W. Randy Wright was born in Norfolk, Virginia, attended Norfolk Public Schools, graduated from Norview High School and attended post-secondary education classes for five years.  He is owner of Randy Wright Printing and Publishing.

A member of Norfolk City Council representing Ward 5 since 1992, he presently chairs the Economic and Community Business Development Committee and the Transportation Committee of the Council and serves on the Downtown Development Task Force.  He also chairs the Mayor’s Ocean View Task Force and co-chairs the East Little Creek Road Partnership.

He has served on the board of the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR) since 1996 - an organization he has twice chaired - and is its present vice chairman.  As co-chair of a merger committee, he was instrumental in combining the Peninsula Transportation District Commission and the Tidewater Transportation District Commission into the regional Hampton Roads Transit; it was the first friendly transit merger in the nation’s history.  He has chaired Hampton Roads Transit’s New Starts Committee from 1999 to the present, and led the successful effort to bring The Tide light rail system to Norfolk.

He has long been active in transportation matters at the state and national level.  Presently, he serves as vice chair of the Transportation Policy Committee of the Virginia Municipal League, a committee he has also chaired.  Additionally, he chaired the 2005 Virginia Commission on Transportation in Urban Areas, and in 2007 was elected chair of the Transit Board Members of North America for the American Public Transit Association, a position he continues to hold.

He served on the State Board of Commerce from 1988 until 1996, and as its chair from 1990 until 1992.  He also served on the State Board of Corrections from 2003 until 2009.

He has been a member of the Norfolk City Planning Commission, is the past president of the Norfolk-Virginia Beach Executive Club and has served as a jury commissioner for the Norfolk Circuit Court.

In 1980, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Man Award from the Norfolk Jaycees.  In 2008 he was recognized by the Virginia Transit Authority with its Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual for his leadership in securing federal funding for light rail and by the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association for his instrumental role in the revitalization of East Ocean View and creation of the region’s first Traditional Neighborhood Design, the national award-winning East Beach community.  Also in 2008, the Tidewater Builders Association presented him with its prestigious Stanley Award in recognition of his leadership in bringing light rail to Norfolk and for development of the East Beach community.

He is married to Arlene Brooks Wright and has one son, three stepsons, four grandsons and a granddaughter. 

Email Mr. Wright here.