The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Announces Conrad M. Hall as Board of Trustees Chairman; Carly Fiorina Appointed CEO (Press Release)
“The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Announces Conrad M. Hall as Board of Trustees Chairman; Carly Fiorina Appointed CEO
Joseph P. Gromacki, Wendy O’Neill, and Graves Tompkins join the Board as its newest members, attend Foundation’s April meeting
Press Release 5/8/2026 – The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Board of Trustees unanimously elected Conrad M. Hall yesterday as chairman of the Board, on which he has served since 2017. The retired president and CEO of Dominion Enterprises, Hall succeeds Carly Fiorina, who led the Board from 2020 and was unanimously appointed CEO during the same meeting.
The Board also welcomes Joseph P. Gromacki, Wendy O’Neill, and Graves Tompkins as its newest members. Gromacki and O’Neill became trustees in November 2025, followed by Tompkins whose nomination was approved during its April meeting.
“Conrad and I both joined Colonial Williamsburg’s Board of Trustees in 2017. Over the intervening years, his vision was instrumental in centering The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in our national conversation about history and civic engagement. America’s 250th anniversary is now upon us, and I look forward to working with Conrad to expand the Foundation’s educational impact to many millions more people in the months and years to come,” Fiorina said.
Hall, who has served for decades on educational and nonprofit boards across Virginia, arrives in his new position at a key moment for Colonial Williamsburg, which turns 100 this year as it also leads the nation in commemorating its semiquincentennial. Hall will leverage his deep expertise in business, finance and media to lead the Foundation into its next century as an innovative leader in history education and preservation.
“Carly brings decades of experience leading international corporations, advising government agencies and helping nonprofit organizations. It has been an honor to work with her as a fellow trustee, and we are fortunate that she readily agreed to serve as CEO. As a leader she brings unmatched energy, creativity and knowledge to this role and is the right person to lead the Foundation into our second century,” Hall said.
Fiorina served on Colonial Williamsburg’s Board of Trustees for nearly a decade. She was elected Board chair in 2020 and helped Colonial Williamsburg’s leadership team weather the COVID-19 pandemic, invest in internationally recognized projects like the Williamsburg Bray School and African Baptist Meeting House and Burial Ground, and secure an A+ credit rating from S&P Global Ratings. As CEO, Fiorina will continue Colonial Williamsburg’s commitment to sharing a complete, fact-based history that explores all facets of America’s founding generation.
“Colonial Williamsburg has a highly talented and dedicated Board of Trustees, and Joseph Gromacki, Wendy O’Neill and Graves Tompkins bring valuable new perspectives to our work. Together with Carly Fiorina’s leadership through her vast expertise in business and nonprofit work, the Foundation is now beginning its second century with the strongest CEO leadership and strongest Board in its 100-year history,” Hall said.
The appointment of Gromacki, O’Neill, and Tompkins expands the Board’s membership to 28 leaders who are shaping Colonial Williamsburg’s future as a preeminent educational institution.
Joe Gromacki is a senior partner at the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP specializing in global corporate and transactional practices, and he serves on the firm’s governing committee. He sits on various boards supporting the arts and organizations affiliated with horticulture, botany, and plant science.
Wendy O’Neill has more than two decades of experience working with international and domestic non-profit organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for WEDU, a PBS affiliate station supporting Tampa Bay, Florida, and surrounding communities.
Graves Tompkins is an Advisory Director at General Atlantic and has served in various roles throughout his career to scale and diversify the company’s global activities. He sits on the boards of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, the Alumni Board and Harvard Business School, Summer Search New York and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
About Conrad M. Hall
Conrad Mercer Hall graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1965 as a Distinguished Military Graduate, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. He served in the United States Army, 1966 to 1968, as an artillery officer, followed by four years in the Army Reserves. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Virginia in 1970 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from Old Dominion University in 2008.
He joined Landmark Communications, Inc., in 1969 and served in various executive roles until his retirement in 2009. He served as president and chief executive officer of Trader Publishing Company, which was renamed Dominion Enterprises in 2005. Hall has been heavily involved in civic activities, including the United Way of South Hampton Roads, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD), and the Board of Visitors of Old Dominion University and Virginia Military Institute.
Current activities include: Board of Trustees Chair of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Trustee of the Slover Library Foundation, and Director of Landmark Media Enterprises. He also serves on the Board of Visitors of Norfolk State University and as a trustee of the Eastern Virginia Medical School Foundation.
About Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina began her career as a secretary and rose to become the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company as the Chair and CEO of Hewlett-Packard. During her tenure, HP became the largest technology company in the world.
She has advised the Department of Defense, the CIA, and the State Department. She founded Carly Fiorina Enterprises and the Unlocking Potential Foundation. A student of history and philosophy at Stanford University, she joined the Colonial Williamsburg Board in 2017 and served as Chair from 2020 through 2026. She also serves as National Honorary Chair of the Virginia 250 Commission.
About Joseph P. Gromacki
Joe Gromacki is a senior partner at Jenner & Block LLP, where he co-chairs the firm’s global corporate and transactional practices. He is an active patron of the arts, serving on the boards of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Terra Foundation for American Art, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He is also involved with the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
About Wendy O’Neill
Wendy O’Neill serves on the board of directors for WEDU and has over two decades of non-profit experience. She most recently served as chair of the China Media Board and is Honorary Co-Chair of the Asian Cultural Council. She is also the former chair of Rockefeller Philanthropic Advisors.
About Graves Tompkins
Graves Tompkins is an Advisory Director at General Atlantic, where he previously served as COO and global head of capital partnering. He is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum. He serves on several boards, including the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.”
— Press Release was from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
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