The new President and CEO is delighted to be in Martinsburg.  “Our college offers short term career-focused programs which enable our students to move forward in their careers earning higher wages.  Valley College offers high customer service to our students not just in their course work but in preparing them for successful interview experience by employers so they are placed in jobs that offer more opportunities for growth.  We have very small class sizes. Our focus is on students within a twenty to thirty mile radius of Martinsburg.” says Mr. Palmieri.

“Having been a partner with schools in Florida which specialized in medical and business, I chose to buy a college in Martinsburg because of the growth potential I see in the Eastern Panhandle.  Valley College is evaluating employer needs in the region and will be expanding our certificate and degree programs to meet this need.  The goal of Valley College is to not only provide career growth for our students but to also educate them to give back to their communities.  One of the things I have found in West Virginia is a ‘great culture of caring’.”

With locations in Beckley, Martinsburg, and Princeton, a major difference between Valley College and other traditional colleges is that students can start their program within two weeks of enrolling.  They do not have to wait for a new semester.  We also have more than sixty-five percent placement success. We constantly survey our employers, and make adjustments to the curriculum to make sure we are preparing you for their needs. Medical Office Administration and Professional Office Administration programs can be completed in just 8 months. The Medical Clinical Assistant program can be completed in just 10 months.

Valley College at Aikens Center

Looking at his expansion of certificate and degree programs, Mr Palmieri has contacted Andrew Nicholson, Aikens Group Commercial Property Manager, for additional commercial space.  The Aikens Center has expansion space as well as we are building a new 30,000 square foot office complex in the Aikens Center complex.

Aikens Group is proud to have been involved with Valley College for twenty four years and look forward to providing them expansion opportunities as they grow in the area.

Kristina Arntz, Director of Sales – Virginia, says, “There is a great benefit to the brides and grooms who are blocking rooms for their guests.  Hotels can really not block more than 50 rooms to any one person.  They also really prefer to limit this to 25 rooms initially. By going with the Aikens Group, you have one sales contact who will be able to block rooms in several hotels.  You can select hotels with different price points so your wedding guests will have options. The end result is your busy life just became easier.”

“We have also found that the Interstate 81 Corridor is a great mid-way point for many families which is why the brides and grooms have selected Winchester as a central point for their weddings.”

No matter what the price is, the Aikens Group Hotels all have refrigerators, microwaves, fitness centers, swimming pools, and options for Breakfast.  Plus many have event party rooms should you want to also book your rehearsal dinners, receptions, and brunch the day after your wedding.

There is no cost to set up a hotel room block,  You can do as many as 25 rooms per block. The rooms will be held in your name up until twenty one days prior to your wedding day.  Kristina’s advice is for brides to block the rooms six to eight months prior to their weddings.  You can let your sales contact know earlier but most hotel brands do not allow the rooms to actually be blocked prior to this time.

For Virginia Guests -you have four hotels to select from -

Hilton Garden Inn is the newest Aikens Group hotel. Offering 102 rooms with amenities and services unique to the Hilton Garden chain, these hotels known for being small full service hotels with a restaurant and bar service.  The American Grill in Winchester is recognized for its outstanding food.  As the caterer for the hotel, brides and grooms often have their rehearsal dinners and brunches at the Hilton Garden.  The banquet room is wonderful for eighty guests which also makes it perfect for a small wedding. Again, easy to get to off of I-81 at Route 50.

The Hampton Inn and Conference Center is located on Berryville Avenue the Route 7 I-81 exit. Not only are the 100 rooms wonderful with a hot breakfast included but the Hampton has a beautiful ballroom accommodating 250 guests as well as smaller rooms for more intimate events.

The Fairfield Inn and Suites is a Marriott property offering 85 rooms.  Many guests enjoy a Fairfield because it offers suites which have 25% MORE space than a typical hotel room.

The Holiday Inn Express is just down two exits on Interstate 81 South from the Hilton Garden.  Newly refurbished, this hotel offers 71 rooms and is a great price point for many guests.

