Chamber Awards 2012 Education Partnership Scholarships

One of the really fun things we do at the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce is to provide scholarships for local graduating high school seniors.

Recipients of the 2012 Education Partnership Scholarships were announced Thursday by the Chamber of Commerce at a reception hosted by Collingwood Library & Museum and were congratulated by Dan Storck, Mount Vernon representative to the Fairfax County Public Schools.

Nine high school students were recognized and awarded scholarships.  The scholarship recipients are Ian McKellips and Valerie Manu, Mount Vernon High School; Benjamin Dougherty, Thomas A. Edison High School; Abigail Jacobs and Sarah Jane Underwood, West Potomac High School; Joseph Fitzsimmons and Rachelle Powell, Hayfield Secondary School; Erika Saravia, Bryant Alternative High School; and Katherine Pfleeger, The Madeira School.

"The Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce feels very strongly that an investment in education looks to the future with an eye on improving individual lives, our workforce, and our community,” said Barbara Doyle, Chamber President.

“Providing these scholarships helps prepare future business and community leaders,” Doyle said.  Since 1997, the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce has awarded more than $112,000.00 in scholarships to local students. 

Receiving the Jeff Todd Memorial Scholarship was Erika Saravia from Bryant High School.  Jeff Todd was a former chairman of the chamber of commerce and owner of the Roy Roger Restaurants in the area.  He had a great love for the schools and students and did all he could to support the schools.  His lovely wife, Becky, carries on that tradition.  Many friends and businesses contributed to establish this memorial scholarship.

 The commitment the chamber makes to ensure scholarships each year is extraordinary.  It absolutely amazes me that our members volunteer and contribute to make these scholarships possible.  We all recognize that the youth are the future, and these scholarships are an investment in the future of our community.

Why I Like Leadership Compass LLC

Have you ever looked at your business and said, “When things settle down, I am going to get to that project”, or “I need to take a look at these issues affecting my business but I don’t have time now”? You probably realize how these concerns are hurting your whole organization and your bottom line? Leadership Compass may be the solution you have been looking for.

Dr. Audrey Prestonsoto of Leadership Compass brings over 30 years of expertise in decision making and management experience to business planning and analysis. She uses many tools, assessments and processes in working with her clients including the Measurable Management™ Program, based in the UK and used widely across the United States and Europe. With clients such as Xerox and the U.S. Air Force, Measurable Management™ is bringing new perspectives to increasing efficiency and success to businesses.

Dr. Prestonsoto can help you move forward by customizing the Measurable Management™ program for your company. The success of this process rests with the people-focused nature of the program which allows for a natural cultural change within the organization. This success is documented by outcomes -- tangible, measurable results including increased productivity, improved efficiency, costs savings, and a positive attitude for change within your workforce.

Working with Leadership Compass will take your organization’s key objectives and turn them into realized outcomes in a matter of months...through the hands of the people that already work for you.

By engaging the team leaders within your company - your supervisors and first line managers – Leadership Compass, a premier management consulting and support services organization, translates strategy into measurable outcomes by engaging your team leaders to facilitate change. Measurable Management™ has three primary platforms: Leadership and Team Building, Process Improvement, and Implementing Improvements. The Process Improvement element provides your team leaders with the knowledge they need to implement change.

Through this process they will identify areas of improvement (Ideas for Action) that fall within the key objectives set forth for the program. By the end of the program, your team leaders act on these Ideas for Action and implement three improvement projects that will deliver measurable results.

An organization's goals and objectives can best be accomplished through a real commitment from the leaders to meet the employee's motivational needs. Leadership Compass performs organizational assessments to examine each company's culture and provide assistance in determining measures that will bring about processes for improvement.

Whether you are looking to groom high-potential leaders for future leadership positions or just want to provide enhanced leadership development opportunities for your current leadership team, Leadership Compass can provide the tools necessary to take your organization to the next level.

Can your organization afford to wait? Significant investments must be made by organizations striving to improve and successfully implement their strategy. Contact Dr. Prestonsoto, at 703-577-3652 or prestonsotoa@prodigy.net if you are committed to organizational improvement and developing and sustaining effective leadership

Hispanic Advisory Committee

In an effort to do more outreach in the Hispanic community the chamber has organized a new Hispanic Advisory Committee.

This committee consists of Jose Dieguez, Solo Flooring; Daisey Figueroa, Cooper Road Branch Manager for Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.; Ana Pilato, Pillar Systems; Eduardo Prestonsoto, Leadership Compass LLC; and Christina Schoendorf, Progreso Hispano.

The HAC has a mission to outreach to Hispanic businesses and tell them about the chamber of commerce and the services provided with the objective of bringing many of them into the chamber. This type of outreach will help strengthen our community and allow all types of businesses to associate more freely.

The committee is currently involved in identifying Hispanic businesses. Their next meeting will be Thursday, September 2, at 9:00 am. Any interested chamber members are invited to attend.

Why I Like Woodlawn Plantation

Yesterday I went to Woodlawn Plantation and met with Stacey Hawkins to talk about Woodlawn Plantation hosting the chamber's "Taste of Mount Vernon and Lee" on September 22. Sabrina Campbell, the owner of Occasionally Cake, is the chair of the event this year and we had a delightful afternoon with Stacey.

Stacey is a warm, happy, knowledgeable person who works with people interested in using Woodlawn Plantation or the Pope-Leighey House for events like weddings, receptions, reunions, business meetings, and more.

Walking around the grounds of Woodlawn Plantation is like walking through the great rooms of a reception hall. Each part of the grounds has a distinctive personality from the large area near the gazebo, to the serpentine walk in front of the house, to the cool, sheltered fountain. Each area is available for rental and special use.

Woodlawn Plantation is a historic location for your current events!

Why I Like Cintron Lock & Safe

Yesterday I stopped at Cintron Lock & Safe, 7325 Richmond Highway, to get some keys made. Its just been a few years that the outside of Cintron's building was redone and it now presents an attractive white face with modern red lighting fixtures.

The people in Cintron were helpful and polite. Two customers, me being one, entered the store at the same time and with only one clerk in the front I was sure I'd have to wait, but help quickly appeared from the back.

Waiting wouldn't have been bad as the retail products were interesting and attractive. Who knew there were so many different colors and styles of key, locks, and accessories. The large safes caught my attention as did the small security devices.

The keys Cintron made were perfect. They were cut right and work perfectly.

Great service - a great product - and a great local business.

Why I Like Local Businesses

The businesses in the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce are a great group that really care about our community. They show they care by supporting everything in the community from schools and charities to sports teams and politics.

Supporting local businesses whether retail, retirement communities, or any of the more than 350 businesses that belong to the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce is also a smart way to support the community. When you shop at a local business far more of the money you spend is reinvested in the community. Your dollars not only help the business to thrive, they also help pay commercial property taxes to the county, sales tax to the state, and then employees spend their paychecks locally. Your dollars are reinvested in schools and needed public services.

One study based in New Orleans concluded that for every foot of a retail space in a business, $188 is re-circulated in the local economy through wages and benefits, taxes, contributions to charities, school and nonprofits.

Before using an Internet business, think about our local businesses. Take pride in your community by shopping local, thinking local, and helping our community businesses survive and thrive!