What's Up Magazines

2009 People to Watch

By James Houck

Welcome to our inaugural class of “People to Watch.” Our 12 men and women were chosen from many nominations for their unique personalities, business savvy, philanthropic interests, artistic achievements, and even sports prowess. And each is under 40 years of age; a criterion we chose because we feel each is on the cusp of fulfilling their own greatness within their respective fields. Enjoy reading the inspiring stories of 2009’s class of People to Watch. And be sure to make your nominations today for the class of 2010 by contacting our editorial staff at Editor@WhatsUpMag.com.

Our list of People to Watch on the Eastern Shore is here.

The Goal Driven

Staci Samaras, 38
Director of Business Development, Synapse Sports & WomensLacrosse.com
Organizing lacrosse events throughout the country to help the sport reach new markets, audiences, and promote its young athletes, Synapse Sports’ was recently named “Small Business of the Year” in Anne Arundel County by the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce. The oldest of six siblings (many of whom were sports standouts in high school), Staci Samaras graduated from Annapolis High in 1988, received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from James Madison University in 1992, and a Masters in Business Administration from San Diego State University in 2004. After living in California for 10 years, she returned to Annapolis in 2006 to help Synapse Sports grow, which it has tremendously. And the company’s National Draw event (held this past summer in Marlton, New Jersey) was named one of six finalists for Best Single-Sport Event of the Year by SportsTravel magazine. “As we enter new markets, we can be looked upon as a resource helping to grow the game on a national scale,” says Samaras. Additionally, Samaras serves on the Board of the Friends Foundation, an Annapolis based non-profit organization that raises money in support of local charities through social activities enjoyed with friends. “Ultimately the goal is to give back to our community, while involving a younger generation of adults philanthropically,” she enthuses. And did we mention her wild side? In her spare time, she is the lead vocalist for the Baltimore based party cover band, Don’t Stop, in which her husband Randy Smith, is the band’s drummer. Recently the two participated in Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in London, England learning from and performing with the likes of David Bowie, Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones), and Nick Mason (Pink Floyd). “I am fueled by a passion to be involved, to do things that I love to do, and above all, have fun!” she says.

The Renaissance Woman

Manelle Martino, 30
Owner, Capital Teas
While it’s true that Manelle Martino is a first generation American, she happens to be the fifth generation of her family in the tea trade, the roots of which were planted by Francis van Reyk of the Diyagama Tea Estate in Ceylon, Sri Lanka in 1890. She was drawn into the tea world through her family’s place in history and envisioned great potential for a niche tea boutique. Out of this rich tradition, Capital Teas was born in Annapolis and has found success offering premium teas, herbal infusions, and tea accessories. In the publics’ eye her passion for tea is evident; lesser known is her involvement with local philanthropic endeavors. Her well-rounded formative years—she is a Columbia University graduate and classically trained vocalist with Juilliard School—ingrained within her a deep appreciation for the arts and worthy causes. Martino serves as a board member of the Annapolis Opera Company and is actively involved participating in and sponsoring several fundraising events, such as Annapolis Alive and Arts Alive. She cites her husband, Peter, as her main inspiration—“We spend a lot of time discussing how we can become better parents, professionals, and citizens.” Martino is so excited by the response to another event she recently co-sponsored, “Strut and Sip” benefitting autism, that she looks forward to planning many more benefit events in the near future. For Capital Teas she envisions increasing Internet sales, opening a second teashop, and improving the awareness and knowledge in the community of the joys and benefits of tea. “Complacency is not a word in my vocabulary,” she enthusiastically remarks.

