Sept. '15 by Cabarrus Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2015

Alevo:

Charged and Ready

Pepsi:

Still in the Carolinas

FedEx:

SmartPost Partners with USPS

Amazon:

“Work hard. Have fun. Make history.”

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Word on the Street September 2015 Volume 15 n Issue 9 President Pam Tolen

Managing Editor/Art Direction Kim Cassell Advertising Kimberly Brouillette Jason Huddle Contributing Writers Kim Cassell Jason Huddle NC Research Campus Contributing Photographers Michael A. Anderson Photography Camilla Ferguson Pepsi Bottling Ventures Cabarrus Magazine is published by: Comfort Publishing Inc. 296 Church Street N. Hidden Plaza Concord, NC 28025

Rachel Fesko

Publisher Jason Huddle

I think it’s a quality that many of us possess – to make a difference. Whether that impact is felt globally, in our community or simply in our homes, the fact that we have an effect on the world around us gives us a sense of purpose. Likewise, as a community, I believe we collectively want to know that we’re making an impact on the world. For some regions, the effect felt beyond their own borders is minimal at best. But, for Cabarrus County, the reverberations of new industry taking root here are being felt around the globe. Does that sound a bit dramatic? Perhaps. But it doesn’t make it any less true. In a plant that used to produce ‘cancer sticks,’ there’s now emerging a new breed of energy conservation that might one day solve the world’s energy crisis, courtesy of Alevo. Companies like Amazon, FedEx and Pepsi Bottling Ventures have taken notice of this area and are investing into it with distribution centers and, more importantly, jobs. Where a mighty textile plant once stood, a research campus that may truly change the way we live has taken shape. The discoveries being made there are not only changing the world, they’re changing lives. These companies aren’t just using Cabarrus County as a base of operations, their philanthropic impact is being felt here at home as well. It is with that in mind that we have dubbed this issue Good “Works,” works in terms of employment and charity. People sometimes ask me why I’m so proud of this community. The truth is, there are many reasons, but this issue certainly represents a big one. Enjoy!

For editorial inquiries, call 704-782-2353 or email them to Kim Cassell at kcassell@ cabarrusmagazine.com. For advertising inquiries, call Jason Huddle at 704-907-7847 or Kimberly Brouillette at 704-305-7599.

Sincerely,

Visit us at www.cabarrusmagazine.com. All rights reserved. ©2015, Comfort Publishing Inc., 296 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without permission is prohibited. Products named in these pages are trademarks of their respective companies. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Cabarrus Magazine or Comfort Publishing Inc.

Jason Huddle

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This Issue... Good “Works:”

Far-reaching Impact of Big Business 6

Alevo: Charged and Ready

Crime Stoppers: The Foxfire Lanes Case

Pepsi: Still in the Carolinas

Breaking Bread: Chef Ferguson Dishes

Amazon: “Work hard. Have fun. Make history.”

NCRC: Changing the Landscape of Healthcare

Cabarrus Businesses: On the Go

Give Me Shelter: Cabarrus’ Adoptable Dogs September 2015 5 n

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By Jason Huddle

Alevo: Charged and Ready Founded In Switzerland in 2009, Alevo Group is an energy service provider (ESP). It’s also global in scale, and Cabarrus County landed it when Alevo purchased the vacant Philip Morris plant on NC Highway 29. Now called Victory Industrial Park, it’s home to the firm’s first manufacturing facility.

Alevo unveiled the plan for its new venture in October of 2014. Now, almost a year later, it is on the cusp of rolling those first shipments of product off the assembly line. What’s interesting is that Alevo’s business is, in itself, philanthropic. And it’s all about electricity. According to company officials, the world wastes approximately 30 percent of all energy produced – energy manufactured from depleting fossil fuels and that consumers have paid for. Up until now, there has been no way to sufficiently store that wasted energy. Alevo has found a solution with mindboggling renewable potential. Out of its Concord facility, Alevo will be manufacturing batteries that can be used to store electricity. The batteries are then assembled together in a container known as a GridBank. The GridBanks can be shipped anywhere in the world where there is an energy deficiency – or no energy at all – and be used to power an area for up to 20 years. “The battery is safe, non-flammable and noncombustible,” Chris Christainsen, executive vice-president of Alevo, adds. These claims were backed up last year by representatives from other international companies that have partnered with Alevo. “We need to find ways to store the energy and release it when needed,” Dr. Deng Xu, chairman of E&M (a Chinese energy group), says. “We believe the Alevo battery is that bridge.” "

Alevo purchased the entire Philip Morris complex last fall and is now in the process of constructing an assembly line like no other.

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Alevo’s batteries will be assembled together in a container known as a GridBank.

Alevo’s executive vice-president and chief officer of marketing and sustainability, Scott Schotter, explains that Alevo is the culmination of years of ideas and analyzing the problem of energy inefficiencies. “Alevo was born in the mind of Jostein Eikeland, a serial entrepreneur whose career has always focused on creating optimization, creating efficiencies and reducing wastefulness,” Schotter says. “After years of modeling and perfecting the business plan, hundreds of spreadsheets, investments in different

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battery technologies, finding likeminded employees to analyze the grid and build our product –the GridBank – Alevo was ready to find its U.S. manufacturing home.” Why Cabarrus County? Schotter says they looked at a lot of properties in many states, but their search wasn’t typical of some other corporations. “We weren’t looking for what many companies look for – namely, incentives – because we believe that real business needs to stand on its own without the crutch of government

subsidies. What we were looking for was the perfect property to suit our needs. We…wanted a ‘ready to occupy’ plant so we could get to market faster,” he says. According to Schotter, the road to Concord came through a family connection. “William Niblock encouraged Torde Eide, Alevo’s corporate counsel, to look at the retired Philip Morris plant; he also raved about living in Concord,” Schotter says. “After weighing our options carefully, Alevo decided the Philip Morris plant was well suited for our manufacturing needs; it had the size we were looking for to accommodate growth and was suitable utility-wise.” Indeed. The 2.5 million square feet of plant space coupled with about 1 million square feet of warehouse, all sitting on 2,000 acres, is prime for a manufacturer that, fully operational, could potentially produce 16.2 gigawatt hours (one GWh equals 1 billion watt hours) each year. It also didn’t hurt that Alevo’s close

