Chris Runion was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Runion earned a B.S. in accounting from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1980 and an M.B.A. from James Madison University in 1984. His career experience includes working as the president and CEO of Eddie Edwards Signs, Inc. Runion was the president of the Rotary Club of Harrisonburg and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce and the chairman of the Shenandoah Valley Economic Education and Rockingham County Planning Commission.