MAY 2021
Chamber News THE VOICE OF BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
Business in Bloom
INSIDE: 07 | Business at the Bloom 08 | Leave it to Levi 10 | Bringing Home the Beef 12 | Rooted in Community
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair John Fox GreenSen, LLC
FEATURES 07 | Business at the Bloom
Chair-Elect Scott Harvard First Bank
08 | Leave it to Levi 10 | Bringing Home the Beef
Vice Chair Charles Daniels Integrus Holdings, Inc.
12 | Rooted in Community 14 | Ribbon Cuttings Return
Treasurer Adrian Taylor YHB
DEPARTMENTS
Immediate Past Chair Tracy Vosika George Mason Mortgage, LLC
04 | Letter from the CEO 04 | New Members
At Large Member Patti Solenberger Solenberger’s True Value Hardware
05 | TVRC News and Events 06 | The Book Nook Marker-Miller Orchards will open for the season on June 1, 2021
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Emily Burner Shenandoah University
Top of Virginia Regional Chamber Sponsors Chamber Elite
Jenny Grooms WMC Foundation Jim Guisewhite Sperry Van Ness James Imoh Edward Jones Investments
Chairman’s Club
Kevin McKannan GlenLoch Legal P.L.C. President’s Club
Katrina Meade City National Bank Cary Nelson H.N. Funkhouser Nadine Pottinga United Way NSV
Media Sponsors
Kristy Powers Navy Federal Credit Union James Stewart Grafton Integrated Health
Letter from the CEO Top of Virginia Regional Chamber
CHAMBER STAFF
Business is in bloom throughout our region as 2021 starts to show the light at the end of the tunnel. The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival successfully returned for the 94th time, and our sponsorship of the Business at the Bloom luncheon provided an account of how local leaders could lead a better experience for their own staff using many of the tools that speaker, Dave Sanderson, learned from seven minutes standing in freezing waters, ensuring that everyone else was able to leave the plane that had just crashed into the Hudson River. We have also seen businesses in bloom as shoppers and diners return to public venues. West Oaks Farm Market has found new paths to forge by offering live music to entertain guests while providing a chance to return to the stage for local musicians. Gore’s Meats has increased their staff by roughly 20 percent to handle the increased demand from local shoppers and assist local farmers who have had to endure long wait times due to this higher demand. MidAtlantic Farm Credit has set its sights on providing a base not only for farmers in our region but giving new agriculture students a chance to bloom to build the next generation of sustainability. We encourage you to continue your support of these businesses as regulations begin to ease. Spend some lovely time outdoors at one of our Chamber member’s locations, offering a chance to live life on the farm or take in the views from a local brewery or vineyard. Visit our website or stop in for a directory to see what our members have to offer as they continue to bloom.
Cynthia Schneider | CEO Top of Virginia Regional Chamber
UPCOMING EVENTS View the full TVRC calendar at regionalchamber.biz
Small Business Builders Friday, May 14 and 28 8:30 am to 10:00 am
Lunch & Learn Working with RFPs
Tuesday, May 25 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Wednesday, May 26 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Thanks to our new members who joined the Chamber between April 1 and April 30. To learn more about membership benefits, call 540-662-4118.
Welcome
New Members
Wayside Inn / Larrick’s Tavern
TEEL Construction Oakhurst Custom Cabinetry teelconstruction.com (703) 759-4754
oakhurstcabinetry.com (540) 277-2575
Virasec
Edward Jones Investments Corey J. Seymour
virasec.com (540) 722-9137
Valley Business Women Bloomin’ Tea Social
edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/ corey-seymour
(540) 869-1843
waysideinn1797.com (540) 869-1797
Smart Valley Solutions smartvalleysolutions.com (540) 660-3566
Lisa Fisher Art lisafisherart.com (301) 807-5466
Cynthia Schneider, CEO
cschneider@regionalchamber.biz
Billy Whirley Director, Membership Development
bwhirley@regionalchamber.biz
Dan Hitchcock Membership Development Specialist
dhitchcock@regionalchamber.biz
Kory Campbell Director, Marketing & Communications
kcampbell@regionalchamber.biz
Danita Roble Director, Event Management droble@regionalchamber.biz
407 S. Loudoun Street Winchester, VA 22601 540-662-4118 regionalchamber.biz OUR VISION Be the voice of business for Frederick & Clarke Counties and the City of Winchester, Virginia. OUR MISSION Provide programs and services to meet the business and professional needs of our members. OUR PURPOSE Connect business and community resources for mutual success.
