The Business Voice, Summer 2021

MEET LUANNE GUTERMUTH

Your Chamber’s New Chair

THEY SERVED OUR COUNTRY Now Women Veterans Interactive Serves Them

MAKING THE CASE

for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Optimism Reigns as NOVA Reopens

Industry experts feel good about the future

SUMMER 2021 | novachamber.org 1

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Scan the QR code to connect with one of our Trusted Advisors or go to cox.com/communities to learn more.

Steve Chatman Director, Cox Communities

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AGENDA

Inside this issue

summer 2021

Q&A with the Chamber’s new Chair, Luanne Gutermuth

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NOVA Reopens On the Cover: Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Photo courtesy Visit Fairfax/April Greer

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Your Chamber in Action

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Members Making News Awards, acquisitions, accolades, and more about your fellow Chamber members.

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The Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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Cover Story: Optimism Reigns as NOVA Reopens

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Spotlight on Nonprofit: The Side-Out Foundation

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Women Veterans Interactive: Serving Those Who Served Our Country

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And the Awards Went to...

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New Members

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Upcoming Chamber Events To stay apprised of the events featured here and all upcoming events, keep an eye on Chamber emails and visit the website for complete details and registration information: novachamber.org/upcoming-events Keeping members informed and providing opportunities for peer-to-peer engagement are part of the Chamber’s ongoing mission. We accomplish this through a variety of activities that range from expert-led, topical events to focused group discussions. Following is the lineup of events for this summer through September. All events are virtual unless otherwise noted.

JULY

SEPTEMBER

Young Professionals Forum 11-Noon

Greater Washington Apprenticeship Network - September Employer Briefing 2 p.m.

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AUGUST

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Greater Washington Apprentice Network – August Employer Briefing 2 p.m.

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Welcome Back Celebration - In person The Garden, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria VA 5-7 p.m.

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New Member Orientation 3-4 p.m.

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6th Annual Regional Elected Leaders Forum In person 9 a.m.

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Distinguished Service Awards - In person 8-9:30 a.m.

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Capital Region Business Forum - In person 9 a.m.

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McAuliffe

Published by

Northern Virginia Chamber Advocacy 101 10 a.m.

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TO ADVERTISE

Contact Bruce Potter bpotter@insidenova.com 571.333.1538

Speed Networking In person 3 p.m.

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Annual State of Transportation - In person 9 a.m.

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Young Professionals Forum 11-Noon

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce 7900 Westpark Drive, Suite A550, Tysons, VA 22102-3853 Phone: 703.749.0400 Fax: 703.749.9075 www.novachamber.org • To learn more about membership, please contact John Woodstock, 703.725.7526; jwoodstock@novachamber.org

EDITOR

Youngkin

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Susan McCorkindale

Top of the Ticket In person See former Governor Terry McAuliffe and businessman Glenn Youngkin when they go head-to-head on the issues that matter most at the region’s most prominent political debate.

8 a.m.

• ART DIRECTOR

Kara Thorpe •

InsideNoVa.com 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge VA 22192 ©2021 Rappahannock Media LLC

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FROM THE CHAIR Meet Luanne Gutermuth, corporate executive turned small business owner, and the Chamber’s new board chair Luanne Gutermuth’s professional life is busier than ever since her retirement last year from Washington Gas.

A

fter over 20 years in the energy industry, ending as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Washington Gas, Gutermuth founded LSG Solutions LLC, a small consulting firm helping organizations improve effectiveness and achieve strategic objectives. Earlier this year, she and her husband, Mike started Good Spirit Farm, a farm winery in Loudoun County. She was also recently named Chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. And if that's not enough to keep her busy, Gutermuth also serves on the boards of Washington Performing Arts and Northern Virginia Family Service and is active in many other community organizations and industry associations.

Gutermuth has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the College of William and Mary and a master’s of business administration from the University of Maryland, as well as a certificate in organization development from Georgetown University in Washington.

The Business Voice asked Gutermuth to discuss her new role leading the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce board, and what she sees as top priorities coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BV: HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND IN THE CORPORATE WORLD HELPED PREPARE YOU FOR THIS ROLE? LG: My experience in the corporate setting, including over 20

years at Washington Gas, taught me the importance of listening to all stakeholders and finding solutions that balance the interests of those various groups. I learned the importance of building and nurturing relationships with peers, partners, customers and service providers, and strengthening connections by working toward shared solutions.

The NOVA Chamber has and will continue to be an important voice in addressing regional challenges, and I hope my experience will allow me to contribute to collaborative, inclusive solutions.

I’ve recently started a new venture as a small-business owner, as my husband and I are in the process of creating Good Spirit Farm – a new entry into the vibrant agritourism market in Loudoun County. I’m learning firsthand the myriad issues – access to scarce resources, zoning and regulatory requirements, supply chain bottlenecks – that smallbusiness owners face on a daily basis. This new experience is expanding my perspective in a way I hope will help me understand and represent member companies of varying sizes.

P H O T O S B Y PA U L L A R A

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challenges and regional inequalities that have existed long before COVID. The good news is that the Chamber is well positioned to support its members in meeting these challenges and opportunities.

BV: WHAT SORT OF LOBBYING EFFORTS DO YOU SEE THE CHAMBER CHAMPIONING THIS STATE ELECTION YEAR? LG: The Chamber’s outstanding

BV: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS POSITION?