The Hampton Inn Front Royal is great for guests traveling Interstate 66.  This is the first large hotel after leaving the Manassas – Centerville area and traveling thru wine country on Interstate 66.  With 102 rooms, this hotel was also recently remodeled.  It features an event room with seating for 72 for dinner.

For West Virginia guests – the Aikens Group features two hotels.

The Hampton Inn Inwood offers easy access off of Interstate 81  to your northern visiting tourists.  With 65 rooms, this is ideally positioned to explore the West Virginia Eastern Panhandle as well as the Shenandoah Valley.

The Comfort Inn is located in Martinsburg just off of Interstate 81. Similar to the Hampton Inn Conference Center in Winchester, this hotel offers 109 rooms as well as a ballroom for weddings up to 225 guests.  The convenience of having the event and sleeping rooms in the same complex appeals to many brides and grooms.  There are also four other event party rooms available at this location perfect for groups from 24 to 72.

VIP Brunch Event - February 26, 2012

Contact the Kristina for more room block information or visit them at the Winter Blue Ridge Bridal Show at Millwood Station.  Don’t forget the VIP Brunch Event prior to the show at the Hilton Garden.  Reservations are required.

140 Ton H&W Construction Crane - New for the Interstate 81 Corridor

H&W Crane Rentals provides a wide range of customized crane rigging and lifting solutions for industrial and residential applications. Based in Winchester, Virginia, H&W utilizes its skilled manpower, specialized heavy lift equipment to achieve necessary goals of the customer while maintaining operations with limited interruptions. H&W’s highly skilled supervisors and licensed operators perform all aspects of a project from consultation to execution. Offering the largest fleet of specialized equipment on the Interstate 81 Corridor, H&W is able to customize lifting solutions, as necessary to each individual customer’s needs on a project-specific basis.

Inside a 140 Ton Crane Link Belt

“As our area has grown, H&W continues to grow as well by adding a Linkbelt 140 to our crane fleet. When we purchased our first crane in 1986, we recognized the potential for expanding into crane rental business and have  been fortunate to do so.” said Walter Aikens.  The Link Belt 140 provides a local solution to area industrial and commercial businesses. There now is no need to pay the additional transportation cost to bring this size crane into the area. With a 243′ boom and a max pick of 268,000 pounds, the Link Belt 140 addresses most industrial and commercial crane needs rounding out the H&W crane fleet. H&W is proud to have chosen to work with Link Belt, an ‘American Made’ product made in Lexington, Kentucky.

H&W is able to provide lifting solutions to each individual customer’s needs on a project-specific basis.

• Technical crane lifting from 32 tons to 140 tons
• Highly skilled crane and rigging personnel
• Consultation, review and planning, engineering, execution and evaluation
• Comprehensive safety review and planning
• Provides footprint and mapping of projects to determine load requirements, rigging , and risk analysis

This Link Belt 140 will take delivery in January and be in service in February 2012. H&W Crane Rentals is currently soliciting jobs for its new addition to its fleet.

At H&W Crane Rentals, we take pride in meeting our customer needs as efficiently as possible. We offer 24 hour service 7 days a week for the businesses and municipalities we partner with. Call Jason Miller, our Crane Rentals Superintendent at 540-667-3752 or email.

Hilton Garden Inn - Winchester, VA

Tasker Village Apartments - Winchester, VA

Many guests prefer a hotel environment over a fully furnished apartment for the social interaction received with the hotel staff and other regular guests. They become an extended family during their stay. Each of the Aikens Group hotels offer microwave and refrigerators in every room as well as guest laundry facilities. This meets the demands of most travelers. Some properties like The Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott offer larger guest rooms that include a bedroom as well as a lounging area. The Hilton Garden Inn offers an intimate bar and restaurant in addition to its as large lobby for those guests that prefer to be in a more social environment.

