Mike and Linda Nesselrodt have spent most of their lives nestled between the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny Mountains, and they couldn’t be more happy to call Augusta County home.
Mike’s journey to the Shenandoah Valley began at five years old, when his family left Pendleton County, WV for work. He spent his childhood summers roaming a 365 acre cattle ranch and hunting in the fall. After high school, he stayed on in Broadway and Dayton before meeting his future wife Linda. Linda, for her part, was born and raised in the north end of the Valley, where she worked for Page County Building and Zoning. While their love bloomed quickly, economic changes left them searching for their forever home. When restructuring eliminated Linda’s position, bad timing struck twice, and Mike found himself likewise in search of a job.
Blessed with a joyful exuberance and country know-how that seems to permeate their entire partnership, they spent time on the river, working side jobs, and making picnic tables. “It was the best summer ever,” says Linda. In the fall, Linda found a job with the City of Staunton as a Permit Technician. Shortly thereafter, Mike took a job with InterChange, a warehousing and logistics company with major distribution centers in Augusta.
Mike and Linda knew that, above all, they wanted a rural home. The final, perfect pieces fell into place when they found a house with several acres of lawn and woods in Augusta County. Their expansive hearts filled it first with an ever evolving line of rescue dogs, finding homes for over 35 puppies and strays. Two years ago, after many years of trying, they welcomed their son Rutledge. Bringing their love of rural living into their parenting, they’ve added a garden, woodpiles, and pine forests to his backyard explorations.
Building a Career in the Valley
For Mike and Linda, Augusta has been a place to build both a home and a career. At InterChange, Mike provides warehousing and logistics services to regional companies, providing space for “medical supplies to hot dog making machines to wine barrels.” The convenient linking of small cities and rural areas is part of what he loves about his work and his commute. “It’s 10 miles from driveway to warehouse,” says Mike. “If Rutledge is sick, I can come home for lunch, and his daycare is en route to work. You can get everything you need in 10-15 minutes.”
He describes InterChange’s warehousing operation as an excellent option for companies that are growing and either can’t or aren’t ready to expand on their own sites. InterChange also provides space for seasonal demand, such as the holiday rush for local candy manufacturers.
“We are growing without a doubt,” he says, with 18 warehouses throughout the Valley and 2 million square feet under roof. “Companies are growing in the Valley, 100%,” he says. “We are building new warehouses today with no signed prospects, and they are full within the year.”
Mike and Linda’s careers have mirrored this growth. Linda started as a Building and Zoning Technician and has since moved up to a Zoning Inspector, allowing more freedom to be in and out of the office, often while pursuing new certifications. Mike began his work with InterChange through a temp service during a busy holiday season. The following spring, InterChange called him back with a full-time job offer. Within six months, he was a Lead, and six months after that he’d made Supervisor. Nine years later, he’s overseen almost all of their warehouse locations. Mike and Linda see the advancement opportunities they’ve encountered in Augusta as widely available to others: “I tell my guys coming in, we’re growing so fast, and we try to promote our own guys,” says Mike. “As a company, we are absolutely in support-your-people mode.”
Making a Home in the County
“My background is in agriculture, as well as hunting and fishing,” says Mike. “I love that Augusta County supports that wholeheartedly. I want Rutledge to experience that. I think it’s important for kids to know where food comes from.”
For her part, Linda is eagerly anticipating a future in Augusta. “Oh, we’re excited for 4H, when he turns five years old!” says Linda. “I love that he loves it outside. Kids need the outdoors.”
The sense of community that characterizes rural living is a huge part of what attracts them. Their neighborhood is a wide mixture of ages, with older generations sharing stories and younger generations sharing a hand when the older folks need it. “I trust my kid to my neighbors,” says Mike.
Gardens in the backyard, room to run around and play, space for one-day softball practice and a farm animal or two — it has all been part of their shared vision from the beginning. The couple found that dream in Augusta. “We looked around the Valley,” says Mike. “The price, the quality of the house, the lower real estate taxes. To have all this for him as a kid, that’s the dream. I grew up exploring 365 acres. I can’t give him 365, but I can absolutely give him a few.”
