MEDIA CONTACT:
Craig Butterworth
PR Coordinator
(804) 516-8473
cbutterworth@vccs.edu
9.10.26
(l to r): State Board Chair Mark Hourigan, Chancellor David Doré, TCC President Dr. Marcia Conston, and NOVA President Dr. Anne Kress
VCCS State Board Chair, Chancellor, and Two College Presidents Earn Spots on Virginia Business’ Virginia 500 Power List
In its seventh year, Virginia Business’s Power List recognizes a record four leaders affiliated with the Virginia Community College System (VCCS).
RICHMOND, Va. — September 10, 2026 — VCCS State Board Chair Mark J. Hourigan, Chancellor David Doré, and college presidents Marcia Conston and Anne Kress have each been named to Virginia Business magazine’s Virginia 500: The 2026-27 Power List, an annual ranking of the commonwealth’s most influential business and civic leaders.
Mark J. Hourigan, chair of the VCCS State Board and founder and CEO of Hourigan Group in Richmond, was recognized in the Real Estate | Architecture | Construction | Development | Engineering category. Hourigan has led the Richmond-based development and construction firm for more than 30 years and serves on the Advisory Board at the Virginia Tech School of Building Construction.
Dr. David Doré, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, was recognized in the Education category. Doré became chancellor in April 2023 and oversees a system that serves more than 230,000 degree-seeking and workforce-training students annually across 23 colleges and 40 locations statewide. This marks Doré’s third consecutive year on the Virginia 500, having also been recognized in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Dr. Marcia Conston, president of Tidewater Community College, was also recognized in the Education category. Conston leads Tidewater’s five campuses serving Hampton Roads. She became TCC’s sixth president in January 2020 and guided the college through the COVID-19 pandemic in her first months. Before joining TCC, Conston spent nearly 20 years as vice president for Enrollment and Student Success Services at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Dr. Anne Kress, president of Northern Virginia Community College, was also recognized in the Education category. Kress leads Northern Virginia Community College, the largest of Virginia’s 23 community colleges, serving more than 70,000 students across six campuses. A champion for student success with over three decades of experience in higher education leadership, she has testified before Congress on issues affecting community colleges and serves on the boards of the American Council on Education, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Washington Board of Trade, among others.
“Having four leaders across VCCS named to this list says something about the strength and breadth of the system’s relationships with Virginia’s business community,” said Hourigan. “These relationships go far beyond any single recognition. At Hourigan, we see it firsthand in the pipeline of skilled talent VCCS helps build for our industry.”
“It’s a proud moment to see the leadership of our State Board, our colleges and our system recognized alongside the commonwealth’s top business and civic leaders,” said Chancellor Doré. “I am grateful to serve alongside our system’s strong leaders and proud of what we are building together for Virginia’s students.”
About the Virginia Community College System
The Virginia Community College System (VCCS), founded in 1966, plays a crucial role in providing higher education and workforce training across the state. With 23 colleges serving the diverse needs of the commonwealth, VCCS supports over 230,000 students annually. Notably, Virginia’s community colleges account for nearly half (48%) of all public undergraduate students in the state. With more than 5.5 million alumni, VCCS is not just a singular institution; it represents Virginia’s commitment to accessible education. The system connects with nearly every household in Virginia through various programs, including high school dual enrollment, workforce credentials, and affordable degree pathways, making higher education attainable for all.
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