Fairfield Inn King Suite - Winchester, VA

Some travelers prefer not to enjoy the hotel lifestyle and take pleasure in a more permanent housing solution. This is provided by the Aikens Group’s Furnished Corporate Apartments. Corporate Apartments are offered in Winchester and Stephens City, Virginia and the Martinsburg, West Virginia areas. All have easy access to Interstate 81. These apartments are fully furnished and offer all the comfort of home. “All guest needs to bring is their clothes. We handle the rest. Just like a hotel.” said Jason Aikens, Vice President of the Aikens Group.

Tasker Village Apartments Living Room - Winchester, VA

The Aikens Group’s success with the extended stay programs in their hotels and furnished corporate apartments is the ability to tailor a housing solution to the unique needs each guest. Offering both short and long term solutions. The Aikens Group’s sales staff is trained to customize packages for the clients. Often if the guests arrive early, they may start out at a hotel until their fully apartment is ready.

With the increase in temporary housing, the Aikens Group has expanded their corporate apartments units have eight hotels in the area.

Whether you are traveling with your business, the government, or simply relocation to our area, the Aikens Group welcomes you. Tell a business associate or friend who is in need of temporary housing that you have found an affordable solution. Email or call one of the Aikens Group Hotels for one of its sales staff to assist you in the best choice for your ‘temporary’ lifestyle.

Here is how the program works….

Steps are:

• Do you know someone who is looking to establish a new business in Winchester or Martinsburg?
• Do you know a business expanding in search of larger facilities?
• Do you want to make some extra cash for the new year?

The Aikens Group has a wide array of commercial office and retail space on the Interstate 81 Corridor.  Facilities range in size from 400 square feet to over 5,000 square feet.  The Aikens Group is also building a new professional office building in Martinsburg, West Virginia with over 10,000 square feet on each of the three floors.  We can supply a commercial tenant with what they are looking for in high traffic locations meeting retail, professional, warehouse, and flex warehouse requirements. We also have several sites for free standing buildings as well if you are looking for a restaurant site with a drive thru. The Aikens Group’s present facilities have tenants who have renting from Aikens for over fifty years from these areas of business:

• Medical Offices
• Restaurants
• Real Estate Offices
• Law Offices
• Government Offices
• Financial Offices
• Insurance Offices
• Retail Small Business and National Chains
• Warehousing Industries

Pass on your referral to the Aikens Group and you could walk home with up to $500 Cash.

Call Andrew at 540-667-3752 or email.

Giving Back to your Commercial Tenants

143-2 Aikens Center on Edwin Miller Boulevard

1200 square foot commercial office consisting of a reception area with window into file/payment room, large office area with work desks, and with four separate offices. bathroom, and a closet.  A plus to this site is the windows on both the front and the back side of the building. Ready for immediate move in.

This is an interesting commercial real estate space with its own private entrance directly to the second floor office. Lots of window visibility.

Boulevard Plaza is part of a large business park with various size office spaces. Located on Edwin Miller Boulevard part of District Way, This business park consists of many different professional and retail businesses including lawyer, real estate, mortgage financial centers, government agencies as well as retail. This high traffic corridor has restaurants, the regional Post Office, hotels, banks and apartment complexes and other strip malls.

Competitively priced based on terms of lease, this building offers high visibility since Edwin Miller Boulevard is the highest traffic count in Martinsburg.  Call Andrew Nicholson TODAY for more information at 540-667-3752.

Handyman Connection - Successful Franchise in Winchester, Virginia

Handyman Connection in Winchester, Virginia  is a good example of a successful franchise. Opening in June 2008, they expanded their space with the Aikens Group at Dominion Square on Front Royal Pike in 2010.   Franchises offer the opportunity for a small business to have the benefits of a large marketing program behind them as well as stability of a successful business plan. While other businesses are failing, Handyman Connection is growing. People are holding on to their homes repairing them and making home improvements. This is a great franchise for a struggling economy.

Tiffany Stotler Peters, Owner,  offers five steps for giving your house a yearly checkup.

