Exit First Realty recently announced its selection as the exclusive Homes for Heroes real estate agency in Richmond. Homes for Heroes was founded in 2002 by a group of Minnesota business owners who created a nationwide network of realtors, mortgage lenders, title companies and appraisers whose sole purpose is to offer savings to community heroes when buying or selling a home. As a participant in the program, Exit First Realty will offer full real estate services at a discounted rate to local heroes in metro Richmond. Savings will include discounts on realtor fees, loan fees, title fees, closing costs, and home inspections. Homes for Heroes has already served hundreds of local heroes including Richmond and Henrico police officers. For more information, call 527-3948 or visit http://www.homesforheroes.com .

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Henrico-based ChildFund International recently traveled across the Atlantic to deliver hundreds of new TOMS Shoes to children living in Liberia who didn’t have any. The shoes were provided by TOMS One for One™ program, where a new pair of shoes is given to a child in need for every pair of shoes sold. A ChildFund study in 2010 estimated that 15 percent of school-aged children in developing countries have hookworm or another parasitic disease due to bare feet. A pair of shoes means an opportunity to get an education because they are a requirement to attend school.

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Project Management Institute recently approved ECPI University to become a PMI Registered Education Provider (REP). ECPI will be offering an accredited course and lab in Applied Project Management. The course will develop and expand the student’s knowledge of project management methodology as defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The emphasis of the course is to gain management skills and resources. PMI REPs are educational organizations that have demonstrated that they are capable of providing world-class effective project management training. There are currently over 1,400 REPs in more than 70 countries.

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Elizabeth McNeil recently was appointed as administrator of Hospice of Virginia. McNeil grew up in the West End of Richmond but raised her two daughters in Midlothian. She is a 1981 graduate of the Medical College of Virginia where she received her bachelor of science degree in nursing. She continued her education at the University of Virginia and in 1988, received her master of science in nursing, with an emphasis in home care, hospice and administration. McNeil has over 31 years’ experience in the home health, hospice, hospital and consulting fields.

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Virginia Tech’s Center for Public Administration and Policy-Richmond will host a graduate school information session on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Virginia Tech Richmond Center, 2810 N. Parham Road, Suite 313. The session will discuss the center’s two part-time, evening programs: the Master of Public Administration and the Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management. To register for the program, email Richmond MPA Program Coordinator Beth Offenbacker, Ph.D. at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). A flyer for the information session is available at http://tinyurl.com/6rsjovd .

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St. Joseph’s Villa recently signed a contract with the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) to provide crisis intervention and stabilization services to families in the metro Richmond area. St. Joseph's Villa will operate a six-bed crisis stabilization unit for children ages 5-17 for up to two weeks. Crisis staff will assess criteria for placement in the Crisis Stabilization Unit on the campus at 8000 Brook Road. Once admitted, staff will start "23 ½ hour discharge" planning to the next least restrictive situation. The Villa staff will also use a wide array of "wrap around services” to create the greatest opportunity for family re-unification in the safest environment. Services are expected to begin in March.

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Samuel W. Padgett recently was named manager at Southern States Cooperative, Inc. - Williamsburg Road Service, 3119 Williamsburg Rd. Southern States Cooperative, Inc. – Williamsburg Road Service is part of a farmer-owned cooperative that provides a broad range of farm services and agricultural products and materials to producers and other customers in and around Charles City, Providence Forge, New Kent, King William, Prince George, Henrico and Hanover counties. Padgett is a Virginia native and graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He has managed a variety of successful retail nurseries and garden centers as well as a commercial tree farm. In January 2010, Padgett began his employment with Southern States Cooperative, Inc. at the Manassas Service.

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Agents with Cushman & Wakefield Thalhimer recently handled the following lease negotiations: Velocitel – leased 9,145 square feet in the Park III Building at 4164 Park Place Ct.; Lindenmeyr Munroe – leased 8,400 square feet in Dabney IV at 2161 Tomlynn St.; RGI General Contractors – leased 2,496 square feet in Gaskins Centre at 3805 Gaskins Rd.; Mola Gebeye – leased 2,464 square feet at 4116 W. Broad St.; Team United Martial Arts – leased 2,048 square feet at 7542 W. Broad St.; Zinga! Frozen Yogurt – leased 2,000 square feet the The Corner at Short Pump at W. Broad Street and Lauderdale Drive; Weight Watchers North America, Inc. – leased 1,985 square feet in Gold’s Gym Plaza at West Tower at 8906 W. Broad St.; Randstad – leased 1,600 square feet in Best Buy Station at 4420 S. Laburnum Ave.; and Spanalytics, LLC – leased 1,517 square feet at 1129 Gaskins Rd.

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Cushman & Wakefield Thalhimer recently announced the sale of a Westerre Commons office condominium located at 3721-D Westerre Pkwy. Rose Properties, LLC purchased the +/- 1,808 square feet condo from Westerre Commons, LLC and the space will be utilized as a dental office.