The Power List

Our third annual ranking of the people who run this town.

1. Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (0)Stop rolling your eyes. Yes, Mayor L. Douglas Wilder tops our third annual Power List – his second year running – but not all is sparkling in the Wilder Kingdom.

City Council has overturned his vetoes. The murder rate is climbing. There’s even been a protest (albeit tiny) in the street! And the city’s first popularly elected mayor since the 1940s just can’t seem to find good help. Longtime campaign manager and senior policy adviser Paul Goldman? Dismissed, along with Human Resources Director Elliott Wheelan and his deputy, Annja Stoudmire. That’s not to mention Housing Czar Freed “Mike” Etienne’s neglect of his own blighted property in Church Hill. And just last week, Economic Development Director William Jabjiniak, in his job less than a year, was stripped of his title and “reassigned.”

Of course Wilder is still the man. No one will forget the oft-repeated 80 percent mandate he won in 2004. People are still thrusting babies in his arms for pictures. And he’s the only one who knows how to command the front page of the Times-Dispatch at will, and get every TV news crew in his conference room within 10 minutes.

That’s the thing with power. It can be used in different ways. That’s why we keep tabs on who has it – and to what extent they can wield it locally. We start by asking what’s important to Richmond, then zero in on the people in the best positions to affect those issues. A lot of it comes down to money, influence and control. Some is formal power. Some is built on the intangible. It’s all worth tracking.

As for Wilder, some people are starting to wonder. Some have grown tired of the grandstanding, the fighting and bear investigating. The murmuring at cocktail parties and coffeehouses boils down to this: Eighteen months after taking office, what has the mayor really accomplished?

The City of the Future is still just a bunch of pretty flow charts and PowerPoints (where’s Goldman when you need him?), and 2005 will be remembered as the year Wilder took a sledgehammer to everything that didn’t have his name on it. The Richmond Braves are mad at us, the performing arts center is cooked, and the downtown boosters have been cast into political insignificance. Wilder is good at kicking tail. But when is he going to start making the city a better place in which to live and work?

Consider the gauntlet thrown down. The Wilder legend has taken him this far. Now what’s he going to do with his power? We’ll check back to determine if he’s burned too many bridges, and enjoys seeing himself on TV more than actually building new schools, improving public housing, ridding the streets of crime and fulfilling his mission to turn Richmond around.



2. William H. Goodwin Jr. (+)Bill Goodwin is extremely rich and likes to give away money – note the $75 million he and his wife, Alice, have given to Virginia Commonwealth University – and his business acumen is legendary. Better yet, billionaire Goodwin is one of two men in Richmond that Mayor Wilder really listens to. No, seriously. Goodwin, who hates publicity, sits on Wilder’s performing arts and education committees, and is said to have negotiated the compromise that ended Wilder’s assault on the proposed arts center in the fall. He’s aligned with VCU President Eugene P. Trani (remember the $75 million?), and he’s well-known for knocking heads in Richmond boardrooms. Yes, Goodwin, Trani and Wilder seem to be Richmond’s Trifecta of Power. Secretly, though, we yearn to see them duke it out in a celebrity cage match. Wilder is the easy pick, but could you bet against Goodwin or Trani?



3. Eugene P. Trani (+)The debate over the Richmond Braves’ future ended with a thud. The fight between Wilder and the execs in Atlanta had turned ugly this spring when VCU President Eugene P. Trani finally ended it. Mayor Wilder had stated publicly in early May that the Braves should remain at The Diamond, scuttling sites in Shockoe Bottom and Tobacco Row. But it wasn’t over until Trani weighed in with a letter to the editor in the Times-Dispatch May 7: Keep the Braves at The Diamond. Wilder had a similar opinion published the same day, but Trani sealed it.

Let us count the ways Trani influences Richmond – in concrete. The university has added more than $1.2 billion worth of new buildings and infrastructure since Trani took office in 1990. Another 40 new buildings – totaling about $1 billion – are on the way, including the new medical center and Monroe campus east of Belvidere. Protests over the university’s demolishing of historic buildings didn’t stick to Teflon Trani – just watch the preservationists react when he tears down MCV’s West Hospital.



4. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (+)There’s a reason why Gov. Tim Kaine is batting cleanup here. Remember the Maymont bear incident? Game officials dubbed the replacement bear “Tim,” but Wilder sniffed and declared a naming contest the next day. The bear’s now named Phoenix. Sure it’s petty, but consider the move a not-so-subtle message from Wilder, who played similar games with former Gov. Mark Warner during his last year in office. And, mind you, Kaine is no Warner. It took him all of four days in office to renege on his no-new-taxes-for-transportation pledge, and he lacked the salesmanship of his predecessor in building support from the GOP-controlled statehouse. Kaine did save $4.5 million for the performing arts center from the chopping block, and gave Dirtwoman his voting rights back. But lawmakers have put off his campaign-defining transportation fix. And in a final blow, House Republicans cut $20 million-plus of his budget requests. Kaine has plenty of time to recover, but for now takes his place at the back of the big-boy line.



5. James E. Ukrop (-)For the second year in a row we move Ukrop down a rung. Still, it’s hard to argue a person’s influence when his bio is posted on Forbes.com, let alone one who, in the last City Council election, contributed to six out of the nine district races. As chairman of both Ukrop’s Super Markets and First Market Bank, Jim, the elder brother Ukrop, oversees the operation of 28 grocery stores throughout Central Virginia and 32 bank branches. Jim and his wife, Barbara Berkeley, have two sons and five grandchildren. While his leisure pastimes include green fairways and William and Mary athletics, Ukrop’s civic engagements – he serves on numerous community boards and has given more than $100,000 to Gov. Kaine since his 2004 gubernatorial bid – are what make him a power player, year after year, despite not getting a performing arts center off the ground.



6. Michael E. Szymanczyk (-)OK, there were those school-book covers with the kid snowboarding on what appeared to be a cigarette, but this is a tobacco town, dammit. And Philip Morris USA, still one of the biggest companies in the world, is building its future research center smack downtown on Leigh Street. Have you seen it lately? It’s nearly finished, in all its $300 million glory. Michael Szymanczyk, the company’s chief executive, still isn’t terribly active locally – he spends much time out of town – but he’s forging research relationships with Trani’s VCU. And all those high-paying jobs and the future of Tobacco Town, USA, rest squarely on Szymanczyk’s shoulders. So get off his back.



7. Thomas F. Farrell II (+)Thomas F. Farrell officially took the reins of Dominion Resources Inc. in January, becoming its president and chief executive, and is serving his second year as rector of the University of Virginia. Farrell is one of the new “must-know” executives – Mayor Wilder appointed him to his performing arts center committee, for instance – and some say he’s surpassing his predecessor, Tom Capps, in executive social circles. Capps is still chairman of Dominion’s board – the true seat of power – but Farrell is known for doing much of the energy company’s heavy lifting over the last few years. Consider: Farrell is in charge of 17,000 employees at a company that generates $25 billion in annual sales. No slouch, indeed.