The Hot Musician

Jordan Tice, 21
Bluegrass Musician
If there ever were a local boy, up-and-coming musician, with big city dreams of making it in the biz, it’s Jordan Tice. The Arnold native and Towson University student (now in his final semester studying music composition) was hooked on bluegrass at an early age and has been progressing ever since. “My parents, Bob and Sue Tice, play bluegrass in the Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition. I started playing guitar in Church (Broadneck Evangelical Presbyterian in Arnold) and when I was 14, my folks got me hooked on bluegrass,” he says. Since his prodigious days learning bluegrass from the likes of his parents, Tice also studied jazz guitar with renowned local musicians Tom Lagana and Rob Levit, and has since recorded and released several CDs and performed with bluegrass brethren Marty Raybon, Mike Auldridge, and Mark Shatz, among others. Tice has a gift and channels it successfully through his original music. “My inspirations are the moments when music gives me the willies. That out-of-body kinda thing, where the hair on the back of your neck stands up. Music taps into a deep part of people’s psyches like nothing else can and I hope to make music that does that for the people who are willing to give it a chance.” Locally, Tice performs regularly at 49 West in Annapolis and performs at many East Coast bluegrass festivals. He recently returned from a tour in Australia, where he performed several concerts and says, “I realized how every single person lives in a completely different world, which contains life lessons that I never would have stumbled upon. Just hearing someone else’s take on something can open up a world of questions and opportunities on which to grow.” As for his own plans to grow, Tice is focused on finishing his studies at Towson before embarking on a music career. “I’ve been talking to various booking agents to figure out the best way to get out there. Many of my friends and kindred musical spirits have recently moved to Boston so I’m most likely going to join them there. But New York City is also an option,” he says.

The American Dreamer

Lauren Russell, 36
Founder & Creative Director, Russell & MacKenna Furniture
The nationally recognized furniture company Russell & MacKenna, literally got its start in a home garage, practically on a whim, and definitely by happenstance. Founder Lauren Russell explains, “My husband was building vanities for our own home renovation when I took a friend into our garage where he was working, to brag about the fantastic vanity I had designed and he was building. When she wanted to order five on the spot for her own home renovation, we thought we might be onto something.” And so they were. Today, nearly six years later, business is booming for Russell & MacKenna. The company has averaged 100 percent growth year-to-year for the past several years, before it slowed to 73 percent over this past quarter. “We’re probably the only company who gains 73 percent growth and sighs,” says Russell. “Our major goal for 2009 is to use the economic down turn to our advantage—this is an opportunity for a small business like ours to gain serious market share.” The brightly colored, beach-inspired, line of painted and upholstered furniture has been featured in O At Home, Southern Living, Cottage Style, Coastal Living, and Do It Yourself magazines, among many others. In addition to making stylish furniture, Russell & MacKenna is actively “involved,” making charitable contributions (mostly towards education) and even started its own charity campaign for a great cause. “We started a THINK PINK FOR PAT campaign not too long after my step-mother was diagnosed with stage four cancer,” says Russell. “We join the fight against breast cancer by choosing to donate a portion of our proceeds from sales of all furniture painted the color “Pat’s Pink” to the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Research Awareness Programs.” The mother of three truly feels that she and her husband have achieved the “American Dream.” “We set out to build a company and a brand that revolved around the lifestyle that we embraced. Our hope was that this strategy would bring more of what we craved in our personal life into our work life. In other words, let’s build a lifestyle brand that, at it’s core, has colorful products that uplift spirits.”

The History Buff

Ginger Doyel, 28
Author & Illustrator
At only 28 years of age, it would seem a stretch to pin Annapolitan Ginger Doyel as the expert on the history of her hometown, but here she is, plucking away at the strings that bind our historical city. Ever since her graduation as valedictorian from the University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies in 2001, Doyel has been developing her passions for writing, storytelling, and history by researching and authoring several books including her most recent effort, Over the Bridge: A History of Eastport at Annapolis, published by The Annapolis Maritime Museum in Fall 2008. “[I have] a desire to make my hometown a better place through my work as an author and artist,” she says. Upon graduating college, she returned home to Annapolis and planned to stay briefly before venturing to Florida to take a job working with the Professional Golfers’ Association Tour (Doyel is an avid golfer). However, she soon realized her calling and decided to take a risk. “Upon returning, I noticed that Annapolis had changed—and not just for the best. Although I was just twenty-two years old, I remembered a smaller, simpler Annapolis. I remembered going downtown, as a child, and seeing a harbor bustling with watermen and workboats—as well as tourists and pleasure craft. I also remember my great-grandfather, David Jenkins, discussing the city’s history, the importance of that history, and the sense of purpose with which he spoke. That same sense of purpose prompted me to take a risk: I chose to stay in Annapolis rather than move, in order to help preserve my hometown's heritage.” She has been quite successful is doing exactly that; since devoting herself to recanting Annapolis’ history, Doyel has been awarded the Four Rivers Heritage Area Heritage Award twice and is a four-time recipient of the Historic Annapolis Foundation Preservation Award. Doyel is also an accomplished orator of the city’s history, volunteering to speak about area history at local private and public schools, churches, civic organizations, and tours of Annapolis with U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen and distinguished foreign visitors to the Academy. Her future endeavors include authoring a biography of preservation activist Anne St. Clair Wright (1910–1993), earning an advanced degree in history or journalism from Georgetown University or the University of Maryland, and to start a family.