1. Inspect the exterior of your home – look for anything that is broken, cracked, curled, crooked, peeling, or stained.  Also be sure to look for any overgrown trees or foliage that could cause damage to your roof or siding.
2. Closely examine any trouble spots – think about places where water may be coming into or around your home.  Check your home’s doors, windows, framing, siding, roofing, and the foundation.
3. Inspect the interior of your home – look for sagging floors, walls, ceilings, peeling paint, sticking doors, loose floorboards, popped drywall screws, squeaky stairs, and loose ceiling fans.  In addition, be sure your attic is dry and has enough insulation.
4. Check your plumbing – look for signs of leaks in exposed pipes or where they enter walls or foundations.  Also pay attention to running toilets, loose, tile, brittle or loose appliance hoses, dripping faucets, or clogged sinks.
5. Inspect your electrical and heating systems – make note of loose outlet covers and receptacle boxes, and scorch marks in the breaker box or around plugs.  Be sure to test GFI’s, change furnace filters and schedule annual maintenance for your furnace.

Bathroom Remodeling - Berryville, VA

Could your home use a handyman?  Tiffany says, “Trust the pros at Handyman Connection to tackle your home repairs. Whether you need something installed, built, repaired, or maintained, we are your one connection for getting it done!  Contact Handyman Connection at 540-450-0671 or email Tiffany. Start turning your to-do’s into Done today!

Historic Patsy Cline Home

With the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 1st, the house will be open to the public.  It is the home of the Patsy Cline, the legendary singer.  She grew up in the house from 1948 to 1957.  Country music legend, Patsy Cline was born in Winchester, Virginia on September 8, 1932.  Her natural talent and abundant spirit took her to the top of country charts in 1962.  Cline is considered one of the most influential, successful and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century. Her first record contract as well as preparations for her Arthur Godfrey show 1957 appearance occurred in this home.

Celebrate her legacy with a one night stay at the Hampton Inn and Conference Center in a room of your choice.  Included in your stay are two tickets to the Patsy Cline Historic House, a small gift,  and a driving tour brochure of Cline’s hometown.  The drive takes you by the drug store where Patsy worked as a young person and her memorial grave site.

As a fan old or new, enjoy this very special package commemorating a true legend.  Always cherished….always beloved…..always Patsy Cline.

Book your reservation today.  Offer will expire October 31, 2011.

Created from two early 20th century barns in Rose Hill Park, Berryville, Virginia, the 1.7 million dollar project was completed by H & W Construction Company.

City National at each branch also does a weekly business spotlight.  For a two week period, one business is spotlighted in the lobby of City National Bank’s Eastern Panhandle Branches.  In addition to signage in the lobby area, coupons are created and attached to the money envelopes which are given out to their customers.  The coupons vary depending upon the business but usually include a discount offer, special rates or free estimates.

City National Bank prides itself in a strong sense of community involvement, where the majority of its employees volunteering in community outreach programs. The Business Spotlight is another way to give back to the Eastern Panhandle.  City National has spotlighted construction companies, nail and hair salons, restaurants, real estate agents, and consignment shops to name a few.  While City prefers to target the small business owner, the bank has advertised for larger companies as well.

City National Bank is a subsidiary of City Holding Company of Charleston, West Virginia.  Currently, City National Bank has 68 branches throughout West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky and has been in operation for over 50 years.  City National Bank’s presence in the Eastern Panhandle began in August 1992 when they first rented from Aikens Group under the name of Blue Ridge Bank.  In 1999, Blue Ridge Bank assumed the name of its parent company and became City National Bank.  As the bank has grown, Aikens Group has grown with them building their new present location at Aikens Center.  There are currently seven City National Bank branches in the Eastern Panhandle.

Our Best Free Business Account requires $25 to open, has no minimum balance fee, and no monthly service fee with less than 500 items per month.

The Aikens Center Office of City National Bank is located at 231 Aikens Center in Martinsburg, next to Hoss’s Restaurant and across from Sheetz on Edwin Miller Boulevard.  The Branch Manager is Marsha Sabol.  Her phone number is 304-264-4520 and email address is marsha.sabol@cityholding.com.

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