Sign In
Free Newsletter
Energy 2025: PIERCE, SHANNON O.
A Surry County native, Pierce succeeded Robert Duvall in April as leader of the utility serving more than 310,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Southeastern Virginia. Pierce didn’t grow up dreaming of working in energy, the field where she’s spent her entire career. Fresh out of the University of Virginia School of Law, Pierce […]
Government Contractors | Technology 2025: GRAY, DeETTE
After starting her career as a middle school math and science teacher, Gray became interested in coding, which led her to IT, where she worked as a software developer. A former executive at Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems, Gray has won the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association International Women’s Appreciation Award for promoting STEM […]
Government | Politics | Lobbying 2025: EARLE-SEARS, LT. GOV. WINSOME
Earle-Sears is a woman of firsts: the first Black woman and immigrant to hold statewide office in Virginia and the commonwealth’s first female lieutenant governor, serving as president of the state Senate and occasionally casting tiebreaking votes. This year, she seeks to be Virginia’s first female governor as the Republican nominee. A U.S. Marine Corps […]
Health Care 2025: LUTES, MICHAEL
Lutes joined Bon Secours in 2022 as Richmond market president. The health system created his state president role this year; he now oversees the Richmond and Hampton Roads markets, including about 14,000 employees across the state. In May, the health system opened its approximately $80 million, 100,000-square-foot Harbour View Medical Center in Suffolk. The same […]
Government | Politics | Lobbying 2025: KAINE, U.S. SEN. TIM
Labeled by supporters as “America’s Dad” for his level-headed, folksy and sometimes wonky demeanor, Democrat Kaine has been a fixture in Virginia politics since his 1994 election to Richmond City Council. From there, he became Richmond mayor, then Virginia’s lieutenant governor and governor. His 2006-10 term in the Executive Mansion was marked by both the […]
Government | Politics | Lobbying 2025: CULLEN, RICHARD
Richmond insider Richard Cullen was an early pick by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to serve on the political newcomer’s cabinet when he took office in 2022, and he has remained a prominent figure in the executive branch since. Before joining the Youngkin administration, Cullen was a senior partner at McGuireWoods, Virginia’s largest law firm. There, he […]
Government | Politics | Lobbying 2025: SCOTT JR., DEL. DON
After bumping longtime Del. Eileen Filler-Corn from the top House role in a 2022 shakeup, Scott became Virginia’s first Black speaker in 2024 when Democrats retook the chamber. It wasn’t the only unexpected turn in his history: In 1994, as he was finishing up his law degree, Scott was arrested on federal drug charges. He […]
Government Contractors | Technology 2025: MONET, BILL
Monet leads Akima, an Alaska Native corporation that handles federal contracts for the for-profit NANA Regional business owned by Indigenous Iñupiat shareholders. Akima has approximately 10,000 employees across the world. With more than 30 years of experience in modernizing processes for federal, state, local and commercial clients, Monet is chief operating officer of NANA in […]
Energy 2025: HEWA, JOHN D.
In 2017, Hewa joined the member-owned utility as vice president and chief operating officer. Three years later, he took the helm of the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative following the retirement of Kent Farmer, who’d worked there for more than four decades. In addition to leading the cooperative that today provides electricity to nearly 182,000 connections across […]
Education 2025: HEMPHILL, BRIAN O.
Old Dominion merged with Eastern Virginia Medical School in July 2024 to form the largest suite of health care programs in state higher education, with 56 academic programs. Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University received a $20 million gift from Joan Brock and another $20 million gift from Dennis and […]
Energy 2025: COSBY, CHRIS
Cosby signed on to lead ODEC in February, succeeding John C. Lee, who retired after leading the cooperative since 2023. He joined the cooperative in 2018 as a director of asset manager and most recently served as chief operating officer. Incorporated in 1948, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative owned […]
Government Contractors | Technology 2025: RIDDLE, ADAM
In 2023, Riddle was named chairman and CEO of Rolls-Royce North America and president of its defense division. He has more than a decade of experience with the British aerospace, defense and engineering company. Before taking on his latest roles, Riddle headed up Rolls-Royce’s global services division. Previously, he was director of strategy and future […]