8. Stanley F. Pauley (+)Few locals would recognize Stanley Pauley – much less tell you what the Carpenter Co. does. As a fellow Power Lister notes, Pauley probably keeps a lower profile than Bill Goodwin (No. 2). But it’s difficult to ignore Pauley’s quiet force in the city. The privately held Carpenter Co., which makes foam and fiber cushion products, employs 5,500 people worldwide, 500 of them in the region. Revenue was up 12 percent in 2005 to $1.46 billion. Pauley, an electrical engineer, and his wife, Dorothy, are sharing their fortunes. They made an additional $3 million gift to VMFA in the last year, bringing their total capital campaign contributions to $8 million. In January they pledged $5 million to VCU Medical Heart Center, which became The Pauley Heart Center.



9. Michael D. Fraizer (+)Two years after its initial public offering and official separation from GE, Michael D. Fraizer’s Genworth Financial has become one of the biggest insurance companies in the world. Genworth ranks 223 on the most recent Fortune 500 list, and reported more than $10.5 billion in revenue in 2005. Fraizer, a disciple of General Electric’s legendary Jack Welch, is regarded as one of the top two or three executives in Richmond. His company also is helping put Richmond back on the national map by bringing stars to town for its tennis exhibitions – think Anna Kornikova. And Frazier buddied up to Donald Trump last year on “The Apprentice.” This summer, the firm is sponsoring the loot on NBC’s reality TV series “Treasure Hunters.” A little garish, but no less buzz-worthy than the Elliott Yamin thing.



10. The Gottwald Family (+)Some of the Gottwald family’s holdings were restructured two years ago, and their dynasty continues as a strong force in Richmond’s economy. Albemarle Corp.’s stock is holding steady; Tredegar Corp. is performing well; NewMarket Corp. – of which Ethyl is a subsidiary – employs more than 1,000 people and earned $1.08 billion in 2005. It’s unclear why Virginia Business Magazine reported the family’s estimated net worth declining from $1.2 billion to $600 million in the last two years, but the shrinkage must be relative. The ubiquitous but media-shy Gottwalds – Bruce C., Floyd D. Jr., William M., John D., Russell L., Thomas “Teddy” E., Nancy H., Margaret N. and Constance I. – engage ample print. They give heavily to Republican politicians and are high-ups in philanthropic circles – in everything from the arts to medicine.



11. The Weinstein Family (+)Allison Weinstein, president of her family’s apartment-management firm, Weinstein Properties, has become an upfront figure. She and her parents, Marcus and Carole, her husband, Ivan Jecklin, and her uncle, Marcus’ brother Philip, have changed the community, along with the University of Richmond, with their giving and leadership – including an additional $1.5 million pledge to UR in October (on top of a $5 million gift) for its new Weinstein Center for Recreation and Wellness. That’s not to mention Allison’s role as a UR trustee, a leader of its $200 million capital campaign and her role in picking a replacement for outgoing UR President William Cooper. In addition, Gov. Tim Kaine recently appointed her to his Start Strong Pre-K Council. The Weinsteins also contributed to the expansion of the Richmond Jewish Community Center, which was renamed the Carole and Marcus Weinstein JCC.



12. Thomas E. Capps (+)With Tom Farrell (No. 7) at the helm of Dominion Resources, Tom Capps is no longer the big man on the company’s downtown campus. He is still chairman of the company, however, and is well-respected in old Richmond circles for transforming Virginia Power into a national powerhouse through expansion, including the $9 billion merger with Consolidated Natural Gas in Pittsburgh. A bristly executive who enjoys duck-hunting, Capps helped build perhaps the biggest economic generator in Richmond over the last two decades, steering the company through the tough energy markets along the way. Sure he peeves those unforgiving union picketers and a few other people with his plans to extend nuclear plants, but without Capps, Dominion wouldn’t be what it is today.



14. Philip J. Schoonover (*)A new entry on the Power List, Schoonover’s takeover of Circuit City Stores has been swift and no less dramatic. A former top executive at rival Best Buy, Schoonover joined Circuit City in October 2004 as chief of merchandising. Two years later he’s replaced W. Alan McCollough as chairman and chief executive, and is quickly turning around a sinking ship. McCollough, who started the retailer’s turnaround in June 2000, replacing Richard L. Sharp (No. 41) as CEO, oversaw Circuit City’s most tumultuous period to date – and paid dearly for it. He was seen as the face of the failing retailer, one of Richmond’s last great companies of yesteryear. Last month, as McCollough stepped down as chairman, the company reported first-quarter earnings of $6.4 million, compared with a $13 million loss in the first quarter of 2005.



15. Robert S. Ukrop (-)Richmond’s homegrown grocery giant Ukrop’s saw its food-sales market share slip in 2006 for the fifth year in a row to 21.64 percent, from a high of 23.8 percent in 2001. The chain is also closing some of its smaller and older stores, much to the dismay of customers. But Ukrop’s still reigns as the city’s top grocer, and President and CEO Bobby Ukrop remains one of Richmond’s best-known business and philanthropic leaders. He’s less involved in city leadership than brother Jim (No. 5), but in July he took over as board chairman of the Greater Richmond Chamber. Among other groups, he continues to serve on the board of the Greater Richmond Partnership and the Richmond Metropolitan Authority’s Stadium Operating Committee.



16. Beverley W. “Booty” Armstrong (0)Conventional wisdom would have Booty Armstrong dropping significantly on the Power List after Mayor Wilder dismantled the foundation for the performing arts center, of which he was treasurer and a key driver. Armstrong, who runs CCA Industries with partner, Bill Goodwin (No. 2), is also a key member of Richmond Renaissance, which merged with three other downtown booster clubs last month and will play a more minor role in the city’s economic development. Despite those changes, Armstrong, co-owner of The Jefferson Hotel, remains a straight-shooting power player who isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. While Goodwin gets most of the credit for CCA’s so-called Midas touch, Armstrong’s influence shouldn’t be underestimated. Wilder publicly antagonized Jim Ukrop, remember – not Booty Armstrong.



17. Patrick Farrell (*)There’s been some shifting of the guard at HCA Inc., which has sent females tumbling down the Power List. Last year Marilyn B. Tavenner dropped off, having taken on a scope of responsibility beyond Richmond; this year Margaret Lewis (No. 55) loses strength because of a new assignment. The new man on the scene is Patrick Farrell, 42, who took over as president of HCA’s Richmond Division in January – moving from Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. HCA owns six local hospital campuses and is the third-largest private employer in the region. Not only that, its political action committee donates thousands of dollars to state officials who affect health care policy. Farrell spends some of his time as board chairman for various local nonprofits.



