Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG — The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors has approved Ted Hanson ’91 to serve as its representative to the 10-member board of directors for Hokie Ventures, marking another significant step forward in the development of the university-affiliated nonprofit organization established to strengthen the long-term growth and competitiveness of Virginia Tech Athletics.
The board brings together an accomplished group of business executives, entrepreneurs and university leaders whose collective experience will help advance Hokie Ventures' mission of creating new revenue opportunities, pursuing strategic investments, strengthening donor relations and building a modern enterprise positioned to support VT Athletics in the rapidly evolving landscape of college sports.
Brad Hobbs ’90 will serve as chair of the board, while Hanson will serve as vice chair. The two Virginia Tech alumni were announced in June as the initial directors charged with leading the formation of the Hokie Ventures board.
Joining Hobbs and Hanson on the board are David Calhoun, Brian Callaghan, Lynne Doughtie, John Lawson, Horacio Valeiras, Virginia Tech president Tim Sands, Virginia Tech vice president and director of athletics Brian White, and Virginia Tech senior vice president for advancement Tom Wamsley.
Hokie Ventures Board of Directors
- Brad Hobbs ’90, Chair, CEO of Air Control Concepts
- Ted Hanson ’91, Vice Chair, CEO of Everforth
- David Calhoun ‘79, former CEO of Boeing
- Brian Callaghan ‘93, owner of Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Lynne Doughtie ‘85, retired U.S. chairman and CEO of KPMG LLP
- John Lawson ‘75, executive chairman of W. M. Jordan Company
- Horacio Valeiras ‘80, CEO and partner of Frontier Global Partners
- Tim Sands, Virginia Tech president
- Brian White, Virginia Tech vice president and director of athletics
- Tom Wamsley, Virginia Tech senior vice president for advancement
The formation of the board represents the latest milestone in Virginia Tech's broader effort to position Hokie Athletics to compete among the nation's elite. Hokie Ventures was established earlier this year to create greater flexibility and strategic agility as college athletics continues to undergo significant transformation driven by revenue sharing, name, image and likeness opportunities, media rights evolution, commercial growth and changing governance models.
"Establishing our board is an important step in turning the vision for Hokie Ventures into action," White said. "Virginia Tech has tremendous momentum, and this group brings an extraordinary combination of business acumen, leadership experience, strategic thinking and passion for our university. As we look at what it takes to compete at the highest level nationally, we have to be innovative and aggressive in identifying new resources and opportunities while remaining aligned with our mission and values. Hokie Ventures gives us another powerful tool to do that.
"I am grateful to Brad, Ted and every member of this board for their willingness to invest their time, expertise and energy in the future of Virginia Tech Athletics. There is tremendous belief in what we can build here, and this board reflects our commitment to surrounding our programs and student-athletes with the resources necessary to pursue championships."
As an independent, university-affiliated nonprofit corporation, Hokie Ventures will focus on new revenue generation and strategic investments that can support the vision and priorities of the athletics department. Its structure is designed to enable greater speed and flexibility in areas including corporate partnerships, sponsorships, emerging revenue opportunities, commercial investment strategies, and athletics philanthropy.
“Virginia Tech has an incredible opportunity in front of us, and I’m honored to serve as chair of a board that shares a deep commitment to the future of Hokie Athletics,” Hobbs said. “Our charge is to think boldly, move with urgency and create sustainable new resources that help Virginia Tech compete at the highest level. We have tremendous expertise around this table and an opportunity to turn that experience and passion into meaningful results for our student-athletes, coaches and Hokie Nation.”
The board will provide strategic oversight of Hokie Ventures and help guide the organization's long-term business and investment strategy. Among its initial responsibilities will be supporting the selection of a chief executive officer whose sole professional responsibilities will be dedicated to Hokie Ventures.
"This is an exceptional group of leaders who understand both the opportunities in front of Virginia Tech and the urgency required to capitalize on them," Hanson said. "When we began assembling this board, we wanted people who have successfully led complex organizations, built businesses, made strategic investments and navigated periods of significant change. Just as importantly, we wanted individuals who believe deeply in Virginia Tech and share a desire to see Hokie Athletics compete at the very highest level.
"The landscape around us will continue to change, and standing still is not an option. Hokie Ventures is designed to give Virginia Tech greater capacity to think differently, move decisively and pursue opportunities that can generate sustainable resources for Athletics. The caliber of this board should give Hokie Nation great confidence in where we are headed."
Hokie Ventures was approved as part of Virginia Tech's continued effort to modernize the business model supporting intercollegiate athletics. The initiative builds upon the university's broader "Invest to Win" strategy and reflects an institution-wide commitment to creating the infrastructure, resources and alignment necessary for Virginia Tech Athletics to achieve sustainable success in the modern era.