Top Projects & Real Estate Deals Sponsors 2026

Awards Sponsor: Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech: Where talent, research, and industry converge Virginia Tech is a leading global research university dedicated to advancing knowledge, catalyzing innovation, and preparing the next generation of leaders. Founded in 1872 as Virginia’s land-grant university, Virginia Tech serves more than 38,000 students across the commonwealth and beyond through a commitment to education, research, and service guided by its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

With campuses and programs spanning Virginia and a growing presence in the greater Washington, D.C., area, Virginia Tech plays a vital role in strengthening the commonwealth’s economy and workforce. The university is consistently recognized among the nation’s top public research institutions, with strengths in engineering, computer science, business, agriculture, health sciences, and emerging technologies. Through partnerships with industry, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and communities, Virginia Tech helps address some of society’s most pressing challenges while driving innovation and economic opportunity.

Virginia Tech’s research enterprise supports discoveries that improve lives, strengthen industries, and contribute to Virginia’s competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global economy. Faculty and students collaborate across disciplines to advance solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, national security, advanced manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and health technologies. The university’s commitment to experiential learning ensures that students graduate prepared to make an immediate impact in their professions and communities.

The university’s expanding presence in Northern Virginia reflects its long-term investment in talent development and innovation. By connecting graduate education, research, and industry engagement in one of the nation’s most influential technology corridors, Virginia Tech is helping build a pipeline of highly skilled professionals while strengthening partnerships that support regional growth and opportunity.

Virginia Tech is honored that Academic Building One in Alexandria has been recognized as a 2026 Virginia Business Top Project. Opened in January 2025, the 300,000-square-foot facility serves as the cornerstone of Virginia Tech’s growing presence in the greater Washington, D.C., area. Designed to support collaboration among students, researchers, industry leaders, and government partners, Virginia Tech’s Academic Building One supports graduate programs in artificial intelligence, wireless, quantum, and security while serving as a hub for innovation, research, and workforce development.

Virginia Tech is proud to celebrate this recognition and grateful to the many partners, designers, builders, and university leaders whose vision and collaboration helped bring Academic Building One to life.

Experience Sponsor: The Breeden Company

The Breeden Company is a nationally recognized, vertically integrated real estate development, construction and property management firm headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Guided by its mission, “Help Others. Live Better.,” the organization has built a legacy of excellence through innovation, integrity and a commitment to delivering high-quality communities and developments.

Breeden Construction serves as the company’s general contracting arm, specializing in multifamily, commercial and mixed-use development. Known for its precision, craftsmanship and efficiency, the division consistently delivers complex projects on schedule and within budget, utilizing advanced construction techniques and a disciplined, quality-driven approach.

Complementing this expertise, Breeden Property Management oversees a diverse portfolio of residential and commercial communities across the mid-Atlantic. The division is recognized for its operational excellence, proactive asset management, and unwavering focus on resident satisfaction. From luxury market-rate communities to affordable housing, the team is dedicated to enhancing property performance while creating vibrant, well-managed environments for residents and tenants alike.

Supporting these divisions is Breeden Realty, the company’s commercial real estate arm, which manages and leases a substantial portfolio of retail and office space.

Experience Sponsor: Clancy & Theys Construction Company

Clancy & Theys Construction Company has proudly served Virginia for more than 35 years through its offices in Newport News and Richmond. Known for lasting partnerships and community impact, the company specializes in commercial office, multifamily, hospitality, educational, aviation, industrial, and mixed-use construction projects and has grown to become a cornerstone of the Southeast’s construction market.

Founded in 1949, Clancy & Theys provides construction management and preconstruction services throughout the Southeast and is consistently recognized among the nation’s leading builders, green contractors, design-build firms, and CM-at-Risk contractors.

The company is honored to celebrate the recognition of Port 460 Logistics Center as a 2026 Virginia Top Project. Located in Suffolk, Virginia, the 500+ acre, multiphase industrial development is planned to deliver approximately 5.5 million square feet of modern logistics space and significant infrastructure improvements that support long-term economic growth throughout the region.

