Stephens named Entrepreneur of the Year
It is hard to believe that Josh Stephens and I have been friends for nearly 20 years. Yet, when I look back on my life, I can scarcely remember a time when he or his family were not a part of it. His sister Jackie and I graduated from George Wythe High School in 2003, having first met in kindergarten. I have known his father, Mike, for decades through his longtime service as treasurer for the Town of Wytheville, and I have known his mother, Vickie, and sister Erica for nearly as long. In many ways, the Stephens family has always been woven into the fabric of my life. However, it was around 2008, the year Josh graduated from high school that he and I unexpectedly became close friends. At the time, I had organized a weekly poker night at my home. There was exactly zero real money involved. We played with different-colored chips assigned imaginary dollar values, told funny stories, and ate snacks throughout the evening. Through mutual friends who regularly attended, someone suggested that I invite Josh. I quickly discovered that he was not only a genuinely nice and charming young man but also someone with a remarkable depth of soul. That was what truly connected us. While attending college at Concord University in West Virginia, Josh once came home for a weekend simply to spend time with me and talk. He lifted my spirits and offered spiritual encouragement that I have carried with me throughout my life. Josh has stood beside me through some of the darkest periods of my life. That kind of friendship is something I will never forget, and it is something for which I will always be grateful. Of course, friendship with Josh has never been short on laughter, either. He is one of the funniest people I have ever known, possessing an incredible wit and an affinity for offbeat, intelligent humor that not everyone necessarily appreciates. Fortunately, our respective senses of humor collided perfectly. Those poker nights remain among the happiest memories of my younger years, and Josh is central to them. As much as I treasure those memories, what I admire most about Josh has little to do with poker chips or punchlines. He is an extraordinarily caring, generous person who genuinely wants to make a difference in the lives of others. That is why I was not surprised in the least to learn that he had been named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce. Since founding Alpha Therapy four years ago, Josh has built his physical therapy business into an important resource for our community. From supporting local athletes and community organizations to helping individuals with their physical therapy needs, his commitment to Wythe County has been evident from the beginning. He understands that owning a business in a small community means being part of something larger than yourself. It means investing in the people who live here, supporting their endeavors, and giving back whenever possible. That commitment extends to his own family. Josh’s devotion to his wife of more than a decade, Megan, who serves as assistant principal at Scott Memorial Middle School, and their three beautiful children, Hollyn, Draper, and Finley, is every bit as admirable as his professional accomplishments. His family is his priority, and he has worked hard to build a business that allows him to serve his community without losing sight of what matters most at home. During our phone interview on Oct. 23, Josh remarked that time seems to move faster the older we get. He is certainly right. The weekly poker nights are long behind us, and life has taken both of us in directions we could not have anticipated back in 2008. Still, seeing my friend receive such a distinguished honor reminded me of something I have known for nearly two decades: Josh’s success is no surprise. It is simply the natural progression of a life devoted to helping others. He went into physical therapy because he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Twenty years later, that desire remains as strong as ever. I know his family is tremendously proud of him as is all of Wythe County. I hope the next 20 years bring Josh even greater success, continued happiness, and many more opportunities to serve the community he loves. And I hope that, somewhere between the awards, the patients, the sporting events, and the responsibilities of family life, we will find time to create a few more memories of our own. Congratulations to my friend, Dr. Josh Stephens. Wytheville is fortunate to have you, Alpha Therapy is fortunate to have you at its helm, and I am fortunate to call you my friend. It is wonderful to see the rest of the world recognizing what your friends and family have known all along.