CONTACT: Gina Galloway EMAIL: events@va-business.com
Virginia Business has selected John Steckel, President and CEO, AMERICAN SYSTEMS as a 2026 Virginia C-Suite Awards recipient.
The Virginia C-Suite Awards celebrate top corporate executives who consistently demonstrate remarkable leadership skills, integrity, values, vision, commitment to excellence, company performance and community engagement. The honorees must have their primary work office in Virginia and hold a top corporate executive position (such as CEO, COO, CFO, etc.) or equivalent job (executive director, owner, etc.).
The full list of winners is below.
“Virginia Business congratulates this year’s honorees. Our 2026 C-Suite Awards winners are outstanding leaders who demonstrate impressive resumes and lead their companies to success, making a positive impact on the lives of others. They are trendsetters who empower those who work with them,” said Richard Foster, associate publisher of Virginia Business. “They are examples to all, and their leadership is growing the next generation.”
Virginia C-Suite Awards honorees will be recognized June 4 at a celebration at The Jefferson Hotel, 101 W. Franklin St., in Richmond. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., followed at noon by a luncheon and awards celebration. The event hashtag is #VBevents.
Attendance is limited. There are various sponsorship levels available, which include the right to use the event logo, multimedia marketing, a table to share with co-workers and guests at the event, and much more. Tables are only available with sponsorship. If seats are available after the sponsorship deadline, a limited number of individual tickets will go on sale. To secure a sponsorship to ensure you and your guests can celebrate together, contact your account manager or Toni McCracken at tmccracken@va-business.com.
Winners will be recognized in the June issue of Virginia Business and online at VirginiaBusiness.com.
The Presenting Sponsor for the Virginia C-Suite Awards is YHB. For more information and the most updated listing of sponsors, visit https://virginiabusiness.com/event/c-suite-awards/.
About Virginia Business
Virginia Business is the only publication in Virginia dedicated to covering economic activity in every sector and region of the commonwealth. The magazine has established a reputation as a must-read for those who want to stay abreast of commercial events in Virginia and attracts a diverse group of readers, including business leaders who hold managerial and financial positions and fill a host of C-suite positions. Virginia Business hosts several annual events to recognize excellence and provide leadership opportunities and facilitates thoughtful discussion with market leaders through its webinar series. Its Digital Marketing Solutions helps customers with social media, search engine marketing and optimization, retargeting, email marketing and more. Virginia Business is part of BridgeTower Media, the authoritative voice for insights and marketing solutions across 40+ brands in five key sectors across the United States. For more information, visit VirginiaBusiness.com.
2026 C-Suite Awards Winners
Government
Joe Benevento, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp. (VIPC)
Garrett Hart, Chesterfield County
Khalid Jones, Virginia Lottery
Perry Miller, Richmond International Airport
Robert Osmond, Virginia IT Agency
Mark Perryman, Norfolk Airport Authority
Higher Education
Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, Virginia Wesleyan University
Mark Luellen, University of Virginia
Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon, Virginia Peninsula Community College
Nonprofit with less than $10 million in annual revenue
Teresa Owens Tyson, St. Mary's Health Wagon
Nonprofit with more than $10 million in annual revenue
Cliff Fleet, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Michael Lutes, Bon Secours Mercy Health
Mark Nantz, Valley Health
Tim Skeen, Sentara Health
Richmond Vincent Jr., Goodwill of the Valleys
Private company with 51-149 employees
Charles D. Hatley, Melone Hatley PC
Xavier Meers, Nightingale Ice Cream
Private company with 150-499 employees
Walter D. Bayne, Cary Street Partners Wealth Management
Watt Foster, Foster Fuels Inc.
Craig Halliday, Unanet
Harvey L. Johnson, PBMares
Shannon O. Pierce, Virginia Natural Gas
Brian K. Revere, Breeden
Jacqueline Rogers Ray, Capital Square
Laura Sprouse, Brown Edwards
Jennifer Wold, Forvis Mazars
Private company with more than 500 employees
Alex Berentzen, Thompson Restaurants
Jonathan Evans, B&A
Shannon Hayes, Timmons Group
Patrick Y. Shim, LS Cable & System Ltd.
John Steckel, AMERICAN SYSTEMS
Nicole Stuart, Top Guard Security
Public company with less than $500 million in annual revenue
Thomas J. Fulton, Skanska USA Civil Southeast Inc.
Public company with more than $500 million in annual revenue
Andrew J. Carpenter, Phlow Corp.
Kim Enochs, Marsh McLennan Agency
Dawn Glynn, TowneBank
Colin Robinson, Branch
Maria Tedesco, Atlantic Union Bank