Hoskins to exit Fairfax EDA after six-year tenure

After six years leading the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Victor Hoskins plans to leave his post as president and CEO to return to the private sector, according to an announcement Monday.

FCEDA credits Hoskins with helping to secure nearly 64,000 jobs. During his tenure, the county’s gross domestic product grew by $47 billion, to $177 billion.

“Victor Hoskins has been an exceptional economic leader for Fairfax County and a strategic force for growth during some of the most competitive and complex times in recent history,” James Quigley, chair of the FCEDA Commission, said in a statement.. “Under his leadership, FCEDA secured some of the world’s most innovative companies, ignited meaningful job creation, strengthened key industries and cemented Fairfax County’s place as a global competitor.”

Under Hoskins’ leadership, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors funded the authority’s talent initiative to grow workforce competitiveness across Northern Virginia. This program engaged more than 17,000 employers and connected more than half a million job seekers to jobs, according to a news release.

During his tenure, companies such as Microsoft, Google, Meta and Blue Origin announced new locations and expansions in the county. Among the successes: In 2022, Alarm.com, a cloud-based platform for home and business security, announced plans to invest $2.6 million to expand its technology research and development division, creating 180 new jobs.

It hasn’t been all celebrations, over the last year, Hoskins tracked the thousands of federal employees who were let go as well as layoffs at federal contractors as the Trump administration worked to cut the federal payroll and claw back billions in federal contracts. Hoskins led the authority’s efforts to connect laid off federal workers with job openings.

It’s not the only crisis Hoskins had to weather. Months after taking the job, he found himself collaborating with panicked business owners on how to survive the pandemic shut-down.

A proponent of regional collaboration, Hoskins formed the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance with neighboring localities in 2019. He also serves as vice chair of Connected DMV, which works to drive ongoing improvements to social, digital and physical infrastructure across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

Hoskins championed the Quantum World Congress, an annual event launched in 2022 to gather members of the quantum ecosystem. It attracts more than 1,500 people from 31 countries, according to FCEDA. Hoskins also helped to organize spaceNext, a conference regarding the new space economy. Connected DMV operates the event, which was held last week in Tysons.

“Leading the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority has been a great honor,” Hoskins said in a statement. “I am deeply proud of the exceptional FCEDA team and the vibrant business community we serve — from small businesses that form the backbone of Fairfax County to innovative startups and global industry leaders. I am confident that the spirit, talent and commitment that define this organization will carry it to even greater heights.”

The commission will soon launch a search for the organization’s next president and CEO and expects to announce a successor later this year.

From 2015 to 2019, Hoskins served as director of Arlington Economic Development. There, he helped lead the successful effort to secure Amazon.com’s HQ2 East Coast headquarters.

Earlier in his career, Hoskins was deputy mayor for planning and development in Washington, D.C.

As vice president of Washington-D.C.-based Quadel Consulting Corp., Hoskins led the delivery of affordable housing consulting and training services. His resume also includes a stint as lead director of mid-Atlantic markets for Fannie Mae and three years spent as cabinet secretary of Maryland’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In 2023, Hoskins received a presidential lifetime achievement award from then-President Joe Biden. The award honored Hoskins for his “lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.”

This year, Hoskins began his term as Chair of the board of the Capital Area Food Bank. Hoskins and his wife, Diane, gave $50,000 to George Mason University in 2024.