Photo courtesy of VA250
Carly Fiorina is the new CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Board of Trustees on Monday announced the retirement of Cliff Fleet, the Foundation’s president and CEO, a role he has held since 2020.
Williamsburg is about a 2.5-hour drive from Alexandria.
Current Board of Trustees Chair Carly Fiorina was named CEO effective immediately. Fiorina is the former chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard and made a bid for the 2016 GOP nomination for president. She has served on the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Board of Trustees since 2017 and as Board chair since 2020. She has been a Virginia resident living in the Mason Neck area since 2011. She is the national honorary chair of VA250.
“The Board is grateful for Cliff’s tireless service to the Foundation,” said Fiorina. “He has made a profound impact on the long-term trajectory of the institution which will benefit future generations. The Board and I look forward to continuing the Foundation’s important and consequential work, particularly as we prepare for both the July 4 and Centennial celebrations.”Carly has served on the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Board of Trustees since 2017 and as Board Chair since 2020.
“Leading the Foundation has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Fleet. “We have made enormous progress over the past few years thanks to the dedication of an extremely gifted leadership team, talented staff, devoted Board of Trustees, and the heartwarming generosity of donors. I have decided to retire for personal reasons and know the Foundation’s positive momentum will continue as it approaches its Centennial celebration later this year and into its second century.”
During his tenure, Fleet:
• Achieved national recognition for the education, preservation and civic
engagement work of the Foundation.
• Restored the financial strength of the Foundation by receiving an A+ credit
rating from S&P Global.
• Raised over $560 million for the Foundation’s Power of Place centennial
campaign.
• Invested in digital educational infrastructure which now reaches more than 25
million people annually.
About The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation preserves, restores and operates Virginia’s 18th-century capital of Williamsburg. Innovative and interactive experiences highlight the relevance of the American Revolution to contemporary life and the importance of an informed, active citizenry.
The Colonial Williamsburg experience includes more than 600 restored or reconstructed original buildings, renowned museums of decorative arts and folk art, extensive educational outreach programs for students and teachers and 18th-century inspired culinary options from historic taverns situated along historic Duke of Gloucester Street. Colonial Williamsburg Resorts complement the experience, offering guests five unique hotel properties including the iconic Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Williamsburg Inn, newly renovated Williamsburg Lodge-Autograph Collection, Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel and Suites, the Griffin Hotel, and authentic 18th-century Colonial Houses.
The resort offers a range of events and amenities including four historic taverns, 15 food and beverage outlets providing exquisite culinary experiences from casual to elegant dining, the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club featuring 36 holes designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and his son Rees Jones, a world-class full-service spa and fitness center, pools, meeting and flexible event spaces, and scenic gardens providing the perfect venue for weddings and special events. Merchants Square, built alongside the Historic Area in 1935 as one of the first planned shopping districts in the United States, features more than 40 specialty boutiques with products ranging from apparel to fine jewelry, art, specialty foods and gifts. Philanthropic support and revenue from admissions, products and hospitality operations sustain Colonial Williamsburg’s educational programs and preservation initiatives.
