FACES of Fauquier 2022

2022 EDITION

of FAUQUIER

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF WARRENTON LIFESTYLE

A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

We’re excited to present our newest premier special section: FACES of Fauquier!

This separate section of Warrenton Lifestyle focuses on some of the many amazing faces that help make Fauquier County a truly unique business community. When we decided to create this personalized publication of Fauquier business leaders, everyone on our staff was excited about what it could become.

We hope you enjoy FACES of Fauquier and visit the featured businesses.

FACES of Fauquier will be published annually in our January issue and is also available as a digital flipbook on our website at piedmontlifestyle.com/faces2022.

Thank you to all the businesses for being part of this special section.

Watch for the next FACES of Fauquier in January 2023, and if you would like to be considered to be featured, please let us know (faces@warrentonlifestyle.com).

PAM KAMPHUIS

JIM KELLY

DENNIS BRACK

Dennis Brack Publisher

Sales Director

Project Writer

Editor CINDY MCBRIDE

JAYA PATIL

LUKE CHRISTOPHER

Publisher

Project Photographer

Account Executive

FACES of Fauquier is a free annual publication of Warrenton Lifestyle. Copyright © 2022 by Rappahannock Media. All Rights Reserved. Information in this magazine is as correct as possible at press time but is subject to change. Reproduction of any photographs, illustrations or written material without prior consent from the publisher is prohibited.

Warrenton Lifestyle, 70 Main St., Suite 32, Warrenton, VA 20186

FINANCIAL SERVICES B. Riley Wealth Management Advisors Jan Kamphuis, Jennifer Hardcastle, Steven Crouch Where can you find a professional office where you are comfortable dropping in anytime without an appointment?

The intimate, personal atmosphere created by the financial advisors at B. Riley Wealth Management in Warrenton makes their clients feel welcome to do just that.

Having worked together as financial advisors in Warrenton for more than 20 years, the team of longtime Fauquier County community members has decades of experience in, and a strong reputation for, helping their clients grow, enjoy, protect, and preserve their wealth throughout their lifetimes. Steven Crouch, Jan Kamphuis, and Jennifer Hardcastle recently opened the B. Riley office in Warrenton to better serve their clients’ needs through access to the firm’s sophisticated financial services and solutions which include retirement planning, investment planning, risk management, insurance, and corporate retirement plan advisory services.

The three advisors you encounter at the office are as genuine there as when you run into them out in the community. As Jennifer puts it, “We work with people first and the numbers are secondary.”

The focus of each advisor is developing real, lasting relationships with their clients. Everything feels familiar in the

office, and the advisors work to extend the same safe familiarity to their clients, whatever the circumstances that bring them in.

Their success is driven by each client’s happiness with their experience with their advisor. When finances come into play in a client’s life, says Jennifer, “We want to be that trusted friend they turn to for help navigating through those decisions.” Jan says, “We respect that navigation process is different for each client. That’s why we spend time treating people as individuals and listening.” Steven adds, “Our shared objective is to develop an investment plan tailored to each client’s financial needs and goals.”

B. Riley Warrenton has the power and resources to offer full financial services that suit all types of accounts and investment amounts, while the intimate setting enables them to always put their clients first. Having a full-service, client-centric approach in a small, strong community requires “treating all clients equally and providing everyone great service,” Steven says.

It’s never too late to seek guidance through your financial life. The advisors at B. Riley Wealth Management in Warrenton are here to help you through the what-ifs every step of the way.

550 Broadview Ave, Suite 201, Warrenton • 540-680-5370 • brileywealth.com scrouch@brileywealth.com • jhardcastle@brileywealth.com • jkamphuis@brileywealth.com

RESTAURANT

Claire’s at the Depot Claire Lamborne Claire Lamborne is the first to say she’s frequently trying to change things up; it’s how she's kept her culinary career thriving and made her restaurant, Claire’s at the Depot, a true dining destination. Having fallen in love with the historic train depot in Old Town, Claire was seeking a new path for growth and a home for her next venture as a chef and manager when she saw a unique opportunity, and took it.

Her dream of opening a restaurant was born when Claire, who had a successful catering business in Warrenton, helped a friend open a restaurant on Tortola in 2004. She prepared a dinner for a group of friends and enjoyed it so much that she realized, “I have another venture in me.”

