Rural Virginia is many things, but it is not, by any means, a bastion of intellectualism. It did, however, create Dennis Haggerty, who broke the traditional mold early on. Unlike the Smokey Mountain legend, Haggerty was determined to establish a name for himself, and he did it with his first step — graduating from Virginia Tech and becoming the first college graduate in his family. Haggerty, on the other hand, was not destined to spend his days running around the old first colony state.

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Haggerty did have one advantage. He was skilled at putting in long hours. And it was because of this that he quickly became a star. He was also wise in another way: Haggerty did not allow anyone to take advantage of his hard work. This served as a springboard for Haggerty's first career move from ARC Repographics' basic employee to the company's chief financial officer. However, calculating the figures or even being the one to explain them all wasn't going to be a meaningful career for Haggerty. As a result, he went on to the next chapter.

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The Midwest is exploding

Because Haggerty was already in Chicago when he made it to the executive suite, it was a short step for the former CFO to now undertake a similar job in a larger firm, AL Media. Surprisingly, he had the ability to play two parts, one as a familiar CFO and the other as a new media director. This specific play provided a fresh avenue for Haggerty's political career. AL Media was, in reality, one of the largest, if not the largest, media firms in the United States at the time. As a result, it came as no surprise that Haggerty was now immersed in the country's most important periodic economy: elections. And Haggerty was in command of a $1 billion juggernaut of media mechanics for various political campaigns across the country.

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It's time to take the reins of leadership

With all of the expertise and opportunities available in Chicago, it was only a matter of time until Dennis Haggerty struck out on his own. That's exactly what happened in 2007, when Haggerty launched his own communication agency, @Media. It was offered with a combination of marketing, advertising, political expertise, and prior experience demonstrated in one of the most difficult marketplaces possible, as well as being recognizable to the majority of Americans. At the same time, because one firm wasn't enough, Haggerty established a family BBQ business. The outcome was a massive breakthrough effort that entailed traveling teams exposing people to Chicago BBQ-style all over the country, and it was a smashing success.

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Working for a Cause Other Than a Paycheck

However, more developments were on the way. Haggerty intended to establish a family. He became a father and discovered how important family is. Haggerty's desire to be active and do good for others became a significant drive for him, and he began to include goodwill initiatives into his business. Haggerty began assisting pet shelters, animal adoption, and the poor, as well as looking for causes that don't get enough attention and usually struggle to function. Haggerty set out to find the underdog non-profit that made an impact in the lives of many people.

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Haggerty was still at the helm of @Media 11 years later, and he was working on another new endeavor, Car Dealer Benefits. It was a completely new endeavor in a field Haggerty had little knowledge of, but he possessed grit that had previously served him well. Haggerty found his stride again, and the new company began to thrive. Then he went on to another project. Haggerty, as a serial entrepreneur, was going to make his mark again and again, and this time it would be in the health field.

The ability to be in the right place at the right time

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Dennis Haggerty foresaw the future and said that telehealth would be the next big market. He had no idea that his concept would become popular a few years later with COVID and the need for distance, but Haggerty was in his element. As the response to COVID became national and continued to increase, the company's success grew exponentially.

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Now that the virus has passed and life has returned to normal, Haggerty is seeking for his next opportunity to create, innovate, and thrive. The world will constantly present challenges in some shape or another, but Haggerty persists. There is also always the possibility of pushing through those difficulties. Haggerty's children are growing up, and he's looking for a gentler pace to ease into retirement at some time. He'll never stop inventing; it's a part of Haggerty's personality and identity. However, running at a slower speed isn't a bad idea either; everyone knows Dennis Haggerty has earned it. 

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