July August Chamber Magazine FINAL

FREDERICKSBURG
REGIONAL BUSINESS
JULY/AUGUST 2016
THE REGION’S PREMIER BUSINESS PUBLICATION Volume 2 Issue 4
Fredericksburg Area
Women in BUSINESS
Linda Rivera
VP of Quality & Customer Relations
for Hilldrup Moving & Storage
Roberta Tinch
COO and ECO for Spotsylvania
Regional Medical Center
Kris Sieber
Director of Membership Services for
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
MEET 4 WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS:
Linda Rivera, Rebecca Rubin, Kris Sieber,
and Roberta Tinch
CHAMBER LEGENDS:
Legacy of past presidents;
Longevity of members
BIDDING FAREWELL:
Karen Hedelt and
Joan McLaughlin

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President’s Message
By Susan Spears
Our Chamber reached a milestone this
year: 100 years of leadership and advocating
for businesses. This notable accomplishment
tells the story of our past Chamber leaders
and volunteers who struggled with business
conflicts, legislative priorities, and economic
turmoil. Today, our Chamber is among the
largest and strongest in the Commonwealth –
something we should all be very proud of.
In this edition, we pause to reflect on several
of our past chamber presidents, founders, and
directors whose service impacted our business
community. Industry trends have changed over
time, such as the rise of women executives and
women-owned businesses. Our region is home
Susan Spears is president and
CEO of the Fredericksburg
Regional Chamber of
Commerce.
to many influential women leaders who have made outstanding contributions
to our business community. This issue highlights four diverse leaders in the
prime of their careers – Linda Rivera, Rebecca Rubin, Roberta Tinch, and
Kris Sieber. We also spotlight two retiring leaders, Karen Hedelt and Joan
McLaughlin.
We celebrate these talented women during a tumultuous time in our nation.
Our national political system is mired in controversy, the number of people
out of work continues to grow, and our infrastructure is crumbling. Horrifying
violent acts have become so common in our news that we are almost numb
from the constant terror. Like you, we are concerned about our ability to react
should a crisis occur in our area. It is for this reason that we are hosting a
seminar in late July about how to respond if your workplace comes in contact
with an active shooter. This is part of a new business series that will address
traditional and nontraditional workplace issues. If there’s an issue you’d like us
to address, or to learn more about the series, please contact Sara Branner at
sara@fredericksburgchamber.org.
I hope to see you this summer, and I look
forward to shaping our next 100 years –
together!
On the cover…
The Chamber has chosen four Fredericksburg area women
business leaders who represent leadership, compassion, and
commitment. Pictured left to right: Linda Rivera, VP of Quality &
Customer Relations for Hilldrup Moving & Storage; Roberta Tinch,
COO and ECO for Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center; and
Kris Sieber, Director of membership Services for Rappahannock
Electric Cooperative. Not pictured, Rebecca Rubin, Founder,
President & CEO of Marstel Day, LLC.
Photo by Dawn Haun / Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
From the President
1916-2016
The mission of the Fredericksburg Regional
Chamber of Commerce is to build
relationships and create competitive
advantages for a healthy business environment.
2016 Board of Directors:
Officers:
Chairman
Bill Hession
Lockheed Martin
Vice Chairman:
J.R. Flatter
Flatter & Associates
Immediate Past Chair:
Greg Calvert
The Kloke Group
Treasurer:
Shawn Sloan
The Media Partners, LLC
President & CEO:
Susan Spears
Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce
Directors:
Brian Baker, UMW Center for Economic Development
Michelle Caldwell-Thompson, CTI Real Estate
Rob Dodd Jr., DLR Contracting Inc.
Janel Donohue, Rappahannock United Way
Kevin Fastabend, Virginia Partners Bank
Mike Fidgeon, Pathways
Eric Fletcher, Mary Washington Healthcare
Adam Fried, Atlantic Builders, Ltd.
Paul Giambra, Quarles Petroleum, Inc.
Jeremy McCommons, Foundation Companies
Ron Holmes, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Stacy Horne, Allstate
Deirdre Powell White, DPW Training & Associates
David Sam, Germanna Community College
Legal Counsel:
Margaret Hardy, Sands Anderson PC
Chamber Staff:
Susan Spears, President & CEO
Whitney Watts, VP of Member Services
Michele Dooling, Dir. of Finance & Human Resource
Dawn Haun, Communications Manager
Kasey Nabal, Military & Government Affairs Manager
Sheri Wikert, Member Services Manager
Stacey Madigan, Executive Assistant
Stacey Hicks, Office Manager
Desiree Suggs, Membership Account Executive
Sara Branner, Member Services Coordinator
A publication of
Fredericksburg Regional
Chamber of Commerce
Editorial: Dawn Haun
Printing & Mailing: Stafford Printing
www.staffordprinting.com
FREDERICKSBURG REGIONAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ESTABLISHED 1916.
inside 540-373-9400 • www.fredericksburgchamber.org • Fax: 540-373-9570 • Located: 2300 Fall Hill Ave., Suite 240, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
WELCOME
3 President’s Message
4 Chairman Update
FEATURES
5 100 years of leaders
9 Karen Hedelt
FEATURES
11 Joan McLaughlin
16 Women in Business
COLUMNS
18 Tech Solutions
23 Green Challenge
NEWS
14 SimVentions
24 New Members
NEWS
26 Member News
31 Calendars
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 3

Chairman’s Update
Chairman’s Column
By Bill Hession
One of the duties of the Chamber’s board of directors
is to call our members and ask how things are going with
your membership. I always enjoy talking directly with folks I
would likely not encounter in my daily routine as a program
manager for a defense contracting company. It’s fulfilling to
hear how useful an educational seminar was to your business
or how much you enjoyed a recent tour of one of our military
installations. Occasionally I get asked about the Chamber’s
relevance and why someone should remain a member.
When considering visiting or relocating to any community
or region, the cold and distant internet may provide quick
information, but it cannot serve as the “front door to
a community” the way your Chamber does. Our office
manager, Stacey Hicks, ahas one of the most important
roles on our professional staff as she regularly responds to
inquiries about restaurants, realtors, professional services,
local governments, etc. Stacey always maintains a smile and
a pleasant disposition when explaining that we are located
in Virginia – not Texas (sometimes, six times a day!). Stacey
refers people to countless businesses every day– and she only
refers people to members of the Chamber of Commerce.
This personal point of contact is invaluable.
For those that make the wise decision to join our
Chamber, I want you to know that your membership is much
more than that – it is an investment in your business, and in
your community. Even if you are disinterested in attending
our many events, committee meetings, and educational
opportunities, you’ve still made a great investment.
The Chamber works tirelessly to improve our business
Fredericksburg Regional
Chamber of Commerce
receives award for 100 th year
Susan Spears,
Chamber
President &
CEO is lauded
at the Virginia
Association
of Chamber
of Commerce
Executives
meeting for
the Chamber’s
100 years of
leadership and
advocacy for the region. Barry DuVal, Virginia
Chamber President & CEO presented the
award at the annual meeting in Smithfield on
June 24.
climate by advocating for
sensible business laws
and obvious needs, like
transportation infrastructure
improvements.
I encourage you to
make an effort to find
your Chamber niche and
cultivate relationships over
time. While your business
may be aggressive in your
advertising and/or social
media marketing, nothing
Bill Hession is Chairman of the
replaces the personal touch
Board of the Fredericksburg
of meeting potential new Regional Chamber of Commerce.
customers and clients
face-to-face and one-on-one, in an established, credible
business setting. Our Chamber offers plenty of those types
of opportunities. We also offer increased exposure for your
business through our online membership directory, online
and email advertising, event sponsorships, publications and
our responsive social media and website.
Being a member of the Chamber by itself is not going
to make or break your business. But it can be an important
part of any business’s marketing plan and development
strategies. Even if you’ve been a member for many years,
consider refreshing your Chamber experience and come
out to something new. If you’d like to learn more about us,
give Desiree Suggs a call at 540-373-9400 or email her at
desiree@fredericksburgchamber.org. When I make my next
round of calls, I look forward to talking to you!
Local unemployment rate below
4 percent for first time since recession
For the first time since The Great Recession, the
Fredericksburg region’s unemployment rate has dipped
below 4 percent, according to data released by the Virginia
Employment Commission Wednesday.
Regional unemployment was reported at 3.5 percent in April,
down from 4.3 percent in March and 4.5 percent in April 2015.
In Caroline County, the jobless rate fell to 3.8 percent from
4.9 percent in April 2015 and 4.6 percent the previous month.
The city of Fredericksburg also saw a dramatic decrease,
dropping to 4 percent from 5.2 percent compared to the
same month last year and 4.8 percent in March.
King George County reported 3.6 percent of its
workforce is without jobs, compared to 4.5 percent in April
2015 and 4.6 percent in March.
In Spotsylvania County, April’s 3.5 percent
unemployment fell from 4.5 percent a year ago and 4.2
percent the month before.
And in Stafford County, the 3.4 percent unemployment
rate last month decreased from April 2015’s 4.4 percent
and the 4 percent rate posted in March.
The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate
has been trending downward since September 2011 and is
at its lowest level since June 2008, according to the VEC.
4
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

Feature
Feature
FOOTPRINTS
of our past
100 YEARS OF OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LEADERS
By Dawn Haun & Elizabeth Bruhl
The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of
Commerce is rich with the influence of our past
leaders: notable business owners, college presidents,
and high-ranking politicians just to name a few.
Our chamber reflects on the thousands of man hours
contributed to our success, guided through economic
hard times so that our quality of life would be enhanced
and hopes the future generations would feel a sense of
pride for past accomplishments and decisions.
The following biographies were chosen based on the
available archives. Also documented is the first female
chamber member and president.
THE EARLY YEARS
Dr. J. Garnett King
First Fredericksburg Chamber
President-1916
The Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce
was originally chartered in 1916, Dr.
J. Garnett King served as the first president.
He, along with other
notable business leaders
in Fredericksburg:
H.F. Crismond, Edgar
Young, J.P. Rowe,
S.M. Janney, and R.
Stuart Royer were
the spearheads of the
business organization.
J. Garnett King
Ten years earlier,
the businessmen had
first come together in
1906 and formed “The Fredericksburg Businessmen’s
Association.
Dr. King was energized. He said the Chamber
would make Fredericksburg a “bigger and
better” city, so he set in motion a challenge for
Fredericksburg to win the world’s record for
most members for cities under 10,000 residents.
The record to beat was 292. They had
seven recruitment teams, who together beat
the record by nine members, and enrolled 301
members at the start. The occasion turned
into a celebration, complete with a parade,
headed by bands, marching boy scouts and
noisemakers.
Dr. King was a dentist. His dental office was
located at 906 Main (now Caroline Street).
He and his wife Nannie lived on 1011 Prince
Edward Street in Fredericksburg.
Morgan Lafayette Combs
Chamber Director 1924-1941
Dr. Morgan L. Combs’ 17 years of leadership
for the Fredericksburg Chamber of
Commerce was during unstable economic
times: The stock Market Crash of 1929, War
in Europe, World War
II, and the Great Depression.
Combs had connections
politically and
held impressive credentials.
So much in fact, he
was appointed college
president of the Mary
Morgan Lafayette
Combs
Washington College
(MWC) at the age of
thirty-five.
During Combs’ presidency
at MWC he created dramatic growth
in the institution. It grew from three buildings
to 36, from 60 acres worth $500,000 to 381
acres worth $25 million and changed its mission
from being a teachers’ college to a liberal
arts college in 1935 and changed its name to
“Mary Washington College” in 1938. In 1944,
it was designated the Woman’s College of the
University of Virginia.
In addition to the directorship of the Fredericksburg
Chamber of Commerce from 1924
to 1941, he was also involved in the Kiwanis
club from 1930-1933, and the Inter-Racial
Commission. Combs received the B’nai
B’rith Valuable Citizen award in 1953 and was
named “Fredericksburg Citizen of the Year” in
1952. Combs Science Hall at Mary Washington
University is named in his memory.
He died in October 1955, at age 64, after a
long illness and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery
in Fredericksburg.
Benjamin “Bennie” T. Pitts
President 1934-1938
Bennie Pitts was fivetime
president of the
Fredericksburg Chamber
of Commerce and served
a two-year term as director
of Virginia Chamber
of Commerce. He was
also director of Farmers
& Merchants State Bank.
Bennie T. Pitts
Pitts was a state senator
representing Fredericksburg,
Spotsylvania, Orange,
Goochland, and Louisa
counties from 1944 until poor health forced
him to resign in 1958. He was a member of
the Board of Visitors of the Virginia School
for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton and was
described in his obituary as being “a staunch
Democrat.”
Earlier in his career, he was appointed to
Fredericksburg’s City Council in 1933, filling
the unexpired term of Dr. J. Garnett King Jr.
His appointment to Council was followed by
his election in 1936 and his reelection in 1940.
He started his career in 1909 with a small
local movie house, which culminated to a
chain of movie theaters across the state. He
owned 37 successful movie theaters, including
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 5

