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Education 2023: JAVAUNE ADAMS-GASTON
Rising in prominence since Adams-Gaston became its leader in 2019, Norfolk State now ranks regularly in the top 20 historically Black colleges and universities, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. In 2021, Norfolk State received its largest single-donor gift, $40 million from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, ex[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2023: JENNIFER BOYKIN
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and a master’s in engineering management from George Washington University, Boykin began her career at Newport News Shipbuilding in 1987 in the nuclear engineering division, moving up the ranks, before becoming president[...]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2023: WILLIAM W. ‘BILL’ LOVETTE
Lovette was Sauer Brands’ executive chairman and interim CEO in 2019, when Charlotte, North Carolina-based Falfurrias Capital Group purchased Richmond-based family-owned spice company C.F. Sauer. He then made way for Martin Kelly, who became president and CEO of the renamed Sauer Brands later that year. However, as of Janu[...]
Finance | Insurance 2023: VIKRAM ‘VIK’ ATAL
Atal was appointed PRA’s president and CEO in March, after serving as a board member since 2015. He previously spent 27 years in leadership positions with Citigroup Inc. and was president and founder of Atal Advisers LLC, a business and strategy consulting firm. PRA Group, a global player in acquiring and collecting nonper[...]
Professional Services 2023: GREG WALLIG
In June, Wallig added a new job title: head of public policy for Chicago-based global accounting firm Grant Thornton. He continues to lead Grant Thornton’s Washington, D.C.-Arlington office as well, a position he took in 2018, 13 years after joining the company. As public policy head, Wallig will develop Grant ThorntonR[...]
Real Estate 2023: ROBERT C. ‘BOB’ KETTLER
Coming from a long line of real estate developers, Kettler got his start in real estate in 1974, remodeling apartments while still a student at George Washington University. He left school to focus on work. Discovering a passion for community development, he founded real estate development company Kettler in 1977. Founded in 197[...]
Education 2023: GREGORY WASHINGTON
A first-generation college graduate, Washington became the first Black president of Virginia’s largest and most diverse public university in 2020. Trained in mechanical engineering at North Carolina State University, Washington was elected in February to the National Academy of Engineering. He was previously dean of the Un[...]
Finance | Insurance 2023: SIMON R.B. HAMILTON
Hamilton’s first job as a teen was mowing lawns — or, rather, running his own lawn-mowing business, with his brother as his first employee. That enterprising spirit has taken him a long way, first to a perch as vice president of investments at Baltimore-based advisory firm Ferris, Baker Watts, and then to Wise Investor G[...]
Hospitality | Tourism 2023: NEIL AMIN
As CEO of one of Virginia’s largest hotel operators, Amin brings a mix of hands-on experience and MBA expertise to the company his Indian immigrant father and uncle started in the 1970s. Amin lived with his family in one of their hotels in Chesterfield County until he was 12, pitching in with maintenance and handling [&hel[...]
Law 2023: BROOKS M. SMITH
A leader in the energy and environmental law arena, Smith has been employed at the national law firm since 2013, after co-chairing Hunton Andrews Kurth’s global environmental practice. Named managing partner of Troutman Pepper’s Richmond office in 2019, he specializes in litigation, enforcement defense, project devel[...]
Real Estate 2023: W. TAYLOR FRANKLIN
Franklin was promoted to CEO in January, succeeding his father, Wendell, who is now chairman of the real estate development, management and investment firm they co-founded in 2013. Previously chief operating officer, Taylor Franklin oversees about 680 employees, including nearly 500 in Virginia. In 2022, Franklin was the younges[...]
Real Estate 2023: STEVE LAWSON
A third-generation builder and developer, Lawson served as president of the 190-person multifamily real estate development, construction and management firm for 17 years, until he was named chairman in 2016. For more than two decades, Lawson has promoted equitable and affordable housing policies through leadership positions with[...]
