Port of Virginia taps McCoy to be its permanent CEO

Interim Port of Virginia CEO Sarah J. McCoy is now the port’s permanent CEO.

The Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed McCoy to the permanent post on Wednesday.

McCoy, who has been with the Virginia Port Authority since 2014, had served as interim CEO and executive director since January following the departure of former CEO Stephen Edwards, who left at the end of 2025 to become CEO of Hornblower Group. Virginia Port Authority Board Chairman Bill Kirk announced the appointment during a special board meeting.

“We spoke to many very capable and experienced leaders inside and outside the maritime industry across the globe,” Kirk said in a statement. “We are very fortunate to have the best candidate for the job right here at the VPA.”

Before becoming interim CEO, McCoy served as the port’s general counsel from 2017 to 2022, then became chief administrative officer. In those roles, she oversaw legal strategy, human resources, procurement, contracts, risk management and enterprise governance.

“I am honored to serve as the CEO of one of the commonwealth’s leading economic engines,” McCoy said in a statement. “We have the infrastructure, people and performance to continue defining the future of American trade, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

In 2025, McCoy led the team that renegotiated the port’s lease agreement for Virginia International Gateway, securing a sale price for the terminal upon the lease’s expiration in 2065. She has also played a major role in the port’s $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Program, a long-term capital construction initiative.

In a statement, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue said McCoy’s appointment provides continuity for the port as it continues ongoing expansion and infrastructure projects.

“The Port of Virginia is an important engine for trade, investment and job creation throughout the commonwealth and having a leader like Sarah, who brings significant institutional knowledge to the leadership role, is important,” Donahue said.

The Port of Virginia is one of the state’s economic drivers, accounting for more than 565,000 jobs, more than $124.1 billion in total spending and $5.8 billion in state and local tax revenues.