Health care

NANCY HOWELL AGEE

PRESIDENT AND CEO, CARILION CLINIC, ROANOKE

Agee leads Carilion Clinic, a nonprofit integrated health system that serves more than 1 million people in Virginia and West Virginia and is the Roanoke Valley’s largest employer. Agee began her career in health care as a nurse, then moved into leadership roles at Carilion.

As executive vice president and chief operating officer, she remodeled Carilion from a group of hospitals to a physician-led, clinic-based organization focused on integrated care. The health system also partners with Virginia Tech in the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, and in 2018, Carilion and Radford University merged with Jefferson College of Health Sciences, forming Radford University Carilion, which offers degrees in health sciences. 

Like many other health care systems, Carilion saw ambitious plans hamstrung by COVID-19 last year. The health system had to pause the $500 million renovation of its flagship hospital, Roanoke Memorial, and it lost around $150 million in revenue because of the pandemic. Nonetheless, Carilion accelerated the adoption of telehealth, and Agee says that at one point during the pandemic, more than 70% of patients were reached through technology. In October 2020, Carilion received a $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to fund virtual care centers.

DR. DANNY TK AVULA

VIRGINIA VACCINATION COORDINATOR, RICHMOND

As director of the Richmond and Henrico County health departments, Avula had spent most of 2020 working hundred-hour weeks as he battled COVID-19. No sooner had he taken a vacation than Gov. Ralph Northam’s office called: Would Avula lead Virginia’s vaccination efforts?

Avula said yes. He took the job in January 2021 — when the state was among the slowest vaccinators in the nation and people were complaining. Under his oversight, the process got smoother and by mid-July, more than 72% of Virginia adults had received at least one vaccine dose. Avula’s work was far from over, however. Some parts of the state reported lagging vaccination rates below 40% as of mid-August, even as the highly contagious delta variant spread.

Avula, a practicing pediatric hospitalist, graduated from the University of Virginia when he was just 19. He attended the VCU School of Medicine and completed residencies at VCU and Johns Hopkins University, where he also received a master’s degree in public health. As Richmond’s health director, he established mini-clinics in low-income neighborhoods and pushed outreach to Spanish-speaking communities. Once his state job is done, Avula says he is excited to return to his local work.

ANTHONY ‘TONY’ BAKER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PLANT MANAGEMENT, ELKTON VACCINE OPERATIONS LEADER, MERCK & CO. INC., ELKTON

As executive director of Merck’s Elkton plant, Baker helps carry out the company’s mission of delivering lifesaving medicines and vaccines to patients around the world. The global sprint to produce COVID-19 vaccines “helped reinforce my commitment to vaccine manufacturing and accessibility,” Baker says. It also gave him hope that in the future, the development and approval process might be expedited for vaccines treating other conditions.

In February, Merck partnered with Johnson & Johnson to produce more of its erstwhile rival’s vaccine to speed up distribution, earning praise from President Joe Biden.

Baker has been with Merck & Co. since 2008 and moved to Rockingham County in 2015. Merck has operated a plant there for 80 years and is investing $1 billion to expand the plant’s production of its human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. Baker is known for mentoring junior staff at the company — “trying to pay it forward,” he says.

His passion is scuba diving, and he and his wife, Katie, recently took their 13-year-old twins on their first diving trip off the Caribbean island of Bonaire.

AMY CARRIER

PRESIDENT and CEO, CENTRA HEALTH, LYNCHBURG

On Sept. 7, Carrier took the helm at Centra, a nonprofit health care system serving more than 500,000 people in Central Virginia.

Carrier was previously market president of the Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System since October 2018, after serving six months as chief operating officer for the Bon Secours Virginia Health System in Richmond. Prior to Bon Secours, she was senior vice president of Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar Cobb Hospital in Georgia.

Carrier holds a bachelor’s degree in labor and industrial relations from Penn State and an MBA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

In 2020, after 18 years of marriage, Carrier and her husband became the guardians of a teenage girl from Uzbekistan.

FIRST JOB: My first real job after college was as a part-time medical records clerk in a psychiatric medical practice. I worked my way through every nonclinical role in health care and continue to carry with me the respect for what every individual person’s role brings to the team as a whole.

