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Business Facilities names Virginia 2024 State of the Year

Business Facilities has named its 2024 State of the Year, recognizing the state’s environment and success, the publication announced Monday.

The comes in the same year as Virginia’s sixth No. 1 ranking as ‘s Top State for Business, awarded in July. Virginia previously won ‘ State of the Year designation in 2018, and in 2021, it was named as having the nation’s Best Overall Business Climate. Business Facilities is a magazine geared toward corporate site selectors and site selection consultants.

“From advanced manufacturing to data centers to professional services, Virginia is attracting companies across industries with its business-friendly environment and programs to support the distinct needs of those businesses,” Business Facilities Editorial Director Anne Cosgrove said in a statement. “From the recent news of a $1 billion-plus investment by Microporous LLC to manufacture battery separators to Beanstalk Farms investing $4.1 million for indoor farming and distribution, businesses of all sizes see the promise and profit in choosing Virginia.”

According to Business Facilities’ announcement, the publication took into consideration and workforce, infrastructure and business attraction and retention. Earlier this year, the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a workforce training program started by , was ranked No. 1 for customized workforce training in Business Facilities’ 2024 State report.

The publication listed 12 top contenders for the 2024 State of the Year award: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

“Virginia is a prime location for businesses of all varieties, and this honor from Business Facilities underscores the work we’ve been doing since day one to make Virginia the best place for business investment and job creation,” said in a statement. “The commonwealth has experienced record job growth from companies that are drawn by our best-in-class talent, infrastructure and business-friendly environment. I am thrilled that Virginia has earned this recognition from a leading source for site selection experts.”

Following public outcry, Roanoke developer pulls rezoning application

It’s looking like the Old property, which today sits next to U.S. 221 in , will remain farmland a while longer.

The land was settled in the mid-1700s when King George III deeded hundreds of acres to Col. Robert Poage, but most recently, the property was proposed as a site for a new multi-use neighborhood.

On Thursday, though, the developer withdrew a request — although as the land is zoned R-1, allowing single-family homes to be built there, it may not remain the rural expanse it is today.

“You can still do higher density there,” even without rezoning, Roanoke County Supervisor David Radford said Friday.

Developer Alexander Boone had hoped to rezone about 16 acres of the 54-acre property to build 138 townhomes and 11 single family homes as well as a restaurant and “small retail options,” according to a Roanoke County application dated Nov. 8.

Townhomes in the proposal would have been priced in the low $300,000s and the single-family homes would be priced in the low $600,000s, according to the application.

But then, a horde of Roanokers turned out Tuesday for a community meeting on the project at the South County Library. Most were opposed.

Radford, who represents the Windsor Hills area, which includes the Poage Farm, called it the largest crowd he’d seen at that type of meeting.

“I was trying to get a feel of everybody’s opinions and thoughts about it, and it was all all negative in terms of the density [and] potential traffic,” he said Friday. “There were some people there who were tied to it sentimentally, because they’ve seen the Poages’ farm for all those years. So, I was just surprised by the numbers. And to me, it seemed like it was almost 100% against.”

On Thursday, , a Roanoke-based home builder and development firm led by Alexander Boone, withdrew the rezoning request.

Boone said on Friday that the company is busy with a development in Franklin County and some other projects, and that he wanted to revise the Poage farm plan based on what he heard earlier in the week, instead of moving toward a January 2025 meeting.

A man wearing a blazer and an orange tie.
Roanoke developer Alexander Boone.

“We received some constructive feedback on Tuesday night and realized that if we wanted to try to incorporate some of the things that we heard… that we only had three weeks before the planning commission meeting to do so,” he said. “We decided the responsible thing to do was to to withdraw the application [and] revise it based on some of the feedback with our engineers.”

Community concerns

Diane Shelton, a retired speech language pathologist, was happy to hear the application had been withdrawn. She lives about two miles south of the Poage farm with her husband, Mark Shelton, a retired architect.

“We pass it multiple times a day, and traffic is a big concern,” she said.

For his part, Mark Shelton dislikes the design of the proposed townhomes and felt the proposed positioning of those properties did not create a community feel.

Boone said Friday he’s heard from folks especially concerned that the home on the property, which he believes was built in the 1830s, will be destroyed. Initially, Boone had hoped to use that building for a restaurant, but when engineers looked at the house, it was too dilapidated.

Where was the public outcry over the last decade, Boone asked, as the home was visibly falling into disrepair?

“It definitely was not maintained,” he said. “But no one in the community ever said anything about it.”

In 2008, the Roanoke County Public Schools bought the property for about $2.5 million with the intent to build a school, but following the recession, the county’s population declined, according to Chuck Lionberger, a spokesperson for the school system. “The need for any new school … evaporated.”

The Poages leased the land for cattle in the years after the school system purchased it.

The school system sold the property in September to an entity that shares an address with ABoone Homes for $1.1 million.

