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WORKMAGAZINE Career Life in the Greater Richmond Region
No you can’t be all things to all people. But you must identify your clients’ or consumers’ subculture and become a viable participant with your services or goods. John Yamashita with Sticky Rice partners Robyn Burrows and Jason Henry join a cast of regional businesses that are building successful brands through consumer subcultures.
Building Subcultures: Expanding Your Brand
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Oh we know the competition is fierce. And one successful product or relevant service for your subcult doesn’t guarantee a good year on the books. You’ve got to try new concepts, diversify with ancillary products. But you’ve got to maintain the standards that you’ve worked so hard to establish. Think outside your original business plan and you may be pleasantly surprised at the results.
Building Subcultures: The Perceived Value of Good Deeds
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Gosh we’re a conflicted society of consumers aren’t we? We want those companies that we patronize to think green; to be sensitive to social, political and even health issues. Yet we are so cynical of those corporations who seem to align with our concerns simply for the sake of social marketing. David Monday, Chief Growth and Productivity Officer at Wachovia Securities and others discuss corporate giving.
Milestones & Mustangs
Table of Contents
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MyEVErYThiNG: Become the Master of Your Consumer Subculture Dynasty
From the Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 ShopTalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Momentum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Innovators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 MediaWorks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Noisemakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Book Buzz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Arts / Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Music / Restaurants / Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Partnership News/Partnership Investor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Movers & Shakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Travel & Leisure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 See & Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
ShopTalk PAGE 4 Region ‘Top Five’ In ‘Cities of the Future’ Categories For the Price of a DVD You Can Fly to Columbus Firms Honored for Innovative Employee & Community Initiatives MeadWestvaco Joins 2007 Fortune 500 Companies
WORKMAGAZINE PROFILE PAGE 26
Lane Ramsey was tapped for the county administrator’s job by the county’s five-member board of supervisors at a time when Chesterfield was fast-changing from its rural roots into a major population center. Today, with 306,000 residents, Chesterfield is the largest locality in the Richmond metro region.
Non-Stop Nirvana
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BUSINESS CLASS BARGAIN ALERT: With its posh expansion of facilities and the recent addition of budget-minded carriers, Richmond International Airport is fast becoming the only way to reach one traveler’s favorite points of destination—even with 3-year-old triplets in tow. Joan Tupponce discovers RIC’s new world of affordable rates and non-stop destinations.
Mediaworks
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We don’t care if it is a World Wide Web, we just want to know what’s going on in OUR region. Shannon O’Neill tours cyberspace in search of informative content from events to job listings to commentary on the media at large and what’s going on locally. From the gastronomic to local gossip no Greater Richmond site or blog is left unexplored.
Book Buzz
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We just love anything that’s counter-intuitive. Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success offers 45 tips that challenge standard advice such as paying dues or avoiding gaps in your résumé. Long lunches, good or bad? Take one. Co-workers who steal your ideas? Ignore them. It’s business as not so usual in Book Buzz.
Summer 2007
Vol. 4 / Issue1
Short Pump Development May Add Condos to Hotel, Retail Mix Sustainability Park Opens in Chesterfield County John Tyler’s Quick Start Program & The Manufacturers’ Coalition Award-Winning BluePrint Automation Plans Expansion Telecommute Via Telework!VA Offer Transportation Alternatives German Firm Selects Region for U.S. Distribution Center Region is a ‘Hot’ Metro For Expansions, Locations ‘HYPE’ Provides Networking for Young Professionals Computer Chips Are State’s Leading Export VCU Opens New $17 Million Nursing School Facility A $7 Million+ Sports Splash The 2007 MUSE Awards
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WORKMAGAZINE 1
SUMMER2007 business innovation / career strategy / creative living MoMENtuM CoNCEPtS • tRENdS • tRAilBlAzERS
CREAtiVE WoRK SPACE BENCHMARK VENtuRE RiCHMoNd
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Getting Personal & Going Professional
SPECIAL SECTION AFTER PAGE 30
SPECIAL SECTION AFTER PAGE 28 DOWNTOWN’S BUILDING BOOM 100+ Reasons to Move Your Business to Broad St.
What to expect (and NOT expect) in services from your business coach.
Legal Brief
gREAtER RiCHMoNd CHAMBER PREMIERE ISSUE The Power (and Fun) of Collaboration
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Purchasing a Link Could Buy You a Lawsuit
Marketing Mavens
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3 Ways to Effectively Network in Today’s Blogosphere
WebChatter
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The Art Appreciation Edition
For Your Desk
The Power (and Fun) of Collaboration:
HYPE, THE GREATER RICHMOND C HALLENGE & BIZ LINC 2007
ALSO: EdgeMark Partners | Vmeals | GRTC | Genworth Financial
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w w w . G R C C . c o m
The Questionable Poetry of Corporate-Speak
Trade Secrets: Text & Tech
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FIT IN!: The Unofficial Guide to Corporate Culture by Mark A. Williams ALSO: Do you have a data Disaster Recovery plan?
A Mystery Wrapped in a Conundrum
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Master new gadgets, foil security systems, and squeeze past motion detectors. The Amazing Race? No, your next corporate retreat.
‘how Much Sick Leave Do i have?’ Strategies for a Smart, Proactive HR Department
Innovators PAGE
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Bright Minds Doing Wonderful Work: Shops at 5807 Intercept Youth Services Life for Kids Page Bond Gallery Virginians at Work Bodacious! Ventures LLC 2 WORKMAGAZINE
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WORKMAGAZINE
The Greater Richmond Partnership Inc. is a not-for-profit economic development team representing the City of Richmond Career Life in the Greater Richmond Region and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover WORKMAGAZINE: Career Life in the Greater Richmond Region is a quar- and Henrico. terly publication owned and operated by Palari Publishing LLP The Partnership’s office is located at (The Work Factory, 1113 West Main Street, Richmond, VA, 901 E. Byrd St., Suite 801 23220 Toll-free: 866-570-6724) in association with the Greater Richmond, VA 23219-4070 Richmond Partnership Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in phone 804-643-3227 whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without or toll-free at 1-800-229-6332 written permission from the publisher is prohibited. fax 804-343-7167 General comments, story suggestions and letters to the editor for publication consideration should be directed to Ted Randler at ted@theworkfactory.com. www.workmagazine.biz
Staff
Pub li sher /Exe cut iv e E di tor
Ted Randler Pub li sher /Sen ior E dit or
David Smitherman
Sen ior W rit er s Dave Clinger Christina Couch Donna C. Gregory D epart m ent Ed it ors Devorah Ben-David Liz Hawthorne Shannon O’Neill Jan Randler Sande Snead Paul Spicer Joan Tupponce
Con tr ibu ti ng Wr it ers Cristina Del Bueno Mike Fonseca Chris Gatewood Jennifer Yeager Photography Jay Adams Jake Lyell Cynthia Newmark
www.workmagazine.biz
Publishing Months WORKMAGAZINE is published in the months of
JULY, OCTOBER, JANUARY & APRIL Palari Publishing LLP was established in 1998 in Richmond, Virginia. Palari is a forwardthinking, independent, royalty-based publisher committed to producing innovative periodicals, fiction and nonfiction books. Through our hardcover and trade paperback originals, Palari provides authoritative, well-written nonfiction that addresses topical consumer needs and fiction with an emphasis on intelligence and quality. www.palaribooks.com 2007 Summer
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It’s All About You
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Next time you are waiting in line—be it at a restaurant, store, bank, or even the post office—tally up how many ways a product is being promoted or branded by the vendor. Signage is obvious, point of purchase displays are no-brainers, but stop and listen. The grocery store ambient music may be sprinkled with annoucements of specials; the smell of baked goods wafts invitingly; the sample stands encourage you to touch or taste new products. The paint store offers home decorating classes. Your coffee place is also offering its own line of music that its currently playing in the shop. Sign up for the store’s credit and get 10 percent off—often you are being marketed to on all five senses.
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Summer 2007
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When you stand day after day in your favorite coffee shop and order “a double shot latte with soy and no whip,” the vendor has successfully been ingrained to your consumer subculture vibe—that you perceive it as “my particular drink from my coffee shop.” For them to have you take on their product or service as your own is a huge success. Forget the days of mass marketing, you’re living in a MySpace world now, where specialized or niche demographics, social marketing and subculture branding clearly have the upper hand over traditional methods.
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Most of us are bombarded by promotional media and consumer options as we make our way through a typical business day. From our newspapers, magazines, billboards, radio, television, websites and now even our cell phones, promotions for products are ubiquitous. So much so that for many of us, we have become desensitized to the reality that we are being “pitch to” by marketers. Perhaps as a survival mechanism in the face of media over-stimulation, we are drawn to devices—computers, DVRs, iPods—that allow us to filter and control how much, when and where we consume information and media. Thus, proactive businesses are establishing not only brick-and-mortar environments that encourage consumer retention, but also are creating a cyberspace presence—as well as promoting active community participation to connect with consumers outside of business hours.
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The concept of mixing culture and business seems a little nebulous at first. After all, we are talking about the ethereal and highly subjective activity of trend-spotting. Or are we really discussing the act of trendsetting? But rest assured, the savvy businesspeople in this issue’s regional survey are all too aware of how much trends and taste, perception of value, as well as social issues influence consumers.
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Why the about-face? Quite frankly, you as a consumer are becoming increasingly harder to reach. You aren’t part of the mass market (accessible through predictable media channels) that the Nielsen Media Research once charted. You are less available to broadcast advertising methods of yesteryear because you are so enmeshed in your subculture of choice—that tends to include your unique selection of websites, email, text messaging, downloaded music, niche publications, or DVDs from your NetFlix or BlockBuster wishlists as well as your participation in community activities or charitable events.
Greg Wingfield President, CEO Greater Richmond Partnership Inc.
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Quite frankly, you as a consumer are becoming increasingly harder to reach. You aren’t a part of the mass market (accessible through predictable media channels) that the Nielsen Media Research once charted.
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Where once we were a mass culture of speed and convenience—fast-food chains with orange and yellow plastic interiors that encouraged you to consume and move along to make way for the next customer, or grocery stores with a warehouse-like feel and no-nonsense florescent lighting—we have done a 180 change in attitude to entice consumers to adopt brands as their own. Interiors, whether for fast food, groceries, books, coffee—you name it—are designed to induce you to stay. Wifi services, cushy chairs, and comforting colors are predominant in the retail experience.
WORKMAGAZINE 3
Greater Richmond Ranked Among ‘Top Five’ in Three ‘Cities of the Future’ Categories Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine, an international specialty publication of the United Kingdom’s Financial Times group, has ranked Greater Richmond among the top five large metro areas in three of seven categories in its “North American Cities of the Future 2007/08” competition. This is the first time that NAFTA-region cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico have been compared with each other, based on size (major, large, small and micro), in fDi magazine’s “Cities of the Future” research. The cities in which Greater Richmond placed among the top five are “Best Development Practices” (No. 4),“Best Human Resources” (No. 3), and
“Quality of Life” (No. 5). Courtney Fingar, editor of fDi magazine, said: “fDi magazine’s ‘North American Cities of the Future 2007/08’ rankings reflect an independent panel of judges’ views. Nine judges reviewed nominations from 108 cities on more than 60 criteria designed to assess cities’ potential to attract new business investment projects.” The ranking were announced in the April/May issue. “This is an important evaluation, not only as a third-party overview, but because it covers cities not just in the U.S., but throughout North America,” said Gregory H. Wingfield, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc.
Three Firms Honored for Innovative Employee and Community Initiatives The Center for Companies That Care, a Chicago-based nonprofit group, has named The Supply Room Cos., VCU Health Systems and Bon Secours Richmond Health System to its 2007 honor roll, along with 32 other companies and nonprofits across the nation. The award recognizes companies for innovative programs that help the community and employees. Bon Secours, for example, has two mobile health-care units that travel throughout the Richmond area delivering free health care and
education to the uninsured. The Greater Richmond firms also were recognized for supporting employees with childcare programs and flexible schedules. The Supply Room has been on the honor roll for three years in a row. VCU Health System is on the list for the second year, while Bon Secours was named for the first time.
MeadWestvaco Joins 2007 Fortune 500 Companies Greater Richmond is the headquarters of seven Fortune 500 companies, according to the latest list published this spring in Fortune magazine. MeadWestvaco, which moved its corporate headquarters from Stamford, Conn. to Greater Richmond last year, is the latest addition. The company has been in temporary offices in Henrico County and is building a permanent headquarters in downtown Richmond along the James River.
Others are Dominion Resources, Circuit City, Genwork Financial, CarMax, Performance Foods and Owens & Minor. Among metropolitan areas with more than five Fortune 500 headquarters, Greater Richmond has the second-highest number per capita behind Omaha, Neb. The latest list credits the Richmond area with 13 Fortune 1000 firms. In addition to those above, they are LandAmerica Financial, Universal, Brink’s Markel, Albemarle, and Massey Energy.
For the Price of a DVD You Can Fly to Columbus Skybus Airlines has selected Richmond International as one of the first of seven airports to get non-stop flights to Columbus, Ohio, the airline’s home base, with one-way fares as low as $10, plus fees and taxes. Service was launched May 23, with at least 10 of a plane’s 150 seats available at the bargainbasement prices. Beyond that, the airline said it expects the fare to be less than $200 round-trip. Skybus also is launching similar services between Columbus and six other airports: Burbank, Calif. (near Los Angeles), Portsmouth, N.H. (near Boston), Kansas City, Mo., Bellingham, Wash. (near Seattle), Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Greensboro, N.C. Skybus will be the ninth carrier at Richmond International Airport. The others are American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, US Airways, and low-fare carriers AirTran and Jet Blue. [See “Non-Stop Nirvana” page 22 for related article.]
Sustainability Park Opens in Chesterfield County An office park aimed at companies committed to “sustainable” business practices has opened in Chesterfield County. The 143-acre Sustainability Park near Chester offers office, laboratory, warehouse and manufacturing space. It is designed to attract companies that want to serve customers without harming the environment or wasting non-renewable resources. Target tenants include recycling, plastics brokering, by-product brokering, bioenergy and environmental technology.
Newest Short Pump Development May Add Condos to Hotel, Retail Mix Plans for Towne Center West, now under development just west of the Short Pump Town Center, are being modified with an eye to adding condo units above some of its planned retail shops. The modified plans were approved this spring by the Henrico County Plan-
4 WORKMAGAZINE
ning Commission and at press-time were awaiting approval by the board of supervisors. Construction on the nine acres where the condo units would be could start in early 2008, depending on permits and market conditions. The condos would be www.workmagazine.biz
on second and third floors above storefronts. Construction, meanwhile, is moving ahead on other parts of the 42-acre project. Plans for the development include an eight-story Hilton Hotel and 130,000 square feet of space for retailers and restaurants. 2007 Summer
If you are a company on the GROW—visit www.businessfirstrichmond.com to learn more about the region’s efforts to support companies who call the Richmond region home. Business First Greater Richmond is a collaborative effort that includes Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Hanover County and the City of Richmond. It is supported by the Greater Richmond Partnership and the Greater Richmond Chamber.
Employer Seeking Worker
Award-Winning BluePrint Automation, Inc. Plans Expansion
John Tyler’s Quick Start Program & the Manufacturers’ Coalition Manufacturing is alive and well in the Richmond region. That’s according to the companies who spoke with John Tyler Community College early last year. And while business was reportedly booming, recruiting qualified applicants was a bust. That problem was further complicated by the large number of experienced workers retiring from the industry. Even the individuals who were being recruited into manufacturing were entering blindly, with little understanding of the work environment or lacking basic skills required to advance. Understandably, employee retention became a struggle as well. John Tyler quickly responded, brought together business leadership and provided two thoughtful solutions—Quick Start, a sixweek, fast-track training program to prepare individuals for careers (not jobs) in the manufacturing industry; and the Manufacturers’ Coalition, a group of likeminded business people with a shared interest in building a pipeline of employees for the future. The inaugural Quick Start class of 25 graduated on April 20th and 6 of those students have already been placed with Coalition members. The training is free to the employee, except for cost of a mandatory drug screening. Standards are high—today’s manufacturing companies require it. In fact, all graduates must achieve a level of competency in Safety, Industry Basics and WorkKeys Applied Technology. Topics include principles of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, electricity and mechanics. Coalition members get to help shape the curriculum and even provide some of the instruction. They get to post their open positions with the college, get the first look at the graduates of the program and the benefit of participating in private job fairs. Even if you’re not in the hiring mode, members benefit from sharing best practices in other parts of their business. If you’re interested in learning more about or joining the Manufacturers’ Coalition, contact Dr. Mirta Martin (804-594-1475) or Ms. Beverley Dew (804-594-1479). To learn more about Quick Start, contact Jacqueline Anderson (804706-9802). Summer 2007
If you’ve ever wondered about the magic that gets those nifty flexible bags and packages neatly into boxes—just ask Chesterfield-based BluePrint Automation, Inc. This multi-national company is a recognized worldwide leader in the design and manufacturing of the specialized case packing equipment that helps products like snack-packed Pringles potato chips settle gently into their custom travel containers, arrive at the stores and in your hands intact and fresh. Founded in 1980 to tackle the uniquely tough problem of getting bagged and other hardto-handle packages into boxes for transport, BluePrint Automation recently celebrated its 20-year history in Chesterfield County. The company made its initial mark in the Richmond area with a small office and a crew of four and took a big step in 1997 when they opened their 40,000 square foot U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility. In 2004, BluePrint proudly announced the shipment of its 1000th machine from that facility. BluePrint has always been aggressive in international markets, opening offices in Australia, the United Kingdom, Latin America, Germany, and France. They are clearly a global player—making their start in the Netherlands—with customers all over the world and they had plenty of choices when they were deciding on where to make their next big investment. A visit last year by Chesterfield County economic development staff helped them make that decision. BluePrint was recently evaluating their choices and all of the considerations that go into the decision to expand their manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. While they were satisfied with the business climate in the Richmond region and their Chesterfield community, they had an opportunity to reconnect with the resources available through the county. The decision to invest in Chesterfield was not a foregone conclusion. In fact, the company was considering a project at their office in Colorado. All that changed when county representatives knocked on their door. During that visit, the company was reminded of a key advantage of their particular location. The Enterprise Zone program is available to companies in certain geographic areas of the region and it can mean www.workmagazine.biz
real savings to companies like BluePrint Automation, who plans to invest more than $1.5 million and add 30,000 square feet of production space. “We have an active outreach program that helps keep us connected with companies in our community. Our visit with BluePrint Automation was one of hundreds we make each year. It was an important visit, because we learned of an opportunity to actively assist and support them in their expansion,” states Karen Aylward, who manages the county’s economic development services for existing industry. BluePrint has an exciting future in Chesterfield County and was recently recognized as the 2007 Business of the Year by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.
Transportation Alternative:
Telecommute Via Telework!VA Commute got you down? Looking to grow your company but struggling over where to put everybody? Would you like to give your employees the flexibility of telecommuting, but lack the resources to support that work arrangement? Would you like to do your part to reduce congestion on the local roads and conserve energy? Good news —Telework!VA can help. Telework!VA is an innovative program provided by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation through RideFinders. That may be a bit confusing, but the program is simple. If you’re a private for-profit business with at least 20 fulltime employees in the Richmond region, you’re eligible to participate. Telework!VA can reimburse up to $3,500 per employee for qualified expenses to establish the necessary telecommuting infrastructure and systems to support it. For companies creating 10 telework environments—that’s $35,000. And employees only need to work from home an average of six days a month to qualify. If you’ve been considering telecommuting as an alternative for your employees, you now have 35,000 reasons to contact the program manager to learn more. Over 20 area companies have already discovered the benefits. Contact Shanika McClelland, Outreach Specialist at 804-643-RIDE or via e-mail at smcclelland@ridefinders.com. Check out the website at www.teleworkva.org. WORKMAGAZINE 5
German Firm Selects Greater Richmond as Location for U.S. Distribution Center Rheingold GmbH, a German manufacturer of laminated staircase-renovation material, has opened a distribution center and headquarters for its U.S. subsidiary, Rheingold Inc., in Henrico County. The firm is located in the Byrd Center Business Park on South Laburnum Avenue.
The company’s laminates can be used to enhance old staircases made of wood, stone or concrete. The Germanmanufactured system includes everything needed for rejuvenation of an old but structurally-sound staircase.
The List Top 10 Richmond Employment Agencies The firms are ranked by total number of local, full-time staff. Staff 750
Company Unistaff Placements per week: 75 Local Offices: 2 Year Founded Locally: 1985
Quantum Resources
250
Placements per week: 10 Local Offices: 1 Year Founded Locally: 1963
Techead
Region is a ‘Hot’ Metro For Expansions, Locations The Richmond metro area is one of Expansion Management magazine’s “50 Hottest Cities” for expanding and relocating companies. The rating is based on a poll of 80 prominent site-location consultants and their clients. The consultants were asked to consider all of America’s 362 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). “The poll gives a good idea of how a city is perceived by those who seek out good business locations,” the magazine says. “The cities that comprise ‘America’s 50 Hottest Cities’ are in the top 14 percent of all metros in the United Sates. Simply making the list means that these metros, in the eyes of the premier site-location consultants, are in the upper tier.”
Computer Chips Are State’s Leading Export Figures released by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership show that computer chips now are the state’s no. 1 export, moving ahead of coal and cigarettes. Henrico-based Qimonda AG and Manassasbased Micro Technology Inc. sold more than $1.5 billion worth of chips to overseas customers last year, nearly double the value of products shipped abroad by the coal industry and triple the value of cigarettes sold to foreign buyers. The two semiconductor manufacturing companies have been leapfrogging their way up the export list. In 2004, the chip industry ranked fourth in exports, behind coal and tobacco products. In 2005, chips surpassed cigarettes. Then, in 2006, semiconductors also outpaced coal.
6 WORKMAGAZINE
‘HYPE’ Provides Networking for Young Professionals Helping Young Professionals Engage (HYPE) is a new networking group for Greater Richmond residents ages 21 to 40. It is sponsored by the Greater Richmond Chamber. In addition to networking, the group provides exposure to the Chamber and ways to get involved in the Greater Richmond community. “The first two HYPE events both sold out prior to the event,” says Scott McLaughlin, Director, Marketing and Research, Greater Richmond Chamber. “Over 300 young professionals attended the event at Texas de Brazil and we had many more on the waiting list. The response to HYPE illustrates the desire of the Richmond region’s young professionals to be involved in helping shape the future of the region.” [See Benchmark after page 22 for related news.]
206
Placements per week: 5-10 Local Offices: 1 Year Founded Locally: 1968
Spherion Corp.
13
Placements per week: Data Not Available Local Offices: 3 Year Founded Locally: 1997
Ajilon Office or Finance Inc.
12
Placements per week: Data Not Available Local Offices: 1 Year Founded Locally: 1994
Lawyer's Staffing Inc.
8
Placements per week: 5-10 Local Offices: 1 Year Founded Locally: 1997
The Staffing 2000 Cos.
8
Placements per week: Data Not Available Local Offices: 2 Year Founded Locally: 1995
Headway Corporate Staffing
7
Placements per week: Data Not Available Local Offices: 1 Year Founded Locally: 1966
Aquent
7
Placements per week: Data Not Available Local Offices: 1 Year Founded Locally: 2002
Absolute Staffing Partners
6
Placements per week: 50+ Local Offices: 1 Year Founded Locally: 1997
Richmond.com is the premier online community guide in the Greater Richmond area.
VCU Opens New $17 Million Nursing School Facility Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Nursing has a new home, a $17 million, 70,000squre-foot multi-story building just completed at 11th and Leigh Streets. The new facility has stateof-the-art classrooms, clinical and research labs and staff offices.“For the first time, we have facilities and labs that help us support the faculty in
clinical and transitional science,” said Nancy Langston, dean of nursing. Learning labs feature simulation mannequins that can be programmed to mimic any number of patient situations. “I like how it is more similar to a hospital setting,” said Mary-Colleen Millage, who is training to be a family nurse practioner.
A $7 Million+ Sports Splash A private foundation is raising money for a $7 million-plus aquatics complex near The Diamond that would give Virginia a long-awaited boost in attracting regional and national swimming competitions. Poseidon Swimming Foundation is leading the effort to build the regional complex which would be part of the planned development of 60 acres of city-owned land on North Boulevard. The site currently is the location not only of The Diamond, home of the Richmond Braves, but of the Arthur Ashe Center and Sports Backers Stadium. www.workmagazine.biz
The complex would feature a 50-meter pool and a separate 25-yard pool for swimmers to warm up and cool down during meets. It would include spectator seating for up to 800 people and would be able to host major swim meets with the longcourse pool. In addition to being used for competitive swimming, the proposed facility would be used for swimming instruction and the warm-up pool would be used for physical therapy programs. 2007 Summer
Who Needs ‘The Tudors’ When You Have the 2007 MUSE Awards? [1]
[2]
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[4]
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Top Row: [1] New York Deli: Jackie Lee, Jim Sharifi, Demetrios Tsiptsis, Andre DeGenna, Stacie Taylor & Hamooda [2] RVA Magazine: Anthony Harris, Christian Detres,
Ian Graham [3] Top Muse Award winner: Alex Early, Intrinergy, LLC Bottom Row: [4] A special visit from Queen Elizabeth [5] IBM: Jamal Slappy & Otis Jones [6] KK Seedstock: Scott Carnohen, Peter Mulraney, Michael Maddix, Laura Fields & Robb Moss [7] Shakespearean character actors mingle with guests.
‘Rule Britannia!’ Pomp and circumstance could have been the theme of the 2007 VMFA Muse Awards on May 3, as honorees—given tiaras, ruffs and faux armor to don in homage to the VMFA’s “Rule Britannia!” exhibition—were transformed from creative business leaders into lords and ladies of the court. A troupe of actors dressed in Renaissance attire entertained visitors in the Marble Hall as they mingled and took advantage of guided tours of the collection. Pageantry and history aside, this year’s 18 finalists were all about modern creativity in business. The festivities maintained a surreal mix of award show excitement and history—following VMFA Director Alexander Lee Nyerges’ announcement of the winners, a costumed Elizabeth I descended the Marble Hall staircase and “knighted” the winners. “I’m a history buff, so I really liked the history part of it and I liked the surprise theme, a lot of people got into it,” said Muse winner Demetrios Tsiptsis, co-owner of New York Deli. “I think they put on a great show. Even if I’m not nominated next year, I plan on coming back.” Sponsored by VMFA’s Business Council, the awards were created in 2005 to honor extraordinary creativity in business.The Business Council is comprised of leaders and executives from area businesses dedicated to maintaining a relationSummer 2007
ship between the business community and the museum. The winners were chosen from a pool of over fifty nominees, and represented a variety of industries across the state and region. This year’s Top Muse award went to Intrinergy LLC, an Ashland-based renewable energy provider that uses a proprietary process to convert solid biomass into renewable energy through gasification and gas treatment.
