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17 execs who balance success with caring
“It’s been good for the community to see a Black man leading a major TV station,” says WWBT NBC12 General Manager Kym Grinnage. “Not only is it aspirational for a lot of people, but people feel their voice can be heard and projected back into the community.” Photo by Shandell Taylor
“It’s been good for the community to see a Black man leading a major TV station,” says WWBT NBC12 General Manager Kym Grinnage. “Not only is it aspirational for a lot of people, but people feel their voice can be heard and projected back into the community.” Photo by Shandell Taylor
17 execs who balance success with caring
April ThompsonKaren Newton// January 30, 2024//
This February, during Black History Month, Virginia Business is pleased to honor 17 distinguished leaders from across the commonwealth in our second annual Virginia Black Business Leaders Awards. This year’s cohort of honorees represent industries ranging from advertising, architecture, defense contracting, finance and health care to higher education and nonprofits.
Our editors chose this year’s winners from a pool of 60 nominated executives submitted by our readers and last year’s honorees. Nominees were scored on factors including overall career achievement, community impact and mentorship. Additionally, we have named Salamander Resorts CEO Sheila Johnson to our Virginia Black Business Leaders Hall of Fame, celebrating the first Black woman billionaire’s long, successful career and leadership in media, sports and hospitality. Check out her interview here.
With each of these 10 men and seven women, you’ll read about how they achieved success and what they’re doing to pass their wisdom on to younger generations. One common thread among our winning leaders is that they care a great deal about people — whether it’s employees, customers, family, students or mentees — and often put them ahead of the bottom line.
Acknowledging the history of their forebears, including family members who struggled amid the Jim Crow South and parents who immigrated to the United States, this group of executives is looking forward while remembering where they came from.
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2024 Virginia Black Business Leaders Awards!
PRESIDENT, VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY, ETTRICK
Abdullah set his sights on a career in education because of his mother, who was a psychologist and adjunct professor, and an aunt who was a teacher. “I thought it was the coolest thing ever to help people become the best version of themselves,” he says.
Since arriving at VSU in 2016, that could be Abdullah’s job description. He admits that given social media and technology, students today are different than in his day. The solution, he says, is to work harder to keep their attention.
A graduate of Howard University and Northwestern University, Abdullah is part of President Joe Biden’s HBCU advisory board and chairs the Association of Public & Land-grant Universities board. He says that having a good support system is key — including the “best wife in the world,” Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdullah, a dean at Virginia Union University.
CO-FOUNDER AND CO-CEO, THE ST. JAMES GROUP, RESTON
Ashton is the first to tell you he loves to work, taking energy and satisfaction from what he does. “What appeals to me is the opportunity The St. James creates for people of all ages to increase their abilities and perform better, while creating a community that ranges from 3-year-olds to 90-year-olds.”
He and his friend and business partner, Craig Dixon, opened St. James’ namesake sports, wellness and entertainment complex in Springfield in 2018.
After earning a law degree and MBA at the University of Chicago, he was a founding member and managing director of Perella Weinberg Partners, a financial services firm. Ashton is also a board member of Canadian cannabinoid company The Cronos Group and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, LIFENET HEALTH, VIRGINIA BEACH
Bibbs has had a storied career in human resources, with more than 20 years of leadership experience at the Port of Virginia and North Carolina-based health care company Quintiles, now part of IQVIA. In 2020, he joined LifeNet, the 40-year-old not-for-profit organization that helps match patients with organ, tissue and cell transplants.
“I’m at a great point in my career, to work for an organization that does such great things for humanity,” Bibbs says. “The people we serve are going from one difficult moment to a better one, whether it’s receiving regenerative tissue or an organ transplant. It’s a very good feeling to be a part of something that’s bigger than me.”
Bibbs previously served as chair for the Urban League of Hampton Roads and the Hampton Roads Chamber.
VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS, UMFS, NEWPORT NEWS
A former social worker who joined United Methodist Family Services of Virginia in 1995, Burton now oversees UMFS’ community-based programs serving children in foster care and families across the state.
A Norfolk State University alum, Burton knew she wanted to be in a helping field. She first did residential care, then moved to the state Department of Social Services, where she worked with children in foster care. At UMFS, she continues that work. “It’s an honor to be out in the community and be an advocate for those without voices.”
Burton, who loves being a mother, has come to two conclusions, the first being that her gifts and talents aren’t for her but to influence those coming up behind her. She’s also a strong advocate of self-care, taking time off to rest and recharge.
CO-FOUNDER AND CO-CEO, THE ST. JAMES GROUP, RESTON
In the 2010s, Dixon and his business partner and friend, Kendrick Ashton (see entry, Page 22), identified an access problem for adults and children in the Washington, D.C., area who wanted to be active — facilities for different sports and activities were scattered all over the region. In 2018, they opened The St. James, a 450,000-square-foot sports, wellness and entertainment complex, in Springfield, later adding smaller, more streamlined versions in Reston and Bethesda, Maryland.