18. The Robins Family (-)From the University of Richmond to the Richmond SPCA to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, the Robins’ local contributions are as plentiful as the pharmaceuticals to come out of their former family business – acquired years ago by Wyeth. Patriarch E. Claiborne Robins died in 1995. His wife, Lora, is in her 90s. But they still make a sizeable impression. The new sculpture garden of the now-upended VMFA will be named after the couple and will serve as the heart of the transformed museum’s campus on Grove Avenue. Meanwhile, E. Claiborne Robins, Jr., and his two sisters, Ann Carol Robins Marchant and Betty Robins Porter, continue the family’s philanthropic legacy.



19. G. Gilmer III and Charlotte Minor (+)Family company Owens & Minor continues to thrive, but G. Gilmer Minor III stepped down as CEO of the Fortune 500 medical-supply company in 2005, relinquishing the role to Craig R. Smith. Minor remains influential as chairman of the board. He wields power in other spheres too; Minor can probably call Gov. Tim Kaine (No. 4) for lunch any time he wants, since Minor gave Kaine’s campaign and inaugural committee a combined $55,000 last year. Minor also serves on the board of directors of SunTrust Banks Inc. and heads the board of visitors of the Virginia Military Institute. He and his wife, Charlotte, is president of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ board of trustees, making them somewhat of a power couple. They’ve given at least $250,000 to VMFA’s capital campaign.



20. The Markel Family and Alan I. Kirshner (+)They refuse to allow a stock split – Markel shares have hovered above $300 forever, it seems – but the Markel family, Anthony and Steve, and Chief Executive Alan Kirshner have built a hugely successful insurance firm by insuring the seemingly uninsurable, such as taxicabs and public parks. Locally, the family is philanthropic. Steve Markel and his wife, Kathie, are big supporters of VCU – they recently gave the business school $10 million – and serve on the boards of the Richmond Christian Children’s Fund and the Massey Cancer Center. Markel Corp. is also known for investing in Richmond companies (think CarMax and First Market Bank) and sports (Anthony Markel was a former owner of the Richmond Renegades).



21. Ralph L. “Bill” Axselle Jr. (+)Since the start of the Power List in 2004, Axselle’s place on it has moved like a “V.” Those who know him would say that stands for versatility more than vacillation. While his efforts as chairman of Richmond Region 2007 Commission appear to have rallied lukewarm interest, his stellar reputation as a go-to guy for governmental matters buoys him up nine rungs from last year. Axselle spent 16 years in the House of Delegates before specializing in land-use and development – important local issues – as a partner with Williams Mullen. Capitol insiders regularly credit him as the most effective and upstanding lobbyist at the General Assembly.



22. Robert L. Burrus Jr. (+)Less than 10 years ago, Robert L. Burrus Jr. served on the committee that found the ill-fated William Cooper to serve as president of the University of Richmond. Now Burrus is back on the job, chairing the committee to find Cooper’s replacement. Burrus, a well-connected, old-school Richmonder, juggles roles in corporate life (board director for Smithfield Foods Inc., S&K Famous Brands Inc., etc.) and the nonprofit world (VMFA, Virginia Historical Society, etc.). And then there’s his job as chairman and partner of McGuireWoods, the city’s second-largest law firm.



23. Rep. Eric I. Cantor (+)Inching up slightly from last year, the Republican Congressman from Richmond serves as deputy majority whip and sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. His PACs are as much a force for conservatism as his policy initiatives. Like many of his colleagues, this year he ridded himself of political donations he’d received from scandalized lobbyist Jack Abramoff – donating about $10,000 to Richmond’s William Byrd Community House. He recently was the guest of honor at a who’s who fund-raiser for Manoli G. Loupassi (No. 65), president of Richmond City Council, who is not seeking re-election because he hopes to unseat Delegate Katherine B. Waddell in the 68th District. Cantor’s wife, Diana, is executive director of the Virginia College Savings Plan and a board member at Media General Inc. Active members of Richmond’s Jewish community, the Cantors live in Henrico County, where their three children attend school.



24. Dr. Frank S. Royal (+)The highest spot on the Power List may be filled by an African-American, but even color-blind Richmonders will find it difficult to ignore the lack of racial diversity among these names. Dr. Frank S. Royal stands out in part for garnering power where others have yet to grab hold. The family physician holds an important role as chairman of the board at the historically black Virginia Union University. It’s undergoing a transition, and in June it shook off an accreditation warning from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Royal is also a regular on the boardroom circuit: He’s a board director for Dominion Resources Inc., HCA Inc., CSX Corp., SunTrust Banks, Smithfield Foods Inc. and Chesapeake Corp.



25. William E. Harrell (*)They’ve been said to spar on occasion, which is no biggie. But William Harrell, the city’s chief administrative officer under Mayor Wilder, has so far lived through the unenviable closed-door sessions with you-know-who. That’s no small feat. The same can’t be said for Paul Goldman, Wilder’s former senior policy adviser. Harrell’s primary job is to put out the fires Wilder starts. He’s the man who must execute the City of the Future Plan, the Dig Up the Train plan, and the Maymont Bear Investigations. If Harrell sticks it out, perhaps he’ll get a shot at succeeding Wilder as mayor. The city is experiencing a rough patch, however. With the exception of Chief Financial Officer Harry Black and Harrell, the management talent pool seems to be shrinking at City Hall.



26. Peter J. Bernard (+)Head of metro Richmond’s second-largest hospital chain, Peter J. Bernard, chief executive of Bon Secours Richmond Health System, has guided the local hospital group in a fight for market share against HCA – rather successfully. Bon Secours opened St. Francis Medical Center last year, its first venture south of the river, in Midlothian, just off Route 288, and the four hospitals it operates here are among the most financially successful in the company’s national portfolio. A not-for-profit hospital, Bon Secours takes a bit of the burden off public hospitals such as VCU Health System, absorbing $62 million in unpaid care – which includes a $39 million shortfall in Medicare coverage.



27. Virgil R. Hazelett (+)Despite being lambasted recently by Ray Boone’s (No. 61) Richmond Free Press for not having more minority employees on staff, Virgil Hazelett’s influence keeps escalating. That’s what happens when you’re in charge of the region’s richest and fastest-growing county. As Henrico County manager, Hazelett oversees all operations of government with an operating budget of $837 million and a workforce of 9,500. He’s helping to turn some of Henrico’s most visible farmland – 113 lush acres along West Broad Street near Interstate 64 – into an A¬ber-urban hamlet called West Broad Village, replete with 1,000 residential units, 600,000 square feet of commercial space and a towering hotel. The cost: $1 billion – the amount invested in new development in all of downtown Richmond.



28. John W. Snow (-)Now that John Snow is no longer an official Bush man, leaving his post as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, the former CSX exec has plenty of time for his somewhat less pecuniary pastime, shooting clays. His rifle is top-dollar and sleek, say those who’ve seen him shoot at Cavalier Rifle and Pistol Club in Hanover County. Locally, the way Snow poses is important. With free time on his hands, what will his pet projects become? How will he leave his mark? With a home off Cary Street Road in Hampton Hills and plenty of places to play – CCV, various boards – it’s easy to see how Snow and his wife, Carolyn, would find Richmond more hospitable than ever.



