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Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce honors local business, industry leaders

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augusta-chamber-headerThe Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce its annual Economic Development Outlook Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Staunton Conference Center on Wednesday.

The Chamber presented awards to three area business and industry leaders, and this year renamed the awards in memory of Dennis Burnett, the former economic development director in Augusta County and former executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, who passed away last year.

Three years ago, the Chamber created the Community Excellence awards as part of the breakfast; adding momentum to the Virginia Chamber’s Blueprint Virginia. The state program, facilitated by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce in 2013, was a comprehensive effort to provide business leadership, direction and long- range economic development planning for Virginia. Burnett was the first recipient of this award.

 

Dennis Burnett Community Excellence Award Winners

Christina Cain, Executive Director, Staunton Community Development Fund

Christina has been on the front lines empowering people to open businesses by educating them on business planning, navigating the process of getting a business loan, and lending an ear of support and empathy. Upon understanding the impact she could make, Christina earned a Masters of Science in Community Economic Development with a specialization in Nonprofit Management from Southern New Hampshire University.

Most recently, Christina was the Director for the Center for Asset Building at New Visions, New Ventures, a Women’s Business Center in Richmond. She has made a career of counseling small business start-ups, matching entrepreneurs with financial resources (both loans and grants) to start small businesses, and inspiring first-time business owners to feel confident in their beginning ventures Her passion for economic development was recognized when her clients nominated her for Style Weekly’s 2010 Top 40 Under 40 as an emerging leader.

Since joining SCCF in May of 2012, Christina has developed the Virginia Individual Development Account (VIDA), strengthen the training and educational programs to include: coaching, mentorship, loan funds, nonprofit incubation and F.E.E.D (Food Education for Entrepreneurial Development) and the Invest Local program.   Under her leadership, SCCF has loaned $335,900.00 to 14 businesses since May 2012.

Christina is also on the board of the Allegheny Mountain Institute and CAPSAW. Dennis was one of her early admirers, recognizing her vibrant energy and enthusiasm that continues to ignite our local entrepreneurial economy.

 

Frank Root, Founder & President of Countryside Service Co

If you go online and look up Frank Root under the Home Builders Association you will find marketing that says Countryside has an ever-expanding team that currently numbers nearly 30 professionals that have over 400 years of combined real estate development, management, investment, finance, marketing, maintenance, construction, and related experience.

When you think of Frank Root, one word always comes to mind:  Visionary.  He can instantly look at a piece of land or review a business deal and knows if it will be successful.  Frank founded Countryside in 1992 and continues to enjoy what he does:creating homes and furthering the American dream for our community. It is through his ingenuity, positive attitude, and out-of-the-box creativity that enabled Countryside to grow throughout the recession. It was through Frank Root’s entrepreneurial vision and cooperation with the County that Mill Place Office Park was developed in 2006. His most recent project was the Nexus Services ground breaking. The company will consolidate its immigration-aid business at Mill Place Office Park, expanding its presence with a $22 million construction and relocation plan that will bring hundreds of jobs during the next three years. The company will unify its headquarters at Mill Place, where it already occupies space, and will expand by building a third phase to the office campus with a 10,000-square-foot building.

In 2014, he continued to build and prosper a land development company in an economy where similar businesses were still struggling for survival.

Frank and Dennis Burnett were kindred spirits — they shared a passion for working hard and both viewed the Shenandoah Valley as the best place to live and work.  Frank continues to strive toward bettering our County with homes, jobs and a high standard of living through his work with Countryside.

  

Devon Anders, President and Terry Cunningham, Business Development Manager- Interchange Group

The InterChange Group plays an integral role in the economic development landscape of the greater Augusta County area and the Shenandoah Valley region.  Devon and Terry demonstrate the innovation and entrepreneurship that drive our economy and make this area “open for business.”

The company was founded in 1993 as The Warehouse Company, is a full service developer, warehousing and logistics company.  The company’s warehousing space provides many manufacturers in the greater Augusta area conveniently-located and quality space to store materials and product. To put it simply, InterChange is a needed partner in the Valley’s supply chain.  With a building portfolio of nearly 1.2 million square feet and over 500 acres of prime industrial/commercial land, InterChange plays a hand in economic development throughout the Valley including important developments in Augusta County.

In September of 2014, with Devon and Terry leading the charge, InterChange purchased the South Oak Lane Warehouse near Waynesboro in Lyndhurst and spent the first several months of ownership investing significant dollars in what resulted in a drastically updated and improved space.  The warehouse now boasts 300,000 available square feet of food-grade warehouse space with new parking lots, improved office space, and expansive capacity at a time when available building space is desperately needed in this area.

Devon and Terry are heavily involved in the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, the regional economic development marketing organization, and have been supporters of the group for over ten years.  Terry and Devon attend numerous trade shows and marketing missions helping to show the private sector commitment necessary for success.

Much like Dennis, Devon and Terry are the consummate salesmen and have been known to promote their company’s services in elevators, trains, planes, over dinner discussions, and to anyone willing to listen.  They constantly promote the Valley as the ideal place to do business.

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