Professional Development
Best MBA Program
Gold
Old Dominion University
Online or on-campus, part-time or full-time, ODU’s 40-credit hour modular program offers unique opportunities to give graduates an edge and accelerate their career in an ever-changing and increasingly global business environment on students’ own terms. Choose from more than 40 graduate certificate specializations and over 50 graduate degree options for the field of study that will take your career to the next level.
1026 Constant Hall
Norfolk, 757-683-3585
ODU.edu/Business/Departments/MBA
Silver
Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary
Mason.WM.edu/Programs/Index.php
Best Business School
Gold
Strome College of Business at ODU
At ODU’s Strome College of Business, their mission is to develop global and ethically savvy students for careers in business and government. They do this by granting students exposure to real-world situations, providing them opportunities to learn from local business leaders who bring real-world experience into the classroom, and offering several centers and institutes to enhance and support the academic programs.
2004 Constant Hall
Norfolk, 757-683-3520
ODU.edu/Business
Silver
Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary
Mason.WM.edu/Programs/Index.php
Bronze
Joseph W. Luter, III School of Business at CNU
CNU.edu/Academics/Departments/Business
Best Executive Training
Gold
Launchout Coaching & Consulting
Life coaching is a powerful process that focuses on helping people break through real and perceived barriers, challenges their assumptions and disrupts their ordinary way of doing life while helping them to achieve their goals. Along with benefiting their clients’ personal lives, Launchout strives to help clients better their professional lives, as well, whether it’s tackling daily stressors that overwhelm, gaining clarity and focus or moving in a new direction after leaving a job or military career.
757-761-0900
Launchout.coach
Silver
Sandler Training
FTT.Sandler.com
Best Professional Development Workshop
Gold
Megan Hogan with 1701
As the content marketer at 1701 (Virginia Beach’s first coworking space), Megan Hogan is a valuable member of 1701’s community who helps other members build their businesses through marketing and content. She offers workshops geared to entrepreneur military spouses and sessions on topics like how to get more customers without being pushy or salesy.
1701 Baltic Ave.
Virginia Beach, 757-296-2596
1701VB.com \ MeganHogan.com
Silver
Marcia Brodie with BizConnect Hampton Roads
BizConnectHR.com
Bronze
Academy for Nonprofit Excellence at TCC
Academy.TCC.edu
People In Business
Outstanding Emerging Professional
Gold
Reesy Floyd-Thompson*
A self-proclaimed digital Wonder Woman, Reesy Floyd-Thompson teaches non-marketers and do-gooders how to use digital marketing to create good in their lives and businesses through her consulting company, Create Good Marketing. She’s also the media and communications coordinator for Chesapeake Conference Center. Having been in marketing and public relations for over 13 years, Floyd-Thompson’s skills range from web design, branding, copywriting and blogging to podcast hosting, design, social media strategies, consulting, SEO and beyond.
7712 Granby St., #9397
Norfolk, CreateGoodMarketing.com
Silver
Robert Hill, Atlantic Bay Mortgage
AtlanticBay.com/RobertHill
Bronze
Veronica Thompson, VIBEvents
PlanMyVibe.com
Top Seasoned Pro
Gold
Nicole Johnson
As the immediate past president of International Live Events Association (ILEA) Hampton Roads Chapter, Nicole Johnson now combines her corporate administration experience with her passion for food to thrive in her career as catering sales manager for Montero’s Restaurant. & Bar | Catering in Elizabeth City. She creates custom menus, gathers details, schedules logistics, markets the business and as detects possible issues well in advance to ensure smooth events and happy clients.
757-478-9496
ILEAHamptonRoads.com | MonterosRestaurant.com
Silver
Betsi Radd, Book My Reunion
BookMyReunion.com
Bronze
Claus Ihlemann, Decorum Furniture
DecorumFurniture.com
Top CEO
Gold
Brian Holland, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
As CEO of Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, Brian Holland leads with humility and compassion for others. Having grown the company from four employees in 1997 to nearly 1,000 associates today, his philosophy is to have fun, work hard, do good and put people in homes. This concept has become the culture and legacy of Atlantic Bay, from employee appreciation to customer care to serving the community.
Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group has locations in Chesapeake, Gloucester, Virginia Beach and Yorktown.
