Overview

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) is the state economic development authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Created in 1995, VEDP collaborates with local, regional, and state partners to encourage the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy. VEDP works to accomplish these objectives through a variety of activities, including marketing and lead generation; business retention, expansion, and attraction; trade development; business intelligence; competitive benchmarking; site development; performance-based incentives; and talent solutions. VEDP has offices in Virginia, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

By statute, VEDP creates economic opportunity for the Commonwealth through eight core categories of responsibility:

  • Ensure that effective marketing programs are delivered
  • Engage in business development activities
  • Engage in product development activities
  • Encourage coordination of economic development organizations
  • Encourage exports of Virginia’s products and services
  • Assist in formulating Virginia’s economic development strategies
  • Administer economic development incentive programs
  • Fulfill administrative and reporting responsibilities

With dedicated and knowledgeable professionals committed to Virginia’s economic success, VEDP helps businesses find the resources they need to make relocation and expansion successful endeavors.

Board of Directors

VEDP is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors. The Board selects the President and Chief Executive Officer and ensures that VEDP complies with all Board and statutory directives. The Board works with VEDP’s staff to develop, implement, and update strategic and marketing plans for the Commonwealth and an operational plan for VEDP.

William H. Hayter - Chair
Retired President & CEO
The First Bank & Trust Company

The Honorable Caren Merrick - Vice Chair
Secretary of Commerce and Trade
Commonwealth of Virginia, Ex Officio Member

Nancy Howell Agee
President and CEO, Carilion Clinic and GO Virginia Chair
Ex Officio Member

Carrie Hileman Chenery
Principal
Valley Pike Partners

Mimi Rainero Coles
Marketing & Business Development Vice President
Permatile Concrete Products Company

The Honorable Stephen E. Cummings
Secretary of Finance
Commonwealth of Virginia, Ex Officio Member

Stephen A. Edwards
CEO and Executive Director, The Port of Virginia
Ex Officio Member

Richard “Rick” O. Harrell, III
President (retired)
R.O. Harrell, Inc.

John Hewa
President and CEO
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

April Kees
Director, Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee
Ex Officio Member

Pace Lochte
Assistant Vice President for Economic Development
University of Virginia

Anne Oman
Director, Virginia House Appropriations Committee
Ex Officio Member

Marianne Radcliff
President
Kemper Consulting, Inc.

Nick Rush
Agent
Krupin Partners LLC

William D. Sessoms, Jr.
Executive Vice President
TowneBank

Steven David Stone
Equity Principal
Offit Kurman

Advisory Committees

Advisory Committee on International Trade

The primary purposes of the International Trade Committee are to advise the Board on all matters relating to international trade and trade promotion; and, make such recommendations to the Board as the Committee may deem desirable. 

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Mike Ligon - Chair
Retired Vice President of Corporate Affairs
Universal Corporation

Hobey Bauhan
President
Virginia Poultry Federation

Michael Coleman
President and CEO
CV International, Inc.

Bob Feeser
President
Riverwind Advisors, LLC

Tag Greason
Chief Hyperscale Officer
QTS Data Centers

The Honorable Matthew Lohr
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
Commonwealth of Virginia

Will Sessoms
Executive Vice President
TowneBank

David White
Executive Vice President
Virginia Maritime Association

James Yongije Xu
Executive Vice President
Evergreen Enterprises

Anne Marie Lacourse
Global Trade Industry Adviser
Dow Jones & Company and Sayari Analytics

Advisory Committee on Business Development and Marketing

The primary purpose of the Advisory Committee on Business Development and Marketing Committee is to advise the Board on all matters relating to business development and marketing and make recommendations upon request of the Board.

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Greg Hitchin - Chair
Director, Economic Development and Tourism
City of Waynesboro

Beth Doughty
Beth Doughty LLC

John Kilgore
Executive Director
Scott County Economic Development

Emily Kertz Lampkin
President
The Lampkin Group

Pace Lochte
Assistant Vice President for Economic Development
University of Virginia

Shannon Kane
President
EWR Management Group

Paige Read
Director of Tourism and Economic Development
Town of Culpeper

Matthew Rowe
Director of Economic Development
Pittsylvania County

The Honorable Christopher Winslow
Attorney
Winslow, McCurry & MacCormac, PLLC

Management

Jason El Koubi

Jason El Koubi

President and CEO

Jason El Koubi serves as President and CEO at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where he leads VEDP’s overall strategy and operations to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth.

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP in July 2017 as Executive Vice President, El Koubi was previously President and CEO of One Acadiana, a regional economic development organization based in Lafayette, Louisiana. Under his leadership, the organization developed and successfully launched one of the most successful capital campaigns of its kind in the nation to deliver a new economic development program for the nine-parish region. Previously, El Koubi served as Assistant Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, where he led initiatives that helped secure projects creating more than 63,000 new jobs along with more than $28 billion in new capital investment, while dramatically improving Louisiana’s position in virtually every state business climate ranking.

