Roanoke Business- Dec. 2015

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DECEMBER 2015

2015

Legal elite

The lawyers other lawyers consider the best

SERVING THE ROANOKE/BLACKSBURG/ NEW RIVER VALLEY REGION

administrative & regulatory | appellate | business & corporate | construction | environmental family law | government investigations & white collar criminal defense | healthcare law immigration | intellectual property | labor & employment | litigation | local government medical malpractice defense | real estate | tax | trusts & estates

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CONTENTS

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SERVING THE ROANOKE/BLACKSBURG/ NEW RIVER VALLEY REGION

December 2015 F E AT U R E S

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SPECIAL REPORT

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2015 Legal Elite

Fed rate changes may roil the markets, but they’re unlikely to affect most regional banking customers.

Profiles: Monica Monday

by Dan Radmacher

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES A place to retire

Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore LLP

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James Cornwell Jr.

Sands Anderson

With the area’s low cost of living, access to health care, mild winters and outdoor adventure, what’s not to like? by Sandra Brown Kelly

Maryellen Goodlatte

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

David Weaver

Weaver Law Firm P.C.

HIGHER EDUCATION The community’s college

James Creekmore

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The Creekmore Law Firm

Benjamin Rottenborn Woods Rogers PLC

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INTERVIEW: Anita Price

Member, Roanoke City Council

Not a politician

Virginia Western helps students get four-year degrees and job-ready certifications. by Shawna Morrison

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by Beth JoJack

COMMUNITY PROFILE Developing downtown A changed downtown Roanoke brings expanded boundaries and a growing population. by Mason Adams

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DECEMBER 2015

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NEWS FROM THE CHAMBER •

Greenbrier Nurseries named 2015 Small Business of the Year

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Chamber Champions

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Event sponsorships

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New members

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Member news & recognitions

How a Roanoke educator ended up at City Hall.

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BANKING Why all the interest in interest rates?

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Recognition program allows lawyers to nominate and vote for their peers. by Tim Thornton

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TOGETHER, WE’RE SOLVING THE HEALTH CARE EQUATION. Providing health care benefits has become a complex problem to solve for your business.

Fortunately, the Marsh & McLennan Agency [MMA] and its regional partner agencies have joined forces to offer more ways to reduce costs while still providing quality. Together, MMA and your local agency can provide more resources to review your existing benefit program, assess the feasibility of first dollar or self-insured plans and provide a wider range of benefit providers based on premium levels, plan design and network match. Together, we can move forward.

To learn more about how MMA and its regional partner agencies can help you work through the Affordable Care Act, visit MMA-MidAtlantic.com.

Our Regional Partner Agencies

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Atlanta • Charlotte • Greensboro • Greenville • Hampton Roads • Raleigh • Richmond • Roanoke • Washington | MMA-MidAtlantic.com Copyright © 2015 Marsh & McLennan Company. All rights reserved.

FROM THE EDITOR

Change and voices

by Tim Thornton

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hen I first heard of Roanoke native Katherine Fulton, she’d already co-founded an alternative newsweekly called The North Carolina Independent, a progressive publication born in the time and territory of Jesse Helms. The Independent is still a vibrant voice in North Carolina’s Triangle, but Fulton left it long ago.

Actually, I didn’t even know she was a Roanoke native until I read it on the website promoting the program of this year’s Cityworks (X)po, an annual October gathering in Roanoke that brings together innovative and energetic people devoted to concepts such as place making, urban revitalization and community wealth building.

Its website described Fulton as “a change agent” who’s spent more than three decades as “a journalist, teacher, entrepreneur, philanthropist, convener, strategist, advisor, leader and citizen.” She’s a Harvard graduate and a Neiman Fellow who has, according to (X)po, “worked closely with many of this generation’s leading philanthropists and major foundations, trying to help them make their aspirations braver and their actions wiser.”

Like a lot of big thinkers, Fulton sometimes says things that seem so obvious, once they’re said out loud, it takes a moment’s reflection to realize they’re not already common wisdom. For example, at (X)po, Fulton said, “The future of the places the people in this room care about is, of course, in our hands – but in profound ways is not in our hands.”

Obviously. But that’s not the way people and communities tend to behave, is it? Surely there are people who believe they and the places where they live and work are simply being swept along on a great current of history, and there’s not much they can do beyond hang on for the ride. But those aren’t the folks we hear from most often.

Whether it’s an industry group or a public-private study committee or an idealistic entrepreneur who’s convinced everything would improve if only people would walk around their communities, many people seem to think they have the answer.

Maybe some of them do. But several speakers at (X)po talked about how important it is that any community plan actually have the support of that community. That’s another seemingly obvious statement, but these speakers weren’t saying planners need to do a good job of selling their plan to the public. They were saying the community – regular folks whose lives would be affected by the change brought on by these big ideas – should be involved long before there’s a plan to sell.

They should have a chance to help develop plans instead of having plans presented to them as if they were a gift from wise and benevolent rulers.

“It’s about,” Fulton said, “people and places finding their voice.”

It’s also about traditional community leaders listening to those voices – and taking what they have to say seriously.

SERVING THE ROANOKE/BLACKSBURG/ NEW RIVER VALLEY REGION Vol. 4

DECEMBER 2015

President & Publisher Roanoke Business Editor Contributing Editor Contributing Writers

Art Director Contributing Photographers Production Manager Circulation Manager Accounting Manager Vice President of Advertising Account Representative

Kevin L. Dick Karen Chenault Ashley Henry Hunter Bendall Lynn Williams

CONTACT: EDITORIAL: (540) 520-2399 ADVERTISING: (540) 597-2499 210 S. Jefferson St., Roanoke, VA 24011-1702 We welcome your feedback.

Email Letters to the Editor to Tim Thornton at tthornton@roanoke-business.com

VIRGINIA BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS LLC A portfolio company of Virginia Capital Partners LLC Frederick L. Russell Jr.,, chairman

on the cover Six of the 2015 Legal Elite are profiled Photos by Natalee Waters

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DECEMBER 2015

No. 12

Bernard A. Niemeier Tim Thornton Paula C. Squires Mason Adams Beth JoJack Shawna Morrison Sandra Brown Kelly Dan Radmacher Adrienne R. Watson Don Petersen Natalee Waters

SPECIAL REPORT: 2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

The first edition of the Legal Elite debuts in Roanoke Business M d Monday

C Cornwell ll

Creekmore

Goodlatte

Weaver

R tt b Rottenborn

Recognition program allows lawyers to nominate and vote for their peers

by Tim Thornton

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he inaugural version of Roanoke Business Legal Elite starts a new tradition for this magazine but continues a tradition of our sister publication, Virginia Business. The statewide business news magazine, based in Richmond, has been profiling the state’s top lawyers since Jim Gilmore lived in the governor’s mansion.

For 16 years now, Virginia Business has tracked the leaders and up-and-comers of the commonwealth’s bar. As we’ve done with other topics, Roanoke Business is focusing the same kind of attention on the Roanoke and New River valleys.

Neither magazine selects the Legal Elite. The attorneys’ peers do that, casting ballots for people

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DECEMBER 2015

they believe to be outstanding in a number of legal specialties. Lawyers can vote for members of their own firms, but they must vote for at least as many attorneys who aren’t in their firms. Votes for lawyers outside the voters’ firms get more weight than votes for members of the voter’s firm. Voting is open to any licensed lawyer in Virginia.

The results reveal an interesting collection of specialists in 18 areas of the law, plus a few who were noted for being outstanding young lawyers.

In a series of short profiles, we look at some of the Legal Elite standouts. Readers will learn how people got started in the law and who helped them along the way.

Asked about mentors, the lawyers cite judges, who educate lawyers

from the bench, and fellow attorneys, some of whom have been elevated to the bench.

They also acknowledge lives outside the law. Watching baseball, attending music festivals and traveling are among their hobbies. Vacation spot preferences range from Shenandoah National Park to the Outer Banks to Wales.

The lawyers make time to read — mostly books about presidents and by aspiring presidents, according to our list. One lawyer on the Roanoke Business Legal Elite list, James Creekmore, says he reads, “the law, just lots of law.” Asking a question like that, he says, is “like asking the pie-eating contest winner what his favorite dessert is.”

We hope to serve up Legal Elite for a long time.

Headshots by Natalee Waters

Erin B. Ashwell

Francis H. Casola

Robert E. Dean

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Woods Rogers PLC

Woods Rogers PLC

Rob Dean Law

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

Medical Facilities of America Inc.

J. Rudy Austin

Quinn Feldmann Graeff

Douglas W. Densmore

CORPORATE COUNSEL

Roanoke

Nicholas C. Conte

Gentry Locke

Roanoke

CowanPerry PC

Roanoke

CONSTRUCTION

Woods Rogers PLC

CORPORATE COUNSEL

Anderson, Desimone & Green PC

Thomas R. Bagby

BUSINESS LAW

Roanoke

Lauren Morgan Ellerman

Roanoke

James Edward Cornwell Jr.

Woods Rogers PLC

Christiansburg

LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Sands Anderson PC

Frith & Ellerman Law Firm PC

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

D. Stan Barnhill Roanoke

James K. Cowan Jr.

Roanoke

Mark E. Feldmann

Roanoke

Roanoke

CONSTRUCTION

CowanPerry PC

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

Paul Graham Beers Roanoke

Roy Vogel Creasy Roanoke

Michael J. Finney

Roy Vogel Creasy

Roanoke

BANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

James Robert Creekmore

John P. Fishwick Jr.

