Shenandoah valley business journal

A Byrd Newspapers Publication

Volume 19, No. 1, November 28, 2017

UNDER 40 10 Presenting The 2017 List Of The Valley’s Up-And-Coming Business Leaders

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SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Inside This Issue Focus Section: 10 Under 40 The Shenandoah Valley Business Journal is a monthly publication of Rockingham Publishing Company, Inc., 231 S. Liberty St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801.

■ Carrie Chenery...............................................Page 3

Editor and General Manager: Peter S. Yates

■ Lindsay Brubaker............................................Page 6 ■ Jennifer Sodikoff..................................... .....Page 7 ■ Kevin Gibson................................................. Page 8

Managing Editor: Jerry Blair

Contact us By mail: Shenandoah Valley Business Journal P.O. Box 193 Harrisonburg, VA 22803

■ Jonathan Coddington....................................Page 4 ■ Matthew Heatwole........................................Page 5

Editorial Staff

Harrisonburg, Va.

■ Alan Maynard................................................Page 9

By email: svbjnews@dnronline.com By fax: 433-9112 By phone: 574-6267 (news) 574-6229 (ads)

■ Kyle Miller....................................................Page 12

Staff / Contributing Writers: Vic Bradshaw, Kelly Clark, Pete DeLea, Ellie Potter, Nolan Stout

■ Dan Hylton.................................................. Page 14 ■ Jacob Hull....................................................Page 14

On The Cover: Photos by Nikki Fox and Daniel Lin / DN-R

Contributing Photographers: Nikki Fox, Daniel Lin

Community Bankers Elect Plum HARRISONBURG — A local banker is the chairman-elect of the Virginia Association of Community Banks’ board of directors.

Brian Plum, president and CEO of Luray-based Blue Ridge Bankshares Inc., was elected by VACB’s member banks to serve in the role at the organization’s 40th annual Convention & Trade Show, held this year in OcPlum tober in Williamsburg, according to a news release. He’ll hold the post for a year, then serve a year as chairman.

The association’s membership is comprised of locally owned and operat-

ed banks. Based in Richmond, it provides information and educational programs for members and advocates for them on industry matters.

Before moving into the top post with Blue Ridge Bankshares, parent company of Blue Ridge Bank, in December 2014, he was its chief financial officer, then its chief administrative officer and executive vice president.

Plum earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Eastern Mennonite University and James Madison University, respectively. He also obtained a master’s degree in business administration from the Darden Business School at the University of Virginia.

A certified public accountant, he’s been selected as a “Super CPA” three times by Virginia Business and the See MOVERS, Page 6

Union-Xenith Deal Approved HARRISONBURG — The merger of Union Bankshares Corp. (NASDAQ: UBSH) and Xenith Bankshares Inc. will proceed as planned after shareholders with both companies approved the deal Oct. 26 at separate special meetings.

Xenith shareholders are to receive 0.9354 shares of Union common stock for each share of Xenith common stock, according to merger agreement terms.

Regulatory approvals for the transaction have been received, and the deal is set to close in January. Xenith branches will be converted to the Union brand.

Both companies are headquartered in Richmond. Union operates only in Virginia, including two in Harrisonburg and one in Grottoes, while Xenith has offices in Virginia, North Carolina

and Maryland.

— Vic Bradshaw

Bank Of The James Earnings Dip HARRISONBURG — Earnings for Bank of the James Financial Group Inc. (NASDAQ: BOTJ) dropped slightly in the third quarter, the company announced Oct. 20, with increased noninterest expense topping revenue growth in several segments.

The Lynchburg-based parent company of Bank of the James netted $1.02 million, or 23 cents per diluted share, for the quarter that ended Sept. 30.

That was just below the $1.06 million, or 24 cents per diluted share it earned during the same quarter in 2016.

Net interest income grew by See SCENE, Page 4

Harrisonburg, Va.

10 UNDER

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SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Throughout the fall, we asked community members to nominate up-and-coming business people. After whittling the list of two dozen nominees down to 10 names, we present the winners. These talented and successful individuals represent a diverse selection of industries in the Valley. If you don’t see your nominee, please submit his or her name again next year.

Congratulations to the 2017 winners!

The 10 winners follow:

Focused On Selling The Valley It’s an industry where losing out on a project occurs far more often than landing one, requiring economic development professionals to look beyond the result to gauge success.

By VIC BRADSHAW Daily News-Record “So much of economic development is progress, forward movement, collabHARRISONBURG — On most days, oration, and bringing the right people Carrie Chenery focuses her time on to the table,” Chenery said. “If you feel like you have galvanized a group of peoselling the Shenandoah Valley.

Chenery, 31, is executive director of ple toward a shared goal for the betterment of the regional economy, then the Shenandoah Valley PartnerI think you’ve been successful.” ship. Headquartered in HarrisonChenery lives in Staunton with burg, SVP leverages the Valley’s her husband, Taylor, and newborn name recognition to help attract UNDER daughter, Mary Charles. and retain companies to the sevShe grew up on a beef-cattle en counties and five cities it repfarm in Rockbridge County and resents. went to Virginia Tech, earning When successful, those efforts result in millions of dollars of invest- bachelor’s degrees in environmental ment in the region and dozens, and policy and planning and agricultural occasionally hundreds, of jobs. During and applied economics.

