Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

Downtown Richmond (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth.

Secretariat of Commerce and Trade

Meggie Lareau, Special Assistant

Meggie Lareau interned in Scheduling & Advance in the Governor’s office this past spring and was a part of the Governor-elect transition team beforehand. She also was deputy campus organizer for the McAuliffe campaign at the University of Richmond during her senior fall semester. She just graduated with a B.A. from the University of Richmond this May. She majored in International Studies concentration in Modern Europe and minored in Latin and Iberian Studies and History.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth

Board Appointments

Agriculture and Forestry

Virginia Beef Industry Board

• Marnie Potter Caldwell of Lexington, Field Representative, Rockbridge Farmers Cooperative
• George L. Jones of Brookneal, Beef Cattle Farm Manager, End of the Road Farms
• Mark A. Sowers of Floyd, Partner, Huckleberry Dairy

Virginia Pork Industry Board

• J. Nelson Link* of Alton, Owner, Link Farms Incorporated
• The Honorable Frank W. Nolen of Grottoes, former member of the Senate of Virginia and Owner, Grazelen Farm
• T. Sean O’Hara* of Richmond, Financial Institution Liaison, The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Commerce and Trade

Virginia Coal Mine Safety Board

·       R. Thomas “Tom” Asbury of Wise, Safety Manager,  Alpha Natural Resources

·       Mike Kennedy of St. Paul, United Mine Workers of America (State of Virginia)

·       The Honorable Joseph Tate of Clintwood, Retired Circuit Court Clerk, Dickenson County

Virginia Gas and Oil Board

• William S. Harris* of Big Stone Gap, Retired
• Bruce A. Prather* of Abingdon, Consulting Geologist, Olin and Muriel Prather Charitable Foundation
• Donald L. Ratliff* of Big Stone Gap, Vice President of State Governmental Affairs, Alpha Natural Resources, LLC

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth.

Secretariat of Commerce and Trade

Benjamin “Hayes” Framme, Advisor for Infrastructure and Development

Hayes Framme has been a successful consultant for a variety of major Virginia corporations. He previously worked as a Public Affairs Manager for Capital Results, a public affairs firm based in Richmond.  During his work at Capital Results, Hayes managed strategic communications and government relations work for clients from a variety of sectors of the economy.  Prior to this, Hayes worked in the Economic Research office of Altria Client Services, conducting legislative and regulatory research and data analysis.  He also served in the Administration of Tim Kaine as Executive Aide to the Governor.  Hayes holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina and an M.B.A. with a dual focus on Applied Economics and Human Resource Management from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.

Secretariat of Health and Human Resources

Jaime Hoyle, Chief Deputy Director, Department of Health Professions

Jaime Hoyle began her 15-year career as a policy analyst, then staff attorney, for the Virginia State Crime Commission.  She has focused on health care for the past eight years as the senior attorney/health policy analyst for the Joint Commission on Health Care. Jaime received her B.A. from Boston College, and her J.D. from the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law.

Secretariat of Natural Resources

Laurie Naismith, Public/Social Media Relations Manager at Marine Resources Commission

Laurie Naismith has been in public service in the Commonwealth since 1974. She was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth by former Governor Charles S. Robb. She was the first woman on the ABC Board. She led the JMU International Internship program, 2^nd Governors Arts Awards and served on the ODU Board of Visitors. She is a graduate of ODU and the London School of Economics.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth

Board Appointments

Commerce and Trade

Board for Contractors

• Herbert Jackson Dyer, Jr.* of Doswell, President of Gulf Seaboard General Contractors Inc.

