The applause is still echoing! On Thursday, October 8, the Richmond region’s rising stars gathered at The Science Museum of Virginia for the 11th annual HYPE ICONS Awards, and the winners are officially in.

The evening brought together emerging leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and community changemakers to honor young professionals and organizations making a real difference across the region. From the networking reception to the awards program, the energy in the room said it all: Richmond’s next generation is thriving.

Congratulations to the 2026 ICONS winners:

Community Champion: Cymone Hall, Black Girls of RVA
Maverick Mentorship: Terrell ‘Will’ Hackney, D1 Training
Trailblazing Trendsetter: Ishmael Sandiford, Fit-X Experience
Young Professional of the Year: Katelynn Vance, Dominion Energy
Nonprofit of the Year: YMCA of Greater Richmond
Small Business of the Year: Alps DX
Large Business of the Year: Thalhimer
HYPE Leadership Team: Regina Gustke, Obsidian Global

Each honoree, along with every finalist, represents the bold leadership, community impact, and passion for lifting others up that make our region stand out. We’re proud to celebrate them and grateful to everyone who joined us, nominated, sponsored, and supported the evening.

Want to stay in the loop on what’s next for HYPE? Visit chamberrva.com/hype to get involved.

Congratulations again to all of our 2026 ICONS. We can’t wait to see what you do next!