Cover Story
Taking the reins
42 women execs who set the standard for leadership
To quote the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. … It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” In Year Two of our Virginia Business Women in Leadership Awards, we received more than 300 nominations — exceeding last year’s nominations by more than
Opinion
Higher gas prices are needed
Published
The U.S. inflation rate, which reached 8.6% in May, is at its highest point in 40 years. In 1982, it was just over 6%. Since then, the U.S. inflation rate has hovered mostly in the 2% to 4% range. The inflation rate is determined by changes in the cost of a fixed basket of 80,000
From This Issue
Training’s in the cards for Hard Rock Bristol
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Mike Pauley started learning poker from his grandfather around age 8 and traveled around the nation playing competitively during his early 20s. When he learned that the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol was hiring casino dealers, he applied online. “I had thought about having a career somewhere, but I didn’t want to move away
MARCIA CONSTON
President, Tidewater Community College, Norfolk
Published
TCC president since 2020, Marcia Conston strives to be both a role model and a mentor. “I wanted to be an administrator where I could make the most difference in the lives of people,” she says, and that has been her unwavering focus throughout her 30-year career in education. As a Black woman, Conston is
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Silver lining
Metro extension leads to development boom
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As the long-delayed phase two opening of Metro’s Silver Line extension is set for later this year in western Fairfax and Loudoun counties, a development boom is following on the train’s wheels. Reston and Herndon, as well as eastern Loudoun, have already attracted big corporate tenants to millions of square feet of office space, retail
Need a job? Fairfax wants you
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In the past two years, despite the pandemic, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority attracted more than 5,000 people to eight career fairs. The website for the workforce initiative — workinnorthernvirginia.com — lists jobs, internships and training opportunities from more than 500 companies and is getting 45,000-plus views per month, the EDA says. “We’re really
A new outlook
GMU business dean plans lower cost, big impact
Published
When Ajay Vinzé takes over as dean of George Mason University’s School of Business on July 1, he will carry with him a lifetime of experience in higher education. He also comes with a plan to help streamline how education is delivered and to reduce the cost of a college degree — a contentious topic
TRACY GREGORIO
CEO, G2 Ops Inc., Virginia Beach
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Nine years ago, Tracy Gregorio and two business partners realized the military needed better technology to protect its communications systems from cyberattacks. G2 Ops was among the first small businesses to apply digital engineering to safeguard military communication systems, Gregorio says. The company plays a pivotal role in helping weapons and ship navigation systems communicate
LATITIA McCANE
Director of education, The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News
Published
Growing up in Alabama, Latitia McCane was inspired by the work of her father, a mechanic at Ciba Geigy Chemical Corp. (now BASF), and her uncle, an electrician at Ingalls. So, she forged her own career path in STEM and manufacturing fields. A throughline in her work, however, has been to support and encourage women
Raytheon moving global HQ to Arlington
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Raytheon Technologies Corp. announced June 7 that it will relocate its global headquarters from Massachusetts to Arlington in the third quarter of this year, a move that will make four of the top five U.S.-based aerospace and defense contractors headquartered in Virginia. Raytheon is the second-largest defense company in the world, just below Bethesda, Maryland-based
DIANNE JEWELL
President and CEO, Sheltering Arms, Richmond
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Dianne Jewell’s work as a physical therapist and administrator has not just been about helping patients but also her colleagues. In 2011, Jewell founded the Rehab Intelligence Network, which helps rehabilitation practices use data to demonstrate the value of their services, and served as its CEO for a decade. “Health care is awash in data
CECILIA HODGES
Regional president for Virginia and Greater Washington, M&T Bank Corp., Vienna
Published
Outside of her three-decade career in banking, in which she currently manages more than 60 branches, Cecilia Hodges enjoys volunteering for community organizations and charities. “I can see in the work that those dollars really make a difference to people,” she says. One organization she’s involved with, Women Giving Back, is a boutique that provides
