 3,841

Tuition and fees
In-state tuition and fees: $17,240*
Tuition and fees (out of state): $40,404*
Room and board and other fees: $15,128**
Average financial aid awarded to full-time freshmen seeking assistance: $19,919

*Based on 15 credit hours per semester and 30 credit hours for the 2025-26 year. This does not include program fees, which vary based on a student’s major.
**Room charge is based on a double occupancy in Rhoads Hall, and the dining rate is for the 200 swipes with $225 dining dollars meal plan for the 2025-26 year.

The People Paradox: Why ‘Soft’ Skills Deliver the Hardest Numbers

Honestly, this job would be a breeze if it weren’t for the people part.”

A regional sales director said that after recounting missed targets, two resignations and a turf war between product and marketing. The room laughed — tired laughter, the kind that comes when you recognize a hard truth. Plans obey Gantt charts; people do not. People bring worries, ambitions, and moods into every meeting. And that unpredictability? It’s both your biggest headache and your greatest leverage point.

Most companies react in two ways: tighten the screws with dashboards and compliance modules or slap on another “culture initiative” poster. Neither works because they ignore the real issue: managers lack a reliable method for turning human potential into performance. They know better collaboration and faster problem-solving would change everything — they just don’t have a repeatable path to get there.

The costs hide in plain sight. A quarter delayed because two teams argue definitions. A launch postponed while stakeholders haggle. High performers leave quietly, and replacing one costs up to 2x their salary once you add recruitment, lost productivity and training. Those numbers swallow budgets — even R&D. Yet our P&Ls list “labor market pressure,” not “managerial unpreparedness.”

Here’s what the data show: Identical teams — same pay, same tools — routinely perform 10% to 20% better under managers who systematically build trust, clarity and growth. They get ideas, overtime and cost-saving fixes that no Six Sigma project ever uncovered. Meanwhile, teams led by unchecked command-and-control churn at the first better offer.

Managing people is a discipline, not a personality trait. No one would let an accountant close the books without training. Yet we promote top performers into supervision and hand them a policy handbook. Then we wonder why they learn on the job — at everyone else’s expense.

Consider risk : a $10 million capital project gets pilots, approvals and contingency plans. But your manager controls a similar sum annually in wages and benefits, with zero oversight of how that investment is activated. If managerial interactions dampen initiative by just 10%, you quietly forfeit a million dollars — every year.

Some companies get it. They assign internal coaches. They pair new supervisors with veterans. They treat one-on-ones as the core production unit of engagement. Others run workshops that translate research into daily habits. Our Management Fundamentals Bootcamp condenses two decades of field data into “observe, reflect, act, repeat” — a framework you can apply tomorrow morning. And believe me, because

I’m the one delivering the bootcamp: it evolves managers overnight.

The very thing leaders wish away is the same thing that makes an operation exceptional. Invite it in. Give it direction. And suddenly, the breeze you crave isn’t because the people part vanished — it’s because it finally has a path to follow.

Want to learn how our bootcamp can level up your managers? Reach out to me at [email protected] to set up a time to talk.

Jaime Raul Zepeda is EVP, Principal Consultant for and COLOR Magazine, part of BridgeTower Media.

Wondering whether your organization is on the right path to win? Talk to us at Best Companies Group so we can analyze your organization’s health, your team dynamics, and your leadership’s effectiveness. We’ve helped over 10,000 companies understand and improve their using data-driven strategies. Send me a note at [email protected].

Chesterfield zoning update moves forward

Chesterfield County is nearing the final stages of a yearslong effort to overhaul its outdated ordinance. At a July 15 meeting, the Chesterfield Planning Commission unanimously approved the current draft of the Zoning Ordinance Modernization project — known as .

The project aims to align the county’s regulations with its because the county’s existing zoning code was largely written in the 1980s and early ’90s and doesn’t match Chesterfield’s vision for .

“We have a comprehensive plan that was shiny and new, but we are still living with a zoning ordinance developed decades ago,” says Steven Haasch, assistant director at Planning Department. “We had the vision. We were missing the tool to implement that vision appropriately.”

Among ZOMod’s most significant updates is allowing for a mixed-use zoning district, which would usher in more developments like Chester Village. This helps to avoid the cumbersome exception zoning process required under current zoning regulations.

