Sharikas hired to attract Life Science companies to Greater Richmond

The Greater Richmond Partnership (“GRP”) has hired Kiryako Sharikas to join the team as Business Development Manager – Life Sciences. Sharikas will focus on targeting life science and pharmaceutical companies interested in expanding to the Richmond Region.

“Kiryako’s experience in marketing will translate well as he markets the region as the #1 mid-sized location in the U.S. for life science companies to invest,” said Jennifer Wakefield, President + CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership. “With Kiryako on the team, GRP will now have a dedicated point of contact to expand the shared effort to make our region the capital of advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.”

Sharikas has more than eight years of experience in digital marketing for employers including CoStar Group, Sheltering Arms, Compare.com and NetSearch. Sharikas’ experience will be a major asset as he transitions to the new role. Sharikas is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and Reynolds Community College.

RBIA Welcomes Chip Bobbert as Director of Innovation

The Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance is pleased to welcome Chip Bobbert, new Director of Innovation, to the team. The Director of Innovation is a new position, and Bobbert began the role on February 2 with a focus on working across the RBIA portfolio of organizations and programs to lead regional innovation strategy, founder and investor …

03/02/2026

Learn about Fairfax FIRST

The Fairfax Innovation for Research, Science, and Technology (FIRST) program is intended to provide participants with the physical address needed for funding applications, while alleviating the financial burden of a lease before substantial funding is received. FIRST supports early-stage entities that seek to advance the development or application of emerging technologies. Acceptance into the program …

02/25/2026

Rivus Pharmaceuticals Appoints Jorge Bartolome as Chief Executive Officer

Rivus Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to treating MASH, obesity, and associated cardiometabolic diseases, today announced the appointment of Jorge Bartolome as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board. He succeeds Allen Cunningham, a co-founder who will move to the role of Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Bartolome has over 25 years of …

News