29. Jory Berson (*)Jory who? This is how you make a debut on the Power List when you’re hardly one of Richmond’s household names: Become the highest-ranking local executive of Capital One Financial Corp., Richmond’s largest private employer, with a direct line to out-of-town Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fairbank. Soon after leaving the University of North Carolina, Jory Berson took a job with the giant credit-card issuer ($47 billion in managed loans), becoming key to the company’s foray into cross-selling strategies, and helping lead U.S. credit-card operations. Berson took the helm of that part of the business last month at age 36, replacing Catherine West. He also bumped Marge M. Connelly (No. 73), one of two women previously in this list’s top 10. Connelly moved to Wachovia and her Capital One position was eliminated.



30. State Sen. John C. Watkins (+) State Sen. John C. Watkins, R-Powhatan, served as a budget conferee during the long 2006 legislative session. He also successfully championed some inoffensive, re-election-worthy bills, such as the Post-Disaster Anti-Price Gouging Act and a bill that delineated more clearly the powers of Richmond’s City Council and mayor. But the real demonstration of Watkins’ influence came with the approval of Watkins Centre. Over the objections of other retailers and residents, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors gave the OK to an 800-acre complex of retail and office space at the soon-to-be-booming intersection of Midlothian Turnpike and Route 288. Did we mention that Watkins’ family owns more than half the land?



31. Ivor Massey Jr. and Family (+)The Massey name is recognized internationally as the prefix to VCU Health System’s Massey Cancer Center. Ivor Massey Jr. – venture capitalist, attorney and owner of Triad L.C. – manages the family fortune, reportedly an estimated $100 million plus. (Massey’s father, a pilot, did well in the stock market years ago.) Known for bucking convention and donating to candidates on both sides of the political aisle, Massey stepped down as president of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities last year and stepped onto the board of trustees for the Museum of the Confederacy. He also serves on the boards of the State Capitol Foundation and Planned Parenthood. The buttoned-down Massey enjoys riding a Harley-Davidson.



32. Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell (*)Backers of Bob McDonnell can only hope he won’t follow in the footsteps of the last three Republican attorney generals: Jerry Kilgore, Mark Earley and Jim Gilmore. It seems that being the state’s top lawyer doesn’t always translate into long-term political success – not even for lock-’em-up GOP hardliners. Less than a year into his first term – and his new residence in Richmond – McDonnell is being knocked around as a contender for the Executive Mansion in 2010. Gov. Kaine (No. 4) is decidedly more liberal – he just restored a transvestite’s voting rights, for cryin’ out loud – than the goose-hunting former Gov. Mark Warner, so it may be easy to put the red back in Virginia. McDonnell has a jump start by making sexual predators one of his primary targets over the next four years. Look out, Ed Barber!



33. Robert C. Sledd (+)The homeless-services agency Homeward says more than 200 people in the Richmond region are homeless on any given day. As chairman of the nonprofit’s board, Bob Sledd is helping forge a 10-year plan to end homelessness here. He has the backing of Mayor Wilder and other players with that goal, and helped lead a community strategy session on the issue in May. As chairman and chief executive of food-distributor Performance Food Group Co., Sledd has seen earnings improve – that is, excluding PFG’s overall decline since shedding its bagged-salad business last year. The company, based in West Creek, is still a player on the Fortune 500 list at No. 349.



34. C.T. Hill (+)With the impending retirement of James Cherry (No. 40) at Wachovia, C.T. Hill, president and chief executive of SunTrust Bank’s mid-Atlantic headquarters in Richmond, becomes the “go-to” banker in this town. Hill is well-connected in Richmond power circles, and serves as chairman of the newly reconfigured civic-booster group Renaissance Partners (formerly Richmond Renaissance), in the midst of transition. Hill’s a 30-year banking veteran who serves on the board of the VCU School of Engineering Foundation. He’s also the chairman of the board of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, and serves as chairman of the VCU Business Roundtable, a forum for addressing issues of workers with disabilities.



35. Delegate M. Kirkland Cox (+)Republicans may be in charge at the statehouse, but a growing rift within the party was underscored in an ugly way during the recent budget battle over taxes and transportation. Delegate Kirk Cox was in the midst of the debate and its bedraggled, drawn-out resolution in late June as a budget conferee – the only House member from the Richmond area. In the end, the House majority whip helped stick it to Gov. Tim Kaine (No. 4) – axing more than $20 million of his projects from the budget. Times-Dispatch reporter and political columnist Jeff E. Schapiro describes the 16-year delegate as a “lugubrious conservative” and a prospect for House speaker. He’s also won praise from veterans for championing their issues. A native of Colonial Heights, Cox teaches government at Manchester High School in Chesterfield County.



36. Daniel J. Ludeman (+)The Jim Cherry retirement (No. 40) ripples on. Danny Ludeman, president and chief executive of the country’s third-largest financial securities firm, Wachovia Securities, is now the highest-ranking Wachovia executive in Richmond. Ludeman, former head of Wheat First Butcher Singer, is not only linked to the typical power circles, but also probably controls your money too. That Ludeman is a Richmonder had much to do with Wachovia Securities moving its headquarters here, along with all those high-paying money managers and financial agents, good for the economy and Richmond’s ego. Ludeman is immediate past chairman of the Securities Industry Association and serves on the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.



37. State Sen. Walter A. Stosch (+)Some conservative Republicans are still ticked at Sen. Walter Stosch for siding with Republican moderates. It’s too early to tell how that will affect the Fredericksburg native’s re-election prospects. But the Senate majority leader from Henrico County is holding strong. He and Delegate Kirk Cox (No. 35) were the only budget conferees from Richmond during the long, bitter struggle that ended in June. Despite a tight purse, Stosch accomplished what all politicians must do: bring money home. He nabbed a combined $110,000 for three schools helping at-risk and special-needs students: Northstar Academy, the Faison School for Autism and the Dooley School at St. Joseph’s Villa. In a significant move that had previously failed, Stosch successfully pushed through legislation making it easier for competitors to enter the cable market – a move likely to change the telecom and communications landscape in Virginia.



38. Pamela Reynolds and the Reynolds Family (+)In previous years the Reynolds family has been listed singly because it derives its power as a unit. But the colorful Pam Reynolds, wife of Richard S. Reynolds III, deserves added mention for being the public face of the family. After selling Reynolds Metals Co. to Alcoa Inc. six years ago, the Reynolds family gained a fortune but lost its direct influence on the local economy. Now there’s increased concentration on the family foundation, named for the late Richard S. Reynolds. Which brings us back to Pam, who’s been at the forefront of fund-raising and is a top Richmond socialite. She’s enthusiastically helped a variety of local causes and serves on the boards of the Richmond Ballet and the Virginia Opera. She’s a near celebrity at VMFA, where she’s vice president of the board.



