Virginia 500 Spotlight: CLAYTON TURNER

FIRST JOB: Stock boy at Sears

WHAT MAKES ME HAPPIEST: Family and NASA

MY MOST VALUED POSSESSION: Joy

HOW I BALANCE MY WORK AND PERSONAL LIVES: By being fully present in both for all activities and interactions and not allowing artificial urgency to encroach from one to the other

TRAIT I MOST ADMIRE IN OTHERS: Caring

IF I HAD A TIME MACHINE, I’D MEET: My maternal grandfather. He was a pathfinder in a difficult time, and I would love to hear his perspectives about then and now.

NEW LIFE EXPERIENCE: Our first grandchild was born in 2022, and he is the newest light of our lives.

FAVORITE APP: Photos (1,200 of grandbaby and counting), Buffalo Bills app and airlines apps.

DID YOU KNOW? A 30-year NASA veteran, Turner has led NASA’s Langley Research Center, where scientists are working to send astronauts back to the moon and prepare for the manned mission to Mars, since 2019. He is a 1990 graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology and started as a design engineer at NASA. Turner leads 3,400 scientists, researchers and staff.

For more information about Turner and hundreds of Virginia’s other top executives in business, government, nonprofits and education, see Virginia Business’ exclusive annual Virginia 500 power list issue.