LG: The NOVA Chamber is not only a premier business organization, it’s also a community organization. It is the voice of business in Northern Virginia and a key participant, with non-profits, academia and government leaders, in making sure our region is a great place to work and live. The member organizations are part of the Chamber because they see value in building community and playing an active role in our region. The individual leaders I’ve met through the Chamber are committed to having a positive impact on our community as they grow their businesses, serve customers and provide good jobs with long-term career opportunities. It’s truly an honor to serve as board chair of an organization made up of outstanding organizations led by strong, positive leaders.

BV: THE CHAMBER IS IN THE TOP THREE LARGEST BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS IN THE D.C. AREA WITH GROWING MEMBERSHIP. HOW WILL YOU CONTINUE TO GROW THAT BASE?

LG: The Chamber’s success is a reflection of its strong leadership – notably our CEO, Julie Coons – and fantastic staff. And this past year, the Chamber was truly fortunate to have Kathryn Falk as board chair. She did an amazing job during an unprecedented, extremely challenging year and I have the good fortune of beginning my term at a time when membership is growing, and our financial position is solid.

The NOVA Chamber will continue to attract and retain members by focusing on issues that are important to our regional business community and by providing access to thought leaders and innovative ideas. We have just adopted

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a new comprehensive strategic plan that will shape and focus the Chamber’s work over the coming year. Our plan focuses on three critical areas that undergird the success of our greater community.

First – Regional Leadership: contributing to solutions that address issues that cross county and state boundaries.

Second – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: promoting systemic change to create equitable access to opportunity.

Third – Workforce: attracting talent and matching skill sets needed by regional employers.

Of course, these three areas are interrelated, and sustainable progress will depend on our ability to create and implement solutions that promote regionalism, foster equity and grow talent.

BV: WHAT CHALLENGES DO NORTHERN VIRGINIA BUSINESSES FACE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, PARTICULARLY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE PANDEMIC, AND HOW CAN THE CHAMBER HELP THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NAVIGATE THOSE CHALLENGES?

LG: Key challenges have, and will continue to, focus on talent. Northern Virginia businesses of all sizes, in all industry sectors, will continue to struggle to find individuals with the skills needed to fill key roles. Further, employee and societal expectations are changing. The bar will continue to be raised in the areas of inclusivity, equitable access and employee engagement.

This past year clearly demonstrated the indispensable role our business community plays in the overall health and success of our greater community.

As we enter post-pandemic life, we have an opportunity to come back, to build back, in a way that addresses workforce

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advocacy efforts, led by Clayton Medford, Vice President, Government Relations, will continue to push for public policies that make the Commonwealth a great place to do business – such as Virginia’s Right to Work provisions – as well as a great place to work, live and thrive. The Chamber will continue to advocate for workforce programs that provide opportunity to individuals and help meet the talent needs of our member organizations. And, consistent with the Chamber’s stated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we will push for equitable access to opportunities in education, employment and business growth.

BV: TELL US ABOUT YOUR LIFE “OFF THE CLOCK.” WHAT SORT OF HOBBIES OR PASSIONS DO YOU HAVE OUTSIDE THE HARD-CHARGING BUSINESS WORLD? LG: With our new business venture

just getting underway, I doubt my golf game will improve much this summer.

But now that the world is opening up, I look forward to cheering on the Nats at the ballpark and attending live music concerts!

BV: TELL US ABOUT A FAVORITE BOOK YOU’VE READ AND WHY IT MEANT SOMETHING TO YOU. LG: Over the past I’ve focused a lot

on listening and learning. A big part of learning has been reading books that expand my perspective and help me understand more fully the impact of privilege in my life and the impact of systemic inequities in the lives of people of color. Some books I’ve found particularly helpful – and recommend to others – include: The Person You Mean to Be (Dolly Clugh), Caste (Isabel Wilkerson) and American Dirt (Jeanine Cummins).

And folks that have worked with me know that I always recommend Marshall Goldsmith’s, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, which is one of the best leadership development books I’ve read.

Washington Gas is proud to support the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Washington Gas is the preferred source for safe, reliable and affordable energy solutions in our area. We also know that our responsibilities do not end there. We’ve made a commitment to help enhance the quality of life throughout our communities. That’s why we’re proud to work with local organizations that improve people’s health, promote a cleaner environment, support efforts to better educate our youth and as a result, enrich lives today and for generations to come.

To learn more about how Washington Gas is helping create a healthier, more vibrant community, visit https://www.washingtongas.com.

GOVERNMENT

With Right-to-Work on the Table, Governor’s Race Takes on New Importance

BY C L AY T O N M E D F O R D Vice President of Government Relations, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

V

irginia’s status as a true right-towork state is being threatened. Although efforts to repeal the law have failed the past two legislative sessions, a recent move to erode it is advancing. Virginia’s business community must stand together and make our unwavering support for right-to-work known in the upcoming race for governor.

Right-to-work prohibits employees from being forced to join a union as a condition of employment. The law has survived recent attempts to repeal it, but is being slowly eroded through other legislation. The latest example of this is in the cannabis legalization bill.

In April, the Virginia General Assembly narrowly approved the legalization of recreational cannabis. The version of the approved bill had been amended by Gov. 10

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Ralph Northam in two key ways. First, recreational use and possession is legal as of July 1, while the bill the General Assembly had previously approved delayed that step, along with the rest of the bill, by several years.

