Maureen Loftus, executive director of LearningRx of Vienna and Reston, Va. hosted the 23rd Annual Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce Stars event with 42 students attending from 22 Fairfax County schools for their positive achievements and significant improvements. For more information, go to www.learningrx.com.

More than 150 attendees joined the event, including Dr. Steven Lockard, deputy superintendent of Fairfax County Schools. Each year, the Tysons Regional Chamber partners with area schools to celebrate and honor selected students who deserve recognition for positive potential or significant improvements. The Chamber Stars event celebrates the accomplishment of students who have persevered despite significant obstacles or personal struggles.

Boulder Crest Retreat announces Founder and Chairman, Ken Falke on the HillVets 100 list for 2016, and the Retreat is recognized as the Nonprofit of the Year Award for innovation in the mental healthcare area. This is the second annual HillVets 100 event.  HillVets chooses from a pool of veterans’ nationwide and 100 people make the distinguished list of those making a significant difference in the lives of our nations' veterans.

“I am personally honored and humbled to make this very prestigious list and more honored by the selection of the Retreat as the best nonprofit of the year,” explains Ken Falke, chairman and founder of the Boulder Crest Retreat. “Our mission is to change the way our country deals with veterans with combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and I know our PATHH program is leading this change.”

One former Marine turned entrepreneur shares his tips on what it takes to build a successful business in any industry

According to the Small Business Administration, 99.7 percent of all businesses are considered small, which is having under 500 employees. While there is a lot of information readily available to explain to would-be entrepreneurs about how to go through the steps to open one of these small businesses, that’s only half the equation. Just opening shop and hanging a sign out won’t be enough to stay in business over the long term or be successful.