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A letter from the Maritime Guide’s editor

The 2025 Virginia Maritime Guide arrives during a period of uncertainty for the United States’ and Virginia’s economies — anxieties primarily driven by ‘s slate of , as well as the impact of potential federal cuts impacting the maritime, , , agriculture and defense sectors, among others.

For the Port of Virginia and associated businesses in the state’s maritime sector — including truckers, ocean shippers, shipbuilders, ship repair businesses, distribution and fulfillment centers, as well as construction companies — leaders are still maintaining optimism that burgeoning tariff wars will be quickly resolved and that defense and military spending will remain robust.

In this year’s executive insights, Colonna’s Shipyard Chairman and CEO Randall Crutchfield says with regard to tariffs and other White House policies, “The only assumption anyone can make is that the landscape will be different 12 months from now.”

And that’s all any of us can say. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy reading the latest on the port’s upgrades at the Norfolk International Terminals, which is nearing completion of its massive, five-year project to make it the deepest and widest harbor on the East Coast, as well as the opening of four major distribution centers in Hampton Roads and Chesterfield County, and Newport News Shipbuilding’s simultaneous assembly of two Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers.

We also check in on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm, which is still under construction and more than halfway complete off the coast of Virginia Beach. Dominion Energy bumped up its budget from $9.8 billion to $10.7 billion in February, and at the , construction company Skanska completed a $223 million redevelopment project in March to upgrade 72 acres to create a staging area for CVOW.

As of February, the utility said the 2.6-gigawatt project is now 50% finished and remains on track for completion in 2026. Because the project received all necessary federal approvals during the Biden administration, it is moving forward, despite Trump’s pause on all wind energy initiatives that were awaiting agency approvals.

In closing, I wish to express thanks to the Port of Virginia, the Virginia Maritime Association, CV International’s Rachel Shames, who provided another insightful commentary on the ocean sector, and all of the other Virginia maritime institutions, businesses, experts and executives who make this publication possible.

Kate Andrews
Deputy Editor

Executive insights: Maritime leaders on tariffs, workforce development and more

DONALD MILLS
President and general manager, Mills Marine & Ship Repair, Suffolk

: How did you move from being employed at Huntington Ingalls Industries and Newport News Shipbuilding to starting your own business?

Mills: At HII, I gained extensive hands-on experience, comprehensive industry insights and valuable professional relationships. This tenure taught me critical technical skills, safety practices and quality standards essential to ship repair. However, I consistently observed an underrepresentation of minority-owned businesses within the industry, highlighting a significant market opportunity.

My goal was to leverage my experience to create a company grounded in excellence and diversity. By tapping into my network, securing funding through diligent business planning and federal small-business support initiatives, and capitalizing on targeted marketing strategies, Mills Marine & Ship Repair became the pioneering African American-owned ship repair company in the United States.

Strategic partnerships with larger corporations and commitment to exceptional service delivery facilitated the transition and allowed us to quickly establish credibility within the maritime community.

VB: There’s been a lot of discussion about how small, women- and minority-owned businesses may have more difficulties winning contracts under the current White House. Have you experienced any changes?

Mills: Since the new administration took office, Mills Marine & Ship Repair has experienced both challenges and opportunities reflective of broader industry trends for small, minority-owned businesses.

Competition has become fiercer, particularly for government contracts, which remain critical revenue streams for us. However, the administration has also emphasized bolstering national security, defense and infrastructure improvements, indirectly benefiting the shipbuilding and repair sectors. We have proactively adapted by strengthening our competitive edge through strategic partnerships and aligning our services with national priorities like naval readiness.

VB: How would long-term affect your company?

Mills: Long-term U.S. tariffs and retaliatory tariffs present substantial risks to Mills Marine & Ship Repair by significantly impacting material costs, reliability and overall competitiveness. Our operations depend heavily on imported steel, aluminum and specialty marine components, making us particularly vulnerable to tariff-driven price increases.

Sustained tariffs would force us to absorb increased material expenses, compromising profitability, or alternatively, pass these costs on to customers, potentially reducing our market competitiveness. To mitigate these potential impacts, we actively pursue diversified sourcing strategies, domestic supply chain enhancements and increased operational efficiencies.