Second, new language was inserted into the bill that is seen by business leaders as eroding Virginia’s status as a right-to-work state.

The language in question would revoke a cannabis company’s license to do business in Virginia should the employer fail to “remain neutral” if its employees consider unionizing. This would appear to be in violation of federal law, which allows employers the same right as unions to make their case to employees regarding unionization. To be clear, employees are free to unionize in Virginia right now. However, you cannot condition employment |

SUMMER 2021

on union membership; employees are free to join or not join with no consequences from their employer. This amendment would remove managers and owners from what would be a fundamental change in how their business operates. It would leave Virginia’s right-to-work law a hollow shell.

Why is this a big deal to Virginia’s economy? Virginia ranked number one on CNBC’s 2019 list of the Best States for Business. Four of the top five states on that list are right-to-work states, as are the states with which Virginia competes most closely for business relocations.

In addition, a 2019 survey of corporate executives found that fully 70% ranked right-to-work as important or very important for site selection. Finally, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership found that a repeal of right-to-work would

cost the state $9 million to $25 million in general fund revenue and thousands of manufacturing jobs.

The cannabis legislation must be voted on again by the General Assembly in order for it to become law. Between now and then, Virginia will elect a new governor.

Republicans have chosen businessman Glenn Youngkin as their candidate, and Democrats former Gov. Terry McAuliffe to be theirs.

While there are many business issues that need to be addressed by the incoming governor, there is no doubt that right-to-work must be at the top of the list. On Sept.

28, the Northern Virginia Chamber will host a debate between Mr. Youngkin and former Gov. McAuliffe. You can bet right-to-work and efforts like the amendment to the cannabis bill will be front and center.

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Completed & Prospective Acquisitions

Cox Communications to Acquire Segra’s Commercial Enterprise and Carrier Business Cox Communications has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Charlotte, N.C.-based Segra, one of the largest privately held fiber infrastructure providers in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Specifically, Cox will acquire Segra’s commercial services division, a leading super-regional, fiber-based provider serving commercial enterprise and carrier customers in nine states.

Peraton Completes Acquisition Of Perspecta Peraton recently announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Perspecta Inc., thus establishing the company as the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider. This announcement follows Peraton’s February acquisition of Northrop Grumman’s integrated mission support and IT solutions business.

With the acquisition of Perspecta Inc., Peraton has created a top-tier, next-generation national security provider that is positioned to serve as a valued partner to essential government agencies across the intelligence, space, cyber, defense, civilian, health, state and local markets. Said Stu Shea, chairman, president and CEO, “The new Peraton represents a truly transformative change for the industry, our customers, and each one of our employees.”

Stu Shea, Chairman, President and CEO, Peraton

Arts News

New Research

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing 2021 Regional Real Estate Arts launches Ellen Reid Soundwalk Market Forecast Available Ellen Reid Soundwalk is a GPSenabled work of free public art that uses music to illuminate the natural environment. Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Reid, Soundwalk is tailormade for Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, created to encourage calm reflection and introspection and can be experienced while following social distancing guidelines. For more information, visit wolftrap.org/ calendar/performance/soundwalk

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The Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, in partnership with the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis, has released its 2021 regional real estate market forecast. To learn where the market in our region is headed and read the forecast in full or by jurisdiction, visit NVAR.com/stats.

Rising Stars

Sukumar Iyer, CEO and Executive Chairman of Brillient Corp., named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 MidAtlantic Award finalist

Sukumar Iyer, CEO and Executive Chairman Sukumar Iyer, Brillient Corporation

Ernst & Young LLP recently announced that CEO and Executive Chairman Sukumar Iyer of Brillient Corporation has been named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 Mid-Atlantic Award finalist. Award winners will be announced during a special virtual celebration Aug. 3 and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world.

Gallagher Broker Young Chol Kim Recognized as a 2021 Hospitality Power Broker

Young Chol Kim, CIC, CLCS, SBCS, Area Assistant Vice President, Gallagher, Potomac Falls

Gallagher broker and Potomac Falls area assistant vice president Young Chol Kim has been named to Risk and Insurance Magazine’s 2021 list of top hospitality power brokers. Kim received glowing reviews from clients who praised his ability to get hospitality businesses much-needed insurance payments in the wake of COVID-19.

MITRE’s Stephanie Turner Named 2021 Business of Pride honoree Stephanie Turner, Vice President, Inclusion, Diversity & Social Innovation at MITRE, has been named a Washington Business Journal 2021 Business of Pride honoree. Turner’s work has included implementing mandatory diversity training, and she also sits on the board for Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership.

Stephanie Turner, Vice President, Inclusion, Diversity & Social Innovation, MITRE Corp.

And the Contract Goes to...

Brillient Receives NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Multi-Award IDIQ The NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development have awarded Brillient Corp. a full and open multi-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract to support expansion of the NIDDK Central Repository Program. “We are pleased to expand our long-standing relationship with the National Institutes of Health by being selected for this crucial work with the NIDDK to maximize the value of digital and analog bio assets in support of advancing research in diabetes, kidney disease, and other chronic conditions,” said Richard Jacik, Brillient’s Chief Digital Officer.

Richard Jacik, Chief Digital Officer, Brillient

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CREATING LEADERS

Best Practices: How can your company take action to support DE&I?

The Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

BY K AT H RY N FA L K , J O H N A . A L L E N , A N D A M B E R L E W I S

Ownership starts at the top. Your CEO must communicate personal support for the efforts to ensure that all leaders embrace it and that all employees see top leadership engaged.

Also, this cannot be the sole responsibility of Human Resources.

Benchmark externally.

Understand how your company is doing compared to others in your industry and other companies in general.

Benchmark internally.

Ask your employees for their feedback. Find out how you are doing and where your areas of opportunity exist and then continue to measure at least annually.

D

iversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) has been a hot topic in business for the past several years but gained more attention as social justice issues took center stage across the nation and the world last year. But what does it mean for your business and why should you devote your time and resources to this pursuit? Read on for four good reasons (and more) to get on board.

First, do the right thing. As business leaders, we make decisions and take actions every day. We strive to do the right thing for our people, our companies, and our communities. We should view DE&I through that same basic lens. It is the right thing to do in every respect. The end.

Second, it’s a reality. Demographics of the region are changing rapidly, and you need to focus on DE&I to support your workforce and your customers. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission reports that we have 2.5 million people in this region and ours is one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in the United States.

The commission also reports, “Over the 14

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past couple of decades, Northern Virginia has experienced a major transformation driven by the growth of racial minorities and the foreignborn populations.”

Finally, the commission notes that in 2000, Northern Virginia’s minority population was 34.6%, but by 2019, the region was nearly a minority-majority, with a minority population of 49.7%. Our region’s rate of increase among the minority population is much greater than that of the United States and Virginia. The region is now 10 or 11 percentage points higher than Virginia and the United States.

Third, it’s good for your bottom line.

McKinsey & Co.’s May 2020 report, “Diversity Wins,” demonstrates that “the relationship between diversity on executive teams and the likelihood of financial outperformance has strengthened over time. These findings emerge from our largest data set so far, encompassing 15 countries and more than 1,000 large companies.” McKinsey’s findings show clear evidence of improved performance based on increased gender and ethnic diversity in

Measure leaders and incorporate specific goals in the performance management process.

People naturally do things that are in their goals and that their overall performance will be measured against.

This could include their goals for recruitment, promotion and development.

Build and sustain a DE&I council. Make it cross-functional and employee-driven with a focus on business results.

Build and promote an inclusive environment through employee resource groups on a variety of topic areas from women to LGBTQ to African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/ LatinX, Veterans and others.

Establish education and development opportunities across all platforms on DE&I to include webinars, book clubs, speakers and training.

The Washingtonian Group is proud to support THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Howard S. Rothman Vice President 202.916.3145 howard.rothman@jpmorgan.com jpmorgan.com/wg 875 15th Street NW, 7th Floor Washington, DC 20005

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executive teams.

Fourth, you cannot win the war for talent without it. Embracing diversity, equity and inclusion best practices is imperative for recruiting and retaining the best talent, particularly now that recruiting is harder than before the pandemic. Many jobs are going unfilled, especially in hospitality. According to a recent S&P Global Market Intelligence article, “economists say this brewing labor crisis threatens the economic recovery as lost sales start to pile up.”

And it gets worse.

In May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that at the end of March there were 8.1 million open jobs in the U.S., the highest amount since the bureau began tracking such data in December 2000. And in its May jobs report, the National Federation of Independent Business reported that a record 44% of smallbusiness owners had job openings they could not fill in April, up from 24% in April 2020 and up from the average of 22% over the past 48 years.

A new trend is also emerging in which employees, stressed out from the pandemic, are quitting jobs and leaving companies that do not value them as people or who want them to return to the office. According to Prudential Financials’ Pulse Survey of the American Worker, one in four workers is planning to look for opportunities with a new employer once the threat of the pandemic has subsided.

Employers need to work harder to attract and retain the best talent, and embracing a culture of DE&I is now more than nice to have, it is vital.

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce is leading on DE&I We are proud to report that the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce embraced this important focus area in 2020 and formed a DE&I board of advisors. Our goal was to recruit top regional leaders who could advise our executive committee and leadership on how to make progress on DE&I in our region.

We are grateful that this group of outstanding leaders came together over the past year and produced a set of recommendations, which are being included in the Chamber’s upcoming revised strategic plan. The recommendations focus on these four areas: 1. Mentoring, Support and Recognition 2. Opportunities to Grow Diverse Businesses 3. Advocacy and Policy Development 4. DEI Relationships and Representation While we are proud of the progress we have made in the past year, much more work lies ahead. We look forward to helping drive progress in the region.

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Two Examples of DE&I Best Practices in Action: Wells Fargo:

Wells Fargo is demonstrating these best practices with priorities and goals set by its Enterprise Diversity and Inclusion Council, led by CEO and President Charles W. Scharf and composed of leaders across the company. The company has also established diversity and inclusion councils at its business and international regional levels to help implement programs and initiatives. In addition, Team Member Networks are an integral part of Wells Fargo’s commitment to building a diverse and inclusive culture. They are a place for employees to connect, leverage, learn, build their skills and affect business outcomes. Team Member Networks collaborate with key internal partners, including Human Resources, Public Affairs, Marketing and Corporate Communications, to implement diversity and inclusion in every aspect of Wells Fargo’s business.