Virginia Apprenticeship Council

• Danny E. Amos* of Henrico, Pipefitter at Walt Plumbing & Heating

Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority

• Brian Redmond* of Richmond, Managing Partner at Paragon Asset Group LLC

Virginia Racing Commission

• The Honorable Clinton Miller of Woodstock, former Commissioner for the State Corporation Commission and former Member of the House of Delegates

Compacts

Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Compact

• Steven Harrison of Ashland, Director, Office of Radiological Health, Virginia Department of Health

Health and Human Resources

Advisory Board on Massage Therapy

• Jermaine Mincey of Alexandria, Patent Examiner, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Board of Medical Assistance Services

• Mirza Z. Baig of Great Falls, Managing Partner, Tipton Equity Partners
• Maureen Sue Hollowell of Virginia Beach, Director of Advocacy Services, Endependence Center
• Peter R. Kongstvedt, MD, FACP of McLean, Health Policy Faculty Member, George Mason University
• The Honorable McKinley L. Price, DDS of Newport News, Dental Care at Oyster Point

Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Advisory Board

• Patrik Sandas, Ph.D., of Charlottesville, Professor, University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce.

State Child Fatality Review Team

• Lisa Beitz of Midlothian, Director, Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders, and Prevention Services, Hanover County Community Services.

State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind and Vision Impaired

• Ann Olliff of Sandston, Retired
• Judith O. Swystun of Norfolk, President and Owner, Black and White Cabs

Natural Resources

Board of Historic Resources

• Drew A. Gruber of Williamsburg, Administrator at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Virginia Land Conservation Foundation

• Amy Saucier Kelley of Richmond
• John Paul Woodley, Jr. of Burke

Veterans and Defense Affairs

Board for Veterans Services

• Brigadier General (Ret.) Belinda Pinckney of Fairfax, President and CEO at BHP Consulting, LLC

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Governor McDonnell Hosts Virginia Social Entrepreneurship Networking Event

English: Governor of Virginia at CPAC in . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell, in partnership with Capital One, will host a social entrepreneurship networking event tomorrow evening, Thursday, September 12^that the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business.  The event will convene top thought leaders to consider opportunities in Virginia's growing social entrepreneurship space.  The evening is co-chaired by Pete Snyder, CEO of the Virginia-based seed and angel capital company Disruptor Capital, and Mark Rubin, Executive Director of Government Relations for VCU and former senior advisor to Governor Timothy M. Kaine.

            The event will kick off at 5:00 p.m. with a welcome address from Governor McDonnell, followed by a panel discussion led by Mark Rubin, Ron Monarck, Managing Director of the Alan B. Miller Entrepreneurship Center at the College of William and Mary, Elizabeth Schmidt, Executive Director of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship at George Mason, Jeff Pollack, Assistant Professor of Management in the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond, and Bob Mooney of New Richmond Ventures.  Later, four attendees at the event will be selected a random to give a four minute presentation on a social entrepreneurship topic of their choice, with attendees voting on the most compelling presentation.  The evening will conclude with a time for participants to network with each other.

            Speaking about the social entrepreneurship networking event, Governor McDonnell commented, “We are seeing a rapidly growing interest in social entrepreneurship in Virginia as citizens and companies look to make a greater impact in our society through investments in sustainable entrepreneurial programs. Companies like Capital One are leading the pack with their affordable housing and youth financial literacy programs.  Simultaneously, our higher education institutions including George Mason University, the University of Richmond, the University of Virginia and William and Mary are embracing the growing interest in social enterprise among our youth and are encouraging even greater interest and participation while in college.  Tomorrow will be an evening filled with inspiring ideas among Virginia’s thought-leaders and entrepreneurs.  Our hope is that this event serves as a catalyst to get the ideas and plans of Virginia’s social entrepreneurs off the ground and implemented in our communities.”

“Our goal is to accelerate good ideas and make a real difference for Virginians. Government should be engaging in social entrepreneurship to help solve some of the toughest challenges we see every day. The next great social enterprise may help us to better deliver health care services, increase energy efficiency or deploy services and information to citizens in a smarter and more cost effective way,” remarked Janet Kelly, Secretary of the Commonwealth.

            “Entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of our economy. Social entrepreneurship provides Virginians the opportunity to make a difference and seek a profit. The principles of business and innovation meet our collective interest in maximizing the social good means more opportunity for our citizens. I applaud Governor McDonnell for hosting this event and look forward to an exciting discussion,” commented Pete Snyder, event co-chair.  

           “I am pleased to join a conversation about social entrepreneurship in Virginia. From a higher education and policy perspective, there is a tremendous opportunity in social entrepreneurship and Virginia is blessed with the right mix of resources, talent and motivation to maximize growth,” said Mark Rubin, event co-chair.

