DATE: Friday, March 21, 1997                TAG: 9703210640

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   52 lines

LOCAL SCENE

VIRGINIA BEACH

RUCKER, GRAY AND STILES MOVE TO BEACH LAW FIRM: Thomas A. Rucker and Jeffrey H. Gray, members of Willcox & Savage, and Mark D. Stiles, an associate of the firm, are practicing at the firm's Virginia Beach office. They were practicing out of the Norfolk office. Rucker practices in the corporate and estate planning areas of the firm's business practice group; and Gray and Stiles practice in the firm's commercial litigation section.

NEWPORT NEWS

LUDWIG RECEIVES AWARD: Newport News Shipbuilding presented Michael Ludwig, a project engineer in the shipyard's welding engineering department, the President's Award for Excellence in Volunteer Community Service. He received the award for serving as a volunteer for the Special Olympics for more than 12 years.

VIRGINIA

BRITISH TAKE RICHMOND COMPANY: British conglomerate Hanson PLC said Thursday its U.S. building materials unit, Conerstone Construction & Materials Inc., agreed to acquire Concrete Pipe & Products Co. for about $125 million. Concrete Pipe, of Richmond, is a privately held company that makes and sells concrete pipes and other concrete products. The acquisition includes the assumption of an undisclosed amount of debt. The deal is expected to be completed in April.

S&K EARNINGS UP 69 PERCENT: S&K Famous Brands Inc. said that strong sales of suits and sport coats boosted annual earnings by 69 percent. The Richmond-based menswear retailer reported a profit of $4.6 million, or 91 cents a share, for the year ended Jan. 27. That was up from $2.7 million, or 55 cents a share, in 1996. Sales rose from $122.8 million to $130.2 million. The 1996 figure included sales from five stores now closed. Same-store sales were up 5 percent. S&K has 195 stores in 26 states.

MILLS CORP. DECLARES DIVIDEND: The Mills Corp. said that on Feb. 14, 1997, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend for the first quarter of $0.4725 a common share payable April 15, 1997, to shareholders of record on April 1, 1997. The Mills Corp. is a fully integrated real estate company based in Arlington.

CORRECTION: The groundbreaking for the new RiteAid in Portsmouth will begin March 25. A brief in Thursday's Local Scene stated the groundbreaking had started this week. MEMO: To submit an item for the Local Scene, please fax it to 446-2531. ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Rucker

Gray

Stiles

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu