Business at the Bloom

Valley Health and the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber are proud to partner with the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® to host Valley Health Business at the Bloom from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2nd, at the Tolley Dental Zone – James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center on the campus of Shenandoah University.

This dynamic business event begins with a networking reception at 11 a.m., followed by a luncheon catered by Carrabba’s Italian Grill. Offering a terrific speaker and the opportunity to network with others in the business community, this luncheon is a great way to kick off your Apple Blossom celebration.

This year’s guest speaker is Beth Comstock. Elizabeth “Beth” Comstock was born in Winchester, Virginia, to Dr. and Mrs. H. E. Comstock. She attended John Handley High School and the College of William and Mary; and, in the Land of Pink and Green, she is remembered as a Festival Princess in 1978; and, as the Featured Speaker at the Queen’s Dinner in 1998. She has had an amazing career in business that has led her to the top of her field. According to her article in Wikipedia, in 2015 and 2016 Forbes named Comstock one of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.” In 2016, Comstock was listed by UK-based, “Richtopia,” at number 8 on the list of “The 100 Most Influential Chief Marketing Officers.”

Beth Comstock is a change maker. Her mission is to understand what’s next, navigate change, and help people and organizations do the same. She was formerly Vice Chair of GE. Over nearly two decades at GE, she led efforts to accelerate new growth and innovation. Beth initiated GE’s digital and clean-energy transformations; developed new businesses; increased GE’s brand value; and, partnered to enhance its inventive culture. She led the creation of Current, an intelligent environments business; GE Ventures & Licensing; the FastWorks innovation program; ecomagination and healthymagination; and, oversaw GE Lighting. She was responsible for GE’s sales, marketing and communications functions, and was the company’s first Chief Marketing Officer in 20 years. Previously, as President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal, Beth oversaw ad revenue and the company’s digital efforts, including early development of hulu.com. She held a succession of marketing and communications roles at GE, NBC, CBS and Turner Broadcasting/CNN. Beth is a Director at Nike, Trustee of The National Geographic Society, and former Board President of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum. Having recently stepped down from GE, she is now exploring a path as an author, advisor and connector. Her first book, Imagine It Forward, will be published September 18, 2018 by Currency, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Business at the Bloom is sponsored by Valley Health, and presented by Top of Virginia Regional Chamber.