Lynchburg Business Magazine June/July 2015 by VistaGraphics

Cardiac care close to home Centra helped me get back to caring for my community. As a firefighter, it’s my duty to save people from danger. Serving my hometown of Lynchburg means so much to me. It’s what I was called to do. – Brian Younger, Lynchburg firefighter An irregular heartbeat forced firefighter Brian Younger to the sidelines. Centra cardiologist Richard Kuk, MD, diagnosed Younger with symptomatic premature ventricular contractions, which caused his heart to produce an extra beat. Dr. Kuk performed an ablation procedure to correct the irregular heartbeat. Thanks to Centra’s nationally recognized cardiovascular care, Younger is back on duty, working alongside his fellow firefighters, responding to calls for help around the clock.

For more information on heart care, call 1.877.MDLINK1 Watch a video about Brian Younger at StroobantsCardiovascular.com

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INSIDE LB

TABLE OF CONTENTS June/July 2015

FEATURES

UPFRONT

7 BY THE NUMBERS

8 IN THE NEWS

BUSINESS OVER 10 Fostek Corporation

11 MOVERS & SHAKERS

11 PLUGGED IN

Elizabeth “Liz” Brown, Rapid Printing

11 AROUND TOWN 12 LET’S DO LUNCH

Meals On Wheels of Greater Lynchburg

BUY LOCAL FEATURE What Local Spending Can Do

COLUMNS 15 LEGAL

Is Ride-Share the Future of the Cab Industry?

LEADING LADIES

LEADERS OF LYNCHBURG George Dawson, Academy of Fine Arts

17 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Cap Rate Primer Explained

23 HEALTHCARE

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Emergency Transportation

Businesses Making a Difference

25 FINANCIAL

Adjusting Your 529 Plan

29 MARKETING

How to Engage Millennials

BUSINESS UNDER 10

Ham Bone Productions

33 REAL ESTATE

International Buyers

MADE IN LYNCHBURG

37 HUMAN RESOURCES

Employee Volunteerism

ON THE COVER: Flags adorn the D-Day Memorial perimeter during the anniversary celebrations held June 2014. Photo by Warren Wright for AREVA who was the premier sponsor of the event. For more on businesses giving back to the community see page 38.

50 ROBOT #5279

JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

INSIDE LB

EDITOR’S LETTER

mpact. We all know it when we see it. An indelible mark, an impression, sometimes a “Wow.” In terms of business, it’s all about the ripple effect. Can one decision or initiative bring about lasting change? We think so. Take a look at 12 local businesses on page 38 who have all decided that making a difference doesn’t need to be a one-time, grand gesture, rather it can be a series of conscientious decisions that lead to lasting change in the lives of others. Two key themes stood out in learning about these businesses for our first Community Impact feature. First, many of them give back out of their given skill sets. A roofer gives away a free roof to a deserving family. A funeral home provides services free of charge to families who have lost a child. An automotive group sells reliable vehicles for a mere $1,000 to those needing independent transportation. In our own lives and businesses, what may we be missing? Identify your skill set and start looking for a need that could be met with your help. Second, many of these businesses credited their employees for making initiatives work or even developing the ideas. Without them, many fundraisers and volunteer efforts would stall before getting off the ground. It doesn’t hurt “that employees who are encouraged by their employers to volunteer feel better about their employer, are physically healthier and are more likely to be retained due to an increase in morale. . .” according to our HR columnist Colleen McLaughlin (find more on this on page 37). There are plenty of ways for everyone to contribute to bettering our community. We took a closer look at the impact of the Buy Local movement on page 26. You may be surprised what one locally spent dollar can do for our city! We also asked George Dawson on page 30 to share his thoughts on the Academy of Fine Arts capital campaign. Even in his retirement, Dawson continues to forge ahead; as he said, “It’s what’s next that matters.” Also make sure to check out our back page feature “Made in Lynchburg” to see how one engineering firm is investing in our next generation of innovators. Through mentorships and hands-on experience, these high school students are gaining quite an education. Finally, help us find those individuals making an impact in their places of business. We’re launching the first ever 20 Under 40 program as a way to find the best and brightest of our community’s up-and-comers. If you know someone who stands out for their contributions at work and in the community, then visit www.lynchburgbusinessmag.com to complete a nomination form prior to June 30. As always, feel free to drop us a line or find us on the web; we love to hear from the business community. Because if it’s happening in Lynchburg, it’s your business! Best,

Lynchburg Business Magazine is a bimonthly publication devoted to highlighting Lynchburg-based businesses and those in the surrounding areas of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell Counties, as well as the Town of Altavista. Every other month, 10,000 copies of Lynchburg Business Magazine are distributed by mail to local businesses, executives and individual business decision-makers. The goal of Lynchburg Business is for readers to look to the magazine as a resource worth keeping in their businesses and homes; one that appeals strongly to professionals in our area. Publisher Randy Thompson Managing Editor Jennifer Redmond Editorial Director Melissa Stewart Contributing Writers Jeremy Angione, Allan Belcher, Jeff Boyer, Kendrick Brunson, Ashley Bunner, Heather Cravens, Billy Hansen, Patice Holland, Megan House, Colleen McLaughlin, Drew Menard, Suzanne Ramsey, Jennifer Redmond, Dan Vollmer Vice President of Production Holly Watters Art Director Chris Meligonis Client Relations Manager Brittany Proctor Graphic Designers Kaye Ellen Trautman, Alyssia Gladden Web Creative Director Chris Murphy Sr. Web Developer & Web Administrator Brandon Litchfield Web Developer Caleb Whitehead SEO Analyst Michael Saks Web Marketing & Promotions Manager Kearsten Walden Photography LaShonda Delivuk, Esther Elmore, Adam Underwood Editorial Intern Ashley Bunner Vice President of Sales & Distribution Paul Brannock Sales Director Cheryl Blevins Senior Account Executive Missy Celli Account Executive Carolyn Keeling VistaGraphics Staff Copy Editor Robin Cather Controller Anita Burns Accounting Manager Dawn Meehan Accounting Clerk Sheryl Andersen Contributing imagery supplied by Thinkstock.com

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SUBSCRIPTIONS Receive Lynchburg Business at work or at home by subscribing today for $9.97 annually. Receive 6 bi-monthly issues: Feb/Mar, Apr/May, June/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov and Dec/Jan. To subscribe, go online to www.LynchburgBusinessMag.com or please send your check payable to VistaGraphics, Inc, 1264 Perimeter Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454, Attn: Circulation Mgr. Please be sure to include your mailing information: name, address, city, state, zip code, and phone number. For changes of address, please email George Carter, Circulation Manager: george@vgnet.com Lynchburg Business is published bimonthly by VistaGraphics, Inc. The corporate office is located at 1264 Perimeter Pkwy, Virginia Beach, VA 23454. © 2015 - all rights reserved. Reproduction of any material prepared by VistaGraphics, Inc., and appearing within this publication is strictly prohibited without express written consent of the publisher. Publisher does not purport to authenticate and is not responsible for claims made by advertisers found within this publication.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015

Jennifer Redmond, Managing Editor jennifer@lynchburgmag.com 6

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JUNE/JULY 2015

ADVERTISING DEADLINES Advertising Space Reservation.................................. July 31 Editorial & Events......................................................... July 31 Final Artwork.............................................................. August 4 For Advertising Information, please call us at 434.846.2333.

20 Under

BY THE NUMBERS

250

Number of pre-owned vehicles sold for $1,000 by Mabry Auto Group to families in need in 2014, page 39.

1,500

Approximate number of people treated by Forest Dental Center’s annual “Dentistry from the Heart” day in September, page 44.

Number of AREVA employees in Lynchburg, page 46.

45¢

Amount retained locally for every dollar spent at a locally-owned business, page 26.

40 presented by

in partnership with

$30,000 $1 million Approximate amount in sales per month by Fostek Corporation, page 18.

Half a Million Number of listeners for Robbie Hiner’s Sunday Morning radio show throughout the Lynchburg, Roanoke and Danville region, page 48.

Amount donated monthly by Tharp Funeral Home via their “No Charge for Children” program, page 40.

4,000 Meals distributed monthly on average by the Lynchburg area Meals on Wheels, page 12.

Help us find the up-and-coming young professionals in our region! We welcome nominations from all industries and aspects of business. The purpose of 20 Under 40 is to identify the best and brightest individuals among us who are making a difference in their places of work and in the community around them. To submit your nominations visit:

LynchburgBusinessMag.com/ 20-under-40-nomination-form The nomination portal closes at midnight on June 30 JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

UPFRONT

IN THE NEWS K-12 EDUCATION LINKHORNE MIDDLE SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER RECEIVES TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD AT NATIONAL HISTORY DAY

Photo Courtesy of Randolph College

HIGHER EDUCATION RANDOLPH COLLEGE NAMED IN NATION’S TOP 50 MOST SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITIES

he Princeton Review has ranked Randolph College as the 46th most “green” college in the nation and also one of the 353 most environmentally responsible colleges. Randolph College President Bradley W. Bateman said that the school is pleased to be acknowledged as one of the top ranking “green” schools in the nation in the 2015 edition of the book The Princeton Review Guide to 353 Green Colleges, which was published April 16. “At Randolph, sustainability is a priority that is taken seriously by our entire community,” Bateman said. “Whether it is through efforts such as using reusable and a recyclable carry-out containers in our dining hall to our evergrowing recycling program to a general-campus initiative to conserve energy, Randolph is a small school committed to making a big difference in our world.” According to The Princeton Review’s Senior Vice President and Publisher Robert Franek, the company has seen growth in the interest of green colleges among college-bound students. “Among nearly 10,000 teens who participated in our 2015 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 61 percent told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the college,” Franek said.

NONPROFIT

HUMANKIND PARTNERS WITH LYNCHBURG CITY SCHOOLS

hrough the collaboration of several organizations, local education readiness initiatives will receive a strong boost of support. An United Way’s Education Readiness Initiative grant was awarded to HumanKind to partner with Lynchburg City Schools (LCS). As grant recipients, HumanKind will receive $121,000 in year one of a three-year grant cycle to impact early education readiness in Central Virginia by providing home visitation services to the LCS pre-K population. Visits will be facilitated by Family Education Partners who will act as liaisons between families of young children and the LCS system. The Growing Great Kids (GGK) curriculum will be utilized to give parents the knowledge, skills and support they need to be their children’s first teacher. During these home visits, the components of the GGK curriculum will

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

his year’s winner for the junior level Teacher of the Year award at the National History Day contest was Linkhorne Middle School history teacher Jeanne Skinner. Skinner was awarded $500 in April and is now eligible to compete for the $10,000 national award. Skinner’s current and former students, as well as their parents, aided her nomination for the award by writing essays describing why she should be considered for the award. “In a world full of technology and distraction where boredom is dreaded and avoided at all costs by middle school kids, Mrs. Skinner gathers up their attention, sustains it in a most meaningful way, and ‘plants history right in our heads’,” a student of Skinner’s said in an essay. Teachers are nominated for the award by the National History Day coordinator and must meet certain criteria to be considered eligible for the award, including “development and use of creative teaching methods that interest students in history and help make exciting discoveries about the past.” “It is impossible to emphasize enough the tremendous impact this teacher has had and continues to have on her students,” a student of Skinner’s wrote in an essay.

be delivered, with an emphasis on the promotion of key pre-academic skills: social-emotional preparation, reading, writing language/communication, math and science preparation. “So much of a child’s future success – academically, socially and emotionally –hinges on their early childhood learning experiences, both in school and at home, “ said Miriam Torian, Director of Quality and Community Based Services. “We’re looking forward to this partnership so that we can help families harness their strengths to cultivate a love of learning in their children. By building connections between school and home, children will be more successful in the classroom.” “Lynchburg City Schools is excited to be partnering with HumanKind for this important initiative,” said Linda Williams, LCS pre-K Coordinator. “It will benefit the children and families of the pre-K students in Lynchburg City Schools. We are grateful for the opportunity and look forward to beginning the collaboration.”

