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| Virginia Association of Business | |
|---|---|
| Name | Virginia Association of Business |
| Formation | 1960s |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia |
| Region served | Virginia |
| Leader title | President |
Virginia Association of Business
The Virginia Association of Business is a statewide trade association representing employers across Richmond, Virginia, Norfolk, Virginia, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Chesapeake, Virginia, and other municipalities. The organization engages in lobbying at the Virginia General Assembly and interacts with agencies such as the Virginia Department of Taxation and the Virginia Employment Commission while cooperating with national groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business. Its activities span regulatory advocacy, member services, and campaign involvement in elections from local school boards to the United States House of Representatives.
The association traces roots to mid-20th century business coalitions formed in Richmond, Virginia and Norfolk, Virginia that responded to changes after the Civil Rights Movement and the expansion of federal statutes like the Fair Labor Standards Act. During the 1970s and 1980s it consolidated regional chambers and trade councils influenced by figures connected to the Virginia Manufacturers Association and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. In the 1990s the group expanded advocacy on tax and regulatory issues shaped by debates around the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act and state-level tax reforms influenced by precedents from New Jersey and Texas. Post-2000 activities included coordination with national campaigns such as those associated with the Republican National Committee and occasional outreach to organizations linked to the Democratic National Committee during gubernatorial contests involving actors like Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
The association has a board composed of executives from major firms headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Newport News, Virginia, Alexandria, Virginia, and the Hampton Roads region. Past presidents and chief executives have included former executives with backgrounds at corporations affiliated with the Associated General Contractors of America and alliances with trade groups like the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Leadership transitions have been announced alongside endorsements from institutions such as Virginia Commonwealth University and collaborations with legal advisors tied to firms operating in Norfolk, Virginia and Harrisonburg, Virginia. Committees within the association oversee labor relations, tax policy, environmental permitting issues connected to the Environmental Protection Agency, and transportation projects associated with the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The association advocates for lower state income taxation modeled on proposals debated in North Carolina and Florida, regulatory streamlining similar to initiatives promoted by the Heritage Foundation, and workforce-development programs akin to those supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in partnership with community colleges like Tidewater Community College. It has taken positions on healthcare reform influenced by the Affordable Care Act debates and on unemployment insurance changes paralleling reforms in Georgia and North Carolina. The association regularly files amicus briefs and policy papers citing precedents from the United States Supreme Court and engages with the Virginia State Corporation Commission on utility rate cases and with the Federal Communications Commission on broadband deployment issues.
Programs offered include compliance seminars modeled after curricula from the Society for Human Resource Management, apprenticeship initiatives in coordination with the National Skills Coalition, and employer toolkits referencing standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The association hosts annual conferences at venues in Richmond, Virginia and Virginia Beach, Virginia featuring panels with leaders from corporations listed on the Fortune 500 and speakers associated with think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the American Enterprise Institute. Member services include legislative tracking, legal clinics with firms practicing before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and networking through events co-sponsored with regional chambers like the ChamberRVA and the Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association.
Membership spans small businesses, mid-sized firms, and large corporations with operations in regions such as Lynchburg, Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia, and the Shenandoah Valley. Sectors represented include manufacturing linked to the American Automotive Policy Council, maritime shipping connected to the Port of Virginia, tourism operators associated with the Virginia Tourism Corporation, and healthcare providers tied to systems like Sentara Healthcare and Inova Health System. Institutional members include universities, trade associations, and local economic development authorities modeled on the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
The association has engaged in campaign activity by endorsing candidates for the Virginia General Assembly and supporting ballot measures through political action committees registered under state law and coordinated with election law practices examined by the Federal Election Commission. Its political spending has intersected with high-profile gubernatorial campaigns in Richmond, Virginia and with congressional races in districts represented by members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd congressional district and Virginia's 7th congressional district. The group also conducts voter-education initiatives in partnership with county election boards such as those in Fairfax County, Virginia and Prince William County, Virginia.
Critics have challenged the association over lobbying tactics similar to those scrutinized in cases involving the Koch network and corporate influence controversies tied to the Citizens United v. FEC decision. Opponents in labor coalitions connected to the Service Employees International Union and the AFL–CIO have protested policy positions on collective bargaining and minimum-wage legislation. Environmental groups aligned with the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council have disputed the association's stances on permitting and energy policy, citing disputes that mirrored litigation in state courts and federal tribunals such as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Category:Organizations based in Virginia