Author: maria

Eric Newman

Written by maria on September 22, 2021. Posted in Leadership.

Eric is the founder and Chief Play Officer of Roc Solid Foundation who also sits on our board of directors. With his mind on the mission, he manages the staff and oversees all key initiatives, including Roc Solid’s strategic growth plan and major corporate partner relationships.

As a pediatric cancer survivor, Eric is all too familiar with the battle a family faces when their child is diagnosed. And that’s what drives him daily toward the vision of one day building hope for every child fighting cancer. He is an avid reader and dedicated leader who speaks to large groups regularly, sharing his personal story. With a “think big, act small” approach, Eric puts the highest value on relationships and those who have supported the organization as it’s grown.

Mark Mizelle

Written by maria on September 22, 2021. Posted in Leadership.

Mark has worked in the heavy construction business for 27 years and is the founder and president of ITM Construction, Inc., ITM LLC, and Pinner Street Investments. His construction company, along with supporting companies, provides subcontracting and construction of environmental facilities, earthwork, underground utilities, concrete and other construction trades.

Mark is a lifelong resident of Suffolk, Virginia. He and his wife Julie have two children, Tyler and Mallory. He and his family have supported the Roc Solid mission in many ways since it was founded in 2009.

Megan Korving

Written by maria on September 22, 2021. Posted in Leadership.

Megan Korving is a stay at home mom of three children: Madeline, Mason and Ty. She has a background in Education, holding a Bachelors of Science in Family and Child Development and a Masters of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, both from Virginia Tech. Megan grew up and currently resides in Chesapeake, VA with her husband Stephen.

Megan first volunteered with Roc Solid at Night for the Fight and has been drawn to the mission ever since. She has been involved with the Ready Bag Program and is eager to help wherever needed, whether at a playset build, in the warehouse, or working on details and organization. She enjoys getting her family and friends involved, especially teaching her children the value of loving and serving others. As a child, Megan enjoyed playing outside, participating in sports, being at the beach, riding bikes and playing with 80s toys with friends.

Phil Smith III

Written by maria on September 22, 2021. Posted in Leadership.

Phil Smith is a Senior Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer at TowneBank where he has been employed since 2007. He currently resides in Chesapeake, Va. but was born and raised in Portsmouth, Va. and lived in Madrid, Spain for five years during grade school. Phil earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business with a concentration in Finance from Christopher Newport University and is also a graduate of the Vann H. Lefcoe Leadership Development program.

Phil served as Chairman of the City of Portsmouth’s Retirement Board and Investment Committee, as well as the Blue Ribbon Commission established by City Council. He is a former Inside Business Top 40 Under 40 Honoree. Phil has two amazing daughters, Madelynn and Bellamy, and wife Ginny.

He has been on the Roc Solid Board since early 2013, and his favorite thing about the organization is the community involvement and the way everyone selflessly pulls together to impact the lives of children fighting cancer.

Phil’s favorite activities as a child were playing sports, riding bikes and playing with friends.

Emily Farley, Board Member at Roc Solid Foundation

Emily Gardner

Written by maria on September 22, 2021. Posted in Leadership.

Emily Gardner is the Chief Lending Officer at Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group supporting the sales team across the company.

Emily graduated from Virginia Tech in 2000 and moved to Virginia Beach to begin a career in the mortgage industry. Emily’s the loving dog mom to Chompers, her headstrong Schnoodle, and enjoys spending time in Hampton Roads and her hometown of Floyd, VA.

Emily strongly believes in giving back to the community where she lives and works. Her love for volunteering helped develop AB Cares, which was established to promote volunteerism among Atlantic Bay employees and to provide an avenue for supporting community organizations and people in need.

Emily became involved in Roc Solid in 2011 and was touched by the mission to help love and serve families in the toughest time of their lives and have Play Defeat Cancer. She is excited to help Roc Solid achieve the mission of a Ready Bag for every child diagnosed with cancer each year.

John McCormick

Written by maria on September 22, 2021. Posted in Leadership.

John McCormick is passionate about inspiring hope in children and families impacted by cancer. He lost his dad to cancer when he was a child and his sister was diagnosed and survived cancer during college. He hates cancer and wants to see Roc Solid continue to grow so that more children and families can experience hope.

John is an attorney and founder of McCormick Law & Consulting, a boutique business and real estate law firm with offices in Norfolk, Virginia and Raleigh, North Carolina. He graduated from Regent University School of Law in 2010 and has since gained experience representing investors, developers, builders, banks, and lenders. His business practice ranges from advising entrepreneurs to assisting established business owners in mergers, acquisitions, contracts, litigation and dispute resolution.

In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors and loves spending time with his wife, three children, and two yellow labs.

As a kid, John loved to fish, catch critters and shoot hoops in the driveway.

Lia

Written by maria on April 12, 2021. Posted in ROD Stories. No Comments on Lia

Lia is 3 years old and fighting leukemia.

Lia was just 2 years old when her family heard the news that she was diagnosed with leukemia.

In 2020, Lia received the first ever Roc Solid On Demand playset!

“HUGE thanks to the amazing organization Roc Solid Foundation for this incredible new playset. It is perfect timing for Lia to have a safe (and germ free) place to play outside in the sunshine…”

Play can change the way a family fights pediatric cancer. We believe that every child fighting cancer should have a safe place to play in their own backyard!

“Roc Solid has been amazing to work with and we are forever grateful for your generosity to our
family…as your motto goes…this is what hope looks like!”