Feature
downtown Fredericksburg’s Colonial Theater.
People would mention him as BPOE (Bennie
Pitts Owns Everything).
Pitts was known for his generosity. He
loaned money to people that asked. Each year
he gave out silver dollars to Senate page boys
and other deserving youngsters on George
Washington’s birthday if they answered a
question about the nation’s first president.
He incorporated The Benjamin T. Pitts
Foundation which annually distributed college
scholarships to deserving local high school seniors.
During World War II, he headed war
bond drives in the area. He also served as
president of the Fredericksburg-Spotsylvania
Chapter of the National Foundation for
Infantile Paralysis, Inc., and president of the
Fredericksburg Broadcasting Corporation.
Annie Fleming Smith- First
Woman Chamber Member-1954
Annie Smith was born in 1883, and grew
up sharing her parents’ enthusiasm for local
history. She was known near and far simply as
“Miss Annie.”
Smith’s mother,
Emily Fleming was
president of Kenmore
Plantation, serving until
1940, the year before
her death. She became
secretary, then director,
a post she held until
1954. Smith was also
the first woman member
to join the Fredericksburg
Chamber of
Annie Flemming
Smith
Commerce, representing
the Kenmore Plantation.
Smith was listed in the first edition of Marquis’
“Who’s Who of American Women;”
was cited by the National Antique Show in
1947 as one of ten outstanding in preserving
American culture; and was named “First Lady
of Fredericksburg” in 1949. She was a founder
and a director of Historic Fredericksburg
Foundation Inc.
Miss Annie died on Feb. 25, 1962. She rests
beside her mother and others of her family in
the Fredericksburg Confederate Cemetery.
Warren Farmer – Executive
Secretary, 1951-1957
Warren Farmer was a man of many talents
and skills. He worked in California at the
Bureau of Public Roads, mapping out roads
for Yosemite Park; he went to sea on a merchant
ship; he worked for RF&P Railroad; he
worked in New York at a greeting card manufacturer;
he was reporter and editor at The Free
Lance-Star newspaper, and an investment
broker.
He moved to Fredericksburg in 1907 with
his parents, Bessie and J.C. Farmer. His father
was a railroad telegrapher. A native of Richmond,
Mr. Farmer grew
up in Fredericksburg,
where he resided at various
locations, mostly in
the 700 block of Caroline
Street.
When he came to
work at the newspaper
in 1929, he covered the
city police beat.
One of his favorite
Warren Farmer
stories from that time
was how petty offenders would be “sentenced
to Stafford” by the town Police Court. When
a lawbreaker was given a term of 90 days, he
would be taken to the Chatham Bridge and
told to go to Stafford County and not come
back until his time was up. If he came back
early, he would go to jail.
“The city rid itself of a nuisance and spared
itself the cost of feeding and lodging the person
for three months,” recalled Mr. Farmer. He
added that Stafford officials never complained.
Farmer worked as executive secretary for the
Chamber of Commerce for six years.
He mentioned in an oral interview with
Mark Jenkins in 1998, that the Chamber was
dwindling then. “I was not told, and I didn’t
discover until later, the Chamber of Commerce
was on the verge of bankruptcy.” he said.
“As if such a thing as that can go bankrupt; it’s
not a private business. There was no tourism to
promote and industry was not present.”
He continued, “I was fortunate to have
good help to reorganize the Chamber; C.B.
McDaniel, John Fenlon, and the city manager
L.J. Houston Jr. We were able to get more
members because we needed the money. They
started sending me Canada and Toronto to
promote tourism for Fredericksburg; and then
to New York and Baltimore to meet potential
industrial prospects.
Farmer left the Chamber in 1957 and
opened the first brokerage in Fredericksburg.
He managed Anderson & Strudwick investment
brokerage office for 13 years.
T. Eldred Lee Jr. President 1971
T. Eldred Lee Jr., was a longtime Fredericksburg
businessman,
insurance executive and
former City Council
member, and served as
Chamber president in
1971.
Lee was chairman
emeritus and past owner
of Lee–Curtis Insurance
Service in Fredericksburg.
An Army veteran T. Eldred Lee Jr.
of World War II, he began his career in insurance
in 1949 at the request of his wife, the late
Nannie Curtis Lee, whose father, W.E. Curtis,
had founded W.E. Curtis Insurance in 1926.
Lee and his wife bought a half-interest
in the business from Curtis in 1954 and the
rest in 1957. All six of their children followed
them into working at what was then called
Lee–Curtis Insurance. The first three to join—
Thomas, John and Robert Lee—nominated
their father for the 1977 Fredericksburg Jaycees’
Boss of the Year Award, which he won.
Today, the company is known as Lee–Curtis,
Freeman, Graves & Hall Insurance. Its
main office is in Fredericksburg, and it has
branches in Culpeper and Spotsylvania counties.
During his career, he was active in civic
affairs and served one term on City Council
in the 1970s; was a deacon, Sunday school
teacher and treasurer for Fairview Baptist
Church in Fredericksburg; and was involved
in and honored by the Boy Scouts of America,
among numerous of other organizations.
All five of his sons obtained the rank of Eagle
Scout.
He died May 2014 at his home, at the age
of 94.
Lemuel “Lem” W. Houston-
President 1977
Lemuel Houston served as the Chamber’s
President in 1977.
Despite the Great
Depression, he landed a
job at The Free Lance-
Star in 1938, taking
over the social editor’s
position who had resigned.
He was a reporter,
edited the social
news and The Associated
Press wire news.
Houston was home on
the afternoon of Dec. 7,
Lem W. Houston
1941, when the telephone rang. The Associated
Press was informing its client newspapers
about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and
suggesting that teletype machines be turned
on. Houston turned on the wire machines,
called in staff and printed an extra newspaper
before Rowe got home from the Redskins
game.
Houston, a graduate of Virginia Military
Institute, entered the Marine Corps as a first
lieutenant in July 1942. He served two years
in the Pacific, at Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima and
Saipan. He was on a ship loaded with combat
troops headed for the invasion of Japan when
the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki. The ship continued on to
Japan and those aboard served as occupation
6
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

troops. He was promoted to Colonel; Houston
survived the war, arriving home just in
time for Christmas in 1944.
After the war, he returned to The Free
Lance-Star with a raise of from $15 a week
to $52 per week, according to his oral history.
He also worked with the state Division of
War Veterans Claims handling local veterans’
and widows’ claims that they were entitled
to through the Veterans Administration. He
decided the newspaper business was the same
grinding work it had always been, and eventually
became the Fredericksburg postmaster.
He retired in 1972 and died in 1998.
Prince B. Woodard-
President 1980
Prince Woodard was the fifth president
at Mary Washington College, from 1974
through 1982. As
president, he is
credited with major
improvements and
changes. Notably,
changing the all-female
institution to
co-ed; creation of
a nontraditional
program known as
the bachelor of liberal
studies (BLS).
He also revised the
College’s curriculum
Prince B. Woodard
by introducing six new major undergraduate
programs including computer science, historic
preservation, performing arts, and business
administration. Almost immediately business
admin became the College’s largest major.
Woodard had a personal favorite new program:
historic preservation. Woodard enrolled
in the first preservation course offered. He
paid the fee, attended the classes, wrote the
papers, and delivered the oral reports and the
exams with the rest of the class. He got an A.
During the time he served as the Chamber’s
Board of Directors Chairman, he introduced
a graduate program which was advocated by
many business and community leaders. A
public hearing sponsored by the Consortium
for Continuing Higher Education, held on the
MWC campus, included pleas from representatives
of the Naval Surface Weapons Center
at Dahlgren, the Fredericksburg Education
Association, and the local public schools. The
Board of Visitors unanimously approved the
graduate studies program.
In November 1981, Woodard suffered a
major heart attack. He recovered and returned
to work on light duty two months later. Despite
his efforts continue his job as president,
Woodard’s health deteriorated. He died December
21, 1982.
In 1986 the Chamber created an annual
award to be given out in his memory. The
Prince B. Woodard Leadership Award was
named for Woodard’s vision, integrity and extraordinary
service to the region. The first recipient
of the award was Charles “Pete” Hearn.
Dori Eglevsky-
First Chairwoman 1992
Dori Eglevsky, the owner of Keystone Coffee
and Autospa in
downtown Fredericksburg,
served
as chairman of
the board in 1992.
Dori, the first
woman to serve as
chairman for the
Fredericksburg
Regional Chamber
of Commerce
Board of Directors,
did not realize the
historical endeavor
she embarked on.
Dori Eglevsky
“It doesn’t seem like an accomplishment,” she
says. “I didn’t see myself as a ‘woman’ leader, I
saw myself as a leader.” She does say, however,
that she did play the “woman card” every once
in a while. “If something went wrong or got
messed up,” she says, “I would say it was because
they had a woman to do the job.”
During her time as chairman, Dori had
the opportunity to meet the President of the
United States, George Bush. “He was coming
to Fredericksburg to speak on small business,”
she recalls, “so I met with his secret service
detail the day before he arrived. After completing
the tasks they asked of me and showing
them around the city the whole day, we
ended up at the Mayor’s office where I asked
to introduce them to whoever they wanted to
introduce the President the next day. I was
surprised when they asked me to introduce
the President at the next day’s speech. I asked
for his press to write a speech for me to present,
and received a very lengthy and political
document to read for the next day. I did not
feel comfortable reading that piece of press, so
I politely declined, and was told to write whatever
I wanted. I wrote a short two-paragraph
introduction for the President of the United
States, and introduced him that way.”
Dori explains the significant role that the
Chamber of Commerce serves in the Fredericksburg
community. “It offers opportunities
of networking with other businesses and
other people to make a business more open,”
says Dori. “The Chamber keeps businesses
connected with so many people who may
be struggling through financial concerns and
helps them to those concerns around.” When
talking of the current state of the Chamber,
Feature
Dori says, “the Chamber has grown by leaps
and bounds. Susan Spears has done an excellent
job through her leadership as President.”
Gary Nuckols - Chairman 2002
Gary Nuckols, who currently works at
the law firm of Hirschler Fleischer, served
as Chairman of the
Board of Directors
in 2002. When asking
Gary about his
time on the Board, he
reminisced about his
best memories saying,
“there was great support
from the Board
as we went through
some transition to a
more issues-oriented
mission, stirring a
conversation on regional cooperation.”
When discussing the challenges he experienced
as chairman, Gary shared that there
was some underserved flak from other organizations
for being allegedly partial to certain
development interests. Although there were
some misinterpretations of the Board’s missions,
overall Nuckol’s experience was a positive
one. “I really enjoyed working with a very
dedicated group of volunteers,” says Nuckols.
When asked what advice he would give future
Board members and chairmen, he firmly said
to focus on transportation and how it affects
the community.
Bill Hession- Chairman 2016
Bill Hession, Program Manager at Lockheed
Martin, is the current chairman of the
Board of Directors
for 2016. When
asked about challenges
that have
occurred throughout
his time this
year, Bill explains
how the Chamber
needs to continue
to advocate
for transportation
solutions for our
region despite limited
resources. “The
Gary Nuckols
Bill Hession
Chamber is helping and growing,” says Bill.
“Fredericksburg is a very powerful region
and location that the Chamber needs to take
advantage of and be the engine that helps to
drive the community forward.” Bill encourages
all of membership to get involved. “Step
up, volunteer, and be a part of it,” Bill says. “It’s
energizing, rewarding, and great to move forward!
"
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 7

