Member News July
AREVA, the province of New Brunswick and the utility New Brunswick Power, have signed a letter of intent to develop a clean energy park near the Point Lepreau nuclear station (Canada). The project represents the third clean energy park in the world that would be developed by AREVA. The site would feature a mid-sized generation III+ nuclear plant and renewable energy sources all built by AREVA. Power from the park would be used domestically in the province and exported to the Canadian Maritime region and to New England (USA).
Centra has received national certification for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart attack patients from The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission, which reviewed Centra’s processes and treatment of heart attack patients, evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs for safety and quality. Surveyors conducted an on-site evaluation of Centra’s processes and ability to evaluate and improve care. The Joint Commission had no suggestions for improvement. The national certification once again shows that Centra exceeds national standards and guidelines that bring heart attack care excellence. Centra was awarded certification in disease-specific AMI. Centra’s emergency and cardiology teams consistently take heart attack patients from the doors of the emergency department to successful angioplasty faster than the majority of hospitals in the country. Centra ranks in the top 6 percent nationally of hospitals achieving the national gold standard of 90 minutes or less. Named a 100 Top Cardiovascular Hospital in America for the fifth time last year, Centra consistently earns national recognition for its heart care. Not only are Centra’s cardiovascular services ranked among the top heart hospitals in the country, but Centra also holds The Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ highest rating for quality in cardiac surgery. Centra is the only health care system in Virginia to have received the award every year since its inception. Centra’s excellent surgical outcomes allow Centra to provide high-quality, comprehensive cardiovascular care. Centra has earned the Beacon Award from the American Association of Critical Care as well as top awards from VHA and accreditation for its Chest Pain Center with percutaneous coronary intervention from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.
Electronic Systems’ Beach Bag Program Supports At-Risk. The Beach Bag program acts as a supplement to the Kids Cafés hosted by local food banks. During the school year, Kids Café locations provide a safe haven and hot evening meals to at-risk children in the community. But when school is out of session for the summer, Kids Cafés are closed and students no longer have an opportunity to receive free breakfasts and lunches at their schools. ESI designed the Beach Bag program to help bridge this gap. Employees from ESI’s offices in Virginia Beach, Hampton, Richmond, Lynchburg, and Roanoke participated in the program this year. Together, they assembled a total of 204 beach bags (Virginia Beach 89, Hampton 60, Richmond 30, and Lynchburg/Roanoke 25). In addition to the bags, ESI contributed $436 in cash donations raised at a recent company cookout, the first of three that will be held this summer to benefit the food banks.National College has announced that Toni Freeman of Roanoke has been named regional director of agency development. In this new position, Freeman will develop relationships with agencies that assist the public with educational opportunities for seven campuses in Virginia: Bluefield, Charlottesville, Danville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Martinsville, and Roanoke. She will also support the new campuses in West Virginia scheduled to open later this year.
Member News June
News-Talk 105.9, WLNI in Lynchburg, was recognized at the 73rd Annual Virginia Broadcasting Awards for excellence in broadcasting, garnering three First Place Awards. Mari White and Brian Weigand, co-hosts of The MorningLine, received the First Place Award for Best Morning Show in Virginia, Large Market, for the second year in a row; First Place Award for Best Documentary or Public Affairs program, Large Market for "Camille Remembered"; and First Place Award for Best Human Interest Series, Large Market for "Surviving Summer With Your Kids". Brian and Mari and their combined thirty years of broadcasting experience provide greater Lynchburg listeners with a timely blend of news and entertainment every weekday morning from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
AREVA NP's delivery of two massive steam generators to a Pennsylvania nuclear power reactor last year received a “Grand Award” in the 2010 Engineering Excellence Awards by the American Council of Engineering Companies. The award named Michael Baker Jr. Inc., Areva’s vendor that helped plan and execute the delivery.The 15-day project moved two 825-ton generators across parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania to deliver them to the Three Mile Island station in September. It “required innovative design and reconstruction of overpasses, bridges and infrastructure,” according to the awards program.
