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Transportation 2024: MONICA BACKMON
This year, Backmon was on hand for the completion of two projects funded by the NVTA: the $19.6 million Boundary Channel Drive Interchange Project in Arlington, for which the agency contributed more than $4.3 million, and the $313.9 million Route 7 Corridor Improvements Project in Fairfax County that NVTA provided with more than[...]
Retail 2024: STEVE PRESLEY
Presley has been overseeing the U.S. market — Nestlé’s largest market, with around $30 billion in annual sales — since 2018. In 2021, he also became head of the Swiss food producer’s continent-wide business when Nestlé created a North America business zone, along with a China zone, to align with its market-led [...]
Telecommunications 2024: CHRISTOPHER E. FRENCH
In April, Shentel completed the acquisition of Horizon Telcom, a commercial fiber provider, for $385 million. The combined company has approximately 15,400 fiber route miles across seven states. Shentel plans to re-brand the Horizon commercial and residential fiber businesses to Glo Fiber. Earlier this year, Shentel sold its t[...]
Manufacturing 2024: JOHN PARKINSON
Parkinson has served as Drake Extrusion’s CEO since 2001. A subsidiary of Duroc AB, a Swedish manufacturer specializing in filament yarn and staple fiber, the company established its roots in Henry County in 1996. In 2021, Drake acquired North Carolina-based yarn manufacturer Michael S. Becker. Drake has expanded its Henry[...]
Real Estate 2024: ROBERT M. ‘BOB’ KING
Since 1978, King has been leasing shopping centers for individuals, private partnerships and institutional clients, and has led the commercial real estate company’s retail leasing team since 1985. He was named president of the firm in 2019, and took over as chairman last year when his adoptive father, Harvey L. Lindsay Jr.[...]
Banking | Finance 2024: TOM RYAN
When Ryan arrived at Langley Federal in 2012, the credit union had about $1.7 billion in assets and 165,500 members. It now boasts $5.45 billion in assets and 378,000 members. With more than 700 employees, Langley Federal has 21 branches. The credit union opened a new branch in Raleigh, North Carolina, in September 2023 and [&[...]
Education 2024: JAMES E. RYAN
Since becoming president in 2018, Ryan has spearheaded several growth initiatives at the state’s flagship university, including the School of Data Science, a new performing arts center and the Karsh Institute of Democracy — all projects funded by donors, including a record 2019 gift of $120 million from alumni couple Jaf[...]
Professional Services 2024: JACOB BLONDIN
As leader of competitive retail pricing data provider RetailData, its parent company RD Holdings, and sister retail intelligence and consulting firm Intrics, Blondin has a lot on his plate. After seven years with RetailData, serving as chief operating officer and vice president of strategic initiatives, Blondin was tapped to bec[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2024: DeETTE GRAY
After starting her career as a middle school math and science teacher, Gray’s interest in coding led her into the IT field, 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 [...]
Law 2024: RANDALL S. PARKS
Parks joined Hunton & Williams, Hunton Andrews Kurth’s predecessor, after graduating from law school at the University of Virginia in 1988. He has served as the chair of the state’s second largest law firm’s executive committee since 2022. With 35 years of experience under his belt, Parks handles complex [...]
Transportation 2024: REAR ADM. CARL A. LAHTI
In July, 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. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate who most recently was commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan/Navy Region Japan, Lahti has studied altern[...]
Retail 2024: WATT R. FOSTER JR.
In 1989, Foster bought Foster Fuels from his father, the late Watt R. “Bobby” Foster Sr. The younger Foster marks the third generation to run the family business, which was founded in 1921. With about 240 employees, the company in fiscal 2023 had $215 million in revenue. Foster held the titles of CEO and president […]
