2018 February/March Issue
4 Things You Buy with Higher Health Insurance Premiums
Health insurance in the United States is expensive. That, by now, is a cliché. This...
10 Quick Steps to Initiate Branding Change to Coastal Virginia
A statewide initiative to rebrand the region from Hampton Roads to Coastal Virginia could strengthen...
Rebranding Hampton Roads to Coastal Virginia
How A New Statewide Initiative Could Strengthen Our Regional Identity To Drive Economic Growth By...
Best Places to Work: 1st Advantage Federal Credit Union
By Barrett Baker 110 Cybernetics Way, Yorktown 757-877-2444 | 1stAdvantage.org Founded: Chartered in 1951 Employees:...
Best Places to Work: Array Digital
By Angela Blue 660 Independence Pkwy., #310, Chesapeake | 888-338-8252 | ThisIsArray.com Founded: Originally launched...
Best Places to Work: Abbitt Realty
By Ryan Miller AbbittRealty.com Abbitt Realty has office locations in Gloucester, Hampton, Newport News and...
Best Places to Work: Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
By Ryan Miller AtlanticBay.com Atlantic Bay has locations in Chesapeake, Gloucester, Virginia Beach, Yorktown, throughout...
Best Places to Work: Buzz Franchise Brands
By Angela Blue 2829 Guardian Lane, Suite 100, Virginia Beach | 885-275-2563 | BuzzFranchiseBrands.com Founded:...
Best Places to Work: Chesbay Distributing
By Ryan Miller 3928 Cook Blvd., Chesapeake | 757-558-8170 | ChesbayDistributing.com Founded: 1958 as Norfolk...
Best Places to Work: Entercom Communications
By Angela Blue 236 Clearfield Ave., Virginia Beach | 757-497-2000 | Entercom.com Other locations are...
Best Places to Work: GEICO
By Grace Silipigni 1345 Perimeter Pkwy., Virginia Beach | 757-222-3400 | Geico.com Founded: 1936 Employees:...
Best Places to Work: INIT Innovations In Transportation, Inc.
By Grace Silipigni 424 Network Station, Chesapeake | 757-413-9100 | INITSE.com Other locations are worldwide....
Best Places to Work: Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.
By Barrett Baker 150 W. Main Street, Suite 2100, Norfolk | 757-624-3000 | KaufCan.com Founded:...
Best Places to Work: Lions Bridge Financial Advisors
By Angela Blue 2110 William Styron Square S., Newport News | 757-599-9220 | LionsBridgeFinancial.com Founded:...
Best Places to Work: Office Furniture Outlet
By Grace Silipigni 5595 Raby Rd., Building 3, Norfolk | 757-855-2800 | OFOVa.com Founded: 1989...
Best Places to Work: Old Point National Bank
By Barrett Baker Corporate Headquarters: 101 East Queen Street, Hampton | 757-728-1200 | OldPoint.com Founded:...
Best Places to Work: Classic Air’s One Hour Heating And Air Conditioning
By Angela Blue 2680 Production Rd., Virginia Beach | 757-868-7600 | OneHourComfort.com Founded: 1979 Employees:...
Best Places to Work: Pembroke Commercial Realty
By Ryan Miller 4460 Corporation Lane, #300, Virginia Beach | 757-490-3141 | PembrokeRealty.com Founded: 1962...
Best Places to Work: RynohLive
By Ryan Miller 397 Little Neck Rd., #306, Virginia Beach | 877-467-9664 | Rynoh.com Founded:...
Best Places to Work: Taylor Made Diagnostics, Inc.
By Grace Silipigni 801 Poindexter St, Chesapeake | 757-494-1688 | TaylorMadeDiagnostics.com Founded: 1995 Employees: 24...
Best Places to Work: USAA
By Grace Silipigni 520 Independence Pkwy., Chesapeake | 1-800-531-8722 | USAA.com USAA is based in...
Best Places to Work: Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.
By Barrett Baker 150 West Main St., Norfolk | 757-625-4700 | WEC-CPA.com Founded: 1989 Employees:...
Best Places to Work: Wilson Law, PLC
By Barrett Baker 430 McLaws Circle, Suite 102, Williamsburg | 866-603-5976 | WilsonLawPLC.com Founded: June...
Best Places to Work
Businesses With Fun And Fulfilling Company Cultures By Barrett Baker, Angela Blue, Grace Silipigni and...
VisitNorfolk Receives Grant from Virginia Tourism Corporation Crush Friday Program
VisitNorfolk received a $10,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Crush Friday program fund....
Union Bank & Trust Pavilion Announced as the New Name of Portsmouth Amphitheater
Union Bank & Trust Pavilion is now the new name for Portsmouth’s amphitheater under a...
4 Questions You Should Be Able to Answer About Your Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Health benefits enrollment is a once-a-year "event" for most folks in a traditional employer-sponsored model....
2018 ODU Lion’s Lair Competition Welcomes Hampton Roads Entrepreneurs
The 2018 ODU Lion's Lair Competition is accepting applications through March 2, welcoming entrepreneurs from...
3 Questions to Ask Your Doctor at Every Visit
The state-of-healthcare is essentially a ubiquitous water cooler conversation these days. Often, the conversation surrounds...