SEAN T. CONNAUGHTON

PRESIDENT AND CEO, VIRGINIA HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION, GLEN ALLEN

Connaughton has served as president and CEO of the VHHA since 2014, but his work took on new urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic. The association, which partners with the Virginia Department of Health to run the Virginia Healthcare Emergency Management Program, was involved in almost every facet of the state’s pandemic response.

Among the organization’s duties were helping hospitals get personal protective gear and ventilators in the early days of the pandemic, regularly updating a dashboard tracking hospitalized COVID patients in Virginia, and facilitating vaccine distribution. That’s in addition to the VHHA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of hospitals for reimbursement of pandemic-related revenue losses. Through it all, Connaughton has continued to focus on the VHHA’s mission of improving statewide health care access, safety and quality.

Connaughton previously served as Virginia’s transportation secretary from 2010 to 2014, and he was administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration from 2006 to 2009. Connaughton served as a commissioned officer on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard and later joined the Naval Reserve, retiring with the rank of commander.

WILLIAM B. ‘BILL’ DOWNEY

CEO, RIVERSIDE HEALTH SYSTEM, NEWPORT NEWS

Downey first joined Riverside Health System 40 years ago as an administrative extern. After receiving his master’s degree in health administration from the Medical College of Virginia (Virginia Commonwealth University), he rejoined Riverside as an assistant administrator. After serving in many other positions at Riverside and elsewhere, including Salem’s Lewis-Gale Medical Center, he became Riverside’s CEO in 2012.

Riverside, which serves Eastern Virginia, has grown significantly under Downey’s leadership. He’s overseen a $90 million expansion of Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, a $50 million renovation and expansion of Riverside Walter Reed Hospital in Gloucester and a $35 million expansion of the continuing care community Patriots Colony at Williamsburg. Riverside sold its hospital and physician practices in the Northern Neck and upper Middle Peninsula to VCU Health System in 2021.

Downey currently serves as a board member for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and in 2020 he received the Hampton Roads Community Action Program’s Community Builders award.

DR. ERIC EDWARDS

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, PHLOW CORP., RICHMOND

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Phlow Corp. was founded at a fortuitous time. Edwards launched the company in early 2020 with Frank Gupton, a department chair at Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Engineering. In May 2020, the Trump administration awarded a four-year, $354 million contract to Phlow to make COVID-19 medications, as well as other essential drugs.

Phlow’s larger aim is to establish a resilient and reliable domestic supply chain for manufacturing essential medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients. The company is moving fast: It has partnered with generic-drug maker Civica Inc. to open a $125 million plant in Petersburg, and it also announced an agreement to supply hard-to-find medicines to a nationwide coalition of children’s hospitals. Officials broke ground in May at the AMPAC Fine Chemicals plant in Petersburg.

Edwards himself has extensive experience in pharma, having previously founded (with his twin brother) Kaléo Inc., a company that produces an injectable pen for allergy emergencies. With a medical degree and a Ph.D. from VCU, Edwards volunteers on a local rescue squad and trains paramedics in pre-hospital emergency care.

W. HEYWOOD FRALIN

CHAIRMAN, MEDICAL FACILITIES OF AMERICA INC.; CHAIRMAN, RETIREMENT UNLIMITED INC., ROANOKE

Fralin, one of Virginia Business’ “Eight over 80” honorees in 2021, is known for his indomitable energy. He is chairman of Medical Facilities of America, which operates 39 skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers in Virginia and North Carolina, and co-chairman of Retirement Unlimited, with 10 senior living communities in Virginia.

He also has served on numerous boards, including a long stint as a member and former chair of the influential State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. During his tenure, which ended in June, he was known for guiding SCHEV’s strategic planning and emphasizing the state’s return on investment for supporting higher education.

Fralin’s generous philanthropy has left a lasting mark on Virginia’s flagship institutions. In December 2019, along with the Horace G. Fralin Charitable Trust, Fralin and his wife, Cynthia, gave $50 million toward the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, part of the Virginia Tech Carilion Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke.