AtlanticBay.com
Silver
Gene Gerloff, Gerloff Painting
GerloffPainting.com
Bronze
Charles Barker, Charles Barker Automotive
CharlesBarker.com
Best Local Entrepreneur
Gold
Veronica Thompson
Veronica Thompson is the founder, president and CEO of VIBEvents Group, an award-winning event planning agency headquartered in Chesapeake. She leads a team of event professionals that specialize in developing event concepts and providing solutions for creating memorable experiences for corporate and special events.
1244 Executive Blvd., Suite A-101
Chesapeake, 757-810-8371
PlanMyVibe.com
Silver
Kathleen White, Two Men and a Truck, Virginia Beach
TwoMenAndATruck.com/Movers/Va/Virginia-Beach
Bronze
Zeb Johnston, Melo Lion Meadery
MeloLion.com
Innovator of the Year
Gold
Vanessa Lane, View It
As part of the husband-and-wife team of local livestreaming business, View It Do It, Vanessa Lane uses her artistic marketing skills to promote the concept of sharing some of life’s most important moments with the world. Whether planning a wedding, fundraising event for a nonprofit or other function, the company ensures that people can participate in the event from anywhere in the world by directly controlling the camera.
Norfolk, 757-741-8483
ViewItDoIt.com
Silver
Joash Schulman, Town Center Office Suites
VBTCOS.com
Bronze
Amanda Carter, Entercom
Entercom.com
Business Person of the Year
Gold
Laura Henderson, BizConnect Hampton Roads
As the founder and CEO of BizConnect Hampton Roads, Laura Henderson’s passion is helping local small business owners grow their business and increase their profits and presence in the community. Bringing experience from over 15 years at Pilot Media/The Virginian-Pilot, along with her marketing business, Win Local Stuff, Henderson specializes creating unique ideas, being an ambassador for your business, connecting people and delivering potential new customers, coordinating network events, project management, social media, successful leadership, marketing and promotions, graphic design and event planning.
318 W 21st St.
Norfolk, 747-927-5200
BizConnectHR.com
Silver
Jodi Moore Newland, Sweetwater Cuisine
SweetwaterCuisine.com
Bronze
Brian Holland, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
AtlanticBay.com
Young Business Person of the Year
Gold
Zack Miller, Hatch
Zack Miller is the founder of Hatch, known as a gym for entrepreneurs that helps businesses develop, grow and thrive through networking events, collaboration with other entrepreneurs and their 1000 Four media education platform geared to increasing sales, growing a team and raising capital. When he’s not at Hatch, Miller is co-host of “Hampton Roads Business Weekly,” a 30-minute show that serves as a resource and voice for entrepreneurs and small to medium businesses in Coastal Virginia.
259 Granby St., #250
Norfolk, 757-295-8635
StartWithHatch.com
Silver
Justin Beale, Hilton Norfolk The Main
TheMainNorfolk.com
Bronze
Jaketa Clark Thompson, Omnia Unlimited
OmniaUnlimited.com
Best Social Media Personality
Gold
Reesy Floyd-Thompson*
7712 Granby St., #9397
Norfolk, CreateGoodMarketing.com
Silver
Jess Horton, The Fit Petite
TheFitPetite.com
Bronze
Christina Boyce, Blissfully Boyce
BlissfullyBoyce.com
Best Salesperson
Gold
Sylvia Edwards, Chesapeake Conference Center
As sales and event manager at Chesapeake Conference Center, Sylvia Edwards, brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience to add to the Center’s friendly staff, unforgettable events and impeccable service, working behind the scenes and directly with clients every step of the way to create well-planned, memorable events.
700 Conference Center Dr.
Chesapeake, 757-382-2500
ChesapeakeConference.com
Silver
Betsi Radd, Book My Reunion
BookMyReunion.com
Bronze
Connie Sexton, Electronic Systems Incorporated
ESI.net
Best Local Leader Making a Difference
Gold
Jodi Moore Newland, Sweetwater Cuisine | Daniel’s Grace
Feeding people is at the heart of what Jodi Moore Newland does. Whether it’s feeding them delicious, home-cooked cuisine at her Southern eatery and catering service, Sweetwater Cuisine, or feeding the needs of families stricken with cancer through her nonprofit, Daniel’s Grace, she has a mission to leave people and families feeling full and thriving.
4216 Virginia Beach Blvd., Suite 140
Virginia Beach, 757-403-7073
SweetwaterCuisine.com
757-663-6977, DanielsGrace.org
Silver
Lou Haddad, Armada Hoffler | Louis & Mary Haddad Foundation
ArmadaHoffler.com | LouAndMaryHaddadFdn.org
Bronze
Nicole Carry, Emerge America
EmergeAmerica.org