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2025 Virginia C-Suite Awards: Midsize Private Companies

Demeria

CHIEF CORPORATE AFFAIRS OFFICER, , RICHMOND

The state’s first deputy secretary of commerce and trade for technology and innovation, Demeria has gone on to play a significant role in Virginia’s growing pharmaceutical hub. In addition to his role as chief corporate affairs officer for pharmaceutical manufacturer Phlow, Demeria is also founding board chair of the Alliance for Building Better Medicine, a coalition of public and private partners that are working toward developing the Richmond-Petersburg area into a hub for pharma R&D and manufacturing. In 2022, the alliance won a $52.9 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant from the U.S. Commerce Department.

Phlow launched in 2020 and promptly won a $354 million federal contract to create a domestic supply chain for essential drugs and ingredients. Since then, the company has expanded to 85 employees and sent more than 1 million vials of medication to children’s hospitals as part of the Children’s Hospital Coalition.

During his time in state government, Demeria helped start the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp., an agency promoting entrepreneurship and tech . He also served as executive director of the Richmond Technology Council and vice president of government affairs for the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

How I foster a positive culture: As a dad of young kids, I deeply believe in the importance of work-life balance, but I also recognize that the idea of “having it all” is more ideal than reality. As a leader, I try to create a culture that respects the ebb and flow. I don’t expect perfection or hustle for the sake of appearances.

Pollack

PRESIDENT, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, NIGHTINGALE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES, RICHMOND

A former Marine and fine-dining pastry chef, Pollack is a Richmond native who launched Nightingale in 2016 with her husband and fellow chef, Xavier Meers. Starting with a limited menu and distribution area, Nightingale earned about $50,000 in its first year. But soon enough, her company grew its output of deluxe ice cream sandwiches — including banana pudding, Key lime and chocolate blackout flavors, as well as limited edition treats — and expanded beyond its backyard.

Today, Nightingale has gone national, following a 2024 distribution deal with Kroger. It also expanded along the East Coast through Whole Foods Market, in addition to selling its products in 4,500 other stores and markets. The company broke $20 million in revenue in 2024, Pollack says, and Nightingale now employs 100 people in a large production space in Richmond’s Manchester neighborhood. The sandwiches are still made in small batches, and Pollack has donated many to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond and other nonprofits.

A quote I live by: “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power but because of its persistence.” It reminds her, she says, that “anything can be accomplished with enough drive and persistence, even if it takes a little time,” and she shares the quote with everyone who works at Nightingale. “We can get over any obstacle thrown our way by keeping our focus and not giving up.”

On my business’ responsibility to the community: We are always striving to be better and do better. There are so many issues impacting businesses in our region and beyond; it’s important to keep informed and be open to change. One of our core values is continuous improvement, and I take that to heart in how I run the business on a daily basis.

ARDX

FOUNDER, CEO AND PRESIDENT, ARDX | ENVISION LEAD GROW | THE MUSTARD SEED PLACE, NORFOLK

The founder of Norfolk-based health care management and IT consulting company ARDX, Reddix has always stayed busy and engaged outside of work, too. In 2024, she opened The Mustard Seed Place in downtown Portsmouth, where she rents affordable business spaces to female . She also runs a nonprofit known as Envision Lead Grow, which helps girls become successful entrepreneurs, and in 2022, she and her husband, Carl, donated $1.1 million to their alma mater, James Madison University, to establish the Reddix Center for First-Generation Students.

Next up is the Museum of Black Women Innovators, set to open later this year in Portsmouth next to The Mustard Seed Place.

“Across all my enterprises — whether it’s ARDX, Envision Lead Grow, The Mustard Seed Place or the Museum of Black Women Innovators — my mission is the same: to build spaces where people feel empowered, seen and supported,” Reddix says.

In addition to her degree from JMU, she has a master’s from Bowie State University and a doctorate from Oklahoma State University. Reddix founded ARDX as a health care consulting firm in 2006, and it has won federal contracts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and employs more than 100 people. She also has served on the Norfolk State University School of Business advisory board and the United Way of South Hampton Roads’ foundation board.

A quote I live by: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed … nothing will be impossible for you.” — Matthew 17:20. Faith, no matter how small, has the power to move mountains. I know that planting even the smallest seed of belief can grow into something world changing.

