Roanoke Business- October by Virginia Business

FREE

OCTOBER 2013

SERVING THE ROANOKE/BLACKSBURG/ NEW RIVER VALLEY REGION

City Manager David Ridpath

Revival

on the

factory floor

Manufacturing surges in Roanoke and New River valleys

HomeTown Bank understands what drives our business. Our old bank made us feel like we were always lost in the shufﬂe. That’s why we switched to a bank focused on quick turnaround and great service, not complicated practices and increasing fees. HomeTown Bank is always positive, never complicated, and they understand our needs. They care about accounts of all sizes. That’s what makes them HomeTown. Bill & Steve Roberts, Yellow Cab

Isn’t it time you turned over a new leaf? www.hometownbankva.com 345-6000 Member FDIC

CONTENTS

SERVING THE ROANOKE/BLACKSBURG/ NEW RIVER VALLEY REGION

October 2013 F E AT U R E S COVER STORY

Made in the valleys Manufacturing surges in the region. by Sandra Brown Kelly

SPECIAL REPORT Fall adventures

Changing leaves mean wine, music, festivals, football. by Mindy Buchanan-King

BUSINESS TRENDS The new necessity

High-speed Internet is vital to business, and region may be falling behind. by Kevin Kittredge

TECHNOLOGY Going digital

24 Classic theaters move into modern age with help from their communities.

by Donna Alvis Banks

D 28

INTERVIEW: DAVID STEWART WILEY

M 30

OCTOBER 2013

COMMUNITY PROFILE Leading the way

Roanoke’s symphony orchestra turns 60 Pink Floyd, Netflix and a new home — but no boiling frog. by Kevin Kittredge

Montgomery County offers recreation, education and job growth. by Kathie Dickenson

33 36

NEWS FROM THE CHAMBER NEWS FROM THE PARTNERSHIP

Opening early November at Kroger Square

BONSACK We are excited about opening our newest branch location in the Bonsack neighborhood. Our Grand Opening will be in the early fall of 2013. We want to get to know you. If you value mutually beneficial long term banking relationships and like doing business with people you know... if you like knowing your money stays and works right here in the Valley... we would like the opportunity to meet and talk with you. Are you with Valley Yet?

Meet Kristina Dodd, our Bonsack Branch Manager My passion is helping people reach their financial hopes and dreams. I am proud to be part of the Valley Bank team and looking foward to having a positive and lasting impact as the Branch Manager of the new Bonsack Branch.

Member FDIC

EQUAL HOUSING

LENDER

MyValleyBank.com

FROM THE EDITOR Reports of manufacturing’s death have been premature by Tim Thornton

harles Kuralt used to wander the country in a motor home, sending dispatches to CBS News that highlighted quirky American people and places, describing them with what remained of his North Carolina drawl after many years of living in New York. A quarter century ago, Kuralt introduced viewers to a man named Charles Black, who made bricks. Black, Kuralt said, was an example of a dying breed – Americans who made things. Manufacturing, we all know, has left the United States for countries where workers make less than $1 an hour. In some of these places, fussy rules about worker safety and overtime either don’t exist or are routinely ignored. The Great Recession finished off U.S. manufacturing, leaving only small-scale producers and Harley-Davidson builders on the country’s factory floors. It’s a well-known story and, like so many well-known stories, it’s not exactly true. It’s true that a smaller percentage of Americans are employed by manufacturers today than decades ago. But a lot of people still make their living by making things. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, nearly 12 million Americans are directly employed in manufacturing. Another 7 million jobs are supported by manufacturing. About 10 percent of the people who work around here are employed by manufacturers. A lot of things are made here: windows, medical devices, ammunition, systems that control satellites, transmission parts, trucks and rail cars, among other things. As we were putting together this issue of Roanoke Business, we learned that three more manufacturers are coming to the area. First, Ardagh Group, a Luxembourg-based company with more than 100 facilities and 18,000 employees in 25 countries, announced it’s investing $93.5 million for a can manufacturing plant that will bring 96 new jobs to Roanoke County. A week after that announcement, Netherlands-based Canline Systems, which supplies conveyor systems for the packaging industry, said it will open its first U.S. facility in Roanoke County, creating 25 new jobs over the next three years. Canline made the move to be closer to its customers, including Ardagh. A few days later, Falls Stamping & Welding Co. announced it’s coming to Pulaski, bringing $5.7 million in investment and 112 new jobs. Falls wants to be near one of its big customers, Volvo’s truck plant in Dublin. The company plans to set up shop in an old textile mill, the kind of manufacturing that used to be a big deal around here. Attracting all that business took a lot of work and a lot of incentives — nearly $1 million from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund, a grant of up to $2.45 million from Roanoke County, funds from the Virginia Department of Business Assistance, benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program and a chance at some money from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. Still, if all this works according to plan, the Roanoke and New River valleys will get more than 200 new jobs and about $100 million in investment. That’s a pretty good week in economic development, and a pretty strong suggestion that American manufacturing isn’t quite dead after all.

SERVING THE ROANOKE/BLACKSBURG/ NEW RIVER VALLEY REGION Vol. 2

OCTOBER 2013

President & Publisher Roanoke Business Editor Contributing Editor Contributing Writers

Art Director Contributing Designer Contributing Photographers

Production Manager Circulation Manager Accounting Manager Advertising Sales

Adrienne R. Watson Elizabeth Coffey Sam Dean Alissa Moody Mark Rhodes Kevin L. Dick Karen Chenault Sunny Ogburn Lynn Williams Hunter Bendall

CONTACT: EDITORIAL: (540) 520-2399 ADVERTISING: (540) 597-2499 210 S. Jefferson St., Roanoke, VA 24011-1702 We welcome your feedback. Email Letters to the Editor to Tim Thornton at tthornton@roanoke-business.com

VIRGINIA BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS LLC A portfolio company of Virginia Capital Partners LLC Frederick L. Russell Jr.,, chairman

on the cover Ply Gem Windows Cover photo by Mark Rhodes

OCTOBER 2013

No. 10

Bernard A. Niemeier Tim Thornton Paula C. Squires Sandra Brown Kelly Mindy Buchanan-King Kevin Kittredge Donna Alvis Banks Kathie Dickenson

Former federa l prosecutor T h omas J. Bondur wit h Guy Harb ant, Jr., along ert, Scott Austi n, and Justin more than 85 Lugar, have years of comb ined experience corporations a representing nd individuals in the followin g areas: · Internal in vestigations · FDA & foo · Internation dborne illness al & domestic · E n er g y tax cr tax crimes · Pharmace edit fraud · Espionag ut ical crimes e · Ba n k , m · T heft of ortga ge & tra de secrets w ire fraud

540.983.9300 | Toll-free: 866.983.0866 | gentrylocke.com

COVER STORY

Made in the valleys Manufacturing surges in the region

by Sandra Brown Kelly 6

OCTOBER 2013

Photo by Mark Rhodes

anufacturing in the New River-Roanoke region has shaken off the malaise of the past decade and appears to be making a comeback. In the month of August alone, three manufacturers announced plans to move to the region, bringing more than $100 million in investment and 233 new jobs.

M Ply Gem plans to add 200 jobs at its Rocky Mount plant by the end of next year.

The new players are Ardagh Group, a global manufacturer of containers for the food and beverage industry; Canline Systems, a supplier of conveyor systems; and Falls Stamp & Welding Co., a metal stamping company that serves the automotive and trucking markets. At a time when other regions are struggling to grow, the Roanoke area’s location, affordable cost of living and abundant utilities continue to draw and nuture companies that make things — everything from bread at Maple Leaf Bakery to the brains of wind turbines at General Electric. “We have a great story to tell,” says Beth Doughty, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “We are the most economically diverse economy in Virginia.” In the last decade, many manufacturers shuttered operations in the U.S., and Roanoke and surrounding communities saw some of that. At the beginning of 2003, the region had 521 manufacturers and average monthly employment was 31,392, according to the partnership. By the fourth quarter of 2012, 480 manufacturers called the area home with an average monthly employment of 25,532. The region’s more recent experience, though, reflects an uptick in August spotted by The Institute for Supply Management index. It showed that manufacturing activity nationally had grown faster than in the past two years, and production was the highest since May 2004. Examples of local growth can be found in expansions by companies

such as Celanese in Giles County, Ply Gem Windows in Rocky Mount and Coca-Cola in Roanoke County. Celanese Corp. has committed some $150 million to upgrade to gas-fired boilers at its chemical plant, which has operated since 1939. The upgrade itself created about 22 jobs, with the company receiving about $2 million in state grants for the project. Ply Gem Windows, which bought the former MW Manufacturers plant in Rocky Mount, expects to spend $7 million and to add 200 jobs by the end of 2014, a response to an improving economy. Expansions are testaments to the region’s strong manufacturing sector, suggests Lauren Steele, spokesman for Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Charlotte. CCBCC, the nation’s largest independent CocaCola bottler, bought the downtown Roanoke bottling plant in the 1990s. In 2009, the company expanded its Roanoke Sales & Distribution Center to Valley Gateway Business Park in Roanoke County. This June, the company cut the ribbon for a 36,000-square-foot expansion there. The 2009 expansion shifted some employees from downtown to the distribution site, allowing the company to increase manufacturing space. With the latest expansion, he expects the company to eventually add jobs. “It’s a major facility for us,” Steele says. “We only have five production centers.” Not all manufacturers are growing. Joe Crawford, vice president and general manager at Steel Dynamics, previously Roanoke Electric Steel, says his company still suffers from ROANOKE BUSINESS

cover story the drop in commercial building and has faced a “quite depressed market” for the past six years. Nonetheless, the minimill – in Roanoke since 1955 – remains profitable. Crawford says the workforce is down to 415 from about 550, with the company making the cuts through attrition. What makes the region desirable Economic development leaders expect the areas around BlacksburgChristiansburg-Radford and Roanoke to continue to prosper because the region has what it takes to attract companies. The highest levels of growth in manufacturing have come from specialized textiles, metals/ machine shop, motor vehicle parts, medical, electronic and machinery

manufacturing. While there is a preponderance of electrical and electronics equipment manufacturers, there’s a lot of variety as well – from Volvo trucks made at an assembly plant in Dublin to night vision goggles produced in Roanoke. Moody’s Investment Services puts the cost of doing business in the area at 85 percent of the national average. The consumer cost of living in the area also falls below the national average, in the low 90s, based on a Roanoke partnership study. “That’s a real advantage. Companies could find other places, but they are not sacrificing to come here,” says economic development leader Doughty. The area’s heritage of manufacturing, abundant water and sewer,

