S6 » INSIDE BUSINESS » OCTOBER 14, 2013
T O P FORTY UNDER 40 Tyler Carmack, 32 VETERINARIAN/PRACTICE OWNER, HAMPTON ROADS VETERINARY HOSPICE At work I assist families in caring for their terminally ill and aging companion animals in the comfort of their home. This includes pain management, family education regarding disease trajectories and the aging process, personalized quality of life assessments, in-home euthanasia and ongoing pet loss support. Home and family Virginia Beach; Jersey, my black Lab. Volunteer activities I founded the Hampton Roads Pet Loss Support Group in 2012 and continue to organize and cofacilitate monthly meetings alongside our professional counselor. The group offers free support after the loss of a beloved pet. I am also looking forward to working with the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach, continuing to work with local animal rescue organizations and boards, and have enjoyed volunteering at special events in Virginia Beach with the Special Olympics, Surfer’s Healing and Life Rolls On – They Will Surf Again organizations. Balancing time Thank goodness for my smartphone calendar! I try to keep a detailed calendar so I don’t commit to more than I can put 100 percent effort into. Choosing organizations I have always been drawn to supporting local animal organizations, but I also really enjoy working with children’s groups and individuals with developmental disabilities. Advice for young people Follow your own
path, even if it’s not the most traditional. Proudest accomplishment Starting a nontraditional veterinary practice certainly raised a few eyebrows, but it has been a really rewarding experience and has challenged me to learn more about business than I ever wanted to. Being able to guide families through a difficult period in their pets’ lives and make their companion animals more comfortable has made all the hard work worth it. Professional goal in five years I would like to continue to educate pet families in Hampton Roads about the option of in-home veterinary hospice care and euthanasia. I see what a huge difference creating these final, special memories can make, and I hope that one day everyone will know this option exists and will consider saying goodbye at home. The one thing I’d change about Hampton Roads I spend all day, every day in my car making house-call visits, so I have to join the masses and say traffic. Dream dinner party I have been fortunate to live and work in many places around the country and world. I’ve met many good friends on each adventure, and it would be really nice to get everyone together. Downtime I enjoy stand-up paddle-boarding, reading, the beach and traveling. What really gets under my skin? Neglecting and mistreating animals.
Kemo J. Dassau, 31 ASSOCIATE, BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON At work I provide statistical analysis and modeling for the Department of Defense. Home Norfolk. Volunteer activities I coach softball in Virginia Beach, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, mentor a FIRST Robotics Team at Norview High School, served on the board of directors for the Urban League of Hampton Roads Young Professionals, as well as served as a science fair judge for the Willard Model Elementary School. Balancing time I believe that planning is the key to balancing life and work. I also believe that it is important to involve friends and family in volunteer activities. It provides a medium to enjoy each other’s company, while giving back to the community in which you live. Choosing organizations My preference for volunteerism is based on the organization’s direct impact to the community. Organizations that do out of the goodness of their hearts and the commitment to a greater social norm often attract my attention. Advice for young people My advice for young people in the workforce would be to set short- and long-term goals, plan for each day and stay committed to the task at hand. Proudest accomplishment My proudest accomplishment occurred in 2012 when I watched a family in Portsmouth take
ownership of a Habitat for Humanity home that I had the privilege of working on. It was a humbling experience to see how a strong sense of community activism could come together for a selfless goal. Professional goal in five years Over the next five years I hope to graduate from Old Dominion University with my master’s in economics as well as becoming a more polished and accomplished consultant. In addition, over the next five years I would like to augment my consulting profession by becoming a collegiate professor at one of the local colleges/universities in the Hampton Roads area. The one thing I’d change about Hampton Roads If I could change one thing about Hampton Roads, it would be heighten the community’s awareness and activism with local political decision-making. Dream dinner party Warren Buffett, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mark Zuckerberg, Ken Griffey Jr. and President Obama. Downtime During my downtime I enjoy reading a good book. Most of my reading consists of autobiographies and inspirational fiction books. Otherwise, I enjoy spending time with family and traveling. What really gets under my skin? If I had to choose one thing that gets under my skin, it would have to be selfishness.