Acquisitions

Charles IT has acquired MERIT, a managed service provider with locations in Chesapeake and Rhode Island. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. All MERIT team members have joined Charles IT. The Connecticut-based company’s services include compliance management and cybersecurity support to organizations in regulated industries, including manufacturing, financial services, defense and healthcare.

Hampton Roads-based TowneBank has acquired Raleigh, North Carolina-based Dogwood State Bank. The deal expands TowneBank’s footprint along the Interstate 85 corridor from Richmond into several North Carolina markets, including Raleigh, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Fayetteville and Wilmington, along with the upstate region of South Carolina. The move will also give the bank a presence in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee. Dogwood locations will add “a division of TowneBank” to their branding until November, when its systems and operations will merge into TowneBank’s. Steven W. Jones, Dogwood’s former CEO, will stay on with the combined company as president of the Carolinas and serve as a member of the bank’s corporate management group. Additionally, Jones and Robin Perkins, a former director of Dogwood, were appointed to the TowneBank board of directors, effective Jan. 12.

Appointed/elected

District 1 member Doug Holroyd was appointed chairman of York County Board of Supervisors and District 5 supervisor Thomas G. Shepperd Jr. was appointed vice chairman. Holroyd is in his first term on the board and Shepperd is in his seventh term. They lead the five member group, whose other members are Sheila S. Noll (District 2), Wayne Drewry (District 3) and Stephen Roane (District 4).

Stephanie Jackson Afonja (Courtesy/Hampton Public Schools)

Richard Mason was reelected as chair of the Hampton school board and Stephanie Jackson Afonja was chosen again to serve as vice chair. Mason is an associate professor and the liaison for the dean’s office in the School of Liberal Arts and Education at Hampton University. Jackson Afonja is the owner of Family Restoration Services LLC and Holistic Family Solutions Inc.

Bank of America recently announced leadership appointments and new hires in Hampton Roads. Michelle Little was named a market executive. In that role, Little’s responsibilities include oversight of market share growth, employee engagement and corporate reputation. Little joined the company in 1997 and previously held roles in human resources and commercial banking. Hans VonKruger was named a private client adviser for BoA’s private bank in Norfolk. VonKruger will work with high-net-worth individuals and families to optimize and manage their wealth. He has worked in the financial services industry for 32 years. He previously was BoA’s local market executive in Hampton Roads. Todd Fungard, a new hire, will serve as a private bank portfolio manager. His responsibilities include monitoring all aspects of discretionary portfolio management including trade execution, risk management and compliance. Fungard joins the company from Nashville, Tennessee’s Music Row Wealth Management. He has more than 14 years experience in wealth management. New hire Jordan Perin was named trust officer for the company’s private bank. He will focus on trust and estate administration and estate planning. He has 20 years in the wealth management industry and previously worked at Wells Fargo. Perin holds a certified trust and fiduciary advisor designation.

Virginia Beach-based Sussex Development Corp., a construction management firm, has promoted Rolley Davis to president. Davis gained hands-on office and field experience with the company in high school and college. He joined the company full time in 2009 and most recently served as vice president. (Courtesy/Sussex Development Corp.)

The Real Estate Information Network Inc. has elected its 2026 board of directors. John Chandler, principal broker for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Property Management, is board president. Joining him on the executive committee are Lee Cross, managing broker for Cross Realty as vice president; Cavelle Mollineaux, principal broker for Onyx Realty Professionals as secretary; and Jon McAchran, principal broker for AtCoastal Real Estate as treasurer. Directors include Amy Doll, principal Broker for RE/MAX Alliance; Mike Grogan, vice president and regional manager for the central Atlantic region of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services; Donna Moyer, principal broker for Liz Moore & Associates; Barry Nachman, principal broker for Century 21 Nachman Realty; and Nash Wainwright, principal broker for Wainwright Real Estate. REIN is the multiple listing service for Hampton Roads.

TowneBank Mortgage has promoted Sarah Stedfast to mortgage regional sales manager for Virginia. She previously was co-venture president of RW Mortgage, a subsidiary of TowneBank Mortgage. In her new role, Stedfest, who has 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, will lead key strategies to strengthen the company’s statewide presence, including cultivating strategic business relationships, implementing retention programs and accelerating expansion into underserved markets. Tim Good will continue to serve as venture president of RW Towne Mortgage.

Kelly Guilmette has joined Thalhimer Multifamily as senior regional property manager. She will be based in Thalhimer’s Virginia Beach office and oversee the the company’s Southeastern Virginia multifamily portfolio. Guilmette has more than 10 years of property management experience. Most recently, she was chief housing officer for the Virginia Beach Community Development Corp.

Awards and honors

TowneBank has recently earned several awards. Towne is one of only two Virginia-based institutions to be named a 2025 Best Banks to Work For, is the only financial institution among its peers to earn the America’s Best Workplaces designation, and is also a 2026 Best Places to Work in Virginia. The company was also named a 2026 Great Employer to Work For in North Carolina. Established in 1999, TowneBank now has over 60 locations.

 

 

 

Jessie Stokes, right, is the winner of Langley Federal Credit Union’s 2025 new car giveaway. Stokes received the keys to a new Honda Accord last month from Langley vice president of operations Tori Eleonora. Stokes, a Langley member since 2020, was selected after earning the maximum number of entries in the credit union’s tap, swipe, win promotion. She works for Hampton Roads Transit and is a mom of three and grandmother of three. (Courtesy/Langley Federal Credit Union)

Grants and donations

Smithfield Foods recently partnered with Make-A-Wish to grant a special wish for Declan, a 3-year-old from York County. Declan’s dream was to experience the wonder of theme parks. Smithfield Foods helped make his wish come true with a $10,000 donation.

Chartway Promise Foundation, the charitable arm of Chartway Credit Union, recently awarded more than $1 million to 33 nonprofit charitable partners, including more than $663,000 to 23 Virginia-based charitable partners to fund grant programs. Eight local organizations are inaugural recipients: Ability Center of Virginia, Aid Another, Equi-Kids Therapeutic Riding Program, Ocean View Little League, Ronald McDonald House Charities Norfolk, Roman’s Soldiers Foundation, Tide Swimming and the YMCA of South Hampton Roads.

Opening

Footwear-focused retailer Skechers plans to open at Outlets Nags Head in time for the summer season. The store will fill about 6,700 square feet of space formerly occupied by Champion and Sperry. With the previously announced opening of J. Crew Factory, the Skechers store opening will bring the shopping center to 100% leased.

The White Multi-Purpose Center, a new event venue at 6142 Whaleyville Blvd. in Suffolk, opened Jan. 30. Owned and operated by Margie Manley, the 2,112-square-foot venue is designed to accommodate up to 70 guests. It includes a banquet area, serving room, kitchen, office and two full bathrooms. Manley anticipates hosting wedding receptions, class reunions, baby showers, birthday celebrations and similar special occasions.

Christopher Newport University held a ribbon-cutting for its new new Science and Engineering Research Center in January. The new 83,000-square-foot building, adjacent to Luter Hall, brings the university’s science, engineering and research programs under one roof. The building has research, teaching, and laboratory spaces to support student studies in STEM fields, such as physics, computer science, information science, cybersecurity, engineering, kinesiology and neuroscience. It also includes spaces to assemble robotic platforms, a two-story drone lab, an exercise and biomechanics lab, and 3D printers.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2026/02/09/business-notes-cnu-new-building/