Aubrey L. Layne, Jr., a veteran of the Virginia state government, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) Board of Commissioners. Layne brings with him extensive experience in the transportation field. He previously serving as the Virginia Secretary of Finance and is currently the senior vice president and chief of staff for Sentara Healthcare.
“His leadership is going to be invaluable because of his experience in this port and his wider understanding of an integrated transportation system and its benefits to the state,” said Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the VPA. “Equally important is the knowledge he gained from working under two governors and the relationships he developed in Richmond during that time. This is an important moment for the Port of Virginia and a forward-thinking board with strong leadership is going to be vital in our success.”
Layne takes over as the port is investing $1.4 billion to continue a modernization and growth campaign aimed at generating more business and being able to accommodate an ongoing shift in trade to the U.S. east coast. Layne served as the Virginia Secretary of Transportation from 2014 to 2018, a period when the port invested more than $800 million to modernize and expand its two primary container terminals, Norfolk International Terminals and Virginia International Gateway.
Assuming the vice-chair’s position is Dr. Faith B. Power, who was appointed to the board in 2014. Her term will expire in 2026.
“They [Layne and Power] know each other and have a lot of experience together during our expansion years,” said Edwards. “That relationship and their oversight is important to maintaining and building our momentum.”