Transportation 2024: DAVID WHITE

A William & Mary alum, White has been at the helm of the Virginia Maritime Association since 2018. He began working with the advocacy organization in 2003, representing the interests of the state’s maritime, logistics and transportation companies. White also serves as executive vice president and secretary for the Hampton Roads Shipping Association and as secretary and treasurer for the National Association of Maritime Organizations.

With the Port of Virginia’s completion this year of the shipping channel’s widening project and the deepening segment expected to be complete in fall 2025, the VMA is focusing on encouraging more workforce training in the state. Also of concern is how recent attacks on freighter ships in the Red Sea could impact the nation’s supply chain. In March, the Port of Virginia also handled increased cargo after Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapsed when a freighter collided with it, temporarily closing the city’s port.

In December 2023, a William & Mary study reported that the state’s non-military maritime industry is responsible for 1 in 5 jobs in Virginia, and more than $8 billion in state and local taxes in fiscal 2022.