Faith Power Assumes Vice-Chair Role as Board Welcomes Five New Members
NORFOLK, VA — Aubrey L. Layne Jr., a veteran of Virginia state government who has extensive experience in the transportation field will lead the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) Board of Commissioners as its chairman.
Layne takes over as the port is investing $1.4 billion to continue a modernization and growth campaign aimed at generating more business and being able to accommodate an ongoing shift in trade to the US East Coast. Layne served as the Virginia secretary of transportation from 2014 to 2018, a period when the port invested more than $800 million to modernize and expand its two primary container terminals, Norfolk International Terminals and Virginia International Gateway.
“His leadership is going to be invaluable because of his experience in this port and his wider understanding of an integrated transportation system and its benefits to the state,” said Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the VPA. “Equally important is knowledge he gained from working under two governors and the relationships he developed in Richmond during that time. This is an important moment for The Port of Virginia® and a forward-thinking board with strong leadership is going to be vital in our success.”
Layne served as Virginia secretary of finance from 2018 until 2021 and is currently the senior vice president and chief of staff for Sentara Healthcare. He was appointed to the VPA board in July 2021 and is eligible for reappointment in 2026.
“I am excited to see my former colleague fill this critical role,” said W. Sheppard “Shep” Miller III, the Virginia secretary of transportation. “Having worked with Aubrey for many years, I know he will provide strong leadership to support the exceptional work of Stephen Edwards and his team. The Port of Virginia is excelling and I am proud to have it as part of the Transportation Secretariat.”
Assuming the vice-chair’s position is Dr. Faith B. Power, who was appointed to the board in 2014; her term will expire in 2026.
“They [Power and Layne] know each other and have a lot of experience together during our expansion years,” Edwards said. “That relationship and their oversight is important to maintaining and building our momentum.”
The board, at its regularly-scheduled July meeting, welcomed five new members, all of whom have terms that run from July 1, 2022 until June 30, 2027, and will be eligible for reappointment.
- Shaza L. Andersen, Trustar Bank, CEO,
- James C. Burnett, W.M. Jordan Co., vice president and CFO
- Michael W. Coleman, CV International Inc. and Capes Shipping, president and CEO
- John W. Kirk III, Associated Asphalt, chairman
- David L. Richardson, Virginia state treasurer (The state treasurer is a permanent member of the VPA board, per the Code of Virginia.)
Contact: Joseph D. Harris
Spokesman
(757) 683-2137 / Office
(757) 675-8087 / Cell
jharris@portofvirginia.com