Chamber Welcomes Mark Lilly and Others as New Executive Leaders to the Region
The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual CEO Welcome Breakfast on November 18th to welcome and recognize 50 professionals who have moved into their organization’s leadership positions in the past year. More than 200 people attended the breakfast, held at The Founders Inn & Spa. Joe Flanagan, anchor/reporter with WVEC-TV 13 News, served as emcee while sponsors John Carpenter of Cherry Bekaert and Wade Powell of Dale Carnegie Training provided congratulatory remarks.
Bryan Stephens, President & CEO of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce had congratulations of his own, but challenged the honorees, “You are the new leaders of Hampton Roads and we are looking to you, not only to lead your organization, but to get involved and lead our community.”
Many of the day’s honorees have had long standing commitments to area charities and community organizations, as highlighted in the brief biographies read by Flanagan.
Kari Jacobs, General Manager for ABC13 News was among the honorees. “I was thrilled to be part of such a wonderful event and to be joined with so many other leaders in the area – people that I have watched and learned from over the years.”
Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, Captain Christopher Keane, viewed the event as a great way to break the ice and meet some of the new community leaders.
“I had the ability to sit down with all the local leaders of the community and hear their stories and learn how we can really help each other,” said Keane.
Angela Kellam, Executive Director of Samaritan House, Inc., thought the event set the stage for something more important. “What I love about the Chamber is the diversity among the leadership, said Kellam. “You had small and large businesses, non-profits, and the military and that really speaks to the value of the Chamber of Commerce…that there’s a place here for everyone to build our businesses and to give back to our community.”
The following 50 individuals were honored at the event:
Chief Robert Alley – Newport News Fire Department
Travis Ames, Sr. – AIG Financial Network
Shawn Avery – Opportunity Inc. of Hampton Roads
Foster Billingsley – Virginia Stage Company
Paul Bonicelli – Regent University
Dr. Jeffery Boyd – Tidewater Community College
Jeff Brillhart – Chesapeake Regional Medical Center
Brooke Briggs – Samaritan House
Captain Scott Brown, USN – Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Jerry Cale – Beach Security and Investigation, LLC
Dr. Tyler Carmack – Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice
Don Christian – Tidewater Home Care
Tony Coppa – Cedar Point Country Club
Roland Davis – Chesapeake City Councilman
Michael Desplaines – Norfolk Botanical Gardens
Jon Drews – Cape Henry Associates, Inc.
Robert Duvall – Virginia Natural Gas
Jim Harenchar – Free Agents Marketing
Chad & Kim Havunen – Natural Bodyz Fitness Center
Kari Jacobs – ABC13 News
David Jurgens – City of Chesapeake
Sue Kanz – Solar Services
Captain Christopher Keane – U.S. Coast Guard
Angela Kellam – Samaritan House, Inc.
Andrea Kilmer – The ESG Companies
Terri Leitner – REW Corporation
Darrick Letmaster – CMP Global, Inc.
Mark Lilly – Syncon, LLC
Major Stephen Long and Major Connie Long – The Salvation Army & Kroc Center
Kim Luckes – An Achievable Dream Academy
Dr. Eric Neil – Chrysler Museum of Art
Pam Phillips – Langley Federal Credit Union
Robert Pizzini – iFLY Virginia Beach
Eva Poole – Virginia Beach Public Library
Paullette Reed – The Intercultural School of Etiquette
Dr. Lisa Rhine – Tidewater Community College
Patricia Richardson – The Virginian-Pilot
Adrianna Rivera – Junior Achievement of Greater Hampton Roads, Inc.
Cameron Robinett – Cedar Point Country Club
James Shaeffer – Old Dominion University
Russ Smith – Tidewater Medical Training
Mark Snapp – Mark Snapp & Associates
Dr. Aaron Spence – Virginia Beach Public Schools
Victoria Strickland-Cordial – Chesapeake Public Library System
Ty Swartz – Chief’s Touch Communications & Marketing Group
Cheryl Tan – Cheryl Tan Media LLC
Addie Wright Thomason – Southeastern Virginia Housing Corporation
Dr. Nancy Welch – Chesapeake Health Department
Kathleen White – Two Men and a Truck
Rear Admiral Rick Williamson – Navy Region Mid-Atlantic