Scott Schotter, Alevo’s executive vice-president and chief officer of marketing and sustainability

supplier, Parker Hannifin, is located in Charlotte. “We knew the area had a great local workforce, and the infrastructure of highway, rail and close proximity to ports all played into our decision,” Schotter adds. Those reasons notwithstanding, Concord Mayor Scott Padgett claims he knew the real reason Alevo chose Cabarrus County. “In the end, it was the community that sold the people from Alevo. It also didn’t hurt that they love NASCAR.” The workforce that Schotter mentions was key. When Philip Morris closed, nearly 2,500 local jobs went with it. Now Alevo anticipates that all 2,500 jobs will return to the community within the next few years…a built-in workforce. “We’re going to create a lot of jobs,” Eikland told the people of Cabarrus last October. According to Schotter, well over 100 people have secured employment thus far – and that may be closer to 200 – with anticipation of hiring another 200 or more in the near future. Last year, company officials said that one day the plant could boast as many as 6,000 employees; however, the goal at this point is to have 20 assembly lines running, which would necessitate 2,500 jobs. The question remains, however: How will Alevo’s batteries change the world? Schotter gave Cabarrus

Magazine a simple explanation (as simple as possible). “Without getting too technical, our lithium battery chemistry is made of inorganic material. No other lithium battery in the world has the same properties; all others are organic. This means our batteries are non-combustible and non-flammable. Organic batteries have to manage these issues. “Unlike organic lithium batteries, there are no unpredictable side reactions in our batteries and there is no changed internal resistance over time. Increasing internal resistance is one reason why your cell phone battery dies. The upshot of this is our batteries last a long time. We are over 50,000 cycles and counting in our test batteries, which is well beyond any competitor batteries. This becomes meaningful when you load these batteries into GridBanks and tie them to the electric grid, because the grid is tough on batteries. “We are not the first to tie batteries to the grid, but none of the other batteries have demonstrated the durability, safety and reliability that the grid needs, so we believe the economics don’t work for them. We consider ourselves the first utility-grade battery because we will last 20 years on the grid, which is the same duty cycle utilities look for with other grid equipment.” In layman’s terms, the batteries "

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that will soon come out of the plant in Concord could potentially light up a third-world region that previously had been lacking electrical power. They will be the means for the world to be able to store energy that would normally have gone to waste, and use it when needed. The implications of this product could be felt globally one day soon, but that’s no reason to rush things. Last October, Alevo had anticipated having its first shipments ready by July 2015. That has not occurred as of yet, but Schotter makes no apologies. “At our launch in October, we forecasted that we would have our batteries and GridBanks in production around now,” he explains. “Setting up a verticallyintegrated batteries-into-GridBanks facility has never been done before and we are enjoying the challenges we discover along the way because we learn from them.” “This is our first line; we need to get it right before we can duplicate it. We have assembly line components coming here from all over the world. We get to connect them and make them work together. It’s exciting to see our progress, and even though we are not exactly in step with our forecast from the fall, GridBanks will be deployed soon. Everything is coming together nicely. We have our first line in the testing phase and our first GridBank enclosure will be delivered this month, ready to have our batteries installed.” Shotter adds that the first GridBanks have all been spoken for and they will be installed in the U.S. market and Europe. So now we wait for those first shipments, which Schotter says will hopefully come before the end of the year. Regardless, Cabarrus County may be the place where, one day, people will say the problem to the world’s energy crisis was solved. Time will tell. n

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Pepsi Bottling Venturesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Charlotte and Midland distribution facilities will be consolidated into this 200,000-square-foot location in Harrisburg.

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By Kim Cassell

Pepsi: Still in the Carolinas In April, Pepsi Bottling Ventures (PBV) announced the purchase of 32 acres of land in Harrisburg. The goal? To consolidate the Midland and Charlotte Pepsi facilities into one sales and distribution location. Consolidation became a buzzword during the recession, more as a means to save money and increase efficiency than to expand operations. Now that the economy appears to be on the rebound, some companies see relocating as an avenue to growth. Eric Stavriotis is managing director at Jones Lang LaSalle, a commercial real estate services provider. “In the last 12 months we’ve seen more projects that are focused on deploying new capital and growth, whether it’s a relocation, expansion, even just a reset of the overall corporate footprint,” he says. Motivators to relocation and consolidation include tax credits, a built-in qualified employee base and adequate road infrastructure. “If a company can take advantage of lucrative state and local incentive packages to help defray moving costs, now could be the right time in the cycle to make a move, with property prices on existing property rising, and low interest rates and cheap financing spurring new build-to-suit and speculative development,” Stavriotis adds. Such is the case of PBV, headquartered in Raleigh and an independent bottler and distributor of Pepsi products in the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. In 2013, it swapped out territories in Vermont and Idaho for the Charlotte franchise with Pepsi Bottling Co. That got possible consolidation wheels turning. "

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FedEx SmartPost FedEx is expanding into Cabarrus County in a big way. Impossible to miss at the corner of Poplar Tent Road and International Drive in Concord, the $41-million, 330,780square-foot distribution center will use the next four years to get its SmartPost operation running. SmartPost, a division of FedEx, sorts packages but then has them delivered to residents by way of the United States Postal Service. These packages fall within certain size and weight parameters, are not rush delivery, and can be delivered to the military and post office boxes. While it’s planning to have about 521 on staff, some 462 will be part-time. Concord’s distribution center will also triple the size of SmartPost, but some employees from the closing facility in Charlotte will transfer here to work.