She worked as director of governher tenure, it’s helped broker expansions at MillerCoors, Virginia Poultry mental relations for Williams Mullen Growers Cooperative, Route 11 Potato in Richmond, manager of legislation Chips and others, projects for which and policy for the Virginia Economic state and local governments provided Development Partnership, and Virgrants to support the multimillion-dol- ginia’s assistant secretary of agriculture and forestry before taking the lar investments.

Name: Carrie Chenery Age: 31

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Tuesday, November 28, 2017

SVP’s top post in March 2015.

In September 2016, the partnership was recognized by the International Economic Development Council for a marketing campaign to draw site-selection consultants to the Valley for a familiarization tour.

In January, site-selection consultants and development pros tabbed Chenery as one of North America’s top 50 economic developers in Consultant Connect’s annual survey.

A key component of economic development, Chenery said, is getting localities to be honest with themselves about their strengths and weaknesses.

“When we’re honest about what we can actually offer a company to help address their needs and it becomes more about solving their problem,” she said, “we find success.”

Chenery is a gubernatorial appointee to the boards that oversee the VEDP and the Virginia Biotechnology Research Partnership.

Contact Vic Bradshaw at 574-6279 or vbradshaw@dnronline.com

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SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Harrisonburg, Va.

Coverage Others Can Count On Name: Jonathan Coddington Age: 37

“We started this crazy [consortium] because our small-business employers were seeing 50, 100, 150 percent rate increases,” the Rockingham County resident said. “They

By VIC BRADSHAW Daily News-Record were saying, ‘We can’t do this.’ We were looking for a way to help them HARRISONBURG — With health-insur- avoid those rate increases, so we ance premiums rising and local companies found partners and vendors to help seeking relief for themselves and their em- us launch it.” ployees and no solutions in sight, Jonathan Employee benefits, though, aren’t Coddington and co-worker Carl Litwiller de- all innovative thinking. Coddingveloped their own. ton said his department, which has Coddington, manager of the employee ben- grown to 14 employees from five efits division at Harrisonburg’s LD&B Inin just five years, oversees all surance and Financial Services, said they the employee-benefit offerings developed a self-insurance consortium for LD&B provides clients, from 14 Shenandoah Valley employers brave insurance programs to UNDER standard enough to take the plunge in 2014. Inflexible spending accounts and creases among Employers Health Risk wellness programs.

Consortium members have ranged from An Auburn, Ala., native, 0 to 18 percent, with the average between Coddington, 37, came to Harri7 and 9 percent and some employers actually sonburg to attend Eastern Mennosaving money from one year to the next. nite University. He earned a degree As of Jan. 1, he said, at least 73 compa- in economics and business adminisnies, 3,400 of their employees and 6,000 peo- tration and opted to make his home ple around the U.S. will be covered by it. here after meeting his wife, Christine, in college.

His first job out of EMU was in LD&B’s Bridgewater office selling

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individual life and health insurance.

About a decade ago, he said, he was promoted to his current post and is a member of the company’s board of directors.

Outside work, Coddington and his wife are raising their children: Claire, 9, Nathaniel, 7, Emily, 5, and Olivia, 4. He’s involved with On the Road Collaborative and is past president of Arc of Harrisonburg and Rockingham and the former treasurer of the local National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors chapter.

As times have changed, he said, LD&B has transitioned to play an integral role in its clients’ human resources and payroll operations, including Affordable Care Act reporting.

“It’s about staying compliant,” said Coddington, “in an ever-changing regulatory landscape. We’re trying to find ways to help folks be more efficient with their health-insurance dollars.”

Contact Vic Bradshaw at 574-6279 or vbradshaw@dnronline.com

Bank Of The James Approved Dividend Of 6 Cents Per Share Scene

FROM PAGE 2

$410,000 to $5.28 million year-over-year during the quarter, but noninterest expense rose $460,000 to $4.91 million.

The expense growth was attributed to investments Bank of the James made in adding to its banking teams and market expansion.

For the first nine months of 2017, the company’s net income is $2.56 million, or $0.59 per diluted share. That’s down from the $2.99 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, through three quarters of 2016.

Bank of the James ended the third quarter with a $101.58 million commercial loan portfolio, a 21 percent increase over the previous year.

Based on the financial results, the company’s board of directors approved a dividend of 6 cents per share. The dividend is payable on Dec. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 1.

Bank of the James operates 13 branches in the Harrisonburg, Lynchburg,

Charlottesville and Roanoke markets.

— Vic Bradshaw

Summit Earnings Jump In 3Q HARRISONBURG — Unburdened by merger-related expenses, Summit Financial Group (NASDAQ: SMMF) reported strong third-quarter earnings Oct. 26.

The Moorefield, W.Va.-based parent company of Summit Community Bank announced that third-quarter net income was $5.93 million, or 48 cents per diluted share.

That compares to $4.28 million, or 40 cents per diluted share, for the same quarter in 2016.

The net-income jump represents an increase of 38.5 percent, while per-share earnings grew 20 percent.

