Carl Mitchell of Radford has been named Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s (VTTI) first associate
director of advancement.
Mitchell is charged with raising awareness of the capabilities and strengths of VTTI while fostering
industry and private partnerships with the institute that support its mission of human and economic
growth.
Researchers at VTTI, the second largest university-level transportation institute in the U.S. with
approximately 500 employees, seek to develop techniques and technologies to solve transportation
challenges from vehicular, driver, infrastructure, and environmental perspectives.
In his role, Mitchell is tasked with identifying, nurturing, and expanding relationships through research-
based partnerships, connections to the technical teams, use of facilities and equipment, fundraising,
facilitation of student internships, professional training, advisory board opportunities, networking events,
and other university activities and programs in response to industry partner needs and interests.
Mitchell has a long career cultivating gifts and donations to advance Virginia Tech’s endowment, capital
projects, and operations. He served the College of Engineering as senior director of major gifts for almost
a decade, managing a diverse portfolio of prospects that resulted in securing major gifts up to $5 million
from private sources.
One of Mitchell’s most notable accomplishments was his collaboration with university Advancement to
secure a $15 million gift from alumnus Kevin T. Crofton ’82 in support of Virginia Tech’s Department of
Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, now named the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering, and the Division of Student Affairs.
Prior to joining the Virginia Tech community in 2012, Mitchell was the president and chief executive
officer of Virginia Economic Bridge, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focused on creating an
environment for economic development. Mitchell cultivated gifts from private donors and Fortune 500
companies to support annual and capital campaigns, led their board of directors, and planned and
implemented several initiatives like Virginia’s Linked Workforce Showcase, which promotes the
economic vitality of the Commonwealth of Virginia through business, economic, and workforce
development.
The Mechanicsville, Va., native’s professional roles have also included the executive director of One
Care of Southwest Virginia, a nonprofit organization that helps constituents access technology and health
services; the director of the Southwest Virginia division of Virginia Economic Bridge; the national
program coordinator of the National Future Farmers of America; and a high school horticulture teacher.
He also has served on the Radford City School Board.
He holds three degrees from Virginia Tech: bachelors of science in animal science and agriculture
education, and a masters in horticulture. Mitchell has long lived in Radford and is the proud father of
three daughters and three sons whom he shares with his partner in life, Lori Lavery Mitchell.
