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Education 2023: JAVAUNE ADAMS-GASTON
Rising in prominence since Adams-Gaston became its leader in 2019, Norfolk State now ranks regularly in the top 20 historically Black colleges and universities, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. In 2021, Norfolk State received its largest single-donor gift, $40 million from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos. The […]
Real Estate 2023: STEVE LAWSON
A third-generation builder and developer, Lawson served as president of the 190-person multifamily real estate development, construction and management firm for 17 years, until he was named chairman in 2016. For more than two decades, Lawson has promoted equitable and affordable housing policies through leadership positions with the National Association of Home Builders. He has […]
Transportation 2023: JUDY BARRETT
The second woman president in the Virginia Maritime Association’s 102-year history, Barrett is a prominent face in the area’s banking, maritime and sailing communities. A banking executive with more than 30 years of experience, she has been with TowneBank for over 16 years. Barrett also serves as board president of Norfolk Festevents, and is a […]
Transportation 2023: MICHAEL W. COLEMAN
In addition to leading CV International, his family-owned freight logistics and transportation company, Coleman is a Virginia Port Authority commissioner and chairs the century-old Virginia Maritime Association. He’s also a board member of the Hampton Roads Shipping Association and sits on the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Advisory Committee on International Trade. Colema[...]
Real Estate 2023: FRANK ‘BUDDY’ GADAMS
Gadams and his firm are known for their commercial and residential projects, but he has also led community-based projects like the restoration of the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. Gadams founded Marathon in 2000. He is also one of the founders of the YPO (formerly Young Presidents’ Organization) Virginia Chapter. A Downtown Norfolk Council member, […]
Real Estate 2023: CARL L. HARDEE
Lawson’s president and CEO since 2016, Hardee has been with the company for more than half of its 51 years. He oversees a 190-employee real estate development, construction and management company. In June, Lawson held a grand opening for Market Heights, a 164-unit apartment community in Norfolk, and the company is near completion of 80 […]
Law 2023: THOMAS C. INGLIMA
At Willcox & Savage, Inglima’s practice has focused on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and securities transactions, intellectual property, licensing and technology transfers, and general corporate work, including advising corporations on matters of governance. The firm — among Virginia’s 20 largest — has grown in the past year, adding three partners and four associate[...]
Transportation 2023: RYAN BANAS
Banas oversees the $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion, the largest transportation infrastructure project in state history. Aimed at increasing capacity and easing congestion, the project will widen existing four-lane segments along 10 miles of the Interstate 64 corridor in Norfolk and Hampton, and also will add twin underwater tunnels crossing the harbor. Running about a […[...]
Transportation 2023: MARK A. PERRYMAN
Under Perryman’s brief tenure as the Norfolk Airport Authority’s president and CEO, Norfolk International Airport (ORF) has embarked on selecting a developer for an airport hotel, secured federal funding to install a moving sidewalk and brought in Spirit Airlines. In fiscal year 2022, ORF reported $72.5 million in revenue. Perryman joined the authority in May […]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2023: CHARLIE WATKINS
Responsible for companywide strategy and performance, Watkins has served since 2018 as president and CEO of Landmark Media Enterprises and its subsidiary, Dominion Enterprises. A digital marketing and software services provider, Dominion Enterprises started under the umbrella of the former Landmark Communications, a Norfolk-based media company that owned The Virginian-Pilot, The Roanoke Times and [...]
Transportation 2023: JOSEPH P. ‘JOE’ RUDDY
In 2021, Ruddy was tapped a second time to be COO for the Virginia Port Authority’s nonprofit affiliate that operates the Port of Virginia, one of the state’s chief economic drivers. Ruddy, who held the same job from 2011 to 2014, is responsible for operations, information technology, safety, security, capacity expansion projects and maintenance at […]
Real Estate 2023: T. RICHARD LITTON JR.
Litton is responsible for day-to-day operations at Harbor Group International, a 38-year-old real estate investment and management firm with 1,500 employees and $20 billion in real estate investments throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. One of its most famous properties is the Eero Saarinen-designed CBS Building in midtown New York City, which HGI […]