At the University of Virginia, his alma mater, the Fralins donated $5 million last year to create the Cynthia and Heywood Fralin Football Coaching Endowment. The university’s art museum is also named for the couple, following their gift of 40 pieces of American art.

MICHAEL J. FRIEDLANDER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FRALIN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT VTC, ROANOKE

A sophisticated magnetometry helmet that can read magnetic signals from volunteers’ brains as they move around and interact with others. A focused ultrasound device that targets tissues deep in the body, treating movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. A COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory that has assisted health districts all over Virginia.

The innovations never cease at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, where about 30 research teams are working to solve persistent health challenges. Overseeing it all is Friedlander, the founding executive director of the institute as well as vice president for health sciences and technology at Virginia Tech and the senior dean for research at the VTC School of Medicine.

A former neuroscience professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Friedlander conducts his own research, specifically investigating brain processes related to vision, developmental plasticity and traumatic brain injury. He serves on several boards, including the Children’s National Hospital Research, Education and Innovation Board; the Valleys Innovation Council; and Virginia Catalyst (also known as the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corp.).

B. FRANK GUPTON

CO-FOUNDER, PHLOW CORP.; FOUNDER AND CEO, MEDICINES FOR ALL INSTITUTE, VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, RICHMOND

Gupton had already retired from a long career in pharmaceuticals when VCU asked him to join its faculty in 2007. He became the Floyd D. Gottwald Professor and chair of the department of chemical and life science engineering at the VCU School of Engineering.

He has focused on the high cost of medicines worldwide, starting the Medicines for All Institute, which optimizes active pharmaceutical ingredient production and then shares its findings with global manufacturers. He also co-founded pharmaceutical manufacturer Phlow Corp. with Dr. Eric Edwards.

In partnership with the institute and nonprofit drugmaker Civica Inc., Phlow landed a $354 million contract with the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to develop a U.S. supply chain for producing essential medications and pharmaceutical ingredients. In Petersburg, Phlow is developing a pharmaceutical hub expected to generate at least 350 jobs.

A graduate of the University of Richmond, Georgia Tech and VCU, Gupton was executive director of chemical process development at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, where he led the team that developed the antiviral AIDS medication nevirapine. Through Medicines for All, he helped cut the drug’s cost by 15%.

DR. J. STEPHEN JONES

PRESIDENT AND CEO, INOVA HEALTH SYSTEM, FALLS CHURCH

One of the nation’s top cancer physicians and urologists, Jones not only pilots Inova, the largest private employer in Northern Virginia, but is also a professor of urology at the University of Virginia. Currently, one of his biggest focuses is Inova’s plan to build a $1 billion hospital campus at the shuttered Landmark Mall in Alexandria.

The new hospital, which is replacing the nearly 60-year-old Inova Alexandria Hospital, will include a Level II Trauma Center, a new cancer center and 230 patient rooms. Developers hope to begin construction by 2023 on the hospital and mixed-use project on the site.

Jones teaches urology at the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, which partnered with U.Va. to start a northern branch of U.Va.’s medical school. In March, it welcomed the first 36 students to the campus.

He previously served as president of Cleveland Clinic Regional Hospitals and Family Health Centers and as professor of surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. He earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

DR. ARTHUR L. KELLERMANN

CEO, VCU HEALTH SYSTEM, RICHMOND

Taking leadership of the VCU Health System, Kellermann left a job he loved, as dean of the renowned F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Maryland. The school provides tuition-free instruction to medical students in exchange for an active-duty military service commitment.

In October, Kellermann became VCU Health’s CEO, as well as senior vice president for health sciences. He soon stepped up as an outspoken advocate of public health and common-sense COVID-19 prevention, although VCU Health also encountered a couple of bumpy moments during the early days of vaccinations, first delaying second doses for employees in late January in an effort to distribute more first doses, but then quickly reversing course amid concerns from frontline health workers.

At USU, Kellermann expanded its research program, established a new program in health professions education and hired the school’s first associate dean for diversity and inclusion.

Kellermann co-edited a 2017 book about combat casualty care in Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier in his career, Kellermann taught at Atlanta’s Emory University, where he earned his medical degree, and served as founding director of the Emory Center for Injury Control.

