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Education: JAMES E. RYAN
A first-generation college student who graduated summa cum laude from Yale University and graduated first in his University of Virginia law class, Ryan previously served as dean of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and clerked for the late U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Ryan came to Mr. Jefferson�[...]
Federal Contractors/Technology: BRIAN KENNER
In 2019, Amazon lured Kenner away from his role as Washington, D.C.’s deputy mayor for planning and economic development, after a little more than four years at his previous job. As head of HQ2 policy, Kenner supports the massive e-tailer’s economic development throughout the region, including D.C., Maryland and Virginia. It[...]
Finance/Insurance: JERMAINE JOHNSON
Bringing more than 25 years of experience in banking to the table, Johnson just completed two years as head of greater Washington, D.C., and Virginia operations for Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services Group Inc. In addition to working to grow PNC’s banking business, Johnson strives to strengthen the region’s communitie[...]
Health Care: JAMES D. DAHLING
As president and CEO of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters health system since 2003, Dahling is passionate about pediatric mental health services. Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, CHKD put plans in motion to address increasing demands for mental health services among children, and between 2018 and this year, Dahl[...]
Health Care: PAT DAVIS-HAGENS
In October 2021, Davis-Hagens joined Bon Secours as president of its Hampton Roads hospital system. A veteran of health care administration, Davis-Hagens came to Virginia after serving as president of Cincinnati’s The Jewish Hospital — Mercy Health, part of the national Bon Secours Mercy Health system. She oversees 3,400 emp[...]
Retail/Wholesale: VINCE SHEEHY IV
A graduate of Dickinson College with an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Sheehy initially resisted joining the family’s auto business. Instead, he spent several years in marketing and sales for Prudential and General Mills. By the late 1980s, Sheehy changed his mind and went to work as a salesman [...]
Retail/Wholesale: STEVEN C. ‘STEVE’ SMITH
In April, Food City announced plans to launch a line of Ace Hardware stores called Curt’s Ace Hardware in honor of Smith’s grandfather. The first store is scheduled to open this summer in Bristol, Virginia, according to the Kingsport Times News. The stores will fill a need in several communities where Food City stores are [&[...]
Law: J. BENJAMIN ROTTENBORN
Rottenborn made national headlines this year for representing “Aquaman” actress Amber Heard in the defamation trial brought by her world-famous ex-husband, Johnny Depp. During the widely viewed trial argued in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Rottenborn received intense public backlash from Depp fans. “I suspect that nobody a[...]
Real Estate: EUGENE BREDOW
In March, Bredow was appointed president and CEO of NVR, one of the nation’s largest homebuilding and mortgage banking companies, replacing Paul C. Saville, who has transitioned to executive chairman. A graduate of the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and a member of its board of advisers, Bredow has worked [...]
Manufacturing: BRADFORD ‘BRAD’ BEAUCHAMP
Beauchamp, who joined Carpenter Co. in 2008, was promoted to CEO in late 2020. Founded in 1948, Carpenter makes flexible foam, fiber, air filtration media and other products, employing about 4,200 people — 450 of them in Virginia — at 50+ locations worldwide. In October 2021, Carpenter, one of the world’s largest producer[...]
Manufacturing: ROBERT H. ‘ROB’ SPILMAN JR.
Publicly traded furniture manufacturer and retailer Bassett Furniture Industries was founded in 1902 and continues to be headquartered in Henry County’s Bassett area, part of greater Martinsville. The company sells home furnishings in about 100 retail locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Spilman, who has been with B[...]
Education: MAKOLA M. ABDULLAH
Since becoming Virginia State University’s president in 2016, Abdullah has led the public HBCU to national prominence, as well as a budget surplus after the university was in debt before his tenure. U.S. News & World Report ranked VSU in the top 30 of its Best Overall HBCUs for 2022 and it was also named […]
