Culpeper Has Much to Offer in the Fall

Culpeper Star Exponent

Business Monday

Jim Charapich

August 26, 2013

The summer is essentially over when our kids are headed back to school. This time of year often awakens a fresh outlook on our opportunities. Most of us have the institutional calendars built into our annual routines. We are able to catch our breath and set our sights on the months ahead. This time of year is almost as powerful for goal setting as the new year.  

September and October in Culpeper are among the best months on the calendar. We will see the days shorten and the temperatures cool off. We will see the leaves change to spectacular colors. Our picturesque setting is a magnet for those in the Northern Virginia and Greater Washington Area to get out to the country for a weekend. Our restaurants and hotels will be busy with guests to our ever famous Town.

I used to think how great it would be to live in such a setting when I would come to Culpeper on business. My family and I joined the community in Culpeper moving here almost 25 years ago and we continue to appreciate the access to our natural beauty on a daily basis. My recent trips to NOVA and Richmond have refreshed my appreciation for our quality of life in Culpeper. I often joke that our traffic jams are when a few cows get loose and block the road. It is not quite that serene but it is close.

Since the Chamber of Commerce currently runs the Visitor Center, I hear many of the stories of those who visit our community. They are attracted to our area for many reasons. Our staff is of course very helpful in answering questions. However, we are always impressed with the stories from visitors of how helpful our citizens are. They remark about how someone helped them in some way or another. One might think that we have ambassadors at every corner. It is true - we do have many fans and it makes a big difference.

As you prepare for the next few months, consider making one of your goals to take time to visit a place in Culpeper that is new to you. Consider visiting one of the battlefields or take in a show at the State Theatre. Try a new restaurant, or visit one of our boutique shops to expand your ambassadorship knowledge. Once educated on the new place in Culpeper - tell everyone about it…. Our businesses love good stories on Trip Advisor, Facebook, and Twitter….

Set a goal to expand your ambassadorship with greater knowledge and greater reach. And… Invite your family and friends from NOVA to visit Culpeper and enjoy our Town this Fall. 

Collaboration Builds Opportunity

CSE

Business Monday

Jim Charapich

August 19, 2013

The collaboration with the business community and public educators in Culpeper County continued on Friday with the Annual Business, Industry, and Education Day. The businesses welcomed educators both new and seasoned to the new year in our public school system at Eastern View High School. The day was successful on all counts.

I want to say a big thank you to the Culpeper County School Administrators and especially Randi Richards Lutz for pulling together the teamwork to make this possible. Also, a special thanks the Greg Beamer for coordinating the refreshments. The businesses were especially thankful for the help from the girls field hockey team and the ROTC students for their assistance. The students were so polite and worked well together.

It is a pleasure to see such happy faces during the BIE Day activities. It could have been the Knakals Donuts, the Calhoun’s ham biscuits, the coffee from Culpeper Regional Health System, or the bottle water donated by Walmart. However, I think that there was a lot more to it than the great breakfast. We are so pleased to connect with the educators as business to promote the “Buy Local” message. Business is largely about relationships and educators and business were able to meet and discuss mutual interests and opportunities. The educators often leave with good deal of supplies for their classrooms as well.

In addition to the 100 businesses on hand to greet our educators, the event sponsors are impressive. The businesses in the  community are big fans of the Culpeper County School educators. Their support is significant throughout the year. We extend a special thanks to our event sponsors. Culpeper Regional Health System, Germanna Community College, Culpeper Star Exponent, Verizon - Terremark, Culpeper Times Community Newspaper, The P.I.G. Legacy, TE Connectivity, Braggs Corner Industrial Center LLC, Found & Sons Funeral Chapels, JHB Rental Properties & Storage, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, Today’s Country 103.1 WJMA, StellarOne, Appleton Campbell Plumbing - Heating - A/C - Electrical, Union First Market Bank, Virginia Community Bank, Shear Secrets LLC Beauty Salon, Home Instead Senior Care, Cintas, Virginia National Bank, Aflac - Ed Petrovitch, Continental Automotive Systems Inc., Culpeper Media Network, and Culpeper Farmers Cooperative / CFC Farm & Home Center.

Welcome to the new educators to Culpeper from the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to offering our support in your mission to educate our future workforce... From what I observed on Friday - This will be the best year yet!!!

Education Advances Opportunities At Any Age

Culpeper Star Exponent

Business Monday

Jim Charapich

August 12, 2013

This week is a big week for most students. They are preparing to head back to school in the next couple of weeks. However, as adults we often overlook the notion of upgrading our education and advancing our opportunities. We are very fortunate to have a world class resource right in our back yard for education.

Germanna classes begin August 19th for credit programs. There is still time to enroll in classes right up to August 19th. In fact Germanna Community College Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper makes it easy to inquire about class and curriculum options. The new “Welcome Center” is open at the facility to help with all questions about enrollment and financial aid for Germanna Community College classes.

