Roanoke Business- Dec. 2015

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Legal elite

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N E W R I V E R V A L L E Y R E G I O N

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24 INTERVIEW: Anita Price Member, Roanoke City Council Not a politician How a Roanoke educator ended up at City Hall. by Beth JoJack

30 COMMUNITY PROFILE Developing downtown A changed downtown Roanoke brings expanded

boundaries and a growing population. by Mason Adams

35 NEWS FROM THE CHAMBER• Greenbrier Nurseries named

2015 Small Business of the Year

• Chamber Champions

• Event sponsorships

• New members

• Member news & recognitions

F E A T U R E S

SPECIAL REPORT

6 2015 Legal Elite Recognition program allows lawyers to nominate and vote for their peers. by Tim Thornton

Profi les: Monica Monday Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore LLP

James Cornwell Jr. Sands Anderson

Maryellen Goodlatte Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

David Weaver Weaver Law Firm P.C.

James Creekmore The Creekmore Law Firm

Benjamin Rottenborn Woods Rogers PLC

BANKING

17 Why all the interest in interest rates?

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

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

20 A place to retire 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

HIGHER EDUCATION

26 The community’s collegeVirginia Western helps students get four-year degrees and job-ready certifications. by Shawna Morrison

17

26

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

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Atlanta • Charlotte • Greensboro • Greenville • Hampton Roads • Raleigh • Richmond • Roanoke • Washington | MMA-MidAtlantic.com

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4 DECEMBER 2015

S E R V I N G T H E R O A N O K E / B L A C K S B U R G /N E W R I V E R V A L L E Y R E G I O N

Vol. 4 DECEMBER 2015 No. 12

President & Publisher Bernard A. Niemeier Roanoke Business Editor Tim Thornton Contributing Editor Paula C. Squires Contributing Writers Mason Adams Beth JoJack Shawna Morrison Sandra Brown Kelly Dan Radmacher Art Director Adrienne R. WatsonContributing Photographers Don Petersen Natalee Waters

Production Manager Kevin L. Dick Circulation Manager Karen Chenault Accounting Manager Ashley Henry Vice President of Advertising Hunter Bendall Account Representative Lynn Williams

CONTACT:EDITORIAL: (540) 520-2399

ADVERTISING: (540) 597-2499210 S. Jefferson St., Roanoke, VA 24011-1702

We welcome your feedback.Email Letters to the Editor to

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VIRGINIA BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS LLC

A portfolio company of Virginia Capital Partners LLC

Frederick L. Russell Jr., chairman,

on the coverSix of the 2015 Legal Elite

are profi ledPhotos by Natalee Waters

Change and voices by Tim Thornton

W hen I fi rst heard of Roanoke native Katherine Fulton, she’d already co-founded an alternative newsweekly called The North Carolina Inde-

pendent, 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 philanthro-pists 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 refl ection 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 com-munities 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 fi nding their voice.”

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

FROM THE EDITOR

6 DECEMBER 2015 Headshots by Natalee Waters

Recognition program allows lawyers to nominate and vote for their peersby Tim Thornton

The 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 Gil-more lived in the governor’s man-sion.

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

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

they believe to be outstanding in a number of legal specialties. Law-yers 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 interest-ing collection of specialists in 18 ar-eas 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 attor-neys, some of whom have been el-evated to the bench.

They also acknowledge lives outside the law. Watching baseball, attending music festivals and trav-eling are among their hobbies. Va-cation 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, accord-ing 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 win-ner what his favorite dessert is.”

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

SPECIAL REPORT: 2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

CornwellC ll

Creekmore

GoodlatteMondayM d

RottenbornR tt bWeaver

The first edition of the Legal Elite debuts in Roanoke Business

ROANOKE BUSINESS 7

Erin B. AshwellRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCYOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

J. Rudy AustinRoanoke

Gentry LockeCONSTRUCTION

Thomas R. BagbyRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCLABOR/EMPLOYMENT

D. Stan BarnhillRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCCONSTRUCTION

Paul Graham BeersRoanoke

Glenn Feldmann Darby & Goodlatte

CRIMINAL LAW

Thomas J. Bondurant Jr.Roanoke

Gentry LockeCRIMINAL LAW

Tara A. BranscomRoanoke

CowanPerry PCINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Victor O. CardwellRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCLABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Jeremy Ethridge CarrollRoanoke

Glenn Feldmann Darby & GoodlatteLABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Francis H. CasolaRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCALTERNATIVE DISPUTE

RESOLUTION

Nicholas C. ConteRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCBUSINESS LAW

James Edward Cornwell Jr.Christiansburg

Sands Anderson PCENVIRONMENTAL LAW

James K. Cowan Jr.Roanoke

CowanPerry PCLABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Roy Vogel CreasyRoanoke