Thomas J. Bondurant Jr. Roanoke

Gentry Locke

Blacksburg

Roanoke

The Creekmore Law Firm PC

LichtensteinFishwick PLC

Roanoke

CowanPerry PC

Thomas T. Cullen

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Victor O. Cardwell Roanoke

BANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

Frank K. Friedman

Neil Anderson Horn Roanoke

Neil Horn PC

Woods Rogers PLC

APPELLATE LAW

CRIMINAL LAW

Maryellen F. Goodlatte

Nicole F. Ingle

CRIMINAL LAW

Roanoke

LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

CRIMINAL LAW

Woods Rogers PLC

LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

Roanoke

Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP

Roanoke

Harwell McCoy Darby Jr.

Roanoke

Michael E. Hastings

Roanoke

Woods Rogers PLC

Jeremy Ethridge Carroll

James Chapman Hale CORPORATE COUNSEL

CRIMINAL LAW

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

TAXES/ESTATES/TRUSTS/ELDER LAW

Physicians Care of Virginia PC

Gentry Locke

Tara A. Branscom

Roanoke

Gentry Locke

Roanoke

CONSTRUCTION

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte CRIMINAL LAW

TAXES/ESTATES/ TRUSTS/ELDER LAW

W. William Gust

Woods Rogers PLC

LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Ann McGee Green

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte BUSINESS LAW

Roanoke

Roanoke

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

Woods Rogers PLC

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

REAL ESTATE/LAND USE

Donald R. Johnson Roanoke

Donald R. Johnson PC ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

ROANOKE BUSINESS

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2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

Joshua C. Johnson

John Eric Lichtenstein

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Johnson, Rosen & O’Keeffe LLC

LichtensteinFishwick PLC

Coleman & Massey PC

CONSTRUCTION

CIVIL LITIGATION

BUSINESS LAW

Patrick Jon Kenney

Mark D. Loftis

Richard C. Maxwell

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Law Office of Patrick J. Kenney

Woods Rogers PLC

Woods Rogers PLC

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

CIVIL LITIGATION

BANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

Alton L. Knighton Jr.

Joshua F. P. Long

Monica T. Monday

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Woods Rogers PLC

Woods Rogers PLC

Gentry Locke

LEGAL SERVICES/PRO BONO

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

APPELLATE LAW

Daniel F. Layman Jr.

Heman A. Marshall III

James J. O’Keeffe IV

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Daniel F. Layman Jr., Attorney at Law

Woods Rogers PLC

Johnson, Rosen & O’Keeffe LLC

HEALTH LAW

APPELLATE LAW

K. Brett Marston

Kevin Philip Oddo

REAL ESTATE/LAND USE

Stephen Weldon Lemon Roanoke

Martin, Hopkins & Lemon PC

James B. Massey III

Roanoke

Roanoke

Gentry Locke

LeClairRyan PC

CONSTRUCTION

CIVIL LITIGATION

REAL ESTATE/LAND USE

W. David Paxton Roanoke

Gentry Locke LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

David E. Perry

Creative Counsel for Creative Clients

Roanoke

CowanPerry PC BUSINESS LAW

Business Litigation • Business Counseling Intellectual Property • Appeals The Creekmore Law Firm PC 318 N. Main Street, Blacksburg VA 24060 540.443.9350

eprints R

540.443.9350 www.creekmorelaw.com

O Our C Custom t PPublished bli h Reprints can extend the effectiveness of your ad or article that appears in Roanoke Business magazine, and they make excellent marketing pieces.

Articles can be reflowed without surrounding ads. If space allows, we can place your company contact information and logo. The cost will depend on the size of the reprint.

Joseph Michael Rainsbury Roanoke

LeClairRyan PC APPELLATE LAW

Brandy M. Rapp Roanoke

Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP BANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

Brooke Copeland Rosen Roanoke

Johnson, Rosen & O’Keeffe LLC FAMILY/DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Would you like to know more about reprints? Please contact: Kevin Dick - (804) 225-0433 8

DECEMBER 2015

J. Benjamin Rottenborn

Thomas E. Strelka

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Woods Rogers PLC

Strelka Law Office PC

Whitlow & Youell PLC

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

CIVIL LITIGATION

Alexander I. Saunders

Daniel C. Summerlin III

Maxwell H. Wiegard

Roanoke

Roanoke

Roanoke

Woods Rogers PLC

Woods Rogers PLC

Gentry Locke

TAXES/ESTATES/TRUSTS/ELDER LAW

LEGISLATIVE/REGULATORY/ ADMINISTRATIVE

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

J. Scott Sexton

Michael S. Whitlow

Charles L. Williams

Roanoke

David Ian Tenzer

Gentry Locke

Roanoke

Gentry Locke

CIVIL LITIGATION

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Joseph Z. Simmons Christiansburg

The Simmons Law Firm PC TAXES/ESTATES/TRUSTS/ELDER LAW

Cheryl Watson Smith

Charles Cooper Youell IV

Lori Dawn Thompson

Whitlow & Youell PLC

Roanoke

BUSINESS LAW

FAMILY/DOMESTIC RELATIONS

King F. Tower

Cheryl Watson Smith PC

Roanoke

Robert Aristidis Ziogas Roanoke

Roanoke

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLC

CIVIL LITIGATION

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Linda Leigh Rhoads Strelka

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

LeClairRyan PC

Roanoke

Roanoke

LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Roanoke

David G. Weaver

Strelka Law Office, PC

Roanoke

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

Weaver Law Firm PC FAMILY/DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Johnson, Rosen and d O’’Keeffe, LLC 120 Day Av Aven enue ue SW Su Suite e 100 Roanoke, VA Ro A 24 2401 016 6 Phon Ph one: 540-491 1-0 063 634 4 W b: www.johnson We nro rose sse en.com

James J. O’Keeffe

Jay O’Ke Keef e fe is an ef n exp x er erie ienc nced ed law awyer wh who o fo focuse sess hi hs pracctitice ce on ap appe peal pe a s an and d tr trus usts ts-a -a and nd-e -est stat atess litig igat ation. He ha h s ha and ndle le ed do oze z ns of ap appe peal pe alss be al beffore fore sta tate te e and fed eder e al appellate co our urts ts, s an and d fr fre eque eque eq uent ntly nt lyy spe p ak akss on app p elllate la and n fiduciary litiga gatition on. Ja on Jayy pu publ blis ishe hess a blog he og, De Nov o o, tha hatt is available le at www.virgiiniiaap iaap ppellatelaw pe aw.com o . He mai a nt n ai ains n an AV rat atin ing g from m Martindal ale le and 10 0.0 0 rat atin ing in g fr from om m Avv vvo o. o.

LichtensteinFish hwick, PLC 101 South Jefferson Sttre eet et, t, Su S itte 40 00 Roanoke, VA 24011 (540) 343-97 9 11 Fax: (540) 343-9 9713 3

John n E. Lichten nstein

John Lichtenstei eiin handles catastro ro ophic injur ury ca ur ase ses an ses a d com lex crimina comp co al matters in federal an al a d state co our u ts. Pr Presidentt off the Virginia Tria al La Lawyers Associat atio at tio i n, Fellow of the Ame me an merica Co ollege of Trial Law awyyers, America ca an Bo B ard of Cri riminal La ri awyyer es an nd Virginia Law w Fou oundation. Ratted e AV by Marttitin indale-Hu ubbel ell,, listed ed d in n “B Bes e t La awyyer e s in Ame eri rica ca,” “Virginia Sup uper Law wye ers rs,” ,” a d Virg an rginia a Bussines ine in esss “Legal Eliite,” te e and named d a “Le Lead ader er in tth he L w” La w by Vi V rg rgin inia La aw wyerss Wee ekly.

ROANOKE BUSINESS

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2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

Title: Managing partner Other legal specialties: Representing physicians, nurses and healthcare providers before the Virginia Department of Health Professions Birthplace: Framingham, Mass.

Education: Bachelor’s and law degrees, College of William & Mary Spouse: Eric H. Monday Children: Helms Taylor Monday, 11 Hobbies: Cooking and gardening First job as a lawyer: Law clerk to the Hon. Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. Fan of: Good red wine Favorite vacation spot: Wherever there is good food Recently read book: “The Jezebel Remedy” by Judge Martin Clark; “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson

Monica Monday Gentry Locke Roanoke APPELLATE LAW

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DECEMBER 2015

Career mentor: Justice Koontz has been a role model to me and has inspired my interest in service to the public and the bar. He displays fairness and kindness to lawyers and litigants and is known for his measured and evenhanded demeanor on the bench.

As an appellate jurist, he combines sound legal reasoning with common sense, and his opinions are drafted to guide the bar and lower courts.

How is appellate law different from other legal specialties? What attracted you to it? Appellate law is the equivalent of forensic medicine.

When a case reaches an appeal, the facts and evidence are fully established and the trial is over (essentially “dead”).

Appellate lawyers dissect the case to find what, if anything, went wrong – to find the error. Thus, litigators build a case through evidence, but appellate lawyers take it apart. I knew I wanted to be an appellate lawyer after seeing my first moot court argument in law school.

Photos Photos byby Natalee Natalee Waters Waters

2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

Title: Shareholder, managing partner Christiansburg office Other legal specialties: Virginia local government law; licensed to practice in England and Wales Birthplace: Richmond Education: Bachelor’s degree, Campbell University; law degree, Marshall Wythe School of Law, College of William and Mary Spouse: Mary Cornwell Children: James E. Cornwell III; Amanda Hahnlen; both police officers Hobbies or pastimes: Travel; shooting sports (not hunting) Fan of: New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers First job as a lawyer: General practice, mostly real estate, with a sole practitioner; appointed substitute general district and juvenile court judge about four months out of law school and served in that position for 10 years Favorite vacation spot: UK and Ireland Recently read books: “Hard Choices” by Hillary Clinton

James Cornwell Jr.