American National Bank and Trust Company announced that Charles H. Majors who is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, has been named Chairman of the Virginia Bankers Association. He succeeds H. Watts Steger, III, Bank of Botetourt, to become VBA’s 118th Chairman.
The Babcock & Wilcox Co. public spin-off from McDermott International should be finished in the third quarter, allowing them to become an independent public company.
Bank of America Mid Atlantic President William Couper has been named Chairman-Elect of the Virginia Bankers Association.
Centra Foundation, whose mission is to develop resources to enhance and enrich the services, programs and facilities of Centra Lynchburg General, Virginia Baptist and Southside Community hospitals to assist Centra in meeting and solving community health problems, is awarding more than $238,000 in funding this year through the Community Health Initiative Fund. Funds for the grants are administered by the Centra Foundation and come directly from Centra.
Grant recipients are: Rebuilding Together Lynchburg • Bedford Ride – Emergency Medical Transportation • Tinbridge Hill – Building a Healthy Neighborhood • Amazement Square • Coalition for HIV Awareness Prevention • Central Virginia Community College Educational Foundation • Lynchburg College – Doctor of Physical Therapy Program • Free Clinic of Central Virginia • Girls on the Run • Boys & Girls Club of Lynchburg – Project Summer Hope • Northern Pittsylvania County Food Center • RX Drug Partnership • Junior League of Lynchburg - Smart Moves Program • CASA of Central Virginia • The Witness Project • Jubilee Family Development Center
Sands Anderson PC has fifteen lawyers that are included in the Super Lawyers of Virginia, a publication of Law and Politics, Inc. The lawyers included through recommendations that are subject to editorial review by the publisher for 2010 are: Michael R. Bedsaul, Rising Star-Government/Cities/Municipalities; Andrew Biondi, Rising Star-Professional Liability: Defense; W. Ashley Burgess, Rising Star-Business/Corporate; L. Lee Byrd, Business Litigation;; C. Michael DeCamps, Employment & Labor; Jeffrey Hamilton Geiger, Business Litigation; Terrence L. Graves, Transportation/Maritime; William A. Gray, Bankruptcy/Creditors’ Rights; Bruce L. Mertens, Estate Planning & Probate; Albert M. Orgain IV, Aviation; M. Pierce Rucker, Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice; Douglas P. Rucker, Jr., Professional Liability: Defense; J. Jonathan Schraub, Professional Liability: Defense; William N. Watkins, Civil Litigation Defense; and Carlyle R. (Randy) Wimbish, III, Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice.
Centra has received national certification for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart attack patients from The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission, which reviewed Centra’s processes and treatment of heart attack patients, evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs for safety and quality. Surveyors conducted as on-site evaluation of Centra’s processes and ability to evaluate and improve care. The Joint Commission had no suggestions for improvement. The national certification once again shows that Centra exceeds national standards and guidelines that bring heart attack care excellence. Centra was awarded certification in disease-specific AMI. Centra’s emergency and cardiology teams consistently take heart attack patients from the doors of the emergency department to successful angioplasty faster than the majority of hospitals in the country. Centra ranks in the top 6 percent nationally of hospitals achieving the national gold standard of 90 minutes or less. Named a 100 Top Cardiovascular Hospital in America for the fifth time last year, Centra consistently earns national recognition for its heart care. Not only are Centra’s cardiovascular services ranked among the top heart hospitals in the country, but Centra also holds The Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ highest rating for quality in cardiac surgery. Centra is the only health care system in Virginia to have received the award every year since its inception. Centra’s excellent surgical outcomes allow Centra to provide high-quality, comprehensive cardiovascular care. Centra has earned the Beacon Award from the American Association of Critical Care as well as top awards from VHA and accreditation for its Chest Pain Center with percutaneous coronary intervention from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.
