Mattes replaces Rigell as TCC’s commencement speaker

Raymond Mattes, president and chief executive officer of Retail Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads, will be the keynote speaker at Tidewater Community College’s fall commencement on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.

Mattes replaces Scott Rigell, U.S. Representative for Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, who was detained in Washington, D.C.

Nearly 2,300 students will earn associate degrees or certificates at the college’s 55th commencement. Graduation will be streamed live at www.tcc.edu.

An alumnus of the college and current board member of the TCC Alumni Association, Mattes collaborates closely with area business leaders at Retail Alliance, a trade association representing the retail industry. Leading his organization since 2011, Mattes works to foster a positive and productive environment for retail and charitable activities in all of Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.

In addition to his associate degree from TCC, Mattes holds a “mini MBA” from Old Dominion University’s Executive Development Center and is a certified association executive with the American Society of Associate Executives.

A Norfolk native, Mattes is a current board member of the Greater Norfolk Corporation, the Downtown Norfolk Council and the Virginia Beach Roundtable. Previously, he served as chairman of the Board of Directors for Child and Family Services of Eastern Virginia. He also served on the Virginia Beach Education Foundation Board of Directors and is a former board member of the Tidewater Mortgage Bankers Association and the Great Neck Athletic Association.