Education
B.S., Biological Engineering – Louisiana State University
M.S., Public Policy – London School of Economics

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Stephanie Agee

Stephanie Agee

Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, International Trade

Stephanie Agee serves as Senior Vice President of International Trade and Chief Administrative Officer at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she provides leadership and oversight of programs designed to support Virginia companies in growing their international sales and oversees the agency’s human resource, information technology, and fiscal and support services.

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP in January 2020 as Vice President of International Trade, Agee served as Director of Marketing and Development at the Virginia Department of Agriculture, where she provided executive leadership to develop and implement domestic and international marketing programs designed to enhance the profitability of Virginia agribusiness. Before VDACS, Agee served in multiple positions in VEDP’s International Trade Division, where she worked with Virginia companies to develop and implement international sales strategies, identify and access target export markets, and provide counsel on specific international business issues. Agee also worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office where she analyzed international trade and security assistance programs.

Education
B.A., International Studies, Political Science - Virginia Tech
MPP, Public/Private Sector Partnerships - University of Maryland, College Park

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Sneer Atwal

Sneha Atwal

Vice President, Manufacturing Division

Sneha Atwal serves as Vice President of the Manufacturing Division at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she provides primary staff leadership for developing and implementing strategies to promote employment growth within the Advanced Materials, Food Processing & Manufacturing, and Biopharmaceuticals industries in Virginia. 

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP, Atwal served as Global Head of Regulatory Strategy & Emerging Issues with Celanese, a global chemical manufacturer. She has extensive experience in the chemical and plastics manufacturing industries, having also served in regulatory and compliance roles with Evonik, ChemTreat, and Nomaco. In addition to her extensive industry experience, Atwal brings valuable public sector experience to the role from her eight years as Environmental, Health and Safety Director with Wake County Public Schools, the largest public school district in North Carolina.

Education
B.S., Chemical Engineering – Virginia Tech

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Vince Barnett

Vince Barnett

Senior Vice President, Strategic Projects and Lead Generation

Vince Barnett serves as Senior Vice President of Strategic Projects and Lead Generation at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where he provides leadership of programs focused on high-profile engagements and targeted lead generation both domestically and internationally.

Experience
Prior to this role in June 2022, Barnett served as VEDP's Vice President of Business Investment where he worked with Virginia’s regional and local economic development organizations to identify and convert high-potential leads and prospects into project opportunities, managed site selection projects, and supported business retention and expansion activities for existing firms. Prior to that, Barnett served as VEDP’s Vice President of Communications and Promotions, where he directed VEDP’s marketing, advertising, and communications outreach programs to build awareness of the desirability of Virginia as a business location. Barnett served more than seven years in the United States Air Force and the Virginia Air National Guard, with assignments at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.

Education
B.S., Mass Communications and Advertising – Virginia Commonwealth University

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Anita Begnaud

Anita Begnaud

Vice President, Marketing & Communications

Anita Begnaud serves as Vice President of Marketing & Communications at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she is responsible for marketing the Commonwealth for business, including the Virginia and VEDP brands, websites, event and trade show marketing, and external communications.

Experience:
Before joining VEDP in January 2024, Begnaud served as the CEO of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and its marketing arm, Lafayette Downtown Unlimited. During her tenure, more than 60 new businesses opened or expanded in downtown Lafayette with occupancy at more than 90 percent. She was an integral part of an effort to significantly increase the amount of residential space in and around downtown with nearly 200 units constructed over the past three years. Prior to her leadership at the DDA, Anita led the marketing, communications, and governmental affairs initiatives for One Acadiana, a regional economic development organization based in Lafayette, Louisiana. 

Education:
B.A., Organizational Communications — University of Louisiana at Lafayette

 

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Melissa Cox

Melissa Cox

Human Resources Director

Melissa Cox serves as the Human Resource Director at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she is responsible for talent acquisition and retention, performance management, total rewards, and human capital risk management.

Experience
Before joining VEDP in May 1998, Cox served as a long-term substitute teacher with Henrico County Public Schools. Cox also spent five years with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as an Office Services Specialist in the Office of Product and Industry Standards.

Education
B.S., Psychology – Virginia Commonwealth University
M.T., Elementary Education – Virginia Commonwealth University

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david devan headshot

David Devan

Vice President, Economic Competitiveness

David Devan serves as Vice President of Economic Competitiveness at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where he is responsible for developing and implementing medium-to-long-term strategies to improve the foundations for state, regional, and local economic growth.

Experience
Prior to this role, Devan served as the Director of Corporate Intelligence at VEDP, where he identified high-growth companies for business attraction efforts through economic and financial analysis. Before joining VEDP in 2018, Devan worked as an investment banker, advising corporations and private equity firms on mergers and acquisitions. Devan served for seven years as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps, including tours to Afghanistan and the Republic of Korea.

