DATE: Friday, May 9, 1997                   TAG: 9705090662

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   63 lines

LOCAL SCENE

NEWPORT NEWS

CONNOLLY NAMED BUSINESS MANAGER AT WHOLESALER: George Connolly was named business manager for HVAC products at Ferguson Enterprises, a wholesale distributor to contractors and industry for plumbing. He was regional sales manager for Ferguson and operated out of Northern Virginia.

CAMPBELL JOINS BANK AS ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT: I. Carlyle Campbell was named assistant vice president at First Coastal Bank. His office will be in the bank's Peninsula Executive Offices. He was with NationsBank in Newport News.

CHESAPEAKE

FELLINI'S TO OPEN IN GREAT BRIDGE: Fellini's, a restaurant which specializes in gourmet pizza and pasta, will open another location, this one in the Great Bridge Shopping Center. The location, which will seat 200 and was a People's Drug Store, will occupy 11,250 square feet and feature a separate upscale pub. Fellini's also has an establishment in Norfolk. The new restaurant is to open in August.

VIRGINIA BEACH

SUN BAY RECEIVED SBA AWARD: Sun Bay Contracting Inc. in Virginia Beach received the 1997 U.S. Small Business Administration adminstrator's award for excellence for Region III. Nineteen companies were nominated in this region which includes Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, the District of Columbia and Virginia. The award was given at the annual joint Industry/SBA procurement conference.

VIRGINIA

BEN & JERRY'S SWEET DEAL: Ben & Jerry's plans to open two ice cream franchises in Richmond and is looking for a minority operator for one of the stores; the other will be run by a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation. The Richmond Economic Development Corp. will operate one of the stores under Ben & Jerry's ``Partner Shop'' program where stores are run as training opportunities for at-risk youth. Joseph James, Richmond's director of economic development, said the city is looking for minority candidates to operate a store. The operator will need experience in running a retail business, a $30,000 franchise fee and the ability to raise $250,000 or more to run the operation.

REYNOLDS METALS/KAISER TERMINATE McCOOK NEGOTIATIONS: Reynolds Metals Co., based in Richmond, and Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. said they have agreed to terminate negotiations on Kaiser's proposed purchase of Reynolds' McCook, Ill., sheet and plate plant. The two companies said they are proceeding with negotiations and due diligence on Kaiser's purchase of Reynolds' Bellwood extrusion plant. The Bellwood transaction remains subject to regulatory and board approvals, negotiation and execution of definitive agreements, and other customary closing conditions. The companies continue to anticipate closing in the second quarter.

UNIVERSAL CORP. DECLARES COMMON DIVIDEND: The board of directors of Universal Corp., a diversified company with operations in tobacco, lumber and agri-products, declared a regular quarterly dividend of 26 1/2 cents per share on the common shares of the company, payable Aug. 4, 1997, to common shareholders of record at the close of business on July 14, 1997. MEMO: To submit an item, send it to Local Scene, The Virginian-Pilot

Business News Department, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510.

Photos are welcome. Or fax your submission to 446-2531. ILLUSTRATION: Connolly

Campbell

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