August 17th from 10 - 12 has been designated as a welcome day for new students and those seeking information about various disciplines. The welcome day session will be held at all Germanna locations including Locust Grove. There will be a chance for door prizes and refreshments for those that attend the session at the various Germanna locations. If you are interested in Nursing - be sure to attend the session at the Locust Groove campus.

The Culpeper location has enhanced their class selections by increasing the number of Business and Economics classes at this campus. Germanna has added a new major this year in electrical engineering. The college is also offering a hybrid curriculum graduating students as an Associate of Technical Studies aimed at fortifying local business needs for Advanced Manufacturing skills.

Education is a gateway to financial and cultural strength both individually and as a community. Take advantage of access to advanced education through the programs offered at Germanna. Explore the many resources for financial aid and student loans at the Germanna Community College - Daniel Technology Center - Welcome Center to move your goals forward. Dream big...

http://www.germanna.edu/admissions/applyonline.asp

Business Development Opportunities

Culpeper Star Exponent

Business Monday

Jim Charapich

August 5, 2013

Banners, Webinars, Networking, Ribbon Cuttings, Collaboration, Candidates Forums, Leadership Development, Sand, and Crabs! These are just a few key words that describe the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce in the next few months. Pull your calendars out and join us to take advantage of the benefits of our membership momentum. Business is bullish on Culpeper and we are very excited about our agenda for business development opportunities. Here are a few of the highlights:

August 8th 5:30 - 7 PM - Members Only Mixer at the State Theatre - This is one of the Season’s Best...

August 12th 8:30 AM @ The Depot - Chamber Member Social Media Engineers meet to informally discuss the latest in social media.

August 14th- 5 PM Ribbon Cutting at TechBOX - A new PC & MAC repair / tech support company in the heart of downtown Culpeper.

August 21st 5 PM - Ribbon Cutting for the New Department of Economic Development Office

August 22nd 5:30 - 7:00 PM - Members Only Mixer at Embrace Home Loans - Very Cooool Networking in the heat of August..

September 5th Noon - Young Professionals Luncheon - Presentation about Roberts Rules of Order.

September 7th Saturday Evening - Young Professionals Crab Feast - Tickets are available the Depot or online at www.CulpeperChamber.com

September 10th - Noon-1 PM - Non-Profit Council meeting at Culpeper Library - Presentation by Cole Johnson of the Northern Piedmont Foundation about New Fundraising Strategies for Non-Profits - All Non-Profits in the Region are welcome.

September 18th - 11:30 - 12:30 - Ribbon Cutting - Integrity Auto’s New 2nd Location in Culpeper

September 19th 5:30 - 7 PM Ribbon Cutting - Goodwill Industries new workforce facility

September 23rd - The Premier Golf Tournament of the Season - The Pepper Open at the Country Club of Culpeper. www.PepperOpen.com

September 26th - 5:30 - 7 PM Members Only MIixer Culpeper Surgery Center

October 10th - Women’s Networking Luncheon

October 24th - Candidates Forum - Virginia State Delegates, Culpeper Board of Supervisors

For more information and up to date event listings - Go to www.CulpeperChamber.com

LEAD VIRGINIA

Culpeper Star Exponent

Business Monday

Jim Charapich

July 29, 2013

LEAD VIRGINIA is accepting applications for the 2014 session. I have been fortunate to be a part of the 2013 session of the program which has been operating since 2005. According to the LEAD VIRGINIA website the program is “modeled on the theory of social capital. LEAD VIRGINIA is a nonprofit and non-partisan organization that educates proven leaders about regional differences, opportunities and challenges across the commonwealth”.

The program offers seven sessions which begin in April and end in November. My experience has been exceptional as I have participated in the first four of seven sessions held thus far. There are no other programs that I am aware of that offer such rich and meaningful insight into the diverse areas of Virginia.

The first session ( April) was held in Williamsburg with an overview of the Commonwealth. We were led through discussions about Virginia’s dominant issues by world class subject matter experts. It is one thing to read about the issues, and yet quite another to engage in discussion with proven leaders from around the Commonwealth. This session, as with the others, spanned three days - Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday.

The next session (May) was in Southern Virginia, formerly “South Side.” The area is rebranding to be Southern Virginia as an alternative to Northern Virginia. “Alternative” is my observation and the better term may be that Southern Virginia “compliments” the assets in Northern Virginia. SOVA has faced enormous challenges as the waters receded in the textile and tobacco industries all at once leaving the economy in drought. However, as with droughts, there are usually rains to follow, replenishing the ecosystem. Southern Virginia has recently worked to develop the economy with strategic workforce initiatives, robust high speed data infrastructure, and advanced educational networks. The lessons of leadership in SOVA confirm our position as the “Best State for Business.”

The next session (June) was in the Shenandoah Valley. The story of leadership in the Shenandoah Valley for me was about bold vision. As we heard from the leaders of the area, I thought of one word - Statesmen. They reminded me of what it must have been like to hear Washington and Jefferson during our colonial era growth as a state. Their leadership has brought together the 13 Counties and Cities of the region,  from Augusta to Page Counties to compete as a global economic force. They have been successful in leveraging the Community College System in concert with area universities and connecting them with business to cultivate a superior business environment.