“We have been trying to work around the existing zoning ordinance because it doesn’t fit the modern development trend,” says Rachel Chieppa, planning manager for comprehensive planning and research at the county’s planning department.

“When our ordinance was originally created, [all uses were] separated. We didn’t go to a brewery inside of an industrial park.”

Some Chesterfield County residents, though, have been wary of the ZOMod process, concerned the new ordinance will only make the county more crowded. County officials stressed, however, that ZOMod won’t increase density limits because those are controlled by the comprehensive plan.

“The zoning ordinance does not set density,” Haasch explained. “The comprehensive plan does, and we are not changing any densities in the comprehensive plan. The plan is what the plan is.”

is another focus in ZOMod. New provisions would allow for smaller lot sizes, Haasch says, while also retaining amenity spaces younger generations have become accustomed to, like green spaces, clubhouses or other common areas.

“We’re really limited today” with housing choices, Haasch says. “ZOMod tries to have more options for development.”

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on ZOMod on Sept. 17.

“Don’t believe what you hear on social media,” Haasch says. “There’s a lot of misinformation going on around ZOMod, and we would hope people would … learn for themselves what it does and doesn’t do.”

 

Peninsula businesses to get capital boost

Small and midsize businesses in distressed and underserved areas of and will be able to access economic support through a new $50 million low-interest business loan program.

Launched in June by the nonprofit Greater Peninsula C.A.R.E.S. Foundation, the Peninsula Cooperative Fund is designed to close funding gaps and boost minority-owned businesses. PCF is managed by a five-member board that includes Health’s chief administrative officer, Aubrey Layne.

“Our goal is to provide opportunities for businesses that are underfunded and undercapitalized to be put in growth positions,” says Brian Woolfolk, PCF’s general counsel. “There is no shortage of need.”

Businesses will be able to obtain of up to $5 million. The fund also plans to launch microloans for smaller businesses. Organizers aim to raise the $50 million and have the fund operational by summer 2026.

Twenty to 35 businesses could be assisted during the fund’s 10-year life span. Woolfolk says the fund could then be renewed and expanded to other areas, including South .

Key growth industries the fund plans to target include energy, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, health care, aerospace and defense. “We want to work with businesses within those industries and help them scale up to benefit from the economy on the Peninsula,” PCF Chair Joni Ivey says.

Expected initial investors in the fund include Sentara, and City First Bank, which is acting in an advisory role for PCF. Investment amounts have not been disclosed. PCF board members are meeting with other potential donors, including national organizations that work with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like City First Bank that provide affordable loans to low-income individuals and businesses.

Newport News and Hampton each invested $200,000 in the fund as seed money. Both cities have been identified as Community Development Financial Institution Deserts by CDFI Friendly America, meaning they receive less than $571 per capita in investments from CDFIs.

Hampton Mayor Jimmy Gray says the fund will provide access to capital for and existing businesses seeking to expand. “It’s a great opportunity for Hampton. The long-term benefits will be transformative for our community.”

Businesses also will receive technical assistance and mentoring, says Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones. “It’s more than just writing a check. It helps businesses for the long term. This is not a handout. It’s a hand up.”

 

Virginia 500 Spotlight: KERRY WOOLARD

FAVORITE FASHION ACCESSORY: A classic Chanel necklace. I wear mine to work or with a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. It is such a classic way to look polished without being overdone or fussy.

HOW I DEFINE SUCCESS: Doing something better today than we did it yesterday. Generally, just progress. I love to constantly push myself and our team to continue to achieve. Even when a project is “finished,” I continue to seek new/better ways to enhance the offering or streamline the process.

ON INTEGRATING AI: It is an absolute must. I view AI as a force multiplier for whatever you’re doing. In and agriculture, AI won’t replace humans, but it will (and has) given us the opportunity to move faster and do more with the resources we have.

TRAITS I ADMIRE IN OTHERS: Overall: grit, determination and just being hungry to succeed.

DID YOU KNOW? Purchased by in 2011, the winery has been owned by his son Eric since 2012, the same year they hired Woolard, who previously was events manager for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. “Donald Trump is a man of vision. He isn’t a wide-eyed dreamer but someone who sees things that others don’t and turns that vision into reality,” Woolard said as a speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention. “When Donald Trump purchased the winery in 2011, it was in receivership. Quickly and decisively, he went to work building the hotel, replanting the vines and making it a world-class destination and the largest vineyard in Virginia.”

