Speakers
February 26, 2013
John Mackey
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market
John Mackey is a visionary leader whose fresh, innovative business philosophy has propelled Whole Foods to the number 32 spot on Fortune’s list of the 100 best places to work. His new book, Conscious Capitalism, presents his fundamental principles to help businesses prosper financially, while also generating critical forms of value—emotional, social, intellectual, ecological, financial and spiritual—that lead to quality of life for his employees.
John’s revolutionary, mission-driven business model unifies profitability with integrity, compassion and global responsibility. John explains how a company can benefit shareholders, employees, vendors, customers and the environment without compromising its financial viability. With vision and purpose, the architect of one of the most inspiring stories in modern business invites listeners to join him in reclaiming capitalism to change it from a system of avarice to a force for good.
As the company’s visionary, he has led the development of many innovative programs such as the $10 million in low-interest loans to local farmers to help them expand their businesses; the Whole Planet Foundation, whose mission is to help end poverty in developing nations with micro credit; and a rating system that improves the welfare of food animals.
March 18, 2013
South Hampton Roads Mayors Forum
Will Sessoms - Virginia Beach,
Kenny Wright - Portsmouth,
Alan Krasnoff - Chesapeake,
Paul Fraim - Norfolk, and
Linda Johnson - Suffolk
William Sessoms began his political career in 1988 as a member of the City Council. A Virginia Beach native, he was appointed Vice Mayor in 1992 by his fellow council members. In 2008, Sessoms was elected mayor of Virginia Beach. He was appointed by two Virginia governors to serve on the state’s Public School Authority, the Local Health Benefits Advisory Committee and the Governor’s Commission on Environmental Stewardship. He contributes his time to the Virginia Beach Foundation, the Neptune Festival, the Volunteer Rescue Squad Foundation, the Virginia Beach Central Business District Association, Virginia Beach Vision, Eastern Virginia Medical School, the Back Bay Wildfowl Guild, and the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. He has also served as the Virginia Beach President of TowneBank since 2005.
Kenneth Wright was elected mayor of Portsmouth in 2010. He is the president and CEO of Wright’s Engineering, which was founded in 2000. Wright has served on the City of Portsmouth Finance Committee and as the Chairman of the Portsmouth Schools Foundation. He has served as a member of the Portsmouth Partnership and the Portsmouth City Retirement Board. He has also served as President of Norfolk State University School of Technology Advisory Board; President of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers; and as Chairman of the Starbase Victory S.T.E.M. Program for Portsmouth Public Schools. Born and raised in Portsmouth, Wright is a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and Old Dominion University.
Alan Krasnoff served on Chesapeake’s City Council for five consecutive terms since 1990 and was elected mayor in 2008. He previously served as Director of the Chesapeake Juvenile Advisory Board. Krasnoff has been a member of the Hampton Roads Planning and District Commission, Metropolitan Planning Organization and Chesapeake Planning Commission. Dr. Krasnoff has a master’s degree in urban education and counseling from Norfolk State University and has worked as a High School Guidance Counselor. He is also involved in the Virginia School Counselor Association, Hampton Roads School Counselor Association and Virginia Counseling Association. He has operated a chiropractic practice in Chesapeake for many years.
Paul Fraim has been a member of Norfolk City Council since 1986 and has served as mayor of Norfolk since 1994. He is president of the law firm Fraim and Fiorella, P.C., which was established in 1977. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association. A Norfolk native, Fraim’s leadership extends into many other organizations, including the Hampton Roads Partnership, Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance and TowneBank Board of Directors. In 2004, the Hampton Roads Maritime Association presented him with its "Port Champion" award. In 2007, he was presented the “Bishop’s Humanitarian Award” by Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia and the “A Home for Every American Award,” a national honor given by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Linda Johnson was appointed mayor by her colleagues on Suffolk’s City Council in 2006. She was sworn in as the city’s first directly elected mayor in 2009. She currently serves on the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and as the Chair of the Hampton Roads Mayors Chair Caucus. Mayor Johnson has been a member of the Circle of Excellence of the Board of Realtors since 1987 and is also a member of the National Association of Realtors. In 2010, she joined Prudential Towne Realty after nearly 25 years in the real estate field. Previously, Johnson served as the public information officer for the State Corporation Commission in Richmond and as an eligibility officer for the Suffolk Department of Social Services.
May 1, 2013
Robert "Bob" McDonnell
71st Governor of Virginia
A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, Bob McDonnell graduated from Regent University with degrees in Law and Government. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1993 and Attorney General of Virginia in 2006. As Attorney General, McDonnell focused on policies to keep Virginia safe, strong and prosperous. He kept his promises from the campaign trail, and fulfilled all 7 of his campaign pledges. During his tenure, 92 of his 105 legislative proposals as Attorney General became law.
In his 2009 bid for governor, McDonnell received nearly 59% of the vote—the most for any gubernatorial candidate in Virginia history. As Virginia’s 71st Chief Executive, he is dedicated to implementing policies and initiatives that will create more jobs and opportunities for all Virginians, promote economic development, and lead to more reform and greater innovation in state government.
His proposals include: improving accessibility in Virginia's higher education system; putting half a billion dollars more per year into Virginia's classrooms without a tax increase; placing Virginia in the vanguard of the national charter school expansion effort; making Virginia the "Energy Capital of the East Coast"; reforming state government; and, ensuring that Virginia becomes the best state in America for small business growth.
May 23, 2013
Cheryl Bachelder
CEO, AFC Enterprises/ Franchisor of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
When Cheryl Bachelder took the helm of Popeyes® she established a Road Map for Results that focused on four key areas: building a distinctive brand, running great restaurants, growing profits and ramping up growth. This strategic framework led to focused initiatives that built market share, improved guest ratings by over 20 percent and increased restaurant margins by over 200 basis points in her first three years.
After achieving this success, Bachelder added a fifth pillar to the brand road map—Creating a Culture of Servant Leaders—to inspire leaders to reach their full potential. She believes in a passionate, purposeful approach to work, with a focus on coaching and developing people. She brings more than 30 years of experience with companies like KFC, Domino's Pizza, RJR Nabisco, The Gillette Company and The Procter & Gamble Company.
In 2012, Bachelder was recognized as Leader of the Year by the Women's Foodservice Forum and received the highest industry award, the Silver Plate, presented by the International Food Manufacturer's Association.