At the Annual Meeting in March 2025, the Hampton Roads Alliance honored Shawn Avery, President & CEO of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, as the 2024 Ally of the Year. This prestigious recognition highlights Avery’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the regional workforce, fostering economic opportunity and ensuring that Hampton Roads remains a hub for skilled talent and industry growth.
For decades, the Hampton Roads Alliance has been dedicated to advancing economic development and business partnerships across the region. Workforce readiness is a critical piece of this mission, and Avery’s leadership has played a pivotal role in shaping a talent pipeline that directly supports key industries like maritime, defense and technology.
Under his guidance, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council has spearheaded innovative training programs, expanded career development resources and built strategic partnerships that align workforce development with the needs of businesses.
“Everything we do is business-driven,” Avery said. “That’s why our partnership with the Hampton Roads Alliance is so important—because industry drives workforce development.”
Avery’s impact can be seen in projects like the Regional Maritime Training System, which ensures that shipbuilding, offshore wind and advanced manufacturing industries have a steady pipeline of skilled workers. His forward-thinking approach has helped bring together K-12 education, higher education, veteran programs and technical training providers to create a unified workforce ecosystem.
Another key element of his leadership has been attracting and retaining talent in Hampton Roads. By identifying the region’s most in-demand jobs and communicating those opportunities, Avery and his team work to bring skilled professionals to the area while ensuring that local talent sees a future here.
“A big part of this effort is making sure that we’re all on the same page,” he explained. “We’re not competing against each other—we’re working together. The Alliance serves as the marketing arm of the region, helping us get the word out about workforce opportunities and ensuring that our economic strategy is aligned.”
Avery said the importance of federal investments in workforce development, with funding from the Department of Labor, Department of Commerce and Department of Defense plays a crucial role in strengthening the regional economy. He believes that strategic collaboration—rather than fragmented efforts—ensures that Hampton Roads is prepared for the jobs of the future.
At the heart of his work is a belief in partnership and collaboration as the key to success. Whether focusing on maritime, healthcare or renewable energy, Avery sees the Workforce Council as a driving force that brings together different sectors and organizations to build a stronger economy.
“We can land a 20,000-person company, but that company won’t succeed if we don’t have the workforce, the infrastructure and the regional collaboration in place,” he said. “Success is about all of us coming together and growing the economy as one.”
As Avery steps into another year of leadership, his work continues to lay the foundation for a thriving, resilient and competitive Hampton Roads. With a strong workforce at its core, the region is well-positioned to attract new businesses, support existing industries and create opportunities for generations to come.
Congratulations to Shawn Avery—our 2024 Ally of the Year!