Marion museum aims to ‘Do the Dew’

The Birthplace of Modern is expected to draw thousands of tourists with a thirst for history when it opens in the small town of in May 2026.

It will highlight the town’s role in improving a created in Tennessee in the 1940s. Bill Jones, general manager of Tip Corporation of America, conducted taste tests in Marion to revise the formula in 1961. Pepsi-Cola purchased the soda brand in 1964.

Marion entrepreneur Joe Ellis came up with the idea for the museum, aiming to help revitalize the town after the region’s textile and furniture industries moved overseas. It’ll be located in a 1940s former pharmacy on Main Street with a lunch counter where Jones conducted some of his taste tests.

“We have found the original stools, and they’ve been refurbished, so we’re anxious to recreate the actual lunch counter and to offer Mountain Dew,” Ellis says. “We are planning to have something called ‘Do your own Dew,’ where you get to be Mr. Jones and make a soft drink.”

The museum will also tell Jones’ story, feature videos of townspeople reminiscing about participating in his taste tests, and showcase Mountain Dew commercials, bottles and other paraphernalia.

Ellis and his partners own the building and plan to have the façade finished by the end of the year. Arnold Design Studio, a Christiansburg architectural firm, estimates the project will cost $1.2 million, he says. Fundraising is underway by Magnetic Attractions, a nonprofit that will run the museum.

Ellis set out to find Marion’s “magnets” in 2003 and helped restore The Lincoln Theatre, one of the last remaining Mayan Revival-style theaters in the world. It’s now home of the long-running PBS show “Song of the Mountains.”

Finding proof that Marion was the birthplace of modern Mountain Dew took longer. The town finally received a Virginia Department of Historic Resources marker highlighting that fact in May. PepsiCo representatives attended and granted approval for the museum’s name, Ellis says.

He says the museum could draw more than the roughly 50,000 people who visit The Birthplace of Pepsi, a smaller museum, store and soda fountain in New Bern, North Carolina.

“It will be tremendous for us,” says Ken Heath, executive director of Marion’s Community & Economic Development Department. “If we can sell on the sizzle, they’ll get here and they’ll love the steak.”

 

Out and About September 2025

1. Caesars Virginia guest Jill P. won $327,282 in Three Card Poker, according to an Aug. 7 announcement by the Danville casino resort. (Photo courtesy Caesars Virginia)

2. (L to R) Spotsylvania County Assistant County Administrator Wanda Parrish; Jeff Faircloth, vice president of building supply for The Lester Group; Fitzhugh Johnson III with Johnson Realty Advisors; and The Lester Group President Dana Cowart participated in a July 28 groundbreaking for The Lester Group’s subsidiary Fortress Truss at Spotsylvania Industrial Park. (Photo courtesy The Lester Group)

3. U.S. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, Gov. Glenn and Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura were among the dignitaries gathered in Washington, D.C., for the July 21 announcement that the biopharmaceutical company has selected Virginia for its largest single facility investment to date. (Photo courtesy Office of Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Photo by Kaitlyn DeHarde)

4. Traditional Medicinals CEO Joe Stanziano spoke at the July 29 groundbreaking for the tea company’s Franklin County manufacturing plant. (Photo courtesy Traditional Medicinals)

5. (L to R) Glory Days Grill executive Jim Rafferty speaks with U.S. Sen. Tim during an Aug. 6 gathering in Burke to discuss Trump administration trade and immigration policies with restaurant owners and executives. (Photo courtesy Office of Sen. Tim Kaine)

Luray Airport lands major upgrade

Until recently, planes flying in and out of Caverns were serviced by a terminal that could most kindly be described as humble.

The white, clapboard 945-square-foot structure, which dated back to the turn of the last century, had once housed chickens and “was more or less falling down,” recalls Edwin P. Markowitz, longtime secretary-treasurer of the Luray-Page County Airport Authority, which manages the airport.

However, that dilapidated structure was replaced in October 2024 by a new $4.3 million, 4,582-square-foot terminal with a spacious lobby and amenities including a pilot’s lounge and conference and flight-planning rooms.

The airport celebrated the terminal’s grand opening in April.