Education
B.S., Oceanography – United States Naval Academy
MBA – University of Virginia Darden School of Business

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Michael Dreiling

Michael Dreiling

Vice President, Real Estate Solutions

Michael Dreiling serves as Vice President of Real Estate Solutions and leads a team focused on analyzing, developing, and implementing real estate solutions for economic development projects across Virginia.

Experience
Before joining VEDP in January 2022, Dreiling served as an account leader, senior program manager, and project manager at an engineering and construction company, where he focused his career on building major CapEx projects. As an account leader, he supported two global accounts establishing and launching numerous global service contracts. As a senior program manager, he was directly responsible for the delivery of four global industrial client programs with a total of 170 projects which were delivered with seven regional teams. As a project manager, he directly managed projects in over 15 countries valued at over $400M in construction costs.

Education/Credentials
B.S. Civil Engineering – Virginia Tech
B.S. Environmental Engineering – Virginia Tech
P.E. Professional Engineer – Virginia

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Katherine-Goodwin

Katherine Goodwin

Vice President, Business Investment

Katherine Goodwin serves as Vice President of Business Investment at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she oversees a team who work with Virginia’s regional and local economic development organizations to identify and convert high-potential leads and prospects into project opportunities, manages site selection projects, and supports business retention and expansion activities for existing firms.

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP’s Business Investment team in 2016, Goodwin previously served as Manager of VEDP's Project Research group, where she led efforts to create customized responses for client requests. Prior to joining VEDP in 1998, she was an Economic Development Manager at the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Education
B.S., Business Administration, double major Marketing and Management – University of South Carolina
M.S., Information Science – University of South Carolina

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Bob Grenell

Bob Grenell

Controller

Bob Grenell serves as the Controller at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where his primary responsibilities include accounting operations, financial reporting, annual audit coordination, and internal controls.

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP in March 2008, Grenell was a Finance Investment Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) managing investment balances for several PwC offices, as well as providing staff training and other special projects related to the merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand.  Prior to that, Grenell was a Finance Manager with Coopers & Lybrand (C&L), serving numerous clients in various industries and managing the internal finance functions for five C&L offices.

Education
B.S., Accounting – King’s College

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Mike Grundmann

Mike Grundmann

Senior Vice President, Virginia Talent Accelerator Program

Mike Grundmann leads a team of talent acquisition and instructional design professionals who develop and deliver highly customized recruitment and training solutions as an incentive for eligible companies to create new jobs in Virginia.

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP in April 2019, Grundmann served as the Director of Manufacturing for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Prior to GDEcD, Grundmann worked in executive education for Georgia Tech and served in a variety of positions spanning a 20-year career at Georgia Quick Start, including Director of Marketing and Director of Operations. In the operations role, Mike led a team of project managers and instructional designers responsible for analyzing processes, assessing skill requirements, and designing highly customized training programs for major manufacturing and distribution operations.

Education
B.S., Business Administration/Marketing and Advertising – Indiana University
M.S., Information Systems Management – Keller Graduate School of Management

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Stephen Hartka

Stephen Hartka

Vice President, Research

Stephen Hartka serves as Vice President of Research at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, providing companies and economic development stakeholders with customized, insightful analysis and data visualizations that convey Virginia’s full value proposition as the best state for business.

Experience
Before joining VEDP’s Research Division in 2018, Hartka spent five years with EY working in the firm’s Government & Public Sector practice. During his tenure with EY, he played a leading role delivering engagements and developing business with European Union Institutions, the French Treasury, and the African Development Bank among other clients. Hartka also previously worked as a consultant and writer for a digital communications agency and as an editorial consultant with an economic intelligence and advocacy firm.

Education
B.A., Foreign Affairs, French Literature – University of Virginia
MPA, International Public Management – Sciences Po Paris

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Chris Hughes 2023

Chris Hughes

Vice President, Information Technology

Chris Hughes serves as the Vice President of Information Technology at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where he oversees the IT needs of VEDP, including strategic planning and long-term direction of technology capabilities and improvements and compliance with cybersecurity standards and policies.

Experience
Prior to this role in 2022, Hughes served as Network Manager at VEDP. Hughes started his career with VEDP in April 2013 as a Senior Support Technician and was later promoted to Associate Network Manager. Prior to VEDP, Hughes started his IT career at just 16, providing IT administration for a family-owned business and seeing them through significant growth and increasingly complex technology requirements.

Education
B.S., Business Information Systems — Virginia Commonwealth University

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Eric Jehu 2023

Eric Jehu

Vice President, Transportation & Logistics

Eric Jehu serves as Vice President of Logistics at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where he provides primary staff leadership for developing and implementing strategies to promote employment growth within the logistics industry in Virginia. 

