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The Adams Family: A Unique
Partnership
By Stan Hough
The Winchester Star - Thursday, May 18, 1989
Hanging on the wall in the
conference room at the offices of Adams-Legge Development Group
at Winchester Regional Airport is a plaque bearing what Kevin
Adams calls the core of the company's business ethic. "Our
commitment is to create successful projects of quality and integrity
and to be of service to the community."
On the surface, the phrase could easily appear to be a shallow
public relations slogan rather than true conviction. But for this
group of developers, commitment to community cuts deeper than
the slew of civic projects and memberships that give weight to
their creed. In fact, Doug, Fern, Garth and Kevin Adams have been
working under the premise of community commitment for a lifetime
- the family community.
In what Mrs. Adams described as "a bit beyond the mom and
pop business," father, mother, and sons have combined to
form one of the area's newest development companies. They work
together and play together. There are family skills workshops,
and non-business family meetings and vacations.
"My mother and father set the example, and I think we just
followed that tradition," Kevin Adams said. "Unless
you give something back you won't get anything in return."
And that sentiment is echoed up and down the family ranks. Doug
Adams, a real estate lawyer in Fairfax before he retired last
year and moved to Boyce to head the company full time, lists an
extensive resume of civic duty. Once the president of Annandale
Chamber of Commerce, his son Kevin is now on the board of directors
of Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce.
Mrs. Adams is co-founder of the Patsy Cline Memorial Committee.
Her son Garth, is a member of that committee and is on the chamber's
Economic Development Committee.
For Thanksgiving last year, the whole family, including daughters
Ellen, Leith and Sarah, served dinner at a shelter for the homeless
in Washington.
"The fact is, we're all going to apply for sainthood next
year," Kevin said with a smile.
What they've also applied for, and received, is support from Frederick
County to develop the Airport Business Center, an industrial park
that has become a centerpiece of the county's hopes for industrial
growth. Just over 300 acres on U.S. 522 South and the new airport
road have been rezoned from agricultural to industrial/commercial
for the park.
Doug Adams paid a little less than $1 million for what were the
Rosenberger and Teats farms. The property now has a new road,
water and sewer lines instead of septic fields, and an underground
electrical system.
The company, among other properties, owns several historic buildings
in Winchester, Jason's Restaurant in Martinsburg, W.Va., 114 acres
of undeveloped land just south of Apple Blossom Mall, and the
real estate brokerage firm of Adams-Nelson & Associates of
Winchester. But they all agree that the Airport Business Center
represents the future of their company.
"I have never had any property that has had greater indications
of success," Doug Adams said.
The family said they feel the venture will be successful because
they've put in the time to lay the proper foundation for a high-quality
business center.
After four years of planning, the company sold 21 acres to Winchester
Regional Airport for a new terminal, which they said is critical
to the success of the park; four and a half acres to Project HOPE
for a warehouse that is now in operation; and 2.7 acres to AES,
Inc., which is constructing a 15,000-square-foot corporate headquarters
that is expected to be ready in June.
With more than 270 acres still remaining to be developed, the
consensus among the family is that it's only a matter of time.
"It's a massive project," Kevin said. "It should
take five to 10 years to complete depending upon absorption rates
with the market place."
According to his wife, Doug Adams is known as "The Horatio
Alger of Annandale" because he parlayed $145 into a successful
law practice. And because of his background, Adams is quick to
dispel any notion of nepotism when it comes to his sons.
"They're here because they're the best we can get and not
because they're our sons," Adams said.
Garth, 28, who worked in surveying and real estate management
in the Washington area before joining his parents two years ago,
handles the operations side of the business.
Kevin, 31, worked in sales and marketing for several real estate
companies in Northern Virginia. For the last 18 months, he's done
the same for the family business.
Doug Adams and Mrs. Adams (Legge is her maiden name), oversee
the whole project, with Mrs. Adams handling public relations and
Adams dealing with finance and legal issues.
Family staff meetings are held once a week, something they all
agreed is necessary to deal with the double load of professional
and family relations.
It's impossible to keep the two separate," Garth said. "They
have to blend and merge at some point for it to work."
"It's the greatest single challenge I've ever faced in business,"
Kevin said. "If you think you've worked through all your
family issues, go into business with your parents and see if they
don't come up again."
"Getting angry or frustrated is allowed at the meetings as
long as everything is put on the table," Mrs. Adams said.
"We try not to go on the illusion that you get by today on
yesterday's communication." Kevin said. "We get everything out up front," Mrs. Adams added,
"there are no hidden agendas."
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