Inside Business 2022 Women in Business: Cheryl P. McLeskey, McLeskey

Job title: President and CEO, McLeskey.

At work: I am the president and CEO of a 60-year-old family-owned and -operated commercial and residential real estate development and leasing company headquartered in Virginia Beach. Our team manages a robust business with diverse real estate holdings: shopping centers, single-tenant leases, multifamily communities, single-family rentals, a mobile home community, undeveloped land and property management. McLeskey also owns and operates the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, Southside Marina and Splash2o Express Carwash in Virginia Beach. McLeskey is redeveloping its portfolio and developing dynamic real estate projects that will provide new opportunities in the region. I am very grateful for the solid foundation set by McLeskey’s founder and my late husband, F. Wayne McLeskey Jr.

Volunteer activities: I currently serve on the boards of the Military Aviation Museum, the Virginia Aviation Board, the Neptune Festival, Towne Bank, Operation Blessing, Sentara Brock Cancer Center (home of the McLeskey Comprehensive Breast Center), Virginia Beach Community Organization Grants, Virginia Beach Boat Church, the F. Wayne McLeskey Memorial Marlin Open and GO Virginia. In the past, I have been on boards for the Virginia Aquarium, Navy SEAL Xperience (based in San Diego), Stop Abuse, An Achievable Dream, the Tidewater Builders Association, Regent University, Sandler Center, Virginia Beach SPCA and many others.

Home and family: I reside at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. My son Willie, his wife Heidi and my grandson Liam also live close by. Four of my five siblings also reside in Virginia Beach. I was raised in San Francisco but relocated here while in my 20s. Virginia Beach is a friendly and vibrant community, and I am very grateful to live here.

Motivating factor: My desire to honor and grow my late husband’s vision to continue bettering the Hampton Roads community motivates me. I was always taught that to whom much is given, much is required, and I am very blessed to be in a position where I can make a positive difference in our community. I want Hampton Roads to continue to flourish and be a desirable place for people to work, live, worship and play. I believe that McLeskey has a duty to address the needs that we see, such as lack of housing, putting more great entrepreneurs and dreamers into business locations and running our own businesses well to create jobs and opportunities for young people to stay in the region.

Advice for women in business: The basic values of humility, faith, empathy, desire to lead, positive attitudes and teamwork will always get results. You will benefit by putting these principles of servant leadership into practice. It’s about serving others to lead effectively rather than leading so others can serve us. Get involved in the community by volunteering for local charities and helping others in need.

The one thing I would change about Hampton Roads: As a breast cancer survivor, I would like to see more regionwide collaboration among city leaders to improve the health and wellness of Hampton Roads’ citizens. I believe Healthier757, an initiative with the primary goal of improving the health literacy of our citizens, is a great example of how community leaders can collaborate to build a healthier community. By aligning the collective efforts of municipalities, community health organizations, nonprofits, universities, schools systems and libraries around key health priorities, Healthier757 can reduce health disparities, increase workforce productivity and drive economic prosperity for the Hampton Roads region.

Professional goal in five years: I would like to have significantly expanded the Splash2o Express Carwash business throughout Virginia and the East Coast and have created more high quality but cost-friendly housing for Hampton Roads residents. I’m also excited because at that point, I will be the chairwoman emeritus of my company with some new, younger leaders running the business. This will give me the availability to spend the majority of my time doing volunteer work around this amazing community that I’ve lived in for over 40 years. I want to see other people have access to the American dream, like I do.

Downtime: I love to swim laps, fish offshore, fly my airplane and spend quality time with my friends and family.

What really gets under my skin: When people are rude or unkind to others!