American National Bank & Trust Company is pleased to announce the promotions of Teresa O. Maddox to Trust Officer and Stuart C. Evans to Commercial Banking Associate. Mrs. Maddox has over fifteen years of financial services experience in the Lynchburg area and five years with the Trust and Investment Services Division of American National. She is a 2008 graduate of the Cannon Financial Institute Personal Trust School. Mr. Evans, a native of Lynchbburg, holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Finance from Virginia Tech. He is also a graduate of the Risk Management Association’s Commercial Lending School at East Carolina University.
Appalachian Power Company (APCo) is requesting implementation of the reduced fuel factor be coordinated with implementation of any change in the base rate case, which is pending before the State Corporation Commission and scheduled to be put into effect on August 1, 2010. The early filing will pass along the benefits to customers sooner than had been anticipated and the coordinated implementation of the two cases will help avoid multiple changes in customer rates in a short period of time as well as help to mitigate the impact of any rate increase that may be approved by the Commission in the base rate case. In a separate rate matter, APCo's Environmental and Reliability Surcharge (E&R) rate component is still scheduled to expire at the end of this year. The combination of the fuel rate reduction and the expiration of the E&R Surcharge will reduce rates by nearly $200 million. APCo has started an outreach program to customers who had unusually high energy usage during the first four months of this year. Over 400 letters were mailed to customers in the Rocky Mount and Galax areas in late May offering a free energy audit of their home to help identify ways to reduce electricity usage. Apco will be sending letters to customers in the Lynchburg area and if this outreach program continues to prove successful we intend to expand it to other areas of our service territory and reach as many customers as we can by winter.
Verizon's 2009/2010 Corporate Responsibility Report shows that they are using broadband and wireless networks to open up entirely new ways of doing things that are making an enormous difference for people. For instance: ● Verizon is making education more effective by expanding our free online educational resource, Thinkfinity.org, to reach more people and include more resources; ● Verizon is improving how health care is delivered through electronic health records, wireless monitoring and video imaging; ● Verizon is showing how a “smart” infrastructure can conserve energy and make our communities greener; and ● Verizon is developing products and services for people with physical challenges so they can have better access to the fruits of the digital age. In Virginia, 1,000 nonprofit groups received more than $4 million from the Verizon Foundation in 2009, enabling recipient organizations to improve literacy skills, enhance educational opportunities for children and assist domestic violence survivors.
For the 2nd consecutive year, Decorating Den Interiors local designer Linda Edwards has been awarded for her outstanding design work. She was named Second Runner Up in the "Decorator of the Year" award, and also received a First Place design category award for a family room makeover. Edwards' work was judged in New York by over 30 top home furnishing magazine editors. Linda is owner of Decorating Den Interiors, Forest, and is a member of the Chamber's Board of Directors.
Electronic Systems, Inc. (ESI) will celebrate the grand opening of its new office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, on June 17, 2010. ESI will offer its award-winning suite of office technology solutions to local businesses, academic institutions, and public sector entities throughout northeastern North Carolina. ESI’s offerings include information technology solutions, digital multifunction copiers, mailing systems, supplies, and service.
Sands Anderson PC has announced that Ruth T. Griggs and Michelle L. Warden have joined the Healthcare Practice Group at the law firm of Sands Anderson PC as Associates. Griggs most recently was with McCarthy, Massey & Mitchell in Manassas. Warden was with Tronfeld, West and Durrett in Richmond. Both previously served as law clerks to judges of the Circuit Court of Fairfax County.Griggs earned her BA from Villanova University, her MBA at Golden Gate University and her JD with honors at George Mason University School of Law. Warden earned her BS from the State University of New York College at Buffalo and her JD at the University of Richmond School of Law, with honors.
Member News May
John Stewart Walker, a real estate company, is celebrating 120 years of service in central Virginia beginning in May. It is the oldest real estate firm in the Virginia and the fourth oldest real estate firm in the United States. John Stewart Walker served on the Board of the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce in 1971. The company has contributed a record of 8 past presidents to the Lynchburg Board of Realtors. John Stewart Walker offers home and commercial sales, added appraisals, construction, an international Relo service, and is an auction company.
Member News April
Bank of America Corp., the largest U.S. lender, posted its first profit in three quarters.