Diversity and inclusion leaders across the company help to strategically implement inclusive practices and behaviors. And finally, to create accountability and measure progress, diversity and inclusion metrics are integrated into monthly business review meetings.

Cox Communications: At Cox Communications, and through its parent company Cox Enterprises, the firm strives to empower its people, clients, and communities to come together and celebrate each other’s unique abilities and perspectives.

Inclusion is an essential part of both Cox’s culture and business strategy.

Cox believes diversity is limitless, embodying all human experiences and truths. Unity, not uniformity, is its aim and that to achieve unity, equality and inclusion is necessary. Cox has formed the Actions Speak task force, a group of nearly three dozen leaders from across its businesses tasked with building a more diverse and inclusive environment internally. The team is looking to improve the diversity of executives, programs to grow businesses owned by people of color, and training roadmaps that will help employees expand their understanding of inclusion and diversity. Building an open, inclusive workplace is a journey, and Cox recognizes that there is still plenty of road ahead. But the company is proud of its progress, including its recent inclusion in Diversity Inc.’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity and among Forbes’ 2021 Best Employers for Diversity.

“Diversity and inclusion has been at the core of Cox Communications’ mission and values for more than 50 years,” Cox president Pat Esser said. “I’m proud of the work we continue to do to foster diversity with our people, customers, suppliers and in the community.”

Members of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce DE&I Board of Advisors Kathryn Falk (co-chair) Cox Communications John A. Allen (co-chair) Wells Fargo Kathy Albarado Helios HR

Karla Bruce Fairfax County Government Anthony Chang Washington REIT Jim Dyke McGuire Woods Consulting

Deb Gandy Chevy Chase Trust Luanne Gutermuth LSG Solutions LLC Victor Hoskins Fairfax County EDA Jermaine Johnson PNC Bank Matt McQueen Peraton

Richard Pineda CALIBRE

Scott Price Dominion

About the Authors

Monica Schmude Cigna

Tamika Tremaglio Deloitte Telly Tucker Arlington Economic Development Stephanie Turner MITRE Tien Wong Opus8

Kathryn Falk is Vice President, Northern Virginia at Cox Communications, and Co-Chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Board of Advisors. John A. Allen is D.C. Region Bank President at Wells Fargo, and Co-Chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Board of Advisors. Amber Lewis is an intern at Cox Communications and a student at Norfolk State University.

COVER STORY

Optimism reigns as NOVA reopens

BY J O N AT H A N H U N L E Y

J

ust like everyone else, those in the tourism and entertainment industries in Northern Virginia had to make some big changes to adapt to life in a world with COVID-19. They literally had to alter the way they did business.

But now that masks are being shed and rules becoming less strict, they’re expecting not just to survive but to thrive, to see not only a return to normalcy but also growth.

When the pandemic hit, Visit Fairfax, the destination marketing organization for the county, “completely reversed” what it usually does, said Barry H. Biggar, the agency’s president and chief executive officer.

Instead of promoting the locality to potential tourists as a place for vacations, meetings, sporting events and the like, the staff began marketing to residents. For example, it worked with major attractions in the county on virtual tours and helped restaurants let local folks know about opportunities for carryout and outdoor dining. And realizing that people weren’t

going to travel here, Visit Fairfax tried to help hotels establish connections with first responders and health-care professionals who might want or need a place to stay other than at home.

Now that pandemic fears have eased and Northern Virginia has begun to reopen, the agency is again working to attract travel groups as well as sporting events and leisure visitors. It’s looking specifically at those who wouldn’t come from too far away, say from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the north and North Carolina to the south.

It will take more time for business travel, on which Fairfax relies, to resume in force, Biggar said. That means hotels in the county aren’t seeing as much of a return to the routine as those in other regions, with occupancy rates continuing to be less than 50%.

From March to December last year, revenue at hotels in Fairfax was down $525 million from the previous year, Biggar said. So many hoteliers had to defer payments on lots of items, including utilities, mortgages, leases and capital

improvements.

“The hotel industry, particularly, has been hit hard,” he added.

Restaurants, on the other hand, are back to 80% to 90% of pre-pandemic sales, Biggar said, but they also have deferred payments, so that doesn’t translate to profits.

In addition, the tourism, travel and hospitality industries are facing a workforce shortage, he said, as some of the unemployed are earning more from government safety nets than they would if they went back to work. As a result, hotels and restaurants are being forced to raise hourly wages to entice employees.

In 2019, tourism contributed $27 billion to the overall state economy, according to the Virginia Tourism Corp.

But last year, during the pandemic, the industry lost $10 billion.

Bottom line: The economic recovery of the state and the nation will depend on the recovery of the travel, tourism and hospitality sector, Biggar said.

The loss of travel dollars from the pandemic is greater than what was lost

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after the 9/11 attacks and during the 2008 financial crisis combined, Biggar said.

He also added that it will take as much as four times longer to recover from pandemic losses than it did to recover from either of those crises.

And yet he remains optimistic that the travel, tourism and hospitality industries will not only recover but prosper. “We will grow,” he said. “No doubt about it at all.” Many will contend that the rise of virtual platforms renders travel unnecessary, he said. But people still need to make personal connections “They want to get back to traveling, to seeing, to pressing the flesh, to having face-to-face conversations,” he said.

Many probably also want to get back to enjoying live entertainment in person.