Experience:

Before joining VEDP in September 2023, Jehu was the Vice President of Business Development for Ardent Global Logistics based out of Virginia Beach. Prior to that, Jehu worked at Expeditors International, a top 10 global third-party logistics (3PL) company, for over seventeen years.  He started in the Norfolk and Richmond region as a district sales executive and held progressive roles in ocean services, order management, and business development.  He achieved his customs brokerage license in 2011 and was the Ocean Import Manager for Atlanta’s cornerstone operation, serving Georgia, Alabama, and parts of Tennessee. In his 18 years of experience working in the logistics industry, Jehu has displayed a unique ability to create holistic supply chain solutions by proactively collaborating with clients, leveraging strategic infrastructure and transportation markets, and developing cross-functional relationships.

Education:

Appointed to United States Naval Academy
University of South Carolina

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Nicole Riley

Nicole Riley

Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategic Partnerships

Nicole Riley is Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategic Partnerships at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she oversees the budget, legislative, and policy development process, and encourages collaboration and coordination among partners.

Experience
Before joining VEDP in March 2023, Riley served the Commonwealth as Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade. During her tenure with the Administration, Riley played an instrumental role with several key initiatives including the development of "Compete to Win" (Comprehensive Economic Development Policy of the Youngkin Administration), the transformation plan for the workforce development system, and the strengthening of Virginia’s site development efforts. Riley has held other important roles with the Commonwealth of Virginia, including Deputy Secretary of Labor and Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs in the Office of the Attorney General. In addition to Riley’s experience in state government, she also served as the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) State Director, where she represented the interests of Virginia’s small businesses on issues related to tax policy, labor and employment law, regulations, and healthcare.

Education
B.A., Political Science and Government — Roanoke College

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Ted Sniffin

Ted Sniffin

Vice President, Knowledge Work

Ted Sniffin serves as the Vice President of Knowledge Work at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where he leads a team that focuses on sector expertise, lead generation, and ecosystem building activities in the Business Services, Financial Services, Software & Cybersecurity, and the Aerospace & Defense Innovation industries.

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP in 2023, Sniffin took on a role with Amazon Web Services as Managing Director of Global Business Development, where he led global business development for the Worldwide Public Sector Business. Sniffin is a 22-year veteran of the global consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, where he advanced from Associate to Partner level. In his last role with the firm, Ted was tapped by executive leadership to transform the corporate business development function. As Executive Vice President, Sniffin led a team that set market strategy and provided market intelligence, business development, capture, and proposal leadership for the firm’s largest growth priorities.

Education
B.A., English – George Mason University
M.S., Corporate Finance – John Hopkins University

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Tim Stuller

Tim Stuller

Vice President, Regional Talent Solutions and Business Outreach

Tim Stuller serves as the Vice President of Regional Talent Solutions and Business Outreach at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where he helps new and expanding businesses access talent and training, supports the fostering of strong relationships with existing Virginia businesses, and oversees the Virginia Jobs Investment Program, a key workforce incentive supporting economic development.

Experience 
Prior to this role, Stuller joined VEDP in 2011 as a Business Development Manager focused on new and expanding businesses, with emphasis on the biosciences sector. He represents VEDP on several statewide boards and task teams for business and workforce. Before VEDP, Stuller worked for IBM Corporation in marketing and business development leadership in regional and national markets with commercial and public-sector clients.

Education
B.S., Business and Economics – Randolph-Macon College

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Lisa Wallmeyer

Lisa Wallmeyer

General Counsel

Lisa Wallmeyer serves as General Counsel at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she provides guidance on legal and policy matters.

Experience
Prior to joining VEDP in July, 2022, Wallmeyer served for over 20 years as an attorney at the Virginia Division of Legislative Services.  In that role, she staffed the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees and the House Appropriations Committee, where she worked extensively on legislation related to economic development in the Commonwealth, as well as issues related to finance, taxation, and appropriations. Over the course of her legislative career, she also staffed commissions and committees related to technology, public safety, transportation, agriculture, and the Freedom of Information Act.

Education/Credentials
B.A., Print Journalism – Washington & Lee University
M.A., Mass Communications – University of Florida
J.D. – University of Florida
Member of the Virginia State Bar

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Careers

For two decades, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership has served as Virginia’s economic development authority. Like the Commonwealth it serves, VEDP has long been regarded as among the best in the country because of its stable leadership and nimble, creative, mission-focused operations. It is a nonpartisan, quasi-independent state authority governed by a board of directors that spans gubernatorial administrations. VEDP is a certified Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program employer with ongoing plans to recruit, hire, and retain veterans.

For a complete list of employment opportunities at Virginia Tourism Corporation, please visit https://www.vatc.org/about/employment/