Nine Winners A total of nine winners were announced —Appomattox Tile Art Inc. a Petersburg-based company specializing in the design and creation of custom mosaic tiles inspired by original artwork; AREEnergy—A division of American Railroad Equipment LLC—headquartered in Roanoke, converts obsolete locomotive engines to provide low-cost power to third-world countries and emergency areas; InternDirect LLC, a Richmond-based company providing internships and intern systems used to track and record internships to companies, educators and students in the area; The New York Deli, the recently refurbished Richmond restaurant created the Carytown new Year’s eve party; PUNCH, a Richmond-based marketing and advertising firm specializing in print advertising and design; McKinnon and Harris Inc., a Richmond company which manufactures original fine garden furniture; Rainbow Station, offers private nursery, pre-school, kindergarten and after-school programs to Richmond area children and parents; and Visure Corp., headquarwww.workmagazine.biz
tered in Richmond and Los Angeles, helps companies to boost revenue with motion picture product placement. For winner Kelly Adams, managing partner at PUNCH, their award underscored an important principle of her firm. “It’s really nice to be acknowledged for what’s important to us. We try to make all of our employees happy whether it’s creatively, spiritually, or physically,” she explained. “One of the best things about it is that we’re all here of course to make a living, but to do something you actually love and to be acknowledged for being creative is fun.” According to Jay Brenner, President AREEnergy—a division of American Railroad Equipment LLC, the importance of the award is more about recognition alongside other industry peers than individual achievement. “It’s really neat to see the variety of businesses that were part of the group. It’s amazing that, in the state of Virginia, we have so many businesses that have new products and new innovations.” The costumes and celebratory theme were a winning combination for the guests and troupe of actors who even took to the dance floor in full costume. “They really went all out with the props and the treasure hunt in the beginning, the people in period costumes—they made it very fun and relaxed,” said guest Diane Taylor, adding, “It’s a nice connection to know the museum, which is inherently a creative exercise, supports businesses.” BY SHANNON O’NEILL PHOTOS: JAKE LYELL
WORKMAGAZINE 7
What to expect (and NOT expect) in services from your business coach. Christina Couch is a freelance writer based in Richmond, Va. Her work can be found in MSN/Encarta Online, Aol.com, and the Christian Science Monitor.
“You’re smart! You can do this! You’re a born leader!”
M o M E N t u M : CoNCEPtS
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Getting Personal & Going Professional
nly seven percent of American workers are “very satisfied” in their current job reports a nationwide survey conducted by The Conference Board, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to evaluating management and marketplace trends. Bryan Jones is one of the lucky few. The President of Getloaded.com, an online freight matching service that handles more than 27,000 trucking companies across the country, Jones credits one person for helping him find and land the job of his dreams—his business coach. With the help of Dr. Bob Scudder, a certified executive coach and President of the Richmond Area Coaches Association, Jones made a successful transition from military to civilian work by identifying concrete career goals and actively seeking positions that would provide him with opportunities to reach those objectives. “Sometimes it’s hard to clarify what you want in a career and [Bob] really helped define that,” Jones comments. “When I was researching companies for interviews, he helped make sure that what they were looking for was what I had.”
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$1.5 Billion Per Year Industry Jones isn’t the only one looking to outside coaches for help. The International Coach Federation estimates that business coaching is a $1.5 billion per year industry with more than 15,000 coaches residing in the U.S. alone. While traditionally coaches have been employed through larger corporations, as the industry grows an increasing number of midsized to smaller businesses are blowing thousands on an industry that admittedly isn’t designed to come in and solve your company’s internal problems. “That’s where a consultant comes in,” comments Scudder. “The role of a business coach is primarily that of being a thought partner. A coach helps to facilitate the client’s own thinking and decision process. I can only provide the tools through which an
8 WORKMAGAZINE
individual can ‘fix’ or develop themselves.” The biggest misconception about executive coaching, Scudder says, is that most people believe coaches play the part of a third party business director, attacking problems externally and working with the organization as a whole to implement solutions. The truth is that coaches act more like professional counselors and are trained to work with individuals on a personal level, honing specific skills such as leadership development, teamwork, communication, and management abilities. “Coaching is more about the relationship between the coached and the coachee,” adds Doug Hickok, business coach and owner of Business Breakthrough, LLC. “People think that I’m going to bring in all the answers and lay it on folks, but really I’m going to bring the process that’s going to bring the answers out of them.” To do that, Hickok, a former marriage counselor who currently specializes in working with family and couple-owned businesses, first works with clients to establish what exactly the problems are and to set a few clearly defined goals. To go from problem to solution, Hickok provides clients with a six month coaching package (to the tune of $4,000— coaches can cost anywhere from $150 up to $1,000 per hour) that includes in-person coaching sessions along with 18, 45-minute phone sessions. In addition to attending sessions and taking steps to implement the pre-set solutions, clients are also expected to complete regular homework assignments and keep Hickok informed about daily victories, challenges, and questions they may have. “It’s definitely intense,” Hickok notes. “I provide the structure and I provide the materials, but the client provides the content.”
The Financial Return Research shows that this technique of coaxing solutions from employees themselves can have a potentially enormous economic impact. According to a study conducted by the consulting firm MetrixGlobal, LLC, coaching produces an average 529% return on investment as well as significant intangible benefits to a company such as higher employee retention rates. For many companies, financial return can be a tricky thing to measure. The MetrixGlobal survey also revealed that only 60% of companies surveyed could identify specific fiscal benefits that came as a result of coaching. “It’s a tough one because it’s not like you can sit down and put an exact number on www.workmagazine.biz
BY CHRiSTiNA COuCH
where someone’s at and where they finished up,” comments Jones who has employed Dr. Scudder’s services for employees at Getloaded.com for over a year. “That’s like asking someone ‘tell me how much you’ve improved as a leader in the past two years.’ There’s no way to measure that. It’s not like they can say ‘Well I used to be a five and now I’m an eight.’” The keys to getting the most for your money, says Kay Cannon, President of the International Coach Federation, are choosing the right coach and setting tangible performance metrics to measure your company’s improvement. Before handing over a check, employers should first verify that the coach is credentialed through a legitimate organization like the ICF or the International Association of Coaching and ask for a list of professional references. Once you’ve found a capable coach, make sure that your employees are ready and willing to take advantage of the service, and schedule a meeting between coach and employee to ensure that the relationship will be effective. “You cannot force coaching,” states Dena Frith Moore, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer for Harris Williams and Co. mergers and acquisition advisory firm. After working with two business coaches, Moore says that connection is just as important as credentials. “Being very aware of whether the coach’s style is going to mesh well with the employees receiving the coaching is probably the most important factor,” she says, admitting that part of what attracted her to Harris Williams and Co.’s most recent coach, Smokie Sizemore, was Sizemore’s policy of meeting with employer and employee after the first initial introduction to determine if the relationship can be a productive one. Finally, Sizemore notes that accountability on both the part of coach and employee is vital to ensuring that progress is being made. Before signing on the dotted line, make a list of expectations from both parties and be prepared to update that list as the relationship advances. “You can expect to see some [positive] behavior changes in the client within three weeks,” she comments. “If the relationship isn’t working within four weeks of meeting, we end it. If there’s no good rapport, it’s just not going to be successful.” For more information on how to make your coaching experience successful, contact the Richmond Area Coaches Association at www.richmondareacoaches.com. 2007 Summer
BY CHRiS GATEwOOD
Legal Brief
Chris Gatewood is a lawyer with the firm of Hirschler Fleischer, P.C., in Richmond.
Purchasing a Link Could Buy You a Lawsuit
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by the sponsored links themselves, but if the text of the sponsored link contained GEICO’s mark, that would be a different story. So Google won that one. But it has lost a few cases in Europe, including in France, which has led Google to make some geographical modifications to its AdWords program. Recent court decisions have not clarified the issue. Courts have disagreed on whether purchasing someone else’s trademark as an online advertising trigger word is “use in commerce” under trademark law that would be capable of infringing. Some courts have decided that the use of trademarks as ad triggers is use in commerce and could be trademark infringement, and others have reached the opposite conclusion. It is shaping up as a disagreement between the federal appeals court covering California and some other western states (the 9th Circuit) and the federal appeals court covering New York and some other northeastern states (the 2nd Circuit). If this circuit split matures and hangs around for a
BY CRiSTiNA DEL BuENO & JENNiFER YEAGER
Marketing Mavens
Cristina Del Bueno and Jennifer Yeager are co-owners of Right Angle Consulting, LLC, a marketing consulting firm focused on service-driven businesses.
3 Ways to Effectively Network in Today’s Blogosphere
about what it’s like to be an employee, and even the CEO writes advice on everything from the job market to what it takes to be a successful candidate. This creates networking opportunities for the candidates who use the “comments” field to write and respond to the employees and directly with the CEO!
ur recent article discussed why blogging can help market your business. We addressed how a blog can help increase your search engine rankings, demonstrate your expertise, improve brand recognition, and show your personality. After all, there is a person behind that product/service you sell.
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There are over 65 million blogs on the internet today, yet blogging still remains a mystery to many. However, savvy blog readers and writers are using blogs to network. Yes, that’s right, network. Here are a few examples of how it’s working: 1. Developing relationships with media. You want to become quoted by journalists and seen as their resource as a part of your marketing strategy. One idea is to use your blog to comment on an interesting article which you also link back to the publication. Then, you send the journalist a note complimenting them on the well-written article, noting that you blogged about it (insert your blog address), and that you linked it back to the publication. Let them know if they ever need Summer 2007
3. Creating national level contacts. Websites, in general, level the playing field for online businesses. With a well-designed site you make your regional business appear just as big as Wal-Mart. Blogs level the communication playing field. Using the “comments” field on nationally recognized blogs can allow you to talk directly with the GM of Chevrolet. How’s that for a contact? Where else but in blog-land can you “talk” directly with the head honcho of a Fortune 500 company?
There are over 65 million blogs on the internet today, yet blogging still remains a mystery to many. a quote or resource that you are available because you have relevant experience on this particular topic and others. The result is that you will have at least caught the journalist’s attention and will likely receive an email back. Now you can start to build a relationship with the journalist. Interesting networking strategy, don’t you think? 2. Job hunting. Apex Recruiting, Inc. uses their blog to help with recruiting efforts. Blog entries are authored by current employees who write www.workmagazine.biz
Imagine the possibilities, and get out there!
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irst, the obvious: Search engines such as Google and Yahoo! drive a great deal of online traffic with their search results. These companies also do an enormous business in selling search-triggered advertising. So if you search for “richmond virginia advertising” on Google, you get not only the regular search results, but nine “Sponsored Links” show up on your screen for firms that pay—typically on a per-click basis—for that ad placement. Various trademark owners have sued Google, and those advertising with Google AdWords, for alleged trademark infringement by using others’ trademarks to trigger sponsored links. In one case that got a lot of press, GEICO objected to the fact that searching for “GEICO” resulted in sponsored links to its competitors’ websites. The test for trademark infringement is whether a potential customer would likely be confused into believing that the mark owner (GEICO for example) had approved, sponsored, or was related to a company whose purchased link was displayed in response to the “GEICO” search term. The court in the GEICO case decided that there was no such likelihood of confusion created
while, it may be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court. While trademark owners and their lawyers try to figure out which courts will follow which approach, online advertising has continued to evolve. A form of advertising that has grown steadily over the past few years is contextual or in-text advertising. The reader will see that a certain keyword in an online article is doubleunderlined in green. A cursor placed over that word reveals a small pop-up ad, which the user can click for more information or to run a video clip. As one of the major in-text ad providers proclaims, “every word across the internet is an opportunity to engage.” We will have to stay tuned to see whether companies begin to buy each other’s brands as in-text ad links. According to AdWeek magazine, Vibrant Media recently sold DaimlerChrysler in-text ad placement for all of 2007 to over 1,000 words, including DaimlerChrysler’s own brands, as well as words DaimlerChrysler likes for its branding purposes, such as “adventure” and “freedom.” Whether this big buy was partly driven by defensive considerations to prevent another company from buying in-text ads relating to DaimlerChrysler’s brands is a good question for their Chairman of the Board Dr. Z and is a strategy to consider for other companies.
WORKMAGAZINE 9
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WebChatter
BY Liz HAwTHORNE
Oh So 3D Art
Liz Hawthorne Compiled The ArtbyAppreciation Edition
Starving Yet Stylish Art
Giving hope to promising young college art students everywhere, UGallery helps connect potential art patrons with potentially starving artists. Visit www.UGallery.com to browse thousands of works of art in various mediums from students at dozens of schools all across the country. Search by college, by medium, by size, price, color or genre, then purchase and have your new showpiece shipped right to your door. UGallery is so confident in the talent of their artists and the quality of the work, they even offer a 7-day moneyback guarantee. UGallery will even cover the cost of return shipping if it turns out that your upand-coming Picasso turns out to be more of a Picass-oh-no.
Snap Art Want to see what sort of art the rest of the world is making? Surf over to www.FlickrVision.com, a captivating site that shows you— in real time—photos that Flickr users around the world are uploading to the photo-sharing site. Sit back and watch as your screen pans back and forth across the globe, showing you snapshots of life around the world. In a 1-minute viewing, we saw a graveyard in Dublin, a wedding in Milan, a crowded bar in Buenos Aires, a sunset in Melbourne, a field of poppies in Barcelona, and a close-up of a delicious-looking white asparagus dish in Amsterdam. Pull up FlickrVision in one browser window while you upload photos to Flickr in another window, just to see if you pop up on the map!
Say Cheese!
Huh?
Have you been fascinated since elementary school with the old optical illusion that turns two profile silhouettes into a single goblet / birdbath / vase-type thing? Order up a three-dimensional version for your home from www.TurnYourHead.com. Their wood-turning artists will create a unique sculpture whose curves match exactly the profile of your chosen subject! Just follow their simple instructions to capture a picture of your target person, and then upload it to their web site to get your custom creation into the works. The price? Less than you’d think! You can even order up a two-dimensional framed version for about a third of the price.
Art for Game Lovers
Another innovative use of other people’s Flickr photos, PimPamPum’s “memry” game (no “o”, just “memry”) can be found at www.PimPamPum.net/memry. Choose how many “cards” you want to play with and enter a Flickr tag term, and the site puts together a good old-fashioned game of memory for you. Click to flip over and match up the cards, each one featuring a Flickr photo tagged by its owner with your term. It’s a fun game, but also a study in the weird science of photo tagging: our recent game based on the tag “prom” turned up 3 pairs of freight ships amidst the ruffled dresses and bow ties.
Art With Attitude Not necessarily for the languageshy among us (okay, it’s actually better suited to crafty sailors), Subversive Cross Stitch brings a little much-needed snark to the fine art of cross stitch. The design kits available for purchase at www.SubversiveCrossStitch.com marry the sweetness of a framed needlework sampler with the zingy tone of your funniest t-shirt. Craft up a “Babies Suck” gift for your college roommate’s baby shower; a “Bite Me” for grandma; even a “&#@! Cancer” as a show of support to a friend in need. Kits come with fabric, needles and thread—or you can simply buy the pattern if you’re already an old pro. Either way, nothing says “welcome to my home” more than a framed cross stitch warning “Don’t Make Me Cut You.”
Sew What!?
Say What!?
Art for Petty Criminals To create your own conceptual artwork online, check out www.JoshuaRey.com and click on “Ransom Notes” in the top navigation. Jokingly billed as a service for “busy kidnappers,” the site lets you type in your custom message and then serves up a page with your memo spelled out in a series of magazine cut-out letters. We of course don’t condone kidnapping of any sort, but just think of the hilarity that could ensue if you printed out a note and left it in the fridge the next time you steal your co-worker’s tuna sandwich?! The office prank possibilities are endless. Now get ransoming!
Check out the live links to WebChatter at www.WORKMAGAZINE.BIZ
10 W O R K M A G A Z I N E
www.workmagazine.biz
2007 Summer
BY TED RANDLER
I’m not a linguist, or perhaps I should say a “lingo-ist.” But I am fascinated by inventiveness of Corporate America to code and classify daily operations and human interaction with the questionable poetry of corporate-speak. Are you aware of what an “Elvis Year” is? Have you ever suffered from a bout of “Beepilepsy?” In a world where specialized knowledge abounds, where we are over-scheduled and multi-tasking is simply par for the course, we have created a code of odd metaphors to usurp unhurried and pleasant—dare I say, intelligent—conversation for a type of verbal shorthand. In an effort to keep you abreast of the more pertinent terms, I’ve collected a cheat sheet of resources for your desk. Feel free to tape it to the bottom of your computer screen. People will marvel at your grasp of the trendy tongue-in-cheek terms as you browse and learn at your leisure, such that it is. There are quite a few resources that claim to have a finger on the pulse of our 9-to-5 jargon. The folks at Rocky Mountain Software (www.rockymountain.com) offer an “unofficial guide” to Microsoft Corporate Lingo—the ultra geek speak. One wonders if there is in fact an official guide somewhere. An “Elvis Year” in Microsoft parlance is the “peak year of something’s popularity” as in “Barney the dinosaur’s Elvis year was 1993.” Apparently the term “Beepilepsy” is the “brief seizure people sometimes suffer when their cell phones go off, especially in vibrator mode. Characterized by physical spasms, goofy facial expressions, and stopping speech in mid-sentence.” At www.surveysoftwarehq.com a survey of big NoNo lingo is posted by The Creative Group a company specializing in staffing marketing, advertising, creative and web professionals. Their poll asked 250 executives from national advertising and marketing firms for the most annoying buzzwords. Top responses included: “outside-the-box, synergy, the big idea, ROI, paradigm shift, strategy” and the painfully perennial “take it to the next level.” There aren’t many surprising references at www.portfolio.com’s glossary of corporate-speak. I guess in a “cube farm” (a room full of office cubicles) one shouldn’t expect too much. There are however a few disturbing references. To “drink from the fire hose” means to “quickly learn all about a topic.” And similarly distressing “eat your own dog food,” suggests one should actually use the products one sells or promotes which is not the same as “drinking the Kool-Aid” that refers to one who blindly touts the company rhetoric. X-speak, a whole subgenre of corporate chatter, has emerged. Posted on www.anvari.org you’ll ecounter quirky terms. The techno-geek-bound “404” refers to an individual who is clueless. The term references the common web browser error “404 Not Found,” meaning the HTML page couldn’t be located. The XYers update the standard reference to a couch potato with “mouse potato,” for those who are slaves to their CPU diversions. And the harsh process of being fired is softened to the more palatable term of being “uninstalled.” All so clever, if you know what I mean—or do you? Summer 2007
Trade Secrets
TExT & TEch
FIT IN! The Unofficial Guide to Corporate Culture Mark A. Williams (Capital Books, Inc., $16.95)
While it’s true that every company is different, any office worker knows there are many unwritten rules that you have to follow in order to be a part of the group. For job seekers and managers, FIT IN! The Unofficial Guide to Corporate Culture by Mark A. Williams is written to help you navigate the often unspoken path to corporate success. Every organization has informal rules, unspoken expectations, and hidden secrets to success. Mark Williams helps pinpoint those rules by identifying the “10 Fit Factors” that define a company’s culture. The book’s goal is to “decode corporate dynamics; recognize factors that may adversely affect personal well-being; and make clear choices in order to fit in or move on to another Williams workplace that values who pinpoints you are.” “10 Fit Factors” The author, who is that define a identified as a “human company’s identity expert,” asks the questions many of us may culture. have pondered: •
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You thought your interview was a home run—so why didn’t you get the job? They said they wanted you for your fresh ideas—so why aren’t they listening? They tell you that you need to work on your communications skills —what do they mean? They tell you you’re not a “team player”—why not? You recruited only the best and the brightest—so why didn’t they all excel? How do I give feedback to employees who don’t seem to fit in?
Williams is the founder of MarkusWorks, a company whose mission is to help individuals, organizations and communities better manage issues related to human relationships and human identity. He has provided coaching and education to such Fortune 500 companies as UNISYS, Avon, American Express, Marriott International, and Microsoft. He is also the author of The 10 Lenses: Your Guide to Living and Working in a Multicultural World and Your Identity Zones. [See Book Buzz on page 26 for more reviews.] www.workmagazine.biz
From: Mike Fonseca Sent: Monday, July 1, 2007 4:30 PM To: Frustrated User Subject: Re: How do I keep from losing it? Whatever you do, don’t lose it or you won’t be of any help to anyone. Take a deep breath. The biggest part of a DR (Disaster Recovery) plan is having a backup solution. Don’t let the word “disaster” scare you, but it’s a good idea to be prepared if the server crashes. After all, we buy insurance to protect us against disasters. Probably a more likely scenario will be the necessity to get back files that a Vice President deleted by accident. Hopefully, you are already backing up your server at the office. If not, you have a few options for doing this. In most cases you will want to back up daily onto tape media using a third-party backup program. You might wonder why anyone would use tape here in the 21st Century when we can easily record onto a CD or DVD? Tapes have a few advantages. First, they have much larger storage capacities, usually at least 30GB compared to the under 5GB storage of DVDs. So you can use one tape rather than dozens of DVDs. Second, tapes can be used over and over, which is more convenient if you are going to be backing up daily. In addition to tapes you will need a tape drive. Your server may already have one built in, but if not you can typically add either an internal or external drive made by a variety of manufacturers. Tapes and tape drives are no good without software to run them. Windows comes with a back up program, but this is not adequate for most situations. You will need software like Symantec Back up Exec to run the actual back up. These programs let you decide what to back up, how often to back up and when to back up. These choices will be affected by the amount of data on your server. Do you want to backup everything every day? What time do you want to run the back up? If you think you won’t be good about swapping out tapes every day, then a full back up that appends or overwrites the tape might be the solution for you. Another good policy is to take your tapes offsite at least once a week to a safe secure location, in case of an actual disaster. This way your data will be safe regardless of what is going on at your building. Remember too that there are also services that will back up your data remotely over your T-1 or DSL connection. These services use the speed of the internet, but employ methods of encryption to keep your data safe during the transfer. This also covers having your data stored offsite in case of emergencies. Services such as Backup Solutions (http://www.backupsolutions.com) are very easy to set up and use. Their monthly fees are based on the amount of data being backed up. This may be easier and cheaper if you don’t already have a tape backup system in place. Mike Fonseca is a Network Engineer with Entec Systems, a computer consulting business based out of Richmond, VA.
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For Your Desk
Do I want to back up everything every day? What time do I want to From: Frustrated User run the backup? Sent: Monday, July 1, 2007 4:18 PM To: Fonseca, Mike Subject: How do I keep from losing it? Mike, help! What should I do to keep my critical business data safe?
W O R K M A G A Z I N E 11
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A Mystery Wrapped in a Conundrum Master new gadgets, foil security systems, and squeeze past motion detectors. The Amazing Race? No, your next corporate retreat.
BY CHRiSTiNA COuCH
when it comes to creating consumer cults, Joshua Czarda knows best. The President and CEO of Ravenchase Adventures, a Richmond-based, reality touring company that services treasure hunters in eleven cities nationwide, Czarda dedicates his 90+ hour work weeks to outsmarting the firm’s legion of thrill-hungry fans. eveloping a band of code-cracking followers in its scant four years of operation, Czarda chalks the organization’s popularity up to its peculiar product and close relationship with its clientele base. “There is nothing else like it and I think that’s driving our growth,” Czarda states. “We’re combining a lot of things that are popular right now, video games, mysteries, reality scenarios with all of these Amazing Race-style aspects to it. There is an absolute uniqueness to our product.” Inimitable it is. Specializing in providing corporate and private clients as well as the general public with “reality tours,” Ravenchase is like Nancy Drew, National Treasure, and Where In the World Is Carmen Sandiego? wrapped into one pulse-pounding county, city, or nationwide race. Teams of two to five amateur sleuths crack a series of hidden clues using decryption devices, following secret treasure maps, and interacting with planted actors (some of whom aren’t exactly there to help) all along the way. What separates Ravenchase adventures from typical scavenger hunts is the level of intensity—some of the most advanced tours last up to four straight months and take puzzle-solvers across the East Coast— and ingenuity that goes into making these tours work. Though requirements vary depending on the tour’s difficulty level, eager participants can expect to master new gadgets, foil security systems, squeeze past motion detectors, and think outside—waaaaay outside—the proverbial box all while figuring out if the contact point they must deal with is out to assist or destroy their mission.
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A Difficult–But Fun–Experience “The challenging nature of it is much greater than most people anticipate, so it really makes them think,” Czarda says. “It’s not cheesy at any point. It’s a difficult—but fun—experience.” Ravenchase didn’t exactly start in fun conditions. The idea for the company began one Christmas when Czarda’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. Working unhappily as a lawyer for the United Network for Organ Sharing, Czarda wanted to provide a distraction for his three younger brothers, so he purchased a compass and metal detector and devised a treasure hunt that ended with the boys digging up a buried chest that contained their gifts atop Old Rag Mountain near the family’s farm in Warrenton, Virginia. The hunt went over so well that the family made it an annual Christmas tradition. When Czarda decided to leave UNOS, his wife encouraged him
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to turn treasure hunts into a full-time trade. “It really had success instantly and all of a sudden corporate groups started calling us,” he says. “In terms of our gross sales, we grew 600% and this year, I think we’re coming close to repeating that again, so it’s very fast and very aggressive.”
Head-Scratching Puzzles Ravenchase currently operates more than 1,000 events annually and plans to open at least ten more branches, including two international ones in London and Sydney, in the upcoming year. One of the main reasons the company has been able to expand so quickly, Czarda reports, is the level of support provided by fans of the game. The Ravenchase Society, a panel of return clients that have completed fifty or more hunts, is a crucial element in keeping the company supplied with fresh head-scratching puzzles. The group meets a few times a year to come up with a new wave of clues even more brain-busting than last year’s set. “Everyone divies up the city and comes up with their own clue. That has been an excellent source of creative stuff for us,” comments Czarda recounting one RS-inspired clue which required adventurers to locate a secret tavern, slip the bartender a decoded password (who in turn slipped them what appeared to be an ordinary beer mug) and blow hot air on the mug to reveal the next encoded clue. “That was actually the simplest clue of the day,” Czarda admits. With the Ravenchase Society, there’s a certain level of one-ups-manship that drives the company to constantly challenge its own limitawww.workmagazine.biz
tions and explore new possibilities. A few RS members have become so enthusiastic about the company, they’ve actually abandoned their day jobs entirely and come to work for Ravenchase full-time. Czarda calls this phenomenon, “the best type of compliment we can get.” He says that their ideas come in especially handy when the company is creating specialty one-of-a-kind events such as The Heist, a 48-hour cops-androbbers-themed race that required adventurers to locate a hidden bank in downtown Richmond and sneak past planted to guards to find a stolen artifact. “We actually built a secret passage where if you pulled back the right statue, you saw the passage with motion sensors and a vault in the distance,” he recounts. “Players had to get past an entire laser room; it was pretty cool.”
Vampires & Detectives In the upcoming year, Czarda plans to unleash more specialty events including a Bram Stokerstyle vampire hunt as well as a Law and Orderthemed race requiring would-be detectives to dissect a crime scene and solve a fake murder. He also plans to roll out a series of daily touristfriendly beginner-level hunts that focus on introducing visitors to local attractions as well as more techno-savvy advanced-level hunts that incorporate online gaming and global positioning gadgetry. “We’re really focusing on tightening up our operations, expanding to get our brand name out there as much as we can, and just keep innovating,” he says. “We’re always trying to take it to the next level.” 2007 Summer
‘How Much Sick Leave Do I Have?’ Strategies for a Smart, Proactive HR Department
BY CHRiSTiNA COuCH
while human resources reps have gained a mixed rap through the years and are oftentimes viewed as the straight-laced hall monitors of the business world, they’re also typically one of the most underutilized and underappreciated parts of an organization, preventing full-scale legal and financial catastrophes before they strike.
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Recruit the Right Resources Hiring a capable group of seasoned professionals is crucial to getting any business off the ground. Hiring a capable group of seasoned professionals whose job it is to hire more capable seasoned professionals is crucial to making your organization last, says Dr. Tyrone Jackson, Director of Human Resources for the City of Richmond. Managing a 37-person HR department that oversees more than 4,000 city employees, Jackson says that the city’s high level of selectivity is what keeps the city’s HR department running so smoothly. “I think the best kept secret for the HR department is the level of experience that we have on staff,” Jackson states. “We have people who have entry-level experience and people who have fifteen to twenty years of experience. It always helps having people to call upon when we have questions about what would be the best practice.” Jackson says that although the city’s HR consultants have an average of eight years of experience before coming on board and division chiefs have a minimum of ten years experience, even the city’s new recruits come highly skilled. “They are not fresh-out-of-college newbies,” he comments. “They come with experience from other organizations, so that helps to give a well-rounded approach to the decisions we have to make.” To find the right mix of HR personnel, Jackson suggests taking a multi-tiered approach to recruiting. When searching for the next HR inductee, the city places ads in local newspapers, makes rounds at job fairs, recruits through area colleges, and hits regional trade events on the hunt for top talent.
