Tidbits – July 2021

Toru Nishizawa
Shingo Shigeta

Toru Nishizawa, president and chief executive officer with Canon Virginia, Inc. (CVI), retired in June after 41 years. Nishizawa began his career with Canon in 1980 upon graduation from the Tokyo Institute of Technology with a degree in management engineering. Since serving as president and CEO of CVI in April 2012, he spent the last nine years successfully transforming the company into the Regional Technical Headquarters for Canon U.S.A. Inc. During his tenure at CVI, he oversaw the addition of a new 900,000 square foot expansion of manufacturing, developed a R&D function and expanded into the aerospace and medical industry. Shingo Shigeta is successor and serves as president of CVI and Canon Environmental Technologies, Inc.


Anita Bloxom has joined The Lee Group as branch manager of its Newport News location, focusing on aligning clerical and industrial candidates with employers to create the best match for both. Prior to joining The Lee Group, Bloxom had a career with Target Stores that spanned two decades. For the last five years, she was an executive team leader for human resources.


After 20 years, John Cook, ChFC, retired from First Command Financial Planning in May. Captain (Retired) Cook joined First Command as an advisor in January 2001, after a 30-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was instrumental in serving military, federal and civilian clients throughout Hampton Roads and multiple states. An active member of all of the local chambers of commerce, Cooke was singularly responsible for establishing a First Command office presence in Williamsburg.


Edwin Tyler, (right) who works as a front-desk associate with the Holiday Inn Newport News/Hampton in City Center, was named “Gregory Cherry Tourism Professional of the Year by the Newport News Tourism. Newport News Mayor McKinley L. Price (left) and Vice Mayor Saundra Nelson Cherry presented the award to Tyler in a surprise announcement while Tyler was at work. The “Gregory Cherry Tourism Professional of the Year Award” is given annually during National Travel and Tourism Week to a hospitality industry employee who demonstrates superior customer service while also promoting travel and tourism in the city. It was named in memory of Gregory Cherry, a former travel counselor at the Newport News Visitor Center and owner of the James A. Fields House, who died in 2007.


Robin Nelhuebel
Jayne Di Vincenzo
Nicole Guajardo
Hugh Barlow
Sylvia Weinstein Craft

Newport News Education Foundation announced its slate of officers for the 2021– 22 year, beginning July 1. The local leaders who actively work to support the community by improving educational opportunities for students include Robin Nelhuebel, Ph.D., RN, RT®, System Director of Education, Riverside Health System, president; Jayne Di Vincenzo, AIF®, CEP®, vice president, Family CFO Services, president-elect; Nicole Guajardo, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, Christopher Newport University, vice president; Hugh J. Barlow, Certified Public Accountant and partner in the firm of Brown, Edwards & Company, L.L.P., treasurer; and Sylvia Weinstein Craft, publisher and editor of Oyster Pointer, secretary.


Jennifer Leigh, MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CHHR, has joined S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. as vice president of human resources, bringing more than 23 years of human resources experience. Her background includes working in the healthcare industry for Sentara Healthcare in HR. In 2018, she joined CBRE as chief human resources officer. Leigh holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from James Madison University and a master’s degree in business administration from Old Dominion University, Strome College of Business.


Oscar N Alvarez of Pathway Divorce Solutions, Inc., is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® professional, having completed a program in divorce analysis offered by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts™(IDFA). Alvarez is trained to provide financial information and assistance to people going through a divorce. He evaluates the tax implications of dividing property and the financial impact of settlement options for dividing property (including pensions) and child and spousal support payments. IDFA trains financial planners, accountants and lawyers to determine the financial needs and outcomes for couples after divorce.


The Rotary Club of Warwick at City Center participated in a service project with Smart Beginnings by spreading mulch, planting flowers and laying gravel for the new outdoor learning environment at Resurrection Lutheran Church.


Tournament participant and sponsor Stacie Tindle is shown with LPGA professionals Alana Uriell (left) and Sarah Burnham (right).

Langley for Families Foundation hosted its 7th Annual Charity Golf Classic at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg in May and raised a record-breaking $389,000 in gross profits for local non-profits. A field of 120 golfers participated to raise funds and further the mission of the Foundation: to make a difference in the lives of children and families in all of the communities it serves. Net proceeds from the Charity Golf Classic will be granted to Hampton Roads non-profits in the areas of healthcare, housing and human services, education and safety and security.


Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer announced the sale of 806 Blue Crab Road, in Oyster Point. Tecnico Corporation purchased the 53,414 square foot office industrial building from Beja LLC and will occupy the property. Clay Culbreth of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handled the sale negotiations on behalf of the purchaser.