UPFRONT

NEWS & MEDIA MEET THE HOSTS: THE MORNING LINE WITH LARRY & JANET (WLNI 105.9 FM) By Drew Menard

eekday mornings, before the sun peeks over the Blue Ridge, Larry Dowdy and Janet Rose are sparking the day’s conversation for listeners across the region, as they tackle the latest local, national, and global issues, doused in humor and seasoned with some uplifting stories, on their daily talk radio show, the Morning Line with Larry & Janet on WLNI 105.9 FM. The talking points keep rolling until the workday begins, but the conversations undoubtedly continue throughout the day. The duo joined forces this past February—but neither is a stranger to radio. Rose worked in music-based radio in the area in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She then worked with Lynch’s Landing for over a decade, helping the nonprofit revitalize downtown Lynchburg and work with local organizations. Her passion for the region is evident. Dowdy has been heard on stations across the region—save for a brief stint in Baltimore—for more than 40 years. He has hosted programs on a variety of stations, everything from Top 40 to oldies to country. While their roots add some hometown flavor to the mix, the hosts’ chemistry is what really spices up the conversation. From the get-go the pair hit it off—never a guarantee in radio but certainly a key factor— and the show has been gaining traction ever since. Both hosts bring insight, passion and wit to the Morning Line—plus plenty of humor, often at Dowdy’s expense. Each personality is distinct as well. Rose adds heart to the show. While plenty of the day’s news is

ARTS

ACADEMY RAISES ONE THIRD OF CAPITAL GOAL; CAMPAIGN NOW OVER $6.1 MILLION MARK

he Academy of Fine Arts Theatre has received an anonymous donation of more than $1 million. With one of the largest donations made to the Academy, more than $6.1 million has been raised for the $16.6 million

capital campaign to restore the theatre. “We are thrilled,” Academy Chairman of the Capital Campaign George Dawson said. “This gift demonstrates the donor’s commitment to the Academy, our mission in the community and the new leadership direction represented by

heavy, she always makes sure to share some uplifting stories from the community. She also brings the fire—passionate about her beliefs, Rose doesn’t hold back and dishes out sarcasm left and right. Dowdy often serves as the show’s philosopher. While he may apprehensively toss out his two cents, he enjoys entertaining diverse perspectives, helping listeners get a deeper understanding of the issues. Plus his quirks keep things interesting. Both hosts, however, recognize that everybody has their opinion and that those echoed from behind a mic are no more important than another. They welcome listener interaction, through calls, texts and social media, and are impressed by how well-informed their listeners are. The show is a roller coaster, meandering the ups-and-downs of the news with enjoyable traction, and plenty of loops, twists and surprises throughout. Catch the Morning Line weekdays from 5:30 to 9:00 a.m. or through the TuneIn app. Geoffrey Kershner, our new Executive Director.” The campaign has benefited from the support of corporate, public, private and individual supporters. The supporters making commitments to the campaign in excess of $250,000 include Liberty University, the Genworth Foundation, Barbara and Cleve McGehee, Moore & Giles Inc. and Robert Roberts. Leadership gifts like this set the stage for a successful campaign,” Dawson said. “As the campaign gains even greater momentum, we will be asking the entire community to help.” The Academy is issuing construction contracts while fundraising continues to progress in preparation of major restoration work. Recently restored were the marquee and canopy. The next steps will include repairing the theatre roof and exterior brick walls, as well as stabilizing foundations and footing. JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

UPFRONT

K-12 EDUCATION

SMALL BUSINESS

LYNCHBURG CITY SCHOOLS ACCREDITED; RECOGNIZED IN TOP 2,000 SCHOOLS

LYNCHBURG CHAMBER RECOGNIZES WINNING BUSINESSES

. C. Glass and Heritage High Schools were both visited and evaluated by the AdvancED Committee this spring and as a result have been recommended for accreditation. Both schools have also been recognized on the Washington Post’s annual ranking of America’s Most Challenging High Schools; of the 22,000 public high schools in the nation, fewer than 3,000 are selected. Within the state of Virginia, 104 schools made the list. E. C. Glass was 30th with an index of 3.196, and Heritage was 92nd with an index of 1.434. Heritage High School will offer the AP Capstone program in the 2016-2017 school year. “Our staff does an outstanding job of pushing our students to take more advanced and AP course offerings,” says Heritage High School principal Tim Beatty. “We are adding more AP classes to our course selections such as AP Environmental Biology and AP Human Geography next year, and we will continue to communicate the rigor and expectations associated with our Advanced and AP course offerings to our school community.” E. C. Glass principal Tracy Richardson attributes her school’s improvement on the index score in part to the addition of AP Human Geography two years ago. The school has done well in these rankings for several years. “The intent was to try to get some students who might not normally take an AP course enrolled. We started with one section of that class, and we will have four next year. The pass rate of a 3 or higher has been phenomenal,” she says. Dr. Richardson says she expects continued growth because E. C. Glass will be one of only two high schools in Virginia with the AP Capstone program next year. Glass will also bring back the AP Macro and Micro Economics class. “Our students and teachers work hard and the results are showing.”

R. Edward Fielding, Inc. parking lot layout & marking

tennis courts • athletic tracks industrial safety aisles phone : (434) 845-1740 mobile : fax : (434) 846-2856 (434) 841-8676 refielding@verizon.net 10

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JUNE/JULY 2015

n May 7, the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce honored this year’s Small Business Award winners. With several categories, the Chamber’s selection panel of eight individuals scored each of the 24 submissions and then averaged their totals to determine the winners. In retail, bloom by Doyle’s was awarded; in manufacturing/industrial, Lynchburg Ready Mix; in nonprofit, Gleaning for the World; in restaurants, Jersey Mikes Subs of Lynchburg; in business services, Integrated Technology Group, Inc. Jersey Mikes Subs was also named the overall 2015 Small Business of the Year.

HEALTHCARE LYNCHBURG DENTAL CENTER RECEIVES ATTENTION FROM INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

ynchburg Dental Center (LDC) was recently visited by a well-respected health care organization’s film crew after being nationally recognized by the international publication Sidekick. One of the first in the region to receive such attention, LDC will be featured in Sidekick’s Autumn 2015 issue “based on their commitment to high quality and patient care and giving back to the community,” Henry Schein Equipment and Technology Specialist Rob Welch said. Produced by the world’s largest provider of health care products and services, Henry Schein Inc., Sidekick is the dental industry’s leading design and technology magazine, featuring articles on office design, financial news, equipment services, continuing education and lifestyles. For more information on Lynchburg Dental Center or Sidekick magazine, visit their websites at LynchburgDentist.com and SidekickMag.com.

PARKS & RECREATION NEW DIRECTOR SET TO START THIS JUNE

ennifer Jones has been appointed as the new Director of Parks and Recreation and will assume her duties June 3. Jones will replace Kay Frazier who served as the department’s director for 16 years. Currently serving as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Winchester, Virginia, Jones has over 24 years of experience in parks and recreation management. “She brings a wide breadth of knowledge and experience to the department and I believe that, coupled with her enthusiasm and talent, will ensure that Parks and Recreation continues to be successful,” Lynchburg City Manager Kimball Payne said. The appointment was made following a nationwide search and recruitment process in which more than 50 applications from across the United States were submitted. Jones was selected from a group of finalists who were interviewed by a panel of stakeholders.

UPFRONT

AROUND TOWN

PLUGGED IN

he Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce held their annual “Back to Business Basics” dinner on March 26. Hosted at the Boonsboro Country Club, the chamber recognized several winners in a number of categories. In Agribusiness, the Bedford Area Family YMCA Farmer’s Market won; for Nonprofit Organization, the National D-Day Memorial won; Small Business of the Year was Town Kitchen & Provisions; and Large Business of the Year was Fostek Corporation. The citizen of the year, recognized for her volunteerism and community activism, was Evelyn Johnson. Coach Rebecca received the Founding Fathers Award for Volunteer Service.

JUNE 3

LYNCHBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER/CVIC GOLF TOURNAMENT

London Downs Golf Club, Forest, VA 1 to 7 p.m. Prices and more information at www.londondowns.com.

JUNE 9

NETWORKING BEFORE NINE WITH THE BEDFORD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Bedford Baptist Church, 1516 Oakwood St., Bedford, VA 8 to 9 a.m.

JUNE 13

THE SALVATION ARMY CAR/ TRUCK/BIKE SHOW

Tree of Life Ministries Parking Lot 2812 Greenview Dr. Lynchburg, VA 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

JUNE 20

12TH ANNUAL WORLD WAR II IN MINIATURE DISPLAY AND FLAG DAY EVENT

MOVERS & SHAKERS M.

GROWING UP IN WORLD WAR II DAY CAMP

National D-Day Memorial 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford, VA 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

JUNE 26

COFFEE TALK WITH LIFE FOCUS

1059 Vista Park Drive, Forest, VA 8 to 10 a.m.

JULY 3

CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY

National D-Day Memorial 3 Overlord Circle Bedford, VA 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

JULY 14

NETWORKING BEFORE NINE WITH THE BEDFORD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Sam’s Club 3912 Wards Road, Lynchburg, VA 8 to 9 a.m.

National D-Day Memorial 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford, VA 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

TOP: Coach Rebecca accepts her award; MIDDLE: Award recipients pose for a group shot; BOTTOM: Phil Foster, President of Fostek Corporation, accepts his company’s award.

AMANDA

JUNE 24-26

MORGAN—Counsel

the Lynchburg office of Gentry Locke. Amanda will perform civil, municipal and business litigation. A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Richmond Law School, Amanda served as an intern in the Office of the Chief Staff Attorney of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the United States Attorney’s Office and the Virginia Office of the Attorney General in Richmond.

CYNTHIA D. KINSER—New Senior Counsel with Gentry Locke Attorneys. Cynthia brings

a Master of Education in Agency Counseling and a Bachelor

17 years of experience into her position after

of Arts in Psychology from the College of William & Mary.

serving on the Supreme Court of Virginia

BARBARA WILLS MURRELL—New Admin-

as Chief Justice. “Justice Kinser has served with distinction in

istrative and Accounting Manager at Old City Cemetery. Barbara has over 27 years of experience in office and financial management. She demonstrated exceptional skills in nonprofit financial operations, human resources and data management at Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity.

ERIC SCALISE—New CEO of National

DEBORAH M. GRISHAW—Mortgage Loan

House of Hope. Dr. Scalise brings more

Officer at Bank of the James. With over

than 35 years of clinical and professional

20 years of service in the mortgage/real

experience in the mental health field.

estate industry, Deborah has served with

with more than three of those years serving the state and federal judiciary, and brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and wisdom to our firm,” Managing Partner of Gentry Locke, Monica Monday, said. Cynthia is responsible for appeals, criminal matters and government investigations. TULANE PATTERSON—named Virginia’s 2015 Small Business Person of the Year. He is the CEO/Owner of Generation Solutions and former chairman of Lynchburg’s Chamber of Commerce. Since 1998, the company has

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in

Mortgage Atlantic, Inc. as Vice President

offered in-home services delivered to clients, helping to ensure

Organizational Leadership from Regent University, an

since 1996 and President since November 2014. She currently

that retirement years are spent in the “comfort and familiarity”

Educational Specialist in Marriage and Family Counseling,

serves as Treasurer of the Lynchburg Road Runners Club.

of one’s own home.

JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

UPFRONT

LET’S DO LUNCH! Meals on Wheels BY J E NNIFE R RE D MOND

rom start to finish it only takes about 90 minutes— give or take some time to chat with a recipient. Afterwards, I thought to myself, “This is too easy not to do again.”

Navy veteran, Mr. Gibson, is all smiles upon receiving lunch for himself and his wife. Volunteers like Maureen Lockridge (bottom left) and Phyllis Webb (bottom right) know their volunteer efforts make a huge difference for those like Gibson.

And I think that’s the idea behind Meals on Wheels. A relatively small gesture can have an incredible impact on the life of another. While different levels of commitment are available, many volunteers deliver a round of meals just once a week and some even once a month. Along with our photographer, Esther Elmore, I recently joined two Meals on Wheels volunteers for a lunch delivery route in the Fort Hill area. Maureen Lockridge was our driver; Phyllis Webb, the navigator. Armed with a list of meal recipients, addresses and dietary instructions, Webb directed us from house to house, her and Lockridge trading tidbits back and forth on various recipients. Typically, Lockridge and her husband alternate with Webb and her husband, but today it was a ladies day out on the town.

