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Economic Development 2024: BARRY DuVAL
A former state secretary of commerce and trade, DuVal has led the Virginia Chamber of Commerce for 14 years, during which time the business advocacy organization has grown from around 1,000 members to more than 29,000. DuVal and the chamber recently released the Blueprint Virginia 2030 plan, a strategy for positioning the common[...]
Hospitality | Tourism 2024: CHRISTY S. COLEMAN
As head of the foundation administering two museums of early American history, Coleman is at the forefront of educators weaving a nuanced and inclusive story of American history. She is the first woman and the first person of color to serve as executive director of the state agency that operates Jamestown Settlement and the Amer[...]
Hospitality | Tourism 2024: MOLLY HARDIE; ROBERT HARDIE
H7 Holdings is a private family investment company that owns and manages Keswick Hall and Golf Club in Albemarle County and the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Level One Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in the health care and life sciences sectors. The couple also runs the H7 Foundation, supporting educat[...]
Economic Development 2024: H. GARRETT HART III
Construction is progressing on The Lake, a 105-acre mixed-use development in Chesterfield County, which Hart hopes will help attract more businesses to the area. It will have a 13-acre artificial lake and a 6-acre surf park, one of a handful of such facilities nationwide that can generate waves large enough to surf. Hart also ha[...]
Nonprofits | Philanthropy 2024: SHERRIE ARMSTRONG
Armstrong is only the second president and CEO of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, established in 1968. She has held that position since 2015 after 26 years of leadership roles with United Way at local and national levels, including working as executive vice president of investor relations at United Way Worldwide[...]
Education 2024: KATHERINE A. ROWE
Rowe became president of the nation’s second-oldest university in 2018, after serving as provost and dean of faculty at Smith College. She has shepherded the creation of William & Mary’s first sustainability plan, an entrepreneurship hub and the college’s strategic plan, Vision 2026. In October 2023, William & Mary[...]
Banking | Finance 2024: EVELYN LEE
Lee’s role expanded in October to include oversight of Maryland, following the retirement of Greg Farno, whom Lee described as a friend and a “true leader” of both Baltimore and Truist. A William & Mary alumna, Lee has led the greater Washington market since 2019, following the merger of BB&T and SunTrust Banks t[...]
Real Estate 2024: TIMOTHY HELMIG
After joining Monday Properties in 2005, Helmig has led the company to capital investments of more than $16 billion, an expanded multifamily portfolio of 6,500 units, and execution of transactions totaling more than 36 million square feet. A developer and investor of multifamily housing, Monday Properties has expanded its footpr[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2024: PHONG LE
If there’s one company making a big bet on bitcoin, it’s MicroStrategy. As of July 10, MicroStrategy owned more than $13 billion worth of the cryptocurrency after acquiring an additional $1 billion in bitcoin over the previous year. Le took the lead at MicroStrategy in August 2022 after Michael Saylor, the company’s high-p[...]
Banking | Finance 2024: WAYNE F. WILBANKS
Wilbanks developed an interest in stocks and bonds at the age of 14. As a 16-year-old, he formed an investment partnership with other students. “I was hooked,” Wilbanks wrote on a Virginia Business survey. A graduate of Duke, Wilbanks co-founded Norfolk’s Wilbanks Smith & Thomas Asset Management in 1990, serving as the[...]
Manufacturing 2024: WILLIAM F. ‘BILLY’ GIFFORD JR.
Joining the company at its subsidiary Philip Morris USA in 1994, Gifford became CEO of Fortune 500 tobacco products manufacturer Altria Group in 2020. He has held various executive posts at Altria for nearly three decades. Among Altria’s operating companies, in addition to Philip Morris USA, are U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, John Mi[...]
Transportation 2024: JERROLD ‘JERRY’ MILLER
Founder of The Miller Group, the developer for Fairwinds Landing, Miller is guiding the development of the 111-acre project at Norfolk Southern’s Lambert’s Point Docks in Norfolk. The $500 million development will transform the former docks into a marine logistics center supporting the growth of offshore wind, shipbuilding a[...]
