Board of Directors

Annual Work Plan

For many years, the Downtown Norfolk Council Board and staff have taken a deliberate, disciplined and focused approach to addressing the needs of Downtown and our constituents. Each year, the Board sets the general direction for the staff to follow. The Board also establishes key objectives that allow them to focus their energy and resources on the areas where they feel they truly can make a difference. These objectives are addressed in depth by the Board, and established committees focus entirely on these objectives. Our FY22 Action Plan can be viewed here. And as always, the Board is focused on responsible advocacy for Downtown and its constituents. 

Please contact our office if there are any questions, comments or concerns.

Downtown Norfolk Council Board of Directors: FY 2021-2022

The 30-member DNC Board of Directors, per our bylaws, represents 16 property owners located in the Downtown Improvement District and 14 of our DNC Members.  Additionally, liaisons to the Board are selected each year, and the Mayor serves as ex-officio member with two council persons representing the two council wards encompassing Downtown.

The Board of Directors hold their meetings on a monthly basis on the second Wednesday of the month at 8:00am. The following is a list of the Board members serving as the governing body of the organization for fiscal year 2022. 

Officers

Chairperson
James Wofford
General Manager
MacArthur Center*

1st Vice Chair
Mel Price
Principal
Work Program Architects

Immediate Past Chair
Tommy Leeman
Partner
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management
Steward Partners Global Advisors

Treasurer
Jenny Bonsiewich
Manager
P.B. Mares, LLP

President/Corporate Secretary
Mary Miller
President & CEO
Downtown Norfolk Council

Board of Directors:

Linda Bress
Owner
Bress & Company*

Scott Campbell
Principal
VIA design architects*

Lorraine Connaughton
Residential Rate Payer/DNCL Officer*

Christian Conway
Dominion Enterprises

Matthew Crowe
Catering Sales Manager
Hilton Norfolk The Main*

Patrick Edwards
Owner
The Stockpot Norfolk

Kathy Ferebee
​Senior Vice President/Commercial
TowneBank*

Mike Fowler
First Vice President
Even Keel Wealth Advisors of Raymond James

Perry Frazer
Sr. Vice President
Colliers International

Jesse Hemphill
General Manager
Norfolk Waterside Marriott*

Miles Leon
President
S.L. Nusbaum*

Christy Marron
Owner
Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub & Restaurant

Robert (Doug) Martin
Operations Director
MacArthur Center*

Matt Paddock
Director of People Operations
Grow

Lacy Peterson
General Manager
Glass Light Hotel*

Ellis H. Pretlow
Attorney
Kaufman & Canoles*

Jae Roe
Senior Property Manager
The RMR Group*

Reid Sabin
Principal, Planner & Landscape Architect
Hanbury

Jimmy Schools
Senior Property Manager
Hertz Corporation*

Angela Simpson
Controller
Marathon Development Group, Inc.*

Judy Swystun
President
Hampton Roads Transportation

Brittany Treble
Tax Manager
KPMG

Eva Wiggins
Director of Marketing
Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate

Ex-Officio:

The Honorable Kenneth C. Alexander
Mayor
City of Norfolk

Ward Representatives:

The Honorable Courtney Doyle
Councilwoman
City of Norfolk

The Honorable Andria McClellan
Councilwoman
City of Norfolk

General Counsel:

Dean T. Buckius
Attorney
Vandeventer Black LLP

* - Representing the Downtown Improvement District