KATHY ALEXANDER
Transportation manager, Newport News Shipbuilding; board member, Virginia Maritime Association, Newport News

VB: What is the biggest challenge for Virginia’s maritime industry, and why?

Alexander: I feel that one of the biggest challenges is shortages, particularly in skilled maritime trades such as shipbuilding, and port operations. As older workers retire, there is a growing need for trained professionals to fill critical roles.

VB: You’re also a member of the Virginia Maritime Association’s board. What are your goals?

Alexander: My goals as a member of this board are to build industry connections by attending networking events, conferences and meetings. I also plan to keep up with maritime development, stay informed and advocate for policies that benefit the maritime industry in Virginia.

RANDALL CRUTCHFIELD
Chairman and CEO, Colonna’s Shipyard, Norfolk

VB: You’re the fifth generation of your family to lead Colonna’s since 1875. What lessons do you keep in mind as a leader?

Crutchfield: The lessons I keep in mind are that hard work, good value and fair dealing should be what drives the business every day. This is what my great-great-grandfather believed in. Also, my grandfather typically ended conversations with “be kind” — and this is something that also informs our decision-making every day. Last, waking up each day with an attitude focused on the outcomes of our customers.

VB: How do you think tariffs and other White House policies regarding and defense will impact Colonna’s and other maritime businesses?

Crutchfield: At this point, the only assumption anyone can make is that the landscape will be different 12 months from now. America has decisions to make regarding the importance of , shipbuilding and ship repair vis-à-vis paying low prices for consumer goods. The decision for several decades has been to accept the cheapest prices for goods for consumers.

Concurrently, several other countries made decisions to capitalize on that through subsidies to their shipbuilding and repair industries, which has compounded the deterioration of our domestic capacity. The White House’s job will be to inform the public regarding the current state, provide a path forward and then see if the American consumer places priority on cheap goods or domestic capacity.

Domestic capacity is tied closely to national defense as many of the same industrial suppliers build and repair both commercial and national defense assets side by side.

BRETT MASSIMINO
Associate professor of supply chain management and analytics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond

VB: How do you think automation will change supply chain management in Virginia?

Massimino: Digitization and automation will significantly impact supply chain management in Virginia over the next decade. While automation will improve efficiency and reduce costs, it will also displace certain manual jobs in inventorying, planning and shipment tracking. However, new positions will emerge in managing and maintaining these technologies, such as data analysts, system integrators and cybersecurity experts.
Increased reliance on digital information exchanges also introduces new disruption risks, as breakdowns in digital systems could be as disruptive as physical disruptions like weather events. Companies will need to enhance resilience using tools like blockchain and AI-driven analytics to improve visibility and response times.
Sustainability will drive demand for green supply chains, which would be supported by digital tools for route optimization and waste tracking. Large companies may quickly adapt to these advancements, but small and medium-sized businesses might face challenges in keeping pace due to their limited resources and expertise in these areas.

VB: What area would you say is a growing sector in logistics and supply chain work, where people can find a good job?

Massimino: A rapidly growing sector in logistics and supply chain management is last-mile delivery, with many companies competing to replicate Amazon’s model. Another key area is optimizing empty backhauls, where businesses focus on reducing inefficiencies from trucks returning empty, enhancing cost-efficiency and sustainability.

Managing digital data flows throughout the supply chain is also gaining mainstream attention. Many companies are only beginning to recognize the lack of visibility into how their data is used, shared and even monetized by suppliers. As data moves throughout the supply chain, managing and securing these digital flows without hindering operations has become a critical focus.

Virginia scores big with booming sports tourism industry


Summary:

  • Henrico’s new center drew 400,000 visitors in 2024
  • Virginia ranks 10th in U.S. for amateur sports spending impact
  • Chesterfield’s generated $56.7M in 2024
  • Roanoke to host Endurance MTB Nationals in 2026

It’s “showtime, all the time,” the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority’s website proclaims. Since the county’s new Henrico Sports & Events Center opened in late 2023, it’s been “showtime” for volleyball, basketball, indoor soccer, gymnastics, combat sports, futsal and bigger events like the 2024 Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship.