Returning from the Caribbean, she secured financing from a local bank, bought the depot building, and opened Claire’s in 2005.

Service is of utmost importance at Claire’s, with their front-of-the-house employees often referred to as the best wait staff in town. When told by another restaurateur upon opening that service was actually more important than the food, Claire was skeptical. “I believed that

food outweighed everything,” she said. Now she feels differently. “Guests won’t return to give a restaurant another try if the service is bad, but if the food isn’t up to par and the service is impeccable, they’ll come back. I didn’t realize that.”

In the kitchen, Chef Anna Crossman works with Claire to keep pace with the ongoing need for innovative seasonal menu specials, while keeping standard favorites consistent. Adaptation is also key: switching to jumbo lump crab meat for their iconic she-crab soup, due to a supply shortage of their usual ingredient, improved the dish so much they recently sold 160 cups in a week. Take it from Claire — that’s a lot!

At Claire’s, your meal is prepared with a rare attention to detail and hearty flavorful portions. Claire continues to give her all to her craft and the business through recent challenges, as do many of her team members. Her evening chef, Jose, has recruited family members to fill various roles in the operation of Claire’s. “If you saw the kitchen in action on a Friday or Saturday night, you’d be amazed by what they can do,” she says proudly of her staff.

65 South 3rd St, Warrenton • 540-351-1616 • clairesrestaurant.com

VINEYARD

Philip Carter Winery Philip Strother Rich history can be found beneath your feet throughout Fauquier County and that stands true at the Philip Carter Winery, owned and maintained by Philip Strother and his family with a legacy weighing in at three centuries.

work that Philip’s eldest son, Landon, participates in is just one example of the dedication necessary to ultimately produce the delicious luxuries offered to visitors of the winery.

The Carter family’s deep history with wine was uncovered in the process of research when Philip’s family determined that the wine industry might be a way to help them keep their farm in the family. The winery now stands strong as the sustainable agricultural business that emphasizes and maintains their family legacy.

It’s hard work to ensure that something “be enjoyed by generations to come,” Philip notes. Philip carries multiple generations in the work he does and looks forward to more. While that’s a lot of past and future, it is exactly what simultaneously keeps Philip grounded in the present. All that history gives him a deeply rooted connection to the land—as figuratively and literally deep as the vine itself.

Staying true to the values of stewardship of the land has carried Philip to this point of prosperity and will continue to be the guide moving forward, as “what we do today is investing in the future,” he says. It’s not just the ideal of stewardship that asks for the investment of time, because “the wine business requires a lot of patience” as well.

What gives fruition to the glamorous vines, wines, and views of the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont is perseverance. The “hands in the soil, boots on the ground”

Philip’s aspirations don’t end at seeing the family land and beauty of Fauquier County live on, he also sets out to share wines that reflect that beauty of our home and raise Virginia’s wine reputation. It’s a matter of pride in what they have to offer, from family to land to grit.

Philip welcomes you into a piece of his family and his heart through the winery. “Don’t be a stranger, come out and see us at the vineyard,” Philip encourages.

4366 Stillhouse Road, Hume • 540-364-1203 • pcwinery.com

ROOFING

Peak Roofing Contractors, Inc. Dawn Smith & Buddy Riggleman Keeping a roof over your head is nothing if it’s not intact, and siblings Dawn Smith and Buddy Riggleman are here to help for the long haul. Just one week after the last company they worked for came to an end, Dawn and Buddy had their business incorporated in 2006.

Following their talent with the roofing business led the brother-sister duo to continue offering their work where they are now as the owners of Peak Roofing Contractors.

Although entrepreneurship can afford some people a withdrawn level of responsibility in the lifespan of a business, Dawn and Buddy remain directly involved in the ground work day in and day out. Dawn’s day starts with a call from her husband Ronnie who works nightshift while she gets ready for beginning work before sunrise. It’s even more of a family affair with their cousin, Jason, filling the role of operations manager, and Buddy’s wife, Jennifer, as events coordinator.