DR. K. CRAIG KENT

CEO, UVA HEALTH; EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, CHARLOTTESVILLE

In February 2020, Kent became the new leader of all UVA Health operations. He arrived at a tumultuous time, as the health system had come under fire (along with VCU Health) for its practice of suing low-income and uninsured patients for unpaid bills.

Under Kent, UVA Health stopped the lawsuits and canceled past judgments and liens. Kent has stated that he wants to make care affordable and accessible for those with fewer financial resources.

Then came COVID-19. The health system was the center of research for coronavirus treatments, vaccines and other innovations related to the pandemic. Earlier this year, UVA Health became full owner of Novant Health UVA Health System, a Northern Virginia regional health system that had been a joint initiative with North Carolina-based Novant.

WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY WORK: I truly believe in the mission of an academic health system and the differentiated clinical care we provide for our patients and our community. … I am an equally passionate academic researcher of over 30 years. … I [also] love educating the next generation of health care providers.

HOWARD P. KERN

PRESIDENT AND CEO, SENTARA HEALTHCARE, NORFOLK

Sentara, a $9.8 billion not-for-profit system with more than 1,200 physicians and 30,000 other employees, was listed as one of the nation’s top five large health systems in the 2021 annual ranking by Fortune and IBM Watson Health. Sentara has 12 hospitals in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, and it owns two health insurance plans serving 850,000 people.

Since Kern took its reins in 2016, Sentara embarked on a massive renovation and expansion of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Last year, Sentara opened the $93.5 million Sentara Brock Cancer Center.

The health care system reversed course earlier this year on a planned merger with North Carolina’s Cone Health, announced in 2020. The two systems called off the deal because both parties said they could better serve their communities by remaining independent.

Kern’s role as president and CEO caps a 40-year career in hospital administration, managed health insurance, ambulatory services and health care finance.

MARY N. MANNIX

PRESIDENT AND CEO, AUGUSTA HEALTH, FISHERSVILLE

For 13 years, Mannix has served as CEO of Augusta Health, one of the few independent, community-owned health systems remaining in Virginia. Augusta Health was named one of The Leapfrog Group’s Top General Hospitals in 2020.

During the height of the pandemic, Mannix was determined to help her staff of 2,100 feel safe and informed; she wrote a letter every weekday telling her team exactly what was going on with COVID-19.

The health care system broke ground in Fishersville for a new outpatient pavilion last year. It’s expected to be completed in late 2022.

A Binghamton University graduate, Mannix began her career as a surgical ICU nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital/University of Rochester and previously served as president of the Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Pennsylvania. She serves on the boards of the American Hospital Association, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, and the Virginia Center for Health Innovation.

WHAT A COMPETITOR WOULD SAY ABOUT ME: We are focused, community-oriented, provide high-quality services, and we are determined.

ONE THING I’D CHANGE ABOUT VIRGINIA: Its definition of barbecue.

DR. MICHAEL P. ‘MIKE’ McDERMOTT

PRESIDENT AND CEO, MARY WASHINGTON HEALTHCARE, FREDERICKSBURG

After a year that pushed all Virginia’s health care executives to their limits, McDermott received the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association’s quality and patient safety award, recognizing his leadership and commitment to the patient experience. A member of the VHHA’s COVID-19 committee and past chair of the organization, McDermott has been Mary Washington’s president since 2015.

He also is a diagnostic and interventional radiologist trained at the University of Cincinnati’s medical school and earned his MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

McDermott has been a vocal advocate for COVID vaccinations. “Science wins again. It’s really a victory for mankind,” he told The Free Lance-Star in May. In July, the health care system announced it would require all employees and volunteers to get vaccinated by Halloween.

Mary Washington is a not-for-profit regional system of two hospitals, three emergency departments and more than 50 outpatient and specialty offices, employing 500 physicians and about 5,000 other employees.

McDermott is a fellow of the American College of Radiology and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

TIM McMANUS

PRESIDENT, HCA HEALTHCARE CAPITAL DIVISION, MIDLOTHIAN

McManus just marked five years as president of HCA Healthcare’s Capital Division, which includes 19 hospitals in Virginia, New Hampshire, Kentucky and Indiana. Even amid the tumult of the pandemic, HCA’s financial fortunes rose: In 2020 its revenue per patient increased 10.5% despite hospital admissions dropping 4.7%.