Sports events have sparked a major boost for the local community, says the authority’s executive director, Dennis Bickmeier. County officials reported a 200% increase in from sports for the period since 2013, when the county began courting .

Statewide, since the pandemic, the Virginia economy overall also has seen a big boost from sports-related events, says Dan Roberts, vice president of research and strategy for Corp., the state marketing entity for tourism and film and TV productions.

Sports tourism generated $2.4 billion in spending in 2022, up 12% from 2021, and driving $344 million in state and local tax revenues and supporting 28,138 full-time and part-time jobs, according to VTC research.

And much of that comes from amateur sports, which are a lucrative generator for tourism spending nationwide. The most recent annual report from the Sports Events and Tourism Association, the industry’s association, finds a direct annual spending impact of $52.2 billion nationwide from tourism related to amateur sports, supporting 757,600 full-time and part-time jobs and contributing $20.1 billion in state and local tax revenues.

And for 2024, the first year Sports ETA identified the top states for economic impact from amateur sports spending, Virginia came in 10th in the nation.

Many regions around the commonwealth have seen the benefit of staking out niches in attracting amateur sporting leagues and tournaments, Roberts says. For instance, Salem has become a destination for softball and baseball tournaments, while Hampton’s Aquaplex is a haven for swim meets. Roanoke has become a hotspot for cycling, as a training location for 2024 Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Valente and home to the Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28 women’s road bicycle racing team. Meanwhile, Virginia Beach’s Jackalope Fest features extreme sports such as skateboarding, bouldering and BASE jumping.

‘A big boost’

In Henrico, the 3,500-seat Sports & Events Center has allowed the county to place a much greater emphasis on attracting indoor sports, Bickmeier says.

“The county has been active in outdoor sports tourism. Soccer, baseball and lacrosse are really strong in Central Virginia. But indoor sports was missing,” Bickmeier says. “This has been a big boost.”

In 2024, its first full year in operation, the center attracted approximately 400,000 visitors. Notable among those events was the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship, which attracted 16,000 visitors over five days in March 2024, capped off with a victory by the hometown University of Richmond Spiders. The tournament returned in 2025, with George Mason University coming out victorious, and is slated to come back next year.

The Henrico center also was the site of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s National Championship, which brought in more than 1,100 players.

Meanwhile, in neighboring , the 115-acre River City Sportsplex, an outdoor athletic complex featuring 16 synthetic turf fields, has been a major draw. River City drew most of the 340,000 people who attended or participated in 160 major amateur sporting visitation events last year in Chesterfield, says J.C. Poma, the county’s executive director of sports, visitation and entertainment.

Chesterfield had an estimated economic impact in 2024 of $79 million from amateur sports tourism, Poma says, and $56.7 million of that was directly attributable to River City Sportsplex, which also generated $2.1 million of the $2.5 million in local tax revenue generated from county sports tourism.

River City “fell into our lap,” says Poma. The county acquired the facility, formerly known as SportsQuest, in 2016 from a private company that had purchased the then-failed facility at a bankruptcy auction. The county paid $5.5 million for the sportsplex, which was assessed at $17.2 million. At the time it was estimated that a comparable facility would cost $28 million.

“It was a no-brainer move,” Poma says. “River City got Chesterfield into sports tourism.”

Last year, the county completed a $9 million expansion at River City, adding four new lighted sports fields for a total of 16 at the site. Now, large tournaments with many teams can play games simultaneously at the sportsplex.

More improvements planned for the next year include more parking, a playground area with a splash pad, a picnic area and a 5K trail system. The sportsplex also treats citizens by hosting concerts, a Kite Day and even a Snowball Fest, Poma says.

River City generates an annual net surplus each year from renting the facility for $600 per field per day, which allows the county to offer River City for free use to county residents and sports teams at other times.

“You don’t see a lot of public facilities make money,” notes Poma.

Last year, Chesterfield hosted 160 sports events in the county, and about 170 events are planned in the county for 2025. “Sports range from soccer to football to field hockey and lacrosse to niche sports like kickball and spike ball and ultimate frisbee,” he says.

The Roanoke Valley’s Carvins Cove Natural Reserve is a popular spot for mountain bikers. Photo by Sam Dean Photography – Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge

Mountain biking

The Roanoke region has done well with traditional amateur sports, according to John Oney, vice president of sports and sales at Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, but it’s stepped up its game by adding other sports such as pickleball and women’s flag football to the mix.