Last year’s financial performance was negatively impacted by Summit’s purchase of Highland Community Bankshares Inc., completed in October 2016, and First Century Bankshares Inc., completed in April 2017.

Through the nine months that ended Sept. 30, Summit netted $9.59 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, compared with $12.59 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, for the same nine-month period in 2016. The 23.8 percent decline was attributed mostly to a first-quarter legal settlement that reduced per-share earnings by 54 cents.

Summit operates 30 bank branches in Virginia and West Virginia, including two offices in Harrisonburg.

— Vic Bradshaw

First National Corp. Net Income Up HARRISONBURG — First National Corp.

(OTC: FXNC), the parent company of First Bank, recently reported that its net income increased 8 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period in 2016.

Headquartered in Strasburg, the company netted $1.8 million, or 37 cents per See SCENE, Page 8

Harrisonburg, Va.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Accountant Clicks With Numbers Name: Matthew Heatwole Age: 37

By VIC BRADSHAW Daily News-Record

HARRISONBURG — Matthew Heatwole is fortunate to have learned fairly early in life that he’s a numbers guy.

A certified public accountant with the Harrisonburg office of Brown Edwards & Co., the Rockingham County resident said he picked up on the occupation at Turner Ashby High School, where he took his first accounting class.

“When you start in that, sometimes it clicks right away and sometimes it doesn’t,” said Heatwole, 37. “It clicked for me.

“When I went to Virginia Tech, I was leaning in that direction and my time there only solidified it.”

Heatwole earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting and information systems from Virginia Tech.

The first six years of his career

were spent in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., but the Shenandoah Valley called him back home.

He and his wife, Lydia, live just west of Harrisonburg with their 6-month-old son, William.

A director for Brown Edwards, he’s been with the company for almost seven years. Headquartered in Roanoke, this year the company cracked Inside Public Accounting’s list of the country’s Top 100 accounting firms based on net income.

“We’re really proud of that,” Heatwole said of the ranking. “A lot of people here helped contribute to that.”

Heatwole estimated that he works with about 100 clients.

From midsummer through November, he said, his focus is on audit work for local governments all around Virginia. From December through May, he said tax work for individuals and businesses becomes a focus.

“One neat thing about accounting is that you’re exposed to a lot of different businesses and industries,” he said.

“There’s always new challenges, new

standards to implement.

“With city, town and county audits, each entity is unique and presents its own challenges.”

Because a number of his clients are in the construction industry, Heatwole became part of the Shenandoah Valley Builders Association, and he serves as its treasurer. He’s also treasurer for Mercy House, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing homelessness.

He’s a graduate of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce’s Community Leadership and Building Optimal Leaders by Design programs.

Though he’s worked in larger markets, Heatwole said he finds the Harrisonburg area an ideal place to do business.

“What’s cool about Harrisonburg,” he said, “it that it’s big enough that we have a thriving business community but small enough that we know each other.”

Contact Vic Bradshaw at 574-6279 or vbradshaw@dnronline.com

Congratulations Matt on being selected as a 2017 Top 10 under 40 recipient!

Matthew Heatwole, CPA Director

From the team at

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SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Harrisonburg, Va.

Attorney Keeps Drive To Learn baker said.

“I work with school boards across the commonwealth, as well as higher education institutions,” she said. “I represent student and employee matBy KELLY CLARK Daily News-Record ters like contracts, which segues into employment law.”

Though she still doesn’t remember HARRISONBURG — Growing up on a century farm near Dayton helped why, Brubaker’s career goal changed prepare Lindsay Brubaker for a law from teaching to law as she grew up.

“I was cleaning out my parents’ career.

“My family is ingrained in agri- attic and I found an article I wrote culture,” she said. “There’s a detailed in fifth grade saying I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up,” she said. practice [at BotkinRose] with “Maybe it was reading all those things like conservation easemystery novels, or maybe it was ments, and every now and then watching ‘Matlock’ and ‘Columbo’ I’ll get involved with that. I enjoy supporting farmers around here UNDER with my dad.”

Brubaker graduated from and seeing people I grew up with.”

Turner Ashby High School in 2001 Brubaker, 34, started workand double majored in American ing at the BotkinRose law firm in Harrisonburg after passing the bar politics and philosophy at the Uniexam in 2008. In addition to agricul- versity of Virginia. She earned a law ture law, she specializes in education, degree from the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Va., in 2008. employment and commercial law.

Outside of work, Brubaker is on the Parts of those different categories complement each other, Bru- boards of directors for The Communi-

Name: Lindsay Brubaker Age: 34

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ty Foundation in Harrisonburg and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County.

She attends Bridgewater United Methodist Church and is involved with Impact Harrisonburg, a charitable group for young professionals operated by The Community Foundation.

She is married to Matt Robinson, assistant vice president of investments at Farmers and Merchants Bank in Timberville. They have a 4-year-old daughter, Ada, and a second daughter on the way.

The most important part of her career, Brubaker said, is the drive to keep learning and challenging herself.

“I enjoy coming into work not knowing what my day is going to be like, and not knowing what issues can come across your desk,” she said.

“You never want to lose sight of what you’re doing.”

Top 10 Under 40 Congratulations!

