Joined RVA757 Connects: 2020

James Spore became the first president and CEO of Reinvent Hampton Roads in 2016, following 24 years of service as city manager of the City of Virginia Beach. He retired from Reinvent Hampton Roads in Spring 2022 before that organization merged with the Hampton Roads Business Roundtable to form the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable.

During his tenure as city manager, Virginia Beach won accolades as a Best Place to Live in America, one of the top five Best Managed Cities in the Nation, and the U.S. Senate Medallion of Excellence for Productivity and Quality.

Spore continues to serve on numerous state and regional boards, including the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, and has been an active member of the American Planning Association, the American Society for Public Administration, the Alliance for Innovation, and the International City Management Association (ICMA). He continues to inspire regional cooperation as he volunteers with multiple initiatives to address key issues facing the state, the megaregion, the region, and localities.