Chris and Sabrina Lancaster opened Valley Air Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing in 2014. Located in Staunton, Virginia, Valley Air specializes in supporting residential and small business HVAC needs across the Shenandoah Valley. Beyond the quality service extended to their customers, Valley Air is built on the personal values Chris and Sabrina exemplify, and it starts with caring for the wellbeing of their employees.

Going into business for themselves was a decision the Lancasters didn’t take lightly. “When Chris and I met, we both worked for companies that had values that didn’t align with our own. So we took the values we weren’t receiving and put them into this company,” Sabrina said. “It is so important for Sabrina and I to help people improve their lives. That became a priority at Valley Air,” Chris added.

One area that resonated with both Chris and Sabrina is the importance of financial wellness and education. Sabrina already had a personal banking relationship with DCCU when she and Chris met. “DCCU helped me build my credit so that I could buy my first home,” Sabrina said. “Because she spoke so highly of DCCU, it was an easy transition from my previous financial institution,” Chris said.

As Valley Air continued to grow, so did their business banking needs. From financing their first truck to their current commercial office space located at 1234 Middlebrook Avenue in Staunton, DCCU has been supporting their financial needs at each step of the journey. In 2020, Valley Air and DCCU partnered on a new venture – DCCU at Work.

DCCU at Work is a program that offers custom financial wellness workshops and one-on-one counseling for local employers. The workshops are personalized based on the needs of the group or individual and are offered on-site at a time that is most convenient for the group. “We jumped at the opportunity to be able to help our employees,” said Sabrina. “Some of them are young and just starting out. This program teaches them about creating a budget, building credit, and how to get a loan or buy a home. The DCCU at Work program has benefited a number of our employees and truly exceeded our expectations.”

Chris and Sabrina recognize the role that financial wellness plays in their employees’ overall wellbeing. “We have been afforded second chance opportunities in our lives, so when anyone comes to us and asks for help, we try to help them ourselves or point them in the right direction,” said Chris. “We just want them to grow and be the best they can be,” Sabrina added.

Valley Air is a company that offers a positive atmosphere and opportunities for advancement, while making their employees feel valued. “We are a family. We know our employees, we know their families, and we care about them,” said Chris. “We don’t have anything without our employees, and we try to show them we care through our actions. Making time for financial education during their work day is one example of how we do that.”

“We are appreciative of the relationship we have with DCCU and the time they devote to teaching financial wellness,” said Sabrina. “DCCU makes our employees a priority, and that speaks volumes.” To learn more about the DCCU at Work program and how DCCU can help improve your employees’ financial health, visit mydccu.com/dccu-at-work.