Ryan Conrad CEO, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® Emerging Leader Nominee 1. Why do you believe CSR is an important part of your personal brand? I am proud to be a part of an organization that actively supports the American dream of homeownership.  As CEO of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors®, I have seen first-hand the impact that our industry …

FH&H Small Business Nominee Thomas Craig, Esq., Managing Partner  1.Why do you believe CSR strategy is important for a company? A Corporate Social Responsibility strategy is vital for a company to set because it lets employees know about the causes an organization is committed to, and it also tells employees their role in keeping a strong CSR strategy. FH+H’s CSR …

Glory Days Grill Large Business Nominee Jeff Newman, Co-Founder  1. Why do you believe CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategy is important for a company? CSR is important to any company because as owners and as employees, we operate in the communities in which we live.  These are our cities and towns, and our guests (or customers) are our neighbors. The safety, success, and happiness of our …

Lane Major Chief Operating Officer, K2M, Inc.  Emerging Leader Nominee 1. Why do you believe CSR is an important part of your personal brand?  At K2M, corporate social responsibility is an integral element to how we approach business.  It is true that companies often depend upon the support of local communities and stakeholders in order to thrive. That said, this relationship is …

(CVP) Customer Value Partners  Mature Technology Innovator of the Year Finalist Seven Principles of Innovation at CVP  “We’re innovating in technology!”  “Cutting-edge technical innovation!” The word innovation is a hot term these days, but real innovation cannot just be a buzzword. Companies that want to use technology to do things differently require an understanding of the underlying principles that create and foster innovation. …

Inova Health & Life Sciences Innovator of the Year Finalist Franziska Moeckel, Assistant Vice President, Personalized Health In your opinion, what makes a company innovative? The most innovative companies I have followed make failure part of their DNA. They take calculated risk, are not afraid of change, exponentially expand on their successes, and learn from their mistakes continuously. Innovation can …

Stratus Solutions Professional Services Innovator of the Year Finalist Sean O’Keeffe, CTO, Stratus Solutions In your opinion, what makes a company innovative? An innovative company is agile and can quickly respond to changes by moving from “what is” to “what if” to “what wows” to “what works.” These phases can be found in the book “Designing for Growth”, by Jeanne …

Nexus Systems  ​Financial Services Innovator of the Year Finalist Jennifer Coolidge, President & Founder, Nexus Systems In your opinion, what makes a company innovative?  Innovative companies aren’t stuck on the status quo and are always aware of emerging trends and pain points. They’re also agile thinkers who can adapt. This dovetails with a willingness to fail, since big ideas don’t …

Fresh Haystack  Mature Technology Innovator of the Year Finalist Andrew Razumovsky, Principal, Fresh Haystack In your opinion, what makes a company innovative? Exposing your employees to why your company is in business and supporting an environment where all employees have the freedom to contribute new ideas, fail and learn from their mistakes.   What makes your company innovative? Paying attention …

Refraction Community Impact Innovator of the Year Finalist Rachael Stott, Director and Co-founder, Refraction  In your opinion, what makes a company innovative?  I think, and studies suggest, innovation is about connection. Connection to a problem, connection to your end users, connection to collaborators with skills different than yours, connection to the other stakeholders that your innovation will impact, and connection …