The son of Jamaican immigrants, Dixon grew up in a family focused on entrepreneurship and education. Dixon earned bachelor’s and law degrees from William & Mary, where he and Ashton met as roommates. He’s also a member of Vivid Seats’ board of directors and was senior counsel for Smithfield Foods.
Dixon says he’s learned the importance of relationships in business and to keep going regardless of challenges.
PRESIDENT AND CEO, WEST CARY GROUP, RICHMOND
In 2007, Foster founded West Cary Group, a marketing, communications and advertising agency, fulfilling a lifelong dream to run and grow a company. Under Foster’s direction, the firm serves big-name clients like New York Life, Richmond International Airport and Foster’s former employer, Capital One.
Foster also serves on the MCV Foundation’s board and is director emeritus for NextUp RVA, a nonprofit that recruits business leaders to mentor underserved Richmond Public Schools students. West Cary Group has won numerous awards for its creative work and has been recognized as a top workplace.
“One of my proudest moments was when an employee shared with me that she was buying her first house. This dream I had of running a company had matured to the point it allowed someone to buy a home,” Foster says.
SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR, WEALTH ADVISOR AND RELATIONSHIP MANAGER, CHEVY CHASE TRUST, McLEAN
Gandy has handled money her entire career, starting with her first job as a part-time bank teller as an undergrad at the University of North Carolina. Today, she’s an executive at Chevy Chase Trust, a top-ranked investment firm with over $35 billion in assets under management.
Gandy is also chairman of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the first Black woman to lead the organization’s board in its 100-year history.
“My parents came up in an era where career options for African Americans were limited, and my father, a teacher, said, ‘You now have opportunities not open to me.’ That’s one of the reasons banking appealed to me,” Gandy says. “I often hear, ‘There aren’t enough of us in the wealth management field.’ People think that you have to come from a wealthy family or have connections to be successful, and that’s not the case.”
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, GRAY TELEVISION; GENERAL MANAGER, WWBT NBC12, RICHMOND
Grinnage has been a news junkie since childhood, tuning into the nightly news with his grandmother. Today, as general manager of Richmond’s longtime NBC affiliate, he’s leading the people who report the news every day — although it was a sacrifice at first.
“I took a pay cut to come from New York and start all over in Richmond as a junior account executive, but getting hired at NBC12 33 years ago was one of the best things that ever happened to me,” he says.
Also, Grinnage adds, “It’s been good for the community to see a Black man leading a major TV station. Not only is it aspirational for a lot of people, but people feel their voice can be heard and projected back into the community.”
Grinnage is chair-elect of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters and was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 2020.
VIRGINIA MEDICAID MARKET PRESIDENT, HUMANA, MIDLOTHIAN
Hines saw firsthand growing up in rural Virginia the challenges her community had accessing health care, and she made it her life’s purpose to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations in the commonwealth.
“People had to drive 50, 60 miles to get care. No one was there to help them navigate the health care system or show them how to lead a healthy life,” recalls Hines.
Having earned two nursing degrees and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University, Hines received VCU’s top nursing achievement award in 2022 in recognition of her 25-year career in managed care leadership. In October 2023, she joined Humana as the Virginia Medicaid regional president, after serving in a similar role for Sentara Health.
Hines is also a board member for the nonprofit Rx Partnership and the VCU School of Business Foundation.
CEO, PGLS, ARLINGTON COUNTY
Growing up in Northern Virginia with parents who spoke Somali and Arabic, Hussein was exposed to multiple languages from birth. Six years studying Arabic in Saudi Arabia helped him further polish his linguistic skills. So, in 2013, when he was 24, Hussein started Piedmont Global Language Solutions (PGLS), offering translation, interpretation and language training services. By 2021, the company’s revenue grew to $30 million, and it now has 120 full-time employees and more than 10,000 contract workers.
PGLS wasn’t even Hussein’s first entrepreneurial endeavor, a fact he attributes to his love of building and taking chances. “Building is easy; scaling is harder,” he says. “Taking something from a handful of employees to a several hundred-person operation is the challenge.”
In addition to running PGLS, Hussein works with organizations to connect with youths and other entrepreneurs.
CEO AND FOUNDER, ISADVICE & CONSULTING, DUMFRIES
When President Joe Biden issued an executive order last October aimed at ensuring America’s leadership in harnessing the potential — and mitigating the risks — of artificial intelligence, Isom’s company was already there, guiding the safer use of ethical AI.