Communication from the Top Down Going hand-in-hand with hiring the right people is making sure they’re closely connected to the internal employees they serve. One of the human resource department’s primary duties, says Scott Blackwell, Senior Vice President of HR for LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc., is to act as a Summer 2007
Beware a talent drought is fast approaching! As the baby boom generation retires, their spaces will be filled by a workforce that’s approximately ten percent smaller. mediator between upper-level executives and middle management. “We have eight HR business partners who are located across the nation and they sit in offices with senior leaders, they attend business meetings throughout the country, and they’re the conduit for us for what’s needed,” Blackwell says. “ We also have a very open communication strategy from the CEO down. Doors are open and nobody is shy about communicating their needs.” Blackwell credits this open-door policy as preventing thousands of dollars worth of failed initiatives and lost productivity every year. One example he cites is LandAmerica’s remote training program, an initiative that was started when company managers asked HR to switch a portion of the standard in-house training program from live, person-to-person teaching to virtual, distancelearning education. “Managers were raising their hands, pushing us to do this and as a result, there was a lot of great learning for us,” Blackwell recounts. “We have been able to decrease our cost www.workmagazine.biz
by about 75% where our virtual classroom is used, and that was driven by our employees.” One of the most cost-effective HR communication tools is a clearly written diversity policy, a program one in five U.S. businesses operates without according to a 2006 survey by the Society of Human Resource Management. John Kates, President of the Richmond Human Resources Management Association, reports that what makes a solid diversity policy so important is that it takes a two-pronged approach to saving cash, both preventing a costly discrimination suit and saving your company thousands in retention costs. “Nearly all traditional measurements of HR performance are impacted by a solid diversity policy, the vacancy rate, cost of training a new hire, turnover rate, recruiting costs,” he comments, noting that an effective diversity initiative, one upheld by everyone from the CEO right down to the transitory interns, can translate to up to a 25% boost in revenue. Perhaps more important than saving company cash today is the role diversity plays in the revenue flow of tomorrow. As the baby boom generation retires, their spaces will be filled by a workforce that’s approximately ten percent smaller. Creating an effective diversity hiring policy before the upcoming worker shortage significantly widens your firm’s potential applicant pool and safeguards the organization against a talent drought.
Think Outside of the Benefits Box Want to save on health care costs? Create a physically fit workforce says Joy Atkins, HR Division Chief for Recruitment for the City of Richmond. Spearheading a new wellness initiative that will potentially include prepaid health spending cards, partnerships with local fitness centers, and a smoking cessation program, Atkins says that healthier employees means a healthier bottom line for Richmond. Between increased health care costs and decreased productivity (usually displayed by unhealthy employees), the Massachusetts Bureau of Family and Community Health estimates that a physically inactive employee costs his or her company, on average, $1,900 more per year than a fit worker. Despite the fact that workplace wellness initiatives are relatively cheap to implement, costing as little as $250 per employee, studies show that effective wellness initiatives can give as much as a 300% return on investment. “Right now our workforce can unfortunately be labeled as a sick workforce,” Adkins admits, “but we’re making strides that encourage holistic development that will enhance our entire workforce.”
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n a so-sue-me-minded era, an effective HR department is more important than ever. According to Jury Verdict Research, a national database tracking personal injury claims, the median award for an employment-related law suit was over $270,000 in 1995, up more than $100,000 than the average six years prior. To make sure your firm doesn’t wind up forking your funds over to court fees, read up on how these organizations keep their human resources department effective.
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Become the Master of Your Consumer Subculture Dynasty There’s no such thing as a general audience anymore. it’s a big ol’ world of subcultures and special interest groups.
You can’t rely on simple branding to push through the marketing deluge of your competition. To succeed, you’ve got to differentiate your services and goods from regional, national and even world players to reach your target audience on several levels. You have to market with all five senses. As soon your consumers enter your premises, they are assessing your company’s service, aesthetics and even social values. You need to think beyond your original business plan. Is there a possibility of ancillary products that will complement your current offerings? Are there ways to interact with your clients beyond typical business transactions?
The bottom line: has your client-base taken a sense of ownership to your brand? In an age of media overstimulation and data saturation, consumers are relying on meaningful filtering resources to manage information and options. Smart businesses are taking on the role of knowledge arbiters, highlighting and capitalizing on their client/consumer interests and needs. They are creating destinations that appeal to their consumers’ demographic expectations. No, you don’t have to be tragically hip and trendy to survive—but your company does have to become relevant to your consumers.
You must create a subculture vibe. articles by cHristiNa cOUcH pHOtOs by cyNtHia NeMarK except wHere NOted
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“i am insanely loyal to Ukrop’s,” remarks Shaun irving, a 32 year-old art director and self-admitted Ukrop’s enthusiast. “It’s probably the most distinctly Richmond brand out there. In fact, when my fiancée moved here from Arkansas, her mother mentioned to her Sunday school class that her daughter was living in Richmond, Virginia. One of the little girls in the class shouted ‘Oooooh Ukrop’s!’ It turns out that the kid’s grandmother lives in Richmond and when she comes to visit, she eats Ukrop’s rolls and pecan pie. When this little Arkansas girl thinks of Richmond, she thinks of Ukrop’s. That’s incredible.” Art directors and Arkansas-based children aren’t the only ones cheering for Richmond’s homegrown grocer. Ask anyone who keeps this city fed and the answer is simple and singular. In its 70 years of operation, Ukrop’s has become THE one-stop grocer in Richmond, evolving far past its status as a mere store. It’s a Richmond institution —a marker that defines the cultural landscape of the city just as much as the tobacco warehouses of Jackson Ward or the cobblestone streets of Shockoe Slip define the city’s historical landscape. Since opening its first Hull Streetbased store in 1937, Richmond’s favorite grocer has developed an almost cult-like following with avid consumers proudly displaying their loyalty even in the face of cheaper competitors that offer broader selections and extended hours of operation. “At Ukrop’s, we don’t want to be middle of the road,” explains Keith Barron, the company’s Director of Marketing. “Our benchmark is to be a world-class provider of food and service and our customers appreciate that.” Appreciate is an understatement. Thanks to the store’s constantly increasing range of services, close ties with local charities, and a sky-high standard of customer service, Ukrop’s is beyond popular. It’s the prom king, student government president, and star quarterback of the local grocery world, drawing a borderline fanatically devoted and demographically diverse body of consumers through its doors every Monday through Saturday. “Ukrop’s isn’t about saving money and it’s not about having innovative products. It’s really about having incredible service and feeling like family,” comments Dave H. Martin, President and Brand Creative Director for Martin Branding Worldwide. “The people who work there feel like they’re part of a family and customers feel the same way, so much so that they’re willing to pay more and go elsewhere to get beer and wine just because they want to shop there.” It’s precisely the marriage of internal company attitude with external customer attitude, Martin says, that elevates an organization from Summer 2007
personally buy into the values their employers tout. A nationwide survey conducted by the leadership development firm, CO2 Partners, reports less than half of all employees (44%) share the same core values as their employers and 11% of all employees couldn’t identify their employers’ core values at all. “If the employees can’t understand what the brand is, what they’re supposed to be delivering, they simply won’t be able to service their customers in a way that reflects that brand,” comments Eklund. The solution, he says, is to invest in the hiring process, carefully choosing new employees that already Empirical Marketing: For Barron, Ukrop’s subculture entails high-stan- embody some if not all of the dards of services that go beyond their core product of groceries. Options like qualities the company wants to drycleaning, florist, café and banking amenities complement the carefullydeveloped, comfortable family atmosphere. Marketing becomes a multisen- promote and supplementing sory experience. The light, bright and airy interior design offers special new hirees with thorough core boutique sections rather than straight-forward aisles of standard grocery values training that comes from stores. The home-spun element of chalkboard specials are created with the the top down. This approach has paid off added verve of professional designer’s signage. Preparation of food is done in near the front of the shopping spaces such that the tempting, wafting scent for Tanya Cauthen, a serial of store-made pizza and chicken entice consumers upon entrance. Ukrop’s entrepreneur whose extensive has become a community point of destination far beyond that of its original resume includes positions such retail inception. as President of Capers Catering, mere ‘company’ to ‘cultural institution,’ bringing Chef General Manager of European Market, and in legions of customers so enamored with the Chef of Elwood Thompson’s Natural Market. For company they almost form a subculture unto her current project, Belmont Butchery, Cauthen themselves. “Think about Harley-Davidson and says that hiring plays a key role in establishing her the number of people who not only buy Harley brand, therefore all new hirees must display not products, but live the Harley lifestyle,” adds Chris only technical know-how, but also an enthusiasm Eklund, a former Customer Experience Analyst for food, a desire to stay on top of culinary trends, with Capital One and current independent and the ability to personally work with customers consultant. “If you bought a Harley and I bought to plan their meals—the hallmarks of the Belmont a Harley, we instantly have a bond, and that Butchery brand. “Having a clueless cashier is not commonality is so deep it draws tens of thou- to our benefit,” Cauthen states, “but having chefs sands of people to hog rallies each year.” and food-savvy people that can answer questions, that’s what people expect from us.” At Belmont, What makes Ukrop’s and harley so gosh darn brand-oriented training plays such a key role that popular? Why do other grocery stores or motor- even the part-time teenager on staff is considered an cycle dealers not have the same over-the-top apprentice in training and is required to learn the consumer following? The answer, says Martin, is ins and outs of the meat world in addition to two-fold. The first, and most important common fulfilling basic cleaning and maintenance responsidenominator, is that both companies have clearly bilities. defined mission statements and each purposefully Cauthen claims that hiring and training with hire trainees that already represent the company’s brand in mind isn’t just important for companies, core values. While studies show that having a it’s absolutely critical for small businesses that clear and concrete set of core values is crucial to must compete with larger chains and franchises. company success—a 2007 Bain and Company “The biggest thing with mom-and-pop operations survey of over 1,200 executives around the world is that you have to have something that sets you ranks mission and vision statements as one of the apart,” she comments. “We have a personal relatop five management tools—surveys also show tionship with our customers that you lose in a that the majority of American employees don’t larger store. We have customers come in and say u www.workmagazine.biz
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simply, “If associates are engaged and enthusiastic about what you have to deliver, that translates to customers who are enthusiastic about your product and that translates to profit,” explains Eklund. Business leaders around the world agree. The aforementioned Bain and Company survey shows that 91% of executives believe that culture is as important as strategy for business success.
however, establishing a unified internal operation is only part of the consumer subculture equation.
Cauthen:
“Having a clueless cashier is not to our benefit. But having chefs and food-savvy people that can answer questions, that’s what people expect from us.” ‘I was sent to get two steaks, but I don’t know what my husband wants.’ Well, we do know what their husband wants because we’ve sold him steaks before. The staff has to be such that they can handle that.” Ensuring that staff culture is representative of brand culture can be as simple as asking the right questions says John Yamashita, owner of Sticky Rice sushi bar as well as the recently opened Sticky To Go Go [see related story “Building Subcultures” on page 18]. To make sure new recruits fit the laid back, lively, rock-n-roll atmosphere of Sticky Rice, Yamashita asks job applicants about their top five favorite albums in addition to questions about their previous work experience. “It’s part of a vibe thing. I think you can learn a lot about somebody by just using popular music as a reference point,” he explains. “I’d rather take someone who I can identify with and who I can watch grow rather than take someone who has more experience.” On a national level, choosing the right attitude over the right resume has paid off for companies including USAA Worldwide Insurance and Southwest Airlines, two firms that use both traditional and behavioral interviewing tech-
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niques to discern who job applicants are as well as what they know. In both companies, hirees are a direct reflection of customers themselves—USAA is ranked as one of the top 25 military-friendly employers in the nation with 11% of its 22,000+ employees having a military background including CEO Robert G. Davis and five other top executives. To find the perfect mix of enthusiasm, off-beat humor, and creative thinking that the Southwest Airline brand embodies, the company puts applicants through a gauntlet of individual and group interviewing activities including an exercise called Fallout Shelter in which applicants are given a list of fifteen fictitious people and have ten minutes to decide unanimously as a group which seven they would save in the event of nuclear war. Rather than being judged on which personalities would be saved, applicants are judged on their leadership, team-work skills, and communication skills, all three of which Southwest reps have just observed in action. For both companies as well as for local firms, the result of interviewing for attitude is heightened customer satisfaction, reduced employee turnover, and increased product demand. Put www.workmagazine.biz
Ensuring that the outward brand accurately reflects that culture and is representative of the consumers’ needs is the other. The first step in doing that, says Chris Thurston, CEO for RightMinds branding and marketing firm, is figuring out exactly how consumers perceive your product or service. “You have to ask people who associate with the brand day in and day out what it means to them. You have to find out what resonates. Why do people connect with this company?” he comments. “If your internal audiences believe you’re one thing and your customers say you’re another, you’re fighting an uphill battle.” Thurston cites Wal-Mart as an example of just how financially disastrous this uphill battle can be. Adding an array of high-end electronics, fashion designers, and even upscale wines and sushi to their product line late 2005/early 2006 and taking out ads in Vogue to advertise, the supposed low price leader suffered a sharp drop in sales in late 2006, missing third quarter sales projections by approximately 1.5%. The result was brand backpedaling as the goliath of groceries, jewelry, and everything in between still struggles to quietly return to its everyday low prices image. “They were trying to be something different than what the customer was looking for and they slipped in market share because of it,” Thurston comments. “When the brand is in conflict with the vision statement and internal culture, it can actually hurt the company.” The easiest way to avoid a clash between the message the company is trying to send and the message received by consumers is to stay in close contact with your clientele base using a variety of feedback tools. Ukrop’s, for instance, maintains an online and phone-based Customer Help Line, a recently launched online consumer survey, and conducts monthly product tests on twelve to fifteen randomly chosen shoppers. For larger product launches, the store also employs an outside marketing firm to gather feedback and gauge consumer response. “What you ultimately want to get to is an ‘Aha!’ moment where you really have insight into why people interact with your product in the way that they do,” says Keith Barron. “Once you know what your consumers’ unmet needs are 2007 Summer
is making company and customer culture align. What makes Cap One’s Customer Experience reps so effective, Eklund—a former CE rep—says, is their commitment to helping the company’s employees understand firsthand what being a Cap One consumer is like. “Capital One allows internal folks to listen to phone calls, navigate the web, read customer complaints and thank-you letters,” Eklund notes. “That helps to create some empathy—it helps them understand how their products fit into their customers’ lives.”
On a global front, over half of executives believe that insufficient customer insight is hurting their company’s performance, a mistake that has the potential to financially destroy a firm if not kept in check.
Yamashita with Sticky Rice partners Robyn Burrows and Jason Henry.
To make sure new recruits fit the laid back, lively, rock ’n’ roll atmosphere of Sticky Rice, Yamashita asks job applicants about their top five favorite albums in addition to questions about their previous work experience. and what their wants in the marketplace are, you can ask yourself, ‘Can I provide that?’” Barron credits Ukrop’s strong ties with its clients as the reason that the store has been able to steadily evolve without losing market share to larger chains over the past seventy years, adding floral, catering, banking, pharmaceutical, deli, café, and most recently conference and birthday Summer 2007
party services to its ever-expanding repertoire. Many of these ideas, Barron says, were brought to the table by consumers themselves, giving store product reps a freebie answer to the question, “What do our consumers want?” Capital One takes gathering client feedback to the next level, employing a full-time Customer Experience department whose sole responsibility www.workmagazine.biz
Studies show that miscommunication between consumer and company results not only in reduced market share and decreased customer loyalty (you can forget about your consumer cult), but also in a sharp increase of failed product launches. For firms, especially smaller firms, looking to expand their product or service line, accurately predicting consumer response has such heavy fiscal consequences, many companies turn to third-party branding experts for help. “There are two reasons to bring in outside professionals,” comments Dave H. Martin. “One is on the financial market, to see if there is a financial benefit to making this product investment and the other is to make a cultural assessment, to make sure that there is a proper fit between company culture and brand before you start making investments.” Martin adds that outside branding pros contribute a much-needed element of objectivity to marketing strategies, a perspective that’s nearly impossible to glean by those who work within a firm. “A lot of companies have the idea to expand and they’re so enthusiastic about it that they don’t want to be critical,” he notes. “That’s where we come in.” While branding experts are pricey, costing anywhere from a few hundred to a few hundred thousand for a top-to-bottom company assessment, an up-front investment in a branding professional can exponentially pay off in terms of increased net profit, averted financial catastrophes, or a little of both though it’s difficult to measure the exact economic impact. Whether you choose to bring in the pros or not, experts agree that employing the right people, projecting the right image, and producing services that strive to meet the ever-changing demands of fickle clients are crucial to cultivating a die-hard devoted consumer base. “If you know who you are and only leverage your brand within that fence, the customers will follow,” remarks Thurston. W O R K M A G A Z I N E 17
Building Subcultures: Expanding Your Brand A crucial part of keeping your business afloat, says RightMinds CEO Chris Thurston, is knowing how to expand your product or service line without compromising the values that make your company stand out. “You’ve got to be who you are and as long as you can stay within that fence of who you are, the goal is to leverage your brand as far as it can go,” he comments. “If it jumps beyond what your brand is about, then you’re exposing yourself to risk.” While companies, particularly smaller businesses, are forced to increase their product line in order to compete with larger one-stop competitors, diversify too much and your firm will inevitably become a commercial jack of all trades, master of none. The trick is to find (and stay in) the Innovative Zone—that perfect Goldilocksian ground between stagnant and diversity overkill. Check out how these local organizations are broadening their clientele base without conceding their brand. Sticky To Go Go 2227 West Main Street Open a second store location directly across from the first one? Are you nuts? The unorthodox technique has paid off for Sticky To Go Go partners John Yamashita, Jason Henry, and Robyn Burrows. Opening just over six months ago, Sticky To Go Go is the quicker, quieter yin to Sticky Rice’s raucous, dive bar-tinged yang. Offering the exact same menu as its eat-in counterpart, Sticky To Go Go houses the restaurant’s take-out as well as catering services. “[Sticky To Go Go] has really allowed us to take a customer that was coming once a week to Sticky Rice and service them twice a week or developing a whole new clientele of people who shy away from the bar scene all together,” comments Burrows. “The restaurant has a specific environment that goes along with the product and that environment isn’t suited for everyone all the time. Providing a different environment allows us to reach people more regularly.” Burrows estimates that since opening, Sticky To Go Go has grown by at least ten percent each month in take-out alone, not including catered and private events. This summer Sticky Rice will launch a second fullscale restaurant in Washington, D.C. as well as a solar-powered sidewalk sushi cart that will cater to downtown power-lunchers. “It’s never been done to my knowledge and that’s pretty exciting,” says Burrows. “I think it’s going to work and I feel great about it.”
Gallery 5 200 West Marshall Street Blurring the boundaries between visual, aural, and performing arts since day one, Gallery 5 has made a controversial name for itself pushing the proverbial envelope in Richmond’s contemporary art scene. Beginning originally as the Virginia Fire and Police Museum, the space was converted into a multifunctional art space by Amanda Robinson who now serves as the gallery’s Executive and Artistic Director. “We had no money to get this going. We
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were working with Habitat for Humanity and I was doing my own sheet rocking, painting, caulking,” recounts Robinson. “Opening weekend we pulled together thirty amazing artists, promoted it like hell, and launched our space along with RVA Magazine. We had over 1,000 people there. I guess we’re here now.” Gallery 5’s staying power lies in its ability to stay innovative and at times a little shocking. In February of 2005, the space launched Richmond’s largest art show to date. Disrobed featured 25 separate works, all freshly painted on live nude models, and backed by nude portraits as well as the improvisational orchestra, The Black Orchestra. Drawing in 5,000 people (with an additional 8-10,000 standing outside), Disrobed set Gallery 5’s precedent of challenging the limitations of art. In June, Disrobed II took the concept one step farther, using more than 40 models, a significantly bigger budget, and installation pieces from a wide array of artists. In addition to its regular stint at First Fridays, Gallery 5 will also present a three-day 1920’s-style carnivale, complete with freak shows, fire events, and tarot card readers in October. “I can’t really see a separation between paintings, music, films, video. It’s all forms of art,” comments Robinson. “We were one of the first art galleries to incorporate that under one roof.”
Zeus Gallery Café 201 North Belmont Avenue For art on a slightly more tame scale, Zeus Gallery Café mixes an ever-changing menu with a rotating décor. Think fresh produce meets fresh paint. “My job is to provide a consistency in the artwork-changing and the producechanging and you get an interesting pairing of the two things,” comments owner Ted Doll. “You wouldn’t think that paintings that are selling for thousands of dollars would match with food that sells for twenty bucks a plate, but they do.” Doll adds that the rotating gallery is a direct reflection of Zeus’ core business strategy and its commitment to staying inventive. While www.workmagazine.biz
the restaurant focuses on using seasonal ingredients to deliver a fresh array of menu items, the gallery side showcases emerging local and national artists that span a variety of visual mediums. “We want the quality to be the same, but we absolutely always want the experience to be different when people come. It shows that there’s an evolution going on,” he says. “You never want to be static and that’s where we separate ourselves from a corporate restaurant environment.” Doll estimates that the gallery/restaurant has sold more than $10,000 worth of art to eager (and hungry) collectors in its 15 years of operation.
Café Gutenberg 1700 East Main Street There’s only one place in Richmond where you can read an Italian newspaper, sip a genuine Italian-style espresso, and most likely run into a Sicilian or two. Nestled between the bars and nightclubs of Shockoe Bottom, Café Gutenberg attracts the intellectual and foodie elite by catering to international palates. Hosting monthly language tables, wine tastings, music series, literary events, poetry readings, imported beer nights, philosophy roundtable discussions, and an ongoing rare book sale in addition to free Wifi, the seemingly misplaced café offers something for anyone with a brain, appetite, or creative streak. “We try to offer an escape and a destination atmosphere so people don’t just assume that they’re going to come in, have a meal, and leave,” comments Gutenberg General Manager, Stephanie Hagen. Getting a diverse range of patrons to stick around seems to be Gutenberg’s specialty. In it’s four years of operation, the café has morphed into the central hub for international visitors, artists, students, business lunchers, foodies, wine aficionados, book lovers, and anyone else with a culinary or cerebral curiosity. “In chain restaurants, you go in and the experience is very robotic,” Hagen says. “Here it’s a mix because we’re about more than food.” 2007 Summer
Building Subcultures:
The Perceived Value of Good Deeds Maneuvering Through the Philanthropy (& Mixed Meanings) of Corporate Giving
Anyone who has worked in an office atmosphere knows the drill. At various times of the year, their manager will call a meeting and announce that a certain fundraiser is taking place. These events can range from large, nationwide campaigns to small charities that benefit the surrounding community. And this is in addition to the unavoidable birthday and get-well cards that circulate requesting a small donation for a coworker. A few years ago, a local banking executive was looking for inspiration. David Monday, Chief Growth and Productivity Officer at Wachovia Securities, was in charge of the company’s United Way campaign that year, and he wanted it to be memorable. u
Monday: “We were looking for a
way to jump-start our campaign and have associates moved by the concept of giving and generosity.”
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United Way is a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and people’s lives. Building on more than a century of service as the nation’s preeminent community-based fundraiser, United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies, pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measures the results. “We were looking for a way to jump-start our campaign and have associates moved by the concept of giving and generosity,” says Monday. He wanted to make sure his campaign would stand out—and make a real impact on his associates. “Thomas Cannon had always been one of my heroes and still is. I read his book, Poor Man’s Philanthropist, and I knew he would be an excellent example of generosity and giving,” says Monday. So he called the local United Way office, but was told that Cannon really didn’t like to give speeches. He was a private man who wanted to stay that way. Cannon had achieved local and even nationwide attention for his tireless efforts to help those he felt deserving. Despite his own meager financial status, he was renowned for the $1,000 checks that he would send to individuals of his choosing, without outside prompting. His generous campaign spanned over 30 years until his death in 2005 and was detailed in his biography, Poor Man’s Philanthropist: The Thomas Cannon Story. While Monday certainly respected Mr. Cannon’s privacy, he was determined to plead his case. He wanted Cannon to understand that Wachovia Securities planned to honor him and his work as part of their United Way kick-off campaign. They wanted him to attend the event and collect a $1,000 gift that he could use as he pleased. Knowing that he would be able to make another of his now famous $1,000 gifts, Cannon readily agreed to attend. Over 300 associates gathered at the downtown Omni for the Wachovia Securities United Way event. Instead of presenting a typical program about the services provided by the United Way, Monday obtained a copy of the Nightline program where Ted Koppel came to Cannon’s home to interview him. Monday remembers, “It was a very moving video. And after it was over, we turned on the lights and said, ‘Thomas Cannon is with us today.’ Everyone stood and applauded. The response was more than I had even hoped for.” Each associate left the meeting with a pledge card and their own copy of Poor Man’s Philanthropist. That year, Wachovia Securities raised more money than ever before. Associate pledges rose dramatically, and the excitement that Monday had hoped for was evident for months after. “That
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“Consumer cynicism has never been so high. We have a very sophisticated audience these days and they’re not going to buy something if it’s in conflict with the company’s values. If you don’t align the effort with the values of the organization, it’s going to be perceived as shallow, as an effort that doesn’t really connect, and it can backfire.” event started a momentum that has lasted to this day,” he says. “People still remember it and talk about it.” Thomas Cannon would certainly be pleased with the impact that his generosity continues to have on the people of Richmond.
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tatistically consumers are more sociallyminded than they were ten years ago. The Christian Science Monitor reports that approximately 70 million Americans identify themselves as values-driven consumers and a study by The Conference Board research group shows that twothirds of consumers, both domestic and international, would like to see companies “contribute to broader social objectives.” However, increased consumer awareness is only part of it. Research shows that it pays—and pays big—for companies to marry their brand to the ethics of their target audience. A study by the Social Science Research Network estimates that for every dollar a retail company, bank, or popular goods manufacturer directs towards charity, it can expect six to return in revenue, that is if executed properly, says O’Keefe, Executive Education Director for the VCU Ad Center. “Consumer cynicism has never been so high. We have a very sophisticated audience these days, and they’re not going to buy something if it’s in conflict with the company’s values,” warns www.workmagazine.biz
O’Keefe. “If you don’t align the effort with the values of the organization, it’s going to be perceived as shallow, as an effort that doesn’t really connect and it can backfire.”
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hat does the world’s most popular golfer, inner city educators, and one of the largest financial firms in the country all have in common? For one week in the spring, they all play on the same team. Kicking off in early May, the Wachovia Championship, a charity golf tournament based in Charlotte, North Carolina, brought in PGA greats including Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, and Phil Mickelson, all for the express purposes of kicking butt, raising money for Teach for America, and indirectly giving the Wachovia name as much press attention as possible. Toeing the line between charity event and marketing move, sponsoring the Wachovia Championship is undeniably both a good deed and a good PR move. In its fourth year running, the tournament has brought in $5.7 million for charity and an incalculable amount of business for the company itself. “Sometimes our marketing and community activities look a lot alike,” admits Kathryn Fessler, Director of Community Affairs for Wachovia Securities. “I think that it’s really ok to do both so long as the community objective that’s being served is 2007 Summer
understood to be important.” Wachovia isn’t the only one mixing altruism with advertising. In the past decade social marketing campaigns aimed at both furthering a cause and drawing in new clients by tapping into their social values have worked their way into the marketing strategies of everything from groceries to gadgets. “Traditional marketing is losing its impact,” comments Kelly O’Keefe. “We have a whole audience, especially with younger folks, who are looking for alignment with social issues. They’re looking for meaning.” O’Keefe cites Unilever as an example of social marketing backlash. Owning both Dove, a brand best known for its Real Beauty campaign that celebrates body diversity, as well as Axe, a company that aggressively portrays women as sex symbols, Unilever has come under harsh criticism as being an inconsistent, disingenuous parent company. One way to avoid the stigma of insincerity is to actively get involved in the projects your business promotes. While larger firms oftentimes accomplish this by creating company-wide volunteer and donor initiatives—Wachovia, for example, gives full-time employees four hours of volunteer paid time off per month, provides up to $200 reward grants to local charities for employee volunteerism, matches nonprofit employee contributions, and donates more than $100 million to nonprofits through the Wachovia Foundation— smaller businesses have more leverage to become personally involved from the top down.