Feature
100 Years of Presidents & Chairmen
1916 J. Garnett King
1917-1918 Edgar Young
1919 C.W. Jones
1920 H.K. Sweetser
1921 W.L. Brann & H. K. Sweetser
1922 H.F. Crismond
1923 G.F. Timberlake
1924 A.B. Chandler, Jr.
1925 S.M. Janney
1926-1928 S.L. Scott
1929 Alvin T. Embrey
1930-1931 Roger E. Clark
1932-1933 Roy C. Hopkins
1934-1938 Benjamin T. Pitts
1939 Claude Parcell
1940-1941 C. Archer Smith
1942 H. C. James
1943-1945 Edward H. Cann
1946 James D. Fear & W.H. Chinn, Jr.
1947 W.H. Chinn, Jr.
1948 E.C. Carpenter
1949 Charles J. Beck
1950-1951 W.J. Wilkerson
1952 W.J. Wilkerson & Charles J. Beck
1953-1954 Charles J. Beck
1955 Robert E. Leitch & John Fenlon
1956 George Williams
1957 Alfred Garnett
1958 Jerry Miller
1959 Paul Ventura
1960 Flloyd Gibbs & William P. Sale
1961 Perry Eackles
1962 William Payne
1963 Dexter Hubbard
1964-1965 T. Stacy Lloyd
1966 A.W. Hogeland
1967 John A. Nere
1968-1969 Edward Z. Angstadt
1970 Andrew C. Brown
1971 T. Eldred Lee
1972 H. Harrison Braxton, Jr.
1973-1974 Braxton W. Dawson
1975 R. DuVall Dickinson
1976 Donald Decker
1977 Lemuel Houston
1978 Paul H. Hillman
1979 Thomas F. Williams, Jr.
1980 Prince B. Woodard
1981 Pete Hearn
1982 Pete Watts
1983 William Vakos
1984 William Howell
1985 Charles G. McDaniel
1986 Linden L. White
1987 William M. Anderson
1988 Edward V. Allison, Jr.
1989 H. Greenlaw, Jr.
1990 Bart D. Mix
1991 Barry Lutz
1992 Dori Eglevsky
1993 W. Rod Gentry
1994 Roger Murphy
1995 Frank Turnage
1996 James A. Lewis
1997 Linda Worrell
1998 Tom Bricken
1999 Regis Keddie
2000 Fred Rankin
2001 Joe Greene
2002 Gary Nuckols
2003 William Beale
2004 Meta Braymer
2005 Ben Wafle
2006 Bill Young
2007-2008 Shawn Sloan
2009-2010 Woody Van Valkenburgh
2011-2012 Mark Steele
2013 Kathy Wall
2014 Mike Fidgeon
2015 Greg Calvert
2016 Bill Hession
Chamber of Commerce Member for 35+ Years
A. Blanton Massey & Associates
AAA Mid-Atlantic
American Heritage Homes (Pruitt Subsidiary)
American Traffic Safety Services Association
(ATSSA)
Appraisal Group of Fred. & Northern VA
B101.5 & WFVA-AM1230
Carl’s
Cary Street Partners
City of Fredericksburg
Coleman Homes, Inc.
Columbia Gas of Virginia
Cox Business
Dickinson Equipment, Inc.
Dominion Virginia Power
Fredericksburg Country Club
Fredericksburg Hospitality House
George Washington Regional Commission
Germanna Community College
Hilldrup Moving & Storage
J.F. Fick, Inc.
Lee-Curtis Freeman, Graves & Hall Insurance
Lewis Insurance Associates
Little Tire Company, Inc.
Marshall Consulting Group, LLC
Mary Washington Hospital
McLane Mid-Atlantic
Medical Arts Pharmacy
M-J Printers, Inc.
Mullins & Thompson Funeral Service
Nicholls Auction Marketing Group
P.C. Goodloe & Sons, Inc.
PBMares, LLP
PermaTreat Pest Control-Corporate Office
PNC Bank – Fall Hill Branch
Pratt Medical Center, Frank Duncan Campus
Pratt Medical Center, Stafford
Princess Anne Animal Hospital
Printpack, Inc.
Purvis Ford, Inc.
Quarles Petroleum, Inc.
Radley Chevrolet
Rappahannock Area Community Services
Board
Rappahannock Area YMCA
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
Rappahannock Goodwill Industries
Rappahannock United Way
Robert B. Payne, Inc.
Rosner Toyota of Fredericksburg
Roxbury Farm & Garden Center
Silver Companies
Spotsylvania County Government
Spotsylvania Towne Centre
Sterne Agee
Sullivan, Donahoe & Ingalls
SunTrust Banks, Inc.
The Free Lance-Star
University of Mary Washington
Virginia Employment Commission
Walter J. Sheffield, Attorney at Law
WJ Vakos Companies
8
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

Feature
Hedelt retiring as
City's Tourism Director
Her passion for
Old Town Fredericksburg
and it's beauty reflects
on her fulfilled
accomplishments.
By JAN ERKERT
After 35 years she is ready to “take it
easy” and try new things
Karen Hedelt is passionate about
the vibrancy of Old Town Fredericksburg.
It’s no surprise, considering
that she has spent the last 35 years
being intricately involved in its tourism
initiatives, and, more recently, its entire economic
development program.
And while Hedelt may be retiring as
Fredericksburg’s director of economic development
and tourism on July 31, her love
of this city will likely not diminish.
Ever articulate and professional in her
role as a representative of the city, she is also
known among her staff for her compassion
and thoughtfulness.
“Karen is an exacting boss, but she’s also an
encourager. She has allowed all of her staff to
start new programs and initiatives. She gives
us opportunities to grow, yet doesn’t micromanage,”
said Julie Perry, Fredericksburg’s visitor
center manager.
““Karen has dedicated her professional
life to the betterment of our community,
and we have all benefited from her
efforts. She will be greatly missed.
Bill Freehling, assistant director
for economic development.
“
“She is definitely the leader who takes responsibility
when things go wrong, but never
fails to share accolades when things go right,”
said Lura Hill, the city’s manager of tourism
sales.
Hedelt joined the city staff in 1981 as a
communication coordinator. In the ensuing
years she served as the department’s public relations
and marketing manager, acting director
and director of tourism. She was named
director of the Department of Economic Development
and Tourism in 2010.
While her job requires Hedelt to represent
the city on myriad commissions, task forces,
committees and boards, she is equally comfortable
behind the scenes of tourism and
economic development initiatives.
“She does a lot to support the smaller historic
sites and events,” said Hill.
For example, Hedelt initiated the city’s
special event review committee process that
helps event organizers—especially those who
are inexperienced in this arena—anticipate all
of the arrangements that go into a safe, successful
special event.
She also works well with other city departments
and is particularly admired by staff of
the city public works, fire and police departments
for delivering homemade cakes and
other treats to them as they work around the
clock during snowstorms and other weather
emergencies.
Under Hedelt’s watch, a much-needed
renovation of the Fredericksburg Visitor
Center was completed. Restaurant Week,
Ghost Tours, UMW Family Weekend and
UMW New Student Welcome were initiated.
She played a key role in bringing a hotel, the
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 9

Feature
Karen Hedelt welcomes DeShawn Robinson-Chew, owner of
SheEO, Inc. at a recent grand opening.
Courtyard by Marriott, to downtown Fredericksburg.
She has also embraced new tourism “products” (tourism venues and
events), including the Children’s Museum of Richmond--Fredericksburg,
the upcoming Fly City Bike Tours, the Marine Corps Historic
Half Marathon, and the growing list of events at the Fredericksburg
Expo & Conference Center that have significantly increased room
stays at local hotels and generated meals and beverage tax income for
the city. Under her management, a strategic plan for the Department of
Economic Development and Tourism was recently completed.
“Karen has dedicated her professional life to the betterment of our
community, and we have all benefited from her efforts. She will be
greatly missed,” said Bill Freehling, assistant director for economic development.
In 2010, when Hedelt assumed responsibility for the city’s economic
development, as well as tourism, she embraced the synergy between the
two initiatives. She oversaw the creation of innovative business districts
and incentive programs to encourage business growth. New tourism
and economic development websites were introduced, making it easier
for tourists and businesses to learn about Fredericksburg’s assets. She
was an early and strong supporter of the city’s Main Street program.
“Karen is passionate about the Economic Development Authority’s
grant programs, particularly the façade program because it has such
an impact upon the small businesses that participate in it,” said, Amy
Peregoy, economic development specialist. “That program has resulted
in a significant ‘facelift’ to downtown.”
Despite all these endeavors, perhaps the best evidence of Hedelt’s
dedication to Fredericksburg is her charming habit of picking up small
bits of trash on the sidewalk as she walks to meetings from her office
downtown. Also she can be found downtown on her day off, tending
to an otherwise neglected, small patch of green space near the city
parking deck.
Hedelt’s friends and professional associates know that her family
is very important to her. She and her husband of 36 years, Rob, a
columnist for The Free Lance-Star, have two grown children: Taylor,
who lives in Fredericksburg, and Carden, who lives in Charlotte, N.C.
When people ask Hedelt about her plans after retiring, she says only
that she wants to “take it easy, and then do something totally different.”
Whatever that is, Fredericksburg will likely be the beneficiary.
Originally from? I was born in
South Hill, Virginia but grew up
in Seaford, Delaware. Seaford is
about 35 miles inland from the
Delaware beaches and was home
to a DuPont nylon manufacturing
plant. It was a great place to grow up.
Who has been most influential to you? My father was a
businessman in the community I grew up in. Today, more than
25 years after his death, my family stills hears from former employees
who appreciated his work ethic, compassion and ability
to have fun while achieving good things. I try to emulate his
success at identifying strengths in people and encouraging them
to our common goals.
What accomplishment are you most proud of? Professionally,
I am most proud of the team I work with in the Dept. of
Economic Development and Tourism and consider our collective
work to coordinate a strong regional tourism program, stand up
a thriving Main Street program, and build tax revenue to the city
through business recruitment and retention and lessening tax
burdens on our residents to be our most meaningful accomplishments.
Personally, I am most proud of my children, Carden and
Taylor, and the fine people they have become.
What has been the best decision you have made? The best decision
I have made is to marry Rob Hedelt and move to the City
of Fredericksburg.
Hobbies? I'm an avid gardener and enjoy cooking and entertaining.
When I have spare time, I read. On vacation, I usually
read a book a day.
In Her Own Words:
Education? I graduated from
Lynchburg College with a B.A, in
English Literature/Writing and a
minor in business.
Favorite TV Show(s)? I mainly
watch sports and news on TV but
if I had to cite a favorite show or two, I would pick “The Closer”
and “Modern Family.” I was a fiend for “Downton Abbey.”
Are you involved in the community? Not as much as I would
like. I am active in the Rappahannock Valley Garden Club and
a longtime supporter of James Monroe athletics.
What are your retirement plans? I have projects in my garden
and yard that I'm anxious to tackle, more reading, more travel,
definitely more river time and better physical fitness are among
my hopes for retirement. After the holidays, I plan to select a few
community organizations to become more involved in and I hope
to find part time work to keep me occupied.
Favorite music or artist? I mainly have Motown loaded onto
my iPod but I also enjoy Adele and other current artists. My
favorite XM channel is “Coffeehouse.”
Best laugh you have had this week? I went to dinner with a
few girlfriends earlier this week. I can’t remember what the jokes
were but we sure did think we were hysterical.
Do you have a personal motto? I think the Golden Rule pretty
much is my life’s creed. “Do unto others as you would have them
do unto you.” Not very original but I think they teach that to us
when we’re very young for a reason.
10
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

The Retirement
of Joan McLaughlin
An unsung hero saving “throw-away”
children of Fredericksburg
Feature
Story & Photos By Dawn Haun
For 26 years, Joan McLaughlin has been
passionate about “her children.” Not
her biological children, but the hundreds
of schoolchildren who walked the hallways
of Employment Resources Inc. (ERI) and
the Gladys Oberle School.
McLaughlin, although modest about her
accomplishments and success, is an
illustrious hero whose dedication
to helping troubled children no
matter the situation makes a huge
impact on many pupils and her loyal
staff.
McLaughlin retired last month
as president of both ERI, Inc. and
Gladys Oberle School, the brainchild
of her and late business partner,
Gladys Oberle. McLaughlin
leaves behind an impressive business
footprint.
FIRST CAREER CHOICES
McLaughlin attended nursing
school at Lynn Hospital in Massachusetts.
Her first job in 1960 was as a night nurse for
geriatric women, which she recalls as “very
rigorous.” Next, she worked as an ICU nurse in
Boston. In 1969, she and her husband, David,
moved to Fredericksburg in 1969, where she
was employed as s insurance manager, later by
INA Corporation.
Joan McLaughlin hugs a staff member.
She is proudest of her loyal employees.
It took months for her to decide on her next
career journey. “During that time, I started
writing programs for the Rappahannock Service
Corporation (now the Rappahannock
Goodwill Industries),” she said. “I was offered
a position doing job placements for three
months while an employee was on maternity
leave. I did it, and they kept me on for the next
nine years.”
ERI Inc. began in 1991 with its
subsidiary, the STAR Center; a
one-room center, with three desks,
ten trashcans, and three used IBM
computers. It relied on grants and
donations to operate. The center
grew to become a certified, accredited
alternative school that served
school-age youth.
Of course, there are the typical
difficulties of owning a business,
and McLaughlin’s path hit a tragic
curve in 1996 when her business
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 11