Roy Vogel CreasyBANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’

RIGHTS

James Robert CreekmoreBlacksburg

The Creekmore Law Firm PC

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Thomas T. CullenRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCCRIMINAL LAW

Harwell McCoy Darby Jr.Roanoke


BUSINESS LAW

Robert E. DeanRoanoke

Rob Dean LawYOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

Douglas W. DensmoreRoanoke

CowanPerry PCCORPORATE COUNSEL

Lauren Morgan EllermanRoanoke

Frith & Ellerman Law Firm PC

YOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

Mark E. FeldmannRoanoke


CONSTRUCTION

Michael J. FinneyRoanoke

Gentry LockeYOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

John P. Fishwick Jr.Roanoke

LichtensteinFishwick PLCCRIMINAL LAW

Frank K. FriedmanRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCAPPELLATE LAW

Maryellen F. GoodlatteRoanoke

Glenn Feldmann Darby & GoodlatteENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Quinn Feldmann GraeffRoanoke

Medical Facilities of America Inc.

CORPORATE COUNSEL

Ann McGee GreenRoanoke

Anderson, Desimone & Green PC

TAXES/ESTATES/TRUSTS/ELDER LAW

W. William GustRoanoke

Gentry LockeTAXES/ESTATES/TRUSTS/ELDER

LAW

James Chapman HaleRoanoke

Physicians Care of Virginia PC

CORPORATE COUNSEL

Michael E. HastingsRoanoke

Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP

BANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

Neil Anderson HornRoanoke

Neil Horn PCCRIMINAL LAW

Nicole F. IngleRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCREAL ESTATE/LAND USE

Donald R. JohnsonRoanoke

Donald R. Johnson PCENVIRONMENTAL LAW

8 DECEMBER 2015

Joshua C. JohnsonRoanoke

Johnson, Rosen & O’Keeffe LLCCONSTRUCTION

Patrick Jon KenneyRoanoke

Law Offi ce of Patrick J. KenneyYOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

Alton L. Knighton Jr.Roanoke

Woods Rogers PLCLEGAL SERVICES/PRO BONO

Daniel F. Layman Jr.Roanoke

Daniel F. Layman Jr., Attorney at Law

REAL ESTATE/LAND USE

Stephen Weldon LemonRoanoke

Martin, Hopkins & Lemon PCREAL ESTATE/LAND USE

John Eric LichtensteinRoanoke

LichtensteinFishwick PLCCIVIL LITIGATION

Mark D. LoftisRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCCIVIL LITIGATION

Joshua F. P. LongRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Heman A. Marshall IIIRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCHEALTH LAW

K. Brett MarstonRoanoke

Gentry LockeCONSTRUCTION

James B. Massey IIIRoanoke

Coleman & Massey PCBUSINESS LAW

Richard C. MaxwellRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCBANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

Monica T. MondayRoanoke

Gentry LockeAPPELLATE LAW

James J. O’Keeffe IVRoanoke

Johnson, Rosen & O’Keeffe LLCAPPELLATE LAW

Kevin Philip OddoRoanoke

LeClairRyan PCCIVIL LITIGATION

W. David PaxtonRoanoke

Gentry LockeLABOR/EMPLOYMENT

David E. PerryRoanoke

CowanPerry PCBUSINESS LAW

Joseph Michael RainsburyRoanoke

LeClairRyan PCAPPELLATE LAW

Brandy M. RappRoanoke

Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP

BANKRUPTCY/CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

Brooke Copeland RosenRoanoke

Johnson, Rosen & O’Keeffe LLC

FAMILY/DOMESTIC RELATIONS

2015 Roanoke Business Legal Elite

The Creekmore Law Firm PC318 N. Main Street, Blacksburg VA 24060 540.443.9350

Creative Counsel for Creative Clients

AppealsIntellectual Property •Business Counseling Business Litigation •

540.443.9350www.creekmorelaw.com

Our Custom Published 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 refl owed 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.

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

O C t P bli heprints

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ROANOKE BUSINESS 9

J. Benjamin RottenbornRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCYOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

Alexander I. SaundersRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCTAXES/ESTATES/TRUSTS/ELDER LAW

J. Scott SextonRoanoke

Gentry LockeCIVIL LITIGATION

Joseph Z. SimmonsChristiansburg

The Simmons Law Firm PCTAXES/ESTATES/TRUSTS/ELDER LAW

Cheryl Watson SmithRoanoke

Cheryl Watson Smith PCALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Linda Leigh Rhoads StrelkaRoanoke

Strelka Law Offi ce, PCYOUNG LAWYER (UNDER 40)