Virginia Tech’s engineering expertise and training opportunities at local community colleges all play into the region’s reputation as Doughty a good place for manufacturers, says Doughty. A good location doesn’t hurt, either. “We are central to the East Coast, have a strong transportation infrastructure – highway and rail – competitive electrical rates [below the national average] and a mountain work ethic of a hard day’s work for a day’s pay,” says Aric Bopp, executive director of the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance. Though Bopp sees nearby states as the area’s main competitors for companies, he says the fight to at-

Top 20 manufacturers in the Roanoke and New River valleys 1,000+ Employees

250-499 Employees

Volvo Trucks North America, Dublin MeadWestvaco, Covington Ply Gem (formerly MW Manuifacturers), Rocky Mount

Steel Dynamics, Roanoke Corning Glass Works Inc., Blacksburg Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Roanoke Freightcar America Inc., Roanoke Tetra Holdings US Inc., Blacksburg Maple Leaf Foods USA, Roanoke Trinity Packaging, Rocky Mount Plastics One, Roanoke Phoenix Packaging, Pulaski Accellent, Salem Graham-White, Salem

500-999 Employees BAE Systems, Radford Yokohama Tire Corp., Salem Moog Inc., Blacksburg Kollmorgen Corp., Radford General Electric Co., Salem Celanese Acetate LLC, Narrows Rowe Furniture Inc., Elliston Dynax America Corp., Roanoke Federal Mogul Corp., Blacksburg

Manufacturing as % of all jobs Average annual wages

Source: Virginia Employment Commission, quarterly census of employment and wages; based on 4th quarter 2012, 50 Largest Employers reports, with some confirmation from companies. MeadWestvaco appears on list because Covington is now part of the Roanoke Regional Partnership.

Roanoke

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford

State

10%

16.7%

6.7%

$49,419

$52,658

$54,431

Roanoke Region includes Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke counties and Roanoke and Salem cities; Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Region includes Floyd, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski counties and Radford city. Source: STATS America, prepared July 18, 2013, by Roanoke Regional Partnership

OCTOBER 2013

Just one stop away from the world. For nearly 85 years, Roanoke Regional Airport has been a place where people go to work, travel for work, and get away from work. With just one stop linking Roanoke to nearly 500 destinations, your airport is your portal to the world...and an economic engine that produces an annual regional impact of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. But we realize our most important job is working as your advocate. While the airlines control fares, schedules, and ďŹ&#x201A;ights, we never let them forget that you deserve the very best service possible.

cover story

Roanoke is home to one of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated’s fi ve production centers. Together, they produce roughly 150 million cases of soft drinks per year.

Made in the region Here’s a sample of things manufacturers are making in the Roanoke and New River valleys – and the companies that make them. Handmade decorative lighting fixtures, custom-made chandeliers and lanterns. Crenshaw Lighting, Floyd. Shooting match-grade shotgun shells. Easter Gun & Supply Co., Rich Creek. Military-grade explosives, propellants and ammunition. BAE, the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, Montgomery County. Night vision goggles used by military and law enforcement. ITT Excelis, Roanoke. Yurts, those round structures created on the steppes of Central Asia. Blue Ridge Yurts, Floyd. Cellulose acetate products used in filtering and other industrial applications. Celanese, Giles County. Metal Rubber, stretchy stuff that conducts electricity; HybridShield Fire Retardant, stuff that makes it harder for things to burn; HybridShield Icephobic, stuff that makes it harder for things to ice up. NanoSonic, Giles County. Coal-hauling railroad cars. Freightcar America, Roanoke. Steel billets, angles, flats, channels, rounds and rebar. Steel Dynamics, Roanoke County. Big trucks. The 1.6-million-square-foot plant in Dublin is the largest Volvo truck manufacturing facility in the world.

OCTOBER 2013

tract new business is global. “The same companies that are looking at Western Virginia might also be looking in Canada, India and China.” Companies do cast a wide net when looking for new sites. For example, Packaging Gateway magazine reported that Phoenix Packaging Group looked at 40 locations in six states before choosing Dublin in Pulaski County for a $20 million plant and its North American headquarters in 2010. The company, a subsidiary of Grupo Phoenix in Latin America, makes thermoformed rigid plastic and disposable products used in industries from food to cosmetics. The magazine said location, workforce and incentives all were deciding factors for Phoenix. The company received more than $4.8 million in incentives. Some came from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund; others include a waiver of rent and local tax rebates for 17 years. “The location of manufacturing is incentive-driven, but Virginia is conservative,” says Bopp. “The state and local levels both are looking for return on investment; they’re prudent, and I approve of that.” More sites; better training While manufacturers and economic development leaders hail the region’s attractiveness, they do point to two concerns: the need for more development sites and the need for increased training in advanced manufacturing practices. The region has sites available, but as Bopp observes, “It only takes a few successes before it is gone.” In early August, Ardagh Group, headquartered in Luxembourg, snapped up the region’s most conspicuous empty building, a massive, 640,000-square-foot industrial space in Roanoke County that previously housed the Hanover Direct mailorder distribution plant. Ardagh executives cited the availability of the building as one reason it chose the area for a can plant projected to bring 96 jobs and an investment of $93.5 million. Photo courtesy Coca Cola Bottling Co.

cover story “The size of the building, its condition, the possibility of rail access were right for the company,” says Doughty. “As the site location process goes, this was a fast one. But that is becoming the norm as competitive pressures make speed to production the driving factor. A community seldom has a building of this description. It drew a lot of attention. There were two other companies seriously interested in it when Ardagh finalized the purchase.” Many companies look for readymade quarters and do not want to take the time to build. Yet, the inventory of existing buildings is slim. Another company needing a huge building or one with heavy crane capacity would not find many options because buildings that emptied during the recession have been leased or purchased. Unlike Charlotte or Richmond, the Roanoke region does not have private development of speculative buildings, notes Doughty. “We do have several shovel-ready sites (ready for building) controlled by local governments.” Prime site numbers should increase under a proposal initiated by Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mike Altizer. Clay Goodman, the county administrator, says Altizer met with him last fall “asking how could the region work collaboratively to prepare the Roanoke Valley for the next economic expansion.” In February, managers and administrators of Botetourt, Franklin, Montgomery and Roanoke counties, the cities of Roanoke and Salem and the town of Vinton got together to plan a regional industrial authority. “Once the work is completed, a second regional meeting hopefully will be scheduled and the seven local governments will approve an agreement and the authority will be established,” Goodman says. While the region’s economic development leaders work to identify more industrial sites, the educational institutions – especially at the community college level – are expanding Photo by Sam Dean

Mike Dudding of Gala Industries says the region has dedicated workers but needs to provide more advanced technical training.

training opportunities. They have listened to people like Mike Dudding, vice president, engineering and manufacturing, at Gala Industries in Botetourt County. Gala incorporated in 1959 to make diaper clips but is now the world’s No. 1 manufacturer of pel-

letizers – machines that turn polymers into balls and cylinders. Gala also manufactures centrifugal dryers and operates Gala GmbH in Germany and Gala Industries Asia Ltd in Thailand. “I have found that people in our area are dedicated workers,”

Poe & Cronk The Region’s Leader

In Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Our success is built by working in partnership with our valued clients and focusing on their success. This is reŇected in repeat referrals from those with whom we are privileged to serve. We are proud to welcome “Roanoke Business” to our Region. Please visit our oĸces at The Tower in downtown Roanoke.

10 South Jeīerson Street, Roanoke, VA • www.poecronk.com

Individual Memberships

ROANOKE BUSINESS

cover story Dan Horine was an engineer for 15 years before he became the head of Virginia Western’s mechatronics program.

says Dudding, “They want to work and are willing to learn the skills required.” Even so, Dudding says, the area needs a higher level of advanced technical training in voca-

tional schools and community colleges to meet the changes in manufacturing. “Every day manufacturing systems are becoming more advanced,

Mark Rowh says New River Community College is focusing more on advanced technology training and pre-employment certifications.

OCTOBER 2013

and the younger people entering the workforce need to be trained and ready for these high-tech systems. This higher level of training needs to also be made available for our older workers and/or displaced workers. Funding must be a top priority of federal and state agencies to have training programs in place and to ensure that laboratories are available with the latest equipment and current technology.” Manufacturing systems increasingly involve advanced mechatronics, a combination of mechanical and electrical engineering and computer science. “Constant communication is needed between schools and manufacturers to ensure the technologies that are being offered are current with the manufacturing process,” says Dudding. That is happening at New River Community College in Dublin. Mark Rowh, vice president for workforce development and external relations, said the college is focusing more on advanced technology training and pre-employment certifications. In the past year, NRCC doubled the number of employers it served with credit and noncredit offerings, working with companies including Volvo Trucks in Dublin, Federal Mogul (automotive products), Moog (electronics) and Corning (ceramic-based technology) in Blacksburg. “Companies have to invest in sophisticated equipment to be competitive and need the workers who can operate it, but it is difficult to recruit that type of employee to move to the area,” says Jim Poythress, who became vice president of Virginia Western Community College’s Workforce Development Services in May. With a stagnant and aging population, especially in the Roanoke Valley, the region has to grow its own skilled workers. VWCC has run intensive 18week training programs in mechatronics to help laid-off employees update skills. It has offered capacity welding classes for the past several Photos by Sam Dean

cover story years in an attempt to help meet the demand for welders. Industrial maintenance training also is available. This fall the college expects to have a new lab in place to train manufacturing industrial technicians and maintenance technicians. The lab was supported by a grant from the Virginia Community College System. Dan Horine, an engineer with 15 years’ experience in industry, came to Virginia Western in 2008 to head a mechatronics program. The Regional Academy for Advanced Technology serves 16 high schools in the college’s region with dual-enrollment courses that give the students high school and college credit. Other pro-

“Constant communication is needed between schools and manufacturers to ensure the technologies that are being offered are current with the manufacturing process.” grams at the academy include one strictly for engineering and another for the culinary arts. “When students drive by WalMart, they know what is inside,” Horine says. “When they drive by Metalsa [a Botetourt County manufacturer that provides products to the automotive industry], they don’t have a frame of reference.” He says the VWCC program offers students an example of a system. “If we are talking about capacitors, they will see capacitors.”