The financing for the upgrade was complex enough “to cause your head to explode,” Markowitz says. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provided a $4.26 million loan covering the local share of the terminal financing, plus the 2023 construction of 18 new hangars and refinancing of existing ones. The state also provided a $1.01 million grant for the hangar project. In addition, the Federal Administration and Virginia Department of Aviation together provided $3.85 million in grants for terminal construction and a new parking lot.

Virginia’s U.S. senators, Democrats Mark Warner and Tim , were instrumental in securing federal help for the upgrades. “Small airports like this one are critical to supporting emergency services, connecting local businesses to the larger economy and more,” the senators said in a joint statement.

A 2016 economic study backs up the senators’ assertion about the airport’s regional value, finding that Luray Caverns Airport added more than $2 million annually to the local economy, a figure that Markowitz expects to be much larger after the results of a 2025 study are released.

Since the airport opened in the early 1970s, it has grown from 40 acres to 120 acres, and it now logs about 10,000 annual takeoffs and landings, many of them -related because of the airport’s proximity to the caverns and Shenandoah

National Park. Except for some military usage, all its air traffic is noncommercial. Forty-four planes estimated to be worth more than $10 million are housed on-site, and the airport now has 43 hangars.

“We’re very pleased with the outcome” of the project, Markowitz says, “and grateful for the support we received.”

 

For the Record: September 2025

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

HCA Virginia plans to construct a new $260 million hospital in , citing the county’s growing population. In a July filing with the Virginia Department of Health, the health system detailed a plan to build a 60-bed acute care hospital — known as Magnolia Hospital — on an approximately 24-acre property in Moseley, located at 16100, 16300, and 16500 Hull Street Road. Magnolia Hospital would contain 54 medical/surgical beds, six intensive care unit beds, four general-purpose operating rooms and one MRI scanner. HCA says it anticipates adding approximately 360 full-time workers to staff the hospital. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Richmond pharmaceutical manufacturer Phlow announced July 22 that it had raised $37 million in a Series C funding round led by Align Private Capital. The funding round, which was also supported by additional new and follow-on investors, contributed to the more than $93 million in private capital Phlow has raised since it was founded in 2020. The company has also secured more than $600 million in government contracts. Phlow says the Series C funds will help accelerate its expansion in the U.S., with a focus on scaling the company and investing in AI-powered systems and advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

The Richmond Flying Squirrels‘ new stadium will have professional baseball’s largest solar panel array, subject to local and state approval. Dominion Energy Virginia announced Aug. 5 that it plans to install a solar array on the roof and parking lot of CarMax Park, the Minor League Baseball team’s future home. The park is slated to open in spring 2026, but the installation of more than 1,700 solar panels will take place after the season. The solar array will generate about 1 megawatt of electricity. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

The University of Virginia Board of Visitors tapped former U.Va. School of Law Dean Paul G. Mahoney as interim president. Taking office on Aug. 11, he is expected to serve until a permanent hire is made to replace former U.Va. leader Jim Ryan, who resigned in late June following pressure from the Trump administration. Mahoney is a David and Mary Harrison Distinguished Professor in the law school and was its dean from 2008 to 2016. He succeeded acting president Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis, U.Va.’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Health announced July 29 that it would stop providing gender-affirming medical care, including medications, at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU for patients under age 19. The services will no longer be offered by November. The health system said the decision came after “much consideration and based upon current understanding of federal and state directives.” This marks a change from its decision earlier this year to halt all surgical procedures for transgender teens while continuing to provide medical care and counseling. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

PEOPLE

Glen Allen-based real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer announced Aug. 4 that Jim Roman has joined the company’s Richmond office as senior vice president and new leader of commercial property services, which manages more than 28 million square feet across Virginia. Roman succeeded David P. Oddo, who retired Aug 1. Roman has more than 25 years of experience working in the commercial real estate industry. He most recently served as director of property for CBRE in Greenville, South Carolina. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

EASTERN VIRGINIA

Atlantic Dominion Distributors, the Virginia Beach-based subsidiary of a 150-year-old parent company, is set to close. As a result, 104 people will be laid off by Sept. 26. Atlantic Dominion Distributors, which is owned by Old Dominion Tobacco Co., has sold its inventory assets to Southco Distributing, based in Goldsboro, North Carolina, according to a company news release. Atlantic Dominion informed the state government of the closing of its wholesale and vending distribution operations in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg in a July 30 letter to the Virginia Workforce Network’s Rapid Response program. (Virginia Business)