Contact Kelly Clark at 574-6290 or kclark@dnronline.com

Branches In Harrisonburg, McGaheysville Movers

The attorneys and staff of the BotkinRose law firm and its Virginia Education Law Group congratulate and applaud our partner, Lindsay Brubaker, on being selected as one of the top 10 under 40!

FROM PAGE 2

Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Blue Ridge Bank, which operates retail banks in the Shenandoah Valley, Charlottesville and Southside Virginia and mortgage offices in North Carolina, operates local branches in Harrisonburg, McGaheysville, Luray and Shenandoah.

— Vic Bradshaw

Johnson Reappointed To Panel Lindsay Brubaker

Mark W. Botkin Lindsay C. Brubaker T. Joel Francis

Douglas L. Guynn Daniel R. Lauro Matthew W. Light Steven C. Rhodes

Kevin M. Rose Michael W. Sharp Ryan P. Waid

HARRISONBURG — A manager at a city business has been reappointed to a state advisory panel.

Deloris Johnson, a manager at the T.J.Maxx store at 1790 E. Market St., was selected by Gov. Terry McAuliffe to return to the Virginia State Rehabilitation Council for three years. The council is comprised of 15 people from throughout Virginia.

Council members work to support people with disabilities by providing advice and information to the Virginia

Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services related to vocational rehabilitation and supportive employment programs. It meets four times a year.

— Vic Bradshaw

Stevens Added To WAW Roster HARRISONBURG — Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver has added Briana Stevens to its Harrisonburg office.

Stevens received her law degree from the West Virginia University College of Law. Her practice will focus on civil litigation and family and domestic law.

While in law school, she was a board member for the West Virginia Fund for Law Stevens in the Public Interest, which provides legal assistance to public-interest organizations See MOVERS, Page 13

SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Harrisonburg, Va.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Welcoming Travelers To Valley Name: Jennifer Sodikoff Age: 29

By PETE DeLEA Daily News-Record

HARRISONBURG — A few months ago, Jennifer Sodikoff signed up for a tricky job: marketing a hotel that didn’t yet exist.

The 29-year-old serves as the marketing, revenue and reservations manager for Hotel Madison and the Shenandoah Valley Conference Center.

“It’s definitely a challenge but it’s very rewarding communicating what the vision of the hotel is going to be,” Sodikoff said.

Construction on Hotel Madison, a $35 million project being built at the corner of South Main and Grace streets in Harrisonburg, began in fall 2016.

It’s an L-shaped building that will offer 230 guest rooms, a farm-to-table restaurant and a daytime coffee bar/ nighttime wine bar.

The Shenandoah Valley Conference Center, situated parallel to MLK Way, is an $11 million project that will yield 21,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Both are expected to be completed

by May. Sodikoff, a San Francisco-area native, received an undergraduate degree in marketing from University of Arizona in 2010 and is earning a certificate for hotel revenue management from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration.

When not at work, Sodikoff can be found planning meals as part of Sub Rosa Supper Club, a group she co-founded in 2016. About every two months, about two dozen people gather for a six-course meal with a unique theme and at an unusual setting.

“It’s a gathering of different people,” she said. “We learned about each other and promote the community.”

She also serves as a Sunday school teacher for first-graders at Blessed

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B A N K AT U N I O N .CO M 5 4 0 . 56 8 . 20 8 0

Sacrament Catholic Church and is a participant in Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Chamber of Commerce’s BOLD, an advanced leadership program.

Sodikoff lives in Penn Laird with her husband, Jake.

In late October, Hotel Madison began accepting reservations for May 1, just in time for James Madison University’s 2018 graduation weekend.

“We’re pretty much at capacity,” she said.

She also said there was a spike when JMU released its 2018 football schedule.

While everyone is welcomed at the hotel and conference center, she’s targeting industries that might not be familiar with the Shenandoah Valley.

“I hope it brings new businesses and travelers ... one’s that haven’t come before,” Sodikoff said.

Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6267

To expand its packaging business – and provide more opportunities to people with barriers to employment – Friendship Industries wanted to enlarge its company headquarters in Harrisonburg. Commercial Banker Greg Godsey came through with fast, affordable funding. Because helping local businesses succeed feels good. And when it helps the community, too? That feels even better.

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Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Harrisonburg, Va.

A Business With Momentum Turkey Trot.

Gibson, a Virginia Beach native, first came to Harrisonburg to attend James Madison University. He

By NOLAN STOUT Daily News-Record graduated with a degree in public administration in HARRISONBURG — Kev- 2005.

He left the Valley to earn in Gibson is still getting used a master’s degree in higher to being a business owner.

A few years ago, the education administration thought wouldn’t have even from Miami University of Ohio. Gibson worked for a crossed his mind.

“Me being a ‘business year in Washington, D.C., running George Washperson’ wasn’t even a ington University’s concept five years ago,” alternative break prohe said. “I would have until his wife got a never considered myself UNDER gram job at JMU. an entrepreneur.”

The couple moved Gibson, 34, and to the city and GibAlan Maynard are the son started working in co-founders of VA Momentum, a Harrisonburg JMU’s Office of Alumni Rebusiness that organizes lations in 2009. That’s where charity runs in the city and he hired Maynard.