Squires: “Some of my clients come from the organizations that I am involved with. They often feel comfortable working with someone they already feel a kinship with.”
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hen he’s not stocking the shelves of Chop Suey Books or Chop Suey Tuey, owner Wade Tefft operates his own philanthropic side project, Books on Wheels, in conjunction with friend and fellow activist Shelley Briggs. Driving a converted school bus deemed the ‘Mo’Book Mo’Bike Mobile,’ to nine cities, Tefft and Briggs will spend their summer providing free books and bike repair to economically disadvantaged communities across the U.S. “They [bikes and books] are sort of randomly put together, but when we started thinking about it, they really work well,” Tefft comments. “They each offer an alternative to pop culture whether it’s television or an oil-based economy.” Though Mo’Book Mo’Bike wasn’t created to drum up publicity for Chop Suey, Tefft admits that the project has garnered free media attention that benefits both endeavors as has other sociallyconscious events Chop Suey has had a hand in, including the Bizarre Market art showcase and joint ventures with the Firehouse Theatre. “It’s hard to distinguish what impacts what, if doing this nonprofit stuff makes the business stronger or if a strong business is what makes these nonprofit events successful,” Tefft says. “Either way, I don’t look at it as ‘this is good for the business.’ This is part of my life plan. This is just something that I Summer 2007
need to do.” ttorney John “Jay” Squires discovered by serendipity that one of the simplest ways to gain new clients is by becoming active in the community. Squires, who specializes in criminal and traffic cases, has been a volunteer in the community throughout his career. He has learned over the years to incorporate his volunteer activities into his already busy schedule. “Being a partner in a small law practice allows me the flexibility to participate in various organizations while still serving my clients,” says Squires. Currently, he works for Nachman & Squires, LLP which he formed in 2006 with Jim Nachman. Though he has volunteered in his community since childhood, a deeper commitment to social and government issues began during his college years, when he was active in political student organizations. Squires attended William & Mary and the University of Richmond, and was admitted to the Bar in 1987. His involvement in the community remained a steady focus during
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this time. In the 1990s, he served on the board of Richmond AIDS Ministry, which built houses for victims of HIV disease, and he served as a member of the Central Virginia Business and Professional Guild to promote diversity in business. Since 2003, Squires has been a driving force behind Equality Virginia including a stint as board chairman since 2005. Squires’ personal sense of obligation for volunteering and giving of himself shows no signs of slowing down. He plans to continue to be involved with organizations about which he feels passionate. If new business relationships and increased clientele result from those efforts, that’s just icing on the cake. He does find that his many volunteer activities provide his business with word of mouth advertising and referrals: “Some of my clients come from the organizations that I am involved with. They often feel comfortable working with someone they already feel a kinship with. While it’s not my motivating factor, it’s great to help an W O R K M A G A Z I N E 21
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Dobbins (left) and Brasfield created their small-mall concept as an “experience destination.”
Shops at 5807 deas occur sometimes at the most unexpected moments. Such was the case when Leigh Dobbins had a flat tire, went looking for a phone, and wandered into an idea that would make her quit her job, sell all of her possessions and move to a remote island in the Pacific. Well, not quite that extreme. She did, however, leave her job in a non-profit to satisfy her love of shopping and quench her passion for wonderful finds. Why not open one big store with lots of individually owned boutiques that would also be home to a great tearoom featuring light and delicious treats? Something very unique. Dobbins hurried to tell her sister, Anne Brasfield. Brasfield told her, “This is the best crazy idea you’ve had yet.” Thus
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it was that the Shops at 5807, located at this address on Patterson Avenue, came into being. Brasfield had retail experience. She and her best friend had opened Frillseekers in 1992. The shop had a loyal following of customers seeking baubles, kitschy home décor and glamorous gifts. Brasfield, who had a penchant for one-ofa-kind pieces of jewelry and other funky stuff, decided that Frillseekers was a great way to satisfy her craving of the hunt, to keep what she wanted and to sell the rest to make money to keep her ambitious little cycle rolling along. But Brasfield’s interest in the shop waned after she lost her partner to breast cancer. So she was ready for something big when Dobbins came along with her “crazy idea.”
The concept for the Shops at 5807 clicked for them. It is designed for 20 or so different boutiques, all individually owned, stocked and decorated with their own identities. It’s a place to shop for that elusive mother-in-law gift, an incredible pair of jeans, that perfect accent for your home, adorable kidswear, art and jewels. It’s a place to relax and nosh on the best chicken salad in town and a Savannah, chocolate cake to die for. “It’s an experience, a destination” says Dobbins. The “small mall” is strategically located at Patterson and Libbie and allows retailers and artisans an opportunity to display their wares in an eyecatching, high-traffic way without enormous overhead costs. Each retailer pays a small monthly “shopminder fee” in addi-
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tion to a monthly rent and nominal commission on sales. In return, in addition to the space, shop owners get the benefits of Shops at 5807 advertising and marketing, a website, packaging, giftwrapping, staffing, security and utilities, among other things. Just about everything is included. High-end, exceptional retailers are hand-picked. Information is available at owner@shop5807.com. “We take the hassle and responsibility out of owning your own storefront,” says Brasfield. “We do it all.” She and Dobbins are delighted to be part of an evolving and growing West End retail area and are dedicated to providing a stylish and eclectic alternative for people who are frustrated with homogenious stores and big-box crowds and traffic. 2007 Summer
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Intercept Youth Services ark Bogert has devoted his career to working with young people in residential placements, with the goal of bettering their lives emotionally, environmentally and functionally. Over the years, he has worked with various providers with this kind of mission. But he was unable to fully implement his vision. Simply put, this vision was to build a group home program that would raise the bar and strive for excellence, specifically in: ∙ Standards of care provided to residents ∙ Physical environment in which residents live, ∙ Service provided to placement agencies responsible for the youth, and ∙ Commitment of all employees to a mission they could embrace with dignity and pride. It was out of this vision that he established Intercept Youth Services, Inc. in 1996. With a focus on excellence in programming, physical environment, staff training and cost savings, Intercept has grown to be the largest therapeutic group home provider for emotionally disturbed adolescents in Virginia. With 17 homes at the present, Intercept is growing as it continues to tackle the problem of ongoing disturbance and disruption in families. “It is our hope and mission to prepare our residents for success so they can embrace life free from dysfunctional and institutional dependency,” Bogert says. Intercept is licensed by the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse and provides
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n 1990, Mike Heppert, a former gym teacher, bought a used school bus, pulled out the seats and painted it red. His local company, Life for Kids, now has two buses that travel to 31 schools and child development centers in the Greater Richmond area. The gyms on wheels— carpeted, padded and equipped with stereo music systems—are fun places where children, beginning at the preschool age, can get involved in healthy, busy muscle play and learn about nutrition, good habits and safety. Heppert also has designed and patented the Life for Kids Physical Activity Rewards System (PARS) for children age 4-17. It consists of a monitor that measures the amount of time spent engaged in physical activity. Physical activity “credits” recorded by the monitor are transferred to a unit that controls the TV, computer or video games. If there’s no credit, there’s no TV. With PARS, the amount of viewing time earned is proportionate to the time spent enjoying healthy physical activity. “A growing obesity epidemic and sedentary lifestyle are threatcomprehensive programs for troubled adult ening the health of millions of Amermales ages 12-19 and females ages 13-19. icans,” Heppert says. “Life for Kids’s “Our structured, therapeutic milieu traveling gymnasiums allow children promotes pro-social behavior, self-esteem, to participate in weekly movementemotional stability and character-building in a based health and fitness classes.” fun-filled environment, while teaching life skills Kids love it. Activities are necessary to become productive and respondifferent every week, and include sible young men and women,” Bogert says. tumbling on mats, climbing a cargo “Intercept’s progressive, six-level behav- net, swinging on a rope, vaulting and ioral and independent living system is unparalleled in the state. By utilizing YouthQuest—the only Casey-authorized training skills provider of life skills in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast—and by incorporating therapeutic support and psychoeducational programming, Intercept affords the best opportunity for troubled and at-risk youth to succeed both at the present and in the future.” Intercept was honored with the Impact Award of the Greater Richmond Chamber in November. The prestigious honor is awarded annually to a business deemed to have the greatest impact on the community. Bogert this year also was named Small Business Person of the Year. Shire House, Intercept’s 17th home, was opened in Chesterfield in May. This follows the opening of YouthQuest Village, offering furnished two-bedroom condominiums in Henrico County, and Vision House in Chesterfield County in 2006. Intercept has plans to open its fourth residence for girls, Fountain House in Chesterfield County, in August or September. Bogert has long-term plans to expand statewide in 20082009, including Northern Virginia, Tidewater, Harrisonburg and Lynchburg.
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the use of the balance beam, parallel bars, pommel horse and other specially designed equipment. These activities are aimed at building selfconfidence, courage, perseverance and self-esteem as desirable fitness attributes, including agility, strength, flexibility, balance and perceptual motor coordination. Sessions include age-appropriate health lessons that focus on proper nutrition, personal health and child safety. About 1,000 children participate in gym bus programs here and in Northern Virginia. Because the gym bus comes right to the school or child-developmentcenter door, there’s no need to transport children to a special place. Life for Kids pioneered the concept of “Busy Muscle Play” to replace the dreaded notion of “exercise,” with its unpleasant images. Many perceive “exercise” as painful or boring. Life for Kids classes, on the other hand, place strong emphasis on purposeful fun and personal success. “If people know exercise is good for them, why has obesity become such a major health problem for the United States?” Heppert asks. “Perhaps it’s because we’re using the wrong words and taking the wrong approach. There’s nothing competitive about the Life for Kids approach. The most important thing is for kids to have fun and develop the seeds for future healthy lifestyles.”
Life for Kids
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irginians at Work is a massive new long-term exhibition at the Virginia Historical Society. With objects, photographs, oral histories, manuscripts and multi-media stations, the 3,000square-foot exhibition tells the story of how people made a living and how jobs have changed in Virginia over the years. “The exhibition focuses on a multitude of industries and crafts, and moves chronologically,” says Dr. James C. Kelly, exhibition curator and director of museums for the Virginia Historical Society, located at 426 North Boulevard. “It looks at four broad periods in Virginia’s economic history—agricultural, commercial, industrial and the presentday service economy. The four, of course, coexisted in every period, but their relative importance changed over time as did the number of Virginians they employed.” Ever heard the story of the factory worker who loses his job to a robot? How about the whip and buggy makers who lost their jobs to the advancement of the automobile? How did the end of Jim Crow have a negative effect on black business? Ellsworth Kelly and Helen Frankenthaler. Other artists have included Dragana Crnjak, Answers to questions such as these are William Wylie, Andras Bality and Kris Iden. addressed by the exhibition. By focusing The current show, “Double Bubble,” on ordinary people, tools and products, the exhibition takes often-abstract theory will run through August. It is a group show and features works of emerging and behind the study of economics and makes it understandable. established artists including Theresa The exhibition is housed in the Pollak, Mary Heilman, Louis Poole, Ruby Society’s new Reynolds Business History Palmer, Lynda Ray, Curtis Ripley, Chris Center. Among other things, it profiles Palmer, Dragana Crnjak, Stephen Clark, notable Virginia enterprises such as ThalSusan Schwalb, Kristi Hager, Kathleen himer’s, A.H. Robins and Best Products, Markowitz and Lauren Clay. Bond is very impressed with the arts scene in Greater Richmond. “With the opening of each new gallery it becomes the old adage: “A rising tide lifts all boats.’ Broad Street First Fridays are amazing and Main Street is getting the same reputation. Richmond has the extraordinary good fortune to have in its midst arts institutions such as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU is alive with talent in its Kelly: “The exhibition focuses School of the Arts, and this spills over not on a multitude of industries only to the region but to the world. The and crafts, and moves Virginia Museum’s new building will be chronologically.” an important draw for tourists and educators. We are fortunate to also have smaller institutions such as the Visual Arts Center and 1708 Gallery.” She says that “as people have their visual vocabularies expanded by museums, galleries and public art, they are more confident in what they like, and that is when collecting is strengthened. I encourage people to go to museums and galleries everywhere, because the more our eyes see, the better we are at recognizing what speaks to us and what we really want to live with on our walls.”
Page Bond Gallery
he Page Bond Gallery, first established as The New Gallery in Nantucket in 1999, relocated to Richmond in 2001. It is now in a magnificent new space at 1625 West Main Street. Owner Page Bond wanted a space where art could be shown with little distraction. So her husband, architect Sandy Bond, took what had been a huge truck garage and transformed it into a wonderful home for many different kinds of art and a place where the public feels welcome. “Because architecture is art, and because my husband is an architect, there was an opportunity to make a unique space,” she says. When you visit the gallery, you have to agree that the space is, indeed, a work of art—even the office island, cast of concrete in-place, which stands in the middle of a vast, open and uncluttered room. Bond also has space she has always wanted for flat files, a library for books, storage of larger works, and for packing and shipping. The gallery focuses on contemporary art in a wide variety of media and disciplines, including painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and ceramics. It is a showcase for work of emerging and established artists with local, national and international reputations. Bond represents 27 artists on the gallery’s website (www.PageBondGallery. com). The gallery also has works of other artists under consideration for representation. Services offered by the gallery include corporate and private art consulting, collections management, appraisals and installation coordination. Past shows have included work by established artists Sally Mann, Cy Twombly,
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as well as individual workers, craftsmen and small family-owned busineses. A horse-drawn 19-century funeral coach from Richmond’s A.D. Price funeral home is one of the largest things in the exhibition. The hearse is an example of African-American entrepreneurship and of the many black-owned businesses that flourished during the era of segregation. Also included is a portion of a wooden water wheel from a gristmill near Danville, as well as the cab of a made-inRichmond Kline Kar. The Kline Motor Kar Company, which produced Stanley Steamers and electric- and gasolinepowered vehicles, moved from York, Pa. to Richmond in 1911. Largely dependent on parts from all over the country, it could not compete with the new mass production of automobiles. The company was forced to cease operations in 1923. Other items used to tell the story of Virginians at Work include a wide array of photographs, neon and trade signs, retail items, packaging, machinery such as hand-fed printing presses, portraits, an early-model computer, and a re-installation of the Reynolds Metals “Office of the Future” furnished entirely with aluminum desks and chairs. There are four computer-interactive elements, including a game on living standards for different workers in the 1920s. An adjacent hall contains hundreds of Virginia products from soda pop and dairy bottles to oyster and peanut tins, ham bags, wine and spirit bottles and apple products.
Virginians at Work
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Bodacious! Ventures LLC hen Mary Foley, fresh out of college, accepted a job as a customer service rep with Quantum Computer Services, her plan was to stay a few months to earn some pocket money before looking for a real job. But she got caught up in the enthusiasm of the small firm that grew into AOL. During those years, she learned that being bold, audacious, courageous—“bodacious”—was the only way to thrive as a woman in today’s world. When she quit AOL at age 33, she was in charge of corporate training for the company that had grown from 120 to more than 12,000 employees. She walked away with stock options worth millions which turned out to be her ticket to a new life. She later moved from Reston to Richmond (to get away from traffic congestion and to enjoy a lesshectic quality of life) and launched her nowfamous “Bodacious!” brand—and a new career as author, speaker, seminar leader and founder of Bodacious! Ventures LLC (www.GoBodacious.com) and of the Bodacious Women’s Club. She says she is not president or CEO of Bodacious! Ventures, but proudly refers to herself as Woman in Charge. Her mission is to empower women to “look within, think strategically, act bodaciously and love every minute of it.” She is author of two books, Bodac!ous Career: Outrageous Success for Working Women, and Bodac!ous Woman: Outrageously in Charge of Your Life and Lovin’ It, both in their second printings. She conducts teleseminars and has been featured on TV, on hundreds of radio stations and in newspapers and magazines, ranging from the cover of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance to The Times of London. Along with colleague Cheryl Thompson, a veteran marketing and business success strategist and author, Foley co-hosts the Bodacious Women’s Club designed to continually motivate women. Club members receive monthly CDs with titles such as Seven Secrets to Worklife Sanity and What a Difference a Dream Makes, plus a fun newsletter. Foley offers her Live Like Your Nail Color CD for free (check it out at www.LiveLikeYourNailColor.com). Foley and Thompson put on their first Bodacious Branding and Marketing Weekend for women entrepreneurs last summer at the Jefferson Hotel. Participants came for the threeday event from across the nation. “The weekend was part boot camp, part celebration and part newly found friends helping each other leverage
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their business talents,” says Thompson. The weekends are part of a series and usually involve as many as 20 participants. Marta Brooks, author of Your Leadership Legacy: The Difference You Make in People’s Lives and a long-time friend of Foley’s, describes Foley as a “spitfire.” She says “I knew in an instant (when we first met at AOL) that this woman was someone special. I’ve watched
her handle personal life trials that would bring most women to their knees. But not Mary. She courageously picked herself up, dusted herself off, and forged ahead. She is bodaciousness personified.” Foley reports to her home office in the Fan every weekday by 9 a.m. “I’ve set out to move from being a Type-A personality to an A-minus/B-plus,” she says. If you can believe it.
Foley’s mission is to empower women to “look within, think strategically, act bodaciously and love every minute of it.”
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WORKMAGAZINE PROFILE Lane Ramsey’s mustang coLLection incLudes a ’67 gt fastback which he dRove to woRk on his fiRst day as an accountant with chesteRfieLd county in 1972. he pLans to dRive the vintage caR to woRk again on his Last day of woRk with the county when he RetiRes this summeR. by daVe cliNGer pHOtOs by cyNtHia NeMarK
Milestones & Mustangs As county administrator since 1987, he has served the county well, just as the classic Mustang has served him. He was tapped for the county administrator’s job by the county’s five-member board of supervisors at a time when Chesterfield was fastchanging from its rural roots into a major population center. Today, with 306,000 residents, Chesterfield is the largest locality in the Richmond metro region. Chesterfield’s population grew 84 percent from 1970 to 1980—from 76,855 to 141,372—then advanced another 48 percent to 209,274 by 1990, and then another 24 percent to 259,903 in 2000. Population growth has been a little more moderate since then, but still a healthy 2 to 3 percent annually. The arrival of new residents made Chesterfield one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation for several decades. This created big challenges.
amsey moved from accountant to assistant director accounting, and then to budget director, budget and accounting director, assistant county administrator and then to
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county administrator, the position he has held now for 20 years. He came to Chesterfield fresh out of Mars Hill College, a small Baptist school tucked away in the mountains of western North Carolina near Asheville. He grew up in a little community called Marshall, which is just adjacent to the college town on Mars Hill, so he was able to commute. Some relatives on his mother’s side were involved in founding the college, so he got a little bit of a scholarship. This, plus the GI Bill, helped finance his education and he graduated with a business administration degree. He since has completed advanced course work at Virginia State College. His studies at Mars Hill were interrupted midway by two consecutive tours of duty, from 1967 to 1969, in Vietnam. He was with a logistics unit attached to the 4th Infantry Division and saw service in Vietnam’s central highlands in the Pleiku area during the Tet Offensive. “That was an interesting time,” he says. “For six months of the year it was a dust bowl, about six inches of dust. The rest of the time it was mud, about six inches during the monsoon season. But that www.workmagazine.biz
experience prepared me to be a serious employee, which turned out to be right here in Chesterfield County.” We asked him if there was anything special about retiring, at age 61, after exactly 20 years in the county administrator’s job. “There’s no magic to 20 years,” he says, “but I guess it’s a benchmark in the business of public management that to me is a significant one because there’s such turnover in this profession nowadays, especially for anyone who spends 20 years in one jurisdiction, especially a major jurisdiction like Chesterfield. It’s a significant accomplishment for someone to be in one community that long.” How about his retirement plans? “I’ve had a number of conversations,” he says. “I think if it’s anything, it will be in the area of assisting other jurisdictions, as a consultant. I’ve been involved with the Institute of Government at the University of Virginia and they do a lot of work with jurisdictions, so it could be in that area.” He then laughs and says he has also talked about just driving a truck—something very different. 2007 Summer
“But I’ve made no plans. I’m specifically saying I’m not going to decide until I’m away for a while to see what the world is really like—how it is when I get away from what has been almost a seven-day, 24-hour kind of job. I have three little granddaughters nearby and I owe them some more time.” Also, he may spend more time with his Mustang collection, which includes his ’67 fastback. hat are some major accomplishments over the past 20 years? “There probably are several that I am really proud of,” he says, “but I don’t consider these as my accomplishments. I consider them our organizational accomplishments.” He says that one would be in the area of staff organization and development. “About 15 years ago we implemented a business model fashioned after Total Quality Management and I believe we are one of the few jurisdictions in the nation that have really adopted the true TQM philosophy. Some of the components of that are empowerment of our employees to make decisions because we believe that the best decisions in any organization are made at the lowest level because employees know the most about their own jobs and how to make them better and how to satisfy customers. So we try to do that and we empower employees by giving them training, by teaching them how to work in teams and about how to solve problems in teams. We do this in a very formal kind of way. “Another component is customer service. We believe that local governments should be just as focused on customer service as the private sector, so we’ve done extensive work with our organization on customer service and efficiency. We’ve used these tools and quality controls to make ourselves more efficient. In fact, as we look at some of the state reports, we believe we are one of the most efficient local governments in Virginia, especially in terms of services provided. Our cost per student, for example, is one of the lowest of 146 school systems in the state.” Building relationships with other communities has been important. “It’s not just the Richmond side of things. We’re bordered by three cities on our southern side, so we believe we’ve accomplished a lot through relationship-building and partnerships.” These, he says, include the Appomattox River Water Authority, which Ramsey chairs and which will be a major water supplier for Chesterfield over the next 50-plus years, the Riverside Regional Jail, a partnership with seven jurisdictions, and the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority, which Ramsey also chairs this year. “We also are a proud participant in the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. and believe strongly that the regional approach to economic
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development is a necessity for all of the jurisdictions in the region. Chesterfield helped launch the public-private partnership which enables everyone to pool resources to improve the region.” Ramsey has been involved in every bond referendum since he came to Chesterfield 35 years ago and has been part of 36 budgets adopted by the county. During his two-decade tenure as county administrator, the budget has risen from $265 million in 1987 to $1.2 billion this year, and the payroll has grown from 2,200 to 4,100 employees. Since 1972, the county has built about 35 schools, multiple libraries, fire and EMS stations and a complete parks system from scratch. “When I came here in the early 1970s, we had very little in the way of parks,” he says. “We’ve built one of the best parks systems in the state and one of the top 20 library systems in the nation. We’ve gone from a centralized police system to a distributive system with a number of precincts and substations. We’ve made the transition from a very rural community to what I think is one of the leading local governments in the nation.” Chesterfield today has more than 3,000 acres of green space at more than 30 public parks. This
ment over the 20 years that he has been involved in county management. “This is a team effort. Through partnerships with our planning commission, our board of supervisors and our planning staff, we’ve seen the county’s growth and development transition to a very high quality level— both business and residential development. And with the demands we place on development, we’ve seen sustainable development that will retain high quality for a long time.” Chesterfield today is home to five of Greater Richmond’s top 10 subdivisions, and several large new communities are in the works. “One of the things we’ve worked hard on is positioning the county for quality economic development,” Ramsey says. “Through the county’s economic development authority we’ve purchased Meadowville, so the county now owns the whole Meadowville Technology Park—about 1,300 acres, and we have the first major tenant, Northrop Grumman. I think this will sustain the county for many, many years, similar to what the Research Triangle has done in the Raleigh-Durham area. And we’ve worked hard to position the 288 corridor, of which the Watkins Centre is a part, for quality development.”
“i think the region has done very well. Bu t we ca n ’t s to p , we ca n ’t si t o n tho se l a u r e l s. we have to work harder and smarter today with everything we do.”
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includes an abundance of woods, wetlands and wildlife at the Dutch Gap Conservation Area. Chesterfield also is home to Pocahontas State Park, a 7,691-acre park with two lakes and a campground that is ranked among the top 10 in the nation. Nearly 58,000 students attend 60 Chesterfield County public schools, making the school district one of the 100 largest in the nation. High school students may choose to attend the comprehensive high school in their neighborhood or apply to two regional Governor’s Schools. Each comprehensive high school operates at least one specialty center. Less than two dozen of the 45,000 counties in the nation have Triple-A bond ratings from all of the rating agencies. Chesterfield is one of the top few, in spite of the years of growth pressure it has experienced. “The rating goes beyond just the ability to pay bonds. It is basically an evaluation of the whole community and its strength. It looks at whether a community is dependent on just one industry, or if it has diverse business and industry. It’s not just a financial rating, it’s a rating on the quality of the community.” The Government Financial Officers Association of America has given its highest rating to Chesterfield County’s financial reports for the past 25 years, and has recognized the county’s budget as meeting the highest standards of communication for the past 20 years. “As I leave, the county is in strong financial condition,” says Ramsey. He also is pleased with growth and developwww.workmagazine.biz
The county has reorganized its whole economic development effort and Ramsey says “We believe we are doing the things needed to position Chesterfield County to be competitive and have the right product for the kind of business growth the county and the region are going to experience as we look into the future.” e asked Ramsey what his goals might be if he could stay on another 10 years. He says he would like to see the TQM model reach an even higher level. He’d also like to see the county receive the sought-after national Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award for quality achievement. The county already is the recipient of U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award for Virginia and may be the only jurisdiction in the state to hold that designation for the county and its school system. “I’d like to see the county accomplish major milestones in redevelopment areas that need to be addressed—including the eastern Midlothian corridor, the Jeff Davis corridor and the eastern 360 corridor. Also, probably our greatest challenge is in transportation. The county and the state really need to address the need for road improvements.” Looking regionally, Ramsey says, “We undersell this region so many times because of the media focus on the negatives, and maybe that’s the same in every region.” He says the Greater Richmond Chamber’s annual inter-city visits u
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“i pRobabLy wiLL miss the peopLe moRe than anything eLse.” “have really taught me and I think a lot of people that we really have a wonderful region here when you look at the quality of life, the growth and quality of growth, our location, historic resources that are second to none, and the wonderful opportunities we have in tourism. I think the structure we have here with four jurisdictions becomes a challenge sometimes, but I think as a region we have kept focus on this area as a region and how we can all move forward and prosper as a region and not just as individual jurisdictions. The city is extremely important to this region and I agree with the analogy of a good friend of mine, Bill LaVecchia, former Henrico County manager, that the region is an apple and the city is the core, and if the core doesn’t prosper and the core rots, then eventually the region will, too.” He says that “when we look at the region’s economic development data, especially since the launch of the Greater Richmond Partnership in 1994, it tells us what has been happening in business growth, business attraction, attraction of Fortune 500 companies, jobs created, quality of jobs created, quality of companies we’ve attracted, and the diversity of companies. I think the region has done very well. But we can’t stop, we can’t sit on those laurels. We have to work harder and smarter today with everything we do.”
amsey’s contributions to the community and regional initiatives are wide-ranging. As noted, he is current chair of the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority and the Appomattox River Water Authority. He also is chair of the University of Virginia’s Institute of Government advisory committee, current secretary and treasurer of the South Central Regional Sewer Authority and the Riverside Regional Jail, and he is a past president of the Virginia Local Government Managers Association and a past member of the board of visitors at Virginia State University. In 1997, he was awarded the National Public Service Award of the American Society of Public Administration. “Not only does he look to the future in every decision he makes, but he also considers the people and the sensitivities of people,” says Virgil Hazelett, Henrico County manager, who has worked with Ramsey for about 17 years.
