Appointments and Elections
Former Governor Glenn Youngkin has made several noteworthy appointments to various state authorities, boards, and committees. Ashley McLeod, a principal consultant at ERM and a resident of Virginia Beach, has been appointed to the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority.
Additionally, Thomas M. Leahy, the retired city manager and acting city manager of Virginia Beach; William Moore, a former quality assurance department head at Norfolk Naval Shipyard from Portsmouth; and Michael B. Stanton, a retired Navy captain and president of BCA Consulting from Isle of Wight County, have been appointed to the Southeastern Public Service Authority.
Further appointments include Robert Williams, an auto detailer at Eggleston from Norfolk to the Board of Health and Human Resources; Lisa Kersey, executive director of Freekind from Suffolk, to the Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence; Justin Saunders, vice president of the Hampton Roads Chamber from Chesapeake, to the Virginia African American Advisory Board; and Dee Gilmore, chairman of the Chesapeake Hospital Authority Board, to the Board of Medicine.
Awards and Recognitions
The Breeden Company has garnered five prestigious awards at the 19th Annual Multi-Housing News Excellence Awards.
Among the accolades are: Best Operations, Gold, for Reflections of Virginia Beach; a Silver Humanitarian Award; Christine Gustafson, who received Silver for Marketing Executive of the Year; Steve Roldan, who secured Bronze as Facilities and Maintenance Manager of the Year for Aqua on 25th Street; and Nevaeh Arrington, awarded Bronze as Rising Star for Lake Taylor Pointe Apartments.
Zachary Borden of Firestone Complete Auto Care in Virginia Beach has been distinguished as the 2025 Automotive Service Excellence Master Technician of the Year by Bridgestone Retail Operations. Borden was recognized during a ceremony hosted by the National Institute for Automotive Service
Excellence, following his inception at Firestone in 2016, post his associate degree achievement in automotive technology from Tidewater Community College. Borden boasts nine ASE certifications and has exceeded his service productivity rate by nearly 300% over the last two consecutive years.
ASE Technician of the Year honorees are nominated by their employers based on criteria that include ASE test scores, job performance, and community involvement.
Visiting Angels of Virginia Beach has earned the 2026 Caring Stars award, which underscores excellence in senior home care services. This recognition was awarded based on favorable client testimonials on Caring.com.
The organization specializes in providing in-home assistance services such as meal preparation, personal grooming aid, escorting clients on errands or appointments, light housekeeping, medication documentation, and dementia safety measures.
Old Dominion University’s School of Cybersecurity stands out as the first institution to gain dual validation from the National Security Agency for its groundbreaking cyber and artificial intelligence programs.
This milestone bolsters the university’s position in equipping students for a swiftly changing technological landscape at the fusion of artificial intelligence and cyber defense.
This year marks the inaugural validation cycle for the NSA’s CyberAI program of study, making ODU the first institution in the United States to achieve both the AICyber and SecureAI recognitions.
ODU’s Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, with a major in Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity, received validation for the NSA’s AI for Cybersecurity recognition, while the university’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity with a concentration in AI Security garnered validation for the SecureAI program.
Both validations extend through 2030. ODU is among a select group of 10 U.S. higher education institutions and is the sole recipient in Virginia of all three NSA’s Centers of Academic Excellence designations.
Norfolk-based marketing firm Qantm Creative has triumphed, clinching 26 awards across three major national Graphic Design USA competitions in 2025. The distinctions encompass categories like digital design, health and wellness, and cross-media campaigns, establishing the agency among the top five creative firms and agencies nationwide.
The agency secured 11 victories in GDUSA’s 62nd Annual Digital Design Awards with campaigns in collaboration with The Breeden Company, Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club, and the Herndon Police Department; four accolades in the 25th Annual Health and Wellness Design Awards for efforts with Virginia Health Services and Fishing Point Healthcare; along with 11 honors in GDUSA’s Best of the Year competition.
Grants and Contributions
Applications are currently accepted until February 6 for Smithfield Foods’ 2026 Impact Grant Program, aimed at bolstering nonprofit organizations within local communities.
