100 People to Meet in 2021

Our annual list of Virginians you should get to know

Published November 30, 2020 by Don Harrison / Jason Roop / Kate Andrews / Sydney Lake

As we prepare to enter a fresh calendar year marked by our new normal of remote work, Zoom meetings, face masks and social distancing, our need for connectedness and socializing remains as strong as ever. But because it may still be a while before we return to rubber-chicken dinners, networking receptions and cocktail parties, let Virginia Business do the work for you and introduce you to 100 Virginians who make the commonwealth a more interesting and innovative place to live and work.

Some of the folks you’ll meet in the following pages are people who made significant impressions on us, like Richmond native Henry Coleman III, a freshman basketball player at Duke University who made a powerful speech during this summer’s racial justice protests. Others, like Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver, became regular presences, helping us navigate the thorny world of COVID-19.

Unlike our annual Virginia 500 issue, this list isn’t meant to reflect the most influential or powerful people in the state. Instead, it’s simply a list of people we’ve enjoyed meeting and/or hearing about during the past year and we think you will too.

So, fire up your webcam, bang out an email or ask for a face-mask-to-face-mask meeting to introduce yourself. As always, “I saw you in Virginia Business!” is a great conversation starter.

Angels

Builders

Educators

Hosts

Impact Makers

Innovators

Navigators

New Folks

Public Faces

Rainmakers

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