Posted in Honors, Mel Price, Virginia, Virginia Business
Virginia Business publishes an annual list of 100 people in the state that fellow Virginians should get to know in the new year. As the article begins, “Virginia is full of fascinating people,” and one of those fascinating people to meet in 2026 is WPA CEO Mel Price.
Mel is included among an esteemed group of scientists, real estate developers, attorneys, government contractors, physicians, writers, restaurateurs and others from The Old Dominion. Here is what Virginia Business wrote about Mel:
Believing that architecture could be a tool for civic good, Mel Price co-founded Work Program Architects, a Norfolk-based architecture and design firm, in 2010 with Thom White. In the years since, WPA has become known for projects that advance resilience, inclusion and community engagement. Under Price’s leadership, the firm designed the Elizabeth River Project’s $8 million Ryan Resilience Lab, a flood-resilient environmental education center, and the 24,000-square-foot expansion of the Perry Glass Studio at Chrysler Museum, which opened earlier this year.
Before launching WPA, Price helped lead grassroots initiative Re:Vision Norfolk, which invited residents to imagine better futures for underused public spaces. She is also active in numerous Hampton Roads-based boards, including vice chair of the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation, vice president of the Greater Norfolk Corp. and chair of the Downtown Norfolk Council. In 2025, WPA was included on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private U.S. companies.
See the other 99 honorees (and one cat) and read the full Virginia Business article here.