Those at Peak Roofing know how impactful quality customer service is. Their idea of service is centered around lifelong care that applies to you and extends

to those around you, ultimately “servicing neighbors, friends, and family.” Dawn and Buddy emphasize that they plan to stick around, something that can only happen with the support of their customers.

Feeding the cycle of support between customer and company is built upon reliability and theirs is accentuated by their priority to stand behind their work.

Dawn and Buddy along with their team understand that customers often have the experience of being abandoned when the result of the renovation doesn’t fit the initial intention, but their team won’t give up on you or their work. Strong customer service is coincidentally best visible when things don’t go as planned, and the company is outspoken about following through on a project to the point of everyone’s satisfaction.

They aim to return to office life once they reacquire a building so their team of 37 can be under the same roof again—their specialty, and a privilege that is not unnoticed to the Peak Roofing team. In the meantime, they’ve “been here for 15 years and hope to be here for another 15 more to service our community,” Dawn says.

5441 Old Alexandria Turnpike, Warrenton • 703-753-4585 • peakroofingcontractors.com

LEGAL SERVICES Law Office of Marie Washington Marie Washington Andy Griffith didn’t just grace television sets since the ’50s, he also brought rise to Marie Washington’s nearly two-decade long law career. Watching Matlock with her grandfather, Marie knew she wanted to practice law— only perhaps with better style.

Having been raised in the county, Marie’s favorite part is historic Warrenton. Seeing judges going grocery shopping drives home the sense of an accessible community in her hometown. Marie says the local legal community involves helping one another and harvesting positivity beyond their professions.

Such positivity fills the walls of her Old Town office, opened in 2011, where they truly care about their clients. Marie highlights that, “we represent a family,” meaning that clients’ legal needs are not confined to one person and one issue. Marie and her team are here to holistically support the community.

One of her recent projects is bringing Wills for Heroes to Culpeper, a free program to produce wills for first responders and their spouses. From those early days in her grandfather’s living room, Marie knew she wanted to

open her own practice to have the flexibility for pro bono cases and helping her community.

The Law Office of Marie Washington offers multiple legal services, from resolving traffic violations to estate planning. The latter is something Marie hopes to offer more insight on amid hesitation. With COVID, the office saw an increased need for estate planning and those cases fill their schedule nowadays.

Marie picked up on her father’s ability to see no strangers, so anyone stepping foot in her office is a member of the community. In that way, Marie is here to go to bat for you in every aspect of your life possible.

“If you have a goal, drive for it,” she says, and perhaps her office can propel you in the direction of one of your goals.

Marie welcomes clients warmly, as she doesn’t want people to be hesitant to contact an attorney. Marie knows that “you can still be yourself in your profession,” which might mean catching her and her team in goofy holiday hats on a Friday. After all, Marie says, “success is whatever makes you your happiest.”

67 West Lee St, Unit 102, Warrenton • 540-347-4172 • mariewashingtonlaw.com

AUTO SALES AND SERVICE Country Chevrolet Jake Moore and Team Not many businesses can say they’ve built a team strong enough to form a band together after hours, but Country Chevrolet sure can. General Manager Jake Moore was even in a band before he joined the company 20 years ago. The team at Country Chevrolet may not be here to release an album but they are here to fuel their customers, community, and camaraderie.

Location was once more imperative to business than it is now, with the Country Chevrolet team getting to enjoy the benefits of the county’s casual beauty while offering the right inventory for your car needs. “Keeping things local and supporting local businesses” is the company’s priceless priority. Beyond using local business, Country Chevrolet is involved in supporting everything from charities to many kids’ sports teams in the county.

Country Chevrolet thrives in a cycle of giving back the community and receiving the same support in return since the conception of the store in 1997. The store is made whole by its tenured team of service providers,

some having been with the company since around its beginnings. Country Chevrolet’s success is hard earned and here to stay as “it just takes many years of doing the right thing.”

These foundations are what has made Country Chevrolet reliable enough to have business nearly entirely built upon repeat business and referrals. “It’s almost like a family room in here,” Jake notes recalling seeing the same customers—many from when he started working there. With 75 employees ready to assist the more than 50 customers daily with their needs, it takes a well-oiled machine to service yours.

The store is set for a total revamp in the next couple of years to adjust to digital settings and electric cars.

