William A. “Bill” Caldwell

Colonel Arthur R. “Ott” Giesen

Joyce Spivey “Jo” Alderman

By Colleen E. Grecus

707 West Main Street in Radford is home to the Giesen-Caldwell Agency, a Realty Agency with a story that starts way back in 1945, when Colonel Arthur R. “Ott” Giesen, a proud alumnus of the Virginia Military Institute, returned to his hometown of Radford from WWII. Along with his brother-in-law, William A. “Bill” Caldwell, Ott decided to establish a Real Estate agency in the New River Valley that would be named after themselves. They set up shop in a second-floor office on Norwood Street, now East Main Street, next door to Leggett Department Store.

They set out to broker Real Estate and insurance, and though they undoubtedly strove for success, they may not have known that their agency would still be thriving some seventy-seven years later! That’s longer than any other agency in the region!

Lois Spivey Hruska in 1954 in front of the Giesen-Caldwell Office when it was in downtown Radford.

The Insurance portion was sold to Brown Agency in Blacksburg after Lois Spivey Hruska, the Office Manager for eighteen years, moved to Rochester, Minnesota. To fill the spot she left open, Joyce Spivey ‘Jo’ Alderman came to the agency as a part time secretary in 1972.

After having established and served the agency for over twenty years, Bill Caldwell left in the late 1960’s to pursue other interests. The Giesens, however, so valued the foundation he helped to form and the family he helped create that they kept his name on the business to honor his legacy.

Ott Giesen and his wife, Charlotte Caldwell “Pinkie” Giesen, had always been community minded, each having served on the City Council. Many locals today still hold fond memories of the pair.

Ott also served as Mayor while his dear wife managed to become the first female Republican to be elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.

In addition to selling insurance and Real Estate, local subdivisions, Cumberlea and Woodlawn, were developed by Ott, providing much needed housing to the growing community. Colonel Giesen also managed to teach and coach at the local Radford High School. Furthermore, the Real Estate Agency they formed became a founding member of the Radford Chamber of Commerce.

Old time lock boxes

Today, the Agency is owned by Jo Alderman, who quickly fell in love with Real Estate after coming to work as a secretary. In fact, she decided to get a broker’s license the very next year. This was in a time where there were few women in the business, and even fewer appraising. At the time, it was a commonly held belief that a woman had to be married in order to buy a house. Jo set out to correct that, and Colonel Giesen took her under his wing.

Colonel Giesen did a large percentage of the appraising for Interstates 81 and 77, and also for the Snyder Hunt developments on Prices Fork Road in Blacksburg. It was the Blacksburg project where Jo got to cut her teeth with appraising.

Jo earned every type of degree and certification in existence to better serve her clients and run a Real Estate business. She was also made an Associate member of the Appraisal Institute, and she was given the Realtor of the Year Award and the Radford Business Person of the Year Award back in 2001. It may come as no surprise, but it’s most impressive that she was credited with the Ethics in Action Award in 2004.

The agency’s current location on West Main has been settled since they remodeled and rebuilt the office in 1989. The office is lovingly managed by Rena Rickey, a friendly face and voice that greets clients who may call or who may grace the office doorstep. The location is also faithfully guarded by the adorable, hypoallergenic pup, Autumn. Autumn is companion to realtor, Robert Nelson Alderman, son of Jo Alderman.

Robert and his sister, Katrina Alderman Compton, are both realtors with the agency. Katrina also fills her mother’s shoes as manager. Their skill as brokers and their consideration for their clients continue to exemplify the tradition of Giesen-Caldwell, which makes their newly retired mother very proud. Katrina, has been with the Agency fourteen years, and Robert is in his third year. Before joining the agency, Robert was in Lynchburg for thirty years, ten of which were spent in Real Estate there.

In addition to Jo’s adult children, Giesen-Caldwell currently has four other agents. John Farmer has been with the Agency for a whopping forty-five years! Michael Wade Johnson has been with Giesen-Caldwell for twenty-seven years and is unbelievably knowledgeable and invested. MJ Jarrett joined the family four years ago, and most recently, Becky Murphy has joined the team.

Front Row: Becky Murphy, Katrina Compton, Rena Rickey, M J Jarrett Back Row: Mike Johnston, Robert Alderman, John Farmer

It’s true that Giesen-Caldwell is small, but it has been deliberately kept that way for nearly eight decades. This creates several advantages for the company. It maintains stability, so they can weather with ease the cyclical highs and lows that often come along in this business. It also helps to maintain a personal atmosphere in which clients can be known by name, rather than by number. Customers always feel they are a priority. Finally, it helps Giesen-Caldwell to be especially selective with the agents and brokers they take on. They want to make sure that whoever represents their company and serves their clients can be trusted to put people before profit. This means having honesty, integrity, and even a willingness to help a fellow associate without question. The team can rely on one another, and they stay.

Another practice behind the success of the agency is the encouragement of the agents to continuously further their education. This helps them to better assist their clients and stay current. Agents also renew their licenses every two years. In such a constantly evolving and ever-changing industry, these practices are not only essential, but at Giesen-Caldwell, it’s a continuing tradition.

After Colonel Giesen passed away in 1990, and later, Mrs. Giesen in 1995, the new owner, operator, and president, Jo Alderman, chose to maintain the small “family” size that had served so well. She also chose to preserve the established values and high ethical standards which had long been the agency’s hallmark. This family atmosphere makes the agency stronger, and each associate more successful.

In Florida now, Jo reports that she is blessed to have had the privilege to work, for fifty years, doing something that she absolutely loved. She also feels blessed to have met so many wonderful people through her long and storied career.

Other memorable Agents who have retired include Sue Griggs, Shirley Lowman, and Barbara Prillaman, who many in the community may remember as having assisted in buying or selling their homes.

R. L. Thomas, who has become a well-known artist in his retirement, was another prominent agent with Giesen-Caldwell. Having also worked in advertising, the company slogan, “Making People at Home Since 1945,” was the work of Mr. Thomas.

Worth noting was a beloved office manager, Martha Gardner, who recently passed away. Having served the agency for eighteen years, she was a key person in its general operation and growth of reputation. Rena Turpin Rickey, the current office manager, learned much of what she knows from Martha. She, herself, has been with Giesen-Caldwell for five years and is carrying on with the same level of efficiency and expertise. Rena, Katrina, Mike, and the rest of the amazing team of agents are all committed to carrying on in serving the people of the New River Valley, as they always have, in the Giesen-Caldwell tradition.

Giesen-Caldwell Agency • 700 W Main St, Radford, VA
540-639-1322 • www.GiesenCaldwell.com