Chesapeake City Council in July unanimously approved a rezoning request that will allow for the construction of up to 137 condo-style units on an almost 40-acre property in the city’s Greenbrier area. Developer Dragas Associates plans for the condominiums at 1504 Elbow Road to be directly adjacent to and an extension of Grayson Commons, a mixed-use community of 268 homes located at Centerville Turnpike and Elbow Road. The site will include a network of sidewalks & trails, including a 10-foot multiuse path extension along Elbow Road. Both the planning commission and city staff recommended approval of the project. (Virginia Business)

The U.S. Department of Justice has withdrawn from intervening in a whistleblower complaint against Health, which alleges the health system’s insurance arm improperly inflated rates in 2018 and 2019. The complaint, filed by three Charlottesville residents, alleges Sentara, its Optima Health division and consulting firm Milliman violated the False Claims Act. The plaintiffs intend to proceed with the case. However, with the federal government declining to intervene, attorney John P. Fishwick from Fishwick & Associates says the plaintiffs’ position has been weakened and they face a tougher hill to climb. (Virginia Business)

Virginia Beach city government is seeking proposals from developers for a commercial or residential project near the city’s convention center — with the hope that new development will revitalize that part of the city. The site in question is a 1.73-acre property owned by the city, currently used as a parking lot with 109 spaces. The request for proposals calls for the construction of a public structured parking facility, as well as other complementary uses, which may include commercial, office, residential, restaurant or retail spaces. Developers have until 3 p.m. Oct. 20 to submit proposals. (Virginia Business)

PEOPLE

The Virginia Beach Neptune Festival has named TowneBank Virginia Beach President Buffy Barefoot as its first Queen Neptune. This marks the first time a queen instead of a king has been chosen to be the ceremonial leader for the festival, which was founded in 1974. The festival was traditionally led by a King Neptune and a court of male Tritons and female princesses but has shifted in recent years to be more inclusive. The festival culminates with Boardwalk Weekend, scheduled for Sept. 26-28. Last year’s weekend events generated $26 million in economic impact. (The Virginian-Pilot)

Chesapeake-based Fortune 500 discount retailer Dollar Tree appointed John S. Mitchell Jr. as its new chief legal officer and corporate secretary. He began his new role on Aug. 11. Mitchell joined Dollar Tree in 2021 as the company’s senior deputy general counsel, after previously working as a partner at the law firm of Williams Mullen. Mitchell succeeds Jonathan B. Leiken, who is leaving Dollar Tree in August after two years. Mitchell earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University. (Virginia Business)

ROANOKE/LYNCHBURG/NEW RIVER VALLEY

Carilion Clinic on July 22 announced plans to open its first two freestanding emergency departments, which will be located in Botetourt and Franklin counties. The Roanoke-based health care system plans to break ground on both departments later this year — one in Smith Mountain Lake’s Westlake area in Franklin County and the other in Botetourt’s Daleville Town Center area. The ERs will offer 24/7 emergency care for adults and children. If higher-level care is required, the health system says it can transport patients quickly to the hospital of their choice. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

A judge ruled in favor of nonprofit HopeTree Family Services and Salem City Council Aug. 7 in a citizen lawsuit filed by Carlos Hart Jr., following approval of the nonprofit’s resubmitted rezoning application in December. The council voted to approve HopeTree’s request to rezone its property from residential single family to planned unit development, which would allow HopeTree to build up to 340 residences and some small businesses on the property. Judge David Carson stated in his that Hart’s “remedy in this case, if any, is at the ballot box, not in circuit court.” (The Roanoke Times)

Liberty University filed an opening brief Aug. 1 with the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the case involving Ellenor Zinski, a transgender woman and former LU employee who is accusing the university of violating federal law in her termination. In it, LU argued that Title VII, the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protect religious institutions in making employment decisions based on religion. In March, LU appealed Zinski’s lawsuit in response to U.S. District Judge Norman Moon’s denial of the university’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The appeals court granted the appeal in May. (The News & Advance)

Developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline are considering a plan to increase the amount of natural gas the existing pipeline can carry by further compressing its gas, an idea that could include building a compressor station near the border of Montgomery and Roanoke counties. The idea to expand Mountain Valley Pipeline’s gas capacity by about 25% was discussed July 22 in a presentation to shareholders of Pittsburgh-based EQT Corp., which owns the largest stake in the pipeline joint venture. Pending regulatory approval, EQT anticipates the expansion would begin operation in 2029. (Cardinal News)

The Roanoke Economic Development Authority has received a $1 million state award to support the development of the former Walker Foundry site, which sits near the Roanoke River Greenway in the city’s Norwich neighborhood. Developer Greg Kaknes and The Foundry Realty are working to rehabilitate the vacant industrial site, which closed in 2019 after employing thousands in the region for almost 100 years. Plans call for the site to include 275 affordable housing units, green space, a restaurant and other commercial spaces. (Cardinal News)

More than five years after it was first announced, Traditional Medicinals broke ground July 29 on a new manufacturing plant in Franklin County’s Summit View Business Park. Plans for a plant at the business park were first announced in January 2020, but the global pandemic later put the project on hold for five years. The privately held, California-based company will invest $47 million on the 125,000-square-foot facility. The project is expected to create 57 jobs. Executives expect the plant to be operational by winter 2026. (The Roanoke Times)

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Arlington County is facing a lawsuit over its “Expanded Housing Options” plan, which enables more duplexes, townhomes and other “missing middle” homes in formerly single family‑only zones. The case was brought by local homeowners, who argued that the county didn’t adequately study the possible negative effects of additional development. But developers fear that if the courts strike down the county’s plan, already-built missing middle structures will be deemed illegal. Now, the Virginia Court of Appeals is weighing whether developer Wilsons Ventures, which has already built missing middle housing in Arlington, should be allowed to be involved with the lawsuit. (WAMU 88.5)

Arlington County-based CoStar Group and subsidiary CoStar Realty Information in July sued Zillow, claiming that the real estate website is using nearly 47,000 CoStar-copyrighted images illegally. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The company is requesting that the court require the purging and destruction of all CoStar copyrighted photographs from Zillow’s databases and systems by a third-party source that will monitor Zillow’s future compliance. CoStar also requests an award of its costs, including attorneys’ fees, and exemplary and punitive damages. (Virginia Business)

At an Aug.1 meeting, George Mason University‘s board of visitors approved a 1.5% salary raise for GMU President Gregory Washington in a unanimous vote with no public discussion. There had previously been concerns from supporters that Washington might be ousted amid four federal investigations that opened since July. Washington has faced criticism and political pressure from the Trump administration over diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives introduced during his tenure, which began in 2020. However, faculty members have strongly supported Washington and defended his leadership, stating that he has been politically targeted. (Virginia Business)

McLean-based candymaker and pet care giant Mars in July announced that it plans to infuse $2 billion into its U.S. manufacturing operations by the end of 2026. The maker of Snickers, M&M’s and Twix says the investment will support a $240 million new facility for Nature’s Bakery in Salt Lake City. Earlier in the month, the company also announced the launch of a $250 million investment fund dedicated to fostering business innovation and growth. The innovation fund aims to provide capital to companies developing solutions to address sustainability challenges in the food industry. (Virginia Business)

Luxembourg-based SES announced in July that it has completed its $3.1 billion acquisition of McLean-based satellite services provider Intelsat. The combined SES is headquartered in Luxembourg, although the company will still have a “significant presence” in the U.S, with its North American main office located in McLean. SES says the acquisition creates a “strengthened global satellite operator” with an expanded fleet of 120 satellites across two orbits. The combined company is expected to generate about $4.29 billion in annual revenue. (Virginia Business)

The Trump administration announced on July 31 that it would add a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom to the people’s mansion — with McLean’s Clark Construction leading the building team. That’s nearly twice the size of the existing White House, which has six stories and about 55,000 square feet of floor space. Washington, D.C.-based McCrery Architects will lead the design process, and Dallas-based AECOM will handle engineering for the structure, which would replace the East Wing. The project is expected to be completed before the end of ‘s second term. (Virginia Business)