Country Chevrolet will grow to be here to help solve your problems. In a business environment where people can feel vulnerable, Country Chevrolet’s team is focused on finding a solution that makes sense for you. Catch the team during business hours instead of band practice and you can get the full story there.

11 Lee Hwy East, Warrenton • 540-216-0479 • countrychevrolet.com

DERMATOLOGY Warrenton Dermatology & Skin Therapy Center Dr. Juan-Carlos Caballero Dermatologist Dr. Juan-Carlos Caballero’s mornings start on a walk with his 100+ pound Greater Swiss Mountain dog and some time reading before dropping the kids off at school on the way to the practice. Dr. Caballero is clearly focused on those around him—dogs included—in every aspect of his life. His dedication is central to the running of his practice, Warrenton Dermatology & Skin Therapy Center.

Intent on “providing high quality dermatologic care to our community,” Dr. Caballero is soon opening a Mohs skin cancer surgery center in the continued effort for comprehensive care. Patients have historically been referred out for Mohs surgery, often having to travel far for it. Come 2022, patients will only need to travel a few floors in the same building to have Mohs surgery with Warrenton Dermatology.

With his interest in medicine piqued as a child, Dr. Caballero started from the ground up when he purchased the practice in 2008 and developed a patient-centered philosophy that sets him apart.

Dr. Caballero is in the business of trust and building it with each patient he encounters, something he acknowledges takes time. One way the skin care specialists at Warrenton Dermatology invest in trust with their patients is by prioritizing patient education. “When you empower patients, they become advocates for their own skin,” Dr. Caballero says of their philosophy.

It’s the people of the community whom Dr. Caballero credits for making his private practice experience in the county rewarding. Increasing accessibility for local families is important to Dr. Caballero’s team because they are invested in individual and multi-generational care. In one such way he tries to encompass patients at every stage in their life, Dr. Caballero offers pediatric dermatologic care— something rarely found in the specialty.

You have your skin for life, and the Warrenton Dermatology team are here to support your health for as long. Whether for an appointment or for the life of your unique dermatological needs, you have Dr. Caballero and his team’s full attention. If anything, he leaves it at this: “wear more sunblock.”

28 Blackwell Park Lane, Suite 302, Warrenton • 540-341-1900 • warrentondermatology.com

FITNESS Old Town Athletic Campus Kim Forsten Think back to aerobics in the mid-90s—bold spandex optional. Kay Shackelford saw Kim Forsten’s talent in an exercise class at the old Simply Aerobics studio in Warrenton. Kim was quickly given a position as an instructor at the studio and, within one year, offered ownership. Fast forward nearly 30 years, and the idea of that studio has transformed into the Old Town Athletic Campus (OTAC) of today spanning 38,000 square feet.

Kim’s early aspirations of being a physical education teacher and coach have led her to owning a healthconscientious business with her husband, Mike, that has exponentially grown in the last decade. Kim’s father taught her the perseverance and tenacity that has allowed her to carry her business this far, but she calls on friends from the past who gave her a chance.

Once Kim took ownership of the studio—now home to the Boys and Girls club of Fauquier—a member of her classes had the same insight that Kay had, seeing Kim’s light and potential. They took a chance on Kim and their support brought about the three buildings that compose the campus today.

“She saw that we weren’t just working out, but building a community of people who wanted to be well together,” says Kim. Community is central to OTAC and orbits around family as both of their sons, Chris and Cole, are part of the team. Kim views the idea of family now expanded to encompass employees and members—many of whom have remained with the company for years and been instrumental in its growth.

The team at OTAC identified and met changing needs over time—such as a kids club for parents and youth training programs. One of the most recent developments in the health community is the value of whole health. Kim’s alignment with that value comes down to the simple question she asks at the end of her classes, “Do you feel better than you did before class?”

Kim wants people to find a home where they can better their lives. With eight intimate studios and employees ready to help people find the path that may be right for them, Kim is confident you can find your niche at OTAC—after all, you’re family.

