Va. Chamber president and CEO to retire

Virginia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Barry DuVal plans to retire in early 2025, the chamber announced Thursday.

DuVal became head of the chamber in April 2010. During his 14-year tenure, the business advocacy organization has grown from around 1,000 members to more than 32,000.

“During his tenure with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Barry DuVal has transformed the state chamber into the most influential business advocacy organization in the state,” Virginia Chamber 2024 Chairman Robert Duvall said in a statement.  “I want to express the appreciation of the board of directors for DuVal’s outstanding leadership. … He has raised the profile of the chamber, and its programs have greatly enhanced the business climate of Virginia.”

Before joining the Virginia Chamber, DuVal spent eight years at Kaufman & Canoles Consulting. From 1998 to 2002, he served as state secretary of commerce and trade. Prior to that, the Newport News native was mayor of that city for six years.

DuVal led the development of Blueprint Virginia, a long-term economic development plan for the state, in 2013, 2017 and 2021. The process included more than 100 business organizations and more than 7,000 business leaders collaborating to present policy recommendations to each new governor, with the goal of strengthening Virginia’s reputation as one of the top states for business, particularly in CNBC’s Top State for Business ranking, which Virginia topped for a record sixth time this year.

The chamber presented Blueprint Virginia 2030 in December 2021. Its objectives include improving broadband access, encouraging investment in transportation infrastructure and bolstering the number of health care professionals.

Virginia Economic Development Partnership President and CEO Jason El Koubi said in a statement: “As the leader of the Virginia Chamber and architect of Blueprint Virginia, Barry DuVal has been an essential partner to me and so many others in strengthening Virginia’s economic development and business climate. I am tremendously grateful for his guidance, collaboration and impact — and believe the foundation he helped establish will support even greater progress across every region of the commonwealth for many years to come.”

DuVal also oversaw the launch in January of the WiseChoice Healthcare Alliance, creating a consortium for small business owners to purchase affordable health insurance for their employees. Virginia Chamber partnered with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for the alliance.

The chamber will immediately begin its search for DuVal’s successor and is working with the McCammon Group for the search. The chairman of the executive search committee is former PBMares CEO Alan Witt, also a past chair of the chamber and currently dean of Christopher Newport University’s Luter School of Business.

“It has been an honor to lead the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and I am proud of the accomplishments of the chamber during my tenure,” DuVal said in a statement. “It has all been made possible by the support of the board of directors, chamber investors and members of the Chamber of Commerce that represent the very best of the business community in the commonwealth. The state chamber staff and team members are dedicated professionals who have executed the mission that has allowed the chamber to succeed, and I wish to thank them for their dedication.”