These Hampton Roads businesses were recently honored with awards and recognized for their continued success:
Checkered Flag Auto Group‘s President Steve Snyder accepted the 50 Year Toyota Dealer Award from Central Atlantic Toyota General Manager Tom Bliss on Aug. 16, 2017.
Checkered Flag Awarded for 50-Year Partnership
Checkered Flag, one of the first automotive dealerships to bring Japanese imports to Virginia Beach, has been recognized by Toyota for 50 years of partnership.
It was 1967 when Checkered Flag founder Ed Snyder was looking to expand and offer a new line of affordable sedans to bring into his automotive dealership group. What he found was Toyota.
It was a time when many Americans questioned the notion of Japanese manufacturing, but Ed Snyder took a risk and believed in the craftmanship of Japan’s largest retailer of affordable sedans. It was a risk that paid off and brought Toyota to the Hampton Roads consumer and established a partnership between Checkered Flag and Toyota that has lasted for over 50 years.
“When I first started carrying Toyota in 1967, I was sure that when American customers discovered the Japanese vehicle’s quality—quality offered at a more than reasonable price—they would want it. Now, 50 years later, we’re proud to still be providing Toyota quality sales and service to the Hampton Roads area,” Ed Snyder says.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ranked Highest For Repeat Home Seller Satisfaction
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices real estate brokerage network ranked “Highest Overall Satisfaction for Repeat Home Sellers Among National Full Service Real Estate Firms” in the J.D. Power 2017 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction StudySM.
The 10th annual study measured customer satisfaction among the nation’s largest real estate brokerage companies and their agents through March and April. Overall satisfaction was gauged across five factors of the real estate process: agent/salesperson, closing process, real estate company marketing, real estate company office and package of additional services. The study was based on responses from 4,170 consumers.
Among repeat home sellers, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices scored 858 on a 1,000-point scale, performing particularly well in the categories agent/sales person, closing process and real estate company marketing.
“Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices stands for top-quality real estate representation in markets across America,” says Gino Blefari, CEO and president of the network. “We’re proud to accept this award, as it spotlights the exemplary service network agents and their brokerages provide every day.”
Sentara Healthcare Recognized For Workplace Health Achievement
Sentara Healthcare has achieved Gold level recognition for taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace, according to results from the 2017 American Heart Association Workplace Health Achievement Index.
This award recognizes the quality workplace employee health programs implemented by Sentara Healthcare, one of the largest employers in Virginia.
“Sentara Healthcare accepts this award on behalf of our members of the team who work hard to adopt healthy behaviors,” says Dr. Thomas Lundquist, chief medical officer for Optima Health, a division of Sentara Healthcare. In his role of overseeing all Sentara employee wellness programs, Lundquist says, “Year after year, our Mission: Health employee wellness program helps our members of the team improve their weight, lower their blood pressure and cholesterol and stop using tobacco products. It’s overwhelmingly gratifying to be recognized at this high level by the American Heart Association for the difference our programs and resources make in the lives of our more than 28,000 employees.”
The American Heart Association created the Index with its CEO Roundtable members, a leadership collaborative of more than 30 CEOs from some of America’s largest companies who are committed to applying evidence-based approaches to improve their employees’ overall health. The Index uses science-based best practices to evaluate the overall quality and comprehensiveness of their workplace health programs. A unique feature of the Index is that it calculates an average heart health score for employees of participating companies that securely submit aggregate health data.
More than 800 companies completed the Index assessment this year and, of those companies, 67 percent received either Gold, Silver or Bronze recognition. Companies receive benchmarking reports, which allow them to identify potential areas of improvement so that they can advance their annual performance and recognition.
The Association’s Workplace Health Achievement Index allows companies to measure the effectiveness of their workplace health programs, as well as the overall heart health of their employees. Unlike other existing organizational scorecards, the Index also scores companies on the heart health of their employees based on Life’s Simple 7®, the Association’s scientifically validated definition of ideal heart health. The American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Achievement Index assessment is grounded in data-driven science and a quality improvement framework. According to the Nielsen 2016 Employee Health Survey, robust and comprehensive strategies for well-being are associated with positive impacts on employees’ health.
Opportunity Inc. Annual Workforce Development Meeting and Awards Ceremony
In September Opportunity Inc. hosted its 2017 Annual Meeting and Workforce Innovation Awards, which highlighted the organization’s workforce development programs, services and accomplishments over the past year.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe presented the keynote address, focused on initiatives at the state and local levels. He also commended Opportunity Inc. for its efforts related to workforce development in Hampton Roads, and was named the organization’s 2017 Workforce Champion.
