Soave: Newsletter Spring 2008

Opportunity

”Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.“

This quote, attributed to Thomas Edison, serves to remind us of the opportunity each of always has to use our own elbow grease to succeed, especially in tough economic times. Historically, we have faced many challenges as an organization – from the early struggles making ends meet, to the times when we have sacrificed short term profits to invest in a customer relationship for the long term. Our collective efforts have resulted in sustained growth, industry diversification, solid customer and vendor relationships and low employee turnover. It goes without saying that a major factor in each of these positive accomplishments is our talented and impressive Soave team. Our employees are the backbone of our success.

Only by developing our employees to their highest potential can we uphold our organization’s core values and maintain our corporate success. With this in mind, Soave Enterprises will roll out a new on-line performance management system to many of our companies during this year. The system is designed to invest in the development of our people by encouraging more regular and meaningful communication between supervisors and employees at every level.

As each company grows, we must remember it is critically important to give our people an opportunity to grow as well. Evaluation and reinforcement of both learnable skills and ingrained performance characteristics should not be done just once, but consistently and meaningfully throughout our employees’ time with us. This new program, which will be implemented on a rolling basis to individual business units, will dramatically increase the number of Soave employees who set goals and receive regular feedback on their performance. Currently, we estimate that only a small percentage of our team members formally discuss job execution with their supervisors. Though many of our employees experience informal communication regarding performance matters, the benefits enjoyed by both employee and employer from a more formalized, interactive program are impossible to dispute.

It is clear from our historical success that the people in our organization embrace opportunity – especially when it ”wears overalls and looks like work.” Thanks go out to the team that championed this new system: Kristy Breitenstein, Tom Defacci, Robin Giesin, Jamie Lomason, Mara Salierno, Angie Sherrill, Joanie Streicher and Kristan Williams – and continued thanks to the rest of our talented team that will benefit from the fruits of their labors.

Have a great summer.

The March of Progress Continues at Brambleton Town Center

With an appealing mixture of nationally known chains and locally-owned boutiques, Brambleton Town Center continues to add top-notch retailers and facilities to its 500,000 square foot shopping district. This spring brought openings of home design and accents merchant, The Nest Egg, and Edibles Incredible Desserts, a bakery and specialty sweet shop. Additionally, a new Builders’ Showcase & Welcome Center will open its doors in June.

”We’re excited about our expansion and are thrilled to be a part of Brambleton and the Loudoun County community,“ commented The Nest Egg owner Ann O’Shields. Her store features transitional lines and traditional pieces, including old-world reproductions and French country-inspired designs. ”Home decorating should be an enjoyable experience, whether you’re in your first home or updating the look of your cherished pieces.“

Robyn Hanna, and her husband, Alan Furman, own Edibles Incredible Desserts with its unique cakes, baked goods and candies, inspired by the couple’s longtime culinary and catering interests. Already involved with activities in Brambleton,Hanna and Furman have high praise for the community atmosphere that Brambleton offers its homeowners. ”We love Brambleton; it’s so family oriented,“ said Hanna.

Builder displays and community information will soon be available seven-days-a-week at the expanded Welcome Center. ”Our new location within Town Center will have more than 7,000 square feet to promote home sales in Brambleton,“ details Kim Adams, the community’s Director of Sales and Marketing.”Its June 5th grand opening also coincides with the first performance of our popular summer concert series.“ (See story below for details.)

The shopping district is now home to Consolidated Theatres’ 16-screen complex, a Harris Teeter grocery store and twenty-one other daily convenience stores and restaurants. In the near future, Town Center is anticipating continued growth, including: Allstate Insurance, Asian Spice Cafe, Broadlands Family Practice, Classic Closets & Design, Color Me Mine, Loudoun Dental Institute, The Papery, Blue Ridge Grill, Cantina Cove, Johnny Rockets, Commonhealth Chiropractic of McLean and Lazurde Salon & Medi-Spa.

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Brambleton Hosts Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series at Town Center

Dance music from the ’70s and ’80s, country rock, Latin sounds, and reggae, will drift through the community of Brambleton when the Summer Concert Series comes to the Town Center. Performances are scheduled several Thursday evenings a month, beginning in June.

Sponsored by the Brambleton Town Center Associates, the concerts are open to the public at no charge. ”Resident can enjoy dinner out at one of Town Center’s vibrant new eateries, and then bring a chair or blanket to the Town Center plaza and join the fun from 7 to 9 p.m.,“ notes Kim Adams.

Soave SPECTRUM is developed and published by Soave Enterprises LLC for and about the employees and the companies owned by Anthony Soave. Entire contents © 2008 Soave Enterprises LLC. All rights reserved; reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.