As we near the end of the General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session, NVC has many advocacy wins to share. As the General Assembly enters its final two weeks, NVC continues to secure advocacy wins for the region’s business community. These two weeks include long floor sessions as bills are subject to their final public debates before passing, failing, or going …
4 Reasons Why NVC Events are Vital for Your Professional Growth and Development
Networking shouldn’t feel like a chore. While a LinkedIn request or a cold email may serve its purpose in connecting virtually, nothing replaces the energy of a live room. When you attend an NVC event, you immerse yourself in a business community that is not only invested in this region’s success but is filled with people who want to effect …
A Smarter Day of Service: Strengthening Our Workforce and Community in Northern Virginia
Blog post provided by NVC member Jennifer Williamson, Chief Executive Officer, Volunteer Fairfax. Across Northern Virginia, businesses are looking for ways to engage employees, strengthen culture, and contribute to the region. A Day of Service can do all three. When designed thoughtfully, it can also support workforce development and strengthen the civic systems that help our region function well. One …
Save the Date: The 11th Annual Distinguished Service Awards
The 2026 Distinguished Service Awards: Honoring those who have made meaningful contributions to help veterans succeed. Celebrate those who dedicate their lives to service at the 2026 Distinguished Service Awards. This year, in honor of National Military Appreciation Month, NVC is moving our annual event from fall to spring. Join us on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 8:30 am at the Army …
Northern Virginia Economic Outlook 2026: Annual State of the Region
Established in 1992, the Annual State of the Region is one of NVC’s longest-standing signature events. Originally known as the Economic Outlook, this gathering was created to provide executives and policymakers with localized data that national reports often overlooked. Today, that tradition continues as we prepare to deliver the 2026 Northern Virginia economic outlook leaders need to navigate the year …
2026 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Session: NVC’s Legislative Priorities and Member Resources
The 2026 Virginia General Assembly legislative session is underway! NVC’s Government Relations Team is on the ground in Richmond advocating for NVC’s policy priorities. Throughout this year’s 60-day session, we encourage you to take advantage of the following free member resources to stay informed and track progress during the legislative session: 2026 Legislative Agenda: NVC’s advocacy efforts are guided by …
Powering Northern Virginia’s Economy: 2026 Business Event Sponsorships
In 2026, the strength of Northern Virginia’s economy will be dependent on the connections we build today. From high-level economic briefings to the State of Entrepreneurship, NVC is connecting the region’s top business executives. With Northern Virginia business event sponsorships available now, learn how you can leverage your event sponsorship to put your brand’s best foot forward. This blog post …
Four Strategies for Lasting Impact: Securing the Future of Multi-Generation Family Businesses
Blog post provided by NVC member Kristina Wilmer, Market Executive for Global Commercial Banking’s Mid-Atlantic Region, Bank of America. Across the United States, family-owned businesses are the backbone of local prosperity. They create jobs and community, often reinvesting profits directly into their local neighborhoods. Nationally, 32 million family enterprises contribute $7.7 trillion to GDP and employ more than 83 million …
Surviving Change: Transformation of the Federal Government Landscape
Federal contractors are managing one of the most dynamic eras of regulatory and operational transformation in recent memory. Success in this environment will depend on how effectively organizations anticipate, adapt to, and position themselves amid sweeping administrative and market shifts. Here’s what you need to know and do. 1. Executive Orders and the Procurement Overhaul Federal procurement is receiving …
Lobby Day & Viva Virginia 2026: Connecting Members with Virginia Policymakers
Since 2013, NVC has hosted Lobby Day in Richmond, Virginia, creating a vital bridge between NVC members and state policymakers. This annual event brings members directly into the heart of the legislative process during the General Assembly session, providing an exclusive opportunity for meaningful dialogue, clarity, and influence. Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Time: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm Ticket …
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 …
Concluding NVC’s Policy Committee Meetings for 2024 and Shaping Our Vision for 2025
Last Friday, on October 18th, NVC concluded its final Policy Committee meeting for 2024. This meeting marked a significant milestone in the organization’s ongoing commitment to addressing pressing Regional issues. The focus of this gathering centered on two critical topics: Affordable Housing and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Prior gatherings, which began on September 18th, explored various themes, including education …
At the Midway Point: 2024 General Assembly Update
Our Region’s future growth and economic stability are top discussion points during this year’s Virginia General Assembly, which began January 7th and will run through March 9th in Richmond. Currently in Week 6, the General Assembly has seen its share of highs and lows, with critical bills centering around taxes, education, and workforce issues. The Chamber’s Vice President of Government …
Chamber Statement on Metro, July 5, 2023
The transit system survived the past three years using nearly $2.4 billion in federal aid, staving off severe cuts and recently returning to pre-pandemic service levels. But with aid running out by July 2024, Metro leaders have undertaken a desperate search for sustainable funding to fill a financial hole projected to grow annually to as much as $1.2 billion later …
Bipartisanship: Working Together to Build a Better Virginia
The Chamber recently spoke with Larry Roberts, Director of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, who offered the following thoughts on the benefits of bipartisanship to Virginia government and its business community. The Sorensen Institute and the Chamber have formed an Advancing Civics partnership to promote bipartisanship and civil discourse as means toward effective public leadership. …
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 …
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 …
