Under Armour taps new chief design officer

Good morning Baltimore and welcome to Wednesday.

In a tragedy for Joes everywhere, Joe Jonas has filed for divorce from "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner, per NBC News. While it's certainly sad for the couple and their two children, it's also sad for the rest of us Joes. If Joe Jonas can't make it work, who can?

Apparently fans are shocked because the celebrity couple "appeared to be doing well based on social media posts and public appearances." I guess not everyone has the access to fame and fortune that we here at BBJ HQ do, so I'll let you in on a little secret: Social media is not always the best gauge of someone's happiness.

With broken hearts, let us forge ahead into the business world.

Under Armour taps former Calvin Klein, Converse designer as chief design officer

John Varvatos, creator of the Calvin Klein boxer brief and laceless Converse Sneaker, is joining Under Armour this month. The company announced Tuesday that Varvatos will serve as Chief Design Officer beginning Sept. 11. Varvatos will oversee design operations in Baltimore, New York and Portland, Oregon, according to the announcement. Aside from his Calvin Klein and Converse creations, Varvatos also worked for Polo Ralph Lauren and started his own clothing line. He will report to the company's chief product officer, an Under Armour spokesperson confirmed.

The best Maryland public high schools, according to U.S. News

Nine Maryland public high schools — including four in Greater Baltimore — are among the 500 best in the nation, according to a new ranking released last week by U.S. News and World Report, I write. The 2023-2024 Best High Schools report ranked 210 schools in Maryland and 98 in Greater Baltimore, defined here as Baltimore City as well as Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Howard, Harford and Queen Anne's counties. Eastern Technical High School in Baltimore County moved up to No. 2 in the state this year, the highest-rated Greater Baltimore school, while ranking No. 145 nationally. Read on to see how Greater Baltimore's high schools stack up locally and statewide.

State board: BGE cannot require external gas regulators

The Public Service Commission has sided with residents in the external gas regulator saga. The board handed down a decision that prohibits Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. from mandating external gas regulators on customers' homes, the Baltimore Banner reports. The utility company had been installing external gas regulators since at least last fall, until it faced pushback from residents who argued against the switch for both safety and aesthetic reasons. BGE stopped installing the regulators last month after a Baltimore Circuit Court judge handed down a restraining order. Now, residents can choose whether they'd prefer an internal or external regulator, as long as their choice meets safety and engineering standards, the Banner reports.

Honeygrow to open three more Baltimore-area restaurants

A fast-casual chain known for its salad and stir fry is opening three more Greater Baltimore locations this year, BBJ's Morgan Simpson reports. Honeygrow’s newest restaurants are coming to Columbia, Timonium and Annapolis by the end of this fall. The planned restaurants will bring the company's Maryland spots to nine, with eight being in Greater Baltimore. The upcoming locations are part of the Philadelphia-based company's ambitious expansion plans in the region. More details on the expansion here.

Baltimore tech company appoints president of digital division

Fearless, a Baltimore tech firm that recently launched a new division with $17 million in financing, will be (partly) led by a new face. The company announced yesterday that Alka Bhave will helm Fearless Digital, one of two entities forming the company's new model. Bhave's division is tasked with expanding Fearless's digital offerings to capture a more diverse public and private customer base, per the announcement. Bhave joins Fearless from Riverside Research, a national security nonprofit. The move is part of Fearless's drive to hit $1 billion in revenue by 2030, as BBJ's Matt Hooke previously reported.

Orioles to keep most revenue from Springsteen concert amid lease negotiations

The Orioles will keep most of the revenue from Bruce Springsteen's concert Saturday after the Maryland Stadium Authority opted to forgo their portion of the profits, the Baltimore Banner reports. Instead of claiming the allowable 45% of revenue from the show, the authority board of directors voted to take only a portion of the 10% amusement tax from ticket sales. Though not out of the ordinary, the move could be a sign of what the next lease at Camden Yards could look like. The Ravens' lease at M&T Bank Stadium permits the team to keep all non-football revenue, without the Stadium Authority having a say in the split.

Howard County school system takes over bus alerts from transportation office

An update in the ongoing bussing debacle: The Howard County Public School System is taking over messaging related to bus schedules from the Office of Student Transportation, Baltimore Fishbowl reports. A spokesperson for the school system said the number of delays overwhelmed the transportation office's resources, and that the school system's communications office will be the new liaison between bus contractors and parents. Read more on how the bus shakeup is rattling Howard County. And, parents, don't forget to check your inbox for the new messenger.

Southern Management names UMD grad new president

The owner and manager of the Gallery Tower, the Atrium and other Baltimore apartment complexes is under new leadership. The company announced yesterday that Gabrielle Duvall, the firm's executive vice president, took over leadership of the company, effective immediately. Duvall, a Terrapin grad and an Olney resident, served as outside counsel to Southern Management before joining the team and helped guide several high-profile deals for the company in her 15-year tenure, according to the announcement. McLean, Virginia-based Southern Management owns several apartment towers in Baltimore and dozens of others in the Baltimore-Washington region.