Save the Date! June 20-27 4th Annual

Coming

Soon The Summer Issue! July/August 2015

LL L LYNCHBURG’S PREMIER LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE

Our Region's Premier Restaurant Experience - Local & Unforgettable Benefiting Meals on Wheels Prix fixe menus designed to fit every budget while showcasing each participating restaurant’s most beloved flavors

LYNCHB URG’S

LYNCHB

MAGAZ INE

URG’S PREMIE R LIFESTY LYNCHBURG LE & ENTERT

IVING IVING IVING

LE PREMIE R LIFESTY

T & ENTERTAINMEN

AINMEN T

LYNCHBURG

SEPTEMBER

/OCTOBER

2014

BEST OF AWARDS

JANUARY/F

Toast to Life, Literature

and Friendship

Women Warriors

Stories of Local Veterans

A Hometow n Beauty Quee n

+ HIT THE SLOPES THE PrESIDEN | CrIb Crazy! T’S CabIN | SPICE UP yOUr

+ ScholarShip ESSay WinnEr | nEW Football DEvElopmEnt lEaguE paul clEmEntS’ bluFFWalk projEct | local campuS garDEnS anD markEtS

@lynchburgliving, #LRW2015, #lynchburgrestaurantweek

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2015

Be Rocking Out Why You Should Scene to the Local Music

VEGGIE VICTORY OUT IN | DECLARE FOR ALL OF US + WORKING S | FESTIVUS CRUNCHY MUNCHIE

Lynchburg Restaurant Week

EBRUARY

Reader Rated List Region’s Top Picksof

LYRICAL GENIUSES June 20-27

The MARGAREADER

www.lynchburgrestaurantweek.com

MAGAZ INE

LYNCHBURG

MAY/JUNE 2015

Getting to Know Locally Raised Miss Virginia

PLaTE

every iSSue incLuDeS: Local Art & Artists • Entertainment gardening Tips • Home Tours Travel Destinations . . . and a newly expanded dining section featuring local chefs, farmers & much more!

Don’t miss any of the exciting things happening soon! Go to www.LynchburgLiving.com

UPFRONT Between trading shortcut preferences and stories of dogs on the loose from past deliveries, Webb and Lockridge shared their backgrounds with us and why they take time to work with Meals on Wheels.

“Well, I think the need is so very great,” Webb said when asked why she choose this nonprofit. “Hunger is increasing all around us— more than ever before, hunger is so evident.” Lockridge echoed Webb’s sentiments, and both agreed that the reward is great for such a simple time commitment. “When you get to know recipient’s stories, it’s really nice,” Lockridge said. “For many of the people we serve, our volunteer might be the only person they see that day,” Executive Director Kris Shabestar said. And those we met confirmed this reality. Lockridge and Webb both gathered newspapers and mail on their treks up to different front doors, greeting recipients with warm smiles, a pat on the back and a “How are you doing today?” After taking his lunch, one gentleman told Lockridge, “I don’t know what I would do without you,” tears brimming in his eyes. A Navy veteran from World War II, Mr. Gibson’s immense gratitude for his simple meal highlighted just how critical this work is for those receiving help.

BY THE NUMBERS For the 4th year in a row, Meals on Wheels is the beneficiary of donations from Lynchburg Restaurant Week. Here are some reasons why #LRW2015 is proud to partner with this local organization: • 4,000 meals distributed monthly on average • 230 meals distributed daily on average • $0 received from Federal or state funding sources • $20 provides 4 meals for someone in need

“Part of our mission is to help people stay healthy so they can stay at home longer,” Shabestar explained. “Nutrition has a significant impact on overall health, and so we want to help people before they become too ill to take care of themselves.” After spending some time in the hospital earlier this year, Gloria Baughn couldn’t agree more. Since she is on a special diet with certain restrictions, Baughn says knowing a meal is on the way gives her peace of mind. “I don’t even have to think about what to fix.” Baughn also enjoys catching up with her daily visitors, sharing tales of her neighborhood and her latest plans for spring cleaning. Meals on Wheels is “fantastic and wonderful,” she said, adding, “It’s good to love others— love keeps you going.”

GET INVOLVED Interested in driving one of their available routes? Follow these simple steps.

1. To fill out a volunteer application, call (434) 847-0796, or visit www.mealsonwheelslynchburg.org 2. A volunteer coordinator will schedule a “drive-along” for you and a current volunteer driver 3. You receive a volunteer manual and are ready to start!

Both Lockridge, top left, and Webb, top right, volunteer frequently with Meals on Wheels and many other nonprofits in our community. Executive Director Kris Shabestar says several routes are currently available for new volunteers to join the cause.

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labor & employment

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LEGAL

THE BIG YELLOW TAXI HAS A NEW LOOK IS RIDE-SHARE THE FUTURE OF THE CAB INDUSTRY? BY PAT I CE L. H O LLAN D, C H A IR, TRA NS P O RTAT I O N SECT I O N O F T H E V I R G I N I A BAR A SSOC I AT I ON

t sounds great: order a taxi using a smartphone app and choose between a luxury vehicle or SUV. The app finds a rider via a smartphone’s GPS system, and the car arrives in minutes. Many people proclaim they’re never going back to the taxis of yesterday.

Uber and Lyft—two of the ride-sharing pioneers—set out to change the taxi transportation industry. They developed a mobile app to allow people to use their own vehicles and connect with customers to offer transportation. The competitive advantage? Quick service and convenience of electronic payments. From local municipal regulations, and labor and employment policies, to the Americans with Disabilities Act, this entrepreneurial idea is driving into potential legal issues. In 2015, Uber and Lyft received approval to operate in Virginia. Currently, Uber serves Charlottesville, Richmond, Roanoke-Blacksburg and Lyft is available in Virginia Beach-Hampton Roads. Here are a few legalities to consider as ride-sharing takes off.

LOCAL REGULATIONS Virginia regulates taxis; plus many cities and counties have specific local ordinances. Since the ride-sharing idea is new, jurisdictions are experiencing growing pains over where the companies—and their drivers—fit into local guidelines. Arlington County’s regulation page lists companies with which it has contracts and offers this guidance: “Other taxicabs and vehicles for hire, such as those operating for Uber, Lyft and Sidecar, don’t have these same regulations and may not provide their passengers with the same protections.” At airports, taxis and car services have ground transportation agreements with airport management for on-site access pick up of passengers. Agreements can have fees per driver, per passenger, and even charges for the time a driver waits for a fare. The challenge for ridesharing companies is they often begin operations at the

airport without an agreement in place. But airports are catching up. “Transportation services like Uber are a growing trend,” said Tim Bradshaw, Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport’s Executive Director. “Our goal is to provide good transportation options to travelers and also manage all ground transport activities and protect our guests. We require all ride companies who do business on our property to apply for a permit and submit proof of insurance prior to being issued a Radio Frequency Identifier tracking device. We’ll capture their activity and collect the fees associated with the airport’s ground transport program.” Insurance coverage is another regulation—and requirement—for taxis and vehicles for hire. If an accident occurs, who is liable? Driver, company, or you? Many large insurance companies are deciding whether personal policies cover ridesharing drivers since these drivers are engaging in commercial activity. The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) created a public-safety campaign and identified 32 states, plus Washington, D.C., that have issued alerts warning consumers about dangers of the lack of sufficient insurance coverage by ride-sharing companies.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT While the use of taxis is decreasing in large cities, litigation is on the rise for these ridesharing companies. Uber’s business model classifies itself not as a “transportation company” but instead as a “software company” that matches ride-seekers with drivers looking for riders. In fact, an attorney defending Uber in a recent Orlando, Fla. lawsuit stated, “Uber is a technology company.” Uber maintains it is not an “employer.” Courts have taken issue with the business model and find it is rooted with challenges. In March 2015, in O’Connor v. Uber Technologies, Inc. the United States District Court for the Northern District of California denied Uber’s motion that Uber drivers are independent contractors and therefore are not entitled to statutory protections for employees under the California Labor Code. Uber drivers filed a class action suit claiming Uber misclassified them as independent contractors. Drivers argued for reimbursement of their expenses of gas and vehicle maintenance and even gratuity. Uber advertised gratuity was included in the fare, advising no tip needed. In O’Connor, the court analyzed whether or not Uber is acting as an employer or as an independent contractor—and held that it is a transportation company, albeit a tech-savvy one. The court reasoned “Uber is no more a ‘technology company’ than Yellow Cab is a ‘technology company’ because it uses CB radios to dispatch taxi cabs . . . or Domino Sugar is a ‘technology company’ because it uses modern irrigation techniques to grow sugar cane.”

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES Uber and Lyft have encountered other legal obstacles under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in connecting disabled riders with a handicap-accessible car service through its app. In Salovitz v. Uber Techs and McPhail v. Lyft, Inc., Texas residents sued Uber and Lyft, respectively, for discrimination under the ADA and sought injunctive relief. Plaintiffs alleged that Uber violated the ADA because its app provided no way to request a handicap accessible cab. Uber argued that if a court granted injunctive relief requiring it to modify its app and policies and procedures, its “cost of compliance” would be extraordinary. Procedural issues aside, cases such as these are looming for Uber and Lyft—is it an app issue or a compliance issue, or both? The overall challenge going forward is to find room for the innovative spirit of commerce and job opportunities that companies such as Uber and Lyft provide, coupled with protections for passengers, drivers (employees), and existing transportation businesses. Patice Holland is an attorney in the Roanoke office of Woods Rogers PLC practicing in intellectual property, labor and employment, and litigation. She is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law. For more information visit www.woodsrogers.com.

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A CAP RATE PRIMER BY B I LLY H AN SE N

s a local commercial real estate appraiser and agent, I spend the majority of my working hours thinking about, writing about and talking about commercial real estate with colleagues, clients, brokers, tenants, landlords, buyers, sellers, investors, builders, bankers and fellow appraisers. Outside of the office, I find casual conversations constantly turning towards commercial real estate after the “So, what do you do for a living?” small talk. I’ve talked new retail development at Starbucks, downtown revitalization at a princess birthday party, real estate investing at a Hillcats’ game, capitalization rates over chips and queso at Mi Patron, historic tax credits at a wedding reception and “When will we finally get a Trader Joe’s?” at every single dinner party. I love the curiosity of next level questions such as “How does a project like that get put together?” or “Why did this retailer decide to go here instead of there?” or “How does an investor make money on that type of deal?” I also love the conversations these questions spark. So, where do we start our conversation? Let’s start at the very beginning with the vocabulary. Every industry has their jargon, and commercial real estate is no different. You may hear terms and abbreviations such as triple net lease, ROI, DCR, TI, NOI, pro forma and cap rate. I’ll try to demystify some of the more common industry terminology.

We’ll start with one of the most commonly used and most frequently asked about terms: cap rates. So, what exactly is a cap rate, and why should you care? A cap rate—or capitalization rate—is simply a measure of return that is used to convert income into value. If you care about profit and return on investment (ROI), you care about cap rates. Mathematically, a capitalization rate is very simple to calculate. (Yes, I know, nobody said there would be math, but don’t worry, it’s simple, and I already did it for you.) Annual net operating income (NOI), which is net income before debt service and depreciation, divided by the sale price equals the capitalization rate. For example, a property with NOI of $80,000 and a price of $1,000,000 has a cap rate of 8.0%. The math is easy, but knowing how and when to use a cap rate is the challenge. The two primary applications of cap rates are for valuing an asset and for comparing investments. Appraisers and brokers use cap rates to estimate the market value of an income-producing property. With NOI known or projected, they need to estimate a cap rate, which can vary widely based on the local market, property type, lease terms and specific characteristics of the property. They will look to the market for comparable sales with cap rate indications, market surveys and data about prevailing interest rates, loan terms and expected equity returns. With a credible cap rate estimated, the appraiser or broker divides the NOI by the cap rate to estimate the market value of a property by the income approach. If the market research indicates a cap rate of 10% for a certain property with NOI of $75,000, the expected value would then be $750,000. For an investor, a cap rate is a tool for comparing alternative investments. A real estate investor scans the market and finds several investment properties marketed for sale that include a triple net McDonald’s ground lease at a 5% cap, a 12-unit apartment building with strong operating history at an 8% cap, and a multi-tenant suburban office building with 50% vacancy at a 12% cap based on pro forma numbers (“pro forma” numbers are just someone’s best guess at what income and expenses will be. It’s okay to guess and often required but know that some people are better guessers than others. Kick the tires yourself to be sure those paper projections reflect market reality). With cap rates in hand, the investor can compare these diverse investments to one another. The investor is intrigued by the potential returns on the higher cap rates deals, but worried about uncertain cash flows, non-credit tenants and the need for hands on management. Conversely, the McDonald’s ground lease deal would yield the lowest return, but it comes with the most reliable cash flows, zero management required and the most peaceful night of sleep. When comparing multiple investments by their cap rates, it can be helpful to run the Sweet Dreams test, which is a highly subjective test that measures how well you could sleep at night knowing that your hard-earned money is tied up in a particular investment. If you’re a born risk-taker that lives by the motto “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” this test may not be of much help to you. For the rest of us, it can be a helpful gut check when giving serious thought to moving forward with a risky deal because of enticing profit projections. Investors seek properties that match both their required rate of return and their risk tolerance. Clearly, cap rates are an important tool in the valuation process and a valuable indicator for investment analysis. With this essential industry term added to your vocabulary, the question is no longer “So, what exactly is a cap rate?” but instead “How do I best apply cap rates to my specific context?” Billy Hansen, MAI serves the Lynchburg area as the principal commercial real estate appraiser of Hansen Realty Advisors, LLC and as an agent with Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer. To discuss cap rates some more, email him at hansenrealtyadvisors@gmail.com.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

OVER

BUSINESS TEN YEARS

FOSTEK CORPORATION EXPANDS GLOBALLY, INVESTS LOCALLY BY HEAT HER J. C RAVENS

ostek Corporation, which has locations in both Bedford, Va., and South Bend, Ind., develops and manufactures engineered polymeric foams—a high quality plastic and rubber blended, closed-cell foam, made in a

continual roll process used for multiple applications. Phil Foster, CEO and owner, started the company in 2004, debt-free. With over

10 years in the industry, the company remains privately held and financially solid. They are continuing to grow with new products and remain customer focused, while striving to improve for their customers, employees and the community.

