About Us
Bringing Leaders Together for Over 25 Years
Who leads the leaders?
Who is VACEOs?
We are an exclusively member-led business association, bringing together the region’s most influential thought leaders who share experiences and resources to help navigate challenges and chart the journey to success.
Our members represent businesses from all industries ranging from startups to legacy companies, mostly in the small business space.
Membership at a Glance
$1M-$400M
Revenue range
8M
Average gross annual revenue
5-3,000
Company employee count
Small
Business Sizes
All
Industries
All
Business Cycles
(Startup to Legacy)
Our Story
In early 2000, a group of CEOs gathered at the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce (now Chamber RVA) to talk about providing confidential peer roundtables for area business owners and CEOs.
Some of them had experienced the power of these groups elsewhere, and wanted to make them available in Central Virginia.
Twenty-four CEOs joined the start-up. We formed into three roundtable groups, and met together with speakers like CEO Bill Goodwin and former Governor Doug Wilder.
We became Virginia Council of CEOs, (now known as Virginia CEOs, or VACEOs). As we grew, we established regular roundtable training with world-class facilitators, and began our annual Spring Retreat.
Over the years we’ve expanded to serve business owners and CEOs in Charlottesville, Roanoke, and Northern Virginia.
Mission
To connect CEOs for learning and growth through structured peer groups, best-in-class learning events, and access to Virginia’s largest CEO community.
Vision
To be the leading community for growth-minded CEOs to connect, learn, and become their best selves.
Values
The Safe Haven found within VACEOs, where a culture of diverse perspectives, experience, sharing, and trust is revered, is what makes our community special and our members successful.
Keep Learning.
VACEOs members have a thirst for knowledge. They actively seek people and information that will help them become better leaders.
Share Openly.
Members share their experiences and embrace new ideas to help them learn and grow.
Embody Trust.
Truthfulness and trustworthiness lead to open and honest communication. Members understand that the VACEOs community is a “no-judgement-zone.” Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our peer group process.
Generously Commit.
VACEOS Members are committed to the success of one another. They respond promptly to requests for help, willingly giving their time, and sharing their experience with fellow members.
Give Safe Haven.
VACEOs fosters a confidential, non-competitive, “no sell” environment. This creates a Safe Haven in which members openly explore challenges and opportunities and garner insights from peers and thought leaders.
Value Diversity.
VACEOs members understand the community is stronger when a diverse set of business leaders with a broad range of experiences come together. We seek to include CEOs who are diverse in gender, ethnicity, race, age, industry, and business type.
Code of Conduct
To support our core values, the VACEOs community has a Code of Conduct that enhances the Safe Haven Culture for all of our members, sponsors, staff and guests.
How We Work
At VACEOs, we provide a confidential, non-competitive, and “no sell” environment where CEOs can openly explore challenges, seize opportunities, and gain valuable insights from peers and thought leaders.
From roundtables to a robust lineup of in-person and virtual events, our members are able to exchange ideas, share experiences, and navigate today’s complex business landscape with even more confidence.
A Unique Approach to Learning
Our model is rooted in story-sharing, not advice-giving. Rather than telling each other what they “should” do, members share real-world experiences to help one another learn, grow, and lead more effectively. This approach fosters deeper connections and actionable insights that directly impact business success.
By cultivating a safe, supportive community, VACEOs encourages camaraderie and long-term, meaningful relationships—helping CEOs grow both personally and professionally.
More Than a Network:
A Community of Growth
For over 25 years, VACEOs has brought together small business leaders who are committed to learning and evolving. This isn’t a traditional networking group—it’s a peer-driven community designed to foster leadership development and business success.
Curious about VACEOs?
Contact UsAre you ready to sign up?
Join TodayI can be a better leader at the end of the day for my team.
Learning from experiences from my colleagues within my roundtable has been invaluable in terms of changing my mindset of being a doer and being that visionary.
– Derek Machado, CEO, FIVE19
Membership perks, criteria & costs.
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