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FBI Richmond SAC Stanley Meador Selected to Receive 2023 VACP President's Award
Meador was recognized by 2022-23 VACP President Col. Jeffrey S. Katz (Chesterfield County) for his exemplary service to Virginia law enforcement and the Commonwealth.
Each year, the President of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation (VACP) se-lects an individual for the President's Award who exemplifies the true police professional and who has been a tremendous asset to the Virginia law enforcement community. This year, 2022-23 VACP President Colonel Jeffrey S. Katz (Chesterfield County) recognized Special Agent in Charge Stanley Meador of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s Richmond Divi-sion. The award was presented to SAC Meador at the VACP Annual Conference in Norfolk on September 12, 2023.
President Katz said, "As my final act as President of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation, I had the honor of presenting Special Agent in Charge Stanley Meador with the VACP President's Award. Stanley is not only highly accomplished, but he carries a rare blend of proficiency and humility. He doesn't just lead by example, he inspires through his presence."
Katz continued, "Stanley's commitment to forging quality relationships and partnerships before a crisis arises is a testament to his foresight and effectiveness. He embodies the qualities we should each strive toward as faithful public servants. As we navigate future challenges, seeming-ly of increased complexity, professionals like Stanley will guide our way and inspire us to be our best selves. I'm grateful for the opportunity to recognize him as the 2023 VACP President's Award recipient."
A native of Galax, Virginia, Meador began his career as a special agent in 2002. He was named by FBI Director Christopher Wray as the special agent in charge of the Richmond Field Office in 2021. Previously, he served as the chief of staff to the deputy director at FBI Headquarters in Washington, assistant special agent in charge of the Philadelphia Field Office, supervisory senior resident agent of the Wilmington Resident Agency of the Charlotte Field Office, and as an agent in the Las Vegas and Seattle Field Offices.
Meador earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. His interest in law enforcement grew after attending annual conferences for the Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention program (YADAPP).
“The program was for kids to learn about the impact of making a choice and making a difference in schools through positive impact,” he said in a profile in Richmond Family Magazine. “I attended the conferences for ten years and helped with the conference as a junior staff member and resource officer.”
Meador's first job out of college was working as a special agent with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. He worked in Staunton for three years and then transferred to ABC's Alexandria office. While there, Meador went to graduate school at American University in Washington, D.C. and received his master's degree. He then applied to the FBI in August 2001.
Like it did for all Americans, Meador's life changed on 9/11. His office with ABC was close to the Pentagon. Serving as a first responder, he spent eight days combing the crash site in shoulder-to shoulder formation with other first responders, sifting through rubble and looking for airplane parts. “It was the largest, worst tragedy I have ever seen. The severity of it was overwhelming,” he told Richmond Family Magazine. “I could see the FBI responding; everybody was responding. The heat of the crash was intense. The level of destruction was a lot to take in.”
Meador received a Declaration of Valor for his response to the Pentagon during 9/11.
The work he did as a first responder on 9/11 may have been a contributing factor to his cancer diagnosis 2012. Ten days after the event, he filed a worker's compensation form documenting his exposure, just in case there were any medical concerns down the road. That intuition proved helpful when, 11 years later, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Meador underwent immediate surgery and six months of chemotherapy. Like other cancer survivors, he hoped the worst was behind him when chemo ended. However, seven months later, a large tumor was detected in a different location. Meador went through another surgery and another course of chemotherapy in 2016. Now, he is cancer free.
Meador and his wife, who grew up in Mechanicsville (a suburb of Richmond), are the parents of a daughter and twin boys. One thing he has learned in his years as a parent is this: Parenting is a team effort, just like his work at the FBI. “We rely on each other,” he said of his wife in RFM. “Our family does everything together. We don't leave anyone out.” This year was Meador's first year coaching his kids' co-ed basketball team — a role he shared with his wife.
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The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation (www.vachiefs.org) is a statewide charitable organization of federal, state and local police chiefs and other law enforcement execu-tives dedicated to improving the professionalism of police agencies in Virginia and to providing training and education programs for law enforcement executives. The Association was founded in 1926 and has more than 500 members.
Photos are available at https://photos.vachiefs.org/VACP-Conferences/2023-VACP-Annual-Conference/2023-VACP-Awards-Banquet/
Contact: Ms. Dana Schrad, Executive Director
Mobile: (804) 338-9512 • Email: dana@vachiefs.org
