Tidbits – September 2021

September events scheduled by the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce include September 9: 2021 Military Recognition Breakfast, featuring General Mark D. Kelly, Commander, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis VA USAF; September 9: Pink Bag Lunch, with Michelle Ward, South Bay Communications & Security; September 14: Coffee Connection, at Habitat for Humanity ReStore; and September 23: Business Connection After Hours, at Garrett Realty Partners. For registration and additional information, go to www.virginiapeninsulachamber.com/events/calendar.


Pat Lantz
Sandra Hood

Top June agents for the Coldwell Banker Traditions–Peninsula office were Pat Lantz for sales and Sandra Hood for listings. The firm is expanding and hosting a grand re-opening on September 9.


Sentara Healthcare has hired Dr. Keith H. Newby as an independent contractor to be the system’s Medical Director of Health Equity to help the organization address health disparities. Newby will work with Dr. Jordan Asher, chief physician executive; Iris Lundy, director of health equity; and other system leaders to aid in the development of programs that address conditions that disproportionately affect underserved and underrepresented communities, with a specific focus on the Black and Brown communities in Hampton Roads and throughout Virginia and northeast North Carolina.


Virginia Technical Academy is offering financial assistance for students through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), a program designed to strengthen America’s workforce system by helping job seekers with the education and training needed to find high-quality careers. The program also assists employers interested in hiring and retaining qualified workers. David Gillespie is founder and president of Virginia Technical Academy.


Habitat for Humanity presented a plaque to the Rotary Club of Warwick at City Center in June at the dedication of the James’ family home in Newport News. The “Rotary” House was built in partnership with five Rotary clubs that came together and raised $100,000 in cash and in-kind donations to fund the building of the house. Rotarians worked alongside the new homeowner over the past year to build the home. Shown here receiving the plaque are Sharon Martin, president (left) and Davetta Rinehart, past president.


Rob Self, principal at Frontline Financial Strategies, was inducted new president of the Rotary Club of Warwick at City Center on July 1 for the 2021– 2022 Rotary year, with the baton being passed from outgoing president, Sharon Martin (center). Martin, who demonstrated leadership during the pandemic to keep the club strong and meeting first virtually, and then in a hybrid model of both zoom and at the Virginia Living Museum, was presented the club’s Rotarian of the Year Award from outgoing District Governor, Ms. Judy Cocherell. The theme for Rotary’s 2021–2022 service year is “Serve to Change Lives.”


Joey Wallen
Stephen Sibert

Joey Wallen and Stephen Sibert, nationally certified personal trainers with Personal Training Associates, have each completed their studies and are now certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as Functional Training Specialists. This highly regarded program qualifies them to enable clients of all ages to more safely and efficiently perform their specific daily activities with better balance and joint stability.


Mariners’ Museum has scheduled the following September programs with the disclaimer that events are subject to change: September 3, Beyond the Frame with Kyra Duffley, Mariners’ Museum digital content assistant; September 3, Hampton Roads History Lecture: Battle of the Capes, featuring John Quarstein, director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center; September 6, Maritime Mondays, featuring Lauren T. Furey, manager of visitor engagement, reading and discovering an interesting artifact from the Museum’s Collection; September 10, Civil War Lecture, with John Quarstein, discussing Ironclad Classes other than Monitors; September 12, Friendly Hours; July 13, Maritime Mondays, featuring Lauren T. Furey; September 20, Maritime Mondays, featuring Lauren T. Furey; September 24, Civil War Lecture, with John Quarstein, discussing the Battle of New Market Heights; and September 27, Maritime Mondays, featuring Lauren T. Furey. For times, registration and fees, visit www.MarinersMuseum.org or the Live Programming webpage.


Sister Cities Newport News (SCNN) received the 2021 Sister Cities International Innovation in Business, Trade and Professional Exchange Award during the Sister Cities International Virtual Annual Conference. The award is given to organizations that help advance the goals and mission of Sister Cities. SCNN was chosen after hosting the virtual seminar, Green Sister Cities: Local Sustainability Initiatives in Greifswald and Newport News in October 2020. This event also led to Newport News becoming the first U.S. city to compete in the Stadtradeln City Cycling Campaign to reduce carbon emissions through citizen-based cycling. Kate Helwig is NNSC executive director.


Newport News/Williamsburg Airport is working to support a new daily air service from Newport News to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) upon receiving one of 22 grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Small Community Air Service Development Program. The $847,646 in funding will be used for an economic development project to fund a minimum revenue guarantee and marketing expenses to recruit, initiate and support for the new service to IAD. Nonstop access to IAD will help provide connectivity to government and military agencies that have ties to the DC region. United Airlines filed a letter in support of the airport’s request for funding. Michael A. Giardino, C.M. is executive director of Newport News/Williamsburg Airport.


Virginia Creative Group, LLC leased 2,071 square feet of office space in Oyster Point Park at International Distribution Center, 11861 Canon Boulevard. Teresa E. Nettles of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handled the lease negotiations on behalf of the landlord.

Tidewater Liquidators, LLC leased 2,017 square feet of office space in Oyster Point Park, also at International Distribution Center. Nettles handled the lease negotiations on behalf of the landlord and Clay Culbreth, also with Thalhimer, represented the tenant.

Medical Services of America, Inc. leased 1,074 square feet of office space in Oyster Point Park at The Atrium, 11832 Rock Landing Drive. Andy Dallas, CCIM, SIOR and Nettles handled the lease negotiations on behalf of the landlord.


The City of Newport News has been awarded $563,129 by the Virginia Port Authority Aid to Local Ports Annual Grant Program for improvements at Seafood Industrial Park. This highly competitive grant program offers $1,000,000 annually for capital improvements to publicly owned marine facilities that support commercial port activities in Virginia. This grant award allows for renovation and improvements to the west bulkhead and unloading facility located in the inner harbor of Seafood Industrial Park, which will result in increased mooring capacity and revenue collected for its use. The grant represents 75 percent of project’s funding, with a 25 percent city match being funded from the approved Fiscal Year 2022 operating budget local grant match monies.


Virginia Peninsula Foodbank hosted a visit from Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, the network of 200 foodbanks around the country. Prior to receiving a tour of the Foodbank, Babineaux-Fontenot spoke to invited guests regarding the work of food banks during the pandemic and into the future, answering specific questions from those in attendance. Shown here with Babineaux-Fontenot (7th from the left) are Foodbank staff, board members and partner agencies, along with Congressman Bobby Scott.


EPOC Construction and Michael Henry Architect were named to Varco Pruden’s 2021 Hall of Fame for a new gym and classroom building facility built for Calvary Reformed Presbyterian Church in Hampton. The two-story 11,200 square foot multi-purpose building, completed in August 2020, includes a full court basketball gymnasium, commercial kitchen, restroom facilities and a partial second floor for classroom space. The first and second floors were designed for future expansions. Varco Pruden (VP) is one of the nation’s largest building-solutions companies, with a network of nearly 1,000 builders across the United States and Canada. The highly competitive Hall of Fame awards are presented annually to the independent authorized VP builders whose work reflects innovation and excellence though the integration of VP building systems and products, architectural appearance, end use and design. Shown accepting the award are Henry (left) and Ken Bingman, president of EPOC Construction.


 

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