Mariners’ Museum has scheduled its October programs with the disclaimer that events are subject to change. October 6, Evening Lecture, featuring Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door, with Christopher Mims, technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal; October 7, Beyond the Frame, a behind-the-scenes look of the Museum’s world-class art collection with Kyra Duffley, digital content specialist; October 9, Friendly Hours (in-person program); and October 14, Civil War Lecture, featuring Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell, American Aviator, with John V. Quarstein, director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center. For times, registration and fees, visit www.MarinersMuseum.org or the Live Programming webpage.
Lackey Clinic has launched a program for doctors across the Commonwealth to volunteer through Lackey Virtual Urgent Care to provide free medical care. This free healthcare center serves the uninsured. The program is designed to provide access for people with immediate needs who do not have a primary care physician. Anyone in Virginia can book a virtual video appointment online with one of the doctors for an urgent but non-life-threatening condition. Larry Trumbore is CEO of Lackey Clinic.
Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg has received a $22,500 grant from Lowe’s to help with repair projects in the Newmarket Creek section of Newport News. The funding is part of Lowe’s partnership renewal with Habitat for Humanity that includes a donation of $2.5 million to support 100 local Habitat organizations undertaking home repair and rehab projects across the United States.
The Joint City Home Repair Blitz serves low-income, elderly, veteran and disabled homeowners who have struggled to maintain the exterior of their homes. Janet V. Green is CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg.
Ameris Bank, one of Liz Moore & Associates recommended lender partners, is offering eligible first-time home buyers up to $12,500 toward a down payment and closing costs through the Ameris Down Payment Grant Program. Eligible first-time home buyers can receive up to 4 percent of the purchase price, with a maximum of $12,500, to use toward a down payment and closing costs. This may be combined with other federal, state and local grant programs. Home buyer education to help first-time buyers prepare for home ownership is included.
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank (VPF) received a special banner in recognition of an extremely high score on its American Institute of Baking (AIB) audit. The audit is the “white glove” test for food distribution warehouses. The inspection consists of tests of more than 400 unique control points. Attaining a high score demonstrates the Foodbank’s commitment to ensuring a world-class food safety program and providing safe, high-quality food products to the community. Standing in the center of the front row is Karen Joyner, VPF CEO.
Top August agents for CENTURY 21 Nachman Realty’s Peninsula office were Judy Sawyer, top listing agent; Melinda Baldwin, top selling and top producing agent: Chaz Fiscella, top closing agent; and Rose Matthews, top referring agent.
Brown Edwards has been recognized for the sixth consecutive year as a top accounting firm on the INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) Top 100 List, moving up another five spots on the list this year to number 73. IPA 500 recognizes the top U.S.-based accounting firms and is the most comprehensive list of North American public accounting firms available. Each year, IPA ranks the largest public accounting firms in the U.S. based on participating firms’ net revenues. The firm has also been recognized for the fourth consecutive year as a Top 50 construction accounting firm by Construction Executive magazine, a leading trade magazine about the business of construction. Brown Edwards ranked 38th this year and in addition to the overall ranking, tied for fourth for the total number of Certified Construction Industry Financial Professionals, with 12 team members carrying this distinction. Hugh Barlow is the firm’s partner in the Oyster Point offices.
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HI), Ferguson and BayPort Credit Union have partnered to fund a $500,000, three-year Accelerating Change Together (ACT) grant. The inaugural year’s focus of this transformational grant is Education and Workforce Development. The ACT grant is the opportunity for these three corporations to collaboratively mobilize their resources, work together and invest in a project that will leave a lasting legacy on Hampton Roads. One grant will be awarded to an eligible local nonprofit in Hampton Roads. Organizations are encouraged to visit www.bayportcu.org/foundation/act-grant for complete information and to apply. Applications are due Oct. 31; awardees will be determined in mid-December. The ACT Grant is an extension of the One Community Transformational Grant, which HI’s Newport News Shipbuilding Division launched in 2018. The grant provided start-up funding for the Fort Monroe Foundation’s National Center for Freedom and the Newport News Public Schools STEM Ecosystem project.
Beginning in September, Langley Federal Credit Union began rewarding $1 million to members with cash back on gas purchases. Langley debit cardholders can receive up to 10 percent cash back on their gas purchases when they register to participate. The promotion will continue until the million dollars is distributed.
Community Knights, Inc. presented $24,000 to 23 GIFT grant applicants at it open house in August. Receiving grants awards were Bball 360 Academy; Elf Patrol; Fear 2 Freedom; Hampton Healthy Family Partnership, Inc.; Heritage High School; I AM Enough Retreat; Triple Helix Robotics 2363; Jones Magnet Middle School; Kecoughtan High School; The Legacy of HOPE Foundation; New Covenant Safe Haven; Peake Childhood Center; Phoebus High School; Raegan Sharnae Way; Sleep in Heavenly Peace; Social Butterflies Foundation; The Ezer Initiative; The Heart of Giving, Inc.; THRIVE Peninsula; Today Jesus Outreach; Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas; and YVC Hampton Roads. Jennifer Brown is Community Knights’ CEO. Shown here are Teresa Michener, with Community Knights, Inc. (left) and Tiffanie Smith, Heritage High teacher/activities director.
Michael J. Dacey, MD has been selected chief executive officer and president of Riverside Health System effective January 1, 2023. Dr. Dacey will be replacing Riverside CEO Bill Downey, who will transition into the role of executive vice chairman and special advisor for Riverside until his retirement in 2024. Prior to joining Riverside, Dacey held key positions at Care New England, including critical care service line chief, chief medical officer and hospital president. Since joining Riverside in 2018, Dr. Dacey has served as chief clinical operations officer and president/chief operating officer. A graduate of Providence College and George Washington University School of Medicine, Dacey completed an internal medicine residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a critical medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and has a master’s degree in health care management from the Harvard School of Public Health.
October events scheduled by the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce include October 7, State of the Region, with Dr. Robert McNab; October 11, Coffee Connection, hosted by Community Knights; October 13, Women’s Leadership Forum; and October 27, Business Connection After Hours (BCAH) hosted by Atlantic Union Bank. For registration and additional information, contact Allie Hackett at allie@vpcc.org or call 757-325-8157.
Christopher Newport University (CNU) was named the number two Public Regional University in the South in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 rankings, making it the highest ranked non-military university. It is ranked fifth among the 135 southern public and private universities and tied at number 11 as one of the Southern region’s most innovative schools. CNU also appears in the rankings on the lists that include Best Undergraduate Business Program, Best Value Schools, Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs and Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs. U.S. News & World Report evaluates colleges and universities on 17 measures of academic quality, based on widely accepted indicators of excellence.
Steve Givens and Angela Taliferro have joined the Newport News Visitor Center as part-time travel counselors. Both Givens and Taliferro are responsible for providing tourism information to visitors, giving directions, selling gift-shop merchandise, answering phone inquiries, proofing promotional materials and assisting with data entry. Givens worked with McArthur Center in Norfolk, Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News, Courtyard by Marriott in Williamsburg, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in Portsmouth and economic development with the city of Suffolk. Taliferro was formerly a customer service associate at the Grissom branch of Newport News Public Library. She also worked as a library specialist at Rappahannock Community College (Glenns Campus) and as a library clerk at Gloucester County Public Library.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs presented Newport News Fire Chief Jeff Johnson (center) with the Alan Brunacini Fire Service Executive Safety Award, presented annually to the chief executive officer of a fire department that has demonstrated a unique commitment to fire service health and safety. Johnson has served as Newport News Fire Chief since 2019 and has more than 30 years of experience in emergency medical and fire services, as well as emergency management.
