WELCOME TO THE FRONT

Virginia’s Department of Consumer and Agriculture Services reports that agriculture remains the Commonwealth’s largest private industry, with an economic impact of more than 82 billion dollars annually, employing around 380,000 every year. We dig into the Ag world a bit in this issue to take a look at the sector on a few different levels – including agritourism and teaching this business in college.

Long time area sportswriter and Hall of Famer Doug Doughty (you know the name) is back with a story on how the new ownership group for the Salem Red Sox has worked out this season. We’ve also got two terrific guest commentaries on various aspects of running a business. Caution: you might learn something new. Isn’t that what it’s always about? Happy reading.

Tom Field

Gene Marrano Publisher Editor

by Jennifer Poff Cooper

by Aila Boyd

by Gene Marrano

Shawn Nowlin

by Doug Doughty

By Dan Smith

P.O. Box 1041

Salem, VA 24153

(540) 389-9945 www.vbFRONT.com

Staff

Publisher / Tom Field

Creative Director tfield@vbFRONT.com

(540) 389-9945

Editor Gene Marrano news@vbFRONT.com

Advertising Dan Dowdy

(540) 797-7943 ddowdy@vbFRONT.com ads@vbFRONT.com

(540) 389-9945

Graphic Design Nicholas Vaassen nvaassen@berryfield.com

Office Administration Emily Field info@vbFRONT.com

Production Berryfield, Inc. PO Box 1041 Salem, VA 24153

(540) 389-9945

Departmental Contacts

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Subscriptions info@vbFRONT.com

News / Releases news@vbFRONT.com Admin / Ops info@vbFRONT.com

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© Copyright 2023; Valley Business FRONT, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of this publication in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Information within Valley Business FRONT is obtained from sources considered reliable, but cannot be guaranteed. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the ownership. Valley Business FRONT is primarily distributed to subscribers by mail, digitally and select locations throughout the Roanoke Valley, New River Valley, and western Virginia.

Advisory Board

Valley Business FRONT has organized an Advisory Board comprised of a selective group of diverse business professionals who support our mission and have an interest in how our business journal best serves our local communities and region. As a sounding board throughout their term, board members have been given the task of helping FRONT understand the issues and develop coverage. You will note that the Board is comprised of experts in many different business / industry “fronts.” This is intentional, as we are reporting on all the areas that affect our regional economy and are important to you. Although the members are encouraged to keep FRONT updated on their own industries and the key players, they aren’t limited to their area of specialty, as all commercial enterprises ultimately collaborate to impact our quality of life here in this part of Virginia. An additional contribution by the Advisory Board involves direct input on the various FRONTLists we present throughout the year. In keeping with our policy of being “the voice of business in the valleys” we ask each reader to join us as an editorial partner by contacting us with your ideas. You know more than we know about your business—or you certainly should—and that inside knowledge shared with our readers will make us all better at what we do.

Kimberly Bratic, our FRONTcover model and one of our interviewees, said this photoshoot setup—hammer and all— felt natural… she was currently moving into a new house. A “proud mother of three” (midto-late teenagers), Bratic has worked as a marketing and communications professional for 25 years. A co-founder of Girls Rock Roanoke, she says Roanoke is a great place to be. “There are so many things to do; and the list keeps growing.”