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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce has named Jen Walker its 2026 Business Leader of the Year, citing her work in real estate and three decades of involvement in Del Ray and citywide organizations.
Walker leads the Jen Walker Team at Corcoran McEnearney and has worked in Alexandria real estate for more than 25 years. She has lived in Del Ray for more than 30.
The Chamber said the award recognizes a business leader whose professional achievements, community involvement and dedication to Alexandria reflect the leadership that helps the city thrive. It pointed to Walker's involvement with the Del Ray Business Association, the Alexandria YMCA, Rebuilding Together Alexandria and the Campagna Center, and to her founding of Cinema Del Ray, the neighborhood outdoor movie series.
Walker is not new to the Chamber's awards. The Jen Walker Team won Small Business of the Year in 2021.
She has also received the Del Ray Business Association's Heart of Del Ray award in 2010 and was named a City of Alexandria Living Legend in 2017. Her team has been ranked the top real estate team in the city for three consecutive years and the number one small team in Virginia by Real Trends, and she has appeared in Washingtonian's annual agent rankings and been named a best real estate agent by the Wall Street Journal.
A Georgia native, Walker has described being drawn to Alexandria by the same qualities she knew growing up — a place where neighbors greet each other and shop owners know customers by name. Her stated motto is "Spread Kindness, Build Community."
Walker will be honored at the 2026 Best in Business Awards, presented by Burke & Herbert Bank, from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Westin Alexandria Old Town, 400 Courthouse Square. The awards ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by a reception at 7:30. Tickets are $130 for Chamber members and $160 for non-members, with five- and 10-packs available. Register now.
The Business Leader of the Year is chosen by the Chamber's executive committee. The other awards are decided through an application review by an anonymous selection committee made up of past winners, and that application window closes soon. Businesses have until Friday, Aug. 7, to apply in six categories: micro, small, medium and large business of the year, rising star of the year, and nonprofit or association of the year. Applications can be submitted through the Chamber's online form or as an editable PDF.
Past Business Leaders of the Year include Visit Alexandria's Patricia Washington in 2024, developer Don Simpson Jr. in 2023, land use attorney Cathy Puskar in 2022 and Alexandria Restaurant Partners' Scott Shaw in 2021. Last year the honor went to an organization rather than an individual, the Virginia Tech DC Area Launch Team.
The Chamber bills the event as its version of the Oscars, red carpet included.
