Transplanted to Northern Virginia from New Jersey, Vincent Stubbs worked up to leadership positions both in his career, as director of sales at the Springfield Hilton, and as president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. An avid sports fan — his teams are the Yankees and the Cowboys — Stubbs recently took a moment to answer some questions about himself, his work and his commitment to the community.
How long have you lived in the area and what brought you here? I've lived in the Northern Virginia area now for about nine and a half years. I was originally from New Jersey. My sister had moved down here years ago and said there was a lot of opportunity in this area, particularly in the hotel industry. So I decided to give it a try.
Family: Most of my family still lives up in New Jersey. I have a younger sister and an older brother that lives up in Jersey with my mom, but my older sister Audrey lives down here with her children and grandchildren.
How did you come to work in the hotel industry? I had recently left the military and didn't have an idea of what I wanted to do. My mom saw an ad in the paper for a room service waiter in the Marriott hotel in New Jersey. So we went up there, filled out an application and that's actually where I started, as a room service waiter. During that time I went to Bergen Community College and enrolled in a hotel restaurant management program there, actually was the president of the hotel restaurant management club. From there, room service waiter to restaurant supervisor to restaurant manager to sales manager, to what I'm doing now.
Activities/interests/hobbies: Working out. That is my thing. I go to Sport & Health in Woodbridge like four-five times a week. That's really my big hobby, working out. I love going to the movies, and music.
What's on your radio right now? It depends. I miss home a lot so I usually listen to sports talk, The Fan, 660 New York, through the Internet. My favorite artist is Frank Sinatra, but I listen to all kinds of music.
How did you get involved with the Chamber of Commerce? I was recently hired as a director of sales at the Holiday Inn Express. I was going through the contracts at Holiday Inn, and I saw this name, Nancy-jo Manney, keep coming up. I asked the owners who was Nancy-jo and they said she was the previous director of sales, but now she is the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. So I just went over there and Nancy-jo helped me immensely ever since I've been in Springfield. I got involved by just doing the simple things, like being involved in the Community Affairs Committee, picking up trash in Springfield Cleanup Days.
Favorite place to hang out in the community: I'm laughing because I spend most of my time in the gym, but what I really like about Springfield is that there's a lot of neat little restaurants opening up. One place in particular I really had a good time at was Noodles and Company just opened up, and they're a nice little restaurant. Houlihan's [at the Springfield Hilton] has live music Friday and Saturday nights, and there's a Sunday brunch that's pretty popular.
Community concerns: One of our goals with the Chamber is really to inform the community of what's happening or will happen soon in Springfield. Of course, there's a lot of development on the board. You have the KSI Midtown Springfield development, you have the Vornado with the Mall. Just really educating our residents on what is to come and how it's going to have a positive impact.
What are your goals for the Chamber this year? For the Chamber itself is to increase membership, have a strong retention. We're planning our trade show this summer. And to help along with the process of BRAC, being involved and voicing our support and concern for the challenges that may arise. It's something that will happen and it will have a positive impact on Springfield, will bring new businesses and government contractors, which is definitely an added bonus.
What are some memorable events with the GSCC? Our annual Mardi Gras part we have here at our hotel. It's a great event because everyone's in a nice, loose, relaxed atmosphere. They're all dressed up, they're gambling a little bit — of course not with real money — and also there's a silent auction. It really is a good time.
Last book you read: Rudy Giuliani's "Leadership." I think it was a fascinating look inside 9-11, and I'm a big New Yorker-Jersey boy.
But you're a Dallas Cowboys fan. It's interesting, my mom got me hooked on two things very young: Dallas Cowboys and Frank Sinatra. You go to our house and there's Frank on the walls, Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys stuff. She always tells people, she's 75-years-old and she's got two Dallas Cowboys tattoos, and she didn't get them when she was 30, 40 or 50. She got them in her 60s. I'm a big Cowboys fan, a big Yankees fan and I love boxing.
If you could go on a road trip anywhere in the U.S., where would you go? California. Same place every year, San Diego. This year I think I'll stay in Santa Monica and drive up to San Francisco on Route 1. Driving on Route 1, you can stop anywhere and be on a beach.
Personal goals: Eventually maybe move a little closer to home, to New Jersey and my mom. Get my squat up to 365 pounds. I'm at 315 now. And get married soon to my fiancee. I'm very blessed. I work for a good company ... about three years ago I was dropping off some clothes outside the homeless shelter around Christmastime, and this girl was getting kicked out. But there was another girl staying in the shelter, and she had five $1 bills to her name. They had donated blank Christmas cards there, and the girl still in the shelter took three of her five dollars, put them in a Christmas card and gave it to the girl that was getting kicked out. If someone can do that, if you see people who have it a little tougher than you but are still willing to help someone else, how can you complain about really anything in life today? I really feel you're here to help others and it's really important to give back.
— Lea Mae Rice