HYPE 2023 ICONS Young Professional Awards Celebration

Honoring the Young Professionals that make RVA great!

Announcing ICONS 2023 Winners!

On Thursday, November 30 at Altria Theater, HYPE hosted an unforgettable evening of recognition, celebration, and connection honoring the rising stars who are redefining success. These exceptional individuals and organizations have not only demonstrated unparalleled dedication to their careers, but have also harnessed their skills, creativity, and innovation to leave an indelible mark in the Richmond region. Congratulations to this year’s ICONS!

2023 ICONS Winners:

Icons 2023 Winner Banner
ICONS Business Awards

This award is for an individual who consistently goes above and beyond to ensure projects are delivered effectively.

  • Sarah Fraiser | VCU Athletics
  • Jeremy Jenkins | Clark Construction
  • Reid Mowbray | Ballast Consulting
  • Logan Sullivan | ColonialWebb

This award is presented to an individual for their outstanding community service actions and contributions to the well-being of the Richmond region.

  • Adolph Brown IV | Virginia Union University
  • James Harris | The HEALing Hub
  • Kassie Schroth | VCU Massey Alliance YP Board
  • Sara Woznicki | RVA Brunch Weekend

This award is presented to a local business owner or owners who exemplify and hold true a commitment to Richmond region through their demonstrated business entrepreneurial accomplishments.

  • Phyl Demetriou | RVA Debate Institute
  • Ellen Victoria Luckey | Victoria’s Kitchen

This award recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of a highly motivated, emerging leader within the Richmond region.

Nonprofit Organization:

  • Heather Farber | United Way
  • Yasmin Gregg | ChildSavers
  • Jamila Walker | VPM

For Profit Organization:

  • Connie Crowl | Kings Dominion
  • Ryan Elizabeth Foulds | Capital One
  • Kelsey McLeland | Capital One
  • Edwin Rivera Hernandez | Dominion Energy

This award is presented to an organization that goes above and beyond to serve the Richmond region through volunteerism and community contribution.

  • Dominion Energy
  • Higher Achievement Young Professional Board
  • JES Foundation Repair

This award recognizes an organization (large and small business) in the Richmond region that excels at attracting, retaining, and developing young employees.

Small Employer:

  • Communities in Schools (CIS) of Richmond
  • Ballast Consulting

Large Employer:

  • ColonialWebb
  • Dominion Energy
  • Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Check out the 2022 ICONS Winners:

Front Runner Award 

This award is given a career-bold YP who is a driver, pacesetter and pioneer in their company or organization. Front Runners make a name for themselves through hard work, active engagement and great results. Not afraid to take calculated risks, they exercise strategic judgment in supporting the mission of their teams and their organizations. Their drive and passion for this work fuels their desire to leave an impactful legacy.

Winner (Nonprofit) | Courtney Elliott, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Finalists:

  • JC Poma, Richmond Region Tourism
  • Edward Richards, Senior Connections
Winner (Corporate) | Ryan Strasser, Troutman Pepper

Finalists:

  • Drew Gann, McGuire Woods
  • Matthew Tartaglia, Summit Human Capital
  • Connie Tran, Dominion Energy

Innovator Award

The Innovator award honors a young professional who is imaginative in their approach to identifying new avenues of thought and action. Innovators think beyond the limits of convention, challenge the status quo, and aren’t afraid to start difficult conversations that address a need or opportunity. They embrace innovation and creativity as drivers to making positive changes for the betterment of their teams and their organizations.

Winner | Lindsay Wildman, Dominion Energy

Finalists:

  • Victor McKenzie, SAARA
  • Ashley Williams, BareSoul Yoga

YP Philanthropist of the Year (NEW!)

The new YP Philanthropist of the Year Award honors a young professional who has given a significant amount of their time, treasure and/or talent to a Richmond-region non-profit or initiative.

Winner | Megan Morris, Thought Logic

Finalists:

  • Stephen Biederman, VCU Health
  • Laura O’Neil, KPMG

Strength in Numbers Award- YP Organization Award

Young professional organizations make our region better for all who live here, whether through providing a place for connection, bettering our community or helping YPs advance in their careers (or all of the above). This award honors a YP volunteer organization or board that excels in one or more of the areas listed.

Winner | YP Board – Special Olympics Virginia

Finalists:

  • YP Board – Higher Achievement
  • Trying to Adult RVA

YP Small Business of the Year

Small businesses are the fabric of our region. This award recognizes a small business owned by YPs in the Richmond region (40 and under) who have contributed to making Richmond a great place to work, live and play.

