Capital at Play November 2016

Michael Merker

To Keep & Repair Arms p.32

Nonprofits & Revenue Streams Local Industry Look at Nonprofits p.54

CA LAY Plum Luck at ITAL

The Free Spirit Of Enterprise

colu m ns

Wine Myths Busted (Pt. 1)

Common myths debunked so you drink better wine for less p.18

The Giving Kind:

Plum Print’s Meg Ragland & Carolyn Lanzetta Publish Kids’ Artwork p. 106

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c o v e r i l l u s t r at i o n b y

Abigail M, age 10, Chappaqua, NY

[

Donating to Nonprofits p.62

leisure

&

l i b at i o n

Eat, Pray, Hike!

A guide to day hikes in Western North Carolina p.82

- 2016 -

Faces of Enterprise p. 22 - 31, 46 - 53, 68 - 77, 94 - 101

video intervie w

Volume VI - Edition XI complimentary edition

capitalatplay.com

with meg ragland capital atpl ay. com

November 2016

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| November 2016

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ASHEVILLE DOWNTOWN 828-252-1735 | LEICESTER HWY 828-251-9254 SOUTH ASHEVILLE 828-687-7450 3 November| 2016 | capitalatplay.com

Come by and see our recently renovated showrooms, with enhanced color decision galleries!

Editor’s Thoughts

O

ne of the questions I frequently field is, “How do you select content for the magazine?” There are numerous factors that go into planning out an issue, starting with how interesting we feel a particular person or topic will be to our readers, and its more prosaic corollary, the actual availability of a potential profile subject for being interviewed and photographed. (An editor’s recurring nightmare: A story is conceived, vetted, assigned, and scheduled, and then the profilee backs out or otherwise becomes unavailable at the last minute, leaving the magazine staff scrambling with a printer deadline breathing down their necks.)

On a more philosophical level, we also strive to make each issue have a visual coherency and an internal logic. To that end, we publish a handful of themed issues each year: Recall that last month was a special Music Issue, while September represented our second annual Alcohol Issue, and coming up in January once again will be our Manufacturing Issue.

This month, there’s no “theme” per se, but once we had completed the issue and were able to pull the lens back a bit, it seemed like there was at least a subtle thread of “family and community” running through it. November does bring Thanksgiving, after all. For example, as this is Nonprofit Awareness Month in North Carolina, it seemed a no-brainer to venture into that realm (something we also did last year) via an in-depth look at the financial challenges nonprofits face and the strategies they employ in order to survive and serve their communities effectively. It also made sense to devote our latest Financial Column to nonprofits, here a round-table discussion regarding some of the logistics involved in making donations to them.

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| November 2016

Speaking of community, throughout this issue you’ll encounter a number of special advertising pages labeled “Faces of Enterprise”—they’re easy to spot: elegant black and white, full page portraits—spotlighting enterprising people in industry leading businesses throughout our region.

And then there’s our November cover. Intended to accompany a profile of the entrepreneurs behind Asheville business Plum Print, which creates permanent visual records of children’s artwork for families, the illustration was designed by young Abigail M., age 10, of Chappaqua, New York, who, along with her mother, gave us permission to use it. With that gracious gesture, they joined the extended Capital at Play family.

What can I say? Welcome.

Sincerely,

Fred Mills

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November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

5

The Free Spirit Of Enterprise

publisher

Oby Morgan associate publisher

Jeffrey Green managing editor

Fred Mills briefs and events editor

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Dasha O. Morgan, Brenda Murphy contributing writers & photogr aphers

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Editorial content is selected and produced because of its interest to our M M readership.

Editorial content ed is not for sale and cannot be bought. Capital ed ia ia At Play is financially sustained by advertisers who find value in exposure alongside our unique content and with the readers who follow it.

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The content found within this publication does not necessar ily ref lec t the views of Univer sal Media , Inc. and its companies. Univer sal Media , Inc. and its employees are not liable for any adver tising or editor ial content found in Capital At Play. The ar ticles, photogr aphy, and illus tr ations found in Capital at Play may not be reproduced or used in any fashion without express wr it ten consent by Univer sal Media , Inc.

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November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

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this page :

Michael Merker repairing a vintage gun, photo by Anthony Harden on the cover :

Original artwork was created by Abigail M, age 10, Chappaqua, NY photo courtesy Plum Print

F E AT U R E S vol. vi

32

TO KEEP & REPAIR ARMS MICHAEL MERKER

ed. xi

106

PLUM LUCK MEG RAGLAND & CAROLYN LANZETTA

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

9

C ON T EN T S n o v e m b e r 2 016 GR ANDFATHER MOUNTAIN Profile Trail, photo by Skip Sickler of The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

can be difficult an ent Professionals, s easy.

54

lo c a l i n d u s t r y

Nonprofits & Revenue Streams:

82

How nonprofits diversify in order to survive.

colu m ns

insight

18 W ine Myths Busted (Pt. 1) 12 S pellbound Children’s Written by John Kerr

62 Financial Column:

The Giving Kind—Donating to Nonprofits

Bookstore

Leslie Hawkins

UGoTours

Paul Hedgecock

National Gingerbread House Competition p e o p l e at p l ay

120 North Carolina Society for

Human Resource Management State Conference

10

| November 2016

at The Omni Grove Park Inn

l e i s u r e & l i b at i o n

Eat, Pray, Hike!

A guide to day hikes in Western North Carolina.

briefs

- 2016 -

Faces of Enterprise p. 22 - 31, 46 - 53, 68 - 77, 94 - 101

42 Carolina in the West 78 The Old North State 102 National & World News events

122 Turkey Trot

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11

nsight

LESLIE HAWKINS

photos courtesy Spellbound Children’s Bookstore

Eyes Wide Open W

Spellbound Children’s Bookstore wants to share the magic.

ho hasn’t observed a youngster slowly opening a new book, mouth popping open and eyes growing wide, and thought to oneself, “The child is spellbound…” That’s the very reason Spellbound Children’s Bookstore has been in operation for more than a decade—to spark a sense of wonder, to cultivate a passion for reading. As the store’s website announces, “Our mission is to help raise lifelong readers who are curious, imaginative, and independent thinkers by sharing the magic found when you open a book.”

Celebrating its 12-year anniversary this month, the specialty bookstore currently located on merrimon avenue, was started in Asheville by Leslie Hawkins. She had graduated with a degree in psychology from UNC Asheville, but in her words, “Hands down, I had the most fun and felt the most engaged when working with kids—as a tutor, in a daycare setting, and in various volunteer roles. I'd also been what I call second banana in a couple of very small

businesses, and I enjoyed the challenge of wearing many hats and feeling that I'd helped accomplish something.

I tried to picture my ideal working environment and, being a lifelong bookworm, I came up with a bookshop that was dedicated to children.”

Now, one might presume children’s bookstores to be as commonplace as toy stores. Starting in the early ‘90s,

“In a small independent business like this, especially in a sector that's up against a mammoth, e-tailing giant, every year we're in business and thriving feels like a milestone.”

12

| November 2016

however, with the rapid ascent of chain stores and, soon thereafter, Amazon.com, independent bookstores were rapidly becoming endangered species. To a degree,

this remains true in 2016, although as it turns out, those bitten by the book bug early on typically grew up to become fierce supporters of retailers like Hawkins.

“Honestly,” she notes, “in a small independent business like this, especially in a sector that's up against a mammoth, e-tailing giant, every year we're in business and thriving feels like a milestone. We also made it through [the 2008 recession] thanks to a combination of loyal customers, creativity, adaptability, and perhaps a bit of luck. But people are spending again, and our inventory and community events have been expanding over the last couple of years.”

Hawk i ns add s t hat ch i ld ren's specialty bookstores “are their own beautiful breed. Everyone who works in them is sincerely delighted by being around kids and, as we like to say here, the children's section is the entire store. Some of my colleagues at other shops focus on younger children, but we are committed to the full range, from new babies to kids in their midto-late teens. In fact, you could say that the two ends of the spectrum have been our most active recently; in the last year we've added a monthly book club for teens, and just recently expanded our baby/toddler section to fill its own room in the shop.”

Spellbound also has a used/bargain book room that doubles as an event space that can be rented out for birthday parties, baby showers, etc.

And the store is unique for its highly personalized monthly subscription program: Rather than mailing the same book to every member in a specific age range, the store’s staff makes individual selections based on interest surveys submitted by the members when they start their subscriptions.

Ref lecting back on the past 12 years, Hawkins is proud of what she’s accomplished with Spellbound. “I found myself focused on a dream job that didn’t exist yet in Asheville,” she says.

“So I set about creating it for myself.”

Find out more at www.spellboundbookshop.com

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insight

The Magic of Storytelling UGoTour’s interactive, audio-narrative travel/sightseeing app upends the traditional list-and-describe tour guide model.

T

he description is as straightforward as the application is simple: Connecting people, places, and stories. Free. Informative. Fun. That would be UGoTour, a unique smartphone app positioned as a kind of “digital tour guide” for Western North Carolina travelers, tourists, and residents interested in experiencing popular destinations and local businesses.

Basically, a user downloads the UGoTour app from iTunes or Google Play, and the sight-seeing and exploration possibilities begin via an interactive, storytelling environment powered by what UGo calls StoryPoints. “Our tours,” notes UGo’s website, “are fun, informative, and professionally-developed, incorporating narration and location mapping. With UGoTour, you’re invited to encounter the ideal mesh of contemporary, traditional, and innovative. UGoTour currently offers a focused selection of Western North Carolina tours, giving users an opportunity to grow with the app. It functions as a guide for both tourists and residents.”

It’s the brainchild of founder/CEO Paul Hedgecock, who is joined by creative director Brett A. McCall, StoryPoint™ navigator Ryan Sherby, COO David Lilly, customer service manager Vickie Simmons, and content writer Alyssa Allegretti. Hedgecock got the idea for UGoTour after moving to the Western North

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| November 2016

SEE THE waterfalls of the area with UGoTour

Carolina area in 2013. He and his family enthusiastically explored the mountains but, as he told the Black Mountain News in a July 2016 profile, the discovery process was sometimes frustrating: “We saw a sign that said ‘Historic Downtown Saluda,’ and I thought it was interesting that so many downtowns in the area are historic. So I pull out my phone and all I can find is lists.

Nothing that reaches out and grabs me and builds a connection. There had to be an experience that was interactive and engaging that actually enhanced your trip, as opposed to dominating your trip.”

To that end, UGoTour departs from the list-and-describe method that most printed or online tourist resources

typically follow. Instead, the UGo interactive technology provides audio narration to augment maps and images. It’s almost as if the traveler is accompanied by an actual human guide, telling you what you are seeing and what else there is to see, providing details, tidbits, and recommendations in an intimate, conversational manner—even helping you flesh out the rest of your sightseeing schedule.

“We believe that the best way to connect consumers with destinations is through stories,” Hedgecock elaborated, in an interview prior to the 2016 CEC Tech Venture Conference.

“Traditional marketing collateral, such as a brochure in a visitors center, is not immersive or engaging, and ultimately fails to build a meaningful connection between the visitor and their destination. UGoTour is specifically designed for personalized storytelling, is delivered on a single digital platform, [and] connects people with places. Users now have one place to explore local destinations and experience new areas like a local. We do this by capturing the ‘soul’ of the community as told through local storytellers, and then curating itineraries—or ‘tours’— that are published on our mobile app and web platform.

“We are reimagining the way that local destinations engage with their visitors. Today’s consumers are often stuck with stale, generic in for mation when they are exploring a new place in person.

UGoTour lets the community make recommendations in a personal, meaningful way through the magic of storytelling.”

UGoTour on the web: www.ugotour.com

“UGoTour is specifically designed for personalized storytelling.”

CA ITALat LAY the free spirit of enterprise

Join us on Social Media! f o r t i c k e t g i v e away s , e x c l u s i v e s , a n d m o r e !

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15

insight

photos courtesy Omni Grove Park Inn

Wonder, Awe, Delight I

What would the holidays be like without the annual National Gingerbread House Competition?

t has been an Asheville ritual for over two decades: the annual National Gingerbread House Competition at The Omni Grove Park Inn (until 2013, the Grove Park Inn). Along the way, it’s also become a beloved family holiday tradition for Western North Carolina, one which draws viewers from throughout the region—and beyond.

“It all began with a small group of gingerbread houses built by community members in 1992 as another way to celebrate the holiday season, with no plans to continue the following year,” explains Tracey Johnston-Crum, the Inn’s director of public relations. “There was no possible way to know that, more than two decades later, The Omni Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition would be one of the nation’s most celebrated and competitive holiday events.”

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| November 2016

This year’s competition takes place on November 21, while the subsequent display of entries will run November 27 – January 9. It marks the 24th year of baking, decorating, pasting or otherwise affixing, and displaying.

Meanwhile, it’s yet another opportunity for the public to wander the corridors of the Inn, gazing longingly at the brightly-hued, gleaming creations/confections on display (and perhaps looking around furtively as well, pondering the ethics of giving in to temptation and snapping off a gingerbread shingle or two). For her part, Johnston-Crum simply allows that “from the very young to the very young at heart, the reaction to this magical experience is the same—one of wonder, awe, and delight.”

She emphasizes that the competition, while still rooted here in the mountains, has garnered attention and kudos

nationally, even generating broadcast coverage by ABC’s Good Morning America, the Travel Channel, and the Food Network. “As the event grew, so did the caliber of judges and competitors. Our panel of judges represents nationally renowned food, arts, and media professionals, and the level of competition has attracted the highest quality of design, artistry, and pastry expertise.”

Indeed—just noting some of the winners in the 2015 competition confirms her comments. There’s the grand prize in the adult category, by Chapel Hill’s Team Jengerbread, an elaborately-wrought structure which suggests a mashup of several fairy tale houses perched upon one another.

First place in the child category, submitted by Team Spirit Girls (China Grove, North Carolina), is made to look like a large basket overflowing with colorful fruit. And first place in the youth category, by Collin Anderson (Conover, North Carolina), features a festive Christmas scene as overseen

by Star Wars’ Darth Vader, R2D2, and a pair of Jawas.

Yes, as you are probably realizing, the rules do not restrict entries to just gingerbread “houses.” Nor is there a required theme for the competition, although the entry must be at least 75 percent gingerbread and 100 percent edible. Competitors are encouraged to uniquely design their entry, as long as it is in keeping with the competition rules and procedures and the five judging criteria: 1) Overall Appearance, 2) Originality & Creativity, 3) Difficulty, 4) Precision, and 5) Consistency of Theme.

There are four categories for entry: Adult (18+), Teen (13-17), Youth (9-12), and Child (5-8). Entrants can be individuals or teams. The judging will be held November 21, with the awards ceremony scheduled for 5:30 PM. Aspiring competitors can find out more details and download an entry form at The Omni Grove Park Inn website (http://bit.ly/2cZvKjv).

And incidentally, parking fees collected during the display period will go to benefit six local nonprofits; in the past three years, over $192,000 has been raised and donated.

[The competition] garnered attention and kudos nationally, even generating broadcast coverage by ABC’s Good Morning America, the Travel Channel, and the Food Network.

FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE AND WE HAVE ALL THE GAMES!

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

17

column

Wine Myths Busted (Pt. 1) Common myths debunked so you drink better wine for less.

W

HEN T HE FRON T D O OR BU R ST OPEN,

it was clear that our customer was angry. In his hand was an opened bottle of expensive, well-aged Cabernet Sauvignon.

We knew the wine well, because we had recommended it to him three hours before. “This wine is bad. Just look at this cork!” On the bottle end of the cork was a cluster of deep purple crystals. After seeing the crystals, he didn’t want to risk ruining his dinner party or even trying the wine.

J

john kerr

is the co-owner of Metro Wines located on Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville.

18

We exchanged his bottle for a Cabernet we were fairly sure had no crystals. Later that night, we served his Cab at our dinner and enjoyed one of the best bottles we’ve ever poured on a Tuesday night.

Yes, crystals on a cork can be alarming the first time you see them. Crystals indicate the wine is unfiltered, and unfortunately some of the unfiltered sediment can solidify at the end of the cork. But many wine lovers seek out these bottles knowing that crystals often mean a better tasting wine.

Sediment in wine doesn’t sound good, but it adds richness to the wine. My rough analogy is fresh squeezed orange juice. The pulp adds texture, increasing the complexity of the juice. Unfiltered wine isn’t actually chunky like that, of course, and you won’t really detect the sediment. But what you will detect is a beautifully rich texture. Unfiltered wine is only a problem when you hit the sediment in the last sip of the last glass of wine. So, pour these wines through a filter, or when you get to the last sip, grit your teeth.

| November 2016

Okay, we’ve debunked our first myth about crystals and bad wine. Now it’s time to move on to several others and set the record straight. The truth may not set you free, but more often than not it will help you drink a better wine or save you a few bucks along the way. So, let’s get back to the list. The bulk of our first article strives to guide you towards a well-priced wine and debunks sulfites.

Articles to follow will strive to enlighten you about other common misconceptions.

The best prices are found in grocery or big box stores What’s so hard about getting the best price? You just check the sticker on the bottle and look for sales. Besides, everyone knows that big stores and the Internet have the best prices.

Pricing is more complex than what meets the eye.

If your goal is to get the best price, it requires more than a casual review of the multitude of pricing

J schemes out there. You are up against marketers who give the impression of low prices while actually keeping them a bit higher than they appear. How do they accomplish this paradox? They take into account human nature and rely upon the fact that many people don’t have the time to check.

So frugal people, sharpen your pencils and pay attention.

Iconic brand: There are several global brands, and wine lovers tend to know their prices. One classic example is a famous champagne. Many stores keep this champagne’s price low all year long, but often drop the price even further around the holidays. Prices are so low that many stores make almost nothing or even take a loss on this item.

If one or more of the brands you know have a low price, you might reach the conclusion that all the store’s prices must be low. However, prices on wines less known to you generally include the usual mark up–or higher. Prices can vary as much as 30 percent among stores for less-known wines. If you’re looking for a great price on an iconic brand, shop around and

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A GREAT PRICE ON AN ICONIC BRAND, SHOP AROUND AND STOCK UP ON THE BEST PRICE. BUT DON’T THINK YOU’RE NECESSARILY GETTING THE SAME DEAL IF YOU BUY A MIXED CASE. stock up on the best price. But don’t think you’re necessarily getting the same deal if you buy a mixed case.

House brand: House brands somewhat parallel assumptions about iconic brands. If the house brands sell at a low price, then the prices on all their wines must be low. It’s worth checking around on their other wines if price is a prime consideration.

And depending on where you are on what you put into your body, you might want to look into your favorite house brand.

This is a related price assumption that wine at all price points is essentially crushed, fermented grapes.

When prices are extremely low, much of what you pay for covers the price of the bottle, cap, label, and transportation.