Thomas E. StrelkaRoanoke

Strelka Law Offi ce PCLABOR/EMPLOYMENT

Daniel C. Summerlin IIIRoanoke

Woods Rogers PLCLEGISLATIVE/REGULATORY/

ADMINISTRATIVE

David Ian TenzerRoanoke



Lori Dawn ThompsonRoanoke

LeClairRyan PCFAMILY/DOMESTIC RELATIONS

King F. TowerRoanoke

Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLCLABOR/EMPLOYMENT

David G. WeaverRoanoke

Weaver Law Firm PCFAMILY/DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Michael S. WhitlowRoanoke

Whitlow & Youell PLCCIVIL LITIGATION

Maxwell H. WiegardRoanoke

Gentry LockeENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Charles L. WilliamsRoanoke

Gentry LockeENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Charles Cooper Youell IVRoanoke

Whitlow & Youell PLCBUSINESS LAW

Robert Aristidis ZiogasRoanoke


CIVIL LITIGATION

Photos by Natalee Waters


Monica MondayGentry Locke

Roanoke

APPELLATE LAW

Title: Managing partner

Other legal specialties: Representing physicians, nurses and health-

care 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

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 fi nd what, if anything, went wrong – to

fi nd 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 fi rst moot court argument in law school.



10 DECEMBER 2015


Title: Shareholder, managing partner Christiansburg offi ce

Other legal specialties: Virginia local government law; licensed to practice in England and Wales

Birthplace: Richmond

Education: Bach elor’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 offi cers

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

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

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 landfi ll. 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.

James Cornwell Jr.Sands Anderson

Christiansburg

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

ROANOKE BUSINESS 11

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 fi rm 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 fi rm for over 30 years that fosters, nurtures and requires high professional and ethical

standards for its lawyers and staff.

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, fi nancial institutions and shelters for women and children.

Maryellen GoodlatteGlenn Feldmann

Darby & GoodlatteRoanoke

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

12 DECEMBER 2015 Photos by Natalee Waters


ROANOKE BUSINESS 13

David WeaverWeaver Law Firm

Roanoke

FAMILY LAW/DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Title: Principal

Other legal specialties: Commercial law, environmental law and military law, includ-ing 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-Cathe-rine, 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: Offi cer in the Navy Judge Advocate General Corps.

Favorite vacation spot: Impossible to name one

Recently read books: “Things That Mat-ter” 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, some-times criminal law. I do feel that domestic relations law can be more emotionally charged than most other areas of law.



14 DECEMBER 2015 Photos by Natalee Waters


James CreekmoreThe Creekmore

Law FirmBlacksburg and Richmond


Title: Principal

Other legal specialties: Business litigation

Birthplace: Norfolk

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Virginia; law degree, William & Mary Law School

Children: Ka itlyn 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 fi rst 10 years of

private practice at Woods Rogers in Roanoke.

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 then-named Citizens United Not Timid, a rapid

upstart 527 organization crafted by Roger Stone, an often controversial and fl amboyant

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.


J. Benjamin RottenbornWoods Rogers PLC

Roanoke

YOUNG LAWYER

Title: Principal

Legal specialties: Commercial litigation, internal investigations, director and offi cer litigation and counseling; adjunct professor at University of Virginia School of Law

Birthplace: Waynesboro

Education: University of Virginia, bach-elor’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 sur-rounding Roanoke

Fan of: U.Va. sports, Washington foot-ball

First job as a lawyer: Law clerk to U.S. District Judge David Campbell in Phoe-nix

Favorite vacation spot: California

Recently read books: “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough

What made you decide to be a law-yer?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 distrac-tion 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.

ROANOKE BUSINESS 15

ROANOKE BUSINESS 17File graphic

Why all the interest in interest rates?Fed rate changes may roil the markets, but they’re unlikely to aff ect most regional banking customers

by Dan Radmacher

Severe 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 saf-est 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 finan-cial turmoil and volatility painted in the media. “The general media clear-

ly don’t understand financial mar-kets,” says Warner Dalhouse, found-ing 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 be-lieve 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 fa-cility – 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 one-quarter percent.

BANKING

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18 DECEMBER 2015

In October, the Fed decided against raising rates, but there’s spec-ulation 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

goes up,” he says. “From a personal standpoint, for our bank and share-holders, it’s a good thing. For our de-positors, it would be a good thing.”

Low interest rates have hurt those on fixed incomes, he continues. “In-vestment rates for nonrisk invest-ments 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 al-most zero interest level for several years,” he says. “That’s clearly unsus-tainable. But the only reason we’ve been there is because the economy tanked. I’m confident that any in-creases 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 fam-ily — 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 in-clined 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 chang-es will be moderate. “The pace that

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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.”

