Gary Thomas McCollum is a native Virginian, ordained minister, public speaker, author, businessman, community leader and philanthropist. Overcoming challenges like growing up in a Richmond housing project and losing his mother at the age of ten, Gary became the first college-bound person in his family. Graduating from James Madison University (JMU) and the University of Connecticut with an MBA, he's a Distinguished Military Graduate, a former US Army Ranger and served as a Military Intelligence Officer for eight years. Gary's 26-year cable telecommunications career with Cox Communications culminated with him being the top executive in the company's Virginia region.

A community leader, he's instrumental in giving voice to the voiceless in areas of economic disparity, community policing, affordable housing, financial literacy, voting rights, early education and more. His awards include the Hampton Roads Lenore Matthews Lifetime Achievement Award, the NAACP Trailblazer Award, and the Vanguard Award for Operations Management. McCollum was honored as the Man of the Year and the Father of the Year by the Historic First Baptist Church of Norfolk where he serves as an associate minister. He was inducted into the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Hall of Fame, the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame and the Hampton Roads Business Hall of Fame.

McCollum has also served as a member and Rector of the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors.

As an author, Gary's first book, I Still Do: 7 Keys to Getting Married and Staying Married was published in 2019. He is a lifetime member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the NAACP. Gary and his wife Cookie reside in Virginia Beach, VA. They have two daughters and a grandson.