Once you get past the apples/oranges factors of size of company versus per-capita giving, a few local firms do rise above the rest when it comes to providing for charity.
One way to look at the business and technological success of Ron Blum is that if all the jobs his inventions have spawned could have remained here in Roanoke – as he would have liked them to – he would be the area’s second-largest employer...
Founder/CEO Bonz Hart has overcome our “not a metropolis” identity by using things like $60,000 starting salaries, the lure of the mountains and opening regional offices in Houston, Dubai, Asia and Europe.
The man behind the Cotton Mill apartments, the rehabbed Patrick Henry Hotel as well as several projects of positive community change deflects much of the credit to those who work with him, who in turn laud their boss’s inclusiveness.
They seem to discover quickly what we know: It’s friendly here, easy to get around. There’s lots to do outside, the restaurants are good. Housing prices are significantly lower than in big cities. And yes, you can meet other single professionals...