ROANOKE BUSINESS 19

Source: Banks’ websites

the Fed is talking about is more im-portant 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 bank-ing 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 trans-parency. They don’t like surprising the markets.”

International economic concerns and other factors have led to consid-erable 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 op-portunity in volatility.”

Those investing for the future,

though, shouldn’t pay as much at-tention to day-to-day volatility, Man-ess 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 wor-ried about the volatility.”

Hayth says that small commu-nity banks like the Bank of Bote-tourt 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 put-ting their money into nonrisk invest-ments,” 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 is-sue, 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 sev-eral 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 valleysBank HQ city No. local

branches Telephone Web site

Bank of Botetourt Buchanan 5 540-777-2265 bankofbotetourt.com

Bank of Fincastle Fincastle 7 540-473-2761 bankoffincastle.com

Bank of Floyd Floyd 7 540-745-4191 bankoffloyd.com

BB&T Winston-Salem, N.C. 14 540-983-7930 bbt.com

BNC Bank Myrtle Beach, S.C. 9 540-769-8577 bncbankva.comCarter Bank & Trust Martinsville 17 540-342-8610 carterbankandtrust.com

First Bank & Trust Co. Abingdon 1 540-260-9060 firstbank.comFirst Citizens Bank Raleigh, N.C. 10 540-985-3334 firstcitizens.com

HomeTown Bank Roanoke 7 540-345-6000 hometownbankva.comHomeTrust Bank Asheville, N.C. 7 540-772-7290 hometrustbanking.comNational Bank Blacksburg 9 540-951-6205 nbbank.com

SunTrust Bank Atlanta, Ga. 21 540-982-3129 suntrust.com

Union Bank & Trust Lincoln, Neb. 15 540-983-1412 bankatunion.comWells Fargo San Francisco, Calif. 4 540-563-7757 wellsfargo.comWoodforest National Bank Houston, Texas 6 540-989-1394 woodforest.com

Chuck Maness, chief fi nancial offi cer for HomeTown Bank, says interest rate uncertainty causes volatility in fi nancial markets.

Bold listing indicate paid advertisers.

20 DECEMBER 2015 Photo by Natalee Waters

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

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

by Sandra Brown Kelly

Bill 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. Stimulat-ing events. Access to health care. A Church of the Brethren congrega-tion. All were requirements when the couple charted a territory to re-search.

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 ex-plains.

That changed as they explored. The Sumners were young retir-

ees 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 cer-tain they would move to Asheville, but that was before its cost of living shot up. Charlottesville was eliminat-ed for similar reasons, especially the cost of housing.

The Roanoke metro’s cost of liv-ing 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 Roa-noke Regional Partnership based on data from the Council for Commu-nity and Economic Research, show Asheville at 96.6. Sperling’s Cost of Living Index puts the Roanoke Met-ro 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 Bote-tourt Road/U.S. 220. From the front porch, they can see the Peaks of Ot-ter 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 Blacksburg-Roanoke Regional Airport – nothing for a couple used to driving an hour to Flint, Mich., or two hours to De-troit 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 fam-

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

ROANOKE BUSINESS 21

ily at Daleville Church of the Breth-ren, 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 at-

tracted by the area’s low cost of living, they have found a wealth of places and activities to share with frequent houseguests from Michi-gan. They’ve canoed the James River and hiked at nearby Roar-ing 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 Blacks-burg’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 Re-gional 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 one-floor living, one of the Sumners’ re-quirements. 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 attrac-tive. They include a helicopter port for patient transportation to its trau-ma 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., ac-cording to the Bureau of Labor Sta-tistics.

Market is changingRetirees who know what they

want are driving the market, says Chris Dodd, director of marketing at Friendship Retirement Commu-nity. The long-established location near Hollins will open Health & Re-hab Center South on Starkey Road in southwest Roanoke County in late January. The 120-bed, private-room center responds to the growing mar-ket of baby boomers “who want re-hab to be luxurious,” says Dodd. It

Compassionis where I live.

“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 long-time 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 award-winning community. Also, visit our website to see a list of upcoming events at BrandonOaks.net/Events.

Sigmund Davidson BRANDON OAKS RESIDENT

A LifeCare Retirement Community | 3804 Brandon Avenue, SW | Roanoke, Virginia 24018

(540) 777-5602 | BrandonOaks.net

22 DECEMBER 2015

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was strategically placed to be acces-sible to LewisGale Hospital in Salem and Carilion Roanoke Memorial in Roanoke, the Valley’s two hospital sys-tems.

Friendship will decrease the num-ber 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 modifica-tion 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 appli-ances and granite countertops.