Career mentor: Judge Thomas Bondurant of Lebanon, Va., who taught me the practice of law from the bench

Sands Anderson

What has been your most memorable case?

I represented a locality for about six years on issues relating to the third-party operation of the locality owned landfill. The work included an appeal of DEQ (Virginia Department of Environmental Quality) alleged violations, several contract negotiations and litigation with DEQ and the private operator.

This included out-of-state bankruptcy proceedings when the private operator defaulted and sought bankruptcy court protection. The variety of issues made this interesting work, and it resulted positively for the client.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Christiansburg

ROANOKE BUSINESS

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2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

Title: Principal Other legal specialties: Land use, commercial real estate Birthplace: Norwood, Mass.

Education: Bachelor’s, Bates College; law degree, Washington & Lee School of Law Spouse: Rep. Bob Goodlatte Children: Two adult children, a son-in-law and a grandchild Hobbies or pastimes: Hiking, reading, playing with my granddaughter Fan of: Salem Red Sox First job as a lawyer: The Roanoke law firm Wetherington, Flippin, Melchionna, Bosserman and Burton Favorite vacation spot: Shenandoah National Park (Skylands) Recently read books: “Wilson” by Scott Berg, “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin, “Truman” by David McCullough, “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power “by Jon Meacham Career mentor: My law partners. I’ve been fortunate to have been a part of a great local law firm for over 30 years that fosters, nurtures and requires high professional and ethical standards for its lawyers and staff.

Maryellen Goodlatte Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte Roanoke ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

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DECEMBER 2015

How is environmental law different from other legal specialties?

My environmental law practice is a small part of my overall commercial real estate practice. As environmental regulations have strengthened over the years, understanding their impact on the uses and development of land is critical.

What has been your most memorable case?

Each case is important to the client, so that makes it important to me. Memorable cases are those that result in an outcome viewed positively by all sides and include land use cases as diverse as quarries, retail centers, churches, financial institutions and shelters for women and children.

Photos by Natalee Waters

Title: Principal Other legal specialties: Commercial law, environmental law and military law, including criminal law, command advice and federal tort claims. Adjunct professor at Washington & Lee University School of Law Birthplace: Elmira, N.Y. Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Rochester; Law degree, Washington & Lee University School of Law; graduate of Naval Justice School; attended Naval War College and National Defense University.

Spouse: Janette Children: Three daughters: Anne-Catherine, Rhonada, Mary-Elizabeth; son-in-law, Bobby Dove, and grandson, Wyatt.

Hobbies or pastimes: Visiting my children (and grandchild) and walking our dogs; traveling, sailing, and skiing Fan of: Downhill skiing and winter X Games; SEC and ACC football First job as a lawyer: Officer in the Navy Judge Advocate General Corps.

Favorite vacation spot: Impossible to name one Recently read books: “Things That Matter” by Charles Krauthammer; “World Order” by Henry Kissinger; “The Jezebel Remedy,” by the Hon. Martin Clark Career mentors: Charles L. Williams Jr. and S.D. Roberts Moore How is family/domestic relations law different from other legal specialties?

What attracted you to it?

I am not sure you can say that domestic relations law is different from other legal specialties, because it involves so many other legal specialties. It is impossible to practice family law without dealing with tax law, real estate law, commercial law, estate planning, Social Security law, insurance law and, unfortunately, sometimes criminal law. I do feel that domestic relations law can be more emotionally charged than most other areas of law.

David Weaver Weaver Law Firm Roanoke FAMILY LAW/ DOMESTIC RELATIONS

ROANOKE BUSINESS

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2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

Title: Principal Other legal specialties: Business litigation Birthplace: Norfolk Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Virginia; law degree, William & Mary Law School Children: Kaitlyn 17; Ashley, 13 Hobbies or pastimes: Avid baseball enthusiast, enjoy music festivals (Red Wing Roots, FloydFest, Lockn,), golf and hiking Fan of: Major League Baseball, Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles; college basketball and baseball, Virginia Cavaliers First job as a lawyer: Law clerk for the Hon. James C. Fox, U.S. district judge, Eastern District of North Carolina Favorite vacation spot: Outer Banks of N.C. Career mentor: The Hon. Michael F. Urbanski, U.S. district judge, Western District of Virginia. He was my immediate supervisor, colleague, partner and friend during my first 10 years of private practice at Woods Rogers in Roanoke.

James Creekmore The Creekmore Law Firm Blacksburg and Richmond INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

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DECEMBER 2015

How is intellectual property law different from other legal specialties?

IP law allows us to work with creative clients – artists and artisans, authors, designers, scientists and engineers – and forward thinkers from the largest established brands to the smallest startups and entrepreneurs.

What has been your most memorable case?

One of the most unique experiences was a successful trademark infringement action in federal court in Miami. We represented Citizens United, a grass-roots, conservative political organization in Washington, against thennamed Citizens United Not Timid, a rapid upstart 527 organization crafted by Roger Stone, an often controversial and flamboyant political strategist for the ultra-conservative set.

The suit centered around both groups’ opposition to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid and Stone’s adulteration of Citizens United’s name and logo. Following a preliminary injunction hearing, Stone capitulated and agreed to a settlement.

Photos by Natalee Waters

2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

Title: Principal Legal specialties: Commercial litigation, internal investigations, director and officer litigation and counseling; adjunct professor at University of Virginia School of Law Birthplace: Waynesboro Education: University of Virginia, bachelor’s degree; Stanford University, law degree Spouse: Laura Children: Two children (a son, 4, and a daughter, 1) Hobbies or pastimes: Running; hiking on any of the beautiful mountains surrounding Roanoke Fan of: U.Va. sports, Washington football First job as a lawyer: Law clerk to U.S. District Judge David Campbell in Phoenix Favorite vacation spot: California Recently read books: “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough What made you decide to be a lawyer?

Simply put, I recognized the opportunity lawyers have to make real differences in the lives of their clients. That ideal has made all the difference in my career.

Whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or an individual, I treat each client with compassion, empathy and respect and do my level best to achieve the best outcome for them. There’s no greater satisfaction in this business than helping clients solve problems and get on with their lives or business without the distraction of legal issues.

What has been your most memorable case?

Defending former corporate directors during a two-month trial in Chicago against claims trying to blame them for a technology company’s loss in value when the dot-com bubble burst. It was extremely rewarding to see my clients — who had done everything they could to help the company — vindicated with a defense judgment at the conclusion of the trial.

J. Benjamin Rottenborn Woods Rogers PLC Roanoke YOUNG LAWYER

ROANOKE BUSINESS

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BANKING

Why all the interest in interest rates?

Fed rate changes may roil the markets, but they’re unlikely to affect most regional banking customers

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by Dan Radmacher

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evere fluctuations in the stock market and uncertainty over when the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates have regional banking customers wondering about financial decisions. Where is the safest place to stash savings and is it a good time to take out a home loan?

Yet regional bank officials seem sanguine about the picture of financial turmoil and volatility painted in the media. “The general media clear-

File graphic

ly don’t understand financial markets,” says Warner Dalhouse, founding board member of HomeTown Bank. “When the Federal Reserve talks about raising interest rates, that’s generally portrayed as a negative. But the only reason the Fed would think about raising rates is because they believe the market is about to heat up or inflation is going to go up.”

The rate the Fed may or may not raise in the near future is its

discount rate. At the Fed’s website, this rate is described as “the interest rate charged to commercial banks and other depository institutions on loans they receive from their regional Federal Reserve Bank’s lending facility – the discount window.” There are three discount windows: primary credit, secondary credit and seasonal credit. Each has its own interest rate, currently between zero and onequarter percent.

ROANOKE BUSINESS

17

banking Warner Dalhouse, a board member of HomeTown Bank, expects the Federal Reserve to raise rates soon, but says increases “will be small and manageable.�

In October, the Fed decided against raising rates, but there’s speculation it will raise rates by the end of the year. “We’re way overdue,� says Lyn Hayth, president and CEO of the Bank of Botetourt. “We’ve gone six years without a rate increase.�

Six years into the recovery from the Great Recession, what’s holding the Fed back? Hayth says concern

remains over whether the economy is robust enough. “Unemployment is low,� says Hayth. “But GDP (gross domestic product) hasn’t increased that much. The housing market is still volatile. There’s a lot of uncertainty out there.�

As a banker, Hayth would like to see the Fed act. “From a banking standpoint, I hope the interest rate

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DECEMBER 2015

goes up,� he says. “From a personal standpoint, for our bank and shareholders, it’s a good thing. For our depositors, it would be a good thing.�

Low interest rates have hurt those on fixed incomes, he continues. “Investment rates for nonrisk investments are extremely low. It’s hurting incomes for many people and has been for a long time.�

Whether the fragile economy can handle a rate increase remains the big question. “The concern is how much stress it would put on the economy,� says Hayth. “If the economy can handle that, it’s good for everybody.

That’s what the Fed is struggling with — when to pull the trigger.�

Dalhouse believes the Fed will act, but that any increases will be small and manageable. “We’ve been at almost zero interest level for several years,� he says. “That’s clearly unsustainable. But the only reason we’ve been there is because the economy tanked. I’m confident that any increases will be incremental and quite small over a period of time.�

According to Dalhouse, a small increase would have little noticeable impact on most banking customers.