TVRC NEWS & EVENTS In the News:
Save the Date: June 16, 2021 Rock Harbor Golf Course
The Virginia Chamber has announced registration for the Blueprint Virginia 2030 Regional Tour. Virtual meetings will occur in each of the nine Virginia regions to foster regional collaboration to provide input for Virginia’s next statewide strategic plan. “As Virginians prepare to elect a new Governor in November, we believe that the time is right to update Blueprint Virginia and set even more ambitious policy goals to achieve long-term economic growth,” said Virginia Chamber President & CEO Barry DuVal. “We must be proactive and remain vigilant as our Commonwealth works to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the coming months, we will call upon Virginia’s regional leaders and industry experts to analyze state and regional economies and identify specific economic drivers.” The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber members are primarily in Region 8 and can register for the webinar at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rPrKG3s0QZ6CL78Jjm22QA
Working with Local Government: The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber will be hosting a Lunch & Learn session on submitting Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quote (RFQ) to the local government to keep as much work as possible at our local business level. Attendees will hear from local government officials to learn how to get qualified to work with Government Entities, learn where to find RFPs, and learn how to respond to RFPs. A request for proposal is a document that solicits proposal, often made through a bidding process, by an agency or company interested in procurement of a commodity, service, or valuable asset to potential suppliers to submit business proposals. Attend Lunch & Learn May 25, 2021 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Learn more and register at: regionalchamber.biz
COVID-19 Updates Virginia regulations on gatherings will relax further on May 15th as vaccination percentages rise in Virginian adult populations. Governor Northam also expressed a desire to decrease mandates in June further. “I’m optimistic that we will be able to take more steps in June. We are working to significantly ramp up vaccinations even further and aim to reduce capacity limits in June, hopefully, all the way.” Northam said in a press release dated April 22, 2021. Updated guidelines: virginia.gov/coronavirus/forwardvirginia/
Does your company have what it takes to be this year’s champion? New Location | New Games | New Ways to Play Take home the Chamber Cup or the Chamber Torch! The 2021 Corporate Challenge will feature challenges for all. Moving the event outdoors allows competitors to battle in the Executive Challenge, an 18-hole golf tournament on Rock Harbor’s Rock Course, or sign up for the Amateur Challenge to play nine holes of golf with inventive games for any skill level. We invite all businesses to join in on the Corporate Challenge fun to prove you have what it takes to beat the best. Kick-off summer at Rock Harbor Golf Course with the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber to enjoy plenty of fun, food, challenges, prizes, and networking opportunities throughout the entire day.
Learn more and register at: regionalchamber.biz
by Matt Swain, PR Manager Handley Regional Library System
The Book Nook is a monthly column courtesy of Handley Regional Library System that shares reading recommendations on business topics, career advice, leadership, and more to help drive your business – and career – forward. Titles selected here are available as an eBook or audiobook on Hoopla, a free streaming platform for the community, with your library card. Learn more and start reading and listening at www.handleyregional.org/hoopla.
