LEAD VIRGINIA Newsletter May 2008 In This Issue LEAD VIRGINIA Welcomes the Class of 2008 Register NOW For June 5-7 Alumni Conference 2008 Sponsors Support LEAD VIRGINIA Board of Directors Adds Five New Members Alumni Buzz Photos from the Opening Session Helm Dobbins and Rhonda VanLowe at the Class of 2008 Opening Session in Williamsburg. Debbie Armstrong, Shannon Blevins and Chris Caldwell Ned Massee, Stanley Taylor, Jorman Granger and Don Zacherl at the Annual Alumni Meeting during the Opening Session. LEAD VIRGINIA Welcomes the Class of 2008 More than 100 LEAD VIRGINIA Alumni and Board members were on hand April 17th to welcome Class of 2008 members and celebrate the launch of the fourth class for LEAD VIRGINIA in Colonial Williamsburg. Keynote Speaker Chris Gates of Philanthropy for Civic Engagement discussed how social capital forms in relationships and among communities -- its outcome resulting in a higher level of trust among public officials and voter constituencies, and ultimately democracy functioning at a higher level. He challenged the audience to avoid atrophy of our civic muscles and to recognize, as John Gardner stated, that "It is a mistake to think that social change happens in Washington, D.C., rather social change starts in the hearts and minds of people." LEAD VIRGINIA greatly appreciates the generous support of Verizon as its Williamsburg Session Sponsor. Welcome members of the 2008 Class: Heidi Abbott Counsel Hunton & Williams Phillip Adams Vice President of University Advancement Norfolk State University Deborah Armstrong Senior Vice President Bank of America Tracy Baynard Vice President, Business Expansion/Government Affairs McGuire Woods Consulting LLC Lucy Beauchamp Director of Development SciencePort, Northern Virginia's Science Center Dave Berkheimer CEO DLB Enviro Systems Peter Blake Vice Chancellor, Workforce Development Services Virginia Community College System Shannon Blevins Director of Economic Development The University of Virginia's College at Wise Sandra Bushue President B & I Transportation Consultants Chris Caldwell Government Affairs Manager - Southeast Region DuPont Judith Cash Deputy Director Virginia Health Care Foundation Craig Dixon Corporate Counsel & Assistant Secretary Smithfield Foods, Inc. Helm Dobbins Executive Vice President & Chief Credit Officer American National Bank & Trust Company Martha Dodd-Slippy GRI, ABR, NC, and VA Associate Broker Wilkie Real Estate, Inc. Caryn Durham Senior Vice President Charles Ryan Associates Mark Estepp, Ph.D. President Southwest Virginia Community College David Goldberg Chief Growth Officer, Assistant Vice President, Operations Inova Health System Thomas Gosse President & CEO Northern Neck Insurance John Grady Director - Marketing Nextlink Wireless, Inc. Kent Hill Senior Manager, Economic Development Dominion Virginia Power Joseph Hines Principal - Economic Development Timmons Group Robert Innes Director, Communications & Community Relations Columbia Gas of Virginia Earl Jackson Bishop Exodus Faith Ministries Wanda Jeffress Owner/Vice President/Secretary S.L. Jeffress Co., Inc. Lisa Johnson Senior Vice President, Power Supply Old Dominion Electric Cooperative Shawn Kelley Principal/Owner Practical Solutions for Public Safety Director for Services & Global Safety Solutions International Association of Fire Chiefs Thomas Lisk Vice President & Shareholder LeClair Ryan Jeff Liverman Executive Director Danville Science Center Heather Mantz Director, Environmental Affairs Virginia Port Authority Gail Milligan Virginia State Director Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic Richard Moore Division Head - Program Management Washington Gas Light Company Greg Napps Administrative Director of Operations Bon Secours Theresa Noe Vice President Strategic Planning HCA Healthcare Frank Piatkowski Principal Persimmon Tree Companies Robert Powell Editor Virginia Business Magazine Craig Reed Vice President, Global Sourcing MWV Patrick Reeder Associate General Counsel Genworth Financial Cian Robinson President Robinson Ventures, LLC Melanie Salyer Deputy Clerk Wise County Circuit Court Clerk's Office Scott Schoenborn Senior Account Manager Pfizer, Inc. Thomas Shumaker General Attorney Norfolk Southern Corporation Skip Skinner County Administrator County of Wise Benny Summerlin County Administrator Henry County Rhonda VanLowe Legal Counsel Rolls-Royce North America Inc. Register NOW for the June 5-7 LEAD VIRGINIA Alumni Conference Registration is now open for LEAD VIRGINIA's first Alumni Conference to be held June 5-7 spotlighting the emerging entrepreneurial economy and collaborative initiatives of the Roanoke/Blacksburg region. Don't miss this enriching opportunity to re-connect with class colleagues, meet fellow alumni and network with regional leaders in the Roanoke and New River Valley region. Among programs and businesses to be highlighted are leading edge life sciences, manufacturing and software development companies, venture capital initiatives and innovative collaborative projects between the academic and private sectors. For a registration form please contact Amanda Luttrell at aluttrell@leadva.org or 804.237.1461. 