Girl Scouts Of Colonial Coast Receive STEM Grant From Newport News Shipbuilding
The Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast received a grant from Newport News Shipbuilding, a...
BCF Agency Lands Big Clients Under New Ownership
Less than a year after long-term Creative Director Keith Ireland transitioned into the roles as...
Atlantic Shores Retirement Community Partners to Install Technology to Boost Hearing Quality
Atlantic Shores Retirement Community has embarked on a life-changing technology initiative designed to boost hearing...
SOLitude Lake Management Merges with Lake Masters
SOLitude Lake Management, a leading environmental firm specializing in lake, pond and wetland management, fisheries...
Virginia Wesleyan University Honored as Conservationist of the Year
Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) was honored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) in February with...
Excellence In Leadership: J.D. Myers, Cox Communications
Senior Vice President And Region Manager, Cox Communications Virginia Operations By Barrett Baker J.D. Myers...
ivWatch Plans to Relocate to Newport News Tech Center
ivWatch, the exclusive provider of medical devices for the early detection of intravenous (IV) infiltrations...
Sentara Healthcare to Build New Cancer Center in Norfolk
Sentara Healthcare will begin a multi-year, $93.5 million construction project to build a cancer center...
Attorneys at Motorcycle Law Group Use Firsthand Experience to Defend Clients
By Chelsea Sherman It was 1992, and Tom McGrath had been practicing personal injury law...
Battling the Cost of Prescription Meds in Hampton Roads
As Spring arrives, we’re just now escaping (hopefully) a pretty ugly flu season. With that...
5 Tips for Managing Your Email Inbox
Many of us have a love/hate relationship with our email inbox. The form of communication...
Norfolk Growler Company’s Handmade Ceramic Growlers for Craft Beer
By Ryan Miller Norfolk Growler Company’s handmade craft growlers for craft beer resemble old fashioned,...
Trader Interactive Moves Headquarters to Norfolk’s Dominion Tower
Trader Interactive, a digital marketing company, moved its corporate headquarters to Dominion Tower in Norfolk...
ViBe District in Virginia Beach Awards Grants to Commune and 1701
The ViBe Creative District in Virginia Beach has awarded the first two matching grants to...
The White Papers
white pa·per (noun): A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that informs readers...
By Grace Silipigni
520 Independence Pkwy., Chesapeake | 1-800-531-8722 | USAA.com
USAA is based in San Antonio, Texas. Other locations are nationwide.
Founded: 1922
Number of Employees: 610 total employees report to the Chesapeake office. 407 employees work inside the office, and 203 work from home.
USAA is a relationship company dedicated to serving military members by offering the best options for insurance, banking, investment and retirement. USAA demonstrates service, loyalty, honesty and integrity to each and every member, whether active or former military, cadets or midshipmen or military family members.
According to its employees, USAA serves the greatest mission of any company and works hard to ensure that the wants and needs of each member are not only met but exceeded. General Manager and ex-service member Ray LaSalle of the Chesapeake-based office explains that USAA’s excellence in customer service is simply the result of hiring great employees and fostering a fun and fulfilling company culture. “We have a noble mission, and that alone is great motivation for our employees, but we also think that if we offer a positive and innovative work environment, it will help our employees to be at their best,” explains LaSalle.
In addition to USAA’s slew of appreciation luncheons and volunteer events, the company is devoted to celebrating its diverse employee population. USAA’s approach to praising diversity differs, however, in that it celebrates differences through inclusivity. Known as Diversity Business Groups, USAA offers groups for individuals who identify as members or allies of the gay and lesbian community, African-American community, persons with disabilities and more. All employees are not only welcome but encouraged to join multiple Diversity Business Groups.
“I’m a member of all the Diversity Business Groups, and what they’re about is offering the opportunities for employees to bring their full, authentic self to the workplace,” explains LaSalle. “With diversity comes strength. We want [our employees] to stay, and we want [their] diversity to come in to make us better, to better serve our members.”
With a focus on diversity also comes a focus on innovation. At USAA, every employee is an innovator. LaSalle explains that being visible and receptive to employees’ perspectives ultimately results in a more positive and engaged workforce and shows employees of all positions and capacities that their ideas matter.
“I love these employees. They really do their best each and every day to take care of our military members and their families,” says LaSalle. “I couldn’t be prouder than to work for this company, and I couldn’t be prouder of these employees.”
Work Perks
- On-site fitness center
- Nursing mothers’ room
- Energize and relax zones
- Company store/market
- Free financial advice days
- Luncheons for anniversaries and holidays
- Frequent office parties
- Annual employee family day
- “Recognition points” for top performances and exceptional member service, redeemable for prizes
- Annual job satisfaction survey
- USAA Annual 5K Fun Run/Walk
- Healthy Point Program allowing employees to reduce their premiums by earning points
- Zero Day PT, replicated boot camp for employees
- Two paid volunteer days
Why I Love My Job
“At USAA, employees are equipped with the tools and the resources to make physical and financial wellness a priority for themselves and their families. USAA invests in the employees and building a wellness culture for the long term by actively creating and supporting behavior change.”
—Aubrey Thomas, Chesapeake Regional Site Director, 17 years with USAA