Founded in January 2023, IsAdvice & Consulting is the result of Isom’s decades in the private and public sector, including serving as executive director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office. “I saw opportunities to blend AI and cybersecurity to solve some challenges, especially around equity, opportunity and sustainability,” she says. “I’m passionate about equity.”
Among her influences, Isom cites Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and her mother, who taught her to embrace fear and move forward. Support and encouragement for her vision of entrepreneurship came from her husband and grown daughter.
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/EAST REGION MANAGER, COX COMMUNICATIONS, CHESAPEAKE
A military brat and Army veteran, Myers says that the communications industry is the hottest business to be in as the federal government extends broadband to last miles, so no one is left technologically behind. After joining Cox in 2006, he’s now in charge of the telecommunications and cable provider’s East Coast operations.
Myers traces his personal communication style to MLK and JFK, citing their “phenomenal ability to energize, galvanize and share a vision,” but when it comes to how he looks at the world, it’s his parents he thanks. He believes that the best leaders are also teachers.
“It’s not enough to have a seat at the table, you also have to know how to ‘eat’ — to bring value, to ensure your voice is heard and come prepared to make an impression to maintain your seat.”
HAMPTON ROADS MARKET PRESIDENT, BANK OF AMERICA; GREATER VIRGINIA MARKET EXECUTIVE, MERRILL LYNCH WEALTH MANAGEMENT, WILLIAMSBURG
In September 2023, Noel took over the Hampton Roads territory for Bank of America, combining the role with his work as Merrill Lynch’s market executive. He has been involved with financial services for more than 20 years.
“My first job in finance helped a lot of people get their first homes, then my pursuit as a financial adviser let me help them stay in their homes,” says Noel. “Leading a team of 106 advisers across the area, I love knowing that we are helping put their kids through college or pass their wealth to their children.”
Noel demonstrates a strong commitment to service both in and outside the workplace, serving as a mentor through the Merrill Women’s Exchange and Black professionals’ group, while engaging in nonprofit work throughout the state, including the Boys & Girls Clubs and various food banks.
PRINCIPAL AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, BASKERVILL, RICHMOND
Pinnock quips that he’s had an interesting career arc: first as an intern at Baskervill, then starting his own architecture firm, and finally returning as board chair at Baskervill, which was founded in 1897.
Pinnock is keenly aware that his firm wasn’t always on the right side of history, having built the former monument to Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond. “Selecting me as chairman of its board says a lot about who we are as a company and who we want to be, compared to where we started,” he says.
The Virginia Tech grad is also practice leader of the company’s civic and cultural division. Pinnock continues his commitment to the Storefront for Community Design, a Richmond nonprofit he founded to engage the next generation of designers.
CHIEF PEOPLE AND CULTURE OFFICER, PLEZi NUTRITION, ASHBURN
Although she’s held her position for less than a year, Pollock-Berry is all-in with PLEZi Nutrition, and not just because former first lady Michelle Obama is a co-founder and strategic partner of the startup. It was the company’s mission focused on the health and well-being of children that attracted her.
Pollock-Berry credits her leadership style to her former boss at AOL, Dave Harmon, but insists it’s her co-workers and employees who most influence her now. Rather than treat people as she’d want to be treated — her mother’s advice — she prefers to take the time to get to know people to find out how they want to be treated “because everyone is different.”
Her own advice to employees is to work hard and play hard. “My goal is to be profitable and to create a culture where everyone wants to work because they believe in the mission.”
PRESIDENT AND CEO, QINETIQ US, McLEAN
A 27-year defense contracting industry veteran, Purvis has held leadership roles at Northrop Grumman, Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) and Lockheed Martin. Now, she leads the U.S. operations of British aerospace company QinetiQ, a job she started in 2022.
Heading up what she considers a disruptor company, Purvis likes to create an organizational mindset that encourages employees “to see beauty in chaos,” and she values diversity and inclusivity over hierarchy.
“I love challenging the status quo, to learn from existing innovations and improve on them to solve hard problems for our customers,” says Purvis, who earned a master’s degree in information systems from George Mason University.
In 2022, she was honored with the distinguished alumni award by GMU’s College of Engineering and Computing. She is a former member of GMU’s board of visitors.
PRESIDENT – PENINSULA AND WILLIAMSBURG, TOWNEBANK, NEWPORT NEWS
After a long and successful career at Wells Fargo, and years of being wooed, Swann joined TowneBank as president for the bank’s Williamsburg and Peninsula regional operations in 2019.
At TowneBank, Swann wears her “numbers and people hats” to help her team develop and grow, engage with the community for their banking needs and use her business acumen to grow the bank’s market share. “Ultimately, we help people to achieve their dreams by aligning their finances.”
Outside of work, the William & Mary MBA graduate volunteers with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula and Habitat for Humanity. She also advocates for financial literacy in various community settings.