The academy offers a Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification based on an international set of skills needed by high-tech workers. Siemens, one of the world’s largest high-tech manufacturers, developed the industrial skills certification for its Siemens Technik Akademie Berlin. Students can go directly to work from high school, but most are preparing to enter a two-year or four-year program, says Horine. The program began with seven students

and is up to 74. The training also is available to current workers. Going a step further, the school got a National Science Grant to offer a summer institute for high school teachers to help them better prepare students for college. The summer institute will offer training on the Programmable Logic Controller (plc), a machine’s operating system. “Industry is driving the bus, and we’re doing what they need,” says Horine.

Service. It’s in our DNA.

Visit your local store or shop online at AdvanceAutoParts.com

ROANOKE BUSINESS

Cox Business helped Liberty Market keep more than their bread 100% local. Kiersten Traina, co-owner of the Liberty Market prefers to do business with local suppliers— that’s why she trusts Cox Business for fast, reliable Internet and feature-rich phone service. With award-winning local support, we’re available 24/7 if she ever needs it. This way, she can get back to doing what she does best, making the most delicious wood-ﬁred pizzas in town. Call today and see how your business is our business.

Internet & Phone

ŏ mo*

Ř FREE Online Backup and Security Suite Ř FREE unlimited nationwide long distance and Voice Mail Ř Wi-Fi gateway equipment included

coxbusiness.com | 540-204-4560

* Offer ends 9/30/13. Available to new commercial subscribers of Cox Business VoiceManagerSM Anywhere and InternetSM Starter (max. 6/2 Mbps). Wi-Fi gateway equipment provided at no additional charge; remains Cox property and must be returned upon service termination. Prices based on 2-year service term. Installation discount applies to standard installation rates. Offer includes unlimited nationwide long distance. Unlimited plan is limited to direct-dialed domestic calling and is not available for use with non-switched circuit calling, auto-dialers, call center applications and certain switching applications. Equipment may be required. Prices exclude equipment, installation, taxes, and fees, unless indicated. Speeds not guaranteed; actual speeds vary. Rates and bandwidth options vary and are subject to change. Phone modem provided by Cox, requires electricity, and has battery backup. Access to E911 may not be available during extended power outage or if modem is moved or inoperable. Discounts are not valid in combination with or in addition to other promotions and cannot be applied to any other Cox account. Services not available in all areas. Other restrictions apply. © 2013 Cox Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

SPECIAL REPORT

Fall adventures Changing leaves mean wine, music, festivals, football

The fall foliage in the mountains draws tourists.

by Mindy Buchanan-King

hen the air turns crisp and the trees are awash in hues of crimson, golden brown and torch orange, travelers flock to the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway. With multiple access points off the parkway, the Roanoke Valley becomes an easy side trip for the fall adventurer. “Many people come to the area looking for events that take place in, and highlight, the fall foliage,” says Catherine Fox, director of public relations and tourism for the Photo courtesy of Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau

Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Numerous visitors comment on how the Blue Ridge Mountain backdrop for outdoor festivals really makes the events that

much more special and unique.” Last year, more than 123,000 visitors hit the parkway within the Roanoke Valley during October peak foliage, according to the National ROANOKE BUSINESS

special report

Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Chateau Morrisette offers music, festivals, food, views â&#x20AC;&#x201D; oh yes, and wine.

OCTOBER 2013

Photos courtesy Chateau Morrisette

Park Service. It should come as no surprise, then, that many businesses and localities try to capitalize on this annual opportunity. It doesn’t hurt that Roanoke, the largest city on the parkway, was recently named Virginia’s “Southern Hospitality City” by ConventionSouth magazine, a national resource for planning Southern-based events. There are plenty of opportunities to experience the valley’s rich arts and crafts scene and to taste its wines. October offers the Fincastle Vineyard and Winery Concert Event (Oct. 19) and the Blue Ridge Vineyard Concert Event (Oct. 26). On Oct. 20, the lawn of the Salem Civic Center will become the site of the Wine and Unwind 2013 Wine Festival. The Mountain Spirits Arts Festival (Oct. 5) in downtown Rocky Mount and the annual Craftsmen’s Fall Classic Art and Craft Festival (Oct. 11-13) at the Roanoke Civic Center.

“Floyd definitely becomes a go-to destination in the fall, with the beautiful fall leaf season all around us and Floyd County having 40 miles bordering the Blue Ridge Parkway.” Fall also heralds new performances for area musical and theatrical venues. “Our cultural attractions, such as the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Roanoke Children’s Theatre, start their new seasons in

the fall, so they will have new shows. Mill Mountain Theatre is back after a hiatus as well,” says Fox. Other regional communities also experience a surge of activity during the fall. Floyd will serve as host to the Floyd County Arts and Craft Festival and Quilt Show (Oct. 5 and 6), which features the work of more than 175 artisans who will offer their handcrafted wares for sale. In addition, weekly events include

Friday Night Jamborees at the Floyd Country Store. The 16 Hands Studio Tour, held Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 29-Dec. 1), highlights the work of local craftsmen who invite the public into their studios. “Floyd definitely becomes a goto destination in the fall, with the beautiful fall leaf season all around us and Floyd County having 40 miles bordering the Blue Ridge Parkway,” says Pat Sharkey, who was recently

spired meetings start here Experience “Innspired” hospitality at the only hotel located on the campus of Virginia Tech. It’s casual elegance and state-of-the-art wireless networks. It’s about being on our beautiful campus, but getting away from it all. It’s The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center. A meeting at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center is filled with all the elements for success – from a conference planner who anticipates your every need to a sophisticated, technologically advanced meeting environment with the latest innovations. When the work is done, a spacious and comfortable guest room awaits you. The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center is the perfect destination to explore the many activities Virginia Tech, Blacksburg and Montgomery County have to offer.

901 PRICES FORK RD. BLACKSBURG, VA 24061 ∙ 540-231-8000 ∙ WWW.INNATVIRGINIATECH.COM

ROANOKE BUSINESS

special report

The Friday Night Jamboree spills out of the Floyd Country Store onto nearby sidewalks and into the alley by the store’s stage door.

hired as the county’s first tourism director. “The drive to get to our events, and the ambience created

by nature’s fall colors, are absolutely part of the attraction.” Sharkey’s hire represents a step

:H·OO KDQGOH WKH FRRNLQJ $1' GR WKH GLVKHV

Book your Holiday Party for any size group today. (540)375-3004

www.salemciviccenter.com

salemvacatering.com

OCTOBER 2013

forward in increasing Floyd County’s tourism initiative. Floyd County’s Tourism Development Council (FCTDC) was created as a partnered effort with the county government, Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the private sector. The FCTDC will provide funds and oversight to the countywide tourism initiative with a budget built from county and town transient occupancy taxes and from a town meals tax in addition to private-sector funds and grant moneys. In a news release issued by the FCTDC, Sharkey explains, “We are working to create a sustainable, strategic approach that tangibly supports local businesses and helps manage growth in a healthy way for our community.” Increased tourism has a positive impact on the local economy. According to Lydeana Martin, director of community and economic development for Floyd County, business revenue from taxable retail sales made during the third and fourth quarters of 2012 were more than $17 million each quarter. These numbers represent an average Photo courtesy of Floyd County Chamber of Commerce

increase of nearly 5 percent across the same quarters during 2011. The county also has a Tourism Advisory Board on which seven private-sector tourism business leaders sit, including Keith Toler, who serves as the advisory board chair in addition to his full-time job as the marketing director of Chateau Morrisette. Throughout the year, Chateau Morrisette holds Black Dog Festivals, named for the establishment’s canine mascot, a black lab. On Oct. 12, the festival theme will be beach music, featuring The Tams and the North Tower Band. Tickets, which range from $25 to $30, include wine tastings, a souvenir wine glass, the

the increased fall traffic. The winery also offers Autumn Harvest packages in cooperation with local lodging facilities. These midweek getaways include a $100 lodging coupon toward one night’s accommodation at participating hotels and inns, a wine tasting for two, the winery tour and a $50 Chateau Morrisette gift card. Lodging participants include Hotel Floyd and myriad bed and breakfasts located in Meadows of Dan, Floyd,

Woolwine and Willis. “For the fall, local lodging has very little inventory [availability of rooms], so the winery is offering a midweek travel package trying to increase room occupancy and bring traffic to the winery when all of us have the capacity to serve the customer efficiently,” said Toler. “By offering a midweek experience, we believe the visitor will enjoy their overall visit even more.” Other area accommodations also

“The peak traffic along the Parkway during the fall definitely brings additional traffic to the winery on a daily basis.” winery tour and entertainment. Or visitors can take advantage of Sunday Sounds, which run every Sunday through October and highlight local and regional musicians and entertainers. “The peak traffic along the parkway during the fall definitely brings additional traffic to the winery on a daily basis,” said Toler. “The winery setting is unique unto itself, offering spectacular views at every turn.” The Chateau Restaurant, which uses local, seasonal produce when possible and maintains a vegetable garden of more than one acre, will feature autumn lunches every day in October. This expanded culinary service is designed to accommodate ROANOKE BUSINESS

special report are set to provide the fall traveler with unique travel packages. For the first time, the recently renovated Mountain Lake Lodge will offer a Hokie Game Day Package, which includes two nights’ accommodations, a tailgating shuttle to and from the game, a welcome cocktail in the Stony Creek Tavern at the Lodge, and breakfast for two each morning. The packages will be available Oct. 5-6, Oct. 12-13, Oct. 26-27 and Nov. 16-17. The Lodge also is enhancing one of its more popular fall events: Oktoberfest. Now dubbed the Bavarian Bash, these reservationonly evenings (Oct. 11, 12, 18 and 19) will feature authentic Bavarian food and German favorites, live music and brews. The Lodge’s inaugural Appalachian Harvest Festival will be held Oct. 12-14 and will include an artisan’s bazaar, children’s activities, live music and outdoor recreation. The three-day festival was designed

Mabry Mill is a popular destination for people enjoying fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It may also be the most photographed spot on the parkway.

to support the Lodge’s mission of connecting visitors with its unique mountain history and environment. Of course, autumn is synonymous with Halloween and pumpkins. Each October, Sinkland Farms in

This is not The Hotel Ordinary - Complimentary “wine and cheese therapy” on arrival - Convenient “no charge” overnight street parking - Delicious hot gourmet breakfast every morning - Heart of pine floors, wainscoted walls, soaring ceilings - Scandia Down bedding, Comphy sheets, elegant decor - A short walk to everything in Downtown Roanoke - Space to work, WIFI, and Curry Copy right next door - The number one rated B&B in the Roanoke Valley

The Inn on Campbell was awarded Trip Advisor’s 2013 Certificate of Excellence for being one of the top ten percent hospitality venues in the world

The Inn on Campbell Extraordinary! THEINNONCAMPBELL.COM 118 Campbell Avenue, SW, Roanoke, VA 24011 540-400-0183

OCTOBER 2013

Christiansburg welcomes families to experience its pumpkin festival of hayrides, pony rides, a corn maze, live music and homemade goods. Another ideal outing to find the prized fall gourd is a jaunt to Joe’s Trees in Newport. Each weekend in October, visitors can enjoy free hayrides to the pumpkin patch and shop for local crafts and food in the on-site country store. Other local favorites for pumpkin expeditions include Layman Family Farms in Blue Ridge and Jeter Farm in Bonsack. For those who need help getting in the Halloween spirit, on Oct. 19 and 22 the Salem Museum offers ghost-filled walks in the gloaming. For a full listing of fall events and lodging packages available in the Roanoke Valley, visit www. visitvablueridge.com. To learn more about Floyd County seasonal events, visit www. visitfloyd.com. For more information about Chateau Morrisette and lodging packages, visit www.thedogs.com. For more information about fall events and packages available at Mountain Lake Lodge, visit www. mtnlakelodge.com. Photo courtesy of Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau

BUSINESS TRENDS Matt Miller and Wayne Strickland of the Roanoke ValleyAlleghany Regional Commission say that high speed Internet service is a quality of life issue as well as a key to economic development.