Snyder

CEO AND FOUNDER, , ROANOKE

Snyder started KlariVis in 2019, but the seeds for the Inc. 5000 banking software venture were planted earlier. She and her founding executive team worked together at Valley Bank, a Roanoke-based community bank, “and that shared experience and deep connection to this region have shaped everything about who we are,” Snyder says.

KlariVis has grown significantly, raising $11 million in its Series B round in January 2024. Doubling its revenue and customer count year-over-year, the company has moved into a larger office in downtown Roanoke, which helps Snyder pursue a hire-local-first approach. Many of KlariVis’ also are from the Roanoke-Blacksburg area, she says.

A graduate of James Madison University and the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking, Snyder worked for Valley Bank for 10 years and previously was vice president of finance for another startup. She started her career at KPMG as a CPA.
In March, Snyder was named to Inc.’s annual Female Founders 500 list, recognizing women whose businesses generated significant revenue and funding, as well as making major industry and social impacts. KlariVis also was featured as one of American Banker’s best places to work in fintech.

Best advice I’ve received: Hire up. Surround yourself with people who challenge the status quo, complement your strengths and weaknesses, and bring diverse perspectives to the table. Never aim to be the smartest person in the room — because if you are, you’re in the wrong room.

2025 Virginia C-Suite Awards: Higher Education

Conston

PRESIDENT, , NORFOLK

Since 2020, Conston has led Virginia’s second largest community college, which encompasses four Hampton Roads campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, as well as online learning programs. For the 2023-24 academic year, more than 23,000 students enrolled at TCC, up from 17,000 in 2020, and according to early reports, the college this spring saw its highest rate of enrollment growth since 2012.

Before coming to Virginia, Conston was a vice president at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina, and she started her career at her alma mater, Mississippi’s Jackson State University. With an increasing focus on the state’s community college system as a training ground for skilled workers, TCC expanded its Portsmouth-based Skilled Trades Academy in 2024, providing more space for students to learn shipfitting, electrical and HVAC skills, among other in-demand career paths. Conston also has been instrumental in TCC’s winning of $3.7 million in grants to expand educational opportunities.

Conston serves on the board of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ accreditation body and chairs the Virginia Community College System’s strategic planning committee. In addition to earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Jackson State and Hood Theological Seminary, Conston holds a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi. She also has been active in civic organizations such as Virginia Beach Vision, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and the Virginia Arts Festival board.

A quote I live by: “Be the woman who fixes another woman’s crown without telling the world it was crooked.” — Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author.

Danilowicz

PRESIDENT, , RADFORD

In 2022, Danilowicz arrived at Radford, having served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Florida Atlantic University and dean of Oklahoma State University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He’s made his mark in fundraising, pulling in a record $106 million for 2024’s Together campaign at Radford. He also oversaw the opening of the Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity, the university’s largest capital construction project.

Danilowicz also has overseen an enrollment increase to more than 7,800 students in fall 2024, a one-year, 29% increase that marked the university’s second highest gain since 1975 and a turnaround after three years of declining enrollment. Much of this growth was achieved through Radford’s direct admission and tuition support initiatives, and Danilowicz also has streamlined transfers for students from eight Virginia community colleges. In 2024, Radford’s nursing school was upgraded to the College of Nursing, making Radford the only four-year public university in Virginia with a standalone nursing college. Danilowicz also has been involved in boosting economic development in the city of Radford, including adding a university economic development center, The Hub at Radford.

A graduate of Utica College of Syracuse University, England’s Open University and Georgia Southern University, Danilowicz also holds a doctorate in zoology from Duke University.

How I foster a positive culture: It starts with ensuring that every employee sees a future at the university — one where they can grow, contribute meaningfully and expand their impact over time. Equally important is cultivating a sense of pride in the organization, and supporting work-life balance is just as critical.

Miller

PRESIDENT, , VIRGINIA BEACH

Miller joined independent liberal-arts college Virginia Wesleyan as its president in 2015, after having served as president of West Virginia’s Bethany College, Wesley College in Delaware and Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. With a total of 34 years leading higher education institutions, he’s among the nation’s most experienced university leaders.