Banks would feel some pressure to increase the current historically low rates offered on deposits, but it would be a small change. For the ordinary customer — small business and family — it won’t make enough difference that they’ll even notice it,� Dalhouse says.

Homebuyers and other borrowers would probably see a more noticeable increase, he adds. “Banks will be inclined to increase loan rates,� he says.

Even discussion of a rate increase by the Fed has real-world effects, says Chuck Maness, chief financial officer of HomeTown Bank. “Talk from the Fed is one of many things causing the stock markets to fluctuate. Also, the public has become a little more rate aware. You tend to see rates creep up in advance of the Fed even doing anything. It gets into the public space, and people start looking for higher rates.�

Maness also believes any changes will be moderate. “The pace that Photos by Don Petersen

the Fed is talking about is more important than the amount,” he says.

“They’ve consistently said it’s going to be a long, gradual increase. That will be managed really well by the banking system and our customers.”

Maness says he would welcome a rate increase. “I do believe it would be nice to reward customers with better rates,” he says. “Right now, borrowers are enjoying probably the lowest rates ever.”

Maness appreciates a new sense of openness from the Fed. “[Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan] Greenspan played things so close to the vest. But now the Fed wants transparency. They don’t like surprising the markets.”

International economic concerns and other factors have led to considerable market volatility lately. Maness says some investors actually like that.

“The reaction is driven by what an individual feels. Some people think when a market falls, it’s time to get in.

Others think it’s time to get out. Day traders and investors like that see opportunity in volatility.”

Those investing for the future,

Chuck Maness, chief financial officer for HomeTown Bank, says interest rate uncertainty causes volatility in financial markets.

though, shouldn’t pay as much attention to day-to-day volatility, Maness says. “But if you’re in the market with longer-term investments, you want to just ride these things out.

You can’t sleep at night if you’re worried about the volatility.”

Hayth says that small community banks like the Bank of Botetourt don’t necessarily see a surge

of incoming deposits when there’s a dip in the market. “Bank deposits in general have been high in recent years because people have been putting their money into nonrisk investments,” Hayth says. “But the market’s been fairly strong, too, despite the dip in the last few months.”

One of the factors that generally drive Fed decisions on interest rates doesn’t appear to be much of an issue, Dalhouse says. “One of the Fed’s primary responsibilities is to control inflation. And they do need to be concerned about inflation, but it’s been very low.”

If the Fed does raise interest rates soon, Dalhouse believes it will be several months before they are raised again. “And they’d only do that if they see the need to tamp down the rate of GDP to control inflation,” he says.

After years of anemic economic growth, the Fed seeing the need to even tap the brakes wouldn’t be a bad thing, Dalhouse says. “If you look even at the moderately long term, it’s good news that the Fed is thinking about raising interest rates,” he says.

List of banks in Roanoke/New River valleys

Bold listing indicate paid advertisers.

Bank

HQ city

Bank of Botetourt

Buchanan

Bank of Fincastle

Fincastle

Bank of Floyd

Floyd

BB&T

Winston-Salem, N.C.

BNC Bank

Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Carter Bank & Trust

Martinsville

First Bank & Trust Co.

Abingdon

First Citizens Bank

Raleigh, N.C.

HomeTown Bank HomeTrust Bank

Roanoke Asheville, N.C.

National Bank

Blacksburg

SunTrust Bank

Atlanta, Ga.

Union Bank & Trust

Lincoln, Neb.

Wells Fargo

San Francisco, Calif.

Woodforest National Bank

Houston, Texas

No. local branches

5 7 7 14 9 17 1 10 7 7 9 21 15

Telephone

Web site

540-777-2265

bankofbotetourt.com

540-473-2761

bankoffincastle.com

540-745-4191

bankoffloyd.com

540-983-7930

bbt.com

540-769-8577

bncbankva.com

540-342-8610

carterbankandtrust.com

540-260-9060

firstbank.com

540-985-3334

firstcitizens.com

540-345-6000 hometownbankva.com 540-772-7290 hometrustbanking.com 540-951-6205

nbbank.com

540-982-3129

suntrust.com

540-983-1412

bankatunion.com

4

540-563-7757

wellsfargo.com

6

540-989-1394

woodforest.com

Source: Banks’ websites

ROANOKE BUSINESS

19

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

A place to retire

With area’s low cost of living, access to health care, mild winters and outdoor adventure, what’s not to like?

Richard Shepherd participates in the chair yoga class in the Warm Hearth Village fitness center.

by Sandra Brown Kelly

B

ill and Heddie Sumner lived 30-plus years in Midland, Mich., and loved it but knew they would look elsewhere to retire.

“We didn’t want to keep putting up with Michigan winters,” says Heddie.

A moderate climate. Stimulating events. Access to health care. A Church of the Brethren congregation. All were requirements when the couple charted a territory to research.

20

DECEMBER 2015

They liked Asheville and Mars Hill, N.C. Charlottesville appealed because they were graduates of U.Va. The Roanoke Valley was not on their list at all, although she grew up in Franklin County and he in Roanoke.

“We did not remember the area as having what we needed,” Heddie explains.

That changed as they explored.

The Sumners were young retirees at age 59. She had been a direc-

tor of education and resources in Midland County. Bill had worked as a researcher with Dow Chemical. “We were looking for four to 10 acres; we wanted proximity to a college town, performing arts and classes to take,” Heddie says. They were almost certain they would move to Asheville, but that was before its cost of living shot up. Charlottesville was eliminated for similar reasons, especially the cost of housing.

The Roanoke metro’s cost of living index is the lowest in the state, 89.7 compared with the national average of 100 as of second quarter 2015. The numbers, from the Roanoke Regional Partnership based on data from the Council for Community and Economic Research, show Asheville at 96.6. Sperling’s Cost of Living Index puts the Roanoke Metro as the 53rd lowest cost metro in the nation.

The Sumners eventually cast their eye on the area and checked out Blacksburg but did not find a suitable property. Then, a real estate agent showed them four acres in the suburbs of Eagle Rock, just off Botetourt Road/U.S. 220. From the front porch, they can see the Peaks of Otter in Bedford County. Another view gives a front seat to the events at a private hang gliding club.

“Coming back, everything was so different,” says Heddie. They live 35 minutes from the BlacksburgRoanoke Regional Airport – nothing for a couple used to driving an hour to Flint, Mich., or two hours to Detroit for events. Visiting a daughter’s family in Orlando is easy with direct flights by Allegiant Air. Getting to see another daughter and family and a son in Canada requires only one stop, in Chicago.

They found a strong church famPhoto by Natalee Waters

ily at Daleville Church of the Brethren, a 20-minute drive from home.

“We had talked about having a refuge area, a quiet reflective area,” says Bill, who has a developed a mini-orchard, including kiwi trees. “We should have kiwis next year.” The figs came in this year.

Not just a low cost of living While the Sumners were attracted by the area’s low cost of living, they have found a wealth of places and activities to share with frequent houseguests from Michigan. They’ve canoed the James River and hiked at nearby Roaring Run Recreational Area and McAfee Knob on the Appalachian Trail. They took visitors to Civil War ceremonies at Appomattox and on the Open Studios tour of Botetourt County artists’ homes.

Virginia Mountain and Blue Ridge vineyards are practically at their doorstep. Mill Mountain Playhouse in Center in the Square and shows at Berglund Center in Roanoke are destinations. They attended Blacksburg’s 2015 Stepping Out Festival and checked out Virginia Tech’s new Center for the Arts.

The Salem Red Sox baseball team, Virginia Tech football, Smith Mountain Lake and convenience of transportation via Interstates 81 and 64 are attractive to retirees, the Regional Partnership points out.

“We have a lot of things retirees are looking for,” says Reg Anderson of Moneta, a member of Long & Foster’s relocation team. More than half of his clients are pre-retirees searching for investment property and retirees looking for a permanent home. Their interests vary as much as the available properties in the Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake areas, he says.

In the past five years, he’s heard more requests for houses with onefloor living, one of the Sumners’ requirements. Many of the older lake homes don’t have that so retirees are gravitating toward newer lake homes or patio homes. Runk & Pratt Smith Mountain Lake Retirement Village in

Hardy “can hardly build fast enough right now,” notes Anderson.

Carilion Clinic’s medical services at Westlake also make the area attractive. They include a helicopter port for patient transportation to its trauma center in Roanoke. The Roanoke Valley has ready access to health care with 38.2 practitioners per 1,000 population, compared with 23.5 for the state and 24.6 for the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Market is changing Retirees who know what they want are driving the market, says Chris Dodd, director of marketing at Friendship Retirement Community. The long-established location near Hollins will open Health & Rehab Center South on Starkey Road in southwest Roanoke County in late January. The 120-bed, private-room center responds to the growing market of baby boomers “who want rehab to be luxurious,” says Dodd. It

Compassion is where I live.

Sigmund Davidson

BRANDON OAKS RESIDENT

“The staff here is so helpful and friendly, and they go out of their way to ensure that you’re living life to its fullest.

The care and therapy that I receive here is excellent, and has played a big part in my life by helping me remain as independent as possible. Plus, being a longtime volunteer and avid supporter of my community, Brandon Oaks provides transportation to and from the venues, and causes, I care deeply about. If you’re considering a retirement community, consider this one.”

Call us today at (540) 777-5602 for a private tour of our awardwinning community. Also, visit our website to see a list of upcoming events at BrandonOaks.net/Events.

A LifeCare Retirement Community | 3804 Brandon Avenue, SW | Roanoke, Virginia 24018 (540) 777-5602 | BrandonOaks.net

ROANOKE BUSINESS

21

retirement communities

HISTORIC PROTECTION

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DECEMBER 2015

was strategically placed to be accessible to LewisGale Hospital in Salem and Carilion Roanoke Memorial in Roanoke, the Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two hospital systems.