Boone’s application for rezoning was careful to note that the developer wanted to be mindful of the land’s history. “Poage Farm Village will respect and embrace the history of the Poage Farm, the Poage family and the Poage’s Mill area of Roanoke County by preserving close to two-thirds of the property and welcoming David Poage and his son Josh Poage to continue raising cattle and a garden as part of the Poage Farm Village community,” it said.

Need for

Roanoke County issued a statement about the rezoning application withdrawal Friday morning: “Roanoke County staff and the board of supervisors appreciate the public interest in this matter and the citizens who attended this week’s community meeting to share their perspectives,” the statement reads. “As we consider the feedback shared by our residents, we recognize the importance of addressing housing needs as a priority for Roanoke County. With demand outpacing supply, we are committed to encouraging well-planned housing developments that serve residents at all income levels and life stages, expanding housing options for everyone who calls Roanoke County home.”

Radford agrees that Roanoke County needs more housing, but maybe not as much as this project created.

“So I think we’re still focused on single-family, but in a different density that … fits the character of the rural setting that’s along 221 in the Pogue Valley area,” he said.

Paul Mahoney, another county supervisor, said Friday that it’s unfortunate that Boone pulled the application, because he thought the project looked good and that Boone has a reputation for doing first-rate housing developments in the Roanoke Valley.

“We clearly show a need for housing, not just Roanoke County, but indeed our entire region,” he said. “So I think that’s disappointing.”

NoVa, Hampton Roads housing markets improve in November

The Northern and Hampton Roads markets in November showed signs of improvement from the same month last year, including increased home sales and selling prices.

Northern Virginia

Home prices and sales activity in Northern Virginia rose year-over-year last month, indicating a healthier market than the November 2023 one.

November housing sales in Northern Virginia rose 10.8% from November 2023, according to data released Tuesday by the .

Last month, 1,168 homes sold in Northern Virginia. There were 1,228 total pending sales last month, up 23.3% from November 2023.

In November, the region had 1,407 active listings, the same number as in November 2023. New listings totaled 817 units, below the five-year average of 1,239 new listings in November and down 2.25% from November 2023.

The month’s supply of inventory (MSI) — a measure of how many months there would be homes on the market if no new inventory were added — stood at 1.1, up from November 2023’s MSI of 1.05 but down from October, which had an MSI of 1.4.

November 2024 housing market statistics for Northern Virginia. Image courtesy Northern Virginia Association of Realtors

Homes spent an average of 22 days on the market in November, up 10% compared with the same month last year, and slightly higher than the 19-day average of October.

“By all accounts, November was a healthier market compared to a year ago,” board member Arshia Kia with KW Metro Center said in a statement. “We have slightly more inventory, which helps buyers. The appetite for homeownership is strong, so even with more homes on the market, homes are selling well, which in turn is driving prices up from a year ago.”

The median sold price last month was $699,900, up 6.6% compared with November 2023 but down from the MSP of $715,000 recorded in October. For the third month in a row, total sales volume jumped significantly from the prior year, according to NVAR. Last month, November’s sales volume totaled more than $985.45 million, up 19.1% from November 2023.

NVAR reports home sales activity for and Arlington counties, the cities of , Fairfax and Falls Church, and the towns of Vienna, Herndon and Clifton.

Hampton Roads

In Hampton Roads, closed and pending sales, inventory, the median sales price and the median number of days that homes were on the market rose in November.

Home sales in the region totaled 1,899 in November, up 12.37% from the 1,690 sales recorded in November 2023 but down from October’s 2,115 sales, according to () data released Tuesday.

“The year-over-year improvements are encouraging, and while November’s numbers were down from October, in a typical real estate environment, that dip is a seasonal expectation,” Gary Lundholm with The Real Estate Group, president of REIN’s board of directors, said in a statement.

“The year-over-year improvements in sales can be attributed to lower mortgage rates,” he added, “but also perhaps to additional inventory, which gives consumers more choices.”

November 2024 housing market data for Hampton Roads. Image courtesy Real Estate Information Network

Hampton Roads pending sales totaled 1,779 in November, down from 2,159 pending sales in October but up 10.22% from the 1,614 recorded in November 2023.

Hampton Roads had 4,565 active listings last month, down from 4,765 active listings in October but up 14.7% from November 2023’s 3,980 active listings.

The region’s MSI in November was 2.23, down from 2.35 in October and up from 1.91 in November 2023.

The median sales price in November stood at $350,000, down from October’s MSP of $354,000 but up 6% from the MSP of $330,000 recorded in November 2023.

Homes spent a median of 27 days on the market last month, unchanged from October. In November 2023, homes spent a median of 19 days on the market.

Founded in 1969, REIN is a regional multiple service that covers an area stretching from Williamsburg east to Virginia Beach and south across the North Carolina border.

Va. plays key role in McKinsey $650M opioid settlement

Global management firm & Co. filed an agreement in on Friday to pay the federal government $650 million in a five-year deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice focused on abuse.

The Virginia attorney general’s (MFCU) collaborated with U.S. attorney’s offices in the Western District of Virginia and the District of Massachusetts in investigating McKinsey’s role in advising on increasing sales of OxyContin, an opioid drug, according to ‘ announcement.

