Spotlight FRONT’n About

Gene Marrano

OpX Solutions celebrates milestone >

Roanoke County-based OpX Solutions celebrated its tenth anniversary last month with a mixer at Twisted Track Brewpub in Roanoke. The award-winning company provides consulting services revolving around productivity issues, leadership, planning and other needs – filling in the gaps where the lack of expertise or in-house staffing may thwart growth. OpX founder Mike Leigh, who also writes the Business Operations column for Valley Business FRONT, says he didn’t plan on being at this level. “Once I started having a little success, I realized by growing a little more I could help other people be more successful. That’s what our mission is. When you do that and have a team that really wants your clients to be successful – you

can’t help by being successful [yourself].”

Post COVID, “for what we do we’ve seen stronger demand than ever,” noted Leigh at his 10th Anniversary bash. “Many companies right now are short-staffed, [with] high turnover and because of that you have companies that are no longer taking for granted the people that they have. They feel like they have to take care and develop their folks.” Process improvement training with manufacturers that are “super busy” and are still having trouble finding enough employees has been another area of growth for OpX Solutions. “Demand for our services has never been stronger, especially with the impacts COVID has had.” At the anniversary soiree, Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Joyce Waugh cited Leigh and the OpX team for helping the Chamber craft a new strategic plan in the past.

Gene Marrano

Delta Dental comes through again for CHIP >

CHIP of Roanoke Valley – the Childhood Investment Partnership – has undergone renovations at its 3rd Street SW home office in Roanoke, thanks to a grant from the Delta Dental Foundation. A renovated childcare area and reading space – also stocked with hundreds of books courtesy of the Roanoke City Libraries Star City Reads program – as well as a refreshed reception area are the result. CHIP CEO Rachel Hopkins celebrated last month with a “friendraiser” for donors and supporters. “[On] every home visit, a child who is enrolled receives a book. Now these books aren’t in a basement, they’re in a beautiful space. “It not only benefits [our clients], it also benefits our employees.”

CHIP provides home visits to low-income families from birth through the Pre-K years. “We’re really grateful, this is a continued partnership with the Delta Dental Foundation. They’ve been a great supporter of CHIP in the Roanoke community,” says Hopkins, who succeeded Robin Haldeman upon her retirement. Delta Dental of Virginia is based in Roanoke County. With a Community Health Nurse and Family Case Manager, CHIP provides access to medical services, assists with the management of chronic conditions, provides developmental education, kindergarten preparation and regular child assessment/monitoring.