Virginia Economic Review

As one of the 13 original colonies, Virginia claims many historic firsts among American states. These firsts span numerous fields and industries, from energy generation to food and beverage production to transportation.

The Greater Richmond region is in the middle of the greatest population growth in its history.

The I95-I85 Intersection is anchored by the Tri-Cities of Petersburg (home to Civica Rx’s facility that produces a wide variety of affordable essential medicines), Hopewell, and Colonial Heights.

Recent major biopharmaceutical announcements have sent a clear signal from the industry: Virginia is the future of biopharma manufacturing.

Food and beverage and pharmaceutical companies rely on Virginia’s cold chain infrastructure to succeed.

Careyann Weinberg, Director of Economic Vitality for the Downtown Norfolk Council in Hampton Roads, Virginia, discusses quality of life and talent opportunities in Hampton Roads and Virginia as a whole, including the strong professional network in the area, the opportunities for talent, and her own "Why Virginia" story.

Bonnie Chavez, CEO of Building Beloved Communities in Roanoke, Virginia, discusses quality of life and talent opportunities in Roanoke and Virginia as a whole, including what drew her to the area, the opportunities for talent and her own "Why Virginia" story. Watch the Conversation

When Julia Boas and her husband, Patrick, have an errand to run or a friend to visit in their hometown of Roanoke, they rarely go by car. Instead, they hop on their e-bikes.

Are you a transplant, a boomerang, or a lifelong Virginian? What brought you to the Commonwealth in the first place? I’m a transplant — I was born in Missouri, then lived in Ohio, Georgia, and South Carolina. I attended Clemson University and, after earning my Ph.D.

Joe Dunlap is the founder of BlueJ Advisors, a supply chain consulting firm for owners, operators, and investors. Previously, he spent nearly a decade at CBRE, where he oversaw the company’s supply chain practice, and has decades of supply chain experience with Accenture, FORTNA, Dematic, and UPS.

Stephen Edwards has served as the CEO and executive director of The Port of Virginia since 2021.

It’s not the first time Washington Dulles International Airport, having served record numbers of passengers the past two years, has eyed an expansion of its operations, infrastructure, and ultimately, air cargo volume. But this time, circumstances are different.

Sam Northington doesn’t want any military veteran to struggle like his dad did. After 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, his father retired as a master sergeant and went back to college to get his teaching credentials. “That didn’t really fit him. He never really taught,” Northington recalled.

When President Donald Trump announced in June he would “unleash drone dominance,” it’s no surprise that the Commonwealth looked to NASA and its 108-year-old Langley Research Center in Hampton for guidance.

If you imagine timelines as train tracks and key events as moments when tracks converge, this is a pivotal time for rail in Virginia.

Virginia’s transportation network faces congestion issues that come with population growth, and air travel is no exception.

With its strategic Mid-Atlantic location, deep water ports, expanding highway and rail networks, and a business-friendly environment, the Commonwealth is fast becoming a warehousing and logistics powerhouse.

Connections are an essential foundation of business success — and businesses trust Virginia’s infrastructure to provide a multimodal transportation system that reliably connects them to suppliers, customers, and partners.