The pandemic didn’t stop the arts from being made in Northern Virginia, but it did change the way they were presented, at least at one prominent organization.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts believes “very strongly” in the core value of striving to be a resource for the community, said its president and CEO, Arvind Manocha.

But during the pandemic it was impossible to gather people together for traditional concerts.

“That being said, with the help of our many thousands of members and supporters, we were able to continue to find ways to deliver the arts in homes, phones and classrooms,” Manocha said.

For example, Wolf Trap continued its work with educators in Fairfax County and across the country, although in a different manner.

“As the early childhood community pivoted to providing instruction remotely, Wolf Trap was able to do the 18

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same, continuing our partnerships with school systems near and far via digital platforms,” Manocha said.

Wolf Trap Opera, meanwhile, “forged ahead” with plans to bring the best young talent from across the country to Vienna, he said. The program, based on an artist residency model, created an NBA-style “bubble,” the only effort of its kind in the nation to do so. Instead of the singers performing in front of live audiences, they created a digital summer season that was streamed online and viewed by thousands of opera fans.

The foundation also teamed with some of its favorite local artists to commission a series of “pop-up” concerts at Wolf Trap National Park, captured under exacting COVID protocols and streamed once a week on wolftrap.org.

“It was important to us to make sure that music was made in our nation’s national park for the arts, and that our fans and supporters had the opportunity to connect with the park from the comfort and safety of their own home,” Manocha said.

Not having fans in the seats in Vienna, however, took its toll. The foundation’s annual budget is based on a mix of earned revenue from items such as ticket sales and contributed income from members and other philanthropic organizations.

But during the pandemic, Wolf Trap saw its earned revenue, like everyone’s in the live music sector, reduced to zero.

Manocha said he and his staff are grateful for the community support that allowed for the creation of digital programs and a plan to return to holding events post-pandemic. The first phase of re-opening, which began last month and will end in early August, allows for reduced-capacity concerts. From there, the organization will return to hosting live music just like it did in the old days.

As Northern Virginia continues to grow, so do entertainment options and amenities, Manocha said. New additions to the venue landscape mean more choices for residents and will bring even more focus on the region as a destination.

“I feel very strongly about the future,” he added. “I think as we continue to come out of the pandemic we are reminded of just how much we miss our friends and families, of how much we miss enjoying great artistic experiences with them.”

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A note from Julie Coons, president, and CEO

When we held our last inperson event in March 2020, I don’t think any of us imagined it would be more than a year before we would gather in person again. Over the past 15 months we have been closely monitoring guidance from the Governor, CDC, local health officials, and our members.

Earlier this month, we surveyed you to gauge your comfort with a return to in-person events. We hear you loud and clear. You are ready. We are too.

I am delighted to share with you that the Northern Virginia Chamber will begin transitioning back to in-person events and activities later this summer.

We hope you will join us for a Welcome Back Celebration on August 5th, in person.

Our guidelines for event attendees:

• Fully vaccinated individuals will not be required to wear facial coverings.

• Unvaccinated and not yet fully vaccinated guests are asked to wear facial coverings at events.

• Anyone is welcome to wear facial coverings at our events, if that is how they feel most safe.

• We will not be asking for proof of vaccinations. We trust that our members and attendees will make responsible choices.

We will, of course, continue to monitor the situation and will adjust as appropriate.

While some of our programming will continue to be offered virtually, as that format continues to make sense for some activities, the majority of our events through the Fall will be offered in-person.

On behalf of our Board of Directors and staff, I want to thank all Northern Virginia Chamber members and partners for your patience, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our organization, and our community, strong and healthy throughout this crisis.

We look forward to seeing you

SPOTLIGHT on non-profit

The Side-Out Foundation: Giving those with metastatic breast cancer a chance to live longer

BY S U E B A L DA N I

M

etastatic breast cancer does not have a cure. However, there have been incredible strides in helping people affected with this disease live longer.

While six months or six years may not seem like a lot of time to most people, every extra moment to spend time with family and friends is precious to people diagnosed with this devastating disease, in which the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

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LEFT: When Rick told the team about his mom, they decided to play in her honor. “They started to win,” he said. “They inspired her.” Credit: Brandon Ginsburg. ABOVE: From left to right, Rick Dunetz’s father, Bryant, wife Akiyo Nishida Dunetz, Rick, and his mother, Gloria.

“When you know that something like this will eventually take your life, every moment you can gain is incredibly valuable,” says Rick Dunetz, co-founder and executive director of the Side-Out Foundation in Fairfax. “More time means more birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and weddings.”

Side-Out was founded in 2005 by Rick and his father, Bryant Dunetz, after Gloria Dunetz, Rick’s mother and Bryant’s wife, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. The foundation focuses on using precision medicine to help those with the disease live longer with progression-free survival. This approach gave Gloria an extra six years of life.

“That meant something to her,” Rick said.

“My mother wanted to see me get married and to see the birth of her grandchildren.

She was able to witness those things because of precision medicine.”

With precision medicine, researchers determine the biological makeup of someone’s cancer and test different drugs and drug combinations on the tumors to find what works on them. “We share 20

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that information with a tumor board consisting of oncologists and scientists.

My mother was actually patient number one in our first clinical trial.”

Standard care works to some degree for a good percentage of patients, Rick said, but precision medicine should precede it to ensure that the oncologist is making an informed decision.

