12 The Hampton Roads Messenger


Volume 13 Number 12 Around Hampton Roads


Chesapeake Names New Manager Christopher M. Price, currently the Deputy County Executive in Prince William County, Virginia, has been named Chesapeake’s new City Manager, effective November 4, 2019. Price replaces James E. Baker, who has served as City Manager since January of 2013. Baker will retire on October 31, 2019.


Following a nationwide search, several finalists were interviewed by the members of the Chesapeake City Council. Price was the overwhelming choice at the conclusion of the process.


“There is no question in my mind that Chris Price is the person to lead Chesapeake into the next chapter of its dynamic, rich, and successful story,” said Mayor Rick West. “His background, his experience, and his direct knowledge of this City will be of tremendous benefit as he works to build upon the positive initiatives James Baker has set in motion. This is a great time to be in Chesapeake, and my Council colleagues and I look forward to working with Mr. Price to help our City continue to grow and prosper.”


Price has served Prince William County since 2011, first as the Planning Director and, since 2016, as Deputy County Executive. In that role, he oversees the County’s Community Development agencies, including Planning, Public Works, Parks/Recreation/Tourism, and others. Additionally, Price served as the County’s Interim Executive Director of Economic Development from January through July of this year.


From 2007 until 2011, Price served as Executive Director of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission, leading both the Planning District Commission and the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Price began his public service career in the City of Chesapeake, Department of Planning, from 1997 until 2002, serving as a Planner and then as a Senior Planner, before moving to the State College, Pennsylvania, area for additional Planning-related positions.


“The opportunity to return to the City of Chesapeake was one I simply could not pass up” said Price. “It will be an honor to serve this amazing community in a new role, and I sincerely appreciate the trust that the City Council has placed in me. Chesapeake offers an outstanding quality of life and is very well positioned for the future. I’m looking forward to working with the City Council and staff to lead Chesapeake into new opportunities, and to building and enhancing relationships with the residents, businesses, and community groups whom we serve.”


Price holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Old Dominion University, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Penn State University. He is also a graduate of the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia. Price is a member of the International City/County Management Association, the Virginia Local Government Management Association, and the American Institute of Certified Planners.


The search for a new City Manager began in late February of this year, when Baker announced his intention to retire at the end of October. The City Council interviewed a number of search firms before contracting with GovHR USA of Northbrook, IL. GovHR USA President, Heidi Voorhees, personally led the nationwide search and assisted the Councilmembers in the interview process.


Price will be Chesapeake’s 11th City Manager since the City’s founding in 1963 when the City of South Norfolk and Norfolk County merged. He will receive an annual salary of $254,000. Price, a native of Philipsburg, PA, is married and has twin daughters.


NASA Langley Deputy Director


to Become Center's Director NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced Monday the selection of Clayton Turner as the next director of the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Turner will assume the director’s position Monday, Sept. 30, when current Center Director David Bowles retires after 39 years with the agency.


Since 2015, Turner has served as Langley’s deputy center director. As center director, he will lead a diverse group of about 3,400 civil servant and contractor scientists, researchers, engineers and support staff, who work to make revolutionary improvements to aviation, expand understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, and develop technology for space exploration.


“Clayton’s wide range of engineering and leadership experience will serve Langley and the agency well as our Artemis program works to send astronauts to the Moon by 2024 to prepare to go to Mars,” said Bridenstine. “I also want to thank David for four decades of public service from Langley, where he addressed the challenges associated with space and air travel, as well as developing future aviation vehicles. His contributions to NASA and America are appreciated.”


Prior to his appointment as deputy center director, Turner served as the associate director responsible for managing daily operations with a focus on center commitments. In this capacity, he was responsible for aligning Langley’s institutional resources and infrastructure to meet current and future NASA mission needs. Turner also served as director of the Engineering Directorate at Langley. In this capacity, he was responsible for the conceptualization, design, development and delivery of ground and flight systems and for designing, enabling and implementing engineering


capabilities to meet NASA missions.


