Charlie & Mary Jane Pryor
114 Westminster Way
Phone Number: 386-3360
e-mail: Charlie pryorcw@hotmail.com
e-mail: Mary Jane mjinlynchburg@aol.com
Move-in-Date: September 3, 2024
Charlie & Mary Jane Pryor
114 Westminster Way
Phone Number: 386-3360
e-mail: Charlie pryorcw@hotmail.com
e-mail: Mary Jane mjinlynchburg@aol.com
Move-in-Date: September 3, 2024
Mary Jane Pryor is a native of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., and a graduate of St. Mary's in Raleigh and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She taught school in Virginia Beach before moving to Lynchburg, where she continued to teach until she and her first husband, Ben Newton, who is now deceased, started their family.
After several years, Mary Jane returned to the workforce as Executive Director of the Mental Health Association, now known today as Mental Health America, and later as Director of Prevention Services at Central Virginia Community Services, now, Horizon Behavior Healthcare.
In the late '90's, she and her husband, Charlie, moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he became President of Westinghouse Electric Co. While in Pittsburgh, Mary Jane worked for the United Way of Allegheny County in the area of programs that focused on violence prevention. She also began to play golf where she spent many years trying to improve her handicap. At that time, she was able to accompany Charlie on many business travels, an activity they continue to enjoy.
When the couple returned to Lynchburg after two years in London, Mary Jane became involved in the community by serving on several boards including Kids Haven, New Vistas School, the Free Clinic, Centra Foundation, YMCA, and Beacon of Hope. She has also been a member of St. John's Church for 50 years. Mary Jane and Charlie are blessed to have a wonderfully blended family of 20. Whenever they get together, there is a lot of laughter, love, and support. Currently, five grandchildren have graduated from college, three are still enrolled, and two are in high school. As they laughingly say, Christmas is wonderful, but it surely can get expensive!
Mary Jane continues to love her bridge groups, as well as continue to hike, work out, and travel. She is looking forward to becoming an active part of the Westminster family, while still remaining involved in the Lynchburg community.
Charlie Pryor was the former Chairman and CEO of the Westinghouse Electric Company. While at Westinghouse, he led the company's growth to over $2 billion in annual revenue with employment of over 10,000 people. He led the sale of the company to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd where he oversaw the new company's global energy operations. He and Mary Jane lived in London, England during the transition and post-merger activity.
In Lynchburg, Pryor spent 25 yean with the Babcock and Wilcox Co. and was President of the B&W Nuclear Power Division. He led the divestiture of this Division to the Framatome Advanced Nuclear Power Group and Cogema, both combined to form Areva. Following this acquisition, Pryor served as CEO of B&W Nuclear Technologies until he retired and started his own management consulting business, before joining Westinghouse.
In 1993, Pryor was named the State of Virginia's "Outstanding Industrialist". This prestigious award recognized Pryor's contributions to Economic Development in Virginia as well as his leadership of the growth of Babcock & Wilcox's technology based business in Lynchburg, Va. The award was presented by Governor Doug Wilder.
French President, Francois Mitterrand presented Pryor with the very distinguished Chevalier de l'Ordre Nationale du Merite for developing business relationships between the United States and France. This award placing Pryor in the French Legion of Honor is rarely presented outside France and recognized Pryor's business, technical and diplomatic skills.
In 2003, Pryor was inducted into the National Academy of Engineers of the National Academy of Sciences, recognizing his numerous and significant contributions to the development of safe, reliable and cost-effective nuclear energy systems.
In addition to numerous civic boards in Lynchburg, Charlie served as a Director of the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology as appointed by Governors Wilder and Allen. He was Chair of the Virginia Tech Foundation Board, a Director of the Allegheny County Development Authority in Pittsburgh, PA., a member of the International Advisory Board of the Thorium Power Co. and a management consultant to Cerberus Capital Private Equity Firm in New York.
Pryor was a past member of the Executive Committee of the Nuclear Energy Institute and a member of the American Nuclear Society.
Charlie attended Lynchburg City Schools and is a graduate of E.C. Glass High School. He received his BS, MS, and PhD in Engineering from Virginia Tech. In addition, he received an Executive MBA from Northeastern University in Andover, Mass.
The Pryors have four children and ten grandchildren. They are members of St John’s Episcopal Church in Lynchburg, Virginia.