Mountain biking has been a great success for the region, with Roanoke set to host the USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships this summer and in 2026. It also hosted the 2022 and 2023 Amateur Road National Championships.

“Virginia’s Blue Ridge is set to become the capital of American mountain biking,” USA Cycling President and CEO Brendan Quirk said last year when announcing the location for the championships. “The incredible variety of riding terrain and the passion for all forms of bike racing is a huge community strength.”

The race will take place “in the middle of a vibrant downtown so people can see it up close and personal,” Oney says.

Last year, the Roanoke region hosted 59 sporting events, which generated an economic impact of $18.2 million. These are “good dollars,” Oney adds.

“They’re dollars that are being brought in from outside that are directly infused into the economy in lodging, gas stations and restaurants.”

Some regions are racing to keep up.

Fairfax County’s big plans for sports tourism were delayed by the pandemic, according to Springfield District Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity, chair of the county’s Sports Tourism Task Force.

“We’re unfortunately behind. We’re playing a little bit of catch up,” Herrity says, but “we’re getting back in the mode of moving forward.” The county has not formally picked a sport to focus on, but “we’re looking at a public recreation authority model similar to ‘s.”

Sports tourism benefits residents in many ways, Roberts with Virginia Tourism notes. “It brings in revenue, but it provides really great places for locals to spend time as well. It’s great for recreation and health. It’s a big quality-of-life issue.”

Elon Musk’s memo exposes a trust crisis in leadership

SUMMARY:

  • Musk’s email demanding weekly updates triggered backlash
  • 85% of managers doubt team , per
  • Lack of clarity, not laziness, fuels poor accountability
  • Real requires trust, communication, and clear roles

In late February, a directive from ricocheted through corporate America: “Email me the five things you did this week by Friday EOD.” The memo, blunt and unadorned, ignited a firestorm about . But in our rush to either condemn or defend, we’re missing the real story. The problem isn’t accountability — it’s how we pursue it.

The Low-Trust Tax

Musk’s email carries an unmistakable subtext: “Prove you deserve your paycheck.” This approach exemplifies corporate America’s most persistent delusion — that policy can correct culture. Companies craft elaborate systems to catch the 5% of underperformers while subjecting the productive 95% to a bureaucratic tax of suspicion.

The math doesn’t work. When organizations optimize for the lowest performers, they create drag on their highest performers. Each “prove yourself” demand saps energy that could be directed toward innovation and execution.

Microsoft research reveals that 85% of managers doubt their teams’ productivity. This uncertainty stems from multiple sources: remote work challenges, underdeveloped and fundamental trust deficits. Rather than address these root causes, leaders too often reach for blunt instruments like Musk’s five-item confession booth.

The Mirror Test

Before demanding accountability from your team, try this one-minute exercise: Without preparation, list the five specific actions each team member should prioritize to excel in their role. If you’re stumbling, the accountability problem isn’t with your team — it’s with you. Clarity precedes accountability. Always. No exceptions.

The Clarity Prescription

Want genuine accountability?

Start here: Reset role expectations — even for veterans. Make observable behaviors and metrics the centerpiece of performance discussions. Create psychological safety for clarifying questions by designating a “devil’s advocate” in your next meeting who can model the art of seeking clarity.

Unsure where you stand? Implement a proper survey. Companies like have helped thousands of organizations diagnose and address these exact issues. Go to www.bit.ly/42EjDnM to start a conversation on how we can help.

The Anti-Musk Approach

Cultivating accountability isn’t about Friday email reports or performative productivity. It’s about creating conditions where excellence is both expected and achievable. Great leaders don’t demand proof of work — they create clarity about what matters, why it matters, and how success will be measured. Then they get out of the way.

The next time you’re tempted to implement a sweeping accountability measure, remember: big problems require deep thinking, not panic-induced policies. But better yet — prevent the problem entirely through clear, consistent communication from day one.
When leaders fail to communicate effectively, eventually they’re reduced to counting widgets — or worse, demanding Friday email confessionals. Don’t be that leader.

