Richmond Leader

Moments ago, the 2022 Virginia Veteran and Military Affairs Conference & Annual Virginia Values Veterans Awards Program, hosted by the Virginia Chamber Foundation, the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation, and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, concluded with the participation of close to 600 attendees.

Held in-person for the first time since 2019, this conference and award ceremony serves to foster meaningful discussions focused on how we can support Virginia’s military bases and veteran community through partnerships and make the Commonwealth the best state for our veterans and military families.

“With one of the largest veteran populations in the country, Virginia and its business community remain deeply committed to supporting Virginia’s military bases and veteran communities,” said Virginia Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Barry DuVal. “We are also working to expand our efforts to help veterans and military spouses connect with career opportunities in the civilian workforce.”

Additional highlights from today’s conference include:

(Listed in order of appearance)

Special Remarks:

Fred Thompson, Chief Administrative Officer, Thompson Hospitality and Chair, Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

Daniel Gade, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Veterans Services

Keynote Remarks: Stu Shea, President & CEO, Peraton

Panel Discussion: Supporting the Military in the Commonwealth

Introduced by: The Honorable Craig Crenshaw, Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs

Moderated by: Drew Warren, Senior Policy Advisor, Dominion Energy

Panelists:

Colonel Michael Brooks, USMC, Commanding Officer Marine Corps Base Quantico

Captain David Dees, USN, Commanding Officer Naval Station Norfolk

Captain John Dewey, USCG, Commanding Officer Coast Guard Base Portsmouth

Colonel Harry Hung, USA, Deputy Joint Base Commander, Joint Base Langley-Eustis

Lieutenant Colonel James Shaver, VANG, Garrison Commander, Fort Pickett

Special Remarks: Jana Toner, Senior Vice President, American Corporate Partners (ACP)

Panel Discussion: Corporate Culture and How Employers Can Play a Role in Addressing The Mental Health of Our Veteran Workforce

Moderated by: Chris Doss, Senior Director of Operations, US Card, Enterprise Specialty Servicing, Capital One / Co-Chair, Blueprint Virginia 2030 Military and Veterans Affairs Executive Committee

Panelists:

Kerri-Anne Gonzalez, PM Military Recruiting Events, Global Military Affairs, Amazon

David Lee, Director of Military Programs, CVS

Mike Verano, LPC, LMFT, CEAP, CCISM, BC-TMH, CCTP, CFRC, Clinical Manager, Optima Health Employee Assistance Program

Emma Walsh, Chief Impact Officer, Hope for The Warriors

Panel Discussion: Ensuring A Successful Transition from Military to Civilian Careers

Introduced by: Mike Batt, Vice President of Talent, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

Moderated by: Sultan Camp, Director, Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Centers / Co-Chair, Blueprint Virginia 2030 Military and Veterans Affairs Executive Committee

Panelists:

Mark Elliott, Head of Military and Veterans Affairs, JPMorgan

Matt Parker, Manager in Recruiting and Talent Acquisition, Altria

Major General Mark Simerly, USA, Commanding Support General, Combined Arms Support Command, Ft. Lee

Todd Yeatts, Senior Manager of Government Operations, The Boeing Company

Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Awards Program

Special Remarks & Presentation of Governor’s Awards: The Honorable Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia

V3 Program Overview & Journey to 100K:

Annie Walker, Deputy Commissioner

Jasmine Gore, V3 Program Manager

V3 By the Numbers:

Jason Pak, Deputy Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs

Presentation of V3 Awards:

The Honorable Craig Crenshaw, Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs

Evolving With Partners:

Phillip Trezza, Director, Veteran Transition and Employment Dr. Chris Byrd, Managing Director – B2 Consulting, LLC

Concluding Remarks:

Commissioner Daniel Gade

Laura Schmiegel, Virginia Veterans Services Foundation

A full copy of today’s agenda can be found here.

About the Virginia Chamber Foundation:

The Virginia Chamber Foundation tracks Virginia’s economic competitiveness conducts research and analysis, and hosts programs, connected to the priorities of Blueprint Virginia. In December 2021, the Chamber released its new statewide strategic economic development plan, Blueprint Virginia 2030, which has engaged over 7,000 business, economic development, workforce, education, housing, and other community leaders to lay out a plan to ensure Virginia remains at the top of national business climate rankings. Learn more at  www.blueprintvirginia.org.

Original source can be found here.