Mars, Inc. McLean-based Mars, Incorporated, announced last month that it will be the primary sponsor of a new Smithsonian exhibition, which is scheduled to open in 2015. The exhibition, with a working title of "American Enterprise," will feature 8,000 square feet of historical artifacts and displays to trace the country's economic history from its early agricultural beginnings to its current position. Mars is contributing $5 million to the new exhibition, according a press release issued by the company.  It will be housed in the Mars Hall of American Business, following the completion of …

Capital One McLean-based Capital One, in a move to make its operations more efficient, announced last week that it will lay off 80 employees from its Bethesda office by early November. The Bethesda office joined Capital One when the McLean banking giant acquired Chevy Chase bank in 2009.  The Bethesda location was primarily a home mortgage office, according to a story in Maryland’s Gazette.net. Capital One planned the closure in order to “consolidate its existing home loan sites,” according to Julie Rakes, a spokeswoman for Capital One. Rakes said that employees will be given “at least 90 …

  USA TODAY Named a new editor this week: David Callaway, former Editor in Chief of MarketWatch. Callaway will assume his new role in late July, according to a story posted on USA TODAY. Prior to his time with MarketWatch, which began in 2003, Callaway was a securities industry reporter for Bloomberg, and a before then, a columnist for the Boston Herald.  “I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the USA TODAY team, and to rejoin Larry (Kramer), as we begin a new era in digital journalism at one of the most well known news brands in the country,” Callaway was quoted saying in USA TODAY.  …

  Capital One’s New Data Center Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced this week that McLean-based Capital One has plans to open its new data center in Chesterfield County, Va.  Capital One, the state’s ninth-largest private sector employer, and the nation’s sixth-largest bank based on deposits, will invest more than $150 million into its new technology center.  Virginia competed with Texas for this project, which will result in 50 new jobs in Chesterfield County.  “This project is another great example of how the IT industry helps fuel Virginia’s economic engine,” said Jim Duffey, Virginia …

  Cardinal Bank Grant Cardinal Bank announced this week that it awarded $5,000 to the Foundation for Fairfax County Public Schools. The Foundation supports “the mission of a world-class school system to inspire, enable and empower students to meet high economic standards,” according to a BusinessWire press release. The Foundation for Fairfax County Public Schools is managed by a partnership between the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and Fairfax County Public Schools.  “We know that this Cardinal Bank Community Fund grant will impact students in Fairfax County, supporting creative and …

Welcome to the weekly  McLean BizBuzz column. We’ll keep you up-to-date on news, and comings and goings of McLean’s business neighbors. Let us hear from you. Cyber-security Education Northrop Grumman  announced last week its funding assistance and partnership with University of Maryland for a new cyber-security education program, Advanced Cyber-security Experience for Students (ACES).  Northrop Grumman’s Chairman and CEO, Wes Bush, serves as Vice Chair of the Regional Workforce Project of the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF).  The ACES program will be the first under the BHEF initiative…

Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman’s Information Systems headquarters, located in McLean, was presented last week with the Small Business Partner of the Year Award from the Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum.  The company was given the award based on its “ongoing commitment and support of small businesses,” according to a press release issued by Northrop Grumman.  The award is presented each year to a Washington-area company that has “established and actively supported mentorships, teaming, partnerships and other beneficial programs for small and emerging contractors,” according to …

Welcome to McLean Patch’s weekly Biz Buzz column.  We’ll keep you up-to-date on news, and goings and comings of McLean’s business neighbors.  McLean happens to be the address of several Fortune 500 companies – Hilton, Mars, SAIC, Capital One, Freddie Mac, as well as many beloved hometown businesses like McLean Family Restaurant, and Flowers and Plants.  Let us hear from you.  DOJ Ends Investigation of Cardinal Bank. The ten-month investigation into Cardinal Bank’s lending practices was wrapped up this week, according to a posting by the Capital Business Blog.  Cardinal Bank, a $2.6 billion …

Welcome to McLean Patch's new column that will keep up with news, goings and comings of McLean's business neighbors. McLean is the address of several Fortune 500 companies --- Hilton, Mars, SAIC, Capital One, Freddie Mac, SAIC and beloved hometown businesses like McLean Family Restaurant, Flowers and Plants. Let us hear from you. Jobs for Veterans. McLean-based SAIC has launched a new program designed to hire 1,500 military veterans by the end of this year, according to a press release issued by the company.  The program recently announced by Science Applications International Corporation (…

Welcome to our new weekly McLean BizBuzz column that will spotlight news from McLean's business neighbors. McLean is home to major companies — Capital One, SAIC, Hilton Hotels, among others — and their CEOs. Here's where you'll find news of what they're up to. We also need your help: We're looking for a classy name for this new column. We would welcome your thoughts for a column name. Just put them in the comments below. Two Local Businesses Named Best Companies for Hourly Workers 2012. Capital One Financial and Hilton Worldwide, both based in McLean, have been named two of the 12 best …