Winner | Ruff Canine Club

Finalists:

  • LipLoveLine
  • Summit Human Capital

YP Workplace Award:

This award recognizes organizations (small and large) in the Greater Richmond Region that excel at attracting, retaining and developing young employees. The winning organizations will demonstrate a commitment to:

  • Providing young professionals with opportunities for growth and development
  • Encouraging young professional engagement in the Greater Richmond community
  • Attracting and retaining young professionals
  • Valuing the contributions of young professionals

 

Small Business Winner | Fred Astaire Dance

Finalist:

  • Vaco
Large Business Winner | Dominion Energy

Finalist:

  • Capital One

Check out the 2021 ICONS Winners:

Front Runner Award 

This award is given a career-bold YP who is a driver, pacesetter and pioneer in their company or organization. Front Runners make a name for themselves through hard work, active engagement and great results. Not afraid to take calculated risks, they exercise strategic judgment in supporting the mission of their teams and their organizations. Their drive and passion for this work fuels their desire to leave an impactful legacy.

WINNER:

Ashley Pinney | John Tyler Community College

Finalists:

Abby Nurnberger Kittrell | AA Communications

Anna Jane Glascock | Marriott Hotels

Max Malmgren | Atlantic Union Bank

Innovator Award

The Innovator award honors a young professional who is imaginative in their approach to identifying new avenues of thought and action. Innovators think beyond the limits of convention, challenge the status quo, and aren’t afraid to start difficult conversations that address a need or opportunity. They embrace innovation and creativity as drivers to making positive changes for the betterment of their teams and their organizations.

WINNER:

Sammie McCabe | United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg

Finalists:

Anna McChesney | Healing Sounds RVA

Rabia Kamara | Ruby Scoops

Thomas Bettin | Fred Astaire Dance

Bryce Rogers | Colonial Webb Contractors

Strength in Numbers Award- YP Organization Award

Young professional organizations make our region better for all who live here, whether through providing a place for connection, bettering our community or helping YPs advance in their careers (or all of the above). This award honors a YP volunteer organization or board that excels in one or more of the areas listed.

WINNER:

Urban League Greater Richmond Young Professionals

Finalists:

Special Olympics of Virginia Young Professionals Board

ouRVA Collective

YP Small Business of the Year

Small businesses are the fabric of our region. This award recognizes a small business owned by YPs in the Richmond region (40 and under) who have contributed to making Richmond a great place to work, live and play.

WINNER:

The Self Love Company

 

Finalists:

Sefton Coffee Company

YP Workplace Award:

This award recognizes organizations in the Greater Richmond Region that excel at attracting, retaining and developing young employees.

  • Providing young professionals with opportunities for growth and development
  • Encouraging young professional engagement in the Greater Richmond community
  • Attracting and retaining young professionals
  • Valuing the contributions of young professionals

 

WINNER:

Altria

Finalists:

Fred Astaire Dance Studio Richmond

Data Society

Check out the 2020 ICONS Winners:

No one expected going into this year that we would all have to PIVOT hard! This award is for the YP who took these uncertain times and thrived. Whether they solved a big problem, made a service accessible, created a way to engage with clients or customers despite the restrictions of COVID-19- this YP saw the obstacle of a global pandemic or the racial justice movement and made the most of it to impact their organization and their constituents.

 

WINNER:

Eric Edwards, M.D., Ph.D., Phlow Corporation

For small businesses across the country, the impact of the pandemic hit hard. But creativity, risk taking, and identifying unmet needs in the community allowed some small businesses to redirect and hit the mark! This award recognizes 2 small businesses owned by YPs in the Richmond region (40 and under) who completely reworked their normal business plan or rebranded in order to stay afloat and meet the needs of customers through the pandemic.

 

WINNER:

The Richmond Experience

Living and working in Richmond, VA, during a social justice movement, provides a unique perspective unlike any other. We have seen over a month of protests, resulting in the removal of statues glorifying the Confederacy, and the curtain being lifted on police brutality and institutional and systemic racism in our country and community. This award is for a person or organization that stood up for what was right in our region, and organized to support, lead, educate (or all of the above) in the movement for social justice in RVA.

 

WINNER:

Abu Ngauja, The Martin Agency

Managers and team leaders have a lot of expectations to “have it all” together, especially when the world goes sideways. Well, the world went sideways, and even so, there are amazing managers and team leaders who motivated, extended grace, brought positivity and had the courage to be vulnerable through an ever-changing landscape. This award is for a YP in a supervisory role in their organization who exhibited the above actions, making their teams stronger than ever.

 

WINNER:

Hannah Mae White, Spectrum Health Systems

This award recognizes organizations (small and large) in the Greater Richmond Region that excel at attracting, retaining and developing young employees. Additionally, these organizations went above and beyond in safely accommodating and supporting their employees through unprecedented times.  The winning organizations will demonstrate a commitment to:

  • Providing young professionals with opportunities for growth and development
  • Encouraging young professional engagement in the Greater Richmond community
  • Attracting and retaining young professionals
  • Valuing the contributions of young professionals

 

WINNER:

The Martin Agency

Questions? Contact Brittany Seward at Brittany.Seward@ChamberRVA.com 

Thank you to our ICONS 2023 Sponsors:

Silver:

 

Bronze:

 

 

 

Media:

Floral:

Supporting:

Sponsorship Opportunities Available!

Contact Brittany Seward at Brittany.Seward@ChamberRVA.com

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