According to Miller’s chief of staff, Kelly Cordova, Miller has raised more than $400 million for his four institutions, and at Virginia Wesleyan, he oversaw the creation of a 10-year campus master plan, a capital campaign strategy and an academic plan while growing the university’s endowment from $53 million in 2015 to $126 million in 2021. The school also has added a campus in Tokyo in partnership with a Japanese university and constructed the new Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art at VWU.

A Philadelphia native, Miller has degrees from West Virginia Wesleyan College, the University of Dayton and Vanderbilt University, and received his doctorate from Union Institute & University. Miller, who worked as a journalist early in his career, also is known for penning op-eds on occasion for The Virginian-Pilot, HuffPost and other publications. Over the past two decades, he’s also been executive editor of “President to President” and “Presidential Perspectives,” online series of essays by college presidents that resulted in 22 books.

On responsibility to the university and the community: We have both a responsibility and an opportunity to contribute to the economic vitality and workforce development of the region. Through my leadership roles with Virginia Beach Vision and the Hampton Roads Chamber, we are able to deepen our institutional engagement and expand our impact.

Heard around Virginia June 2025

Vienna-based Aldrich Capital Partners poured $107 million — its largest investment since its founding in 2014 — into Massachusetts digital health Persivia, the latter announced in late April. The , part of a recapitalization, gives Persivia the runway and structure it needs to launch a national growth strategy. It should also help the company add to its sales team over the next year and launch new technologies for health systems. Aldrich invests in health care and financial services tech companies, usually ones with at least $5 million in revenue. (Washington Business Journal)

Richmond investment advisory firm Financial took on private equity backing to support future growth. Terms of the investment from Chicago-based CIVC Partners, announced in mid-April, were not disclosed. The deal also allows Cary Street Partners to pay out some of its long-standing outside , and roughly half the firm will be owned by company insiders when the deal closes. Cary Street Partners said the infusion of money will help it fuel organic expansion as well as take on strategic acquisitions to enhance its national footprint and service capabilities. (Richmond Inno)

Manassas-based aviation startup Electra.aero announced April 24 it has secured $115 million in Series B funding to enter the preproduction and certification phase of its EL9 model, a hybrid ultra-short aircraft that can take off and land in
150 feet. The round was led by Prysm Capital, a New Jersey-headquartered growth equity firm. Prysm’s co-founder and managing partner, Jay Park, has joined Electra’s board. Additionally, in May, Electra announced Max Ochoa joined the company as chief financial officer. He was previously CFO and general counsel at Satelles. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Richmond life sciences laboratory product company Grenova said in mid-April it had completed a new round of growth equity capital, although the company did not disclose the amount of new funding. Connecticut’s Peloton Equity — Grenova’s majority owner — and Pennsylvania’s Hamilton Lane, as well as other existing investors, led the round. Grenova manufactures technology that washes and sterilizes devices used in diagnostics testing so they can be reused. The company said it intends to use the funding to enhance its automation portfolio, expand its research and development and build up its team. (Richmond Inno)

Seventeen small business owners from across Northern Virginia participated in the BizLaunch PitchFest Finale. The pitch competition, hosted by Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch division in partnership with SCORE and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, was the culmination of the monthslong BizLaunch Transformational Challenge. Specialty coffee business Red Bean Harvest, led by Maria Martinez, won the top award, receiving $2,500. Diljee, led by Havil Mitra and Isabella Russian, took second place, securing $1,000. The startup category winner, which receives $1,000, was AI workflow automation company Quantum Rhodes, led by Justin Lewis. Law firm YH Global Immigration, led by Yalda Hajavi, won $500 as the honorable mention. (News release)

University of Mary Washington seniors Taylor Munger, Katie Reif and Helen Worku won first place and $2,500 in UMW’s College of Business’ Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition held in early April for their Flossypik dental flosser. The trio plan to produce the mobility-friendly tooth-cleaning tool in various colors with stickers and apply for a patent. Second place, which receives a $1,500 prize, went to Joey Welsh for Electric Thrillz, which he developed with Cody Faust. The project proposes a rental service for motorized scooters. David Fitzgerald, Themba Martin-Weiler and Max McCusker claimed third, winning $500 for Zip Rugby and their plan to launch uniform apparel. (News release)

VirginiaBusiness.com’s top 5 most-read news stories: April 11-May 11, 2025

The top five most-read daily news stories on VirginiaBusiness.com from April 11 through May 11 included news of infighting between state Republicans, as refused Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s call to drop out of the lieutenant governor race.