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hen he retires, Ramsey should have more time to tend to and enjoy his Mustang collection. His stable of Mustangs includes his original ’67 GT fastback, a ’66 fastback, a ’69 Shelby GT 500, and a new 2007 Shelby GT 500. He also has restored a red ’66
w
convertible, which he has given to his daughter, and a ’69 GT 350 which he recently sold. He got hooked on Mustangs when he bought his first one, and then restored others, one by one. “They are simple cars for simple people,” he says. “I’ve developed a little expertise working on them, but I don’t do body work and I can’t rebuild an engine, but I can do almost anything else.” They have become quite a collector’s item, so have been a pretty good investment, he says. The convertible was in rough shape when he bought it. He found the ’66 fastback on a farm, in the woods, covered with weeds and vines. The Shelby he just sold was featured in a magazine several years ago. But there are things he will miss when he retires, he says. “I will miss most the people and the relationships built over the years. Not just the staff here and the board members and elected officials I’ve worked with, but as I look regionally, I’m going to miss my partners in crime like Virgil Hazelett, Rhu Harris (Hanover’s county administrator) and all of the managers with whom I’ve built relationships over the years. I probably will miss the people more than anything else. The staff here and the team we have in Chesterfield are second to none. I’m going to miss every one of them.”
Dave Clinger is a principal in a communications firm and writes articles and books about Greater Richmond personalities and history.
28 W O R K M A G A Z I N E
www.workmagazine.biz
2007 Summer
WOrkSpAc Downtown Richmond
CReative
Designing Your Perfect Blend of Art and Commerce
Volume: 2 Issue: 3 SUMMER
2007
INSIDE thIS ISSUe Downtown News: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Design Forward: Robert E. Comet, Jr. . . .4 Caravati’s, inc. . . . . . . . .5 Cover story: Broad Street’s Building Boom . . 6 Forever Buildings: Flynn | Mills . . . . . . . . .11 Exit the workplace: River District . . . . . . . .13 New Developments: Dara Glass . . . . . . . . .15 Big City, Bright Lights Linda Dalch Jones . . . .16 Commercial Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 www.creativeworkspace.biz CONTrIBUTOrS Executive Editors: Lucy Meade, Venture Richmond Ted Randler, Palari Publishing LLP W O r D S catherine Saydlowski writes romance novels under the name Catherine Berlin, lives and works in Henrico County. Jo Lord is a freelance writer who lives and works in Richmond. Her work regularly appears in publications around town. P H O T O G r A P H Y Jay paul’ Elli Morris, Steph Baker
CONTACT DATA
A Showplace of Angles & Light Emrick Flats Offering 25 residential condos and one commercial space, Emrick Flats is the quintessentially edgy renovation popping up on and off the Broad Street corridor. A commercial space dating back to the 1920’s—a showroom for cars—the project has become a showplace of angles and light with dramatic stretches of windows and chic industrial fixtures. [Read more on Broad Street’s Building Boom, see page 6]
Dow n tow n Ri c hmond C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc is published and owned in partnership with Palari Publishing LLP.
City of Richmond Department of Economic Development (804) 646-5633 www.ci. richm o n d .va .us Cary Brown, interim Director Lynne Lancaster, Deputy Director
(804) 788-6466
The Team: Jack Berry Jim watkins Lucy Meade Lisa Sims Erika Gay
Mavis wynn Sharon Bassard Stephen Lecky Renee Gaines
To advertise in upcoming issues call: Palari Publishing LLP (804) 355-1236 or email: ted@theworkfactory.com
www.palaribooks.com
Palari Publishing LLP was established in 1998 in Richmond, Virginia. Palari is a forward-thinking, independent, royalty-based publisher committed to producing innovative periodicals, fiction and nonfiction books. Through our hardcover and trade paperback originals, Palari provides authoritative, well-written nonfiction that addresses topical consumer needs and fiction with an emphasis on intelligence and quality.
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DOWNTOWN NEWS
Taking the Stage There was no shortage of fanfare on Friday June 1st when the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation and the city of Richmond broke ground on Richmond CenterStage, downtown’s future performing arts complex. Local arts groups—Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, Richmond Boys Choir and the Virginia Opera, among them—performed at the ceremony. Linda Dalch Jones, executive director of the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation, says the ceremony will be symbolic of the promise that lies ahead for the multi-purpose complex. “It’s not your typical groundbreaking, with a lot of long speeches and that kind of thing,” she said. “It’s really about a lot of fun, a lot of families and children.” The wide array of performers signifies the eclectic nature of the entertainment that will be featured at Richmond CenterStage. Dalch Jones said VAPAF is turning a corner in terms of diversifying its offerings for younger audiences and different ethnic groups. After the groundbreaking, the No BS Brass Band led attendants in a New Orleans-
style processional to First Fridays Artwalk, which is held on Broad Street between First and Belvidere Streets. Actors from Richmond Shakespeare Festival’s Young Company performed along the route. The partnering with First Fridays, Dalch Jones said, is meant to represent the arts complex's dedication to visual arts, as well as performing arts. Richmond CenterStage, in fact, will feature a gallery where visual art exhibitions will be shown on a rotating basis. “This is a good way of emphasizing that we’re partners with all of our friends in the total arts community,” said Dalch Jones. Mayor L. Douglas Wilder, Virginia First Lady Anne Holton and VAPAF Chairman Jim Ukrop spoke at the groundbreaking. The new arts complex will sit on the block of East Grace Street, between Sixth and Seventh Streets. The complex will comprise a renovated and expanded Carpenter Center, a new multi-purpose performing space (Rhythm Hall), a 200-seat community playhouse (Libby Gottwald Community Playhouse) and an arts education center. CWS
[Read more on Dalch Jones in Big city, Bright Lights on page 16]
On the Web
www.venturerichmond.com
Photogenic Pooches with an Urban Attitude Coming soon a slideshow of Downtown’s favorite Dogs! Do you and your dog live, work or play Downtown? If so, send us a jpeg of Fido enjoying one of his/her favorite Downtown activities or just relaxing in a cool space. Send to: contactus@venturerichmond.com ALSO: Catch slideshows of the arts, culture and sports Downtown http://www.venturerichmond.com/arts PLUS: Rock the Boat event http://www.venturerichmond.com/events/vrevents.html page:2
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HOT pROpERTIES Broad Street Way Some people have it all, and some people just live near it all. At Broad Street Way, on West Broad between Foushee and Adams, one entrance takes twenty-something urban professionals, recent grads, and students upstairs to over 100 apartments with “original architecture and interesting windows,” according to Genesis Properties developer Tom Rosman. Other entrances at BSW lead to commercial space, occupied by restaurants like upscale American grille 27 restaurant, and a soon-to-be ready for customers Rendez-Vous restaurant, a combination of sushi and Americancontemporary with a lounge atmosphere. Says Rosman: “This is a dynamic area with lots of interesting folks moving in—an exciting time.” CWS D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc powered by Venture
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PMUSA to Open CRT When Philip Morris opens its new Center for Research and Technology (CRT) in the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park later this year, the public will be wowed by the seven-story glass-fronted structure designed by New Jersey-based CUH2A. The two-building center, built by Richmond’s Hourigan Construction Corporation, doubles the company’s research space and will house work areas of 500 scientists, engineers, and staff. Located between 5th and 7th Streets north of the Richmond Coilseum, the CRT features a fitness center, a library, and a cafeteria and boasts 450,000 square feet of space. Annual tax revenue projections are $3 million for the Philip Morris USA center. “We hope this will be a significant boost for the area’s scientific community as well as an infusion of energy into an already exciting part of downtown,� says John R. Nelson, Philip Morris USA’s president of Operations and Technology. “We’re proud to call Richmond home.� CWS
Chuck Renfro, one of the captains of the River District Canal Cruises, wowed Lindsay Moran, reporter with June 13—Aug. 31 The New York Times with his passion Wednesday—Saturday: and pride in this city and country. Noon to 7 p.m. She wrote “On an early evening last Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m. spring, one ‘captain,’ who called himself Cotton because of his Sept. 1—Sept. 30 shocking white hair, wore knickers, a Thursday—Saturday: three-corner hat and a puffy-sleeved Noon to 7 p.m. white blouse and carried a 1770sSunday: Noon to 5 p.m. style canvas man’s purse. (Having observed several other locals Oct. 1—Nov. 19 dressed in period costume at various Friday and Saturday: tourist sites, I couldn’t help Noon to 7 p.m. wondering what a weekday happy Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m. hour in Shockoe Slip would look like if they all hit the bars after work.) As Note: All tours are Cotton expertly navigated our vessel weather dependent. through a narrow passageway, he marshaled impressive volume and a convincing Colonial-sounding accent to launch into the famous speech given by Patrick Henry in St. John’s Church in Richmond in 1775.� Summer Hours of Operations
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,A$)&&Âł2%.#%
INTERNATIONAL F U RN IS H I N GS
(OW DO 2ICHMOND S RISING MOGULS IMPRESS ON A BUDGET
7ITH ,A$IFF S SELECTION OF AFFORDABLE OFFICE FURNITURE INCLUDING THE 0RIMA OFFICE OPTIONS WITH EXECUTIVE DESK GROUPS STARTING AT 3 4( 34 2)#(-/.$ \ \ 45% 3!4 35. \ 777 ,!$)&& #/-
DESIGN FORWARD
Interiors
If you were a spectator for the Queen’s visit to the Virginia State Capitol in May, you also enjoyed the newly renovated government facility. Richmond architect Robert E. Comet, Jr., provided leadership as the Associated Architect for the Restorations and Additions to the State Capitol in association with Hillier Architecture. Comet, president of BCWH Architects, has worked for over 30 years in architecture, and has expertise in master planning, programming and feasibility studies, and renovation design. BCWH Architects undertook the interior design of all the furniture and systems and space programming in the renovation of the State Capitol. Comet’s team also assisted in the original design concept and preparation of the construction environments. “[The Capitol’s] dual history created professional challenges as we worked to preserve this internationally recognized architectural landmark that also serves the practical and important function as a working Capitol,” said Comet. As if Robert Comet isn’t busy enough, he also makes a point to work on projects he feels enhance the City of Richmond, such as the Richmond Ballet, the Richmond Jewish Community Additions and Renovations, and Maymont’s Robins Nature and Visitors Center. Comet has served on the advocacy board for Venture Richmond and the Emergency Shelter, Inc. Not surprisingly, he is also a member of the Capitol Square Preservation Council. CWS
BcWH Architects undertook the interior design of all the furniture and systems and space programming in the renovation of the State capitol.
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Interior PHOTO: Hillier Architecture
Robert E. Comet, Jr.
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Products
Caravati’s, Inc. Need to find an etched glass peacock design window pane that matches your home, office or retail space in style and age? What about that sanctuary stained glass window? Perhaps an Ionic porch column? At Caravati’s, Inc. in Richmond’s historic Manchester district, you’ll likely find it. Caravati’s is full of architectural artifacts, from the smallest hardware to windows with detailed frames. The main warehouse, a 40,000 square foot building full of architectural salvage, sits on East 2nd Street. There is also a second building, once the old Standard Oil mule barn. D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc
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In 1939, Louis J. Caravati was in the business of demolition. He evolved into the go-to guy for hard-to-find architectural pieces. “Louis Caravati did not believe in throwing anything away. Someone was bound to have a use for it,” says James F. Kastelberg, Caravati’s grandson, who took ownership in 1983—and the business just keeps growing. At the 2nd Street warehouse, there are two floors filled to capacity with salvage from area homes. That glass doorknob or banister you’ve been trying to match? It’s probably waiting there for you. CWS SUMMEr 2007
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“The vitality of this area has become infectious.” Janine Bell
Travis Fullerton 1708’s president-elect for 2007-2008 Mark Szafranski Metro Sound Music and Recording
Joseph Johnson corporate & Museum Frame
Kevin W. Korda Renovation Resources
“We could see that growth was going to come— it’s exploded.” Scott & Stephanie Garnett
“We’re getting new customers that live downtown.” Richard Waller, Jr.
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FAcES & pLAcES OF BROAD STREET’S THE
BUILDING BOOM
Forget your typical Live, Work, Play approach! In Downtown, Broad Street is taking it to the next level with chic lofts, Creative Class entrepreneurs and a gallery café community that will soon boast a stunning new performing arts center.
Tarrant’s café
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road Street and surrounding neighborhoods are fast becoming the premier destination for retailers, restaurateurs, art galleries and creative-class city dwellers. The feeling of great expectations is palpable. “There’s a lot of optimism, a lot of positive energy,” says Ted Santarella, owner of Tarrant’s Café. “The buildings are grand, Broad Street is big and wide.”
New Retailers & Restaurants Fuel Resurgence The area’s newest retailers are confident that the area can thrive. Scott Garnett, co-owner D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc
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1708 Gallery of three-years old Lift Coffee Shop, says, “We could see that growth was going to come,” adding, “It’s exploded.” To drive positive change, Garnett and other business owners are partnering with the city’s council members, police department and public works officials as well as the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC). Garnett adds, “All the development that’s happened has been private money, people taking
chances.” Like Garnett, Kevin W. Korda felt a real sense of possibility when searching for a home for his Renovation Resources. He considered the entire East Coast before choosing Broad Street in early 2007. “The revitalization was starting,” he says, “and I wanted to be a part of that.” New restaurants helping to drive the resurgence include Mediterranean restaurant
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Find It On Broad From the fresh flowers in the sundrench space of Elegba’s storefront office; [top center] to the stunning fixtures found at Renovation Resources; [top right] the opulence of centerStage and [right] the unique environment and fun food discoveries at Lift. [left]
Flying cups at Lift & Tarrant’s cafe
[below]
Other trailblazers include Dentistry for Children (a Broad Street resident for 13 years), 1708 Gallery (12 years) and the Elegba Folklore Society (11 years). 1708 Gallery’s Cindy Neuschwander, president of the board of directors, says, “We have 1,200 people come through our gallery [every month for] First Fridays ArtWalk.”
Bistro 27 and Tarrant’s Café, a circa-1873 drug store-turned-contemporary café. Owner Ted Santarella says, “I’m finding a lot of old-time Richmonders want to come back downtown. They thank me every day for being here.” Will Jones, front house manager of the new Popkin Tavern, says, “The changes are absolutely amazing. When I moved near here 13 years ago, there wasn’t even the Rite Aid. Now, to see our business on weekends is fantastic.” Owner Steve Soble opened the Popkin Tavern in the grand old building that housed his family’s furniture business for years, and added 18 luxury apartments over it. He says, “Things are going really, really well. I’ve wanted to do this—the adaptive reuse of old buildings—for years.” Fourth-Generation Businesses Brand-New customers Some business owners recognized Broad Street’s potential many years ago. Ted Bullard, president of Richmond Camera Shop, downtown since 1958, says, “It’s obvious that [the area] is well on its way to page:10
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turning back into an even more vibrant living community than it was before.” Mark Szafranski, owner of Metro Sound Music and Recording for 16 years, applauds investors for developing apartments and condos, saying, “Once you have people [living] down here, the infrastructure starts to develop” with businesses opening to cater to their needs. Richard Waller, Jr., owner of Waller & Co. Jewelers, a fourth-generation family business in the area since 1970, says what’s particularly exciting is that, “We’re getting new customers that live downtown.”
“The vitality of this area has become infectious,” says Janine Bell, founder and artistic director of the Elegba Folklore Society. “We’re one of the ‘grandmothers’ of this whole thing,” she adss. “Revitalization is a beautiful thing when it includes all ethnicities. The Society is happy to be a part of that.” Perhaps Joseph Johnson of Corporate & Museum Frame says it best. “I knew it would be one store at a time sticking it out, the addition of apartments, and doing daily business in a dignified manner to make it happen.” Scott Garnett agrees, so much so that he’s gutting the space next to Lift for a new, yetto-be-determined business. Ted Santarella has the final say: “It’s up to me and other business owners to make it happen.” CWS D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc powered by Venture
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FOrEVEr BUILDINGS According to architect turned Director of community Development for the city of Richmond, Rachel Flynn, there are three types of forever buildings: masterpieces, landmark buildings, and filler neighborhoods. Downtown Richmond has examples of all three. “A masterpiece is a building you’d never consider demolishing or altering,” says Flynn. She cites Jefferson’s Capital, I.M. Pei’s East Wing of the National Gallery, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater as examples. “Old Penn Station in New York City was a masterpiece. With the loss of that building, people realized we need laws to allow the government to preserve buildings,” Flynn points out. Robert Mills has been a practicing architect for over 28 years—22 of those years have been spent in the City of Richmond. As the president of Commonwealth Architects—a D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc
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50-person architectural, historic architectural and interior design firm that focuses on urban revitalization and adaptive reuse of existing structures, he is more hesitant to apply the term. “I am very careful about the use of the term ‘forever’ when referring to individual buildings. To me, there is only one type of ‘forever’ building and that’s a masterwork like the State Capitol [photo above] or Monumental Church,” he
explains. “A ‘forever’ building is a building that rises above use. These are buildings that should never be demolished or significantly altered.” Beyond these select few buildings, Mills thinks it’s important to differentiate “forever” buildings from those that are simply old.
Landmarks The Jefferson Hotel
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The city is a living, breathing entity — it is forever changing and adapting.
ings have architectural significance and reflect the design of an era,” Flynn explains. She finds many landmark buildings to point out in Richmond: Old City Hall, The Jefferson, The John Marshall, Main Street Station, Broad Street Station, the Landmark Theatre, and the Richmond Hotel. Mills agrees to a point. “Every City is composed of numerous significant buildings that are architecturally pleasing, represent the period of time in which they are built and completes the urban whole,” he says. But for him this criterion alone does not protect them from consideration for replacement. These significant buildings often do not rise above their initial use. He maintains other criteria must be considered, and asks, “In particular, can the structure be adequately and costeffectively adapted for contemporary use?”
Filler Neighborhoods The third type of forever buildings are the filler neighborhoods. Flynn maintains that a filler neighborhood is a group of buildings or page:12
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“We need to look at why we want buildings to go, and what we want the space to become.” an area that “creates the whole.” The Fan and sections of downtown Broad Street in the commercial district are examples of these filler buildings. “These are three-to four-story buildings that, by themselves, they’re okay, tasteful, proportioned— but the fabric makes up a block. The whole fabric is what makes it important.” The larger picture and interplay of neighborhoods also intrigues Mills. “I am interested in the dynamics and evolution of the built environment—the relationship between buildings and open space. In my opinion, it is not so much about the individual building as much as it is about the interactions of buildings—the whole.” He says, “The city is a living, breathing entity—it is forever changing and adapting. When buildings within the city are built, they are built for a
very specific function. When that function is no longer fulfilled (for whatever reason), the building is abandoned. Ideally, that building can be adaptively reused.” He cites the historic warehouse buildings of Shockoe Slip as a perfect example. “The forms are simple, expansive and easily adaptable. However, all buildings are not reusable for contemporary needs. These buildings are often left abandoned, decaying in place and diminishing the quality of the surrounding urban fabric.”
challenges These are often the very challenges that city planners face. A practicing architect for 12 years—and prior to coming to Richmond, the community development director in Lynchburg—Flynn agrees. “Whole blocks have been demolished for parking lots,” she says. “At some point we have to ask ourselves, if only one or two buildings are left, is it a landmark anymore? We need to look at why we want buildings to go, and what we want the space to become. This way we can figure out a way to preserve what’s there while moving forward.” Mills—whose projects include the adaptive reuse of Stuart Circle Hospital (One Monument Avenue), Richmond Memorial Hospital (Ginter Place), Miller & Rhoads (Hilton Hotel and condominiums), BerryBurk (apartments), and the John Marshall Hotel (condominiums)—leans toward repurposing for a building’s extended viability. “Buildings that we build today need to be more flexible in their design so that there is the ability to adapt the building to other uses once the primary use diminishes,” he explains. “A building should not be so specific in its design—such as limited floor to floor heights, tight column configuration, etc.—that it can only meet the needs of very limited usage. Buildings other than the masterworks need to be adaptable in order to assure their longevity,” Mills says. “That is how nonmasterwork buildings become ‘forever’ buildings.” He believes that it is incumbent upon architects to design new buildings that can maintain their longevity. But the idea that all projects should be built as forever buildings isn’t plausible for him. “Buildings are often replaced by other buildings—it is part of the dynamics of the urban environment,” Mills says. “All buildings cannot be reused. As an example, the existing 9th Street Office Building (the former Richmond Hotel) is the third recorded building on its site. The city must adapt—it is an organism that must live, breathe and change.” Flynn adds, “Architecture tells the story of a nation. People need those memories.” CWS D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc powered by Venture
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EXIT THE WORKpLAcE After months of anticipation, several exciting new River District restaurants have opened their doors to provide a variety of menus for your business lunch, or 3 p.M. energy snack & java boost, as well as after hours dining and entertainment.u Mouth-watering paninis, gyros and a huge salad bar await you at the Southern Railway Deli.
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Southern Railway Deli servers entertain the lunchtime crowd. [above] The deli’s patio. [left]
EXIT THE WORKpLAcE BlackFinn’s entrance. [bottom right] The impressive stone & metal work of Toad’s staircase. [below & inset photos] Zuppa’s diners. [bottom left]
Entertainment moves outdoors as the Turning Basin area quickly becomes the newest hot spot in Richmond. Toad’s Place (140 Virginia Street) is a “total entertainment venue” located in the beautifully renovated Lady Bird Hat building along the Canal Walk. This new facility can dazzle a crowd of up to 1,500 hip Richmonders with three levels of music, state-of-the-art sound and lights, and of course a full-service restaurant with one of the area’s largest outdoor patios. Toad's Place will also play host to an impressive roster of national recording artists on a year-round basis.
For another option in outdoor seating on the Canal Walk, head over to Southern Railway Deli (111 Virginia St.) where they raise the bar on deli food by providing an array of mouth-watering paninis. Also on the menu is a huge salad bar, a variety of authentic pasta, and even gyros. Looking for some gourmet comfort food? Head over to Zuppa (104 N. 18th Street) for an array of soups, coffees and bakery treats. The relaxed (and aromatic) atmosphere makes time fly by as you indulge in everything from lobster bisque to the Zuppa grilled cheese (havarti cheese, fresh mozzarella, dill, pesto, and prochuitto served on house bread). Across the canal on Brown’s Island is the brand spankin’ new BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon (1001 Haxall Point), serving up classic Irish/American cuisine. The crisp white tablecloths and beautiful mahogany finishes make this the perfect destination for lunch, an after-work bite, a hearty dinner, or even a late-night snack after the game. In fact, after the sun sets, "the Finn" gradually transforms into a lively, upscale, world-class bar complete with party music. Now there’s even more reason to stay Downtown and party the night away. CWS page:14
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DArA GLASS Work &play
with richmond’s Department of Economic Development Deputy Director
The concept of all work and no play doesn’t mesh with the City of Richmond’s Department of Economic Development’s newest member, Dara Glass. “We want to make sure that our hardworking residents are able to play hard too,” says Glass. As the department’s Deputy Director, her efforts will be aimed at ensuring the residents have the amenities and recreational activities to live a safe, healthy, happy, well-rounded life. “More people are moving back into the city,” she says. “This is an exciting time to work for the Department of Economic Development with so many D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc
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diverse and electrifying projects coming out of the ground.” Citing recent relocations of corporate giants—MeadWestvaco breaking ground at Foundry Park and Philip Morris about to take occupancy of its new Research and Technology Center—Glass sees only continued development for Downtown. Actually she is quite well-versed in regional economic development. Before her current position, Glass was involved in several of these expansions as Vice President of Business Development for The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. With earlier stints of service in economic devel-
opment at Hampton, Virginia, as well as Amelia County, she has a firm grasp of what attracts companies to a region. According to Glass, it’s the balance of work and play that can make or break a relocation deal. Fortunately for her, Downtown’s options make her job a little easier. “Ken Johnson’s Fridays at Sunset and First Fridays continue to be cool, innovative events drawing people to the city in the evenings,” she says. “These events serve as great venues that encourage people to stay for dinner, dancing, shopping and moonlit waterfront strolls along the Canal—all right here in Downtown Richmond.” CWS SUMMEr 2007
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BIG CITY,BRIGHT LIGHTS
Downtown People
Artful Leadership Among the crowd of dignitaries and art enthusiasts at the ground-breaking ceremony for Richmond CenterStage was Linda Dalch Jones who recently joined the Virginia Foundation for Performing Arts as Executive Director. In her new role, she will manage the foundation’s initiatives, lead the fundraising, relationship building, master planning and work closely with the foundation board members. She is focused on maintaining the momentum and support to enhance future opportunities for the arts community in the new CenterStage performing arts complex. Jones served most recently as Vice Presipage:16
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dent for Development at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation where she led the campaign to raise over $500 million and exceeded the goal by $10 million. Prior to that position she had responsibility for the design and implementation of the Phase II Campaign for the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Engineering Foundation as Vice President of the Engineering School Foundation. Her love of the arts goes back to her childhood where she was invovled in ballet for over 13 years, and she’s been a Richmond resident for most of her professional career.
As a matter of fact, she started out as the Youth and Fashion Coordinator for Thalhimer’s Department Stores on the same block where the new CenterStage is located. She has come full circle in her career, almost as if she planned it that way. She maintains that the support of the arts community is evident in CenterStage’s recent groundbreaking ceremony, and is confident that the facility will bring even more excitement and recognition to the arts. “What the community is doing in Downtown Richmond will leave a big footprint for the next generation and beyond.” CWS D o w n t o w n R i c h m o n d C R e a t i v e WOrk SpAc powered by Venture
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COMMErCIAL LISTINGS Building Name
107 S 5th 10 S 6th St Richmond Plaza Building 7 N 8th St 7 Shockoe Center Exchange Alley Bldg Watkins Cottrell Bldg Canal Crossing Central National Bank 600 E. Broad Street Theatre Row Office Bldg Old City Hall
Building Address
St 107 S 5th St 10 S 6th St 110 S 7th St N 8th St 11 S 12th St 23-25 S 13th St 111-117 S 14th St 101-115 S 15th St 219 E Broad St 600 E Broad St 712-730 E Broad St 1001 E Broad St Federal Reserve Bank Of Richmond 701 E Byrd St West Tower - Riverfront Plaza 901 E Byrd St East Tower - Riverfront Plaza 951 E Byrd St One James Center 901 E Cary St Two James Center 1021 E Cary St Three James Center 1051 E Cary St Commercial Block 1211-1217 E Cary St Maggie Walker Bus & Tech Ctr 501 E Franklin 10 E. Franklin Street 10 E Franklin St Metro Chamber Building 201 E Franklin St One Franklin Square 411 E Franklin St 700 Center 700 E Franklin St Seventh and Franklin Building 701 E Franklin St Chesterman Place 100 w Franklin St Riverside on the James 1001 Haxall Pt Eskimo Pie Bldg 528-530 E Main St Main Street Centre 600 E Main St DEQ Bldg 629 E Main St The 700 Building 700 E Main St Eighth & Main Bldg 707 E Main St Former First Union Buildings 800 E Main St Wytestone Plaza 801 E Main St First National Bank Building 823 E Main St One Capital Square 830 E Main St The Mutual Building 909 E Main St SunTrust Building 919 E Main St The Ironfronts 1007-1013 E Main St Capitol Place 1108 E Main St The Bank Of America Center 1111 E Main St Exchange Place 1309-1317 E Main St One Shockoe Plaza 1 Shockoe Plz
Building SF
89,002 35,418 269,097 167,398 53,000 24,637 57,430 108,000 202,400 213,266 166,741 91,520 700,000 490,414 409,190 420,000 334,200 233,200 38,016 42,676 31,020 21,409 132,682 160,000 167,000 32,808 263,066 45,327 424,618 116,315 183,849 317,749 26,889 246,000 163,000 187,896 111,812 450,000 56,263 71,928 545,316 80,465 118,518
Available SF
% Leased
0 4,500 69,171 0 6,494 3,000 3,700 10,000 202,400 46,096 53,668 0 16,000 3,000 3,100 35,900 18,757 5,058 6,800 0 0 21,408 26,366 33,345 35,841 8,200 47,406 6,128 47,556 8,576 77,095 112,266 0 100,000 59,000 101,780 0 19,340 3,150 11,385 163,782 0 15,000
100 87.3 74.3 100 87.8 87.8 93.6 90.7 0.0 78.4 67.8 100 97.7 99.4 99.2 91.5 95.9 97.8 82.1 100 100 0.0 80.1 80.5 78.5 75.0 82.6 86.5 93.5 92.6 58.1 64.7 100 39.3 63.8 45.8 100 95.7 94.4 84.2 70.0 100 100
Select listings of properties for lease in Downtown Richmond provided by Kit Tyler and Chuck Ellsworth, Grubb & Ellis | Harrison & Bates www.harrison-bates.com
Average Rent
16.00 15.50 16.00 15.00 15.00 14.50 16.00 17.67 18.00 27.50 27.50 26.95 24.77 25.47 16.00 15.50 18.00 12.00 13.00 13.57 23.97 13.21 16.67 13.50 10.00 18.00 16.50 14.79 15.00 18.00 11.75 13.45 18.67 0.00
The City of Richmond Department of Economic Development is here to help any company, large or small, find space Downtown. Call Cary Brown at 646-3061 or email him at brownc@ci.richmond.va.us. Top 5 Reasons to Do Business in Richmond 1) Proven Corporate Powerhouse: Home to nine Fortune 500 companies comprising a total of 13 Fortune 500 and 1000 companies, Richmond’s economy is diverse and composed of everything from biotech to manufacturing to professional services headquarters. 2) Quality of Life: Low cost of living, pleasant climate, unique architecture, and an average 24-minute commute! 3) Location, Location, Location: The capital of Virginia, Richmond is located roughly halfway between Boston and Miami. Interstates 95, 64, 85, 195, 895, and 295 intersect in Richmond meaning 50% of the nation’s consumers are within a day’s drive. 4) World-Class Workforce: The Richmond area draws from over 40 localities statewide and has excellent educational institutions: Virginia Commonwealth University, one of the nation’s top research universities, as well as University of Richmond, Virginia Union University, and several others. Virginia is also the northernmost Right to Work state. 5) Available Real Estate and Business Incentives: From Class A office space on the James River to upscale shopping malls to cutting-edge biotech facilities, Richmond has low-cost available space. Contact the Department of Economic Development for available real estate in our program areas and to examine the incentives that make business even easier in Richmond.
