Barry Eugene DuVal (born August 7, 1959) is an

American politician In the United States, politics functions within a framework of a constitutional federal democratic republic with a presidential system. The three distinct branches share powers: Congress, which forms the legislative branch, a bicameral legis ...

from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. He was first elected to the City Council of

Newport News, Virginia Newport News () is an Independent city (United States), independent city in southeastern Virginia, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the List of c ...

in 1988, and in 1990 was elected

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

, serving in that role until 1996. He has also served as the President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Partnership, a group that brings together the cities and counties of the

Hampton Roads Hampton Roads is a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond, and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's Point near whe ...

area with local universities and businesses in order to promote the region's economic interests. His service in this field led then-Governor

Jim Gilmore James Stuart Gilmore III (born October 6, 1949) is an American politician, diplomat and former attorney who served as the 68th governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002. A member of the Republican Party, Gilmore also chaired the Republican Nation ...

to appoint DuVal to be his Secretary of Commerce and Trade, a position he held from 1998 until 2001. After long being considered a Republican frontrunner to succeed

Herbert H. Bateman Herbert Harvell Bateman (August 7, 1928 – September 11, 2000) was an American politician in Virginia. He was a nine-term member of the United States House of Representatives, serving as a Republican from 1983 until his death. Early life Bate ...

, DuVal surprised many in 2000 when he decided to drop out of the race for Congress in

Virginia's 1st congressional district Virginia's first congressional district is a Virginia's congressional districts, United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It streches from the Richmond, Virginia, Richmond suburbs towards the Northern Neck and Middl ...

Jo Ann Davis Jo Ann Davis (née Sides; June 29, 1950 – October 6, 2007) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007. A member of the Republican Party from Virginia, she represented the s ...

went on to win the seat. In April 2010, DuVal was named President & CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

References

1959 births Living people 20th-century mayors of places in Virginia Mayors of Newport News, Virginia State cabinet secretaries of Virginia Virginia city council members Virginia Republicans James Madison University alumni {{Virginia-mayor-stub