About the Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor
Spanning Danville, Martinsville, Roanoke, and the New River Valley including Virginia Tech, the Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor connects communities, institutions, and industry across Southwestern and Southern Virginia. This megaregion functions as a shared economic system, linked by workforce flows, supply chains, and infrastructure.
For decades, communities across the BRIC megaregion pursued economic growth independently, often successfully, but without a shared platform to align priorities, elevate outcomes, or advocate collectively at scale. As modern industry, infrastructure, and federal investment increasingly operate at megaregional scale, the absence of coordinated business leadership became a limiting factor.
BRIC was formed to fill that gap: to provide a business-led structure that connects local success into a shared megaregional strategy.
Why BRIC Was Formed
Mission, Vision, and Purpose
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We amplify existing initiatives, uncover new opportunities through strategic research, and bring together and equip leaders to advocate for investment in transformative initiatives and infrastructure.
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BRIC is Virginia’s widely recognized fourth economic engine, the Commonwealth’s winning model for driving growth and opportunity for all.
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To harness the region’s strengths—its rich heritage, skilled workforce, and commitment to progress—to create new opportunities, attract investment, and enhance quality of life.
BRIC Values
B
Boldness
We lead with courage and a clear vision.
R
Resilience
We never give up. We build on our strengths and rise to meet challenges.
I
Innovative
We pursue creative, strategic, and future-focused ideas.
C
Collaboration
Working across boundaries to create shared success.
What BRIC Does
BRIC does not implement projects or replace local and regional economic development organizations. Instead, it strengthens their impact by aligning leadership, elevating shared priorities, and advocating for investment at a scale individual communities cannot achieve alone.
Convene senior business leadership across the megaregion
Align local, regional, and state priorities around shared outcomes
Advocate for strategic infrastructure and investment
Elevate data, performance, and real-world results
Support initiatives that require megaregional coordination
Governance & Leadership
BRIC is governed by a board of CEOs and senior leaders representing the breadth of the megaregion’s economy, alongside higher education and philanthropic partners. The board provides strategic oversight, sets priorities, and ensures accountability for outcomes.
Executive Director
BRIC is led by Rachel Yost, Executive Director, who supports board leadership and advances BRIC’s strategy, partnerships, and day-to-day operations.
In addition to her role at BRIC, Rachel also serves as Managing Partner for S.I.R., Inc.
Consultant
Chairman of the Board — Blue Ridge Beverage Co., Inc.
President and CEO — Carilion Clinic
Founder and CEO — Supply Resources
President and CEO — Danville Regional Foundation
President — Blair Construction Co.
Chairman and CEO — The Lester Group
Chairman of the Board — Frith Construction Company
Retired President and CEO ANB&T — Atlantic Union Bank
President and CEO — Southwestern Virginia Gas, Blumont Energy Corporation
President and CEO — RGC Resources and Roanoke Gas Company
Co-Owner and CEO — VIRginia International Raceway
VP for Innovation and Partnerships — Virginia Tech
Owner — Virginia Furniture Market
President — Institute for Advanced Learning
CEO — The Branch Group, Inc.
Chairman — First Piedmont Corporation
Chairman — Retirement Unlimited
Ben Davenport Jr
Heywood Fralin
Eddie Amos
Robert A. Archer
Steve Arner
Rick Barker
Clark Casteel
Tim Clark
Jay Dickens
James (Jim) B Frith Jr
Jeffrey V. Haley
James McClain, II
Paul W. Nester
Connie Nyholm
Brandy Salmon
Joel Shepherd
Telly Tucker
Bob Wills
Executive Committee
BRIC’s Executive Committee is composed of a subset of board leadership and provides strategic guidance between board meetings. The committee helps steer priorities, support accountability for outcomes, and advise on major initiatives and organizational direction.
Executive Committee Co-chairs
Ben Davenport Jr
Chairman — First Piedmont Corporation
Heywood Fralin
Chairman — Retirement Unlimited
Eddie Amos
Consultant
Robert A. Archer
Chairman of the Board — Blue Ridge Beverage Co., Inc.
Steve Arner
President and CEO — Carilion Clinic
Rick Barker
Founder and CEO — Supply Resources
Clark Casteel
President and CEO — Danville Regional Foundation
Tim Clark
President — Blair Construction Co.
Jay Dickens
Chairman and CEO — The Lester Group
James (Jim) B Frith Jr
Chairman of the Board — Frith Construction Company
Jeffrey V. Haley
Retired President and CEO ANB&T — Atlantic Union Bank
James McClain, II
President and CEO — Southwestern Virginia Gas, Blumont Energy Corporation
Paul W. Nester
President and CEO — RGC Resources and Roanoke Gas Company
Connie Nyholm
Co-Owner and CEO — VIRginia International Raceway
Brandy Salmon
VP for Innovation and Partnerships — Virginia Tech
Joel Shepherd
Owner — Virginia Furniture Market
Telly Tucker
President — Institute for Advanced Learning
Bob Wills
CEO — The Branch Group, Inc.
Atlantic Union Bank
Blair Construction Co.
Blue Ridge Beverage Co.