The Young CEO

Bryan Levy, 36
CEO & Partner, SSI Homes
A sixth generation Annapolitan (Eastport specifically), Bryan Levy is dedicated to the community in which he was raised—both as a CEO of a successful home renovation and building company and as founder and president of the Bowen Foundation, which raises awareness and funds for the prevention, treatment, education, and research efforts for local families affected by Autism. Sun Spots Inc., now SSI Homes, was founded in 1976 and has grown into a leading home remodeling, additions, and builder throughout central Maryland, winning several awards from industry groups including Four Seasons and the Maryland Improvement Contractors Association (MICA). Levy came to SSI after successfully managing an award-winning Anderson window firm and became an equity partner in 2005. A Salisbury University graduate, Levy would eventually earn a Masters degree from the University of Maryland before pursuing lofty business goals and starting a family. Eleven years ago he married his wife, Tanya, and the couple now has two children, Bo (six years old) and Addie (five). “My family is my personal inspiration, while my professional drive comes from a love of dealing with our clients and exceeding their expectations as we build/remodel their homes. I truly enjoy seeing a finished project that I know everyone involved is proud of,” he says. In between work and family life, Levy not only oversees the Bowen Foundation, he is also actively involved with Hospice of the Chesapeake and Bosom Buddies. Despite the current challenging market, Levy is an encouraged business leader working on ways to improve SSI Homes and his philanthropic efforts. “My business goals for 2009 include doing my part to help SSI Homes continue to grow as well as further our green efforts and environmentally friendly practices. We are also actively involved with a new safe methodology for lead paint removal. Personally, I will continue to work diligently to amplify the efforts of the foundation and help as many families as we can,” he says.

The Guru

Lauren Kelly-Washington, 38
NIA Instructor
In 1995, Lauren Kelly-Washington fell in love. It was in Austin, Texas, during a time when the fitness craze was Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo. Kelly-Washington discovered an equally engaging, unheard-of, fitness concept called Nia, which is a scientifically-based fitness and healing system that blends aspects of martial arts, dance, and healing arts. Previously a land/step instructor in Austin, where she lived for 12 years, Kelly-Washington immediately began studying Nia under the guidance of Holly Curtis and worked towards her Black Belt under the tutelage of Nia founders Debbie and Carlos Rosas in Portland, Oregon. After several Christmas visits to family in the Annapolis area during the early 2000’s, Kelly-Washington decided the time and place was right for a move to Annapolis with her husband to introduce Nia to the Annapolis market. “Annapolis had a growing interest in the healing arts with a heavy emphasis on ‘mat modalities’ (Pilates and Yoga). There were no Nia teachers for miles—not even in Baltimore—when I first moved here. I just knew that the powerful yet gentle movements of Nia would be the perfect addition,” she says. As an internationally certified and licensed black black Nia instructor, Kelly-Washington is distinct—less than 10 percent of all instructors achieve such certification. Today, her popular Nia classes at Ridgely Retreat, which include African drumming, are often filled to capacity. “I am blessed with a wonderful community of drummers as well as a group of loyal movers and shakers who are hungry to stay fit and enjoy life to the fullest,” she enthuses. When not teaching classes at Ridgely Retreat, Kelly-Washington enjoys her other job as parent—she actively assists the PTA of her son’s school. She also maintains her bond to Austin by in an advisory capacity to the board of the Creative Opportunity Orchestra. Locally, she has served on the Human Relations Commission for the City of Annapolis, as well as taught Nia to underserved youth in Annapolis and Washington, D.C. “I continue to search for ways to share my work with those in need in the Annapolis community.” This sentiment extends to her professional goals for 2009 and beyond. “I would like to be a trainer in my own movement practice. I would like my business to reach out to a variety of populations spanning socio-economic status, creed, gender, and race. I firmly believe that ‘wellness’ is a right for all humans, not a privilege.”