Altruism FedEx Cares Week promotes partnerships with charities that have a local impact, like the United Way, American Red Cross, March of Dimes, Teach For America and Junior Achievement. According to the FedEx website, FedEx Cares Week 2013 included: • 46,867 volunteer hours by 9,991 FedEx employees in 398 cities in 64 countries • 593 nonprofits served worldwide, with more than a $1-million value in service hours donated • More than 27,000 FedEx Cares purple tote bags of supplies delivered to local nonprofits. 14 Cabarrus Magazine n

Time will tell what the future holds for the Pepsi Bottling Ventures plant being vacated in Midland.

A subsequent yearlong study yielded a deal that sees $371,875 in corporate incentives from the town of Harrisburg over five years as well as improvements to NC Highway 49, its main thoroughfare. In return, PBV is spending $12.5 million to build a 200,000-square-foot facility on Cedar Drive. Projected to be complete in June 2016, all 200 or so employees from the Midland and Charlotte facilities are expected to make the corporate move to Harrisburg. “Our Charlotte facility, while a great location for many years, was not as easily accessible for our trucks and lacked the space we needed for the expanding market,” Claire Niver, PBV senior vice-president of human resources and corporate affairs, says. “We were already in a facility in Cabarrus County (Midland), and we are comfortable with the solid workforce in place there and confident in our ability to staff as needed with the right talent.”

As to what will happen to the vacated properties, Niver explains, “The Charlotte facility is under contract. The Midland facility is being evaluated to determine next steps as we speak.” While the Charlotte plant sits on 5.2 acres of prime real estate on South Boulevard, just south of Remount Road, there’s some concern about the future of the Midland location. On Highway 24/27, just east of Highway 601, the town obviously doesn’t want to see it sit empty for any length of time. Altruism Large, profitable corporations – while beneficial to their local communities economically – exist under a microscope. Corporate responsibility and philanthropy have come to be expected, whether they’re environmental or humanitarian. Sure, the underlying goal might be to offset concerns about the use of natural resources during manufacturing, but the idea is still a positive one. So the fact that Cabarrus County is becoming home to more corporate

big-leaguers is good news. “Pepsi has a long history of philanthropy in this region, going back to when Dale Halton owned the franchise that her grandfather established over 100 years ago,” Niver shares. “PBV purchased the Charlotte region in a territory swap two years ago and has begun to cultivate new relationships and strengthen existing ones to continue that heritage.” A Charlotte native, Halton ran the family-owned Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company (now PBV) for 20-plus years, breaking down many corporate barriers – with regard to women – along the way. She also initiated Pepsi employee benefits and communitywide giving amounting to millions of dollars during her tenure. Halton may have sold the business 10 years ago, but PBV retains what it calls its Environmental Sustainability Goals. These include such integrations as workplace safety, and local environmental conservation in the form of water, energy, fuel and recycling. Being global, PepsiCo – PBV’s parent company – can extend the impact. According to the company’s 2013 Sustainability Report, Frito-Lay North America utilizes more than 280 electric vehicles and 208 compressed natural gas trucks in its commercial fleet: about 20 percent of its total U.S. fleet. Drip irrigation and i-crop are being used to reduce water usage, while, “Our ReCon platform and our

Treated Water Efficiency Tool enable beverage plants to optimize their water treatment systems, and together have saved an estimated $640,000 and reduced water consumption by more than 200,000 cubic meters per year in our U.S. beverage operations,” according to the report. i-crop is new Internet technology that allows farmers to reduce water usage. “The data-driven system intersects local weather information with data from soil moisture

probes. By making data available for farmers to access online, i-crop empowers them to make better decisions about how and when to water their crops. After initial testing, the software has been shown to help farmers achieve 90 percent efficiency in water usage,” according to bigthink.com. With the surge of plastic beverage bottle usage in the last decade – and the ban of discarded bottles into our landfills – Pepsi aims to reduce its "

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footprint by using recycled manufacturing scrap in its PET (polyethylene terephthalate: the plastic used to make drink bottles). It began implementing this process in 2004, with rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) currently making up about 10 percent of each bottle. “In 2013, we completed a system conversion to transition some of our Gatorade multi-packs to lighterweight secondary packaging,”

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pepsico.com says. “This change resulted in a reduction of nearly 39 million packaging pounds on an annualized basis. In 2010, PepsiCo set a goal of partnering to increase the U.S. beverage-container recycling rate to 50 percent by 2018, a shift that would capture billions of containers and significantly reduce carbon emissions.” Another avenue big corporations are taking to impact local communities is through nonprofits. In PepsiCo’s case,

those include the American Red Cross, Feeding America, Save the Children, International Rescue, Give2Asia and Habitat for Humanity. These efforts become even more successful when employees become involved, especially when they have a voice as to where donations go; it’s empowering and a morale booster. PepsiCo employees have the opportunity to give through the PepsiCo Foundation. Within the foundation are programs – PepsiCorps, Water Mother Cellar Project, Food for Good and Diplomas Now – that allow individuals to volunteer their time and services in response to water purification; nutritional education and supplies; societal support; and disaster relief, like hurricanes and earthquakes. These programs take place internationally and some are employee-founded. “PepsiCo employees regularly volunteer their time, skills and creative insights to help those in need. Whether helping out in simple ways or seeking solutions to global challenges, PepsiCo employees help make a meaningful difference in the lives of others and have an enduring impact on the communities where they live and work,” according to its website. So, while we in Cabarrus County celebrate the acquisitions and expansions of big business, their effects are being felt both here at home and much farther away. n

Breaking Bread cabarrus magazine is happy to feature personal CHEF CAMILLA FERGUSON. she WILL BE BRINGING ONE OF HER OWN RECIPES TO CABARRUS MAGAZINE READERS EACH MONTH, so Bon Appetit!