How I Built This by Guy Raz Award-winning journalist and NPR host Guy Raz has interviewed more than 200 highly successful entrepreneurs to uncover amazing true stories like these. In How I Built This, he shares tips for every entrepreneur’s journey: from the early days of formulating your idea, to raising money and recruiting employees, to fending off competitors, to finally paying yourself a real salary. Need more inspiration? We help small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals take care of business at your local library. Visit www.handleyregional.org/business
Business at the Bloom Written by: Top of Virginia Regional Chamber Dave Sanderson is a Winchester native and international speaker who was the last passenger off the “Miracle on the Hudson” plane crash in 2009. While his story has been told many times in press coverage since, his “why” is more apparent when you hear him speak in person. People of value - value people. Dave stood in that plane as water began to cover his ankles and quickly rose to his knees. Thoughts racing through his head were about those around him, both in that plane or exiting the hull at that very moment, and the family that made him who he is today. He spent more than seven minutes on a sinking aircraft assisting other passengers to safety, only to find that there was no room left for him once he was able to exit. The wings were full. The boats were full. Seated only four rows behind the wing, Dave could have been one of the first out. Instead, he was the last passenger left on board. He saw his life flash before his eyes and recalled how his mother would never let them say “can’t”. “If my mom heard you say can’t, she would show you that you could certainly do what you said you could not,” he said. He swam in freezing Hudson River waters to get to a boat that could take him to shore. Swimming lessons had been considered necessary to both his parents, and now were saving his life. His body temperature had lowered to a hypothermic 94 degrees, and his blood pressure skyrocketed. His words to a tent of nearly 500 attendees spoke fondly of the people that surrounded him in recovery, from first responders and Red Cross personnel to nurses that cared for him as he was brought into Palisades Medical Center located in North Bergen New Jersey. He summarized what he had learned through this terrifying experience in nine points for local businesses that attended Business at the Bloom.
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Dave Sanderson addresses the audience at the 2021 Business at the Bloom from the Frederick County Fairgrounds
Success Leaves Clues
• Process Saves Lives • Casualness leads to Casualties • People of Value value People • The Main Thing is keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing • Let go of needing to be right to do the right thing • Divorce the story of their limitation and marry the truth of their unlimited capacity • Leaders are expected to mentor someone • 5+15 is better than 15+5 Take 5 minutes to explain and give someone 15 minutes to ask questions instead of taking 15 minutes to explain and giving them 5 minutes to understand • Grace is fueled by Gratitude
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Levi Snapp takes a moment in the West Oaks Farm Market to speak with us before tackling a busy schedule of upcoming events
Leave it to Levi Written by: Top of Virginia Regional Chamber
In retrospect, it is hard to believe that Levi Snapp had enough time in the day to sit down with the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber to talk about how business has been, not only in 2020 as we so often hear and talk about recently, but what it means to be the 10th generation in a family that has been planting roots in this community since 1755. One answer rolled into the other, and he was back to work quickly.
corporate retreat working your way through a corn maze and bonding over a hayride amid the 200-acre property. Better yet, however you enjoy your time at West Oaks, you can still pick up the perfect gift to take home to momma in their market, and the best part is that you are sure to find a treat for yourself while you are in there.
A giant tractor slide provides an educational setting to expel some energy for visiting children
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Of course, Levi had an important phone call during our time together. “Yes, West Oaks Farm Market, located on Mid- ma’am,” he answered the phone to his dle Road, is a slice of heaven just southmother. Family first. We would not have west of Winchester. The three-year-old expected any different as Levi took care venue has created waves in the market of business, carefully coordinating a since opening the beautiful space in 2018. schedule of concerts and weddings in a You may find yourself in their company well-attended spot nestled in the glory of as a shopper or diner, enjoying a wedthe Blue Ridge Mountains. “We want to ding with views for days, celebrating your attract all ages,” said Levi as he resumed child’s birthday, or attending your our conversation, and that dedication to
Rows of Granny Smith Apples were in full bloom for our visit to West Oaks Farm Market that offers a wonderful selection and stunning views just moments from city limits.
providing a perfect experience for his guests shows throughout the facility. First of all, there is plenty of Vitamin-D just waiting to be enjoyed and plenty of reason to pick your own strawberries, in season now. West Oaks offers to cut your own flowers around June and pick your own pumpkins and apples as autumn rolls around. Converted farm equipment is perfect for children to enjoy the stay while getting a chance to learn how that equipment impacts our lives. Wedding planners and guests surely will not be disappointed with how removed the grounds can feel, even though they are just minutes from Winchester.
produce, a deli, honey, garden items, drinks, desserts, and many gifts for any season. Knowing where your food comes from is a vital philosophy around in the business. Guests can delight in produce and meats from the family farm processed by Gore’s Meats in Stephens City. Wedding attendees’ mouths will be watering over farm-to-table options. Other vendors are allowed, but why would you want to? You would be lucky to nourish your body with the care that the Snapps have put into their food for centuries.