Opportunity Inc. also presented additional Workforce Innovation Awards to businesses, community organizations and educational institutions in recognition of their commitment to workforce development and impact on the Hampton Roads economy. Honorees included the following:
Community Based Organization: Together We Can
Education: Paul D. Camp Community College
Business: SunTrust
Innovator: Hampton Roads Chamber
Opportunity Inc.’s President and CEO Shawn Avery shared several new grant announcements from Bank of America, SunTrust Bank and Altierus, which will fund new initiatives, programs and facilities, such as the Veterans Transition Center to help transitioning military members and their families secure meaningful employment; the Generating Opportunity Project to support aspiring entrepreneurs; the Pathways to Prosperity tutoring and mentorship program for high school students; and the new GED Prep Center.
YWCA South Hampton Roads 2018 Women Of Distinction
The YWCA South Hampton Roads announced winners in the 2018 Women of Distinction Awards. The distinguished honorees will be celebrated at a recognition ceremony on March 29, 2018, which is the 30th anniversary of this annual awards program.
The list of winners and their respective categories includes the following:
Arts: Anne Corso, director of education and public programs for the Chrysler Museum of Art
Business: Jeri Prophet, founder of IntellecTechs
Communications: Kelly Till, advertising director for The Virginian-Pilot and Pilot Media Services
Education: Christine Damrose-Mahlmann, associate vice president for student services at Tidewater Community College
Finance: Joanna Brumsey, CPA and shareholder with Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.
Government: Lynn Clements, executive director of the Colonel Samuel L. Slover Main Library for the City of Norfolk
Law: Elaina Blanks-Green, general tax attorney for Norfolk Southern Corporation
Medicine: Muge Akpinar-Elci, M.D., chair of the College of Health Sciences with the School of Community and Environmental Health at ODU
Military: Capt. Kathy Donovan, highly-decorated trailblazer and role model for women in the military
Non-Profit: Valerie Brown, executive pastor of The Mount Global Fellowship of Churches
Science/Technology: Darlene Baxter, deputy director for program planning and control of the Aeronautics Research Directorate at NASA Langley Research Center
Volunteerism: Blythe Scott, counsel in government relations for PRA Group, Inc.
“Women of Distinction are women from all walks of life in our community whose professional accomplishments and/or philanthropic efforts truly epitomize the potential of every woman,” says Mary Kate Andris Ed. D., president and CEO of YWCA South Hampton Roads. “Congratulations to this year’s class of outstanding women, who exhibit a dedication to our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women by promoting peace, justice, dignity and freedom for all.”
The Williamsburg Winery Named Best Winery In Virginia By Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association’s Ordinary Awards
The Williamsburg Winery was named Best Winery in Virginia by the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA)’s Ordinary Awards, celebrating and honoring all of Virginia’s restaurants, lodging establishments and hotels, DMOs, attractions and more. The 2017 Ordinary Awards featured 16 individual and organizational awards across four primary categories. Each award was given to honorees demonstrating exemplary passion for the hospitality and travel industry.
Other local awards of note include Attraction of the Year: Chincoteague Pony Penning and Restaurant of the Year: Wicker’s Crab Pot Seafood.
HHHunt Named One Of America’s Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces For Third Consecutive Year
HHHunt, a diversified regional leader in real estate development, building and management for over 50 years, has been named among the top 100 adoption-friendly workplaces in the U.S. and second within the real estate industry by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This is the third year in a row that HHHunt has been recognized as a national leader in adoption-friendly policies and benefits.
“We are honored to be recognized yet again by the Dave Thomas Foundation as one the nation’s top adoption-friendly companies,” said Buck Hunt, HHHunt’s vice chairman and CEO. “This award highlights one way in which we fulfill our mission to improve the world and how people live. By providing support for all of our team members and their families, we are helping to make a difference in their lives. As an adopted child myself, I am deeply proud of our company’s commitment to all families.”
Commonwealth Senior Living Named Caring Super Star Of 2018
Commonwealth Senior Living at Georgian Manor in Chesapeake was named a Caring Super Star of 2018 by Caring.com, the leading online resource for those seeking information and support for care for aging parents, spouses and other loved ones. Only two communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia have received this designation.