39. Lane B. Ramsey (+)With all the wackiness on the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, County Manager Lane Ramsey, 19 years at the helm, moves up the Power List. Just a little, though. Former Supervisor Ed Barber skirted jail time by pleading guilty to sexual battery of his stepdaughter – yikes – but people are still scratching heads over the $18,000 chartered plane that brought Ramsey home from Kansas to talk to reporters. After Barber was arrested, Supervisor Dickie King hopped on a plane and met the vacationing Ramsey, and they flew back together to nip this whole sex scandal in the bud. The public outcry was ugly. King praised Ramsey, but said he didn’t know about the $18,000 price. It means two things: First, Ramsey is the most important man in Chesterfield – he manages 4,000 employees in the most populous county in the region. And second, Dickie King better cover his butt.



40. James C. Cherry (+)He’s stepping down as chief executive of the Mid-Atlantic Banking Group for Wachovia Bank, but will remain chairman of the board. A restructuring at the executive office, however, will send some of Jim Cherry’s responsibilities out of state, and that’s not particularly good for Richmond. Cherry is well-connected in the city, though – and he has serious crossover appeal. He served as chairman of Mayor Wilder’s transition committee a year and a half ago, and recently led the search committee for a new director at VMFA. He also serves on the executive committee of the newly formed Renaissance Partners as it tries to figure out its new place in civic boosterism.



41. Richard L. Sharp (+)With Austin Ligon (No. 49) stepping down as chief executive of CarMax Inc., Rick Sharp takes on added influence as chairman of the company’s board of directors. A new, green CEO, 41-year-old Tom Folliard (No. 57), is taking the reins of Circuit City’s sibling, CarMax, a used-car retailer with more than $6 billion in annual sales. And with Circuit City gaining on rival Best Buy for the first time in years, the legacy of Sharp, who stepped down as Circuit City’s chief executive in 2000 amid a rocky downturn, gets a bit of polish. He’ll continue serving as chairman of the board for Crocs Inc. (which makes those ugly but hugely popular rubber clogs) and as board member at Flextronics International. He’s one of a half-dozen truly top-shelf businessmen in Richmond, a fellow Power Lister says. He’ll be needed if CarMax starts to slip.



42. Thurston R. Moore (+)Thurston R. Moore represents the Richmond law elite. He was managing partner of Hunton & Williams from 1991 until 2006 and was elected chairman of the law firm’s executive committee in 2006. In other words, he pretty much runs the place. Moore’s own practice mainly concerns corporate finance. A modest campaign donor, mostly to Democrats, Moore doesn’t get involved in messy local politics. But he’s a trustee of VMFA.



43. Chief Rodney D. Monroe (+)It’s been a tumultuous 18 months on the job for Richmond Police Chief Rodney Monroe. His handling of them – and because crime is such a crucial issue in Richmond – brings him up nine spots on the Power List. Consider: He’s dealt with the high-profile homicide of VCU student Taylor Behl and the horrendous murders on New Year’s Day in Richmond. He’s been called to investigate the city’s now-defunct Industrial Development Authority and been subpoenaed to testify in a wrongful death charge proceeding on appeal against a Richmond cop. Monroe’s been credited with the good and the bad – curbing crime, installing sector policing, mangling morale. He has Wilder’s support. Still, homicides keep apace with last year’s rate – a pace that ranks the city the fifth deadliest place to live nationwide.



44. Billy K. Cannaday Jr. (-)In April, Gov. Tim Kaine (No. 4) truncated Billy Cannaday’s second four-year term as superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools by tapping him as head of public instruction for the Virginia Department of Education. In effect, Cannaday went from having 55,000 pubic-school students in his portfolio to nearly 1.5 million. His drop on the Power List reflects that while his statewide cachet has risen considerably, his local influence on schools may be less direct. Cannaday, popular as a superintendent, will oversee how Virginia schools comply with and pass SOLs, and implement strategies and protocols for President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” program.



45. The Sauer Family (+)Take a cup of Duke’s mayonnaise. Add two tablespoons of exotic spices and a splash of incandescent vanilla extract, and garnish with a thriving real estate portfolio. And there you have a recipe for success for C.F. Sauer Co., the family-owned spice and food distributor. Conrad F. Sauer III serves as company chairman; Conrad F. IV is chief executive and president; Brad and Mark are vice presidents, respectively, of real estate and marketing. The Sauers are modest political givers and contribute to local causes; their power comes more from their land holdings and their company’s annual revenue of $277 million.



46. Marshall N. Morton (+)Media companies, especially those that own daily newspapers, are in the midst of a difficult transition. Newspapers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but readers are changing their habits. How will companies like Media General Inc. respond? That’s what they’d like to know. For Morton, who became president and chief executive a year ago this month, part of the answer is multimedia. He’s seeking new sources of revenue and counting on big payoffs from Web-based ventures. The company’s stock price is declining, but Morton says profits are strong. As for presence, Media General is still a behemoth in the Southeast, with three metro dailies, 22 daily community papers, more than 100 weekly newspapers and other publications, not to mention 30 television stations and 75-plus interactive media businesses.



47. John B. Adams Jr. and Michael Hughes (+)If last year was good for The Martin Agency, one employee says, “This year was phenomenal.” It’s difficult to predict ups and downs – and resulting staff changes – in the advertising business. The agency already handles advertising accounts for Geico, UPS and NASCAR. And it keeps winning big accounts, including Discover Card (an estimated $80 million in annual billings, Advertising Age reports); BFGoodrich Tires ($20 million); and Barely There bras. Business has been spread around the agency. And its sister firm, Slay Public Relations, has won the accounts of the Carpenter Co. and MeadWestvaco Corp., Richmond’s newest Fortune 500 company. Longtime pair John Adams, on the business side as chairman and chief executive, and Mike Hughes, president and creative director, may be the best pitchmen we have.



48. John H. Luke Jr. (*)No, not Jean-Luc, captain of the Enterprise on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” This is John Luke, the understated, quieter, media-averse captain of the region’s newest Fortune 500 resident, MeadWestvaco Corp. (and a former officer, incidentally, in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam). The manufacturing company, which makes packaging and paper products, announced Feb. 15 that it would relocate its Stamford, Conn., headquarters to Richmond, much to the delight of local officials. With the move will come an estimated 400 jobs – in addition to the 200 employees already here. Luke, chairman and chief executive of the 118-year-old company, is the great-great-grandson of the company’s founder and a board director at several companies. Luke’s also an industry player as chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers. It’s too early to tell what role the 57-year-old will take in other areas of the community.



49. Austin Ligon (-)After leading CarMax through the fog, rain, sleet and hail, Austin Ligon finally stepped down as president and chief executive of the publicly traded company in June. He rode out the storm – at one point, the stock had dipped to $1.31 and Wall Street had all but abandoned the company – and it paid off handsomely. Where Ligon lands in retirement is anybody’s guess, however, and it’s unclear how active he’ll be in Richmond. He’s a native of Texas and plans to do some traveling in the next few months before deciding his next step. He’s given $500,000 to the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School and more than $115,000 to Gov. Tim Kaine. Insiders don’t expect him to be a big player on the Richmond power scene in retirement.