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Chorizo and Queso Fresco INGREDIENTS 4 chicken breasts 3 links Mexican Chorizo sausage (fresh, not cured; in refrigerated, Latin section of grocery store)

1/2 small onion, diced 1/2 of a round of Queso Fresco cheese

1/2 to 3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs Olive oil Salt and pepper

(also in Latin section)

DIRECTIONS Carefully cut a deep pocket into each chicken breast half; do not cut all the way through. Remove casings from raw and finely ground Chorizo. In a medium-sized non-stick skillet, brown Chorizo with onion on medium heat until Chorizo is cooked through and onion is translucent. Drain well on paper towels. Crumble the Queso Fresco into the Chorizo and onion mixture and mix well. Drizzle olive oil into a shallow, oval casserole dish. Place chicken breasts in casserole. Stuff each chicken breast with the stuffing, using all of the mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the chicken breasts until covered, and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Situate the chicken slightly overlapping one another; you can secure opening with a toothpick if desired. Bake on 375 uncovered for 30-40 minutes until done. This type of cheese does not melt completely, but will soften. Serves 4.

Cami Ferguson has a passion for food that was developed at an early age. As a child, she watched her grandmother make homemade Italian specialties as well as her dad cooking “Southern soul food.” Between the two, she learned a lot about different culinary styles. Her horizons were further broadened and tweaked by her exposure to a large variety of global cuisines during her extensive travels. She has turned all of those experiences into one joyous profession. As a personal chef, Ferguson performs a variety of services for individuals, couples, families and small groups. She encourages everyone to enjoy quality time over intimate dinners with family or friends without the stress of planning, shopping, preparing, pick-up or cleanup, and can design menus – from basic to elegant – to satisfy many individual tastes, needs and budgets. Chef Ferguson can be reached at 704-330-9321, CamillaFerguson@ gmail.com or at her website: www.CuisineByCami.com. n

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By Kim Cassell

Amazon:

“Work hard. Have fun. Make history.” It’s a sortation center. And, without much hoopla, SEATTLE-BASED Amazon opened it for delivery business in January of this year in a Silverman Group spec building at the Concord Airport Business Park. It now employs 350-PLUS people covering three shifts, seven days a week. Its first distribution center in North Carolina, the $4.4-million space spans 222,500 square feet of the total 403,750-square-foot building – smaller than the Amazon fulfillment centers that typically occupy more than 1 million square feet. Aaron Toso is an Amazon spokesperson. Referring to the new Concord center, “(It) is part of a new network powering our ability to provide customers with everyday delivery, and we know our customers love Sunday delivery,” he says. Like FedEx, Amazon is utilizing the United States Postal Service to defray delivery costs. “Packages are transported from Amazon fulfillment centers to our sort centers and from there to customers’ local post offices for final delivery. We handle packages that contain small items like books, electronics or consumer goods in this building,” Toso explains. This strategy sees Amazon buying up real estate near numerous key cities. “We locate facilities as close to our customers as we can to offer superfast shipping speeds and a great Prime service. We came here less than a year ago because our Concord location is perfect to serve our customers in the Charlotte area,” Toso says. “We also choose locations based on where we can find a strong workforce and we have found talent in abundance here.” " 18 Cabarrus Magazine n

Amazon has located its first North Carolina distribution center in Concord.

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In 2013, Amazon about doubled its order fulfillment spending – to $8.6 billion – as well as its acquisitions of operations center space: 48.3 million square feet in North America alone. The company also introduced the idea of drones as local package deliverers. Cabarrus Magazine spotlighted drone technology in its April 2015 issue, but rogue drone users have occupied a timeslot on the national news too often since then. Just last month, two jetliners came within 100 feet of

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an unmanned drone: a JetBlue flight and a Delta flight approaching JFK International Airport. Reported cases (to the FAA) tripled to 650 in the first seven months of this year compared to the same timeframe in 2014. And last year’s total number of reports is expected to quadruple by this year’s end. The FAA is being urged, once again, to enforce stricter regulations and punish those accountable for what could potentially become catastrophic air disasters. So,

while Amazon continues to test drone delivery, the FAA may squash their plans. Add to that, a New York Times article published last month that described the punishing working conditions that Amazon employees walk into every day – and know it from their first day at job orientation. Amazon owner Jeff Bezos introduces his articles of faith to each new recruit, a set of behavioral principles to be aligned with and utilized daily.

Corporate boundaries are lowered so that employees feel empowered to succeed. Secret email about poorperforming or unhappy co-workers, very long workdays and keeping up the frenetic pace of the profit-driven company can take their toll, but compensation is generous when selfsacrifice is given and the customer base is satisfied. Altruism On a more positive note, now that Amazon has a presence in Cabarrus County, it’s hopeful that local nonprofits will benefit. In 2013, Amazon introduced AmazonSmile (www.smile.amazon. com). It’s a means for Amazon users to shop the site, knowing that a halfpercent (excluding rebates, shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes or service charges) of their total purchases will go to a charity of their choosing. There is no ceiling to the amount that can be donated but it isn’t taxdeductible since Amazon’s foundation is sending the donation; it will receive the tax deduction. There are also some items that currently don’t fall within AmazonSmiles’ giving parameters: digital-media like Kindle e-books and Amazon’s subscribe-and-save products. Here’s how it works. Customers are provided a list of Amazon-chosen charities on the special website listed above. If they prefer a different one, they are welcome to search a database

containing some 1 million nonprofits. While the pricing and the look of the shopping page are the same, AmazonSmile-eligible products are indicated on their detail listings. True, this requires consumers to spend their own money in order to get a small portion of it to their charity, but the holidays are coming and many of us shop on amazon.com. The alternative is to simply give to your favorite charity straight-up. With AmazonSmile, shoppers can

change charities when they so choose and charities themselves can register to be listed in the database. They can visit org.amazon.com for more information. On the local front, “Since August, we contributed $5,000 to Operation Homefront in North Carolina (a nonprofit aiding U.S. military and their families) based on feedback we received from associates,” Toso adds. “We continue to seek out opportunities to be engaged in a meaningful way.” n

