Fall 2024 Newsletter

Jill Vaughan
Dec 6, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Dec 20, 2024

Counting Blessings: Faith, Family, Friends, Clients, and an Incredible Team

Dear Friends,

I hope this note finds you well. It’s hard to believe how much has happened since my summer newsletter! On July 5th, I sustained a significant injury while enjoying one of my favorite pastimes—slalom water skiing. The result was a complete hamstring tear, which required surgery on July 23rd. Now, 16 weeks post-surgery, I’m thrilled to report that, thanks to a skilled surgeon, a wonderful physical therapist, plenty of water rehab, and strength training, my leg is functioning at about 90%.

Through this journey, I’ve been incredibly grateful for the support of my family, friends, and my remarkable team. From meals and rides to physical therapy to a steady stream of encouragement, their care has meant the world. As a small business owner, facing an unexpected health challenge can be daunting. But with the amazing JLV support team and our preferred partners stepping up to maintain the momentum, the firm has continued to thrive—and I’m excited for the growth ahead in 2025.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. I hope you enjoy these highlights from the past quarter and that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with cherished moments with family and friends.

Warm wishes,

Jill

Made In Hopewell

JLV Team stands outside Hopewell's historic Beacon Theatre — The JLV Team celebrates a successful event outside Hopewell’s historic Beacon Theatre after three months of focused work.

Team JLV was hired by the Hopewell Downtown Partnership to promote a first-time event celebrating manufacturing in the City of Hopewell.

The organization’s goal was to generate awareness, transparency, pride, and new connections around the community’s advanced technical knowledge and locally made products. Showcasing Hopewell as a leader in manufacturing and production is part of the overall strategy to revitalize the Downtown Hopewell Historic District and improve quality of life in the region. JLV handled media relations, editorial content, event planning, sponsor relations and social media for the October 4th event on National Manufacturing Day. Check out some of the media hits HERE.

Virginia’s Gateway Region

JLV longtime client Virginia’s Gateway Region held a fabulous Business Council event at the newly-renovated Hotel Petersburg.

Community members from across the region enjoyed a tour of the building and got a close up look at the amazing restoration work. The hotel will play a pivotal role in VGR’s future economic development efforts, as it offers a prime location in the region for hosting visiting corporate leaders when they come to explore growth opportunities. The first overnight guests are scheduled to arrive early next month.

Photos by Mandy Lawrence

Sussex County

JLV was hired by Sussex County, Virginia to help the community reimagine a “megasite” for economic development. The team held a workshop to identify the brand essence of the project and rounded out the work with a new name, a full logo suite and style guide. The result was a new identity for an innovative and visionary economic development initiative that is destined to attract future-focused companies committed to integrating sustainability with commerce. A few months after the brand launch, the County received a $1.5 million grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program. Read more about the launch of Sussex Green Enterprise Park in this news release.

Skills USA

JLV is thrilled to partner with SkillsUSA Massachusetts! The Team delivered a redesigned website and the first-ever Annual Report for the organization this year.

Client Testimonial from Karen Ward, Executive Director:

I, on behalf of our entire organization, am very grateful for your talent and wise counsel in the development of our strategic communications plan and related assets. It is an honor and great joy to work with you.

JLV Gives Back

We were honored to participate in Light the Night for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) on November 2nd. As a finalist for the 2022 Woman of the Year, Jill’s team raised more than $60,000 for cancer research. If you are interested in getting involved with LLS, reach out to Jill at jill@jlvcomms.net.

As 2024 comes to a close, Jill has enjoyed serving on the PRSA Richmond Board of Directors and the PRSA Richmond Foundation. Passionate about the ever-changing public relations industry, she supports the profession here in Virginia as well as lifting up young professionals through scholarships.

Welcome New Clients!

JLV is delighted to announce two new clients- the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Foundation and the Bank of Southside Virginia. We look forward to assisting these organizations with their strategic communications programs.