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“Fostek was an idea that carried a lot of risk,” Foster said. “We started up a factory that had been shuttered for over two years. The equipment that was in place was either a skeleton or needed significant repair. Our two primary competitors are very well-established, deep pocket companies— one a large Japanese multi-national and the other a large German multi-national. When manufacturing was shrinking in the U.S., we were starting-up.” With two locations, Fostek is able to diversify their services and remain U.S. based. The South Bend location in Indiana is home to the business and sales office. The manufacturing, engineering, as well as research and development,

BUSINESS PROFILE all take place in the Bedford, Va., facility. It is located on 14-acres of land and is home to a 150,000 square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility. At this location, Fostek implements all their own research and development to create products driven by customer needs. The Fostek management group has extensive experience in this type of technology and manufacturing and is working on several unique new polymer blends for specific targets that can substantially increase business and status within the market. Fostek is currently working on a major investment to rehab and modernize another building on their site for additional warehousing and new equipment. “I left the corporate world because I believed that we could be successful if we could build a real team,” Foster said. “It is a trite phrase, but it really is all about the people, their formal skills or informal skills, that allow them to solve problems and make continuous improvement. We knew our targeted customers on a first name basis, we knew the existing technology and had ideas on how to bring new products to the market realizing the expense of achieving that goal was going to be high for a small start-up.” This closed-cell foam is manufactured from multiple combinations of unique formulas of plastic and rubber blends, consisting of PVC, Nitrile Rubber, Neoprene and EPDM. The product has many uses to the consumer. In the automotive industry, it is used with acoustics, such as sound and vibration control. Some practical examples of its daily use are in products such as inside car door panels, windshield seals, gaskets for taillight systems and heating and airconditioning systems. Some non-automotive uses of the product are cushioning and padding for wrestling mats, anti-fatigue standing mats, liquid storage tank seals, drainage pipe seals and weather stripping.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2004 Signs of Growth: Winner of Large Business of the year by Bedford Chamber of Commerce; acquired another company in 2010; moved equipment and key personnel to Bedford to increase product offerings. Employees: Over 70 Location: 1001 Broad Street, Bedford, Va.; South Bend, Ind.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Fostek Corporation not only contributes to a wide array of industries with their unique product but also is widely interested in community investment. The company runs a scholarship program, which was recently formed as the Harry Schickling Scholarship. Fostek named the scholarship after Schickling, an executive with Fostek at the time of his death in June 2014. “Bedford never had a better cheerleader and proponent than Harry,” Foster said. Schickling always pushed for improved education opportunities. Before his death, Schickling discussed with Foster that high school graduates, with even average grades, need encouragement to pursue practical degrees locally. He saw that ultimately it may help Fostek, as well as other local manufacturers, desperate for electrical or computer maintenance technicians. The scholarship program targets students at CVCC in Bedford—approximately one mile from the Fostek plant. Fostek also supports the D-Day Memorial located in Bedford. “My father, a carpenter, was a Seabee and landed [on] D-Day,” Foster said. “He never spoke much about it until after 9-11 when he was 91-years old. He wore his navy blues to church that Sunday and was honestly ready to sign-up as he had done after WWII broke out. After starting Fostek and spending more time in Bedford, as well as visiting the memorial, I immediately developed an ever deeper sense of awe, respect and amazement about the sacrifices that were made for us. It became a full circle realization that what the Bedford Boys and all the others sacrificed and achieved, allowed me to exist in the United States and to have the opportunity to start my own business. I can see the flag flying over it in the morning as I head into Bedford and it reminds me to be thankful everyday for what we all have in spite of the challenges we face as a country.” For more information about Fostek Corporation, visit www.fostek.com.

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LEADING LADIES

ELIZABETH “LIZ” BROWN Occupation / Formal Title: General Manager of Rapid Printing Age: 35 | Hometown: Bedford, Va.

What is your current job?

There’s been ongoing debate among women in business and “workfamily” balance. What’s your philosophy on work and family life?

I am the third generation to run Rapid Printing. My grandfather started printing in the late 60’s. In the mid-70’s, my father added office supplies. I took over after my father passed away in 2011 and am currently adding novelty paper goods and gifts.

Priorities change every day; set time boundaries for what to do when. Focus on work when you’re at work and focus on home when you’re at home. I have my son help with laundry, dishes, etc., then I have a little free time after he goes to bed.

Share about your experience as a female business owner.

Share some about your personal background— family and involvement in the local community:

After my father died, I just couldn’t see the store closing, and I thought I would give it a shot. I knew I was unprepared, but the entire staff stayed and together we made it work and even added new inventory. Three of my staff of five members are women. Women have different perceptions and insight. I’m always reading and researching new products, ideas and ways to improve the experience for our customers from a woman’s perspective.

What are some ideals or strategies that you prioritize in business? Customer service! I take the time to talk to my customers to make sure what they are buying is what they want and need. For example, a customer wants a “sign” for their child’s graduation party. In this case, a banner is better because of the dimensions, cost and duration of use. Online ordering doesn’t allow you to get another option that could be better suited and possibly less expensive.

What unique challenges do women in business face? Lots of challenges! Not being taken seriously, so we are forced to be more assertive.

What is your advice for facing those challenges? Continue pushing forward and don’t give up; be consistent; be clear on your expectations; let the little stuff go; have friends you can vent to.

Born & raised in Bedford. After college, I became a snow ski instructor at Snowshoe, West Virginia, in the winters and worked at the Virginia Dare Marina at Smith Mountain Lake in the summers for a few years. Moved to Florida and lived there for almost 10 years then moved back to Bedford in late 2010. Community involvement: member of Bedford Rotary Club, board member at the Bedford Area YMCA, past president of Bedford Business Leads Group, past president of Bedford Networking Women, member of Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce and Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce.

What do you enjoy about this region? It’s beautiful here! The mountains—everything outdoors—is beautiful in every season, all year long.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? With any choice you have to make, take a deep breath and look at it from a different perspective before you make your decision.

What one piece of advice would you share with others? Don’t be afraid to make tough decisions. JUNE/JULY 2015

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HEALTHCARE

LIFESAVERS:

Paramedics Play a Vital Role in Region’s Health BY AL LAN BELC HER

mergency medical service workers are often unsung heroes. The first step to excellent healthcare is access to hospitals, primary care offices and urgent care facilities. In many cases, EMS providers are the first to care for patients in emergencies, offering not just trips to the hospital, but lifesaving measures along the way. In times of crisis, medical transportation services can be the difference between life and death. This work matters greatly to the community. Each day, I watch this partnership play out beautifully, as Centra’s Transportation Service works closely with regional EMS agencies to take care of patients. Major traffic accidents or disasters make the headlines, but EMS providers—both paid staff and volunteers—stay busy with a steady stream of falls, heart attacks and other medical needs. When people call for help, they expect—and deserve—a quick response. It’s our job to make sure it happens. Centra’s four hospitals and outlying primary care practices have developed strong relationships with EMS agencies to ensure quick access to healthcare. Centra, which cares for an area roughly the size of New Jersey, also operates a transportation service, including ambulances, shuttles, neonatal transportation and Centra One, an emergency helicopter. The services must be fast, efficient and well-coordinated because seconds count. In some cases, Centra’s ambulances supplement and support a community’s 9-1-1 response, serving as a backup to volunteer agencies. This partnership and commitment to care is vital to a healthy community. Healthcare transportation services also play an important part in attracting economic development by showcasing a vibrant EMS system capable of

caring for others quickly. Everyone deserves access to high-quality healthcare and without transportation services, those opportunities evaporate quickly. EMS providers and transportation drivers log thousands of miles to put the community’s healthcare needs first. As Centra expands access throughout its primary care region, the need for more robust transportation services grows with it. We do everything possible to support our community’s health. In addition to Lynchburg, Centra provides 24-hour ambulance services in Gretna, Farmville and Bedford. Centra One makes 430 flights a year, handling some of the most life-threatening cases across the region. Like their ground transport colleagues, flight teams include a paramedic and nurse providing mid-flight care en route to trauma centers. Lifesaving measures often begin long before arriving at the emergency department. EMS providers are giving people second chances in the field and continuing to provide care on the way to the hospital. Leading-edge technology allows providers to send EKG results to the emergency department at Centra Lynchburg General Hospital. While patients are cared for in the ambulance, emergency department physicians read EKG results and activate cardiovascular teams to provide life-saving surgeries minutes after the patient arrives. Make no mistake, technological advances—both in the hospitals and ambulances—are important, but well-trained physicians, nurses and EMS providers save lives. This isn’t just a job—it’s a calling. Every day, they come to work to care for neighbors and friends. Each day offers new challenges, but also new opportunities to make a difference. This enduring and selfless devotion to others makes this community special. Allan Belcher serves as Director of Ambassador Services for Centra, leading the healthcare system’s transportation services.

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R e g i s t e R N ow

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You have the talent. Let Woods Rogers help you decipher the fine print at our 2015 Labor and employment seminar series. Choose Your Location: Lynchburg | Sept. 29 | Craddock Terry Hotel Roanoke | Oct. 20 | Hotel Roanoke If you are a CEO, president, human resources director, operations manager or in-house counselâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; join the Woods Rogers attorneys at one of the 2015 Labor and Employment seminars. The full lineup of session descriptions is available at www.woodsrogers.com/2015seminars Cost: Full Day (Roanoke only) | $236 - includes lunch and self-parking Half Day | $136 - includes continental breakfast and self-parking early bird discounts: Use code FIFTEEN2015 to save 15% when registering. Find discounts for bringing someone new and registering in groups of three or more on the seminars page of our website. offer ends July 10. Legal and HR continuing education credits will be available to all attendees.

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FINANCIAL

Make Timely Adjustments to Your

529 PLAN BY JEF F BOYER, EDWARD JONES F I NANC I AL ADVI SOR

f you have school-age children, you might greet the arrival of June with some relief— for at least a few months, you don’t have to worry about “encouraging” kids to do their homework, study for tests, give you their permission slips for field trips and so on. But one day, these obligations will give way to a substantially bigger one—paying for college. If you’ve already begun preparing for that day with a tax-advantaged college-savings vehicle, such as a 529 plan, you’re taking a positive step, because higher education is expensive. But it’s not enough to just set up your 529 plan—you may also need to adjust it over time. Up until this year, you were only allowed to change the investments in your 529 plan once a year. This caused concern among some investors, who wanted the freedom to change their 529 investments in response to movements in the financial markets. But late in 2014, President Obama signed into law the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) act, the key purpose of which was to create tax-free accounts allowing people to save for disability-related expenses. And one provision of the ABLE act also allows 529 plan investors to change their investments twice a year, rather than once. If you invest in a 529 plan, you might welcome this additional freedom to adjust your investments. Still, keep in mind that a 529 plan is a long-term

vehicle that’s not really designed to accommodate frequent “tweaking.” And, as is true with any investment account, such as your IRA and 401(k), you don’t want to over-react to short-term market fluctuations by making radical changes to your investment mix. Nonetheless, you will almost certainly want to adjust your 529 plan investments somewhat—at least in the long term. If you’ve opened a 529 plan when your children are young, you have many years until you need to tap into the money—which means your account has more time for growth potential and more time to “smooth out” those periods of market volatility, which will certainly occur. Consequently, you may be able to afford to invest somewhat more aggressively when your children are young. However, as your kids near college, you will probably want to revisit the level of risk in your 529 plan. So, during the last couple of years before you need to access your plan, you may want to consider moving some of your investment dollars to more conservative allocations. By doing so, you’ll cut back on your growth potential, but you’ll also lessen the risk of taking a big hit if you have to start taking withdrawals during a “down” market. Some 529 plans offer an option that automatically adjusts your investment mix toward a more conservative approach as your children near college age. But you may want to make your own adjustments, possibly with the help of a financial professional, to ensure that your 529 plan accurately reflects your own preferences and risk tolerance. As you save for your children’s college education, you may find a 529 plan to be a great help. Just be sure to keep a close watch on your plan’s investments as the years go by. This article was supplied by Edward Jones Financial for use by Jeff who has been a limited partner of EJI since 2006. Jeff received his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® certification in 2014. He can be reached at 434.832.0445 or jeff.boyer@edwardjones.com.