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Changing the Landscape of Healthcare From the community to the clinic, the NC Research Campus (NCRC) is changing the landscape of healthcare from reactive and treatment-centered to a more personal, genetically-targeted and nutritionally-focused approach. Kristin Newby, MD, MHS, MURDOCK Study principal investigator and a cardiologist with Duke University, explains that whether it is called personalized, stratified, precision or individualized, the future of healthcare is a movement from a “population-based, one-size-fits-all approach to a more sub-segmented treatment or prevention strategy focused on smaller groups of individuals.” The smaller groups allow doctors to determine responders and non-responders to therapies, nutrients and health-promoting plant compounds. Scientists and doctors with the Duke University MURDOCK Study – an NCRC-based longitudinal health study – are differentiating responders and non-responders through the investigation of the biological samples donated from close to 12,000 community participants. They have identified gene variants, proteins and metabolic markers that are giving new insights into the understanding of and treatments for obesity, heart disease and other chronic illnesses. 22 Cabarrus Magazine n

“Through the evolution of our research, we will reach a finer identification of who will respond and who doesn’t respond to certain nutrients.”

- Dr. Steven Zeisel NRI Director Dr. Kristin Newby, along with Dr. Steven Zeisel and Clyde Higgs (opposite page), foresee healthcare focusing more on a prevention strategy that looks at individual genetics and metabolism.

The UNC Chapel Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) is making similar discoveries in the field of nutrition. The NRI concentrates on understanding how the human system varies, from genetics to metabolism, and how and why individuals respond to nutrients differently. According to Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, NRI director, the institute is building a catalog of genetic differences that, one day, can be used to provide nutrition advice based on a person’s genetic profile, potentially reducing their risk for chronic disease. “Through the evolution of our research,” Zeisel says, “we will reach a finer identification of who will respond and who doesn’t respond to certain nutrients. It will change our understanding of what things you can

do in diet that might help prevent the development of disease and better treat it.” The NRI, Cabarrus Health Alliance, the Dole Nutrition Institute and the NC State Plants for Human Health Institute are doing even more to change the landscape of healthcare. They are spearheading community nutrition classes, cooking demonstrations and online resources that give people reliable information on which to base decisions about healthy living, which is the number one defense against chronic disease. Investing in the next generation of scientists and medical professionals is another way in which the NCRC is influencing the direction of healthcare. The Plant Pathways Elucidation Project (P2EP) pairs undergraduate

and graduate students with the NCRC’s leading scientists to research strawberries, oats, broccoli, blueberries and, starting in 2016, bananas and pineapples. The goal is to understand the compounds plants make and how they improve human health. “If we are going to change the future of healthcare, provide more effective, more personal and plantbased solutions,” comments Clyde Higgs, NCRC executive vice-president of operations & business development, “we have to create opportunities for people of all ages to get into science.” For more information about how the NCRC is changing the landscape of healthcare, visit www.transformingscience.com and look for the newest edition of Bioactive magazine. n

Get the Word Out! Contact Kimberly Brouillette for advertising opportunities.

704-782-2353

Support our advertisers and you support Cabarrus Magazine!

September 2015 23 n

On the Go F3 Group to Participate in Blue Ridge Relay The Harrisburg F3 group (Fitness, Fellowship and Faith) is sending two teams to the Blue Ridge Relay this year, a 208-mile relay race being held on September 11 and 12 at Grayson Highlands State Park and finishing in Asheville some 33-plus hours later.

F3 Group’s Blue Ridge Relay 2014 team

Known as the Ridge Runners, these six-man and 12-man teams will participate with F3’s regional group in a true test of endurance and fitness. Open to all men looking to increase their fitness, fellowship and faith, F3’s mission is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership. It meets in several different locations in Cabarrus County. For more information, visit their website at www.F3nation.com.

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Sim Frazier joins Cabarrus CVB Sales Team The Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) welcomes Sim Frazier as leisure sales manager. In this role, Frazier works closely with the area’s hospitality and tourism partners to promote and sell Cabarrus County as a destination for motor coach travel experiences and social, military, educational, religious and fraternal (SMERF) group meetings, and events and car clubs. “Sim plays an important role in taking Cabarrus County Sim Frazier to new heights as a destination for group leisure travel. We’re fortunate to have him on board,” Donna Carpenter, CVB president and CEO, says. Prior to becoming part of the CVB’s sales team, Frazier developed more than 10 years of sales and customer service experience, primarily within the cellular industry. He is a long-time resident of North Carolina and a graduate of Wilkes Community College.

Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show to Raise Funds for Proposed Midland Library On October 3, Friends of the Midland Library is hosting a fundraising event: its first Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show, being held at the Midland Fire and Rescue Station, 12805 U.S. Highway 601 S., Midland. Friends of the Midland Library is a group of citizens helping with the funding efforts for the new library in conjunction with the Town of Midland and Cabarrus County. Library space is proposed for the new Town Hall building at the corner of NC Highway 601 and Albemarle Road. Friends of the Midland Library is in need of sponsorships from local businesses and organizations in the form of advertising, donations of prizes, items for goodie bags for the vehicle owners, donations of items for a silent auction, etc. The event will be open to the public and admission is free; those entering their vehicles for display in the show will pay an entry free of $20. The event will be held rain or shine. To learn about sponsorship opportunities, to enter your vehicle or for more general information, visit www.friendsofthemidlandlibrary.org or through Facebook at Friends of the Midland Library.

Joyful Hearts Invitational Taking Place October 3 Joyful Hearts – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to making a difference in the special needs community – is hosting its annual Golf Invitational on October 3 at Highland Creek Golf Club. The event will feature contests: Closet to the Pin, Longest Drive and Team Prizes. This is a perfect way to entertain clients and meet new friends in an exciting setting. Sponsorship packages are available to provide you added recognition and business opportunities at the event.

With its mission to inspire, empower and support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – and their families – community support is key. This year’s fundraising goal is $10,000, with funds going toward JOYPROM – a full-scale prom for people with disabilities – as well as to expand and enhance Joyful Hearts’ existing programs. Services are provided free to the special needs community in Cabarrus County as well as surrounding areas. Sponsors and participants for the golf tournament are still needed to make it a success. For more information, visit www.joyfulheartsnc.org.