Feature
partner and best friend, Gladys, died unexpectedly of breast cancer.
“Gladys was so sweet and a champion when it came to working with
youth,” McLaughlin remembers. “I was heartbroken when she died.
Gladys knew something was wrong and was feeling sick. She didn’t
want to take time off to go to a doctor and even worked the day she
went into the hospital. By the time she did, the cancer was in stage four.”
a blossoming partnership
McLaughlin and Oberle’s relationship began when McLaughlin called
a local group home to inquire about a young man who had come to her
house offering to cut her grass. The supervisor who answered the phone
at the group house was Gladys Oberle. As they talked, the two realized
they shared a passion for helping troubled youth. Oberle was McLaughlin’s
first hiring choice when a position opened at the Rappahannock
Service Corporation, where she was working. “Gladys was just so perfect
with children,” says McLaughlin. “I would have to wait a lifetime
to get case notes from her, but Gladys was solving children problems.”
“
The pair combined head and
They are so used
to failing; we had
to introduce the
whole concept of
success first, even
before we could
get them here.
“
heart and created a business
plan to provide education and
workforce services to youth
and adults. The STAR Center
was a summer learning center,
providing remediation and
tutoring. With Oberle’s experience
in working with disabled
youth, and McLaughlin’s experience
in healthcare and insurance,
their combined activity
in the community, made their
partnership a great fit. “I really
loved the kids, and couldn’t understand why they didn’t have parents
like I had,” says McLaughlin. “If they didn’t have a good family life, I
wanted to be able to offer opportunities to help them succeed.”
The partnership continued and so did the ladies’ determination to
continue the school and expand the business. In 1991 they opened ERI,
a development program helping youth identify and pursue realistic career
goals.
ERI expanded in 2010, to 404 Willis Street in Fredericksburg, a
12,000-square-foot renovated space providing twice as much room
as the school’s previous home at 500 Lafayette Blvd. The Willis Street
building’s history goes back farther. It was built in 1929 and housed the
Morganstern pants factory until the 1980s. After Gladys’ death in 1996,
McLaughlin renamed the STAR Center to the Gladys H. Oberle School
in her memory.
Now the organization is 90% funded by area school systems and 10%
by grant funds. ERI’s yearly net worth is $7 million and $4 million in
gross receipts. “It’s lovely,” says McLaughlin. “I consider myself to be
a lucky woman. We have dynamic teams who love to work with our
youth.”
When her husband David retired, he came on board to teach when
there was a vacancy at the Oberle school. “He really didn’t have a choice,”
she says. He liked teaching so much that he went back to school, got his
teaching license, and taught history at the school for five years. David
died in 2009.
REWARDING AND PROUD
“It takes teamwork to teach and support the students at the school,”
she says. “I am proudest and grateful to my staffs, many who have
worked here for 25+ years,” she said. Particularly, the school’s principal,
Pam Simms and administrative assistant, Joyce Corbin. “I will miss
Joan’s presence and her Italian greetings each morning,” said Corbin.
“She has been a wonderful boss with an open-door policy, and always
considerate and concerned about the staff and students.”
Joan McLaughlin (center) stands proudly with two staff members
who've worked at the school for 20+ years. Left: Principal
Pam Simms and Administrative Assistant Joyce Corbin.
McLaughlin shares a laugh with students Anthony Pinn and Vanessa
Springer-Mosely.
New presideNt Named
Roarke Anderson, Ret. Colonel USMC, is the new president of ERI. He
retired from the Marine Corps after serving for 39 years. “I’m very proud
of what we have done here, and excited about the future with the new
president,” she said. “We have made a fabulous hire with Roarke Anderson.”
McLaughlin will remain on the ERI Board of Directors and serve as
a consultant for the school.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be walking away, knowing that what I have
started will continue to provide a service to the disabled community,”
McLaughlin said. “I look at myself and the students who are graduating
this year and think about the changes [graduation and retirement] we will
have to make. I realized we have to embrace change.”
McLaughlin says her mantra is “embrace the fears and don’t be afraid of
it.” She plans to continue living in Fredericksburg, and to vacation at her
home in Cape Cod in Bruster, where she plans on learning how to kayak.
12
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

Feature
Originally from: Boston, so I’m a huge
Red Sox’s baseball fan, I go to spring
training and I subscribe to the MLB
package on my TV. I was my father’s
only son. He needed a son, and so it was
me. I remember on my 30 th birthday, I
went out and bought a mink coat and a
circular saw; that’s me.
Who has been most influential to you? My two older sisters.
What accomplishment are you most proud of? This facility and the
workers here. It makes me proud that it provides children opportunities
to for learning and proud of the workers here and the dedication and
love they have for teaching and helping these children.
What has been the best decision you have made? That would be
marrying my husband David. He died in 2009.
Hobbies: Classic cars. I own a red 1973 TR6 convertible and a silver
1971 Opal GT, just like I had in 1971. I have so much fun with them.
Education: Started out as a registered nurse, received B.A. in Business
from St. Joseph’s College in Portland.
Favorite TV Show: Watching sports,
mostly baseball and the Red Sox’s. I
don’t like any teams who play against
the Red Sox’s.
Are you involved in the community?
Yes, I am a member of the
Rappahannock Rotary and past-president of the Stafford Rotary. I have
been a long-time member of the Chamber of Commerce.
In Her Own Words:
What are your retirement plans? Everyone keeps asking me that. I’m
going to do what I want to do and when I want to.
Favorite Music: I love the Blues. Last year I took my sisters to Fenway
Park and saw James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt. It was excellent.
Best laugh in the interview:
Joan: Did I tell you I speak Italian to the students? Bonjour. Allez-vous?
When I see the students, we talk to each other in Italian.
Me: Oh, so are you Italian?
Joan: No, I’m Irish! Haha Haha
Gov. McAuliffe signs
bill to recognize EMS
in other states
Kevin Dillard, President/CEO, LifeCare Medical Transports
Each year our Chamber Legislative Affairs Committee
looks for potential legislation to support in the coming
year. This year, our committee supported several legislative
priorities including education, transportation, healthcare,
public safety, economic development, and workforce issues.
The committee worked on a legislation that had
been unsuccessful, which affected our Healthcare and
Public Safety. The bill --presented in 2015 to the General
Assembly-- was to eliminate state regulatory borders with a
new law allowing Emergency Medical Services authorization
to practice in other states. It was killed in subcommittee.
The committee garnered a bigger base of support by
involving the Chamber of Commerce and Del. Bobby Orrock
to support this bill.
This bill means that when an EMS agency needs to travel
across state borders they’d be allowed to practice in that
state. With the support of the both, the 2016 version of the
bill was passed. I was privileged to witness the signing of
the bill by Gov. Terry McAuliffe in June.
Virginia is now on the list with other authorized states:
Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, and Oregon.
The Importance of REPLICA
As the need for more EMS personnel to cross state
lines to provide services, a movement to draw attention to
licensing practices of EMS personnel so they aren’t accused
of practicing medicine in states they’re not licensed in. Only
Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Kevin Dillard
in the event of a disaster is when the Emergency Medical
Assistance Compact (EMAC) address this concern.
The benefits of such a program are numerous. Some key
areas are:
• Increased public access to EMS personnel
• Enhance the states’ ability to protect the public’s
health and safety
• Accountability, compliance and cooperation of
member states
• Support the licensing of military members who are
separating from an active duty tour, veterans and
their spouses.
The success of this bill is an example of advocacy our
Chamber has developed in legislation to improve the
economic development, healthcare and public safety of our
region.
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 13

Looking Inside...
A Walk Thru SimVentions
By Larry Root, CEO, SimVentions
As you enter our front doors – there
are two things you notice immediately:
first, on the wall to the right is a
display highlighting our DoD customers
and right beneath them is our
corporate motto ‘Your Success Is Our
Honor’ – this conveys the heart of
service and commitment to technical
excellence that we seek to apply in
everything we do; second, behind the
desk on your left, you are greeted by
Mrs. Lindsay Biggs who is the face and
voice of SimVentions. She immediately
reflects our motto to all who enter by
the way she welcomes you…making
you feel like her best friend and part of
the SimV family.
Upon signing in you’re escorted
into our Center Court with an
oversized fireplace on one end with
lounge seating around, an open spiral
stair case on the other end leading to
a second floor over-look, tables and
chairs of various heights and styles
spread about, quaint restaurant style
booths, a commercially outfitted
pantry with an island-counter and barheight
seating, and a coffee-bar under
canopy. Look up to see sky-lights,
flags of the U.S. armed services, flags
of our SimV employees’ alma maters,
and a large video wall with integrated
sound and satellite TVs (playing
ESPN). Looking down notice the floor
resembles the ocean and complements
the various ship models on display.
Your response is “Wow!” – and we
love that, because it gives us a chance
to share that we view our Center
Court in the same way most American
families view their kitchen (or most
college students view their University
Center or Commons), a place where
food, fellowship, and conversation
occur in a relaxed, warm, and inviting
environment. There is nothing better
to reflect the meaning behind our
corporate logo tag line Imagine.
Create. Explore. Discover. than our
Center Court!
The USS Constitution Conference
Room is adorned with our nation’s
founding documents and many US
Flags. The SimV culture is like “a family
of patriots, who seek to serve God,
country, and each other in all we do.”
We focus on systems engineering,
software engineering, cybersecurity
engineering, program management,
professional education & training,
modeling & simulation, productivity
tool development and use, and custom
solutions.
• Our customers include the DoD
and its many related organizations,
military bases, and research and
development labs – and since
these organizations are big and
diverse, we personalize them
by focusing in on the individual
warfighters. They are the point
of the spear where we want, and
need, to make a difference. We
14
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

continually strive to be involved in
the tools, technologies, systems,
and capabilities that our warfighters
need to do the job of protecting
this nation and its interests around
the world. It is this level of focus
and commitment that has earned
us a ranking on the Inc. 500|5000
list of fastest growing privately held
companies in the U.S. for 3 straight
years, and, a ranking on the Virginia
Fantastic 50 list for 3 straight years.
• Our family at SimV is made up
of the best and brightest that
this country has to offer the DOD
industry. Many are considered
national assets, and all have a
heart for serving. They are highly
educated, well compensated, many
are veterans, and all take pride
in their work and commitment
to technical excellence. We do all
we can to ensure they, and their
families, are taken care of as best
as possible. As a Virginia Values
Veterans (V3) Third Level Certified
Employer, recipient of the Best
Places To Work In Virginia award
for 4 straight years, and one of the
50 Best Places to Work in 2016
according to Inc. Magazine – we
must be doing a pretty good job!
• Our community is one of the
hidden treasures of this great
country. We like to refer to it as “a
special piece of God’s country” and
feel doubly blessed to be able to
work where we live! So, whether its
Special Olympics, Red Cross blood
drives, STEM initiatives, local sports
teams, international missions,
Chamber initiatives and events,
Christian Youth Theater (CYT),
YMCA, Smart Beginnings, Stop
Hunger Now, our SimV summer
internship program, or the host of
other very deserving community
activities we support. If you work
here at SimV and are part of our
family, there will be opportunity for
you to contribute.
Leaving the USS Constitution
Conference Room and see Ricky
Johnson who is in charge of the
office cleaning crew. His job is just
as important in supporting our
warfighters as the rest of the SimV
staff. And like Lindsay Biggs, you find
Ricky Johnson offering you a smile and
a kind word – continuing to make you
feel part of our family here at SimV.
We hope this “walk thru
SimVentions” has provided a small
glimpse into what makes us unique.
With employees in six states and
three countries, additional offices in
Dahlgren, Quantico, and Washington
D.C., a workforce of over 220 and
growing, there are many things
happening throughout all of
SimVentions in support of our nation
and its warfighters! Godspeed!
• Serving God & Country
Since 2000
• Current Size is 220+ and
Growing
• 3 Offices in VA; 1 in
Washington D.C.;
Employees in 6 States
and 3 Countries
• 2012: Fredericksburg
Chamber of Commerce
Business of the Year
• 2013,14,15: Inc. 500|5000
List of Fastest Growing
Privately Held Companies
in the U.S.
• 2013: STEM 16 Steering
Committee Spotlight
Award
• 2013,14,15,16: Virginia
Values Veterans (V3) 3 rd
Level Certified Employer
• 2014,15,16: Virginia
Fantastic 50 List of
Fastest Growing Privately
Held Companies in VA
• 2016: Inc. Top 50 Places
To Work in U.S.
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 15