But since most people won’t buy an empty bottle, the producers must put something inside.

Low priced wines are often bulk juice enhanced by flavorings and other organic and synthetic chemicals. To be fair, several of these chemicals are sometimes found in higher priced wines as well. If you want to get an idea of what might be in your wine, search the Internet for wine additives or fining products, as well as lawsuits about wine.

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 19

column

Set prices versus case discounts: Some stores have a set price no matter how much wine you purchase. Others give a discount on six or 12 bottles of wine. If you buy more than one bottle at a time, you may lose by comparing only the prices on the stickers. In many cases, the volume discount at one shop will get you a lower price than the set price at another store.

YOU WILL OFTEN SEE A GREAT PRICE ON THE INTERNET. BUT IS IT REALLY LOWER THAN YOUR LOCAL PRICE? THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LAYERS YOU’LL HAVE TO CUT THROUGH TO GET TO THE ANSWER.

You get your best prices during sales Sales can be a powerful motivator. Who doesn’t love a bargain? You’ll see sales of 10 percent, 20 percent, or

sometimes higher at several stores a couple of times a year.

But the question you have to ask is, 20 percent of what? In extreme cases, we’ve seen the discount price at 20 percent off higher than the regular price at some shops. And that’s before the shop’s discount on cases.

The best prices are on the Internet You will often see a great price on the Internet. But is it really lower than your local price? There are a couple of layers you’ll have to cut through to get to the answer.

My first suggestion is make sure you are comparing apples to apples. A fellow wine shop owner got a call from a customer asking him to confirm his price on a wine the shop owner had recommended. The shop owner found out later that the customer had compared his quote to the Internet price, and then purchased the wine on the Internet.

How did the customer end up paying more for the Internet wine? The customer got a quote based on one bottle at the shop. Had the customer asked for the wine’s price based on the number of bottles he was buying on the Internet, he would have found that the shop’s case discount price was lower than the Internet price. And that was before adding in the shipping costs.

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| November 2016

Many people assume that the prices in New Jersey and other Internet hubs are lower than local prices. This is true for some wines because the importer is right down the New Jersey turnpike, removing the middle man and reducing transportation costs. But you can take advantage of this locally because there are several importers right here in North Carolina. The largest North Carolina importer is probably Eric Solomon, but there are at least two in Asheville: Robert Walter Selections and Harris Wine Imports. One of their wines sells for about $35 in Manhattan, but around $16 in Asheville.

So, compare prices on the same quantity ordered and don’t forget to incorporate sales taxes and shipping costs into the equation. And if there is a wine with a low price in New Jersey, you may find one you like better at an even lower price in North Carolina.

Eight decades later, Senator Strom Thurmond used the same trick. With great effort, this teetotaler pushed through legislation requiring a government warning on wine bottles, “Contains Sulfites.” The notice was done more to frighten than inform, and people have been wary ever since. Although many foods like shrimp, trail mix, frozen French fries, and salad bars have far more sulfites than wine, there are no required warnings on these products.

There is a small percentage of the population that is allergic to sulfites. But for the rest of us, a bad reaction is more likely to be something else, like overindulgence or histamines found in red wine skins. If you are still concerned about sulfites, it’s pretty easy to remove most of it from your wine. Sulfites are fairly volatile, and most of it evaporates when you pour your wine through an aerator or swirl your wine glass for a while.

Sulfites are bad for you The story of sulfites reminds me a little of P. T. Barnum’s venture with canned salmon. A canning factory was stuck with a large amount of unmarketable white salmon. Huckster Barnum stepped in and sold it all by touting, “guaranteed not to turn pink in the can.”

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2016

Faces of Enterprise

“WE PROFILE THOSE WHO TAKE THE RISK, those who share that risk, and those who support them, inspiring others to do likewise, while giving back economically and socially to the communities that support us.” This is at the heart of what we do every month. In light of that mantra, and displayed throughout this edition in elegant black and white images, you will find Western North Carolina’s Faces of Enterprise. These are folks like you. People who 22

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live here, raise families here, and ultimately make our communities stronger, better, and more vibrant places to live. If you are a champion of “local” shopping, or if you want to see your dollar go farther in the community—possibly even come back to you through another local transaction—these are the people and businesses you’ll want to patronize. p. 22 - 31, 46 - 53, 68 - 77, 94 - 101

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The Face of Cuisine

All across the Southeast, people are getting to know Ingles in a unique way, through the imagination and talent of Chef Lu. When Ingles introduced their catering division several years ago, they knew they had one of the best at the helm. With culinary credits like the famous Grove Park Inn, Chef Lu knows the ropes and how to make the extraordinary sensible and cost effective. The Chef’s Kitchen has grown to be one of the premier catering services in Western North Carolina, as well as a brand ambassador for Ingles. She brings a unique and personal flair to each event, where the mundane is never seen.

“The fun part is seeing the expressions on faces when they learn we are part of Ingles,” says Chef Lu. “It’s not your typical grocery store presentation, and that is exactly what I want people to know about Ingles.”

Her mission is to show that Ingles has everything you expect from a grocery and so much more: “I love showing the fantastic cheeses, USDA Choice meats, seafood, and specialty items from around the world that we carry at Ingles.” Chef Lu and The Chef’s Kitchen from Ingles—together, they’re a recipe for success.

ingles markets: the chefs kitchen over 200 supermarkets in the southeastern united states

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— L-R: Holly Ledwell, Terri Vano, John Hoke, Terry Becker, Ryan Fergerson, Jennifer Holliday Pearson.

Not pictured: Jerome Long, Casey Engle, Alex Dorsey, & Tebbe Davis

Faces of Enterprise

The Faces of Framing Frugal Framer, Inc. was established in 1975, and since 2015 has been operating under new ownership— Jennifer Holliday Pearson—whose focus at the helm is Craft/Service/Value.

CR AFT: In completing a customer’s framing job, Frugal Framer’s employees use professional and archival framing techniques to enhance, preserve, and protect the artwork.

SERVICE: They pride themselves in treating each customer and their project with respect and care by listening to their ideas, and then responding with designs to give their art a beautiful new presence.

VALUE: They have the area’s largest selection of in-stock molding, which gives them the ability to

keep prices competitive and to turn each project around quickly.

Pearson’s transition into the custom picture framing business has been solid but gradual. “Each of the Frugal Framer employees has an education and/or background in business or art,” she says. “My education in interior design and prior professional career working in architecture firms as a commercial interior designer, along with many years as an artist and framer, are the perfect combination for this business. Custom picture framing can be an investment—if our customers leave happy, then we know that they will enjoy the product for years, if not decades, to come.”

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locations in downtown asheville & arden - 828.258.2435 - frugalframer .com locations in downtown asheville & arden - 828.258.2435 - frugalframer .com | November 2016

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With roots dating back to 1936, Asheville Savings Bank (ASB) is celebrating 80 years of serving the financial needs of its Western North Carolina neighbors. As a local bank chartered and headquartered in Asheville, ASB’s goal is to help the community thrive and prosper by providing superior financial services with honesty and integrity.

All of ASB’s decisions are made locally to develop strong relationships with its customers—who are considered family and friends. Whether seeking personal or business banking services, ASB offers expert advice combined with local knowledge—both key for financial success.

ASB is proud to be the bank of choice to many local businesses that rely on their expertise to help their businesses grow.

By banking with ASB, the Western North Carolina economy also benefits, as the money from ASB customers is invested right here in the area, fostering economic growth and prosperity.

With passionate dedication, ASB works to impact the public where it matters most—where they live, work and play. Bank employees volunteer over 680 hours monthly with more than 80 community and civic organizations. ASB has an unwavering commitment to the communities it serves, and is continually focused on its customers’ personal and financial well-being.

Faces of Enterprise

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L-R: Kirby A. Tyndall, Chief Financial Officer Vikki D. Bailey, Chief Retail Officer David A. Kozak, Chief Lending Officer, & Suzanne S. DeFerie, Chief Executive Officer November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 25

The Face of Asheville Luxury Real Estate

Mark Fields has been around the real estate business his entire life. His father operated a real estate company in Freeport, Bahamas in the '60s and later another real estate company in Costa Rica. Mark left Costa Rica in 1988, and after the recession decided to marry his artistic abilities and marketing skills with his many years of experience in selling high-end properties overseas. Thus Mark Fields & Associates was founded. The most challenging part of his business is the unpredictable nature of the economy and how susceptible the Real Estate market is to world events. “What fulfills me in my work is when I am able to have a meaningful impact on a client’s life, especially when working with an individual or family who needs to sell their home and has been unsuccessful, sometimes for years. To put my company’s marketing abilities to work for them and successfully sell their home for a good price! That is the most satisfying part of my work, and that is a great day at the office.”

mark fields 4 swan st, biltmore village, asheville 28803 828.253.2491 - markfields.com

Faces of Enterprise 26

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Clockwise starting bottom left: Priestley Ford, Brent A. Ford Laura McCue, & Robin Kerr

Faces of Enterprise

The Faces of

Smart Personal Investing White Oak Financial Management, Inc. is celebrating 13 years in business this year, with President & CEO Laura McCue having served in the financial and investment services industry for 30 years. Since their grandfather was an owner of an investment firm, Laura and Priestley had an interest in the business of investment management from an early age, and it was logical for the two sisters to combine their experiences to provide skilled investment management and excellent customer service to their clients.

White Oak does not require a minimum account balance, which allows them to work with the clients they like. They

stick to a proven system of chart evaluation to determine the current market conditions as opposed to listening to the frenzied talking heads and watching every move on the indexes. Using daily technical charting to find trends and momentum helps them to strategically determine when to buy and sell, as opposed to using only fundamental analysis, static asset allocation, and buy-and-hold. They practice values-based financial planning to assess each client’s values first and then define measurable goals.

White Oak offers a warm and welcoming environment, investing expertise, and superior guidance on all personal financial matters.

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1270 hendersonville rd #4, asheville 28803 - 828.274.7844 - whiteoakfinancialmanagement.com

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 27

Faces of Enterprise

L-R: Nick Wilkinson, Peggy Yarborough, & Jayme Ray. Dogs: Sophie, Penny, & Maggie

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The Faces of a Welcoming, Stylish Home

Yesterday’s Tree is full of color, texture, fashion, and fun. (And don’t be surprised if a dog is there to greet you at the door.) Almost no other home furnishings retailer in the area understands, like they do, that a home decorated with style and sophistication can still be comfortable and functional, a perfect reflection of your personality, your family, and your lifestyle. No prepackaged rooms, no “matchy-matchy” groupings.

As they have been telling people for 31 years, “Don’t fill your home with furniture; fill it with you.”

The design and fashion industry changes fast, and those who can’t keep up with trends and forecasts don’t survive. Yesterday’s Tree’s staff is constantly researching, learning, shopping, and preparing so they can give their customers the freshest, most exciting ideas. They love helping out customers to transform a room, or an entire house, into a beautiful new space to enjoy. Better still, those customers become lifelong friends and family members, sharing new-baby pictures, vacation stories, wedding plans, business insights, and recipes. They even have old customers who, as put by founder and owner Peggy Yarborough, come in “just to ease into a big upholstered chair, pet a dog, and chat about whatever’s on their mind. And that’s fine with us.”

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Faces of Enterprise

L-R Ned Zorigian, Logan Bolick, Kyle Boyd, Christine Nelson, Jeff Howden, Sallie Williams, Dan Akers, Karen Coble, Mari Panzenhagen, & Jacqui Friedrich

The Faces of

Highly Personalized Wealth Management

Altavista Wealth Management was founded in 2003 as an independent and 100% employee-owned company serving individuals and families located primarily in the Southeast.

Altavista advisors average over 25 years of experience in the various areas of the wealth management business.

Altavista’s core belief is “There is no substitute for time spent with clients.” Their clients work directly with a deeply skilled advisory team that includes two CFP® s, a CPA, an attorney, decades of investment experience, financial planning, and a suite of family office services.

Being able to relate to people, helping them identify problems, and working to solve their challenges is a

balance of science and art. Limiting the advisor-to-client ratio gives clients more attention and a highly personalized experience.

It’s a challenge keeping ahead of the ever-changing world of capital markets, income, and estate tax regulations.

This challenge creates the opportunity to provide consultative solutions to their clients. Having a team of trusted advisors with different areas of expertise allows Altavista to meet the unique goals of the client, be it transferring wealth and educating future generations, designing a philanthropic plan to meet legacy goals, or collaborating on the appropriate plan to enjoy a rewarding retirement.

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4 vanderbilt park dr suite 310, asheville 28803 - 828.684.2600 - altavistawealth.com | November 2016

“Experience the Difference” at BMW of Asheville and be treated unlike any typical car buying experience. They also have a valet service to and from the Asheville airport for their customers; provide free car washes, symphony, and theater tickets; offer a great coffee bar; and boast one of the top BMW service departments in the country (according to BMW NA #3 2015).

In General Manager Steve Gordon’s own words, “I have been in and around the auto industry my entire life; it is what I know. My father was a dealer, so I grew up in this business. I have been a Region Manager for BMW, for GE Capital Auto Financial Services, and for Isuzu Motors America. I grew up in it; I enjoy it; I love cars of all types and ages; I love the people you meet in this business—customers, vendors, enthusiasts, car-crazies, all of them.” Steve challenges himself to lead by example all day, every day. This focus comes with the pleasure of watching his staff grow and succeed, and hearing that someone’s car buying experience, or their service experience, is the best they have ever had anywhere: “Experience the Difference at BMW of Asheville.”

steve gordon 649 new airport rd, fletcher 28732 828.681.9900- bmwofasheville.com

The Face of

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Faces of Enterprise November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

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Tucked away in modest downtown Hendersonville is one of the country’s premier gunsmiths, Michael Merker.

TOOLS for repairing a wooden gun stock

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To Keep

Repair Arms

written by roger mccredie

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photos by anthony harden

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

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MICHAEL MERKER | November 2016

T

he interior of Mike Merker’s shop is firearms maintenance as aromatherapy — a study in layered smells: wood, leather, the clean, brittle smell of steel, the hot, acrid smell of metal filings, all interwoven with the sweet-sour smell of Hoppe’s #9 bore cleaner.

Colors, too: The dark green baize that lines the gun display cases, the paradoxical warm wood glow and dull metal gleam of the guns themselves, the scarlet and brass of shotgun shells. Visually, the showroom is like something from a vintage Winchester poster.

Or an exceptionally well stocked gun room in an old and gracious home. There are easy chairs and between them a coffee table displaying coffee table picture books. About guns.

This is the establishment of Michael Merker Riflemakers, in downtown Hendersonville, North Carolina. Merker is a stocky, bearded, and bespectacled man, who, clad in a dark red T-shirt and khaki safari shorts against the lingering September heat, looks like the senior riflery instructor at an upscale summer camp.

“I’m originally from Cleveland,” he says. “Well, just outside Cleveland. The sticks.”

Sticks? Cleveland?

“There are some, and that’s where I’m from,” Merker says.

"I learned to shoot and hunt, early. Ducks, geese, then deer. I got interested in gun repair sort of sideways. My dad restored antique automobiles. That part of Ohio is a big industrial area; there’s a lot of machining that goes on and a lot of folks take those skills and make hobbies out of them. I liked guns. I started fooling around with them mechanically.

“So when the time came to decide what I wanted to do with my life, so to speak, I thought long and hard about it, and decided to go to gunsmithing school.”

Time was, of course, when there were no such things as schools for aspiring gunsmiths. The crafting, modifying, and repairing of firearms were skills that were to modern gunsmithing as barbering once was to surgery: primitive, but for the most part, adequate to the task at hand. Aftercare, repair, and alteration were techniques taught entirely by apprenticeship. Like tailors, carpenters, and silversmiths, gunsmiths took on student-employees who provided free labor as they learned their craft.

But turning apprentices into journeymen and journeymen into craftsmen was an open-ended process of no predictable length, and it could not keep pace with the proliferation and the ever-increasing sophistication of the firearms themselves, not to mention the concomitant development of laws governing guns and, for that matter, the constantly evolving requirements of running a business.

So today, a pukka gunsmith must be a combination small parts manufacturer, metalworker, and woodworker, and be proficient in the use of all the tools associated with those disciplines. He has to be well-grounded in drafting and practical math, and have a working knowledge of basic industrial chemistry and ballistics. Further, it will help him greatly if he has innate talent and imagination that can be translated into producing his own designs and decorations. Oh, and he must also be able to perform the tasks associated with running a small business, including bookkeeping, sales, and marketing skills, and the ability to stay abreast of constantly changing federal, state, and local firearms laws.

Henc e, gu n sm it h i ng school s. A nd Merker ’s f i r st acquaintance with North Carolina, which began when he enrolled in a gunsmithing school near Durham, and then continued his education at Montgomery Community College in Troy, near Albemarle.

“After I got out of school I didn’t have the resources to start my own business,” he remembers, “and I felt like I didn’t have November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

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the practical experience either—not yet—so I worked for various people around the county, doing mostly engraving. For instance, I worked for Ken Hurst Engraving.”

Which says something for Merker’s skill level, even fresh out of school. Hurst, of Robersonville, North Carolina, is regarded by many as the reigning Michelangelo of gun engravers. He doesn’t take on just anybody; in fact, his roster of apprentices includes Virginia’s Lisa Tomlin, now one of the country’s finest and most sought-after gun engravers in her own right.

revert to the old tactic of using “he,” “him,” and “his” for both genders, in hopes that the reader will have sense enough to infer that it’s all-embracing. This, the present writer has done. We now return you to our regularly scheduled narrative of Mike Merker’s career and an examination of his chosen profession.)

Eventually Merker struck out for Florida, and after working for “about half a dozen places down there,” he felt emboldened to hang out his gunsmith’s shingle in the garage of his Fort Myers home. He continued to develop his skills, doing mostly basic repair work, and in 1995 he followed his father to Hendersonville, where the elder Merker had retired, and established himself in a metal building his father owned on Hendersonville’s Grove Street. He’s been here ever since.

“At that time,” Merker remembers, “American custom rifles had been kinda big in the market, but unbeknownst to me at the time, the market had begun to peter out and European collectibles came in strong. So I applied myself as a firearms restorer, first on American guns—Winchesters and Parkers, and that was prep for the high grade European stuff.”

Again, this would have been a logical progression for Merker. To sportsmen and collectors alike, Winchester rifles and Parker shotguns occupy exalted niches in the pantheon of American firearms. (See sidebar, p. 39) “I began to feel

“We’re a nation of gun owners. It’s a big part of who we are as a country, from our earliest history right down to the present day.”