50. Robey “Rob” Estes Jr. and Family (+He moves stuff. Well, his more than 12,000 employees move stuff. Robey Estes Jr. sits behind the wheel of Estes Express Lines, the family-run shipping company that’s celebrating its 75th anniversary. Estes became president in 1990, taking over from his father, Robey Sr., and has helped make the company one of the top trucking businesses in the country. Revenues approached $1.15 billion in 2005, nearly double the company’s take in 1999. Its Estes Air arm recently catapulted its growth by winning much of the sales force and business of Con-Way Forwarding, which is being closed by its parent company. Estes’ company has been an enthusiastic donor to Gov. Tim Kaine and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.



51. Theodore L. Chandler Jr. (+)Ted Chandler, president and chief executive of LandAmerica Financial Group, is a new addition to the Power List. He replaces former CEO Charlie Foster, who remains chairman of the title-insurance firm. Business has been good, considering the housing boom of the last decade. And Chandler is getting more active as a true mover and shaker in local power circles. He’s vice chairman of the Greater Richmond Chamber and is involved in a number of Richmond organizations, including Richmond Region 2007, VCU Massey Cancer Center, the Maymont Foundation and the Mid-Atlantic American Heart Association. He also serves on the board of directors of Richmond-based Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co., the country’s eighth-largest insurance broker.



52. The Rev. Lance D. Watson (+)Power in the religious sense is impossible to measure – and the secular concept of power is antithetical to the grace and humility required of spiritual leaders. As the Rev. Lance D. Watson might remind us, we are all equal in the sight of God. Then again, not all of us are shepherding more than 8,500 people through their spiritual journeys. Watson is doing so as senior pastor at The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, leading its predominantly African-American congregation for the last 20 years. There is much more going on at 4247 Creighton Road than worship, though. St. Paul’s is a mega-church with, among other things, a credit union, a housing development corporation and a center for arts and music. Now it has another church, too: In May it opened a satellite church on East Belt Boulevard. in the South Side, after Weatherford Memorial Baptist Church decided to donate its facility, reported Associated Baptist Press.



53. Anne Holton (*)A new addition to the list, Anne Holton, Gov. Tim Kaine’s wife, has devoted her career to advocating for families and children. Now that she’s Virginia’s first lady and not a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge, she’ll likely be able to push her causes both locally and statewide. Holton graduated from Princeton University and went on to earn her law degree from Harvard Law School, where she met Kaine (No. 4). In 1998, she was appointed to a judgeship in Richmond’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, where she worked to improve how the court handles child abuse and neglect cases. She resigned her judgeship following Kaine’s election so she can focus on their three children, Nat, Woody and Annella, and her duties as first lady. Her father, Linwood Holton, served as Virginia’s governor while Holton was a teenager, from 1970 to 1974.



54 Gordon F. Rainey Jr. (-)As chairman emeritus of Hunton & Williams, Gordon F. Rainey Jr. has traded his duties overseeing the day-to-day business of one of the nation’s biggest law firms for fetching donations from top kahunas. His charge: raise $3 billion for his alma mater, University of Virginia, by 2012. Anticipating slashes in state funding for higher education due to competing public interests, UVa. last year tapped Rainey to be his fund-raising Midas. Rainey’s local sway may dip some in the process, but as a member of the board of trustees for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and a member of the board of directors for SunTrust MidAtlantic and Bon Secours Richmond Health System, he undoubtedly retains more pull than most.



55. Margaret Lewis (-)Oh, Margaret Lewis, where have you gone? Onward and upward, it seems, moving from president of HCA’s Central Atlantic division to the company’s Capital Division. That takes you out of the Richmond area and into Northern and Southwestern Virginia territory, among other regions. And you work out of Reston, which unfortunately knocks you down some 40 notches from last year’s spot in the Power List’s top 10. (And paves the way for Patrick Farrell’s debut at No. 13). Fortunately, you’re not gone for good. You stay involved in local and statewide causes, and serve as board chairman of the John Tyler Community College Foundation. And you remain one of the few women on the list – in that position, Richmond shouldn’t lose.



56. Thomas A. Silvestri & Glenn Proctor (*)A trickledown effect exists in local media. It usually starts with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the largest news-gathering organization in the region. Publisher Tom Silvestri, who took over the role from J. Stewart Bryan III (No. 13) in January 2005, along with Executive Editor Glenn Proctor, an outside hire who started in November, ultimately decide what the public should know. Silvestri started a series of town-hall meetings to explore various issues. As for Proctor, a nervous newsroom is waiting to hear how he’ll restructure. It’s normal that change, however needed, will cause anxiety, but some T-D reporters say they could do with less negative reinforcement and arrogance, and more inspiration. The next year will be a turning point for the paper and its leaders.



57. J. Alfred Broaddus Jr. (-)Retirement? What retirement? “The one thing we get to do more together is run,” jokes Al Broaddus’ wife, Margaret. That’s when her husband’s not working on one of his boards – split between corporate and philanthropic issues: T. Rowe Price, Owens & Minor, Virginia Historical Society, VCU Board of Visitors andTredegar National Civil War Center Foundation among them. Then there are the times when CNBC, Bloomberg and other national media come calling for sound bites and perspectives. Broaddus can be a little more public with his opinions now, retired from his 1993-2004 stint as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.



58. Tom Folliard Jr. (*)At 41, Tom Folliard takes over one of Richmond’s most important companies, CarMax, which is riding a high as the nation’s biggest used-car retailer. He succeeds the well-respected Austin Ligon (No. 49) as chief executive, and has been with the company virtually since its inception in 1993. Folliard, a former basketball star at Florida Tech, is a whiz of sorts. He literally taught Ligon and Rick Sharp (No. 41), former CEO of Circuit City, the business of selling wholesale cars while working at a gritty dealership in Melbourne, Fla. Then he was invited in for a job interview. Folliard’s been a fixture at CarMax ever since. He’s a fast thinker like his predecessor, without the Ivy League pretension, and has an easygoing demeanor that makes him well-liked with the rank-and-file.



59. Eva S. Hardy (+)Can a lobbyist also be well-liked? Some pull it off, like Eva Hardy, senior vice president of external affairs and corporate communications for Dominion Resources. Even better for her company, she’s considered effective. And she’s earned a long list of awards for her influence on the region. For Mayor Wilder, she dug into one of the most pressing issues facing Richmond – at-risk youth – as co-chairman of Wilder’s human-services committee. It called for initiatives in education, health and at-risk males, among other causes last year. In politics, she supports Gov. Kaine (No. 4) and has sent sizeable checks to him and other notable Democrats.



60. Robert W. “Robin” Miller Jr. (-)Earlier this year Mayor Wilder named Robin Miller to his Interagency Task Force on Community Infrastructure. Not your average task force, the group, of which Miller is the sole developer, is charged with improving affordable housing in the city. Given his penchant for seeing diamonds in the rough – think Manchester and Lee lofts and now much of Petersburg – Miller’s position, vision and history could prove pivotal in transforming Richmond’s lack of public housing through public-private partnerships. In the process, it could pay off for developers, too, by providing a new frontier as supply wanes for historic buildings that qualify for tax credits.



