NVC and the Professional Services Council (PSC) convened nearly 1,000 government contracting executives, policymakers, and industry stakeholders on November 5 for the 23rd Annual Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards®. Held in a packed ballroom and anchored by a robust mix of networking, the evening showcased the depth, resilience, and competitive velocity of the govcon ecosystem. The program opened with a high-energy Gala Reception before transitioning to the awards dinner and …
NVC’s C-Suite Roundtable Series
NVC’s C-Suite Roundtable program brings together regional executives, policymakers, and innovators for the candid, data-driven discussions you can’t find anywhere else. This series showcases the power of leadership in action, featuring a lineup of regional executives, policymakers, and innovators tackling Northern Virginia’s most pressing business, policy, and workforce challenges. Each month, NVC brings together top decision-makers for candid, data-driven discussions …
NVC/Pinkston Q4 2025 Business Leader Survey Results
Once viewed as routine political gridlock, the latest government shutdown is now being felt in the boardrooms of Northern Virginia. Business leaders across the region are reporting slower performance, waning confidence, and rising concern about the months ahead. NVC, in partnership with Pinkston, has released the Q4 NVC/Pinkston Business Leader Survey. This survey captured the perspective of 120 CEOs, corporate …
NOVABIZPAC Endorses 3 Incumbents
Last week, the Northern Virginia Business Political Action Committee (NOVABIZPAC), the political arm of NVC, conducted in-depth interviews with candidates in three of Virginia’s most competitive races. Over the course of two days, NOVABIZPAC Trustees interviewed a total of six candidates, five on the first day and one on the second. After a rigorous review and discussion, NOVABIZPAC Trustees voted …
Announcing the 2025 GovCon Awards Charity Partner: The Code of Support Foundation
NVC is proud to recognize Code of Support Foundation (COSF) as the 2025 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® Charity Partner, an organization whose mission embodies the Chamber’s core values of service, leadership, and regional impact. We look forward to honoring COSF and its transformative work at this year’s GovCon Awards Gala in November. Join us in celebrating their commitment to …
Chamber Day 2025: How to Support NVC
Chambers of commerce are the backbone of our nation’s business communities, advocating for pro-business policies, fostering economic growth, and helping businesses thrive. For a century, NVC has been a driving force for growth in the Greater Washington region. On Wednesday, October 18, join us in celebrating National Support Your Local Chambers of Commerce Day by supporting NVC. Here’s how you …
NVC Executive Councils Form to Advance the NOVA Roadmap
Virginia’s future is being written today — and through the NOVA Roadmap, our members are holding the pen. The NOVA Roadmap is a call to action for Northern Virginia’s economic growth and sustainability. Since releasing the NOVA Roadmap report in July, NVC has launched three of seven planned Executive Councils, bringing together leaders from across sectors to align our four …
Challenges and Opportunities for Veteran-Owned Businesses
Veterans bring mission focus, adaptability, and resilience into the business arena. These are the qualities that continue to shape Northern Virginia’s economy. The region’s veteran-owned businesses reflect both entrepreneurial drive and a deep commitment to service, transforming military lessons into strategies that fuel growth and innovation. We’re proud to have celebrated them during our 2025 Distinguished Service Awards ceremony, hosted …
Amid Economic Disruption and Uncertain Labor News, Executives Should Lean Into Communications
“Amid Economic Disruption and Uncertain Labor News, Executives Should Lean Into Communications” is provided by NVC Member D.J. Jordan, Senior Vice President, Pinkston. The latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics raised concerns about the economy and the labor market. Only 22,000 jobs were added in August, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, the highest level since …
Registration Open for 2025 GovCon Awards
NVC is thrilled to announce that registration for the 2025 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® (GovCon Awards) Gala is now open! As NVC celebrates its centennial year, we reflect on a legacy rooted in innovation, resilience, and the strength of our regional business community. Government contracting has long served as the backbone of Northern Virginia’s economy. According to the University …
8(a) certification and the Potential for Success
