Meet 10 Valley business leaders who have gone above and beyond — all before the age of 40
The Shenandoah Valley Business Journal is a monthly publication of the Daily News-Record, 231 S. Liberty St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
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When it comes to Social Security and retirement, you may have conflicting viewpoints: On one side, you hope to start collecting your benefits as soon as you’re eligible, or maybe you’re concerned you’ll need that income sooner.
On the other side, you know that if you wait, your monthly benefit amount will be greater.
While it does make sense to wait as long as you can, Sherman Hohenberger, lead wealth planner at Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management, recommends you reevaluate your situation every year in retirement before deciding whether to continue delaying the beginning of Social Security benefits.
“Because each individual, couple, widow, and widower has a unique lifestyle and unique income needs, I believe a year-byyear evaluation prior to beginning benefits is the best approach,” Hohenberger says.
One item you need for that annual retirement review is a current copy of your Social Security benefit estimate from ssa.gov. This provides personalized
Matthew R. Frakesestimates of future benefits based on your real earnings and lets you see your latest statement and earnings history.
Comparison: Claiming sooner vs. later
Let’s start with a hypothetical example: John Doe was born in 1960 and was earning $200,000 a year when he retired. He decided to start receiving Social Security benefits as
soon as he became eligible at 62, or five years before he would receive full retirement benefits. His monthly benefit in today’s dollars is $2,106.
If he had delayed receiving benefits until he was 70, he’d receive $1,600 more a month, or $3,731. And he would make up for the eight-year delay in not taking any benefits in about 10 years.
“Unlike personal assets
that can be exhausted, Social Security is a vast resource provided by the U.S. government. As long as you are alive, you should continue to receive your Social Security benefits and with a cost-of-living adjustment throughout your retirement years.”
Your health can play a big role in helping determine when you should start taking benefits. Do your loved ones live long lives, or have most succumbed to illness before age 65? “It’s not the most accurate indicator of what’s going to transpire in the future, but it can have some bearing and, therefore, should be
taken into consideration,” Hohenberger says.
“If you’re in reasonably good health and anticipate a continued healthy lifestyle, that usually counsels in favor of waiting,” he continues. “If, on the other hand, you’re in poorer health and have concerns about longevity, that counsels toward drawing benefits sooner rather than later.”
Another key factor is having other sources of income to help you live comfortably in retirement without needing Social Security benefits. He says you should consider the guaranteed rate of
Danielle Ropp’s career began young.
Before she could work, Ropp would weed whack and mow the lawn at her father’s equipment upfitter store, Special Fleet Service.
Ropp can recall many summers spent hand-washing rubber PPE and scrubbing windows at the business.
Growing up, Ropp had always wondered if she would pursue the family business.
“It had always been a legacy, and I always won -
dered if it was mine,” Ropp said.
Sure enough, she soon followed in her family’s footsteps.
In 2011, Ropp started working full time for her dad’s business and in 2020 bought a portion of the company. Ropp, 35, is the president and owner of SFS Tools & Safety, which sells tools to electric utility companies and tests PPE on a daily basis.
When she’s not taking care of the company, Ropp takes care of her two children, Christian, 5, and Sawyer, 2. Ropp grew up in a traditional household. Her
mother stayed at home to take care of the children and her father worked. Ropp said she wants to do both of those things.
“I think at the end of the day, everything I do is just a form of taking care of people,” Ropp said.
Checking in with her employees is important to Ropp. Her grandfather, owner of Rockingham Construction Co., always said to celebrate the good things happening in employees’ lives.
It’s no secret that Ropp is a woman business owner in a male-dominated field.
SFS Tools & Safety is certified as a wom -
Federica Pandolfi, 32, considers herself a people person. And she’s proven that through every job she’s held — especially the most recent.
andolfi is a financial cons ltant forerence Financial, a faith-based business that works with clients in the Valley.
The company tries to focus on a person’s values and goals rather than just wealth when e amining their finances andolfi said, which resonates with her morals.
andolfi is the onl woman of color at her company, but she said there is a good amount of diversity on board. This is important, because some clients feel more comfortable working with people of their race andolfi said.