321 Walker Drive, Warrenton • 540-349-2791 • otacfitness.com

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Commercial Real Estate Services Bill Chipman Bill Chipman’s experience with commercial real estate started after he graduated from JMU with a finance degree and his father suggested he try the industry with a company in Washington D.C. He gave it a go, and thirty years down the line Bill is still trying it — with CRES, his own company started in 1999, which is comprised of a diverse team of experts.

“You have to work with people who bring unique ideas to your company,” Bill points out, and learning new things every day is the fun part for him. Bill acknowledges that he only has certain talents and the company has been successful thanks to partnering with those who have different skills that complement the company.

Bill recounts that starting a company can feel like stepping off a cliff, developing your wings along the way.

Bill and his family found their roots in the community from a social standpoint before he ventured out on the business side. “I live and work in Old Town” and strive to be “the go-to company for commercial real estate in

Fauquier County” by offering professional services from sales and leasing to consulting and development.

Bill’s business model is mirrored by the same lessons he and his wife taught their kids about keeping the house clean. The three things to abide by are: 1) Don’t do something halfway, 2) Think of others first, and 3) Leave things the way you found it. The only modification specific to CRES might be leaving a conversation having made someone feel better.

Bill says that “People have a lot more in common than they have differences.” Harnessing similarities and “listening twice as much as you talk” support Bill’s goal for CRES “to be the number one company that people call when they have any type of commercial real estate need.”

Bill and his team are here to thoroughly understand what your business is trying to accomplish and enjoy the fun of creating successful transactions for their clients and customers.

13 Culpeper St, Warrenton • 540-347-2610 • cresinc.us

HOME CARE SERVICES FirstLight Home Care Stacey & Mark Harvey There is a plethora of studies exploring how people can heal better in the comfort of home or among their loved ones. The advantage of home includes the chance to know and attend to someone in a warmer way contributing to a more genuine caregiver relationship. The idea of home care appealed to Stacey and Mark Harvey in the same way that the county did, based on the adage, “treat people the way you want to be treated.”

FirstLight Home Care Warrenton’s team recognizes the magnitude of the little things like a weekly hair appointment, sharing lunch with a friend, or getting your nails done with the company of some wine. They diligently work to match caregivers with clients by personality, with caregivers essentially constituting the family.

A genuine relationship takes time and those at FirstLight Warrenton are willing to take it at whatever pace makes sense for their clients. Small beginnings with sparing help running errands or attending appointments might be just what’s needed to get everyone acclimated to their services.

“This is our life,” Stacey emphasizes, and Mark adds that the work is “more than a paycheck”—requesting absolute emotional investment. The two have collectively worked with more than half of their clients, covering shifts if an assigned caregiver was sick. Between aiding people in living their life “the way they want to wherever that may be” and proactively supporting families and seniors through education on every scale, Mark and Stacey want to “take care of the community the same way” that it cares for each of us by making sure everyone is “getting the best quality of life.”

The Harveys are not new to being entrepreneurs and both have a colorful background in healthcare for diverse populations. They empathize with the struggles of being the caregiver for a loved one and its potential to alter the dynamic of that relationship. Whether or not you turn to them, Stacey and Mark encourage us to know when to ask for help. As is the case with FirstLight Warrenton, Stacey additionally reminds us that “there are people there to support you”—you need only take a look around.

37 Main St, Suite 202, Warrenton • 540-579-3146 • firstlighthomecare.com/home-healthcare-warrenton

HOME SERVICES Gibson Home Services Valerie Gibson The Gibson Home Services slogan, “treating every home as if it’s our own,” isn’t just a catchy phrase. The saying originates from the thoughts that would persist each day owner Josh Gibson came home from working for other companies and was centered around the idea that he wanted to offer the same quality of work for others that he would employ in his home.

In addition to the years-long brewing of his aspiration for higher quality standards, it took nearly a year of growing Gibson Home Services on the side before Josh and Valerie Gibson could do it full-time. Their first hire was Josh’s longtime friend, Matt Houck, and happened 2 years into the business. You’ll often find that the best things take time and this stands true for Gibson Home Services.

Similar to the consistent investment required to start a business, the company strives to invest in their employees and clients everyday. To uphold their quality values, the Gibsons incorporate communication with their team at every turn and embrace apprenticeship to acclimate new members to their company culture. Afterall, they define

success by “delivering on [their] promises and living [their] values,” Valerie remarks.