Also, a former McKinsey senior partner, Martin Elling, has been charged with obstruction of justice in federal court in Abingdon for destroying company documents related to its work with Purdue Pharma. He has agreed to plead guilty, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement Friday.

According to Miyares’ statement, “As part of the resolution, McKinsey acknowledges its role in aiding and abetting the misbranding of prescription drugs and obstructing justice by knowingly destroying and concealing records and documents related to the investigation.”

Virginia’s Medicaid fraud unit has been in operation since 2007, and it is funded through the U.S. Department of and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.

According to court filings in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Virginia, McKinsey will pay $323 million plus interest at a rate of 4.125% per year from July 10, 2024, on any unpaid balance of McKinsey’s civil settlement agreements. Previously, the consulting firm reached multiple settlements totaling $989.9 million, including a $642.4 million settlement with all 50 states and five U.S. territories, and civil settlements totaling $347.5 million, according to court records.

McKinsey also agreed to pay $231 million plus interest on any unpaid balance designated as “criminal”; $93.5 million plus interest on forfeiture of proceeds; and $2 million to go toward the state’s matching fund for the Virginia Medicaid fraud fund. Payments are due annually through Dec. 16, 2028, according to the court filing.

In addition to the $2 million for the MFCU, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General “will recover a portion of the $93 million forfeiture. Those funds are distributed through the DOJ forfeiture process under federal guidelines and as they are forfeited,” a spokesperson for the attorney general said Friday. “We do not have an exact figure on that at this time.”

McKinsey also agreed to post a prominent link on its website for three years titled, “Deferred Prosecution Agreement Relating to Our Work for Purdue Pharma,” providing a public statement “detailing McKinsey’s contrition for its conduct,” as well as its DOJ agreement and an agreed-upon statement of facts. The company also will not do any work related to “the marketing, sale, promotion or distribution of controlled substances” during the five-year deferred prosecution agreement.

According to The New York Times, McKinsey released a statement of apology Friday: “We are deeply sorry for our past client service to Purdue Pharma and the actions of a former partner who deleted documents related to his work for that client. We should have appreciated the harm opioids were causing in our society and we should not have undertaken sales and marketing work for Purdue Pharma. This terrible public health crisis and our past work for opioid manufacturers will always be a source of profound regret for our firm.”

“For the first time in history, the Justice Department is holding a management consulting firm and one of its senior executives criminally responsible for the sales and marketing advice it gave resulting in the commission of crime by a client,” U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia said in a statement. “This groundbreaking resolution demonstrates the Justice Department’s ongoing commitment to hold accountable those companies and individuals who profited from our nation’s opioid crisis.”

Long-running issue

In 2021, then-Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced the resolution of a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, in which the two parties were required to pay more than $4.3 billion for prevention, treatment and recovery efforts in communities affected by the opioid abuse crisis. Virginia was expected to receive at least $80 million in its share of the agreement.

However, in June, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the settlement, which would have protected the Sackler family members from future civil liability claims. Calling the 5-4 decision “heart-crushing,” Purdue Pharma said it would work toward a new deal that would allow the company to emerge from bankruptcy.

Although opioid addiction has scarred communities across the nation, Roanoke author Beth Macy’s 2018 nonfiction book “Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America” focused on the 1996 release of OxyContin, falsely billed as a safer, less-addictive pain medication, and the drug’s impact on small towns in Appalachia.

In 2004, McKinsey began consulting with Purdue Pharma, and according to Friday’s court filing, between 2004 and 2019, McKinsey worked with the pharmaceutical company on various topics, including how to improve OxyContin revenue. The consultant received $93.5 million in payment over that 15-year period. In 2004, the document notes, Purdue Pharma was under criminal and civil investigation by federal and state authorities.

“McKinsey knew the risks and dangers associated with OxyContin, a powerful and addictive opioid,” according to the agreed-upon facts in the court document. “McKinsey also knew that Purdue Pharma’s affiliate and its top executives had previously pled guilty to federal crimes relating to the marketing and promotion of OxyContin.”

Despite that, “between 2013 and 2014, McKinsey designed strategies to help Purdue Pharma identify which prescribers the Purdue Pharma sales force should call on to increase OxyContin prescriptions,” the filing says. In 2007, a Purdue Pharma affiliate company pled guilty to falsely marketing the drug from 1996 to 2001 as “less addictive, less subject to abuse and diversion, and less likely to cause dependence and withdrawal,” and the affiliate and parent company agreed to pay more than $600 million to settle federal False Claims Act charges.

McLean’s QinetiQ US expands to Huntsville, Alabama

QinetiQ US, a security and contractor, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday to celebrate its into Huntsville, Alabama.

Known as “The Rocket City” for its role in the country’s development of space exploration, Huntsville is home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which is located at the . Originally established to make ammunition and chemicals during World War II, the arsenal later became the ‘s center for its missile and rocket program. More than 300 companies have offices at the nearby Cummings Research Park in Huntsville including Lockheed Martin, Akima and General Dynamics Mission Systems.