“There’s women that want to work with women because they feel more empowered,”
an-owned business on a state and national level. The company is also Harrisonburg and Rockingham County living wage certified.
Although there’s restrictions on what she can source locally, Ropp likes to do it when she can. Ropp switched the company’s bank from a national one to F&M Bank. The company also uses Vision Technology Group in Harrisonburg for technology needs.
SFS Tools & Safety sponsored a Little League team in the city. One of her employees coached, and several employees’ chil -
dren participated.
Ropp and her husband Matt have moved around a bit, living in North Carolina, South Carolina and
Colorado. Nothing felt quite like home as much as the Valley, however.
Contact Laura Boaggio at 5746278 or lboaggio@dnronline.com
ra don oo er has two deeply rooted values: community and service. And he happens to be in the perfect career role for both.
Hoover has been working at Eastern Mennonite University for 11 years and is currently the associate vice president for advancement. He engages with donors, alumni and parents to make EMU more affordable to students.
Every day, he sees magic happen when connecting a donor’s interest with a student’s need, Hoover said.
To him, a donation is not just a gift, but an investment in the receiving organization.
“I find it fascinating to delve into people’s stories and to connect them to folks that, like them, maybe needed that financial support when they were younger,” Hoover said.
Pandolfi FROM PAGE 3
Pandolfi was born in Uruguay and moved to the United States when she was 11. She enjoys educating parts of the Hispanic population in Harrisonburg who might otherwise be left out of the conversation because of language barriers.
Pandolfi’s family originally moved to Miami but made their way up to Harrisonburg because they wanted a small-town atmosphere similar to their home country.
When Pandolfi started with the company in 2019, she asked herself, “Can I do this?”
One of the most important parts of his job is helping students afford their education.
In fact, Hoover values access to education so much that he gave up a career in medicine for it.
After graduating from EMU in premed, Hoover began working in the alumni and parent engagement office while his now wife attended law school in Winston-Salem, N.C. He took his MCAT and applied to graduate schools in the meantime.
Hoover planned to work for a few years at EMU to support her, afterward continuing on with his medical career.
That’s not how life played
Entering the position was intimidating. Prior to finance, she had worked as an administrator for a hospital and editor-in-chief of her family’s newspaper. With this new career, Pandolfi had to meet reg lator requirements and learn the world of finance.
andolfi wor s on a team of 15 people. Jobs that are paid on commission, like hers, tend to be competitive, andolfi said. t not hers.
“I have felt very supported by my colleagues, the director and the whole team andolfi said.
Contact Laura Boaggio at 5746278 or lboaggio@dnronline.com
out, however.
An employee suggested he apply for his current job, and when he was hired, he found it to be some of the most meaningful work.
Hoover helped establish the LoveEMU Giving Day this April, which raised close to in a 24-hour period. The university is in a capital campaign to redo the trac and field
for million million of which has already been raised, Hoover said.
Hoover is fresh out of his first ear as president of the Harrisonburg Rotary Club. He also serves on the board of directors for the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
He began those roles for EMU, but continues them out of his desire to support the community.
“At the end of the day, I think what I most want to be remembered for is that I was kind to other people,” Hoover said.
Contact Laura Boaggio at 5746278 or lboaggio@dnronline.com
“
I nd it fascinating to delve into people’s stories and to connect them to folks that, like them, maybe needed that nancial support when they were younger.
n Braydon Hoover
Jonathan Ernest’s mother likes to take credit for his profession, attributing his now-successful career in architecture to her purchasing the “Sims” computer games for him as a child.
“To an extent I think that was an influence,” Ernest said.
Ernest started his own consulting business in September 2018 before joining his current company, Monteverde Engineering and Design Studio, in 2019.
Monteverde helped formulate the city’s downtown 2040 master plan, a 20-step action plan approved in February that aims to improve the downtown with input from the community.
Ernest said his company tried to hear from all community members during its research, not just daily downtown visitors.
“But also those who don’t visit — what was preventing them from coming down?” Ernest said.
