By Debbie Adams
Traditionally the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce elects officers for the upcoming year at the annual State of the Town Address at the Vinton War Memorial in the fall. When that event was postponed, the Chamber election was rescheduled for its Holiday Open House in December.
With rising COVID cases, that event was cancelled due to limitations on crowd size. So, eventually the election was held virtually; board members and officers have been confirmed.
Justin Davison will continue as president of the Chamber, first elected in 2017. Davison was born in New Jersey but has called Vinton home since 2008. He is currently the Market Manager for the Member One Federal Credit Union in Vinton. He first volunteered for the Chamber back in 2014. He realized how valuable giving back and being active in the community is and was nominated to the Chamber Board in 2016.
He enjoys being very active in the community. He also serves on the Vinton Board of Zoning Appeals and helps with various other activities in the community. He believes having a Servant’s Heart will continue to bless him and is thankful for all the support he has received over the years.
Allison Finney will be serving again as First Vice President. She is a graduate of William Byrd High School and Virginia Tech where she majored in Housing, Interior Design and Resource Management with an option in Residential Management. She manages several residential properties (apartments and single-family homes) in Roanoke, Salem, and Vinton. Finney also manages American Efficiency Inns, an extended stay motel located in downtown Vinton.
Finney has been involved with many organizations over the years. She is a founding member of the Square Society, serving on their board for many years and eventually becoming president. While serving as president, she also served on the Center in the Square Board of Directors. She has been on the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for nine years and on the Executive Board for going on seven years.
Michelle Barklow has been elected to serve as Second Vice President of the Chamber. She grew up in Illinois, then relocated to Florida with Star King Enterprises, which brought her to Vinton several years ago. She and her husband, Brian, owned The Salad Factory in downtown Roanoke. Michelle has quickly become a “Vintonite” and loves being involved in the community and its growth. She and her husband have three sons Michael, Jordan, and Devin.
Andy Bishop will continue to serve on the Chamber Board of Directors. He grew up in Botetourt County and is a graduate of Lord Botetourt High School. He graduated from Virginia Western Community College and Old Dominion University receiving an Associate degree in electrical and electronic engineering technology and a Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering. He has worked as an engineer for local industries in the fields of medical device manufacturing, research and development, and telecommunications. Bishop is now an owner of Twin Creeks Brewing Company in Vinton and Twin Creeks Brewpub in Roanoke County at Explore Park and is Engineering Manager with Magnets USA.
Board member Anthony Conner is a financial professional with The Conner Group, a DBA of New York Life and affiliated registered investment advisory firm, Eagle Strategies.
The Conner Group is a locally owned financial planning and advisory firm. Conner works with a wide variety of clients including business owners and pre-retirees.
Prior to his start in the financial services industry, Anthony earned his B.S. Degree from Carson-Newman University in 1982.
Anthony is proud to be a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable (MDRT) for the last 17 years. He also is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).
Conner enjoys traveling, playing golf, and spending time with his wife Lisa of 38 years. They have three children.
Colby Sarver is the Store Manager at the Vinton Food Lion. He has lived in Collinsville his entire life and graduated from Martinsville High School and Patrick Henry Community College.
He has been employed by Food Lion for eight years and has worked as a Market manager, evening manager, and assistant manager, before becoming store manager. He and his wife Tristan have a six-month-old daughter named Kennedy. In his free time, Sarver enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, and working out.
Gregg Jerez is currently working at Revlon Inc./Elizabeth Arden where he is a Customer Logistics/Operations Manager. He has been working with Revlon since 2012 and has held various positions throughout the organization.
Jerez was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and moved to Roanoke at the age of 14. He attended William Byrd, “where I was able to grow my love for the Town of Vinton, the local businesses and the people of Vinton.”
He attended Averett University to work on his Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He currently resides in Roanoke County and enjoys being part of the community and attending local events. During his free time, Jerez likes to spend time with friends and family, enjoys outdoor activities, and donates his time to church and local charities.
Board member Jason Bishop is a Vice President and Human Resources Officer for the Bank of Botetourt where he serves as head of the Human Resources Department. In his position, he oversees all aspects of human resources management for more than 120 employees. Jason has been with Bank of Botetourt for over seventeen years and in the Human Resources department for over fifteen.
He is a graduate of Roanoke College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and currently holds two Human Resources professional designations, the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and the Society of Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).
In addition, Jason is co-owner of Twin Creeks Brewing Company in Vinton and Twin Creeks Brewpub at Explore Park, which have been in business since 2016 and 2019, respectively. When he does have spare time, Jason enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife Shannon.
Jason Boothe works for Greenway Boothe Real Estate Team@Mountain View Real Estate in Vinton. He is a lifelong resident of Vinton and very active in the community of Vinton.
He has served on several boards in the Vinton Community, including Board member and Coach for the Vinton Booster Club, Head of Field Maintenance and Vice President and currently the President of the William Byrd Baseball Booster Club.
Along with his Board positions, Boothe also coached in the Vinton community for over 15 years. His “love for the kids and parents” has made him lifelong friendships. He has also served as a Deacon at Lynn Haven Baptist and currently attends Lighthouse Bible Church.
