Steven Bland is a successful entrepreneur in Virginia with an impressive list of business ventures varying in nature. After graduating from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Economics, he went on to own his first business just three years later. In addition to over 25 years in the real estate industry, Mr. Bland is a United States Coast Guard licensed Master Captain and holds teaching credentials from the American Sailing Association (ASA) for keelboats and catamarans. He will be joining the American Independence Youth Leadership Conference this year to discuss how to start a business, the requirements of business ownership, as well as some of the benefits and drawbacks any entrepreneur can expect. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, live music events, cooking, gardening, spending time with family, and traveling to warmer destinations. A list of his business ventures is as follows:
1990 – 2000 Restaurant Ownership: Pizza delivery and 80-seat sitdown restaurant (2 businesses)
2000 – present Mortgage Loan Origination: Mortgage Loan Officer at BB&T bank for 6 years, opened Alcova Mortgage in 2012 as Branch Partner
2005 – present BRC Development LLC: Owner, Class A Contractor – residential construction and real estate development
2016 – present Blue Heron Title Company LLC: Owner, purchased existing real estate settlement company
2023 – present Nauti Cat Sailing Adventures: charter sailing on Chesapeake Bay