Inside

c o n t e n t s

38

 y the Numbers
8 BFreedom
4/24 and

global human trafFicking

u s i n e s s Un d e r 1 0
9 B1311
CAPITAL
B u s i n e s s O v e r 10
12 
LANCASTER GALLERIES

14

17

20

E d u c a t i on

aec

Go i n g g r e e n

Thriveworks:
You Can Thrive.
We Can Help.

Nydree Flooring:
Local Flooring
Company Reaching
Stadium-Size
Clientele

Bold Branch Beef:

We raise beef
the way it was
meant to be
raised

human resources
22 
Celebrating Human Resources

in Central Virginia

 ealth c are
23 hWeaving
Wellness into
Workplace Culture

le ade r o f th e month
25 
Teresa C. Sheppard

Personal Lines Account Manager/

Campbell Insurance

28 In t h e n e w s

29 m o v e r s & s h a k e r s
f
 inancial
31
W
 hat's SmarterPaying Off

Debts or Investing?

egal
36 lSafe
Rental Housing is

32

38

41

non p r o f i t

R e ta i l

R e a l e s tat e

Freedom 4/24:
Lynchburg
Organization
Missions to Let
Freedom Ring
Across the World

Auburnlea
Farms Corner
Market Coming to
Cornerstone

What Did You

Expect? Setting
Expectations
When Putting
Your House on
the Market

42

45

t e c h no l o g y

To u r i s m &
Transportion

Sweet Briars
online GroceWe
service takes off

"Why We Started
OurLynchburg"

Everyones Right

arketing & sales

40 mHow
to Write a Blog Post That

Actually Gets Read

On the Cover: Jon and Bernadette Philips, Owners of Lancaster Galleries.

Photo by Paul Brunett.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

Inside

E D I T O R ' S

l etter

As we enter into a season of fall,

food and thanksgiving, reflection often
ensues. From what we are thankful for
to what we love about the place we
call home (That vibrant foliage! Those
stunning mountains! That crisp but
not-too-chilly autumn air!). For business
owners and leaders, this same can carry
us all well into the end of the year. And
around here this year, there is much to be grateful for.
Take, for instance, the bounty of fresh, locally-sourced goodness
coming to Cornerstone in Lynchburg in the form of Auburnlea
Farms Corner Market. For those in search of organically-grown
produce and grass-fed meats from nearby farms, this market, set
to open in November, hopes to be a one-stop shop. Read how they
are taking their nothing unnecessary added ingredients manifesto
to a higher level, in the Retail section.

Lynchburg Business Magazine is a bimonthly publication devoted to highlighting

Lynchburg-based businesses and those in the surrounding areas of Amherst,
Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell Counties, as well as the Town of Altavista. Every
other month, 10,000 copies of Lynchburg Business Magazine are distributed by mail
to local businesses, executives and individual business decision-makers. The goal of
Lynchburg Business is for readers to look to the magazine as a resource worth keeping
in their businesses and homes; one that appeals strongly to professionals in our area.

Publisher Randy Thompson

Managing Editor Johanna Calfee
Contributing Writers
Jeff Boyer, Johanna Calfee, Andrea Cheshire,
Heather J. Cravens, James Ebrahim, Emily Hedrick,
Morgan McCarty, Colleen McLaughlin, Drew Menard,
Marcelo Quarantotto, Jennifer Redmond, Melissa Skinner,
Rachael Smith, Hilary Sutton, Dan Vollmer
Vice President of Sales & Distribution Paul Brannock
Sales Director Cheryl Blevins
Account Executive Missy Celli
Vice President of Production Holly Watters
Art Director Chris Meligonis
Client Relations Manager Stacy Graef
Web Developer Kristi Cogdill

Stock market know-how and a drive to give back are two

hallmarks of 1311 Capital, a local investment firm still in its early
years but with a growing portfolio and mission beyond its age.
Why owner Chris Devlin has decided to give away everything he
earns on the job and where that money is going, in our Business
Under 10 section.
Halfway around the world in Uganda, an attitude of joy and
healing is overflowing at Christines House, a safe house for
women and girls who have been sexually abused and exploited.
How a local nonprofit made their hope for a bright future possible,
and how their mission helps other women around the world to find
freedom from the sex industry, beginning on Page 32.
In this season of refreshing temperatures and refreshed
perspective, no matter what chapter you are in with life and career,
remember to stop and give thanks. As the above businesses, and
the many others featured in the pages ahead can attest, an attitude
of gratitude can truly change everything.

Johanna Calfee, Managing Editor

Johanna@lynchburgmag.com

Web Marketing & Promotions Manager My Nguyen

Staff Photographer Paul Brunett
VistaGraphics Staff
Copy Editor Robin Cather
Controller Anita Burns
Contributing imagery supplied by Thinkstock.com

www.LynchburgBusinessMag.com

subscriptions
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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014-2015

ADVERTISING DEADLINES
Advertising Space Reservation............................October 31
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For Advertising Information, please call us at 434.846.2333.