Turner began his career with NASA in 1990 by serving as a design engineer with the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment project, where he spearheaded development of the laser aligning, bore-sight limit system. Over the next 29 years, Turner served in various roles with progressively increasing responsibility, leading the agency’s engineering contributions to many successful flight projects, including: the Earth Science Cloud- Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation Project; the Earth observing technology development Gas and Aerosol Monitoring Sensorcraft Project; the materials technology development Gas Permeable Polymer Materials Project; the Space Shuttle Program Return-to-Flight; the flight test of the Ares 1-X rocket; the flight test of the Orion Launch Abort System; and the entry, descent and landing segment of the Mars Science Laboratory.


Turner earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in electrical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology. Throughout his career, Turner has received many prestigious awards, including the Presidential Rank Award, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, and the Paul F. Holloway Non-Aerospace Technology Transfer Award.


Newport News Opens Brooks


September 2019


Crossing Innovation Center The City of Newport News hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony today for the new Brooks Crossing Innovation and Opportunity Center (BCIOC) in the Southeast Community.


Governor Ralph Northam, Senator Mark Warner, Senator Tim Kaine, Congressman Bobby Scott, Mayor McKinley Price, officials from the City, Newport News Shipbuilding and Old Dominion University, as well as community leaders celebrated the opening of the community center that focuses on workforce development and STEM-education outreach in collaboration with the city and its partners.


“The workforce development initiatives and innovation taking place at the Brooks Crossing Innovation and Opportunity Center are critical in developing a 21st century talent pool,” said Price. “The investment here, as well as broader investments within the community, will help to create an ecosystem in which individuals and businesses can receive the support necessary to build a foundation for long-term success.”


Brooks Crossing Innovation and Opportunity Center, which occupies the first floor of the newly constructed 105,000-square-foot Brooks Crossing office building, will make workforce development and STEM education services readily accessible to citizens, students and businesses. The facility includes a collaborative space for innovation and new ventures, such as entrepreneurial initiatives.


This resource features two elements key to the city’s ongoing community engagement efforts: The Brooks Crossing Opportunity Center (BCOC) and the STEM Digital Innovation and Fabrication Lab.


BCOC is a centralized hub for services related to career awareness, skill development, wealth building, training and employment, and support services. In addition to serving as a location for case management support and hosting interviews and job fairs, BCOC is a location where citizens can test for certificate programs and participate in career readiness seminars, workshops and training programs.


The STEM Digital Innovation and Fabrication Lab, a partnership between the city, Newport News Shipbuilding, Old Dominion University and the Newport News Economic Development Authority, is the first of its kind in Virginia. Through hands-on and project-based learning, the innovation center will serve as a resource for students, parents and citizens interested in learning about digital technologies used in design and fabrication.


“Brooks Crossing Innovation Lab establishes a STEM hub for the Peninsula to build synergy with regional initiatives to prepare the next-generation workforce,” said John R. Broderick, president of Old Dominion University. “Old Dominion and Brooks Crossing will also take the lead in establishing the Southeastern Virginia Advanced Manufacturing Association. The Peninsula is home to several of these manufacturers, and Brooks Crossing represents an opportunity to establish more pipelines for workforce readiness.”


Newport News Shipbuilding is the anchor tenant of the Brooks Crossing office building, which was completed in 2019. Approximately 600 employees in the information technology, engineering and design and integrated planning and production control departments now occupy the top three floors of the building.


“Our employees are working to re-imagine our design and manufacturing processes and lead the way into the digital age of shipbuilding, but we cannot allow this transformation to be limited to the top three floors. Equally as exciting is the first floor, which will be dedicated to introducing southeast residents of all ages to STEM-related jobs,” said Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding. “Brooks Crossing brings important learning opportunities to people who want to grow and it is this kind of community outreach that defines who we are as a company. It gives us the opportunity to grow a new generation of computer engineers, data scientists, mathematicians and shipbuilding leaders from right here in our own backyard.”


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