JHE Production Grroup Announces Eight Promotions JHE Production Group Inc. (JHE), an event production company located in Harrisburg, announces promotions for eight staff members. Kristin Thompson has earned the role of director of client services where she manages relationships with Wake Forest University and NASCAR corporate events. She is responsible for producing the NASCAR Summit, NASCAR Green Summit and NASCAR Garage Bar, as well as offering guidance with NASCAR After The Lap and NASCAR business-to-business meetings. Jordan Black has been promoted to senior manager where he is instrumental in experiential activations for Aaron’s, Ford, Lowe’s Home Improvement and Bank of America. He is responsible for designing and executing full-service, customized mobile tours. Larry McMahan has been promoted to senior manager within JHE’s live shows department. He is responsible for planning and executing memorable live fan experiences, specifically, producing opening ceremonies. John Autrey has been named manager, overseeing the FOX Sports and NBC Sports partnerships. Autrey works hand-in-hand with both national networks to implement live shows. In addition, Tim Kurek, William Rutherford, Joe Sullivan and Jimmy Wenz have been promoted to senior coordinator positions. Kurek works in the audio-video department providing proficiency with live events, concerts and opening ceremonies. Rutherford, also in the audio-video department, provides video support for producers managing special events, live shows and corporate meetings. Sullivan lends his technical expertise, design and implementation skills to hospitality and corporate projects. Wenz is responsible for organizing and executing driver introductions for NASCAR pre-race ceremonies and more. "

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Academy Sports + Outdoors Cabarrus Rises in Recycling Hosts Back-to-School Program Performance Ranking Donation A report by the North Carolina Division of On August 5 and 6, Academy Sports + Outdoors made back-toschool shopping a little easier for 60 kids from the Cannon Memorial YMCA with its annual Back-to-School shopping spree. Both the Kannapolis and Concord Mills stores participated.

Each child received a $100 Academy gift card to use towards athletic apparel, backpacks, shoes and other school necessities, in preparation for the 2015-’16 school year. In its sixth year, this program has grown to include more than 75 similar events throughout the Southeast and midwest U.S.

Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) has ranked Cabarrus County as 8th in the state in common household recyclable per capita recovery, at 160.55 pounds per person; and 15th in total public recycling per capita recovery, at 164.73 pounds per person. “The major contributor to our ongoing success is the rollout of 96-gallon carts for residential curbside recycling in Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Midland and unincorporated areas of Cabarrus,” Kevin Grant, sustainability manager for Cabarrus County, says. “We’ve also expanded the list of acceptable items for recycling – notably the acceptance of greater types of plastics.” Residents can now recycle #1-7 plastics (no Styrofoam, plastic food trays or cups, plastic bags, bottle caps or lids, or plastic wrap). In 2012, Cabarrus and its municipalities implemented a 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan. The partnership worked to increase opportunities for waste reduction, reuse and recycling; ensure the availability of disposal capacity; offer a convenient system that encourages a wide-range of materials; communicates information on how to reduce and recycle waste; provides proper management of disaster debris; and encourages a mix of public and private sector partnerships. The survey ranks the counties in two ways: the overall recycling rate, and the recycling rate for common household materials such as cans, bottles and paper. The per-capita recovery rate for traditional materials helps to compare the relative effectiveness of residential recycling programs, while total public recovery includes efforts to manage other materials such as concrete, shingles and wood wastes, plus special and hazardous wastes like televisions, used motor oil and used cooking oil. Communities that find themselves near the top of both lists, like Cabarrus, represent strong and well-rounded public recycling systems. For more information on Cabarrus County recycling programs at the County Landfill (4441 Irish Potato Road, Concord) and the County Household Hazardous Waste Facility (246 General Services Drive, Concord), visit http://bit. ly/CabCoRecycles or call 704-920-3278. For information on recycling in our municipalities, visit their websites or call Concord at 704-920-5555, Harrisburg at 704-455-5614, Kannapolis at 704-9204200, Midland at 704-888-2232 and Mt. Pleasant at 704-436-9803. n

Cabarrus Magazine would like to thank its digital sponsors! | Prominent position on homepage | Categorized business website listing | Logo placement with hotlink on every page of website | Company profile page To find out more about all of our great print and digital marketing opportunities, please call us at 704-782-2353. 26 Cabarrus Magazine n

Give Me Shelter THERE ARE SEVERAL ANIMAL RESCUES IN CABARRUS COUNTY, USUALLY PAST CAPACITY, FILLED WITH ADOPTABLE DOGS, CATS AND MORE!

The saying goes, “People that say money can’t buy you happiness have never paid an adoption fee.” These are the faces of the abandoned, neglected and abused, and they’re looking for that second chance. If you’re looking for a furry family member, please consider pet adoption. Chester is a four-year-old Terrier mix that weighs about 13 pounds...a great size for any home: apartment, condo or otherwise. This little guy wasn’t given appropriate preventive medical care and came to us with heartworms. He completed treatment like a champ and is now ready for his forever home. Chester is house-trained, does well with other dogs and is friendly, but cannot go to a home with small children. Chester deserves his chance at happiness! If you can provide that, please come meet him at HS Cabarrus Animal Rescue.