From the Cover
Linda Rivera - VP of Quality & Customer Relations for Hilldrup Moving & Storage
“People don’t care how
much you know, until they
know how much you care”
Linda Rivera an authentic and dedicated
leader, is the Vice President of Quality
and Customer Relations for Hilldrup
Moving and Storage. Working for the
company for twenty years, Linda understands the
quality goal at Hilldrup, which is to be number
one in any measurable category. “It takes a team
effort to attain that goal,” says Linda, “and I lead the
charge.” Every day is a new challenge and she stays
motivated through the power of Christ and the love
of her husband and two children.
“Quality seems to be a thread woven throughout
my career,” says Linda. Early in her career, Linda
worked for Air Canada in Toronto, Canada, and
earned a promotion from Customer Service Representative
to Marketing Analyst. “I believe that
role was my first introduction to quality assurance,”
explains Linda, “and back then service excellence
was critically important, nothing like air travel today.”
While living in Oahu, Hawaii, Linda worked
for a very busy hotel, promoted from the role of
Reservations Manager to Front Office Manager. “I
assisted in completely renovating a sister hotel in
Kauai, again assuring the quality of the services offered
and standardizing décor in each guest room.”
Being a quality assurance leader is no small feat,
especially as a female. “In some industries,” explains
Linda, “women simply have to work harder
to prove their abilities, and be taken seriously. As a
woman leader in my profession, it was a challenge
at first to gain the trust of packers and van operators
serving our customers, along with our male
executives in the company. Women have to be
determined, focused, and willing to speak up and
share their opinions with their male counterparts.”
Linda’s advice to women when dealing with male
counter-parts is to not let their feelings get involved
with their decision-making. “Conduct yourself in
a professional manner, to include your personal appearance,
and believe in yourself if you’ve earned
your seat at the table,” Linda says. “Develop and
mentor younger women sharing your experiences
to help them succeed.”
Linda Rivera continued on next page 29
Fredericksburg Area
Stories by Elizabeth Buhl • Photos by Dawn Haun
Rebecca Rubin - Founder, President and CEO of Marstel-Day, LLC
Rebecca Rubin is the Founder, President,
and CEO of Marstel-Day, LLC, an environmental
consultancy headquartered in
downtown Fredericksburg. After earning
a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and a Masters
of Arts from Columbia University, Rebecca set out
to show others just how large the concern for the environment
is. “Despite how
compromised our planet
is because of such forces
as habitat destruction,” explains
Rebecca, “there is a
continued and almost vigilant
denial of how breathtakingly
serious the situation is, which in turn is a daily
reminder to me of exactly why our work – as a nature-based
company – is needed now more than ever.”
Rebecca begins each day by having a cup of coffee
“The timing of a decision and the care
with which you make it are often as
important as the decision itself.”
Submitted photo
with her husband, which is “among the best moments of the day,” she
says. Rebecca started her business fifteen years ago with the desire to
take a business-related environmental issue or concern and find an appropriate
and reasonable solution. “In some sense,” she explains, “the
challenge has always been to move the needle forward on fundamental
and abiding needs -- whether on human rights or large, landscape
scale conservation – often while faced with societal pressures moving
in an equal or greater, and opposite, direction.”
To date, Rebecca’s greatest professional accomplishment is the
preservation of over a half-million Rebecca Rubin continued on next page 29
LINDA’S FAVORITE QUOTE
“If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get
out of the boat” - John Ortberg
REBECCA’S FAVORITE QUOTE
“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where
I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” – Rosalia de Castro
16
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

From the Cover
Kris Sieber - Director of Member Services for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
“Treat everyone with the
same respect from the
janitor to the CEO”
Kris Sieber, is Director of Member
Services for Rappahannock Electric
Cooperative. This is her twenty-ninth
year in the utility business
and fifteenth year with REC. As the supervisor of
approximately sixty employees in three areas, Kris’s
mantra is to never assume the worst! “I don’t give
up,” she says. “Failure bounces off me like rubber.”
In a male-centric business world, Kris’s outlook
is to stay positive and love her job. “We shouldn’t
think of the business world as an “us or them” environment,”
says Kris. “Life is better when you
have fun at what you do and you have a connection
with the people you work with.”
A great mentor in Kris’s life is the woman who
gave Kris her first job, Betty Meadows of Meadows
Farms. Kris first worked for Meadows Farm
as a bedding plant salesperson. “She taught me
why it is important to care about the customer
and why doing it right the first time is always the
best option,” says Kris. “She made it clear that as
long as you did your best, whether you messed up
Women in Business
or excelled, she would be proud of us.” Kris also
says her parents and family offer her support no
matter the difficult task she may be working on. “I
almost dropped out of my MBA program,” states
Kris. “It was a tough time, Hurricane Isabelle had
devastated our area, everyone at work was working
long hours, I had an exam due, and on a personal
level my brother was critically ill. My mom
stepped in and said she would do whatever it took
to keep me going. She told me she would come to
my house and cook, clean, whatever… It made me
stop, make some improvements to my time management
and dig in. For the next month, she called
me regularly, checked on me and kept me going. It
was exactly what I needed.”
Kris’s advice to women leaders is to participate!
“If you don’t speak up,” she says, “or if you’re not
active in a team project, the other team members
won’t want you back.” Kris believes that if you
stay active, love what you are doing, and speak
to people directly, then leading excellence can be
achieved.
Roberta Tinch - COO and ECO for Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center
Roberta Tinch became the COO
and ECO for Spotsylvania Regional
Medical Center just two years ago
at the age of 29. She received her
Bachelor of Arts from University of Virginia and
her Masters of Healthcare Administration from
Virginia Commonwealth University, and has always
portrayed the life of a supportive and driven
leader. From beginning her career as an administrative
resident at the Medical Center of Aurora
in Denver, Colorado, to managing 600 employees
at SRMC, Roberta has taken both the medical and
business worlds by storm. Throughout her short
career at multiple medical facilities, Roberta has
overseen a $60 million hospital expansion, been
responsible for over $20 million worth of hospital
renovations to improve patient and family experiences,
overseen the strategic growth of hospital
services lines, directed an ER renovation and revamp
development project, and assured patients
and families of safety and support during the Aurora
Theater Shooting. “My challenge in my career
has often been that I am usually the youngest
executive leader on the team,” says Roberta.
In order to be a great leader, Roberta needed
some great mentors throughout her life. “My
mother has been a nurse for 45 years and I grew
up in the hospital environment watching how
processes work,” says Roberta. “My father has
received two kidney transplants and I have firsthand
experience of navigating through the hospital
system as both a family member receiving
critical care services and as a leader integrating
healthcare plans. My primary goal is to aid nurses
like my mother in taking care of patients like my
father. This influences me to do whatever I can to
be a patient and employee advocate.”
When talking of leadership success, Roberta
says it boils down to the following six secrets: 1)
Actively listening to what your stakeholders have
to say 2) Be visible and present amongst your staff
so that they know who you are and they know
that you value their contributions 3) Be compassionate
and respect your direct reports personal
lives 4) Manage by exception – trust that you have
Roberta Tinch continued on next page 29
“Be brief, be brilliant, be gone.”
KRIS’ FAVORITE QUOTE
“Perfection is not attainable; but, if we chase perfection,
excellence is achieved.” – Vince Lombardi
ROBERTA’S FAVORITE QUOTE
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 17

Tech Solutions
Embracing Cloud Storage Solutions for Small Businesses
By Chris Asmus, netadept.com
What exactly is cloud
storage?
Cloud storage refers to
uploading, storing and accessing
your important files (everything
from documents and photos to
music and videos) remotely on a
cloud storage provider’s hightech
servers. While you can see
the files on your devices, they Chris Asmus
actually live on the provider’s
server and are being delivered to your devices through
the internet. The benefits are that your data is protected
and can be easily shared, restored, and/or synchronized
to multiple devices. Most cloud storage providers allow a
limited amount of free storage, but charge a nominal fee
for additional space and more robust features.
5 Reasons why your company should use cloud
storage:
Cloud storage goes above and beyond beyond simple
file storage. Here are some of the most compelling reasons
for your company to leverage cloud storage solutions:
1. Location, location, location: Your important files
can be accessed from any location and almost any
computer or device with an internet connection
in the world - meaning you can work from your
computer at home, in the office, from your phone at
a coffee shop, or a tablet on a beach in Bora Bora.
Most cloud storage solutions have easy and/or built
in synchronization that ensures the most recent
version of your files can be accessed across all of
your devices.
2. File sharing and collaboration: Most cloud
storage solutions allow you set access or permission
levels to share files and directories, allowing
individuals or groups to share data and work
together on files wherever they are, creating a truly
global workforce.
3. Backup and data protection: The multi-location
servers of most cloud storage providers protect
your data from natural disasters, power outages
or surges, and hardware failures. Because your
important files are automatically backed up, you
don’t have to remember or go through the tedious
process of doing a manual backup. If you do have
a hardware failure like a crashed hard drive or virus,
you can easily recover your files.
4. Security: Cloud storage companies employ
technology and security experts to keep your data
safe from hackers and ensure the latest security
patches and technology updates are in place.
Most require a login and some provide multi-level
authentication for you to access your files. Almost
all of them offer data encryption, which means your
data is literally scrambled using code, programming,
and algorithms so that it can only be deciphered by
authorized users.
5. Performance and cost savings: Because of competition and
the demand of savvy consumers, cloud storage providers have
to be performance and cost driven. Their solutions need to
be robust but easy to use, fast, secure, and affordable. While
the price of services varies between companies, services, and
the amount of storage needed, the cost is a fraction of what
a business would pay to buy and maintain their own data
backup and storage servers and keep security patches and
software up to date.
How do I choose the best cloud storage solution for my
business?
There are dozens of great cloud storage solutions out
there, so which one is right for you? It is important to have an
understanding of which devices you use, how much storage
capacity you will need, and what additional functions you want
from your cloud storage solution. Are you looking for a simple data
backup plan or do you want your staff to be able to collaborate on
projects and files? Are you a Google, Microsoft, or Apple fan/user?
Is file security the most important consideration or do you need a
solution that meets strict compliance regulations?
We combed through the tech articles, ratings, reviews, and the
product websites themselves to come up with a list of some of
the best cloud storage solutions for small businesses. For each we
included a brief summary of features, link to the product website
(click on the product name), cost, operating systems supported,
and other information to help you make an informed decision.
Whatever your needs, all of the recommended solutions offer
secure data encryption and will provide backups for your important
files!
Our Cloud Storage Solution Recommendations:
Product Name
Google Drive
Easy access, sharing, collaboration, and synchronization
of files across devices. Includes Google office apps - Docs,
Sheets and Slides. Great product for Google users.
Certain Safe
High end data security protection. Regulatory compliance
for government, financial, healthcare, legal, real estate, and
nonprofit industries. Secure collaboration.
Microsoft OneDrive
Easy access, collaboration/sharing, and synchronization
across devices. Plans include basic storage, or storage +
Office 365 office tools - Word, Excel, Power Point and One
Note. Great product for Microsoft users.
IDrive
Store, backup and access your files (including Facebook
and Instagram photos) from all of your devices to one
location. Plans for personal or business (including servers
and linux) storage/backup. Note: plans are per year with
additional discounts for 2 year terms.
Box
Securely share and collaborate, backup, and manage your
files from any device. Plans for small groups to large businesses
including major industry enterprise solutions.
Dropbox
Secure storage, backup, and recovery for files. When a file
is added to Dropbox it is automatically synced to all devices
connected to the account. Easy collaboration. Personal,
business and enterprise solutions.
iCloud
Apple’s cloud storage solution (with some features available
on PCs) for photos, videos, and documents. Works with Pages,
Numbers, and Keynote apps, mail, calendar, reminders,
etc. Files on your Apple devices are automatically backed
up. Sharing and collaboration.
Monthly Plan
Details
15GB free
$10//1TB
Per user
$12/100GB
$15/250GB
Per user
5GB free
$1.99/50GB
$6.99/1TB/1 user*
$9.99/1TB/5 users*
*space + Office 365
5GB free
Personal:
$52/1TB/year
$375/10TB/year
Business:
$75/250GB/year
$150/500GB/year
$375/1.25TB/year
$5/100GB/user*
$15/unlimited/user*
*minimum 3 users
2GB free
$10/month/1TB
5GB free
$0.99/50GB
$2.99/200GB
$9.99/1TB
OS/Platform
Supported
Windows,
Mac, iOS,
Android
Collab/
Share
Y
Free
trial
Y
Most Y Y
Windows,
Mac, iOS,
Android,
Win.Phone
Y
Y
Most N N
Most Y N
Most Y Y
Mac, iOS Y N
18
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

When you’re in medicine,
it helps to have a bank
that understands the
medical industry.
Our experts have years of experience meeting the unique
challenges and requirements of the medical industry.
In addition to specialized service for the local healthcare
sector, we serve businesses of all sizes across a broad range
of industries. Call one of our dedicated business bankers
at 540-993-6172 for the right tools and advice to help you
achieve your goals.
cbtc.com
Are You Stuck?
Tips from the Pro
By Lynne Richardson
Most of us work a long, long
time. Whether you’ve been
working for 5 or 45 years, you
may have hit a wall in your current
position. So my question to you is,
ARE YOU STUCK?
You may not even realize you’re
stuck! You’ve been in your current
job so long that it’s easy. You’re on
Dr. Lynne Richardson
auto pilot. Every day is much the
same. But it’s comfortable, safe, provides a steady paycheck,
and life is rolling right along.
Or maybe you know that you’re stuck. You’ve felt for
months (or years—yikes!) that you are in maintenance
mode. You’re going through the motions. The job has not
challenged you in a long time.
So I’m challenging you. Why are you allowing yourself to
be stuck?
Years ago I was talking with a man who ran a factory.
He mentioned that he had a tough time getting people to
take promotions from the factory floor, where they worked
on a line (think conveyor belt) each day. The job was fairly
routine, not requiring a lot of thought.
Why, I asked, would someone not want to be promoted?
His response caused me to pause: “They don’t want to have
to be responsible for anyone other than themselves AND
they don’t want to have to take the job home with them.”
When I asked what the latter meant, he reminded me that
managers have to think about work a lot of the time while
away from work. These folks didn’t want that.
They wanted to go home and coach little league, lead
Scout troops, and spend time on hobbies and with their
families. They didn’t want to have to stay late at work to
deal with a pesky personnel problem or get called back to
the office if there was a mechanical issue.
From my standpoint as a person who needs new
challenges, it was hard for me to understand.
So back to you. Are you stuck? If you know you are
and you’re stuck because you CHOOSE to be (like the
factory folks above), so be it. But what if you want new
opportunities? What’s holding you back?
Is it fear? Do you think you cannot do more? Are you
not talented, experienced, or maybe smart enough? SURE
YOU ARE!
Or perhaps you got into this rut and, until now, didn’t
realize you wanted new tests. Talk with your supervisor. Ask
her to help you grow in new ways.
But whatever you do, please don’t get stuck in a job,
especially if you want new challenges! If it means learning
new skills, returning to school for an additional certification
or degree, or finding a mentor to help you prepare for the
next step in your career, DO IT.
Please don’t hit retirement age and have regrets about
what COULD HAVE BEEN. It’s up to you.
Lynne Richardson is the dean of the University of Mary Washington’s
College of Business and a marketing professor.
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 19

