Economic Development 2023: ROBERT J. ‘BOB’ STOLLE
Editor’s note: Stolle announced his resignation on Aug. 31, after publication of the Virginia 500. A former state secretary of commerce and trade under Gov. George Allen, Stolle brings years of experience in economic development and public policy to his role leading VIPC. Formerly the Center for Innovative Technology, VIPC[...]
Real Estate 2023: TERRIE L. SUIT
When Suit started her career, she worked for a builder, then became a Realtor and later a mortgage loan officer. Today, after serving as the state’s first secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, as well as a Republican state delegate for eight years, Suit now leads Virginia’s largest trade association. S[...]
Government | Politics 2023: SCOTT A. SUROVELL
A Democrat representing parts of Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford counties, Surovell is one of several state senators who could land top leadership roles in next year’s General Assembly. A trial lawyer with degrees from the University of Virginia and James Madison University, Surovell won election to the House of Deleg[...]
Professional Services 2023: TIMOTHY H. GILLIS
Gillis joined Big Four accounting firm KPMG as a partner in 1998, bringing a wealth of experience as an auditor, lawyer and tax professional for Fortune 500 and mid-market companies in a variety of industries. As the Chesapeake region’s managing partner since 2019, Gillis is responsible for leading market strategy, supervi[...]
Health Care 2023: DR. MARLON LEVY
Levy was appointed to lead the VCU Health System last year on an interim basis, having served as chief medical officer of the VCU Medical Center and director of the Hume-Lee Transplant Center. He replaced Dr. Art Kellermann, who resigned in November 2022. In the past year, VCU Health’s Massey Cancer Center was designated[...]
Media 2023: PAULA A. KERGER
Kerger holds the distinction of being the longest-serving president and CEO in PBS’ 54-year history. During her 17-year tenure, Kerger has helped deepen and increase the organization’s reach and impact by moving it from traditional TV broadcasting to multiplatform digital media. As the country’s largest noncomm[...]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2023: WARREN THOMPSON
Thompson’s start as an entrepreneur came as a teen, when he purchased and ran his family’s hog farm in Windsor. He now heads the largest minority-owned food and facilities management corporation in the nation, a company he founded in 1992 with the purchase of 31 Bob’s Big Boy restaurants. Thompson Hospitality p[...]
Education 2023: BRIAN O. HEMPHILL
Hemphill arrived at Old Dominion in 2021 with big goals for the 93-year-old public R1 research university, like the April opening of the Hampton Roads Biomedical Research Consortium, a partnership among ODU, Norfolk State University, Eastern Virginia Medical School and Sentara Health. The consortium aims to jumpstart scientific [...]
Transportation 2023: REAR ADM. WESLEY McCALL
McCall became the Navy’s mid-Atlantic commander in May after Rear Adm. Christopher “Scotty” Gray was promoted to lead the Navy Installations Command in Washington, D.C. McCall previously commanded Navy Region Southeast, which includes operations in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and much of the Southeastern United States. He [...]
Economic Development 2023: ANTHONY ROMANELLO
In the past year, Romanello was instrumental in growing Henrico’s data center footprint, as QTS Data Centers announced a 1.5 million-square-foot expansion to be completed in 2024, and the DE-CIX Richmond internet exchange opened in November 2022. In other sectors, education research firm EAB announced it was bringing 200 m[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2023: THEODORE ‘TED’ COLBERT III
Recent years have been brutal for Boeing, which has dealt with supply-chain disruptions and delays in its defense programs. Named head of the world’s fifth largest defense contractor’s defense, space and security division in 2022, Colbert said in June at the Paris Air Show that he expected second quarter 2023 losses [...]
Finance | Insurance 2023: EVELYN LEE
Lee has worked in banking for more than 23 years, and she couldn’t be happier to have found her place overseeing the Greater Washington, D.C., region at Truist. “I wanted to be financially independent, and I wanted variety,” she says. “Every day is different, and I work with people I admire and learn from.” A [&hel[...]