He returned to Ukrop’s, and as he and his brother grew the business, they kept in mind ways they could impact the community. That tied them to Richmond’s Chamber of Commerce.
Ukrop, in the early 1980s, became involved with the Chamber’s board. They, early on, put Ukrop in charge of a committee to evaluate the group’s newsletter.
“Does that sound exciting?” Ukrop asked, with a laugh.
Eventually, Ukrop told the group that he didn’t think the newsletter was a good use of his time and to let him know if something more interesting came up. About a year later, in 1983, Ukrop received a call.
The word was that the Richmond Braves, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, weren’t happy with their ballpark, Parker Field. Richard Anderson, the general manager of the Richmond Braves, pushed the notion.
Ukrop was invited to a meeting at the Chamber office to discuss the matter. It was asked if anyone who wanted to be involved in a project for a new ballpark to step forward. Everyone stepped back except Ukrop and Dick Hollander, who was legal counsel for Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Company.
In the fast and furious campaign that ensued, Ukrop helped lead the charge to garner financial support from area businesses for stadium construction. His work in raising money made it possible for the project to be pushed through, the private-sector funds combining with the public backing.