            Registration information and addition information about tomorrow’s social entrepreneurship event is available here.

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Statement of Governor Bob McDonnell on Virginia College Rankings in Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges for 2013

University of Virginia (Photo credit: Phil Roeder)

University of Virginia Ranked Nation’s “Best Value College”; William & Mary Ranked #4

Nine Virginia Schools Make List

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell issued the following statement today regarding the Princeton Review’s release of the “Best Value Colleges for 2013.”  Among the 75 best public colleges, the University of Virginia is ranked No. 1 and the College of William and Mary No. 4.  Christopher Newport University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Longwood University, Radford University, and Virginia Tech are also on the list.  The University of Richmond is on the list of private colleges.  The Princeton Review rankings are based on 30 data points covering academics, costs and financial aid, as well as the percentage of graduating seniors who borrowed from any loan program and the average debt those students had at graduation.

“We continue to see Virginia’s public and private colleges lead the rankings of top colleges and universities nationwide.  That is because we truly have one of the best higher education systems in the world.  I want to congratulate the University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary for their number one and number four rankings respectively, as well as the nine total Virginia schools who were ranked among the best value colleges in the nation.  Over the last three years, we have strived to increase access to a top-quality education in Virginia while making sure our students are adequately prepared for the top-jobs of tomorrow by placing a greater a greater emphasis on the high demand subjects of science, technology, engineering and math.  At the same time, through reform-based investments we have worked to get tuition increases in check and reduce the cost of higher education for Virginia’s students.  In all, we have invested close to $400 million into higher education and undergraduate enrollment at our public and private institutions have increased by 17,000 students. We continue to work to ensure that Virginia’s colleges are more affordable and accessible for our students, and we are seeing the results of this work in rankings such as these.”

The full list of “Best Value Colleges for 2013” is available at http://www.princetonreview.com/best-value-colleges.aspx.

Statement of Governor Bob McDonnell on Performance of Virginia Universities in Forbes Annual Report

English: The state seal of Virginia. Српски / Srpski: Застава америчке савезне државе Вирџиније. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

– University of Virginia and William and Mary No. 2 and No. 6 Public Non-Service Academy Colleges in America–

5 Virginia Public and Private Institutions in Top 100; 9 in Top 200

RICHMOND - Governor McDonnell issued the following statement following the release of Forbes' annual “America’s Top Colleges” report, which found the University of Virginia and William and Mary ranking No. 2 and No. 6 for public non-service academy colleges. Virginia Military Institute also ranked among the top public schools at No. 17.   The University of Virginia improved 7 positions in the overall rankings to No. 29 this year. While Washington and Lee (No. 21), College of William and Mary (No. 44), Virginia Military Institute (No.87), and the University of Richmond (No.88) all ranked in the nation’s top 100.  Virginia Tech, James Madison University, Hampden-Sydney College and George Mason University all ranked in the nation’s top 200. All together, 22 Virginia schools were included in the “America’s Top Colleges” report. The Forbes rankings are based on 'quality of teaching, great career prospects, high graduation rates and low-levels of debt.’

“Virginia’s higher education system is one of the best in the nation and the world. I congratulate the University of Virginia and the college of William and Mary for once again proving to be leaders among our nation’s public non-service academy colleges. I applaud the work of all of our college presidents who have recognized that Virginia schools must continue to improve in order to remain national leaders in public higher education. Together with the General Assembly and our great college presidents we have made significant new investments in higher education that will reap benefits for Virginians for years to come. After years of double-digit tuition increases and cuts in state funding, we have invested more than $200 million into higher education funding and our colleges have responded by last year posting the lowest average yearly tuition increases in a decade. At the same time, they are expanding accessibility and have added 3,800 new slots for in-state undergraduate students in just the last two years. Virginia’s colleges continue to become more affordable and accessible for Virginia’s students. We know that a high quality education is essential for the high quality, high paying jobs of the future. We must continue to invest in higher education while implementing smart reforms and innovations to ensure that Virginia’s distinguished colleges and universities will continue to lead the nation.”