The new QinetiQ US office is located on 4100 Market St. in Huntsville.

Adults stand behind a red ribbon. One woman holds oversized scissors.
Shawn Purvis, president and CEO of QinetiQ US (holding scissors), and others celebrated the opening of the company’s Alabama office in December 2024. Photo courtesy QinetiQ US.

“Our Huntsville office provides an initial footprint next to the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal that will support our growing team and customer needs,” Anton Pototski, a spokesperson for the company, wrote in an email. “We are positioned to scale our presence as we continue to expand in the region.”

QinetiQ has a core team established in Huntsville and is actively hiring positions in systems engineering, software development, cybersecurity, robotics engineering and program management, Potoski stated when asked the number of workers the company plans to employ in Alabama.

QinetiQ declined to provide the cost of the expansion. “…This expansion represents a significant strategic commitment to the Huntsville market and our growing customer base in the region,” Potoski wrote. 

In addition to the QinetiQ US headquarters in McLean, the company has “various locations across , Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, Colorado and North Carolina,” according to Potoski. 

The expansion follows an October announcement that the had awarded QinetiQ US a multiple-, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract that has an estimated ceiling of $95 million to support the U.S. Army’s Threat Systems Management Office at the Redstone Arsenal.

“For over 30 years, QinetiQ has been a leader in providing realistic threat representation through our advanced target systems and comprehensive support services,” Shawn N. Purvis, president and CEO of QinetiQ US, said in a statement. “By establishing a presence in Rocket City, we’re bringing this legacy of service and innovation to support the warfighter with cutting-edge solutions across multi-domain autonomous systems, ISR, mission operations and data and digital solutions. This expansion underscores our commitment to delivering mission-led innovation in this growing hub of and defense activity, further enhancing our ability to address complex challenges faced by defense and national security organizations.”

The QinetiQ US sector, which has more than 1,400 employees, reported $1.3 billion in total contract during fiscal year 2024. Its United Kingdom-based parent company, QinetiQ Group PLC, has about 8,500 employees.

JMU receives $2.5M gift for new library wing

James Madison University has received a $2.5 million gift for the new wing of its Carrier Library.

residents Stan and Rosemary Jones provided the , which the Harrisonburg public university announced in late November. A 1954 physics and math alumnus of what was then Madison , Stan worked for McLean-based Mitre as an engineer for five decades, specializing in antennae design and development. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Delaware. Rosemary is a retired associate broker.

“We certainly care about libraries, and we both use our library here in Alexandria,” Rosemary Jones said in a Madison magazine feature.

The couple previously committed $1.3 million to in 2019 for scholarships for first-generation Honors College students in the university’s College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Integrated Science and Engineering. In March 2019, Jones received JMU’s College of Science and Mathematics Alumni Achievement Award at the JMU Alumni Association banquet.

Bob Kolvoord, who is JMU’s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, as well as the former dean of its College of Integrated Science and Engineering, met the Joneses around the time of their previous donation.

“Stan is, at his heart, a systems analyst and engineer,” he said in a Madison magazine feature. “And what I’ve observed is that both of them really have an eye toward the future and wanting to help provide opportunity for students.”

JMU began renovating and expanding the Carrier Library in summer 2023 and expects to reopen it for the fall 2026 semester. The university is renovating 138,224 square feet and building 56,887 square feet; the new Stan and Rosemary Jones Wing will be more than 56,000 square feet.

A rendering of the Carrier Library's Stan and Rosemary Jones Wing, looking southeast across Grace Street in Harrisonburg. Image courtesy James Madison University.
A rendering of the Carrier Library’s Stan and Rosemary Jones Wing, looking southeast across Grace Street in Harrisonburg. Image courtesy

“I think it’s a really beautiful building,” Stan Jones said in a Madison magazine feature. “That was the first thing that caught my eye.”

The expanded library will have a makerspace, media production and digitization studios and an experimental tech classroom. It will also have an anatomy room, consultation and group study rooms, a lactation space, new facilities for Special Collections and a lab for book and manuscript conservation, a café, a student kitchenette and other new rooms and features.

Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, JMU is a public research university with an R2 classification from the Carnegie Commission on Higher . In the fall semester, the university had 21,112 and 1,767 students enrolled.

ECS Federal wins $96M award to support health research funding agency

A U.S. Department of and Human Services agency has named as the prime contractor on a four-year, $96 million contract to provide support services, the County IT announced Tuesday.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) was created in 2022 to improve the government’s ability to quickly develop biomedical and health solutions.

Under the contract, ECS will provide programmatic support services, including thought in areas like biotechnology and regenerative medicine, to two ARPA-H mission offices: Health Science Futures (HSF), which works to eradicate limitations that stymie progress with health developments, and Scalable Solutions (SSO), which tackles challenges to developing health solutions like geography and economies of scale.

