Reports from Washington, D.C., indicate President Obama, a large swath of the U.S. business community and select members of Congress – including Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia – will do all they can to enact the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal into law in 2016.

To anyone with a military background, the mention of Hampton Roads instantly brings to mind our one-of-a-kind military and government presence.  All five branches of the military operate here and we are home to nine military installations employing approximately 78,000 active-duty and reserve personnel and over 40,000 civilians. 

The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce is laser-focused on creating the environment for businesses to succeed in our region.

 A recent Old Dominion University report showed Hampton Roads’ gross regional product, once growing faster than the national GDP, has flat-lined. Among major metropolitan areas, Hampton Roads grew only 0.46 percent in the past year. That’s less than a third the rate in Richmond, and far below comparable cities like Jacksonville, Fla., or Nashville, Tenn.

Today’s health care and economical climate makes it more critical than ever for employers to identify volunteer benefits which will provide cost savings and build morale. Two of these benefits, telemedicine and identify theft, have gained more attention as employers face increased concerns over health care costs, both to the company and their employees.

Here in Hampton Roads, we are rightly beginning to pay more attention to our millennials. Just this year, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce established tHRive, a chamber young professional’s organization, which has taken off and continues to gain momentum. However, we also need to focus on the specific challenges at the other end of the employment age spectrum.

This election year is of paramount importance to Hampton Roads.

Hampton Roads is home to the largest Navy base in the world and the largest concentration of military bases in Virginia. It is also home to well over 100,000 active duty military personnel and to 75 federal and defense facilities, representing every branch of the Armed Services and NATO. What they bring to this region is astounding, taking the form of over $10 billion in annual economic impact and a significant contribution to the defense of our country.

As the Earth's temperature warms, so do the seas.  And, as Coastal Virginians, we need to be prepared.  Long-term sea level rise will affect our resources – from infrastructure and transportation to agriculture, recreation and human health – so, what’s your plan?