The 31-year-old landscape architect said Harrisonburg does a good job of being transparent with residents on how it’s doing. Ernest likes to be transparent about how he’s doing as well.
Ernest fights daily with chronic health issues, which flared up in 2018 and made this year his most difficult. However, his diagnosis has not stopped him from working.
“I’m blessed with every normal day I feel and try to take advantage of it,”
Ernest said.
Ernest’s wife, Katilin, is an elementary school teacher at Lacey Spring Elementary and McGaheysville Elementary. While their jobs are different, the two share a similar mission to break down barriers for others.
In 2014, Ernest traveled to Uganda with Engineering Ministries International to help expand a college in Namugongo, right outside the country’s capital of Kampala. The following year, he traveled to Kibuye, Burundi, in east Africa to help with a 20-year master plan for a local hospital.
Locally, Ernest serves on the board of directors for Mercy House, the design committee for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and the board
development committee for On the Road Collaborative.
Ernest wants to tackle a multitude of issues in the city — such as homelessness, street improvements and the local foster care system. And he sometimes works on them outside office hours.
The Ernests fostered twice in 2019 and 2020, and the couple plan to foster in the future. The two share morals shaped by their faith. Ernest attends Aletheia Church in Harrisonburg.
Ernest said he accredits his strength to Christ — but it is made tangible by his family, church and fellow employees at Monteverde.
Contact Laura Boaggio at 5746278 or lboaggio@dnronline.com
joconnor@MonticelloReverseMortgage.com 29 Stoneridge drive, #207, Waynesboro 1-833-REVERSE | Cell: 434-249-2222
Different types of people walk into Nicholas Bledsoe’s chiropractic office t man ha e similar stories.
Patients will recite their diagnoses and say doctors s ggested s rger t the ha e ne er een properly shown how to heal their od .
“They think their diagnosis defines them when reall it s st a speed mp we ha e to get aro nd to the life the want to li e ledsoe said.
ledsoe said he li es
to ad st what s restricted strengthen what’s weak and stretch what s tight.
Many people view their odies as fragile when reall their oints are st irritated and need to e e ercised ledsoe said.
Bledsoe works with professional athletes ames Madison University footall pla ers and commnit mem ers thro gho t the alle .
hen he was o nger ledsoe got in a car crash ro e his stern m and had to ha e s rger on his nee. octors told him he might not e a le to pla sports
By KELLEN STEPLER Daily News-Record
r. a reen ard ne er stops trying to help her comm nit those who now her sa . ard of ingers len is the owner and medical director of arrison rg nimal ospital. he egan working at the facility in and she p rchased the practice in . t s ind of alwa s what new wo ld do she said.
lifelong oc ingham o nt resident ard gradated from rner sh High School and earned her achelor s of science in iolog from irginia ommonwealth ni ersit and her
doctorate of veterinar medicine from irginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. r. Ward has worked hard to grow her siness according to a nomination form s pport ard for the henandoah alle siness o rnal s nder . “She and her staff are constantl attending co rses so that her clinic can provide the comm nit with the latest in eterinar medical
techni es. Ward was also named the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association isting ished Veterinarian of the ear.
he ser es on the c rricl m ad isor committee in veterinary technology at l e idge omm nit ollege. ocal high school stdents are a le to shadow her staff and eterinar techni-
cian st dents are eligi le for s mmer internships at her animal hospital.
he most rewarding thing of working in her hometown she said are the connections she s a le to esta lish with her clients. he and her staff are a le to get to know their clients and their pets which creates a warm atmosphere that isn t alwa s fo nd in other corporate veterinary practices she said.
ta e it with a lot of honor that m a le to s stain a private practice and eep the famil friendl ideas going she said.
Ward also sponsored and helped create a veterinary medicine e hi it at the -
an more efore he got his life ac with therape tic practices.
hiropractic ga e me m life ac and want to gi e that to other people ledsoe said.
