Robby Demeria will be responsible for day-to-day operations and serve as the face and spokesperson for the organization.

Demeria, who most recently served the Vice President of Government Affairs for the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, will be charged with coordinating all RichTech events and educational forums, governing financial controls, fundraising, member recruitment and retention, and advocating with other business associations in the region. His first day at RichTech, formerly the Greater Richmond Technology Council, is April 18.

“This was a perfect opportunity for me and I look forward to bridging my business, political and communications knowledge in order to uphold RichTech’s mission,” Demeria said. “Between industry and academia, Central Virginia is and can be a bigger technology hub, and I will work hard to cultivate that reputation and offer support and growth opportunities to the people and companies that call the Richmond area home.”

Margaret E. “Lyn” McDermid, RichTech Chairwoman and Dominion’s Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, said choosing the new Executive Director came after a search for a new leader that lasted nearly six months. Longtime board member Paula Gulak served as interim director while a full-time position was filled. RichTech serves more than 300 companies and 3,000 people from all sectors of the technology economy.

“Our board of directors followed a strict recruitment and rigorous interview process and considered dozens of qualified candidates, and from that group we are more than certain that Robby has the skills and capabilities that we were searching for to lead the Central Virginia technology economy and this organization into the future,” McDermid said. “Robby not only understands that technology and the companies that work in it are changing and adapting more rapidly than ever before, but he also has the skill sets required to lead, build and strengthen a nonprofit trade association such as RichTech.”

Demeria has spent the past five years of his career at the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, which represents approximately 250,000 jobs and more than 650 businesses and is recognized as one of the most powerful business organizations in the state. He is a graduate of George Mason University.

Formerly the Greater Richmond Technology Council, RichTech is a member-driven association of businesses and organizations working together to ensure the continued growth of Central Virginia’s dynamic technology-based economy. Founded in 1996, the organization is dedicated to the development of an infrastructure that supports the growth of existing technology industries and identifies the Greater Richmond region as a location of choice for new and emerging technology companies. RichTech’s mission is “to serve as a catalyst to stimulate and connect innovative, creative and technical people.”