Friendship will decrease the number of beds at its north retirement community. That campus includes a restaurant, amphitheater, wellness program and pharmacies. Dodd said Friendship will begin to market itself as two entities, Friendship Health and Friendship Living. Friendship also has entered the home modification market in recognition that many older people want to remain in their homes, he says.

Brandon Oaks, a continuing-care community in southwest Roanoke County, is readying a new section of housing that combines apartment and cottage living, says Tony Snyder, marketing consultant with Spectrum Consultants. The Pines II will feature mostly two-bedroom apartments with parking underneath the building and a three-season patio. The southwest Roanoke County community of some 300 residents has begun updating its apartments with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.

In February, it opened a private room expansion of the John P. Fishwick Rehabilitation Center. In mid2016, Brandon Oaks will launch home health care and eventually hospice care, says Nicole Bruch of Virginia Lutheran Homes, which owns Brandon Oaks.

Also with an eye to increasing demand for luxurious surroundings, Warm Hearth Village in Blacksburg spent $1 million renovating its Showalter Assisted Living Center, generally creating â&#x20AC;&#x153;an elegant feel,â&#x20AC;? says Tambra Meredith, director of marketing and development. Warm Hearth, a community of patio homes, estate homes, apartments, assisted living and nursing care, also added home health services. Its fitness center, which offers memberships to users outside the Warm Hearth Village, continues to expand programs as does its lifelong learning program, she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of things we learned, people are interested in staying ac-

Continuing care retirement communities (Entrance fee required) BRANDON OAKS LIFECARE COMMUNITY

PHEASANT RIDGE NURSING AND REHAB CENTER

Active-adult homes, independent and assisted living, nursing care, continuing care, rehabilitation. Medicare accepted Roanoke 540-776-2600 www.brandonoaks.net

Roanoke Accepts Medicare, Medicaid 540-725-8210 www.consulatehealthcare.com

THE GLEBE AT DALEVILLE Active-adult homes, independent and assisted living, memory care, nursing care, rehabilitation.

Medicare accepted 540-795-2224 theglebe.org

HERMITAGE IN ROANOKE

THE VILLAGE ON PHEASANT RIDGE Roanoke Assisted and independent living apartments; assisted living, memory and respite care 434-237-2268 www.Villageonpheasantridge.com

Apartments, Assisted Living SALEM TERRACE AT HARROGATE Salem Independent and assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation and therapy 540-444-0343 www.Salemterrace.com

Broad Service Retirement Communities

OUR LADY OF THE VALLEY

Salem Cottages, apartments, rehabilitation, nursing care, assisted living, memory care, Medicare/ Medicaid 540-380-4500 richfieldliving.com

FRIENDSHIP RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Roanoke Independent and assisted living, memory care, nursing care, continuing care, rehabilitation, outpatient care, home companion care, retail and institutional pharmacy Medicare/Medicaid friendship.us

RUNK & PRATT SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE RETIREMENT VILLAGE Hardy Cottages, apartments, memory-dementia care 434-237-2268 Runkandpratt.com

PHEASANT RIDGE SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY Roanoke Memory-dementia care, assisted living, respite care Medicaid 540-904-4571 www.pheasantridgeslc.com

Fincastle 540-589-1439 www.Bethelridge.com

BROOKDALE CAVE SPRING (assisted living) 540-765-1547

Roanoke Independent and assisted living apartments, long-term care 540-767-6800 hermitageinroanoke.org

RICHFIELD LIVING

BETHEL RIDGE ASSISTED LIVING

Roanoke Senior apartments, assisted living, skilled rehabilitation and nursing services; Medicaid 540-345-5111 www.ourladyofthevalley.com

THE PARK OAK GROVE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Roanoke Assisted living, independent living, rehabilitation on site; private pay www.capitalsenior.com/theparkoakgrove

BROOKDALE ROANOKE (memory care) 540-765-1550 Roanoke www.brookdale.com

Other VIRGINIA VETERANS CARE CENTER Roanoke Assisted living, nursing and dementia-Memory 540-982-2860 dvs.virginia.gov/veterans-care-centers

VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER Salem Comprehensive care for those who served in the military 540-982-2463 salem.va.gov

KISSITO PACE Roanoke Medicare-Medicaid-certified program designed to keep persons 55 and older needing specialized care out of nursing homes 540-904-2817 www.kissitopace.org

Independent Living Apartments

New River Valley Retirement Community

ELM PARK ESTATES

WARM HEARTH VILLAGE

Roanoke Apartments, central dining, transportation, emergency system 800-952-6650 www.holidaytouch.com/our-communities/ elm-park-estates

Blacksburg Active-adult homes, independent and assisted living, memory care, nursing care, rehabilitation, in-home care Medicare/Medicaid 540-443-3415 retire.org

EDINBURGH SQUARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

THE CROSSINGS AT BLACKSBURG

Roanoke Apartments for 62-plus and persons needing accessible housing; income based 540-366-1888 edinburghsquare.org

Blacksburg Assisted living/memory care 540-317-3463 www.thecrossingsat-blacksburg.com

Assisted Living/ Rehabilitation/Memory Care

Christiansburg Independent and assisted living, memory and dementia care, at-home care 540-585-4175 www.commonwealthal.com/senior_living/ Christiansburg_VA/zip_24073/commonwealth_ assisted_living_llc/9905

AVANTĂ&#x2030; AT ROANOKE Roanoke Skilled nursing and rehabilitation center 540-345-8139

COMMONWEALTH ASSISTED LIVING

ROANOKE BUSINESS

23

INTERVIEW: Anita Price, Member, Roanoke City Council

Not a politician

How a Roanoke educator ended up at City Hall

Roanoke Business: When you came here so your husband could start a new job, what did you think of the Star City?

Anita Price: I was depressed for about a year and a half. I thought, “Dear God. What is this place?” There were a couple of reasons why Roanoke and I didn’t click right away. First of all, it was my first time being away from home, outside of college. I didn’t know anyone, and I really didn’t think there was anything going on here. I just thought, “Ugh. This is a Godforsaken place. There are no cultural activities.”

I remember that when people are coming in, relocating here. It takes a minute before you get to know people and really start realizing there’s so much that Roanoke offers. Now, I consider this home.

Anita Price wasn’t happy about moving to Roanoke and she never wanted to be a politician. She’ll finish her second term on Roanoke City Council in June 2016.

by Beth JoJack

A

s a kid growing up in Arlington, Anita Price thought every family cleared the dinner table on Sunday afternoons so they’d have a place to work on lesson plans.

“Everybody in my family was a teacher,” she explains.

Naturally, Price, now 64, took up the family business. After she finished Morgan State University in Baltimore with a degree in vocational education and home economics, she landed a job in the city teaching high-school students home economics.

While she always planned on becoming an educator, Price admits she’d have been shocked as a twenty-something to hear that she would one day become Roanoke’s first black councilwoman. “That still blows my mind.”

Price moved to the Star City in the late 1970s so her husband, Charles, could work with a relative who was relocating his construction business. She taught home economics at Patrick Henry High School before going to Virginia

24

DECEMBER 2015

planned to run again, she didn’t hesitate before nodding. “Daddy said, ‘When you start something, you’ve got to finish it.’ ”

Tech for a master’s degree in guidance and counseling.

As a guidance counselor for Roanoke City Schools, Price primarily worked with elementary school students. “I loved my work as a counselor,” says Price, who retired in 2010.

“You do an investigation. You look at all angles.

You try to stay nonpartisan and find common ground.”

Those same skills made Price an asset for the Roanoke Education Association. She served as the group’s president for two consecutive two-year terms, the maximum allowed.

After Price stepped down as REA president, more than one person asked if she’d thought about running for local government.

“I’m like, ‘What are you smoking?’ I am not a politician,” she recalls, laughing.

Price will finish her second term on Roanoke City Council in June. (City Council includes six council members and a mayor elected at-large.) When asked whether she

RB: What made you decide to become a guidance counselor?

Price: My first-period class [during her first year of teaching at Patrick Henry]. They would come in and just start talking a mile a minute.

I’d say, “Circle up. I can see right now we’re not going to get anything done until we get this.You know, clear the air.’ ” First class period on Monday mornings was circle time. We just had to sit down and debrief on what took place during the weekend and what needed to be remedied.

RB: You juggled your graduate studies with working for a year before taking a sabbatical?

Price: By that time, I had three small children, and it was getting a little dicey trying to go to school and teach.This was before [the Roanoke Higher Education Center] was here. There was no such thing as online classes, so all my coursework had to be onsite.

RB: You took a position in a dropout prevention program before signing on as an elementary-school guidance counselor for Round Hill and Huff Lane schools. How did you feel about working with younger children?

Price: I fell in love with it. I loved working with younger kids and addressing problems then as Photo by Don Petersen

opposed to later on. I always like to remind folks: Any and every problem you can think of as an adult, put that on the shoulders of a baby who doesn’t have the wherewithal to comprehend what they’re experiencing.

Some of the problems and some of the crises that we went through, I can’t even tell you the words. There were some really traumatic experiences.

RB: How did you become president of the Roanoke Education Association?

Price: When I first started teaching in the Maryland schools, we went on strike. I had just gotten my job. I had been there for maybe two weeks. One of the veteran teachers literally grabbed me by the hand and she said, “C’mon little girl. We’re going on strike.”

I had membership with the teacher association in Maryland. It was automatic when I came to Virginia to maintain my membership. I went through the ranks. I was asked to come on board as a vice president.

