Another reason not to hold meetings

It’s true: Meetings can dull the mind.

A recent study by Virginia Tech’s Carilion Research Institute showed that “small-group dynamics” can slow brain functioning.

“When we placed them in small groups, ranked their performance on cognitive tasks against their peers and broadcast those rankings to them, we saw dramatic drops in the ability of some study subjects to solve problems,” said Read Montague, the director of the study.

Montague, who is the director of the Carilion Institute’s Human Neuroimaging Laboratory, said: “You may joke about how committee meetings make you feel brain dead, but our findings suggest that they make you act brain dead as well.”

Another participating scientist, Kenneth Kishida, said the results show that “social dynamics affect not just educational and workplace environments, but also national and international policy-making bodies, such as the U.S. Congress and the United Nations.”

- Philip Walzer

Bell Nursery has 20 seasonal openings

Bell Nursery has about 20 local openings, primarily at Home Depot stores.

They are for full- and part-time seasonal jobs, generally running from March to July. The openings are mostly for “merchandisers,” who handle plant care and customer service, and drivers.

Bell Nursery is a Elkridge, Md.-based gardening company, which serves more than 200 Home Depot stores.

For more information on the jobs, go to www.bellimpact.com.

– Philip Walzer

Canon Virginia names new CEO

Toru Nishizawa will take over as president and CEO of Canon Virginia in Newport News on April 1. He will succeed Yusaku Azuma, who will retire next month, according to a news release from Canon U.S.A. Inc.

Canon Virginia is the printing company’s largest manufacturing and research center in North America. It employs 2,000 people in Newport News, spokeswoman Rhonda Bunn said in an email.

Nishizawa is executive vice president of the Newport News division of the printing company. He will continue his roles as president and CEO of Canon U.S. Life Sciences in Newport News.

In a statement, Joe Adachi, president and CEO of Canon U.S.A., said: “We are pleased to have Mr. Nishizawa assume the responsibilities of leading Canon Virginia, as we look toward a future where Canon’s manufacturing facilities in the U.S. will play greater roles in the overall success of our company.”

Adachi also praised Nishizawa’s leadership of the company’s $640 million cartridge-manufacturing plant, which opened in Newport News in 2009.

- Philip Walzer

Williamsburg to honor the other presidents

Colonial Williamsburg is offering a freebie to presidents on Presidents Day weekend.

Current and former presidents of civic groups and organizations will receive a free single-day ticket from Feb. 18 to 20, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation announced Wednesday. They have to show proof of their presidency, such as a letter, a card or a website on a smart phone.

- Philip Walzer

Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School holds commencement

The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding held its commencement Feb. 4, graduating 161 apprentices representing 26 trades.

The top three trades chosen by the 2011 class of graduates were marine designers, pipe fitters and electricians.

The graduates have journey-level status that positions them for jobs at shipyards nationwide.

“Statistically, the numbers suggest that 10 years after graduation, better than 80 percent of our graduates remain at Newport News Shipbuilding,” said Everett Jordan, director of the school, and a graduate himself.

The quality of the applicant pool has risen in recent years, he said. Last year, there were 4,500 applicants, and 243 were selected as apprentices.

“Better than 50 percent of the students are coming in with some college,” Jordan said.

Of the 765 apprentices now enrolled, about 55 already have bachelor’s degrees.

The school offers four- and five-year apprentice programs to students interested in shipbuilding careers.

Since its founding in 1919, it has produced 9,496 graduates, not including Saturday’s class.

Roughly 2,400 alumni are in the management ranks at the Newport News shipyard.

– Robert McCabe

Wings place to open in Norfolk in March

Didn’t get your fill of chicken wings Sunday? Soon there’ll be a new restaurant in Norfolk to indulge your habit.

The Dirty Buffalo will open in March at 42nd Street and Colley Avenue, its Facebook page says. It will replace the Peppermill Diner & Bar, which closed late last year.

The restaurant will provide “authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings” with seven choices of sauce, including sweet and spicy barbecue and “stupid hot.”

The Dirty Buffalo’s Facebook page indicates a casual menu, including barbecue, burgers and vegetarian fare, with nothing above $10.

- Philip Walzer

Williamsburg reports slight dip in ticket sales in 2011

Colonial Williamsburg recorded a slight drop in the number of general-admission tickets it sold last year, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation reported Friday. But the foundation’s president said the tourist attraction had a strong finish to the year.

Colonial Williamsburg reported selling 670,500 “paid general-admission tickets” last year, down 2 percent from 686,000 in 2010.

The total number of visitors, or “the visitor gate count,” totaled 1.7 million in 2011, “basically unchanged” from the previous year, the foundation said in a news release. About 212,000 tickets were sold for evening programs and carriage rides in 2011, down 3 percent from 218,000 last year.

Donations, however, increased to $14.5 million from $14.3 million in 2010, the foundation reported.

In a statement, Colin Campbell, president and CEO of the foundation, blamed “the uncertain economy and political gridlock in Washington, as well as both an earthquake and hurricane” for a sluggish summer. But he said, “We were encouraged during the holiday season by strong ticket sales, occupancy in our hotels, attendance at evening programs, and retail and dining revenue, which all outpaced 2010.”

– Philip Walzer

MacArthur Center adds Firehouse Subs to food court

The food court at MacArthur Center continues to fill up.

Firehouse Subs, the sandwich chain with 14 locations in Hampton Roads, opened today on the third level of the downtown Norfolk mall. Firehouse joins Panda Express, a Sakura Elite sushi kiosk and Burger King as another new food court option.

MacArthur Center lost eight of its 10 food court restaurants in March last year when the concessions company that operated the restaurants declined to renew its lease. Charley’s Grilled Subs and Sbarro remained on the third level, as well as the full-service restaurants Johnny Rockets and Chili’s.

Firehouse Subs also has eateries in Norfolk at Janaf Shopping Yard and at the Navy Exchange.

– Carolyn Shapiro

Half find work 'unrewarding,' survey says

Warning: Nearly half of your co-workers hate what they do.

In a recent survey, 49 percent of employees said their job was “unrewarding and saps their energy.”

Thirty percent, taking the practical road, agreed that “I want to enjoy my life, so I work.”

The remaining gung-ho 21 percent described their work as “rewarding and gratifying.”

“Employees are clearly in a grumpy mood, a trend we’ve tracked for more than a year,” said Ron Sims, talent management practice leader for the Middle Atlantic for Right Management, a staffing company that conducted the survey. “In better times, we probably would have found just a minority complain that their energy is being sapped.”

Right Management surveyed nearly 440 workers in North America in December and January.

- Philip Walzer

Sushi, yogurt coming to Wells Fargo Center

Wells Fargo Center in downtown Norfolk has added two more food options to its street-level space.

Tokyo Fresh Asian Bistro and Bar is expected to open this fall at Freemason and Monticello avenues, according to S.L Nusbaum Realty Co., which handles leasing for the center. The restaurant will serve sushi and other Asian fare.

Song “Sam” Huang is a partner in Dash Development LLC, which owns Tokyo Fresh as well as five of the region’s largest Asian buffet restaurants.

The same company also owns Yo-Mix Frozen Yogurt Bar, which plans to open in late spring in the space next to Tokyo Fresh. Construction is expected to begin this winter on both spaces.

They will join two other eateries, Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar and Bite Restaurant & Catering, at Wells Fargo Center.

– Carolyn Shapiro