Anniversaries
The Franklin Johnston Group, a Virginia Beach-based developer and manager of luxury, senior and affordable housing, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. The company was founded by Wendell Franklin, Tom Johnston, Taylor Franklin and Steve Cooper. In 2013, the company began with 25 properties and 4,000 units and has since expanded its portfolio to include over 160 properties and nearly 25,000 units spanning across the East Coast. Staring with a few dozen employees, the company now has more than 650.
Awards and honors
FishingBooker, an online platform connecting anglers and fishing guides worldwide, awards its best captains with the Angler’s Choice Award. To account for the highly seasonal nature of the fishing business, captains can earn the award every three months. Once a year in spring, however, the best-of-the-best captains get special recognition. Out of 7,242 captains who partner with the company, only 576 were recognized for their excellence three times — fall, winter and spring. Four are from Hampton Roads. They include Todd Beck of Virginia Beach; Sonny Insley of Poquoson; John O’Neal of Hampton; and Kurt Ward of Virginia Beach.
Hook Law attorney and shareholder Letha Sgritta McDowell, who serves clients planning for wealth protection, retirement and long-term care, was named a fellow by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. The selection is the organization’s highest honor and makes her one of just three attorneys in North Carolina and six in Virginia to hold the distinction. One of the others is Andrew “Andy” Hook, the firm’s founder and owner.
Winners of the Virginia Professional Communicators 2023 communications contest were announced May 5. Thirty first-place winners advanced to the contest of the National Federation of Press Women, of which VPC is an affiliate. Among these, 15 VPC members will receive national awards. National winners will be announced on June 24 at NFPW’s annual conference. First place state contest winners include: Gail Kent of Newport News, personality profile; Tracy Perkins of Williamsburg, public relations materials; Deana Ricks of Yorktown, web and social media; Meghan van Joosten of Norfolk, web and social media.
Celebrations
Bon Secours Hampton Roads hosted its inaugural Nursing Appreciation Gala on May 9 during National Nurses Week to bring together the health system’s nurses for fellowship and an awards celebration. The health system announced that in the last year, it reduced registered nurse turnover by almost 30%.
Expansion
The Pavilion, a behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment facility in Williamsburg, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its latest expansion May 12. It is the fourth expansion since Williamsburg Place began serving the community in 1989. The expansion will add 32 inpatient beds to provide acute inpatient treatment to adults living with serious behavioral health conditions. Upon the project’s expected completion in mid-2024, the expansion will bring the total number of treatment beds to 212, including acute inpatient, residential treatment for substance use disorders and intensive outpatient treatment. This includes the recently opened Tactical Recovery program, which provides tailored treatment and support to active-duty service members and veterans. The expansion will generate 56 new permanent clinical and supporting roles across the campus.
Grants and donations
Aetna Better Health of Virginia, a CVS Health company, made donations totaling $250,000 to three local community partners focused on improving the health and wellbeing of people in under-resourced areas. Recipients include Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters’ Children’s Pavilion, a 60-bed mental health hospital and outpatient treatment facility designed to meet the needs of underserved children in crisis; the Federation of Virginia Food Banks and Communities in Schools of Petersburg.
Opening
The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Surf or Sound Realty in Hatteras, North Carolina, on May 9. John Denny, chamber board member and business development manager at Ace Hardware congratulated Danny Register, vice president of business development, for the opening of the new office in Hatteras Village.
Popshelf, a retail chain selling items priced at $5 or less, opened a new store 1226 Greenbrier Parkway in Chesapeake. Inventory includes seasonal and home décor, health and beauty items, home cleaning supplies and arts, crafts and party planning supplies. Each store expects to create up to 15 new jobs. Under parent company Dollar General, the business introduced its differentiated retail store in the Nashville, Tennessee, market in fall 2020 and currently operates more than 140 locations and 40 store-within-a-store locations. It plans to have approximately 1,000 total stores by the end of its 2025 fiscal year.