HS Cabarrus Animal Rescue 590 Crestmont Drive, Concord 704-701-5441 cabarrusanimalrescue@all2easy.net • www.cabarrusanimalrescue.org

RJ is a good-looking two-year-old Boxer mix and is 75 pounds of AWESOME, AWESOME dog. RJ came into Cabrrus County Animal Control with heartworms, an easily preventable condition that could have been deadly. RJ stayed in foster care during his treatment and is now ready for his forever home. This boy loves everybody and everything. This great dog could be your best friend for life. Come see for yourself at Ruth’s Memorial Shelter! Humane Society of Concord & Greater Cabarrus County Ruth’s Memorial Shelter 2010 Wilshire Court, Concord 704-784-7387 cabarrushumanesociety@gmail.com www.cabarrushumanesociety.org

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What’s Happening Sticky Fingers’ Free Lunch In Exchange For Copy Paper Ends September 8 Sticky Fingers Smokehouse 8021 Concord Mills Blvd., Concord • Get a buy-one, get-one-free lunch coupon valued at $9 when you bring in an unopened ream of copy paper. • Designate your school of choice within a five- to 10-mile radius • Lunch coupon good through September 30 • 704-979-7427; www.stickyfingers.com Rotary Square Farmers Market September 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29 120 Union St. S., Concord • Fresh local fruits and vegetables, freerange eggs, antibiotic- and hormonefree beef, chicken and pork • 704-425-5559; www.piedmont-farmersmarket.com Hilbish Ford First Responder’s Day September 3 • 5:00-7:00pm 2600 S. Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis • This event is a way that our business community can honor local first responders and their families. Includes dinner, bounce houses, face painting, corn hole and more! • Chemin Duffey: 704-260-8110; coordinator@cabarrus.biz Piedmont Farmers Market September 3, 10, 17, 24 • 3:00-6:00pm Les Myers Park 338 Lawndale, Concord • Fresh local produce, dairy, baked goods • 704-425-5559; www.piedmont-farmersmarket.com 28 Cabarrus Magazine n

Piedmont Farmers Market September 5, 12, 19, 26 • 8:00am 518 Winecoff School Road, Concord • Open year-round. Fresh local produce, honey, free-range eggs, antibiotic- and hormone-free beef, chicken and pork • 704-425-5559; www.piedmont-farmersmarket.com HARRISBURG FARMERS MARKET September 7, 14, 21, 28 • 3:00-6:00pm 6960 Robinson Church Rd., Harrisburg • Fresh local produce, free-range eggs, honey, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, chicken and pork • 704-425-5559; www.piedmont-farmersmarket.com chamber Business After Hours September 8 • 5:30-7:00pm DataChambers 465 Charles Babbage Lane, Kannapolis (NC Research Campus) • Members are FREE; non-members are welcome three times per year: first visit is free, second and third visits are $10. • Chemin Duffey: 704-260-8110; coordinator@cabarrus.biz Messy Mingle September 8 • 10:00am-2:30pm 35 Union Street S., Concord • Get your hands dirty and experience downtown in an intimate way. You will receive professional artistic direction in creating something special to take home at Trashed Studio, enjoy a private lunch at Gianni’s, and end the day creating your very own pretzel at Not Just Franks. Time will be provided between every activity to allow for

shopping or browsing in our variety of shops and galleries. • 704-784-4208; www.concorddowntown.com CABARRUS COUNTY Fair September 11-19 Cabarrus Arena & Events Center 4751 NC Highway 49 N., Concord • The sweet smell of funnel cakes, happy screams on rides and the chance to win a tiger bigger than you – young and old and everywhere in between, it’s fun to share the fair! • 704-786-7221; www.cabarruscounty. us/government/departments/Fair Kannapolis Arts Showcase September 11 • 7:00-9:00pm Sunshine’s Asian Cuisine 215 West A Street, Kannapolis • Artists are invited to come out with two to three pieces of their work. Share and discuss your work with other local artists. Please be ready by 7:00pm. • mknox@modernfilminc.com; www.kannapolisarts.com LAPS FOR LIFE September 11 Charlotte Motor Speedway 5555 Concord Parkway S., Concord • The American Red Cross and Charlotte Motor Speedway are teaming up to give people in Charlotte a way to honor first responders. • 704-455-3200; www.charlottemotorspeedway.com

2nd Saturday Open Studios at ClearWater Artist Studios September 12 • 10:00am-4:00pm 223 Crowell Drive N.W., Concord • Several art studios will be open with resident artists present to talk to, watch work, etc. Each month will have a different featured activity/artist. • 704-784-9535; clearwaterartists.com KANNAPOLIS CRUISE-IN September 12 • 3:30-9:30pm Downtown Kannapolis • Classic car show • 704-920-4343; www.downtownkannapolis.org The Cabarrus Quilt Guild September 14 • Doors open at 6:00pm Forest Hills Methodist Church 265 Union Street N., Concord • Express Yourself - Originality and Creativity in Quilting with guest speaker Karen Lee Carter • Workshop Contemporary Crazy Quilt by Machine on September 15 CABARRUS CHRISTIAN Women’s Connection September 17 • 9:30am • $15 Cabarrus Country Club 3247 Weddington Road, Concord • Michelle Pentoney, owner of Trashed Studio, will unlock your imagination and change your perception of ordinary objects while helping our planet. • Guest speaker: Shirley Ludwig presents Life in the Fast Lane. She is a former public school music teacher, church choirs director and a mentor for the MOPS program. • Special Brunch Music: Libby Morrison • Complimentary nursery • For reservations (Sept. 14 deadline) and information, contact Barbara at 704-786-2722 or barb1960@ windstream.net. Sponsored by the Cabarrus Christian Women’s Connection, an affiliate of Stonecroft Ministries

NHRA Carolina Nationals September 18-20 zMax Dragway 5555 Concord Parkway S., Concord • The best drag racers in the world will compete head-to-head in the first event of the series’ Countdown to the Championship. • 704-455-3267; www.charlottemotorspeedway.com OWL FEST Antique Festival September 19-20 • 7:00am-7:00pm White Owl Antique Mall 8455 NC Highway 49, Mt. Pleasant • This antique festival emphasizes top-quality antiques, primitives and collectibles. Bring the entire family for two fun days of antiquing, eating and festivities! • 704-436-2063; www.owlfest.us Auto Fair September 24-27 Charlotte Motor Speedway 5555 Concord Parkway S., Concord • Vendors are open and selling to the public. • All car shows take place on Saturday and Sunday. • 704-455-3200; www.charlottemotorspeedway.com “Splash of Color” Quilt & Fiber Arts Show September 24-26 Cabarrus Arena & Events Center 4751 NC Highway 49 N., Concord • Door prizes, silent auction, white elephant sale, local and regional vendors • Guest speaker: Scott Murkin – How to Finish a Quilt • www.cabarrusquiltersguild.org