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LOCAL BUSINESS FEATURE

Arthur’s Flower Cart is part of the BUY LOCAL movement in Lynchburg.

LOOK WHAT THAT DOLLAR CAN DO!

A Closer Look at the Localism Movement in Business BY S UZ A NNE RA M S E Y

here’s been a lot of buzz lately about buying local. The Lynchburg Retail Merchants Association launched the “BUY LOCAL Lynchburg” campaign in 2013. There are posters, T-shirts, events and promotions, all aimed at supporting independent, locally owned businesses. There also have been national campaigns visible in and around Lynchburg, such as the American Express initiatives “Small Business Saturday” and “Shop Small.” In truth, the “buy local” movement is nothing new. A hundred-some years ago, there were likely shop owners on Lynchburg’s Main Street imploring their customers to buy from them instead of heading to Richmond or ordering from the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog.

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Most shoppers probably get it, at least on an intellectual level: buying local products and services is a good thing to do. But how do you get folks to change their buying habits and actually do it? To borrow from “Jerry Maguire,” sometimes you’ve got to show people the money.

“For every dollar you spend in a locally owned store, 45 cents goes back into the community,” Danny Givens, owner of Givens Books said, referring to a study publicized by the American Independent Business Alliance. “When spent in chain stores, it’s 16 cents and when spent on the Internet, it’s close to nothing.” For Givens Books, on Lakeside Drive, Givens said this “adds up to several hundred thousand dollars that goes back into our city’s economy,” each year. This happens through paying sales and property taxes, using local contractors, buying supplies locally and paying employees who live and shop in the Lynchburg area. “By using [this] reasoning, once people are informed on the potential consequences of their buying habits, many citizens attempt to make small

LOCAL BUSINESS FEATURE changes,” Givens, who started the business with his dad in 1976, said. On Main Street at The White Hart Cafe, Abe Loper supports local farmers, crafters and vendors, in addition to selling coffee and meals. For example, the chorizo and goat cheese that appear on the cafe’s menu come from Spring Mill Farm in Concord, and the apples in the Greek yogurt chicken salad come from Saunders Brothers Orchard in Piney River. The White Hart also sells local beer, artwork, jams and jellies, and granola, and books from Phantastic Books, an independent bookseller down the street. “The importance of buying local cannot be overstated,” Loper, who also owns Blackwater Coffee Co., said. “Though it would be silly to expect all people to buy local all the time, the fact remains that a purchase made from a local vendor is guaranteed to come back to the purchaser.” Small changes, when embraced by a community, can mean big dollars. Givens cited a “buy local” campaign in Portland, Ore., during which shoppers were asked to make a “10-percent shift” in their shopping, from “big box” and online stores and to independent, local shops.

The BUY LOCAL movement encompasses several components including the sourcing of local products for local stores and the encouragement of shoppers to choose local stores over national “box” stores.

“In that city alone, it was a $2 million dollar difference,” Givens said. “It’s huge when you think of the economic payoff. There’s just something very satisfying about doing it that way.” Another thing that Givens Books, The White Hart and other local businesses have done is pump money into local nonprofits.

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LOCAL BUSINESS FEATURE

Over the past 30 years, Givens Books has donated tens of thousands of dollars to local schools and nonprofits. “When was the last time Amazon made a penny’s contribution to any local little league team?” Givens said. “Never.” Over the past two years, The White Hart has donated to numerous nonprofits and charities, among them Lynchburg City Schools, Endstation Theatre Company, Freedom 4/24 and CASA of Central Virginia. The cafe also is used by local groups for meetings and other events, free of charge. “Our space is used by local book clubs, churches and charities for fundraising events on a regular basis, a service for which we do not ask to be compensated,” Loper said. “We are a small business with limited resources, but we cannot expect the community to love us if we do not first show the community how much we love them.” The Retail Merchants Association, which promotes approximately 130 businesses through its “BUY LOCAL Lynchburg” campaign, also supports many community groups and programs. “Through our foundation, we have given $3.5 million dollars back to the community in way of grants, mostly to humanities, shelter, food, children and elderly programs,” Laurie Gulluscio, director of marketing and membership for the RMA, said. “Last year ... we gave funds to 32 local nonprofits in our area.” So, when it comes down to it, “buy local” isn’t about money. It’s about people.

While there is nothing new about the “shop local” movement, the demand for homemade and handcrafted goods has recently increased in the local area.

“Localism is growing in this country and it’s not limited to just buying locally,” Givens said. “It’s about local farmers, local craftsmen, community markets with healthy and fresh produce, and locally made products.

“It’s about people connecting and keeping wonderful communities like Lynchburg vibrant and thriving economically, socially and civically. It’s about creating and maintaining a sense of community.” Loper echoed that sentiment. “We’re focused on Lynchburg,” he said, “on our customers’ needs and on doing what’s right, while trying to make decisions that will ensure we remain in business over the long haul. There’s something idealistic [and] altruistic about committing to buy local. “It takes a little more effort. It can be like putting dietary restrictions on your purchasing, but just like eating healthily, it’s well worth the effort.”

LET US HELP YOU DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD

Request a meeting at www.OpportunityLynchburg.com

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OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LYNCHBURG, VA

MARKETING stage of life without having established permanent brand loyalties yet. Businesses cannot afford to ignore this significant segment of the market and still remain a viable participant in the marketplace of the future. The following are some key characteristics of millennials that can provide clues to a successful marketing strategy that could create shifts in loyalties from them to your organization.

HOW TO ENGAGE MILLENNIALS for Your Business

BY DR. KENDRICK BRUNSON

ow does a local “brick-and-mortar” business remain open, much less succeed, when the market trend is toward purchasing online or through national superstores? Why should local businesses attempt to attract the attention of and sales from the Millennial Generation? These two questions actually are connected because millennials tend to purchase from these competing retail outlets. This article is a brief overview of some key considerations and potential success factors for the local business owner to consider in resolving both questions. The tools that marketers use to sell to their customers are called the marketing mix or the 4Ps consisting of Product, Price, Placement and Promotion. From the consumer perspective, these marketing tools are called the 4Cs where Product = Consumer Solution, Price = Cost, Placement = Convenience and Promotion = Communications. The primary reasons for consumers shifting from locally-owned businesses to online or “big box” stores are based on convenience and lower costs. This shift is being facilitated by the emerging Information Age tools that ease the process of ordering and delivery or by having everything a consumer needs in one local place. So how does a local business compete with that? For restaurants and grocery stores, the problem is not as pronounced because people need to eat. The challenge for local owners is to become known over the national outlets. The key differentiator of small local businesses over the Internet and “big box” stores is to offer personalized service in addition to the products sold, to show genuine customer care and respect better than online and superstores. Consumers of all demographic differences enjoy being honored and respected because it is a human trait regardless of all other influences in life. So what about the millennials, the over 103 million individuals born between the years of 1977 and 2000, who comprise 32.6% of the market according to the Census Bureau? These young consumers currently are between the ages of 15 and 38 and are part of or approaching the acquisition

• • • • • • • • • •

Desire to express their individuality Pressure to perform; keep practicing until one masters the next level Team players despite pressure to perform Confident/Optimistic Most service-oriented generation ever in giving to others and expecting organizations to give back to the community Multi-tasking orientation Protected throughout life with all of the safety equipment and healthier food Demand for authenticity and transparency from those they encounter Purchase decisions heavily influenced by peers More likely to be early adopters of technology (Moore)

How can businesses translate these key characteristics into marketing strategies? The following contains a starter list: • Individuality: give them choices they can assemble (ex. Make their own dessert toppings) • Offer liberal return policies (ex. Try it for xx days and bring it back if you don’t like it) • Establish social zones within the store for “hang out” places with free WiFi • Establish a store atmosphere that has an upbeat and positive feel to it • Provide genuine customer-centric service that respects them • Support local causes with some of the profits and participate in local charitable events • When feeding them, make it a healthy choice • Use social media according to its strengths (ex. Blogs for sharing ideas, Facebook for communicating, Instagram for sharing photos, LinkedIn for company information, etc.) • Offer discounts and free stuff • Sponsor fun activities for friends to share with the local store brand In the greater Lynchburg area, there are many college students and many of them are from other parts of the country or even the world. One of the rewarding efforts that local businesses can do, and some have done, is to reach out to these students away from home. Most of these businesses are food or beverage establishments and provide gathering places for millennials to be with their friends. Give these students a reason to visit your establishment. College students typically shop for inexpensive items. Offer items that reflect the styles preferred by millennials at prices they can afford. Hire millennials as employees to translate how you should shift previous policies to effectively connect with millennials and bring relevance to your brand for them. Have your millennial employees set up your social media strategy and contribute to the content from your company. Footnote: Moore (2014). They’ve never taken a swim and thought about Jaws: Understanding the Millennial Generation. American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 82(4), pp. 41-48. Dr. Brunson is on the faculty of the Liberty University School of Business and teaches marketing courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs. Brunson retired from GTE/Verizon in 2003 as Marketing Manager for major business accounts in the Southeast.

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LEADERS of LYNCHBURG

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LEADERS of LYNCHBURG

LEADERS OF LYNCHBURG GEORGE DAWSON Occupation: Community Volunteer, Chair of the Academy of Fine Arts Capital Campaign Hometown: Lynchburg, Virginia (since 1980)

Congratulations on your appointment to lead the capital campaign for the Academy of Fine Arts! What are some of your short-term goals in this new role? Our goal is to reopen the historic Academy Theatre. As the “new kid on the block,” I get to build on the efforts of many other volunteers—like Terry Babbitt and Anitra Webster, the Board President and Vice-President, and people like Cary Roberts and Sackett Wood. We are lucky to have Rob Taylor chairing the Construction Committee and George Zippel taking the lead on tax credits. And Geoffrey Kershner will be an excellent Executive Director. Working together, we are going to raise $16.6 million from supporters, add another $12 million in historic and new market tax credit funds and complete this $29 million construction project.

What is your long-term goal in this new role? Now is the time to raise the funds to reopen the historic Academy Theatre. This Campaign has the energy and the momentum to get it done, and we will never have a better time. Opening night at the new Academy Theatre is going to be great.

What is your greatest challenge in this role? Demonstrating that this time is different. Some people question whether we will ever get it done. I appreciate that view. In fact, I spent three months doing my own due diligence before deciding to get involved. At the end of my study, I was convinced that we could raise the funds, qualify for the tax credits and bring the project in on budget. As we reach the halfway mark, I think people will recognize that this time is different.

You spent 26 years with Centra, correct? Well 25—and seven [years] with Virginia Baptist before the merger—but who’s counting? That was the past—it’s what’s next that matters.

Which attributes carry someone through the ups-and-downs of a career? Relationships, tenacity, understanding your own weaknesses and strengths, creativity, humility.

In terms of leadership, which skills are essential for success? Relationships, tenacity, understanding your own weaknesses and strengths, creativity, humility.

In your view, why are projects like restoring the Academy so valuable to a community? There are a lot of things to love about the Academy: the beauty of the arts, economic impact, downtown revitalization, civic pride, the history and the opportunities for kids. But I think the Academy’s greatest value will be crosscultural. Visual arts, music and theatre all create a “space” for people of different backgrounds and life experiences to come together and learn about each other. Keep your eye on Geoffrey Kershner—he understands that opportunity and is the right person at the right time.

What do you consider to be some of Lynchburg’s greatest assets? The people who live here. We work hard, care about each other and have civic pride.

You bring a wide range of experience to this role. What are some learning experiences that stand out?

Share some about your personal background— family and involvement in the local community:

My experience in healthcare stretched from Vietnam in the US Army Medical Service Corps to my first CEO position at Virginia Baptist Hospital when I was 34, to the formation of Centra in 1987, and then the growth of Centra over the years until I retired in 2011. We built a lot of buildings [and] completed a lot of fundraising and capital finance projects. So this is not my “first rodeo.” What I learned is that success depends on having the right team and then, on teamwork.

