Each year, the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® (GovCon Awards) gathers Northern Virginia’s government contracting community to recognize the organizations, executives, and programs that showcase unique leadership, innovation, and service. The event attracts more than 1,000 industry, government, and civic leaders and serves as one of the most prestigious celebrations of excellence in the government contracting (govcon) industry. While the …
Meet Tracy MacDonald: Bringing Connection and Community to NVC’s Events and Programs
As NVC continues to advance the NOVA Roadmap through its four bold goals, we’re expanding the impact of our programs and signature events. To help lead this effort, we’re thrilled to welcome Tracy MacDonald as our new Director of Programs and Events. Working alongside Programs and Events Manager Rhea Ambanta, Tracy will help shape the experiences that bring Northern Virginia’s …
2026 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® Finalists Announced
NVC and George Mason University’s Costello College of Business Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting announced 35 of this year’s distinguished Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® (GovCon Awards) finalists during the lively, invitation-only Finalists Reception on Thursday, August 27, 2026. The GovCon Awards Gala, hosted on Thursday, November 5, at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, will convene more than …
Meet NVC’s Newest 2026 Board of Directors Members
A new cohort of NOVA business leaders has been sworn in to NVC’s Board of Directors, and they’re ready to help advance the NOVA Roadmap. On June 4, 2026, at the Annual Members’ Meeting, NVC announced 16 new members of its Board of Directors whose terms officially began on July 1. Representing industries ranging from technology and healthcare to real …
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL): Creating Value for Businesses and Student-Athletes
Blog post provided by Marvin Lewis, Assistant Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, George Mason University Over the past few years, I’ve heard one question more than almost any other: “How does Name, Image, and Likeness actually work?” It’s a fair question. With so many headlines around college athletics, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) can feel complicated and at …
What Every Veteran Must Know Before Starting a Business
Blog post provided by Fred Diamond, Founder, the Institute for Effective Professional Selling Northern Virginia has long been one of America’s premier regions for innovation, government contracting, and entrepreneurship. It’s also home to thousands of military veterans who continue serving our nation by building companies, creating jobs, and solving some of government’s most complex challenges. Recently, I had the opportunity …
3 Ways Middle Market Companies Can Build a Competitive Advantage in 2026
Blog post provided by Yolonda Stradford and Peter Knickerbocker from NVC member company Bank of America. While uncertain geopolitical and economic forces challenged some companies in the first half of 2026, informed executives remained agile, making key decisions in real time. Strong leaders focus on three priorities that will inform their strategic vision in the second half of the year. …
NOVA Roadmap One Year Later: Shaping Northern Virginia’s Future
One year after its launch, the NOVA Roadmap has evolved from an ambitious vision into a regional movement focused on strengthening Northern Virginia’s long-term economic competitiveness. Introduced by NVC in July 2025 in partnership with Accenture, the NOVA Roadmap was created to help the region navigate economic uncertainty, reduce its reliance on federal spending, and strengthen Northern Virginia’s position as …
Virginia Rises to No. 3 in CNBC’s Top States for Business Rankings as CEO Optimism Grows
Virginia’s climb to number three in CNBC’s 2026 America’s Top States for Business rankings comes at a time when Northern Virginia business leaders are expressing renewed optimism about the regional economy. Our spot in CNBC’s ranking reflects many of the competitive advantages outlined in the NOVA Roadmap. Virginia ranked among the nation’s Top 10 states in Infrastructure (No. 2), Education …
NVC Welcomes Tia Jackson as Membership Experience Manager
NVC is excited to welcome Tia Jackson as our new Membership Experience Manager. In this role, Tia will play a key part in advancing NVC’s mission to support, engage, and elevate our members while strengthening connections across the Northern Virginia business community. Tia brings more than 13 years of experience in membership engagement, customer success, program operations, and project execution …