The new necessity

High-speed Internet is vital to business, and region may be falling behind by Mason Adams

ow important is high-speed broadband to economic development? Economic development officials say it’s as vital as access to water, sewer and electricity. With its small cities, mountainous terrain and miles of rural countryside, Southwest Virginia faces an uphill challenge in terms of keeping up with denser, more populous regions.

In fact, Blacksburg firm Design Nine sounded alarm bells last year by reporting the region was falling behind in broadband Internet infrastructure. The report, done in conjunction with the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission and other business leaders from around the Valley, said that too much of the area still relies on oldPhoto by Sam Dean

fashioned copper lines instead of faster fiber-optic lines. As a result, it’s not prepared for the high-speed Internet that will become standard in the future. T he repor t proposed construction of a public, open-source, fiber-optic network in the Roanoke Valley, along with increased connections to other networks in the New

River Valley and other surrounding areas. “It’s not just a business issue,” says Matt Miller, director of information services for the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission. “It’s a residential and quality of life issue.” In August the Roanoke City Council agreed to join with neighROANOKE BUSINESS

business trends boring localities to form the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority. It has been charged with building a broadband infrastructure that will keep the region competitive. The structure needs to support business, industry, education and health care. A five-person board, with city and country administrators from the region holding four seats and one citizen representative, will run the authority and development of the infrastructure. The challenges and opportunities in expanding broadband seem to lie in shifting conventional thinking to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advances. Gary McCollum, general manager for Cox Communications’ Virginia system, says localities aren’t the only ones that must adapt to the new world of high-speed Internet service. Businesses and individual consumers also need to shift. “If I’m putting in high-capacity services in my businesses, I may start to think about changing my operating model,” McCollum says. “I’ll reduce the travel and expense line within my business, because I’m going to do more video conferencing or do things that shift costs. You’re leveraging technology to get a better tool, and now you can change your operating model.” Much of Southwest Virginia’s broadband infrastructure was built during the 28-year tenure of former U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, a technology advocate who built seniority in an era of earmarks. In 2011, Business Insider included Roanoke County on a list of “20 American Cities And Counties That Could Be The Next Silicon Valley.” That same year saw the announcement of major public funding for regional broadband through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. More commonly known as the federal stimulus, the legislation funded 110 miles of fiber-optic cable between Blacksburg and Bed22

OCTOBER 2013

Cox Communications’ Gary McCollum says high speed Internet can alter business models.

ford in 2011. A second grant added 186 miles of fiber in the Roanoke and New River valleys by Floyd County’s Citizens Telephone Cooperative. During the past two years, Cox Communications spent $4.6 million to upgrade its high-end services in Roanoke, offering top-tier service with speeds up to 1 gigabit per second for businesses and 100 megabits per second for residential customers.

most places. Some rural areas still struggle to get basic service. Even in the region’s cities, companies can’t always get the levels of broadband service they’d like. When they can, it often comes with a hefty price tag, due in part to a relative lack of competition between providers, at least compared with larger metropolitan regions. That mix of factors concerns economic development groups like the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission. “When economic developers are recruiting businesses, when they call Verizon or nTelos and ask about broadband service, they say, ‘Oh sure, any speed you want,’” Miller says. “But what’s the cost for the company? That’s often the unknown for economic developers. We don’t have anything to compare it to.” Brenda van Gelder, executive director for Virginia Tech’s Converged Technologies for Security, Safety and Resilience, an information and technology advocacy group, sums it up this way: “Not only does it have to be affordable, it has to meet the requirement that allows people to use it for economic

“Not only does it have to be affordable, it has to meet the requirement that allows people to use it for economic development, not just watch cute cat videos on YouTube.” This year, Blacksburg co-working business space TechPad used a campaign on Kickstarter – an Internet site that uses crowd funding to attract pledges of investment – to fund a gigabit network of its own, which will offer cutting-edge speed for clients while providing faster speeds to the public on an openaccess network. Top-end service, though, isn’t available everywhere, or even in

development, not just watch cute cat videos on YouTube.” The lack of desired services at an affordable price also concerns former state Delegate William Fralin, who is now president and CEO of Medical Facilities of America. The company regularly uses video conferencing to link 20 or more different sites, taking up so much bandwidth it interferes with other use of the Internet, including the Photo courtesy Cox Communications

frequent transmission of patient and billing data. Although stimulus funding boosted broadband infrastructure around Roanoke, Fralin says, the city itself was left in a “doughnut hole,” with the nearest node of the new fiber out in Bonsack. That led to a push this year to form a Roanoke Valley broadband authority to include Roanoke, Roanoke County and Botetourt County. Fralin, outspoken in his support for the authority, compares it to an airport when it comes to the respective roles of the public and private sectors: “Instead of having American and United and everyone else build their own airports, let’s build a municipal airport and then allow them to use that as a conduit for their services,” he says. Under this model, the private sector still will provide Internet service, but authorities can allow for more coordinated planning and a standardized set of protocols intended to help lower costs. That means not just streamlined permitting and a chance to use rights-of-way, but other things like a “dig-once” policy. It seeks to alert Internet providers when there’s other utility work that may give them a chance to expand their infrastructure. One city frequently cited for innovative broadband policies is Kansas City. There, city officials have worked with tech companies by implementing “dig-once” and other best practices, streamlining the permitting process and generally trying to make life as easy as possible for the private sector. The result: Tech giant Google chose to build its ultra-high-speed gigabit Internet service there. Kansas City is what Fralin calls an “NFL city,” roughly four times the size of Roanoke, big enough to have fierce competition among providers. How do localities in Southwest Virginia incentivize their providers — especially when there

Medical Facilities of America CEO William Fralin says Roanoke is a “doughnut hole” in the area’s highspeed network.

Photo by Sam Dean

may be only one? Van Gelder says the answer is lower i ng cost s a nd f i nd i ng other ways to make it easier for providers.”It’s not unlike tradi-

tional economic development,” Van Gelder says. “Companies get offered tax breaks, lower costs on water or sewer service. Why not look at doing those kinds of incentives, even if it’s just for your local Comcast, and work with them as a partner instead of sitting back and saying, ‘Well, they’re going to serve us or not.’” Dennis Reece, assistant general manager at the Citizens Telephone Cooperative, says localities are starting to understand the importance of broadband as a crucial utility, even if they haven’t fully grasped the full implications. “They talk of it as a ‘necessity,’ but when it comes to planning they’re not even thinking about it,” Reece says. “One town in Southwest Virginia ripped up their streets and sidewalks and didn’t put in conduit or fiber. You’ve got to be proactive. They totally missed an opportunity. That town/locality wants more broadband, yet they miss those opportunities every time.”

122,000 SF INDUSTRIAL SALE CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD | THALHIMER is pleased to announce the sale of a two-building, 122,000 SF industrial facility located in the Jamison Commerce Center in Covington, VA. The 100% leased building was purchased by Kemper Properties, LLC for $2.6 million. Cushman & Wakeﬁeld | Thalhimer’s Ralph Williams handled the transaction on behalf of the seller, Dominion Properties, LLC.

ROANOKE BUSINESS

(540) 767 3000 Roanoke

(434) 237 3384 Lynchburg

www.thalhimer.com

TECHNOLOGY Kathy Chittum says â&#x20AC;&#x153;unbelievableâ&#x20AC;? community support allowed the Grandin Theatre to go digital months before the deadline.

Going digital Classic theaters move into modern age with help from their communities by Donna Alvis Banks 24

OCTOBER 2013

Photo byPhoto Sam credit Dean

ollywood knows there’s money in movies. The Motion Picture Association of America’s most recent statistical report says the production and distribution of movies and TV programs in 2011 supported 1.9 million jobs and $104 billion in wages. The industry boasts a 7-1 export-to-import ratio, making it one of the most highly competitive in the world. Following the three big C’s — cotton, corn and coal — cinema ranks tops among all American industries in generating a positive balance of trade.