1 | Georgia-Pacific to close Emporia mill, cutting 550+ jobs

The Atlanta-based pulp and paper manufacturer plans to permanently shutter its Emporia plywood mill. (May 2)

2 | DOJ demands University of Virginia prove it’s dismantling DEI

The U.S. Department of Justice issued a directive calling on the university’s administration to provide evidence on its progress in dissolving and dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. (April 30)

3 | GOP lieutenant governor candidate stays in race, defying Youngkin

Former conservative radio talk show host John Reid resisted the governor’s call to drop out of the race, characterizing allegations that Reid posted images of nude men on Tumblr as “a total fabricated internet lie.” (April 25)

4 | U.Va. med school faculty, clinical leaders defend those who backed CEO’s resignation

More than a month after Dr. K. Craig Kent resigned as ‘s CEO, internal conflict continued. (April 11)

5 | Amazon’s HQ2 hiring falls short of 2024 target

Amazon.com downgraded its confidence in meeting a goal of creating 25,000 jobs at its Arlington East Coast headquarters by 2038. (April 21)

Commentary: Startups are winning in Virginia

Virginia is competing to win — and are winning in Virginia. Through Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Compete to Win strategy, Virginia has fostered a strong, dynamic, opportunity-driven business environment — unleashing innovation and entrepreneurship, attracting early stage investment capital, and expanding ecosystems through collaborative . Since 2022, a record 15,000 new high-growth/high-wage startups have been created in the commonwealth — the fastest and highest Virginia has realized in any three-year period.

in Virginia are transforming ideas into companies that help solve critical industry challenges and national societal needs. Startup company Claros is commercializing technology to improve energy efficiency and power delivery in data centers for AI and high-performance computing. GenLogs is creating a data-driven truck freight intelligence platform to reduce supply chain fraud and theft and to combat fentanyl smuggling and human trafficking.

Early stage investment capital provides the crucial fuel startup companies need to scale operations and create jobs. Over the past three years, more than $7 billion of investment from the private sector has poured into Virginia’s early stage companies. In 2023, Virginia ranked top 10 nationally (No. 8) for venture capital investment — its highest state ranking in nearly 20 years — in a National Venture Capital Association report.

Leading venture capital funds such as Bessemer Venture Partners and General Catalyst, along with top corporate venture groups like GV (formerly named Google Ventures) and Pfizer Ventures, are actively investing in . Veteran Ventures Capital, a VIPC Virginia Invests fund partner dedicated to investing in veteran-led tech startups, relocated its headquarters to Virginia last year. More recently, Virginia has served as the host location for several new conferences that attracted startups and from across the country, including Startup World Cup (Virginia Beach), Startup Runway (Richmond) and Blu Cyber Venture Forum (Tysons).

New public-private partnerships are expanding Virginia’s robust network of startup ecosystems by leveraging targeted regional assets, unique competitive advantages and strategic industry sectors.

Collaboration in National Landing between JBG Smith, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus, VIPC, Arlington County and other ecosystem stakeholders is catalyzing the launch of Virtus Innovation Center and Starburst National Landing Launchpad at the intersection of industry, government, tech and research. These new and platforms will specifically focus on dual-use technology development in critical areas of national security innovation and defense tech. Entrepreneurs will gain on-site SCIF space access and direct connections to mentors, customers and investors.

Virginia is cultivating new ways to connect university research with entrepreneurs and capital from the private sector to accelerate commercialization. A collaborative life sciences innovation network — spanning biotech, health sciences and advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing — is rapidly expanding across the Charlottesville, Roanoke-Blacksburg and Richmond-Petersburg regional ecosystems.

Backed by over $500 million in public-private investment over the past three years, the , Virginia Tech, VCU and numerous ecosystem partners, including VIPC, are collaborating to foster new lab-to-market pathways and startup growth opportunities. Recently, CvilleBioHub and U.Va. launched the Commonwealth BioAccelerator to support emerging biotech startups like GenEp and Avant Genomics with access to on-site wet lab space and entrepreneurial support services.

