Matthew H. Koch

Matthew H. Koch, Member

Matt Koch is the general manager of NIB associated nonprofit agency Virginia Industries for the Blind (VIB), the largest employer of people who are blind in the Commonwealth. VIB employs 160 people across 25 locations, including more than 80 people who are blind. Under Mr. Koch’s leadership, VIB has grown employment by introducing new product and service contracts. Before joining VIB he was deputy commissioner for Virginia Enterprises for the Blind, overseeing state licensing for Randolph-Sheppard entrepreneurs and increasing average earnings of these vendors while decreasing administrative fees paid by them to the program.

Prior to assuming leadership positions working with people who are blind, Mr. Koch was chief operating officer of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources where he created sustainable funding for the primarily self-funded state agency. He had earlier been director of productivity and knowledge management at CapitalOne Financial Services.

After a successful 15-year career as an officer and pilot in the United States Navy Mr. Koch retired due to blindness in one eye and limited vision in the other. During his time in the Navy Mr. Koch served in numerous positions at the White House, Joint Staff, and Pentagon, as well as three six-month shipboard deployments to the Middle East.

Mr. Koch earned bachelor’s degrees in public policy studies and economics from Duke University and a master’s degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.