(And which leads us, at this point, to interject a disclaimer: Throughout this article, firearms craftsmen tend to be referred to as masculine, whereas obviously gunsmithing is an equal opportunity field in which women can and do excel. One of the few deficiencies of the otherwise superb English language is that it lacks a gender-neutral third person pronoun, such as the convenient French “on.” Writers of English, trying to be inclusive, are thus faced with the Hobson’s choice of using the incredibly awkward “he or she” or the incorrect “they”—unless they 36

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MERKER files down a piece for repair November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 37

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ALL REPAIRED pieces for sale are photographed and shared online

confident enough to work on high-end European guns,” Merker continues. “Magazine rifles, custom shotguns, Purdeys and Hollands, that sort of thing. It can be a little intimidating when you’re about to work on a gun somebody has paid that kind of money for. And they’re out there, some of them right here in this area. Those aren’t the kinds of guns you practice [repairs] on. You have to know what you’re doing.

“In the mid-nineties, when the English and European upscale pieces were getting popular, guys with money and good collections were looking to individualize their guns— to personalize what they had as a means of upgrading the value, rather than starting from scratch with a totally custom made rifle or shotgun. In an all-custom situation like that, when you’re done, what you have may be like a hot rod—you like it, but it’s actually worth about half of what you paid for it because not everybody has your taste. But if you start with something like a Holland or a Purdey to begin with, you’ve got something that will double or triple its value. That’s why it was beneficial for me to be able to look at what these craftsmen were doing worldwide and keep up. So it’s like anything else. Word got around that I was qualified to do work on really fine guns and the work started coming in from out of town, as well as locally. I was able to upgrade, hire people, and buy more equipment.

“People do like to individualize their guns. And almost any gun can be upgraded, whether it’s rebluing a barrel or checkering a stock or something as simple as a new shoulder pad. Guns tend to be personal things and people like to put their own stamp on them. That’s what keeps gunsmiths in business. Originally, my business was entirely gunsmithing. But within a few years, it had gotten to be about 85% gunsmith and 15% retail—I had taken on a couple of retail lines as an experiment, and I keep up with auctions and always have an eye out for pieces I think will sell—and now, it’s probably more like fifty-fifty. But it’s the gunsmithing operation that anchors us and keeps us in a niche apart from everybody that just sells guns.”

What caused the change in crafting-versus-sales ratio?

“I think that has to do with something very basic: the whole profile of gun ownership in America. We’re a nation of gun owners. It’s a big part of who we are as a country, from our earliest history right down to the present day. The average American with a clean record can own a gun. That’s not the case in Europe. There are some fine guns made in Italy, in Germany. But only the military and very well-to-do people have them. The requirements are strict and they’re terribly expensive.

That’s one reason guns like the English make are so exquisite. They have the time to design them and the time to make them.

Trademarks of Quality:

Winchester, Parker, Remington, Purdey, Holland & Holland

ANIMALS OF all kinds are displayed around the store

Winchester traces its lineage back to the Norwich, Connecticut, par tnership of Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson, who later attained fame as pistol makers.

In the 1850s, Smith & Wesson’s long-gun operation became insolvent, and Oliver Winchester, with a partner, John Davies, picked up the pieces and launched the New Haven Arms Company. He also acquired the services of Benjamin Henry, who had perfected a .44 rimfire cartridge and developed a rifle especially to fire it.

The breechloading Henry Rifle was eagerly scarfed up by the Yankee army and made New Haven Arms’ fortune. In 1866 the company was reformed under Winchester’s own name. Seven years later the company produced “the gun that won the West,” the lever-action Winchester ’73, which used the world’s first center-fire cartridge.

Charles Parker, on the other hand, got into shotguns. An erstwhile button maker and manufacturer of small household appliances—also in Connecticut—he saved seventy dollars and invested it in his first factory setup, which according to local historians was powered by a blind horse tethered to a sweep pole. (Initial success allowed the horse to be retired; the company built the first factory steam engine in Connecticut.) Parker and his brothers built muskets for the Union army, but after the war’s end they returned to the company’s specialty: side-by-side shotguns. Between 1866 and 1942 some 242,000 Parker shotguns were made; they are considered by many to be the finest American shotguns ever produced, and the most collectible.

Parker owners have included Annie Oakley and Clark Gable.

It should be said that, collectability aside, neither Winchester nor Parker is America’s oldest gun maker. That distinction belongs to Remington Arms, founded in Ilion, New York, in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington and now headquar tered in

the tiny town of Madison in Rockingham County, North Carolina.

James Purdey and Sons, Ltd., of London, was founded in 1814 in a small brick “works” near Leicester Square. Purdey himself had apprenticed at Joseph Manton of Oxford Street, then considered to be England’s finest gunmaker. It’s said that in pursuit of the perfect shotgun barrel, James Purdey used old horseshoe nails, believed to be the hardest steel available, which he heated, hammered into strips, and wrapped around iron rods. Purdey customers have included Charles Dar win and Queen Victoria, assorted European royalty, and Indian maharajahs; the company currently holds personal manufacturing warrants for Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Prince of Wales. It’s estimated that it takes 750 man-hours to handcraft a Purdey shotgun, and the price tag for a new one, depending upon the model, can range from £40,000 to £150,000 (roughly $52,000 to $195,000). And they appreciate; there’s no such thing as a “used” Purdey. They’re often slow to come on the aftermarket because they become inherited property, handed on through generations.

The same is true of guns made by Holland and Holland, London’s other premium gunsmiths. Harris Holland was not a gunsmith at all, but a well-to-do tobacconist who was also an accomplished pigeon shooter. He had his own guns made to order, which made him a quick study when he decided to go into the business in 1835. Since that time, the name Holland, like Purdey, has become synonymous with fine guns, the company having made them for the king of Italy (when there was one), buckets of British nobility including various royals, and a goodly handful of American sportsmen. While Hollands’ shotguns are world renowned, the firm has also gained notoriety as makers of the “Paradox” jungle gun, beloved of bwanas, and their notable .357 magnum.

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 39

“America’s genius is mass production, in guns as in everything else. We make guns for the masses. They aren’t masterpieces, but they’re rugged and dependable and serviceable. That’s been true since the Hawken brothers started making rifles [in the early 1920s].

People think ‘cotton gin’ when they hear the name Eli Whitney.

A lot of people don’t realize he was a gunmaker and pioneered t he u se of i ntercha ngeable parts. Remington, Browning, Winchester—they’re marvels of serviceability. And pistols—look at the 1911 Colt .45 automatic.

Hasn’t changed in 105 years. You can take one apart and reassemble it, blindfolded, in five minutes.”

Which brings up handguns in general. “American handguns are the best in the world overall, period,” Merker says. “Some individual European models have been good, but we make more of the best than anybody else. The need for handguns came about with the settling of the frontier. This is still a young country,

whereas Europe has been settled a long time. It hasn’t been that long since the American West was opened. But it’s been long enough that we consider gun ownership to be something we’re entitled to.”

What are the limits of his capability?

“Some people think gunsmiths actually make guns.

Of course we don’t do that—it would require huge, expensive machinery and a lot of people to be a gun factory. But we can certainly fabricate ‘new’ weapons using existing and new parts.”

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“Some people think gunsmiths actually make guns,” Merker says. “Of course we don’t do that—it would require huge, expensive machinery and a lot of people to be a gun factory. But we can certainly fabricate ‘new’ weapons using existing and new parts. If somebody comes in with a

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Mauser, say, and wants to turn it into an express rifle, we can assemble an express rifle on his Mauser frame. That kind of thing is well within our capability.”

Merker’s shop area contains an eclectic array of appliances and equipment, from belt sanders and metal lathes, to hand tools like wrenches and hammers, to surgically-delicate cutting and engraving instruments. There are three bluing tanks, one filled with the traditional blue solution, one with the orangebrown that yields a rust-colored prewar patina, and one that produces a matte finish.

And here, too, is a rack of tagged long guns, incoming “patients,” and completed projects ready for delivery. “Here’s an express rifle,” he says. “Here’s an 1871 Mauser, FrancoPrussian War issue. I’ve got to do an invisible repair on this one”—he indicates a barely discernible wood gouge on the Mauser’s receiver—“I’ll do that with filler and then I’ll have to match the stain. [This is not easy; the stock’s woodwork has attained the pitted, dark gold color of generations.] Here’s an engraved Browning that needs touching up…”

What do we have here?

“Ah, good eye,” Merker says. “That’s a super-nice French piece, .410. Side lock. Made in Strasbourg. Gold plated internals, not to show off, but because the gold protects against moisture.

Go ahead, pick it up.” It’s almost dainty, quite possibly a lady’s gun, so beautifully balanced that it seems to have no weight at all. “All you have to do is point it and shoot,” Merker says.

“You don’t even have to sight it.”

As we re-enter the store area-cum-gentleman’s-gunroom, a customer breezes in, a tanned, fit-looking retiree in a Hawaiian shirt and golf slacks. He’s brought with him a tooled leather holster with a strap that needs mending. He and Merker are soon engaged in a conversation about actual versus movie versions of Old West pistol accessories.

“You really very seldom saw fast draw holsters,” the customer says, “because the whole fast draw thing…” “…was a myth,” Merker finishes for him.

“Exactly,” the man says. “They’d stick their weapons in their waistbands. Some of them had leather lined pockets instead of holsters…” “…swivel studs mounted on a belt. Good way to shoot your toe off.”

“Oh, yeah. Some movie producers, they’d even line holsters with aluminum to make the draw look faster… “ The door closes gently on proprietor and client engaging in the only thing gun collectors like to do better than shooting firearms: talking about them.

NOVEMBER 17 - DECEMBER 17

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CHRISTMAS

CAROL

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VisitHendersonvilleNC.org November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 41

CAROLINA in the

WEST [

news briefs

Keeping It All Inside haywood county

Leadership in the Town of Maggie Valley is working on developing a unified ordinance. One of the first issues it is tackling is how, when, and where businesses can display merchandise outside their brick-and-mortar buildings. Town Planner Andrew Bowen explained his interest in preserving a certain tourist culture. “You can bring people here, but they’re going to expect a certain product,” he said. Currently, the town has miles of storefronts selling antiques, souvenirs, and crafts. Some roadside displays are perceived as in-your-face or nonconforming with the vintage, antique, and locally-made Maggie Valley brand. Chris Smith, of Chris & Friends Antiques & More, says he needs to put old rusty plows, bicycles, and whiskey

]

stills out front to capture the attention of tourists passing through town. Jake Marzullo’s chainsaw art is set back from the road, but it could still be impacted by the town’s definitions of aesthetics, depending on how they’re developed.

The town held an informal public meeting September 15 to, as Bowen described it, reach for middle ground. Input will be considered before presenting the planning board with a draft ordinance.

Just Add Paper haywood county

Provided public input bears no sway to the contrary, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) is set to change a rule governing the killing of elk to protect one’s property. The issue came to a head January 29 when a farmer

reported the killing of three elk after they killed a bull, a cow, and a calf. An investigation by the commission discovered additional elk carcasses that had gone unreported. The WRC’s district biologist, Justin McVey, explained the rule change was mere housekeeping. When elk were delisted August 1 as a species of concern, they were not added to a list of species for which reports are required if they’re killed in the act of depredating property.

The new rule will allow a landowner to report a depredation kill to the commission within 24 hours. If the landowner has a depredation permit, he need only fill out the form provided with his permit. Although the WRC requires the same processes for the killing alligators and coyotes, concerns remain that the wording of the rule leaves too much to interpretation. Elk had become extinct in Western North Carolina, and so in 2001 and 2002, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation reintroduced 52 animals to the Cataloochee area. The herbivores have since expanded their range, sometimes obstructing traffic and preying on cash crops and livestock. To help landowners, the WRC is providing special fencing, which can be electrified if need be, to deter the elk.

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| November 2016

Now Comfortable with Free-Market Oversight jackson county

Western Carolina University and the Charles Koch Foundation have finally signed a gift agreement to set up the 53rd Center for the Study of Free Enterprise. The director of the school, Dr. Edward Lopez, will bear the title BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism. Chancellor David Belcher accepted the $1.8 million grant, following the unprecedented establishment of a pro-active oversight board, which included faculty from other departments, in order to make sure the school would give “equal time” to non-free-market philosophies. The “multi-tiered” watchdog structure charged one task force with developing checks and balances for the center, another with vetting the contract with the foundation to prevent undue influence, and a third with examining precedents for future university centers. David McCord, a professor of philosophy, had argued teaching only one school of economic thought would be contrary to the university’s mission of promoting deep and broad exposure to ideas and critical thinking; but others said denying the gift could silence free speech. As terms of the agreement, the

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Koch Foundation is to accept that “matters of curriculum, university personnel, and center activities are the sole purview of the university’s faculty and administration.” The gift is the first to trigger university-wide policies developed the last time BB&T tried to set up a program to teach free-market economics.

Noseslide Inside buncombe county

Alex Robertson started skateboarding in 1989, at age 7, and he was hooked.

Whenever his family moved, he was always able to join up with a new community of enthusiasts. He loved the sport so much, he dreamed of somehow integrating it into his career path. He would come to Western North Carolina in the summers, but it wasn’t until 2010, when he set up permanent residence, that he saw the potential of the area for an indoor skate park. After all, the winters can drag on, and rainy days can make oil-slicked roads a little too extreme. So, Robertson reached out to Pillar Design Studios, an Arizona-based industry leader in the field of skate park design. Having skated some of their venues, Robertson was so impressed by their work, they were the first and only

carolina in the west

firm he approached. Robertson signed a lease at the Foundation in the River Arts District (RAD), and set to work with architect Brad Siedlecki designing the 10,000 sq.-ft. indoor course that will be the first indoor skate park in Western North Carolina. The course, which is still slated to open this fall, is inspired by street obstacles from famous skateboarding spots throughout the United States.

Reflecting Hubba Hideout, the China Banks, and Pier 7 in San Francisco, RAD Skate park will be replete with stairs, rails, ledges, curbs, banks, quarter pipes, ramps—and, apparently, graffiti as well.

Another Small Provider Tapping into Overhead mcdowell county

On October 1, Hospice of McDowell of ficia l ly became a f filiated w ith CarePartners Health Services and changed its name to CarePartners Hospice & Palliative Care McDowell. All clinical and administrative staff will remain employed, and there will be no decrease in the level or quality of care provided to the terminally ill and their families. The advantages of combining forces had been discussed long before

CARTER-CPA .COM • 828.259.9900 November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 43

carolina in the west

action was taken. The new organization is described as allowing the hospice to improve access to care while maintaining its nonprofit status. CarePartners, a member of Mission Health, is better situated to navigate the changing healthcare landscape. The hospice formed twenty-two years ago, but it has been working closely with CarePartners for the last three. Before that, Hospice of McDowell had applied for a certificate of need from the state to set up a sixbed unit at McDowell Hospital, but the request was denied. CarePartners is a nonprofit that provides a continuum of care for persons discharged from hospitals, either in its rehabilitation facility or through visiting nurses. It employs 1200 and provides opportunities for 400 volunteers. As the two organizations coordinate care in an official capacity, they should be in a better position to further mutual key goals of wider access to targeted resources with cost-effective, right-sized care.

Impacted Fees henderson county

Hendersonville City Council decided to suspend its practice of charging impact fees on new development. The decision followed a North Carolina Supreme Court ruling against the city of Carthage, which was interpreted as enabling the same general statutes Hendersonville had in levying its impact fees. Carthage was sued by two contractors who had paid that city $123,000 in impact fees. Local governments in other states use the fees to raise revenue for capital improvements, like road and utility maintenance and upgrades, and school construction. Hendersonville was putting the money in reserve to pay for future needs of its water and sewer systems. The suspension is expected to introduce a $518,000 shortfall in the municipal budget, which City Manager John Connet is now seeking to patch; preferably with something other than the obvious water and sewer or general 44

| November 2016

property tax rate increases. City council voted to suspend the fees, instead of repealing them, until they have a better understanding of the situation.

City leadership is seeking guidance from the UNC School of Government and the North Carolina League of Municipalities. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has sent the Carthage case back to the North Carolina Appeals Court to decide whether or not homebuilders can recover fees paid for up to ten years.

The City of Hendersonville is under no court orders to refund impact fees—yet.

Everybody’s Doing It – In Thailand henderson county

Sean McDonald and Kasey Mohsen are cofounders of Bitwater Farms, a cricket farm in Mills River. McDonald graduated from UNC-Asheville and invested in tech startups before launching Bitwater a couple years ago in Sacramento, California. His decision to locate a research and development site in Western North Carolina was based on data-driven analysis of twenty potential sites. Western North Carolina was chosen for, among other unique determinants, a culture appreciative of sustainable agriculture and an abundance of spent brewers’ grain, the crickets’ primary food source. Bitwater is more of a research station than stockyard. McDonald is developing units for growing crickets. The smallest, capable of producing 20-50 pounds of crickets every 6-8 weeks, could sell for $1,500 on Amazon. Food-grade crickets sell for about $15 per half-pound; feed crickets, $1-2 per pound. The largest unit, capable of producing 500 pounds of crickets per breeding cycle, would be Bitwater’s main product. It’s designed for use on poultry farms. There are currently hundreds of cricket farms throughout the country. Blue Ridge Food Ventures washes, steams, freezes, and vacuum packs the creatures for resale. Dried crickets are high in protein, lipids,

iron, and methionine, which is used in chickenfeed. Agribusiness Henderson County Executive Director Mark Williams was impressed McDonald wanted no government incentives for his venture. As Bitwater’s mission is to provide lower-on-the-food-chain options, the entrepreneur is more interested in outputting deliverables than consuming resources.

Sunshine, On My Trout Food, Makes Me Happy

Install LED light bulbs Remember to bring reusable bags to grocery store Create a financial plan that reflects my values Invest in sustainable and responsible companies

You’ve got the small stuff covered. Let us help you make a greater lasting impact. We’ve been helping people put their money to good use, with socially responsible investments and customized financial plans, for more than 16 years.

So, if you’d like to work with a small, independent, local business deeply invested in our great community, call us.

cherokee county

John McCoy is taking advantage of the clean land and water of the Carolina mountains to cultivate a less-polluted food source: trout. To go a step further in protecting the environment while improving the purity of his products, he is experimenting with sustainable trout farming techniques. McCoy is the owner of Smoky Mountain Trout Farm. It is no secret that startup costs for solar installations are prohibitive, even though they pay for themselves as years go by. So, McCoy accepted grants last spring from Western North Carolina AgOptions and Sequoyah Fund to install solar fish feeders. For night feeding, he installed bug zappers.

Having been in the business for 45 years, McCoy is convinced fish food is the major determinant of his profit margin. The new installations, he projects, will save him $5,000 annually. McCoy purchased 5,000 pounds of fish in April, and he hopes to sell 20,000 pounds this fall. He said buyers are lining up, and whether he sells to processors or stockers, he is helping the local economy. In February of this year, WNC AgOptions awarded 33 grants totaling $177,000 for projects it hoped would grow agriculture in the region.

