The Greater Washington area has a long history of influential business leaders powering the growth of our region and the strength of their communities. On November 20, the Washington Business Hall of Fame will welcome four such leaders to receive our region’s signature lifetime business achievement award. The Hall of Fame brings these visionaries (the best in business) to the table with the next generation of leaders (the next in business), through an experience that connects and inspires us all.
The 2024 Hall of Fame Laureates are no strangers to media coverage. If you live in the Washington region, chances are you’ve seen their names in headlines for years. What you may not have witnessed is these trailblazers telling their stories in their own words. That’s what this series brings you – the insights, lessons and life advice that these Laureates have to offer based on a lifetime of success.
Washington’s best in business:
Kevin C. Virostek
From balancing the impact of the pandemic and national social unrest to maximizing opportunities for growth during times of uncertainty, Kevin Virostek shares why he believes constant evolution and adaptability are core skills needed to achieve success.
Read the full Q&A to get to know Kevin – a leading influencer in the professional services industry and one of this year’s Laureates.
Kevin C. Virostek
Retired greater washington managing partner
Did you have a mentor over the course of your career? If so, who was it, and how did they impact your career trajectory?
Kevin Virostek: It would be impossible to name just one mentor or role model that had a positive impact on my career and my life. The magic of being a partner at EY is that I have had hundreds of mentors, coaches and friends over the years, from fellow Partners to EY professionals, clients, community leaders and yes, even competitors. I’ve always appreciated that EY trains people very early in their careers to actively seek out and establish these important relationships with others in their network. After 37 years with the firm, I believe I am an amalgamation of many people. The experience of working shoulder-to-shoulder to solve difficult challenges for our clients or addressing important community issues alongside other local business leaders is equivalent to a 37-year-long MBA program. Being exposed to the positive traits that I strive to emulate has been just as important as learning which characteristics I want to avoid. The learning and growth never ends if you pay close attention along the way.
“The magic of being a partner at EY is that I have had hundreds of mentors, coaches and friends over the years, from fellow Partners to EY professionals, clients, community leaders and yes, even competitors.”
What is the hardest job you have ever done? What made it so difficult?
Kevin Virostek: The hardest job I have ever done was near the end of my EY career, serving as the Greater Washington Office Managing Partner. It was particularly challenging to lead our office through the unprecedented convergence of the pandemic, the social unrest across the country and here locally, and the financial impacts in our affected economies. So many new issues came up every day, and many of them were things we had never dealt with. The questions and conversations were deep and raw, and the emotions were often on the edge of boiling over. But what we achieved, and the way we grew into a stronger and more unified EY community, was very rewarding. Many of the scenarios required all of us to be very vulnerable and to admit that individually we may not be able to solve the problem – but together we could.
What is one thing you want the Greater Washington business community to know about your company?
Kevin Virostek: I think it is important for the Greater Washington business community to know that EY is not a static organization. Rather, it’s more like a living organism that is constantly evolving and adapting to the environment in which it operates. EY has more than 350,000 people and many more alumni around the globe who bring unique insights and perspectives to make our world a better place. No matter how long each employee stays with EY – whether a short time or for a lifetime – each person contributes to the evolution of the firm. EY alumni include global leaders of many of the largest corporations, cutting-edge startups developing leading innovations, universities and community service organizations.
If you could choose one person to have dinner with, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Kevin Virostek: If I could choose one person to have dinner with, it would be an easy choice: my father, Al Virostek. My dad passed away unexpectedly 21 years ago, at the age of 68. A native Washingtonian, Dad was not only my hero, but also a hero to many others. He was a successful homebuilder and real estate executive who touched many lives throughout his business career. But my dad’s real impact was through his community involvement: coaching youth sports, mentoring young professionals and giving back in so many positive ways. He left this world way too early – and although I and my four siblings were launched and well along our way with our families and professional careers of our own, there was so much he missed these past 21 years – and so much we all wanted him to be a part of. There have been thousands of times over those years that I have thought of calling him or stopping by to ask a question or his advice, only to quickly realize that was no longer an option. Give me one dinner – and although it would be a really long dinner – to ask him so many things I never did before he left us. That would be a great dinner!
The global pandemic has caused young people to reconsider the connection between their education and the uncertain future. What should students be doing today to help prepare them for a successful tomorrow?
Kevin Virostek: The global pandemic had many terrible outcomes and losses, but there were also many stories of heroism and innovation. Everything we knew in the business community was challenged and examined – and often age-old concepts and beliefs were thrown out for new models and approaches. I believe this once-in-a-century crisis provided today’s students with an opportunity to reconsider their futures in ways we have never seen before. As in any transformational period in history, new opportunities will redefine what is considered an individual’s “future success.” The best thing a student can do today is to exercise intellectual curiosity. Be aware. Ask questions. Challenge the norm and be willing to take some calculated risks. It’s the periods of uncertainty in our lives that often offer the greatest opportunities for learning and growth.
“The best thing a student can do today is to exercise intellectual curiosity. Be aware. Ask questions. Challenge the norm and be willing to take some calculated risks. It’s the periods of uncertainty in our lives that often offer the greatest opportunities for learning and growth.”
If you had to pitch a new business concept today, what would it be and why?
Kevin Virostek: If I had to pitch a new business concept today, it would be an attempt to solve the traffic and infrastructure challenges here in the DC community. This is one of the greatest regions in the world to live and work, but it is getting harder every day to get from point A to B. Yes, the pandemic showed us we could continue to work and live in a remote world, but it also showed us it is not the same when you don’t have daily human interaction. The easy answer is all too often that “I am going to skip travelling to that event or meeting because it just takes too long to get there.” And that is often the wrong answer. There is so much in this region to take advantage of – let’s make sure we and future generations can get “there”!
You’re invited to support Kevin Virostek’s induction into the Washington Business Hall of Fame. All proceeds benefit Junior Achievement of Greater Washington’s work to prepare local students to be ready for the future.