“We try every FDA-approved cancer treatment on cancerous tissue we collect from each patient, and this tells us which treatment solutions will have a significant effect on a person’s disease.”

So what about the name, Side-Out? It’s a volleyball term that means regaining control of the ball, and it’s appropriate because volleyball has been the vehicle through which the foundation has raised money to help people such as Gloria regain some control over their lives.

Rick has been a part-time volleyball coach for many years. “In 2004, when I took over the West Springfield High School volleyball team, it was struggling; the head coach had resigned. And the day that the head coach resigned, I learned of

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my mother’s diagnosis.”

After a while, the stress started to take its toll and he decided to let his volleyball team know what was happening in his life. That conversation was the catalyst for all that came after and the spark that started the foundation.

“After that, the team made a decision that they were going to play in honor of my mother,” he recalled. “They started to win.”

During the district playoffs, his mother, who was in a state of depression, showed up to watch, and the team defeated a formidable opponent to win the district championship. After that, his mom continued to attend games, and that team went all the way to the regional semifinals.

“I believe my mother wouldn’t have made it two years had she not been moved by that team to take on the disease,” Rick said. “They inspired her.”

The Side-Out Foundation has raised $16 million so far, and Rick wants to see that number climb. “Up to this point, volleyball match fundraisers have raised it all, which is pretty incredible. But now we want to open the floodgates.”

What many people don’t know, says Rick, is that very little (only about 7%) of the funding raised in the wider breast cancer arena goes to finding a cure for metastatic disease. That’s why the Side-Out Foundation focuses solely on this aspect.

Of course, it’s important to raise money year round, but since Oct. 13 is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Rick would like to see a NorthernVirginia-wide effort of businesses and individuals come together to raise funds for the foundation.

For every $2,000 raised, the foundation can serve one patient. “The more patients we serve, the more data we’re going to collect, and the more we’re going to learn about the disease and be able to give folks living with metastatic breast cancer more time.”

Rick said his father was the architect of our research. “He was the one who got it all started, and now at 86, he’s passing the torch to me. Our new research endeavor has my fingerprints on it. Having an impact on people’s lives is something that drives me every day.”

For more information, visit Side-Out.org

VETERANS

Women Veterans Interactive: Serving those who have served our country

BY S U E B A L DA N I

A

fter serving four years in the U.S. Navy, and being medically discharged after an accident, Ginger Miller had a difficult time transitioning back into civilian life.

Because she joined the military right out of high school she was unskilled for many employment opportunities.

“I did not transition well,” Miller said. Her husband, a Marine who was discharged before her, was suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

“We ended up being homeless,” she added. “I knew no other female veterans.

I was feeling down and out and ashamed of being homeless after serving my country. Even if I would’ve known where to look for help, I don’t know if I would have been strong enough to ask for it.”

Miller ended up working three jobs, raising two young sons, and going to school whenever she found the time. She eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s in nonprofit and association management, and her life today is dramatically different.

However, she never forgot those struggles and committed herself to making the

RIGHT: Bonnie Tavolazzi, Senior Strategic Adviser, Echo Five Group and 2020 Veteran Employee of the Year. Photo courtesy Bonnie Tavolazzi. BELOW: Ginger Miller, front row, second from left, and the group of female veterans invited to tour actor Tyler Perry’s new studios.

Photo courtesy Ginger Miller.

transition smoother for other female veterans.

In 2009, she founded John 14.2 Inc., a nonprofit that focused on veterans who suffered from PTSD – “not realizing that I also had my own issues as a woman veteran,” she said.

Two years later, when Miller was a

commissioner and chair of the outreach and education committee of the Maryland Commission for Women, she decided she wanted to do something specifically to help women like herself and founded Women Veterans Interactive under the umbrella of John 14.2. WVI grew so quickly that it became its own

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Join Us in Celebrating Those Who Serve Our Veterans

Veterans struggle to reintegrate into the community when returning home from tours abroad.

Thankfully heroes our business community dedicate time and resources to making this reintegration process easier and to providing employment opportunities for those who served.

On Tuesday, Aug. 31, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce will once again host the Distinguished Service Awards to honor these individuals, companies, and non-profit organizations for their service to veterans in the Greater Washington business community. We hope you’ll join us.

2020 Distinguished Service Award Winners: Veteran-Owned Business of the Year: • Emerging business: Echo Five Group • Maturing business: IT Veterans • Established business: HigherEchelon Inc.

Veteran Employee of the Year: Bonnie Tavolazzi, Senior Strategic Adviser, Echo Five Group Veteran Service Organization of the Year: Boulder Crest Foundation

Applications for the 2021 Distinguished Service Awards open on July 12 and close August 13 and are open to all. Visit novachamber.org/distinguished-service-awards/

nonprofit in 2018.

Miller recalled that in March 2012, she organized a women veterans empowerment and unification cruise, and more than 200 women veterans registered within 30 days. “That showed me that I wasn’t the only woman veteran who had struggled or was struggling.”

Miller knew the Veterans Administration was having a hard time reaching female veterans, so she provided a platform from which the VA could talk to women about its services. That gesture began a partnership between the nonprofit and the VA that continues to this day.

One of WVI’s programs, Operation Safety Net, helps women veterans with everything from security deposits and rent to healthy food. It also works to stop evictions and utility disconnections.

