CONTACT: Jenna Wines
jwines@vamanufacturers.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 12, 2025
Virginia Manufacturers Celebrate 2025 & Look to the Future—Full Steam Ahead
-Hundreds of Manufacturers & Allied Professionals Gathered at the 2025 Virginia Manufacturing Gala-
RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA) hosted its annual Virginia Manufacturing Gala on Friday, November 7, 2025, at the Science Museum of Virginia—formerly Richmond’s Broad Street Station. This year’s theme, Full Steam Ahead, honored the people and companies that keep our communities, Commonwealth, and nation moving forward.
Sidney Harrison, Chairman of the VMA Board of Directors and President of Wood Fuel Developers, opened the evening by emphasizing the renewed investment in American manufacturing that is fueling economic growth, innovation, and opportunity, noting, “nowhere is that spirit stronger than right here in Virginia.”
Charlie Smith, CEO of ERA Group, kicked off the awards program by expressing the company’s pride in supporting Virginia’s manufacturing sector and commitment to VMA members through complimentary cost intelligence assessments designed to help manufacturers optimize spending and invest where it matters most.
Award Recipients
Women in Manufacturing Virginia Chapter (WiM VA) Woman of the Year
Kimberly Noonan, Executive Director of WiM VA, presented the 2025 Woman of the Year Award to Jennifer Ney of Nestlé Purina. Noonan highlighted Ney’s role as a mentor in the chapter’s mentoring program, helping build connections beyond company walls and laying the foundation for the next generation of women leaders. “She embodies the heart of WiM’s mission—to support, promote, and inspire women in manufacturing—and reminds us all of the extraordinary difference one dedicated leader can make,” Noonan concluded. Learn more about this award.
Frank Armstrong III Service Award
Brett Vassey, President & CEO of the Virginia Manufacturers Association, awarded the 2025 Frank Armstrong III Service Award to The Honorable Bryan Slater, Virginia’s Secretary of Labor. “One of the great honors of this job is recognizing companies and individuals for extraordinary contributions of their time and talent. Tonight, I have the distinct honor of recognizing someone who has contributed both throughout his entire professional career,” Vassey shared. Secretary Slater was praised as the driving force behind consolidating the Commonwealth’s workforce development system into a single agency—the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement—while remaining committed to closing the workforce skills gap in the Commonwealth.
Virginia Manufacturing Cup Awards
Wes Smith, Executive Director of the Manufacturing Skills Institute (MSI), joined Dan O’Connor, Consulting Partner at ERA Group, and Charlie Smith, CEO of ERA Group, to present the awards for the Virginia Manufacturing Cup, which celebrates the passion and innovation that drive the Commonwealth’s sector forward. 33 awards were presented to the category winners, with an additional three awarded to the Best in Show winners, naming Prestar Packaging’s Pop-Up Gift Box as The Coolest Thing Made in Virginia. View the winners’ list.
Looking ahead, Josh Phelps of Winchester Metals announced exciting plans for the 2026 Virginia Manufacturing Cup, which will expand opportunities for student makers and innovators to showcase their creativity and technical skills.
The evening underscored VMA’s mission to promote, protect, and advance manufacturing in Virginia while fostering partnerships that strengthen the industry’s future. The VMA extends its sincere gratitude to the sponsors and supporters of the Virginia Manufacturing Gala, including ERA Group, the sponsor of the Virginia Manufacturing Cup.
About the Virginia Manufacturers Association
The VMA develops and advocates for constructive public policies and supports a broad array of business services and programs to help ensure that Virginia manufacturing companies can be productive, profitable, and competitive in Virginia. Virginia’s 6,000+ manufacturers employ over 239,000 individuals, contribute $49.5 billion to the gross state product, and account for over 80% of the Commonwealth’s manufactured goods exports to the global economy. For more information about the VMA, visit vamanufactuers.com.