Grants, starting from $10,000, will be allocated through a competitive assessment process, with evaluations focusing on evident need, potential impact, and alignment with the company’s core areas: hunger relief, education, hometown heroes, and community vitality.
Eligible nonprofits can apply online. Additionally, Smithfield Foods has initiated a new video series that highlights its namesake town, with future segments exploring other hometowns integral to the company’s history.
The 33rd Annual Radiothon, hosted by 97.3 FM The Eagle to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, has collected $202,836.
Established in 1962, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the treatment and research of childhood diseases, with a focus on ailments like leukemia and other forms of cancer. Families receiving treatment at St. Jude are not charged for care, travel, lodging, or food.
WVBW 100.5 FM, The Vibe, successfully gathered over 300 winter coats during a recent drive in collaboration with ECHO Family Care Partners to assist families and children in Hampton Roads.
An additional 100 coats were amassed in December, marking the second year of this noble initiative. Chesapeake Regional Healthcare has unveiled a new urgent care center featuring CT scanning and MRI imaging technology. Located at 1034 S.
Battlefield Blvd., approximately 10 miles from the North Carolina border, the facility has served around 30 patients daily, completing roughly 450 diagnostic tests as of mid-January following its December introduction.
Inaugurations
Optii Corp., a defense technology enterprise specializing in photonics, has established a presence at the Virginia Beach International Incubator. The company is pursuing expansion into the U.S. market while actively seeking partnerships with defense entities.
The incubator provides support for international businesses aiming for low-risk U.S. market entry. Situated in Town Center adjacent to the city’s economic development office, the incubator offers cost-effective office space, access to local expertise, resources, and ongoing support from the city’s economic development department to facilitate efficient scaling and long-term growth.
Frugal Finds, a newly inaugurated thrift store, has commenced operations at 3217 Bridge Road in Suffolk. The store extends discounts to first responders, educators, and government employees.
Moreover, it is committed to aiding those in distress or transition by donating clothing, furniture, and other essentials to support individuals and families in need of assistance to regain stability.
Nonprofit Developments
The People in Need Ministry in Virginia Beach has achieved full clinic membership with the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.
This membership epitomizes a commitment to serve Virginia’s most vulnerable populations and evidences adherence to best practice standards while illustrating excellence in both nonprofit management and patient care.
The ministry’s medical clinic offers a wide spectrum of services, including primary care, mental health support, dental care, ophthalmology, and respite services for those experiencing homelessness.
The PiN Ministry emphasizes preventative care through educational initiatives on hypertension, women’s health, and proper nutrition while providing health screenings. It is one of 70 free and charitable clinics statewide.
Military and Maritime Updates
TMMG, a Chesapeake-based provider of systems engineering and life cycle asset management services for U.S. defense agencies, has secured a significant strategic growth investment from Artinia Group, in collaboration with Gemini Investors and True West Capital Partners.
This funding infusion is poised to enhance TMMG’s capabilities across engineering, shipbuilding support services, naval architecture, integration, evaluation, training, logistics, and program management.
TMMG’s management continues to guide the company forward, supported by the investment partnership fostered by Artinia Group, Gemini, and True West—both of which are licensed small business investment firms under the auspices of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
TMMG specializes in a range of services, including naval architecture, marine engineering, defense systems, evaluation, training, logistics, and program management.
Newport News Shipbuilding has celebrated a pivotal construction achievement with the Virginia-class submarine Oklahoma. The completion of the pressure hull signifies that all sections of the hull have been seamlessly united to form a single, watertight entity.
Oklahoma is recognized as the 29th vessel in the Virginia-class series, the first of Block V, and the 14th to be delivered from this shipyard. The ship’s sponsor is Mary “Molly” Slavonic, a native of Oklahoma.
Chesapeake Regional Healthcare has launched a new urgent care center, featuring a CT scanner and MRI imaging technology.
Located at 1034 S. Battlefield Blvd., roughly 10 miles from the North Carolina border, this outpatient facility has accommodated approximately 30 patients daily, conducting around 450 tests as of mid-January, following its December opening.
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