Growth4VA is founded by the Virginia Business Higher Education Council and supported by all 16 public colleges and universities in Virginia, the Virginia Community College System, and Virginia’s non-profit private institutions. We are promoting investment and innovation throughout the Virginia higher education system.
What is the Virginia Business Higher Education Council?
The Virginia Business Higher Education Council (VBHEC) was founded in 1994 by Virginia business leaders on the principle that the prosperity of Virginia and the well-being of its citizens is fundamentally tied to access to a strong system of public colleges and universities.
A nonprofit, nonpartisan partnership between Virginia’s business community and higher ed leadership, VBHEC’s mission is to enhance the performance of Virginia’s public colleges, universities, and community colleges and their funding by state government so they can produce the greatest possible positive impact on Virginia’s economy.
VBHEC is committed to educating the public about higher education’s crucial role in Virginia’s economy, and it strives to secure the support needed for the Commonwealth’s colleges, universities, and community colleges to be affordable and accessible for all Virginians and rank among the nation’s best.
Our Partnerships
VBHEC, the Virginia Chamber Foundation & the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia have partnered to form the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (VTOP). VTOP connects Virginia businesses that have work-based learning opportunities to Virginia students looking for them, with Virginia’s higher ed institutions serving as the main catalyst. Learn more about VTOP.
Our Leadership
Board Members
Dennis H. Treacy, Chair
Seven Hills Strategy Group
Nancy Howell Agee, Vice Chair
Carilion Clinic
Todd A. Stottlemyer, Treasurer
Acentra Health
George K. Martin, Secretary
McGuireWoods LLP
W. Heywood Fralin
VBHEC Chair Emeritus
Makola M. Abdullah
Virginia State University
Javaune Adams-Gaston
Norfolk State University
John C. Asbury
Atlantic Union Bank
G. Robert Aston, Jr.
Towne Bank
Robert M. Blue
Dominion Energy
Thomas J. Cosgrove
Newport News Shipbuilding
Bret S. Danilowicz
Radford University
David Doré
Virginia Community College System
Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina Enterprises
Clifford B. Fleet
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
David J. Furness
Virginia Military Institute
Victoria D. Harker
TEGNA (ret.)
Brian O. Hemphill
Old Dominion University
Donna Price Henry
UVA Wise
Michael Karafotis
Bank of America
William G. Kelly
Christopher Newport University
Paul G. Mahoney
University of Virginia
Stephen Moret
Strada Education Foundation
James B. Murray, Jr.
Court Square Ventures
Mark R. Pace
E.C. Pace Co.
Troy D. Paino
University of Mary Washington
Delbert Parks
Micron
L.F. Payne, Jr.
Three Ridges Group
Christopher K. Peace
Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia
Deborah L. Petrine
Commonwealth Care
Michael J. Quillen
Alpha Natural Resources (ret.)
Michael Rao
Virginia Commonwealth University
W. Taylor Reveley, IV
Longwood University
Katherine A. Rowe
William & Mary
Timothy D. Sands
Virginia Tech
Mehul Sanghani
Octo
Becky Sawyer
Sentara Healthcare
James C. Schmidt
James Madison University
Holly Sullivan
Amazon
Debbie L. Sydow
Richard Bland College
Gregory Washington
George Mason University
Preston White
Century Concrete
Staff
M. Kirkland Cox, President
P.O. Box 1205
Colonial Heights, VA 23834
Phone: 804-641-9890
Email: kirkcox@vbhec.com