HJ 195 — Celebrating the life of John Oliver Wynne.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24104311D I HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

195 OfferedE February 20, 2024 N Celebrating the life of John Oliver Wynne.

TN Patrons––Knight,R TataAgreed andto Carrby Rthe ––––––––––House of Delegates, February 26, 2024 Agreed to by the Senate, February 29, 2024 O WHEREAS, John Oliver Wynne, the former president and chief executive officer of Landmark OL Communications, Inc., who had a profound impact on the Commonwealth through his innovative DL leadership on economic development, education, regional collaboration, governmental performance, and civic and cultural initiatives, died on October 26, 2023;

and UE WHEREAS, John "Dubby" Oliver Wynne was born in Norfolk on July 6, 1945, and graduated from C Norfolk Academy, where he was captain of the tennis, football, and basketball teams;

he earned a D bachelor's degree from Princeton University, then, after interrupting his legal studies for active duty in the United States Army Reserve, took his law degree from the University of Virginia;

he was also laterylater in awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by Old Dominion University;

and D WHEREAS, after completing his legal studies, Dubby Wynne joined the Willcox Savage law firm, then moved to Landmark Communications, a Norfolk-based media company, to work as an attorney on significant litigation matters;

he rose to the company's executive ranks, where he was mentored by Frank Batten, Sr., and after a fruitful career, he retired as the company's president and chief executive officeroffiHer in 2001, while continuing to serve on its board of directors;

and 1 WHEREAS, Dubby Wynne's productive tenure at Landmark Communications included his primary including5 therole Governor'sin Awardlaunching fromThe theWeather NationalChannel Academycable ofnetwork, Cablefor Programmingwhich forhe "hisreceived leadershipds,numerous national awards, R and insight in making The Weather Channel the preeminent provider of weather information, and one of the most innovative and popular networks on television," as well as induction into the Cable Hall of Fame;

and WHEREAS, Dubby Wynne gave back generously to each of the educational institutions that helped preparetrustees himof forNorfolk successAcademy, in business and in life, serving as a charter trustee and presidentexecutive committee member of the board of of trustees ofand Norfolknational Academy,chair asof agiving chartercampaigns trusteefor andPrinceton executiveUniversity, committeeand as member ofand therector board of the board of visitors of the University of Virginia and chair of the University of Virginia Investment Management Company;

and WHEREAS, perceiving a crucial connection between education and economic development in the Commonwealth, Dubby Wynne dedicated his time, talent, and experience to service on the State Council 35 of Higher Education for Virginia, the Virginia Business Higher Education Council (VBHEC), thetheCouncil 36 Council on Virginia's Future, and the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board and Foundation, selflessly 37 devoting hundreds of his retirement hours to travel throughout the Commonwealth for meetings and 38 presentations;

and practicesWHEREAS, fromunder otherDubby statesWynne's andleadership, the privateCouncil sectoron toVirginia's enhanceFuture theexamined efficiency,best effectiveness, and accountability of state government and made extensive and detailed recommendations on actions to improve the quality of life for Virginians through initiatives in economic and talent development, human services, health care, and government reform;

and WHEREAS, the work of the Council on Virginia's Future under Dubby Wynne's direction documented the steps needed to make Virginia the national leader in educational attainment, laying the intellectual foundation for VBHEC's initiative to add 100,000 bachelor's and associate degrees by 2025 with a focus on science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health care;

as a member of by 2025 Governor Robert McDonnell's higher education commission and business advocate, he also helped weave that initiative into the Commonwealth's law and policy through passage of the landmark Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2011, known as the "Top Jobs Act";

and WHEREAS, reflecting his conviction that the economic growth of the Commonwealth depended on strong regional cooperation, Dubby Wynne galvanized the state's senior business community to develop and promote the collaborative regional program known as GO Virginia, which aimed to bring business,business,p education, and government leaders together in each region for cooperative effort on business recruitment and retention, job creation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development;

and WHEREAS, after leading efforts to secure passage of the GO Virginia legislation, Dubby Wynne business-ledserved GOas Virginiafounding Foundation,chair spearheading the talent pathways initiative designed to meet the HJ195 2 of 2 workforce needs of the highestVirginia growthGrowth industry clusters in each region and toOpportunity helpBoard; keep young people in Virginia for post-graduation employment;

he then took the reins of the business-led GO Virginia Foundation, spearheading the talent pathways initiative designed to meet the of 2 workforce needs of the highest growth industry clusters in each region and to help keep young people in Virginia for post-graduation employment;