Boothe is married to his wife Nicole of 23 years who is employed by William Byrd High School. They have two children. His daughter Taylor and son-in-law Collin reside in Georgia where Collin serves in the Army. His son Bryce works for the Vinton Public Works Department.
Boothe understands the importance of finding clients the perfect home and community to live in, and will work both day and night to find you that home.
Board member John Conner is a Partner with The Conner Group, and a Financial Advisor with Eagle Strategies LLC. The Conner Group is a locally owned financial practice.
Conner came into the financial services business in 2013, working alongside his dad, Anthony Conner. John works with a wide variety of clients, including business owners, executives, physicians, young professionals, and families. He takes a holistic approach when it comes to financial planning and risk management. He wants his clients to understand their current financial situation and what challenges they may need to address in order to achieve the goals set before them. He enjoys developing relationships with his clients that are built on trust and confidence. Many of his clients are some of his closest friends.
Prior to becoming a Financial Advisor with The Conner Group, John graduated from Roanoke College in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a concentration in Finance. John is proud to be a member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) and member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers (NAIFA).
John enjoys playing golf, traveling and spending time with his wife, Ashleigh and their two dogs, Tucker and Brody.
Board member Justin Smith joined the Neely’s Accounting Services, Inc. team in their Roanoke office in December 2016. On January 1, 2019, he accepted the role of Senior Accountant in their Vinton office. He is a graduate of William Byrd High School and received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Emory & Henry College. He completed an MBA from King University and is a ProAdvisor with QuickBooks and has extensive experience in business accounting, payroll, and tax.
Kat Pascal, a Roanoke native, is a community advocate, strategist, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of the Vinton and Grandin Village Farmburguesa restaurants, and Spotless America. She is a former bank manager for Wells Fargo. Pascal attended William Byrd High School and then graduated from Northside and attended Virginia Western Community College.
She has a passion for volunteerism, traveling, and family. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. She is the mother of two sons, Jacob and Julian, ages eight and nine.
Pascal is the co-founder of Nuestro Comercio Latino and Latinas Network. She is a Board member of the Grandin Village Business Association.
Board member Norman Mall grew up in the Town of Vinton. He graduated from William Byrd High School in 1983. Mall enjoys spending time with his “kids” Ginger and Junior (brother and sister Golden retrievers) and volunteering for Vinton community events. Mall “likes to see the direction Vinton is moving in and is excited to help be a part of it.”
Page Stovall is a third-generation resident of the Town of Vinton. She is a graduate of William Byrd High School and received her Bachelor of Science degree at Radford University in 2012. Stovall found her passion for the geriatric population in 2014 and serves as the Business Development Coordinator at Pheasant Ridge Nursing and Rehab Center, specializing as a Customer Service Liaison.
Stovall loves spending time with family and friends. She enjoys engaging with the Roanoke Valley showing what Vinton truly has to offer. She is excited to serve another year on the Board of Directors and being a part of the evolving things happening in this great town.
Board member Dr. Richard Turner has served as the Roanoke Program Coordinator for James Madison University’s Educational Leadership Program at the Roanoke Higher Education Center since 2016. He supervises student teachers and teaches graduate classes for JMU.
He is currently the Chief Marketing Officer for Fritz Sports and Event Enterprises, which specializes in NASCAR sponsorship opportunities. He works for NASCAR and worked for BK Racing from 2013-2017.
Turner graduated from Northside High School in 1978, completed his undergraduate work at Virginia Tech in 1982, earned his Master’s degree at Virginia Tech in 1987, and his Doctorate from Nova/Southeastern University in 1994.
He served as Assistant Principal at William Byrd High School (92-99) and as Principal from 1999 until 2016. He also served Roanoke County Schools as a Marketing Specialist and developed the current Apprenticeship Program in 2016-17.
Board member Dr. Sonia Bolen, DVM, is a local veterinarian who has resided in the Town of Vinton for 17 years. She grew up in Blue Ridge and graduated from Lord Botetourt High School and Virginia Tech. Bolen then went on to complete her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999.
She was employed at Vinton Veterinary Hospital during her college career and became an Associate Veterinarian there in 2000. She opened her own clinic, Parkway Veterinary Hospital, located near William Byrd High School, in 2015.
Dr. Bolen and her husband Scott, a Vinton native, have twins and are active in the Vinton community. She and her staff have participated and volunteered in several events hosted by the Chamber and the Town of Vinton. Dr. Bolen looks forward to continuing her seat on the Board of Directors.
Board member Tim Greenway is the owner and broker of Vinton’s own Mountain View Real Estate, LLC located at 200 Bowman Street in Vinton.
He is a lifelong resident of the town of Vinton and a William Byrd High School graduate–Class of 1982. He continues to be a huge supporter of his alma mater and can be seen at many of the sporting events cheering on the Terriers.
Greenway graduated from Radford University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. The degree led him to work as the controller for Cycle Systems, Inc, a local recycling firm, for over 16 years.
Then another dream and another path in life presented itself in building houses–which he has engaged in for the past 25 years. In 2002 he received his real estate license, and his broker’s license in 2017 and opened Mountain View Real Estate LLC, where he proudly boasts 16 real estate agents/colleagues in serving the entire Roanoke Valley.