The Wedding Planner

Raquel Shutt, 31
President, Wedding Savvy
From a young age, Raquel Shutt was destined to be savvy businesswoman. In the second grade, the young Rockville, Maryland native, emptied her box of Crayola crayons, turned it into a makeshift briefcase, from which she sold pictures she drew for one nickel a-piece. When she was 12-years-old, she already had her own business cards printed (“Raquel—Babysitting Since 1989”) and by the age of 15, she, along with her best friend, created a summer camp program for the children they babysat, making over $1,000. “That was a lot of money back then,” she says enthusiastically. “I always wanted to be an entrepreneur.” Upon graduating from Frostburg State with a Bachelor of Science degree, she then earned her Masters from Loyola College in 2004. Between her Master’s degree, day job, and starting a family (now married and mother of three) she had an epiphany. “I started Wedding Savvy because I was serving as the hotel wedding coordinator [for a local hotel] and had the chance to work with wedding planners. I saw a need for a planner who could take a professional approach to the planning process and provide amazing customer service. It was also really important to be in tune with the market and current customer desires. I was working on my MBA, so I had the tools I needed to launch a successful company. I was also starting my family so the timing was right. I took the leap of faith, quit my job, and started Wedding Savvy,” she says. Today, Annapolis-based Wedding Savvy boasts 12 employees with a combined 30 years of wedding planning experience, and Shutt’s company was a 2008 nominee for “Small Business of the Year” by the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce. Not only does Shutt have the know-how to plan the ultimate wedding, she has also volunteered her experience for a worthy cause, helping the Chesapeake Children’s Museum plan their annual event, “Kids ’n Kaboodle,” this past June. Shutt envisions developing and fully documenting Wedding Savvy’s “proven planning process” to its fullest, so that the company can be replicated in cities nationwide. “I enjoy the challenges of pulling it all together and making something beautiful out of a blank canvas. I take this view when it comes to building the business,” she says.

The Self Starter

Chad Larkins, 33
President, OFX Construction Services
Mowing lawns during the summers of one’s youth can pay huge dividends down the road, as evidenced by Chad Larkins. His story is one of hard work with a desire at an early age to succeed. “At the age of 12, I started cutting lawns for money in my neighborhood of Tantallon, which is located in Fort Washington, Maryland. I would ride my bike and pull the lawnmower behind me. I wanted my own money and I didn’t want to wait for a weekly allowance. At age16, I could drive and I would whip around in my 1983 silver Chevy Chevette with the lawnmower in the trunk/hatch. At the age of 18, I started a commercial landscaping maintenance company and by 25, I expanded my company into a design/build commercial landscaping firm,” Larkins tells us. Four years ago, Larkins sold his landscaping company, including all equipment and vehicles, and focused on a new challenge—commercial construction cleaning. After completing his general contractor’s exam, he founded OFX Construction Services, which now has offices in Annapolis, Tampa, Raleigh, and New York City. Today, the firm counts companies such as Porsche, JC Penney, Costco, Hampton Inn & Suites, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as clients. Larkins’ remarkable success was recognized in 2007 as a Maryland Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise and he is an active participant with several organizations including the Maryland State Delegate of the National Black Republican Association, the African-American Advisory Board, and the National Association of Minority Contractors. He also finds time to volunteer for Goodwill and the Salvation Army. “This year,” he says, “requires stealthy business thinking.” “And within the next five years I plan on focusing more on a passion of mine: ‘Go Green’.” His determination to succeed can be summed up in his own words. “I love to be the very best in whatever I am doing regardless if I am working or playing.”