2015 Bags in the Burg September 26 • 9:00am Veteran’s Park 4100 Main Street, Harrisburg (behind Town Hall) • Corn Hole tournament, business and craft vendors, raffles • This year’s charity of choice: Joyful Hearts • 704-455-0723; cnardozzi@harrisburgnc.org Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Festival September 26 • 12:00 noon-4:00pm West Avenue, Downtown Kannapolis • Dancers, musicians, painters, authors, pottery makers, craft makers, poets, clowns, jugglers, artists and more in a fun, family-friendly street festival. FREE to the public. • 828-231-5037; www.facebook.com SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY September 26 • All Day Historic Downtown Concord • Make a purchase at any participating business and enter into a drawing for $100 in Downtown Concord Dollars to be spent in participating businesses. • 704-784-4208; www.concorddowntown.com Wine Tasting September 26 • 2:00-6:00pm Old Cabarrus Bank Building 201 W Avenue, Kannapolis • Five to seven vineyards to participate • 704-920-4343; www.kannapolisnc.gov WINGS OF EAGLES RANCH DINNER & DANCIN’ IN THE DIRT September 26 • 5:00-9:00pm 4800 Faith Trails, Concord • Ranch fundraiser with country BBQ dinner, silent auction, raffles and games, and boot stompin’ music • 704-784-3147; www.wingsofeaglesranch.org; wingsofeaglesranch@gmail.com n

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At a Glance Automotive Sales

Dentists

Health/Fitness

Ben Mynatt Nissan Page 10 629 Jake Alexander Boulevard (I-85, Exit 75) Salisbury, NC 28147 704-633-7270 www.benmynattnissan.com

Ferguson & Associates, DDS Page 8 244 LePhillip Court, Concord, NC 28025 704-786-8317 www.fergusondentistry.net

Cannon Memorial YMCA Page 20 Harrisburg Branch 4100 Main Street, Ste. 200, Harrisburg, NC 28075 704-454-7800

Tzioros Family Dentistry 1704 Harris-Houston Road, Suite 3 Charlotte, NC 28262 704-548-0870 www.tziorosdentistry.com

Kannapolis Branch 101 YMCA Drive, Kannapolis, NC 28081 704-939-9622

Automotive Spas/Maintenance Splash Auto Spa/Certec Automotive Page 21 2215 Roxie Street, Kannapolis, NC 28083 704-795-2426 • 800-264-6823 www.splashautospa.net www.certecautomotive.com

Banking Services Uwharrie Bank Page 2 25 Palaside Drive N.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-262-3855 • 704-262-3910 (f) 700 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025 704-262-3855 • 704-262-9866 (f)

Book Publishers Comfort Publishing Page 20 296 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025 704-782-2353 www.comfortpublishing.com

Caterering Services Page 25

New Hope Worship Center Page 21 452 Brookwood Ave.N.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-786-0155 www.newhopewc.org

Cleaning Services – Office Page 8

Community Relations Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce 3003 Dale Earnhardt Boulevard Kannapolis, NC 28083 704-782-4000 www.cabarrus.biz

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5000 Highway 49 S., Harrisburg, NC 28075 704-455-3333 www.mzdds.com

Cabarrus Economic Development Page 32 3003 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Suite 2 Kannapolis, NC 28083 704-260-8107 www.cabarruseconomicdevelopment.com

Events/Entertainment Carolina Renaissance Festival Page 10 16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville, NC 28078 704-896-5544 • 877-896-5544 toll-free www.renfestinfo.com

Funeral Homes Hartsell Funeral Homes Page 8 460 Branchview Dr. N.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-786-1161

Churches

Blu-J 51 Union Street S., Concord, NC 28025 704-589-3148

Zsambeky, Chaney & Associates, P.A. Page 2 220 Branchview Drive S.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-782-2214

Economic Development

1490 South Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, NC 28124 704-436-2300 • 704-436-8338 (f) www.uwharrie.com

Fruitful Catering 704-467-3062 fruitfulcatering@cs.com www.fruitfulcatering.com

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13575 Broadway Avenue, Midland, NC 28107 704-888-5571 522 N. Second Street, Albemarle, NC 28001 704-983-1188 www.hartsellfh.com Wilkinson Funeral Home Page 23 100 Branchview Drive N.E., Concord, NC 28025 704-786-3168 www.wilkinsonfuneralhome.com

General Surgeons Page 31

The Piedmont Surgical Clinic, PA Page 2 431 Copperfield Boulevard, Concord, NC 28025 704-786-1104 www.piedmontsurgical.com

West Cabarrus Branch 5325 Langford Avenue, Concord, NC 28027 704-795-9622 www.cannonymca.org

Pharmacies Harrisburg Hometown Pharmacy Page 15 5006 Highway 49 S., Harrisburg, NC 28075 704-454-RX4U (7948) www.harrisburgpharmacy.com

Photographers Michael A. Anderson Photography Page 25 38 Union Street S., Concord, NC 28025 704-701-5908 mike@michael-a-anderson.com www.michael-a-anderson.com

Print & Technology Services Modern Impressions Page 9 5029 West W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269 800-840-2554 www.modernimpressions.com

Residential Development Birtwick Park by Center Point Builders Page 15 23 Union Street N., Concord, NC 28025 980-258-9432 www.centerpointhomesnc.com

Restaurants Pier 51 Page 31 744 Cabarrus Avenue, Concord, NC 28027 704-787-9377

Testing & Research Spectrum Discovery Center Page 16 222 Oak Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28081 704-250-1200 www.spectrumdiscoverycenter.com n

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