In February, it opened a private room expansion of the John P. Fish-wick Rehabilitation Center. In mid-2016, Brandon Oaks will launch home health care and eventually hos-pice care, says Nicole Bruch of Vir-ginia 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 Show-alter Assisted Living Center, general-ly creating “an elegant feel,” says Tam-bra 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. “One of things we learned, people are interested in staying ac-

retirement communities

ROANOKE BUSINESS 23

Continuing care retirement communities (Entrance fee required)

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

THE GLEBE AT DALEVILLEActive-adult homes, independent and assisted living, memory care, nursing care, rehabilitation. Medicare accepted 540-795-2224theglebe.org

HERMITAGE IN ROANOKERoanokeIndependent and assisted living apartments, long-term care540-767-6800hermitageinroanoke.org

Broad ServiceRetirement Communities

RICHFIELD LIVINGSalem Cottages, apartments, rehabilitation, nursing care, assisted living, memory care, Medicare/Medicaid 540-380-4500richfi eldliving.com

FRIENDSHIP RETIREMENT COMMUNITYRoanokeIndependent and assisted living, memory care, nursing care, continuing care, rehabilitation, outpatient care, home companion care, retail and institutional pharmacyMedicare/Medicaid friendship.us

RUNK & PRATT SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE RETIREMENT VILLAGEHardy Cottages, apartments, memory-dementia care434-237-2268Runkandpratt.com

PHEASANT RIDGE SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITYRoanoke Memory-dementia care, assisted living, respite careMedicaid 540-904-4571www.pheasantridgeslc.com

PHEASANT RIDGE NURSING AND REHAB CENTERRoanokeAccepts Medicare, Medicaid540-725-8210www.consulatehealthcare.com

THE VILLAGE ON PHEASANT RIDGERoanokeAssisted and independent living apartments; assisted living, memory and respite care434-237-2268www.Villageonpheasantridge.com

Apartments, Assisted Living

SALEM TERRACE AT HARROGATESalemIndependent and assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation and therapy540-444-0343www.Salemterrace.com

OUR LADY OF THE VALLEYRoanokeSenior apartments, assisted living, skilled rehabilitation and nursing services; Medicaid540-345-5111www.ourladyofthevalley.com

THE PARK OAK GROVE RETIREMENT COMMUNITYRoanokeAssisted living, independent living, rehabilitation on site; private paywww.capitalsenior.com/theparkoakgrove

Independent Living Apartments

ELM PARK ESTATESRoanokeApartments, central dining, transportation, emergency system800-952-6650www.holidaytouch.com/our-communities/elm-park-estates

EDINBURGH SQUARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITYRoanoke Apartments for 62-plus and persons needing accessible housing; income based 540-366-1888edinburghsquare.org

Assisted Living/Rehabilitation/Memory Care

AVANTÉ AT ROANOKERoanokeSkilled nursing and rehabilitation center 540-345-8139

BETHEL RIDGE ASSISTED LIVINGFincastle540-589-1439www.Bethelridge.com

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

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

Other

VIRGINIA VETERANS CARE CENTERRoanokeAssisted living, nursing and dementia-Memory540-982-2860dvs.virginia.gov/veterans-care-centers

VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTERSalemComprehensive care for those who served in the military540-982-2463salem.va.gov

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

Ne w River Valley Retirement Community

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

THE CROSSINGS AT BLACKSBURG BlacksburgAssisted living/memory care540-317-3463www.thecrossingsat-blacksburg.com

COMMONWEALTH ASSISTED LIVINGChristiansburgIndependent and assisted living, memory and dementia care, at-home care540-585-4175www.commonwealthal.com/senior_living/Christiansburg_VA/zip_24073/commonwealth_assisted_living_llc/9905

24 DECEMBER 2015 Photo by Don Petersen

Not a politicianHow a Roanoke educator ended up at City Hall

by Beth JoJack

As 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 fi nished 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 fi rst 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

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 fi nd 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 fi nish 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

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

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 fi rst 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 God-forsaken 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.

RB: What made you decide to become a guidance counselor? Price: My fi rst-period class [during her fi rst 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

INTERVIEW: Anita Price, Member, Roanoke City Council

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

ROANOKE BUSINESS 25

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 fi rst 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 diffi cult 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 offi ce. How did you go from that mindset to throwing your hat in the ring? Price: When I fi rst started thinking about running for offi ce, 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 fi ll 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 confi dent 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 fi rst election? I felt like it was an out-of-body experience. It was mind-boggling.

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 fi rst 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, fl exible 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, ex- plaining that after giving over a million dollars to NCDC over the last decade, the nonprofi t organization suspended funding in 2015 citing concerns about the quality of care, fi nancial 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 signifi cant 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.”