Gibson and Maynard Valley, including the Valley 4th Run and the Rocktown grew close from their travels

Name: Kevin Gibson Age: 34

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up and down the East Coast.

They participated in Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, an event that attracts nearly 40,000 people annually, and decided Harrisonburg needed a similar event.

Thus, a hobby started.

In 2012, they organized the first Valley 4th Run, a pick-your-distance, pick-your-charity race in downtown Harrisonburg.

It boasted nearly 500 participants and the two realized they had a knack for planning events.

“We didn’t know what this was going to become,” Gibson said. “We weren’t two guys who met at JMU and said, ‘Hey, let’s start a business together.’”

The races started growing and expanding and, by 2015, the hobby

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was at a crossroads.

“It got to the point where we needed to scale that back or take the entrepreneurial risk,” Gibson said.

So, in 2015, Gibson left his job at JMU. Maynard followed in 2016.

“We left stable roles to pursue our passion,” Gibson said. “It has never been a money-driven cause. We get to wake up every day and do what we love.”

VA Momentum now hosts between 15 and 20 events a year across the state.

They’ve also expanded beyond Virginia’s borders with a 2017 run in North Carolina and another planned for Florida in 2018.

The organization has raised more than $80,000 benefiting area charities throughout the past couple years, including the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. The proceeds come from registration fees.

The duo plan to continue growing their presence in the area.

“We are so thankful for and we only exist because people in this community have our back,” Gibson said.

“Our roots are in the Valley

and we want to continue to have that be the case.”

Contact Nolan Stout at 574-6278 or nstout@dnronline.com

Improvement Attributed To Net Income Scene

FROM PAGE 4

share, for the quarter that ended Sept.

30, according to financial results reported Oct. 25. That was up from the $1.7 million, or 34 cents per share, in earnings it posted a year earlier.

First National attributed the improvement primarily to an increase in net interest income, to $6.4 million from $5.8 million.

Net loans grew by $11 million to $509.4 million from the second to the third quarters.

Through the first nine months, net income has increased year-over-year to $5.1 million, or $1.04 per share, from $4.2 million, or 86 cents per share.

First Bank has 15 offices in the Shenandoah Valley and central Virginia, including two branches in Woodstock and one each in Elkton, Mount Jackson and Strasburg; a loan production office in Harrisonburg; First Bank Wealth Management; and First Bank Financial Services, which provides title in-

surance and investment services.

— Vic Bradshaw

Union Bankshares Ups Dividend HARRISONBURG — Union Bankshares Corporation (NASDAQ: UBSH), the parent company of Union Bank & Trust, recently declared a quarterly dividend of 21 cents per share.

The dividend will be paid on Nov. 27 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 13.

The amount represents a 1-cent increase over the dividend provided in the previous quarter and in the third quarter of 2016.

Headquartered in Richmond, Union Bank & Trust has 111 branches in Virginia, including two in Harrisonburg and one in Grottoes.

— Vic Bradshaw

Harrisonburg, Va.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Maynard Sees No Stop In Sight studies in 2006. He spent the next several years bouncing between several jobs.

It was the job in JMU’s Office of Alumni Relations that brought him toBy NOLAN STOUT gether with VA Momentum’s co-foundDaily News-Record er, Kevin Gibson.

“As we got to know each other,” MayHARRISONBURG — It took several stops along the way, but Alan Maynard nard said, “we realized that we kind of had a shared history of being unhealthy planted his roots in Harrisonburg.

And now that he’s hit the ground and being intimidated by some of these running, the 33-year-old sees no stop active events because we always felt like they weren’t really for us.” in sight.

After running a race in RichMaynard is a co-founder of VA mond, the two decided to bring an Momentum, which organizes charevent to the Valley. ity runs in Harrisonburg and the UNDER The duo first hosted an event Valley, including the Valley 4th in 2012 with the Valley 4th Run, a Run and the Rocktown Turkey pick-your-distance, pick-your-charTrot. ity race in downtown HarrisonMaynard was born in Roanoke, moved to Abingdon and then to Ohio burg. The event, held on the Fourth of during high school. But his heart was July, boasted nearly 500 participants its first year. in the Old Dominion.

This year, the run drew more than “I knew that I wanted to be living in 1,000 participants.

Virginia and not in Ohio,” he said.

Since that first race, what started as Maynard returned to Virginia to attend James Madison University. He a hobby has become a full-time job for received a degree in communications Maynard, who lives in the city with his

Name: Alan Maynard Age: 33

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wife, Emma, and 3-year-old daughter, Avery.

VA Momentum now puts on 15 to 20 races a year in Virginia and has started hosting events in other states.

“It’s a hobby that completely spiraled out of control,” Maynard said, “in the best way possible.”

The runs are typically lighthearted, involving food or shenanigans, such as a runner in a turkey costume. Most races also are professionally timed, with race bibs and time chips.

The organization has raised more than $80,000 benefiting area charities throughout the past couple years, including the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

The proceeds come from registration fees.

“We’re all about creating really good events that are accessible for all people and benefit local businesses and charities,” Maynard said.