Clancy & Theys is proud to be part of the team helping bring this transformative development to life and is grateful for the partnership of the Rockefeller Group, Matan Companies, and the entire project team.

Experience Sponsor: HITT Contracting

HITT Contracting provides a wide range of commercial construction services across the nation, including complex core and shell buildings, renovations, interior fit-outs, and routine service work. No matter the project size or type, HITT delivers a premium construction experience. With 2025 revenues of $13.1 billion and more than 3,300 team members nationwide, HITT is ranked among the top 10 largest general contractors in the U.S. For nearly 90 years, the Washington, D.C.-area headquartered firm has been driven by a spark of curiosity to push boundaries and redefine what’s possible in construction. Through innovation, sustainability, and partnership, HITT is igniting progress and tackling the industry’s greatest challenges while consistently delivering exceptional building experiences. Learn more about HITT’s general contracting capabilities at hitt.com

Experience Sponsor: TowneBank

Founded in 1999, TowneBank is a company built on relationships, offering a full range of banking and other financial services, with a focus on serving others and enriching lives. Dedicated to a culture of caring, Towne values all employees and members by embracing their diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences.

Today, TowneBank operates over 70 banking offices throughout Hampton Roads and Central Virginia, Eastern and Central North Carolina, the Greenville and upstate region of South Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina — serving as a local leader in promoting the social, cultural, and economic growth in each community. Towne offers a competitive array of business and personal banking solutions, delivered with only the highest ethical standards. Experienced local bankers providing a higher level of expertise and personal attention with local decision-making are key to the TowneBank strategy. TowneBank has grown its capabilities beyond banking to provide expertise through its affiliated companies that include Towne Wealth Management*, Towne Insurance Agency*, Towne Benefits*, TowneBank Mortgage, TowneBank Commercial Mortgage, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, Towne 1031 Exchange, LLC, and Towne Trust Company, N.A.

Towne Insurance* is a premier insurance agency providing comprehensive solutions and risk management programs through a consultative approach to businesses of all sizes, including property and casualty insurance, workers’ compensation, surety bonding, employee benefits, and more. Additionally, personal lines agents specialize in home, auto, umbrella, and flood insurance.

Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, and serving communities across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, the agency mobilizes a workforce of over 500 experienced insurance professionals who work with the nation’s top-rated insurance companies to offer customized coverage at a competitive price.

*Insurance and investment products offered are Not bank deposits or obligations, Not FDIC-Insured, Not insured by any government agency, Not guaranteed by TowneBank, and may go down in value. Towne 1031 Exchange does not provide tax or legal advice.  Please consult an accountant and/or attorney.

Reception Sponsor: W.M. Jordan Company

W. M. Jordan Company provides construction & real estate development services in Virginia and the Carolinas. We maintain a presence close to our customers and each of our projects. W. M. Jordan is a company with regional scope and national recognition. Founded on the values of integrity and respect, W. M. Jordan is powered by a culture of continuous learning and improvement. We focus on developing leaders, advancing innovation, and building communities. For nearly seven decades, the company has brought energy, precision, and ingenuity to every job, uniting deep expertise with a people-first culture that drives results.

W. M. Jordan Company is a family-owned company committed to the communities in which we live and work. While we integrate the latest and most advanced technologies, our people carry out our mission: The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence.

Atlantic Park brought that spirit to life in a bold, unmistakable way. Along the Virginia Beach oceanfront, W. M. Jordan helped transform an ambitious vision into a vibrant destination. Atlantic Park pulses with activity — from the state-of-the-art surf lagoon to the thoughtfully curated mix of retail, dining, and public gathering spaces. Each phase required tight coordination and disciplined execution, and the team rose to meet that complexity with confidence.

Atlantic Park stands as proof of what happens when culture and capability align. It welcomed the community, sparked economic energy, and created a place people return to again and again. That is what W. M. Jordan does best: build trust, build community, and build the future.