At the time, I remember saying, “OK, I’ll do it.

But I’m not going to be president.’

RB: But when Tim Goad stepped down as president, you took the job anyway?

Price: As vice president [of the REA] I had to automatically move up.

RB: Why do you believe in education associations? Why give so much of your time?

Price: All educators need to be represented as far as barriers, their challenges, pay inequality, insurance. I mean, every aspect you can think of. When I say educators that’s across the board, because educators are not just teachers. It’s the cafeteria workers, it’s the custodians, the bus drivers, who unfortunately we have lost as part of our membership because they’ve been privatized. It’s difficult to help folks when they don’t have a voice.

RB: You’ve said you were surprised when people started asking you about running for elected office. How did you go from that mindset to throwing your hat in the ring?

Price: When I first started thinking about running for office, I think I was being interviewed by someone. I kept talking about children and the necessity of looking after kids and families. This person said, “It sounds like you ought to be on the school board.”

I said, “No, that’s the problem. It’s not just the schools that need to take care of kids and families … It needs to be the whole city. It needs to be everyone, whether or not you have a child in the schools. Because the

outcome of our kids is going to impact every facet of the city.” If you’re going to have good jobs, you need to have educated folks to fill those jobs. If you don’t have educated folks, a skilled work force, then you have nothing.

RB: When you decided to run, did you feel confident of a win?

Price: I was shocked when I made it through the [Democratic] primary. I never assumed for a moment that it would actually come to be.Then winning that first election? I felt like it was an out-of-body experience. It was mindboggling.

RB: What was the biggest challenge when you started on the council?

Price: Getting to know so many people and getting to know so many [Roanoke City] departments. Getting to really grasp all the intricacies of running a city. There’s a lot that goes into it.

RB: What advice would you give a new council member?

Price: You absolutely have to ask questions.

I’ve always said, you have to seek first for understanding. I think it’s kind of unrealistic to think that you know everything about everything. You have to really kind of delve into what you don’t know.

RB: You’re the only female on City Council currently and only one of a handful to have served.Where are the women?

Price: I sort of can understand why there aren’t more women. For young women, I can see it’s a very demanding job. It’s the time commitment. As much as we want to be gender neutral and friendly, women still pretty much run families. Just like when I was REA president. I could not have done that job if I had really young little ones at home. With any professional women, people need to be mindful of what a balance it is and a juggling act. It’s juggling a lot of balls. I am always very respectful of women who are trying to do it.

I wish it were easier with childcare, flexible work hours. I think those are challenges that must continuously be addressed.

RB: Is that why you retired from the school system in 2010? Too many balls to juggle with your full-time job and serving on City Council?

Price: I could not give 100 percent to both. I didn’t feel like it was fair to my school. At the time, I was just so torn. Now I kind of feel like, “OK, it was the right choice to make.” Now, I can dedicate more time to issues that require more of my attention.

RB: Like your work with the Northwest Child Development Center?

Price: Exactly.

RB: You turned out for the September protest that followed the abrupt closing of the center, which has offered childcare to low-income families in Northwest Roanoke since 1982. The closing followed a board member’s announcement. The United Way of the Roanoke Valley released a written statement to Roanoke Business, explaining that after giving over a million dollars to NCDC over the last decade, the nonprofit organization suspended funding in 2015 citing concerns about the quality of care, financial stability and governance at the children’s center.

What happened?

Price: Nobody was talking to each other. I am praying we get some resolution in at least a few weeks.

RB: You’re serving on an informal board working to reopen NCDC? Price: Yes. We’re in the midst of doing some negotiation.

RB: Why does it matter to you?

Price: It’s in the heart of the black community.

And it’s one of the last black institutions. [Burrell Memorial Hospital] is gone. Henry Street is gone. It’s that last kind of icon that you could look to and say,“Hey, you know, that’s something to be proud of.” My children went there to the after-school program.

RB: You’ve worked to reinstate the Youth Services Citizen Board, which has a mission to advise the local government regarding issues that impact young people. You’re also working toward creating a Roanoke Youth Council, which would be comprised entirely of high-school students. You’ve said this work is one of your most significant achievements on council. Why did you pick that?

Price: How could we not have the voice of our kids? Who’s going to run the city? Who are we going to turn it over to? Because last time I checked, we don’t live forever. We’ve got to pave the future for them.

RB: Will you ever run for mayor?

Price: No. Although everyone keeps telling me, “Never say never.”

ROANOKE BUSINESS

25

HIGHER EDUCATION: Virginia Western Community College

The community’s college Virginia Western helps students get four-year degrees and job-ready certifications President Robert Sandel is leading Virginia Western Community College into an emphasis on STEM-H education.

by Shawna Morrison

N

ext fall, Virginia Western Community College plans to break ground on a $30 million complex geared toward programs in the STEM-H fields: science, technology, engineering, math and health care.

“It’s something we haven’t officially announced, but the money is all in place for that. The architects are now finalizing their drawings,” says Robert Sandel, Virginia Western’s president since 2001. “It’s going to be quite a place with the latest of everything. That will be a great addition for us.”

The new complex should open by fall 2018 and will be located across the street from the school’s Fralin Center for Science and Health Professions on Colonial Avenue. The Fralin Center, which

26

DECEMBER 2015

opened for classes in 2013, houses the school’s health-care and science programs, including nursing, radiography, physics, biology and chemistry.

Sandel says the new complex is part of Virginia Western’s efforts to concentrate on preparing students for jobs in STEM-H fields. “Part of the rationale is that it is and is going to be the higher-paying jobs.

And students tend to go into programs of study that have a good work outlook, and all of these programs have a very high work outlook.”

Programs that fall under the STEM-H umbrella already are sought-after at Virginia Western.

There are waiting lists for engineering and mechatronics classes because they fill up quickly, Sandel

says. Also, many STEM-H courses are transferrable; so a student can take classes for one or two years at Virginia Western, then transfer into a four-year college or university to earn a bachelor’s degree.

According to Sandel, many of the community college’s engineering students transfer to Virginia Tech or Old Dominion University.

Placing an emphasis on STEMH programs is one of three major goals at Virginia Western. The school also plans to add additional programs through which students can attain certifications and is putting measures in place to track student success.

As part of a mandate from the Virginia Community College System, Sandel says, a larger portion of the budget is being allocated toward student success. During the 2014-2015 school year, Virginia Western allocated 2 percent of its budget to increase Student Success Initiatives, some of which were already in place, says Josh Meyer, Virginia Western’s director of marketing and strategic communications. For the 2015-2016 school year, that amount was increased to 4 percent. The initiatives – including a new 24/7 financial aid support call center, a tutoring program and three program advisors – were funded by tuition increases that had been earmarked for that purpose, Meyer says.

More money will be used for programs such as mentoring, tutoring, tracking attendance and test scores and “everything these students may need to keep them focused and moving in a central path toward success of their particular programs,” says Sandel.

“We’ve always had the goal of student success. This just gives us a great many more avenues and perPhotos courtesy Virginia Western Community College

sonnel available to make sure we stay on top of these students and keep them focused.”

Former student Yadav Sapkota says every professor he had during his two years at Virginia Western helped him be successful. Sapkota began taking classes at the University of Virginia this fall and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in biology. A refugee from Nepal, he moved to the U.S. in 2011 and spent his junior and senior years at Roanoke’s Patrick Henry High School. He attended Virginia Western tuition-free through the Community College Access Program (CCAP), available to graduates of public high schools in Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke counties and the cities of Roanoke and Salem. This year, 428 students are attending Virginia Western tuitionfree through CCAP. “That was the biggest thing ever,” Sapkota says. “The money was a big factor. And I was able to get a job there” as a teaching assistant and tutor.

Sapkota says he misses being at Virginia Western, calling his professors there “the best people I’ve met in America.” Once, he says, he stopped by a professor’s office to find he wasn’t there. He walked away, figuring he would go by the office again later. A few moments later, he heard someone call for him and saw the professor running to catch up with him, because someone had told the professor a student had been at his office.

He appreciated the free tutoring Virginia Western offered and all of his adviser’s help in making his transfer to U.Va. an easy one.

When Sapkota recently visited Virginia Western, he arrived at 10 a.m. and left at 5 p.m. but still didn’t get a chance to talk with everyone he knew. “It feels like going back home when I go to Western.”

Rachel Lowe also attended Virginia Western from 2013 to 2015 after graduating from Franklin County High School. Like Sapkota, she attended tuition-free through

Virginia Western’s engineering and mechatronics classes are so popular they have waiting lists.

CCAP. Lowe is a junior at Virginia Tech, studying human development with plans to eventually get a master’s degree in education and become an elementary school teacher.

She also said professors there were integral to her success. “They all know you on a first-name basis, and they want to help you succeed,” she says.

If she didn’t make a good grade on a test, a professor would email

her and ask whether she needed help. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Lowe says of her experience at Virginia Western. “I would have stayed there again this year if I could have.”

Sandel says the transfer program is one of the college’s fastest growing. It often costs significantly less than attending a four-year institution for all four years; it helps students with the transition into

Virginia Western plans to build a new complex geared toward STEM-H courses across from the Fralin Center for Science and Health Professions.

ROANOKE BUSINESS

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higher education

Virginia Western Community College •

Established in 1966; will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016

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Serves Roanoke, Craig, southern Botetourt and northern Franklin counties and the cities of Roanoke and Salem

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Offers day, evening and weekend classes

•

Has grown from 1,352 students to about 13,000

•

The campus, off Colonial Avenue in Southwest Roanoke, is on more than 70 acres.

