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Recent Articles from Virginia Business
Transportation 2025: ESTES, WEBB
Estes follows in his great-grandfather’s footsteps leading Estes, North America’s largest privately owned freight carrier. In 2023, he was promoted to president and COO, succeeding his father, Rob Estes, who is now board chairman and CEO. The 94-year-old Estes Express has more than 24,000 employees. Its fiscal 2024 revenue totaled $5.8 billion. Estes has acquired […]
Transportation 2025: MILLER III, SHEPPARD ‘SHEP’
A former defense contracting executive and Norfolk native, Miller was appointed secretary by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2022. He is responsible for Virginia’s rail, roads, transit and ports. As chair of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, Miller has a great deal of say on the state’s transportation funding for major road expansion and improvement projects, as […]
Transportation 2025: LAHTI, REAR ADM. CARL A.
UPDATED SEPT. 12, 2025 In July 2024, Lahti succeeded Navy Rear Adm. Wesley McCall as commander of the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, a group of 13 installations from Illinois to North Carolina, including Naval Station Norfolk. But in September 2025, after the Virginia 500 was published, Lahti retired after 36 years of duty and just a […]
Transportation 2025: POTTER, JOHN
Potter oversees two of the busiest airports in the country— Ronald Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles International — as well as the Dulles Toll Road. In 2024, more than 53.54 million passengers came through the two Northern Virginia airports, setting a new travel record. This year, Reagan National has been at the center of controversy […]
Transportation 2025: RUDDY, JOSEPH
Ruddy, who has served two stints as COO from 2011 to 2014, and since 2021, oversees information technology, safety, security, expansion projects and maintenance for the Virginia Port Authority affiliate that runs the Port of Virginia. Last year, the port completed the widening of its shipping channel, a significant part of the $450 million dredging […]
Transportation 2025: SCHLARMANN, CAPT. MATT
Schlarmann became commanding officer of the world’s largest naval station in August 2024. Naval Station Norfolk supports the operational readiness of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and employs 89,000 military personnel and 52,000 civilians. Schlarmann came to Naval Station Norfolk as executive officer in 2023. He took over the commanding role from Capt. Janet H. Days, […]
Transportation 2025: WHITE, DAVID
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. The VMA has a membership of over 450 companies and has promoted and encouraged domestic and international […]
Transportation 2025: PERRYMAN, MARK
Since joining the Norfolk Airport Authority as its leader in May 2022, Perryman has seen growth in passenger numbers and the Norfolk International Airport, in size and scope. The airport is in the middle of a nearly $1 billion, multiyear capital project. Major projects slated to be finished by the end of the year or […]
Transportation 2025: MILLER, PERRY
Miller started with Richmond International Airport’s commission in 2019. The airport marked record-breaking passenger traffic and cargo volume in 2024: 4.88 million passengers (up 2.7% from 2023) and 222.78 million pounds in cargo (up 7.84%). Last year, the airport renovated its Federal Inspection Services facility, which has the capacity to support international travel. Design work [&hellip[...]
Transportation 2025: BACKMON, MONICA
This year, the NVTA released a draft action plan for a regionally connected Bus Rapid Transit system, identifying up to 28 potential routes in Northern Virginia. The authority has already committed more than $880 million toward five BRT segments. Backmon was named the authority’s CEO in 2021, after having served as its executive director in […]