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

Bridgewater College announced in July that it successfully concluded its five-year Connections fundraising campaign, raising $36.7 million from more than 1,100 donors and exceeding its $35 million goal. Connections: The Campaign for Bridgewater College, which ended June 30, raised around $15.1 million for teaching and learning initiatives. As part of this component of the campaign, the college named three of its schools for donors. The college also raised $13.1 million for capital projects and more than $8.1 million for the Eagle Fund, a scholarship fund that provides direct and immediate scholarship support to students. (Virginia Business)

Executive Land Holdings IV hopes to build a business park off Interstate 81 Exit 302 near Middletown. First, however, Frederick County must amend its comprehensive plan and rezone a 43-acre site from rural and general business to industrial transition. The Frederick County Historic Resources Advisory Board in July unanimously recommended a Phase 1 archaeological survey for the proposed Middletown Business Park, as much of the site is core battlefield from the 1864 Battle of Cedar Creek. After the survey is conducted, there could be further surveys before the matter comes before the board of supervisors for approval. (The Northern Virginia Daily)

The Family Drive-In Theatre in Stephens City, in operation since 1956 and one of Virginia’s last six operating drive-ins, is up for sale. Owner Dalke’s Theatres listed the 10.16-acre site in June for $1.5 million. The property is zoned for general business,  allowing for commercial uses such as offices, food and beverage retailers, gas stations or . A broker listing the property stated that Dalke isn’t expressly looking to sell the site to someone who wants to keep the drive-in theater in operation and wants to sell the property “regardless.” However, some buyers have expressed interest in continuing its operation. (The Winchester Star)

The former IAC automotive plant in Strasburg, which permanently closed on Dec. 31, 2024, was sold to a trio of companies — Shockey Realty Co., Green Industrial Realty II and WSK Next GenPartners — on June 26. The sale included nine parcels and four buildings that collectively provide 430,000 square feet of industrial space. Shockey is leading marketing efforts to lease the property and coordinating with Shenandoah County to find a tenant. The county is working with the Town of Strasburg to ensure future use aligns with local goals. Officials hope the site can attract new businesses to the county. (The Northern Virginia Daily)

Shenandoah County wineries in July said they are struggling with rising costs due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on imported goods. Several winemaking supplies, such as barrels, bottles, corks and equipment — come from countries overseas. However, small and family-run Virginia wineries say they lack the economies of scale of larger competitors. On-again-off-again tariffs, sometimes reaching 50%, have created uncertainty and forced businesses to either delay purchases or absorb higher costs. Some wineries reported a drop in profit margins, while others, like Cave Ridge Vineyard & Winery, have held off purchases like bottling machines due to tariff-related hikes. (Daily News-Record)

A recent survey, funded by the Winchester Economic Development Authority, showed a majority of residents in the Winchester and Frederick County region support having a community-owned food co-op stocked with local products. The survey, which gathered responses from 433 households, was conducted earlier this year by Kansas-based ETC Institute. It found that 94% of respondents would shop at such a store, with 85% expressing interest in membership. A volunteer-led committee is working to make a proposed Winchester Co-op Market a reality and hopes the co-op will complement local markets. (The Winchester Star)

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA

Dewberry, a Fairfax-based engineering firm that has had an office in Danville for nearly 50 years, is moving from Piney Forest Road to Dan River Falls. Dewberry will lease the 13,186-square-foot space for 10 years from the Danville Industrial  Development Authority, which is the landlord of Dan River Falls’ commercial portion under an ownership agreement with the site’s developer, The Alexander Co. in Madison, Wisconsin. On July 29, the IDA voted 6-0 to approve the lease agreement with Dewberry, which plans to move into the space in spring 2026. (Danville Register & Bee)

A state agency fined a utility-scale solar developer nearly $121,000 after inspectors said they found violations of environmental regulations at a Henry County solar facility. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality proposed the penalties after inspecting Energix Renewables‘ Sunny Rock Solar site northwest of Ridgeway in February and April. Inspectors said the company failed to control soil erosion and stormwater runoff and failed to keep sediment out of nearby streams and wetlands. This marks the fourth year in a row that Energix Renewables has faced DEQ penalties for solar projects in Virginia. (Cardinal News)

