From: The Cedars Bed & Breakfast
To: The
IDA Board and Selection Committee
Date:
Subject: IDA Business Appreciation
On behalf of the Cedars
owners and staff, we are proud to provide
our nomination for your prestigious IDA Business Award.
The Cedars has had an exceptional business year and we’ve been
fortunate in achieving many of the business goals and objectives
we set for ourselves for 2003.
As you’ll see, we’ve
contributed in all major categories of business,
community involvement, customer satisfaction and more.
If there are any
questions or clarifications necessary, please feel free
to contact
Happy New Year and here
is to a great 2004!
Sincerely,
Grace and
Cedars Bed & Breakfast
757.229.3591
Award Application
Sponsored by the
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Name of business nominated: |
The Cedars
of |
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Business Address: |
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Business Phone Number: |
757.229.3591 |
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Website & Email Address: |
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Contact Name: |
Grace &
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Person/Business Nominating Business
& Phone Number: |
Same |
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Number of Employees: |
7 employees |
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Length of Time in City of |
Circa 1934
– 70 years serving |
Product or Services Offered: |
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In addition
to comfortable accommodations and elegant surroundings, the Cedars offers a host of personal services for its 5,000+ guests
annually. Every year, the Cedars plays
host to many area weddings, community functions,
family & class reunions, anniversaries, honeymoons and other special events. We make the wonder of As |
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Please provide examples of increased
sales and/or unit volume: |
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The Cedars
diverse approach to marketing itself and the region has yielded significant
and substantial business results. Results
below are a 2002 to 2003 second half comparison. Occupancy:
An overall
10% increase in occupancy compared to 2002 – (See attachment A) Internet:
Since it
launch in October, 2002, the Cedarsofwilliamsburg.com website has enjoyed
25,000 visitors, viewing 270,000 pages and with average stays of 6:00 minutes
per visit and 17,000 page views per month. Revenue: 55.5%
increase Profit:
60.7% increase Expenses:
5.5% reduction |
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Please provide an example of product
or service innovativeness: |
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The Cedars’
innovation starts with its web site.
The Cedars B&B launched its highly successful and innovatively
designed website in October 2002. (See
attachment B) The Cedars
creates a unique and personal experience for each of its guest. In the evenings, we offer hot apple cider
and warm, fresh-baked cookies right out of the oven. Our full, “no lunch” breakfasts are freshly
prepared and served. The Cedars
offers a range of packages (see attachment C) from “The Ultimate Shopping
Package” to our “Anniversary Package.”
Our guests appreciate the individual service and personal attention as
evidenced by the many returning guests. Every
morning at breakfast we take digital pictures of our guests, download these
pictures on our computer, and super-impose our logo and the date on these
files. We then print copies of their
pictures as a memento. We also import
them into our Cedars brochures and give them one our brochures with their
picture on the front cover. (See
attachment D & E.) To enable
our business plan, we have pursued a strategy of partnership. We have developed close business
relationships with local restaurants, masseurs, photographers, churches, the The Cedars
also hosts its annual chocolate tasting affair. Though one of our many strategic marketing
partnership, we organize and execute a highly popular community chocolate
tasting affair that typically is held in the first quarter. (See attachment F) |
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Please provide examples of problems
faced in the business and methods used to solve them: |
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In a
community of declining tourism occupancy, the Cedars has
been fortunate to have bucked the trend.
As noted, the Cedars has enjoyed a 10% year over year increase in
overall occupancy. Innovation has been
the Cedars’ main tool in addressing its business challenges. Through the appropriate use of marketing,
partnerships, business development and technology, the Cedars is building
upon its long-standing heritage of innovation and success. The Cedars has a long history of innovation
dating back to the mid-1950s when Hunky Henderson, sibling of Dr. Henderson
who built the Cedars, suggested the idea of having a winter event to attract
visitors to the area in the off-season.
Hunky is credited with bring the Grand Illumination to The results
listed above are examples of the approach the Cedars has
taken to achieve business objectives. The
combined business experiences and background of today’s owners, Grace &
Bob Tubbs, gives the Cedars a unique opportunity for continued growth and success. Grace is a Harvard Executive MBA graduate
and formerly a CEO of two Xerox Corporation subsidiaries. Bob also worked at Xerox, establishing
several new corporate-wide eBusiness and strategic alliances initiatives. He also founded a very successful eBusiness Association in
upstate |
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Please provide evidence of
contributions or aid to community-oriented projects: |
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Bob was voted
to the Williamsburg Hotel/Motel Association Board in April 2003. He helped the Hotel/Motel bring the Ironman Triathlon to The Ironman
could contribute $25-30M in revenue to the Bob was
recently elected as VP of Marketing for the local B&B Network comprised of 18
local bed & breakfasts in the Bob has
donated his time to the College of William
& Mary’s Economic Development office working on a variety of
entrepreneurial projects ranging from business and marketing, event planning
to plant selection and bid processes Bob &
Grace also recently donated land to St. Stephen Lutheran Church,
its neighbor on |
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Please provide evidence of customer
satisfaction |
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We let our
guest book and the many and varied notes, emails and letters we regularly receive
from guest be our testament to customer’s satisfaction. (See attachment H.) |
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Please provide evidence of
environmental sensitivity |
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Finally,
the Cedars is planning to improve its property by landscaping the 1 ½ acres
of land behind the house. Early landscaping
plans include a small pond, gazebo, and walk paths. We are in the very early stages of the
process and much will depend upon working with the various boards and
permitting processes. (See attachment
I) The Cedars
has long pursued an environmentally responsible approach to its landscaping
and property maintenance plan by using environmentally correct products and
services. |
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Please submit applications to the
Williamsburg City Manager’s Office,
For more information, please contact
Jodi Miller
Assistant City Manager
220-6100; 220-6107 (fax)
Appendix a
– Cedars Occupancy comparison (2002 – 2003)
Appendix b
– Cedars web site
Appendix c
– Cedars packages
Appendix d
– Example of guest breakfast picture
Appendix e
– Cedars personalized brochures
Appendix f
– Chocolate Tasting Community event
Appendix g
– Ironman Triathlon
Appendix h
– Cedars guest book/registry
Appendix I – Landscaping
plans
Appendix
A – Cedars Occupancy Table (2002 – 2003)
Appendix
B – www.cedarsofwilliamsburg.com
web site
Appendix
D – Breakfast photos of guest
Figure 1 - Photo Remembrance of Cedars
Breakfast
Appendix
e – Cedars personalized brochures
Figure 2 - Personalized Brochures with
same picture
Appendix
f – Chocolate Tasting Affair
Figure 3 - Annual Chocolate Tasting Affair
^ Appendix
Appendix
g – Ironman Triathlon in
Figure 4 - Still in negotiation but has wide community support
Appendix
h – Cedars guest book/registry
Figure 5 - Cedars Guest Registry - two days of comments
Appendix I – Landscaping
plans