If you want to put a smile on my face, send me packing to “The Happiest Place on Earth”—Walt Disney World Resort. Until the last two years, flying to Orlando from Richmond has been a challenge thanks to lengthy flight connections. I still have images rumbling around in my head of my almost-3-year-old triplet grandchildren playing a hairraising game of hide-and-seek in the Philadelphia airport on a connection from Richmond to the Mickey Mouse universe. Now, once again, here I stand in line at Richmond International Airport ready to fly to Orlando. Only this time, the flight is direct—less by JOaN tUppONce than two hours. Hallelujah! oming into the airport after a flying absence of more than a year was a jawdropping experience. The newly renovated double-decker facility is now a large, bustling metropolitan airport. Gone are the sansJetway days when you had to traipse down the tarmac to the plane. Now not only do we have Jetways but we also have an expanded, state-ofthe-art airport that’s shiny and new. The current expansion project dates back to the construction of the airport’s parking garages in 1996 and 1997, according to Richmond International Airport spokesman, Troy Bell. “Since then we’ve been going nonstop,” he says, noting that a dedication ceremony is scheduled for July 31, 2007 to mark the completion of the project. Improvements include a 10-gate expansion of one concourse, a new air traffic control tower, a new rental car garage, a 1,900 space expansion of the passenger South Garage, the addition of two surface lots and a storm water management system as well as renovations of older areas in
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the terminal building. “Over the last two years the centerpiece of the expansion has been the terminal itself,” Bell says. “At times we have had 10 projects underway concurrently.”
by the transformation. “You’ll hear them say, ‘Wow, this is Richmond?’” Bell says. “People are very proud. They like what they see.” They also like the fact that the airport has increased the number of airlines from six to
In the past, a business trip to New York could cost $700 to $800. That fare is now around $200 to $250. Bell admits that Richmond, for many years, has been behind the curve when it comes to the size of the airport, modernizing the facilities and adding floor space. “The Capital Region Airport Commission made some key decisions,” observes Bell. “After [the tragic events of] Sept. 11 they had some time to reflect on the design. Areas could be redesigned to meet the new security requirements. It was easier to put those into the design rather than retrofit the terminal.” Passengers at the airport are surprised www.workmagazine.biz
nine with the addition of AirTran in 2005, JetBlue in 2006 and Skybus this spring. The addition of the low-fare airlines has resulted in lower fares, additional direct routes and more travelers. Numbers for 2006 reflect the growth—the airport had its biggest year with more than 3 million travelers.
Economic Asset “From my economic development perspective, the airport has gone from a negative for business prospects because it took two to three flights to u W O R K M A G A Z I N E 29
get to Richmond to a positive that includes a beautiful terminal and lower fares,” says Greg Wingfield, president of the Greater Richmond Partnership. “I remember back in the 1990s when we started the partnership. We got berated by a prospect that paid over $1,000 for a ticket from New York and couldn’t even walk to a Jetway. He had to walk across the tarmac. Those types of things are hard to overcome when you are dealing with prospects who are making location decisions.” According to Bell, since AirTran and JetBlue have entered the market, business travel as well as leisure travel has become more economical. “We’ve seen some amazing changes,” he says. “One of our Fortune 500 companies has been able to save more than $2 million on their travel budget while doing more traveling.” “The low fares are easier on the bottom line for the corporate community as well as the casual traveler,” Wingfield adds. In the past, a business trip to New York could cost $700 to $800. That fare is now around $200 to $250. “That’s a huge drop,” Bell says. “We’ve seen that same thing happen to Atlanta.”
Satelite TV, XM Radio & Ample Leg Space John Kirby, director of strategic planning and scheduling at AirTran Airways, remembers joking with Bell about the fact that Richmond was one of the top three most expensive airports in the country. “When we come into a market, we look at a
AirTran+JetBlue+Skybus =21 non-stop destinations lot of things like demographics, income, propensity to fly, how the population is growing, etc.,” he explains. “We have a model that predicts the logical demand if we take the fares down. We knew the market would grow dramatically.” AirTran believes it’s important to be a partner with both the airport and the community. “We choose our partners carefully,” Kirby says. “We look at it as a long-term proposition.” One of the fastest growing airlines in the industry, AirTran offers direct flights from Richmond to Atlanta and Orlando with about 270 daily departures out of Atlanta. AirTran uses fuel-efficient Boeing 737-700 and 717-200 aircraft that feature 100 percent fresh air, dual-class (business and economy) seating and XM satellite radio. “We have great rates,” Kirby says. “When people try us, they like us.” Passengers also are cozying up to JetBlue which offers two non-stops to Boston and four non-stop flights to New York’s John F. Kennedy airport, resulting in 39 connections through JFK or Boston. More flights to the two cities are possible, as are flights to more destinations. “We listen to where customers would like to fly,” says Alison Eshelman, manager of corporate communications for the carrier. “We have a variety of outlets on our website where customers can fill out a form [and give us their opinions].”
JetBlue uses Embraer 190 aircrafts that feature leather seats with ample leg space, DirecTV and XM satellite radio. “The planes are the perfect size for nonstop service for shorter to medium-haul market,” Eshelman says. “[By using this aircraft] we were able to bring in low fares and increase the frequency of the flights.” Flights to and from Richmond have been full, she adds. “The feedback from customers has been great. It’s doing really well.” The popularity of non-stop flights is obvious in the increased frequency of travel to those destinations. Not too long ago, direct flights from Richmond to Florida didn't exist. “That was despite the fact that 25 percent of our passengers were traveling between Virginia and Florida,” Bell says. “Now we have direct service to Orlando and Miami. The arrival of JetBlue restored our service to Kennedy airport, a major gateway.” Currently, Richmond offers 21 non-stop destinations. “There is seasonal variability,” Bell says, noting that the airport would like to attract some non-stop flights to markets in the Midwest and more markets in Florida. “It’s wonderful to see AirTran, JetBlue and Skybus arrive,” Bell says, “but we continue to work on additional objectives to help out Richmond travelers.” As long as they keep the direct flight to Orlando, I’ll be a happy camper. Joan Tupponce is an award-winning writer who also serves as editor for Scarab (MCV's Alumni Magazine). Joan has written for Seventeen, Teen Beat, the New York Daily News and Sports Illustrated public relations.
The Power (and Fun) of Collaboration:
HYPe, tHe greater ricHMond c Hallenge & BiZ linc 2007
ALSO: EdgeMark Partners | Vmeals | GRTC | Genworth Financial
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Objectives Before Egos
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ollaboration is a term used widely to describe the alignment of multiple partners and the synergy they can generate around a common cause. I believe collaboration is essential to community development. True collaboration puts the objectives first and the egos last. Partners share knowledge, talent and resources equally and without judgment in order to achieve common goals. Those communities that streamline and mobilize their leadership and resources enjoy stellar reputations.
On the Cover May 10-11th: The Greater Richmond Challenge II brought together a diverse group of 100 men and women for a hands-on exploration of our region’s successes and obstacles. [See more photos of this and other recent Chamber events in The Gallery on page 5.]
MOniTOR ....................................................2 featuring: edgeMark Partners genworth financial VMeals grtc transit systeM RE-inVEnTinG BiZ LinC ..................................4 ThE GALLERy ......................................................5 KEEPinG TABS....................................................6 ThE
Contributors Photography: Jake Lyell, Cynthia Newmark Articles: Lisa O. Monroe, a native of Virginia’s Middle Peninsula, is a freelance writer and managing editor of two alternative weekly newspapers. Edits & Design: This publication is produced for the Greater Richmond Chamber by Palari Publishing LLP.
BenchMark is a quarterly publication of the Greater Richmond Chamber. The magazine is published in the months of July, October, January and April. Ideas for editorial, responses to articles or requests for advertising should be directed to: Scott McLaughlin Director Marketing & Research phone: (804) 783-9344 email: scott.mclaughlin@grcc.com.
Vision The Greater Richmond Chamber will continue to be the regional organization where business and community turn for leadership and solutions. Mission To serve our members and enhance our community by building a pro-business environment and outstanding quality of life. Since 1867, the Greater Richmond Chamber has fostered a strong pro-business and entrepreneurial environment and offers quality services that help existing members and prospective businesses to prosper, regardless of their industry, size, ownership or demographics. The Chamber’s office is located at 600 E. Main St., Suite 700, Richmond, Virginia 23219, phone (804)-648-1234. a greater richmond chamber resource
In this first issue of BENChMARk you will find information on hYPE, the Greater Richmond Challenge and BIZ LINC 2007. Each offers a testimony to the power of collaboration in our region. Allow me to share a few examples:
hyPE (helping young Professionals Engage) hYPE, the Chamber’s newest program, joins young professionals (age 21 - 40) in the Greater Richmond Region through social, educational and professional development programs. The hYPE Launch Party, held this spring, sold out in days with a waiting list of over 100 people hoping to get in the door. This successful launch was the result of a collaboration between volunteer committee members, regional businesses and Chamber staff helping to develop the program and promote the event. This partnership of experienced and budding professionals seeks to fill a void in our business community—to serve young professionals by developing their leadership and business skills in an exciting, fun and well-rounded environment. In the coming years we can expect to see today’s hYPE participants holding leadership positions in the private sector and elected offices in the public sector, perpetuating and expanding our healthy business climate in Greater Richmond.
Greater Richmond Challenge ii We just completed our second annual, two-day event—the Greater Richmond Challenge—that brings together a diverse group of 100 men and women for a hands-on exploration of our region’s successes and obstacles for community, quality of life and economic development across all four jurisdictions— Chesterfield, hanover, henrico, and Richmond. This unique, applied research project provides for a deeper under-
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standing of the issues that our region faces today. For participants, it is a chance to experience, develop and share new knowledge in order to build on our region’s successes and address community Jim Dunn President and CEO issues. By collaboGreater Richmond Chamber rating with local jurisdictions, regional organizations like Leadership Metro Richmond and Venture Richmond, corporate sponsors, and individual participants, we have generated a vigorous and ongoing discussion about the future of our region. These contributors of time, energy and financial resources have demonstrated a commitment to our community that could never be achieved single-handedly.
BiZ LinC 2007 BIZ LINC is the Greater Richmond Region’s largest business-to-business tradeshow with more than 2,000 attendees and over 200 exhibitors. This year’s event features a unique collaboration with the Greater Richmond Technology Council, the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia, the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Business League. By partnering with these regional leaders on behalf of our business community, the Chamber is poised to deliver the most dynamic BIZ LINC yet. Mark your calendar for September 27 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. I believe these programs are strong examples of local organizations coming together for the common good of the business community and the Greater Richmond Region. In comparison to other communities where groups and organizations refuse to work together, it is evident why Greater Richmond is enjoying the reputation of having one of the best business environments in the country with an outstanding quality of life. I am proud of our recent collaborations, but I believe we can do even more. What areas and activities do you believe would benefit from collaboration? I would like to hear your ideas. I can be reached at jim.dunn@grcc.com or (804) 783-9333. Thanks for helping to make our region the best it can be!
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Cooper serves on the Chamber’s board of directors.
Genworth Financial
Glasco: “We try to sell the relationship. That’s our strength— the customer service.”
EdgeMark Partners For almost two decades, EdgeMark Partners has helped high-profile clients around the country—like American Family Insurance and BB&T—get the right message out to the public. Yet this mid-sized marketing firm only recently began to use its excellent reputation to tap into its hometown market. Formerly The Direct Source, EdgeMark built its client base on its direct marketing expertise, according to Executive Vice President Doug Glasco. he, his brother Rick Glasco, and Jerry Glover, all from the Richmond area, started the company in 1990, later taking on a fourth partner, Scott highfill. Located in the Innsbrook Corporate Center, the firm recently refocused its services to emphasize its strengths in branding and marketing communications. It also hired a new brand strategy director, Tara Lloyd. [2] BenchMark | suMMer 2007
EdgeMark Partners’ 12-member senior-level staff thrives on building strong, long-lasting relationships with its clients. They focus on offering personalized service, meaning they take the success of each and every client “personally,” says Glasco. “We try to sell the relationship. That’s our strength—the customer service. And we’ve got to show results to keep the relationship,” he says. To diversify its client base here, EdgeMark joined the Greater Richmond Chamber last year. And the firm is finding success here locally with businesses needing a strategic planning and marketing partner. EdgeMark helps these companies zero in on their goals by doing whatever it takes—whether it’s growing market share, empowering employees, or bringing new life to a dying brand. w w w . G R C C . c o m
Genworth Financial Inc. is a Fortune 250 company with its world headquarters right here in Richmond. “As a result, Genworth is very active in the Richmond community, especially through the Genworth Foundation,” says Matt Cooper, the company’s vice president and deputy general counsel. In 2006, Genworth awarded $6.7 million in grants to various charitable organizations, with employees contributing another $1.35 million, and volunteering a whopping 22,672 hours in three key areas: supporting access to basic needs, enriching seniors’ lives, and providing educational opportunities for at-risk youth. Genworth has 1,450 employees in Richmond out of a worldwide workforce of 7,200, and believes that “a thriving Richmond not only helps Genworth attract the kind of talented associates it needs to attract, but it also helps Genworth retain the talented associates it already has,” Cooper says. That is a primary reason Genworth supports the Greater Richmond Chamber. “[The association] helps Richmond grow in numerous ways,” explains Cooper, citing as examples—efforts to promote workforce development, childhood education, affordable housing initiatives, and recent participation in the effort to improve affordable travel options at the Richmond International Airport. “This helps Genworth keep its travel costs down and it helps everyone’s quality of life by making personal travel cheaper,” he says. Genworth associates also benefit from Chambersponsored activities like the Greater Richmond Challenge, a two-day event that brings people from across the region to explore and learn about what makes Richmond great and what can be done to make it even better, explained Cooper. he serves on the Chamber’s board of directors and participates in many Chamber activities throughout the year. a greater richmond chamber resource
The Rominieckis rely on the Chamber for networking events to increase brand awareness for their home-based business.
Lewis: “The Chamber has been helpful in advocating for regional public transportation.”
GRTC Transit System
Vmeals Vmeals can make the food component of any event or meeting that your business is planning flawless and worry-free. It’s as simple as “Point. Click. Eat.” This online program matches clients looking for food services with a large selection of “best in class” providers, meaning these providers have met strict standards for both quality of food and service. Vmeals handles customer service from order to delivery, making it simple to plan, order and pay for meals at one website. You don’t have to be a huge corporation to use Vmeals though. “Anybody can be a client of ours, whether they be a small business, mediumsized or a Fortune 500 company,” says Donna Rominiecki. She and husband Ron Rominiecki started Vmeals in 2003, becoming licensees with exclusive rights to Richmond and hampton Roads markets. he builds vendor relationships; she a greater richmond chamber resource
handles sales and marketing. The Rominieckis, married for 28 years and residents of Midlothian, are ambassadors for the Greater Richmond Chamber, which they rely on heavily for networking and increasing brand awareness for their home-based business. Their favorite Chamber event each year is BIZ LINC, and Ron says he gains invaluable feedback from other area small business people through the Chamber’s Business Leaders Roundtable. “It’s nice to get 10-12 different perspectives. You really bond with the people in your group.” Ron is the former chief financial officer for a large propane company. Donna, most recently a stayat-home mom, has a background in the dental industry. They have a staff of four employees, in addition to the support of a customer service staff at the Vmeals headquarters in Charlottesville. w w w . G R C C . c o m
The mission of GRTC Transit System is to provide clean, safe and reliable transportation to improve mobility and access throughout Central Virginia. The only public transportation provider in the Richmond Metropolitan Region, GRTC has 521 employees working to accomplish its mission. These include 116 salaried employees and 405 hourly workers represented by Local 1220 of the Amalgated Transit Union, according to Chief Executive Officer John Lewis Jr. Incorporated in 1973, GRTC is owned jointly by the city of Richmond and Chesterfield County, each appointing three members to the non-profit organization’s board of directors. “GRTC has a fleet of 186 buses on 41 separate fixed routes, with the vast majority of these within the city limits, while some routes extend into henrico County and one goes into Chesterfield,” says Lewis. It also offers specialized services with a fleet of 46 CARE vans delivering curb-to-curb paratransit service to the physically and mentally disabled, and 17 vans in its CVAN division connecting Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW) recipients to jobs and daycare facilities. RideFinders, another GRTC program, promotes carpooling and vanpooling in the area. The GRTC has been an active Greater Richmond Chamber member for nearly a quarter century, joining in 1983, and working closely with the Chamber on developing regional transportation solutions ever since. The GRTC and the Chamber have a good working relationship, and the GRTC sponsored the last two Chamber Transportation Summits, says Lewis, who participates in the Chamber’s CEO Roundtable and other Chamber activities. “The Chamber has been very helpful in advocating for regional public transportation services and long-term, reliable, dedicated funded for GRTC,” he says. suMMer 2007 | BenchMark [3]
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No matter what solution your business is looking for, chances are you will find it at BIZ LINC 2007. The free event will be held Thursday, Sept. 27 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. This is the 13th year the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce has presented BIZ LINC, the largest business-to-business trade show in the region.
But this year’s event will be both bigger and more inclusive than ever because the Chamber is partnering with five other influential business organizations in the area: the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia (BBB), Greater Richmond Technology Council (GRTC), Metropolitan Business League (MBL), Virginia hispanic Chamber of Commerce (VhCC), and the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce (VACC). This collaboration is made possible through the support of Philip Morris USA. “ Philip Morris USA believes that bringing multiple stakeholders with diverse perspectives together will improve our ability to solve complex business issues. This collaboration through BIZ LINC is a great example of bringing diverse business perspectives together and making connections,” says
Charlie Agee, Director, Community Affairs, Philip Morris USA.” “What the Chamber has heard loud and clear from the business community is that it wants more collaboration and an event that is endorsed by multiple business support organizations,” says Jim Dunn, Chamber President and CEO. The BBB and other organizations have very different missions. “One common goal they do share is to improve the business climate for our member organizations,” says BBB President Tom Gallagher. Planning BIZ LINC 2007 has been a pleasant experience for Bob Stolle, GRTC Executive Director, who believes the event’s program “focuses on technology that is essential to any business.” One highlight will be the 42-foot
Zajur
Singleton
Phan
BuSINESSPEoPLE CAN SPEND A FEW houRS AND FIND MuLTIPLE PRoDuCTS, SERVICES AND SoLuTIoNS FoR ThEIR BuSINESSES. IT IS BoTh CoST- AND TIME-EFFECTIVE, AS IT CouLD TAkE DAyS oR WEEkS AND A LoT oF MoNEy To ACCoMPLISh ThE SAME ThING SoLo. Microsoft Across America Truck, where participants can meet local experts and experience business technology in a hands-on interactive environment. The leaders of the VACC, VhCC and the MBL—support organizations for minority businesspersons in the area—are pleased for the opportunity to have their members included in this mainstream business event. MBL President Oliver R. Singleton says, “We work to ensure minority business participation in mainstream business activity at the local and national levels. It only makes sense that we would choose to partner with BIZ LINC?” Michel Zajur, VhCC President, echoes this sentiment: “Our vision is to be the bridge connecting the Virginia hispanic business community and the community at-large. What better way to connect than by joining forces with the Greater Richmond Chamber and BIZ LINC?” “The opportunity to collaborate with the Chamber on BIZ LINC gives our members another great resource to help expand and promote their business, “ said Tinh duc Phan, VACC Chairman. Chamber members Ron and Donna Rominiecki of Midlothian, licensees for an online food service
called Vmeals [see The Monitor on page 3 for related story], have exhibited at BIZ LINC since they started their business in 2003 and will be among the 200plus exhibitors this year. They will showcase a variety of foods—getting their products before new clients as well as helping them “to rekindle relationships we already have,” saysMrs. Rominiecki. Over 2,000 people are expected to attend BIZ LINC, which Jim Dunn describes simply as “smart business.” Businesspeople can spend a few hours and find multiple products, services and solutions for their businesses. It is both cost- and time-effective, as it could take days or weeks and a lot of money to accomplish the same thing solo. The most substantial benefit from BIZ LINC is one that isn’t as easy to pinpoint or gauge. It’s the big boost it gives the region’s economy. Even though new businesses are important, at least 70 percent of a typical region’s business growth comes from expansion of existing business, says Dunn. “We know the lion’s share of growth is going to come from companies that are For information rightmore here.” or to register for BIZ LINC 2007, please call 783-9350 or visit www.GRCC.com.
a greater richmond chamber resource
hyPE Launch Party at the old City Bar (April 24th) [left] hyPE Committee outside the old City Bar. [right] Mary McGraw, PuNCh; Joana Clark, Park Group; Antony Coukos, hyPE/Chamber
over 1,100 Richmond business leaders groove to great music at Schmooza Palooza, the Greater Richmond Chamber Annual Picnic (May 17th). [top left photo] karissa Viniegra, Sheraton; Tiffany Liso, Jennifer Rauh,Shula’s 2
Greater Richmond Challenge II (May 10-11th) [top photo] Education Team: standing left to right: Susan Whisenhunt, Marti Michalec, Sarah Lantz, Stephanie Phillips, Cliff Bickford front row left to right: Rick hughes, Don Cowles, heather Gomez, Gordon Dixon
[top right photo]
Justin Ingram, Resource Bank; Tara Lloyd, EdgeMark Partners
[bottom left photo]
Brent hailes, Adrienne Wright John Reynold, Brock Lawson, Brian key, Todd Peele
[bottom right photo]
[bottom photo] Workforce housing Team: left to right standing:
keith Caleb, Laura Lafayette, Mike kamphaus, Tara Bristol, Bill Skelley, Jim Thompson front row: Mike Butta, Ross Catrow, Mike App, katina Lancaster 2
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[left] Bobby ukrop, President & CEo ukrop’s Super Markets, Inc. welcomes members to the networking event.
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hyPE at TEXAS DE BRAZIL (May 23rd) 3 1. [left to right] Thomas Moore, Northwestern 2. JJ Garofalo, Legal Resource; 3. Rachel Stewart, 4. Cary Ayers, First Market Bank; Jeff Magle, 5. Sarah Brown, heather owens, Mutual; Mark Ramos and Drew Lichtenberger Jason Moreau, Dancing Elephants Rebecca Stewart Crestmarket Bank; John Dane, Resource Bank Tracy Matherly, Blackfinn Restaurant a greater richmond chamber resource
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AWARDS AnD AChiEVEMEnTS Bon Secours Richmond health System, Capital One Financial and VCU health Systems are the 2007 winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in the Greater Richmond region. Chesterfield County also received honorable mention for its workplace flexibility policies. The awards, part of the When Work Works project, were presented in a ceremony hosted by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.
The technology sector of Timmons Group has been awarded a contract by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (GFP) to build an enterprise geospatial land management system. Managing Principal Stephen D. hostetler, PE, has also been elected to the Virginia Chapter of the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International (CEFPI) Board of Directors. Electronic Systems (ESI) has been recognized by Cisco Systems, Inc. as Most Innovative Commercial Partner in the Eastern Region. The Daily Planet and collaborative partners were recognized for achievements in four categories at the homeward First Annual Innovations in homeless Services Awards held recently at the Science Museum. Charles W. Payne Jr. of hirschler Fleischer, a fullservice law firm, has been appointed to the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation’s board of trustees.
For more members’ news and a complete calendar of events please visit www.GRCC.com. AT&T Inc. has named wireless veteran Tom Norris as sales director for its retail operations in Virginia, and appointed Gavin McCarty as director of sales operations for its retail distribution channels in Virginia and West Virginia. Valerie Grooms, senior accounting specialist for Draper Aden Associates, has become a certified design accountant. Claire E. Craighill, CFP, has joined SBk Financial, Inc. as its wealth management advisor. uPCOMinG EVEnTS The 13th annual BIZ LINC, the region’s largest business-to-business trade show, will be presented from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. This year’s event will be larger than ever, and a collaborative effort of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce and five other area business support organizations. To register or for more information, call 783-9368. [See the related article on page 4].
InVision is a series of networking breakfasts held from 7:15-9 a.m. InVision Richmond will be held July 12 and Aug. 9 at Willow Oaks Country Club; InVision henrico, July 11 and Aug. 1 at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden; InVision Chesterfield, July 17 and Aug. 21 at CJW Medical Center-Johnston Willis; and InVision hanover, July 26 and Aug. 23 at Randolph-Macon College, Estes Dining. For costs and details, call katina Lancaster at 783-9346. Starting a Business workshops, held from 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m., help you take your business in the right direction via the shortest, fastest route! Starting a Business GRCC will be held Aug. 16 at the Greater Richmond Chamber office; Starting a Business Chesterfield, July 9 and Sept. 10 at the Chesterfield Department of Economic Development; Starting a Business hanover, Aug. 6 and Sept. 10 at the hanover Department of Economic Development; and Starting a Business henrico, Aug. 7 and Sept. 4 at henrico Economic Development. Business Plan Overview sessions, held from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., show you how to develop a thorough business plan. Sessions will be held in henrico on July 17 and Sept. 18; hanover on Sept. 17; and Chesterfield on Aug. 27 and Sept. 24. Session locations are the same as the Starting a Business workshops above. Call Jackie Carter at 783-9314 for costs and details on Starting a Business or Business Plan Overview.