Trailblazer Spotlight
Employers head into overtime preparing
for new wage and hour rules
By Mike DeCamps, Chairman Sands & Anderson PC
Employment Practice Group
The long awaited final rule updating the regulations
relating to overtime exemptions for executive, administrative
and professional employees was published on May 17,
2016. Contrary to all the hoopla that was written about
this anticipated final rule, the Obama administration did not
wait until Labor Day or the Fourth of July to publish it. The
fact sheet published by the Wage and Hour Division of the
United States Department of Labor can be found at www.
dol.gov/whd/overtime/final2016/overtime-factsheet.htm. The
effective date of the final rule is December 1, 2016.
The key provisions of the final rule are as follows:
1. The salary threshold for employees who are exempt –
and therefore not eligible for overtime – will jump from
$23,660 to $47,476 annually for a full year worker. In
other words if you are an exempt employee under the
executive, administrative or professional category and
earn less than $47,476, after December 1, 2016 you will
become nonexempt and eligible for overtime pay;
2. The total annual compensation for highly compensated
employees who are subject to a lesser “duties” test will
increase from $100,000 to $134,004;
3. The salary and compensation levels will be reevaluated
every three years under a mechanism that will modify
these new levels in accord with the percentile of
earnings at which they have been established (the 40th
percentile of earnings for fulltime salary workers for
the $47,476 salary level
and the 90th percentile for
fulltime salary workers for the
$134,004 highly compensated
employee level).
It is estimated that some 4.2
million more employees in the
United States will be eligible to
earn overtime pay when the new
final rule takes effect on December Michael DeCamps
1. Employers who are concerned
about the impact of this final rule on their bottom line may
choose to react in multiple ways. Now is not only a good
time for employers to receive counsel about the best strategy
to respond to and comply with the final rule, but also to
address any issues employers might have about compliance
with the complex wage and hour laws.
While employers are in this “overtime period” prior to the
effective date of the final rule, employers should audit their
exempt employees to determine how many will be subject to
the final rule. In the recent months there have been numerous
publications and commentaries about the likely impact of
the final rule and suggested strategies for communicating
the changes to your employees and implementing it. The
employment law attorneys at Sands Anderson are available
to counsel on this subject and to help employers remain
compliant with this final rule and the wage and hour laws.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies
Best Western Plus Thornburg Inn & Suites
Campers Inn RV Fredericksburg
Bin There Dump That
Community Bank of the Chesapeake
20
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

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Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies
Midst of the Storm
SheEO, LLC
Residence Inn, Fredericksburg
Sushi King Restaurant, Central Park
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 21

News
Tony Bennett and Kristin
Chenoweth to perform
with UMW Philharmonic
Legendary singer Tony Bennett and award-winning
actress Kristin Chenoweth will headline the University of
Mary Washington Philharmonic’s upcoming season.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Mr. Bennett and Ms.
Chenoweth performing with the Philharmonic this season,”
said Kevin Bartram, director of the UMW Philharmonic.
Two celebrity concerts will follow the Philharmonic’s
October Masterworks season opener on Saturday, Oct.
22, in Dodd Auditorium in George Washington Hall. Also,
the orchestra will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3,
“Eroica,” Sibelius’ Finlandia and Smetana’s The Moldau.
Bennett will perform at the holiday concert on Dec. 9,
in Dodd Auditorium. The celebrated singer, winner of 17
Grammy Awards and seven Emmys, has sold millions of
albums worldwide. A jazz vocalist, Bennett recorded his first
hit, “Because of You,” in 1951 and made a career singing
standards, including his signature song, “I Left My Heart
in San Francisco. Tickets go on sale Oct. 24 to the general
public, Oct. 10 to Friends of the Philharmonic.
Chenoweth will
perform with the
Philharmonic as
part of the Celebrity
Series on March 18,
in Dodd Auditorium.
The career of the
Emmy and Tony
Award-winning
actress spans film,
television, voiceover and stage. She is best known for her
inaugural role of Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway
show Wicked. Her many television roles include The West
Wing, Glee and Disney’s The Descendants.
The Philharmonic started its Celebrity Series concert in
2004. Past artists have included Marvin Hamlisch, Itzhak
Perlman, and last year, Joshua Bell. Tickets will go on sale
Jan. 16 to the general public, Jan. 9 to Friends of the
Philharmonic.
The season’s finale on April 28 will feature Aaron
Copland’s Pulitzer Prize-winning composition “Appalachian
Spring.” Also, internationally renowned horn player Eric
Ruske will perform Richard Strauss’ “Horn Concerto No. 1.”
For more information or to become a Friend of the
Philharmonic, call 540-654-1324 or visit umwphilharmonic.
com.
Warm welcome to UMW’s tenth president
By Elizabeth Buhl
We are very excited to welcome our newest member,
Dr. Troy Paino, to the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of
Commerce! Dr. Paino serves as the 10 th President of the
University of Mary Washington.
Dr. Paino has been president of Truman State University
in Kirksville, Missouri for six years. Truman is currently ranked
the “No. 1 Public University in the Midwest Region” by U.S.
News & World Report. He is a popular leader of the students
at Truman and developed a reputation as being personable
and involved in student life on the campus.
Paino served as provost and Vice President for academic
fairs at Truman State and as dean of Winona State
University’s College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Paino graduated with
a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy from Evangel
University and earned doctorate and master’s degrees in
American studies from Michigan University. He also holds a
juris doctorate from Indiana University.
Paino comes to Fredericksburg and the University of Mary
Washington with a wide array
of experience. He serves on the
board of directors of the American
Association of State Colleges and
Universities, is a member of the
Association of American Colleges
and Universities President’s Trust
for Liberal Education and America’s
Promise, serves as president-elect
of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Dr. Troy Paino
Colleges, and holds the position
of treasurer of the Council on Public Higher Education in
Missouri.
Dr Paino will be the guest speaker at our July 26 Chamber
Roundtable in Fredericksburg, held at the Courtyard Marriott
on Caroline Street.
Again, welcome Dr. Troy Paino to the Chamber; we look
forward to working with you on the many projects to come!
22
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

Our Environment
#GreenBiz2016
Talkin’ Trash
FREDERICKSBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
2016Green Business
CHALLENGE
By Julie Williams-Daves, Environmental Manager & Community
Outreach Coordinator, Rappahannock Regional Solid Waste
Management Board, Stafford County
I love trash! No, this article was not written
by “Oscar the Grouch.” Actually, solid waste management
is an important part of our daily lives, which most people
don’t think about. At the Stafford Regional Landfill, we are
concerned with the large amount of trash being thrown away;
the amount of recycling in our community; and protecting the
environment while handling the garbage safely.
The Rappahannock Regional Solid Waste Management
Board (R-Board) operates the Regional Landfill on Eskimo
Hill Road in Stafford, the Belman Road Recycling Center in
Fredericksburg, and several drop-off recycling centers around
the County and City. The customers are citizens and trash
hauling companies and we strive to handle waste in the
most environmentally sound manner possible.
There is a cost to dumping trash. The R-Board, who
are members of the City Council and City Manager, Board
of Supervisors, and the County Administrator, manages it
without tax dollars. Our operations budget is separate from
the general funds of both Stafford County and the City of
Fredericksburg. Revenue comes from user fees for residents
and commercial disposal fees. The resale of recyclables and
landfill gas makes up the rest.
The R-Board owns nearly 800 acres in Stafford County,
which is not primarily for burying trash. There are several
acres of closed landfill space, an active area, and future plans
expected to provide garbage disposal for the next 50 years.
We are governed by a number of local, state and federal
permits.
However, landfilling trash is not all we do!
• The Regional Landfill has achieved an E3 certification
in the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s
Virginia Environmental Excellence Program, a voluntary
program promoting environmental management
systems and pollution prevention above and beyond the
minimum compliance requirements.
• The R-Board partnered with Ameresco, Inc. in 2008
to capture landfill gas and put it to the beneficial use
of generating electricity. With two methane-burning
engines, just over 2MW of electricity is continuously fed
into the grid, equating what approximately 1,300 homes
use in one year.
• The R-Board offers a robust recycling program from
single-stream, to scrap metal and tires, to batteries and
fluorescent bulbs, and more. The R-Board consistently
achieves one of the highest recycling rates in the state
and boasts a 58.4% recycling rate for 2015. The R-Board
depends on individuals and businesses to help us achieve
this rate. You all are doing a fantastic job!
• Rappa-Grow is the compost made at the landfill from
biosolids and shredded yard waste. It is a Class A compost
product and is for sale to individuals. In addition to recycling
organic materials onsite, we partner with the Virginia
Cooperative Extension to teach backyard composting at our
award winning Backyard Composting 101 classes.
• R-Board staff serves on community committees dedicated
to conservation and sustainability efforts, provides
curriculum supplements to primary and secondary
schools in our jurisdiction, and offers tours of our
facilities and other hands-on activities in our efforts
to engage and educate everyone about solid waste
management.
Do you want to learn more about why certain items are
accepted for recycling and others are not? Make sure your
business’s recycling efforts are being included in our recycling
rate. Would you like a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at
where your trash goes? Schedule a landfill tour today!
Call 540-658-4579 or visit www.r-board.org for more
information.
The new Cell F-2 which opened
in January, is nearly ten acres
where trash is currently placed.
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 23

Welcome New Members
Welcome
The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce warmly welcomes the newest members of the Chamber family.
Be a good partner – remember them when you do business.
Midst of the Storm
Tracie Logan
11914 Boulder Ct.
Spotsylvania, VA 22553
Phone: (571) 201-5222
Toll Free: 1-877-211-8816
midstofthestorm.com
Tracie@midstofthestorm.com
Organizing Services*
Dragon Entertainment
& Talent Management
Jennifer Gregory
6913 Battiste Lane
Spotsylvania, VA 22551
Phone: (407) 436-2004
dragontalentmanagement.com
dragonstage@gmail.com
Entertainment*
netadept
Chris Asmus
P.O. Box 243
Garrisonville, VA 22463
Phone: (540) 446-1520
netadept.com
casmus@netadept.com
Web Design & Hosting Services*
Movement Mortgage -
Premier Services Team
Scott Livingston
302 Westwood Office Park
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 809-4828
scottjlivingston.com
scott.livingston@movement.com
Mortgage Company*
Featherstone LLC
Melinda May
P.O. Box 7434
Fredericksburg, VA 22404
Phone: (540) 845-2451
featherstonecpa.com
Accounting & Tax Service*
Caroline Street Catering
Shane Sheaffer
4828 Southpoint Parkway
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Phone: (540) 654-9180
carolinestreetcatering.com
carolinestreetcatering@gmail.com
Caterers*
Campers Inn RV
Fredericksburg
1132 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
Phone: (540) 602-2030
wherring@campersinn.com
RV Sales*
* indicates primary category
Blossman Propane
Tim Amrhein
11011 Houser Drive, Unit 27
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 548-0254
blossmangas.com
fredericksburg@blossmangas.com
Propane/Gas Products*
Play It Again Sports
Michael Donohue
1281 Jeff Davis Hwy.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 374-9284
playitagainsportsfredericksburg.com
piasfredburg@gmail.com
Sporting Goods/Collectibles*
Best Western Plus
Thornburg Inn & Suites
Ashleigh Smith
5217 Mudd Tavern Rd.
Thornburg, VA 22580
Phone: (540) 805-5023
bestwestern.com/
PLUSThornburgInnandSuites.com
asmith@wjvco.com
Hotels/Motels*
Amy Cherry Taylor
and Association
Joy Hodges
744 A Warrenton Road
Fredericksburg, VA 22406
Phone: (540) 632-2824
amycherrytaylor.com
jhodges@averyhess.com
Real Estate*
Field Marshal Management, LLC
Rich Brown
754 Warrenton Rd., Ste. 113
Fredericksburg, VA 22406
Phone: (571) 494-8069
fieldmarshal.management
Business Consultants
Management/Development*
Sushi King
David Chiang
1811 Carl D Silver Pkwy.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 548-9040
sushikingusa.com
sushikingusa@gmail.com
Restaurants*
Care Advantage Inc
JonWayne Lindsey
10653 Spotsylvania Ave.
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone: (703) 436-4767
careadvantageinc.com
Jlindsey@careadvantageinc.com
HealthCare, Home Health Care*
Philly Pretzel Factory
Mike Hesington
1911 Plank Rd.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 899-6125
phillypretzelfactory.com
phillypretzelfredericksburg@
gmail.com
Restaurants*
Helpmate.io
Geri Davis
2608 Lafayette Blvd.
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone: (540) 220-0757
geridavis@helpmate.io
Web-Based Media*
Braehead Manor
Mary Windsor Cline
123 Lee Drive
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
Phone: (540) 361-2629
braeheadmanor.com
innkeeper@braeheadmanor.com
Bed & Breakfast/Inns*
Ameri-X-Guard Inc.
George Andrews
P.O. Box 639
Spotsylvania, VA 22553-0639
Phone: (540) 710-7600
Toll Free: (844) 752-8282
amerixguard.com
info@amerixguard.com
Cybersecurity & Systems Engineering*
Eileen’s Bakery & Cafe
Trista Couser
1115 Caroline St.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 372-4030
eileensbakeryandcafe.com
eileensbakery@gmail.com
Bakeries*
Chalk N More
Mary Hefner
1674 Carl D. Silver Pkwy.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 642-0304
chalknmore.com
Chalknmore@gmail.com
Specialty Shops/General Merchandise*
Service Dogs by
Warren Retrievers
Brenda Clements
P.O. Box 647
Madison, VA 22727
Phone: (540) 543-2307
Human Services*
ICF Homes, LLC
David Phelps
4610 Heartland Way
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone: (540) 809-8009
ICFHomesofVA.com
dave@icfhomesofva.com
New Home Builder*
Gourmeltz
Matthew Strickland
11304 Lenoir Ct.
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Phone: (540) 300-7001
gourmeltz.com
info@gourmeltz.com
Food Specialties/Services, Caterers*
Lucky Road Run Shop
Jeff Van Horn
1277 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: (540) 809-5933
luckyfoot.com
jeffvanhorn@luckyfoot.com
Retail Stores*
Deliveries Done Right LLC
Jayson Silvera
10725 Gideon Ct.
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Phone: (540) 548-7060
ddrcourier.com
info@ddrcourier.com
Couriers*
Remarkable Sailings
Patricia Ferrari
11706 Spyglass Road
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22407
Phone: (540) 736-8075
remarkablesailings.com
pferrari@dreamvacations.com
Travel Agencies*
UPS Store - Courthouse
Road/ Bald Eagle, Inc
Gregory Hall
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Enhancing Life Senior
Day Center
Eric Ward
3215 Lancaster Ring Rd.
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone: (540) 710-3397
enhancinglifesdc.com
info@enhancinglifesdc.com
Senior Services*
Smith Contract
Cort Smith
49 Sanford Ferry Ct.
Fredericksburg, VA 22406
Phone: (703) 928-2339
smithcontract.com
csmith@smithcontract.com
24
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

