“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” When Bruce Katz talks about the importance of developing a strategic plan to grow the economy of a region, he’s known to first quote Dolly Parton. Because it’s true. It also happens to be good advice. Katz, an urban economist with New Localism Associates who works…

Economic development is a team sport, and on Thursday, June 26, nearly 200 players from Hampton Roads gathered at Nauticus in Norfolk focused on the same goal: driving the region’s economy forward. The Hampton Roads Alliance Mid-Year Mixer served as both a scoreboard check and a strategy session. And by the numbers, the…

Mayor Jimmy Gray may hold office in Hampton, but his influence and perspective stretch far beyond the city’s borders. Born and raised in Portsmouth, with a long public service career in Chesapeake and now proudly serving as mayor in Hampton, Gray is a true regional leader. His connection to the Hampton Roads community isn’t…

The Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority (EVRIFA) has announced its 2025 Executive Committee, ushering in a new year of regional economic collaboration and momentum. The Hampton Roads Alliance, which serves as the managing entity for EVRIFA, also announced that Steve Harrison, the Alliance’s Chief Operating…

In April 2025, Doug Smith, President & CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance, participated in the inaugural Global Summit hosted by The Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID) in Monterrey, Mexico. This landmark event convened over 40 innovation districts from around the world to explore strategies for advancing…