2 Arlington Business Leaders Tapped For Coronavirus Advisory Team

ARLINGTON, VA — Brian Moore, senior manager for public policy at Amazon, and Jon Norton, CEO of Great American Restaurants, are among the business people Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has selected to serve on the COVID-19 Business Task Force.

Comprised of a diverse group of business leaders, the task force will advise Northam and his Cabinet on how to ease restrictions on individuals and businesses that were put in place to stem the spread of COVID-19, the illness associated with the new coronavirus.

“These are Virginians who are thinking everyday about how to protect the health of their staff and the communities in which they operate,” Northam said, in a release. “They understand that our public health and business interests are aligned—we must take measures that both ensure the safety and confidence of consumers and prevent the spread of disease. Their input will continue to be critical as we plan a safe, consistent, successful path forward.”

Northam issued a stay-at-home order on March 30 for all Virginians. The order also directed all non-essentials businesses to close.

Moore has spent the last three years leading Amazon's public policy efforts in Virginia. The company is set to open its permanent HQ2 in Pentagon City in 2023. The move will bring 25,000 employees to the area.

Norton has worked for Great American Restaurants for more than 24 years. The restaurant chain operates a number of eateries throughout the D.C. metro region, including Best Buns Bread Company and Carlyle in Shirlington.

Members of Virginia’s COVID-19 Business Task Force include:

• Chad Ballard, Cherrystone Campground, Cape Charles
• Katy Brown, Barter Theatre, Abington
• Josh Chapman, Black Narrows Brewing, Chincoteague
• Jenny Crittenden, Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust, Gloucester
• Patrick Crute, Virginia Alliance of YMCAs, Statewide
• Christy Coleman, Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, Williamsburg
• David Foster, High Point Barber Shop, Richmond
• Angelyn Glasgow, Nu Image Salon, Blackstone
• George Hodson, Veritas Vineyard, Afton
• Lester Johnson, Mama J’s Restaurant, Richmond
• Franky Marchard, Volvo, Dublin
• Owen Matthews, Kings Dominion, Doswell
• Bill Meyer, Meyer Fitness, Norfolk
• Brian Moore, Amazon, Arlington/Alexandria
• Brooke Mueller, Walmart, Statewide
• Jon Norton, Great American Restaurants, Arlington/Fairfax
• Alex Nyerges, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
• Chris Ray, Center of the Universe Brewing, Ashland
• F. Dee Suarez-Diaz, ReNuew Wellness Spa LLC, Manassas
• Warren Thompson, Thompson Hospitality, Reston
• Bruce Thompson, Gold Key PHR, Virginia Beach
• Laura Todd, Institute of Advanced Medical Aesthetics, Ashland
• Terri Vander Vennet, Hampton Coliseum, Hampton

The task force will be staffed by Deputy Secretaries of Commerce and Trade Angela Navarro and Cassidy Rasnick, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources Gena Berger, Chief Workforce Adviser Dr. Megan Healy, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Dr. Janice Underwood, as well as staff from the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

Also see ...

• Virginia Coronavirus: Over 700 New Cases, Legislature's Actions
• Northam To Protesters: 'This Is Not The Time To Play Politics'
• VA Hospitals Avoid Coronavirus Patient Surge As Curve Flattens