29 YEARS
. . . AND ON TO 30!
NOT EVERYONE LOOKS THIS GOOD AT 29!
29!
At Stafford Printing, we’re
proud to admit our age —
We’ve made it this far
because of our employees and
support from customers.
THANK YOU
on behalf of the Stafford Printing team
- Howard
Print, Design, Personalization, Mail,
Grand Format, Web Portal
StaffordPrinting.com • 540.659.4554

use development. The purchaser, Humanities Foundation, is
planning a 102-unit apartment community. With construction
starting this fall.
Fredericksburg Fences expands to new location
Fredericksburg Fences has moved
to a larger location at 4617 Mine
Road in Spotsylvania County.
The lease is for 5,000- squarefoot
building that includes office
space, warehouse, and an exterior
materials yard.
Patient First Now Accepting All Anthem Patients
Patient First announces our
Virginia medical centers
are again able to accept
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. These plans include
HealthKeepers, KeyCare, Medicare Advantage and others, as
well as out-of-state BlueCross BlueShield plans. Also, Patient
First welcomes back and is accepting Medicaid patients
insured under Anthem HealthKeepers Plus.
Port Royal Hornes Restaurant sold
Advantage Business Advisors, Inc.
(ABA) announced they acted as the
exclusive mergers and acquisitions
advisor in the sale of T.J. Morse, Inc.
trading as Hornes Restaurant and Gift Shop, located in Port
Royal, Virginia to JLK Enterprise, LLC.
The owners purchased the business 25 years ago, and are
now retiring. Advantage Business Advisors, Inc. represented
the sellers. The business will continue operate as a restaurant
and gift shop. The employees will be retained. Price and terms
were not disclosed.
New movie theater coming to Stafford County
Regal Entertainment Group plans to open
a 12-screen movie theater next year in The
Garrison at Stafford, formerly known as
Stafford Village.
The 50,539-square-foot theater will have a
lounge, recliner seating and the ability to show
traditional and 3D films on every scree
Coldwell Banker Commercial Elite Brokers sale
of multi-family site for $3.264M
Coldwell Banker Commercial Elite
recently closed on the sale of a
6.27 Acre multifamily community
site in Spotsylvania County for
$3.264M. The property is located
at the corner of Route 17 & Route 2/Tidewater Trail and part
of Tricord’s 188 acre “New Post on the Rappahannock” mixed
Virginia Partners to open branch in Spotsylvania
The newest location of
Virginia Partners Bank
will open in July.
The bank announced the branch, which will be its first in the
region outside of the City of Fredericksburg, in October. The
Spotsylvania County location will open in the former Union
Bank & Trust at 4201 Plank Rd.
President and CEO Lloyd Harrison said the location would be
the bank’s first west of Interstate 95 and “opens up a lot of
geography for us.”
As part of the opening, the bank will close its Westwood Office
Park branch at 2101 Plank Rd. to the public. It will remain an
office for the bank but will not offer walk-in services.
He said employees and equipment there will transfer to the
new Spotsylvania bank.
SourceAmerica honors Trenton Williams with
annual award
SourceAmerica®, a national nonprofit
and leading source of employment
opportunities for nearly 125,000 people
with significant disabilities, today
awarded Rappahannock Goodwill (RGI)
employee Trenton Williams with the
AbilityOne William M. Usdane Regional
Award.
Trenton Williams
The East Region award recognizes those
with significant disabilities who are trained and employed
through a national network of over 500 community-based
nonprofit agencies and has exhibited outstanding achievement
and exceptional character. Williams is employed by
Rappahannock Goodwill in janitorial/custodial at Asymmetric
Warfare Group, Fort A.P. Hill.
Trenton is legally blind and was told at a young age that he
would lose his sight. His disability made working difficult
but his life changed dramatically when Trenton came to RGI
approximately three years ago.
Trenton was awarded in 2014 for the RGI “Employee of the
Year.”
Liberty Pawn & Gold expands
Liberty Pawn & Gold has
acquired a fourth store. Owners
Dave and Tammy Munsee took
over ownership of Cash Palace,
the longtime pawn shop at
511 Jefferson Davis Highway in the Fredericksburg Shopping
Center, for an undisclosed amount.
26
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

REC earns distinguished Tree Line
USA recognition
For the fourteenth
consecutive year,
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) has been named a
Tree Line USA utility by The National Arbor Day Foundation.
This national recognition of excellence has only been earned
by approximately 4% of electric utilities, and only three in
Virginia.
“We are honored to be named a Tree Line USA utility again
this year. REC continues to share the goals of Tree Line USA –
achieving healthy forests and reliable electric service through
proper planting and pruning,” said Keith Forry, REC’s director
of vegetation management
services.
In 2015, REC cleared
over 1,500 miles of right
of way. REC’s vegetation
management program
adheres to a five-year tree
trimming cycle and its
arborists and tree-trimming
contractors trim tree
branches away from electric
lines to ensure a safe, reliable
and consistent power supply.
Top Photo: REC foresters, Dave
Dascenzo and Jacoby Lipscomb
coordinated the planting of
several trees at Lewis & Clark
Elementary School in Caroline
County
Bottom Photo: REC employees
planting a pollinator garden
in front of the Bowling Green
office.
REC Communications Specialist receives
national recognition
Casey Hollins,
Rappahannock Electric
Cooperative’s (REC)
communications specialist, received
national recognition from her peers
at the Cooperative Communicators
Association (CCA) at the CCA Institute
in Omaha, Neb.
Hollins received the 2016 Michael
Graznak Award, which recognizes CCA
members under the age of 35 who have
outstanding communications skills and Casey Holllins
show promise of a bright future.
“She exhibits an extraordinary ability to understand the
viewpoint of the REC member, with potential questions and
needs they may have,” said nominator Rhonda Curtis, former
manager of public relations and communication for REC.
Hollins coordinates the annual communications plan, which
includes communications efforts for special projects and
campaigns. She’s involved in the membership magazine,
Cooperative Living; the employee newsletter, PowerLines;
the annual report; social media; print advertising; website;
photography; and videography.
Union Bank acquires investment advisory firm
Union Bank & Trust, the subsidiary bank
®
of Richmond-based Union Bankshares
Corp., has completed its acquisition of
Old Dominion Capital Management
Inc., a Charlottesville-based registered investment advisory
firm with nearly $300 million in assets under management.
Union opens loan production office in
Charlotte, N.C.
Richmond-based Union Bankshares Corp. announced Friday it
has opened a loan production office in Charlotte, N.C.
The office will operate as UBTNC Commercial Finance, a
division of Union Bank & Trust of Virginia.
Huber Motor Names Two Leaders
Huber Motor Cars announced
the addition of two automotive
veterans to its leadership team.
Robert McDonald, who has 35 years of experience in
the automotive business, was named general manager
of Mercedes-Benz of Fredericksburg and Volvo Cars
Fredericksburg. He spent the past two years overseeing six
dealerships for the Roanoke-based Berglund Automotive
Group.
Shawn Kloppman, who has 24 years of experience, joined
Huber Motor Cars as general manager of Volkswagen of
Fredericksburg and Mazda of Fredericksburg. He previously
supervised those dealerships during the transition in ownership
from Bill Britt to the Rosner Automotive Group. He served as
general manager of Toyota of Stafford before joining Huber
Motor Cars.
Pierpoint Construction honored with Big50
Award
Todd Pierpoint, owner of
Pierpoint Construction, Inc. (PCI),
was selected by REMODELING
magazine to be included with REMODELING Big50. The 2016
Big50 winners were featured in the May issue of REMODELING,
a national trade.
“We are honored to receive this recognition,” says Todd
Pierpoint, President of PCI. “This award recognizes excellence
and leadership, and we are privileged to be named to this
select group of remodelers.”
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 27

REC Names New Manager of Administrative
Services/Controller
Rappahannock Electric
Cooperative (REC) has
promoted Lawrence
G. “Larry” Andrews to Manager of
Administrative Services/Controller.
Prior to assuming his new position,
Andrews was director of finance and
accounting. In that role, he oversaw
and monitored controls, policies, and
procedures to maintain the financial
integrity of REC.
He was previously a treasury and Lawrence Andrews
financial services specialist for REC for
10 years before becoming director in 2010.
Andrews received a bachelor’s degree in business management
from Virginia Tech and earned a Master of Business
Administration from the University of Mary Washington.
He is an active member of Spotswood Baptist Church, serving
as deacon, trustee, and Sunday school director. He also serves
on the audit committee of Fredericksburg Christian Schools
and is vice president for Spotswood Swim Club. Andrews is a
member of the Fredericksburg Host Lions Club.
Andrews lives in Spotsylvania County with his wife, Kim. They
have three grown children, Bryant, Jennifer, and Seth.
Rappahannock United Way Helps Individuals
Save Money During 2016 Tax Season
For Spotsylvania resident John Powell, deciding where to get
his taxes done this year was easy, although he had concerns
about how the Affordable Care Act would impact him.
“It was a big relief off my mind,” said Powell, who came to one
of Rappahannock United Way’s Free Tax Sites for the second
year in a row and had his taxes prepared free of charge. “With
the Marketplace involved, I didn’t know what my taxes would
be. The volunteers make sure people’s taxes are filed correctly.
These people know what they’re talking about. That’s a big
plus in my book.”
Powell and more than 1,900 other people had their tax returns
filed for free at Rappahannock United Way during the 2016
tax season.
USA Today Names Germanna a “Best
Community College in Virginia”
Germanna Community
College was named in
USA Today’s “The 10 best
community colleges in
Virginia” list, published June 18, 2016.
Germanna was recognized for its distance learning, nursing
and other health care programs, and SkillUpVA, “a program
designed to help students of all ages and backgrounds
develop the necessary skills to advance through the ranks of
their chosen career.”
SimVentions Named to Inc.’s Inaugural ‘50
Best Places to Work’ in 2016
Inc. Magazine named
SimVentions to its list
of the 50 Best Places
to Work in 2016. Inc. put it this way: “We hear it over and
over again at Inc.: The biggest challenge that your business
faces is finding and keeping the best people.
Inc. has produced a roster of the 50 Best Workplaces,
companies with up to 500 employees.
In Sympathy:
JAMES M. BOWEN
James M. Bowen, 81, of
Fredericksburg passed away
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at
Mary Washington Hospital.
Mr. Bowen was a U.S. Air Force
veteran. He graduated from Northeastern University
in Boston. Mr. Bowen was owner and operator of the
Best Western Motel in Fredericksburg and part owner
of Bowen Drug with his partner David Roulley.
Survivors include his wife, Gladys Bowen of
Fredericksburg; son James M. Bowen II of Spotsylvania;
grandsons Alexander G. Bowen and Stephen Schultz;
brother Richard Bowen of Scranton, PA; and numerous
nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his
daughter, Karan Bowen.
Funeral service was held at St. Mary Catholic Church
and interment at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American
Cancer Society South Atlantic Division, 4240 Park
Place Ct. Glen Allen, VA 23060-9904.
28
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