Jaime Zepeda, executive vice president of Best Companies Group

Jaime Raul Zepeda is EVP, Principal Consultant for Best Companies Group 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].

Tariffs, politics drive uncertainty for shipping

SUMMARY:

  • Tariff hikes and retaliatory measures raise costs for shippers
  • and Gaza war continue to disrupt routes
  • Proposed U.S. for Chinese ships could reshape calls
  • East Coast longshoremen secure 62% wage hike through 2030

For the industry, the theme of 2025 is uncertainty — whether it be in relation to , interest rates or the economy as a whole. Also, there are external pressures, such as the resumption of Israel’s attacks on Gaza in March following a short ceasefire, as well as continued strife in the Red Sea.

In short, it’s hard for shippers to plan ahead.

“The constantly changing environment around tariffs is making it pretty impossible for shippers — and therefore their partners — to really plan and prepare efficient supply chains,” says Rachel Shames, vice president of pricing and procurement at Norfolk-based freight-forwarding company CV International.

In terms of tariffs, shippers and other businesses are trying to keep track of ‘s flurry of tariff announcements targeting all foreign imports, as well as higher levies on imported steel and aluminum, foreign-made vehicles and automobile parts. China issued a 34% retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods, after being hit with a 34% U.S. levy in early April.

It’s unclear, though, how long all of these measures will remain in place and what their ultimate impact will be on the and the rest of the Virginia economy.

“The uncertainty regarding tariffs is just that: uncertainty,” says Joe Harris, a spokesperson for the Virginia Port Authority. “Given that, we are focusing on what we can control, which is the efficient movement of across our terminals.”

Shames notes that shipping companies typically absorb a lot of import costs when they go up, but right now, there are “a lot more tariffs,” and they’re much higher percentages, she adds.

“There’s not much room left in the supply chain or on the supplier side to absorb any costs now,” Shames says. “A lot of it comes down to what the U.S. consumer can bear, and companies trying to figure out how to make their business models work with product cost increases going up so much.” It’s also challenging for companies to plan volumes for the year and secure more space on vessels, trucks and warehouses, she adds.

Separately, shippers have for the past couple of years changed routes to avoid terrorist attacks in the Red Sea. The Houthis, a group backed by Iran that oppose Yemen’s government, launched attacks on dozens of merchant and naval vessels in the Red Sea beginning in October 2023, at the start of the war in Gaza.

While the conflict continues — and the United States carried out airstrikes on military targets in Yemen in March — some U.S. and U.K. ships returned to the Red Sea in late January after a partial end to attacks on commercial ships coinciding with a ceasefire in Gaza. However, The New York Times reported in March that other shippers are wary about returning to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

Despite the overall impact of political instability on the worldwide shipping industry, Jeremy Bridges, president and chief negotiator of the Hampton Roads Shipping Association, says the impact on the Port of Virginia has been “minimal throughout the crisis” in Gaza and the Red Sea.

What could be more disruptive to shipping companies and the Port of Virginia is a White House proposal to charge for every Chinese-built vessel that calls at a  U.S. port. This could cost up to $1.5 million per port call.

It’s expected that in order to avoid paying hefty port call fees, ocean carriers would reduce the number of calls and the number of they call on, says David White, executive director of the Virginia Maritime Association. That could lead to a consolidation of cargo at just the largest ports in the U.S., and some smaller ports may lose business, he says.

“Then you end up with the potential for the ports where the cargo is consolidated to have congestion issues and [issues] having sufficient equipment — things that are disruptive to supply chains,” White says.

In other words, Bridges adds, “it could be less attractive to call the Port of Virginia, and we could see reduced shipping activity as shipping lines decide to limit or reduce port calls and focus on larger ports.”

Meanwhile, a new master contract was finalized in March between the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents ship lines as well as port and terminal operators, and the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents 45,000 port workers on the East and Gulf coasts. In a deal reached in October 2024 following a three-day strike that temporarily closed down cargo operations at every major port on the East and Gulf coasts, port employers will pay a 62% increase in wages over the next six years.

That will undoubtedly cause a financial impact at ports, including the Port of Virginia.