“We are excited to provide foundational support to HSF and SSO, help drive health care system innovation, and act as a health transformation agent,” John Heneghan, president of ECS, said in a statement.

Additionally, ECS will help HSF and SSO address scalability challenges with access to health care and equity, as well as the global supply chain. The company, a subsidiary of -based Fortune 1000 IT and professional staffing services firm , will also provide strategic planning and advisory support services, including program and financial management.

In March, ECS, which has about 4,000 employees, announced it was one of five companies awarded a potential $500 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity Strategic Technical ARPA-H Talent Support Contract vehicle.

ASGN reported revenue of $4.45 billion in fiscal year 2023.

Directory of business schools in Virginia

(Editor’s note: Listings with logos and longer descriptions are paid listings from display advertisers.)

PUBLIC COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

(nonprofit, based in )

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY
Joseph W. Luter III School of Business
Newport News
cnu.edu/schoolofbusiness

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, finance, management and marketing. Graduate: Master’s degree in financial analysis


Donald G. Costello College of Business

business.gmu.edu

Business programs: Bachelor of Science in business (with concentrations in accounting, business analytics, finance, financial planning and wealth management, management, management information systems, marketing, and operations and supply chain management). Graduate: MBAs, master’s degrees in accounting, business analytics, finance, management, real estate development; Ph.D. in business

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY
College of Business
Harrisonburg
jmu.edu/cob

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, business management, computer information systems and business analytics, economics, finance and business law, international business, marketing, and quantitative finance. Graduate: MBAs, master’s degree in accounting

LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
College of Business & Economics
Farmville
longwood.edu/business

Business programs: Bachelor’s of business administration (with concentrations in accounting, economics, finance, information systems and cybersecurity, management, marketing, real estate and supply chain management endorsement); Bachelor of Science in economics. Graduate: (with tracks in accounting, economics, finance, real estate, marketing, data analytics and a general track)

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY
School of Business
Norfolk
nsu.edu/business

Business programs: Bachelor of Science in accountancy and tourism and hospitality management; Bachelor of Science in business (with concentrations in business intelligence and data analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, financial services, management, management information systems and marketing); Ernest M. Hodge Institute for Entrepreneurship

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY
Strome College of Business
Norfolk
odu.edu/business

Business programs: Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science in business administration (with concentrations in accounting, business analytics, database administration, digital marketing, e-business and e-commerce, economics, enterprise cybersecurity, finance, information systems and technology, international business – east Asia, international business, management, maritime and supply chain management, marketing, marketing analytics and research, network engineering, personal financial planning, professional sales, real estate, risk management and insurance), public administration early start. Graduate: master’s programs in accounting, economics, maritime trade and supply chain management; MBA in business administration; master’s in public administration; Ph.D. programs in business administration, public administration and policy

RADFORD UNIVERSITY
Davis College of Business and Economics
Radford
radford.edu/cobe

Business programs: Undergraduate: Bachelor of business administration in accounting, finance (with concentrations in general finance and insurance and real estate), management (with concentrations in entrepreneurship, human resources management and general business), marketing (with concentrations in general marketing, digital marketing and professional sales, economics); Bachelor of Science in economics, information science and systems (with concentrations in information systems and security management and information systems and decision analytics). Graduate: MBA program, MBA with business analytics concentration

UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON
College of Business
Fredericksburg
business.umw.edu

Business programs: Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science in business administration (with accounting, business administration, international business, management and entrepreneurship, and marketing majors). Graduate: MBA program

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Darden School of Business
Charlottesville; Arlington County
darden.virginia.edu

Business programs: MBAs, M.S. in Business Analytics, Ph.D., Executive & Lifelong Learning

Darden’s unparalleled, transformational learning experiences are delivered by faculty ranked the best in the world for bringing out the best in you.

We put your purpose in motion, leading to a lifetime of career advancement and impact. All our learning pathways are intensely relational by design: immersive, learner-centered and dialogue-driven experiences that prepare you with the skills, smarts, and sense of purpose and ethics to forge the future.

A world leader in business ethics, leadership and general management, we shape how business is conducted through ideas emerging from the intersection of academic research and practice. We define high performance in business by a singular purpose: bringing people together to create value for business and society.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
McIntire School of Commerce
Charlottesville
commerce.virginia.edu

Business programs: Bachelor’s degree in commerce. Graduate: Master’s degrees in accounting, business analytics, commerce, global commerce and management of information technologyUVA Darden’s unparalleled, transformational learning experiences are delivered by faculty ranked the best in the world for bringing out the best in you.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA’S COLLEGE AT WISE
Department of Business and Economics
Wise
uvawise.edu/academics/departments/business-economics

Business programs: Bachelor of Arts in accounting, business administration, economics; Bachelor of Science in accounting, business administration, economics, and hospitality and tourism management

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
School of Business
Richmond
business.vcu.edu

Business programs: Bachelor of Science in accounting, economics, finance, information systems, real estate, management and entrepreneurship (with concentrations in management/business administration, management/entrepreneurship, management/industrial management, human resource management), marketing, supply chain management.

