Bill Text: VA SR64 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of John Oliver Wynne.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-15 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR64ER) [SR64 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-SR64-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, John Oliver Wynne, the former president and chief executive officer of Landmark Communications, Inc., who had a profound impact on the Commonwealth through his innovative leadership on economic development, education, regional collaboration, governmental performance, and civic and cultural initiatives, died on October 26, 2023; and
WHEREAS, John "Dubby" Wynne was born in Norfolk on July 6, 1945, and graduated from Norfolk Academy, where he was captain of the tennis, football, and basketball teams; he earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton University, then, after interrupting his legal studies for active duty in the United States Army Reserve, earned his law degree from the University of Virginia; he was also later awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by Old Dominion University; and
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 officer in 2001, while continuing to serve on its board of directors; and
WHEREAS, Dubby Wynne's productive tenure at Landmark Communications included his primary role in launching The Weather Channel cable network, for which he received numerous national awards, including the Governor's Award from the National Academy of Cable Programming for "his leadership 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; during this time he also served in leadership roles in the National Cable Television Association and National Satellite Programmers Group; and
WHEREAS, Dubby Wynne gave back generously to each of the educational institutions that helped prepare him for success in business and in life, serving as a trustee and president of the board of trustees of Norfolk Academy, as a charter trustee and executive committee member of the board of trustees and national chair of giving campaigns for Princeton University, and as member and rector 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 of Higher Education for Virginia, the Virginia Business Higher Education Council (VBHEC), the Council on Virginia's Future, and the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board and Foundation, selflessly devoting hundreds of his retirement hours to travel throughout the Commonwealth for meetings and presentations; and
WHEREAS, under Dubby Wynne's leadership, the Council on Virginia's Future examined best practices from other states and the private sector to enhance the efficiency, 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 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 depend 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, 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 served as founding chair of the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board; he then took the reins of the business-led GO Virginia Foundation, spearheading the talent pathways initiative designed to meet the workforce needs of the highest growth industry clusters in each region and to help keep young people in Virginia for post-graduation employment; and
WHEREAS, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report on the GO Virginia program in 2023 found that it was fulfilling its intended purpose by facilitating greater collaboration among key stakeholders within the state's regional economies and offered suggestions for expanding the program's impact by accelerating its grant awards; and
WHEREAS, Dubby Wynne enhanced the well-being of people in his home region of Hampton Roads and throughout the Commonwealth by his exceedingly generous philanthropic activity and by his personal involvement in numerous worthy civic and cultural causes; and
WHEREAS, Dubby Wynne served as chair of the Virginia Business Council, co-chair of the Hampton Roads Business Partnership, chair of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation; he was a founding member of the Hampton Roads Business Roundtable, served on the governing boards of the Eastern Virginia Medical School Foundation and the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, and provided his leadership to Junior Achievement of Tidewater, the United Way of South Hampton Roads Capital Campaign, and the board of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; and
WHEREAS, faith and family were of primary importance to Dubby Wynne; he was devoted to his wife of more than 50 years, Susan, and to his sons, John and Bradford, and their families; and
WHEREAS, the loss of Dubby Wynne's son Lee to leukemia in 1984 at age six profoundly fortified his faith; he was a lifelong member of Galilee Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach, where he served on the vestry and in other key roles, and he sought to live out his faith by devoting himself tirelessly to serving others in his community and the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Dubby Wynne improved the lives of countless young Virginians of all backgrounds, regions, and circumstances by expanding their educational and employment opportunities, and he will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his family and friends as well as colleagues throughout Virginia; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of John Oliver Wynne, a former executive of Landmark Communications and transformational servant-leader in Hampton Roads and throughout the Commonwealth; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of John Oliver Wynne as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.