Contact Nolan Stout at 574-6278 or nstout@dnronline.com

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

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Tuesday, November 28, 2017

HARRISONBURG – ROCKINGHAM

Chamber of Commerce Letter From The President THE CHAMBER OF TODAY’S WORLD

L

ast year’s 100th Anniversary of the Chamber gave us reason to look back over the course of a century of existence and service, and the opportunity to look forward. As an organization, the Chamber is always cognizant of its foundations and the people who have been leaders. Equally importantly in today’s world, the Chamber is always looking ahead, trying to do its part to prepare its members and the community for success now and in the future.

As you plan your new year, the Chamber is indeed a constant force in the world of change. Regardless of the form of communication, the Chamber puts people and information together. That has indeed been a constant of the HarrisonburgRockingham Chamber of Commerce since 1916. Business owners and entrepreneurs needed information to make informed business decisions in 1916 and they still do today. That has not changed. But, technology has changed the speed and delivery of information, and your Chamber has adapted. Business, government, non-profit and community leaders needed to expand their network and build strong relationships to succeed in 1916, and they still do today. That has not changed.

As you get inundated with holiday gift ideas for the latest and greatest technologies (and please remember to Shop Local), keep in mind that the community and local business still revolve around people and relationships. And as you plan for 2018, remember that your Chamber is also trying to keep up with and adapt to the changing world and economy, but still provides the opportunities for meeting people, building relationships, developing future leaders, advocating for a stronger economy and vibrant community, and promoting commerce and industry and jobs, just as we have done for 101 years.

About the Chamber

T

he Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit community organization. The Chamber exists to connect area businesses into a powerful network through leadership and advocacy. Since 1916 we have been influencing public policy on behalf of the business community and helping the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area become a thriving and dynamic marketplace of opportunities.

The Chamber offers a variety of programs designed to meet the needs of our member businesses. Through networking events, educational programs and committees, we build community relations and offer our members a variety of ways to make new customer contacts and network with fellow Chamber members.

Over 150 Chamber Members attended our Connections 2017 event including educational sessions, speed networking and a business resource fair.

(Photo Courtesy of Monica Grimes Photography)

STAFF Frank Tamberrino President & CEO frank@hrchamber.org (540) 434-3862 x 102 Sheena Armentrout Director of Membership Development & Investment sheena@hrchamber.org (540) 434-3862 x 106 Cari Orebaugh Director of Marketing & Communications cari@hrchamber.org (540) 434-3862 x 108 Trent Turner Finance & Administration Manager trent@hrchamber.org (540) 434-3862 x 101 Carlie Floyd Administrative Assistant information@hrchamber.org (540) 434-3862

CONTACT US Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce 800 Country Club Road Harrisonburg, VA 22802 (540) 434-3862 information@hrchamber.org

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY TO:

To paraphrase another quote, Ask not what your Chamber can do for you, but what you can do for your Chamber. Consider getting more involved in 2018 and keep the momentum going for the Chamber, the Harrisonburg-Rockingham community and the greater Shenandoah Valley.

Frank Tamberrino President and CEO

Harrisonburg, Va.

BECOME A MEMBER Our programs range from monthly business networking events, to an annual awards banquet honoring business leaders. Periodic training programs and issues-based forums all develop leadership and communicate information that influences decisions for the benefit of businesses within our community. We look forward to beginning our second century of building our community together.

http://chamber.hrchamber.org/ member/newmemberapp VIEW AREA JOB POSTINGS

http://chamber.hrchamber.org/ jobs Find Us on Facebook & Twitter to Keep Up with Your Chamber News & Events

SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Harrisonburg, Va.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Shop Local Holiday Initiative Happening Now – December 19 enter, but they can only enter one time per transaction. So the more times you shop at participating businesses, the better your chances of winning!

In an effort to support our Chamber Member retailers this holiday season, we have coordinated our “Shop Local” initiative that kicked-off Friday, November 17 and will conclude Tuesday, December 19. From now until December 19, any consumer who spends at least $25 at a participating Chamber Member location will be given the chance to enter their name into a drawing. There is no limit on the amount of times an individual can

Participating Chamber Retailers: Agora Downtown Market participating businesses: Heartworn Vintage, New Creation, Bluestone Running, Mandy’s Candy, The Isle Co. Artisans Hope Arts Council of the Valley Blue Ridge Hospice Thrift Shop Bluestone Bike & Run Bluestone Vineyard Brix & Columns Vineyards Brydgeworks Glass Studio Classic Tuxedos CrossKeys Vineyards Explore More Discovery Museum

Upcoming Calendar of Events Now – December 19 Shop Local Holiday Campaign December 6

December 7

Pre-Session Legislative Breakfast in Partnership with the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council

December 8

Business Smarts Breakfast Series · Tools & Tips for Business Businesses – Coordinating your Marketing Calendar

December 14

Member Success Orientation – open to current, new and prospective members

January 4, 2018

Annual Banquet & Awards Ceremony

Business at Breakfast at The Spa at Massanutten Resort

To view and register for events, please visit the Chamber’s Events Calendar at http://chamber.hrchamber.org/events/calendar

