Barbara B. Lang embraces organizational change. In fact, she not only embraces it, but like the true leader and innovator that she is, she utilizes it to develop, expand and sustain businesses. Barbara manages the overall brand of Lang Strategies, LLC and oversees each of its practice areas: Crisis Management, Business Development, Political Strategy Management, Executive Leadership and Business Tactical Planning, Assessment and Problem Solving.
Expertise Most recently, Barbara has served as president and CEO of the DC Chamber of Commerce for 12 years. In this role, she was responsible for the operations and overall strategic direction of the organization and advancing the Chamber’s interests through advocacy, education, information and business development. In her time at the Chamber, Barbara transformed the organization into the most powerful and respected business group in the region through her aggressive leadership on key public policy business issues. She also worked diligently on education (Pre-K-12) and workforce development issues and projects, as well as small business/entrepreneurial development initiatives.
Prior to joining the Chamber, Barbara was the Vice President of Corporate Services and Chief Procurement Officer for Fannie Mae, a publicly-traded corporation that provides financial products for low-, moderate-, and middle income Americans. In this position she managed all the company’s procurement, real estate and facility operations supporting 5,000 employees in 60 locations in the U.S. with a staff of 300 and a budget of $300M. She also had a long career with IBM where she served in several management positions in finance, administration and product forecasting.
Accomplishments
Barbara has received countless awards and accolades throughout her career, including:
- One of Washingtonian Magazine’s 150 Most Powerful People in the Washington region…twice
- Business Leader of the Year (DC Building Industry Association)
- Phenomenal Woman by the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage
- Legacy in Business Award by the University of the District of Columbia
- Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Cardinal Bank
- Lifetime Achievement Award from Greater Leadership Washington
- Lifetime Legacy Award from Washington Business Journal
Even more importantly, she developed several initiatives that put the DC Chamber of Commerce on the leading edge of non-traditional programming and non-dues revenue generation. She also increased membership from 1,400 to more than 2,000 businesses in 2003, accomplishing a goal she set for her team and promoted in the media. Under Barbara’s leadership, the Chamber became the leading business organization in the area, and has truly distinguished itself as the “Voice of Business” in DC.
Credentials
Barbara earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Fla; has done graduate studies at Harvard; is a 1999 graduate of Fannie Mae’s Executive Development Program; and is a graduate of Leadership Washington, Class of 2001. She received a Doctor of Laws degree from Trinity University in May, 2007 and in 2013 was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by the University of the District of Columbia.
Barbara was appointed to the board of Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:PDM) beginning in 2015, and served on the board of Cardinal Financial Corporation until its sale to United Bancshares in 2017. In addition, she serves on the board of the Sibley Hospital Foundation and on the FONZ (Friends of the Zoo). Barbara is the former chair of the Workforce Investment Council and the former co-chair of the DC Business Coalition. In 2012, she was appointed by DC Mayor Vincent Gray to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and recently completed her six-year term.
Personal
Barbara and her late husband, Gerald B. Lang have one adult daughter, and have a 5 ½ year old granddaughter. She resides in Washington, DC.
