RAJU V. UPPALAPATI has been elected to the Board of Directors of Bank of the Commonwealth in Norfolk, Virginia. Mr. Uppalapati is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in Real Estate, Hospitality Management, Financial Management and Business start-ups. He is the Chairman & CEO of RAVA Group of companies and CEO and partner of BD&A Realty & Construction, Inc., one of the largest Real Estate Developers in Eastern North Carolina. In addition, he is the founder of several successful business start-ups involved in Real Estate, Hospitality, financial, venture capital and technology sectors. Mr. Uppalapati brings to the Board a wealth of experience and knowledge of financial and business management. He received his MA in International Management from the University of Texas, Dallas and his MBA from Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. Mr. Uppalapati is a past Director/Treasurer of Outer Banks Tourism Board, Director/Treasurer and Vice Chairman of Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce and he served on many other professional and charitable organizations. Mr. Uppalapati currently lives in Kitty Hawk with his wife and two children.