Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade

Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade
LadyofHats with additional editing by 痛 and Patrickneil · Public domain · source
Post	Secretary of Commerce and Trade
Body	Commonwealth of Virginia
Incumbent	Vacant
Style	The Honorable
Member of	Cabinet of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly
Reports to	Governor of Virginia
Appointer	Governor of Virginia
Formation	1972
Inaugural	Elliott L. Richardson

Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade

The Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade is a cabinet-level position in the Commonwealth of Virginia appointed by the Governor of Virginia and confirmed by the Virginia General Assembly. The office coordinates statewide economic development, trade promotion, and workforce initiatives with agencies such as the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia Department of Transportation, and Virginia Tourism Corporation. Secretaries interact with leaders from U.S. Department of Commerce, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and regional partners including Metro Washington Council of Governments, Piedmont Triad International Airport, and Port of Virginia.

History

The office originated amid 20th-century shifts in Virginia politics and economic strategy during the administration of governors like Linwood Holton and Mills E. Godwin Jr., and underwent statutory definition during the administration of Mills Godwin and subsequent governors including Chuck Robb and Gerald L. Baliles. Over time, responsibilities expanded under governors such as George Allen, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and Terry McAuliffe to encompass international trade after engagement with entities like U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, and World Trade Organization delegations. Policy emphasis shifted in response to events including the Energy crisis of the 1970s, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and economic transitions tied to the decline of manufacturing in regions like Southside Virginia and growth around Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

Responsibilities and Powers

Statutory duties derive from the Code of Virginia and gubernatorial executive orders, directing coordination among agencies such as Virginia Employment Commission, Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, and Virginia Community College System. The secretary leads strategies for business recruitment that interface with corporate actors like Amazon (company), Microsoft, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman and international investors from Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, and Canada. The office negotiates incentives consistent with frameworks from the Economic Development Administration and convenes public–private partnerships involving institutions such as University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and George Mason University. Powers include budget recommendations to the Virginia General Assembly, oversight of incentive agreements, and coordination of trade missions to markets like China, India, Germany, Japan, and Mexico.

Organization and Agencies

The secretary oversees or coordinates with a portfolio that commonly includes Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, and the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. The office liaises with transportation and infrastructure entities such as Virginia Port Authority, Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, and Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, and partners with workforce and training bodies including the Virginia Community College System, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act regional boards, and organizations like Chesapeake Bay Foundation on coastal economy issues. Collaboration extends to regional development districts such as Central Virginia Planning District Commission and Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

List of Secretaries

Notable individuals who have held the post include appointees from administrations of George Allen, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Bob McDonnell, Terry McAuliffe, Ralph Northam, and Glenn Youngkin. Past officeholders worked alongside figures from the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, Dominion Energy, Smithsonian Institution partnerships, and economic chambers such as the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and Norfolk Southern leadership. The list of secretaries reflects bipartisan appointments drawn from backgrounds in law, finance, academia, and corporate management connected to institutions like Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, PWC, and Ernst & Young.

Notable Initiatives and Programs

Initiatives led or coordinated by the secretary have included incentive programs for large projects such as data centers for Amazon Web Services, advanced manufacturing investments from Siemens, aerospace expansions with Boeing and Rolls-Royce plc, and port development tied to Norfolk International Terminals. Workforce development programs have partnered with Appalachian Regional Commission initiatives, the U.S. Department of Labor, and regional universities to support sectors like cybersecurity linked to Fort Meade, life sciences connected to National Institutes of Health, and defense contracting aligned with Naval Station Norfolk. Tourism and cultural economy efforts coordinated with Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and Monticello aim to boost visitor spending and heritage preservation. Trade missions and foreign direct investment drives have engaged diplomats and delegations associated with United States Department of State, Export-Import Bank of the United States, and multinational corporations to expand exports of commodities including agricultural products from Shenandoah Valley and technology services from Tysons Corner.

Category:Government of Virginia