Name: Jim Steil

Name of business: Western Tidewater Medical Reserve Corps

Street Address: 135 Hall Ave., Suffolk

Phone number: 514-4768 or 719-1443

Operating hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; weekends by appointment

E-mail Address: jim.steil@vdh.virginia.gov

Nature of business: Enhance and improve community resiliency and emergency response to public health initiatives and emergencies through recruitment, coordination, training and continual engagement of medical and non-medical volunteers from within Franklin and Suffolk and Southampton and Isle of Wight counties.

Administrator: Virginia Department of Health, Western Tidewater Health District, Interim Director Dr. Nancy Welch

Number of volunteers: eighty and growing

How’s business: Good and getting better because every person uses volunteerism differently to support and achieve their goals, objectives or desires. Citizens from all walks of life across the Western Tidewater Health District are positively responding to our quest and advertising for volunteers. Our focused training, community engagements and pro-active exercises are providing the appropriate level of flexibility.

One thing you wish everyone knew about your business: We need more volunteers from the medical and non-medical communities in Franklin and Southampton County.

Something you offer that a customer won’t find elsewhere: Pre-credentialed, specifically trained and ready volunteers, capable and ready to respond when and as needed to improve public health concerns on a day-to-day and emergency response basis across Western Tidewater Health District

Advice to young entrepreneurs: Find your passion and make a difference in your community

Your first job: Picking rocks out of farm fields for 50 cents an hour.

Your role model (in business or in life generally): Anyone who faces adversity head-on with a can-do attitude; anyone who is willing to put forth extra effort; and anyone who can not only think outside the box but is willing to work outside the box that society, life and economics often place around us.

The key to a successful business is: Having a clear vision, obtainable goals and self-determination to truly make a difference.