M E D I A W O R K S
by
sHaNNON O’Neill
Websites and community blogs have taken over traditional forms of communication by leaps and bounds and the Richmond region is no exception. Home to numerous websites that offer informative content from events to job listings to commentary on the media at large, what’s going on in the region is becoming a matter of where you go for your information than who you know.Taking a tour through the local blogosphere is like exploring an underground community and it’s easy to get overwhelmed—so here are a handful that cross the gamut from local goings-on to media news to the more profession-centric sites. ichmonders in the know keep tabs on what’s going on for the week with The WeeklyRant (www.weeklyrant.com), easily the most comprehensive site listing all of the events going on in the city and region weekly. Divided by event type—from music to festivals to museums and galleries—it covers diverse events from lectures at the Virginia Historical Society to a band playing at the Canal Club. Launched in May 1999 by local man about town Jon Baliles, the site recently launched weeklyrant.com v3.0 which has some additional features. “My initial intention was to prove to Richmonders that there was a heck of a lot of fun to be had in this city and I was tired of everyone saying there was nothing to do,” says Baliles. “We overhauled the site last month and now have the only website in Richmond that you can log on to and upload events to your calendar or PDA or email or text message yourself reminders so you don't miss an event.” Since 2005, RVABlogs (www.rvablogs.com) has been the clearinghouse of local sites with the mission to “attempt to collect the thoughts of Richmond, Virginia.” With 166 blogs from locals ranging from opinions on everything from politics to fashion to local news, the effect is a bit like eavesdropping on a community-wide conversation. One featured blog with wide appeal is Brandon Eats (http://www.brandoneats.com), tips and reviews on eating out in Richmond as well as eclectic recipes by local food critic and writer Brandon P. Fox. Without the arts Richmond would not be Richmond and the VCU Arts blog (http://blog.vcu.edu /arts/) is the art and design savvy place to find out about listings and lectures on events and new exhibitions. Geared toward the visual arts and VCU events, the site provides a good peek into what’s going on in visual media and especially interesting lectures at the school by important figures in art and design.
R
The site www.rvablogs.com has been the clearinghouse of local sites with the mission to “attempt to collect the thoughts of Richmond, Virginia.”
One featured blog with wide appeal is Brandon Eats (http://www.brandoneats.com), tips and reviews on eating out in Richmond as well as eclectic recipes by local food critic and writer Brandon P. Fox.
TVJerry (www.TVJerry.com) was Williams’ answer to the closing of the local chapter of the International Television Association (ITVA), which left many in the industry with few ways to keep in touch or network.
The Richmond Moving Image Coop (RMIC) (http://www.rmicweb.org/) formed in 1999 to support independent media arts and offers a guide to film resources in the area.
PrOFESSiONAL SiTES Representing nearly 1,000 local, state and national organizations, as well as nonprofit, government and private businesses, Connect Richmond (http://connectnetwork.org/richmond/) provides everything from general information to resources for the nonprofit community. A vital resource for local nonprofits, the portal features listings of nonprofit organizations, volunteer opportunities and a comprehensive listing of jobs in the community. The “Fast Data” section presents links to vital statistics for non-profit organizations, while “Running a Non-Profit” is a best-practices resource Summer 2007
of links and articles. A great tool for the civicminded is “Volunteer Opportunities,” a searchable database by interest, hours and location of volunteer options in the area. Boasting an email list with a readership of nearly 4,000—the Weekly Update enewsletter is an indispensable communication tool and calendar of events for those linking into the non-profit community. When producer/director Jerry Williams launched his website, “Tales from the Grips” in 1997, there was not even a word for what he was doing. Updated weekly, TVJerry (www.TVJerry.com) www.workmagazine.biz
was Williams’ answer to the closing of the local chapter of the International Television Association (ITVA), which left many in the industry with few ways to keep in touch or network. “The region is a good audience because they’re the ones that the news is about and by,” explains Williams. “I do get regular readership from former Richmonders who want to stay in touch with the scene here.” With more than 1,000 readers weekly, the site offers both an inside scoop on the film and television scene—like the HBO “John Adams” u W O R K M A G A Z I N E 31
M E D I A W O R K S project—as well as a weekly round-up of job listings and movie reviews. You don’t have to be a grip to take advantage of the inside-scoop offered through both the job listings and the daily posts.
MEDiA-rELATED In a similar spirit, The Richmond Moving Image Coop (RMIC) (http://www.rmicweb.org/) formed in 1999 to support independent media arts and offers a guide to film resources in the area, as well as being home to Flicker—a bi-monthly screening of films by local filmmakers—and the James River Film Festival. With news and events on the local
Refresh Richmond (http://www.refreshrichmond.org/), the brainchild of 28Media designer Sharif Ewees. “The original goal of the site was simple—to provide a forum for area web folks to come together and to share their expertise.”
film scene, listings of information on filmmaking as well as organizations and festivals, RMIC is a portal for anyone interested in working in film or the various film-related events in the area. Refresh Richmond (http://www.refreshrichmond.org/), the brainchild of 28Media designer Sharif Ewees, brings together a community of designers, developers and other web professionals “to improve the creative, technical and professional aspects of new media endeavors in the Greater Richmond area.” “The original goal of the site was simple—to provide a forum for area web folks to come together and to share their expertise,” says Ewees. With an online forum, job listings, monthly meetings and an e-newsletter, the site alone stands as a much-needed resource and support network for creatives in all forms of media. According to Ewees the group—started with an email to web designers he knew personally—has not only grown since its inception last year, but illustrates how eager people are to meet up and share knowledge. “I've become increasingly aware that Richmond is home to web professionals of every stripe, ranging from the in-house web departments of Fortune 100 companies, to small- and mid-sized web development firms, to Richmond's countless web freelancers,” says Ewees. 28Media (www.28Media.com)—Ewees’ web design firm site—also highlights more than just services offered with a quarterly newsletter and “Sound Advice” a section with links on every topic from branding to design from all around the web. Hardcore media and advertising enthusiasts will appreciate the wide-ranging topics on Room 116 (http://www.rm116.com/), the VCU AdCenter blog regarding everything from local lectures to national and international advertising links. With posts and commentary on every facet of advertising—viral marketing, the latest CocaCola commercial to air in Australia—it serves as a great primer on everything you wanted to know about what’s going on in advertising, not to mention underscoring the impact the AdCenter has in the dialogue. Shannon O’Neill is a freelance writer who works in the Richmond arts community and is on the board of the Richmond Ad Club.
2007 Summer
N O I S E M A K E R S
Launching YRichmond Northwestern Mutual interns. [left photo] Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Herring [above photo]
[right photo: standing third from left]
Jim Ukrop interacts with Owens and Minor interns.
Fresh Faces You Can Lead Talent to a Region, But Can You Make Them Call It Home? onsider the HR challenge that Mary C. Doswell, President and CEO of Dominion Resources Services, Inc., encounters. Dominion hires dozens of interns and employees every year. While the company does a good job of orienting new hires and interns to the corporate culture, after hours they traditionally have been left to fend for themselves. “It is important that we find ways to help connect these newcomers to other young professionals and show them that Richmond is a dynamic place not only to work, but also to live,” Doswell says. Why is it so important? Because for Dominion Resources Services—and the rest of the corporate community for that matter—these fresh faces are the future forgers of business innovation. And interns who discover the benefits of a region during their stints of service often adopt the location as their center of the universe. The pay-off for business? A regional workforce comprised of top talent with diverse backgrounds. “Attracting the best talent and enticing them to stay in Richmond are both critical to our ongoing success,” Doswell explains.
Photos: Stephanie Garr
C
Summer 2007
Y Not Richmond? To this end, Richmond’s Creative Change Center (C3) led by C3 co-chairs, Michele Stuchell, former Executive Director of C3 and Lucy Meade, Director of Marketing & Development for Venture Richmond has launched YRichmond. James Ukrop, chairman of First Market Bank and Ukrop’s Super Markets, Inc. and a YRichmond committee member explains, “YRichmond is an integrated effort among our region’s businesses to ensure that Richmond’s new talent experience Richmond in a fresh light, as a city they can call home after graduation.” YRichmond focuses on expanding internships beyond the traditional 9-5 workday through professional development, social networking, community involvement, and networking with business and community leaders. The volunteer committee, led by C3 board member Chris Gatewood, an attorney with Hirschler Fleischer PC, is holding educational and social events around Richmond all summer including a kick-off event to introduce the participants to each other and to the Richmond region, kickball tournament, interview and communication workshops, a Seeing is Believing Downtown tour; as well as a “Get to Know Richmond” scavenger hunt. The program is funded by the generosity of corporate sponsors such as Philip Morris USA, www.workmagazine.biz
Dominion, Wachovia Securities, Owens & Minor, Northwestern Mutual, Genworth and Capital One. YRichmond has a new director, Brian Cannon, who comes to the position after having worked teaching government and history at Huguenot High School, as a special assistant to Governor Warner, and a change management consultant for Bering Point Inc. before he was contacted by Ukrop. “Jim called and asked if I’d come interview to run a new program called YRichmond,” Cannon says. “I had experience in starting up organizations before and this was the perfect chance to sell my favorite city to other people my age,” he explains. “In no time, I was on I-95 South heading back to Richmond.” The June 6th launch event held in the funky, chic “art-mosphere” of Plant Zero was packed. “We had over 250 interns, new hires, and business leaders show up to celebrate our city's new talent,” Cannon says. Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Herring addressed the exuberant crowd. Intern contingents represented companies such as Owens & Minor and Northwestern Mutual. For Doswell, the program seems to be on target regarding her company’s recruitment and retention needs. “The Creative Change Center’s YRichmond program is an excellent way to ensure that Richmond continues to boast a quality work force well into the future,” she says. W O R K M A G A Z I N E 33
B O O K
B U Z Z
by
Is Your Desk-Mess an Indicator of Control Loss or a Strategic Sign of Ultra-Productivity?
daVid sMitHerMaN
the process. In addition, the author addresses the challenges of implementing new skills and, more importantly, how to sustain behavior change. Kofodimos says, “Leadership style is rooted in your basic character and can’t be changed at will; however, effective coaching can make you more aware of your own patterns, more sensitive to others’ interests, and better able to make powerful choices in every situation.” Joan Kofodimos is a founding partner of Teleos Consulting. She has a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in sociology from Stanford University, as well as a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from Yale University. As a partner in Teleos, she has developed new coaching methods and coached dozens of senior executives from companies like General Electric, Pfizer, MetLife, P&G, and HP.
The Angel inside
Brazen Careerist: The New rules for Success The unusual message of the new business book Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success by Penelope Trunk ($22.99, hardcover) is that it may be alright to change traditional office thinking and still be successful. Are you taking long lunches? Do you keep your desk neat to the point of looking like you don’t have enough to do? According to the author the answer to both, if you want to succeed in your career on your own terms, should be yes! This book provides 45 career tips, and is written in quick chapters with topics ranging from job hunting to corporate life and office politics. This career advice is aimed at a new generation of workers. Trunk explains why old advice—pay your dues, climb the ladder, don’t have gaps in your resume—is outdated and irrelevant in today’s workplace. She has a reputation for giving advice that is counterintuitive but effective, like take long lunches, ignore people who steal your ideas, and stop vying for a promotion. It’s up to the readers to decide if this is the best advice for their particular situation. Penelope Trunk, business advice columnist for the Boston Globe, gives anything but standard advice to help members of the X and Y generations succeed on their own terms in any industry. Trunk asserts that a take-charge attitude and creative thinking are the only ways to make it in today’s job market. Trunk spent ten years as a marketing exec-
34 W O R K M A G A Z I N E
utive in the software industry and then she founded three companies of her own. She has endured an IPO, a merger and a bankruptcy. Prior to that she was a professional beach volleyball player.
Your Executive Coaching Solution: Getting Maximum Benefit from the Coaching Experience Coaching. Mentoring. Development. In business these terms usually refer to the same thing—getting the employee that is right for your business. Most employees who join a company, large or small, are not plug-and-play. That is, they don’t hit the ground running. There are usually manuals to read and maybe even classes to attend. So how do you get the employee that is a good fit for your company? In her new book Your Executive Coaching Solution: Getting Maximum Benefit from the Coaching Experience (May 2007, $22.95), Joan Kofodimos provides a comprehensive guide to help people through the coaching process. According to the author, “This book can lead any executive through the process, with tools, checklists, and guidelines for every critical decision.” And in fact, the book does provide some concrete principles of effective coaching using real-life cases drawn from actual coaching projects. The book really focuses on three key areas: The potential value of coaching, Guidelines and tools, and Key steps in www.workmagazine.biz
If you could start your career all over again, would you? Would you change your location, schedule, or even your job? Staying in the same profession your whole life used to be the most common choice. But as more options are available, people are seeking different paths in their lives. It is now common for a student to attend two or three colleges before receiving a diploma, and many adults dabble in more than one career throughout their working life. College students and professionals alike have many choices when it comes to choosing a job. So why choose one that you’re not passionate about? Chris Widener’s book, The Angel Inside (April 2007; $14.95) is a parable about two men in different stages of their lives. The younger man is struggling to learn what to do with his future until he meets the wise, older man. The reader then has the opportunity to relate to, and ultimately learn from, the experiences of these characters. Using the tale as a guide, readers are encouraged to determine their own path in life, thus finding their “angel inside.” So while the method may be a bit worn— there have been countless motivational books that use fables as a teaching device—the message is a timeless one. Finding your passion in business or other aspects of your life is a challenge for most people. We all want to be happy with our choices. And sometimes a well-told parable can help with that. The author, Chris Widener, is the founder and president of Made for Success and a coach and consultant to CEOs and sales professionals. He currently co-hosts a television program on The 2007 Summer
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W O R K M A G A Z I N E 35
A R T S
OF FOOTLIGHTS
& FAMILY C
Forget about Brad and Angelina!
Our region has its share of thespian couples who share their perspectives on their recent projects and the local theatre scene.
U L T U R E
DOUGLAS JONES HARRIETT TRAYLOR
Trayor & Jones backstage at the Department of Parks & Recreation’s production of Jekyll & Hyde (The Musical) presented at Dogwood Dell.
“It’s fun when we do have the chance to work together.” t may be a cliché, but for Douglas Jones and Harriett Traylor “life did imitate art.” The two met when they were cast as the Baker and the Baker’s Wife in Swift Creek Mill Playhouse’s production of Into the Woods back in 1990. Neither actor would have predicted that five years later they would become husband and wife. Their paths might not have intersected if Jones hadn’t gotten a call to step in for an actor who pulled out of a children’s production at Theatre IV about six years earlier. “I wasn’t planning on staying in Richmond,” explains the Kentucky native. “I was just going to tour with the show for one season.” Jones started checking out master’s degree programs and decided to enroll in the English
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Language and Literature program at UVA. He ended up doing the coursework for a Ph.D. “But I ran out of steam for the dissertation,” he says.“So I started teaching.” Today, he teaches creative writing courses at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. A Richmond native, Traylor started her theatrical career performing in musicals at Swift Creek Mill Playhouse in 1977. Since then she has performed at Theatre IV, Barksdale Theatre, the Theatre at Bolling Haxall House, The Firehouse Theatre Project and Dogwood Dell. Jones, an accomplished playwright, had already begun writing plays before he met his wife. His career kicked off when he was asked to doctor a script for Theatre IV. It turned out to be unsalvageable, giving Jones only
two weeks to write a new children’s play. The actor toured with Theatre IV during the day and wrote at night. “I would break it down scene by scene and write one scene a night,” he explains. “At the end of two weeks, I realized I could write a play. It turns out I became a professional playwright and actor in the same year.” Since then, Jones has written (and seen produced) more than 40 plays. His first full-length musical, Bojangles, premiered during Barksdale Theatre’s 40th anniversary season in 1993.“It was a daunting project,” he recalls. “Katherine Tracy, who was working at Barksdale, came to me with the project.” Jones collaborated with composer Charles Strouse whose credits include Annie and Bye Bye
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Birdie and Academy Awardwinning lyricist Sammy Cahn. Cahn passed away while the show was in rehearsals. “When Sammy died, the lyrics got tied up in his estate,” Jones explains. “The show had its first and last production at Barksdale.” Recently, Jones and his friend Ron Barnett, musical director at Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, Pa., have considered writing some new songs for the show. “My wife convinced me the project isn’t dead,” Jones says. “I hope she’s right.” Jones’ other writing projects include two heralded Barksdale premieres—his adaptation of The Turn of the Screw and his sevenyear project Songs from Bedlam—as well as the one-act play Frankenstein Lives!, which aired on PBS stations in Virginia. He’s also written four films for Virginia’s 400th-anniversary celebration. The films are part of the installation at the Historic Jamestowne Museum. When it comes to Richmond theatre, the couple hopes that more theatres will open.“We have some wonderful venues, but I would like to see more movement on a downtown Performing Arts Center in Richmond,” Traylor says, describing the theatre scene as vibrant. “We can always use more support—people coming out to see live performances, businesses supporting the arts, etc.” Jones and Traylor rarely work together nowadays. After Into the Woods they appeared together in Jekyll and Hyde at Dogwood Dell. Both recently appeared in separate shows at The Firehouse Theatre.“It’s fun when we do have the chance to work together,” Traylor says. Having two creative types in the same household does have its advantages. “When I am writing, she is part of the process,” Jones explains. “When she is in rehearsals, I am part of the process. She is the first person I share my writing with. She always finds ways to let me know that something doesn’t work without criticizing it. She’s my numberone fan and I am hers.” “There’s only one disadvantage,” adds Traylor. “The one at home is always a little envious of the one doing the show.” 2007 Summer
t was off to Oz for Jan Guarino and Bo Wilson this past April. The husband and wife team served as stage manager and director/Wicked Witch of the West, respectively, in Theatre IV’s production of Wizard of Oz. With both parents involved in the production, the atmosphere at home was less than magical. “It’s been the perfect storm,” Wilson says.“It’s the only time that we have been stretched thin.” The thespians met in 1985 shortly after Wilson started working at TheatreVirginia. Originally from North Carolina, Wilson became interested in theatre during his junior year of high school even though he admits he was and is a “science geek.” “I was chemistry
I
Summer 2007
student of the year in high school,” he says.“I thought I was going to be a marine biologist.” After graduating from the theatre program at Virginia Tech, Wilson moved back to Richmond and was hired as literary manager at TheatreVirginia. “I read a lot of unsolicited manuscripts and wrote a lot of rejection letters,” he explains. “I also worked as the de facto assistant to the artistic director, Terry Burgler.” Today, Wilson juggles a variety of creative projects. He’s a successful playwright—he’s written 37 plays—and an adjunct professor at University of Richmond. He stage manages theatrical productions and does voice-over work as well as some
acting and on-camera work— you’ll probably recognize him as the on-camera spokesperson from Lonestar Construction. “I have never had a real job,” he says with a chuckle. “As long as I can keep away from that, I call my career a win/win.” Wilson’s creative talents were showcased when Barksdale held the world premiere of his play War Story. His two favorite plays: Manly Men (the play has been produced by several theatres) and In Service of the Queen, a 19th-century adventure story he wrote for actress Jane Ridley. “There are plays that I think people will do and plays that I write just for me,” Wilson says, noting that In Service of the Queen
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A R T S C U L T U R E
PHOTO: Robyn O'Neill
BO WILSON & JAN GUARINO
falls into the latter category.“I just adore it, but I don’t think anyone is ever going to produce it.” Guarino started acting her junior year of high school.“I never had the lead in high school,” she recalls. “I was always in the chorus.” When she landed a role in the chorus of Promises Promises at Swift Creek Mill Playhouse after graduating, she thought she “was in the big time.” With hopes of becoming famous, Guarino made a pilgrimage to New York. Instead of working on the stage, she ended up working in restaurants, waiting tables. That led her to an epiphany. “I learned that I didn’t need to be famous,” she says.“I just needed to work as an actress.” Back in Richmond, Guarino’s voice-over career took off. Before long, she was tapped as the female on-camera spokesperson for Haynes Furniture. “Now some 20 years later I am still doing those commercials,” she says. Along with acting, radio and television voiceovers and on-camera work, Guarino directs theatre productions. Wizard of Oz was the largest show she had ever directed. “We had a cast of 56 and a huge set,” she recalls. “The set was like dealing with a Rubik’s cube.” She agrees that the show put a stress on the family—Wilson and Guarino have two children, ages 12 and 14. “This is the craziest it has ever been since we had kids,” she says, adding, “Because we are both actors we understand each other and what it’s like. We know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” When it comes to theatre in Richmond, both Wilson and Guarino would like to see more oppor tunities surface. “I’m cautiously optimistic. Richmond certainly has audiences that want to go to the theatre,” Wilson says. “When TheatreVirginia closed, it was grim. It had an impact on the funding universe. I hope the funding universe will continue to be generous.” The Richmond area has a strong core of working actors, Guarino adds. “We need different types of [venues] so we can be exposed to all types of theatre. That’s exciting to me.”
W O R K M A G A Z I N E 37
M U S I C
by
JaN raNdler
R E S T A U R A N T S [left to right]
PHOTO: Jeanne Schlesinger
C L U B S
John Priestly, Radcliffe Burt, Amy Henderson, & Jeff Hackett here are many bands in the region that notably perform covers with a smattering of originals. Then there are the Orderlies. Their love of music and multitude of talents intertwine producing original tunes that are as worthy as a cover. “Our shows focus on 95% originals. Embrace the originals, they are meant to be heard!” proclaims Orderlies member Amy Henderson. Like most songwriters, they draw from personal experiences, living and dreams. Although the band agrees that they have
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38 W O R K M A G A Z I N E
distinct songwriting styles, they all have the exceptional ability to work tunes that excel with a genuine, riveting flow. There is a familiarity with their captivating lyrics, easily identifiable and evident in “Lombardy and Grace,” “Beautiful You,” and “One More For the Road.” Everyone has been there at least once, or hasn’t left yet. Their vocals are strong, exuberant and lifting, with a natural grace and brilliance. Solos are laced amid the precision of intricate three-part harmonies, vocally and instrumentally.
In addition to Henderson (vocals, guitar, harmonica and bass), Radcliffe Burt (vocals, guitar and dobro), Jeff Hackett (drums) and John Priestly (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bass and Stick—you just gotta see it) are the Orderlies. Primarily playing originals, they “are not afraid of covers. It truly depends on the audience, but we invite everyone to come out and hear our songs,” says Henderson. “Start swarming the shows like you’ve never swarmed before,” invites Priestly. Bringing their original,
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melodic sound of true Americana folk rock meshed with alternative pop, Orderlies originals are soon to be ever yone’s favorites. Their newest cd, Beautiful You is available at Plan 9 Music, digstation.com and cdbaby.com. True regional musicians, writing and singing about Richmond, their lives, loves and other legends, the Orderlies should not be missed. Check out their website, www.theorderlies.com, for upcoming gig dates and start swarming. 2007 Summer
M U S I C
APES IN PARADISE
A
Kinsley:
“Describe the flavor, I can make it.” Salads range from garden to grilled chicken. With ten salad dressings (many fat-free) choosing a coffee, tea or smoothie flavor won’t be the only arduous decision you’ll have. Desserts include gourmet coffee cakes, cheesecake, homemade ice cream, smoothies and shakes. Two of the many shake choices are Double Chocolate and Strawberry Truffle Delight —decisions, decisions. Muffin, bagel, cake trays and box lunches, perfect for morning, lunch or afternoon meetings, are available. Enjoy your delicious delectable in the dining area or settle into a cozy couch. While savoring your scrumptious selec-
With a background in the hospitality industry, Jan Randler is the editor for the WORKMAGAZINE Music, Restaurants, Clubs department. She is a writer and poet residing in Richmond.
Summer 2007
R E S T A U R A N T S
tion check out the displayed artwork. Many of the masterpieces are originals by regional artists from Hanover’s schools. Inviting local artists to display their creative flair isn’t limited to Coffee Lane’s walls. Kinsley promotes and presents live regional music on select evenings. In keeping with his support of local talent, he also features regional authors and book signings. Coffee Lane is an excellent place to gather with family, mingle with friends or just relax with a good book, WORKMAGAZINE or your laptop. This café is WiFi and PC equipped. “We want to be your community café. Start your day here with a breakfast sandwich, bagel or yogurt muffin and coffee, grab
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some lunch, and stop back by in the evening for dessert and a latte or cappuccino” invites Kinsley. A community café it is, and Kinsley knows his community. Many baristas know their patrons by their preferred drinks, Kinsley knows his customers by name first and brew penchant second. Visit Kinsley and affable staff of nine where they’ll get to know your name and favorite morning mud, liquid lightening, jitter juice, cup of Joe or jet fuel, your choice. Cheers! Coffee Lane is located in the Shoppes at Belle Creek, 8319 Belle Creek Rd. Mechanicsville. Open seven days a week, Mondays 6:30am-5pm, TuesdayFriday 6am-8pm, Saturdays 8am5pm and Sundays 9am-3pm.
C L U B S PHOTO: Jake Lyell
fter more than a decade as a pilot in the United States Air Force and flying for a number of years as a commercial airline pilot, Bill Kinsley traded his cockpit and wings for espresso machines and comfy couches. Owner of Coffee Lane Café, Kinsley is in his third year of operation. “We are more than just a coffee shop”, says Kinsley. Offering brews, espressos and mochas are just the beginning. Teas, smoothies, Vermont cider, Italian sodas and steamers pepper the menu as well. Additionally sandwiches, salads, soups, breakfast fare and sweet stuff beckon to be savored.“Everything here is fresh, our food is excellent,”says Kinsey. Deciding just which hot, iced or frozen coffee drinks to order might be tough. “We have hundreds of latte flavor creations,” beams Kinsley. Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Albino Turtle, made with white chocolate, or Apes in Paradise blended with coconut and bananas, are taste experiences guaranteed to become new favorites. “Describe the flavor, I can make it.” quips Kinsley. Keeping his health conscious customers in mind he adds, “Even sugar free, low fat or no fat.” Teas are served hot, iced or frozen. Oregon Chai, infused black, green, herbal, flavored and decaf teas are sure to please any palette. Tea Freezes in mango, strawberry, mixed berry or peach frusia are a fantastic delight. Delectable sandwiches such as the Hanover (a creation of ham, turkey, Monterey Jack cheese with honey mustard on a multigrain) and the Admiral, (homemade white albacore tuna salad) are superb. For those preferring something from the grill, the Que-T piled with turkey, bacon, smoked cheddar and barbecue sauce is fabu. The Oriental Grill is a masterpiece of grilled chicken strips and Monterey Jack cheese sprinkled with sesame ginger vinaigrette.
W O R K M A G A Z I N E 39
S H O P P I N G
TECHMANIA by
saNde sNead
Summertime is here and the living is easy.
Just as the weather started to get good and hot, I started a new job at an advertising agency where all of my fellow workers use iMacs and are so creative and media savvy. Because we are all wireless on our happening Apple iBooks, coworkers frequently come into my “office space” and plop down on the sofa with their laptops for socialization and creative idea swapping. But when they need to hunker down and commune with their computers one-on-one, everyone plugs into their iPods and tunes out the world.
Especially if you have all the gizmos you need to stay cool, uh, I mean, to be cool, that is.
While I have avoided walking around or even exercising with these trendy white buds stuck in my ears, I finally surrendered to their obvious necessity and set out on a journey to explore my iPod options. First stop: The Apple Store in Short Pump Town Center. In case you are in “i-Ignorance” the way I was, here are the basic choices:
I decided the shuffle and its
The iPod shuffle—Holds 240 songs, which is plenty for me, but you can’t see the title or artist of the song playing, nor forward to the one you want to hear unless you know where it is in the rotation, $79.99
affordable price tag is just what the
iPod nano—2,000 songs/2 GB and you can see the title and artist and find a song, starting at $149.
office ordered. Plus, I can get
iPod—7,500 songs/30 GB ($249); 20,000 songs, 80 GB ($349); both have 2.5-inch color screen and get photos and video.
it in hot pink.
40 W O R K M A G A Z I N E
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2007 Summer
Since I was moving forward to the 21st century, I decided to research a few other gizmos and gadgets that I have been meaning to shop around for.
