Wake up in style with us at Business @ Breakfast! We've brought back our acclaimed morning speakers' series with special guests that provide local insights, business tips, and of course, a delicious hot breakfast. At Business @ Breakfast you'll also meet new members and build business relationships.
The Changing Political Landscape: Issues & Impacts for our Region
Join us for our quarterly Business at Breakfast program where seasoned public policy expert Preston Bryant will take a take a deep dive into:
- Virginia’s economy and budget
- A look at politics, including how the General Assembly will change with redistricting
- emerging public policy issues impact the LYH region
- how Chambers of Commerce and the business community can engage in key issues for impact
Additionally, we’ll introduce new Alliance members and provide opportunities for strategic business discussions with fellow business leaders.
Speaker: Preston Bryant, Senior Vice-President at McGuireWoods Consulting, works in the firm’s Infrastructure and Economic Development Group. He has served in local, state, and federal elected and appointed office. His expertise lies in waste, wastewater, and energy generation projects, and he advises clients on project site selection and regulatory affairs.
He also represents numerous public and private colleges and universities. In addition, Preston works with private equity investors and portfolio companies to help them understand the implications of state-level environmental policy decisions and market trends for their investment and business decision.
For the past 25 years, Preston’s experience in environmental, energy, infrastructure, and higher education matters has developed from his work in the public and private sectors. Preston was a partner for a decade in a Virginia-based civil engineering, surveying, and planning firm.
Preston served for two years on Lynchburg (Va.) City Council. He served for 10 years (1996-2006) in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he focused on environmental and capital infrastructure matters. He passed landmark environmental legislation leading to billions of dollars in investments in water quality infrastructure. He also played a key role in passing Virginia’s nationally recognized public-private partnership procurement statute, which also has led to billions of dollars invested in public infrastructure.
In 2006, Preston was appointed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to serve as Virginia’s secretary of natural resources, where he led the state’s six environmental, recreational, and historic resources agencies. He also helped write Virginia’s first statewide energy plan.
President Obama appointed Preston in 2009 to serve as chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, the U.S. government’s central planning agency for all federal-owned lands and buildings in Washington, DC, and its Virginia and Maryland environs. Preston served in this role for nine years (2009-2018).