I’m a lucky guy in a lot of ways. Rosemary and I have been married 47 years, and we have a wonderful son who makes us proud. My work at Centra was very rewarding. Since I retired, we have had the chance to do a lot together—such as co-chairing the Humane Society $5 million campaign to build a new animal shelter and enjoying UVa basketball. This community has been great to us personally and professionally. We are truly blessed.

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LEADERS of LYNCHBURG

You serve in many capacities in our community; what leads you to the projects you join? I try to focus my volunteer time on things that make a difference—whether it is a Humane Society project to save animals, the Free Clinic to improve healthcare access or working to expand horizons for kids through Step with Links and the Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation.

What do you enjoy or find unique about Lynchburg? It is a beautiful place. One of my interests is painting the light we enjoy, and [I find] the changing atmosphere inspiring.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Growing up I was one of five kids, and we all had our jobs. Whenever we complained or got discouraged, Mom would say, “No such word as can’t.”

What one piece of advice would you share with others? Dawson and Academy Board President Terry Babbitt discuss plans and future renovation projects in the Academy of Music Theatre.

Re-invent yourself every 3 to 5 years.

Any closing comments? The Academy needs your help.

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NOMINATIONS If you have someone to nominate as a leader in our community, send it to feedback@ lynchburgmag.com

REAL ESTATE

The World At Our

DOORSTEP

BY DAN VOLLMER

grew up in New Jersey. I’ll give you a second to insert a joke here—it’s usually “You mean New Joyy-zee?” or “Get stabbed with any needles at the beach lately?” (New Jersey jokes are plentiful, just usually a few decades old. But I digress…). Where I was born and raised, it’s 39 miles from my driveway to Times Square (it’s more impressive to note the distance because sometimes that 39 miles can take you two and a half hours and saying you live two and a half hours from Times Square isn’t very impressive at all). That also meant I lived 30 miles from Newark Airport and less than 60 miles from both LaGuardia and JFK, which is the 6th busiest airport in the country. So in 30 minutes, I could drive to an airport, board a plane and get off just about anywhere in the world. No stops, no layovers. And conversely, from just about any major city in the world, one could fly to within 30 minutes of my front door. For a point of reference, in February 2015 across those three airports, there were a combined total of 7,783,255 passengers, or 278,000 passengers every day. That’s roughly 8 times the number of people that will attend Liberty University’s graduation ceremonies this year. So suffice it to say, it’s a little different than Lynchburg. What does all this have to do with real estate, you may be asking? Well, I’ve recently had occasion to ponder the differences between the area in which I grew up and the place I now call home. About a month ago, I was referred some potential buyer clients from Asia. As it turns out, REMAX has recently opened a new office in Beijing—the first one for REMAX—and it was through those channels that I was put in touch with these buyers. They have a daughter who is attending Liberty, and they were considering buying a property for her to live in while she attends school. So they traveled from Beijing to Lynchburg, specifically to check out the housing options. Just think about that for a moment. If you live within a 30-mile

radius of Manhattan that’s an every day occurrence. But Lynchburg? I mean, think about someone in Beijing getting out a map of the United States and planning a trip…to Lynchburg…to scout out investment properties. It is pretty incredible for a city (or an MSA) of our size, but I think we’re going to see more and more of the world—or at least representatives of it—coming by planes, trains and automobiles to see what we have to offer. In the case of this particular client, neither he nor his family spoke much English at all. So I downloaded Google Translate and off we went to look at properties. I also reached out to a professor friend of mine, who put me in touch with potential translators should I need more extensive help communicating (did you know you could get a Mandarin translator in Lynchburg? You can…). Our friendship grew, and I learned more and more of what they wanted. I also received periodic emails from the Beijing office, asking me how it was going and if we had located a home to the buyer’s liking. Most of the emails ended with the phrase (or a variation thereof) “hope we can have a good cooperation.” They expect to send many more buyers to America, and they’re eager to have friends stateside that they can confidently refer. Now surely there will be some people who won’t see this as a positive development. But I don’t sense any adverse impact on the charm and character of our city. Instead, I see other people—apparently from around the world—who are discovering something desirable in what we have to offer. Beautiful landscape; affordable goods and services; friendly residents and close-but-not-too-close access to more major metro areas. Now, thanks to the global reach of our universities, engineering and healthcare providers, our local economy is benefitting from increasing travel and investment dollars (and yuan, euro and so on). Meeting folks of other cultures and backgrounds motivates us to learn and to grow. Interacting with these buyers has been a great experience for me, one that has enhanced my approach to my business. I’m looking forward to my next clients from Japan or Brazil or Germany or Romania. Access to Lynchburg is getting easier and easier, but don’t worry…I doubt they’ll be putting in an international terminal at Lynchburg Airport anytime soon. Dan Vollmer is an Associate Broker at Re/Max 1st Olympic and member of the Virginia Association of REALTORS Board of Directors. Find him at www.danvollmer.com.

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ARE YOU CAREER READY? MILLER-MOTTE TECHNICAL COLLEGE PROVIDES NON-TRADITIONAL EDUCATION OPTIONS WHILE LYNCHBURG CITY SCHOOLS START CAREER AWARENESS AT AN EARLY AGE BY M EGAN L . HOUS E

hether you are right out of high school, or you have already joined the working world, there are further career options that you might not be aware of. In our economy, preparing for a career can be challenging; however, there are options to earning a degree that start as early as high school. Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) and technical colleges, such as Miller-Motte, are striving to prepare students for entering the workforce and provide alternatives to a typical 4-year college that won’t damage your bottom line too drastically.

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“At Miller-Motte, the total cost of an associate degree is usually less than the cost of a single year at a 4-year college or university, so it’s a great option for students looking to commute to school and save a lot of money on their education, while finishing in half the time, so that they can begin earning income more quickly,” said Abe Loper, Miller-Motte community outreach coordinator. Miller-Motte Technical College offers associate degree programs in Criminal Justice, Electronic Health Records, Business Management, Medical Assisting, Network Administration and Security, Healthcare Technology, and Surgical Technology, as well as a 10-month certification in Massage Therapy. “Our students pick a course of study and that’s the only career they prepare for,” Loper said. “They graduate having been immersed in their field, ready to begin successful careers.” Currently, their most popular program is Medical Assisting. “Upon graduation from our Medical Assisting program, our students have skills to work in doctor’s offices, urgent care facilities and hospitals,” said Susie Rowland, Miller-Motte campus director. Their Healthcare

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Technology program, which includes the basic elements of phlebotomy, various blood collection methods, transpiration techniques and administering electrocardiograms, is also rapidly growing. Although a technical college might not be a good fit for everyone, they do provide a career jump start at a much lower cost. They also provide online courses, creating a convenient post-secondary education option.

Aside from the tuition difference, Miller-Motte’s programs are all career-oriented, meaning students only take classes in their chosen fields of study. “We’re a career college, so we focus on preparing a student for a specific career,” Loper said. “This is the equivalent of a student at a 4-year college taking nothing but courses in their major.” Career development and workforce readiness is not merely important, it is critical. “Workforce development is vital to the economic growth of any community,” Loper said. “Not only is it important to effectively prepare

the next generation for the challenges that they face in a competitive job market, but it’s also important to employers who are looking for welltrained practitioners who are capable and confident.” At the high school level, Lynchburg City Schools value career readiness and provide many opportunities for middle school and high school students to become career conscious at a young age. A new program at E.C. Glass High School, which will soon be expanding to Heritage High School,

WHEN YOU WORK SMARTER,

YOU GO FURTHER.

Your New Career Is Closer Than You Think. Earn a degree or diploma from Miller-Motte Technical College in some of today’s fastest-growing fields:

Beauty & Wellness

Healthcare

• Massage Therapy

• Management

• • • •

Legal & Protective Services

Technology

Business

• Criminal Justice

Electronic Health Records Healthcare Technology Medical Assisting Surgical Technology

• Network Administration & Security

Getting Started Is Easy, Call Today!

800.338.2912

1011 Creekside Lane • Lynchburg, VA 24502 • Miller-Motte.edu

Accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. The school does not guarantee job placement. However, it does provide employment assistance to its current students and graduates through the school’s Career Services Department. For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the programs, and other important information, please visit our website at Disclosure.Miller-Motte.edu. Certified to Operate by SCHEV.

PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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was designed to help students be prepared for starting a career in the future. Their career tech internship program pairs students with a business organization for hands-on experience. Additionally, LCS is excited to be launching new “collaboration stations.” “The furniture is designed for students to work together,” said Cynthia Babb, LCS media relations coordinator. “Students can put their desks together really easily, and then if they need to pull them apart to do independent tests, they [can].” This collaboration-oriented design will enhance communication skills and help students prepare for one day joining the workforce. Regardless of the career field, Babb pointed out, “When you go to work, you have to learn to work with others.” LCS also offers various types of advanced placement and dual enrollment classes, encouraging students to start early on college courses while still in high school. At the middle school level, they also offer career tech classes to aid students in discovering their interests before even entering high school. “Lynchburg City Schools does a good job of really making sure students are prepared for work and for the next step in education,” Babb said. Introducing career development at a young age will help students make difficult decisions after completing high school and will ultimately lead to a stronger, healthier workforce. “A community’s success in educating a workforce that is ready to fill the need of the local economy is what leads to a continuously growing economy, low unemployment, and, ultimately, healthy families and a healthy community,” Loper said.

“Right now, it’s not particularly hard to find a job. It’s hard to find a career.” LCS and Miller-Motte are striving to help students discover successful career paths without excessively spending money or time. “Looking at our program offerings, it’s easy to see that we’ve strategically chosen to serve specific industries,” Loper said. “Five of our eight programs are in healthcare, which is a fast-evolving industry that continues to grow. Criminal Justice prepares students for a specific and growing industry, while Business Management and Network Administration and Security prepare them to excel in most environments, regardless of the industry.” Additionally, Massage Therapy students graduate with the ability to work at spas and chiropractors, as they have obtained a strong basis in anatomy and physiology plus the knowledge to administer therapeutic massage. “At Miller-Motte, we believe that each student needs to find the school and type of school that fits them best,” Loper said. “We are not the right choice for every student any more than any other school is…We train students to excel in eight very specific careers, and we are very proud of how well we serve our students.”

The Future of Education Career Readiness Lynchburg City Schools has added Criminal Justice to its expanding Career Tech course offerings. See our complete course list online.

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www.lcsedu.net/NEXT

HUMAN RESOURCES employees desire to serve a local nonprofit or academic institution may offer to donate a pre-determined sum of money to the nonprofit based on the number of hours the employee volunteers. The organization may also offer a dollar-for-dollar match for every dollar an employee donates to his or her choice of charitable organization. This type of program provides a matrix of benefits that includes the employee having the opportunity to select the nonprofit he or she most values. In addition to direct donations and providing an opportunity for their employees to volunteer for the local nonprofits on company time, organizations may choose to host or sponsor charitable events and fundraising initiatives.

MEETING BASIC NEEDS

COMMUNITY INVESTMENTâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; WAYS YOUR BUSINESS CAN GET INVOLVED BY CO LLE E N Mc LAUG H LI N

rganizations exist to accomplish missions, visions and goals. In doing so organizations must be focused on increasing cash flow in order to accomplish these objectives. Yet in the process, if they are able to contribute to their communities, they may also be able to improve the lives of individuals. Organizations with a philanthropic reputation may enjoy the benefits from increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. The organizations that are intentional about positively investing in their communities are more likely to experience a competitive advantage as a result of improved organizational branding as well as being seen as an employer of choice. OPTIONS FOR GIVING BACK One of the keys to organizations demonstrating an investment in the local community is to develop and implement corporate social responsibility initiatives. Many organizations are providing programs that offer matching for volunteer service or money donated. In other words, organizations whose

There are many specific opportunities organizations have to invest in their communities. First and foremost are the opportunities to meet the most basic needs of people including those for food and shelter. By investing in and volunteering for local food banks, community markets, and shelters, and organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, organizations are demonstrating care and concern for the people in their communities. It is important not to assume these needs are already being met by others in the area. Most food banks and soup kitchens are in daily need of support. If each organization in the local community offered to sponsor a local food bank one day per year by providing a dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of supplies, the basic needs of individuals in the community would likely be met.

INVEST IN THE ARTS, ATHLETICS & EDUCATION Local arts, athletics and educational institutions are also terrific places for organizations to invest both financially as well as by providing volunteers. Many organizations are encouraging employees to serve in local schools and for athletic programs. There are many children in our community who would greatly benefit from the investment of time, tutoring and social interaction. Many organizations have found that by aligning themselves with community activities in the local arts, athletics and education the value added is immeasurable.