5 megapixels, you’re unlikely to see the difference unless you crop images heavily or make poster-size prints. Anyway, I was pretty determined to find a Canon and I wanted a 3-inch screen. After looking over about four different models at OfficeMax, I went east to Ritz Camera at The Shops at Willow
each time. When I joined the ad agency, we only had a four-cup coffeemaker, which means two cups of java. I would make a full pot and drink the whole thing before any of my co-workers even arrived. I decided in the interest of peaceful office coexistence to donate my old coffeemaker to the cause and hit up Target on Broad and Libbie Avenues to upgrade my home brewer.
I am also in the Dark Ages when it comes to cameras. I still have a little 35 mm instamatic job that I have been swearing is just fine for my purposes. I can get film developed and have actual photos, which I love, but I can After checking into a also get the photos on disk so variety of one-cup-at-athat I can send pictures I’ve time options, I settled on a taken for travel stories to my Black & Decker editors. The downside, of course, Home Café System I Canon SD600 is equipped with a 6.0 is that I cannot view any of these was familiar with. With this megapixel-quality and a 3-inch LCD screen. photos until I pick them up from maker, getting a cup of being developed, and I have to coffee is quick and easy. I wait until I “finish a roll” before I Lawn. I knew I might pay a little can make one cup at a time and can get them developed. So there is no mess or waste. For more, but I’d also get one-onarchaic! one time with a salesperson and $59.99, I eliminated an awful lot of a.m. frustration. the opportunity to call or stop It was time to move into the by with questions after the digital age, so I headed to purchase. OfficeMax in The Colonnades West to comparison shop. Still, I The camera for me turned out to remain set in my ways on brand. be back at OfficeMax—a I saw a pretty cool Olympus Canon SD600 with 6.0 Stylus 1000 digital camera on megapixel-quality and that 3inch LCD screen I wanted. Its slim design will easily fit into even my smallest handbag. Finally, I was ready to move up in the coffeemaker realm. I’m tired of Olympus Stylus 1000 digital camera offers a 2.5-inch LCD with three times optical zoom. creating a mess while brewing my morning cup of Joe. It’s no sale for $219.99 with 10 fun to measure out the spoonfuls megapixel quality and 2.5-inch with your eyes half-closed and LCD with three times optical to get varying results on the zoom. While the 10 mp taste depending on how impressed me, I read Consumer generous with overflow you are Reports, which said that beyond Summer 2007
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S H O P P I N G
The Black & Decker Home Café™ System offers three brewing choices to let you customize your beverage size and strength. 7oz., 9oz., or 14oz.
Next up in my quest to join the high-tech age will be to graduate to a flat-screen television, but that will have to come from another paycheck. Sande Snead is a national-award winning freelance writer.
W O R K M A G A Z I N E 41
S P O R T S
by paUl spicer pHOtOs by JaKe lyell
Paul Spicer lives in Richmond, VA and is an internationally published author and columnist. Spicer is also the owner of Spicer & Associates LLC, a marketing and consulting company.
By day Michelle Hoot puts the finishing touches on a PhD in Neuroscience. Come five o’clock however, she morphs into her derby name, Dawn Corleone—“Hell on Wheels.” A fierce roller-skater extraordinaire, Hoot is but one member of a budding outcropping of female skaters that make up the River City Rollergirls. Roller derby, with its rock-n-roll subculture, is based on formation roller skating around a circuit track and is predominantly female. With both teams positioning five players on the track at once, the action begins as three blockers (defense), one pivot, and one jammer (scorer) all move counterclockwise in a pack. Here in the region, our local derby is thirty members strong, including 15 newbies known as “fresh meat.” Oozing with an offbeat blend of athleticism, punk rock attitude, and p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m , the River City Rollergirls are an
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increasingly popular pastime. “We have quite an eclectic group of women, as in most derby leagues,” explains Hoot, eager to get back in the track. “Some of our skaters are housewives, architects, teachers, waitresses, independent business owners, artists, and PhDs…so to generalize a type of profession for a derby girl is difficult to do.” Despite the patchwork collection of per sonalities, there’s one general theme that binds River City’s favorite ladies on wheels—the need for speed (and impact). Derby skaters such as Rhoda
Badcheck, Sue-Age Spill, and Spin Lizzy don fancy headgear and warrior-like outfits, protected by Rector Fat Boy knee and shin pads purchased from Dominion in Carytown. Event organizers insist upfront that all one needs to partake is a positive attitude, and the understanding that you could get hurt—but you’ll certainly have fun doing it. The league, which was formed in 2005, is comprised of two home teams boasting members ranging from their mid-twenties to midforties. Hoot explains that a previous athletic background is not required, and that many roller
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girls have not laced up skates since they were kids. Hitting the rink—and sometimes each other—for the first time in years, the derby girls are also charged with the reasonability of managing the tight knit inter workings of the league itself. In fact, in order to qualify for membership to the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) sixty-seven percent of the league management must be flat track derby skaters. Running now like a welloiled machine, the do-gooder Rollergirls also mix a bit of philanthropy into the fun, often 2007 Summer
GET UP & GO! McGuire coaches participants at the early morning training. [below photo] Crunches at Byrd park. [above photo, front]
s the eastern horizon beginning to glow with the first hint of sunrise, a swelling grouping of local professionals gather along the rutted banks of the James River. The time is 5:45 AM, and the day is beginning with a bang for this cadre, 200 members strong, made up of exercise enthusiasts. While the rest of Greater Metro Richmond is dreaming about putting the finishing touches on PowerPoint presentations and closing the next big deal, this inspired lot has other things on their minds. Over the next hour they plan to hop rocks in a dry riverbed, duck under tree branches on a riverside jaunt, participate in a game of tug-ofwar, and navigate urban whitewater all before most Richmonders' alarm clocks are abuzz. “We never do the same thing twice—it’s one hour, non-stop,” smiles John McGuire, a former Navy SEAL turned River City business phenom. McGuire, who hatched the idea for his personal fitness program with a twist in 1998, has 10-years of military training under his belt, along with a knack at leading Richmond’s top business minds. “I have so many business folks and CEOs,” explains the fitness guru, “and we do a lot of
S P O R T S
A
[inset photo front to back]
Baker Johnston, Katie Falenski, Stephanie Lawrence & Michelle Dosson
fattening the coffers of the Special Olympics, Greater Richmond SCAN, and the Battered Women’s Shelter. Wi t h i n t e n s e p ra c t i c e sessions occurring two days a week, and an action-packed bout at Skateland in June, Hoot and her helmet-wearing counterparts admit that derby skating is a unique opportunity to blow off steam come the end of the workday. “It’s great to lace up some skates after a stressful day and skate so hard I want to pass out or deliver a good block to an opposing skater during a scrimmage,” says Hoot. Summer 2007
corporate team building with businesses like Infineon, LandAmerica, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.” Seeing the value in jumpstarting the workday, McGuire, along with a 10-man crew, orchestrates a rocking good time during his three classes hosted throughout the day and early evening. “The classes will change your opinion about age, and about male and female ability. It’s an amazing and very interesting group of people that workout with us.” McGuire says each session, which is constantly evolving, sees a blend of age, gender, and ability level. To make it all work, the SEAL Team brings all the action, but allows members to attack each challenge at their own pace. “The main thing is that you come in here and put away whatever you have going on in your life; you put it aside and instead work on leadership, confidence, and teamwork,”
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adds McGuire. Often tooling around town in a mud splattered Hummer, bikes and kayaks piled high on the rough, the former SEAL is easy to spot—while his personal training and group activities are hard to resist. Since opening, SEAL Team has trained approximately 3,000 Richmonders, along with a growing fan base of business leaders and executives, young and old, in the workforce. McGuire attributes the appeal of his adventure classes to a common mindset running deep among many of his participants. “I think to own your own business or be a top performer you have to be a self-starter, and this is a good place to groom yourself and a great place to grow.” Making plans for the next day’s 5:45 AM challenge, McGuire concludes, “I have a lot of people ask how do I get that many Richmonders to wakeup that early in the morning, and I tell them—you have to be a go-getter.” W O R K M A G A Z I N E 43
P A R T N E R S H I P
MeadWestvaco Holds Formal Groundbreaking Ceremony
Spring Marketing Blitz Spring 2007 has been very busy for the staff at the Greater Richmond Partnership. They have been traveling around the world—spreading the good news that this is a great place to do business. Domestically, activities have been focused on two large and very different industries—logistics and biosciences. Attendance at two key industry conferences gave Partnership staff the opportunity to introduce a new group of business leaders to all that the Richmond region has to offer. The 2007 BIO International Convention drew a record 22,366 attendees with representatives from 48 states and 64 countries. Another invitation-only event held in Maryland for life sciences companies was highlighted by testimonials and presentations by area CEOs. The Logistics Conference held in New York included scheduled face-to-face meetings with key decision-makers and generated a number of new leads for the team.
On May 21st, MeadWestvaco took the next big step and formalized its commitment to construct a new headquarters building in downtown Richmond at a groundbreaking ceremony. The headquarters site, just west of the Federal Reserve Bank Building and overlooking the James River, is to include a 300,000 square foot building and could eventually house up to 1,000 MeadWestvaco associates. The building is expected to be completed in 2009. This event was the culmination of many months of work leading to the company’s decision last year to move their headquarters from Stamford, CT to the Richmond region. The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc., the City of Richmond and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership all played a role in supporting the project.
Internationally, trips to Germany and India focused on exploring new business opportunities to benefit the Richmond regional economy. The trip to India was a first for the Partnership with Partnership President and CEO Greg Wingfield traveling with the Governor’s official trade mission. “This was part of a strategic effort to learn more about a growing powerhouse in the global economy. We want to make sure that the Richmond Region and Richmond-area businesses are positioned to benefit from that economic expansion. The goals of all of our marketing efforts are to attract new companies, new investment and new jobs for the Richmond region. We also recognize the power of partnerships and look for opportunities to connect Richmond-area companies with potential partners in other markets.”
Greater Richmond Rocks the Boat
The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. has added a new “Business Report Builder” feature to its website (www.grpva.com). The feature offers an all-in-one-place array of reports, statistics and data, and information of Greater Richmond's business advantages, taxes, utilities, etc. Selections include an online archive of WORKMAGAZINE articles and photographs. Site-selection consultants and corporate executives today rely on the Internet for information used in developing a "starter list" of locations that may fit expansion or relocation needs. "The Business Report Builder makes it easier to assemble these and other reports," said Gregory H.Wingfield, Partnership President and CEO. "The feature is user-friendly and saves a lot of searching online.You can pick up what you need and be assured it is up-to-date.”
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PHOTOs THIs PAge: JAy AdAms
Site-Selection Research Now Is Easier With GRP’s New Website Feature
More than 100 area business leaders and elected officials came together to celebrate 400 years of commerce and trade in the Richmond region at an informal reception on May 23rd. That event was hosted by the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. in conjunction with the docking
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of the Godspeed at Richmond’s Intermediate Terminal. It was followed by the Rock the Boat festival that started on Saturday. Thousands of people enjoyed the events in the following days that included history, music and a grand finale firework display. 2007 Summer
I N V E S T O R
P R O F I L E
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daVe cliNGer
The Wilton Companies Headquartered in Greater Richmond, The Wilton Companies owns, develops and operates a diversified portfolio of more than three million square feet of retail shopping centers, office buildings, industrial/flex space and residential apartments in primarily the Richmond metropolitan area. he company has been an investor in, and a strong supporter of, the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. since the public-private initiative’s beginning. As a fully-integrated real estate company, Wilton (www.TheWiltonCo.com) is engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership, management and leasing of multifamily and commercial real estate. The depth and diversity of its property portfolio stands as proof of the company’s success in all phases of development and management. Its officers include respected commercial and residential professionals who are leaders in the industry. They have the knowledge and resources to get projects planned, zoned, developed, leased and managed. Services span a full spectrum, from leasing and sales for retail, office and industrial/flex properties, to investment and land brokerage, development, corporate consulting and property management. This provides a comprehensive range of commercial and residential real estate capabilities that are tailored for investors, tenants, landlords, property owners and retailers. Wilton is constantly developing new (and upgrading existing) shopping centers, retail shops, office buildings, warehouse space and other commercial structures. The company’s expertise ranges from the development of suburban power centers, life-style centers and regional malls to other retail projects and site-selection for several big-box retail developers. Wilton’s agents and brokers have used their market knowledge to create tenant mixes that resulted in cross-shopping and increased value for landlords and developers. Specifically, Wilton’s operations include: • Apartments for Rent: The Wilton Companies rents and manages approximately 1,000 garden and townhouse apartments in 16 different West End communities in Greater Richmond.
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flex space throughout Greater Richmond is leased and managed by Wilton. • Land: Wilton offers expertise in the sale of individual lots, tracts and outparcels and ground leases, and it has experience in land development and build-to-suit projects. • Commercial Development: The company provides expertise in the development of commercial projects, including major development of retail sites and mixed-use projects. As a single-source provider of a full range of real estate services, Wilton’s capabilities encompass: • Brokerage Services: Wilton Realty, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Wilton Companies, offers a complete range of commercial real estate brokerage services in various sectors of the commercial real estate market throughout the Richmond metro area. • Development Services: Wilton Realty, LLC also has substantial experience in the development of real estate of all types. • Asset and Property Management Services: Wilton Properties, Inc., a wholly owner subsidiary, provides professional asset and property management services. • Title Insurance Services: Southern Financial Title Corporation (SFTC), a wholly owned subsidiary, is engaged in issuing title insurance policies and in performing other title related services. Wilton’s experienced board of directors is composed of Henry “Hank” L. Wilton, chairman and son of the company’s founder; Richard “Rich” S. Johnson, president and CEO; Rodney M. Poole, general counsel and senior vice president; and Sam Kornblau and Bryan E. Kornblau, both outside directors. “You’ll discover that working with Wilton means working with individuals,” according to the company’s solgan. “Wilton has amazing people within our organization. Working with Wilton means working with talented individuals.”
The company’s expertise ranges from the development of suburban power centers, life-style centers and regional malls to other retail projects and site-selection for several big-box retail developers.
Summer 2007
• Retail Space: It leases and manages more than 1.5 million square feet of retail shopping space including 29 shopping centers in metro Richmond. Shopping centers include The Shops at Willow Lawn, the landmark retail shopping location on West Broad Street near Staples Mill Road; John Rolfe Commons, a Ukrop’s-anchored shopping center at John Rolfe and Ridgefield Parkways; and Hanover Commons, a Food Lionanchored shopping center on US 301 just north of the Henrico County line. • Office Space: Wilton sells and leases downtown and suburban office buildings with a portfolio of more than 250,000 square feet of office space throughout the Richmond area. • Industrial/Flex Space: About one million square feet of office/warehouse, distribution and www.workmagazine.biz
W O R K M A G A Z I N E 45
M O V E R S
&
S H A K E R S
The Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau (RMCVB) is hoping new billboards along Interstates 95 and 64 will lure motorists to make a pit stop in the capital city and surrounding areas. RMCVB’s first ever billboards will put a unique spin on the area’s history and culture with tag lines and images that reflect the region’s diversity of offerings. For example, one billboard will read, “History has its ups and downs” paired with an image of a rollercoaster at Kings Dominion. The billboards will appear along the interstates between Newport News, Petersburg and Fredericksburg, as well as throughout metro Richmond.
New magazine launch The Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers will debut its new SBQ magazine this August. A joint venture between the Sports Backers, Palari Publishing LLP and the Richmond TimesDispatch, SBQ (short for Sports Backers Quarterly) will be distributed every three months to Richmond area residents. “This publication will guide Richmonders toward events, opportunities and recommendations that will help them be healthier and more active,” says Sports Backers Executive Director Jon Lugbill. Check out www.SBQnow.com.
Speaking of being active About 500 athletes from more than 25 countries around the world will visit Richmond to compete in the 2007 McDonald’s ITU Duathlon Long Course World Championships on Oct. 21. Duathlon is a running/biking endurance sport similar to triathlon. Richmond’s Tom Jeffrey placed 10th in the Duathlon Long Course World Championships last year and is counting on the home course advantage for a podium placing. Contact www.sportsbackers.org for more information.
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dONNa c. GreGOry
the Richmond retail community, from the mom-and-pop shop to the big-box, multistore merchant.” For complete information on the event, go to www.retailmarketingX.com.
On campus
Columbus, anyone? Columbus, Ohio could become the new vacation spot of choice for Richmonders with the addition of $10 flights out of Richmond International Airport aboard Skybus Airlines. Yes, you read the right–$10! Skybus recently began offering nonstop service between Richmond and the carrier’s base in Columbus, and claims at least 10 seats on every flight will be priced at $10 for a oneway trip. In addition to Richmond, Skybus will offer other initial destinations from Columbus including Burbank; Bellingham; Wash.; Portsmouth, N.H.; Oakland, Kansas City; Ft. Lauderdale and Greensboro, N.C. Equipped with new Airbus 319s, Skybus is a start-up carrier with a business model very similar to the one successfully used by Ryanair in Europe for more than a decade.
cOMpiled by
The Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers will debut its new SBQ ( Sports Backers Quarterly ) magazine this August. The publication will have a 20,000 subscription circulation and is a joint venture between the Sports Backers, Palari Publishing LLP and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Find out more at www.SBQnow.com
Mark your calendar! Are you in the advertising, media or technology fields and looking to connect with metro Richmond retailers or vice-versa? Then don’t miss the Third Annual Retail Marketing Expo on Tues., Aug. 7, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Best of all, this fabulous networking event is free! For the second consecutive year, Longwood University is the event’s title sponsor. “This year, we have joined forces with the American Marketing Association to provide attendees with a wealth of interactive networking opportunities throughout the entire day,” said William H. Baxter, president and CEO of the Retail Merchants Association. New in 2007 is an expanded exhibit hall for media representatives and other vendors from the creative community and a free continental breakfast sponsored by Personal Touch Cleaning Services, plus several educational “power sessions” designed to help retailers make the most of their marketing, media and advertising budgets. Added to this year’s event for a nominal charge is an optional VIP seated luncheon featuring a keynote address by Richard Sharp, former chairman of Circuit City and current chairman of CarMax. Sharp also serves on the board of Crocs, Inc. “Also, back by popular demand is the closing networking reception/happy hour in the exhibit hall, plus free parking and cool prize drawings throughout the day,” added Baxter. “There’s something here for every member of www.workmagazine.biz
Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researchers are developing a new form of radiation therapy that will make it safer to administer more aggressive cancer treatments. The research is being funded with a five-year, $10.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to Jeffrey F. Williamson, Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology. “This project grant is a testament to the high impact of the ideas generated by researchers at VCU, and to the national leadership of the VCU Massey Cancer Center and its radiation biology and oncology program,” said VCU President Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D. “In an era of decreased federal cancer research grants, securing such large-scale funding is an extraordinary achievement by Dr. Williamson and his colleagues,” added Jerome Strauss, M.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine. Williamson and his colleagues will collaborate with investigators from Stanford University, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas, the University of Iowa and the Netherlands Cancer Institute. Qimonda recently donated $2 million to Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Engineering. To date, Qimonda, a leading global supplier of DRAM memory products, has donated $7 million to the school. “This is the largest single corporate gift to the School of Engineering to date,” said Trani. “We are thrilled with the strong relationship between our engineering school and Qimonda, which is the largest employer of our engineering alumni.” “Our relationship with VCU goes back to 1997 when we first started hiring for our manufacturing operations,” said Thomas Seifert, COO of Qimonda AG. “I am pleased to say that VCU has demonstrated a strong desire to produce a best-in-class engineering graduate.” “By soliciting our input, modifying their curriculum and working closely with us in developing their microelectronics capabilities, we have seen VCU grow to one of the premier programs in the country,” added Henry Becker, president of Qimonda North America. “The students we hire from VCU are able to make a positive impact on our operations almost immediately. This gift illustrates our desire to ensure the engineering college continues to thrive and produce high-caliber graduates into the future.” The gift will help fund professorships, scholarships and a 114,000-square-foot expansion of the engineering school on VCU’s new Monroe Park campus addition. 2007 Summer
T R A V E L
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L E I S U R E
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deVOraH beN-daVid
Washington, DC is an interesting blend of bustling business capital and premier travel destination. That’s why business travelers often extend their hotel stay in the summertime to enjoy the city with loved ones. Among the weekend discount deals are the ever popular “Get Away” weekend packages. he four historic hotels below are tailormade with the business and leisure traveler in mind. Each accommodation is centrallylocated, service-oriented and famous for its elegant décor, warm hospitality and extensive menu of business amenities. There’s no better place in the world, to celebrate your “independence” from work, than Washington, D.C. in July.
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Hotel Lombardy Originally built in 1929 as private apartments, the Hotel Lombardy is a European-style, elevenstory hotel overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue at 21st Street, four blocks from the White House. The classical red brick and limestone building’s central location allows both business and leisure travelers convenient access to the city’s corporate center and local attractions. The plush-but-intimate Venetian Room, which is open for lunch or dinner, is a “must see.” Visitors bask in a cocoon of sumptuous jewel-tone velvets and silks, enjoy a late-night coffee by the Gothic fireplace in the cooler months and conduct business amid 18th-century Chinese and Middle Eastern antiques. The International Room and the Board Room provide perfect conference spaces suitable for a 35-seat VIP meeting or intimate reception for 50. Audio/visual equipment, projection screens and visual display boards are among the menu of business amenities. For more information visit Hotel Lombardy’s web site at www.hotellombardy.com
The State Plaza Hotel Tucked away on a tree-lined street in the heart of historic Foggy Bottom, the State Plaza, an allsuite hotel, is surrounded by museums and monuments in the hub of the government business district just minutes from Reagan National Airport. The hotel is rumored to be a favorite among diplomats and ambassadors, and patrons of the arts because of its close proximity to the Kennedy Center. Each of the State Plaza’s 230 suites are beautifully appointed with Summer 2007
fully-equipped eat-in kitchens. The State Plaza has three separate meeting rooms, with a combined total of 1,600 square feet of space. The Diplomat, Ambassador and Envoy rooms can accommodate 12 to 150 people and are ideal for business. Hotel suites have data ports, a two-line phone with voicemail, complimentary high-speed Internet access and daily delivery of the Washington Post. For more information visit the Plaza’s website at www.StatePlaza.com
The Hay-Adams Hay-Adams is a hotel whose name is synonymous with the “Spirit of Hospitality” in our nation’s capital. It is situated on land that was once the residences of two great American leaders: John Hay, who served as President Lincoln’s private secretary and Henry Adams, the great-grandson of John Adams, an author of the Declaration of Independence and second President of the United States. The hotel’s history of hospitality dates from 1928 when it fused identities and became a social hub for the nouveau powerful in our nation’s capital. Business people traditionally head for Hay-Adam’s “Off the Record” lounge when they’re looking to seal a deal (and toast to its success) or to enjoy a contemporary American “power lunch” in the elegantly appointed “Lafayette Room” overlooking the White House and Lafayette Park. For even more exclusive celebrations, the hotel has a private 24-guest dining room. For more information visit the Hay-Adams website at: www.Hayadams.com
The Henley Park Hotel The Henley Park Hotel is one of Washington’s most cherished home-away-from-home properties. Conveniently located in the heart of Washington, D.C., this elegantly furnished and magnificently restored Tudor-style building is reminiscent of a European experience geared toward today’s traveler. Over 100 gargoyles and leaded glass windows grace the exterior, and its 96 rooms and suites are luxuriously spacious and elegantly furnished. The critically acclaimed 68-seat restaurant, the Coeur de Lion, known for attracting DCs power elite, also offers full-service catering for www.workmagazine.biz
private functions. The Blue Bar, a favorite afterfive watering hole, features live jazz (on the weekend) and dancing. The Eton Room, with its natural sunlight, can be set in conference, classroom, banquet, reception or theatre-style to accommodate 60 people. For more information visit Henley’s website at www.henleypark.com Devorah Ben-David is a freelance writer based in Richmond, Va. Her travel articles are featured in high-profile publications across North America, Europe, Australia, and in the Caribbean.
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S E E & D O
July 7,14,21,28 Get to the Summer Harvest Fest! Take a hayride, pick your own tomatoes, herbs and flowers. Check out the tomato cannon (oh yeah), corn maze, pig races, and goat walk. Join in on farm-fresh corn, games and activities. Enjoy fried, green-tomato fries, roasted corn, homemade BBQ, coleslaw, and beans. Saturdays, 9am-6pm, Chesterfield Berry Farm, 26002 Pear Orchard Road 739.3831 www.chesterfieldberryfarm.com
August
July 21
Baseball and Richmond Guided Bus Tour “Take Me Out To the Ballgame.” Meet your guide at the Diamond for a behind-thescenes visit. Join Scott P. Mayer—co-author of Baseball and Richmond—on a bus tour featuring Richmond’s rich baseball history. it’s a day of heroes and home runs!
There is more to this national pastime besides hotdogs and cold ones. who knew? Saturday, 1-4pm, The Diamond, 3001 North Boulevard 649.0711 www.richmondhistorycenter.com
August 11
Dr. Phil Says It’s Perfectly Okay To Scream Like a Little Schoolgirl at Times! Come experience rock climbing at one of the East Coast's largest indoor rock climbing centers! Be a part of this exciting sport. The beginner class teaches all the basics: knot-tying, anchoring, belay technique, screaming like a schoolgirl and more. No corporate ladders to worry with here. Call for class times and fees. Peak Experiences indoor Rock Climbing Center, 11421 Polo Circle, Midlothian. 897.6800 www.peakexperiences.com
2007 Filipino Festival at Experience the Our Lady of Lourdes! exotic tastes of lumpia, adobo and halo-halo. Enjoy presentations of cultural dancing and music. it’s a full day of entertainment! Saturday 10am8pm. Our Lady Of Lourdes, 8200 woodman Rd, 262.7315 www.filipinofestival.org
September 1 September 5,19,21,26
July 30
Delight in traditional island calypso and reggae sounds and interpretations of Stevie wonder, the Beatles, J.S. Bach and more with the Pan Masters Steel Orchestra. Get your shimmy, shimmy, shake on with exotic island instruments, great music and dancing on the green. Originally from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, these steel band competition winners promise a hot time in the old town. Saturday, 7pm, Hanover Arts and Activities Center Lawn, 500 South Center Street, Ashland 752.6766 www.town.ashland.va.us
August 17-18
A two-day event of dancing, soul food, & storytelling! Downtown Richmond comes alive with families and friends enjoying local and national entertainment, a heritage crafts market, interactive folkloric demonstrations and delicious down home foods and beverages. it’s a celebration of culture you won’t want to miss! Friday-Saturday, Abner Clay Park, Brook Rd. & w. Clay 644.3900, www.elegbafolkloresociety.org.
Down Home Family Reunion!
September 15
Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie And Neither Should Yours
2nd Harvest wine Festival at James River Cellars winery. James River Cellars winery and three other guest wineries celebrate the fall harvest. Listen to live music, visit with craftsmen and savor wine. Bring your lawn chairs, plan to picnic or buy fare there. Tickets are available in advance or at the door. Rain or shine. Saturday, 12-6pm. 550.7516 www.jamesrivercellars.com 48 W O R K M A G A Z I N E
Belly Dance Classes! improve self-expression and fitness with this ancient dance form. Learn basic belly-dance steps, finger cymbal and veil techniques. Just try to wiggle out of this one! intermediate classes available for those showstoppers that have completed the beginner class. Register by Aug 23. wednesday evenings, Twin Hickory Recreation Center or Thursday evenings, Confederate Hills Recreation Center, 501.5812 www.co.henrico.va.us/rec www.workmagazine.biz
¿Que Pasa? Festival of Virginia 2007 is the kick-off to Virginia’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Sponsored by the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and State Farm insurance and held at the Science Museum of Virginia. inside the Museum, translators will be available in the galleries. Outdoors, festival guests will also experience the smells, sounds and tastes of an fresh air Latino market. Saturday, 12-8pm. 378.4099 www.vahcc.com. 2007 Summer