Bridges says there hasn’t been “any significant or noteworthy impact on Virginia” yet in terms of higher costs passed along to customers. But it could be too early to tell how costly this could become for the shipping industry.

“Those wage increases are going to be passed along, and so they will become part of the cost of doing business,” White says. “There’s always pressure to absorb those costs, but only so much can be absorbed — and the rest gets passed on to the ultimate consumers.”

The Port of Virginia at a glance

In fiscal 2024, the moved 3.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (or TEUs), its second highest number in history, just below 2022’s 3.7 million record. The six-terminal port hit a major milestone in March 2024, completing the widening of its channels up to 1,400 feet at the Norfolk International Terminals, and the deepening phase is expected to be complete late this year. However, the Port of Virginia and every other port on the East and Gulf coasts shut down handling for three days in October 2024 during a strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association over wages and automation conflicts during contract negotiations. In March, ILA members confirmed a new six-year master contract that includes 62% higher pay over that period, costs that could impact Virginia’s port and others in the future. At the , Dominion Energy has leased space to use as a staging area for its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm, which is halfway complete 26 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, and is expected to be finished in 2026.

 

 

Virginia inland ports expand to meet shipping demand

SUMMARY:

  • $15M invested in upgrades at Virginia Inland Port
  • RMT improvements cut gate times, add lighting for barge ops
  • widened to allow two-way container ship traffic
  • Study underway on potential inland port in

The Virginia Inland Port in and Richmond Marine Terminal are making investments to keep ahead of freight- demand, while still determining whether there’s enough demand to justify a new inland port in Southwest Virginia.

The ‘s improvements to its two inland properties come at a time when it’s also finishing deepening the harbor at its Norfolk terminal to accommodate larger ships and bigger volumes. In 2024, the port completed widening the harbor, allowing ultra-large container ships to pass two at a time.

The recently completed $15 million capital improvements at the 161-acre Virginia Inland Port complement the project, expanding railroad track that can handle larger trains. Additionally, the inland port added container handling equipment repurposed from a Hampton Roads terminal. The port spent $6.1 million to make upgrades at RMT, improving gate passage times and providing more light to extend barge loading and unloading into the evening.

“The time was right to get the Virginia Inland Port ready for the future,” says Port of Virginia spokesman Joe Harris. “The terminal is growing, volumes are growing, and we wanted to be ready so we don’t want to have to play catch up.”

The improvements have boosted efficiency at the port so trucks can move in and out more quickly, says Dale Bennett, president and CEO of the Virginia Trucking Association. “The biggest complaint you get about any port is drivers facing delays in delivering and picking up cargo,” Bennett says. The port’s capital improvements directly address that concern.

As for replacing older equipment with carbon-free, electric alternatives at the port’s facilities, that’s still rolling along, even with ‘s rollback of former President Joe Biden’s legislation, including federal funding to cut 3 million metric tons of carbon emissions through electrification and other methods.

“Right now as we speak, all of our terminals — Richmond, Virginia International Gateway, Norfolk, VIP, Newport News — are all powered by clean energy,” Harris says. “We are getting electricity off the grid for our terminals to use, and then backfilling exactly what we use with clean power taken from solar or wind or nuclear. We understand the administration has a different look at sustainability, but we’re going forward with our 2040 net-zero goal — not under a mandate, but our own goal.”

As for a Southwest Virginia inland port — much desired by politicians in that corner of the state, as well as economic development officials — there wasn’t much movement in 2025.

The Virginia Port Authority is currently conducting a study to determine the viability of adding an inland port at an industrial park in Washington County, and county officials are improving nearby industrial sites that may see more interest if the state’s second inland port is built nearby.
According to the port’s latest update to the General Assembly, filed on March 1, “The business case for the facility is complex.” Part of the complexity is lining up an inland port with local rail lines and other infrastructure, as well as the persistent question of whether there’s enough cargo volume to justify an inland port.

“It’s not one of those things we should venture out and build without substantial commitments from users,” says Devon Anders, president of Rockingham County-based third-party company InterChange, situated near the Virginia Inland Port.

If it’s successful, the port could attract business from in Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, and beyond. But the port authority should get commitments from shippers before it moves forward with construction, Anders advises.