Greenway has been married for 36 years to Paula Greenway; they have three children together, Maia, Brad and Chelsea. He is blessed with four grandchildren, Carson, Avery, Brantley and Brady.
He is a fixture in Vinton as he attends Vinton Baptist Church where he serves as a deacon. He’s also a member of the Vinton Breakfast Lions Club, the Old Stag Hunt Club, and has served on many committees for Vinton. He proudly represents Vinton on the Roanoke County School Board.
In his brief downtimes, Greenway enjoys most sports, hunting, golf, and of course, spending time with those grandkids. He is a supporter of many charities, but his favorite involvement is when he can help children.
Representatives to the Board from the Town of Vinton include Chasity Barbour, Mayor Brad Grose, and Town Manager Pete Peters.
Chasity Barbour is the Community Programs and Facilities Director for the Town of Vinton. She serves as the Lead Advisor for the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Leadership Roanoke Valley (LRV) program. and on the Vinton Dogwood Committee.
Barbour has two daughters, Skylour Stultz, who attends West Virginia University, and Kaidence Stores, who attends William Byrd Middle School. Last, but not least, is her “better half, Sean Stores, who supports his girls with anything! He is employed at Yokohama Tire and is a Union Officer. In our spare time we love camping, ATVS, and motorcycles.”
Mayor Brad Grose is the Owner/President of Dominion Electronics Inc. in Vinton and is currently serving his fifth term as Mayor of Vinton, first elected to that position in 2004. He is serving his second term as Chairman of the Roanoke Valley-Allegheny Regional Commission Executive Board and has served two terms as VACC President.
Grose is a member of the Vinton Breakfast Lions Club, the Vinton Vision Committee, and a board member of the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership. He has received the Virginia Municipal League “Certified Local Government Official-Gold Award” and a commendation from the Commonwealth of Virginia General Assembly for Public Service.
Grose is a Charter graduate of the Vinton Citizens Police Academy and Advanced Citizens Police Academy. He is also “Santa” for the Vinton Christmas Parade. He is an active member of Parkway Wesleyan Church. He has been married to his wife, Debby, for 42 years and has two children: Melissa (Randy) and Amanda (Marcus), two grandchildren (Jacob and Justin) and several pets.
Richard “Pete” Peters was appointed as Vinton Town Manager as of January 1, 2021. He previously served as Assistant Town Manager and Economic Development Director for the Town of Vinton for five years, 10 years as Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism for Botetourt County, two years as Director of Athletic Programs and Facilities at Roanoke Catholic School, and seven years with the City of Roanoke Department of Parks and Recreation.
Peters graduated from William Byrd High School in 1993. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration from Ferrum College, and his Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management from Virginia Tech.
He is a Professional Member of the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) and the Virginia Local Government Managers Association (VLGMA).
Peters currently serves as a board member on the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA), the Roanoke Regional Partnership, the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC), and the Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization (RVTPO).
He and his wife Cameron have been married for 20 years and have two children—Cadence (16) and Falan (15). His hobbies include mountain biking, kayaking, and camping.
The Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce has two staff members: Angie Chewning and Kathryn Sowers.
Angie Chewning became Executive Director of the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce in the fall of 2010. In the time since, she has continued to spread the word and to promote business growth in the Vinton area.
She has three children—Cydney, Drake, and Abbie–and one grandchild, Kellen.
Chewning serves on the American Cancer Society Leadership Council, the Roanoke Regional Partnership Board, the Urban Development Advisory Committee, and the Sassy Sister Group of Women of the Vinton Moose Lodge–a group formed by women Moose members to serve the community. Their first events included a food drive at Thanksgiving where they collected food for 13 Vinton families and then creating a float for the Vinton Santa Claus Crawl.
Chewning served as Chair of the Vinton Relay for Life from 2012-2016. She has served as a member of the Town of Vinton Revitalization Committee and the Preventive Council Committee.
She has volunteered at Explore Park’s Illuminights since its beginnning. Chewning loves to promote all things Vinton and is always encouraging folks to “Shop Local.” She loves volunteering for events and organizations that help people and make our community a better place to Live, Work, Shop and Play.
“I love sharing my feelings on growing up and living in Vinton,” says Chewning. “It feels like home. I’m ‘In.’ Are you?”
Kathryn Sowers worked for the Vinton Chamber of Commerce several years ago and returned in 2010 to temporarily bridge the gap between Executive Directors and was then invited to be the part-time Executive Assistant and Financial Coordinator.
Sowers is a native of Vinton. She has one son—Todd–and three grandchildren, Christiaan, Austin, and Hannah.
Volunteering is an important part of her life. She is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Vinton-Roanoke County “High Ground” Veteran’s Monument on the grounds of the Vinton War Memorial.
Sowers serves on the Board of Directors for General Federation of Women’s Club International, Southeastern Region, state of Virginia and Blue Ridge District. She is Secretary/Treasurer of the Arnold R. Burton Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to two William Byrd High School students each year. She is also very involved in her church—Vinton Baptist–and the Roanoke Valley Baptist Association.