May 14th Joker Band - 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. Low Water Bridge Band - 7:00 p.m. to
West Oaks also offers a petting zoo experience with plans to expand the program with more farm animals. While Levi and West Oaks Farm Market are dedicated to providing an experience to their current customers, they are already looking to the 11th generation of the family, even more generations of customers, and beyond. Every time a children’s activity is mentioned, plans to take the experience to the next level quickly follow. It is almost hard to have a conversation with a business without bringing up the four-lettered word 2020. (We know it is a number, but you lived it with us.) Even the question did not slow Levi in the conversation. “We saw overwhelming community support for live music,” he gratefully admitted. The market and events took a tumble due to the state’s regulations, but that created a new spark for the 266-year-old business. A concert series now occurs every Friday, and lunch guests can find live music from Noon to 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Plans for a new outdoor stage, wet bar, and fire pit are in the works to keep guests entertained during the summer. A large market offers plenty of items to choose from. Shoppers can find fresh
Upcoming Live Music West Oaks Farm Market VIP Membership Available
10:00 p.m.
May 15th Dylan Woelfel - Noon to 3:00 p.m. May 16th Winchester Church of God Praise Band 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
May 21st Shane Gamble - 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Six Pack Rodeo Band - 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Three reception areas offer plenty of options for celebration from 25 to 200 guests. Each indoor space quickly connects with an outdoor space to elevate the experience. As fresh air is in demand worldwide, West Oaks Farm Market has plenty to offer. It did not take long for these reception areas to book up as regulations recently opened. A few spots remained as we chatted under the sun. The Top of Virginia Chamber was fortunate enough to visit as apple blossoms graced the lands just before city festivities kicked off in April.
May 22nd Shane Click - Noon to 3:00 p.m. May 23rd Cody Sweeney - Noon to 1:00 p.m. Low Water Bridge Band - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
May 28th Jonathan Mitchem - 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Seven Bends Band - 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. May 29th West Oaks Strawberry Festival Blackjack Band - Noon to 3:00 p.m. Trainwreck Band - 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Bringing home the
Beef
Written by: Top of Virginia Regional Chamber When regional residents were not able to sit in their favorite restaurants, they brought the restaurants home by stopping at Gore’s Meats. The Federally Inspected, Retail Processing Edinburg Foltz Plant saw a decline in wholesale numbers, but their Gore’s Fresh Meats store in Stephens City, Virginia, had lines out the door. Customers were delighted to find the cuts of meat they desired from their favorite eateries until they were able to visit those eateries in person again. While this surge in business allowed the Gore family to grow their operation, adding roughly ten new jobs throughout 2020, it complicated schedules for local farmers who were accustomed to timelines that had been in place for many years. Most cattle are processed and reaching the
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Gore’s Fresh Meats has everything that you need to cook the meal of your dreams from the comfort of your home.
market within 24 months. The high demand pushed wait times out an additional 12 months, costing farmers thousands of additional dollars to keep the cattle longer than expected. It also means cattle are larger when they come in. Gore’s processing facility needed to invest in new equipment to properly handle the larger beef. Community education is very important to the agriculture industry to continue to generate new interest in the next generation of farmers. You can find Gore’s stamp all over our region from the many restaurants that rely on their quality products to the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, set to take place on Saturday, May 22. That same Saturday will feature “Beef-a-palooza” at Gore’s Fresh Meats in conjunction with the Frederick County Ladies Farm Bureau. Attendees will have
a chance to pet and feed a live cow that will showcase beef cuts on one side to educate young eaters on the importance of knowing where your food comes from and being sure that food is sourced in maximum efficiency. Blood donors will have a chance to connect with Gore’s on one of their upcoming blood drives. “Beef up the Blood Supply” will take place on August 13, 2021 from Noon to 6:00 p.m. at the Stephen’s City Fire Department and their “Honor Veteran’s Blood Drive” is set to take place again in November. Supporting the local diners, in home or now out and about, has always been important to Gore’s Meats. The Business at the Bloom featured out-of-this-world appetizers from Gore’s customer Shaffer’s Barbecue in a wonderful collaboration with Glaize Apples and Red Fox Creamery.
Left Top: Appetizers at Buisness at the Bloom (photo by Gary Sousa) Bottom Left: A customer sizes up her options at Gore’s Fresh Meats Top Right: Local sauce options from Shawnee Springs are available at Gore’s Fresh Meats.