HCA’s recent moves to establish trauma centers in Virginia — a significant revenue driver, as hospitals can charge much higher rates for trauma care — have drawn criticism from other health care leaders for raising costs and diluting care, Kaiser Health News has reported.

Prior to taking his current role, McManus was CEO of Chippenham and Johnston-Willis Medical Center, a two-hospital system in Chesterfield. The Tulane and Johns Hopkins alum serves as secretary-treasurer of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

BEST ADVICE FOR OTHERS: Regardless of the field you choose, you are ultimately responsible for the trajectory of your own career. Others may give you a break or support you, but your success is in your own hands. You must be the person who creates professional opportunities, navigates obstacles and builds a professional legacy, so invest in yourself and do not depend upon others to build your career.

MARK NANTZ

PRESIDENT AND CEO, VALLEY HEALTH SYSTEM, WINCHESTER

A nonprofit health care system that serves the northern Shenandoah Valley, as well as parts of Maryland and West Virginia, Valley Health faces challenges in supporting community health.

“Many of our patients are managing chronic diseases, have challenges accessing transportation to health care, lack access to fresh food, and myriad other factors that make it difficult to care for their health and well-being,” Nantz explains.

Before becoming president and CEO in June 2020, Nantz was chief administrative officer and Atlantic Group president at Bon Secours Mercy Health. He also has served as executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Bon Secours. Nantz has a master’s degree in health administration from Pfeiffer University in North Carolina and has volunteered with the American Heart Association and the March of Dimes, as well as other organizations.

TOP FACTOR THAT HELPED VALLEY HEALTH WEATHER THE PANDEMIC: Our people, but also our community. When we were uncertain about the future availability of [personal protective equipment] for our people — the community banded together and sewed more than 20,000 masks for our caregivers. That says a lot about our relationship with the community and the special place we hold in their hearts.

EDWARD A. PESICKA

PRESIDENT AND CEO, OWENS & MINOR INC., MECHANICSVILLE

Pesicka had just marked his first year as chief of Fortune 500 medical supply company Owens & Minor when “PPE,” short for personal protective equipment, suddenly entered everyone’s vocabulary in 2020. Production of surgical masks, gowns and face shields hurtled into overdrive as the company hired 500 more employees and ran four production shifts 24/7.

Pesicka was invited to an industry discussion advising the White House on PPE in the early days of the pandemic. During Pesicka’s tenure, the venerable company, which was founded as a Richmond drugstore in 1882, has seen its stock price rise.

The Case Western Reserve University and Muskingum University alumnus also chairs the Owens & Minor Foundation, a nonprofit with a primary focus on health care, the environment, and diversity and inclusion. He previously worked in executive roles at Thermo Fisher Scientific and TRW Inc.

WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY WORK: Serving our humble mission of empowering our customers to advance health care is at the heart of everything we do. I’m continually inspired by seeing firsthand how the work we do makes a real difference for patients across the continuum of health care.

DR. JOHN PHIPPS

CEO, ORTHOVIRGINIA, RICHMOND

A practicing endocrinologist for more than 20 years, Phipps stepped into the lead role at OrthoVirginia in July 2020. Previously, he served as the system leader for care transformation at Inova Health System and as the president of Novant Health Medical Group.

Phipps received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and was previously based in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

OrthoVirginia is Virginia’s largest provider of orthopedic (musculoskeletal) medicine, with more than 100 doctors and 30-plus locations in Lynchburg, Northern Virginia, Richmond and Virginia Beach. Founded in 1960, the company has expanded rapidly in recent years. In 2021, three orthopedic, physical therapy and sports medicine practices in Arlington and Blacksburg became part of OrthoVirginia.

The practice has also built a reputation for innovation. Its stand-alone Ortho on Call clinics offer walk-in care for broken bones, sports injuries and other urgent injuries. Its Reston office recently began using the Augmedics xvision Spine System, which employs augmented reality to show surgeons a 3D model of a patient’s spine during implant surgery.