In living their values of treating your home like their own, there is a level of lifelong service that the company lends itself to and that goes beyond the life of your home. Valerie recounts clients who have made it through personal struggles before reaching the point of seeking Gibson Home Services for a home project. Some clients never imagined seeing their dream home transformation in their lifetime, and it is helping realize those dreams that drives the Gibson Home Services team.

Valerie accentuates the importance of believing in yourself, as “you’re capable of more than you think.” Gibson Home Services has embodied this philosophy from their humble beginnings, building a client portfolio using friends and family, to 16 years later growing from referrals into the company that now services the larger Northern Virginia region from Shenandoah to Fairfax. Whether you want to customize a new home or turn your lifelong home into everything you’ve ever dreamed it to be, Gibson Home Services will help you uncover the starting line.

P.O. Box 315, Markham • 540-364-1200 • gibsonhomeservices.com

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE Ross Real Estate Tyler Ross Visit the Ross Real Estate “About Us” page on their website and you’ll learn a commonality among the agents in this boutique brokerage is longevity in both the local area and their field of expertise. These compliments are the foundation of Ross Real Estate, making the whole greater than the sum of their parts. Whether brokering real estate was an inevitable fate as a result of “speaking the language” as a child growing up, or a split in a previous career path as a result of a peripheral interest, like building or interior design, this collection of agents prides themselves on being experts. But being an expert also requires humility and a willingness to grow and learn. Following market trends and the most effective ways of presenting a house to market and to would-be buyers requires commitment to being open-minded and willing to explore new paths, all the while maintaining the tried and true.

The company’s internal goals include not only being great real estate agents (which they have the awards and accolades to prove), but also satisfied, well-balanced people. “Prioritizing health, family and encouraging hobbies…all of these things make for a happier, more

capable, more resilient person, which naturally makes for a better real estate agent.” Owner and broker Tyler Ross says, “Not just better agents, but higher-level contributors to our community.”

Should anyone want to learn more about Ross Real Estate’s “ethos”, you need only read the agent bios or even do a Google search of the company or agents and the results speak for themselves. Next year Ross Real Estate will celebrate their 10th anniversary, celebrating a “steady growth of good people who care about others.”

In Real Estate brokerages, agents are independent contractors. “Really, each agent runs their own personal business, they simply choose a brokerage (like Ross Real Estate) to run that business under. I’m tremendously grateful to have this collection of people make the same choice,” Ross says. “Despite the technical business formation, the agents treat each other as a team and even as family: celebrating each other’s successes, supporting personal endeavors and even covering for each other as needed for showings. Our clients get the benefit of that.”

31 Garrett St, Warrenton • 540-351-0922 • rossva.com

PRINTING AND GRAPHICS Piedmont Press & Graphics Tony and Holly Tedeschi Tony Tedeschi has loved the business of communication— printing, specifically—since he was 4 years old. “Printing does several things: it informs people, educates, delivers, and it’s something you can hang onto,” Tony says.

Piedmont Press first started as a printing company with two copiers and one employee. Upon starting the company—initially called TR Press—competition was plentiful and a small county meant residents could be short on options.

To give customers multiple options under one roof and keep the revenue in the county, Tony grew the business.

Since the beginning of their story 34 years ago, the company has since steadily expanded into design, digital copying, direct mail, and publishing—to name a few.

Whether the need is for a sign, flyer, or book binding, Piedmont Press & Graphics can take care of it.

Business is up 25% for Piedmont Press this past year and they are ready with the materials, machines, and people to meet the need, but that was not without weighted risks in the height of the pandemic. Tony became an entrepreneur to take risks, something he thanks Lou Emerson—Editor of

Fauquier Now—for instilling in him by posing the question of, “What do you have to lose?” According to Tony’s motto, “If you don’t try, you can’t succeed.”

Among the people who supported Tony in the beginning, he credits Sally Murray, head of Fauquier’s Chamber of Commerce at the time, for actively incorporating him into the local community. Tony thrives on serving the community—it’s what drives him to take risks, grow, and how he defines success.