2008 LEAD VIRGINIA Sponsors Support Building Statewide Leadership Capacity 2008 Sustaining Sponsors (Gift of $25,000 each year for four years) Bon Secours Richmond Health System HCA Virginia Philip Morris USA 2008 Sponsors (Gift of $25,000 for 2008 - Sponsors confirmed to date) The Harvest Foundation Norfolk Southern Corporation 2008 Session Sponsors (Gift of $10,000 - Confirmed to date) Dominion Inova Verizon XO Communications Additional 2008 Sponsors (Confirmed to date) Capital One Class of 2007 G. Slaughter Fitz-Hugh Jr. Hirschler Fleischer, PC Hunton & Williams Leadership Fairfax Longwood University NiSource Foundation (Columbia Gas) OMNIPLEX World Wide Services Corporation The University of Virginia Kimble Reynolds, '05 In-Kind Sponsors (Confirmed to date) Chmura Economics & Analytics CRT/tanaka Virginia Business Magazine LEAD VIRGINIA expresses its deepest appreciation for the support of our sponsors, without whom this statewide leadership capacity initiative could not go forward each year. For information on how your organization can become a LEAD VIRGINIA Sponsor, contact Susan Horne, President & CEO at shorne@leadva.org or 804-237-1465. Board of Directors Adds New Members Five new members were elected to the LEAD VIRGINIA Board of Directors at its April 17th meeting, held concurrently with the 2008 Opening Session in Williamsburg. Four alumni are among the new Board members elected. Joining the existing Board are: Michael P. Drzal '07, LeClairRyan; The Honorable Phillip A. Hamilton, Delegate 93rd District, Virginia General Assembly; Carl W. Levander '07, Columbia Gas; Major General Robert B. Newman, Jr. '07, Adjutant General for Virginia; and Junius H. Williams, Jr. '05, Dominion Virginia Power. Returning Board members include: G. Slaughter Fitz-Hugh, Jr., Chairman (Kaufman & Canoles Consulting) Dr. Patricia P. Cormier, Vice Chair (Longwood University) Patricia Hutcherson, Secretary (Fairfax Partnership for Youth) V. Lynn Strader '05, Treasurer and Finance Chair (HCA Healthcare, Central Atlantic Division) Douglas B. McDonald '05, General Counsel (Venable LLP) Bernard A. Niemeier '07, Alumni Committee Chair (Virginia Business) Jorman D. Granger '07, Alumni Impact Chair (Northrop Grumman) William C. Thornton, Jr., '06, Communications Chair (LandAmerica) G. Slaughter Fitz-Hugh, Jr., Development Chair (Kaufman & Canoles Consulting) Hugh Keogh, Nominating Chair (Virginia Chamber of Commerce) Cynthia Earhart, Personnel Chair (Norfolk Southern) John Thomas, Program/Curriculum Chair (Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service) Whittington W. Clement, Recruitment Chair (Hunton &Williams) Charles E. Agee, III, '05 (Altria Client Services, Inc.) Heather Burnett Gold '06 (XO Communications) Addison Jones (The Supply Cabinet) The Honorable Thomas R. Morris (Virginia's Secretary of Education) J.J. (Jeff) Keever '05 (Virginia Port Authority) Richard Killingsworth (Martinsville) Ned W. Massee '06 (MWV) Huey J. Battle (Washington Gas) Stephan F. Clementi '06 (Verizon) Stuart C. Fauber '05 (Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation) Marvin W. Gilliam, Jr. (Cumberland Resources Corporation) The Honorable William Mims (Office of the Attorney General) Dr. David J. Prior (The University of Virginia's College at Wise) Susan T. Timmons (retired, Mary Baldwin College) Gregory H. Wingfield (Greater Richmond Partnership) Stuart Mendelsohn (Holland & Knight) Dr. Suzanne Morse (The Pew Partnership) Michel Zajur (Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce) The Honorable Katherine K. Hanley, (Virginia's Secretary of the Commonwealth), Governor's Representative Dr. Glenn DuBois (Virginia Community College System), Higher Education Director Sheryl Garland '05 (Virginia Commonwealth University), Higher Education Director Alumni Buzz Michael P. Drzal '07, Principal/Vice President of LeClairRyan, has been named Chair of the firm's Technology and Venture Capital Practice. Mike recently served as a judge for the Southeast Division Finals of the 2008 Venture Capital Investment Competition, an entrepreneurial education experience created by the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Darrel W. Staat '05, President of Central Virginia Community College was honored as the recipient of the 9th annual Community College Alliance Leadership Award, a national recognition presented by Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio to the community college president who has exhibited leadership, dedication and commitment to excellence in education. Darrel was recognized for his ongoing to bring the College to the community by developing off-campus centers throughout the region of Central Virginia. Donald H. Zacherl '07, Lt. Col. (Retired) and CEO of T3 Technologies LLC was honored by the US Department of Homeland Security as an Outstanding American by Choice in a recent ceremony at the Pentagon. The Award recognizes outstanding achievements of naturalized citizens. Through civic participation, professional achievement and responsible citizenship, recipients of this honor have demonstrated their commitment to this country and to the common civic values that unite us as Americans. Join The Party Northern Virginia alumni are invited to join their colleagues at Reston Town Center's M&S Grill on Thursday, May 8 at 4:30 p.m. for an alumni gathering. Contact Don Zacherl '07 dzacherl@t3-tigertech.com or Bob Steere '06 (bob@steerepartners.com) for more details. To send information for future newsletters, contact Amanda Luttrell at aluttrell@leadva.org.