Gift & Thrift Glen’s Fair Price Store Hair Cuttery Hot Yoga Harrisonburg Kate’s Natural Products May Supply Company McNett Angus Beef Mulligan’s Golf Center OASIS Fine Art & Craft PrePOPsterous Ragtime Fabrics Ray Carr Tires Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn

Silver Lake Mill Skin and Zen Stoney Run Artisans Solace Studios The Dayton Market Ten Thousand Villages The Beauty Spa The Heritage Market participating businesses: Grandma’s Pantry & Timeless Toys The Heritage Museum White Oak Lavender Farm

CONNECTIONS 2017 TO AIR ON WVPT’S “CAUGHT DOING GOOD” PROGRAM Your Chamber is excited to partner with WVPT to showcase Connections 2017 early next year as part of their “Caught Doing Good” program. Based on community feedback, WVPT is featuring the “good news stories” happening throughout our communities – the stories behind organizations and businesses seeking to make life better for friends and neighbors. Stay tuned for more details on this partnership, but in the meantime you can stream full episodes of “Caught Doing Good” online at www.youtube. com/WVPTPublicTV.

Spotlight On New Members ALCOVA Mortgage Auto Xperts Bittersweet Bakery Brix & Columns Vineyards Care Advantage Consulate Health Care Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center Joshua Gooden Photography Mona Gil Design Obenshain Law Group PrePOPsterous Gourmet Popcorn Pulse HR Solutions LLC Queen City Creative LLC Rocktown Kitchen TechDynamism Ten Thousand Villages Ugly Bug VA Momentum Valley Home Care Valley Inbound Marketing

Visit our website for an easy-to-use, online database of all Chamber Members or pick up your free copy of our Membership Directory at the Chamber Offices.

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Tuesday, November 28, 2017

A ‘Happy Little’ Career Twist Name: Kyle Miller Age: 34

By VIC BRADSHAW Daily News-Record

HARRISONBURG — A frustrating personal experience turned Kyle Miller into an entrepreneur.

The 34-year-old Orlando, Fla.-area native was preparing to move his family — wife Heather and daughters Hensley and Reagan, now 9 and 7, respectively — to Elkton from Alabama and wanted a small trash bin for objects they no longer needed.

He had to rent a full-sized dumpster, though, because he couldn’t find other options. And when he called the company to say it could haul the unit away before his rental was up, he was told it had to remain for the full month.

“It stayed there a lot longer than it needed to be, and it was very expensive,” Miller said. “So I decided I wanted to start a dumpster rental company.

“My wife thought I was crazy.”

He began business preparation in September 2016, buying assets he’d need and building a business model that included removing bins when customers wanted. He arrived here in March, and Happy Little Dumpsters served its first customer in May. Miller intended to work for a local company while launching the business but scrapped that plan.

“The dumpster rental thing,” said Miller, “just kicked off so hard.”

Six months later, demand has led him to more than double the number of bins in his inventory. He’s used profits from his sales to cover the purchases.

While he has commercial clients, Miller said residential users are his primary customers. He’s dropped dumpsters at locations from Edinburg to Lexington and east into the Charlottesville market.

The “Little” in the company name refers to his bins’ footprint. Though much smaller, taller walls allow them to hold 20 cubic yards of refuse.

Happy Little Dumpsters is an in-

teresting career twist for a man who took his father’s advice to join the military so he could become an aircraft mechanic.

He signed up for the Alabama Army National Guard in 2000, while still in high school, and twice was deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. When not overseas, he managed a barbecue restaurant in Huntsville, Ala. In 2010, he earned a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics and logistics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Miller retired from the Army National Guard this year after 16 years.

Based on the name of his business and its smiling-dumpster logo, he apparently has marketing and branding chops, too. Miller said “Happy Little Dumpsters” and its logo concept was pieced together during conservations with Guard colleagues about his post-military plans.

Contact Vic Bradshaw at 574-6279 or vbradshaw@dnronline.com

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Apply or learn more about MyNeighbor at everence.com/MyNeighbor.

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Harrisonburg, Va.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Harrisonburg, Va.

Worked In Child And Family Care Clinic Movers

FROM PAGE 6

throughout West Virginia each summer, and a member of its Public Interest Advocates, which helps select candidates for those posts.

Stevens also worked as a student attorney in the Child and Family Clinic, a WVU law school entity devoted to providing legal assistance to low-income West Virginia children and families, and in-

terned with Legal Aid of West Virginia, ChildLaw Services, and the university’s Title IX Office.

Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver is has law offices in Harrisonburg and Staunton.

— Vic Bradshaw

Wray Named F&M Bank Director TIMBERVILLE — Peter Wray has been

appointed as a new director of Farmers & Merchants Bank and F&M Bank Corp., according to a Nov. 16 press release.

Wray is the principal broker of Staunton-based Triangle Realtors, according to the F&M release announcing his appointment.

A native of Staunton, Wray has spent most of his life livWray ing and working in western and central Virginia, the release states. Since graduating from the

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

University of Virginia in 1991, he has served in construction and real estate-related positions at the regional, state and national levels, according to the release.

F&M Bank Corp. is the Timberville-based parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank, which provides banking services at 13 branches in the Shenandoah Valley.