Sequoyah Fund is a Native American Community Development Financial Institution that has disbursed over $14 million in loans for business ventures within the Qualla Boundary.

440 Montford Avenue, Asheville NC, 28801 | 828-285-8777 | 877-285-7537 | www.starksfinancial.com Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Member FINRA/SIPC.

This Year Give theGift of

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South Asheville’s Gerber Village 10 Crispin Ct., Suite D-104 Hours: Mon - Sat 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sun Noon - 6:00 pm November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 45

The Faces of Traditional Style

What makes them unique is also what has attracted customers to their stores for 110 years: a heritage of quality and workmanship, an extensive selection of beautifully made, classically styled, tailored, and casual clothing, and prices typically 20 to 30 percent below competitors.

The Jos. A Bank in Historic Biltmore Village has over 198 years of retail experience, collectively, among their current staff. This is a very unique position to be in anywhere, especially in Asheville, and their tenure in Western North Carolina has allowed them to help serve three generations of shoppers.

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Mr. Bell (third from right), brought the world of southern traditional clothing to Asheville in 1963. Where the company is located today has been a men’s clothing store since 1965 and a Jos. A. Bank since 1992. The character of the store preserves what it was all about back in 1965. From sitting by the fireplace to standing by the bar in their suit room having a cocktail, it’s all about the relationships that they have built over the many years.

Jodie Anderson (third from left), employee for 53 years and multi-year President’s Club winner, states it best, saying, “I loved clothing as a young man. I enjoyed meeting new people daily and helping them with their individual needs.”

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The Face of

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L-R: Rhys Chittick, Gene Roach, Jodie Anderson, Don Eggers, Amarien Baldwin, Bill Bell, Nataliia Ringel, & William Tepper

Jos. A. Bank will always be a traditional clothier; however, they continue to learn new trends and styles, ensuring they stay traditional but updated. Each customer is a unique challenge and opportunity, and it falls on experienced employees to ensure they become an extremely satisfied customer, one who often becomes a long-time friend.

As true retailers, they find the greatest joy in watching customers enjoy their purchases and the service behind

Faces Enterprise &

of morgan morgan

them. In the words of regional manager William Tepper: “We pride ourselves on creating a fun and comfortable environment for each individual who walks in the door, whether that be a gentleman coming in to buy his first suit, the professional gentleman adding to his wardrobe, or a tourist asking for directions. We consider ourselves ambassadors of this community and look forward to serving the clothing needs of this area for years to come.”

jos . a . bank clothiers

9 kitchin pl, asheville 28803 - 828.274.2630 — —

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— L-R: Chad & Doug McKinney

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McKinney Agency is a one-stop-shop insurance agency providing all insurance and financial services needs for individuals as well as businesses. This includes personal lines coverages as well as business insurance, life insurance, and other financial and health coverages. They have served the South Asheville community for 35 years and now have offices in Weaverville as well as in the Candler area. The most difficult part of their job is persuading potential customers that they do need local service and representation, rather than purchasing coverage over the internet in order to save a few dollars. Unlike McKinney Agency, most of those internet-based services contribute little or nothing to our local economy. In the words of the Agency’s founder and owner Doug McK inney, “Our pleasure comes from presenting payments to customers for claims that puts them back into the same condition they were in before the claim, or helps them to maintain their same standard of living they had before the event. Our highly trained staff does its very best to help our customers to attain and maintain the coverages they should have for maximum protection affordable.”

mckinney insurance services 5 allen ave, asheville 28803 828.684.5020 - mckinneyinsuranceservices.com

Faces of Enterprise 48

The Faces of

Protecting All That’s Important to You

| November 2016

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The Faces of Resort Chic

Founded in Palm Beach in 1959, Lilly Pulitzer is all about fun, bright, printed clothing, resulting in what they call “resort 365” (year-round resort wear), and it’s all about a party.

The Palm Village store, located in Historic Biltmore Village, has been open for six years. As the store’s manager, Alex Yarmosky, puts it, “I think it’s really important to love what you do, and I’m very lucky to wake up every morning excited to go to work. I’m definitely a people person, so getting to talk to people on a regular basis is really great. There are parts of it

lilly pulitzer

Faces of Enterprise L-R: Anna Hilgeman, Alex Yarmosky, & Carly Maltais

that are difficult, but I think that comes with every job.

Lilly Pulitzer is primarily known for spring and summer essentials, so creating awareness for our amazing cashmere campaign and fall and winter outfitting pieces presents a bit of a challenge. I absolutely love when a customer leaves my store happy and feeling great about themselves. If they come in looking for something for a specific event, and I’m able to find something that works for them, looks great on them, and that they love, then I know I’m doing a good job.

That is really the most rewarding experience.”

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1 all souls crescent suite 100, asheville 28803 - 828.505.8140 - www.facebook.com /palm.village.asheville

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 49

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Faces of Enterprise

L-R: Laura Webb, CFP® President and Founder, Carrie Martin, Client Relationship Manager Registered Paraplanner SM, Matthew Donohue, CPA Financial Advisor Associate, & Hannah Franklin, CPA Branch Associate

The Faces of Financial Transition

There are two sides to money: the technical and the personal. As a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, Laura is experienced in advising people on the technical side of managing and investing their money. She is also uniquely trained as a CeFT™ (Certified Financial Transitionist®) to help clients navigate the personal side of financial change.

Webb Investment Services, Inc. was founded 21 years ago, but Laura has been in this industry for over 35 years.

She has built a team of four licensed professionals, two of whom are CPA’s, another is a CFP®, and one who is also a Client Relationship Manager and Registered Paraplanner.SM

As one of Laura’s colleagues, Susan Bradley, CFP®, CeFT™, stated, “When money changes, life changes; and when life changes, money changes.” Frequently those changes are related to some type of significant transition—death, divorce, inheritance, or possibly the sale of a business.

During these challenges, judgement can be compromised, and this is where the personal side of money (relationships, emotions, hopes, dreams and self-esteem) can prevent healthy decision making. Choosing the right path during change can be difficult. Laura and her team make the journey less arduous, helping clients feel more confident about their financial futures.

webb investment services an independent wealth management firm

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82 patton ave suite 610, asheville 28801 - 828.252.5132 - laurawebb.com | November 2016

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The Faces of

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Faces of Enterprise

Alumni

Celebrating A Legacy of Leaders & Entrepreneurs clockwise from bottom left

Carolina Day, Asheville’s co-ed, independent day school for grades Pre-K /12, is a young school with deep roots.

Established in 1987 by the merger of Asheville Country Day School and St. Genevieve/Gibbons Hall, Carolina Day carries forth its predecessor schools’ legacy of excellence in education, service to community, and entrepreneurial spirit.

The alumni honored here graduated from five schools which, over time, merged to become Carolina Day. As entrepreneurs, leaders, and volunteers, each is making a meaningful difference in the world in their own unique and individual way. Carolina Day School thanks their thousands of alumni throughout the country and abroad, for all they give back to and all they share with their communities.

Stephanie Smith ’89 St. Genevieve/Gibbons Hall The Brite Agency, Principal Elizabeth Garland ’09 Carolina Day School Alumni & Community Engagement Ryan Guthy ’04 Wicked Weed Brewing Founder David Morgan ’59 Gibbons Hall Capital at Play magazine, Cofounder Kieta Osteen-Cochrane ’60 St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines Preservationist Darryl Hart ’79 Asheville Country Day School Hart Funeral Services, Founder & Chairman of Weststar Financial Services Corp.

carolina day school 1345 hendersonville rd, asheville 28803 - 828.274.0757 - carolinaday .org November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 51

Faces of Enterprise

First Bank offers personalized, high-value financial solutions to existing and potential customers alike. Their experienced team of bankers works together to build trusted relationships with their clients and to help them realize their dreams. Senior Vice President Barry Kampe has been in the financial industry for 19 years and has served in a myriad of roles, including traditional and non-traditional bank product sales, group banking, branch management, business lending, commercial lending, and area management. In Barry’s words, “Nothing pleases me more than to see our team succeed.” That success takes many forms, including delivering the right solution for their clients, helping them achieve their goals, seeing their customers grow and prosper, team members supporting each other, and giving back to the community, etc. “I am very fortunate to have a team that is constantly striving to improve, and with this comes an abundance of outstanding ideas and best practices. The challenge, of course, is prioritizing where to allocate our capital so that we are aligned with the needs of our community, customers, team members, and shareholders.”

While the employees of First Bank serve in many various roles, they are united in one mission: to provide a high standard of “Service Excellence” to each and every customer they serve.

They take a genuine interest in their customers and are able to customize solutions to meet their goals—which is the key to their success, according to their commercial lending team. “There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a teammate’s face light up after they uncovered a new business opportunity or closed their first loan. Their excitement is contagious, and those successes are what drive us to work towards being better bankers.”

first bank asheville 79 woodfin place, asheville 28801 828.252.1735 - localfirstbank.com

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L-R: Dawn Morton, Bill Nesbit, Linda Deaton, Barry Kampe, & Whitney Whitson November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

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Nonprofits

written by melissa stanz

& Revenue Streams For nonprofit organizations in Western North Carolina, in order to thrive they first must survive—and diversifying their revenue streams is increasingly their approach. It’s not always a simple equation, however.

N

onprofits and for-profit businesses frequently appear quite different, but one thing is very much the same for both: Nonprofits and businesses need revenue streams—revenue that leads to forwarding a mission for nonprofits, and revenue that leads to profit for a business. The more diversified those streams are, the better. Most people agree that putting all your eggs in the same basket is asking for trouble.

We asked a number of nonprofits to tell us about their revenue streams. Do they diversify? If so, to what extent, and how? If not, why not? Their answers and insights were as individual as each nonprofit. Many of their ideas have strong merit in the business world.

YWCA of Asheville - asheville

Beth Maczka, chief executive officer of the YWCA of Ashville (www.ywcaofasheville.org), knows all too well the importance of diversified revenue streams. YWCA has several revenue sources, including a vibrant fitness center, pool, and comprehensive childcare program.

These centers make up about 60 percent of their revenue; the remaining percentage comes from grants, donors, and merchandise sales.

“It’s essential for any nonprofit to have earned income revenues, but it’s not easy. You have to be flexible and 54

| November 2016

creative, and come up with new strategies,” says Maczka.

“It’s also important to partner with others.”

Maczka notes the YWCA recently doubled the number of new members in their fitness center thanks to new ideas from their membership coordinator.

Last year, state funding was cut for school age vouchers, so the organization had to think creatively to sustain the program.

“We had to rebrand our childcare program, raise rates, and market to families who could afford private pay,” says Maczka. “We needed to balance the number of subsidized families versus private pay. The result is that we were able to continue the program, but we are now serving fewer low income families.”

Childcare is a continuing struggle for many parents.

Last year A-B Tech’s childcare center closed, so the YWCA reached out to create a new partnership with A-B Tech. Students who are parents receive up to 12 hours of free childcare in exchange for one four-hour shift working in the childcare center.

“All the student parents participating in this program receive basic childcare training and CPR training, and there are many benefits to that,” she says. “So their child receives great care, and the parent volunteers are trained and challenged; it’s a creative way to solve a funding issue.”

Maczka knows many ways the business community can help the YWCA further their mission of eliminating

racism and empowering women, and her advice to any business person is to come and take a tour.

“Get to know us, see if we have common goals and look for ways we can engage each other,” she says. “Your company may need a fitness program and we can help with that. It’s all about collaboration.”

Safelight - hendersonville

Safelight (www.safelightfamily.org) provides support for Henderson County victims of interpersonal violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Safelight offers many services with a small staff and more than 100 volunteers. Revenue sources include a resale store that generated $190,000+ in the last fiscal year. That revenue was used to finance programs and basic needs for victims and their children.

Grants and donations make up about half their revenues; the resale store and a restaurant opened three years ago make up the other half.

Dandelion restaurant in Hendersonville is providing a revenue stream and job training for Safelight clients.

Executive Director Tanya Blackford is thrilled with the restaurant’s success. “It’s been phenomenal! Interns from our program gain experience and learn skills they use when they leave us. Over the past three years, our success rate is 70 percent—people who intern in the restaurant get full-time employment and continue to stay employed.”

Blackford uses the revenue they generate from the restaurant to expand the program. She also notes that having a storefront helps increase donations, awareness, and public service.

“I see families coming to us with nothing and in two years they are making money and not using government services at all,” she reflects.

“We see that as hard data and a great outcome.”

Safelight partners with other nonprofits to save money. Case in point, years ago they co-wrote a grant with Western Carolina Community Action (WCCA) as a housing partner. That arrangement works for them both.

“We do our piece and let others do theirs; it just makes sense. We do provide some housing, but it’s not our primary service, so partnering lets us do other things,” says Blackford.

Revenue diversification is necessary because it removes dependency and allows Safelight to be more flexible, to act and respond quickly. Blackford notes that crisis services such as Safelight are not funded as often as they were in the past; so having alternative revenue streams becomes even more critical. State funding is also requiring more documentation— documentation that takes more time; time that most nonprofits don’t have.

“We need more conversations about how nonprofits can be creative with funding. ‘How do we fund the work? What are ways to increase self sufficiency? What’s the value per service?’ We’re trying to figure that out now!” she says.

n o n p r o f i t s e m p l oy

>400,000

north carolinians , providing more than one out of every 10 jobs in the state

north carolina center for nonprofits

“Just because an organization is nonprofit doesn’t mean they can’t make money. We are all trying to make money to further our mission.”

Four Seasons Compassion for Life - flat rock

Four Seasons Compassion for Life (www.fourseasonscfl.org) is an award-winning hospice and palliative care nonprofit organization, with administrative offices based in Henderson County and serving ten counties in Western North Carolina. They provide hospice, palliative care, research, bereavement services, and an inpatient hospice facility in Flat Rock called the Elizabeth House. Revenue sources include fee for November 2016 | capitalatplay.com

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service and reimbursements, Centers for Excellence, a hospice home store, and more.

President/CEO Chris Comeaux has grown the organization dramatically since he joined them in 2002—a substantial part of that growth is due to diversifying the healthcare nonprofit’s revenue streams.

But Comeaux cautions other nonprofits to be careful about diversifying. “We didn’t diversify revenue just to do it; it wasn’t our goal. We are very careful to stick to our core mission. As long as we serve that goal, it can happen. It also takes a robust leadership team.”

Comeaux’s goal from the beginning was to make Four Seasons the best organization in North Carolina. To do that, he focused on best practices. He also looked at all areas of the nonprofit and discovered ways to turn cost centers into self-supporting centers of excellence.

“Hospices come from all over the country now to learn about our best practices. Everyone wins from this. They learn, it brings us additional revenue, and contributes money in Henderson County,” he says.

Four Seasons was one of the first organizations to offer palliative care. It’s such a new frontier there is currently no reimbursement involved, so Four Seasons is participating in a national grant to prove the model. The organization has trained all its employees and more than 400 providers nationwide—another revenue stream.

Comeaux, like many of his nonprofit colleagues, acknowledges that overhead costs are continually squeezed. To relieve some of that pressure, they implemented best practices, turning a cost center into another revenue stream. They now offer finance services for other hospices.

Implementing these alternative sources of income requires a progressive Board of Directors, and Comeaux is grateful for their support.

“We are in the greatest time of change in the history of healthcare; we can’t be what we’ve always been,” he says. “Our board gave us the ability to turn our finance cost into revenue center. They have stayed true to not letting us lose sight of our mission.”

The trend in healthcare nonprofits, as in most nonprofits, is to do more with less. Donor contributions are steady, but budgets are shrinking and the wave of senior baby boomers is only beginning.

“We provide end of life care; that’s a great responsibility, and we don’t get do-overs,” says Comeaux. “It requires that we look at different ways of doing things so we do the greatest good with what we have.”

The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design - asheville The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design (CCCD; www. craftcreativitydesign.org) in downtown Asheville exists to help people better understand craft through research, critical dialogue, and professional development. The 20-year-old nonprofit awards fellowships to ten graduating college seniors each year and places 56

| November 2016

TOTAL NONPROFIT JOBS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Avery - 974 Buncombe - 16,196 Cherokee - 969 Clay - 66 Graham - 37 Haywood - 1,117 Henderson - 4,336 Jackson - 1,514 Macon - 1,383 Madison - 735 McDowell - 782 Mitchell - 680 Polk - 883 Rutherford - 2,148 Swain - 771 Transylvania - 1,364 Watauga - 2,602 Yancey - 256 Source: “Essential,” a report by the N.C. Center for Nonprofits

advanced cancer care

for generations to come

pardeehospital.org November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 57

local industry

emerging curators under the Windgate Museum Internship program.

In 2013 a generous gift from the Windgate Charitable Foundation allowed CCCD to purchase its historic facility at 67 Broadway Street in downtown Asheville. Having this beautiful building has opened up new revenue streams. They rent spaces for events, rent small office spaces, and generate dollars from parking leases. Their presence downtown has also increased awareness for other potential funders.

“We are putting a stake in the community with this new local presence,” says Stephanie Moore, CCCD executive director. “Having real estate holdings puts our organization in conversations that we normally wouldn’t have. It’s allowed us to partner with others, like the Chamber and WNC Community Foundation.

NONPROFIT EMPLOYMENT AS PERCENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT

NC AVERAGE 9.41%

WESTERN NC 11.35%

Source: “Essential,” a report by the N.C. Center for Nonprofits

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We’re excited to have our arts community help shape the gateway to downtown.”

Plans for the facility over the next year or so include renovating the second and third floor into a conference facility and space designed for co-working. Once this is done, more revenue can be generated to put back into CCCD programs.

“Our largest donations now are for our facility, and our Board and funders want us to get that done so we are not reliant on grants and foundations,” says Moore. “We’ve always delivered a solid ROI (return on investment) because what we receive goes back to grant recipients and community programming.”

Moore advises businesses to treat nonprofits like a business—to value what they offer and invest in them accordingly. She recommends looking at organizations that focus on sustainable revenue streams so that donors’ gifts invest in the future of the organization. | November 2016

“Just because an organization is nonprofit doesn’t mean they can’t make money,” she muses. “That’s a widespread misunderstanding. We are all trying to make money to further our mission.”

OnTrack - asheville

Grants and contracts (earned income) provide the major revenue sources for OnTrack (www. ontrackwnc.org), a financial education and counseling nonprofit that serves Western North Carolina. They partner with other nonprofits and forprofit businesses, like Biltmore, to offer home buyer and financial wellness programs. They also teach financial classes for a fee in their offices, including foreclosure prevention, budgeting, and others.

Executive Director Celeste Collins uses the wisdom OnTrack imparts to clients in her own nonprofit. Case in point—OnTrack recently built a three-month reserve for operating funds.