Rooted in Community Written by: Katie Ward, MidAtlantic Farm Credit Public Relations & Communications Specialist
As a cooperative financial association, MidAtlantic Farm Credit values the seven cooperative principles, one of which being concern for community. Creating local partnerships and giving back to those who live and work where we serve is a crucial aspect in our mission and vison as an organization, and why we consider our Association to be ‘Rooted in Community’. Serving members through farm loans, home loans and land loans, our community outreach efforts typically support the future of agriculture and organizations that promote ag education and career opportunities. We often volunteer our time and resources with 4-H chapters, local fairs, Farm Bureau chapters, and mobile ag labs.
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“Shaking up Ag Day” photos courtesy of MidAtlantic Farm Credit
To celebrate National Agriculture Week this past March, we chose to give back to the five state FFA organizations in our territory; Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. MidAtlantic Farm Credit donated a total of $8,186 to those state FFA programs during our eight “Shaking up Ag Day” events. We gave out one free milkshake to each person who stopped by, and matched the cost of each as a donation to the FFA organization for that event. Events were held at locations across our fivestate territory. Local creameries provided the milkshakes and Farm Credit staff delivered them to guests through their car windows. Members of each state FFA organization were also in attendance to help run the events and celebrate
National Ag Week with our members and the public.
for everyone’s success.
More than 1,400 milkshakes were served to the community during the three days. There was an additional $924 in cash donations given by the public to the FFA associations during the events. The donations will be used to support many educational and leadership opportunities for FFA students in the future.
“Our Shaking Up Ag Day events were another inspiring example of our care for community at work,” adds Matt Ritenour, MidAtlantic Farm Credit Regional Lending Manager. “The collaboration between Farm Credit, local creameries, FFA organizations, and members from the ag community illustrates the intertwined support we all show each other.”
Whether it’s a grain cooperative in the Midwest, where producers band together for the best prices; a milk cooperative here in the Mid-Atlantic, where members cooperate to get marketing benefits; or a vegetable cooperative in the city, where neighbors come together for fresh produce, cooperatives are a vibrant example of various communities working together
Farming itself is a community; people helping people, all to feed and clothe millions of consumers across the country. The members of a cooperative know better than anyone what agriculture and their community needs to grow. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the nearly 11,000 members that make up MidAtlantic Farm Credit!
For more information about the Shaking up Ag Day events, visit mafc.com/shake. To learn more about Farm Credit and our cooperative structure, visit mafc.com or call 888.339.3334.
Ribbon Cuttings
April 2021
I CAN 2 Books and Gifts opened at 5322 Main Street in Stephens City, Virginia. I CAN 2 trains and employs people with disabilities for the career of their dreams. They focus on the discovery and development of idividual’s creativity, strengths, and passion for a career they would love and enjoy.
The Valley Assistance Network relocated to 301 North Cameron Street in Winchester, Virginia and celebrated three years of service to the community in their April 27th Ribbon Cutting. Chamber member, United Bank, was also on hand to present the Valley Assistance Network a $5,000 donation.
Fun with Membership
Community Leadership Program in Photos
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1. Carmen Richmond of Heart of the Home enjoys Business at the Bloom in a stylish hat. 2. Richard and Darlene Kent of Signet Marketing take a picture of Dave Sanderson’s bullet point list for leaders. 3. Michele Brune of BB&T Lakin & Warren Financial Group dazzled in a handmade hat showing off her Apple Blossom Spirit. 4. Jill Edlich of The Wine Club for Women and Ravenwood Foundation stops for a picture with Patti and Jenna Solenberger of legacy member Solenberger’s Hardware (64 years of Chamber membership). 5. James R. Wilkins, Jr. (centered) of legacy member Wilkin’s Shoe Center (73 years of Chamber membership) joins Shenandoah University (41-year Chamber members) Dean of the School of Business Astrid Sheil (grey sweater), Kris Tierney, County Administrator of Frederick County, Virginia, and Patrick Barker of the Frederick County Economic Devolpment Authority. 6. Jennifer Frye of American Woodmark (27-year Chamber members) joins Will Lawrence of Edward Jones Investments for a quick photo.