— Staff Reports

The Shenandoah Valley Partnership congratulates the Valley’s Top 10 Under 40 honorees. We are happy to recognize our own Carrie Chenery on being selected along with recipients from SVP private sector members Nielsen Builders and LD&B Insurance and Financial Services. Thank you for all each of you do for the Shenandoah Valley! www.Shenandoah-valley.biz • 540-568-3100 PORCHES, ARBORS & PERGOLAS, HANDICAP RAMPS

HOWARD A. SPANGLER CO. Wholesaler of Food Service and Janitorial Disposables

is

FOR SALE 245 Old South High St., Harrisonburg, Va. www.spanglerpaper.com

(540)434-2581

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SHENANDOAH VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

A Lead Role In Large Projects Name: Dan Hylton Age: 38

By VIC BRADSHAW Daily News-Record

HARRISONBURG — Dan Hylton found his career while buying a used vehicle.

The Weyers Cave native said he was up from Richmond, where he was a landscape superintendent, and went to New Market to see a sport utility vehicle for sale. Its owner was Tony Biller, now president of Nielsen Builders Inc., and he sold Hylton on the SUV and a career change.

Flash forward nearly 15 years and Hylton, 38, is Nielsen’s director of estimating and a member of its board of directors.

He and his three-person staff calculate bids for the area’s largest general contractor, which does jobs totaling between $50 million and $100 million annually. Nielsen works from

Shenandoah to Rockbridge counties in the Valley, from Culpeper to Nelson counties on the U.S. 29 corridor, as far east as Fluvanna County and into Grant, Hardy and Pendleton counties in West Virginia.

Hylton is involved in all of Nielsen’s bids and takes a lead in large projects.

He’s guided the estimating process for several high-profile local jobs, including Harrisonburg’s new City Hall and its newest schools, Bluestone Elementary and the Elon Rhodes Early Learning Center; James Madison University’s Sentara Park and its baseball/ softball facility; and Page County and Luray high schools.

To produce an estimate in the highly competitive construction industry, he reviews plans, talks with project managers about how they’d handle the job, and works with subcontractors and suppliers to try to get their best prices.

As the hour to submit a bid approaches, he takes dozens of bids from subcontractors and uses them to fashion what he hopes is the lowest price

for the project while leaving room for Nielsen to make money.

“When you get 100-plus bids on the day of the bid and you have to submit it by 2 o’clock or the bid gets thrown out,” said Hylton, “it’s an intense situation.

It’s exciting, but it’s competitive.”

A Fort Defiance High School graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech, Hylton lives in the Weyers Cave area with his wife Katie and daughters Madelyn, 7, and Molly, 5.

Among his outside pursuits, he’s acting manager of the nonprofit St. Paul’s Cemetery in Weyers Cave, and a member of Impact Harrisonburg, which promotes philanthropy among young professionals.

When he’s not running numbers, you might find Hylton out on area roads. He competes in marathons and half-marathons and participates in 100-mile cycling events.

Contact Vic Bradshaw at 574-6279 or vbradshaw@dnronline.com

From Playing Ball To City Hall Name: Jacob Hull Age: 38

By ELLIE POTTER Daily News-Record

HARRISONBURG — Sports were Jacob Hull’s main focus growing up and all through college.

He grew up in Highland County before attending Lynchburg College, where he played basketball for all four years and graduated with a degree in sports management.

“When I was in school, I was a dumb jock, is what I told people,” Hull said. “I just played ball, and sports management dealt with sports.”

After graduation, he had trouble finding a job, he said, but “dumb luck” brought him into the construction world.

Hull, 38, has worked for Nielsen Builders Inc. for the last 12 years, 10 in his current role as a project manager. He’s helped build multimillion-dol-

lar projects, including Bluestone Elementary School and City Hall. He is now working on renovating John W. Wayland Elementary School near Bridgewater.

“It’s dealing with people still, just I’m talking about buildings instead of sports,” Hull said. “Learning that part was the challenge, but just coordinating and scheduling is kind of the same.”

Hull learned on the job from co-workers at Nielsen, and says he now enjoys the industry, where each day is different.

“I handle problems as much as anything,” he said. “Problems occur sometimes a few times a day. Sometimes you don’t have a problem for a week or two. That’s probably one of my favorites — I don’t have the same thing every day.”

He tries not to let the stress of the job get to him, he said, which has proven to be one of his strengths. Instead, he tries to evaluate issues from all perspectives — including the owner’s

and subcontractor’s — when making decisions.

His goal at the end of each project is to ensure the customer is happy with Nielsen’s work.

Even off the clock, he keeps an eye on past projects. When attending events in buildings he helped construct, Hull looks for any cracks in the walls or other flaws in the structure.

“After so many years, you just get used to checking things out,” he said.

“We’re looking at different stuff than what most people are looking at.”

Hull, who lives in Rockingham County with his wife, Amy, and three children, said he especially enjoys driving by and seeing his work.

Being involved in building so many large community projects is a good feeling, he said.

“Those are buildings that will be standing a long time from now,” Hull said. “It’s a cool accomplishment.”

Contact Ellie Potter at 574-6286 or epotter@dnronline.com

Harrisonburg, Va.

Harrisonburg, Va.

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