“We put aside a specific amount each month to build that fund and followed our own advice. We have that reserve now and it gives us peace of mind.

For years, if you had a reserve it was more difficult to get funders, but with the recession, funders now see the need for it,” says Collins.

The recession was a definite sea change for nonprofits. Collins notes that today’s funders are more specific about what they want and more outcomes-driven. Development directors are now found in more nonprofits, using their recruiting expertise to attract and retain more donors. And most nonprofits are looking even harder at expenses, asking how things are funded, can they afford to fund programs, and tapping into the power of volunteers to help reduce expenses.

“Businesses interested in working with nonprofits should find those that match their vision and culture and then invest with time and money,” Collins. “Be clear and reasonable and hold us accountable.”

MountainTrue - asheville

Julie Mayfield is co-director of MountainTrue (www.mountaintrue.org), a regional nonprofit that focuses on resilient forests, clean water, and healthy communities in Western North Carolina.

MountainTrue is the organization that resulted from three environmental and conservation nonprofits that joined forces almost two years ago.

Like most nonprofits, MountainTrue depends on grants, donations, memberships, and events. But they have an additional source—a fee-for-service

component—that helps stabilize revenues. They provide land management services that bring in $60,000-$100,000 annually, depending on the year.

“We entered the marketplace to provide land management services. We control invasive species on conservation land, working with the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and the Forest Service,” explains Mayfield. “For years we did the work on a volunteer basis, but when stimulus funds became available a few years ago we started getting paid. It’s tricky work because we don’t want to kill native species while we are controlling invasives.”

M a y f i e l d b e l i e v e s i t ’s critical for nonprofits to have diversified streams of revenue just like any business or anyone with a stock portfolio.

But she recognizes that not all nonprofits can do that.

“There are several reasons why some nonprofits can’t diversify, including because they are small, they can’t find foundations to support them, they are in a highly competitive market for donations given for similar causes, or they just do not have services they can offer for fees,” she says. “There is no harder job that starting a nonprofit and running it with one person—you simply cannot do it all.”

Events and event sponsorships are another way MountainTrue brings in money—the organization hosted a benefit concert at the Orange Peel that contributed about two to two and one-half times more than they spent, but they don’t do an event each year.

MountainTrue’s board asked Mayfield to take a hard look at events because they wanted to maintain the focus on programs. If staff is spending time working on events, they are not working on programs.

“Events done right with enough corporate support can bring in a lot of money. But we all must factor in staff time, and that can really be expensive and hard to track,” she says. “It’s important to look at the full cost.”

Identifying and cultivating specific major donors is another focus for MountainTrue. It’s also an industry trend that started with the recession when so many funding sources shrunk.

“We’ve been focusing on cultivating major donors for about three years; it takes organizational work and is very time consuming,” says Mayfield. “And

because we’ve had some turnover in development directors we have lost ground. My co-director and I have good relationships, but we need others to come in and help us maintain those relationships.”

Mayfield is also a member of the Asheville City Council; she is on the Council subcommittee for funding nonprofits that support the city’s goals.

She has a clear message for nonprofit groups that request funding from Asheville.

“We sometimes find that donors get all excited about the latest new, shiny program, and we get just enough money to fail. About the time we are almost there, donors or sponsors are asking why aren’t we already there,” she says. “If you don’t expect that of a new business, then why ask it of a nonprofit?”

“We had several nonprofits asking for small amounts of money, but it seemed they were all doing similar things. My advice is to collaborate and coordinate with each other, then come to the city with a plan as a group,” she says. “If that’s not possible, be prepared to explain how what you do is different. Dollars are just too scarce, and we can’t be duplicating services.”

TRACTOR - burnsville

TRACTOR food and farms Executive Director Robin Smith is no stranger to the business world.

She worked at the statistical software company SAS before she and her family moved to Yancey County to become farmers.

W hen TR ACTOR (Toe R iver Ag gregation Center Training Organization Regional; www. tractorfoodandfarms.com) began to be formed in 2012, Smith attended many meetings. Knowing the difficulty of being a small farmer in the mountains led her to apply for the executive director position at the organization.

TR ACTOR now works with more than 50 small farms throughout Yancey, Mitchell, Burke, McDowell, Aver y, Madison, and Buncombe counties. The organization aggregates produce from farms, processes it, and distributes it to retailers and restaurants.

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 59

local industry

THE WHAT & THE WHY of North Carolina nonprofits saw more demand for their services in 2014, but only 40% met those demands. Record numbers of people sought help at food banks, crisis center, and credit counseling services.

78%

$

Nonprofit boards and major funders are more and more insistent on diversification and focus on specific donors.

Grantors are increasingly looking for collaboration and coordination among nonprofits.

Charitable giving and government contracts are down.

While events are potentially viable sources for increasing revenues, they demand staff time and too often don’t take all costs into account.

In recent years,

10-25%

of the nonprofits have operated at a deficit.

Less than half of the nonprofits have more than three months of operating expense reserves.

Source: Statistics from N.C. Center for Nonprofits

“We help farmers get their produce to larger markets. For doing the marketing work we receive 20 percent of the split,” says Smith. “We’re using different channels to do that, including a wholesale market chain, selling to restaurants, and we’re now exploring a direct consumer channel.”

Other income sources for TRACTOR include grants, farm-to-fork fundraisers, donors, and a membership base, with the majority of revenue coming from grants.

“We would be helped immensely by having a development director to take on the donor and grant process, but we don’t have the staff,” she says. “And that sums up the biggest problem nonprofits have in diversifying revenue. We know we need to, but when someone is doing three jobs already it’s just not possible.”

Smith notes that they need funding for operations and infrastructure, volunteers to help with operations, and an experienced volunteer grant writer.

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“We sometimes find that donors get all excited about the latest new, shiny program, and we get just enough money to fail. About the time we are almost there, donors or sponsors are asking why aren’t we already there,” she says. “If you don’t expect that of a new business, then why ask it of a nonprofit?”

MountainTrue’s Mayfield echoes what many other nonprofit leaders told Capital at Play to tell business people: “There’s nothing wrong with providing general operating support. If you like a nonprofit’s mission and want to support them, you don’t have to tie your gift to a specific program. Let us do our work with your support—we shouldn’t have to follow the dollars.

Operating funds are the hardest dollars to come by, but we all need staff and infrastructure to do our work.”

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financial column

The Giving Kind:

Donating to Nonprofits

$ T

k athy atkinson

CPA, Shareholder Johnson Price Sprinkle PA www.jpspa.com

amy bibby & will smith

Office Managing Partner & Manager Tax Services Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP www.dhgllp.com daniel johnson iii

Financial Advisor Parsec Financial www.parsecfinancial.com

matthew donohue

CPA & Financial Advisor Associate Webb Investment Services, Inc. www.raymondjames.com/webblaura If you have any questions you’d like to hear answered in such a column, please email us at editor@capitalatplay.com.

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HIS C OLU M N M A R K S T HE F OU RT H installment in Capital at Play’s financial series, in which area financial experts offer informed opinions to our readership. As November is Nonprofit Awareness Month, we decided to take a look at what the average person should know when considering donating to a nonprofit or charity, and how this relates to deducting those donations from their taxes. {Note: A longer version of this column can be viewed at Capitalatplay.com/category/columns/}

Capital at Play: In donating to nonprofits, what annual dates do I need to be aware of? matthew : For tax purposes, 12/31 is the date that should be on your mind. You may receive the tax benefits for the year you donate to the organization. One strategy that may be used is creating what we call “charitable capital.” For this strategy, the donor gives the donation to a “donor-advised fund” as a completed gift. The donor receives the tax benefit in the year the donation is made, but can still recommend where the funds should go after the fiscal year is over. This allows donors to take an immediate tax benefit, and in future years, recommend grants from the funds to be given to qualified organizations. daniel : Individuals keep track of gifting on a calendar year basis. If a gift is intended for a particular tax year, it is important that the organization has “constructive receipt” of the property on or prior to December 31. If you are considering the gift of appreciated stock or other property, it is important to begin the process well in advance of year-end.

$ CAPTURE the

What are the minimum and maximum amounts I can donate annually to reap as great a tax advantage as possible?

HOLIDAY MAGIC

a m y & w i l l : The amount you may deduct on your

individual tax return is always based on your gross income, so the amount differs from person to person. Tax laws limit your tax deductions to 50% of your Adjusted Gross Income, and the remaining amount of charitable contributions may carry forward for up to five years. Gifts to charity are listed on Form 1040, Schedule A, Lines 16 through 19.

YESTERYEAR

A DISTRIBUTION FROM YOUR IRA DIRECTLY TO A CHARITY IS NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR INCOME SO NO CHARITABLE DEDUCTION IS NEEDED.

of

daniel : The minimum is an amount that, when combined with your qualified itemized deductions, exceeds the standard deduction for your situation. One exception to this rule is the utilization of a Qualified Charitable Contribution from an IRA. IRA owners who are older than 70½ are able to gift up to $100,000 directly to a nonprofit. Donors receive a dollarfor-dollar reduction in income, but no charitable deduction on their tax return. The maximum donation depends on a number of criteria. First, it depends on how much taxable income you have, whether or not your itemized deductions are being limited by a tax rule named the Pease Limitation, and what kind of property is being donated. When seeking to maximize your gifting, it is a good idea to consult with your CPA or financial advisor.

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k athy : Several factors impact the ultimate tax benefit from making a deductible contribution, based on the status of the donee organization and your own tax situation. At a minimum, you must be able to itemize deductions. The maximum is generally limited to 50% of your adjusted gross income, but lower limits can apply in certain circumstances. Caution: Up to 80% of itemized deductions can be phased when your income is above certain levels. Some options are available that bypass income limitations. For instance, a distribution from your IRA directly to a charity is not included in your income so no charitable deduction is needed. As a bonus, the charity distribution can be used to satisfy your required minimum distribution.

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GA_Capital_Nov16.indd 1

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financial column

Is there any difference between donating to a nonprofit engaged in social work (say, a charitable/giving organization) and to one that’s not a charity (such as an arts organization)? amy & will : The charitable purpose of the nonprofit does

not affect the deduction of donations from taxes. What is most important, however, is whether the organization is a quality charity within section 501(c), and also the tax exempt status of the entity. The IRS provides an online search tool to check this information by visiting the Exempt Organizations Select Check page at www.irs.gov. You can use this tool to search for exempt organizations to check information about federal tax status as well as filings. In addition, it’s important to note that there are differences between public charities and private foundations that can limit a deduction based on the Adjusted Gross Income limits.

Dickens

matthew : There could be a potential difference in the way your donation is treated for your personal tax purposes. Most charities and many private organizations are considered 501(c) (3) organizations and qualify for tax-exempt status. Donating to these organizations can potentially lighten your tax burden if you itemize your deductions.

IN THE VILLAGE

December 2nd-3rd, 2016

Then areFRIDAY, there nonprofits which DECEMBERfor 2ND: donations are not as pm, deductions?

Christmas Tree eligible lighting at 6:00

amy &including will : aYes. Donations madeall togalleries organizations such gallery stroll featuring

as some country clubs and membership associations, among 3RD: others, areSATURDAY, not eligible asDECEMBER deductions. The best way to check if the organization is eligible for such deductions is to visit the 11:00am-4:00pm - Entertainment throughout the Village Exempt Organizations Select Check page (mentioned above).

Horse drawn carriage rides and freshly roasted chestnuts all weekend associated with them, does not mean that they qualify for taxSome stores observingorganization extended shopping hours deductions.

A 501(c)(3) has been approved by the IRS to be tax-exempt, and most charitable organizations For more information, visit have this designation. Other 501(c) organizations include www.historicbiltmorevillage/dickens-in-the-village homeowners’ associations, civic organizations, recreation daniel : Just because a nonprofit organization has 501(c)

clubs, business leagues, and many more.

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k at h y : Yes. Civic leagues, social organizations, and chambers of commerce are the most common nonprofit organizations for which donations do not qualify as deductible contributions. Also, dues and fees payable to country clubs and homeowners’ associations are not deductible. Refer to Publication 526 at Irs.gov for a comprehensive list of types of organizations ineligible to receive charitable contributions. m at t h e w : You need to make sure that the nonprofit organization you are donating to is a qualified 501(c) organization in order to claim any deductions. Also, you

$

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must get a receipt in case the IRS decides to audit your taxes.

Documentation and receipts are crucial for being able to prove that your donation was legitimate.

If spouses make their own separate donations to the same entity but they file taxes jointly, can both donations be deducted? m at th e w : The short answer: yes. However, the couple must itemize their deductions in lieu of taking the standard deduction, which, for 2016 will be $12,600. It’s important to know that even though a donation to a charity might qualify you for tax saving benefits, your itemized deductions need to exceed the standard deduction amount for any realized benefit. daniel : Yes, individuals are able to make their own donations to non-profits throughout the year. Then, when taxes are filed, these donations are aggregated for deduction purposes. For this reason, it is important that spouses coordinate gifting to ensure that they are maximizing their tax benefits.

Dickens

Are there any donation incentives scheduled to expire in the near future?

December 2nd-3rd, 2016

matthew : Not that we are aware of, but the IRS recently made the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) permanent in 2015. The QCD allows for those over the age of 70½ to donate up to $100,000 from their IRA to a qualified nonprofit organization. This donation can satisfy the required minimum distribution (RMD) and is not included in calculating adjust gross income (AGI). Because of this, however, you cannot deduct the amount of the donation on your taxes.

I like to pledge to my local NPR affiliate during both its spring and fall fund drives. Is there any difference, tax-wise, in making multiple donations versus a one-time lump sum?

IN THE VILLAGE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2ND:

Christmas Tree lighting at 6:00 pm, including a gallery stroll featuring all galleries

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD:

11:00am-4:00pm - Entertainment throughout the Village Horse drawn carriage rides and freshly roasted chestnuts all weekend Some stores observing extended shopping hours For more information, visit www.historicbiltmorevillage/dickens-in-the-village

matthew : Not really. Just be aware that the tax benefits can only be used in the year the donations were made.

VILLAGE SHOP HOURS: Monday-Saturday, 10AM-6PM • Sundays 12PM-5PM

k athy : Possibly.

In order to claim a10AM-7PM charitable deduction, NATIONAL RETAILER HOURS: Monday-Saturday, • Sundays 12PM-5PM

the donor must not receive any tangible benefit for their Located just outside the gates of Biltmore Estate donation [such as a premium; the dollar value of a www.historicbiltmorevillage.com • info@historicbiltmorevillage.com CD,T-shirt, concert ticket, etc., must be subtracted from the amount of the claim before taking the deduction], and must retain support in the form of a bank record or a written receipt from the charity. For gifts of $250 or more, a written acknowledgment from the charity with certain required information is also needed. Each disbursement is info@biltmorepropertygroup.com • 828-398-6854

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 65

column

considered a single donation for this expanded substantiation requirement, so while only cancelled checks would suffice to support two donations of $200, one $400 check would require the charity’s written acknowledgment that no goods or services were received by donor.

Relatedly, in the past I have signed up for several Kickstarter and GoFundMe campaigns.

Some describe this as “pledging,” while others call them “pre-orders.” Do donations to such campaigns qualify as deduction-eligible? k athy : Contributions to crowdfunding platforms are rarely deductible, as the most common structure provides a direct benefit to an individual or something of substance to the donor. However, some nonprofits are beginning to use this arena for fundraising. If you think you are making a charitable contribution, be sure to obtain evidence of the organization’s nonprofit status, assurance related to the use of funds, and appropriate substantiation.

daniel : It is possible that you are able to deduct contributions

to Kickstarter or GoFundMe campaigns by a 501(c)(3) organization. However, if there is any benefit received by the donor, the deduction must be reduced by the fair market value of the product or service received by the donor. This is also true for charitable events or dinners.

THE BEST WAY TO CHECK THE TAX-EXEMPT STATUS OF AN ORGANIZATION IS TO USE THE IRS’S EXEMPT ORGANIZATION SELECT CHECK (WWW.IRS.GOV). amy & will : Donations may qualify if they are given to

qualified 501(c)(3) organizations, which you can check using the IRS’s Exempt Organization Select Check. However, if you donate to a qualified 501(c)(3) organization and you are receiving an item or other benefit, this does affect your

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| November 2016

charitable deduction amount. For example, you may receive complimentary tickets to an organization’s charitable event in return for your charitable donation to the organization. A 501(c)(3) organization is responsible for issuing a gift receipt that discloses the value of the charitable amount received that is actually deductible for tax purposes. Be sure you receive a gift receipt from any such organization, since the IRS requires these for proper documentation on your individual tax return.

I’m frequently approached by friends and family members to get involved with their pet causes—typically, by donating. I can’t always afford to do so; plus, not all of them seem worthwhile. Is there a reliable way to determine if an organization is both tax-exempt and a responsible handler of its finances?

Also, if I decide not to donate, how do I tell them without sounding like a Scrooge?

amy & will : The best way to check the tax-exempt status of

an organization is to use the IRS’s Exempt Organization Select Check (www.irs.gov). You can also consult GuideStar (www. guidestar.org) or Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator. org), which allow you to view ratings of organizations based on their financial responsibility, as well as the prior three years of their annual Form 990. In regards to explaining an unwillingness to donate to a charity or cause, one of the most important steps you and your family can make is to develop your own charitable giving plan that takes into account your philanthropic philosophy and what causes attract your passion and attention. When approached for contribution, having this plan and philosophy can be a part of a great dialogue about you and your family’s charitable passions and strategy for giving.

You may start by saying something like, “My family and I have strategically committed to give funds that help better education. Can you tell me if you feel that this organization aligns with my family’s overall strategic goals?”

The above responses are the opinions of our columnists and are not intended to take the place of financial or legal advice. You should discuss any financial, legal, or tax matters with the appropriate professional, and determine if your advisor provides tax services before requesting tax advice.

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In the field of Interior Design, Susan Nilsson’s selling proposition is the broad stroke of color vs. no color. Susan says that she “decided to go into this business in 1982 after putting together a ‘seven shades of grey’ video shoppe with yellow highlights.” With her studio located in a beautiful setting on the grounds of The French Broad River Garden Club in South Asheville, Susan Nilsson Design has easy parking and convenient access in the 28803 zip code.

Susan has been in business since 1987, which is about the time that she took “credit” for bringing back the color “dark green.” Reflecting on the most challenging part of her job, she simply says, “The color blue.” Though that may be more difficult that it sounds, seeing her clients develop something more beautiful than they ever anticipated in their home environment makes it all worthwhile for Susan. If you’re looking for a truly creative designer, ask yourself, “Have you ever thought of white?”

