DATE: Tuesday, July 15, 1997                TAG: 9707150047

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   72 lines

LOCAL SCENE - BUSINESS

HAMPTON ROADS

UPS STRIKE LOOKS UNLIKELY NOW: Despite an overwhelming local response to authorize a strike against UPS, the Teamsters believe they will work out a new contract with the package delivery service. ``We'll be going back to Washington next week to try to knock this thing out,'' said David Vinson, president of Teamsters Local 822. With 700 area UPS workers in the union eligible to vote, 219 members voted to authorize a strike, or job action, while 13 voted against it. The Teamsters' contract with UPS expires July 31. The union called for a strike-authorization vote that could shut down local UPS service and affect 1,000 local residents who work for the company.

CHESAPEAKE

CONFERENCE CENTER ADDS TO STAFF: Janet Tye Wenger was named to the sales staff of the Chesapeake Conference Center. Wenger was an administrative office associate for the city's real estate assessor for the past 12 years. The conference centeris under construction and scheduled for completion in September.

NORFOLK

HENN NAMED NEW DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR WITH CITY: Richard J. Henn was promoted to manager of commercial development for the city of Norfolk's department of development. He will be responsible for recruiting retail businesses and working with existing retail businesses. Henn has been with the city since 1983 and has served as deputy manager of retention and real estate.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN STARTS NEW LOS ANGELES SERVICE: In cooperation with the Union Pacific Railroad, Norfolk Souther Railway Co. has begun a fourth-morning intermodal service between Columbus, Ohio, and Los Angeles, the two railroads announced Monday. The new service reduces the current schedule by two days. It will compete with West Coast rail service out of the congested Chicago gateway. The trains will pass between the railroads at their Kansas City gateway without switching or being held in the terminals there. Intermodal service involves piggybacking truck trailers on rail cars or the use truck-sized containers that can be readily shifted between rail cars and trucks.

VIRGINIA BEACH

CATALOG COMPANY EXPANDS: Bonnie Lee Appleton, founder of Green Thumb Consultants Inc., has sold the mail order catalog portion of the company to Carol and Al Chewning. The catalog features tools and wrist supports for gardeners suffering from hand problems, and gel-based clothing for heat stress relief. The Chewnings have renamed the business One to Grow On Inc. Appleton is manufacturing the heat stress relief clothing under her new company, Cool Clothes Inc. Cool Clothes is offered through 15 local dealers in Hampton Roads.

HAMPTON

WEST PROMOTED WITH GENERAL PHYSICS: George R. ``Bud'' West was promoted from senior to principal program management specialist with General Physics Corp. West, a resident of Norfolk, joined the company in July 1994. He holds a master of science degree in management.

VIRGINIA

SERVICE COMPANY RELOCATES IN RICHMOND: VehiCare Inc. will relocate its corporate headquarters from Rochester, N.Y., to downtown Richmond. The company specializes in maintenance services for the trucking and vocational construction industries. VehiCare employs 220 workers and will hire 25 employees at its Richmond headquarters when it begins operating in August. MEMO: To submit an item, send it to Local Scene, The Virginian-Pilot

Business News Department, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510.

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Henn

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