Ye s , t he mov i e i ndu st r y represents a gigantic pie but one with a lot of fingers in it. When 20th Century Fox announced it would end 35mm film distribution to theaters by the end of 2013, some local independent theater owners and operators had fears of losing their fingers. “After 20th Century Fox gave a drop-dead date — December 2013 — that made everybody get on the ball,” says Kathy Chittum, executive director of Roanoke’s Grandin Theatre. Chittum doesn’t have to look farther than Kodak’s 2012 bankruptcy as a lesson in what happens when a company doesn’t keep up with change. Ironically, Eastman Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975 but failed to cope with the innovative changes stemming from digital technology. University of Maryland professor Henry Lucas says in his book, “The Search for Survival: Lessons from Disruptive Te c h n o l o g i e s ,” t h a t Ko d a k demonstrated a kind of “arrogance thinking that it could control the pace at which consumers converted from film to digital photography.” Moviemakers and large theaters embraced the changes. In 2009, AMC Theatres started switching all of its more than 4,500 screens from film to digital. At the end of 2012, according to Variety, 68.7

percent of screens worldwide had been converted. In North America, the number was 84 percent. The expense of dig it a l conversion led to speculation that small-town theaters, as well as independent ly owned and nonprofit movie houses, would fold. In the Roanoke and New River valleys, that prediction did not pan out. Local theater managers point to one major reason they’ve been able to successfully upgrade to digital technology in the past year: community support.

of the change. In the New River Valley, singlescreen indies also switched to digital. Mohsin Kazmi, a 23-yearold Virginia Tech graduate, joined three partners to buy the historic Radford Theatre when longtime owner Frankie Kirk decided to retire earlier this year. Kazmi says the community responded by volunteering to help with renovations. “We f lipped that theater in under a month,” he noted. “So many people came and volunteered. ... People really want

“After 20th Century Fox gave a drop-dead date – December 2013 – that made everybody get on the ball.” “It ’s b e en u nb el iev ab le,” Chittum says of support for the Grandin, the only four-screen indie in the area. The nonprofit theater received $95,000 from the Roanoke Women’s Foundation, $50,000 from the Taubman Sustainability Fund and more than $50,000 from individual donors toward the $210,000 cost of converting all four screens. On April 19, the Grandin showed its first digital film, “The Place Beyond the Pines.” “The feedback we’ve heard is that patrons love it,” Chittum says

to support their local theaters.” K a z m i a nd h i s p a r t ner s replaced the Radford’s old 35mm projector (in use since the 1930s) with digital equipment provided through an incentive program with a movie company. Noting that the Radford is a for-profit theater, he declined to disclose the name of the California company or the cost of the equipment but says “they provide you with a projector and you pay it off over time.” The Radford showed its first digital film, “Man of Steel,” on June 14. ROANOKE BUSINESS

technology

Murgatroid, the Lyric’s first projector, sits in the theater’s lobby.

Keeping you DRY since 1999

MRIMOUNTAIN ROOFING INC 501 Shenandoah Ave., Roanoke, VA

540-342-9901 NEW CONSTRUCTION, REROOFING, REPAIRS TPO, EPDM, Metal, Slate, Shake, Shingle, Copper

www.mtnroof.com 26

OCTOBER 2013

Black sburg’s icon ic Ly r ic Theatre went digital in May. The nonprofit Lyric Council, which has governed the theater since 1995, had been building funds for the project for some time, according to manager Flavio Carvalho. “We paid $60,000 upfront,” he says. “We ran a Kickstarter on Amazon and raised over $50,000 through that. The whole enchilada was $120,000.” The Lyric is not equipped to handle the demands of a new release, Carvalho says. Showing a mix of art-house selections and second-run films, he says, the digital transition increases the theater’s independence. “There’s no limit as to content,” Carvalho notes. “When it was 35mm, we could only do two movies [per night]. Now, we can do more. We can afford more.” Calling the 35mm projector “a Photo by Alisa Moody

mechanical beast,” Carvalho says digital equipment takes less time to prepare and operate: “Five minutes and you’re done!” With improved visual quality, fewer technical problems and increased security so film can’t be copied and bootlegged, Carvalho cannot see any disadvantages to the digital switch. Well, maybe one. “The only disadvantage is a personal one for me,” he says, explaining that he liked the hands-on challenges of splicing and building reels of 35mm film, as well as the old-fashioned charm of the whirring projector. The Grandin’s Chittum expressed a similar sentiment. “There’s no romance to pushing a button,” she laments. But Peggy Beasley, owner of Christiansburg’s Starlite Drive-In Theater, is happy finally to have push-button ease. In 1983, she took over management of the drive-in started by her parents, Richard and Dorothy Beasley, 30 years earlier. With drive-ins on the endangered business list (only about 350

“We ran a Kickstarter on Amazon and raised over $50,000 through that. The whole enchilada was $120,000.”

This Simplex XL replaced Murgatroid in the 1940s. Now it sits beside Murgatroid in the Lyric’s lobby, replaced by digital equipment.

a constant challenge. The Starlite went digital in April 2012. The process of showing movies, Beasley says, is “a whole lot easier and the picture is gorgeous on

the screen, especially the animated films.” Because the booth typically is more than a football field away from the screen, drive-ins have special equipment needs. The new projector at the Starlite uses twice the power and has four times more light than the old one. Beasley says she had to use her life savings to cover the upgrade. “It cost a lot of money, but I figured we would have to do it,” she says, adding that when her father died in 2009, he had one request: “Keep the drive-in going.” With a nearly $100,000 investment in the new-age technology, Beasley figures she doesn’t have a choice. “I guess I’ll have to stay in business at least another five years to recoup the money.”

Is your ﬁnancial approach right where you want it? When you partner with a MetLife representive, you can have conﬁdence in your game plan and prepare for any “ifs” that may lie ahead. Don’t wait for the back nine — contact us today. Roger Swartz Financial Services Representative 3800 Electric Road, Suite 210 Roanoke, VA 24018 (540) 725-4816 rswartz@metlife.com

Guarantees are subject to product terms, exclusions and limitations and are subject to the insurer’s claims-paying ability and ﬁnancial strength. Products are issued by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166, and by MetLife Investors USA Insurance Company, 5 Park Plaza, Suite 1900, Irvine, CA 92614 and in New York, only by First MetLife Investors Insurance Company, 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166 (collectively referred to as “MetLife”). ©2011 PNTS ©2011 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. L0811203498[0813] 1105-1883

eprints R

O Our C Custom t PPublished bli h Reprints can extend the effectiveness of your ad or article that appears in Roanoke Business magazine, and they make excellent marketing pieces. Articles can be reﬂowed without surrounding ads. If space allows, we can place your company contact information and logo. The cost will depend on the size of the reprint.

are left nationwide now), finding and replacing equipment became

Would you like to know more about reprints? Please contact: Kevin Dick - (804) 225-0433 Photo by Alisa Moody

ROANOKE BUSINESS

INTERVIEW: DAVID STEWART WILEY, music director, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra

Roanoke’s symphony turns 60 Pink Floyd, Netflix and a new home — but no boiling frog David Stewart Wiley

by Kevin Kittredge

avid Stewart Wiley was 30 years old when he conducted his first concert as music director of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra (RSO), on Oct. 21, 1996. In the years since, major players have come and gone and symphony orchestras nationwide have struggled to attract new audiences and stay alive. Against that troubled backdrop, however, Wiley and the RSO have prevailed. Its budget has more than doubled during Wiley’s tenure. And most RSO fans would agree that the orchestra has improved since Wiley took the artistic helm nearly 17 years ago. Roanoke Business spoke with Wiley about the state of the region’s largest symphony on the eve of its Diamond Anniversary Season, which kicks off Oct. 7 at the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre. Roanoke Business: Tell us what you’re up to these days.

OCTOBER 2013

David Stewart Wiley: I just renewed my contract through 2016 with the RSO. I’m excited about that. I also continue in New York, [as music director and conductor of the Long Island Philharmonic, a post he has held since 2001] which I think is a win-win both for the RSO and for the Long Island Philharmonic, because there are many artists and programs that I try out elsewhere that I bring here. I continue to do piano solos with the orchestra. I travel as a guest conductor. We did a performance in Budapest, Hungary, this last fall. I did the film project last year for “Lake Effects.” I am happiest when I’m involved in a lot of exciting projects with colleagues. RB: You’re also the artistic director and conductor of the Virginia’s Blue Ridge Music Festival in Floyd. Can you talk a little about that? Wiley: There was a festival that happened in 2011, the National Music Festival [now held in

Chestertown, Md.], which was an artistic success but wasn’t sustainable in Floyd. Eighteen months ago a group of music lovers from Floyd came to me and said, “David, could you help us model an artistically exciting but sustainable model for a summer classical music festival?” We all decided we really wanted to work together. The festival has balanced its budget for the first year. We’ve had overflow crowds. I believe that we’ve seen this is a sustainable venture. RB: The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 60 th anniversary season beginning this fall. How has the RSO managed to survive when others have not? Wiley: I think it’s a real success story. We try not only with our business model, but artistically, with things like the mandolin concerto we commissioned from Jeff Midkiff [“From the Blue Ridge,” debuted by the RSO on Oct. 3, 2011]. We ask, “What is our place in our region?” We need to know our audience, know who we are, know our strengths and know our weaknesses as well and play to those. We know that for 60 years educational outreach has been vital, so we’re redoubling our efforts to do that. We just had auditions for the symphony, and we saw the highest quality of auditioning that I’ve ever seen in my tenure. Musicians from the mid-Atlantic area are getting the word that we are successful, we’re sustainable, and this is a great place to work. RB: Can you explain how you work with the symphony’s executive director, Beth Pline? Who does what? Wiley: She and I have an excellent partnership. We both report to the board. She has her administrative staff, and I am in charge of the artistic end. So we worked collaboratively together in planning our programs. I work within a budget, and she supports the artistic vision. That model of executive and artistic working collaboratively works well for us. RB: What’s happening with symphony orchestras on a national level these days? Wiley: A lot of orchestras are seeing their pool of donors drying up, and their audiences dwindling, at a time ironically when there is Photo by Sam Dean

more participation nationally in the arts. We as a culture do participate heavily in the arts, but in a different way than we did before. Gone are the days where people would automatically resubscribe to the orchestra. We have to schedule our concerts at times that fit their needs. We need to give lots of different entry points for people. As we enter out 60 th anniversary season, we — without abandoning the great traditions of the past — have to be willing to look at what we do with new eyes and with new ears. And listening to the community about what they want, meeting people where they are, and giving them the highest quality music, but at a time and place and a delivery mechanism that meets them where they are. RB: It’s interesting that as music director you’re still involved with trying to find new audiences and keep the RSO viable. Wiley: A music director and conductor of a symphony wears many hats. Primarily, I’m the artistic leader. But a music director also is most successful when he or she is actively engaged in the community, talking to people, being out there, being the spokesperson for the symphony, active in the committees, so that artistic knows what marketing is doing, and public relations, education. RB: You don’t resent having to be involved in those things? Wiley: I actually relish the opportunity to collaborate as part of these discussions. I don’t have all the answers, but I have a lot of questions that I ask of those committees: “Are we missing an opportunity here?” Or, “What is a segment of our region that we’re not yet serving? Where do we need to expand with education and outreach? Is our pops series doing what we hope it’s doing as far as building a different audience and so forth? Are our educational programs partnering as well as they could with area schools?” I have more questions than answers these days. But one of the things I’m really proud about with the Roanoke Symphony is that we as an organization have anticipated a lot of the seismic shifts in the changing fundraising climate, the business climate, the artistic climate, and have weathered the storm and come out stronger. RB: The RSO’s headquarters recently moved from Jefferson Center to the Shenandoah Hotel downtown. What was the reason for the move? Wiley: For several years we have been