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT CHAMPIONS It is important to identify champions in the organization who will best fit the roles to lead community investment efforts. These employees will be the face of the efforts and may serve as the liaisons with the local nonprofits and academic institutions in the community. Research indicates employees who are encouraged by their employers to volunteer feel better about their employer, are physically healthier and are more likely to be retained due to an increase in morale as well as may recover from disappointment at work more quickly. Therefore, identifying these champions and providing a structure and support for them to be successful in their community investment endeavors is critical. Today many employees are viewing opportunities to serve their local community as part of a strategic benefit package. When stakeholders believe an organization has care and concern for individuals and the community as a whole, they are more likely to support the organization. Companies in central Virginia are known for their support and volunteerism in the community and as the needs continue, the benefits of the continued investment will be realized.

Colleen is an HR professional with 15 years of experience; she currently serves as a professor of business and as an HR consultant.

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Are You a Business that Gives Back?

LYNCHBURG BUSINESS MAGAZINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

COMMUNITY

I M PAC T APPRECIATION 2015

aking a difference in a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life can be as simple as sharing a meal or a cup of coffee. A helping hand can also span the divide between times of difficulty and making it to the other side. The businesses that follow have all found

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creative and tangible ways to impact those in our community. As many business owners expressed, if we each used the unique skills and abilities we have to help others, what a difference that would make. We hope you find these stories to be both inspiring and motivating!

2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

MABRY AUTO GROUP How long have you been practicing these initiatives? For more than 18 years, we have been providing transportation solutions to the Central Virginia region and have always felt a calling to give back.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? In 2014 we partnered with a local nonprofit assisting four local working families to have the opportunity to be in receipt of affordable transportation. At the start of the year a young, single mother drove away owning her first vehicle. In June, a single working father became a proud owner of his own car, no longer having to rely on local transit and friends for rides to work and children’s school functions. Another single working mother in September and a young family of four during the holiday season were able to purchase reliable, pre-owned vehicles for $1,000 due to a collaboration with Lynchburg Nissan, Lynchburg Mazda of Mabry Automotive Group and HumanKind’s Ways to Work program. “We are thankful to have found a suitable partner to help us attain our goal of assisting families in need with transportation they could otherwise not afford,” said Chris Mabry, President of Mabry Auto Group. The Ways to Work program aligns perfectly with Mabry’s charitable goals since it’s a unique, economic empowerment program that offers lowinterest loans to working families to purchase or repair a vehicle. These loans are designed to help families find financial stability, increase self-sufficiency and advance their career opportunities. Other collaborations Mabry Automotive Group has within the Central Virginia community include presenting Lynchburg City’s School Teacher of

the Year with a new Nissan; providing a senior at Lynchburg Christian Academy the opportunity to earn and win a new Mazda 3 upon graduation; Official Automotive Partner of the Liberty Flames and Official naming rights partner for the Forest Youth Athletic Association since 2005.

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . touching the lives of people in a positive manner; being a support partner to the place where we live and work.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 1997 Location: Central and Southwest Virginia with locations in Forest, Lynchburg, Madison Heights and Appomattox Employees: 130-150

WAGONER FAMILY EYE CARE

How long have you been practicing these initiatives?

Since opening his practice on Old Forest Road in August 2012, Dr. R. Luke Wagoner, Optometrist, has been working diligently to care for his expanding patient base while reaching out to embrace his local community.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2012 (purchased from Dr. Darby) Location: 3701 B Old Forest

Road, Lynchburg Employees: 6

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? Dr. Wagoner spends time lecturing at a local retirement community. His goal is to edify residents, their families and their caregivers on subjects such as Cataract Awareness and Dry Eye: Signs, Causes & Treatment. Spending time with residents and answering their questions aids in their understanding of common topics of concern, and by offering educational opportunities on campus, residents can ask questions within the comforts of their own homes.

Friday afternoons Dr. Wagoner enjoys the opportunity to meet the local people of Brookneal, many of whom have challenges driving to Lynchburg for eye care. In the past year, Dr. Wagoner has offered reduced price eye exams and professional services to the underserved population of Brookneal. Wagoner Family Eye Care’s staff has also provided free vision screenings to a local school. Not all children have the opportunity to have annual vision screenings, which are imperative for early detection of optical health concerns and vision abnormalities. Offering healthy vision is at the heart of everything Dr. Wagoner does. Children can learn much more effectively when their vision is clear. “Healthy vision is part of a holistic health approach. Healthy eyes are part of healthy bodies, both leading to healthy learning,” explains Tina Joyce, teacher at Timberlake Christian School.

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . caring for those around us with a servant’s heart because God has given everyone a platform for loving their neighbors. JUNE/JULY 2015

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2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

THARP FUNERAL HOME

How long have you been practicing these initiatives?

Tharp Funeral Home has been giving back to the local community for over a decade.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? We donate around $30,000 of services each month to our community via our “No Charge for Children” program. Centra refers all young families to us as they know about our willingness to help; this isn’t a formal agreement but rather medical staff have learned of our program and mention it to families who—in addition to their tremendous grief—are also worried about the cost of funeral arrangements. Tharp charges NO SERVICE FEES for any and all funeral and cremation services selected by families who lose a child age 18 or under. We are called by families from Lynchburg and the surrounding communities almost weekly to assist them with arrangements and many heard about us from the staff at the birthing center, the Emergency room, or from other friends or family we have helped. The suprising thing to many is that there are no special requirements since it is something we decided as a family business to create. Many families don’t even know about it until we meet with them and explain that our services are free. We support various organizations both with donations and release time for our employees and enjoy the opportunities we have to help so many people. Our staff is dedicated to more than 22 regional organizations and charities ranging from arts and cultural development to health and professional organizations.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 1848 (Beford); expanded to Lynchburg in 1995 Location: 220 Breezewood

Dr., Lynchburg, and 320 North Bridge St., Bedford Employees: 26

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . the tremendous relief young families express to us when they learn that they will not be saddled with thousands of dollars of funeral debt on top of their profound emotional loss.

EVERGREEN BASEMENT SYSTEMS How long have you been practicing these initiatives? For the last 3 years we have been doing dinner events that benefit area nonprofits.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? Because one of the owners of our business is a chef [Bob Parsons], we realized that rather than just donate money, we could help nonprofits better by using the money to host a dinner that makes more. The events are held at a variety of locations from local churches, community centers and event halls. In some cases we just throw a fundraising dinner, but in others, like with 4-H, we worked with them to do a five course, served dinner and the 4-H kids did the serving. We teach that by adding money donated to some work, marketing, sales and customer service, the nonprofit can make that initial donation amount grow by two to ten times greater.

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

NEW LONDON TECHNOLOGY, INC. How long have you been practicing these initiatives? Our company has been practicing giving back to the community since we opened the doors 28 years ago.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 1987

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact?

Location: 23 Turkey Foot

One of our biggest long term charitable commitments has been supporting the US FIRST Robotics programs around the region (www.usfirst.org). What sets us apart is our willingness to donate not only our dollars but also our time and facility to the robotics students to learn about technology while working on their projects. Even in the off-season, we meet with students every Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon or even 3 p.m. to work on their projects. The kids work with their mentors throughout the process; our goal is to give them as much hands-on experience as possible to prepare them for competition. The kids help develop project ideas and do the research; they also help with the construction, programming, etc. Over the last year, we have donated money, time and our facility to both the AltaVista High School robotics program as well as the Chatham High School Robotics program. Between both programs there are more than 20 students involved; we’re also working to build a team in Lynchburg and that has five members right now. Altavista HS moved up in ranking from 58th to 17th at this year’s competition held at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. We are also offering one student an internship opportunity with us this semester/summer. The exposure to various technologies is fantastic for these students. We have worked with computer programming languages, C++, electronics, computers, 3D Printers, 3D Lasers, CNC machining, LabView Rio Programming, Raspberry Pi computers, Arduino computers, CAD CAM software, Web servers, computer networking and tons of other technology topics.

Road, Lynchburg Employees: 14

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . helping the next generation understand technology and hopefully connecting them with opportunities for the future.

Our employees help out with the cooking as well as at the event and with clean up, and it becomes a fun event for our team. Neighbors helping neighbors is how we see everything that we do, not just the fundraising dinners. We use our talents and knowledge to help our neighbors reclaim their basement, or save their foundation, or fix their crawl space, or raise money for a cause. We generally prefer organizations that educate, encourage responsible citizenship, honor veterans or teach gardening and other life skills such as 4-H, MS Society, Lions Club, Cornerstone Christian Academy and FCCLA. We have done over 20 of these dinners in the past and have 12 planned for this year. We like this method because it’s not just handing money over to a group, but instead it’s teaching them how to make more from it. Helping others who are willing to help themselves Founded: 1993 is our philosophy.

AT A GLANCE

“Community impact looks like_______.” … neighbors helping neighbors.

Location: 456 Old Courthouse

Road, Appomattox Employees: 30

JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

SAGE TRYALL SALON How long have you been practicing these initiatives? Upon opening 14 years ago, we said we wanted to be a salon that gives back to the community.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? We believe that Galatians 5:13 explains it best by saying, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” One thing that sets us apart is the involvement of all team members. In our hiring process we explain that we are a company that gives back, and we have a successful idea with our team called “Find The Need.” This is not just Sage as a company giving, but the team members give just as much. We find ways to help by paying attention—and it does not need to be a guest of Sage—just a person who has a need. We once found through social media a women’s shelter that needed help having Christmas for residents, so we wrapped, bagged and filled all the needs as a team—we adopted the shelter.

LYNCHBURG ROOFING How long have you been practicing these initiatives? Lynchburg Roofing has been helping to meet the needs of local citizens in Lynchburg, Va. since its inception four years ago. We are proud to be an annual participant in No Roof Left Behind, and this is our second year in the program.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? “It is important to us to give back to the community that has been so supportive of our business,” said owner Chris Good. We have been giving back through the following programs: No Roof Left Behind—a roof giveaway— and giving back 5% of all profits in the 1st quarter of 2015 to the family of Baby Cullen Harris, who was diagnosed with cancer at just a few months of age and recently passed away. This year’s winner of the No Roof Left Behind Program was Ms. Ella Arthur, who was nominated for the program because of the selfless love and joy that she shows to others. She has been on disability income since her right leg was amputated in 1969 and needs treatment for a tumor on her spine. She is currently caring for her two granddaughters, ages five and six, whose mother died in a car wreck last October. Our team is very excited to be able to provide a new roof for the Arthur family. “The goal of No Roof Left Behind is not only to deliver a new roof, but help to rebuild a new life for the winning family,” said owner Chris Good. We take pride in a job well done and want to thank our community for giving us the opportunity to succeed in our field. That’s why we’ve chosen to give back with the No Roof Left Behind program—to say THANK YOU to the community that means so much to us. In addition, we are working with the Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity on a partnership to provide new roofs for families who need them.

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . change in people’s lives. Together with our community partners we are concentrating on getting safe, dry roofs on homes for more families in need.

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2011 Location: 493 Crowell Lane,

Lynchburg Employees: 27

2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

We held a Cut-a-Thon for a guest’s son—Elisha Kalish— who was injured in a bicycle accident. The result at day’s end was handing over $5,500 to the family. We donate any and all services and products to young girls at the Liberty GodParent Home who find Lynchburg as a temporary home. We call the program “Beautiful Me.” We donate our time to Daily Bread, ring the bell for Salvation Army and provide hair styles for Liberty’s FACS department at their annual Fashion show. We’ve also collected items for our soldiers and fur soldiers, for the Lynchburg Food Bank, for Gleaning for the World and Easter eggs for Inner City Kids. We also sponsor Liberty Mountain SnowFlex Games as we feel this is a great and safe environment for the youth in the community to grow and be active.

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . serving others that have a need, believing we were created and designed to serve; the day we quit serving others, we let our doors close.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2001 Location: 1300 Wards Ferry

Road, Lynchburg Employees: 10

COMMANDER’S CONCEPTS COMMISSIONING How long have you been practicing these initiatives? CCCxA has been providing mentorship and financial assistance in the form of continuing education grants to personnel desiring to seek additional skills in Engineering and Engineering Commissioning since our establishment in early 2014.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? What sets CCCxA apart from others is the nature of our company. We are a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and recognize that our oath to serve while in the military doesn’t have an expiration date. We believe that our service now extends to those we come in contact with in the community to ensure all have the same opportunities to achieve their goals. We find that helping an individual develop skill sets that they may not be able to afford develops an appreciation for the newly acquired skill. It also develops an “infectious” attitude towards helping others by teaching them how to pass on the gift of helping others. CCCxA has provided mentorship and grants to several individuals allowing them to achieve a potential they would not have reached without a little boost and encouragement. The opportunities we provide include financial assistance for educational pursuits as well individual specialized training pertaining to Engineering work. We provide training in both our offices and on the job sites where individuals can learn a disciplined engineering process that will enhance their skills in a variety of ways. The mentorship is coupled with our training program, which involves helping individuals assess their goals and developing a long-range plan to accomplishing their mission. We find that one can often achieve much more than they initially think; helping an individual realize their potential is extremely rewarding.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2014 Location: 1173 Research

Way, Forest Employees: 5 engineers plus support staff; branch offices in 11 states across the U.S.

