DATE: Friday, June 13, 1997                 TAG: 9706130623

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   65 lines

LOCAL SCENE

NORFOLK

PROJECT PREVIEW OF NORDSTROM'S: Nordstrom Inc., the Seattle-based fashion retailer, will host a construction project preview of its MacArthur Center store from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. Nordstrom is the only national retailer to host project previews of its new stores specifically to attract minority and women-owned business participation. Subcontractors and suppliers are also encouraged to attend the preview to be considered for the project and to supply information about their company. The store is to open in spring 1999.

GLASSER JOINS STATE MEDIATION GROUP: Richard S. Glasser, a managing partner of the law firm of Glasser & Glasser, has become affiliated with the McCammon Mediation Group Ltd., the state's leading mediation group. The group, which consists of 16 retired judges and experienced attorney-mediators, mediate and arbitrate various cases.

HAMPTON

EYE ON DOWNTOWN HAMPTON: The Downtown Hampton Development Partnership launched its Downtown Hampton Recruitment Program Thursday. The program was designed to create business opportunities and provide leasing agents, property owners and businesses with the tools to recruit downtown business. The launch is the beginning of a centralized leasing and management role for the partnership, according to its statement.

NEWPORT NEWS

SMITH NAMED SITE MANAGER: Sandra K. Smith was named the new site manager at Electronic Systems at Oyster Point. She is account manager in the company's training department. She will retain this position while working in her new post.

NETWORK LONG DISTANCE MOVES HEADQUARTERS: Network Long Distance Inc. said Thursday that it will move its corporate headquarters from Baton Rouge, La., to Newport News. The move follows a recent series of mergers, acquisitions and management changes initiated by NTWK. The move will create a small increase in jobs in the area, primarily in back office work and billing functions, said Tom Keefe, NTWK's new CEO. The move forms a $110 million/year telecommunication company. Network's new corporate offices will occupy the former headquarters of Eastern Telecom International, one of two companies that merged with NTWK last month. Network will continue to operate a regional sales office at its Baton Rouge location. Network Long Distance is one of the nation's fast-growing interexchange carriers, offering digital switch-based and switchless fiber optic telecommunications services.

VIRGINIA

COMMONWEALTH GAS NAMES NEW PRESIDENT: Commonwealth Gas Services, a subsidiary of Reston-based Columbia Gas System, said Anthony Trubisz Jr. will take over as Commonwealth president and CEO July 1. Trubisz, president of Columbia Gas' energy marketing unit, will replace Thomas E. Harris, who is retiring after 39 years. Commonwealth serves about 160,000 Virginia customers, including 40,000 in Hampton Roads.

EVANTAGE LANDS HANNAFORD BROS. CONTRACT: Evantage, the energy services division of Richmond-based Virginia Power, signed a seven-year contract with food retailer Hannaford Bros. Co. to provide energy asset management services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Evantage will consult Scarborough, Maine-based Hannaford on energy management in its distribution facilities, corporate offices and 142 grocery stores in eight states along the Eastern Seabord.

ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Glasser

Smith

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