Bledsoe operates Valley Spine Chiropractic in Harrison rg which has een open for months. nce his siness too off ledsoe decided to gi e ac to the comm nit offering his ser ices at l e idge ree linic where he treats patients for a red ced fee.
ledsoe is on the oard of directors for the Boys and irls l s of arrison rg
and oc ingham o nt and the . n arrison rg ledsoe said he feels impactf l to the comm nit not st another face in the crowd.
he famil oriented cit is a perfect place for him to work and reside with his wife ledsoe said.
t s f n to treat professional athletes t when someone tells me the can pla with their id again that s what gets me ledsoe said.
Contact Laura Boaggio at 5746278 or lboaggio@dnronline.com
plore ore isco erse m to help children eplore the profession. he also has created and organi ed f ndraisers for the l e idge ree linic and
at s radle.
Contact Kellen Stepler at 5746279 or kstepler@dnronline.
com | Follow Kellen on Twitter at @KellenStepler
“
I take it with a lot of honor that I’m able to sustain a private practice and keep the family-friendly ideas going.
n Maureen Ward
Technically, Jodie Turner has worked for Grandle Funeral Home in Broadway for 18 years.
But the third-generation funeral director and now coowner of Grandle Funeral Home says he’s been around the business his whole life.
A 2007 graduate of Broadway High School and 2009 graduate from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta, Turner said he chose the profession to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.
After being in Atlanta, there was no doubt in Turner’s mind that he wanted to come back to his hometown in Rockingham County.
“It’s always nice to come back to a small town,” said Turner, 33, of Broadway.
A normal day for Turner includes a little bit of ev -
Ian Young just wanted something healthier to eat.
It began as a hobby, but Young, 26, of Broadway, now owns and operates MicroBite Farms, where he grows over a dozen varieties of microgreens — green plants like broccoli and cilantro.
The former U.S. Marine sells the healthy alternatives to the local community at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market. He also sells locally to restaurants, vineyards, James Madison University and the Massanutten Market.
He said he enjoys being offering
healthier foods to the community and the positive interactions he has while selling his product.
“I just enjoy being a part of the community,” he said.
Microgreens have four to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts, according to research from the University of Maryland. Young grows microgreen broccoli, cabbage, pea shoots, sunflower, arugula, spicy mustard mix, radish, cantaloupe, purple kohlrabi, spicy salad mix and sorrel, along with others.
“As an entrepreneur, Ian educated himself on all aspects of starting a business, including his busi -
ness plan, the process of growing microgreens with special attention to quality control and freshness, marketing and sales,” according to a nomination form supporting Young for the Shenandoah Valley Business Journal’s 10 Under 40.
Young said his business has been well-received by the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community.
“
It just feels good to know people enjoy what I promote,” he said.
In the long term, Young said he wants the business to grow and stay sustainable. The growth of his business may provide additional employment opportunities, he said.
“
I want to make a difference,” Young said.
Contact Kellen Stepler at 574-6279 or kstepler@dnronline.com | Follow Kellen on Twitter at @KellenStepler
erything. He said he makes arrangements for services and helps the deceased’s loved ones, works to process the death certificate, and completes organizational and secretarial duties.
“It’s helping the community and folks in their deepest, darkest times,” Turner said.
Outside of the funeral home, Turner is an active member of the Broadway Lions Club, and the Sunset Drive United Methodist Church.
“He works hard for his family business,” according to a nomination supporting Turner for the Shenandoah Valley Business Journal’s 10 Under 40. “He cares about his community and wants to always give back.”
Contact Kellen Stepler at 5746279 or kstepler@dnronline. com | Follow Kellen on Twitter at @KellenStepler
“
I just enjoy being a part of the community.
n Ian Young
“
It’s always nice to come back to a small town.
n Jodie Turner
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It was all in Michael Sharp’s family.
Sharp, 34, of Harrisonburg, grew up around the law as his father was an attorney and judge in Warren County.
But before he went to law school at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., he worked as a paralegal. That experience, he said, confirmed that practicing law is the right fit for him.
“It keeps you on your toes,” he said.
Sharp, a partner at BotkinRose in Harrisonburg, was named to the Shenandoah Valley Business Journal’s 10 Under 40 this year.
Sharp’s focus is on civil
litigation and employment law. But coming through for a client, Sharp says, is the most rewarding part of his work.