Banker Steel owner & CEO, Don Banker and The Babcock & Wilcox president, Christofer Mowry, were named to Governor McDonnell’s 62-member Economic Development and Jobs Creation Commission.
Centra Foundation has received a major donation of $100,000 through Alan B. Pearson to provide scholarship support to Centra nursing school students at Lynchburg General Hospital. Centra’s nurses have earned the country's highest honor in nursing by receiving Magnet re-designation for a second time. Centra's Lynchburg General and Virginia Baptist hospitals earned the four year certification initially in 2005 and received another four year certification.
Fink’s Jewelers is proud to announce their 80th anniversary celebration.As one of America’s “Top 50” jewelers, Fink’s now operates 14 stores in 8 different cities throughout Virginia and North Carolina, and remains committed to quality and service.
Griffin Pipe is finishing $35 million expansion and has added a 52,700-square-foot addition to its riverfront plant in downtown Lynchburg and has purchased and installed two of the four new iron-casting machines.
L E Lichford, Inc. is now doing business as Century Beverage Distributor.
Pickering Creative Group is pleased to announce a new association with HTI Plastics. Pickering is partnering with HTI Plastics on a number of initiatives, including marketing communications and strategy development with the goal of expanding HTI’s market penetration. HTI Plastics is a Lincoln, Nebraska-based manufacturer of high-end injection molded products. Pickering Creative Group has also been selected by Decision Logic to develop a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy for the firm.
Member News March
Centra Foundation has received a major donation of $100,000 through Alan B. Pearson to provide scholarship support to Centra nursing school students at Lynchburg General Hospital,
Centra’s nurses have earned the country’s highest honor in nursing by receiving Magnet re-designation for a second time. Centra’s Lynchburg General and Virginia Baptist hospitals earned the four year certification initially in 2005 and Tuesday received another four year certification. The designation is the highest
Fink’s Jewelers is proud to announce their 80th anniversary celebration. As one of America’s “Top 50” jewelers, Fink’s now operates 14 stores in 8 different cities throughout Virginia and North Carolina, and remains committed to quality and service.
L E Lichford, Inc. is now doing business as Century Beverage Distributor
Pickering Creative Group is pleased to announce a new association with HTI Plastics. Pickering is partnering with HTI Plastics on a number of initiatives, including marketing communications and strategy development with the goal of expanding HTI’s market penetration. HTI Plastics is a Lincoln, Nebraska-based manufacturer of high-end injection molded products. HTI provides design and engineering expertise, tooling, and injection molding for a wide variety of industries from pharmaceuticals to food packaging.
Members News February
The Alzheimer’s Association Central and Western Virginia Chapters has announced the addition of E. Ray Dinstel, FALU, LTCP, Vice President Life and LTC Underwriting at Genworth Financial to its board of directors. Continuing members of the Board of Directors are: Chairman Bill Stokes of Charlottesville, Vice Chairman Brian Phelps of Harrisonburg, Treasurer Bob Gilges of Crozet, Secretary Margie Shaver of Roanoke, past chair Ron Feinman, Esquire of Lynchburg; Dr. Carol Manning of Charlottesville, Joyce Tipton of Waynesboro, Jeff Ulmer, CPA of Charlottesville, Barry N. Moore, Ph.D. of Lynchburg, Dr. Bill Pelton of Charlottesville, and Bill Howard (emeritus member) of Charlottesville.
The Babcock & Wilcox, Inc., may soon be the first nuclear power plant to build a small reactor in the US according to the Wall Street Journal.
Centra plans to build an outpatient surgery center and medical complex in Danville. Centra officials said that many patients from Danville have been traveling to Lynchburg and North Carolina for some procedures. On Friday, Centra applied for state authorization for a facility to provide those services in Danville.If granted permission, Centra could break ground on the center on Piedmont Drive early in 2011 and open it in 2012.
Courtyard Marriott has hired Christina Wells as Sales Manager.
Great American Grill located at Hilton Garden Inn has a new menu.