26 DECEMBER 2015 Photos courtesy Virginia Western Community College

HIGHER EDUCATION: Virginia Western Community College

The community’s collegeVirginia Western helps students get four-year degrees and job-ready certifi cations

by Shawna Morrison

Next fall, Virginia Western Comm unity 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 offi-cially announced, but the money is all in place for that. The architects are now finalizing their drawings,” says Robert Sandel, Virginia West-ern’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

opened for classes in 2013, houses the school’s health-care and sci-ence 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 pro-grams of study that have a good work outlook, and all of these pro-grams have a very high work out-look.”

Programs that fall under the STEM-H umbrella already are sought-after at Virginia Western. There are waiting lists for engi-neering 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 univer-sity 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 STEM-H programs is one of three ma-jor goals at Virginia Western. The school also plans to add additional programs through which students can attain certifications and is put-ting measures in place to track stu-dent success.

As part of a mandate from the Virginia Community College Sys-tem, Sandel says, a larger portion of the budget is being allocated to-ward student success. During the 2014-2015 school year, Virginia Western allocated 2 percent of its budget to increase Student Suc-cess Initiatives, some of which were already in place, says Josh Meyer, Virginia Western’s director of mar-keting and strategic communica-tions. For the 2015-2016 school year, that amount was increased to 4 percent. The initiatives – in-cluding a new 24/7 financial aid support call center, a tutoring pro-gram 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, tu-toring, 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 par-ticular programs,” says Sandel. “We’ve always had the goal of stu-dent success. This just gives us a great many more avenues and per-

President Robert Sandel is leading Virginia Western Community College into an emphasis on STEM-H education.

ROANOKE BUSINESS 27

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 Univer-sity of Virginia this fall and is work-ing 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 West-ern tuition-free through the Com-munity College Access Program (CCAP), available to graduates of public high schools in Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke coun-ties and the cities of Roanoke and Salem. This year, 428 students are attending Virginia Western tuition-free 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 assis-tant and tutor.

Sapkota says he misses being at Virginia Western, calling his pro-fessors 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 run-ning to catch up with him, because someone had told the professor a student had been at his office.

He appreciated the free tutor-ing Virginia Western offered and all of his adviser’s help in making his transfer to U.Va. an easy one. When Sapkota recently visited Vir-ginia 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 Vir-ginia Western from 2013 to 2015 after graduating from Franklin County High School. Like Sapkota, she attended tuition-free through

CCAP. Lowe is a junior at Virginia Tech, studying human development with plans to eventually get a mas-ter’s degree in education and be-come 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 any-thing,” Lowe says of her experience at Virginia Western. “I would have stayed there again this year if I could have.”

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

Virginia Western’s engineering and

mechatronics classes are so popular they have

waiting lists.

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

28 DECEMBER 2015

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

About a third of Virginia West-ern’s students are part of the trans-fer program. The other two-thirds are taking classes “to get the skills they need to go right into the work-force,” 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 stra-tegic plan of the Virginia Commu-nity College System, Sandel says, the college has a lofty goal of tri-pling the number of associate de-grees, certificates and certifications awarded. There will be a greater emphasis on career technical pro-grams, 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 stu-dents already have jobs or fami-lies, and they can’t or don’t want to spend two years earning an associ-ate 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 na-tionally with other potential appli-cants for jobs,” Sandel says. He says programs will be offered “days, nights, weekends, whenever the opportunity is there for the offer-ing. 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 demon-strate the competencies these stu-dents have.”

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higher education

Virginia Western Community College• Established in 1966; will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016

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

• 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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CarilionClinic.org/homecare | 800-964-9300

30 DECEMBER 2015 Photos by Don Petersen

Developing downtownA changed downtown Roanoke brings expanded boundaries and a growing population

by Mason Adams

Nearly a decade after the begin-ning of a renovation renais-sance in downtown Roanoke,

the city core has reached a new tip-ping point. With nearly 2,000 down-town 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 Janu-ary, joining the historic Hotel Roa-noke as an option for travelers in downtown Roanoke. Meanwhile, Roanoke-based developer Lucas Thornton is investing $10 million

in a new development. Located at a former surface parking lot at Wil-liamson Road and Tazewell Avenue, it includes 85 apartments and near-ly 7,000 square feet of commercial space.

This investment in new con-struction marks a threshold moment in the modern history of downtown Roanoke. For the first time in de-cades, 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 initia-tive 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 in-vestment spurred a revival in the city market district, and a second genera-tion of upgrades over the last decade gave it a new kick and momentum

COMMUNITY PROFILE: Downtown Roanoke

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.

ROANOKE BUSINESS 31

that stretched into adjoining neigh-borhoods.

