Salon Elite, a locally owned and operated salon in Newport News, is marking 25 years in business. To celebrate, promotions, giveaways and charity partnerships will be offered in March. Salon Elite specializes in haircuts, color, styling and hair loss solutions.
Appointed/elected
The Portsmouth Service League named Michelle Wren as its 2026 Portsmouth First Citizen. The annual award, determined by a committee of former first citizens from nominations submitted by the public, honors individuals who embody the spirit of citizenship through community service. Wren is executive director of the Portsmouth Partnership, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the city’s economic growth. She has held multiple community service and leadership roles with various organizations, the Portsmouth Service League, the Portsmouth Museums Foundation, the Elizabeth River Garden Club, Portsmouth Community Foundation, Friends of the Portsmouth Library, treasurer of the Western Branch Athletic Club and deacon and youth chair at Churchland Baptist Church. She’s been a Hampton Roads resident for more than 32 years. Wren will be honored at a public event at 6 p.m. May 7 at the Renaissance Portsmouth-Norfolk Waterfront Hotel at 425 Water St. in Portsmouth.
John Pyne will succeed Dennis Brinck as Eastern regional manager of Virginia Beach-based Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group. Brinck joined the company in 2009 and plans to retire later this year. Pyne will work alongside existing leadership during a transition period.
Awards and honors
Global travel booking site Skyscanner selected Tangier Island as one of five U.S. destinations in its latest guide to tranquil solo travel. The selection is based on the island’s visitor volume, access and environment. Tangier Island has a population of around 436 residents and is accessible only by boat, which limits the number of visitors. The website also cited the extra planning required to visit, minimal use of cars on the island, surrounding marshlands that reduce outside noise and an absence of commercial bustle as attributes that make Tangier a good destination for solo travelers in search of a quiet vacation destination. Other destinations on the list are Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas; the Sonoma Coast in California; Olympic National Park in Washington; and Red River Gorge in Kentucky.
Shandre Harasty, an Edward Jones financial adviser in Hampton Roads, was named to the 2026 ranking of top women wealth advisers in Virginia by Forbes | SHOOK. To compile the list, research analysts conducted individual interviews with nominees. Considerations for inclusion on the list include industry experience, compliance records and assets under management. An additional 261 women nationwide with Edward Jones were recognized.
Five Virginia distillers were slated to travel to Paris to participate in VinExpo 2026, an international wine and spirits event. Ironclad Distillery Co. in Newport News was among the group, which also included distillers from Richmond, Albemarle County, Nelson County and Loudoun County, according to the Virginia Spirits Board.
Eight graduates recently completed a 14-week information technology workforce development training program by VersAbility Resources that’s designed to build an inclusive tech workforce. The program prepares people with disabilities for careers in IT. Each member of the inaugural cohort completed hands-on training, career development support and earned industry-recognized credentials to help them pursue in-demand roles in the technology sector. The program combines foundational IT instruction with preparation for widely recognized certifications, including CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+.
Grants and donations
Operation Homefront recently announced that Walmart’s Spark Good program raised more than $2.9 million, including a 2-to-1 match from Walmart — thanks to online customers. In November, customers who shopped on the website and app had the opportunity to round up their purchases at checkout and make additional donations to Operation Homefront. Walmart matched customer contributions to Operation Homefront 2:1 up to $2 million. This is the third consecutive year Walmart selected Operation Homefront as a beneficiary of the Spark Good Veterans Day Round Up. With this year’s donation, Walmart’s Spark Good Round Up program has raised more than $7.9 million since 2023 for Operation Homefront, helping fund relief and support programs for military families.
The Pizza Hut Foundation, in partnership with the Book It! reading program, has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Virginia Beach Library Foundation in recognition of the organization’s commitment to promote literacy and empower people of all ages in the community. The grant supports the Pizza Hut Foundation’s goal to expand the reading program through additional literacy-focused initiatives. The Slice of Literacy Grant Program supports nonprofits within 15 miles of a Pizza Hut restaurant that are actively working to improve literacy outcomes in their communities.
Mergers and acquisitions
KW Kingfisher LLC, a joint venture of Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners and Ascendant Capital Partners, have closed on a deal to acquire Williamsburg-based Sotherly Hotels. The joint venture acquired all shares of Sotherly common stock for $2.25 per share in cash. In conjunction with the closing, Schulte Hospitality Group has assumed operations of Sotherly’s 10 full-service hotels and a single condo-hotel management agreement. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, SHG’s portfolio includes more than 250 hotels, restaurants and hospitality ventures.
Nonprofit
Suffolk Parks & Recreation is accepting applications for food and merchant vendors for the upcoming event season. Interested food vendors should offer family-friendly meals and treats at reasonable prices, new food concepts and options that accommodate diverse dietary needs. Merchant vendors should sell homemade goods and crafts that appeal to a wide audience, such as jewelry, apparel, and unique gifts. All merchandise must be original and free of copyright infringement. Upcoming events include the Eggstravaganza on March 21; Cultural Fest on May 16; the TGIF Summer Concert series, which begins on June 12; the Stars & Stripes Spectacular on July 4; Taste of Suffolk on Sept. 12; and the Grand Illumination at Downtown Festival Park on Nov. 20. Visit suffolkparksandrec.com for a vendor application. For more information, email parksemail@suffolkva.us or call 757-514-7250.
The Virginia African American Cultural Center announced a new community mural installation in partnership with ForKids in Chesapeake in honor of Black History Month. Chesapeake graduate Ruby Starcher, a full-time artist, was selected to paint the mural. Pictured, from left, are Thaler McCormick, CEO of ForKids; Hollimon Gregg; Angela Gregg, VAACC vice chair; VAACC chair Amelia Ross-Hammond; Chesapeake Mayor Rick West; mural artist Ruby Starcher; and Kate Pittman, executive director of the ViBe Creative District. (ForKids)
Opening
Red Roof Inn Hampton Coliseum opened at 1918 Coliseum Drive in Hampton. The 135-room hotel offers free Wi-Fi, free expanded cable, free coffee in the lobby, paid laundry, microwaves and mini-fridges in guest rooms, and meeting spaces. It is also pet-friendly. Owned by Omaarav 1918 LLC, the hotel is also near Langley Air Force Base and Buckroe Beach.
Cloudsteppers by Clarks is expected to open this spring at Outlets Nags Head. The 1,180-square-foot store offers lightweight comfort footwear, athleisure wear and casual apparel. It will be next to Outer Banks Olive Oil Co. It’s one of the brand’s first new concept stores in the U.S. following an opening in Texas. The retail outlet previously announced J.Crew Factory and Skechers are also expected to open this spring.
Old Dominion Group, which has offices in Hampton Roads, played a key role in resolving a potential safety hazard on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. The company and its affiliates, Old Dominion Abatement & Demolition and Integrated Scaffolding Concepts, responded to an urgent call from VCU to perform an assessment on the pyramid atop the university’s College of Engineering building. (Old Dominion Group)