61. Raymond H. Boone (*)According to Ray Boone, Richmond’s race problem stems from two sources: a lack of education and resistance to American ideas. Boone, a new addition to the list, is editor and publisher of the Richmond Free Press, a free weekly newspaper he started in 1992. His editorials have earned him praise and scorn from city leaders, though few argue his place as a powerful pundit. Boone’s reputation as a dogged journalist exceeds his proclivity for waving the race card however just the circumstance. And while other media tend to kowtow to Mayor Wilder if not to convention in general, Boone refuses and is known for taking both to task instead.



62. Robert J. Grey Jr. (-)Some would say Robert J. Grey Jr., a partner in prominent law firm Hunton & Williams, reached the pinnacle of his career when he became president of the American Bar Association. Grey, whose term expired in 2005, was the second African-American to serve as the group’s president. Now he’s zeroing in on local issues. In November, Mayor Wilder asked him to lead his Performing Arts Committee – the group charged with figuring out a solution for the controversial Performing Arts Center plans. Rumor has it Grey may consider seeking the office of mayor himself in 2008.



63. James W. Dunn (-)Proximity to power may be what most distinguishes Jim Dunn. As president and chief executive of the Greater Richmond Chamber for the last 15 years, Dunn rubs elbows with the region’s top movers and shakers. We debated Dunn’s power last year, questioning whether it was derived from the company he keeps – officials, power brokers and politicians – or exercised in his own right by an ability to persuade others to do what he wants. While businesses come and go, Dunn provides consistency. And he’s arguably regionalism’s biggest cheerleader. A Chesterfield County resident and a grandfather of four, Dunn also sits on many educational and community-related boards.



64. Charles Luck III and Family (+)They still run the 9th-largest crushed stone operation in the United States. But to be frank, the Lucks just lack that certain something to push them up the Power List. Yes, they have a foundation that financially bolsters communities, schools, religious groups and all that, but we’d like a little more rowdiness. A scandal or something. The Lucks have a grant application on their Web site where you can attempt to extract money from them, but that seems like too much work. Seriously, though, local nonprofits like having a Luck on their boards, and Charles S. Luck III and his son, Charles IV, are active in the community, including the Goochland YMCA and VMFA. But c’mon. They sell rocks.



65. G. Manoli Loupassi (*)After four terms on Richmond City Council, most recently as its president, G. Manoli Loupassi has announced his intention to leave fractious city politics for something bigger and better. He managed to hold his own – sometimes – against a powerful Mayor Wilder. Next the Republican will work to defeat incumbent independent Delegate Katherine B. Waddell. Loupassi’s already demonstrated he can draw big campaign contributions. A recent fund-raising dinner brought in more than $100,000. A defense attorney, Loupassi is also involved in several city booster groups and influential organizations.



66. Jeffrey M. Lacker (+)Two years after replacing J. Alfred Broaddus Jr. (No. 57) as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, one of only a dozen in the nation, Jeff Lacker still isn’t terribly visible. But he’s gaining clout. Earlier this month he was appointed to the executive committee of Renaissance Partners, formerly Richmond Renaissance, and in May joined the executive advisory council for the E. Claiborne Robins School of Business. He’s also a member of the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Advisory Council and serves on the board of directors for the Richmond Jewish Foundation. He’s no Broaddus, but he’s slowly moving up the ladder.



67. Darcy Oman (*)In early July, Darcy Oman began her one-year term as chair of the Washington, D.C.-based Community Foundations Leadership Team of the Council on Foundations. Oman, who debuts on the list, is president and CEO of The Community Foundation in Richmond, which serves as a resource for people who want to carefully give their fortunes away. People who seek her help have come to trust Oman. Her discretionary powers are huge. And her role becomes increasingly crucial as more nonprofits suffer cuts in public funding and are forced to compete for philanthropic dollars. Oman rubs shoulders with the area’s most elite as well as its most troubled, uniting them by what must be a shared belief in providence and the golden rule.



68. The Sowers Family (*)The Sowers brothers – Mark, George and Doug – are perhaps the most influential real estate developers in Chesterfield and Powhatan counties. Their projects are, literally, changing the face of Chesterfield and testing the will of county leaders. In a county where the tax base suffers from too many residents and not enough businesses, the Sowers’ Roseland project – a planned development near Route 288 and Powhite Parkway to the west – could bring another 4,600 new homes during the next few years if the property is rezoned as expected. Like its counterpart at Watkins Centre, the development reflects the trend in residential real estate to build “new urbanist” projects that are pitched as anti-sprawl, but are really just tighter suburbs with streetlights and sidewalks. Watch the county pass it, and then thank the Sowers family for saving Chesterfield from another “traditional” subdivision. Now that’s power.



69. Stuart C. Siegel (-)S&K Menswear embarked on a “branding” initiative in the fall, in which it latched on to the famous ZZ Top lyrics “Every girl’s crazy ’bout a sharp-dressed man.” Stuart C. Siegel, chairman of the board of S&K Famous Brands Inc., told his stockholders in April that it’s an effort to turn the philosophy into the company’s mantra. The result: increased sales. Sales for the retailer increased again this year – up 2.6 percent to $193.5 million. Siegel, arguably one of the city’s most eligible bachelors, has VCU’s sports center named after him, and he’s chummy with the governor (No. 4). Siegel co-chaired Kaine’s inaugural after contributing $98,942 to his campaign. What’s more, he gave Kaine the sharp-dressed-man treatment: $3,500 in clothes.



70. Wallace Stettinius (*)Insiders in the nonprofit world know the significance of a “Stettinius report”: It means business. Most recently, Wally Stettinius has loaned his organizational expertise to the issue of homelessness in Richmond, putting together a comprehensive study to see why the city keeps coming up short despite spending $30 million annually with hundreds of programs. Stettinius, a newcomer to the list, is the former chairman and chief executive of Cadmus Communications Corp., one of the nation’s largest printing companies. He’s on the boards of Cadmus, Chesapeake Corp. and Grayco. While no longer a day-to-day force, Stettinius is widely revered as a corporate guru, teaching business at both UVa. and VCU. And his consulting powers seem to be on the rise. Wilder’s put him on one of his advisory panels, too.



71. Bishop Francis Xavier DiLorenzo (0)When Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo was installed as bishop of the Diocese of Richmond in May 2004, he immediately set to sweeping away the more liberal precedents of former Bishop Walter F. Sullivan. DiLorenzo dismissed a member of the diocese’s women’s commission who supported ordination for women, and he dissolved the sexual minorities commission. He also appointed a diocesan theologian, a position responsible for ensuring adherence to Catholic teachings. Since then, DiLorenzo has stepped back from the spotlight, but he remains the spiritual leader for 220,000 active Catholics.