The most recent session (July) was in Northern Virginia. There is no mistake - Northern Virginia is a global powerhouse. One fact struck me as bedrock, reflecting the undaunted nature of the NOVA economy - NOVA has the most intellectual capital in the US. There are more people with advanced education concentrated in NOVA than any other area of the US. In addition, the NOVA area economic development leaders have done a great job in attracting private sector growth and thus diluting the reliance on the Federal Government. Both sectors are strong and important parts of the economic picture and yet advancing the private sector enables diverse economic strength.

If you are interested in applying to participate in the 2014 Class of LEAD VIRGINIA, go to www.LEADVIRGINIA.org for more information. However, It has been said that the Class of 2013 is the best class ever. What will 2014 bring?

Navigate Public Speaking Skills

Culpeper Star Exponent

Business Monday

Jim Charapich

July 15, 2013

What do public speaking and kayaking have in common? I was talking to an acquaintance about his recent kayaking experience. He asked a friend to drop him off in the upper end of the Robinson River in Madison County to kayak the river solo. He described the experience with a sense of trepidation and acknowledged that he should not have tried this. What went wrong, I asked. He said that as he was paddling, a very large water moccasin appeared and began to approach the kayak. Fortunately, the 3’ snake lost interest and turned away. However, the experience left him realizing that he should not have gone on this trip alone.

When it comes to public speaking, I find that many get the same sense of fear as having a 3’ water moccasin approaching their boat. They are not sure what to do and at that point there is no way to prepare for the situation. Opportunity intersects with fear. The same lesson applies to public speaking as it does to the kayaker, do not try to go it alone. There are many others in the same boat trying to navigate public speaking solo.

I have great news for those interested in finding fellow public speakers in a safe and rewarding environment. The Toastmasters have begun a new chapter in Culpeper that meets at noon on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held in the lower level of Virginia Community Bank. In addition, there are meetings in the evenings on the first and third Tuesday evenings at the same location beginning at 7 PM. For more information go to Culpeper.Toastmastersclubs.org.

The name Toastmasters is misleading. Many think that this is where you go to develop good “Toasting” skills. Though this is true, it is not the primary purpose. The organization offers an opportunity to become a better in public speaker at all levels. The types of public speaking varies like the types of kayaks for different waterways. The modules include areas such as storytelling, comedy, professional presentations, and many others. Most importantly, the organization facilitates a safe and progressive environment to paddle to success with a great skill.

Join the others in your boat, looking for fun and fellowship, to navigate the waters of public speaking.

Workforce Readiness Wins!

Culpeper Star Exponent

Business Monday

Jim Charapich

July 8th, 2013

My Twitter post from June 22nd has gained some attention. I was attending the Virginia Leadership Summit developed by Senator Mark Warner. There were several interactive panel discussions as part of the day long program. One of the panels was especially interesting to me. There were several business leaders representing industry in regions of the Commonwealth. My Tweet of interest from the during the event - Tom Dale VP Rolls-Royce " The State that distinguishes itself as workforce ready will be the big winner".

It was quite interesting to have Rolls Royce, Areva, Newport News Shipbuilding, and HDL, Inc. on one panel. The issue of most interest was the need for trained and ready workforce. The business environment is competitive and dynamic. Our need for an educational system that is adaptive and prepared to deliver a workforce that is ready is critical. Today we are competing in the global marketplace for businesses to locate in Virginia. Our workforce is a cornerstone in building sustainable prosperity.

To further the discussion, my subsequent tweet - William Bell Newport News Shipbuilding "Students can live the American Dream with a technical skill ILO a college degree". This discussion continued with the notion that we should work regionally to develop High School Career & Technical programs. It is clear that educational dollars are very stretched in each community. It is therefore conceivable that we could work together with other Counties to develop 21st century educational opportunities in areas such as welding, plumbing, auto mechanics, etc.

I was in South Boston, VA recently as part of LEAD VA and had the opportunity to tour the SVHEC - Southern Virginia Higher Education Center. At first glance the training area looked like a traditional wood shop. However, as our tour progressed the revelation of the way the facility is used brought a very different conclusion. The facility used wood as a material in a training process for manufacturing. The wood shop equipment was part of the outcome of the main work being done in the CAD design room. The students even had a product that they were preparing to patent and ready for marketable release. What of the revenue... could it come back into the school with potential rewards to the students as well? A far leap from the traditional wood shop of the past. Now, it is about concept, design, manufacturing process, and potential marketable results.

We have an opportunity to transform traditional thinking about the fields known as "The Trades". Today, they include Advanced Manufacturing & Computer Aided Design, in addition to electronic, mechanical, and welding skills. There are jobs ready for trained workers today in these fields. Our responsibility is to support an educational resource that enables job ready candidates. They will need jobs and business will need them. If we choose not to support these career choices, we will see these jobs in another region, state, or country.