Doug Hayes

My family and I were living in Connecticut and I was recruited by Shenandoah Life to lead their group sales team. I was very familiar with the company and excited by the opportunity to join a smaller insurance company with great growth potential. Unfortunately, all that we knew about Roanoke was that it was an exit on I-81.

My daughters were both born in Charlotte, NC, where we had lived for 15 years, so we were all familiar with the quality of life available in the mid-Atlantic states. Our initial reaction to Roanoke was that it was a very small town and really wondered what it could offer. Our Realtor, Tom Stover was a great ambassador for the entire valley; he started us on the discovery process. The more we looked, the more we saw things we wanted in a place to live - an opportunity to enjoy the arts, affordable housing, good economic climate and active business community, limited traffic congestion, access to quality health care close proximity to outdoor recreational activities, a vibrant Christian community and diverse options of high quality schools.

I travel a great deal and access to air travel with alternatives was also important. While we have only been here for less than a year, we have started making trips to Mill Mountain and our beloved Star, a regular part of the tours of Roanoke when our family and friends come to visit. It is amazing how big and beautiful the community becomes from that vantage point. Roanoke has a lot to offer and we would encourage others to come and take a good look at all that lies beneath the Star.

• Doug’s Occupation: Group Sales Team Leader, Shenandoah Life