72. Sheila Hill-Christian (*)Not that she planned it, but Sheila Hill-Christian’s been caught in a game of executive-director musical chairs. In the last few years she’s gone from being top dog at GRTC Transit System to the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority to, just this month, the Virginia Lottery. Gov. Tim Kaine (No. 4) put her there. To her credit, nobody seems to question why. Hill-Christian, who has two teenage daughters, somehow manages to come across as savvy, sophisticated and sincere in whatever job she’s in. She just needs to stay in one place long enough to let her leadership pay off.



73. Marge M. Connelly (-)Not counting those who have fallen off the Power List entirely, Marge Connelly takes the steepest dive. It’s nothing personal. But that’s what happens when you leave a position as the highest-ranking local executive of Capital One Financial Corp., the area’s largest private employer (based in McLean). Yet Connelly remains a powerful force in Richmond. In March, Wachovia Securities (and Danny Ludeman, No. 36) snapped her up as chief operating officer and president of its business services group. Connelly also serves on the boards of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Greater Richmond Partnership and Greater Richmond YMCA, in addition to chairing the Virginia Workforce Council. As a lesbian mother of two, she has worked to further public-policy issues that support same-sex partners.



74. H. Louis Salomonsky (*)Any man who can fight a court case, read the Wall Street Journal, conduct commerce and get in shape from the confines of federal prison has to have considerable power on the outside, too. Never mind that Lou Salomonsky isn’t throwing as much of his weight around as he used to – he has muscle, and maybe more friends than enemies. One of his cronies is Wilder, after all. Salomonsky voluntarily gave up his architecture license when his legal troubles regarding conspiracy and convicted City Councilwoman Gwen Hedgepeth came to light in 2004. But there’s something of a Robin Hood aesthetic to Salomonsky. He’s helped out the maligned from Kathleen Willey to Leonidas Young, mostly with money. Stay tuned: Much property and many people have ties to Salomonsky. Who knows how he’ll foster his newfound freedom.



75. Viola O. Baskerville (*)As a Democratic state delegate from Richmond and Henrico County, Viola O. Baskerville was well-known as a leader but not a political power player. That changed in 2006 with her appointment as secretary of administration by Gov. Tim Kaine (No. 4). Now Baskerville, 54, oversees the workings of state government. She’s in charge of the state Department of Minority Business Enterprise and most notably the Department of General Services, which controls state purchases and real estate. It’s too early to tell whether she’ll shake up state government; some have criticized Baskerville for her complacency regarding the demolition of historic, state-owned buildings in downtown Richmond.



Power Shift

The 2005 Power List

1. Mayor L. Douglas Wilder

2. Gov. Mark R. Warner

3. William H. Goodwin Jr.

4. James E. Ukrop

5. Michael E. Szymanczyk

6. Eugene P. Trani

7. Margaret G. Lewis

8. J. Stewart Bryan III



9. Marge M. Connelly

10. Jerry Kilgore

11. The Gottwald Family

12. The Weinstein Family

13. Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine

14. Robert S. Ukrop

15. Thomas F. Farrell II

16. Beverley W. “Booty” Armstrong

17. The Robins Family

18. Stanley F. Pauley

19. Paul Goldman

20. John W. Snow

21. Thomas E. Capps

22. William E. Cooper

23. G. Gilmer Minor III

24. Michael D. Fraizer

25. Rep. Eric I. Cantor

26. Gordon F. Rainey Jr.

27. Dr. Frank S. Royal

28. Peter J. Bernard

29. Former Gov. Gerald L. Baliles

30. Ralph L. “Bill” Axselle Jr.

31. Robert L. Burrus Jr.

32. Stuart C. Siegel

33. Austin Ligon

34. The Markel Family

35. James C. Cherry

36. State Sen. John C. Watkins

37. Billy K. Cannaday Jr.

38. Daniel J. Ludeman

39. Virgil R. Hazelett

40. Ivor Massey Jr. and Family

41. Brenton S. Halsey

42. Robert C. Sledd

43. Lane B. Ramsey

44. Thomas J. Bliley Jr.

45. Delegate M. Kirkland Cox

46. State Sen. Walter A. Stosch

47. Robert W. “Robin” Miller Jr.

48. The Reynolds Family

49. Gilbert and Fannie Rosenthal

50. J. Alfred Broaddus Jr.

51. Marshall N. Morton

52. Chief Rodney D. Monroe

53. James W. Dunn

54. C.T. Hill

55. The Sauer Family

56. Bishop Peter James Lee

57. Richard L. Sharp

58. Judge Roger L. Gregory

59. Robert J. Grey Jr.

60. Ray Allen Jr. and Melinda Allen, and M. Boyd Marcus 61. Thurston R. Moore

62. W. Alan McCollough

63. Eva S. Hardy

64. Robert F. Norfleet Jr.

65. Charlie H. Foster Jr.

66. Robey “Rob” Estes Jr.

67. John B. Adams Jr. and Michael Hughes

68. The Rev. Lance D. Watson

69. Thomas N. Allen

70. Charles S. Luck III and Family

71. Bishop Francis Xavier DiLorenzo

72. Francis A. Lewis

73. The Rev. Peter James Flamming

74. Former Gov. Jim Gilmore

75. Jeffrey M. Lacker



The 2006 Power List

1. Mayor L. Douglas Wilder

2. William H. Goodwin Jr.

3. Eugene P. Trani

4. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine

5. James E. Ukrop

6. Michael E. Szymanczyk

7. Thomas F. Farrell II

8. Stanley F. Pauley

9. Michael D. Fraizer

10. The Gottwald Family

11. The Weinstein Family

12. Thomas E. Capps

13. J. Stewart Bryan III

14. Philip J. Schoonover

15. Robert S. Ukrop

16. Beverley W. “Booty” Armstrong

17. Patrick Farrell

18. The Robins Family

19. G. Gilmer III and Charlotte Minor

20. The Markel Family and Alan I. Kirshner

21. Ralph L. “Bill” Axselle Jr.

22. Robert L. Burrus Jr.

23. Rep. Eric I. Cantor

24. Dr. Frank S. Royal

25. William E. Harrell

26. Peter J. Bernard

27. Virgil R. Hazelett

28. John W. Snow



29. Jory Berson

30. State Sen. John C. Watkins

31. Ivor Massey Jr. and Family

32. Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell

33. Robert C. Sledd

34. C.T. Hill

35. Delegate M. Kirkland Cox

36. Daniel J. Ludeman

37. State Sen. Walter A. Stosch

38. Pamela Reynolds and the Reynolds Family

39. Lane B. Ramsey

40. James C. Cherry

41. Richard L. Sharp

42. Thurston R. Moore

43. Chief Rodney D. Monroe

44. Billy K. Cannaday Jr.

45. The Sauer Family

46. Marshall N. Morton

47. John B. Adams Jr. and Michael Hughes

48. John H. Luke Jr.

49. Austin Ligon

50. Robey “Rob” Estes Jr. and Family

51. Theodore L. Chandler Jr.
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