Out and About Best Places To Work 2025

For the 15th year, and presented the in Virginia . On March 31, the winners celebrated at a disco-themed awards banquet held at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa in Short Pump. Photos by Matthew R.O. Brown for Virginia Business.


1. Employees from Richmond commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer celebrate their win as one of Virginia’s best workplaces.

2. The 2025 awards were co-hosted by Best Companies Group Executive Vice President Jaime Raul Zepeda and
Virginia Business Associate Publisher Richard Foster, who set the tone for the evening’s lively festivities.

3. L to R: Virginia Business Sales Manager Toni McCracken presents Spurrier Group CEO Donna Spurrier with an award recognizing the Richmond-based performance media marketing company as the No.1-ranked Virginia among small companies.

4. Decked out in groovy 1970s-inspired finery, employees of Ashland’s Creative won the special Spirit Award for being the most spirited and fun workplace in attendance.

5. Patriot Group International President Al Buford (center) joins co-workers for a celebratory group photo. The Warrenton-based federal contractor was ranked the No. 1 best workplace in Virginia among large companies with 250 or more employees.

KPMG enters U.S. legal market with Arizona launch

 

Summary

  • KPMG receives license to offer services
  • Move challenges traditional firm ownership rules
  • Expansion raises potential for more Big Four firms to follow
  • Virginia unlikely to allow similar legal ownership changes soon

One of the is expanding into the U.S. legal industry. In February, KPMG received a special license from the Arizona Supreme Court to practice law under the subsidiary KPMG Law US.

KPMG’s move into is more of a milestone than it may seem: It potentially opens the door for other accounting firms to follow suit, which would usher in a new era for the legal services industry in this country.

The professional services firm, whose U.S. limited liability partnership KPMG US is headquartered in New York City, already has a global network of operating in 80-plus jurisdictions, and its U.S. audit, tax, and advisory firm predates the law firm.

KPMG Law US will offer a broad range of legal services that addresses the evolving needs of legal departments and helps clients gain efficiencies, according to a February statement from the firm.

“By combining cutting-edge artificial intelligence and advanced technology solutions with legal services, we are proud to be a first mover with this capability and to offer the most holistic range of tech-enabled services in the marketplace for our clients’ evolving needs,” Rema Serafi, vice chair for tax in KPMG’s U.S. firm, said in the statement.

Implications for Virginia

What does this mean for ? For now, the broader implications are limited, according to A. Benjamin Spencer, dean of the Law School.

That’s because Virginia doesn’t permit of firms practicing law, and KPMG can  provide legal services outside of Arizona only if those services comply with another jurisdiction’s requirements, although KPMG notes that it is partnering with law firms in other states so it can serve clients nationally. Co-counseling and referrals are also allowed, KPMG says, and this model has been common among U.S. law firms and staffing companies across different jurisdictions.

In 2020, Arizona became the first state to lift the American Bar Association’s rule that prohibits nonlawyers from owning a law firm and the following year, the state established a program to widen the public’s access to legal services. In 2020, Utah’s Supreme Court likewise relaxed that same restriction on law firm ownership, and Washington’s Supreme Court announced in 2024 a pilot program to similarly expand legal access.

What will be interesting to watch is whether other jurisdictions will loosen those same restrictions, though Spencer says he doesn’t expect Virginia to lead the way.

While some critics of KPMG’s expansion into legal services have expressed concerns over potential conflicts of interest, the court order approving stipulated that the firm can’t provide legal services to clients for which it also performs financial audits.

Even with safeguards in place, some lawyers are reluctant to embrace KPMG’s move into law.

But KPMG’s entry into the legal marketplace, along with the potential of the other Big Four firms, will bring “much-needed” competition, Spencer says. What’s more, these new entrants could bring about innovations in client services that law firms have thus far been unable to achieve, he adds.

“This is a net positive development for the industry as a whole because the competition will spur improved services for clients, potentially at better cost levels,” Spencer says.

What’s more, graduates of Virginia’s law schools could potentially benefit, he adds, with an additional avenue for employment in addition to traditional law firms.

But while a one-stop shop model for accounting, tax, and legal services could provide efficiencies that would benefit business clients for most routine matters, there’s still a place for traditional law firms in the market, Spencer notes.