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 neigh-borhood. At the time of the 2000 census, down-town was home to fewer than 50 people. Over the next decade, that number grew to 1,200 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 doc-umented: The residential push be-gan 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 re-gional colleges and universities, and Eight Jefferson Place, downtown’s first apartment complex of conse-quence. Private-sector developers began to dabble in condominiums. The project that signaled the wave to come, however, became the Hancock Building — an ambitious renova-tion 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, renovat-ed by Roanoke developer Ed Walker, became the go-to model for a grow-ing 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, down-town 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 lat-est 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 mar-keting 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.”

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

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, espe-cially when compared with the cost of mortgages in nearby neighborhoods such as Raleigh Court and Wasena.

The growth in residential hous-ing 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 devel-opers were able to renovate vacant

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 descen-dent, Norfolk Southern, shifted its focus to hubs in Atlanta and Norfolk. In January, Norfolk Southern an-nounced it would close its adminis-trative offices in Roanoke, resulting in the departure of 426 jobs.

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

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

Workman

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community profi le

trend that’s affected downtown Roa-noke for several decades. Matt Bull-ington, owner of the iconic Texas Tav-ern, has seen the manifestation of the trend in his business. A once-boom-ing 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-

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 fix-ture 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 down-town for eight years in a space above his store. He says that since the city invested millions of dollars to reno-vate 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 peo-ple 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 mar-ket area.”

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

clientele has changed.

ROANOKE BUSINESS 33

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Aside from a few key properties such as the centrally located Heiro-nimus 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 Thorn-ton is building, and expansion into adjacent neighborhoods.

The latter already is occurring in the Wasena and West End neigh-borhoods 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 Jeffer-son 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, extend-ing its boundaries along that trolley route, down Jefferson from the tradi-tional core, past the Bridges and on to Rivers Edge Sports Complex and

Carilion Roanoke Me-morial Hospital.

Many Roanokers may balk at the sug-gestion of turning sur-face parking into new construction. Although downtown Roanoke cur-

rently has no parking meters — dif-ferentiating it from Blacksburg and cities such as Harrisonburg and Ashe-ville — the city has been tweaking its system and may conduct some trial runs in the near future. City Man-ager Chris Morrill and Assistant City Manager for Community Develop-ment Brian Townsend say Roanoke recently changed its parking signs to update and standardize the system. Townsend says it may try out a pi-lot meter program on especially hot spaces in the market core.

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

All of these trends keep develop-ers like Thornton investing in new

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

Population (2015) about 1,700Population (2010) about 1,200Population (2000) about 50

Number of downtown

workers on weekdays

about 14,000

Schools

Downtown Roanoke children attend Highland Park Elementary, James Madison Middle and William Fleming High schools. All fully accredited.

Downtown Roanoke

Sources: Downtown Roanoke Inc., Roanoke City Schools

Morrill

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Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce | SPONSORED CONTENT

ROANOKE BUSINESS 35

Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce | SPONSORED CONTENT

ROANOKE BUSINESS 35

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

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Greenbrier Nurseries named 2015 Small Business of the YearAbility to grow while adapting to constant changes earns award

The 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 oth-er 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 an-nual awards program showcases the ac-complishments of the small-business sector, which is composed of more than 90 percent of the area’s business com-munity.

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

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

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

A committee of local business peo-ple evaluates nominees in terms of in-creased sales, employee growth, stay-ing power, innovativeness and contribu-tions to the community. To be eligible for the small business of the year title, com-panies must meet SBA small business standards and be at least three years old.

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 em-ployees): Viva la Cupcake, the bak-er of small treats that can be enjoyed without the guilt, uses social media and crowd sourcing to grow and pro-mote its business.

• Technology: TORC Robotics is a leading provider of unmanned and autonomous ground vehicle solu-tions 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.

• 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 fiber-glass pultrusions produced with exceptional durability and perfor-mance.

• Wholesale/Retail: Greenbrier Nur-series

• 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 busi-ness for one to three years, not eligi-ble for overall award): Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers attracts young profes-sionals, has added new employees and offers mainstream and seasonal craft brews.

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

• Not-for-Profi t Health & Human Services: HopeTree Family Services has offered residential, education-al 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).

36 DECEMBER 20153663 DECEMBER 2015

SPONSORED CONTENT | Roanoke Regional Chamber of CommerceSPONSORED CONTENT | Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce

MEMBER NEWS & RECOGNITIONSThe Arevo Group, an affiliate com-pany 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 di-vision. The partnership with Renick Group expands the Arevo Group’s market presence in Virginia.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of South-west 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 Transporta-tion Builders Association (ARTBA), the largest transportation organiza-tion in the nation, for the Contrac-tor 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 ma-jor criteria, including management commitment, employee participa-tion, incident investigation program, safety planning, and the safety pro-gram’s overall effectiveness.

