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"Fantastic":
Adams Cos., Trex Are Among Elite In VA
By Jason English
The Winchester Star - April 1, 1999
For Kevin Adams, good business
can be boiled down to one simple thought: What you do is symptomatic
of who you are.
Now people across Virginia will know more about who Adams is and
what his firm --- The Adams Cos. --- has accomplished.
The Winchester company was
honored Wednesday night in Richmond by the Virginia Chamber of
Commerce, which placed The Adams Cos. On its Forth Annual "Fantastic
50" list of the state's fastest-growing companies.
Recognized companies were chosen from a pool of nominations provided
by local chambers of commerce, small business development centers,
and economic development organizations.
Companies were required to be privately held, headquartered in
Virginia, and show sales between $200,000 and $100 million.
Adams, the 41-year-old executive vice president, said Wednesday
afternoon that he doesn't know what impact the recognition will
have on his company, if any, but he said it should "raise
people's consciousness about what we do."
And what Adams' company does is a little bit of everything in
the commercial real estate industry.
Since it was founded in 1988 by Kevin Adams and his parents, C.
Douglas and Fern, the company has evolved into a full-service,
one-stop-shop for commercial real estate.
"There are probably 10 (companies) like us in Northern Virginia,
but pretty much from Chambersburg, Pa. to Harrisonburg, we are
it," Adams said of his company's full-service menu.
Through its family of various companies, The Adams Cos. perform
a number of services, including real estate sales and leasing
(Adams-Nelson & Associates Inc.); real estate development
(Adams-Legge Development Group); project and construction management
(Adams-Nelson Management inc.); and real estate property management
(Adams-Nelson Property Management Inc.)
That coverage was best represented in the project that Kevin Adams
is most proud - the Fern Adams building on South Loudoun Street
in Winchester.
Named for Kevin's late mother, Fern, the building was the place
where the two helped organize Thanksgiving dinners with the Salvation
Army, which used to be housed there.
Now, the historic structure, after much renovation and ingenuity,
is home to one of the most high-tech companies in the area, Judd's
Online. It is also home Master Media Group.
"That one project is a microcosm of everything we do,"
Adams said.
Adams-Nelson has also had its hand in much of the commercial and
industrial growth that has fueled the robust local economy during
the past 10 years, including the retail boom along South Pleasant
Valley Road and the Airport Business Center near Winchester Regional
Airport.
Adams said his company was fortunate to capitalize on a terrific
economy since 1991. "It's been spectacular," he said.
Adams said the success of The Adams Cos. can be attributed to
two things, its "loyal employees who love to work here,"
and the company's good relationship with its clients.
"One way to lose your job is to lie, and have us find out
about it," he said. Adams pledged that his staff of about
14 would get "better, not bigger."
"I don't want to be as big so I can't speak to every employee
everyday."
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