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Finance | Insurance 2023: LAWRENCE ‘LARRY’ DI RITA
Di Rita, who had already had an impressive 25-year career in the Navy and federal government, embarked on a second career as a banking executive when he joined Bank of America in 2006. He was named market president for Greater Washington, D.C., in 2019. From 2001 to 2006, Di Rita served as special assistant to […]
Retail | Wholesale | Food | Beverage 2023: RICK DREILING
It’s been a wild ride at the discount retailer this past year, with a shakeup in Dollar Tree’s C-suite toppling much of its top brass. Mike Witynski, who had held leadership roles at Dollar Tree since 2010 and was CEO of the Fortune 500 discount retailer since 2020, left in January. He played a key […]
Health Care 2023: RONY THOMAS
During its 40 years, not-for-profit LifeNet Health has assisted with more than 8 million organ, tissue and cell transplants. It employs more than 1,400 people globally, including 991 in Virginia. Thomas has led LifeNet since 2004. He earned an executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a master’s degree in engineer[...]
August 2023 Virginia 500 Spotlight: BYRON L. BOSTON
FIRST JOB: From my freshman year of high school through my senior year of college, I worked as an usher in St. Louis. It was a great first job — I worked major sporting events and at the Gateway Arch. HOBBY/PASSION: I’m very passionate about physical fitness, and kayaking is one of my favorite hobbies. […]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: TODD ‘PARNEY’ PARNELL
FIRST JOB: Pumping gas at a Gulf gas station in high school NEW LIFE EXPERIENCE: Eating good during baseball season WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Eating well while busy is not hard when prepared WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY WORK: Making such a wide-ranging impact on people in the Richmond region on a daily basis, 365 days a [&hell[...]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: JENNIFER CHRONIS
FIRST JOB: Retail salesperson at The Fashion Factory in Burke HOBBY: Exercise in any form —walking, hiking, biking, swimming PERSON I ADMIRE: Abraham Lincoln, for leading our country through one of its darkest times, ending the Civil War and signing the Emancipation Proclamation WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Stay calm and keep everythi[...]
Virginia 500 spotlight: AMY GILLILAND
For Mental Health Awareness month, Virginia Business is spotlighting Gilliland, who launched the “How are you, really?” campaign within GDIT in 2021 following an employee’s death by suicide. In an industry in which many workers depend on security clearances, the campaign aims to destigmatize mental health issues and encour[...]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: M. SANJAYAN
BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE TO GIVE TO OTHERS: To drive change, focus on what’s possible — despair doesn’t drive action; it drives apathy. HOBBY/PASSION: If you’ve lived in Africa, you’ve seen plenty of elephants, rhinos and lions. The real fun is in birding. I’ve got a copy of “Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania” —[...]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: Telly Tucker
BEST ADVICE FOR OTHERS: Take smart risks. You will learn much more from your failures than you will from your successes. PERSON I ADMIRE: Both of my parents, who were public educators in the Lynchburg City Schools system for their entire careers WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY WORK: Seeing the impact and benefit of [&helli[...]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: Rex D. Geveden
CEO and president, BWX Technologies Inc. Lynchburg BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE TO GIVE TO OTHERS: Write and track your life goals — family, financial, career, experiential, spiritual, etc. I’ve been doing this for 35 years. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? My first real job was systems analyst at Teledyne Brown Engineering. PERSON YOU ADMI[...]
Virginia 500 Spotlight: Catherine Buell
Director, Amazon Housing Equity Fund, Amazon.com Inc. Arlington County WHAT WOULD A COMPETITOR SAY ABOUT YOU? Much like the Roomba vacuum cleaner, Catherine is “pleasantly persistent” and doesn’t give up. She will keep at it, work to find a middle ground and show results. WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Don’t forget to have fun al[...]
Virginia 500 Spotlight
Maurice Jones CEO, OneTen Coalition Inc., Norfolk BEST ADVICE FOR OTHERS: Find a mentor. FIRST JOB: Farmer who I ADMIRE: My grandparents, because of their resiliency and selflessness WHAT I’VE LEARNED: There is talent and genius everywhere, but true opportunity does not exist everywhere. WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY[...]
