Virginia Capitol Connections, 2025 Annual Magazine 37 Associations Coalition of Virginia Subcontractors J.T. Thomas, 703.658.4383 Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education Darla Miller, Executive Director, 540.292.1278 Virginia Association of Realtors Rick Lugg, CEO, 804.264.5033, rlugg@virginiarealtors.org Mary Lawson, Senior Vice-President of Legislative Affairs & Chief Lobbyist 804.249.5718, mlawson@virginiarealtors.org Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc. Edward “Bubby” Bish, Executive Director, 804.749.8191 VCTA – Broadband Association of Virginia Ray LaMura, President, 804.780.1776 Virginia Coalition of Police and Deputy Sheriffs Chip Condon, President, 1.800.913.2727 Virginia Education Association – 804.648.5801 Carol Bauer, President Shane Riddle, Director of Government Relations Virginia Fire Chiefs Association Kevin Good, President, 703.805.4843 kevin.n.good.civ@army.mil Virginia Governmental Employees Association J. Marshall Terry, Executive Director, 804.355.3120 Virginia League of Conservation Voters Michael Town, Executive Director, 804.225.1902 Virginia Professional Fire Fighters Robert Bragg, President, 434.882.8238 Virginia Retired Teachers Association Karen Whetzel, President, 540.740.8589 Bea Morris, Legislative Co-chair Tina Whitaker, Legislative Co-chair Virginia School Counselor Association DeLisa Joseph, Chair Sarah Ritchie, Assistant Chair • www.vsca.org Virginia State Firefighters Association Larry Gwaltney, Executive Director, 757.810.8335 Voter Registrars Association of Virginia Alison Fox, President, 804.387.8468 www.varegistrars.org Hotels The Berkeley Hotel, Iconic Richmond Charm 1200 East Cary Street • Richmond, VA 23219 804.225.5149 The Commonwealth Hotel 804.343.7300 • 901 Bank Street, Richmond Adjacent to General Assembly Delta Hotels by Marriott Richmond Downtown 804.788.0900 • 555 East Canal Street, Richmond Linden Row Inn 804.225.5841 • 100 East Franklin Street, Richmond Courtyard Roanoke Airport Hotel 3301 Ordway Drive • Roanoke, VA 24017 540.563.5002 Residence Inn Roanoke Airport 3305 Ordway Drive • Roanoke, VA 24017 540.265.1119 Services Gus’s Shoe Repair 528 East Main Street, Richmond • 804.782.6959 www.shoerepairrichmond.com burdened by the weight of policy battles, found in him a reminder of perspective and humanity. He was equally respected by both groups because he embodied fairness, discretion, and service. The Institutional Value of the Doorkeeper The passing of Mr. Radden reminds us of the institutional value of the doorkeeper role. While laws and policies shape our Commonwealth, it is the continuity of tradition that sustains our democracy. The doorkeeper represents that continuity. • For the institution: Doorkeepers preserve order and respect for the chamber, ensuring that centuries-old traditions are not lost in the speed of modern politics. • For the members: They are trusted stewards of knowledge, carrying lessons from one generation of delegates to the next. • For the public: They embody accessibility and humility, standing as a reminder that the people’s House is a place of service, not power alone. By honoring Mr. Radden, we honor the larger truth that democracy is sustained not only by elections and laws but also by the quiet work of individuals who protect its rituals and dignity. Lessons in Service Mr. Radden’s life teaches us several lessons that extend beyond the chamber: 1. Stability Matters – In an age of turnover and partisanship, a steady presence reminds us that institutions endure beyond election cycles. 2. Kindness Is Leadership – Leadership is not always loud or visible. Sometimes, it is the calm reassurance of a doorkeeper who sees each member as a person first. 3. Humility Is Strength – Mr. Radden never sought the spotlight, yet his influence was profound. His humility made him a moral anchor within the House. A Legacy That Lives On While the House mourns his passing, Mr. Radden’s spirit will linger in the chamber. It will live on in the way a new delegate takes a deep breath before a first-floor speech, remembering his smile. It will endure in the way veteran members treat one another with respect, recalling his example. And it will echo in the continued importance of the doorkeeper’s role— reminding us that democracy depends on both visible leadership and the unseen guardians who uphold it. Closing Reflection The late Delegate Yvonne B. Miller often said, “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living.” By that measure, Mr. Eddie Radden paid his rent in full—and then some. His decades of service at the doors of the Virginia House of Delegates reflect a life lived with dignity, faithfulness, and humility. We are also reminded of the words of the esteemed Dr. Hugo A. Owens, who often said: “One man awake, can awaken another, the second can awaken his next-door brother; the three of them awake, can make such a fuss, that finally it awakens the rest of us. One man awake with the dawn in his eyes, multiplies.” Mr. Radden was such a man awake. His example stirred others to higher service, to deeper humility, and to greater dedication. One man at the chamber doors, awake to his duty, helped awaken us all to the meaning of service. As we carry forward without his physical presence, may we remember the values he embodied: kindness, steadiness, fairness, and respect. Let his example remind each of us that while laws may change and leaders may come and go, the true strength of our institutions rests in the people who serve them with quiet honor. Mr. Eddie Radden was such a man. He reminded us always: this House is the people’s House. And the Commonwealth is better for it Delegate Cliff Hayes has been a member of the Virginia House of Delegates since 2016.V
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