Blair Durham is a native of the 757 and a graduate of Virginia Tech. She has served the public and private sectors as
a teacher, counselor, and sales manager. In 2016, she and her husband founded Black BRAND (an acronym for
Business, Research and Analytics, Networking and Development) as the third iteration of a black chamber of
commerce for Hampton Roads. The organization has grown to include nearly 400 individual and corporate members
who benefit from routine networking, exposure, and engagement opportunities. Black BRAND also developed
B-Force Accelerator designed to support the financial, organization, and strategic planning needs of black
entrepreneurs, preparing them to access capital. Further, Black BRAND heads up Black Diamond Weekend,
Virginia’s premier 3 Day Business Networking Conference for emerging and existing Black Entrepreneurs.

Blair is a proud board member of Volunteer Hampton Roads, The Virginia Zoo, Virginians for Offshore Wind, and
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. She received the prestigious 2021 Workforce Champion of the Year award
by the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and is an alum of CIVIC Leadership Institute’s Class of 2022. Blair and her
husband reside in Portsmouth and are the proud parents of 3 children.