Sources: www.virginiawestern.edu, Robert Sandel

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DECEMBER 2015

college life; and acceptance is often guaranteed as long as certain criteria – such as a high grade-point average – are met.

About a third of Virginia Western’s students are part of the transfer program. The other two-thirds are taking classes “to get the skills they need to go right into the workforce,” Sandel says. “The transfer programs are very important to us, but our main mission is filling the workforce needs of our region.”

In line with the 2016-2021 strategic plan of the Virginia Community College System, Sandel says, the college has a lofty goal of tripling the number of associate degrees, certificates and certifications awarded. There will be a greater emphasis on career technical programs, including truck driving, welding, culinary science, medical coding and HVAC programs.

“These type of programs have even greater job opportunities than any other because our business and industry cannot get enough of these people. If anything, they’re asking us to have more,” Sandel says. “There’s a great demand for skilled workers of a career technical major.”

Many of Virginia Western’s students already have jobs or families, and they can’t or don’t want to spend two years earning an associate degree, Sandel says. They want to complete a program that will get them a job. Many of the technical programs can be completed in a matter of weeks or months. “The certifications are really footprints right into the workforce because they indicate how you compare nationally with other potential applicants for jobs,” Sandel says. He says programs will be offered “days, nights, weekends, whenever the opportunity is there for the offering. Industry and business tell us that the certification angle is going to be … almost a definitive criteria for getting a large percentage of these jobs, because it will demonstrate the competencies these students have.”

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COMMUNITY PROFILE: Downtown Roanoke

Developing downtown

A changed downtown Roanoke brings expanded boundaries and a growing population A South Carolina developer is building a Hampton Inn and Suites on top of a city parking garage at the corner of Market Street and Church Avenue.

by Mason Adams

N

early a decade after the beginning of a renovation renaissance in downtown Roanoke, the city core has reached a new tipping point. With nearly 2,000 downtown residents and a healthy stock of rehabilitated warehouse apartments, developers are taking the next step and investing in new construction.

A South Carolina developer is building a Hampton Inn and Suites on top of a city parking garage at the corner of Market Street and Church Avenue. The $17 million, 127-room motel is scheduled to open in January, joining the historic Hotel Roanoke as an option for travelers in downtown Roanoke. Meanwhile, Roanoke-based developer Lucas Thornton is investing $10 million

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in a new development. Located at a former surface parking lot at Williamson Road and Tazewell Avenue, it includes 85 apartments and nearly 7,000 square feet of commercial space.

This investment in new construction marks a threshold moment in the modern history of downtown Roanoke. For the first time in decades, new buildings are rising — and more may follow. The decision to build, says Thornton, comes because of a steady stream of rehabilitation projects and their demonstration of an apparently insatiable demand for downtown living.

The return of passenger rail, coming in 2017, also is expected to boost downtown. With more peo-

ple coming in for day and weekend trips to Washington, D.C., and points north, city officials hope some of that traffic will flow the other way and that the Star City may become a destination as well.

Downtown’s rebirth has its roots in Design ’79, a massive civic initiative that in the early ’80s turned the Market Building into a food court, transformed the historic warehouse that once housed W. E. McGuire’s Farmers’ Supply Co. into Center in the Square, and linked Elmwood Park to the Market District.

That initial round of public investment spurred a revival in the city market district, and a second generation of upgrades over the last decade gave it a new kick and momentum Photos by Don Petersen

that stretched into adjoining neighborhoods.

The renovation of old buildings over the last 10 years transformed downtown Roanoke into something very different from the jobs hub that it once was. Office buildings and warehouses that once were filled with 9-to-5 workers now are part of Roanoke’s newest neighborhood. At the time of the 2000 census, downtown was home to fewer than 50 people. Over the next decade, that number grew to 1,200 Workman people, and today, 1,700 people live downtown, according to Downtown Roanoke Inc. President and CEO Tina Workman.

The falling dominos that led to this point have been fairly well documented: The residential push began with public investment in a pair of former Norfolk-Southern office buildings just north of the tracks.

Renovation turned the two buildings into the Roanoke Higher Education Center, a hub of programs from regional colleges and universities, and Eight Jefferson Place, downtown’s first apartment complex of consequence. Private-sector developers began to dabble in condominiums.

The project that signaled the wave to come, however, became the Hancock Building — an ambitious renovation of a former office building into apartments that involved the use of state and federal historic tax credits and an $880,000 grant from the city to assist with the tricky restoration of its art deco facade.

The Hancock Building, renovated by Roanoke developer Ed Walker, became the go-to model for a growing series of developers who used the up-front financing made possible by selling historic tax credits to continue projects despite the collapse of the housing market. Even with the Great Recession that followed, residents lined up to live in these new, downtown developments, encouraging more developers to jump in, slowly creating a new neighborhood.

Those tax credit-fueled renova-

tions sparked new construction like the Hampton Inn or Thornton’s latest project. “The other thing more broadly that led to new construction is the strength of the rental market,” says Thornton. “There is no risk but market risk. We are very sensitive to it. We have 206 apartments we own or manage. We are very careful not only to manage our overall occupancy but also the volume of inquiries …

“Tolerance for rental budgets has been increasing. Part of that has to do with what’s available and what prices are, but part of it also has to do with the market’s expectation and marketing for downtown living. That’s a long way of saying we felt that at this point, rents had reached a point that justified new construction.”

As for who’s living in all these downtown apartments, Workman says it’s mostly young professionals with an average age of about 30, as well as retirees. A few families live there, but developers have focused mostly on building single-bedroom units.

Downtown units command high rental prices per square foot. Larger units will cut out many families, especially when compared with the cost of mortgages in nearby neighborhoods such as Raleigh Court and Wasena.

The growth in residential housing has come with a trade-off, as jobs have trickled out of downtown to other parts of Roanoke, if not out of western Virginia altogether. That outflow stands as a big reason developers were able to renovate vacant

Roanoke-based developer Lucas Thornton is building 85 apartments on what used to be a parking lot.

Meanwhile, renovation projects continue apace, too. Several blocks to the west, Faisal Khan, who redeveloped the former Crystal Tower building into the 90-apartment Ponce de León, has nearly completed leasing the Locker Room. That project involved renovating a former YMCA building — a complicated job that involved leaving challenging architecture in place to secure historic tax credits while still enticing tenants. Khan’s solution: Restore the YMCA’s athletic amenities and use them to market to a customer base for which fitness is an important lifestyle component.

warehouses and office buildings into apartments.

The most recent departure hit at Roanoke’s railroad roots. The city grew exponentially in the late 1800s when Norfolk and Western built its headquarters in the former Big Lick, but employment shrank through the 20th century as its corporate descendent, Norfolk Southern, shifted its focus to hubs in Atlanta and Norfolk.

In January, Norfolk Southern announced it would close its administrative offices in Roanoke, resulting in the departure of 426 jobs.

The railroad’s announcement put an exclamation point on a larger ROANOKE BUSINESS

31

community profile

The Texas Tavern has been through many Roanoke evolutions, and owner Matt Bullington says his clientele has changed.

trend that’s affected downtown Roanoke for several decades. Matt Bullington, owner of the iconic Texas Tavern, has seen the manifestation of the trend in his business. A once-booming lunch business serving workers on noon breaks has given way to a more around-the-clock flow.

“My customer profile used to be very much more business men and working men,” Bullington says.

“Now we get a lot more families. It’s more of a destination kind of place … From Monday through Friday, 9 to 5, I’d guarantee you’ve got less people walking around. Some of that busi-

SUCCESS FEELS GOOD WITH LOCAL LENDING POWER.

ness lost has been helped out through the image and entertainment aspect of downtown being sold more. Our business is pretty stable from 15 or 20 years ago.”

Larry Davidson owns Davidsons men’s clothing store, a downtown fixture open since 1910. Like Bullington, he has adjusted his business to keep up with changing times, leasing space to a grooming service that has grown with the population downtown.

Davidson also has lived downtown for eight years in a space above his store. He says that since the city invested millions of dollars to renovate the Market Building, Elmwood Park and the downtown library — along with public-private investment in Center in the Square — he’s seen a lot more activity.

“That area is just alive with people constantly,” Davidson says. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate my neighborhood and where I live. It’s eclectic. All kinds of ages and walks of life end up going through that market area.”

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Photo by Don Petersen

Aside from a few key properties such as the centrally located Heironimus and Boxley buildings, most of the central downtown area around the market has been redeveloped.

That means growth will have to come from new construction on former surface parking lots, such as Thornton is building, and expansion into adjacent neighborhoods.

The latter already is occurring in the Wasena and West End neighborhoods to the west, and it’s taking place south down Jefferson Street at the Bridges, a 22-acre former mill and scrap yard that’s being turned into a multimillion-dollar mixed-use development. The stretch of Jefferson Street between the market district and the Bridges may be ripe for more growth, too, as it is home to many parking lots and sits along a regular trolley route. In 2012, Roanoke City Council redefined downtown, extending its boundaries along that trolley route, down Jefferson from the traditional core, past the Bridges and on to Rivers Edge Sports Complex and

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Many Roanokers may balk at the suggestion of turning surface parking into new construction. Although Morrill downtown Roanoke currently has no parking meters — differentiating it from Blacksburg and cities such as Harrisonburg and Asheville — the city has been tweaking its system and may conduct some trial runs in the near future. City Manager Chris Morrill and Assistant City Manager for Community Development Brian Townsend say Roanoke recently changed its parking signs to update and standardize the system.

Townsend says it may try out a pilot meter program on especially hot spaces in the market core.

