thomas jefferson commerce with all nations award
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2024 RECIPIENTS:

Jonathan A. Schleffer – Under Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland

Attorney General Jason Miyares
For visiting Israel after the October 7th massacre of over 1,200 Israelis and sending protective gear from throughout Virginia to Israel.

Health Wagon
For deploying donated Israeli TytoCare telemedicine devices in Southwestern Virginia.

University of Virginia TAMID Chapter
For consulting with Israeli companies.

Regent University – Institute for Israel Studies

Richmond Ballet
For the Minds in Motion program in Israel.

2023 RECIPIENTS:

Wyatt Toehlke – Assistant Secretary Department of Commerce and Trade
For his ongoing facilitation with undertakings associated with the Department of Commerce and Trade.

Robert Davenport – Director of Marketing and Development Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
For being VIAB’s primary point of contact with VDACS and the state’s agricultural ecosystem.

Conaway Haskins – VP Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp.
For his joining of the VIAB BIRD Grants Steering Group and accessing the Virginia innovation ecosystem.

Art Espey – Managing Director Lighthouse Labs
For his joining of the VIAB BIRD Grants Steering Group and facilitating VIAB within in the Virginia start-up community.

Dr. Hal Irving – Associate V.P. Health Sciences and Technology Outreach Virginia Tech Carilion (VTC)
For his promotion of VIAB in the Bio-Tech segment and the Roanoke Economic Development community.

Nissim Yochai – Zim USA President
Who led Zim’s relocation to Virginia Beach and $30m expansion. Also Zim’s U.S. CFO Ilana Rosenberg who worked the VIAB for two years on the company’s expansion.

2022 RECIPIENTS:

Jack Kennedy, MS, MA, ESQ
For all your efforts and industry in advancing the Boards interests and those of Israeli concerns in Virginia. Particularly your efforts in bringing Energix to Virginia and your current undertakings in our space related initiatives.

Marian Marques
For all your efforts and industry in advancing the Boards interests and those of Israeli concerns in Virginia. Particularly your efforts in developing the Israel  Innovation Center (U.S.) at National Landing and your coming to Israel with the VEDP to cultivate clients. 

Eliad Peretz
For all your efforts and industry in advancing the Boards interests and those of Israeli concerns in Virginia. Particularly for your efforts in presenting at our autonomous vehicles defense conference and your on-going support with our space related initiatives.

2021 Recipients:

Erik Fox – CEO Elbit Systems, Roanoke

Delegate Will Morefield

Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke

Dave Kuhn – Virginia Tech

Hon. Patrick Gottschalk – Williams Mullen Law 

2020 RECIPIENTS:

Brett Vassey – Virginia Manufacturers Association  

Bill Donohue – GENEDGE

Virginia Economic Development Partnership VEDP

Barry Zebrak – Israel Ministry of Defense – SIBAT

Diane Bechamps  – Virginia Tourism Corporation

Amy Jordan – Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance

Asher Kotz – Fairfax County EDA