Economic development agency hires interim CEO

Published January 16, 2019 by Robert Powell, III

The Norfolk-based Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance (HREDA) has hired an interim president and CEO.

Steve Herbert succeeds Rick Weddle, who retired at the end of last year.

In addition, the economic development organization has hired Chris Lemmon as executive vice president. He will be HREDA’s first chief marketing officer.

Herbert is a former city administrator, economic development officer and city planner who has worked in Virginia Beach, Hopewell, Suffolk, Portsmouth and Norfolk.

In the private sector, he has been a business development manager and defense contractor with Booz Allen Hamilton and SAIC.

Herbert served as a U.S. Navy officer, retiring from the Naval Reserve in 1999 with the rank of captain.

He is a graduate of the University of Virginia, holding a bachelor’s degree in city planning. He also holds a master’s degree in administration from George Washington University.

Lemmon previously was senior vice president of marketing and product development at GFP in Virginia Beach.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Michigan State University and an MBA in marketing from Indiana University.

Eleven cities and counties throughout the Hampton Roads region and over 60 businesses fund the Alliance's operations.