2026 Virginia C-Suite Awards: H. GARRETT HART III

With four decades in economic development, Hart has positioned Chesterfield County as a major destination for business investment, including the $1 billion Lego Group manufacturing facility,

Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ multibillion-dollar project to build the world’s first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant and major investments from Google, Amazon, DuPont and others. In 2024 alone, his department announced nine projects representing $5.75 billion in combined capital investment and more than 1,000 anticipated jobs.

In April, Hart announced he will retire Jan. 1, 2027, after two decades with the county and more than 11 years as economic development director.

Beyond deal-making, Hart is an advocate for workforce development, partnering with public schools, higher education institutions and county social services to build talent pipelines that connect residents — including recent graduates and the underemployed — with careers. A Virginia Tech graduate and Lead

Virginia alum, Hart is a founding member and current president of the Virginia Economic Developers Association as well as past chairman, board member and honorary life member of the Southern Economic Development Council.

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