Perry

The law firm Cowan Perry has announced that David E. Perry has been named the Best Lawyers’ 2016 Roanoke Employee Benefits Law “Lawyer

of the Year.” Only one lawyer in each practice area in each community re-ceives the “Lawyer of the Year” hon-or.

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. Ko-men 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 County Administrator

Catron

Thomas Gates has an-nounced the appoint-ment of Tanya Catron as internal auditor. Ca-tron has served for the past four years as a manager within the

county’s finance department.

Kuhnel

The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors recently announced the appointment of Ruth Ellen Kuhnel as county attorney. Kuh-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 prod-ucts-related business or those with-out a forest products background who work in management positions in existing forest products compa-nies. The “Business Management Practices for Small to Medium Sized Forest Products Firms” publication presents the nuts and bolts of busi-ness management as it relates to the forest products industry, offering business owners and managers a framework for success. The publica-tion was written by Robert “Bob” L. Smith, professor of forest products marketing and head of the Depart-ment of Sustainable Biomaterials in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and Omar Espinoza, assistant professor and chair of the Forest Products Management Devel-opment Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Virginia Tech’s College of Engineer-ing has named three 2015 Rolls-Royce Doctoral Students. Each one receives an annual stipend of $30,000, full tuition and fees, health insurance and an annual travel bud-get 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

Jacob Apkarian has been appointed an as-sistant professor in the Department of So-ciology at Virginia Tech’s College of Lib-eral Arts and Human

Sciences.

Avey

Paul C. Avey has been appointed an as-sistant professor in the Department of Po-litical Science at Vir-ginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Hu-

man Sciences. He will be teaching introduction to world politics, na-tional security and national security strategy.

Chakravarti

Dipankar Chakravarti has been appointed the Sonny Merryman Inc. Professor in the Department of Mar-keting at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin Col-

lege of Business. He joins Virginia Tech from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where he was a professor of marketing.

Chaxel

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

Chaxel joins Virginia Tech from Mc-Gill University where she has taught since 2012.

Christensen

Danille Elise Chris-tensen has been ap-pointed an assistant professor in the De-partment of Religion and Culture at Virginia Tech’s College of Lib-

eral Arts and Human Sciences.

Matthew Cobabe has been appoint-ed assistant professor in the De-partment of Accounting and Infor-mation Systems at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. He has taught courses in cost account-ing and managerial accounting. He has also worked as an accountant in Utah.

Culhane

Jennifer Helms Cul-hane has been ap-pointed the new direc-tor of first-year academic initiatives in the Office of First-Year 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 coordina-tor in the Department of Human Nu-trition, Foods and Exercise.

Ganter

Susan L. Ganter has been appointed a pro-fessor and director of the School of Educa-tion at Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

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

Genest

Gabriel Blouin Genest has been appointed an assistant professor in the Department of Po-litical Science at Vir-ginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Hu-

man Sciences.

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

.edu

Discover Virginia Western for yourself.For nearly 50 years, Virginia Western Community College

has been a major driver of the Roanoke region’s economy by

preparing students for successful careers in growing fields.

Nearly 13,000 current students already know about Virginia

Western’s high-quality, affordable, accessible education. So

what are you waiting for?

Whether you are interested in pursuing guaranteed transfer to

one of Virginia’s top four-year universities or earning a degree

or certificate to show employers you possess the necessary

skills, Virginia Western is the place to be. You can gain

knowledge in more than 60 programs of study while enjoying

campus life across 70 pristine acres in the heart of Roanoke.

Don’t wait another moment!

ENROLL TODAY! SPRING SEMESTER CLASSES BEGIN JANUARY 11, 2016.

WE’LL TAKEYOU

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VIRGINIA: Abingdon l Bridgewater l Bristol l Christiansburg l Fairlawn l Harrisonburg l Lebanon l Lynchburg l Norton l Staunton l Verona l Waynesboro l Wise l Wytheville

LOAN PRODUCTION OFFICES: Roanoke l Rocky Mount l Winchester l Woodstock TENNESSEE: Bristol l Gray l Johnson City l Kingsport

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One BANK. One COMPANY. Since 1979.

Now serving Roanoke, Rocky Mount, and the surrounding area.

FIRST BANK & TRUST COMPANYA BETTER WAY TO BANK.

Debbie ScottMortgage Lending

540-484-0338NMLS #788759

Justin BarnesCommercial Lending

540-484-0338NMLS #476223

H. B. HunterAgricultural Lending

540-290-7144NMLS # 491079

Dianne McGuireMortgage Lending

540-280-3396NMLS #713064

Jeff ForlinesSenior Vice PresidentCommercial Lending

276-245-5478NMLS # 506274

Kevin ReederConsumer and Business

Lending540-835-9032

If your bank has changed, maybe it’s time you changed banks.

Documents

Roanoke Business- Dec. 2015