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

Architecture, engineering & Construction

nk

Nydree Flooring

Local Flooring Company Reaching Stadium-Size Clientele

by Jennifer Redmond

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

17

Architecture, engineering & Construction

Nydree Flooring was used in the Opera House (Page 17) inside
the Toronto Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, which
also incorporated the flooring extensively throughout the centre's
concourse and stairs, shown above.

18

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

he English art critic, John Ruskin, once said, We require from buildings
two kinds of goodness: first, the doing [of] their practical duty well; then
that they be graceful and pleasing in doing it.
Thus a good building requires both function and beauty. And Nydree Flooring,
based in Forest, Virginia, capitalizes on the marriage of these two qualities.
Manufacturing acrylic-infused engineered wood flooring is what Nydree
does best, Jason Brubaker, vice president of sales and marketing, said.
This process of acrylic-infusion guarantees that their flooring is 300 percent
more dent-resistant than standard wood flooring, Brubaker explained, so the
beauty of their product is well-preserved for years to come.
Weve grown 20 to 30 percent each year over the past three years by using
the best materials we can find to create a desirable, design-driven product
offering, Brubaker added, who attributes the companys consistent growth to
their aggressive focus on innovation and sales. We try to think like a start-up.
Current high-profile projects speak to the quality of Nydrees work, and their
ability to create practical, durable flooring that still looks beautiful. Nydree
flooring can be found in the American flag exhibit of the Smithsonian Museum
where the flag from Fort McHenryinspiration for The Star-Spangled
Banneris displayed. The Four Seasons Centre is another unique project that
used wood for everything from seating to handrails to flooring and more; it
occupies a full city block in Toronto and features Nydree products as well.
Most recently, Nydree has contributed to the flooring used in Levis Stadium
of San Francisco. The company supplied 45,000 square feet of wood flooring,
which has been placed in the Hall of Fame and Club Level.
Its an honor for us to be a part of such a large project [when] the result
means millions of people will be walking across our flooring, Brubaker said.
High levels of attention also bring increased scrutiny, and providing the
flooring as requested was an involved and lengthy process, one that began in

Architecture, engineering & Construction

2012 and is only now nearing completion. The design team working on
Levis Stadium asked that knots in the wood planks be limited in number
and size; Brubaker explained that this led to challenges in sourcing and
treating the wood, but Nydree worked closely with their vendors to
deliver their product as requested. Not only did Nydree supply specialized
flooring in respect to aesthetics, they used reclaimed oak for 20 percent of
the project, adding to the sustainability of the stadium as a whole.
Nydree is committed to sustainability, improving several aspects of
their production process to become certified by the Forest Stewardship
Council and FloorScore.
Weve seen an increasing market demand for green products, but we
also know its the right way to make products for our employees and
consumers health, Brubaker said.
Additional projects include opting for third-party certification of the
ingredients used in manufacturing Nydree flooring products. A Health
Product Declaration was published by the company for consumers
of their flooring in 2013; its goal is to promote safety and toxicity
transparency, according to the Nydree website.
These steps towards greater sustainability have strengthened Nydrees
offerings to private consumers as well. Last year, Nydree launched their
Korus brand to be used in residential homes.
The acrylic-infusion process lends itself to high-traffic application
like shopping malls, airports, retail stores, etc., Brubaker said. But, we
have brought that same level of durability to residential homes [as well].
Though Nydree flooring may cost a bit more per square feet, Brubaker
added, Consumers are getting a very highly sustainable and durable
product for just a couple dollars more than standard product.
Nydrees innovative roots go all the way back to the mid-1960s,
when two competing companies were started with help from federal
funding. They focused on consumer wood products that ran the gamut
from knife handles to toys. By 2003, Jasons father, Barry Brubaker, had
purchased Gammapar and its main competitor, Permagrain, merging
them to form Nydree.
As we grow we havent lost our personal touch, Brubaker said,
explaining that his father named the company he founded after a farm
near his hometown.
Being in the flooring business provides us the opportunity to provide
jobs and American-made craftsmanship to a product that is welcomed
into the most intimate spaces: peoples homes, Brubaker explained.

Today, the company is committed to growing a global presence

and expanding more into the residential market. They represent the
philosophy of many local companies who appreciate the offerings of this
region while still taking advantage of an international marketplace.
For more information on Nydree Flooring, visit www.nydreeflooring.com.

Top: The United Club on the Main Concourse

Bottom: Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. Hall of Fame inside the 49ers
Museum presented by Sony. Photos courtesy of 49ers.com

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

LynchburgBusinessMag.com

19