The Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance - Business Council (GWCTA) is pleased to announce that Voncile “Von” Gilbreath has been selected as its new Greater Williamsburg Partnership (GWP) Director. After a three-month national search, the selection committee voted to hire Gilbreath, who will begin in her new role on Monday, Oct. 14.
Gilbreath has extensive experience in economic development and tourism having working in four localities: Chesapeake, Hampton, Virginia Beach and Portsmouth. Throughout her career, she has directly assisted thousands of companies resulting in new business investment, entrepreneurial growth, saving jobs and creating new jobs for the Hampton Roads region and Commonwealth of Virginia. Most recently, Gilbreath served the City of Chesapeake’s Department of Economic Development for more than a decade.
GWP merged with the GWCTA - Business Council in July 2019. GWP brings a regional mission that markets Greater Williamsburg by fostering job creation, facilitating new investments and seeking to diversify the economy through economic development. GWP was created in 2015 between Economic Development Authorities of the City of Williamsburg and Counties of James City and York to unify regional economic development efforts.
“The Greater Williamsburg area is strategically positioned to build upon its rich history and capitalize on its proximity to markets, the Port of Virginia and access to a skilled workforce to name a few assets. Now is the time to tell the story of Greater Williamsburg's economic advantage as a preferred business location. I look forward to collaborating with the community at large to advance this goal,” said Gilbreath.
Gilbreath will take on multiple projects including creating a long-term strategy for foreign direct investment with Pegasus Partners and implementing the $600,000 EPA Community-Wide Brownfields Assessment Grant, which looks at adaptive reuse of existing properties, that was received by the region.
For more information about the Greater Williamsburg Partnership, please visit its website.
GWCTA - Business Council Media Contact:
Carter Johnson, Manager, Social Media & Web Design
757-253-2310; carterjohnson@businesswilliamsburg.com
James City County Media Contact:
Christopher Johnson, Director of Economic Development
757-253-6607; christopher.johnson@jamescitycountyva.gov