Lynchburg Business

Leader of the Month: Thomas Edgerton

Issue: March 2010 by Lynchburg Business in Inside The Magazine, Leader of the Month

Name: Thomas Edgerton

Job Title: General Manager, Bluffwalk Project

Age: 43

Hometown: Williamsburg, Virginia

What is your mission, personally and professionally-speaking, for your work and for Downtown Lynchburg?

My mission is to live up to the expectations of the people who entrusted me with the position of general manager of the Bluffwalk Project. I hope our success is reflected in the growth and expansion of other projects in Lynchburg and that downtown becomes a place where everyone, local or visiting, wants to spend their time.

What one thing do you love most about your job?

Having the opportunity and the know-how to transform an empty space into a unique and inviting establishment is what inspires me the most. I love to see plans unfold from conception to build-out and knowing that I was able to contribute my years of experience to the unfolding of a truly remarkable project.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

It’s a constant challenge to make sure we’re giving our best to the patrons of Lynchburg and for our out-of-town guests staying in the Craddock Terry Hotel who might be used to the fare offered in larger cities. Keeping the staff informed and motivated and keeping food and service [at Shoemakers and Waterstone] consistent are always my top priorities.

What do you see for the future of Downtown Lynchburg?

I truly hope to see more projects like the Bluffwalk Center catching on. I want downtown to be a destination for locals where they have an abundance of choices in restaurants, galleries and shopping. I think we’ve shown with the development of the Bluffwalk that these things are possible, and I hope that we’ve inspired others to jump on board to make downtown what we all know it can be.

Your future business goals are:

The aspect of my job that I enjoy the most is getting a new project up-and-running and all of the planning and expertise which that entails. Stephan Parry’s management company has afforded me many such opportunities all over the state and I look forward to continuing our relationship in future area endeavors.

Tell us something unusual about yourself.

I waited until I was 41 to get married. The restaurant business is not conducive to a 9-5 schedule so it takes a special woman to understand the hours that my job demands. My wife and son are the most amazing gifts I could have ever asked for.

What professional experiences are you most proud of?

I’m always proud of the finished product that I turn out. Many of the 20 or so restaurants that I was charged with developing, I did so with, at times, very limited resources. The thrill of working under tight deadlines and pulling off something amazing when no one thought it was possible is never diminished, no matter how many projects I complete. It’s also gratifying to me to see how much people seem to enjoy the restaurants that I’ve helped to launch.

Do you have any career advice for other leaders?

Consistency, honesty and always letting people know where they stand are the axioms I live by. It’s not enough to just show up every day.