September 23, 2024
In June 2022, PLUS Communications expanded its national footprint by opening a second office, located in Richmond, Virginia.
Since its inception, PLUS’ Richmond team has grown to seven members leading our state capital-based issue advocacy and media campaigns for corporations, trade associations, non-profits and coalitions.
Learn more about our growing Richmond team and their unique, longstanding history, living and working in Virginia’s capital region:
Learn more from Richard Cullen, Public Affairs Partner and head of our Richmond office. Watch the interview here.
My wife, Laura and I both grew up in Richmond. I went to Furman in South Carolina and moved to D.C. right after school. A little over two years ago, we decided to move back home where we have a lot of family and old friends. Professionally, working in Virginia’s capital has brought exciting opportunities for PLUS and our clients.
Richmond is a great place to live and raise a family. It has a ton of history and has increasingly become a cultural destination with great restaurants, museums, music venues and parks along the James River. When it comes to work, our team has had the experience of building a Virginia-focused practice while continuing to work on national projects. Our Arlington headquarters is only a two-hour drive (90 minutes without traffic) away.
People at work get tired of me talking about this, but I can’t help myself: Richmond is also the hometown of Steelers quarterback and Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson. We played baseball together at Collegiate School. He probably wouldn’t remember me because I rode the bench.
Our family moved to Richmond three years ago from New York City and it has been a refreshing and welcome change of pace. Not only is the city and its surrounding suburbs easily accessible (hello, 10-minute door-to-door commute to the PLUS Richmond office!) but there is so much to do for all ages. And people are definitely very friendly here!
I love that I can continue to pursue work I am excited and passionate about while living in a metropolitan area outside of New York or Washington, D.C. Richmond is growing in population and industry – there’s a reason people keep flocking to the Commonwealth’s capital city.
When I was growing up, I was a competitive figure skater. I trained in Richmond for several summers with a former Russian Olympic figure skating pair team, Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov. It’s serendipitous to be back!
I was born in Richmond and have lived in the Richmond area my entire life, except for four years in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The best part of living in Richmond is the relative closeness to a host of different things to do. From exploring the outdoors to fun sporting events (go Squirrels!) and festivals to loads of unique places to eat, drink and hang out with friends and family, I am never bored. Short commute times, even during “rush” hour are also a huge perk!
My family has deep ties to the Richmond area, with the Jewetts initially arriving in the 19th Century to work in the coal mines just south of Richmond in Midlothian. More fun than that, before getting involved in politics, policy and public relations, I spent seven years as a swim coach and can be found glued to the television watching swimming (the best Olympic sport) for two weeks every four years.
I moved to Richmond in the fall of 2021 but have been coming here all my life. I have family ties to the area going all the way back to the 18th Century when Colonel John Harvie purchased an area in what is now Hollywood Cemetery from William Byrd III.
Richmond is the perfect size city with enough going on, but without the heavy traffic of
other metro areas. It has the three most important things; great breweries, great live music and a great food scene.
I serve as the president of the Royal Blueliner Society – the official booster club of Tribe Hockey at the College of William & Mary.
I grew up outside of Richmond and returned to the area after college to work for the Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee before joining PLUS.
There’s a lot going on in Richmond! It has a great food scene, and it’s fun to work just a block away from the Capitol. State politics is a major interest for me and here, you’re right at the heart of it.
When I was in fourth grade, I told everyone I wanted to be a lobbyist when I grew up because I heard you got paid to just argue with people all day.
Unlike my Richmond co-workers, I am not from Virginia, and I don’t have family in Richmond. However, I frequently visited Richmond during the year I lived in Washington, D.C. and decided that I wanted to be closer to my friends who moved here shortly after college, being in a city that was big but still had the small-town feel. In my year and a half in Richmond, I feel more and more at home each day.
Every neighborhood in Richmond has something to offer, such as different weekend events, amazing restaurants and tons of outdoor bars with lots and lots of dogs. Of all the cities I’ve lived in, Richmond rivals them all in terms of having the most to offer. Similar to what Jimmy mentioned, everything is a short drive away and within arms’ reach, without traffic.
I love exploring my city and being with my friends and family. I’m also in the process of training for my first half-marathon in Richmond this November!
I grew up in Lynchburg but have always had family and friends who called Richmond home. After graduating college, I knew that it was the city I wanted to start my career in for that reason.
My favorite things about living in Richmond are the food scene, the people, the weather and how easy it is to get around town on foot, by car or by bike.
I have a collection of antique maps and globes.
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