Pete Fox to deliver College of Engineering commencement address

Pete Fox ’89, M.S. ’93 makes an effort to return to Virginia Tech for football games or for meetups with his friends from college whenever he can. But on May 16 the chief operating officer of Identity Digital will return as the commencement speaker for the College of Engineering, where he will encourage graduating seniors to embrace lifelong learning, resilience, and what it means to be a Hokie.

“Being a Hokie means being part of a community,” said Fox, who grew up in Salem. “No matter where you are in the world, that connection is there. That pride and desire to see Virginia Tech — and the people who come from it — succeed has stayed with me throughout my career.”

Fox, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering, will be honored at this year’s ceremonies as the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. The award celebrates graduates who have distinguished themselves in their careers, applied their engineering education toward global and community engagement, or significantly impacted the university through service, philanthropy, or meaningful interaction with students and faculty.

“We are excited to welcome Pete back to Blacksburg as our Distinguished Alumni speaker and to celebrate the remarkable impacts he's had throughout his career,” said David Knight, interim dean of the College of Engineering. “He has transformed multiple domestic and international organizations, and he is an excellent example for our graduates on how an engineering education from Virginia Tech can open doors, inspire leadership, and create meaningful change in the world. I appreciate Pete's commitment to service and the Ut Prosim motto that defines Hokie engineers.”

Solving problems for success

Fox began his professional journey working in the intelligence community as a contractor, helping build advanced satellite and reconnaissance systems during a time when this technology existed almost exclusively within government agencies. After a decade in the defense sector, he made a leap into the commercial internet industry during its early days — and found himself without a job when the dot-com market collapsed in the early 2000s.

“That was one of the biggest challenges of my career,” he said. “But it taught me that setbacks are rarely as permanent as they seem, and keeping a positive attitude and being a problem solver are crucial to success.”

That lesson proved to be valuable. Fox soon joined Network Solutions, a former monopoly that was struggling to compete in a changing market. Working with a small leadership team, he helped lead one of the most substantial corporate turnarounds of the time, creating significant value for both employees and investors.

From there, Fox continued to take on complex growth challenges, including positioning a global visa and passport services company as the world’s largest and most established, growing it from operations in four countries to more than 25 and completing dozens of acquisitions along the way. Today, he serves in a senior leadership role at the global internet infrastructure and domain registry organization Identity Digital, where he oversees technology, operations, and strategic growth initiatives.

“I’ve focused my career on places where value creation is possible — where strong teams and good leadership can lead to transformative results,” he said.

Embracing Ut Prosim

Throughout his career, he’s embraced Virginia Tech’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), both personally and professionally.

“I’ve been the beneficiary of mentors, teachers, and opportunities,” he said. “I feel a responsibility to pay that forward.”

One of the clearest expressions of that commitment is Fox’s work supporting STEM education initiatives in Anguilla, a small Caribbean nation that serves as the country-code domain for .ai. Through partnerships with local educators and Virginia Tech, Fox is working to bring groups of students and teachers from Anguilla to Blacksburg to experience engineering labs and resources firsthand, helping them strengthen robotics and STEM programs at home.

“I want these students to see what’s possible — and to know that paths like engineering are open to them,” Fox said.

A strategy for a meaningful career

When he takes the commencement stage, his core message to graduates is simple but powerful: never stop learning.

“You’re hired for your engineering discipline,” he said. “But your long-term success depends on learning everything else — finance, communication, leadership, teamwork.”

That mindset, he says, is what transforms engineers from individual contributors into leaders who shape industries and solve global challenges.

“Seek out mentors, read books, and learn outside your comfort zone,” Fox said. “That’s how you grow a meaningful, lasting career.”

College of Engineering commencement details

The College of Engineering undergraduate commencement ceremonies will take place Saturday, May 16, at 8 a.m., noon, and 4 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum and will feature an address from the college’s Outstanding Senior recipient, Jordan Walker, who is earning a degree in civil and environmental engineering. 

The master’s commencement ceremony will take place Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum. All four engineering commencement ceremonies will feature remarks from Fox and Knight.

For more information about the complete schedule of events, please visit Virginia Tech’s commencement website.