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Fire House Casual Living is a specialty retailer of hearth, patio and barbeque products. The showroom is set up to display burning fireplaces, wood stoves, and gas logs. One of the area’s largest number of active burning product displays, when it comes to casual living, you can find large presentations of porch, patio, and deck furniture to fulfill dining or lounging pleasures.

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The Faces of Asheville Legal Leaders As one of the largest law firms in Western North Carolina, Roberts & Stevens serves regional and national clients in 29 practice areas and industries. The firm works with large corporations, small businesses, family-owned companies, government entities, and individuals. It has collectively been practicing in Asheville for more than five decades. (Statements in order of appearance, left to right.)

“Like many prior generations of my family, I have lived in these beautiful mountains, worked, and raised a family here. It is rewarding for me to serve the business and estate needs of people who I grew up with and those who now make Western North Carolina their home. All of our attorneys strive for the firm’s objective for all clients: ‘Personal Service, Exceptional Results.’” - Gregory D. Hutchins

“I grew up on a farm in Fairview and have lots of family here. Working with clients to improve water quality and put contaminated land back into productive use is what I do on a day-to-day basis. Helping clients to achieve their goals and creating a healthier, stronger community, and environment is very rewarding.” - William “Billy” Clarke

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“Roberts & Stevens has always been a leader in the Asheville community, with a goal of helping others. Assisting with commercial real estate transactions allows me to work with businesses and individuals to finance projects that can expand businesses or create affordable housing options for the community.” - Rebecca J. Reinhardt “Our firm is successful because we are responsive to our clients’ needs and we provide excellent legal services. All of our attorneys are active in the community and have served on nonprofit boards in the region. I am an Asheville native and my family still lives in the area, so it was important to me to return here to practice law.” - Jacqueline D. Grant

“We have some of the most talented, knowledgeable, and connected lawyers in the region. We know our clients, understand their businesses, and work hard to help them achieve their goals.” - Wyatt S. Stevens “Helping clients find solutions to their problems is the best part of my job. Whether we’re assisting local non-profits defend critical habitat or helping business owners grow and protect their investments, Roberts & Stevens has the expertise and experience you need, when you need it.”- John D. Noor

“Our firm has been an institution in Asheville for almost 50 years, but we are not ‘your father’s law firm.’ You are just as likely to run into one of us at a Chamber of Commerce event as you are on the South Slope at one Asheville’s new (or old) breweries.” - Ann-Patton Hornthal —

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Experienced Asheville Real Estate For 24 years, Asheville Realty & Associates have been successfully serving the real estate needs of homeowners in Asheville and Buncombe County. It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and a handful of other agencies in Asheville have copied the company’s name in one form or another. Yes, copied—but not duplicated. Experience, industry knowledge, and credibility in the regional market is time-consuming to achieve, and difficult to come by. Owner Bob Ray proudly notes that “many of our agents have been with the firm for 15 to 20 years or more, and possess the

time-honored skills necessary to successfully and profitably bring about a desired conclusion for their clients.”

The goal at Asheville Realty & Associates is to provide professional service so that they create client enthusiasm with each and every sale or purchase. The staff members at Asheville Realty & Associates do not look for the “slam dunk” deal, because each client should be handled with calm and experienced hands. If you are considering a sale or purchase of an Asheville home, please give them the opportunity to have a conversation.

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The Face of Intimate Cuisine

In 2017, Fig Bistro will be entering their 13th year. And at Fig, they still do many things that some people in the restaurant business might find daunting, such as making all stocks and condiments in-house. They also have a very local clientele, so it really feels like a family there.

They even have some employees who have been there since they opened over twelve years ago.

Fig’s owner, Traci Taylor, says that’s because “we really do think of our guests as family. We have been there through weddings, grandbabies, you name it. I love the people I have met along the way, and have found many kindred spirits. I also love to see what comes out of the kitchen.

We have such talented chefs—cooking is a hard job; I have the utmost respect for them. The most challenging part of my job is managing cash flow. And when things break in a restaurant, it is never a quick fix. That said, I am married to Treavis, the engineer who can fix almost anything!

But buying our part of the building was the best decision we ever made. In this very mercurial business, owning gives you peace of mind.”

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— L-R: Jeremy Ledford, & Chris Kennerly

Faces of Enterprise

The Faces of Sedation Dentistry

Asheville Dental is more than the sum of its parts, which includes Drs. Chris Kennerly and Jeremy Ledford, and their staff. It is the product of caring about its patients’ needs. Now known as WNC’s leading Sedation Dentistry practice, it came to be because of the needs of a patient’s long-term dental phobia. This led Dr. Kennerly to seek out the services of board-certified anesthesiologist Dr. Brad Stone, who provides I.V. sedation at Asheville Dental’s office to this day.

This has allowed hundreds of patients to have their dental needs fulfilled locally, saving them from travelling

to Greenville or Charlotte. The success of I.V. Sedation Dentistry lies in its ability to be monitored and adjusted to the patient’s needs. This allows for safe, effective, and painfree dental services to be provided for those who otherwise might fear having needed treatment such as implants, root canals, crowns, extractions, even routine cleanings. The doctors and staff at Asheville Dental take pride in providing this comforting service in a safe and caring environment.

They love when patients peacefully wake from I.V. Sedation.

A frequent comment: “I wish I’d known about this sooner!”

That’s what caring is all about.

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10-C yorkshire st, asheville 28803 - 828.277.9907 - ashevilledental.com | November 2016

Starks Financial Group (SFG) is a leading financial planning firm in Asheville. Their hands-on, high service approach provides a thorough framework to help clients achieve their financial goals.

In the words of Principal Dawn Starks, “Our main specialty is helping clients simplify their retirement planning. As a women-owned, women-run practice, we are well positioned to provide exceptional service, building family-like relationships with our clients.”

Dawn started in the financial industry in 1996, and started her own firm, Starks Financial Group, in 1999. This past May marked her 20th year anniversary in this field. Dawn chose this field because of two main factors: “I’m a math nerd, and I’m incredibly nosy! My deep and sincere interest in people has created an environment where clients feel deeply heard and understood.” Dealing with client worries about the market is the most challenging part of her job. Fear of losing money is a big deal, and trying to find ways to comfort clients and reduce their worry is a never-ending concern.

But this is more than balanced by seeing the looks of joy on clients’ faces when SFG illustrates that retirement is, in fact, within their reach.

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news briefs

Life’s Work holly springs

The holiday season can be rough on grieving loved ones. As it approaches each year, the Triangle Survivors of Suicide (TSS) support group holds an annual conference. This year, it will be held November 19, following a Survivors’ Walk November 13. TSS is now headed

by Larry Bernstein, who takes his life’s work of suicide prevention seriously. His 20-year-old son, Michael, unexpectedly killed himself in 1992. That year, he and his wife, Nancy Smyth, decided to change career paths. Both went back to school. Bernstein worked as a counselor for Wake County Human Services, and in hospice care and addiction rehabilitation, while his wife finished her credentialing.

Now, they’re therapists at Holly Springs Counseling Center. Bernstein said when

]

he first went to a meeting of TSS, shortly after Michael’s death, he felt better, but he didn’t know why. So, when the people who were leading the group decided to move on, Bernstein went through the necessary training to keep the weekly meetings going. Now, he says whenever somebody thanks him for his work, he thinks, “That’s for you, Michael.”

clubs. ClubUp is a simple app that can be provided with a club membership. Golfers request a caddie, and caddies get the call.

Caddies are all vetted and trained. The golfers are charged $55 automatically through their phones. The price includes the tip, and caddies keep 80%. A bonus for the golfers is the caddie collects data that is converted to a performance report, complete with pie charts, within 24 hours. A perk for the caddies is free rounds at either the Charlotte Country Club or Quail Hollow during designated hours. Rose will use the seed funding to expand the service to new markets, like Raleigh, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro.

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Green Business App charlotte

Matt Rose is the entrepreneur behind ClubUp, the Uber-for-X where X = caddies.

He recently raised hundreds of thousands in seed capital following success with a proof of concept. To date, ClubUp has provided caddie services for over 175 rounds at participating Charlotte-area country

Band-LOK, LLC announced the first successful use of its polyester band technology in correcting spinal column deformities. This first-of-its-kind procedure used a narrow band with a clamp for adjusting tension, instead of screws or traditional clamps that often introduce complications. On the surface, the device looks like an ordinary, hardware-store cable tie. Dr. Mike Albert performed the surgery at Dayton Children’s Hospital in

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Ohio. The Tether Clamp System corrected neuromuscular scoliosis in a patient whose spine was bent 90o. The procedure was performed flawlessly with no failure of the band or bone. The technology was patented last year, and it was licensed for the surgery through an agreement with OrthoPediatrics Corporation of Warsaw, Indiana. Band-LOK is seeking licensing of the Tether Clamp System for orthopedic applications other than spinal corrections, and it has other patents pending for diversifying the operation beyond orthopedics.

Band-LOK is a medical technology incubator developing the bands for “less-invasive, anatomy-friendly” corrective procedures.

Students Learn about the Real World holly springs

ITT Technical Institute, with headquarters in Carmel, Indiana and 130 campuses in 38 states, shuttered September 6, with no advance warning. The decision left 45,000 students across the country, including those on its four North Carolina campuses, stranded. ITT explained the decision was made following the United States Department of Education’s decision that the school could no longer enroll students with federal financial aid. The

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decision followed a protest by more than 3,500 students and alumni, known as the ITT Tech Warriors, who demanded debt forgiveness, having received what they said was a subprime education for premium tuition rates. The North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, which had received ten complaints about ITT, says the students’ credits may not transfer to Miller-Motte or DeVry University due to several complaints the state has received about those schools as well.

Fortunately, MyComputerCareer, based in Holly Springs, is offering ITT Tech students 37% off tuition for its IT Systems Administrator program. The program is certificate-only, offering credentials from Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO, and EC-Council. Students not electing to transfer their ITT credits are eligible for a “closed school discharge” to fully forgive their student loans.

documents beforehand, on her own time at home. Jim Danis, president of Residential Mortgage, believes it won’t be long before homebuyers will go through the entire closing process at home. Today, all documents except for the mortgage note and deed of trust may be signed online. Representatives from Pasavo, the company handling the e-closing, traveled from Indianapolis, Indiana, and Cleveland, Ohio, to oversee the pioneer signing. Vaz said having the chance to read the documents a priori and ask as many questions as she had to, took a lot of stress out of the closing process. Back in 1998, a North Carolina law ruled electronic signatures were as good as paper signatures for transactions with public agencies. Two years later, another law did the same for private-sector transactions.

Speed Closing

gastonia

fayetteville

Jacqueline Vaz became a homebuyer in a 15-minute closing session in a conference room at Residential Mortgage Corporation. The event marked the first e-closing ever in North Carolina. Vaz had been able to review all the necessary

Chemical Bonding Two international chemical companies with facilities in Gaston County announced a $2.69 billion merger.

Lanxess, headquartered in Cologne, Germany, offered to buy the struggling Philadelphia-based Chemtura, funding part of the purchase price with debt.

Chemtura employs 85 at its Gastonia

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Thanks to the team at FASTSIGNS of Asheville for delivering such an excellent product. We look forward to working with them for future projects. ” -Annie Carlson, Executive Director of Marketing and Communication, Montreat College

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plant, which manufactures urethane for industrial parts like automobile valves.

Lanxess employs 39 at its plant, which manufactures Durethan and Pocan, which are used in the automotive industry for oil pans, coolant pipes, steering rods, and pedals. While some overlap in employment is expected, Lanxess will not announce any layoffs until the deal is closed, which should be midyear 2017. At that time, anybody laid off will receive at least two years of severance compensation. In 2010 Chemtura filed for bankruptcy, following the payment of $26 million in fines charged by federal regulators for violating the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. Lanxess' Gastonia facility just completed a $15 million expansion phase to double its production capacity. The deal must still be approved by Chemtura’s shareholders and regulators in Europe, the United States, and China.

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For the second year in a row, the Princeton Review ranked UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler’s online MBA@UNC program the best online MBA program in the country. Kenan-Flagler competed among 90 institutions for a prize that considered the results of surveys sent to almost 4,000 students and graduates.

Questions pertained to academics, selectivity, faculty, technical platforms, and career outcomes. Of Kenan-Flagler students, 76% said they had received a promotion while in the program, and the average salary increase of graduates, during enrollment, was $33,000.

Kenan-Flagler launched in 2011, and it has grown to serve 765 students from 46 states and 15 countries. The program is designed to teach technical and managerial skills for outcome-oriented leadership. Students have the flexibility of learning around working hours, as well as online access to distinguished faculty and learning experiences from around the world. In addition to classroom exercises, the program links students to

career counseling, executive coaching, and assistance with job application. The school was also top-ranked in its category

by US News & World Report.

A Company with a Small Cold durham

Phononic, named to CNBC’s 2016 Disruptor 50 list, announced it has raised $30 million in growth equity financing. New investors include GGV Capital and Lookout Capital. They join several groups who recommitted with renewed investment. Phononic applies solid-state semiconductor technology for thermal control in applications formerly believed to be beyond help. The company uses its scalable technology in the design, prototyping, and manufacturing of custom components, devices, and integrated systems. In addition to providing climate control for the home or office, the technology can be used in the health and biotech industries to keep samples at the correct temperature, or it can be scaled down to the micro or pico level to dissipate heat in fiber optic networks. Phononic’s smart products are displacing hundred-year-old incumbent technologies like compressors, heat sinks, and fans. The new financing will be used to expand worldwide sales and marketing, particularly in Asia.

Experience Pays lake norman

Lake Norman was one of nine venues in this year’s Walmart Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) Tour Invitational.

Due to the time of year, characterized by seasonal currents and turnover, Lake Norman was not going to be predictable.

The lake has a maximum depth of 130 feet, and the water was hot. Participants competed for almost $3 million in prize money, which was split among 35 finalists. The overall winner was Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina. Contestants

came from all over the country, so he had a hometown advantage in being familiar with the lake. Thrift’s strategy was to angle in the nooks where he’d previously had success. Although his catch was dismal compared to the lake’s potential during the three-day competition, he won $61,000, plus a spot in the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup. The event was hosted by Visit Lake Norman, Visit Charlotte, and Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation. The first of these invitationals was in 1996 when Irwin L. Jacobs purchased a small bass tournament in Kentucky and renamed it FLW in honor of the founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood.

One Man’s Compulsion Is Another Man’s Museum nags head

Nellie Myrtle Pridgen would, by some accounts, have been considered a packrat. Throughout her life, she walked the Outer Banks collecting items that washed on the beach or were exposed by shifting sand dunes. Her house was filled with sea glass, feathers, exotic shells, bricks, odd toys, military gear, arrowheads, coins, glass bottles, and fishing gear. One of the more interesting items was a piece of lightning glass the size of a bicycle wheel.

Pridgen was an avid reader who clipped articles on anything to do with the beach, too. She witnessed the World War II U-boat campaign, and her photograph of an oil spill was published by National Geographic. At age 74, Pridgen died in 1992, leaving her daughter, Carmen Gray, and friends, Chaz Winkler and Dorothy Hope, the ten-year task of sorting through the treasure trove of local history. They had, in effect, a museum, which they opened to the public on rare occasions. Now, Winkler and Hope have launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy the property behind the old home, and move the building for better access.

The move will help Winkler and Hope open the Outer Banks Beachcomber Museum to the public year-round.

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Eat, Pray, Hike! written by marl a hardee milling

Looking to work off all those Thanksgiving meal calories? Consult the Capital at Play guide to day hikes in Western North Carolina.

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SIDE VIEW of Biltmore Estate, photo by Bonnie Roberson leisure & libation

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ife is built on choices, and this Thanksgiving you can choose to recline after a big meal and watch football games all afternoon, or you can choose to work off that meal by hitting a trail.

We’re blessed in Western North Carolina to live in a place where it would be virtually impossible to walk the entire myriad of trails that crisscross our landscape. You can find everything from an easy stroll to a moderate hike to a strenuous, muscle-burning climb. The biggest challenge is deciding where to go.

We’ve narrowed it down by some fun categories—see if

there’s a trek that piques your interest. There are a few tips that you know, but certainly worth repeating: Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return, take plenty of water and any snacks you might need, dress in layers, maintain “Leave No Trace” ethics on your journey (i.e., if you pack it in, pack it back out), and know the rules for particular trails before you go—for example, there are some places you can’t take dogs with you. [Note: Links are provided below, but detailed info about most of the trails can be obtained simply by Googling them.]

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Attractions Open Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is typically one of those days when many attractions close their doors, but there are a couple of places with hiking trails that will continue to roll out a welcome mat, even on November 24.

Biltmore Estate Biltmore Estate is one of them. With dining options on the estate—including a big buffet Thanksgiving feast at Deerpark— you might want to make a whole day of it. Enjoy the food and then head out on a trail without leaving the property. There are nearly 22 miles of hiking trails at Biltmore and quite a bit of variety with trails running beside the French Broad River, dipping through the forests, or cascading through open meadows. Tip: Stop by the Bike Barn or Outdoor Adventure Center at Antler Hill Village for a detailed trail map and orientation.

Regular estate admission applies.

Here’s a quick look at some of the Estate trails: Farm Trail: This is a 6-mile round trip with flat gravel and dirt trail winding along the French Broad River. It also leads to the Arbor Trace Trail (a 3.5-mile round trip) that meanders in and out of the woods and showcases views of agriculture on the estate and the historic Cottage on Biltmore Estate.

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Lagoon Trail: The paved 3-mile (round trip) trail passes the French Broad River and estate farmland, along with a great view of the west side of Biltmore House.

Deer Park Trail: Leading from the Lagoon through Deer Park and up to the South Terrace (a 2.5-mile round trip), it also provides access to the estate gardens and Bass Pond. www.biltmore.com

The North Carolina Arboretum A great way to experience the Winter Lights outdoor holiday light exhibit on a nighttime stroll. It runs from 6PM to 10PM, November 18 – January 1, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. While this might not be a typical hike, it will get you moving outdoors and provides plenty of amazing displays along the way. Keep in mind, tickets are date specific and must be purchased in advance. www.ncarboretum.org/exhibits-events/winter-lights

Carl Sandburg Trails The Carl Sandburg National Historic Site in Flat Rock is closed for Thanksgiving, but staff there says visitors can still access the grounds and hike the trails on the property. There are five

MOUNT MITCHELL Observation deck, photo courtesy NC State Parks on NC.gov

miles of trails here, including the Glassy Mountain Trail to the top of Big Glassy Mountain. It begins behind the house, but you can also access it by crossing a field across from the goat barns. www.nps.gov/carl

Best View Payoff If you are looking for trails that lead to stunning 360-degree views of the Western North Carolina mountains, there are several that quickly come to mind. Of course, how far you can see on any particular day depends on the weather conditions at the time.