Startup companies in Virginia benefit from proximity to a unique base of research centers, science labs and infrastructure testbeds to advance technology commercialization. Electra.aero, for example, has propelled prototype development of its hybrid-electric short take-off and landing aircraft at Manassas Regional Airport and conducted real-world flight test demos at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton Roads and Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico. With over $100 million in early stage capital raised, Electra.aero now holds a pre-order book for 2,200 aircraft valued at $9 billion.

Virginia is America’s top state for business — and the best place to launch, build and grow a startup.

Joe Benevento is president and CEO of Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp., a state-funded nonprofit that supports innovation, commercialization and the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Virginia.

2025 Virginia C-Suite Awards: Large Private Companies

Caliri

PRESIDENT, , FREDERICKSBURG

Caliri joined SimVentions, a 25-year-old employee-owned defense contractor, in 2009 as its vice president of tactical systems and business development, rising through the ranks to president and soon to the top of the company, succeeding CEO Larry Root, who plans to retire this year.

Caliri became president of SimVentions in 2019 and oversaw the private company’s transition to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Throughout his tenure, the company has seen revenue and employee numbers grow. Since becoming an ESOP in 2020, SimVentions has recorded 46% growth in share price.

Root calls Caliri “a leader that maintains a high level of integrity and has little patience for someone that does not ‘walk their talk.’ Joe is certainly a man of his word, meaning what he says and saying what he means, and then following through.”
A Navy veteran who was an electronics warfare chief and surface warfare specialist, Caliri is a graduate of Saint Leo University and the Florida Institute of Technology, where he earned his MBA. He serves as chairman of the Fredericksburg Regional Military Affairs Council and is an adjunct professor at the University of Mary Washington’s College of Business.

On my business’ responsibility to the community: I live by the idea that a rising tide lifts all ships, and the tides are changing quickly, with many rogue waves causing disruption. This is especially true in these times. For me or my company to succeed, our customers and stakeholders must first be successful.

Faulkner

PRESIDENT AND CEO, THE BREEDEN CO., VIRGINIA BEACH

Faulkner joined The Breeden Co. in 2004 as president of its property management arm, rising to chief operating officer and then president and CEO in 2022. A West Point graduate who earned a degree in operations research and systems analysis, Faulkner spent four years in the U.S. Army, including as a platoon leader. As a civilian, Faulkner worked for Procter & Gamble and Lawton Lumber, where he became president and chief operating officer.

Always a major player in real estate development and property management, Breeden was founded by Ramon W. Breeden Jr., whom Faulkner succeeded as CEO. The company has a portfolio of more than 25,000 apartments and 2 million square feet of retail and office space. The company appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in 2022 and 2023, with 205% growth attributed to expansions in its third-party construction and property management divisions.

Outside of work, Faulkner chairs the Virginia Symphony Orchestra board, and he says that supporting animal protection organizations and protecting the Hampton Roads region from sea-level rise are important priorities for him. “By raising awareness and advocating for proactive measures, I aim to address the challenges posed by climate change and protect our community’s future,” he says.

Best advice I’ve received: Work hard at the right things and prioritize, and never develop tired eyes — meaning, maintain attention to detail and don’t walk past things that aren’t right.

Fowler

CALVIN W. ‘WOODY’ FOWLER JR.

CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO, , RICHMOND

Fowler joined Williams Mullen more than three decades ago, and he’s currently in his fourth three-year term leading the state’s second largest law firm. With more than 260 attorneys on staff, Williams Mullen saw its profits rise from $106 million in 2013 to $195 million in 2024.

Fowler earned his bachelor’s and law degrees at the and counts among his clients several colleges and universities, health care systems and insurance companies. He was litigation chair at Williams Mullen before becoming the firm’s CEO and president in 2015. David Burton, a partner at the firm, notes that Fowler “is what you want in your CEO: He is direct, responsive and fair.” In addition to his other legal work, Fowler has served as an arbitrator and mediator in alternative dispute resolutions. Under his leadership, the firm has grown its roster of national and international clients, maintaining offices in Richmond, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, Tysons and the Carolinas.

Fowler is also involved in several civic organizations, including serving on boards for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and RVA757 Connects, as well as serving as former board chair and Heart Walk chair for the American Heart Association’s Richmond chapter. Fowler has been recognized by his peers annually as one of Virginia Business’ Legal Elite since 2008.