Danville will be home to the first U.S. location for WB Alloys, a U.K.-based wire alloy manufacturing company, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office announced July 18. The project represents a $6.6 million investment and is expected to create 30 jobs. The facility will specialize in wire alloy production for the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense, which already have a presence in the city through the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program. Danville and Pittsylvania County jointly own the Cyber Park where the WB Alloys facility will be located (Cardinal News)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced $1.5 million in Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) development grants to the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill, according to an Aug. 1 announcement. The money will go to the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority, the joint city-county entity that owns the 3,500-acre industrial megasite. With the funding, officials plan to get the permits and paperwork squared away for the entire industrial park, cutting development timeline for companies. Additionally, Henry County received a $750,000 award from the VBRSP fund to use at Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre. (News release; Danville Register & Bee)

PEOPLE

Mitzi McCormick, president and CEO of the Halifax County Chamber of Commerce, submitted her letter of resignation Aug. 6, according to a statement from Denise Barksdale,  chair of the chamber’s board of directors. There was no reason given for the resignation, which was effective immediately. An interim leadership plan was being put in place, and the board planned to initiate a formal search for a new leader. A week earlier, the board met in executive session to discuss personnel issues, with no other details provided. (The Gazette-Virginian)

The Halifax County Board of Supervisors fired County Administrator Scott Simpson on a 5-3 vote following a closed session during their Aug. 4 meeting. Supervisor Pete Riddle made the motion, stating that Simpson’s services as county administrator were “no longer needed.” Earlier this year, interim county Finance Director Tomeka Morgan informed Simpson and the board of her decision to resign from the county effective July 31. She’d previously sent Simpson a letter noting “lack of communication and direction.” (The Gazette-Virginian)

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

A local hotelier blames rising costs for delaying the construction of a new combination Home2 Suites/Tru by Hilton hotel at The Village, a site overlooking Interstate 81 Exit 7. In July, Bristol City Council agreed to extend the deadline for Prakash Patel and S&D Hotel to complete construction of the planned 160-room project as part of a financial agreement with the city and its industrial development authority. The modified agreement will push the expected opening date for the project from this September to June 30, 2027. (Bristol Herald Courier)

On Aug. 1, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Smyth County will receive $1.5 million from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program to support development at the Atkins site of the former General Shale brick plant, which closed in 2016. The 303-acre property includes an 88,000-square-foot building located less than a mile from an Interstate 81 exit. The money will be used to ensure the site is ready for project construction. Altogether, Youngkin awarded 13 grants across the state totaling $40 million. (News release)

A trio of closed in July in downtown Bristol, prompting questions about the local economy. Union 41 on Piedmont Avenue, which was known for menus curated by chef and TV personality Torrece “Chef T” Gregoire, shuttered, along with The French Magnolia, a Southern-inspired eatery, and Mother Chuckers, an axe-throwing bar and grill. But business leaders and city officials say the picture is more complex than it may appear. Investment remains strong and new businesses are on the way, they say, and long-time staples continue to thrive. (Bristol Herald Courier)

In July, the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority announced the approval of a $500,000 loan to support the continued expansion of Simmons Equipment Co., a specialty mining equipment manufacturer. The money will be used to finance building upfits and improvements for a 52,000-square-foot metal industrial building at the Russell Place property in Lebanon. In 2024, Simmons announced expansions of two Lebanon buildings — Russell Place and the former Polycap building. The company has said it would add about 90 jobs total from the expansions. (News release)

The owner of the former Virginia Intermont College property in Bristol plans to move forward with establishing a business college there and would legally challenge any attempt by the city to take control of the site through a new law, a lawyer for the company said in July. John Kieffer, an attorney in Bristol, has represented U.S. Magis International, which is based in China, since it bought the property at auction in 2016. Bristol City Manager Randy Eads said the city will go to court if necessary and let it decide whether the new law is unconstitutional. (Cardinal News)

PEOPLE

Prominent philanthropist Jim McGlothlin, a former coal magnate and a backer of Virginia’s first casino, died Aug. 6 at age 85. A part-time resident of Bristol, Virginia, and a native of Buchanan County, McGlothlin was a William & Mary-educated attorney who purchased a Buchanan coal company at auction in 1970 with six partners. That developed into United Coal Co., which became a billion-dollar business by the time it was sold in 2009 to a Ukrainian billionaire. McGlothlin and business partner Clyde Stacy were instrumental in coaxing Virginia lawmakers to legalize . (VirginiaBusiness.com)