searching for ways to connect even more deeply and meaningfully with the community. We began looking for a place where we would have a more immediate connection. Where literally people could walk in off the street, and look through the window, see us rehearsing, come get tickets and actually come to events, musical, intimate events, where they would feel comfortable experiencing the symphony. I inaugurated the Green Room a month ago with a program exploring American music. We call it the Green Room, in part because of the wonderful hunter green that it’s painted. But the Green Room also has a connotation for performers as a place where we wait to perform. We had a good turnout for the first one. I played piano. People asked questions. It’s again all about connections. RB: You and the RSO occasionally present a program to area businesses called “Conducting Change.” What is that? Wiley: We need to be willing to change. It was with that in mind that I came up with “Conducting Change.” During a “Conducting Change” event, corporate leaders sit within the orchestra and see firsthand the vital role that every individual plays, from the single triangle note that’s there — what happens if we take it away? Something is missing. What happens if the strings decide to just take their own bowing? What does that do to the sound? What happens if employees decide to go their own way? There are all kinds of relevant metaphors that we know intellectually, but to experience them, surrounded by an orchestra of 55 musicians, is a life-changing experience. It started off with Allstate. I have done it with Carilion Clinic, with Member One and in smaller venues, less corporate. And I’m looking to find other businesses that would like to partner with me and us in doing that. RB: Can you talk about some of the other changes that have occurred recently at the RSO, including your innovative new ticketing option? Wiley: Our wonderful marketing director Rodney Overstreet proposed that we consider a Netflix kind of model for subscriptions, in addition to our traditional model. And so for starting at less than $10 a month, someone can automatically have their credit or debit card charged. And they get access to the best available seats within that particular price range, so that they can come to different events. We’re looking to expand it.

The other part of it is the new series which is commencing in our 60 th anniversary year, what we are calling the “destination concerts.” We have four of those, in other downtown locations where we have not performed at all or in recent years, Mill Mountain Theatre’s Trinkle Mainstage, with a Mozart program; Calvary Baptist Church. We are not abandoning our traditional venues, like Shaftman Hall or the Performing Arts Theatre. We don’t serve one audience. We serve many diverse audiences. And we need to offer accessible and affordable entry points into the symphony experience. Because I firmly believe once people come, once they meet me and our musicians and our staff, that people get excited about it and want to come back, if it fits into their schedule and price point. RB: According to your brochure, the coming season will include the return of international cello star Zuill Bailey as well as Indian American piano prodigy Vijay Venkatesh. There are also big showpiece symphonies by Schubert and Brahms, and pops concerts. And then there’s “The Music of Pink Floyd.” How did that come about? Wiley: That’s a collaboration with our good friends, Jeans ‘n Classics [a rock band], with whom we have worked before. We gave our patrons a choice of several different thematic programs. By a wide margin people were excited to hear the full symphony doing music of Pink Floyd. That will be fun music from “The Wall” and “Dark Side of the Moon.” RB: What lies ahead for the RSO? Wiley: We are going to learn from our experiments and innovations and try and refine what we’re doing. We are willing to take risks. We’re not sure whether all of these new destination things will work long term; we don’t know if this subscription model is exactly the right one. But we’re going to try. We are going to continue to try and partner with local businesses and leverage our new downtown office space to connect more deeply. The worst that can happen is that some of these new programs don’t work, and we try something else. But the alternative is to do nothing, and slowly the frog’s boiled one degree at a time until it’s dead. I don’t see that happening with the RSO. I think this community, this region, loves its orchestra too much. ROANOKE BUSINESS

COMMUNITY PROFILE | MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Leading the way Montgomery County offers recreation, education and job growth.

Manufacturing is strong, says Montgomery County Economic Development Director Brian Hamilton, but retail has become important to the county.

by Kathie Dickenson

eople don’t usually associate Montgomery County in Virginia’s mountainous Southwest with California’s sunny Silicon Valley. Yet Montgomery County – which includes the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg – is just a step behind Silicon Valley on a national ranking of Best Cities for Job Growth.

NewGeography, a website devoted to the economic, demographic and political analysis and discussion of places, ranked the BlacksburgChristiansburg-Radford metropolitan statistical area at No. 29 on its 2013 list, just below 28th-ranked Silicon Valley. “Our manufacturing cluster is strong, and it sprang back quickly after a slump in 2008-2009,” says Montgomery County Economic Development Director Br ian 30

OCTOBER 2013

Hamilton. Hamilton credits the county’s economic engine: Virginia Tech and the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (CRC). The Virginia Tech Foundation Inc. founded CRC in Blacksburg in 1985. The first phase of development includes 26 buildings, with most of them housing technology businesses started by Tech alumni or spun off from Virginia Tech research. One building is now complete

in Phase Two, and two more are under construction, including a 31,000-square-foot facility for Rackspace, a cloud computing company. With the new building, it plans to double the size of its staff to 200. Another sign of the county’s strong job growth is Aeroprobe Corp. It also started in CRC and is now building a 20,000-squarefoot facility in the Falling Branch Corporate Park in Christiansburg. Photo by Alisa Moody

Aeroprobe produces aerodynamic and hydrodynamic measurement solutions. Hamilton says the move will accommodate the company’s two wind tunnels and its 30 current employees, plus 40 more that it will hire after the facility is complete. Christiansburg is the county’s retail center. Property the town annexed along the Route 460 corridor between Christiansburg and Blacksburg in 1988 has become a retail and hospitality destination teeming with big-box retailers and popular store, restaurant and hotel chains. Virginia Tech and Radford University students spend money at the businesses, and they can get there on transit buses. Plus, the corridor draws visitors who come to the area for special events at both schools. Think 66,000 Virginia Tech Hokie football fans several weekends each fall. And then there are shoppers and diners from the far reaches of Montgomery and neighboring counties. Retail in Blacksburg leans more toward locally owned specialty stores. A notable exception is First & Main, a commercial development on the south end of town. Last year Blacksburg APF Partners bought the development from Wells Fargo, which had taken control of the property in 2010, and is bringing national retailers to the site. This summer Frank Theatres broke ground there for a CineBowl & Grille, a combination IMAX theater, bowling alley and restaurant. It’s a good sign for continued retail recovery, says Hamilton. “Retail has become more and more important in providing tax dollars for our schools,” he adds. County school system Montgomery County Public S c ho ol s i nc lude fou r h igh schools, four middle schools and 11 elementary schools that vary widely in size. Two new high school buildings, in Blacksburg and Riner, opened this school year. Since 2010 two elementary schools have moved Photo by Alisa Moody

Businessman and former Hokie lineman Bill Ellenbogen is president of the Friends of the Huckleberry, the old railroad bed that’s become a recreational trail.

into new facilities. According to Brenda Drake, public information officer for the county schools, the Montgomery division is a Virginia School Board Association Certified Green School Division. It is home to 34 National Board Certified teachers and one Title I Distinguished School for High Achievement (Auburn Elementary School). One of the school division’s advantages is the presence of Virginia Tech and Radford University. “We are fortunate to have two universities within such close proximity to our schools. This allows us to have partnerships at multiple levels that benefit students and teachers,” says Drake. Montgomery County’s public school system was a pioneer in inclusion for students with disabilities. The 1993 Oscar-winning film “Educating Peter” documented the journey of a student with Down syndrome, his parents, teachers and classmates in a fully inclusive classroom experience. The film was followed by a sequel, “Graduating Peter,” in 2001. The area also offers a variety of private school opportunities. Blacksburg New School, now more than 40 years old, is a cooperative school founded by parents. Other private options include Blacksburg’s Tall Oaks Montessori School and St. John Neumann Academy and several Christian schools in Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Virginia Tech, a top-50 research

institution, is not the only higher education institution in Montgomery County. New River Community College hosts a satellite site inside the New R iver Valley Mall in Christiansburg. Outdoor lifestyle The area’s outdoor lifestyle, a draw for young professionals, families and seniors, includes road and mountain biking, hiking, and canoeing and kayaking on the scenic New River. The quality of outdoor opportunities received a rare seal of approval last year when Backcountry.com chose Falling Branch Corporate Park as the site for its East Coast distribution center. Blacksburg and Christiansburg are connected by the Huckleberry Trail, a biking and walking railsto-trails project between the New River Valley Mall and downtown Blacksburg. Construction is under way for expansions to the north and south. When completed, the trail will extend from the middle of Christiansburg all the way to the Jefferson National Forest north of Blacksburg, passing by both Christiansburg and Blacksburg High Schools along the way. T he 6 4,0 0 0 - s qu a re -fo ot Christiansburg Aquatic Center’s competition pool hosts Virginia Te c h s w i m m i ng a nd d i v i ng competitions and local, regional and state age-group swim meets. The center provides year-round indoor recreational swimming for all ages in the leisure pool, featuring ROANOKE BUSINESS

community profile a two-story, triple-loop slide, and also includes a warm therapy pool, a cardio-fitness room and an outdoor skate park. The town’s recreation center provides a walking track and courts for basketball and volleyball and serves as a venue for activities from home shows to proms. Swimming for leisure and competition also can be found at the Blacksburg Aquatic Center. It hosts practices for local teams and small swim meets. Families also enjoy summer swimming at the Frog Pond pool in the Montgomery County Recreational Park. Arts and Cultural District The two towns complement each other when it comes to other lifestyle opportunities. Christiansburg offers the historic Starlite Drive-in Theatre, where cars line Roanoke Street waiting for showtime every weekend night of the summer, as well as the Regal New River Valley Stadium 14 cinema next to the New

Terry Caldwell is director of aquatics at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center, which hosts college and regional competitions.