“Traditional law firms — for now — retain a significant advantage in the level of expertise and experience that they can bring to bear on the most complex legal challenges that businesses face.”

This story has been corrected since publication.

Virginia universities provide expansive maritime education

SUMMARY:

  • debuts coastal science bachelor’s at VIMS this fall
  • $150M in gifts fund , research, and faculty hires
  • Program offers hands-on research and marine immersion semester
  • Other Virginia schools expand maritime and programs

Virginia’s first bachelor’s degree program in coastal and marine sciences at a public university gets underway this fall at ‘s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, adding to a plethora of maritime education offerings across the state.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia formally approved the new bachelor’s degree program earlier this year. Applications for the first class were set to be accepted beginning in April.

The William & Mary program brings an undergraduate natural sciences option to Virginia’s existing maritime programs, while other universities focus more on logistics and management.

Entering the Batten program their junior year, students will receive an educational foundation in coastal and marine sciences along with an emphasis on hands-on learning and research. The new bachelor’s degree marks the first time undergraduate courses will be taught at VIMS’ Gloucester Point campus.

Currently, the Batten School offers master’s and doctoral degrees, a professional master’s degree and an undergraduate minor in marine science that prepare students to tackle challenges in estuarine, coastal and marine systems. Nevertheless, William & Mary’s undergraduate courses in coastal and marine sciences have tripled in popularity since 2019.

“We didn’t want to create an undergraduate degree that would only result in students going on to grad school,” explains Siddhartha Mitra, associate dean for academic affairs at the Batten School and VIMS. “With this degree, they will have a variety of career options in coastal and maritime fields available to them, such as coastal resilience or policy.”

Students will spend a marine science immersion semester at VIMS, be transported between Williamsburg and Gloucester Point for classes and conduct research alongside the school’s faculty and staff.

The first cohort is projected to have about 10 students. Over the next five years, the program will grow to approximately 50 students in the major.

“We really want to do this carefully to make sure that every student that goes through this program gets a really good education with opportunities for internships and research,” Mitra says.

Record-setting gifts are providing major funding for the Batten School and the new degree program. Last summer, Hampton Roads philanthropist donated $100 million to William & Mary, naming the school and establishing an endowment for its academic and research work in coastal and marine sciences.

Batten’s is the largest in the university’s history, as well as the most ever given to a research institution studying coastal and marine sciences. Through Batten’s support, William & Mary will hire new faculty members, and each coastal and marine sciences major will receive $5,000 for independent research or an internship.

In addition, William & Mary alumnus and former liver surgeon Dr. R. Todd Stravitz donated $50 million to create a full-tuition scholarship fund for each student in the undergraduate program. The endowment is the largest gift ever made to the university’s scholarship fund and the most for a school of coastal and marine sciences.

Other Virginia universities also offer maritime-related programs. Last fall, Old Dominion University launched its School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations, with about 60 students in undergraduate and graduate courses.

Undergraduate majors include a bachelor’s degree in supply chain and maritime logistics and a minor in supply chain management. Graduate programs cover maritime trade and supply chain management, with graduate certificate programs in , logistics and supply chain management.

The school is one of only a few maritime-based in the country, says its director, Kuntal Bhattacharyya, and its curriculum was designed to align with industry needs.

“Our uniqueness is the maritime focus with the port, shipbuilding and that are not taught in most supply chain programs,” he says. “The maritime industry is extremely supportive of our curriculum, and many industry partners teach in our program.”

He adds that students are encouraged to obtain multiple internships: “Employers are looking for problem solvers. Problem solving doesn’t happen when you learn from textbooks.”

ODU plans to enroll up to 30 students annually in the bachelor’s degree program and 40 to 60 students in online certificate courses this fall. Graduate certificate courses will be taught as eight-week asynchronous classes, which offers flexibility to working professionals, Bhattacharyya says.

Similarly, Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach offers a supply chain management and logistics certificate available to current students as well as nondegree-seeking students. The program requires students to obtain an internship to supplement their classroom work.

In Central Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in supply chain management, as well as master’s programs in decision analytics and certificates in supply chain management and decision analytics. The 30-credit master’s degree program is targeted to professionals in the corporate and military sectors seeking to advance in the global logistics management field.