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Over half of executives say that housing affordability and reducing taxes are their top policy priorities for the 2027 General Assembly session.
Nearly 170 executives completed the Q3 Business Leader Survey, and the results are in. NVC is pleased to share the findings of the Q3 Business Leader Survey, an important initiative conducted in partnership with Pinkston and a dedicated coalition of Northern Virginia chambers of commerce.
Key highlights include:
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Regional and National Optimism Decline: 36% of business leaders believe the Northern Virginia economy will grow over the next 6 months (down from 40% in the Q2 survey). 22% believe it will decline, the same as last quarter. 47% of business leaders are pessimistic about the national economy (up from 38% last quarter), and only 34% are optimistic about the national economy.
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Data Center Support: 53% of business leaders believe that data centers have a positive impact on Northern Virginia’s economy, while 34% believe they have a negative impact. 13% have no opinion.
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President Trump’s Foreign Policy Impact: Nearly half (49%) of business leaders say their companies are being negatively impacted by President Trump’s foreign policy decisions.
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Top Policy Issues for the 2027 General Assembly Session: When asked about their top policy priorities for next year's session (respondents could select more than one), respondents cited housing affordability (33%) and reduced taxes (27%) as the top two.
Thank you to the C-suite leaders who participated in this quarter's survey! Your valuable perspectives will be shared with elected officials across our region. Guided by the NOVA Roadmap, we're ensuring that the collective voice of our business community is heard by decisionmakers.
| | Zach Crenshaw moderating an engaging Q&A on boosting brand visibility with executive panelists Tracy Schario and Matt McQueen.  | | |
To elevate your visibility, you need to look beyond customers to decisionmakers, influencers, policymakers, and the media.
Last week’s C-Suite Roundtable: The Visibility Advantage: How CEOs Can Use the Media to Increase Influence*, emphasized why it’s important for executives to define their audience, develop a strong, credible point of view, and choosing media opportunities that suit your brand and purpose.
Through an interactive Q&A with regional communications executives, attendees explored the key to building visibility with purpose. Two practical reminders stood out: “don’t expect immediate success” when building media relationships, and, when sharing longer-form content, “chop it up, and get it out there.” Leaders were encouraged to approach visibility as a sustained effort, not a single interview or placement.
Thank you to Falls Church City Mayor Letty Hardi for opening this month's roundtable event, and to Zach Crenshaw (Pinkston), Matt McQueen (MC Global Advisors), and Tracy Schario (Fellow PRSA) for leading the insightful discussion.
*NVC executives, do you want to be involved in future conversations like this? Join us for the next C-Suite Roundtable by contacting the NVC Membership Team to RSVP.
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This year, out of the 52 outstanding executives who were honored, NVC was proud to see 11 members were recognized.
NVC members include:
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Rebecca Fallen, Region Vice President, Virginia Sales, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
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Susan Chanaux, Chief People Officer, Appian
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Natalie Grubbs, Chief Information Officer, Consumer & Business Banking, Atlantic Union Bank
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Maria Tedesco, President and Chief Operating Officer, Atlantic Union Bank
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Karen Wilson, Managing Director, Business Banking Market Executive, Bank of America
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Jennifer Montague, President and Chief Operating Officer, Columbia Gas of Virginia
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Laura Ipsen, President & Chief Executive Officer, Ellucian
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Sage Bolte, President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Inova Health Foundation
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Dr. Thuy-Anh Melvin, Chief Operating Officer, Medical and Surgical Specialties, Kaiser Permanente
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Linda Rabbitt, Founder and Executive Chairman, rand* construction group
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Candice McAulliffe, Medicaid Plan President, Sentara Health Plans
| | | | The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (NVC) and public relations firm Pinkston released results of their third-quarter 2026 Business Leader Survey this week, revealing the sentiments of the region’s CEOs, senior executives and business owners... | | A survey from the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and Pinkston found 53% of top executives view data centers positively while 34% have doubts. One in eight leaders, 13%, had no opinion... | | | | | Northern Virginia business leaders have grown more pessimistic about the national economy and less optimistic about their own companies, according to a quarterly survey released Tuesday by the Northern Virginia Chamber and the communications firm Pinkston... | | If you have tried to buy a home in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, or elsewhere in Northern Virginia lately, you probably already know there are not enough homes on the market... | | | Last Day to Purchase Tables and Tickets: Friday, October 30 | | |
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
NVC MEMBER NEWS
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On October 1, NVC President and CEO Julie Coons, SVP of Government Relations Clayton Medford, and Government Affairs Manager Austin Vitale attended a Regional Chamber Leadership meeting convened by the Arlington Chamber at Amazon’s HQ2 in National Landing.
Northern Virginia's chambers regularly collaborate on business advocacy, and last week's meeting was an opportunity to share NVC's work on behalf of the four bold goals of the NOVA Roadmap.
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