Holiday Inn Downtown Lynchburg announced Chef Ronnie Napier, runner-up in the "Making The Chef" competition, has assumed the role of Executive Chef for the hotel and Lunchbag On Main, with his new menus for both Catering and the Lunchbag On Main Dinner
Liberty University announced the purchase of Candlers Station shopping center for $16.3 million an investment that Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said sets the stage for future campus growth.
Lynchburg was named one of the Top Digital Cities in its respective population categories for 2009. Lynchburg placed seventh in the 30,000-74,999 category and has ranked in the top 10 since this population category was added in 2004. These honors are the result of the ninth annual Digital Cities Survey, which examines how municipalities in the United States use technology to better serve citizens engaging with local government.
Pickering Creative Group was awarded a silver ADDY from the AdvertisingFederation for its design and development of the new Clark Enersen website which launched in 2009. A true collaborative effort between Clark Enersen and our firm, the new website successfully met the objectives and goals for the project....which is the true measurement for success.
Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, P.C., has reelected M. Pierce Rucker to a three year term on the Board of Directors, and was subsequently selected by the Board members as President for 2010.
Sweet Briar 1945 graduate Margaret “Peggy” Jones Wyllie endows $3 Million Fund to support the Engineering Program. Margaret and her husband Jesse Wyllie are generous supporters of engineering program at Sweet Briar. They contributed substantially for laboratory renovations and equipment, computers and software from 2005 to 2007. In recognition of the gift, SBC Engineering will henceforth be known as the Margaret Jones Wyllie ’45 Engineering Program. It is the first named academic program in the College’s 109-year history.
Member News January
American National Bank & Trust Company is pleased to announce the election of Charles H. Majors as Chairman-Elect of the Virginia Bankers Association. As Chairman-Elect, he is slated to become the Association’s Chairman in 2010.
The Babcock & Wilcox Company has appointed Mary Pat Salomone as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer.
Banker Steel Company, L.L.C. has been awarded a $50 million contract to provide the structural steel for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Lynchburg steel company will bring 50 new jobs to the area.
Centra Lynchburg General Hospital has been named a 2009 Medal of Honor recipient for organ donations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and LifeNet Health.
Centra is the first health care system in the country to earn national STAR Program Certification for rehabilitation care for cancer survivors from the Massachusetts-based Oncology Rehab Partners (ORP), leading consultants in the field of survivorship care.
Generation Solutions Home Health today announced that it has been named to the 2009 HomeCare Elite, a compilation of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. Winners are ranked by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, quality improvement, and financial performance. The 2009 HomeCare Elite is the only performance recognition of its kind in the home health industry.
Generation Solutions Home Health announced that Darlene West, RN has successfully passed the HCS-D certification exam and is now a certified HSC-D coder and may use the designation HSC-D. In addition, she has passed the certification exam for OASIS specialist- clinical and may use the designation COS-C.
Goodwill Industries will open new retails stores in spring 2010. The first store, planned for late March or Early April will open in Ruckersville, VA. The store and donation center, will be located on Route 29, north of Charlottesville, between Wendy's and Kentucky Fried Chicken, Also scheduled to open mid to late Spring is a new store in Botetourt Commons in Daleville.
Innovative Computer Solutions, a Sage North America business partner specializing in the sales, installation, and support of Sage SalesLogix, Sage MAS 90, Sage MAS 200, Sage Abra HRMS, Sage FAS, has been named to the Sage America President’s Circle for fiscal year 2009, a second consecutive year.
Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, P.C announced that Broderick C. Dunn has joined the Business and Professional Litigation practice group in the Richmond office.
The Sands Anderson Marks & Miller lawyers located in Montgomery County and serving clients throughout the southwest Virginia area are moving into new office space in the First Bank & Trust Building on Peppers Ferry Road in Christiansburg.
Virginia Episcopal School announced that Mr. G. Thomas Battle, Jr. has been appointed the 12th Headmaster of Virginia Episcopal School. Battle, a distinguished VES graduate of the Class of 1983 will assume his official duties at the near-century old school on July 1, 2010.