How I foster a positive culture: It’s hard to have a happy life if you don’t find satisfaction and joy in your work. We found that our employees are happier, more productive and more engaged when they clearly understand their role in supporting our strategic plan and see our progress toward meeting our goals. We do that by being very transparent about our results each month.

Halliday

CEO, , DULLES

A tech leader whose experience extends from Oracle to Intelex Technologies, Halliday joined Unanet in 2019, driving growth at the Dulles software company. In November 2024, the company acquired Washington, D.C.-based GovPro AI, which provides AI-powered proposal-writing software for government contractors, and in February, Unanet picked up Contraqer, which produces procurement and market intelligence software for the GovCon industry. Unanet also purchased Cosential, a Texas-based customer relationship management software company, in 2020.

Halliday is among 19 Virginia business leaders who are finalists for Ernst & Young’s 2025 Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year award, with winners set to be announced June 18. And Unanet has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies annually since 2019. Halliday also has appeared on Executive Mosaic’s Wash100 Awards list for the past three years, recognizing his prominence in federal contracting.

Acknowledging the current environment of uncertainty among government contractors, he writes, “The wave of austerity measures, tariffs and government contracting cancelations and modifications coming from Washington, D.C., has been destabilizing not just for businesses but for people. … As the head of a company, I feel I have a responsibility to our customers (many of which are government contractors) and to our employees to communicate consistently and transparently with them.”

Best advice I ever received: The best advice I ever got came early in my career from my managing partner at Arthur Andersen. He told me that you should always do what you say you will do. That’s how you earn trust from people.

Huffman

WHITSON HUFFMAN

CO-CEO AND CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, , GLEN ALLEN

One of Virginia’s fastest-growing real estate investment and development companies, Capital Square is deeply involved in Richmond’s Scott’s Addition neighborhood, where it has six multifamily properties that are expected to top out with 1,220 residential units. The Henrico County firm also manages more than $6 billion in assets, mainly in the Southeastern U.S., including a high-rise apartment tower in Raleigh, North Carolina, and major projects in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Charleston, South Carolina.

Huffman joined Capital Square, which was founded by his father-in-law, Louis J. Rogers, as chief strategy and investment officer in 2018, and in 2022, he was named co-CEO. Huffman was instrumental in starting Capital Square Living, the firm’s property management branch, and the company has taken 33 Delaware statutory trusts (DSTs) full cycle since 2018, resulting in 169.15% average total returns, with an average 12.89% rate of return to . He previously was an associate with Maryland real estate investment trust JBG Smith Properties.

Huffman also has raised money for the Children’s Tower at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, and has volunteered for the March of Dimes, World Pediatrics and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

A quote I live by: My grandfather always told me, “No one can take the ultimate weight of decision-making off your shoulders. But the more you know about how things really are, the lighter the burden will be.” Learning is essential. Continuous exploration and analysis are essential. Decision-making can feel like a weight, but nothing is insurmountable with the right knowledge and the right team in place.

Schmuckler

JOSEPH SCHMUCKLER

CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, , RICHMOND

A Wall Street veteran who joined Richmond-based wealth management firm Cary Street Partners (CSP) in 2015, Schmuckler previously worked for Tokyo-based Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group as a senior executive officer and spent 17 years at Nomura Holdings, gaining experience in leading securities and capital markets worldwide. Schmuckler is a graduate of the University of Delaware and New York University, where he earned an MBA in finance. He started his career at Kidder, Peabody & Co., where he became a partner.

Since Schmuckler joined Cary Street, the company has grown from 10 to 19 offices, increasing its assets under management from $2 billion to over $10 billion and representing about 7,000 clients. In April, the firm announced that it plans to sell a majority stake to CIVC Partners, a Chicago private equity firm. In 2022, CSP purchased Atlantic Union Bank’s registered investment adviser (RIA) subsidiary, Dixon, Hubard, Feinour & Brown, for $1.6 billion, and Atlantic Union bought a minority stake in Cary Street.

Schmuckler says that accountability and leading by example are two of his pillars of leadership, as well as addressing mistakes when they occur.

On success: When we thrive, we’re able to reward our people and their families, offering competitive pay, benefits and more. Success also enables us to create career opportunities for our current team, as well as for others in the community who might not have access to these chances otherwise.