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CEOs You Should Know: Washington DC

CEOs You Should Know: Washington DC

By: iHeartMedia Washington DC
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 M&T Bank Presents CEOs You Should Know in Washington DCCopyright iHeartMedia Washington DC Economics
Episodes
  • Doug Riley, President & CEO of Thos. Somerville Co.

    Doug Riley, President & CEO of Thos. Somerville Co.
    Aug 20 2025
    Doug Riley is the President and CEO of Thos. Somerville Co., a leading plumbing and HVAC wholesale distributor in the Mid-Atlantic region. His career with the company spans nearly four decades, beginning in 1985 as a summer warehouse associate in Fairfax, Virginia, and rising steadily through the ranks—from inside and outside sales to branch and regional management—before assuming the role of CEO in 2015. Doug earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing from George Mason University, where he also competed as a collegiate track athlete. He later completed his MBA at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland in 2012. Throughout his tenure at Somerville, Doug has been recognized for his leadership and performance, including being named Salesman of the Year in 1988 and guiding multiple branches and regions to annual honors such as Branch of the Year and Region of the Year. Outside of Thos. Somerville, Doug has remained active in leadership and education. He served on the TW Perry Advisory Board from 2015 to 2020 and currently sits on the board of St. Anne’s School. He also taught graduate-level Negotiations as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland from 2014 to 2015. A certified group fitness instructor, Doug has coached track and field at both high school and middle school levels and completed seven Tough Mudder races across the country between 2012 and 2013. Originally from Newburgh, New York, and born in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Doug now resides in Gambrills, Maryland. He is married to children’s book author Cyana Riley and is a proud father and grandfather to a blended family that includes four children and three grandchildren.
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    31 mins
  • Elizabeth Gray, CEO of National Audubon Society

    Elizabeth Gray, CEO of National Audubon Society
    Aug 6 2025
    Dr. Elizabeth Gray serves as Audubon’s Chief Executive Officer, leading the organization toward its vision of a future where birds thrive. A champion of science-based conservation and a renowned expert in global conservation and climate change, she joined Audubon in March 2021 as President and Chief Conservation Officer and was named CEO later that year—the first woman since Audubon’s founding in 1905 to hold the role. She leads more than 800 staff working across the Americas to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss. Since her arrival, she has led a landmark $826 million campaign, the groundbreaking release of the Migratory Bird Explorer, and the unifying Flight Plan strategy, reinforcing Audubon’s commitment to hemispheric conservation through the power of birds. Under Elizabeth’s leadership, Audubon has embraced a multicultural, multigenerational approach, ensuring its work reflects and engages all the communities connected to conservation across the Western Hemisphere.

    Prior to Audubon, she most recently served as Global Managing Director of The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Climate Change program, where she played a key role in securing a $100 million philanthropic gift—one of the largest in TNC’s history—and managed the natural climate solutions initiative it funded. A proven fundraiser, she has secured six-, seven-, and nine-figure gifts to advance conservation and climate solutions. Trained as an ornithologist, she has spent 30+ years as a conservationist, spending considerable time in the field nationally and abroad. She also led two of TNC’s most notable impact capital projects, the $130 million Cumberland Forest Impact Investment Fund, which supported sustainable forestry in the Appalachians, and a groundbreaking urban conservation program in Washington, D.C. She holds a PhD in ecology from the University of Washington and an AB with highest honors in psychology from Harvard University.
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    23 mins
  • Katie Hooper, CEO and Co-Founder of Notorious111

    Katie Hooper, CEO and Co-Founder of Notorious111
    Aug 4 2025

    Meet Katie Hooper, the spirited CEO of Notorious111, also known as The Optimist. In late 2023, Katie saw an opportunity to buyback Notorious111 (formerly HZDG) from BCW, a division of WPP. Her strategic refocusing of the agency's skill set, fueled by her relentless optimism, has positioned Notorious111 to better meet the needs of chief marketing officers and brand leaders with creative solutions that go beyond traditional advertising.

    Katie is driven by a desire to make her work meaningful and impactful; these are not just her values but those she shares with and instills in the team at Notorious111. She believes that every brand marketer should feel the weight of their influence and strives to partner with them to craft brand stories that resonate deeply and make a real difference in people's lives. This dedication is reflected in her impressive portfolio of past and present clients, including Hilton, Dollar General, State of Maryland, King Arthur Flour, Penn State Football, and National Aquarium, and the National Mall.

    Before leading Notorious111, Katie was the Director of Marketing at Ralph Lauren, where she spearheaded the integrated marketing program for the Rugby brand, from its initial concept to national rollout and e-commerce launch. This experience honed her exceptional talent for driving brand growth and engagement.

    Katie Hooper's work at Notorious111 is not just a job, it's a calling, shaped by her enduring belief that great work matters. Through her vision and leadership, she continually pushes the boundaries of what's possible in advertising, leading Notorious111 into its next exciting chapter as an agency committed to making a difference through creativity.
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    39 mins
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