I had the pleasure of catching up with Howe Rice, Owner Operator of Chick-fil-A Virginia Center Marketplace and Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe (Ashland), to talk all things community, kids…and cows!
A Legacy of Leadership and Impact
Howe opened his first Chick-fil-A way back in 1997 at Willow Lawn. He moved over to Virginia Center Commons in 1999, then went on to open the first freestanding Chik-fil-A north of the river in 2001, across from Virginia Center Commons at Virginia Center Marketplace. He opened his Ashland location in 2013, and also opened a location inside Kings Dominion, making him the Owner-Operator with the most locations in Virginia for a time.
“Across all of our restaurants, we strive for excellence while making a positive impact on our community,” says Howe.
Father of three boys, now 23, 21, and 18, Howe enjoys reminiscing on the many teens who have learned the importance of striving for excellence and giving back to the community through their employment at the restaurants over the years. “In addition to watching my three kids work hard for the restaurants over the years, seeing what so many past employees have gone on to do with their careers and their lives has been one of the most rewarding aspects of all this for me.” Several have stayed with the company, and five have even gone on to become Owner Operators themselves. “Being able to instill these traits early on, most of them as their first official jobs, has really paid off for them as they have gone on to college and their careers. It’s been ‘my pleasure’ to watch them blossom and become adults who give back to their community in their own ways.”
Operation Cow Drop: A Day of Family Fun
Howe has partnered with dozens of local non-profits over the years hosting events like the Chick-fil-A Charity Dodgeball Tournament and Operation Cow Drop, which got its start in 2008. The 2026 Cow Drop happens this Saturday, May 2, at Hanover Airport, and Howe promises it will be another memorable day for area families. “There’s nothing like seeing the looks on kids’ faces when 1,500 cows parachute through the sky above them.”
This year, an airplane will drop the cows, and kids will be able to run out and grab a cow once they hit the ground. Before the big event at around 1:30PM, there will be a day full of family fun starting at 10AM. “We’ll have adult size Big Wheel races, sky divers, a giant slide, a horse petting area, entertainment on the main stage, and so much more. It’s a really fantastic day for families, one I look forward to every year,” says Howe.
Gary Hess will serve as emcee for the day, and Grace Christian School will provide hundreds of volunteers to make the day go off without a hitch. “We’re really fortunate to be able to partner with Grace Christian and get so many volunteers to come out and help us pull off such a huge event.” Grace Christian is the non-profit benefactor of event proceeds, and they will be donating 10% of their proceeds to Special Olympics of Virginia.
“We just want everyone to come on out on Saturday and have a great time. We promise it’ll be a whole lot of fun!”
Operation Cow Drop 2026 will be held on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM at Hanover Airport. The event and parking are free. Complete event information can be found at OperationCowDrop.com.