River Valley Mall. Blacksburg has the historic Lyric Theatre, restored by volunteers, businesses and private donors. In Christiansburg, people can go bowling or roller-skating, shop for cars on the Motor Mile, or perhaps attend an antique car show, a festival or a downtown concert. The Blacksburg Farmers Market

Accomplished

“When we sold our property in Downtown Roanoke, we selected Waldvogel Commercial Properties. They understood our goals, aggressively marketed the property, and smoothly managed all aspects of the transaction. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results.” - Jay Turner, JM Turner and Company

Let us help you with your next real estate transaction. Call, click or scan to learn more. www.waldvogelcommercial.com 540-342-0800

OCTOBER 2013

is popular on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout most of the year. Early each August, the entire downtown is filled with crafts, food and music for the annual Steppin’ Out festival. T h e n e we s t a n d b i g g e s t development in the local lifestyle scene is the creation of downtown Blacksburg’s Arts and Cultural District. In this area, the town provides incentives for arts uses. For instance, artists in a live/work/ sell zoning district will be allowed to sell art from their home studios. The anchor of the district is the 150,000square-foot Virginia Tech Center for the Arts, which opens this fall. The center plans to host 120 to 150 programs a year. The inaugural season’s debut performance will be a Nov. 1 concert by the Philip Glass Ensemble. “By the end of July,” says Ruth Waalkes, Virginia Tech associate provost for the arts and the center’s executive director, “we had sold more than one-third the total capacity for all programs next year just on subscriptions.” In August, by the second week of single-ticket sales, some individual performances were at about 50 percent sold. “We do not have a history for comparison, of course, but this is certainly higher advance sales than I had anticipated,” says Waalkes. The area’s strong economic performance is probably better than a casual observer would have anticipated 30 years ago. Back then, the site of New River Valley Mall was still pastureland, the commercial area was a tree farm and Virginia Tech’s Corporate Research Center was but an idea. As development continues and the visible edges of Montgomery County’s twin towns begin to blur, Blacksburg’s knowledge base and Christiansburg’s industrial and retail base have begun to work together for the good of the entire county. Photo by Alisa Moody

Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce | SPONSORED CONTENT

Roanoke Regional Chamber recognizes Chamber Champions CHAMBER CHAMPIONS BB&T

MB Contractors

Brown Edwards

rev.net

Blue Ridge Copier

Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC

Cox Business

Trane

Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore

Woods Rogers Attorneys at Law

LifeWorks REHAB

Pepsi Bottling Group

Medical Facilities of America Note: Chamber Champions are members who support the Roanoke Regional Chamber through year-round sponsorships in exchange for year-round recognition.

EVENT SPONSORSHIP Business Before Hours – July 23 Ballyhack Golf Club Doctors Express

NEW MEMBERS JOIN CHAMBER The following members joined the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce between July 16 and Aug. 9. Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint

UBS Financial Services Inc.

Jimmy Sardine Pizza

Hazelgrove | Agency

Ply Gem

Leadership Roanoke Valley Class of 2014 selected The Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Roanoke Valley Class of 2013-2014 has been selected. The 34 members began the 10-month program with an opening breakfast on Sept. 4. Graduation will be held in June 2014. The class includes: Philip Clements, The Advancement Foundation; Holley Conner, Trane; Debbie Creasy, Cox; Megan Cronise, Roanoke County Department of Community Development; Erin M. Dudley, Norfolk Southern; Michael Finney, Gentry

Locke Rakes & Moore; Frank Giannini, Member One Federal Credit Union; Dexter Glass, SunTrust Bank; Marie Greer, Orvis; Scott Gunn, Doctors Express; Price Gutshall, Downtown Roanoke Inc.; Amber Hardman, Trane; Mike Hill, Sunapsys; Seth Hillis, McLeod Enterprises; Frank Hupfl, Woods Rogers; Curtis R. Jennings III, SFCS; Cathy P. Johnson, Member One Federal Credit Union; Jessie Lacks, Cox; Lisa Lavin, Orvis; Francis Longaker, American National University; Carissa Mulahn, MB Contractors; Melissa T. New-

man, Blue Ridge Catering; Camese Noel, Allstate Insurance; Laurel Odham, ADP; Jillian Papa, City of Roanoke; Christine Phillips, Trane; Jacqueline E. Rearick, Virginia Western Community College; Henry Schaefer, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals; Vareni Shears, StellarOne; Ann Marie Swindler, Carilion Clinic; Clay Taylor, Waldvogel Commercial Properties; John W. Thieberger, Boy Scouts of America, Blue Ridge Mountains Council; Sonya Weatherford, Norfolk Southern; and Adam Workman, First Citizens Bank. ROANOKE BUSINESS

SPONSORED CONTENT | Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce

Member news & recognitions A Advance Auto Parts has announced the aappointment of Jason Howes as vice president, distribution operations. He will p be b based in Roanoke. Area A students interested in one of the fastest-growing health professions will fa have the opportunity to obtain industrystandard certification at the American National University’s Roanoke Valley Campus this fall. The university has introduced an associate degree program in health information management. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician examination. Howes

CMR C Institute has announced that Partha Anbil was elected to the CMR Institute’s A board of directors, effective July 1, 2013. b He H is an associate partner in the Life Sciences Strategy and Transformation Prace tice ti at IBM Global Business Services. He is Anbil also an adjunct professor in the Executive MBA program at the Fox School of Business & Management at Temple University and also teaches in the global campuses at the Hult International Business School. D’Ardenne Associates, a leader in ISO D management standard services, training m and a auditing, has named Randall Daily as a vice president. Daily will focus his work on o training auditing and consulting for ISO IS 14001 (environmental management Daily – EMS), OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety), 14K and 18K integrated systems and ISO 50001 (energy management systems).

Murtaugh

Dixon Hughes Goodman has announced D that th Patrick Murtaugh, CPA, has been b named the new office managing partner n for its Roanoke office. Murtaugh has 16 1 years’ experience in public accounting and a has been with Dixon Hughes Goodman for nine years.

Duke D Baldridge, founder of o Dominion Risk Advisors, has hired Sean s Daley as an assisD tant ta account manager. Jennifer Schang, J Daley Schang CPCU, CIC, has been C promoted from account and operations manager to vice president of the firm. HoneyTree EarlyLearnH ing in Centers and McLeod Enterprises have named E Terri Craig general T manager of Star City m Skate Center, and MaS Craig McLeod son McLeod has been named director of land development for McLeod Enterprises. S.D. Roberts Moore, a senior litigation partner with Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, has been named to the board 34

OCTOBER 2013

Austin

Bondurant

Broghton

Flippin

Gust

Haley

Harbert

Klockenbring

Marston

Monday

Moore

Pace

Paxton

Rakes

Sexton

Stockburger

Sixteen Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore attorneys have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for 2013. Among those recognized, managing partner Monica T. Monday was named to the Virginia Top 50 Women List and partner K. Brett Marston was named to the Virginia Top 100 List. Those listed as super lawyers include: J. Rudy Austin, civil litigation defense; Thomas J. Bondurant Jr., criminal defense and white collar; Matthew W. Broughton, personal injury plaintiff, general; G. Franklin Flippin, business/corporate; W. William Gust, tax; Gregory J. Haley, business litigation; Guy M. Harbert III, personal injury defense, general; Paul G. Klockenbring, employment and labor; K. Brett Marston, construction litigation; Monica T. Monday, appellate; S.D. Roberts Moore, professional liability, plaintiff; G. Michael Pace Jr., real estate; W. David Paxton, employment and labor; William R. Rakes, business litigation; J. Scott Sexton, business litigation; and Bruce C. Stockburger, business/corporate. The following nine Gentry Locke attorneys have been named Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars for 2013: Benjamin D. Byrd, personal injury plaintiff, general; Lindsey A. Coley, employment and labor; Michael J. Finney, business litigation; Gregory D. Habeeb, business litigation; Joshua C. Johnson, construction/surety; James J. O’Keeffe, appellate; Brooke C. Rose, personal injury plaintiff, medical malpractice; Anthony M. Russell, personal injury plaintiff, medical malpractice; and Spencer M. Wiegard, construction litigation. of trustees at the University of Richmond. Moore’s four-year term began July 1. After attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Moore received his law degree from the University of Richmond in 1961.

Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group has been chosen to serve as the exclusive leasing and management firm for First Campbell Square, located at 210 First St. in downtown Roanoke.

The Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants has chosen Caroline Pilgrim, a current student in the Jefferson College of Health Sciences’ Physician Assistant Program, as its student of the year for 2013. The annual award is presented to an outstanding senior attending an accredited PA program in Virginia.

Dr. D Matthew T. Marry has moved to the Tuck Chiropractic Clinic in Vinton. Dr. D Marry joined Tuck Chiropractic Clinic in November 2010.

The Jefferson College of Health Sciences has awarded the inaugural John Echternach Jr. Memorial Scholarships to Morgan Colomb and Brandon McKee, both nursing students at the college. The scholarship was established in honor of Dr. John Echternach Jr., D.P.T., academic coordinator of clinical education and assistant professor in the college’s physical therapist assistant program and a volunteer at the Boones Mill Fire Department. Dr. Echternach was fatally injured in June 2012 while responding to an emergency call as a volunteer with the fire department. Both Colomb and McKee volunteer with the Boones Mill Fire Department and had worked with and learned from Dr. Echternach.

Eighteen Roanoke-area middle school E Marry pupils recently participated in cuttingp edge brain research at the Science Museum of Western Virginia’s summer camp at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. While learning about the brain from some of the country’s premier researchers, the campers themselves were the subjects of an innovative learning research study. The Science Museum of Western Virginia has received its long-awaited permits to transport and display exotic butterflies in its Butterfly Garden exhibit. This means that more than 150 tropical and exotic species of butterflies from sources around the world will now be available to the Science Museum to purchase and release inside the specially constructed habitat.

Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce | SPONSORED CONTENT

Craft

Lanford

Robison

T h e Ro a nokeValle y Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomes the following new members to its board of directors: Butch Craft, owner of Holland the Roanoke Restaurant; th Tarah Holland, tourT is ism development manageer with Franklin County; K Ken Lanford, presiddent and CEO of Lanford BBrothers Company; Robbins C Charles Robbins, rretired regional presiddent of BB&T; Doug R Robison, president oof Wildflour Inc.; and J John Williamson, Williamson cchairman, president and W CEO of RGC Resources.

Two Virginia Tech College of Engineering teams have advanced to the second phase of the futuristic Robotics Challenge sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a subsidiary of the U.S. Department of Defense dedicated to high-tech research. The goal of the competition is to create rescue robots that can easily maneuver disaster scenes and save lives. Each team within the competition – one based in the Department of Computer Science and the other in the Department of Mechanical Engineering – combines both a strong partnership with additional university research groups and private companies and includes alumni of the College of Engineering. Team ViGIR built software and control tools for use in the simulation-based Virtual Robotics Challenge. Team THOR has advanced to the second round of the robotics competition’s physical portion and must design and build a new, semi-autonomous unit that will be tasked with driving a jeep-like vehicle, exiting the vehicle, walking over rubble, clearing objects blocking a door and entering a building. D Dr. Cyril R. Clarke of Corvallis, Ore., hhas been named dean of the VirginiaM Maryland Regional College of Veterinary M Medicine at Virginia Tech, effective Oct. 1. C Clarke had served as professor and dean oof Oregon State University’s College of Clarke Veterinary Medicine. He will succeed Gerhardt G. Schurig, who announced his plans to return to the faculty after 10 years as both interim dean and dean of the veterinary college.