Graduate: Master of Accountancy, Master of Decision Analytics, M.S. in business (with concentrations in branding/art direction, branding/copywriting, branding/strategy, branding/ creative brand management), business (concentration in finance), information systems, marketing – business (concentration in marketing management), M.A. in economics, MBA, Master of Sport Leadership, Master of Supply Chain Management; Ph.D. in business (concentration in management), business (with concentration in accounting), business (with concentration in information systems).

Everyone’s path is unique. At VCU Business, we believe in creating unlimited opportunities for your future. Our range of graduate programs are designed with working professionals in mind, offering flexibility in both pace and delivery. Whether you choose to study on-campus, , evenings or, in some cases, weekends, we guide you to the path that best aligns with your goals, all while staying connected to Richmond’s dynamic business community.

VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE
Department of Economics and Business
Lexington
vmi.edu/academics/departments/economics-and-business/

Business programs: Bachelor of Arts in economics and business (with concentrations in decision analytics, financial analysis and global business)

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Reginald F. Lewis College of Business
Petersburg
vsu.edu/business/

Business programs: Bachelor of Science in accounting, management information systems (with a concentration in cybersecurity and forensics), management, management (with a concentration in human resources), marketing. Graduate: MBA program

VIRGINIA TECH

Blacksburg
pamplin.vt.edu

Business programs: Undergraduate degrees with majors in accounting and information systems, business information technology, finance, management, marketing, real estate, and hospitality and tourism management. Graduate: Evening MBA, Master of Science in Business Administration (concentrations in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Global Business Analytics, and Business Analytics), Online MBA, Online Virginia Tech Master of Information Technology, Master of Accounting and Information Systems, and Executive Ph.D. in Business.

Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business is a globally recognized institution committed to academic excellence, transformative research, and preparing the next generation of business leaders. Located in Blacksburg, with a new academic campus in Alexandria, Pamplin’s diverse programs span seven disciplines, blending theoretical foundations with practical applications.

Pamplin’s faculty are renowned for cutting-edge research, addressing critical issues shaping industries and workplaces worldwide. Their work fosters solutions that drive business forward. The college cultivates entrepreneurial mindsets, ethical decision-making, and global perspectives in its students.

Pamplin’s graduate programs equip professionals with skills and knowledge to advance careers and lead in an evolving marketplace. These programs leverage academic rigor, interdisciplinary collaborations, and industry connections for a transformative learning experience.

Through its dedication to research, innovation, and student success, Pamplin upholds its mission of shaping the future of business and cultivating leaders equipped to make meaningful impacts.

WILLIAM & MARY
Raymond A. Mason School of Business
Williamsburg
mason.wm.edu

Business programs: Majors include accounting, business analytics, finance and marketing and concentrations include accounting, business analytics (with emphases in data science and supply chain), consulting, finance, management and organizational leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship, marketing, supply chain analytics, sustainability. Graduate: MBAs, master’s degrees in business analytics, accounting, marketing and finance

PRIVATE COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

(nonprofit, based in Virginia)


Department of Business Administration

averett.edu

Business programs: Major in business administration (with concentrations in accounting, management science and marketing management). Graduate: MBAs (with concentrations in marketing, leadership and human resource management)

BLUEFIELD UNIVERSITY
Caudill School of Business
Bluefield
bluefield.edu/academics/colleges-schools/caudill-school-of-business/

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in business administration (with concentrations in accounting, cybersecurity, information technology, management and sport management), cybersecurity and leadership and innovation. Graduate: MBAs (with specializations in finance, health care management, human services justice administration and leadership)

BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE
Nolen School of Business and Professional Studies, Department of Economics and Business Administration
Bridgewater
bridgewater.edu

Business programs: Majors in business administration (with concentrations in accounting, finance, financial economics, marketing, organization management) and economics. Graduate: Master of Arts in nonprofit management, Master of Science in human resources management

BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE
Chesterfield County, Hampton, Virginia Beach
bryantstratton.edu/degrees/business

Business programs: Associate degrees in accounting, business, digital marketing, graphic design, hospitality management, human resources specialist, office management and restaurant and hotel management; bachelor’s degrees in business administration (with concentrations in accounting, digital marketing, general management and human resources), bachelor of professional studies (with a concentration in organizational leadership) accounting, digital marketing, general management, human resources, organizational leadership

EASTERN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY
Business and Leadership
Harrisonburg
emu.edu/business

Business programs: Majors in accounting, business administration, business analytics, international business, economics, marketing, organizational leadership, recreation and sports management. Graduate: MBA program, MBA and Master of Science in Nursing dual degree program.

EMORY & HENRY  UNIVERSITY
School of Business
Emory
emoryhenry.edu/academics/school-business/

Business programs: Bachelor of Science in accounting, business administration, business – teacher preparation, and concentrations include hospitality management, innovation and entrepreneurship, international business, leadership. Graduate: MBA program.