“But, well beyond just being a legal practitioner and an owner of the law firm enterprise, Michael Sharp has emerged in the firm as someone who takes a holistic view of both the profession and business of the practice of law, rooted in aspiration and reality,” Attorney Doug Guynn, in wrote in his nomination for
Sharp. Guynn also said Sharp is an “insightful leader and embodies true professionalism.”
“Michael is the epitome of a citizen-lawyer: someone who earns a living practicing law but whose dedicated presence and influence spans all kinds of professional, business and civic endeavors,” Guynn said. “He is a role model even at such a relatively young age.”
Sharp’s impact on the community stems past his
Jessica Harman doesn’t consider her clients to be just customers.
The 23-year-old McGaheysville businesswoman says they’re more like family.
“I enjoy the people,” said Harman, the owner of Jess Nails in McGaheysville. “The clients make it fun.”
Harman was 17 years old when her and her mother, Deana, opened Jess Nails.
“It’s fun,” Harman said about working with her mom. “There’s never a dull moment.”
She attended Massanutten
work at BotkinRose. When he moved to Harrisonburg about seven years ago, he served on the board for the Second Home Learning Center, a before- and after-school child care center.
“I love the mission of that particular program,” he said. “It’s really underserved in the community.”
He also has served on the board of directors for the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA for about five years.
“We’ve made a lot of progress in the past three or four years,” he said.
Contact Kellen Stepler at 5746279 or kstepler@dnronline. com | Follow Kellen on Twitter at @KellenStepler
“
I love the mission of that particular program. It’s really underserved in the community.
n Michael Sharp
Technical Center during her sophomore and junior years, and graduated from East Rockingham High School in 2017.
She began working at Jess Nails in August 2017.
“It’s not just me,” she said. “It started because of me, but it’s me and my mom, together.”
Harman and her mom “kind of do everything together” at the shop, Harman said. They are the only two employees, and do everything from keeping the books, to scheduling appointments, to cleaning.
“We could use more help, but it’s hard to find,” she said. “Other than that, it’s been going very smoothly ... It just all has worked out.”
When fully booked, Jess Nails can see about 100 clients per week. All are by appointments, which lets the
customer come in and out in a timely manner, Harman said.
She said the business also works before and after regular hours to accommodate client’s schedules.
“We dedicate that time to them,” she said.
Her nomination form read that Harman should be selected to the Shenandoah Valley Business Journal’s 10 under 40 “due to her young age” and “owning her own business.”
“Jessica has shown what a good person is all about,” it read.
Harman said her goals for the business are to have her own building, and to provide more than just nail care for her clients.
“Eventually, I want to have a full spa,” she said.
Contact Kellen Stepler at 5746279 or kstepler@dnronline.
com | Follow Kellen on Twitter at @KellenStepler
return Social Security offers: 6.25% – 8.00% (plus a cost-of-living increase).
Hohenberger suggests married clients look at multiple factors when determining the timing for each spouse to claim ocial ec rit enefits.
For example, if you’re working part time or seasonally, your Social Security benefits may be dramatically lower if your partner is working full-time. It still may be wise for both of you to wait, if possible.
“Not only does it increase the size of the benefit that the [higher-earning] individual personally
receives, but it also increases the size of what’s known as the survivor’s benefit that the [lower-earning] spouse could draw if the other spouse passes away,” Hohenberger says.
When it comes to when to claim ocial ec rit enefits ohen erger advises not to focus primarily on the ta ramifications.
“For the vast majority of people, their marginal tax rate in retirement will be fairly constant,” Hohenberger says. “If retirees were to take their ocial ec rit enefit at we t p ically see that their marginal tax rate is the same or approximately the same as it would be if they claimed the enefit at age . e want them
to focus instead on working to maximi e the net cash ow o er the re mainder of their lifetime.”
This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Matthew Frakes, fi nancial adviser in Harrisonburg at (540) 801-3211.
Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/ NOT BANK- GUARANTEED/ MAY LOSE VALUE Wells Fargo
Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
©2022 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.
