Economic Development: TELLY TUCKER

Tucker returned to Danville in May after a two-year stint as economic development director for Arlington County. As he departed, The Boeing Co. and Raytheon Technologies Corp. both announced they would be relocating their global headquarters to Arlington, making Northern Virginia home to four of the top defense contractors in the world.

Tucker, a Lynchburg native who began his career as a middle school teacher, spent five years as Danville’s economic development director. There, he helped attract step-van manufacturer Morgan Olson and vertical agriculture producer AeroFarms. In May, Tucker became the first president of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, which helps with regional advanced manufacturing training and economic development efforts.

Also an accomplished concert pianist who once performed for President Bill Clinton and then-first lady Hillary Clinton, Tucker has a bachelor’s degree in international business administration with a minor in Spanish from James Madison University.

WHAT I WAS LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL: I was very involved at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg. I stayed active by playing three varsity sports, band, chorus and was voted Best All Around by my classmates as part of senior superlatives.