RICHMOND, Va. – Scott Tilley, general counsel and member of the executive council of Stihl Inc., headquartered in Virginia Beach, Va., was elected 2016 Chairof the Virginia Manufacturers Assn. (VMA) by his peers. Tilley was elected to the board in 2011 and has served as the vice chair for the past 2 years. In his role at Stihl, Tilley manages the legal department, which includes product information, product compliance and safety/environmental functions. 

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the Virginia Manufacturers Assn. as chairman,” said Tilley. “The coming year looks to have great potential for manufacturing growth in Virginia, and I expect the VMA to take a leadership role in promoting that growth. I look forward to working with my fellow board members and VMA staff as together we advocate for policies supportive of the manufacturing and business industries in Virginia.”

The other 2016 VMA Officers elected were:

  • Immediate Past Chairman – Rob Hogan, Newport News Shipbuilding
  • Chair Emeritus – David Moore, Universal Corp.
  • Vice Chair – Jamie Baisden, QMT Associates Inc.
  • Treasurer – Tanya Cook, Philip Morris USA
  • Secretary – John Dyer, Optical Cable Corp,
  • President & CEO – Brett Vassey, Virginia Manufacturers Assn.

New at-large directors elected this year include David Anderson, West Rock; Dorene Billingsley, Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies – Resins and Chemicals; Tom Godfrey, Colonna’s Shipyard; Becky Merritt, Dominion Virginia Power; Ryan Ranalli, McKee Foods; and Cort Reiser, Liebherr Mining Equipment Co.

“The VMA team is inspired by the energy and commitment of this boardm” said Brett Vassey, president & CEO. “Scott’s leadership is going to shepherd our organization and the manufacturing sector through a renaissance and expansion across the Commonwealth.”

Tilley comes to the chiar position with years of association experience. He has served on the Norfolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) board of directors, as well as the executive board of the Virginia Beach Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. He is also a past chair of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) leaf blower task force, which created a variety of helpful tools and resources to assist landscapers on the proper use of leaf blowers in light of current regulations and ordinances. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute and has served in the Corporate Counsel Section of the Virginia Bar Assn. He currently serves as a Governor appointee to the Virginia Manufacturing Develoment Commission and has also been appointed to the Virginia Beach Mayor’s Energy Advisory Committee.