Timmons Group, civil engineering, technology and survey firm, has located offices at 11832 Rock Landing Drive. The firm now has 18 branches across the United States, including offices in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Texas and Arizona. Timmons Group has been involved in numerous notable projects across the coastal Newport News region including Tech Center at Newport News, Discovery STEM Academy, an on-call civil engineering contract at Christopher Newport University and various consulting services at Jefferson Labs. Mark Richardson is Timmons Group’s principal in charge of the Newport News office.


July events scheduled by the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce include Women’s Leadership Forum, July 8; Coffee Connection, July 13; and Business Connection After Hours, July 22. For registration and additional information, go to www.virginiapeninsulachamber.com/events/calendar.


Ed Smith
Steve Young

Ed Smith and Steve Young have joined RE/MAX Peninsula. Newly licensed in Virginia, Smith sold real estate in Rhode Island. He has joined the Team Titan Real Estate. Smith served in the United States Air Force as a firefighter and paramedic. Young is a Hampton Roads native and a graduate of Regent University. Before earning his real estate license, he was in the Navy and worked in civil service.


Mariners’ Museum has scheduled the following July programs with the disclaimer that events are subject to change: July 2, Beyond the Frame with Kyra Duffley, digital content assistant at The Mariners’ Museum; July 5, Maritime Mondays, featuring Pirateria: The Wonderful Plunderful Pirate Emporium, written by Calef Brown; July 9. Hampton Roads History Lecture: Legendary 19th-century Resorts in Hampton Roads, featuring John Quarstein, director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center; July 11, Friendly Hours; July 12, Maritime Mondays, featuring How I Became a Pirate, written by Melinda Long and illustrated by David Shannon; July 14, History of the Park and Trees Guided Tour; July 17, History of the Park and Trees Guided Tour; July 19, Maritime Mondays, featuring Backbeard and the Birthday Suit: The Hairiest Pirate Who Ever Lived, written by Matthew McElligott; July 23, Civil War Lecture: CSS Arkansas with John Quarstein; July 26, Maritime Mondays, featuring On a Pirate Ship, written by Sarah Courtauld; July 28, History of the Park and Trees Guided Tour; July 31, History of the Park and Trees Guided Tour. For times, registration and fees, visit www.MarinersMuseum.org or the Live Programming webpage.

More than 750 people entered the 2021 Newport News Tourism Awareness Contest, held in May to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week. This year’s contest highlighted outdoor activities and places around the city where these activities take place. To enter, contestants needed to match the correct clue box number to the corresponding fun outdoor activity found in Newport News. All correct entries were then entered into a drawing to randomly select the winners of six prize packages, each valued at more than $600. The six random winners included Rachelle Moody, Claire Scott, Tracey Shands, Candace Sillaro and Lexi Willis, all of Newport News and Nicole Shepherd of Hampton. Prizes ranged from restaurant and shopping gift cards to overnight stays at local hotels.


Christopher Newport University (CNU), received rankings from Study.com, a California-based nonprofit that operates an online learning platform for students exploring school options and careers. According to the rankings, CNU’s communications program is among the best in the country, ranking 13th nationally and is the highest ranked public or private college in Virginia. The sociology program is ranked 33rd nationally and is the second-ranked program of its type in Virginia. The undergraduate biology program is ranked eighth nationally and is the highest ranked public or private college biology program in Virginia. In a separate ranking from the education website Teaching Degree Search, the University’s teacher preparation program is ranked second in Virginia. The rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education, graduation rates, tuition information and retention statistics.


Melinda S. Hancock

Melinda S. Hancock, CPA, FHFMA will join Sentara Healthcare as senior vice president and chief administrative officer on July 19. As chief administrative officer, Hancock will lead a number of Sentara teams including internal audit, compliance, legal services and privacy. She will also oversee supply chain, enterprise analytics, strategy and mergers and affiliations. This is a newly created position at Sentara Healthcare and she will report to Howard P. Kern, president and CEO.

Aubrey Lee Layne, Jr.

Former Virginia Secretary of Finance Aubrey Lee Layne, Jr. has joined Sentara Healthcare as senior vice president and chief of staff. Layne will oversee a number of Sentara teams including legislative affairs, corporate social responsibility, the Sentara Foundation – Hampton Roads, real estate, construction, marketing and communications and the Sentara College of Health Sciences. Layne will also report to Kern. Layne, a Certified Public Accountant by trade, was appointed by Governor Ralph S. Northam to his former role as Secretary of Finance for the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2018.


Kathy Nadeau has joined RE/MAX Peninsula. Licensed in 2017 after working in business, finance and marketing, she is working in residential sales with the realty company.


Jamie Coldsnow
Kimi Dornan
Lisa Seay

Top May agents for CENTURY 21 Nachman Realty’s Peninsula office were Jamie Coldsnow, top listing, closing and producing agent; Kimi Dornan, top selling agent; and Lisa Seay, top referring agent.


 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*