The SBA developed the 8(a) program to level the playing field in federal contracting to offer minority and disadvantaged business owners access to contract opportunities formerly only available to bigger entities. But given this knowledge, did you know that there is a stipulation within the 8(a) certification process that requires you to prove your potential for success in order …
2023 Virginia General Assembly Workforce Update
The 2023 Virginia General Assembly wrapped up on February 25th in Richmond. The Chamber’s Vice President of Government Relations, Nick Clemente, was in attendance all 46 days (and then some!), advocating on behalf of our Region and Chamber membership. Chamber members were kept up-to-date throughout the session through Nick’s weekly emails and member advocacy calls. He was also always a …
Kicking Off the 2023 Virginia General Assembly
Editor’s Note: The Virginia General Assembly kicks off its annual legislative session this week lasting for 46 days. Staying connected to legislators and policymakers is critical for the Northern Virginia business community to ensure that we have a voice in the legislative process. The Chamber’s Nick Clemente, Vice President of Government relations is representing the Northern Virginia business community every …
A New Year Message From Our CEO: The Chamber in 2023… And Beyond
By Julie Coons, CAE, Northern Virginia Chamber President and CEO Happy New Year! 2023 is a year of exciting activity and opportunity for our region. This year, the Chamber’s 98th year, we see more businesses coming together to advocate for regional growth, to invest and grow a business-directed skilled workforce, and to advance policies and practices that accelerate a business …
The Future of our Regional Transportation: a Q&A with our 2022 State of Transportation Panelists
On September 1st, the Chamber will host an exciting and dynamic group of top transportation leaders from around the region for our annual 2022 State of Transportation event. We asked our speakers to give us a sneak peek on the future of transportation ahead of this enlightening event. Read their answers below: 1. What are one or two things you see in the …
What should businesses be doing now to prepare for the next big challenge in healthcare?
We are fortunate to have assembled a stellar group of experts for our upcoming Annual State of Healthcare in the Region event on May 4th. During the event, these leaders will cover a diverse set of region-related topics that impact your business, but we wanted to ask them ahead of time: “What should businesses be doing now to prepare for …
Advocacy Update: That’s a wrap; our takeaways from the 2022 Virginia General Assembly
You have seen the news that the General Assembly adjourned this weekend, leaving only the budget incomplete. Once House and Senate negotiators reach a compromise (or perhaps sooner), Gov. Youngkin will need to call a Special Session to finalize the first budget in his first term. In the meantime, negotiators must continue to make efforts to close a $3 billion …
ADVOCACY UPDATE Kicking off this year’s General Assembly with changes within our Virginia Government
It has been a week of change in Virginia. Last Wednesday, Del. Todd Gilbert took the gavel as Speaker of the House of Delegates, marking a return to power for Republicans after two years of Democratic control. On Saturday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin was sworn in as the 74th Governor of Virginia. With promises of a more business-friendly Virginia, already the …
A Message From Our Board Chairman: A New Year’s Resolution for our Business Community
Looking for a New Year’s resolution that goes beyond the usual? Sure, I’ll no doubt resolve to lose weight and exercise more in 2022. And, as I reflect on the past year – eulogies of Senator Bob Dole praising his life while lamenting the demise of the bipartisanship he represented… public officials fearing for their personal safety…stories about the “anger …
A letter from Todd Gilbert, Speaker-Designee of the Virginia House of Delegates
Dear Members of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce: The 2022 General Assembly Session is a little over one month away, and our House Republican Caucus is eager to return to Richmond and begin the task of governing set before us by the people of Virginia. As Speaker-Designee, I am excited about the opportunity to work in a bi-partisan fashion …
Working for our Members toward a better Virginia
The Northern Virginia Chamber’s Policy Committee is wrapping up our annual Legislative Agenda drafting process next week. You will see many familiar principles included in the 2022 Agenda like urging leaders to focus on growing and improving Virginia’s workforce development ecosystem, expressing support for continued investment in major transportation projects like the American Legion Bridge replacement, and calling for a …
