Energy 2024: ROBERT DUVALL

In his second stint at the helm of Virginia Natural Gas, Duvall is responsible for delivering natural gas to more than 310,000 customers across southeastern Virginia.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Clemson University, Duvall began his career in 1984 as a distribution engineer at Atlanta Gas Light, a subsidiary of VNG’s Atlanta-based parent company, Southern Company Gas. He previously served as VNG’s president from 2014 to 2016, then became Southern’s senior vice president of customer operations; he became president of VNG again in 2020.

Currently, VNG, which has said it intends to reach net-zero direct greenhouse emissions by 2050, is focusing its attention on renewable gas, launching a five-year pilot program in 2023 that aims to integrate renewable natural gas into its distribution systems. In June, VNG announced a $620,000 investment in workforce development efforts in southeastern Virginia.

Duvall is currently vice chair for the Hampton Roads Alliance’s board. A graduate of the CIVIC Leadership Institute, Duvall has served on boards for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance.