Washington D.C. is one of the most influential and unique cities in the world, deserving to be a global showcase. This is not a partisan view or even a local view, it is an American view, and the federal government must help. The vibrancy and prosperity of our nation’s capital need to reflect our national aspirations to be inclusive and be the best. It’s imperative we work together to ensure the future remains bright for everyone. 

We agree with Mayor Muriel Bowser, our members, and others that D.C. is facing significant economic challenges. In particular office vacancies, transit and transportation, as well as public safety are key factors impacting the Central Business District (CBD) that urgently need attention. Broader and long-term issues must also be resolved including equity, housing, business investment, job creation, place-making, mental health, education, and more to achieve the region’s inclusive economic growth ambitions.  

Our city is home to the government of the United States and serves as its national command center protecting our vital interests. D.C. is also an international capital with more than 175 resident embassies giving it a nearly unapparelled global reach. More than anywhere, it’s here that people come to make history. 

People also come here to live, invest, and do business, enjoy our cultural treasures, attend our universities, wander through our iconic neighborhoods, express their passions, and so much more. In 2019 prior to the pandemic, D.C. welcomed a record 24.6 million visitors from every U.S. state and across the globe. 

All of this results from years of concerted and collaborative efforts to improve the city’s fortunes and it’s fair to say no one wants to see a return to the days when crime and drugs, economic malaise, and outward migration imperiled the city. If we’re not careful and proactive, such a reality comes into view. Rather, we want and need a Washington D.C. that makes every American proud. 

Today’s business landscape has changed dramatically, and it will continue to change thanks to covid, socio-economic dynamics, disruptive technologies, economic shifts, and remote working. Right now, the intersection of empty offices, crime, and transportation are conspiring to undermine D.C.’s attractiveness despite so many other assets. 

Empty offices across D.C. are a major concern with roughly 20% vacancy rates and only about 40% of workers showing up. The CBD gets hit the hardest given the density of office buildings there. The federal government further complicates the picture by preventing D.C. from implementing a response. The feds have an outsized impact with 200,000 workers commuting into the city pre-pandemic while controlling a third of all office space. With a vast majority of federal employees working remotely, no other city faces such a daunting challenge. This impacts a wide range of economic activity including retail and hospitality as well as transit. 

Like the private sector, federal agencies need multiple tools to attract, develop and retain talent. Remote work is one of those tools and it’s unrealistic to expect all federal workers will return to the office full time as they did before the pandemic. As stated, the landscape has changed, and federal agencies need flexibility. Still, the federal government bears some responsibility for ensuring D.C. can weather the storm. They can assist by bringing back as many workers as possible and offering financial incentives to cover short-term gaps.  

Over the longer term, D.C. has an opportunity to reimagine it’s downtown and Mayor Bowser offers several appealing proposals in her recently released D.C. Comeback Plan. Such place-making will take time and coordinated efforts. Fortunately, D.C. has a demonstrated track-record of visionary revitalization projects including the Wharf and Capital Riverfront/ Navy Yard. Plus, there are numerous examples across the region, i.e., National Landing in Arlington and National Harbor in Prince George’s County.  

Transportation and transit are another major concern to employers and employees alike. Metro continues to face daunting funding issues as ridership continues to lag. Our transit system is one of the region’s crown jewels and investments must continue to keep it on track. This includes dedicated funding from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia as well as federal funding through PRIIA and other sources. Without such funding, it becomes more difficult to get people working downtown. 

Likewise, Randy Clark, WMATA’s General Manager, who has shown a positive leadership focus, must continue to address many of the governance, operational and safety issues that are necessary to operate at a high level of performance.  

The interplay between traffic and transit is hard to miss with increased congestion downtown as the few returning workers opt to drive rather than take transit. The Board of Trade continues to advocate for and support Metro as well as dedicated bus and bike lanes, yet the elimination of vehicle lanes is currently causing significant headaches in getting people back in the office.    

As we reimagine the CBD, there needs to be better alignment and coordination across all transportation modes and projects to alleviate short term pressures while pursuing longer-term goals. It is likely that projects and plans concieved before the pandemic would benefit from an update and redesign process.

Public safety is also a current priority for residents, businesses, and employees who all need a safe environment to work and live. This is true throughout the District and across the region. We support social and criminal justice reforms as critical efforts for the long-term prosperity of our region. Still, the Metropolitan Police Department needs the tools and resources required to ensure our communities remain safe.   

Recent modifications to D.C.’s more than 100-year-old criminal code are much needed, yet specific aspects are potentially problematic, such as the removal of mandatory minimums and reduction of maximum penalties for criminal sentencing. 

Addressing the issues highlighted here requires an all-hands approach involving key leaders from federal, state, District and local governments and the private sector as well as academia, nonprofits, associations, social organizations, and community representatives. Success will require clear metrics, timelines, and accountability. 

Our entire region, including the federal government, requires a strong D.C. economy. We support the Mayor’s D.C. Comeback Plan recognizing there are many details to be worked out. We also support efforts to bring back federal workers, continued funding for metro and improved public safety. 

The Greater Washington Board of Trade remains focused on elevating our region through inclusive economic growth and improved global competitiveness. We stand ready to work with the Mayor, the federal government, and all interested stakeholders to keep our city vibrant and prosperous for generations to come. 

Thank You for Your Support:    

Washington Gas is a member of the Greater Washington Board of Trade supporting programs, initiatives, and information pieces like this. Since our inception in 1889, Washington Gas has been a leading example of how our members are working to elevate the region’s business community. 

About The Board of Trade’s Work in Region:  

The Greater Washington Board of Trade is the premier regional business organization representing all industry sectors. Pro-business and non-partisan, the Board of Trade is shaping and advancing our regional economy over the long term, with a focus on improving connectivity and making better use of existing resources. The Board of Trade addresses business concerns that stretch across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia, with a priority focus on building a skilled workforce, enhancing innovation, attracting investment and fostering regional collaboration. This work is backed by a diverse membership, sound research and more than 130 years of experience.

A new year means an update of Board Officers and Board Members joining our organization to build the Greater Washington business community and grow our footprint in the region this coming year.

Our 2023 Board Chair is Jermaine Johnson, from PNC Bank. He is replacing Keith Hennessey who will take the helm of our Senior Council after our organization saw important and positive growth this past year.

The Board of Trade was excited to celebrate Keith and the work he has done for the organization since joining in 2019 when we held our annual Chair’s Dinner at the Hay Adams Hotel.

We also have three new members that have been added to our 2023 Board:

• Denis Dunn, AT&T, State President in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Delaware 
• Jay Farrar, Bechtel, Manager for Government Affairs and Principle Vice President
• Kevin Smithson, PWC, Managing Partner for the Washington D.C. metro area 

Here is a look at your 2023 Officers and Board Members.

For more about the work we did in 2022, check out our Annual Review here.

2023 Officers

2023 Board Members

*** = New Board Member

• Scott Frisch, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, AARPHUB International
• Marty Rodgers, Market Unit Lead – South & Metro Washington DC Office, Accenture
• Tony Pierce, Partner in Charge, Washington Office, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
• John Dancy, Global Head, Professional Services, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Evan Kraus, President & Managing Director of Operations, APCO Worldwide
• Denis Dunn, President, AT&T Washington, DC, Maryland, & Delaware, AT&T ***
• Adam Ostrach, Regional President, Greater Washington/Baltimore Region, Atlantic Union Bank
• Monica Dalwadi, Managing Partner – D.C. Metro Region, Baker Tilly
• Derrick Perkins, Senior Vice President/Market Executive, Bank of America
• Larry Di Rita, Greater Washington, DC Market President, Bank of America
• Bill Eisig, Regional Managing Partner, BDO USA, LLP
• Jay Farrar, Manager, Washington Office, Bechtel ***
• Keith Hennessey, Chief Financial Officer, Bechtel Global Inc., Bechtel
• Ricky Smith, Chief Executive Officer, BWI Marshall Airport
• Ken Wiseman, Design Principal, CannonDesign
• Radha Muthiah, President & Chief Executive Officer, Capital Area Food Bank
• Bryan Pynchon, Senior Vice President, Group Manager Mid-Atlantic Middle Market Bank, Capital One Bank
• Brian Pieninck, CEO, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
• Brad Flickinger, Senior Managing Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, CBRE, Inc.
• Kurt Newman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Children’s National Medical Center
• Monica Schmude, President, Cigna Mid-Atlantic, Cigna
• Jay Grauberger, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Clark Construction Group, LLC
• Misty Allen, Region Vice President Government & Regulatory Affairs| Community Impact, Comcast
• Andrew Flagel, President and CEO, Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area
• Betsy Lewis, Partner, Cooley LLP
• Karmen Rajamani, Vice President, Government Affairs, Crown Castle
• Brian McVay, Executive Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.
• Jeremy Blank, Greater Washington Managing Partner, Deloitte LLP
• Mike Policicchio, Partner, EY
• Caleb Vuljanic, Office Managing Partner, FORVIS
• Dirk Haire, Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP
• Steve Proctor, President and Chief Executive Officer, G.S. Proctor & Associates, Inc.
• Diane Hoskins, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Gensler
• Dave Green, CFO, Georgetown University
• Catherine Meloy, President & Chief Executive Officer, Goodwill of Greater Washington
• Greg Wallig, MetroDC-Arlington Managing Principal, Grant Thornton LLP
• Jack McDougle, President and CEO, Greater Washington Board of Trade
• Courtney Spaeth, Chief Executive Officer, growth[period]
• Cary Hatch, Managing Director, Hart  |  MDB Communications, Inc.
• David Whitestone, Executive Partner, Washington DC, Holland & Knight LLP
• Ernie Jarvis, Managing Principal, Jarvis Commercial Real Estate, LLC
• Michelle Dandeneau, Managing Director, JLL
• Ed Grenier, President & CEO, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington
• Paul Stimers, Partner, K&L Gates LLP
• Ruth Williams-Brinkley, President, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., Kaiser Permanente
• Lorraine Lavet, Senior Client Partner, Northern Virginia, Korn/Ferry International
• Tim Gillis, Managing Partner, Washington Metro Area, KPMG LLP
• Michael Akin, President, LINK Strategic Partners
• Cecilia Hodges, Regional President, Greater Washington, M&T Bank
• Patti Steis, Managing Director, Head of Office, Marsh, Inc.
• Irma Becerra, President, Marymount University
• Jack White, Partner, McGuireWoods LLP
• Nora Gardner, Managing Partner, Washington D.C., McKinsey & Company
• Ken Samet, President & CEO, MedStar Health
• Jack Potter, President & CEO, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
• Chuck Bean, Executive Director, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG)
• Melonie Johnson, President and COO, MGM Resorts International
• John Stalfort, Managing Principal, Washington DC Office, Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
• Tyler Anthony, President and CEO, Pepco Holdings
• Jermaine Johnson, Regional President, Greater Washington, PNC Bank
• Naomi Wolak, Lead Managing Director/DC Office, Protiviti
• Kevin Smithson, Washington DC Metro Office Managing Partner, PwC ***
• Steve Heger, Executive Vice President, HUB International
• Linda Rabbitt, Founder, Chairman of the Board, rand* construction corporation
• Susan Lacz, Principal and CEO, Ridgewells
• Beth Johnson, Founder and CEO, RP3 Agency
• Dave Dacquino, Chairman of the Board, Serco, Inc.
• Dale Kopnitsky, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Skanska USA Building Inc.
• Terry Kenny, Market President for Metro DC Baltimore and DE Region, TD Bank
• Anuj Mehrotra, Dean of the GW School of Business, The George Washington University
• Lyles Carr, Senior Vice President, The McCormick Group, Inc.
• Steve Skinner, Vice President & Business Group Leader, The Walsh Group
• Ethan Selzer, Vice President, Client Solutions, The Washington Post
• Pat McGuire, President, Trinity Washington University
• Evelyn Lee, Regional President, Greater Washington Region, Truist
• Michele Blackwell, Public Policy Manager, Mid-Atlantic, Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Joe Ochipinti, President and CEO, UnitedHealthcare of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc, United Healthcare
• Rosie Allen-Herring, President & CEO, United Way of The National Capital Area
• Darryll Pines, President, University of Maryland, College Park
• Mario Acosta-Velez, Vice President – Local Engagement Corporate Social Responsibility & Public Policy, Verizon
• Alex Orfinger, Publisher and Market President, Washington Business Journal
• Mike Carney, Executive Vice President, Business Operations, Washington Nationals Baseball Club (MLB)
• David Straut, Market Executive of Wells Fargo Commercial Banking Capital Market, Wells Fargo
• Jim Cornelsen, Chairman, Mid-Atlantic Region, WesBanco
• Corby Lawrence, Partner & CEO, Western Transportation Group
• Blue Jenkins, President, WGL
• Randy Clarke, General Manager and CEO, WMATA-Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

The Johns Hopkins Women In Leadership salon reception was held at the Hotel Zena in downtown Washington D.C. and highlighted how women within the Johns Hopkins Health System are making a positive impact on the region’s healthcare community. Board of Trade executive committee member Nora Gardner of McKinsey & Company also shared important insights and data on how women are being impacted in the workforce and how women are being represented within leadership roles at companies.

Below are the women making an impact in leadership roles:

Check out more photos from the Johns Hopkins Women in Leadership salon reception here.

Our organization is concerned that some elements of the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 will have a negative impact on the District of Columbia. Specifically, increasing concerns about public safety and the impact on business activities across the District, especially in the Central Business District (CBD).

Residents, businesses, and employees all need a safe environment to work and live. We agree that social and criminal justice reforms are critical efforts for the long-term prosperity of our region. Still, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) needs the tools and resources required to ensure our communities remain safe.  

Our members are especially concerned about language in the legislation that would impact current staffing levels for MPD, prevent an appropriate response during violent protests, and impact how police can remove trespassers from private property. 

Certain parts of the proposed law will impact:

By Kathy Hollinger (GWP) and Jack McDougle (GWBOT)

On November 9, the Greater Washington Partnership (the Partnership) and Greater Washington Board of Trade (the Board of Trade) hosted the 5^th annual Capital Region Transportation Forum bringing together the Capital Region’s transportation leaders – from Washington D.C., Annapolis, and Richmond – to share progress on key transportation efforts and explore innovations that require multi-jurisdiction collaboration.

Our region expects to add another 1.5 million people over the next 20 years. The Partnership and the Board of Trade work together to ensure the region is advancing accessible and affordable transportation options that keep our economy moving. Building a more efficient and accessible transportation system and investing in long-term transportation solutions is essential to ensuring businesses and residents can thrive.

To help kick off the morning, Pierce Coffee, President of Transurban North America, lifted up and celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Express Lane Network in Virginia, the first being the 495 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia. Pierce stressed the importance and power of partnerships to deliver the infrastructure investments that can better connect our future and shared how Transurban is working with partners across the Capital Region to support a sustainable, multimodal, and equitable transportation future.

The first panel was future-focused and centered around technologies and investments needed to create an integrated multimodal transportation system. During the conversation, Pierce Coffee, President of Transurban North America and Tyler Duvall, CEO of Cavnue, highlighted the many opportunities the region will have to use data from roadways and connected vehicles to create safer, more efficient transportation systems. Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President and Executive Director of the National Landing BID, spoke about the need to center people in design, planning, and construction to overcome many of the region’s transportation challenges. Pierce also highlighted the need for regional solutions to identify a long-term, sustainable source of transportation funding as gas tax revenues will dwindle with the adoption of electric vehicles.

Ian Rainey, Senior Vice President of the Northeast Maglev, updated the audience on the proposed Maglev project and introduced the second panel which featured W. Sheppard ‘Shep’ Miller III, Secretary of Transportation of the Commonwealth of Virginia, James F. Ports, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, Everett Lott, Director of the District Department of Transportation, and Randy Clarke, CEO and General Manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Each of these four leaders shared updates on current short-term priorities before shifting to a conversation about how their agencies are working collaboratively to advance mega projects like Long Bridge, the American Legion Memorial Bridge replacement, and the opening of WMATA’s Silver Line. They also shared their team’s respective strategies to take advantage of the historic federal funding opportunities in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Randy also noted that it is not only local jurisdictions and agencies who have to ramp up their planning and grant work to compete for these new grant opportunities, but so do the teams at the U.S. Department of Transportation who are responsible for administering this historic infusion of infrastructure funding.

The Partnership and the Board of Trade were honored to host leaders to discuss a foundational issue for our region’s ability to grow and thrive: transportation and infrastructure. Thank you to The Washington Post’s Lori Aratani for serving as our moderator and a special thanks to this year’s sponsors: Transurban, Northeast Maglev, HNTB, EY, and Aon. We will continue to convene and look for opportunities to partner with the leaders who joined us at the 2022 Capital Region Transportation Forum to ensure we make the long-term investments needed to ensure this region remains one of the best places to live, work, and build a business.

Watch the full 2022 Capital Region Transportation Forum here.  

The Greater Washington Board of Trade was thrilled to have DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson join our Regional Policy Leadership Series webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 2, to chat about a variety of topics and policies that impact business in the Greater Washington region. 

Chairman Mendelson was joined by attorney and partner at Holland & Knight, Janene Jackson, who moderated the discussion that covered public policies that impact transportation, education, business initiatives, environmental issues, the region’s workforce amid a digital transformation, and much more.  

Workforce talent is a huge concern for a variety of businesses that call the Greater Washington region home. And Mendelson didn’t shy away from saying that there is more the District can do to help make the Greater Washington area a place where people want to work and live.  

“Well, I’m not going to say that we’re doing enough or that we are doing or that we have the right answers. For this year’s budget, we put about $20 million in for new special initiatives that are trying to help with job training and filling some of these hard-to-fill positions,” said Mendelson. “My view is that the council really needs to rely on hearing from stakeholders to understand what the most effective strategies are. But the short answer is we recognize the problem, and we have put some money into initiatives to try to help (promote workforce training and growing the region’s workforce).” 

Mendelson also touched on how the pandemic showed the already existing digital divide that impacts businesses and communities across the region was even more prevalent than people realized. And that there needs to be advanced broadband access at affordable levels to all residents, and make sure that D.C.’s government is equipped to enhance its digital footprint. 

One of the other key topics he covered was on transportation, specifically on how WMATA and its new CEO Randy Clarke can make headway in boosting a regional transit system that has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and has seen staled growth due to issues with its rail transit cars and delays to maintenance projects to certain rail transit lines.  

“Well, I’ve met with him a couple of times (WMATA’s Randy Clarke) … If I had to give him advice, it would be to make sure that you spend a lot of time reaching out and building relationships with regional players because you’re going to need them to support the (transit) system. And make sure that WMATA gets out of some of the high-bound bureaucracy that has held it back in the past … but I think he’s going to get it figured out,” said Mendelson.  

Mendelson’s expertise on public policy in the District goes back to when he first served on the D.C. Council in the 1990s. And that knowledge allowed him to broadly engage on how D.C.’s positions impact the Greater Washington region as a whole and how D.C Council is moving and working regarding issues that are important to the business community and the region. 

View the whole discussion with Chairman Mendelson here. 

This Regional Policy Leadership Series webinar was presented by Holland & Knight. Supporting Sponsors of the event series are Comcast, G.S. Proctor & Associates, Inc., McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and McGuireWoods LLP. Thank you for supporting the Greater Washington Board of Trade and our region’s business community.  

Broader Questions and Answers from Chairman Mendelson’s discussion with the Greater Washington Board of Trade and Holland & Knight:  

Q: We are a connected jurisdiction. And you know, many of the things that happen in DC, you know, impact Maryland impact Virginia, and vice versa. As you know, companies across the region are struggling to fill positions at all levels. We know that we have police officers, you know, police departments that need more officers, hospitals that need more nurses, schools, and teachers, and so on. Can you talk to us about what the council is doing to address these current shortfalls? 

A: Well, I’m not going to say that we’re doing enough or that we are doing or that we have the right answers. For this year’s budget, we put about $20 million in for new special initiatives that are trying to help with job training and filling some of these hard-to-fill positions. We’ve come to increasingly use the University of the District of Columbia for some workforce training programs such as for teachers and social workers, and we put money in some additional money in the Department of Employment Services to fund the Infrastructure Academy. Money into WIC for the career coaches initiative. I mentioned I, and when I mentioned UDC, I left out nurses. There’s another program called Career Pathways, there are a number of different initiatives, but I’m not going to say every one of them was great. I’m not saying we were putting enough money into them, maybe there are some that we should be putting more money in. And others we should put less money in my view is that the council really needs to rely on hearing from stakeholders to understand what the most effective strategies are, but the short answers, we recognize the problem, and we put some money into initiatives to try to help. 

Q: One of the things you worked on during the height of the pandemic, or educational gaps, and you know, virtual and learning loss during that virtual period. Can you tell us about those efforts and sort of, you know, clearly how they’re going to lead to helping companies, you know, what you hope is that there’ll be jobs on the other end, and that students will be able to make up the difference in their experience. So, can you talk to us a little bit about what you did during the pandemic? 

A: Yeah, let me start this way. We talked about job training, and we look at the Department of Employment Services or the WIC, or even UDC with regard to job training. And all that makes sense. But some of what I just said was education is job training. And public education is actually the best job training program there is because that’s really what sets the foundation. We have several 100 million dollars in federal money to help overcome learning loss. This is all part of the ARPA Act and the Cares Act. And I have to say that I’m disappointed that that money hasn’t gotten out the door quickly enough. as of a few weeks ago, I believe less than a third of the money had been spent. And I don’t know, I’m not going to convey optimism that all that money is going to be used as quickly or as effectively as it should be. I’m sounding somewhat critical of the government. Yeah, I am a bit critical, because I think we throw money into a lot of programs that don’t always have to follow through or as may be the most effective way to go about. I’ve been focused on how we improve public education at the K through 12 level. That’s a long-term strategy, not a short-term strategy in terms of job training. But as I said before, if kids graduate from high school with a high school diploma, that really means something that they’re literate, and so forth, then their position to go into the workforce and or go on to higher education and go into the workforce. So that’s where I’ve been focused is reducing teacher turnover, principal turnover, more budgets to build in the schools themselves, avoiding getting into the governance fight, which I think is a complete distraction, trying to increase attendance, and pressing through oversight, more work, intensive work on the part of educators to improve literacy. 

Q: So, one of the other things that you addressed in during the pandemic was the digital divide, and the concern about students, can you tell us how the District of Columbia is working to ensure that, you know, DC remains on the forefront of technology or technological advances? And, you know, hoping to prevent the digital divide for some of its residents? 

A: Well, this is I have to be honest; this is not my strongest issue in terms of all the issues I deal with in the council. Again, I’m not sure the government is doing enough. I think that we need to provide broadband access at affordable levels to all residents. I’m supportive of the idea of trying to create, I forget exactly what it’s called, but in the public space, or access to a Wi Fi, and also supporting our Office of the Chief Technology Officer with regard to how to protect the district and that’s not just the government but everybody in the district from issues with cybersecurity. so supportive of initiatives to expand access. And what we saw with a pandemic was in particular, with education that because we moved schools or remote teaching or remote learning, that access to the internet was critical and it was quite obvious very quickly. 

Q: One of the other things impacting the region is transportation. And you know that the Greater Washington area anticipates adding 1.5 million people in the coming years. And the growth of that size is going to put significant stress on an already overburdened transit system. So, can you tell us why transit is critical to keeping us connected and discuss with us any additional funding for WAMATA? And do you expect to continue to support WMATA … and what other steps DC might take to improve the transit networks? 

A: With regard to when WMATA, the council has been very supportive of WMATA. I worked with regional leaders four or five years ago to set up the Metro Rail Safety Commission. I’m concerned right now that there’s been some tension between the City Commission and the WMATA board, and the two need to work together. And instead of what appears to be a bit of a gotcha from one side or the other. I’m not quite sure who, but it is supportive of the Metro Rail Safety Commission, I was very much involved with the dedicated funding for infrastructure improvements, which is critical. I changed the way the District appoints its members to the WMATA board. And I think we’re getting better representation. We are struggling with the fact that Virginia when it adopted the dedicated funding, put restrictions that I think were too severe on alternatives participating. So basically, an alternate can be appointed by jurisdiction, but they can’t attend the meetings, they’re kind of left out in the dark. And then they have to come in and sit in for a regular member if the regular member can’t attend. It’s just, it’s crazy. It needs to find a better balance. I’ve actually talked to leadership in the Virginia Legislature and representatives in the Maryland legislature about trying to address that so that we can get alternates who are well-versed in issues so that we have better representation. There’s legislation pending in the council right now, that would encourage residents to use transit … the basic outline is that every resident would get a $100 fare card. And if they use it during the month, it gets replenished to $100 the next month. I will say that, personally, I think it’s important that the district works with Maryland and Virginia. This is a regional transit system. And we need to make sure that it is a viable operation. It’s been hurt by the pandemic, as we all know. And so, we need to make sure that it gets out of the pandemic and is thriving. 

Christine Porath, an accomplished author, and tenured Georgetown business professor, joined the Greater Washington Board of Trade and our guests for on Friday, Oct. 28, as part of the TD Bank Morning Star Speaker Series that gives local business and organization leaders great insight about how to grow and foster success.  

Porath discussed details and actionable steps from her newest book ‘Mastering Community: The Surprising Ways Coming Together Moves us from Surviving to Thriving.’ Her speech and discussion with the audience really helped business leaders in attendance understand how to foster community and a feeling of compassion in the workplace.  

Porath shared a variety of examples about how businesses, organizations, and sports teams she has worked with were able to come together and bond through fostering community.  

“If you can create community, I really do believe it’s a cure for people, whether they’re struggling in some way, which we know all too many are,” said Porath about how 81 percent of employees are more focused and likely to perform well when there is a community atmosphere within their job.  

Porath shared that there are four pillars – self-awareness, physical well-being, mindset, and recovery — to creating happier workplaces and happier employees who want to build and be a part of a thriving workplace community. And emphasized that workplace leaders should know that self-awareness is the most overlooked of these steps. And that recovery is a huge part of keeping workforces engaged when they need to work, but also keeping them from feeling “burned-out,” which she pointed to as an even greater issue since the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted work conditions across the globe.  

Questions that Porath answered from the audience included how to create community via employees wanting to work from home more often, how to engage employees to work together that are of different ages, and how to foster community when the people in your community are very diverse and come from different perspectives and backgrounds.  

The energy in the room with Porath and our guests really allowed for these questions, and the ones asked by moderator Rosie Allen-Herring, to sink in when she spoke about solutions and obstacles to the concerns business and organization leaders face with their workforces.  

One thing that Porath left the room with that Friday morning was that if you are a business leader that leads workforces, you must “walk the walk” as much as you “talk the talk.” And that talking about fostering community in an organization is needed, but if you don’t take actionable steps to make it happen, employees won’t just go along with the idea.  

“I’ve talked about the idea of unleashing people and that really gets at giving people choice or autonomy, decision-making discretion … when people feel like their leaders, care about them, and respect them, you know, they feel valued, appreciated, heard, it makes all the difference. That actually is the number one driver of what motivates people at work, like how they perform well,” said Porath. 

Christine Porath has worked with countless businesses and sports teams to understand how community and workplace success go hand in hand through white at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Her newest book, ‘Mastering Community,’ followed her book, ‘Mastering Civility,’ which she spoke about in a TED Talks discussion at the University of Nevada.  

The moderator for this TD Bank Morning Star Speaker Series event, Rosie Allen-Herring, president and CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area, allowed our guests to feel truly engaged. Her more than 30 years of experience in the areas of corporate finance, strategic leadership, public and private partnerships, corporate philanthropy, and community investment, was invaluable for the discussion.  

A huge thank you to our sponsor for this event TD Bank and its regional president, Terry Kenny, for helping the Greater Washington Board of Trade help grow workforce solutions and promote success for business in our region.  

“If you’re a company in Virginia or a prospective founder, or you’re someone who wants to move a company to Virginia, my goal is to get to yes. I want to figure out how we get to yes, in a way that’s a win-win.” — Caren Merrick, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade  

WASHINGTON – The Greater Washington Board of Trade’s Regional Policy Leadership Series was honored to have Caren Merrick, Virginia Secretary for Commerce and Trade, join regional professionals on Wednesday, Oct. 26, for a webinar focused on how she and her team are helping grow business ventures in Northern Virginia along with the Greater Washington area.  

The discussion between Secretary Merrick and moderator Chris Lloyd, of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC, focused on growing Virginia’s workforce talent, economic mobility in the region, how Virginia is looking to grow small business opportunities along with recruiting global companies to Northern Virginia, and how public-private partnerships can keep the region as one of the fastest growing in the nation.  

“Our goal is to take Virginia to the next level. And so how do we do that? Well, the first thing that we need to do is understand what businesses are looking for. When they are either they’re already here in Virginia, or they are thinking about relocating or opening up (factory) plants. And so, what are they looking for? They’re looking for sites that are ready, they’re looking for an area where their employees want to live and work,” said Merrick.  

The Regional Policy Leadership Series webinar also covered a variety of questions that pertained to economic initiatives and technology industry focuses that impact the Northern Virginia region. 

Secretary Merrick acknowledged how important it is to see companies like Boeing and Raytheon move to Northern Virginia. And that it is important that the region not lose its status as a hotbed for technology businesses that bring tech talent needed to drive growth in the region. 

A way to do this in the Northern Virginia area is by looking at housing, and how the state can create more affordable housing and workforce housing for people coming to the state. And that businesses working with Virginia to create housing is a vital part of making sure the best talent can live, along with work, in the state of Virginia.  

“We are open to a variety of bold ideas on how we help solve the housing shortage. And we have the Governor’s housing conference coming up in November. We want to unveil a few more ideas on how we solve the housing shortage … There may be a much bigger role for businesses to fulfill in not only workforce talent pipeline, but also in workforce housing,” said Merrick about the Governor speaking at the upcoming conference.  

An engaging conversation sparked by McGuireWoods Consulting, Chris Lloyd, shared how Secretary Merrick and Virginia are supportive of working with both D.C. and Maryland to establish collaboration for regional business opportunities that can benefit the entire Greater Washington area.  

“I’ve met with a lot of the business leaders and the economic development experts, and there’s a lot of opportunity to collaborate. I would like to see us collaborate in that way to form, perhaps, a Research Triangle Park. Like what they have in North Carolina. Or dig into the biosciences together as a region and pursue that,” said Merrick. “I know there are organizations that are wanting to do this type of collaboration regionally, with quantum computing or hydrogen technologies. And so, I think that the Greater Washington Board of Trade is very well positioned to bring together and convene the right group of people to help solve these problems together, or to tackle opportunities to bring certain types of industries to our region where everyone is going to benefit.” 

Secretary Merrick challenged guests who attended the Regional Policy Leadership Series to think about what it would be like if businesses could work closer with states and local governments to promote economic opportunities. And that public-private partnership and working together, will help create a more impactful business community in Virginia and the Greater Washington area.  