LT. GEN. RONALD J. PLACE

DIRECTOR, DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY, FALLS CHURCH

Place oversees a task of almost unimaginable complexity: transferring control of military medical and dental treatment facilities from military departments to the Defense Health Agency (DHA). After a pause during the pandemic, the transition is expected to be completed this fall.

Meanwhile, Place has faced a new challenge: ensuring that active-duty service members get vaccinated against COVID-19. By the end of June, 68% had received at least one dose, defense officials said, but it was proving difficult to convince all service members and VA workers to get their shots. In August, the Pentagon mandated that all troops must get the vaccine by mid-September.

The DHA manages many military health services, including the TRICARE health benefit, for 9.6 million beneficiaries.

A surgeon by training, Place was deployed to Afghanistan in 2001. He most recently served as the director of the National Capital Region Medical Directorate, and as interim assistant director for health care administration within the DHA. A native of South Dakota, Place also served as chief of surgery at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and was assistant surgeon general.

BRIAN SHEPARD

CEO, UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING, RICHMOND

UNOS manages the nation’s organ procurement and transplantation network, under contract with the federal government. It’s a high-tech and high-emotion field, as UNOS educates and supports donors, patients and professionals while managing the national transplant waiting list and working to improve safety and equity in organ transplants.

Despite the pandemic, UNOS facilitated a record 33,000-plus life-saving transplants from deceased donors in 2020, employing about 450 staffers. “Our team is committed to our lifesaving mission, and to the patients we help, and worked through extra hours, last-minute changes and new technologies to keep the nation’s transplant system on 24/7,” Shepard says.

He joined UNOS in 2010 and became CEO in 2013, having served as acting CEO since late 2012. Before that, Shepard worked in high-level positions in Virginia state government, including as director of policy in then-Gov. Tim Kaine’s administration. The Virginia native holds a history degree from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the University of Virginia.

BEST ADVICE FOR OTHERS: Find a job where the mission matters. Nonprofit companies are just as technically, operationally and financially complex as for-profit companies, and we know that what we do changes lives.

RONY THOMAS

PRESIDENT AND CEO, LIFENET HEALTH, VIRGINIA BEACH

Whether a patient needs a new aortic valve or a new Achilles tendon, LifeNet Health can provide it. The nonprofit, which employs 1,300 people worldwide and 913 in Virginia, is the federally designated organ procurement organization for the state and is one of the world’s largest organizations that specializes in organ procurement, bio-implants and cellular therapies.

Founded in 1982 as Eastern Virginia Tissue Bank, LifeNet has been led by Thomas since 2004. He serves on several boards, including those of the VCU College of Engineering Foundation, the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Norfolk Academy School and the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.

This year, the organization launched a newly expanded LifeSciences division to provide human cells, human tissues and other materials for scientific research, drug discovery and safety testing.

EDUCATION: Executive MBA, Case Western Reserve University; M.S in biomedical engineering, University of Akron

WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY WORK: The process of developing nascent and abstract ideas, ideas that others think are too risky or are not feasible, into full-blown programs with the help of diverse, creative teams who execute well and quickly — and seek forgiveness later if needed!

FARAAZ YOUSUF

PRESIDENT, BON SECOURS — RICHMOND MARKET, RICHMOND

Under Yousuf’s leadership, the Catholic health system is looking to the future and growing rapidly to serve Richmond’s population — especially as it ages. In the last two years, Bon Secours launched a $50 million expansion of Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville, as well as a $119 million expansion of St. Francis Medical Center in Chesterfield County.

It also began work this year on a $30 million free-standing emergency center in Chester. While Bon Secours has traditionally focused on its hospitals, “as we advance in health care, we’re moving a lot of that care to the ambulatory or outpatient setting,” Yousuf said during the groundbreaking.

Yousuf became the Richmond market president in 2019 after Bon Secours and Mercy Health completed their merger in 2018. He oversees seven acute-care facilities and previously was chief strategy officer for the combined health system’s Atlantic Group. He holds degrees in health care administration and psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is also on the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association’s board of directors.