FERRUM COLLEGE
School of Business and Technology
Ferrum
ferrum.edu/directory/departments/school-of-business-and-technology/

Business programs: Undergraduate degrees in accounting and business administration with emphases in business analytics, financial management, management, marketing and sports management

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE
Economics & Business
Hampden Sydney
hsc.edu/academics/economics-and-business

Business programs: Undergraduate degrees in economics, economics and business, mathematical economics

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
James T. George School of Business
Hampton
home.hamptonu.edu/business

Business programs: Bachelor of Science degrees in accounting, finance, business administration, entrepreneurship, economics, marketing and management. Graduate: MBAs, Ph.D. in business administration

HOLLINS UNIVERSITY
Department of Economics and Business
Roanoke
hollins.edu

Business programs: Bachelor’s degree in business with concentrations in general business, finance, international business and entrepreneurship; bachelor’s degree in economics

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
School of Business
Lynchburg
liberty.edu/business

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in accounting and data analysis, business administration and data analysis, computer science, coaching, hospitality management, health care administration, computer science cybersecurity, informatics, information systems, information technology, sport management. Graduate: MBAs, master’s degrees in accounting, cybersecurity, executive leadership, finance, health care administration, health informatics, human resource management, information systems, information technology, marketing, nonprofit management, project management, sport management; doctoral degrees in business administration, organization and management, and strategic leadership

MARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY
Staunton
marybaldwin.edu/programs

Business programs: Bachelor’s degree in business, (with concentrations in accounting, human resource management, management, marketing, project management), health care administration, marketing (with concentrations in marketing management, integrated marketing and consumer insights), and public policy. Graduate: MBA program, MBA/Master of Healthcare Administration dual degree program

MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY
College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology
Arlington County
marymount.edu/academics/college-of-business-innovation-leadership-and-technology/

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, business administration, economics, fashion merchandising and marketing, information technology, AI, computer science Graduate: MBA, master’s degrees in cybersecurity, information technology, emerging technology, technology management and dual degree programs; doctoral programs in business administration and cybersecurity

RANDOLPH COLLEGE
Economics and Business
Lynchburg
randolphcollege.edu/economics/

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in business, economics

RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE
Ashland
rmc.edu/academics/areas-of-study/business/

Business programs: Undergraduate degrees in business (with concentrations in finance, management and marketing), accounting, economics

REGENT UNIVERSITY
School of Business and Leadership
Virginia Beach
regent.edu/school-of-business-and-leadership/

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in leadership studies, accounting, business (with concentrations in accounting, economics, financial management, general management, human resource management, international business, marketing and sports management), business analytics, management, marketing, Christian leadership and management, financial management, health care management and human resource management. Graduate: MBA programs, master’s degrees in organizational leadership, accounting, business analytics, cybersecurity; doctoral programs in business, business administration, strategic leadership and organizational leadership.

ROANOKE COLLEGE
School of Business, Economics and Analytics
Salem
roanoke.edu

Business programs: Undergraduate programs in business administration, actuarial science, economics, economics-finance, finance, marketing and sports management. Graduate: MBA program

SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY
School of Business
Winchester
su.edu/business

Business programs: Bachelor’s in business administration with concentrations in accounting, aviation studies, digital marketing, economics and finance, entrepreneurship, esports management, health care management, information systems and technologies, management, marketing, sport management); e-sports management; e-sports media and communication. Graduate: MBA programs (with specializations in business analytics, cybersecurity management, digital marketing, esports management, health care management and sustainable business)

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
Business management and leadership
Buena Vista
svu.edu/academics/programs/business

Business programs: Undergraduate degree in business management and leadership

SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE
Sweet Briar
sbc.edu/academics/business

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in business, economics

UNIVERSITY OF LYNCHBURG
College of Business
Lynchburg
lynchburg.edu/academics/college-of-business

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, economics, financial economics, business administration, management, marketing, digital media marketing, sport management. Graduate: MBA program

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
Robins School of Business
Richmond
robins.richmond.edu

Business programs: Undergraduate degrees in accounting, business administration, economics; concentrations: accounting, business analytics, economics, finance, international business, management consulting, entrepreneurship, marketing. Graduate: MBA program, master’s in management

VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY
Sydney Lewis School of Business
Richmond
vuu.edu

Business programs: Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, finance and banking, business analytics, entrepreneur management, hospitality management, marketing. Graduate: Executive MBA program (with concentrations in church management, entrepreneurship, general MBA, global supply chain management, hospitality management), M.S. in hospitality management

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
Management, business and economics department
Virginia Beach
vwu.edu/academics/majors/business

Business programs: Bachelor’s degree in business (with concentrations in international business, marketing and public relations, human resource management, law and public administration, accounting and finance, general management and supply chain and operations management). Graduate: MBA program, master’s degrees in human services and leadership and nonprofit management

WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
The Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics
Lexington
my.wlu.edu/the-williams-school/departments-and-programs

Business programs: Undergraduate degrees include accounting, business administration and economics.