Foyy

Gladchuk

B Bill Foy has been named director of comm munications and innovative technologies fo for the Division of Student Affairs at Virginia TTech. He began his new position in July. Foy hhad served as director of news, marketing aand promotion at WSET-TV since 2007. J John Gladchuk has been appointed ddirector of corporate and foundation relatitions at Virginia Tech. In his new role, he w will concentrate on developing a comprehhensive corporate and foundation relations pplatform to create partnerships that support the university’s strategic mission and foster

economic development across the region. T Thomas J. Inzana, professor of biom medical sciences and pathobiology in the V Virginia-Maryland Regional College of V Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, was r recently reappointed as the Tyler J. and F Frances F. Young Chair in Bacteriology by Inzana h Virginia Tech board of visitors. Inzana the joined the veterinary college in 1987 and has served as director of clinical microbiology in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Stein

S Sarah Stein has been appointed an a assistant professor in the Department of A Accounting and Information Systems at Virg Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. ginia S is one of nine new faculty members at She P Pamplin this fall.

P Progress made in the technology developm for studying protein-DNA interactions, ment c conducted by Chang Lu, associate profe fessor of chemical engineering, and a core fa faculty member of the School of Biomedical EEngineering and Sciences at Virginia Tech, Lu hhas led to the National Institutes of Health awarding a new project to continue his groundbreaking work. The new grant, awarded over three years at a total amount of $710,000, is part of the institutes’ National Cancer Initiative that focuses on early-stage innovative molecular analysis technology development for cancer research. Z Zheng Xiang has been appointed an aassistant professor in the Department of H Hospitality and Tourism Management at VVirginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. Xiang

D David Cox, professor of chemical enginneering at Virginia Tech, has been selected aas head of the Department of Chemical EEngineering at the university.

VVirginia Tech’s newest living-learning community will focus on entrepreneurship. Led m bby a faculty director from the Pamplin Colle lege of Business and located in a standCox alone house, the “Innovate” living-learning community will give 35 students the chance to immerse themselves in the many facets of entrepreneurship – from brainstorming ideas to concept development, demographic research to product design, writing a business plan to securing funding, and creating a marketing campaign to final implementation. Innovate began in the fall semester as a two-year pilot program. After notable careers in agriculture and higher education, Jim and Janet Johnson of Roanoke received the Ruby C. McSwain Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the National Agriculture Alumni and Development Association at its annual conference. The award honors individuals who have demonstrated sustained giving to agricultural initiatives including agriculture in higher education, extension or land-grant universities. The husband-and-wife team are both retired professors at Virginia Tech. Douglas Nelson, professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, has received the National Science Foundation 2013 Outstanding Long-Term Faculty Advisor

Award. This award, including a $10,000 cash prize, is presented to the faculty adviser who best promotes the goals, objectives and activities related to EcoCAR, a design competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, at their universities including its incorporation into the undergraduate engineering curriculum. Nelson has received the award three times previously, most recently in 2009. Virginia Western Community College has launched a new business course this fall that teaches students and prospective entrepreneurs how to launch their own business in one semester. The Entrepreneurship Plus Program will offer unique hands-on experience and act as a business incubator. The program is intended to be a launching pad for businesses in the Roanoke Valley. Based upon enrollment, 20 to 30 viable new businesses per semester are possible. The Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center and Virginia Department of Business Assistance are assisting with the program. Downtown Roanoke Inc. has pledged to help students with the fledgling enterprises, particularly as they look for spaces in which to open shop. Bank of America awarded the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation $5,000 to support the Community College Access Program (CCAP), which provides tuition-free education to qualifying high school graduates from Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke counties and Roanoke and Salem cities. The gift will create an emergency fund designed to help CCAP students overcome financial hardships and remain in college E Erin B. Ashwell, an attorney with W Woods Rogers PLC, has received the P President’s Volunteer Service Award in re recognition of her pro bono work and serv to local nonprofit community organivice z zations. The award recognizes those who Ashwell have achieved a certain number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours over a lifetime. She serves on the board of trustees of the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Virginia, is president of the Roanoke chapter of the Roanoke Women’s Attorney Association and has volunteered for Four on the Earth, a fundraising race benefitting the Boys and Girls Club. She was nominated for the award by the Roanoke Bar Association. W Woods Rogers PLC has named Thomas C Cullen, previously an assistant U.S. atto torney in the Western District of Virginia, a a new principal. The former federal prosas e ecutor in Virginia and North Carolina will re represent organizations and individuals in a Cullen wide variety of investigations and enforcement proceedings conducted by federal and state agencies. Woods Rogers PLC is encouraging companies to support employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. The law firm is one of only three organizations in Virginia recognized for its support of employees in the National Guard and Reserve, receiving the Pro Patria Award, the highest honor from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense office. Woods Rogers was nominated for the award by Carter Lee, a firm attorney who served as an operational law attorney and trial counsel for the Virginia National Guard while serving in Afghanistan. ROANOKE BUSINESS

SPONSORED CONTENT | Roanoke Regional Partnership

News from the Roanoke Regional Partnership Covington rejoins regional economic development effort The Roanoke Regional Partnership welcomes back the City of Covington. Covington City Council recently voted to rejoin the partnership; the city was previously a member locality from 2004 to 2009. The Roanoke Regional Partnership leverages funding from local governments and the private sector to market Alleghany, Botetourt, Franklin and Roanoke counties, Covington, Roanoke, Salem and Vinton to new and expanding industry. “We are delighted that Covington’s leadership is investing in an aggressive program of regional economic development,” said Beth Doughty, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. Covington and its assets have been incorporated into the partnership’s websites and marketing materials to further strengthen the stories about the Roanoke region. Staff members also are reacquainting themselves with Covington industrial properties to help attract investment and jobs.

Festival connects businesses, outdoor enthusiasts The Go Outside Festival is connecting outdoor businesses and enthusiasts from all over the country. The three-day festival, scheduled for Oct. 18-20, is designed to celebrate everything outdoors. Go Fest includes more activities than you can do in three days — camping, biking, boating, races, geocaching, and more — in a fantastic mountain setting. The festival is along the Roanoke River Greenway, the perfect location for testing a new bike, pair of shoes, or even a kayak. Go Fest, now in its third year, has been growing by leaps and bounds. The 2012 festival showcased more than 50 outdoorsindustry vendors, including companies such as Gibbon Slacklines, Ultimate Air Dogs, KEEN, Sierra Nevada, and Red Bull. Even more are expected to join the event in 2013. What’s unique about Go Fest is that it is not an ordinary sit-in-your-seat kind of event; it is designed to encourage participation and involvement. Festival-goers walk around in the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, touch and try out gear, sample food and drink, listen and dance to live music, and have fun.

Roanoke, Franklin named top digital counties again Two Roanoke Region localities have been recognized as nationwide technology leaders. Roanoke County and Franklin County each placed in the top 10 of the Annual Digital Counties Survey for communities with a population of less than 150,000. Roanoke County was ranked fifth and Franklin County was eighth.

OCTOBER 2013

The ranking comes from the e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities program, in partnership with the National Association of 2013 top 10 winners Counties. The award (less than 150,000 population) recognizes counties who 1. Charles County, Md. have the best electronic 2. Allegan County, Mich. practices nationwide. Survey questions 3. Nevada County, Calif. were asked in a variety 4. Albemarle County, Va. of areas such as comput5. Roanoke County, Va. ing, networking, applica6. Napa County, Calif. tions, data and cyberse7. Martin County, Fla. curity, open government, 8. Franklin County, Va. mobile services and much more. The survey 9. Gloucester County, Va. results reflect work done 10. Moore County, N.C. during the 2012 year.

New development is business, residential destination What do a medical school, river, urban trail and medical research have in common? They’re the impetus for a new 22-acre mixed-used development that’s making downtown Roanoke grow. Developers recently broke ground on The Bridges, on a parcel adjacent to the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute, Roanoke River and Roanoke River Greenway. It is the largest development of its kind in the region and will expand the footprint of downtown Roanoke. The Bridges is expected to grow to 1 million square feet of residential, retail and office space, creating a destination that will include a public river walk, kayak launch and riverfront dining. The new business hub is gaining momentum as part of a burgeoning biomedical health sciences campus with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute, Carilion Clinic and Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The Bridges is located along the Roanoke River Greenway, the backbone of a regional greenway system that includes more than 30 miles of trails. Thanks to an additional $12.7 million in funding, new sections are being added to the greenway and existing trails are being connected. When complete, the Roanoke River Greenway will be one of the longest urban greenways in the Eastern United States, linking Salem, Roanoke and Vinton. With the intensive level of investment and activity surrounding the South Jefferson corridor, the site of The Bridges was ripe for development. The development is expected to help meet the demand for high-quality, mixeduse development in the vicinity of downtown, the medical school campus, and Carilion Clinic.

GET K R O W O T T E G D N A

Maybe M ayb be yo yyou’ve ou’ve ffound ound ou nd d yyourself ourself stuck stuc st uckk in your search for or a rewarding rewardi d ng ding ng career. M Maybe b you need d tto upgrade de your ur skills ski k llls tto advance kill d ce iin yo your u current job, or perhaps you want to oe explore xplore an entirely new n w career. ne ca are reer e.

You need Virginia Western rn Communi Community ity C College. ollege. Virginia Western gives students dents op opp opportunities portunities to gain the real-world skills they need ed d to succeed in ﬁelds such as science, technology, y, engineering, mathematics and healthcare. Whether the er yo yyou u wi wish sh to be a nurse, a mechatronics specialist cia aliist or a software engineer, Virginia Western n will will

take ke you you tthere. he

HERE FOR THE

getting a second chance and taking it

Finding new ways to make every day a good day. Carilion Clinic is committed to helping you be your healthiest and stay that way. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here, and it guides everything we do to keep our community well and our region strong. From moment one. Call us today to schedule your mammogram and other important health screenings. $BSJMJPO$MJOJD PSH t