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Mr. Crum has served the past 10 years as the Executive Director of both the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, where he is responsible for coordinating cooperation among the region’s 17 local governments in areas such as regional consensus building; legislative affairs; and transportation, community, environmental, housing, economic, and emergency management planning. He has overseen numerous regional initiatives both in Hampton Roads and in his previous work in the Richmond area. Current initiatives include the Regional Fiber Initiative, a Regional Economic Development Sites Inventory, and collaboration with the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission. He also serves on the Regional Organization Presidents Council; a group of regional executives committed to promoting economic growth and success throughout Hampton Roads.
“We feel there is no one more deserving of a regional recognition than our very own Robert Crum,” said Bryan K. Stephens, President & CEO of the Hampton Roads Chamber. “Bob is deserving of this award because he puts our region first and encourages all of us to think strategically, plan accordingly and collaborate for the good of our region.”
Mr. Crum was nominated by a consortium that included the Hampton Roads Chamber, the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, the Hamton Roads Workforce Council, the Hampton Roads Alliance, the Virginia Peninsula Chamber, and the Hampton Roads Military & Federal Facilities Alliance.
For 16 years, Gordon N. Dixon was an outstanding example of a regional leader while serving as Executive Director for two planning district commissions--the New River Valley and the Fifth Planning District Commission. He sincerely believed in regional planning and community development. Following his death, the VAPDC established the Dixon Award to recognize executive directors and commissioners who display exceptional dedication to the regional planning vision for Virginia.
Planning District Commissions were enabled by state legislation in 1968 and most were established the following year. There are 21 PDCs and Regional Commissions in Virginia made up of elected officials and citizens appointed by local governments. The purpose of Planning District Commissions is to encourage and facilitate regional solutions to problems of area-wide significance. This is done by promoting the efficient development of the physical, social, and economic policies of all districts by assisting local governments to plan for the future. The PDCs of Virginia joined together to create the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions in 1987 to share best practices and further regionalism
across the Commonwealth.
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