Clingman’s Dome If it’s a clear day when you reach the summit at Clingman’s Dome, you’ll likely have a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s right at the North Carolina/ Tennessee line and rises 6,643 feet—the highest mountain in the Park, the highest point along the Appalachian Trail, and the third highest peak east of the Mississippi. It’s 23 miles from Cherokee. www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/clingmansdome.htm GR ANDFATHER MOUNTAIN Profile Trail, photo by Skip Sickler of The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 85

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UNC Asheville

CHIMNEY ROCK Fall View photo by Chuck Hill Photography

Family Business Forum PRESENTS:

CLOSING THE LEGAL AND TAX GAP Taxes. Branding. Overtime.

Learn from Rollin Groseclose and Mickey Dale from Johnson Price Sprinkle as they discuss changes in tax laws and possible consequences from the election.

Are you building and protecting your brand as you should be? Rebecca Crandall, from McGuire Wood & Bissette, will explain exactly what functions as a brand, how to protect brands, and best practices for using brands.

Do you know about the Department of Labor’s (DOL) overtime pay rules? Sabrina Rockoff, from McGuire Wood & Bissette, will provide information you need to know.

THUR SDAY, DECEMBER 1 8-11am | UNC Asheville Sherrill Center, Mountain View Room RSVP required to cclarke@unca.edu or online at fbf.unca.edu/register before Nov. 30 Free for Family Business Forum members.

Non-members $49. Breakfast will be served. Free parking in the deck in front of the Sherrill Center.

For more events in this speaker series, visit fbf.unca.edu/speaker-series

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Craggy Pinnacle Trail Fairly moderate, this 1.4-mile round trip hike leads to spectacular views at a summit elevation of 5,892 feet. Located at milepost 364.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the parking lot for this trail is found just past the Craggy Gardens Visitor’s Center. Go through a short tunnel and then turn left into the lot. Pay attention to signs—there are fragile, endangered species here, so stay on the marked trails to protect them. www.brptrails.com/brp3641-craggy-pinnacle.htm

Sam Knob Summit Trail Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, this 2.2-mile round trip hike begins at 5,800 feet and climbs to 6,050 at the double peak of Sam Knob. To get there, drive south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to milepost 420 and then turn right on Forest Service Rd. 816. Go 1.2 miles to the parking area. www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/black-balsam/sam-knob

Table Rock Trail A more challenging hike, but the views make it worth it. It’s about a mile to the summit of Table Rock, which is located on the eastern edge of the Linville Gorge. This is where you’ll find a popular rock climbing spot known as The Chimneys and have a chance to see Peregrine Falcons in the area. Dogs must be leashed; use caution taking kids because of some exposed cliffs and rock scrambling required to navigate to the top. For detailed directions check the website. www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/table-rock--3

Trails Around Waterfalls Catawba Falls It’s only been in recent years that the trail to Catawba Falls has become public, with the United States Forest Service acquiring the surrounding land in 2010 from the Foothills Conservancy. Located near Old Fort, the trail to the falls follows the Catawba River and is a 3-mile round trip. www.hikingupward.com/PNF/CatawbaFalls

Crabtree Falls Head up the Blue Ridge Parkway toward Little Switzerland and turn into the Crabtree Meadows Recreation Area at milepost 339.5. The trail is a fairly moderate 2.5-mile loop. The payoff is a gorgeous 70-foot waterfall. It’s okay to take dogs, but they must be leashed. www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/crabtree-falls-trail

Dupont Forest Falls Dupont State Forest is a waterfall lovers dream, with several to explore: Triple Falls, High Falls, Hooker Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Wintergreen Falls, and Grassy Creek Falls. Start at the Hooker Falls parking lot on Staton Road. From there you can walk to Hooker Falls and stand on the observation deck. Proceed on (about a 7-minute walk) upstream to Triple Falls, and High Falls is about 15 minutes past that.

TRIPLE FALLS at Dupont State Forest

www.dupontforest.com/explore

Graveyard Fields Trail Milepost 418.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway is the place to find this popular hiking spot. One of the trails here, the Graveyard Fields Loop (4 miles) is probably the most well traveled and leads to some beautiful falls. www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/graveyard-fields/graveyard-fields

High Falls Trail Just a little north of Cashiers, this somewhat challenging 1.4-mile (round trip) trail leads to the High Falls waterfall at Lake Glenville. Here you’ll see the Tuckasegee River pouring over a 100+ foot cliff, creating stunning beauty. Park at the High Falls trailhead at Lake Glenville. www.ashevilletrails.com/cashiers-highlands-nc/high-fallslake-glenville-hike/

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Hike the Mountains All the locations covered in this story are here, or get the Google map on our website CapitalatPlay.com.

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VIEW from Mount Pisgah

Linville Falls This is one of the most popular waterfalls in the region, with a Falls Trail that is easy and is only a 1.6-mile round trip.

There are other trails here as well that lead to this spectacular three-tiered waterfall, including the more strenuous Gorge Trail (1.4 miles) and the Plunge Basin Trail (1 mile). You’ll find the Visitor’s Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 316.

Skinny Dip Falls Park at the Looking Glass Rock overlook at milepost 417 on the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP). The trail to the falls is only a half mile and begins across the BRP from the parking area. It’s a fairly easy walk, although you will encounter a few climbs and rocks. Keep this spot in mind when next summer rolls around— it’s a popular swimming hole. www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/blue-ridgeparkway-section-5/skinny-dip-falls

Trails Around Lakes Beaver Lake, Asheville It’s fairly new to be able to walk all the way around Beaver Lake in North Asheville. Park at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary on Merrimon Avenue and access the trail at the far end of the parking area. It takes about 45 minutes to go all the way around the lake. There is a short stretch where you’ll have to walk on the sidewalk beside the very busy Merrimon Avenue, so keep your guard up.

Lake Louise, Weaverville Follow the well-traveled path around Lake Louise in Weaverville. It’s a popular spot for walkers and joggers.

The Town of Weaverville owns and maintains Lake Louise Park, and if you want to stop during your walk, there are picnic shelters, grills, a playground, restrooms, and fishing spots. www.weavervillenc.org/recreation

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Julian Price Lake, Blowing Rock Up in the High Country, it’s easy to traverse the 2.7-mile loop circling the 47-acre Julian Price lake. The first mile is a Kids Track Trail. Access the trail from the Price Lake Overlook (milepost 296.7 on the Blue Ridge Parkway) or the Boone Fork Overlook (milepost 297.1). There are many other trails in this area. Details of all the Julian Price Park Hiking Trails can be found online. www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/julianprice-trails.htm

Kids in Parks Track Trails If you’re planning to hit the trail with kids, there are some in our area designed specifically for young explorers. It’s part of the K ids In Parks Track Trail Program. Each trail features a self-guided brochure and prizes kids can win for tracking their adventure. Sign up free online, November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 91

leisure & libation

choose a trail to hike, track the adventure, and get prizes— it’s that simple.

The website spotlights these trails in several states, including North Carolina. The very first Track Trail was installed August 29, 2009, at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Asheville Visitor Center, located at 195 Hemphill Knob Road. The trail here is a looping 1.5-mile walk with a few hills and stairs. It follows part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail on both sides of the parkway.

(Note: prepare for a road crossing.)

We don’t have space to detail all of the Track Trails in our area, but here are a few to consider. Explore the others online.

Along with the brochures, you can also find detailed driving directions and other information. www.kidsinparks.com

North Carolina Arboretum Track Trail The trail here is an easy 1.3-mile loop that follows the Natural Garden Trail and winds through a mixed hardwood forest and formal gardens. Download brochures for two adventures here: Hide and Seek and Turtle Tales.

Chimney Rock State Park There are four suggested adventures you can download, including Bug Off, Nature’s Hide & Seek, Need for Trees, and Track & Traces. These adventures can be used on any trail in the park, but young kids will particularly enjoy the Great Woodland Adventure Trail, which is a half mile loop with interpretive exhibits featuring Grady the Groundhog, the mascot for Chimney Rock.

Fletcher Community Park Enjoy a 1-mile (round trip) walk that follows Cane Creek and Hoopers Creek. This Track Trail provides families with scenic views of distant mountains. There’s also access to many miles of trails around this park.

Other Family Favorites The Botanical Gardens at Asheville The gardens here are open free every day of the year from dawn to dusk and feature easy trails through a diverse collection of more than 600 plant species native to the Southern

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Appalachians. Walk beside the creek along a path up to the dog trot cabin, but note that pets are not allowed here. www.ashevillebotanicalgardens.org

Moses Cone Park Trails There’s a network of fairly easy trails around the Moses Cone House near Blowing Rock. A fun way to start is to do the loop around Bass Lake and then follow the trail up to the historic house. The house, known as “Flat Top Manor,” is now the home of the Parkway Craft Center. www.blowingrock.com/hiking-trails/

hike is ranked moderate to strenuous as you work your way to the 5,721-foot summit. If you want to cover more distance, turn left shortly after starting the Mt. Pisgah trail and follow the trail (6-mile round trip) to Fryingpan Lookout Tower. www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/blue-ridge-parkway-section-5/ mount-pisgah

The Profile Trail at Grandfather Mountain This is an all-day hiking event taking you through one of North Carolina’s most rugged landscapes. There are steep inclines, boulder-strewn paths, and other obstacles. www.hikingupward.com/NCSP/GrandfatherMountainProfileTrail/

Requires More Stamina

Mount Mitchell

If you’re up for a more strenuous challenge, there are trails that will certainly push you past your comfort zone.

One of the toughest climbs in the region starts at the Black Mountain Campground on the Toe River and heads up to the summit of Mount Mitchell, which, at 6,684 feet, is the highest peak east of the Mississippi. The total length of this rough and rugged hike is 11.4 miles.

Mount Pisgah This popular peak is located at milepost 407.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway—easy to spot from a distance because it’s the site of the WLOS-TV transmission tower. This 3-mile round trip

www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/appalachian-ranger-district/ mount-mitchell

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The Faces of

Timeless Commercial Real Estate

Biltmore Property Group (BPG) was formed in 2009 and bases its operations in Asheville’s Historic Biltmore Village.

BPG was formed to direct, manage, and expand the real estate holdings of its principals: the Bell Family, John A. Batt, Jr., and John F. French. BPG’s affiliates own and operate Jos. A. Bank franchises and Palm Village Lilly Pulitzer Signature Stores.

BPG and its affiliates develop, own, and operate community-oriented shopping centers. BPG develops projects in

proven retail areas where there is an additional community need and demand from BPG’s retail partners. Since its formation, BPG has received awards for its projects, including the Carraway Award of Merit by The Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina, for BPG’s preservation of Asheville’s iconic Biltmore School; the Counselors of Real Estate “CREative Thinkers” Award; and The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County’s Griffin Award.

In order of appearance, L-R

Timothy F. Finley (Senior Advisor) is a retired CEO of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers and founder of The Finley Group.

Mr. Finley was president of Fred’s Inc., Castleberry Foods, and Otasco, and was formerly a partner at Deloitte, Haskins and Sells.

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William N. Tepper directs the efforts of BPG’s affiliates. Mr. Tepper has over 14years of retail experience in build outs, leasing, and operations with BPG. Curtis S. Williams, (VP of Development) began as BPG’s Director of Leasing and Acquisitions. He now focuses his

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efforts on development projects. Mr. Williams has 12+ years’ experience in real estate.

Guy L. Forcucci (CFO and Senior VP of Development) served Deloitte as Tax Partner in charge for the Carolinas.

Mr. Forcucci serves BPG by overseeing development activity and financial reporting.

Benjamin W. Mitchell (Director of Administration) has more than a decade of experience working with attorneys, contractors, developers, retailers, and local governments. Mr. Mitchell’s work spans the breadth of BPG’s activities.

Jefferson E. Bell (Director of Property Management and Principal) started in retail clothing at an early age under

his father’s tutelage, and learned the retail business from the ground up.

John W. (Bill) Bell, Jr. (Chairman Emeritus, Director and Principal of BPG) has 57+ years’ retail and real estate development experience. In 1963, Mr. Bell founded Bell’s Traditionals Ltd., an upscale men’s and women’s clothing and gift store.

John W. Bell, III (CEO, Director and Principal) has 30+ years’ experience in retail and real estate development. He has managed and guided BPG from the beginning—BPG now has 20+ properties in five states, with a value approaching $100 million.

James T. Gunn (Executive VP of Finance) has 35 years’ experience in real estate, primarily financing commercial real estate projects.

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— L-R: April Cogswell, Melinda Morgan, Lauren Propst, Dr. George Ibrahim, Haylee Guthrie, Kate Gustafson, & Amber Hysmith

Faces of Enterprise

The Faces of

Age Management

Dr. George K. Ibrahim has been practicing hormone balancing, restorative, and anti-aging medicine in the Asheville area for more than 25 years, previously as Clinical Professor of Urology for Duke University at the Oteen Medical Center. When he was a urologic oncologist (cancer surgeon), he used to save lives. Today he changes lives. His patients routinely tell him things like, “My spouse and I feel as if we are newly engaged, not just married for 30 years!”; “My headaches have vanished!”; “I can sleep, finally, and without those horrible meds!”

Explains Dr. Ibrahim, “I was already practicing in Asheville and developed MS, which made performing surgery risky. As a urologist, I was very well-trained in many of the conditions affecting men and women as they age. I saw that no one then, nor now, in this area was actually trained and certified in age management. I realized that, as the only physician certified in such, I could offer the men and women of WNC a unique opportunity.”

With expansive offerings in this growing industry, the most difficult part of his job is not adding more “trendy” services, with a goal of being the absolute best at what he already offers.

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When you are 13 you don’t have too many job prospects. At least that’s how Colton Mattress owner Mike Emerson remembers it. So he walked into a small mattress store down the street in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the owner put a broom in his hand. He began sweeping the floor. It was his start.

Seven years later, when the owner wanted to sell his store, Mike bought it. A couple of years later, he opened a second store and kept opening them until he had 20 in five states – Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Emerson semi-retired and moved to Asheville. Even though he owns half the

business that is still in operation, he was feeling bored. So he decided to open another mattress factory in Asheville, and named it after his son Colton.

Handcrafted in his store on Hendersonville Road, Colton’s factory-crafted mattresses offer unmatched durability, uncompromising comfort, and outstanding orthopedic support.

Mike says that there are a lot of people out there who don’t sleep well, and the real satisfaction he gets out of the business is by helping them do so. And he works hard to make it happen.

Faces of Enterprise

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Faces of Enterprise

The Faces of Progress L-R: Van Blankenship, Anthony Pelle, & Tony Pelle - Page 2 Jerry Hagan, Robby Clark, & Scott Wilbanks

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Prestige Subaru, aside from being the leading Subaru dealership in the Southeastern United States, is also a locally-owned, family-run dealership. In the words of Prestige’s owner Tony Pelle, “At Prestige, we do business in a progressive and transparent way. Our customers are educated and internet savvy, and are ranging in age from 18 to 80.”

They’ve been in business on Tunnel Road since 1992, and have the expertise to match their longevity and achievement. In that time, Tony has seen many changes, and he continues to innovate to stay ahead of the curve. “The car business is in my blood; it’s what my father did. Like most businesses, the car business has changed, and Prestige is constantly changing and adapting to improve.”

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The Faces of Fine Furniture Shopping at Tyson Furniture in downtown Black Mountain is a unique experience. The town itself is a magnet for visitors with its beautiful setting, interesting shops, and great places to eat. Tyson’s is a sprawling store spread out over an entire block of Black Mountain. The huge selection includes the best in today’s furniture and accessories, from Stressless Ekornes recliners made in Norway, to fine quality Amish solid wood furniture made in America. Tyson Furniture delivers with its own crews and trucks throughout Western North Carolina and the Southeastern United States.

The business was started in 1946, right after World War II, by Alfred (Bub) and Betty Tyson. Business was brisk after the war, and the store rapidly prospered. Joe and Carol Tyson took over the management in 1974. Today they are still active in the day to day activities, but leave much of the management to Danny Plemmons, Ryan Councill, and Sarah West.

The most difficult part of the business is staying on top of trends in a rapidly changing furniture business, but that comes with the reward of forging relationships with generations of returning customers throughout the southeast.

tyson furniture company, inc .

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L-R: Danny Plemmons, Sarah West, Joe Tyson, Carol Tyson, & Ryan Councill | November 2016

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When Andy Marthaler was 16, he was hired to clean the glass and run errands for the local jeweler in his small hometown of Detroit Lakes. Since then, jewelry is all he’s ever known.

From that humble perspective, Andy says that a service-driven approach has informed his working perspective. “At one time I thought I might pursue law enforcement, but when God kept opening the doors for me to be in the jewelry industry, I paid attention and kept pursuing ways to grow in the industry.

“I feel that it’s my job to inform the customer, whether they shop with Marthaler Jewelers or they shop elsewhere, about

what determines value in a stone or jewelry. By running our business with integrity and transparency, I hope that I am encouraging people to respect what brick-and-mortar stores like ours can provide over buying from an unknown online store that doesn’t care about building relationships or providing lifetime service.”

He and his wife, Tonya, love knowing that they are a part of someone’s story. “Personal stories are what define us and what make each relationship unique,” he says. “We will never take for granted the chance to be part of this.”

marthaler jewelers 43 town square blvd suite 130, asheville 28803 - 828.676.1625 - marthalerjewelers.com

L-R: Andy Marthaler, Tonya Marthaler, & Joe Cottrell

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UPDATES FOR

&

NATIONAL WORLD [

news briefs

Not a Bad Sort san clemente, california

Pfizer, Incorporated, announced it would sell its hospital infusion therapy business to ICU Medical, Incorporated.

Pfizer acquired the business last year through a $15 billion purchase of Hospira. The infusion business was making $1.2 billion a year for Pfizer.

Pfizer will retain the generic hospital products and biosimilars operations acquired through the deal, as those lines fold into the corporate plan to focus on pharmaceuticals. The infusion business, however, proved not to be a strategic fit, and Pfizer has been looking for a buyer since July. ICU paid Pfizer $600 million in cash and $400 million in newly-issued shares so the pharmaceutical giant can still retain an interest in the company.

Hospira’s intravenous pumps, solutions,

]

and devices will complement ICU’s business, which focuses on infusion therapy.

After the acquisition, ICU’s estimated revenues will be around $1.45 billion.

promoting firearms safety. Kloepfer is now using a 3D printer to make a gun that uses his fingerprint-identification invention. The biometric sensor can be programmed to authorize up to 999 users with a 99.99% success rate identifying even partial fingerprints. The National Rifle Association weighed in, issuing a statement clarifying they don’t oppose smart guns with biometric locks, but they will work to prevent government from requiring expensive and perhaps faulty technology on firearms.

