Follow the Leaders
CEO Profile: Kaye Crenshaw
Kaye Crenshaw started her career in the financial services industry where she enjoyed the flexibility of sales and helping people with their financial challenges. This also allowed her to be available for her two young daughters. She always enjoyed making an impact on people’s lives. Kaye opened Mobility Center of VA in 1994, and since then has been able make a difference in her customers’ lives every day. She and her 25 colleagues spend their days “making it easy for those who have it tough,” by providing equipment and services to the disabled community. Their products include wheelchair accessible vehicles, driving aides, elevators, stair-lifts, porch-lifts, and ceiling lifts.
With the aging of the baby boomers, Mobility Center is poised for growth as people will require home modifications to be able to stay in their homes. Ninety percent of homeowners over the age of 65 say that they want to remain living in their homes as long as possible. Mobility Center can also help seniors remain mobile with vehicle modifications, scooter lifts or even a new vehicle. Mobility Center is unique in the industry because they provide both home and vehicle modifications. This year, Kaye’s husband Lee has opened a sister store in Norfolk called the Ability Center. The Ability Center provides “Mobility products for your home, auto, and lifestyle”
Kaye has been a member of the Virginia Council of CEO’s since 2005. She tells us that the Council has been a resource for information and has provided an opportunity to get strategic help from some great friends and advisers. Quite simply, VACEOs has helped her grow!
With her two daughters working with her at the Mobility Center, Kaye’s business is a place she can call home, where they make a difference in people’s lives every day. When not at work, you can find Kaye spending time with Lee, enjoying her three grandchildren, and traveling whenever and wherever she can.
CEOs Comment on Job Growth
Several Virginia Council of CEOs members offered comments in a March 5 Richmond Times Dispatch article on the small drop in the unemployment numbers. David Gallagher, President of Dominion Payroll Services, said that his firm had grown in 2010 and expected to add more employees in the next few months. Gallagher said that his firm’s clients are hiring more than they are terminating, and that growth is picking up.
Mike Meyer, CEO of NetSearch Direct, reported more talk of hiring among his company’s clients, as well as steady growth at his own company. In the Virginia Council of CEOs’ and Robins School of Business Ecnomic Outlook Survey from January 2011, more than half of the CEOs surveyed indicated that they would be hiring in the first quarter of 2011.
Commenting on data from Council members showing flat employment in 2010, Council Executive Director Scot McRoberts was quoted:
What I am hearing now in 2011 is that people are starting to hire,” McRoberts said. “There is that pent-up demand. They have grown a bit and now they need to add people.”
Inc. 500|5000 Winners Gather
The Inc. 500|5000 Conference is next week up in D.C., and we are proud to recognize the companies from the Richmond area who will be honored among the fastest growing privately held businesses in America!
It seems that CEOs of fast growing companies tend to be a part of the Virginia Council of CEOs! Ten of the sixteen companies are led by VACEOs member CEOs. The Council will honor all sixteen at a luncheon in Richmond this week. Bravo and congratulations to all!
Apex Systems
Astyra Corporation*
Capital TechSearch*
CapTech Ventures
Dominion Payroll Services*
Hunton & Williams
McGuire Woods
Meadows Urquhart*
Morton Consulting*
Rainbow Station*
Robinson Radio*
Taradel*
TECHEAD*
Wheat Systems Integration
Williams Mullen
Zooom Printing*
* indicates that company CEO is VACEOs member
New Brand Identity for VACEOs
Follow the leaders
It’s the new tag line that helps us explain the key benefits of membership in the Virginia Council of CEOs: helping small business leaders grow and profit through the shared wisdom of peers.
At today’s quarterly luncheon, Chairman Ray Lepper introduced a new brand identity for the Council, including a refreshed logo, tag line, colors and style.
The centerpiece of the presentation was the premiere of a 5 minute video that tells the story of the Council, using the words of our members. Thanks to the “fearless fifteen” for going in front of the camera for us! The video can be viewed at our web site. The web site is being built out over the next few weeks, so check back often!
Earlier this year, focus groups and informal conversations were conducted with our members and a common theme emerged — the person at the helm of a small firm frequently has no one to confide in and bounce ideas off of. The Council has filled that role by providing venues like the Roundtables, Quarterly Luncheons and an Annual Retreat where experiences and ideas are shared in a setting of confidentiality and respect. As we like to say, it doesn’t have to be lonely at the top.
Special thanks to:
Susan Hogg and the team at Circle S Studio for developing our new brand identity and leading the team.
Mike Meyer and the team at NetSearch Direct for their work on the website and SEO.
Fred Moore and the team at Big River Advertising for conducting focus groups.
Rob Collins Productions for shooting and editing our video.
Red Amp Studios for music in the video.
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