In addition, WVI’s workforce development programs help female veterans find employment. “For every three out of five women veterans that have issues with homelessness, their real issues are unemployment and underemployment.”

The struggles that female veterans have can be much more complex than their male counterparts. “A lot of corporations and foundations have funding and programs that support veterans and military spouses, but women veterans often fall through the cracks,” Miller said.

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“That’s why we’re here.”

The organization has now supported over 5,000 women veterans and has members in about 25 states. In 2018, when Miller was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Chamber member and WVI donor B3 Group was in the audience. “Small

“I did not transition well,” Miller said. “We ended up being homeless. I knew no other female veterans. I was feeling down and out and ashamed of being homeless after serving my country.

Even if I would’ve known where to look for help, I don’t know if I would have been strong enough to ask for it.” businesses are some of our biggest supporters, and the B3 Group has made a commitment and has stuck to their commitment,” Miller said. “To have an ally like the B3 Group is amazing.”

Another supporter of WVI is actor and producer Tyler Perry, who donated

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$20,000 and gave a private tour – complete with swag bags – of his new studio to about 25 female veterans.

The following year, he sent 150 t-shirts for WVI’s annual Women Veterans Leadership and Diversity Conference.

Miller was recently told her story about being a woman veteran who experienced homelessness for the Obama Presidency Oral History Project. Among many other awards, she received the White House Champion of Change Award for Woman Veterans in 2013.

And she isn’t done yet. The WVI’s new foundation launches this month and will build on the work Miller and her members have already done. It will have its own research department and provide annual data on women veterans.

“There’s no wrong door at WVI,” Miller said. “I don’t care if you’re homeless, if you’re hungry, or if you’re doing great.

We’re here for everybody. For those who don’t need help, they can help their own communities by starting chapters. This is what makes us so special.”

To learn more about the Women Veterans Interactive Foundation, visit womenveteransinteractive. org. There you can also make a donation or become a member. For more information, Miller invites you to email her directly at gm@ womenveteransinteractive.org.

AWARDS And the awards went to…

INNOVATORS

On May 6, the Chamber was proud to host the Mid-Atlantic Innovation Awards with our partner, Big Idea Connectpreneur. During this live, virtual event, we enjoyed watching all of our finalists' one-minute videos, and the audience enjoyed voting for the People's Choice Winner.

This fun-filled event resulted in the recognition of innovators in the fields of cyber tech, clean tech, life sciences, telehealth, and media tech, and the crowning of our 2021 Innovator of the Year, American Gene Technologies.

2021 INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR American Gene Technologies AmericanGene.com PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNER HumanTouch HumanTouchLLC.com

I N N O VAT O R S I N F I V E G R O W I N G F I E L D S CLEAN TECH: Micronic Technologies MicronicTechnologies.com CYBER TECH: iDirect Government iDirectGov.com

LIFE SCIENCES: American Gene Technologies AmericanGene.com

MEDIA TECH: Kyndoo Kyndoo.com TELEHEALTH: VideoKall VideoKall.com

Congratulations to all the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Innovation Award finalists, including: American Gene Technologies, Building Momentum, C2 Labs Inc., CVP (Customer Value Partners), DNA Analytics, HumanTouch LLC., iDirect Government, Kyndoo, Micronic Technologies Inc., and VideoKall Inc., and many thanks to our distinguished panel of judges: Melissa Bradley, 1863 Ventures; Allie Burns, Village Capital; Don Conley, Fundable Teams; Lawrence Greenberg, Motley Fool Ventures; Anita Gupta, KiwiTech; David Heyman, Smart City Works Venture Labs; Laura Hill, EquiFi; and Erika Chan Killian, Leidos.

CHAMPIONS FOR GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY On June 11, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2021 Greater Washington Good Business Awards.

From corporate social responsibility champions to nonprofit organizations that help solve the region’s greatest challenges, the Good Business Awards honors purposeful community leadership, efforts that make a positive impact, and those that do good.

Please join us in congratulating this year's award recipients: NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR: Kaiser Permanente

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Hogan Lovells

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS: Cathy Lange, Partner, Human Capital Advisors, LLC, and Stuart Mendelsohn, Partner, Holland & Knight, LLP THE BUSINESS VOICE

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NEW MEMBERS Let’s give ’em a warm welcome ACCOUNTING » Crowe, LLP Crowe.com CONSULTING » Mikal-Hamlett » Panzarella Consulting LLC LinkedIn.com/in/PhilPanzarella HVAC » Boland Boland.com » TemperaturePro Northern Virginia TemperaturePro.com GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING - CONSULTING » The Building People TheBuildingPeople.com GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING - DEFENSE » iDirect Government iDirectGov.com » Systems Application & Technologies, Inc. (SA-TECH) SaTechInc.com GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING - OTHER » Building Momentum BuildMo.com HEALTH / HEALTH CARE SERVICES » Virginia Hospital Center VirginiaHospitalCenter.com » Your CBD Store (Chantilly) CBDRx4u.com NON PROFIT / ASSOCIATION / CHAMBER » The Side-Out Foundation Side-Out.org » Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund JohnnyMac.org PROFESSIONAL SERVICES » PGLS PGLSInc.com RETAIL STORE & SERVICES » Trophy Mart TrophyMart.com OTHER » Altria Client Services Altria.com 24

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