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Government | Politics 2024: L. LOUISE LUCAS
Since Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s election, Lucas has become the face of Virginia Democrats’ “blue brick wall” strategy to block Republican priorities in Richmond. Key to her public image is the state senator’s brash and outspoken presence on X, where she has more than 95,000 followers. Democrats’ success i[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2024: KAREN DAHUT
In October 2022, Dahut became CEO of Google Public Sector, a subsidiary of the tech giant focused on government and educational contracting. Before joining Google, Dahut led Booz Allen Hamilton’s $4 billion global defense business. Dahut served in the U.S. Navy for six years, including at the Navy Medical Research Institut[...]
Real Estate 2024: WILLIAM A. ‘BILL’ PAULETTE
In 1975, armed with $1,000 to invest, Paulette laid the foundation for what would become KBS. What started as a one-person company with an office in a sheet-metal shop has grown to a top-ranked construction firm in the mid-Atlantic, with a reach extending from its Richmond and Virginia Beach offices to Roanoke and Washington, D.[...]
Insurance 2024: THOMAS S. GAYNER
Gayner has led the Fortune 500 insurance company as sole CEO since early 2023, after serving more than six years as co-CEO with Richard Whitt III, who retired last year. Before joining Markel in 1990, Gayner was vice president of Davenport & Co. Markel reported operating revenues of $15.8 billion in 2023, an increase from [&[...]
Education 2024: AIMEE ROGSTAD GUIDERA
In 2021, Guidera was the first secretary appointed by newly elected Gov. Glenn Youngkin. A proponent of charter schools and parental involvement in education, Guidera is responsible for leading the state’s public schools and has significant influence on postsecondary institutions, including the Virginia Community College S[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2024: MAHFUZ AHMED
In the mid-1990s, Ahmed founded what’s now Dexian as a side venture while working as a consultant for Northrop Grumman and a senior technical manager for Mobil Oil. Today, the McLean-based provider of staffing, IT and workforce solutions employs about 12,000 workers across 70 locations worldwide. Originally known as Digita[...]
Retail 2024: ARIE KOTLER
An Israeli native, Kotler has led Arko, the nation’s sixth largest convenience store chain and parent company of GPM Investments, since 2020, when it merged with Haymaker Acquisition Corp. II to become a U.S.-listed public company. He founded GPM in 2003, sold the business and reacquired it in 2011. The company has been [...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2024: CRAIG P. ABOD
Since Abod founded Carahsoft in 2004, the privately owned IT and cybersecurity solutions provider has grown to land the No. 45 spot on Forbes’ 2023 list of the nation’s largest private companies, with $11 billion in revenue and 2,470 employees. Abod is a University of Maryland alum who previously worked for DLT Solut[...]
Retail 2024: ELIZABETH ‘LIZA’ MYERS BORCHES
Founded in 1924 by Borches’ great-grandfather, Carter Myers Automotive is Virginia’s fifth largest car sales group, with 24 dealerships selling 18 brands. It currently ranks No. 87 on Automotive News’ Top 150 Dealership Groups list, down 12 spots from 2023. Borches became CEO in 2012. The company employs more t[...]
Professional Services 2024: DANNY ROBINSON
In January, after serving as The Martin Agency’s chief creative officer since 2020, Robinson became the advertising agency’s CEO, succeeding Kristen Cavallo, who retired. Robinson joined Martin two decades ago and has overseen campaigns for national clients like Geico, UPS and Old Navy. During his tenure as chief cre[...]
Education 2024: KEVIN F. HALLOCK
A labor market economist with a doctorate from Princeton, Hallock joined the private University of Richmond in 2021. One of the school’s long-term goals has been affordability. Need-based aid packages at UR average $60,740 toward the roughly $80,000 annual costs for tuition and room and board. In September 2023, UR’s[...]
Economic Development 2024: TELLY TUCKER
Tucker previously was director of Arlington Economic Development, and also served five years as director of economic development for Danville before returning to Southern Virginia in May 2022 to head IALR, a regional hub for advanced manufacturing training initiatives and economic development. In February, IALR launched its Na[...]
