Military Economic Development Advisory Committee

The Military Economic Development Advisory Committee (MEDAC) was established to enhance the coordination with the local military base commanders and their various installation tenants.

Military personnel stationed at local bases are not only an exceptional resource to the military but also constitute a valuable source of well-trained and highly motivated potential employees when they exit military service.

The MEDAC members are appointed by Virginia Beach City Council. Committee members are retired Flag, General, or senior officers; retired senior enlisted personnel; or qualified civilians having direct experience in the military warfare areas represented by the various local commands.

MEDAC has four primary goals:

  • Outreach to Navy and other Military Commands
    Support and strengthen City-Military relations with the various base commanders and tenant commands.
  • Economic Development Opportunities ​
    Identify economic development opportunities within the various military commands that engage defense contractors in support of their mission. This activity could include working with the military to help private contractors locate and conduct business locally.
  • Workforce Development
    As appropriate, and with the support of the military, seek to identify those service members who are separating from the military who may be candidates for employment by local businesses.
  • Virginia Beach Military Affairs
    Through regular liaison and communications, provide information concerning military issues that may be addressed locally to assist the various commands to carry out their missions.​

Location/Time

The meetings hosted by Virginia Beach are held at the Virginia Beach Economic Development office 4525 Main Street, Suite 700, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 from 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The meetings hosted by Norfolk are held at the Slover Library 6th floor conference room, 235 E Plume Street, Norfolk VA 23510.

Contact Information​​

Charles Bauman III

Direct: (757) 385-6498 // Email: cbauman@vbgov.com ​​

Vbda minutes 02 23Composition: 18 members residing in Virginia Beach. The term is five years and each member is eligible to serve a total of three consecutive terms.

RADM Fenton Priest, SC, USN (Ret.)​​​​​ ChairRADM Gregory Nosal, USN (Ret.) Vice Chair
CAPT Christopher Chope, ​USN (Ret.)RADM Phillip Olson, USN (Ret.)
RADM Kevin Cook, USCG (Ret)​​​CAPT Robert Rieve, USN (Ret.)

CAPT John Cummings (Ret.)

CAPT Louis Schager, USN (Ret.)
Elizabeth Dietzmann, Esq.Joseph Strange​​​​, VBDA Liaison
RADM Dick Dunleavy, USN (Ret.)CAPT Charles Stuppard, Ph.D., USN (Ret.)​
RDML Mark Gemmill, USN (Ret.)

CAPT Richard Trowbridge, ​USN (Ret.)

CAPT Loren Heckelman, (Ret.)​Lt. ​Gen ​​Frances Wilson, USMC ​​(Ret.)​
CAPT Steve Herbert, USN (Ret.)
CDR Kathleen Owens, ​USN (Ret.)

City Council Liaisons:

  • Chris Taylor
  • Rocky Holcomb
City Staff Liaisons
  • Charles Bauman III, Virginia Beach Economic Development (757) 385-6498
  • Elisabeth Parker, Virginia Beach Economic Development, (757) 385-2909
​MEETING DATE​​​​​AGENDAS​​MINUTES​PRESENTATIONS
January 23, 2023ViewViewView
February 27, 2023 (Joint Norfolk/Virginia Beach Meeting)View
March 27, 2023View

​April 24, 2023 (Joint Virginia Beach/Norfolk Meeting)


​May 22, 2023


​June 26, 2023 (Joint Norfolk/Virginia Beach Meeting)


​July - No meeting





​August 28, 2023


September 25, 2023 (Joint Virginia Beach/Norfolk Meeting)
​October 23, 2023


November 27, 2023 (Joint Norfolk/Virginia Beach Meeting)
​December - No Meeting

2022 Meetings

​MEETING DATE​​​​​AGENDAS​​MINUTES​PRESENTATIONS
January 24, 2022ViewViewView
February 28, 2022 (Joint Virginia Beach/Norfolk Meeting)View​ViewN/A
March 28, 2022ViewView​​View
​April 25, 2022 (Joint Norfolk/Virginia Beach Meeting)ViewViewN/A
​May 23, 2022ViewView​View
​June 27, 2022CanceledN/A​N/A
​July 25, 2022 (Joint Norfolk/Virginia Beach Meeting)


View

View​View
​September 26, 2022 (Joint Norfolk/Virginia Beach Meeting)ViewView​View
​October 24, 2022ViewViewView
​November 28, 2022 (Joint Virginia Beach/Norfolk Meeting) at The HIVE, 140 Independence Blvd., Virginia Beach​View​View

2021 Meetings

​MEETING DATE​​​​​AGENDAS​​MINUTES​PRESENTATIONS/HANDOUTS
January 25, 2021​ViewView
​N/A
February 22, 2021 (virtual)

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View

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March 29, 2021 (virtual)ViewViewN/A
April 26, 2021 (virtual/joint)

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View

N/A
May 24, 2021ViewViewView
June 28, 2021 (Joint Virginia Beach/Norfolk Meeting)View

View

View
Jully 26, 2021CanceledN/AN/A

August 30, 2021

ViewViewView
September 27, 2021 (Joint Virginia Beach/Norfolk Meeting)Canceled

N/A

N/A
October 25, 2021ViewView

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November 22, 2021 ((Joint Norfolk/Virginia Beach Meeting)ViewView
December 27, 2021No MeetingN/AN/A