Linda Rivera continued from page 16
If Linda were to write a book, it would be
entitled Real Relationships. “Life is too short
for empty casual ‘acquaintances,’” she says.
“To really know someone you need to spend
time together, preferably in person. I realize
most people today communicate online,
but I’d much rather sit face to face over a
cup of coffee (or better still wine) and have
authentic conversation. I want to see and
feel reactions, and avoid misunderstandings.
I realize Facebook has advantages when it
comes to sharing information with loved
ones far away, or for mass communication,
but if you really want to know me, it won’t
be through Facebook. Let’s share time - and
wine. I’ve known my best friend since we
were eighteen, and even though we live over
500 miles apart, we schedule time together
and are just as close today.”
Linda has advice for women who
want hold a leadership role in the future.
“Strive to portray confidence, even if you’re
not feeling it, especially in a room full of
men. Always say please and thank you.
Remember, you lead the charge but there are
many who follow or walk along beside you
in your attainment of goals.”
Rebecca Rubin continued from page 16
acres of land for permanent conservation
purposes. “If the battle is worth fighting,”
she says, “then focus on something
beyond yourself – a principle, value
or ideal that is more important than
your own feelings. Holding on to that
greater construct will help you transcend
yourself, your own ego, your own sense of
injustice and stay the course.” In January,
the company will reach a milestone
and transform from a small federal
contracting business to a large business.
This transformation will introduce
Marstel Day to a whole new realm of
competition, changing their ballgame to
a rugby match—one in which they are
ready to battle.
When asked about the challenges of
being a female leader in a male-dominated
field, Rebecca jokingly responds, “don’t
be surprised when you receive letters that
begin with the words ‘Dear Gentlemen.’”
Rebecca’s biggest challenge deals not as
much with her being a woman leader, but
more with her creating her business and
also leading it. “While many people are in
leadership positions within organizations
owned and operated by someone else,”
Rebecca explains, “relatively few people
will ever know what it’s like to found, own
and manage a company from absolute
scratch, and then grow and manage it
continuously over many years while
assuming most or all of the liability and
responsibility along the way. In that sense
you are always somewhat alone on the
journey – by definition, and by choice, no
one can really be in there with you. As a
consequence, people around you will look
at your firm and see only the wave-tops –
the big wins, the big
losses. They will be
quick to judge based on their perceptions.
But the truth is, running a business is not
really about the peaks and valleys – those
are to be expected; in some ways, they are
almost too obvious. The harder stuff is
about moving forward on the less-obvious
angles and making something real and
‘whole cloth’ from the less thrilling, more
fragmented day- to-day journey.”
Rebecca Rubin, wife, mom, founder,
CEO, and president, proves that being a
woman in the workforce is not hard. The
hard part is remembering your freedom
of choice. “Starting a company of my
own,” she says, “had less to do with a
desire to succeed in business – that was a
necessity, not an ambition – and more to
do with being free to chart a course, for
better or worse.”
Roberta Tinch continued from page 17
a strong team and insert yourself when expectations are not met 5)
Be vulnerable and show your team that you are real and that you all
are in it together. A cohesive team needs to know they can count on
you. 6) CELEBRATE and recognize the contributions of your team –
even in the bad times. That is when it is the hardest and the support is
needed the most.
Roberta is a humble business leader who believes business
knowledge needs to be balanced by compassion. She is also constantly
reminded that perseverance is the foundation of success. As a woman
in a medical and business world full of men, Roberta says that for
women leaders, “it is not about being feminine or demure, or sweet
nice and quiet. Success comes from knowing what you are talking
about and adding value to your organization through results. No
matter your gender, you will be promotable and grow in your career if
you know the details of your business and its operations.”
If Roberta wrote a book, she says it would be entitled, Millennials
in Leadership. “As a millennial myself,” she explains, “there is much
to learn and share from my generation. I am excited and blessed to
be in my role, and I want to give voice to our up-and-coming leaders
across the business spectrum.” When asked what motivates Roberta
each day to get out of bed in the morning and go to work, she replies,
“knowing that what I do matters to my organization and that my
cumulative efforts improve the health and care of patients.”
Roberta Tinch is the mirror image of a remarkable leader. Her
last piece of advice to the readers is the following, “Leadership is a
calling and a privilege. Do not take it lightly. You are responsible for
the people who work for the organization and you should know who
they are on a personal level. Every day, we have the opportunity to do
amazing things!”
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• 3.4 AC LOCATED JUST OFF US RT 1 IN
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FRONTAGE ON CRANES CORNER. STONE’S
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NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. ASKING $119,000.
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JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 29

Upcoming classes and seminars
UMW Small Business Development Center
To register for these seminars: call 540-654-1383 or online www.economicdevelopment.umw.edu/
July 7 th
First Thursday with SBA – 8(a)
Application Workshop: Join James
Williams, Lead Economic Development
Specialist with the SBA to discuss
“Women Owned Small Business
(WOSB) Program.”
July 11 th , July 18 th , August 8 th
First Steps to Starting a Business:
This workshop is offered at multiple
times throughout the summer in
order to provide you with the greatest
opportunity to learn about the basics
of self evaluation, ideas, defining
needs, determining feasibility, and
deciding what actions are necessary
in the beginning of your business
development process.
July 12 th
Introduction to Purchasing in the
Commonwealth: Join presenter
Kimberly Madison as she explains the
Commonwealth’s purchasing process,
the effect that purchasing policies have
on the eVA system, and how to use eVA
tools.
July 26 th
Basic Training: Small Business Guide
to Federal Contracts: At this training
with PTAP Director Anna Urman,
participants will learn the essentials
of starting a growing a government
contracting business, as well as how
to develop strategies for business
development with government agencies
and prime contractors.
August 2 nd
Human Resource Law: Learn the ins
and outs of HR Law in the world of
small business.
August 8 th
QuickBooks: Come to this workshop
in order to the things you need to know
to perform typical bookkeeping tasks.
Topics include: how to move around in
QuickBooks, customer center, vendor
center, banking, and reports.
August 10 th
Blue Print Business Plan: Join the
experts at UMWSBDC as they explore
the narrative process and financial
forecast involved in a business plan.
August 23 rd
Proposal Writing 101: This workshop
is designed for any experience level
and to expand the participant’s
ability to develop and write federal
proposal content that is compliant
and compelling. The objective of
the workshop is to help participants
understand how to achieve the
maximum proposal evaluation points.
Germanna Center for Workforce and Community Education
For more information call 540-891-3012
July 26 th
Introduction to Individual & Small
Business Taxation: The instructor
will use examples from the business
world to discuss basic accounting
principles and concepts, such as the
general ledger, debits, credits, assets,
liabilities, expenses, revenues and
equity. Students will learn how to set
up accounts, record transactions, and
read financial reports.
July 27 th
Marketing your Business with
Digital Tools: In this two-hour class,
you will learn how digital users on the
Web interact with individual businesses
and how Web marketing can drive
people to your business. Learn how
to list yourself on popular web search
directories, and how to optimize your
site for search engine visibility.
July 28 th , August 11 th , September 23 rd
Business and Presentation Writing:
This class is offered at multiple times
in order to give you the opportunity
to explore the differences between
professional and personal writing, and
learn the essentials of writing memos,
letters, reports, emails, and texts in the
business world.
August 12 th , September 8 th
Staking your Claim on the Web: In
this two-hour class, you will learn how
to choose and register a domain name
for your online business and how to
point that domain name at an actual
Web site. You will also learn about the
various options for Web hosting and
how to establish a branded email for
your business.
August 30 th , September 12 th
Selling on the Web: In this two-hour
course, discover how to create an online
store and sell physical goods online.
Students will learn the different options
available for e-commerce; learn how
to create a merchant account with a
bank, inventory management and how
to manage shipping costs and fulfilling
others.
September 7 th -September 28 th
Series: Visual Design for Startups:
This four-class series is designed for
businesses, organizations, startups,
entrepreneurs, and anyone else who
wants to understand the importance
of visual design when it comes to
identifying your brand and marketing it.
Learn how to best leverage your brand
and attract the right customers.
September 8 th
Facebook for Business: In this class
you will learn how to customize your
Facebook for business. You will learn
how to build your valuable readership,
sell your “likeability”, leverage your
business and engage readers.
September 14 th
Non-Profit Grant Proposal Writing:
Participants will learn the basics of grant
writing, including a needs assessment,
identifying potential funding sources,
creating goals, and targeting proposals
to grant makers appropriate to the field
and project.
30
Fredericksburg Regional Business
JULY/AUGUST 2016

July 2016
12 - Special Dialogue with Lt. Governor Ralph
Northam, 8:30am, Fick Conference Center
13 - Chamber Goodwill Awards, 3:00pm, Hyatt Place
14 - Business After Hours, 5:30pm, American Red
Cross, Stafford Regional Airport
15 - Ribbon Cutting, 4:00pm, Lucky Road Run Shop,
1277 Jefferson Davis Highway
16 - Next Gen River Day, 10:00am, 362 Riverside Dr.
18 - Ribbon Cutting, 4:00pm, Philly Pretzel Factory of
Fredericksburg, 1911 Plank Road
19 - MAC Roundtable, 8:00am, Senate Armed
Services Committee, 1300 Courthouse Rd.,
Speaker Cord Sterling
19 - CNEW Luncheon, 11:30am, Fredericksburg
Country Club
20 - Transportation Report, 3:30pm, LifeCare Medical
Transports, 1180 International Pkwy
21 - Active Shooter Seminar, 8:00am, SimVentions,
Inc, Speaker Dave Corderman & Nick Nicholson
21 - Expect the Unexpected, Smarter Business
Seminar, 12:30 - 4 p.m., Rapp. EMS Council,
435 Hunter St., Fredericksburg
26 - Chamber Roundtable (Fredericksburg), 8:00am,
Courtyard Marriott Fredericksburg, Speaker Dr. Paino
August 2016
2 - Chamber Roundtable (Spotsylvania), 8:00am,
location TBD
3 - Next Gen Mid-week Motivation, 12:00pm,
Renato’s
11 - Business Leadership Roundtable, 8:00am, Hyatt
Place, Speakers Mike Fidgeon & Ken Tyler
16 - CNEW Luncheon,11:30am, Fredericksburg
Country Club
18 - Business After Hours, 5:30pm, Kaufman and
Canoles, Adventure Brewing South 3300 Dill Smith Dr.
19 - Leading Through the Region, 8:00am, LifeCare
Medical Transports, 1180 International Pkwy
September 2016
6 - Chamber Roundtable (Stafford), 8:00am,
location TBD
8 - Business After Hours, 5:30pm, Scott Insurance
and Financial Services, 2115 Lafayette Boulevard
16 - Leadership Fredericksburg Kickoff, 5:00pm
20 - CNEW Luncheon, 11:30am, Fredericksburg
Country Club
22 - Business After Hours, 5:30pm, Fredericksburg
Academy, 10800 Academy Drive
26 - Midweek Motivation with Congressman
Wittman, 12:00pm, TBD
27 - Made in FredVA, Inn at Old Silk Mill
View Chamber Calendar of Events online:
www.fredericksburgchamber.org
NEW
Fredericksburg Regional
Chamber of Commerce
SMARTER
Business Series
IS YOUR WORKPLACE PREPARED FOR
AN ACTIVE SHOOTER?
Learn How to React in a Hostile situation
July 21, 2016 • 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
@SimVentions Conference Room
$50/pp includes breakfast
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED
Preparing for Workplace Disasters & Threats
July 21, 2016 • 12:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Rappahannock Emergency Medical
Services Council Training Room
$50/pp, includes lunch
Register Online for these events at: fredericksburgchamber.org/
events or call 540-373-9400. For more info: Call Sara Branner @
540-373-9358; E-mail: sara@fredericksburgchamber.org
> Preparing for Workplace Disasters & Threat
JULY/AUGUST 2016 Fredericksburg Regional Business 31

The better choice
for banking.
If you want a more personal banking experience, you’ll find it here.
Our bank was founded by local people with a commitment
to the community and the success of its people and businesses.
Come in and see for yourself.
410 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 115 E. Charles Street, La Plata, MD 20646
Bank local, bank better.
(540) 899-2265 • www.VirginiaPartnersBank.com •