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . opening doors to those gifted individuals who have the capacity to achieve great things, but lack the support structure to get there.

JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

LONDON’S SALT SPA How long have you been practicing these initiatives? During our short two and a half years in business, we have given back in various ways.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact?

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2012 Location: 6152 Thomas

Jefferson Road, Forest Employees: 7

Giving back is a major part of London Salt Spa’s mission; first, to provide an affordable, non-prescription drug alternative for members of our community who suffer from allergies, sinus, respiratory and skin disorders. We provide total relaxation in a healing atmosphere. I’ve had Miller-Motte come for field trips and to learn educational information; patients with cystic fibrosis came for free visits to experience the benefits of the Himalayan salt cave. Children with different forms of autism have visited. We found that the salts helped them to feel very calm—one mother was amazed at the relaxation she saw in her son after a session. We are also unique in that our fundraisers have been successful due to our clients participating in return for free services. If they bring in a toy for the Salvation Army Angel Tree, for instance, we’ll give them a free 45-minute session in the salt cave. We have done the following fundraising drives and will continue them this year: • October: Breast Cancer Awareness; we donated over 300 items to the Alan B. Pearson Cancer Center. • November: Food, Blanket & Coat Drive; we donated 10 pallets of food and over 200 coats and blankets to the Salvation Army. We do various specials throughout the month to encourage community involvement. • December: Toy Drive to supplement the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree. We gave two vans full of donated toys—over 300 toys! We kick off on November 26, which is the birthday of our opening.

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . bettering our local community through the unique things that we each have to offer—like a healthy environment at the spa; giving back to this community benefits all of us collectively.

FOREST DENTAL CENTER How long have you been practicing these initiatives? We have provided free dental care to the Lynchburg area for 8 years.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? Dentistry from the Heart was started in 2007, and we generally see between 200250 people at this event that is held every September. Patients can choose from either a filling, cleaning or an extraction. The community looks forward to this event every year. This day of dentistry is made possible by many volunteers and other dental practices opening their office to help see all the patients. All of our doctors volunteer at the Free Clinic of Virginia. Several of the dentists volunteer for Donated Dental

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

JOE BEAN’S How long have you been practicing these initiatives? Since opening 15 years ago, we have been donating to local school systems, supporting local nonprofits through in-kind and monetary donations, as well as volunteerism.

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact?

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2000 Location: Timberlake Rd.,

Wards Rd., Linkhorne Dr., Lynchburg Employees: 45

Joe Bean’s has been involved with volunteerism since 2001 when we became affiliated with the Children’s Miracle Network. Not only have we donated goods and services to this organization, but the owner, Linda Brown, has even donned Duck and Easter Bunny outfits on their behalf! Additionally, we have also contributed time, goods and services to the Miller Home for Girls, which includes their annual golf tournament and Phil Vassar’s annual benefit concert for the home as well. Over the years, Joe Bean’s has also donated to the Daily Bread, the Salvation Army, and various other clothing and pet drives. Typically, we reward our customers for donating to these organizations and causes with free or discounted coffee. We also regularly donate gift certificates and gift cards to raffles held at schools, churches, libraries, hospitals, children’s sports teams and other worthy causes. We focus so much of our charitable activities on schools because we believe that investing in the education of our children is investing in the future of our community. A community with better-educated students is a community that will one day be the home of productive residents, which supports the hiring base and gives talent to the area. Keep Lynchburg growing!

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . supporting the core of our community, which are the children, who will become the building blocks of our city.

Services through the VDA, which allows needy people to receive their care for free. The community plays a large role in the success of Dentistry from the Heart as well. Local companies donate products, supplies, time and talents. There are no requirements for the day of dentistry; it is on a first come, first serve basis. Many patients will line up overnight to receive dental care. We hope the impact we have on the community is to see healthier smiles. The community knows we do this annually, and our phones ring with questions all year long as to what is the date for next year.

“Community impact looks like_______.” . . . healthier, happier smiles.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2000 Location: 1604 Graves Mill Road, Lynchburg Employees: 30

JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

2015 COMMUNITY IMPACT APPRECIATION

AREVA How long have you been practicing these initiatives? More than 10 years

What sets your company apart in terms of community impact? In addition to ongoing donations and volunteer support for STEM education outreach, health and human service organizations and sponsorship of the Virginia Ten Miler, this past year is even more remarkable because AREVA was the premier sponsor of the 70th Anniversary of D-Day event at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, demonstrating support of U.S. military veterans and active-duty service members and their families. AREVA employees jumped at the chance to help the Memorial staff execute the event successfully. With upwards of 10,000 visitors expected, three shifts of AREVA volunteers went to work doing things like setting up chairs, handing out programs, assisting D-Day veterans to their seats, and giving out souvenir gifts, with a long waiting list of volunteers on standby if needed. We are proud of the community outreach efforts by our employees who are a powerful force of caring and generous individuals who give willingly to those in need right here in Central Virginia through volunteerism and financial assistance. Our employees refresh buildings of local service agencies, collect canned food for the Food Bank and repair kennels at the Humane Society on the United Way Day of Caring. Through its Corporate Giving Strategy, AREVA encourages all employees to demonstrate active caring. . .In 2014, financial contributions from AREVA and its employees in Central Virginia added up to nearly $450,000.

“Community impact looks like_______.” …forward-looking energy in action; the faces—of our neighbors and their kids who will be the next generation of leaders—lighting up when they win a robotics competition, hear their teacher say they’ve received materials for their team to participate in FIRST Lego League, learn what an engineer does during a classroom visit by AREVA employees, see what the insides of a nuclear plant look like during a tour and much more. At AREVA, we believe that the success of our business operations is directly related to the success of the communities where we do business.

AT A GLANCE Founded: 2001 as AREVA Group Location: 3315 Old Forest

Rd., Lynchburg Employees: 1,500 in Lynchburg; 4,300 in North America

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

Helping Central Virginia Grow Since 1947 Lynchburg Plant

Bedford Plant

(434) 846-6563

(540) 586-8380

Amherst Plant

Appomattox Plant

(434) 946-5562

(434) 352-2829

www.LRMCC.com JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

BUSINESS PROFILE U N D E R

BUSINESS T E N

Y E A R S

Robbie Hiner in his tailormade recording studio.

HAM BONE PRODUCTIONS Providing High Quality Production for Local Recording Artists

BY JEREM Y ANGI ONE

ith the Lynchstock Music Festival and Vintage Lynchburg drawing in local talent, it’s clear that Lynchburg is a haven for artists. Local musician and producer Robbie Hiner hopes to give Lynchburg musicians, both aspiring and professional, the opportunity to produce quality and affordable work. “We have a lot of artists in this area who are just getting their feet wet,” Hiner said. “There’s a lot of talent in Lynchburg and in surrounding areas that aren’t even aware that we’re here yet.” Inconspicuously tucked into a strip mall amidst a comic book store, supermarket and martial arts studio on Timberlake Road, Ham Bone Productions makes up for its unassuming front with a quality studio that Hiner claims is comparable to studios in Nashville.

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

Founded in 2012, the studio is a small but thriving business helmed by Hiner and supported by his engineer, who Hiner has on every project. The peculiar name of the studio was born out of a quick tempo song from Hiner’s youth called “Ham Bone, Ham Bone.” According to Hiner, the choice of name was to draw in all sorts of artists rather than just southern gospel types that his name on the sign might draw. According to Hiner, the former office space was completely tailor-made to ensure quality audio production. Everything from top of the line mixing and recording equipment to three-paneled walls to sheet rock ceiling tiles help artists achieve the “Ham Bone sound,” which Hiner describes as being “clean, punchy and rich.” “When we mix a song, everything is going to sound good in here because the room is accurate,” Hiner said. Hiner himself is an accomplished artist who has been passionate about music for years, even recording his first record at the age of four. The bulk of Hiner’s career has been in collaboration with Dr. Jerry Falwell and Thomas Road Baptist Church, working as a soloist, writer and choir director for 30 years. According to Hiner, he moved to Nashville with his sons and opened a studio. Having lost his mother and learning that his father was diagnosed with cancer, Hiner realized that the back and forth between Lynchburg and Nashville was becoming too much. As a result, Hiner decided to return to Lynchburg to open Ham Bone Productions in 2012.

BUSINESS PROFILE Hiner explained that the first year of business was fairly slow, picking up more in the second year. However, the studio’s third year has been considerably more successful, both in part to Hiner’s reputation in Lynchburg and his radio show, Sunday Morning with Robbie Hiner. Hiner’s “high energy, southern gospel radio program” plays music within his bailiwick to an older crowd more suited to his early work. It currently reaches a half million homes in areas like Lynchburg, Roanoke and Danville. The number of homes reached is set to increase to about 11 million, as Hiner managed to be picked up by Dallas, Fort Worth and West Virginia. “It’s at a point right now, where it’s expanding. The show gives us the ability to move product. We use radio to supplement what we do to keep the doors open,” Hiner said. Although the studio is still in its infancy, Hiner expressed that his standards for quality production remain high. Artists are offered the opportunity to lease the studio to work independently, but Hiner suggests his expertise as a producer is a resource that will provide a greater result. “They’ll get a better record if they let me produce it. My job is, while you’re out there singing, to coach you and to get the most out of you,” Hiner said. A stickler for sound quality, Hiner claims that any finished product will have to pass a simple test to ensure it makes the cut. A given song will be played in two cars, one with a good sound system and one with a bad, to measure if the sound was mastered correctly. Hiner’s years of experience in the industry have developed his sense of candor when it comes to educating artists on how far their investment will take them. As Hiner claims, “Time is money in the studio,” so he does not want to waste an artist’s time or money if it cannot be recouped with sales. “If it’s an aspiring band here in Lynchburg, that may have the ability to break or may not, our job is to provide that opportunity and give them the best that they can get in this area,” Hiner said. While he does his best to give artists a fighting chance in the music industry, Hiner explains that many locals just want to record in a studio and cross an item off their proverbial bucket list. For example, Hiner recalled 68-year-old Gene Williams who just wanted to record a simple song, called “Twelve Unknown.” With Ham Bone’s touch and a bluegrass twang, Williams’ song went on to be adopted as Appomattox County’s theme song.

nurture fresh artists, while also bringing in more business. Next Hiner plans to use his studio to honor law enforcement officials and firefighters, in part to honor his son who falls under the latter. Hiner’s “Unsung Heroes” will include a music video and a choir in Nashville made up of officials from both services. Hiner explained that ultimately, he hopes to build a much larger facility that can house symphonies, choirs and upstart musicians alike—all with the Nashville touch of course. “In order to be in this business, you have to have a passion for music. Our philosophy is to take people’s dreams, and to the best of our ability and according to their talent level, help them fulfill that dream,” Hiner said.

AT A GLANCE • Founded: 2012 • Signs of Growth: Growing audience of a half million listeners for newly launched radio show. • Employees: 2 • Location: The Forum at Timbrook Square, Suite 7, Lynchburg

“There’s nothing more satisfying than sitting here listening to something that you have taken and helped an artist create that sounds good,” Hiner said. Currently, Hiner has a full agenda to both make a name for Ham Bone Productions as well as positively affect the local and national music culture. One such plan is a local talent search that Hiner hopes will help Ham Bone

Since 2012, Ham Bone Productions has been providing high quality audio resources for professional and up-and-coming artists.

JUNE/JULY 2015

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

MADE IN LYNCHBURG

HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL PRODUCTS AND MANUFACTURING THROUGHOUT THE REGION 2000 PARTNERSHIP

Robot #5279 In partnership with the US FIRST Robotics program, engineers at New London Technology, Inc. (NLT) work closely with local students from Altavista and Chatham high schools to design and construct robots. Under NLT’s guidance, the Altavista student team built Robot #5279 and placed in the top 20 finalists at this year’s state competition in Richmond. The robot is able to lift upwards of 3 large bins and move them from one location to another through a computer guidance system. To see the robot in action, visit http://bit.ly/1e3RGuA or scan this QR code with your smartphone.

Let Us Know! Do you know of a product manufactured locally? Let us know at feedback@lynchburgmag.com

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

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