Fresh baked goods and encouragement from fellow businessman Bill Harper in the mornings when Tony was starting the business is something that strengthens Tony to this day, 42 years down the line of doing what he loves.

“Our strength has always been our people,” Tony says.

Community can be found within Piedmont Press & Graphics, where many of the team members have been with the company 20 or more years. Tony and his wife, Holly, have even gone without paychecks in difficult times to continue to support their staff. Should you want to know more about Piedmont Press, you can just pop by to chat with one of their team.

404 Belle Air Ln, Warrenton • 540-347-4466 • piedmontpress.com

FLOORING Colvin Floors Shane Colvin & Team Flooring is part of the foundation that allows us to live our lives and has been part of what Shane Colvin’s life was built upon. Colvin Floors, Shane’s company, has operated in the county since before he was around, having started with his father, Henry. Shane says he was born and raised in the business, and the same could be said for plenty of the team members at Colvin Floors since a number of them have stayed together for multiple years.

Although equipped with the seniority of a lifetime of experience in the business, Shane says, “Every day is a learning opportunity and just when you think you’ve seen it all, something new comes along. Catering to everyone’s individual wants and needs with diverse products and projects constantly keeps us all on our toes.”

The company prides itself on offering options for people so they aren’t locked into one route. The effort to maximize choices for clients is challenged and ultimately strengthened by obstacles such as supply shortages.

Shane explains that they have to get creative and do their homework to know every angle of the business, like which manufacturers have products available and which ones don’t. Working with various manufacturers ensures

the company is capable of moving things forward when supplies fluctuate.

Whether or not people actually purchase from Colvin Floors, the team aims to give everyone an individualized and positive experience at every point of interaction.

Shane emphasizes that their impressive success with attaining their goal for quality customer service would not be possible without people dedicated to their job. Their employees genuinely care about going the extra mile and bending over backwards in pursuing all avenues to make clients happy.

The fantastic staff at Colvin Floors, Jennifer, Jeremy, Kelli, and Mike, is everything to the company and its operation to this day. Each teammate is highly successful because of their willingness to work and communicate. They are passionate about treating every project as if it was for their own home or business — bringing zeal to the idea of taking something personally. “Colvin Floors would not exist without the great employees,” Shane reports. The company has been doing business for nearly half a century thanks to the team’s commitment to their craft, something that can confidently take them 50 years further.

251 Broadview Ave, Warrenton • 540-347-8507 • colvinfloors.com

UTILITIES Rappahannock Electric Cooperative Shawn McDonough Sometimes the simplest actions come from a slew of chain events that can often go unnoticed if they aren’t visible; take a smile for example: smiling takes more than 40 muscles in the face. “A lot goes on behind the scenes to deliver electricity to someone’s house or business,” Shawn McDonough, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative’s (REC) regional operations managing director illuminates.

Starting from generating electricity with a variety of energy sources, there are a profuse number of things down the line that must be “in place and fully functional” to culminate in producing light at the flip of a switch. One of the notable factors that has to be operating at peak performance is the team members who go out to deal with outages and similar obstacles in the way of members receiving electricity.

In the worst conditions that bring about power outages, the REC teammates brave the coldest winters and most severe of storms to deliver on the company objective of providing safe and reliable power to their members. There’s not a single day outside of their scope for working around the clock to make sure people can return to a well-lit and comfortable home.

Beyond dealing with outages as they arise, REC consistently invests in proactive efforts to prevent future outages — highlighting the importance of their business model of reliability, especially in rural areas. The company develops and drives forward constantly evolving projects to align with their business goals and support their members.

The spirit behind people being members and not customers is fueled by people’s involvement in their energy needs, as they are considered owners for doing business with the Cooperative. Following that spirit, REC works to prioritize transparency and accessibility to their members. The main points of interaction between the company and its members are initial service connection, outages, and rate fluctuations.

In respecting those points of interaction, REC prioritizes those areas in terms of service and education — improving technology and keeping members updated.

REC members can rest assured that behind every light switch fed by the company’s energy is a “dedicated, member-focused” team that “know what their purpose is and do their best to deliver on that” — from start to finish, everyday, no matter the storm.

13252 Cedar Run Church Rd, Culpeper • 540-825-8373 • myrec.coop

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