“I have a challenge for everyone here. What would become possible for us if we worked together more closely to solve these problems? What would become possible for your business and for Northern Virginia? If you got a group of your colleagues in a room or group of your fellow business leaders in a room and you said let’s whiteboard how to solve these problems? Let’s imagine the government isn’t even going to get that involved,” said Merrick. “What would become possible if we took the initiative and the leadership and the ownership to solve some of these problems? Not to say that you’re not already doing that. But what would become possible if you did it on a whole new level? Because right now, for the next three and a half years, you have a highly skilled team of this is people who understand the shoes that you walk in, and who want to work with you to solve problems and to build whole new ways of doing things that will far outlast the four-year term that we have.” 

Secretary Merrick heads into her second year under Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration and is a business leader with over 25 years of experience launching growth companies and reinventing businesses in Virginia. She was the founding CEO of the Virginia Ready Initiative, a public-private partnership co-founded by Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Her background in working between public-private partnerships in this region showed us great insight into how Virginia is working to grow business opportunities and allow our audience to really engage about a variety of topics that impact the Greater Washington region’s business environment.  

View the whole discussion with Secretary Merrick here.  

This Regional Policy Leadership Series was presented by webinar was presented by McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and McGuireWoods. Supporting Sponsors of the event are Comcast, Holland & Knight, and G.S. Proctor & Associates, INC. Thank you for supporting the Greater Washington Board of Trade and our region’s business community. 

Broader Questions and Answers from Secretary Merrick’s discussion with the Greater Washington Board of Trade and McGuireWoods Consulting: 

Q: Data centers are obviously very important to Northern Virginia’s economy. What kind of activity level are you seeing what’s the administration doing to keep that growth going, particularly when you see other regions Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, and others starting to grab some of that growth? 

A: Data centers are very, very important in Northern Virginia to us. And you may have read that there are some energy issues. Remember, I was talking about energy a few minutes ago, and how important it is to companies and Dominion Energy announced that they were having some forecasting issues. And so, we’re on that we’re meeting almost daily with a data center representative or Dominion Energy or often both to resolve that problem. 

Q: How is the state adjusting some of its thinking about talent in a remote or a hybrid work environment? How is the state looking at it from an incentives perspective? And what are some of the ways that the state can be involved in getting people back to work? The governor speaks about the reduction in workforce participation in the state. And that’s been a major challenge holding Virginia back to from getting to as many jobs as we had pre-COVID. Can you talk about some of those topics a little bit? 

A: There is a labor shortage across the country, every state is feeling it. However, Virginia’s labor force participation rate is at historic lows, and there are competing states, the ones I mentioned earlier, are the ones that we pay very close attention to. We have an economic data book that’s that thick. I mean, we measure and compare ourselves constantly on a variety of metrics. Take North Carolina, for example, their labor force participation rate is lower than Virginia. But they have not only filled all the jobs that were lost during COVID. But they’ve exceeded that we still haven’t filled all of those, those jobs that were lost. So, we have 300,000 open jobs in Virginia. We have 100,000 More Virginians working than we did on inauguration day. So, we’re heading in the right direction. And we’re delighted about that. 

Q: What can you share with us what the administration is doing to help other businesses relocate to the region? And what is the state and particularly your office doing to increase and maintain Virginia’s economic competitiveness? 

A: Governor Younkin is a high-growth-minded businessman. And so our goal is to take Virginia to the next level. And so how do we do that? Well, the first thing that we need to do is understand what businesses are looking for. When they are either they’re already here in Virginia, or they are thinking about relocating or opening up plants. And so, what are they looking for, they’re looking for sites that are ready, they’re looking for an area where their employees want to live and work. They’re looking for a business environment where they can flourish. That is friendly, tax-friendly for them. And they’re looking, I believe, for a state government that helps them get to yes, a state government that helps make it easier to do business here in Virginia. And so, we have been investing in sites we have $150 million just this year that was passed in the budget for us to develop sites for businesses to relocate to we’re also looking at Northern Virginia, in terms of what are its assets and amplifying those and investing in those. And so, we know we have amazing universities in Northern Virginia, and we are working closely with them on a variety of measures to help them train Virginians for in-demand jobs. So we would like to see the outcome and education be a job. And we’re working very closely with universities to achieve that. And one other thing that we are working on, particularly in northern Virginia is a challenge. And that has to do with housing, that we have had out-migration from Northern Virginia, we think that they’re that a large part of that is the cost of housing. So, you’ll see the governor making some announcements in the near term, particularly in the next legislative session, to help Virginia increase its supply of accessible housing of affordable housing and more abundant housing.