Contents Published by Showcase Magazine in association with The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce Publisher & Content Editor Andrew Scott Brooks scott@showcasemagazine.com Editor Paul Seiple paul@showcasemagazine.com
WELCOME TO OUR TOWN by Sherman Saunders ............................................................... 2 THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT by John Gilstrap ............................................................................. 4 TRANSFORMING THE DAN RIVER REGION by Scott Brooks with Christina Motley .....................8 THE BRIGHTEST SPOTS ARE THE SWEET SPOTS by Patrick Jinks............................................ 12 DANVILLE, THE HEART OF SOUTHERN VIRGINIA by Rosalee Maxwell .................................. 16 ANNUAL EVENTS .................................................................................................................19 A COMMUNITY OF COMMUNITIES .................................................................................. 20
Creative Designer Dan Vaden, Vaden & Associates, Inc. dvaden1@verizon.net
DANVILLE by Bernie Leigg ............................................................................................. 20
Ad Designers Kim Demont, Katherine Miraldi, Tim Hilliard, Will Oakes
CHATHAM by Nina Giles ............................................................................................. 21
Finance Manager Cindy Astin cindy@showcasemagazine.com To Advertise in the Next Edition 877.638.8685 Director of Sales and Marketing Larry Oldham larry@showcasemagazine.com Ad Executives Moriah Davis moriah@showcasemagazine.com Misty Cook misty@showcasemagazine.com Contributing Writers Sherman Saunders, John Gilstrap, Patrick Jinx, Rosalee Maxwell, Bill Sgrinia, Christina Motley, Bernie Leigg, Hank Davis, Nina Giles, Debbie Sparks, Lillian Gillespie, P.J. Arnn, Kim Clifton, Martha A. Walker, Wes Poff, Ed Carter, Kelly Fitzgerald, Scott Brooks, Chris Wilson, Mark David, Charles Haynsworth, III, Arlene Creasy, Michael Duncan, Linda Green, Jeremy Stratton, Kenneth L. Bowman, Kathryn St. Peter, Christal Presley, R. Frank Fox, Jr., Dr. Sue Davis, James McDaniel, Hampton Wilkins, Nick Fowler, Rod Short, Larry Aaron Printing Services Captain Copy, Inc., Danville, Virginia
WECOME TO PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY by Hank Davis ................................................... 21 GRETNA by Debbie Sparks ........................................................................................... 24 HURT by Lillian Gillespie................................................................................................ 25 DRY FORK by P.J. Arnn ................................................................................................. 28 MOUNT HERMON by Kim Clifton ................................................................................. 29 RINGGOLD by Martha A. Walker.................................................................................. 32 BROSVILLE by Wes Poff ................................................................................................. 32 CASWELL COUNTY, North Carolina by Ed Carter........................................................... 33 THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT by Linda Green .............................................................. 38 A HIDDEN GEM by Jeremy Stratton..................................................................................... 40 A COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER by Kenneth L. Bowman ........................................... 41 A WORLD CLASS INCUBATOR The Dan River Business Development Center ........................... 44 DOING BUSINESS HERE.................................................................................................... 48 THE DAN RIVER REGION IS A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS by Mark David ............... 48 A COMMUNITY DOING BUSINESS TOGETHER by Charles Haynsworth, III ...................... 52 DOING BUSINESS IN GRETNA by Arlene S. Creasy ....................................................... 56 WHY DANVILLE? A Businessman’s Perspective by Michael J. Duncan .................................... 60 CHRIS WILSON AND DIVINE MOVERS by Scott Brooks ..................................................... 64 MOVING DAY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE STRESSFUL by Chris Wilson ...................................... 68 LIVING EASY IN THE DAN RIVER REGION by Hampton Wilkins .......................................... 72 2011 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY - Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce .........81-103 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE by Nick Fowler ..................................................................... 106 THE JEWEL OF THE DAN by Rod Short.............................................................................. 111 PLAY DANVILLE by Bill Sgrinia .......................................................................................... 118
Contributing Photographers Patrick Jinks The Jinks Perspective Group, LLC, 434.429.1070 Dan Vaden Vaden & Associates, Inc., 434.792.0612 Michelle Dalton Michelle Dalton Photography, 434.724.2669
THE INSTITUTE by Kelly Fitzgerald..................................................................................... 122
COVER: The future of Our Town represented by the Boys & Girls Club. Photo by Patrick Jinx.
EDUCATION IN OUR REGION by Dr. Sue Davis, James McDaniel ...................................... 158
THE WRECK OF THE OLD 97 by Larry Aaron .................................................................... 126 JUST THE FACTS General Information ................................................................................ 130 PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY and CITY OF DANVILLE MAPS ..................................................... 146 AREA ATTRACTIONS ....................................................................................................... 151
Danville & Pittsylvania County, Virginia | Welcome to Our Town 2011 5