David R. Lohr

B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1976

David Lohr sees four areas of impact made by his time at Virginia Tech on his career and personal life: the ways his engineering education prepared him for work in industry through hands-on learning in labs and co-op experiences; how he learned the importance of personal relationships and “treating people like you’d want to be treated” from mentors like Jim Godfrey in the co-op office and professors like Gerry Beyer, his advisor; the start of his growing commitment to service, ingrained in him by Ut Prosim (That I May Serve); and his belonging to the Hokie Nation, “the most loyal and passionate alumni network in the country,” Lohr said.

“Throughout my career, I have met so many inspiring Hokies through both my professional and family activities,” Lohr said. “Along the way, I learned from them the power of giving back. And the opportunity to give back to this great university was the driving force for me to add an unexpected ‘encore’ to my professional career teaching in the Pamplin College of Business, and sharing my mistakes and successes with the next generation of Hokie Nation.”

Lohr’s career began at DuPont in 1972, in the company’s fibers, organic, and specialty chemical businesses. By 1990, he was general manager of DuPont’s DCV Biologics and vice president of business development of the company’s Medisorb Technologies. He later served in numerous leadership roles, including as vice president of development and executive director of the Virginia Biosciences Development Center and Dominion Resources GreenTech Incubator at the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park. Lohr is currently an adjunct professor of management at the Pamplin College of Business and president and CEO of Navigation Point Advisors.

Lohr has served on multiple boards and committees, including his leadership roles for the Virginia and National Business Incubation Associations, the RichTech Regional Technology Council, the MathScience Innovation Center, and the GENEDGE - A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Lohr was also a founding member and past chair of the chemical engineering department’s advisory board at Virginia Tech, on which he continues to serve.