Fairfax County Economic Development Head To Depart
Victor Hoskins, who has led economic development efforts for three D.C.-area localities over the past 15 years, is leaving his role in Fairfax County to join the private sector.
Hoskins is stepping away from his job as CEO and president of Fairfax County’s Economic Development Authority, which he has held since August 2019, FCEDA announced in a press release Monday. It said he would return to the private sector this fall.
The authority will now initiate a search for his replacement, with a decision expected to be announced later this year.
The release didn't say where in the private sector Hoskins will work, but he told the Washington Business Journal he will take a role advising organizations like family offices on delivering large-scale investments.
In the release, Hoskins called leading FCEDA “a great honor.”
“I am deeply proud of the exceptional FCEDA team and the vibrant business community we serve — from small businesses that form the backbone of Fairfax County to innovative startups and global industry leaders,” he said. “I am confident that the spirit, talent, and commitment that define this organization will carry it to even greater heights.”
Fairfax County is the largest jurisdiction in Northern Virginia, home to more than 1 million residents.
During Hoskins' tenure, FCEDA secured nearly 64,000 jobs and facilitated more than 10.5M SF of office space and nearly 4M SF of data centers, according to the release, which says the county’s gross domestic product grew by more than $47B to reach $177B.
“Victor Hoskins has been an exceptional economic leader for Fairfax County and a strategic force for growth during some of the most competitive and complex times in recent history,” FCEDA Commission Chairman James Quigley said in a statement.
“Under his leadership, FCEDA secured some of the world’s most innovative companies, ignited meaningful job creation, strengthened key industries, and cemented Fairfax County’s place as a global competitor,” he added.
In the weeks leading up to Monday’s announcement about Hoskins’ departure from FCEDA, the organization announced two new leases.
Defense technology company Grvty is opening a 22K SF headquarters in Tysons, and space technology company Umbra is opening a 20K SF office in Reston. Grvty is planning to invest $8M and hire 200 employees as part of the expansion, and Umbra is planning to invest $6.75M and create 100 “high-tech” jobs.
Hoskins has served in the local economic development world since 2011, when he came on as D.C.’s deputy mayor for planning and development for Mayor Vincent Gray.
In 2014, he became director of economic development for Arlington County, where he served until 2019. He was there when Amazon selected the county to house its HQ2 campus.
He was previously at affordable housing consulting company Quadel Consulting Corp. and, before that, was a senior vice president at Doracon Development. Prior to those roles, he was the lead director overseeing the mid-Atlantic market for Fannie Mae and the cabinet secretary of Maryland’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
