Todd Rowley, Class of 2011

Todd Rowley
Senior Vice President, United Bank
Fairfax, VA

What is new and exciting with you now or since your time with Lead Virginia?
Since completing Lead Virginia, I have had the pleasure of serving as the Chairman and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). I also serve as a member of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce's Board and Executive Committee and I am honored to serve as their Vice Chairman beginning July 1, 2018. In addition to my connection with NOVA as a Board member, I also continue to complete cyber and IT courses as an enrolled student, both for personal enjoyment but also to gain a deeper understanding of this critical and expanding sector of the Northern Virginia economy.  

How did Lead Virginia shape you as a leader?
Lead Virginia gave me a broader understanding of the strengths and diversity represented by the various regions of the Commonwealth. I have been able to continue to expand my personal and professional contacts throughout Virginia and have also grown in my understanding of the respective critical needs of each region. This has allowed me to combine my efforts with other Lead Virginia graduates in an attempt to provide improved solutions to address the challenges each region faces.

Since Lead Virginia, how have you put your social capital to work?
I serve as an active member of the Pamplin Advisory Council for the business school at Virginia Tech. I try to make sure that students, regardless of their regional affiliation or family economics, have the opportunity to benefit from the educational advantages provided by the Commonwealth. Legislatively, I was recently asked to participate on two transition committees for the Commonwealth's Governor prior to his assuming office. These committees represented Commerce and Trade, and Military and Veterans, which are both significant contributors to our regional well-being.

What were your expectations of Lead Virginia prior to beginning the program? Did the program exceed or meet your expectations?
I had been a participant in Leadership Fairfax and Leadership Charlotte prior to becoming involved with the Lead Virginia program, so I had an understanding of what the program would represent in the way of personal development. However, my expectations were greatly exceeded as I grew to know my classmates who represented a variety of regions and economies in Virginia. Also, by having the opportunity to personally travel to these regions, meeting their local leadership and acquiring a deeper appreciation and understanding for their demographics, I felt more prepared to be an expanded regional leader, both within Northern Virginia and for the Commonwealth.