Sitting astride the James River, Richmond, VA is a charming amalgamation of old world charm and a modern vibrant economy linking many different industries with any of a national, regional, or local focus. Located approximately 100 miles south of Washington, DC, Richmond and Washington anchor the southern end of the mid-Atlantic megalopolis stretching from Richmond in the south to Boston in the north. Viewed this way, although Richmond is a strong, stand-along market in its own right, a part of its appeal is relationship to other regional and national businesses in multiple industries. Not all of the press is good, however, and recently, Wells Fargo Bank, headquartered in the Richmond area, faced a lot of public and regulatory scrutiny over unscrupulous account manipulation. Aside from banking, Richmond is home to Tobacco industry market leader Phillip Morris. Thinking about history and stability, according to Wikipedia, Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Greater Richmond Region. It was incorporated in 1742, and has been an independent city since 1871. As of the 2010 census, the Richmond Metropolitan Area has a population of 1,260,029, making it the third-most populous metro in the state. Richmond’s economy is primarily driven by law, finance, and government, with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, as well as notable legal and banking firms, located in the downtown area. The city is home to both the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, one of 13 United States courts of appeals, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, one of 12 Federal Reserve Banks. Dominion Resources and WestRock, Several Fortune 500 companies, are headquartered in the city, with others in the metropolitan area.