“It’s not about the revenue; it’s about the flow,” says Morrill. “Downtown workers will take the space all day. We need turnover.”

All of these trends keep developers like Thornton investing in new

Donate $1 and we’ll turn it into $6. That’s 600% R.O.I. Since 1998, we have renovated more than 850 * homes and each year turned $385,016 into $2,402,500.

Downtown Roanoke Population (2015) about 1,700 Population (2010) about 1,200 Population (2000) about 50 Number of downtown about 14,000 workers on weekdays Downtown Roanoke children attend Highland Park Elementary, James Schools Madison Middle and William Fleming High schools. All fully accredited.

Sources: Downtown Roanoke Inc., Roanoke City Schools

projects, at least for now. “I’m bullish,” Thornton says. “I feel quite good about it. I’m excited about downtown and what’s happening. That’s reflective of what I see and what I believe to be happening more broadly and demographically.”

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Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce | SPONSORED CONTENT

Greenbrier Nurseries named 2015 Small Business of the Year Ability to grow while adapting to constant changes earns award he Roanoke Regional Chamber and Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center have named Greenbrier Nurseries the 2015 Small Business of the Year. The independent garden retailer that has evolved into a farm-to-table operation that helps other small agricultural businesses grow and succeed was recognized at the Chamber’s 29th Annual Small Business Awards dinner Sept. 17 at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. The annual awards program showcases the accomplishments of the small-business sector, which is composed of more than 90 percent of the area’s business community.

Founded in 1998, Greenbrier Nurseries has grown to be the largest independent garden retailer in the Roanoke Valley. With its expert team of seasonal employees, Greenbrier offers a high level of horticultural customer service, excellent product selection and a beautiful environment in which to shop. After the economic downturn period beginning in 2008, the nursery evolved into a farmto-table operation.

“This year’s selection committee had a very difficult decision to make as there were a number of highly successful small businesses represented in the competition,” said Joyce Waugh, president of the Roanoke Regional Chamber.

Waugh continued, “The Small Business Awards selection committee was impressed with Greenbrier Nurseries’ story of adapting from being a leading independent garden retailer to setting up an onsite farmers market, allowing local agricultural businesses a place to offer their produce and goods directly to the public.”

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T

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A committee of local business people evaluates nominees in terms of increased sales, employee growth, staying power, innovativeness and contributions to the community. To be eligible for the small business of the year title, companies must meet SBA small business standards and be at least three years old.

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• Award winners by category are: • Small Business Advocate: Jim Flowers, VT Knowledge Works • Small Business Veteran of the Year: Bill Hume, Interactive Design Group • Construction/Real Estate: Valley Boiler & Mechanical has grown from a five-person operation in 1998 to an employer of 21 with a 45 percent sales increase.

• Micro-Business (five or fewer employees): Viva la Cupcake, the baker of small treats that can be enjoyed without the guilt, uses social media and crowd sourcing to grow and promote its business.

• Technology: TORC Robotics is a leading provider of unmanned and autonomous ground vehicle solutions for public and private uses.

• Business-to-Business Services: Family–owned Farmer Auctions has grown and adapted to the times with diversification, new headquarters and new markets.

Chamber Champions are members who support the Roanoke Regional Chamber through year-round sponsorships in exchange for year-round recognition.

2015 CHAMBER CHAMPIONS BNC Bank Brown Edwards Cox Business Gentry Locke Attorneys LifeWorks REHAB (Medical Facilities of America) MB Contractors

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Pepsi Bottling Group rev.net The Roanoke Times Rockydale Quarries Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLC Trane Woods Rogers Attorneys at Law

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•

Business-to-Consumer Services: For the past decade, HomeTown Bank has remained an independent bank while showing steady growth and employment.

Manufacturing: Tecton Products is the manufacturer of custom fiberglass pultrusions produced with exceptional durability and performance.

Wholesale/Retail: Greenbrier Nurseries Legacy Award (in business for 50+ years): Mechanical Development Co. has provided high-quality, precision machining services to the area for the past 65 years.

Best New Small Business (in business for one to three years, not eligible for overall award): Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers attracts young professionals, has added new employees and offers mainstream and seasonal craft brews.

Not-for-Profit Arts & Culture: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Southwest Virginia has partnered “big” mentors with their “little” charges for the past 65 years.

Not-for-Profit Health & Human Services: HopeTree Family Services has offered residential, educational and support services for at-risk children, youth and adults for 125 years.

Previous small business of the year winners include Homestead Creamery (2014), Roanoke Natural Foods Coop (2013), EHS Support Services (2012), Interactive Achievement (2011), Magnets USA (2010), Home Instead Senior Care (2009) and Virginia Prosthetics (2008).

EVENT SPONSORSHIP Thursday Overtime – Oct. 1 Hilton Garden Inn Roanoke Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLC

Candidates Forum – Senate Districts 19 and 21 – Oct. 6 Appalachian Power RGC Resources Sheraton Roanoke

ROANOKE BUSINESS

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SPONSORED CONTENT | Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce MEMBER NEWS & RECOGNITIONS The Arevo Group, an affiliate company of WorkForce Unlimited and an executive search and professional contract services firm, has partnered with The Renick Group, based in Roanoke. The Renick Group consists of an executive search division and a professional contract services division. The partnership with Renick Group expands the Arevo Group’s market presence in Virginia.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Virginia has named Pulaski Town Manager Shawn Utt as the 2015 Southwest Virginia Big Brother of the Year.

Branch Highways, a subsidiary of The Branch Group, was selected

by American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), the largest transportation organization in the nation, for the Contractor Safety Award. Branch Highways received the award for the 500,001 to 800,000 man-hours category. The award acknowledges industry safety programs and ongoing safe working environments across the nation. The selection was based on eight major criteria, including management commitment, employee participation, incident investigation program, safety planning, and the safety program’s overall effectiveness.

The law firm Cowan Perry has announced that David E. Perry has been named the Best Lawyers’ 2016 Roanoke Employee Perry Benefits Law “Lawyer of the Year.” Only one lawyer in each practice area in each community receives the “Lawyer of the Year” honor.

Medline announced that LewisGale Regional Health System won third place in the large-bed category in the 2015 National Pink Glove Dance Video Competition. The winners were determined by public voting.

LewisGale received 16,902 votes for its video and won a $2,500 donation for its chosen charity, Susan G. Komen Virginia Blue Ridge. More than 100 dancers, including hospital staff, physicians, the Floyd Ward School of Dance, Salem-Fire EMS, the Salem Police Department and community members danced wearing Medline’s pink exam gloves for breast cancer awareness, treatment and a cure.

Roanoke 36 3 6

County

Administrator

Thomas Gates has announced the appointment of Tanya Catron as internal auditor. Catron has served for the past four years as a Catron manager within the county’s finance department.

The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors recently announced the appointment of Ruth Ellen Kuhnel as county attorney. KuhKuhnel nel has been serving as an assistant county attorney and senior assistant county attorney for Roanoke County for the past eight years.

Virginia Tech has released a new publication targeting individuals interested in starting a forest products-related business or those without a forest products background who work in management positions in existing forest products companies. The “Business Management Practices for Small to Medium Sized Forest Products Firms” publication presents the nuts and bolts of business management as it relates to the forest products industry, offering business owners and managers a framework for success. The publication was written by Robert “Bob” L. Smith, professor of forest products marketing and head of the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and Omar Espinoza, assistant professor and chair of the Forest Products Management Development Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering has named three 2015 RollsRoyce Doctoral Students. Each one receives an annual stipend of $30,000, full tuition and fees, health insurance and an annual travel budget of $2,500. The awards went to: Christina DiMarino, electrical and computer engineering; Matt Jones, aerospace and ocean engineering; and Austin Scherbarth, materials science and engineering.

Apkarian Sciences.

DECEMBER 2015

Jacob Apkarian has been appointed an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human

Paul C. Avey has been appointed an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Virginia Tech’s College of Avey Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. He will be teaching introduction to world politics, national security and national security strategy.

Dipankar Chakravarti has been appointed the Sonny Merryman Inc. Professor in the Department of Marketing at Virginia Chakravarti Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. He joins Virginia Tech from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where he was a professor of marketing.

Anne-Sophie Chaxel has been appointed assistant professor in the Department of Marketing at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin ColChaxel lege of Business.

Chaxel joins Virginia Tech from McGill University where she has taught since 2012.

Danille Elise Christensen has been appointed an assistant professor in the Department of Religion and Culture at Virginia Christensen Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

Matthew Cobabe has been appointed assistant professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. He has taught courses in cost accounting and managerial accounting. He has also worked as an accountant in Utah.

Jennifer Helms Culhane has been appointed the new director of first-year academic initiatives in the Office of First-Year Culhane Experiences at Virginia Tech. The Virginia Tech graduate has worked as an assessment specialist in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and as a project coordinator in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise.

NEW MEMBERS The following members joined the Roanoke Regional Chamber from Sept. 9, to Oct. 12, 2015.

CI Destinations CertaPro Painters Chiropractic Wellness PC Colonial Title & Settlement Agency Country Breeze Heating and Cooling LLC Creative Occasions Events, Flowers & Gifts Flowers by Gloriosa Jason DeVries – Principal Financial Group Jorans Interiors Red Canary Roanoke Catholic School St. Pierre Academy & Solon The Brenton Group / LaCroix Group at Merrill Lynch

Susan L. Ganter has been appointed a professor and director of the School of Education at Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts Ganter and Human Sciences.

She also has an appointment in the College of Science as a professor of mathematics.

Gabriel Blouin Genest has been appointed an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Virginia Tech’s College of Genest Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

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