The Fashionable Entrepreneur

Jessica Jordan, 29
Owner, Paradigm
Über-urban is, perhaps, the best way to describe the collective talent and roles of Jessica Jordan. As owner of the downtown clothing boutique, Paradigm, Jordan brings a sense of upscale yet unpretentious style and fashion to Annapolis and as president of the Annapolis Business Association, it’s her hands-on steering of commerce and planning that affects the city—all of which is buoyed by her background in public policy, specifically urban policy, for which she earned a MBA from George Washington University. Prior to opening Paradigm, Jordan worked for the Maryland State Legislature as a budget policy analyst for two years, eventually serving as the Chief Financial Officer of the Maryland State Board of Elections for three years. Ultimately though, her passion for fashion led her from government employment to self-employment. Jordan opened Paradigm on Main Street in Annapolis almost two years ago “when many factors converged that made opening a retail store possible,” she says, “I knew that it had to be located in downtown Annapolis. It was a dream come true for me in two ways—to own a business in fashion, which in itself is fun and a constant challenge, and to be able to directly participate in the on goings of the city and putting my urban policy knowledge to use.” Her plans for 2009 include opening another Paradigm, and within three years, opening a third location. She also looks forward to putting Annapolis on the fashion map, planning special events such as an Annapolis Fashion Week. Aside from entrepreneurial spirit, Jordan is an avid member of the Annapolis Rowing Association and Anne Arundel County YWCA and volunteers her time, when possible, to organizations such as the Kennedy-Krieger Institute, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and the Annapolis Maritime Museum. She is also a 2007 Leadership Anne Arundel graduate. In between it all, she even found time to get married this past October and looks forward to starting a family of her own. “I’m inspired by a sense of obligation to my community—a desire to improve upon and contribute to my surroundings,” Jordan says.

The Sommelier

Angela Cox, 36
Owner, The Wineaux Shop
Taste is something developed and refined—and certainly not to be taken for granted. The discerning palate is not a simple gift, but rather a trained sense that when used to its utmost potential, can greatly benefit more than he, or in this case she, who possesses it. As is the case of Angela Cox, a business-savvy sommelier by trade and passionate individual at heart. While spending 10 years in the technology sector, during which she traveled upwards of 80 percent of her time, Cox became inspired to shift professional gears. “In these travels I would see great products and marvel that these types of products weren’t available back home. The concept for the shop started with the answer to ‘What do wine enthusiasts live for?’ We live to eat, drink, and entertain,” she says. Cox made a decision that would change her life. “Before I opened the brick and mortar in Edgewater, I had an online store for almost a year to test the name and the market, before quitting my job and diving in. I am two years into it and can honestly say it was the best decision I have ever made.” A certified sommelier, Cox has studied at the Rudd Institute for Professional Wine Studies in Napa Valley, as well as the International Wine Guild in Colorado. Her shop, located in Edgewater, is dedicated to all things wine, offering “high quality, unique wine-themed products for home, bath, gifting, and beyond.” Her goals for this year include positive business continuity, offering the best customer service, products, and atmosphere, while catering to both the wine connoisseur and the casual wine drinker. Within five years, Cox envisions expanding business, possibly franchising, and feeding her inner Edison—she has plans to obtain a patent for an invention she has been working on for the past couple years. “Yes, it’s a wine-related invention,” she says. When talking shop, she is quick to recall the advice of her grandfather, who opened his first retail store in 1962, before several more. “My grandfather is a daily inspiration in both my business and personal life. His favorite saying was ‘Early to bed, early to rise, work like the dickens, and advertise.’ He taught me the value of hard work, integrity, and over-the-top customer service.”

The Rising Sports Star

Matt Wieters, 22
Catcher, Baltimore Orioles organization
Recognized nationally as the most promising baseball prospect in the Minor Leagues today, Matt Wieters has been a baseball phenom ever since he put a mitt on his hand. Drafted fifth overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2007 amateur draft, Wieters quickly made the move from his southern roots to Maryland, starting his professional career with the Orioles affiliate, the Fredrick Keys. He acclimated so well in the move from college ball (he was two-time First Team All American at Georgia Tech) to Single-A minors, that he was immediately moved up to the Double-A minor league mid-season, joining the Bowie Baysox for the remainder of 2008. It was in Bowie where Wieters truly hit his stride, hitting 12 home runs, 51 runs batted in, and 76 hits altogether, in only 61 games. His performance on the field earned him 2008 Minor League Player of the Year honors. Baysox communications manager Tom Sedlacek says, “Matt is certainly someone to watch in 2009. He is a terrific baseball player, but he is also a really great guy. I feel extremely fortunate to have had him here in Bowie for the second half last year.” This year, Wieters will likely join the Orioles in Florida for spring training. He has a shot at earning a roster spot, but will probably begin the season playing Triple-A ball with Orioles affiliate, the Norfolk Tide. Scouts speculate that Wieters will be in an Orioles uniform at Camden Yards in Baltimore before the season is finished.

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