Branch Group
Carilion Clinic
Danville Regional Partnership
First Piedmont Corp
Frith Construction Company
Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
RGC Resources and Roanoke Gas Company
RUI
Southwestern Virginia Gas, Blumont Energy Corporation
Supply Resources
The Lester Group
Virginia Furniture Market
Virginia International Raceway
Virginia Tech
Consultant
Aboone Real Estate
Adams Paving
Ameristaff
Atlantic Union Bank
Avis Construction
Bassett Office Supply
Berglund Automotive Group
Blue Ridge Aquaculture
Burton & Company
Carter Bank
Bassett Furniture
Carter Machinery
Chatham Animal Clinic
Commonwealth Care
E.C. Pace
Entre Computer Center
Excel Truck Group
Gentry Locke
Goodwill of the Valleys
Harvest Foundation
Hooker Furnishings
Interactive Design Group (IDG)
Intertape Polymer Group
Martin, Hopkins & Lemon, PC
McNeil Roofing
Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp
OMMA Management
Optical Cable Corporation
P1 Technologies
Permatile Concrete Products Company
Pinnacle Financial Partners
QCowork
Radford
RP Fralin Inc.
RUI
TMEIC
VT Corporate Research Center
WoodsRogers
Microporous
Jeffrey V. Haley
Tim Clark
Robert “Bob” A. Archer
Bob Wills
Steve Arner
Clark Casteel
Ben Davenport Jr.
Jim Frith
Telly Tucker
Paul Nester
Heywood Fralin
James McClain, II
Rick Barker
Jay Dickens
Joel Shepherd
Connie Nyholm
Brandy Salmon
Eddie Amos
Alexander Boone
Rick James
Jason Muehleck
John Asbury
John “Jack” Avis
Manly Boyd
William Farrell
William "Bill" Martin, Jr.
Robby Burton
Billy Kirby
Board of Directors
Jeffrey V. Haley
Atlantic Union Bank
Tim Clark
Blair Construction Co.
Robert “Bob” A. Archer
Blue Ridge Beverage Co.
Bob Wills
Branch Group
Steve Arner
Carilion Clinic
Clark Casteel
Danville Regional Partnership
Ben Davenport Jr.
First Piedmont Corp
Jim Frith
Frith Construction Company
Telly Tucker
Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
Paul Nester
RGC Resources and Roanoke Gas Company
Heywood Fralin
RUI
James McClain, II
Southwestern Virginia Gas, Blumont Energy Corporation
Rick Barker
Supply Resources
Jay Dickens
The Lester Group
Joel Shepherd
Virginia Furniture Market
Connie Nyholm
Virginia International Raceway
Brandy Salmon
Virginia Tech
Eddie Amos
Consultant
Alexander Boone
Aboone Real Estate
Rick James
Adams Paving
Jason Muehleck
Ameristaff
John Asbury
Atlantic Union Bank
John “Jack” Avis
Avis Construction
Manly Boyd
Bassett Office Supply
William Farrell
Berglund Automotive Group
William "Bill" Martin, Jr.
Blue Ridge Aquaculture
Robby Burton
Burton & Company
Billy Kirby
Carter Bank
John “Jeb” Bassett
Bassett Furniture
Drew Parker
Carter Machinery
Dr. Paul Erwin
Chatham Animal Clinic
Deborah Petrine
Commonwealth Care
Mark Pace
E.C. Pace
Bart Wilner
Entre Computer Center
Russ Ellett
Excel Truck Group
Tammy Finley
Gentry Locke
Richmond Vincent
Goodwill of the Valleys
Kate Keller
Harvest Foundation
Jeremy Hoff
Hooker Furnishings
Bill Hume
Interactive Design Group (IDG)
Michael “Mike” B. Jones
Intertape Polymer Group
Stephen Lemon
Martin, Hopkins & Lemon, PC
Lee Wilhelm
McNeil Roofing
Tad Deriso
Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp
Kirtesh Patel
OMMA Management
Neil Wilkin
Optical Cable Corporation
David Wallenborn
P1 Technologies
Mimi Rainero Coles
Permatile Concrete Products Company
Jonathan Richardson
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Marty Muscatello
QCowork
Bret Danilowicz
Radford
Robert Fralin
P Fralin Inc.
William Fralin
RUI
Manmeet Bhatia
TMEIC
Richard Gibson
VT Corporate Research Center
Dan Summerlin
WoodsRogers
John Reeves
Microporous
John “Jeb” Bassett
Drew Parker
Dr. Paul Erwin
Deborah Petrine
Mark Pace
Bart Wilner
Russ Ellett
Tammy Finley
Richmond Vincent
Kate Keller
Jeremy Hoff
Bill Hume
Michael “Mike” B. Jones
Stephen Lemon
Lee Wilhelm
Tad Deriso
Kirtesh Patel
Neil Wilkin
David Wallenborn
Mimi Rainero Coles
Jonathan Richardson
Marty Muscatello
Bret Danilowicz
Robert Fralin
William Fralin
Manmeet Bhatia
Richard Gibson
Dan Summerlin
John Reeves