TWO-YEAR, RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE

RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY
Business administration program
South Prince George
rbc.edu

Business programs: Associate of Science in business administration

 

Amid financial concerns, Averett University names new leadership

Averett University announced Wednesday that its board has appointed David Joyce as its 15th president. Tiffany Franks, who has served nearly 17 years as president of the private university, will retire Jan. 5, 2025.

The change comes following months of headlines about the school’s financial woes and cost-saving measures like staff furloughs and program cuts.

Don Aungst, who came on board as Averett’s vice president and chief financial and operating officer, in 2020, no longer works at the university. His employment ended April 1, 2024, according to Cassie Jones, Averett’s spokesperson.

In September, Averett announced that Donald Merricks, a retired bank president, former state delegate and a two-time alumnus, had stepped in as the school’s interim chief financial officer. A news release did not address why the position was empty.

Averett also hired Susan Nelson as its director of finance in October. “This reorganized position encompasses the controller functions of accounting and financial reporting, and also incorporates the strategic fiscal management of budgeting, planning, processes and controls,” Jones wrote in an e-mail. 

And in November, the university decided to eliminate five majors — art, chemistry, math, modern languages and religion — as well as the criminal justice master’s degree and the symphonic band program. One staff position at Averett is expected to be cut in January 2026 as a result of the cuts.

A news release about the newly selected president alluded to the university’s financial struggles.

“Dr. Joyce is the right leader for Averett,” Emma Maddux Kozlowski, vice chair of the school’s board of trustees, said in a statement. “He understands the urgency to put Averett back on strong financial footing and will find innovative ways to maximize operational efficiency.”

The board used Academic Search, a Washington, D.C. higher- executive search firm, with their search.

Joyce comes to Danville with nearly three decades of experience as a . For eight years he led Union in Kentucky. He spent another 10 years as president of Ripon College in Wisconsin and most recently worked for nine years as president of Brevard College in North Carolina.

Joyce holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pfeiffer University, a master of divinity in pastoral psychology from the Yale Divinity School, a master’s in psychology from North Carolina State University and a doctorate in human resource development from Vanderbilt University.

He began his career at Elon University as associate dean of student affairs, before joining Pfeiffer as college minister. Joyce is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church.

Joyce will be installed as president on January 6, 2025. A “welcoming event” will be planned for that month for Joyce and his wife Lynne, according to the announcement.

“In our search for the next president of Averett, the Board of Trustees knew that Averett needed a strong leader with a proven record of turning around a college or university that was facing headwinds,” said Dan Carlton, chair of the university’s board.

A woman wearing pearls and a yellow blazer smiles.
Tiffany Franks will retire as Averett’s president in January 2025. Photo courtesy

The  announcement noted several achievements Averett accomplished during Franks’ tenure, including setting enrollment records, joining the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and strengthening ties with the Danville community.

“Nearly 17 years ago, she walked onto this campus and changed Averett,” Carlton said.  “She has been an ambassador of Averett in the community, a champion for our students and a tireless leader of the outstanding faculty and staff assembled at Averett.”

As of September, Averett had nearly 1,450 students enrolled, a 7% increase from the previous academic year, and including 550 students enrolled in Averett , its virtual educational offering. In 2022, Caesars announced a gift of $504,000 to the university to establish a hospitality and tourism academic program, and the school became Danville Regional Airport’s fixed-base operator in July 2021. Averett has offered flight training since 1981.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add information from Averett University’s spokesperson.

Richmond’s Movieland at Boulevard Square to undergo $5M glow-up

Movieland at Boulevard Square, the city of ‘s only first-run movie , is undergoing approximately $5 million in and upgrades.

The project, which began in October and is expected to be completed in spring 2025, represents “the most extensive enhancements to the theater since it opened in 2009,” according to a Wednesday news release.

Located at 1301 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. in the city’s area at the intersection with Leigh Street, is owned by New York-based , a family-owned and company. Bow Tie Partners also owns a Richmond site at 301 E. Main St., a city block that is primarily a parking lot.

Over the next six months, the theater will undergo renovations and upgrades, including:

  • Two new BTX: Bow Tie Extreme large format auditoriums with 50-foot-wide screens, Dolby Atmos sound and electric recliner seating;
  • Luxury electric recliners with integrated tables in all auditoriums;
  • Increased screen sizes in several auditoriums;
  • A Playland Arcade at Movieland, with an arcade and duckpin bowling;
  • An expanded kitchen and bar facility.

The interior of the existing building is being reconfigured to accommodate the upgrades, according to Ben Moss, co-founder and managing partner of Bow Tie Partners. Movieland currently has 17 auditoriums and will have 15 when the project is completed, as two auditoriums are being converted into a new kitchen and bar and duckpin bowling lanes.

Six of the renovated electric recliner auditoriums will be open by Christmas, and some recliners are currently in the theater’s lobby for guests to try out.

Movieland at Boulevard Square is an adapted 53,000-square-foot former locomotive assembly plant. Boulevard Square also includes a 6,000-square-foot former brass foundry available for lease and a parking lot with more than 750 spaces.