8 Strategies to Build the Capital Region’s Digital Talent Pipeline
Digital talent is essential to competitiveness and growth, but our Capital Region continues to face a critical shortage. It is estimated that ~60% of Capital Region tech and tech-adjacent positions will be unfilled by 2025, leaving our region with a serious workforce issue. What is digital talent? Digital talent is the human capital needed to accelerate and deliver on an …
From a tight labor market to telework: results from the 2022 NOVA Workforce Index
Workforce issues continue to dominate our region’s business discussions this year as leaders face frustrating employee recruiting, retention, and remote work challenges. Working on behalf of our members, your Chamber has made sourcing solutions to these workforce issues a priority. As part of this effort, we’ve developed a broad range of member tools that include the Northern Virginia Workforce Index, …
A New Year Message From Our CEO: The Chamber in 2023… And Beyond
By Julie Coons, CAE, Northern Virginia Chamber President and CEO Happy New Year! 2023 is a year of exciting activity and opportunity for our region. This year, the Chamber’s 98th year, we see more businesses coming together to advocate for regional growth, to invest and grow a business-directed skilled workforce, and to advance policies and practices that accelerate a business …
MEMBER VOICES: We asked member CEOs, “What are the greatest challenges CEOs face heading into the new year?”
Member Voices is a monthly feature where we ask C-Suite leaders from within our Chamber membership to share their insights on key business topics. If you would like to participate in Member Voices, please contact Carmen Sevilla at csevilla@novachamber.org. Shyam Salona, CEO, REI Systems, Inc. “This year we experienced a significant shift in the way we work. The hybrid work …
Supporting Our Veterans: A Q&A With Our DSA Service Finalists
If there’s a truism that flows through both business and life, it’s that, at some stage, we will all need support and guidance from others to help us achieve our goals. While we all face obstacles in our daily lives, our nation’s veterans often find themselves overcoming significant challenges as they transition from the military to the civilian world. We …
Hire a Vet. You Can’t Go Wrong. Advice on Helping Veterans Find Success Within the Business World
“Veterans are special people. Duty, honor, integrity and loyalty are their hallmarks and they bring to each role a sense of leadership and responsibility. Within the business world they exemplify the best of what we want in employees. I tell everyone that when they give veterans a chance, they can’t go wrong.” So says W. Glenn Yarborough, Jr, a Colonel …
Member Blog Post: Let’s Talk Leadership: Tackling a Challenging Workplace Statistic
According to recent Gallup research on employee engagement, only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work and workplace. Gallup tracks employee engagement trends by surveying the working population about issues that affect organizational outcomes, including profitability, productivity, customer service, retention, safety and overall wellbeing. Research reflects that disengaged employees tend to be poorly managed. It is incumbent on organizational …
On the Heels of the Pandemic: Inflation-Induced Hunger
After two years of struggling through pandemic-related woes, our workforce now finds itself battling with a new daily challenge in inflation. And while the side effect of rising prices and the Fed’s defensive response to raise interest rates are presented in the news as threats to our housing market and daily coffee purchases, those living closer to the bone within …
Navigating pandemic-era resume gaps: asking the right questions to build the best team
For more than 50 years, a year-long resume gap was a clear red mark against a job applicant. Except for stay-at-home parents or applicants who went back to school, there really wasn’t much sympathy from an employer, even in recessions. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all that. One or two years out of work is the temporary new normal as …
Poll Results: Is Northern Virginia ready for a 4-day workweek?
Last week we shared information about two pending Bills, one Federal and one State, seeking to reduce the workweek to 32 hours and asked you to answer our poll, “is Virginia is ready for a 4-day workweek?” The results are in with 63.73% answering Yes, 30.39% answering No, and 5.88% answering Maybe. In addition, many people wrote comments, both for …