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Land of Hope and Dreams boulder, colorado

A high school student is developing a prototype for a gun that fires only in the hands of an authorized user. Kai Kloepfer, 17, of Aurora, Colorado, felt inspired to do something to stop the madness after the 2012 theater shooting in his hometown.

He accepted an innovation challenge from Smart Tech Foundation, and won a $50,000 grant to further develop his invention. The Foundation funds research and development for products

Wells Fargo & Company was recently scandalized when fined for illegal practices, most notably the opening of two million accounts in borrowed or fake names to meet sales targets. The bank must now pay $100 million in fines to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, $50 million to the City and County of Los Angeles, and $35 million to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Although the company had fired 5,300 employees caught in the act, it is faulted for not holding higher-level actors accountable. As investigations

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by Congress and federal prosecutors continue, Wells Fargo has announced damage control strategies. The bank has eliminated sales targets, and it will now send customers confirmation notices whenever an account is opened in their name. Customers known to have been affected have already been issued full refunds for any first-order damages, and an investigation is seeking others who may have been harmed. CEO John Stumpf eventually stepped down following the investigation. He and former retail banking head Carrie Tolstedt have agreed to forfeit a total of $60 million in equity awards.

And up from the Bay Came a Bubbling Crude barrow, alaska

Caelus Energy, LLC, a privately-held company specializing in oil and gas exploration and strategies for getting the fuels to markets, discovered a new oil field off Alaska’s North Slope, in Smith Bay, 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

Preliminary models suggest the field may hold as much as 6 billion barrels of oil, and that a nearby field could raise that number to 10 billion, although only 30%

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to 40% of the reserve would be recoverable. If true, Alaska’s known reserves would increase by 80%. Caelus representatives are talking about bringing barges to Smith Bay and sinking them to build platforms. A 150-mile pipeline would connect into the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline in Prudhoe Bay. Although Alaska’s regulations governing the collection and transportation of carbon fuels are more lenient than those in other parts of the country, even barring additional delays imposed by environmentalist opposition, it could still be some time before the oil starts flowing.

white-lit Mercedes logo stand out. The taillight is a red band. Doors open with a wave of the owners’ hand, and rearview mirrors are replaced with side cameras.

The dashboard features neither knobs nor dials, only rectangular touchscreens.

Since there is no transmission, the console between the seats is more like a little table. Having no transmission, the wheelbase can be stretched to house the batteries safely. EQ vehicles will be able to go about 300 miles on a charge.

Racing in the Streets

bentonville, arkansas

paris , france

Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon recently announced plans to invest more this year in online operations than in new brick-and-mortar stores. Investors and analysts questioned the move, noting Amazon’s stronghold on the online market would be hard to crack. Currently, half of the nation’s households have a $99/year Amazon Prime membership, and 55% of online consumers surveyed said they start their shopping at Amazon.

Amazon not only offers seventeen times more products than Wal-Mart, it offers same-day, if not same-hour, delivery in

Merc ede s -B en z u nvei led t he Generation EQ at the Paris Motor Show in September. To be released in 2019, the sport utility coup is the first in a line of ten SUVs, sedans, and compacts to be released by 2025. The EQ sub-brand will be priced on a par with Mercedes models running on gas-powered motors. The EQ sports a sleek, aerodynamic design that takes advantage of the technology shift. Since electric motors don’t need cooling, the grill has been replaced by black glass with blue lighting to make the

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national & world news

twenty-seven major cities. Wal-Mart, meanwhile, is working to get delivery times down to two days. In Wal-Mart’s favor are its big-box stores, which can serve as local warehouses and offer services like grocery cart pickup. WalMart invested $3.3 billion in acquiring Jet.com to run the online operation.

While McMillon expects the move to grow sales about 10% per year over the next three years, profits are expected to be flat this year, due to the heavy investment in the online ramp-up.

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Jeffrey Fish has introduced into the development review process plans for a revitalization project in Los Angeles’ Pershing Square. Envisioned is a slender, 60-story tower. Articulating the skyscraper will be a thirteenth-floor sky lobby. This will be a multi-story, windowed cutout that will give the portion of the building above it the illusion of floating. Most important, though, are the lap pools to be built into private balconies. The cantilevers will have glass bottoms and sides and overhang the road below. Only about a dozen of the condos will have the pools, and they will be spaced so as not to block each other’s views. They will furthermore only be on the top half of the building to preserve some semblance of privacy. Floating pools have already been integrated into buildings in places like Dubai, Dallas, and Shanghai.

Flash Crash Mishmash london, england

The British pound experienced a flash crash during twilight trading October 7, as Western traders wound down and Asian markets opened. The 104

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pound dropped 6% against the dollar in a matter of minutes to a 31-year low of $1.18. The drop was so chaotic, some sources claimed the value fell as far as $1.13. Within the hour, the pound regained and maintained values between $1.23 and $1.24. The cause of the dip remains a source of speculation. It may have been caused by a big trader making a big move. A more popular theory is that French President Francois Hollande’s call for “tough Brexit negotiations” triggered sell orders in computer trading programs scanning newsfeeds for negative Brexit stories. The idea that the flash crash was caused by a typographical error is not being taken seriously. Whatever the cause, it is believed the initial dip set off an avalanche of fire sales.

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Google’s Pixel smartphone is set to launch October 20. Alphabet, Inc., has declined to say exactly how much it will spend on advertising, but the marketing drive will be intense, since branding is a significant part of sales by established competitors Samsung Electronics and Apple, Incorporated. Although Google’s Android system is used by most of the world’s smartphones, including Samsung’s, shy of minor excursions like Chromecast, this will be Google’s first hardware marketed to consumers.

Previews have applauded the Pixel for its sleek aluminum and glass design and for being fast-charging (it delivers seven hours of power for 15 minutes of charge). The 12-megapixel camera is really getting raves with its Smartburst, enhanced HDR+, fastest shutter on the market, and free unlimited cloud storage. Most negative commentary surrounds Google’s decision to give Verizon exclusive rights to sell in the United States.

Big Boss Man new york, new york

Rock giant Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography, Born to Run, sold more than 117,000 print copies in the United States in its first week. It rose to No. 1 on best-selling lists in the United States, Ireland, Australia, Sweden, and Austria.

Springsteen took seven years to write the book, employing no co-author. It is described as an honest look into his life, which bypassed the fast-lane that consumes so many in the business.

Springsteen said he hoped the book would help dispel some of the immortalizing mythology that has grown up around him. Springsteen drew crowds as he made several appearances, distributing pre-signed copies of his book with photo ops. The book was released along with the artist’s new compilation album, Chapter and Verse, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and reached top-ten billings in sixteen other countries. Simon & Schuster published Born to Run with a $10 million advance.

Neo Brio israel

Dr. Michael Laitman (Professor of Ontology and Theory of Knowledge, PhD in Philosophy and Kabbala, MS in Medical Bio-Cybernetics), has been talking once again about his popular theory that humans actually live within the Matrix, this time drawing Silicon Valley into the dialogue. In October, Laitman posted a video to his YouTube channel titled “Tech billionaires secretly funding scientists” researching how to break out the Matrix. He asserted that it’s impossible to escape “unless we change our nature. We need an external force to get us out of it. Something that will influence us in a way that will change our perception of reality, the way we see things. The wisdom of Kabbalah is talking about this for the past 6000 years. Scientists can't come to that.

They can't influence it in any way.”

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video intervie w

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The journey of Meg Ragland and Carolyn Lanzetta, from squirreling away kids’ keepsakes, to permanently memorializing them as mementos.

PLUM LUCK written by emily gl aser

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photos by anthony harden

November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 107

A PLUM PRINT BOOK and a collection of artwork

Ascend creaking stairs, hidden behind oft-closed attic doors or folded up into stifling ceilings. Step into the basement past motes of stirred dust, startled spiders, and splotched mold. Dive beneath the underbellies of guestroom beds. Dig into the poorlylit confines of storage closets. There you’ll find it all: Stuffed in crumbling cardboard boxes and hastilylabeled plastic tubs are treasure troves of cherished childhood archives, long-forgotten memories that have lain untouched for months, years, sometimes even decades.

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MEG R AGL AND (L) AND CAROLYN L ANZET TA (R)

Opening one of these boxes and unfurling years-old artwork or awards is like plucking those memories right out of the depths of our consciousness, but how often do we actually bother to make that ascent or descent in order to dust off the finger-painted, popsicle stick-lined memory lane?

For Meg Ragland and Carolyn Lanzetta, figuring out the answer to that question led to their creating a unique new business, Plum Print.

For most of us, of course, the typical answer would be “rarely” or “never.” In a modern society where waste is taboo, nostalgia is a cultural prerequisite, and homes come with hundreds of square footage of potential storage, it’s easy to squirrel away mounds of beloved children’s artwork and familial mementos.

We’re too maudlin to dispose of these artifacts, but too busy to remove them from their mausoleum; instead, they remain clandestine keepsakes thrust into the hidden corners of our homes. There has to be an alternative, an easy archive system to condense and store those memories, one that you can effortlessly access to stir that muddled potion of memories.

Ragland and Lanzetta’s solution? Excavate those storage areas, scavenge through those boxes and bins, and send those partially-forgotten archives off in a Plum Parcel. Within a few weeks, you’ll receive a uniquely-designed modern scrapbook/ coffee table book, its pages filled with digitized reproductions of those cherished keepsakes.

A Similar Solution Like most entrepreneurial undertakings, the journey

by Ragland and Lanzetta to Plum Print’s creation was not entirely intentional. The two friends arrived at the same juncture in their career paths almost simultaneously. Both Ragland, an editor for women’s magazines (including Women’s Day and Family Circle), and Lanzetta, an equity trader at JP Morgan on Wall Street, had been working long hours and late nights, returning to youngsters in the evening exhausted.

The prospect of continuing along their current paths with more tots in tow was unthinkable. Instead, Ragland and Lanzetta resolved to quit their careers and embark on a new business venture together. But what, exactly, would their business do?

Even as the two women grappled with the purpose of their enterprise, they found themselves addressing another, very different question. Each of their eldest children were reaching that fortuitous age at which creativity blossoms in the form of finger-paintings, crayon-colored pages, and stick-fingered drawings; as a result, the two moms found themselves with mountains of artwork and no solution for storage or preservation. In the land of lofts and high-rises, no one had the space to stash the mementos, but no one had an alternative solution, either. Eventually, those two questions—what kind of business to start and how to save their children’s artwork—found a common answer.

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“We had talked for quite a while about starting a business,” Ragland remembers, “and it was kind of random that one day we were talking about, ‘What do you do with all your kids’ artwork?’ She didn’t have an answer, and I didn’t have an answer, and we asked other people with older kids, and none of them had an answer.”

What answers they did receive were less solutions than additional obstacles. “They were like, ‘I stuff it in a box,’ but in New York City you don’t have a basement to stick it in!” Ragland notes, with a laugh.

Faced with a mutual dilemma, the two women created their own solution. Lanzetta had begun photographing her daughter’s work, editing the images with Photoshop and InDesign to remove wrinkles and stains, and designing a simple layout to showcase the digitized artwork. She then found a company that would take those photos and print a single edition of her unique creation: a hardcover book, its pages filled with the creations of her kids. One of the images in that first book—a plum-colored purple handprint—provided a sticky namesake, Plum Print.

The response was immediate, and loud.

“When I saw her book, and other people saw it, they were like, ‘Oh my gosh, we want one!’” says Ragland. A business was born.

Pushing up Plums After fielding dozens of requests for books similar to the one created by Lanzetta for her own daughter, in 2012 the two moms/entrepreneurs put together a website, bootstrapping and pinching pennies to make their idea a reality without the assistance of outside investors. They taught themselves basic graphic design, refining the process along the way, as Ragland’s magazine background was in editorial, not creative design, making her prior experience not exactly applicable.

From day one, the idea was to automate and streamline the online ordering process to make it as easy as possible for harried parents; it was a sympathetic scheme that worked. Plum Print has never taken a traditional advertising route or placed slick ads in magazines, instead relying on Lanzetta’s own marketing experience to boost the standing of the swiftly growing company.

Combined with the overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth by their friends, and then by those friends’ friends, they had a built-in customer base from the start, and the orders poured in.

As the business developed, Plum Print quickly outgrew its humble thresholds. The company was thriving, growing quickly, and the two moms recognized they needed additional office space, as well as room for future expansion. Since space itself is a sparse commodity in New York, Ragland and Lanzetta knew they would need to move outside the city. Concomitantly, Ragland’s family, eager for open spaces and clean air, had begun considering a permanent move. Asheville became the natural solution.

“My husband grew up in Winston-Salem and so we were very familiar with Asheville,” Ragland notes. “We had visited 110

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Asheville on vacations and loved it here. My husband works in the music business, and brought his company, NewSong Music, to Echo Mountain Recording studios here in Asheville at the same time we brought Plum Print here.” [Note: Ragland’s husband, Gar Ragland, was included in our report on the Asheville music scene that appeared in the October 2016 issue.]

The decision was made even easier by Plum Print’s induction into the small business incubator at A-B Tech’s Enka campus, where businesses are invited to stay for two to three years, nurtured and allowed to expand into additional spaces within the campus. “The Asheville Chamber and folks with Ignite Asheville were very instrumental in meeting with us and encouraging our move to Asheville and introducing us to the entrepreneurial side of Asheville, and introducing me to the amazing folks at the incubator,” remembers Ragland.

Plum Print didn’t merely receive the formal support of the incubator, but the genuine encouragement of the local community; Ragland and Lanzetta’s undertaking was the first investment of the Asheville Angels. (This seed round in 2015 was their first, led by a VC firm, Brooklyn Bridge Ventures, and rounded out by angel investors, including the

In July the rapid growth of Plum Print prompted the business to move again, this time within Asheville. The move was one they anticipated for months, deftly working the greater expense into their budget. The new space is located at the HatchAVL. Asheville Angels.) Cut to 2016: The business currently has a full-time staff of seven, plus 14 independent contractors in production. Lanzetta, who handles the development and marketing for Plum Print, remained in New York City, while Ragland oversees the production studio in Asheville.

Thousands of thousands of printed books have shipped from the Plum Print office to date, with dozens in production daily.

They’ve created a well-oiled and efficient machine. During three years at the A-B Tech location, Plum Print grew from a single office to include a series of offices and a digitization November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 111

studio, the shipping and storage rooms lined with incoming orders—often, multiple boxes of tokens, tchotchkes, and artwork—along with the completed orders and the accompanying original memorabilia that’s either being returned or in the process of being disposed of.

In July the rapid growth of Plum Print prompted the business to move again, this time within Asheville. The move was one they anticipated for months, deftly working the greater expense into their budget. The new space is located at the HatchAVL, the business concept of Troy & Sons’ Charlie Ball. Located on South French Broad in Asheville, HatchAVL will operate as a business incubator for startups, and Plum Print was one of the first three companies to move in, along with Anthroware and Mob Rocket. (Slated to move in soon are Venture Asheville, Galaxy Digital, UGoTour, LoLo, and Shiny Creek; the large building already houses Hopey & Co. grocery store, Little Bee Thai, and the Grail Moviehouse.)

Here, for the first time, Plum Print has had the opportunity to design and personalize its own workspace, which, with its high ceilings, tall windows, and open floor plan, has a loft-like feel.

The digitization studio is more than twice the size of the previous one at A-B Tech.

Ragland, commenting on the move, notes, “We love the palpable entrepreneurial energy in The Hatch. Our neighboring companies rock; our landlord, Charlie Ball, is the bomb; our space is big and open and bright; our desks are adjustable so we can sit or stand; and best of all, we are downtown!”

Easy as (Plum) Pie With firsthand knowledge of the harriedness of working parents, both women knew they wanted to make this a convenient service. “We know that parents—especially of young kids—are super busy and this is just another thing,” Ragland points out. “They feel guilty throwing it away, so we make it super simple.”

And the process is simple: Place a $39.99 deposit on the Plum Print website, and within a few days a Plum Parcel will arrive on your doorstep. Fill the generously-sized box with your mementos— anything from simple paintings and rolled-up murals to macaroni necklaces and 3D sculptures— and use the prepaid shipping label to send it back to the Plum Print studio. Here, your keepsakes are carefully removed, digitized, and catalogued. The

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Plum Print process for digitization—a scientific algorithm and trade secret that includes white lights and magnets—produces a near flawless product; these aren’t the hastily photographed images you’ll find in an iPhone, but professional and unblemished images of your child’s artwork.

Any flaws that do appear in those initial photos—wrinkles, stains, the subtle age lines of once-crisp folds—are Photoshopped out of the digitized image. Throwing around the term “Photoshop” in relation to treasured children’s artwork makes some parents nervous, but Ragland and the entire Plum Print team are completely devoted to the integrity of the artwork; any Photoshopping is strictly in relation to time-induced flaws in the paper or product.

“When kids’ artwork comes in, it’s seldom flat; it’s often rolled up; it’s often folded; it’s often wrinkled,” Ragland says. “People don’t want to look at a picture in a book with wrinkles on it, so we edit out the wrinkles. We don’t change the artwork; we’re just trying to make it as true to its original form as possible.”

The digitized, fully restored art then makes its way to the graphic design team, where it’s laid out, each page meticulously designed to best feature the art. Once completed, a digital proof is sent to the parents for revision and approval. What edits the parents do send in are usually minimal.

“They can tell us, ‘The cotton ball snowman’s on

his head,’ and we’re like, ‘Oh, we didn’t realize it was a snowman because all the cotton balls were the exact same size,’” Ragland says, with a laugh.

“They can make any small changes like that and then they hit approve and they’re done.” Parents can also organize the pages chronologically, add captions or quotes, and send in an introduction, a “meet the artist” page of sorts that celebrates the creativity of the child.

Once the book is finalized, it’s printed and shipped back to the parents. (The original artwork can also find its way back home for an additional fee; otherwise, it’s sent to “Artwork Heaven.”) The final product—in softcover or hardcover; a price calculator on the Plum Print site outlines the final cost, with, for example, $90 for a softcover book detailing 25 pieces of art, $118 for a small hardcover, and $145 for a large hardcover—is a timeless collection of your child’s artwork, mementos, and memories. Unlike those hidden bins and boxes, Plum Print products are always within reach, those memories easily accessed.

“Even if you have room to store it,” Ragland says, “you never look at it. Whereas if it’s a book on your shelf, you can pull it out.”

A Different Kettle of Prints Plum Print is no doubt successful; their consistent growth over the past few years is a clear November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 113

GORDIE lounging on Plum Print Pillows

Once you send in your the items and they’re digitized, you can access those images in a gallery where they stored indefinitely and on your own terms. You can revisit all the images Plum Print has ever digitized for you.

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indicator of that. But what differentiates them from competitors? It’s a question Ragland hears often.

With a host of websites and apps catering to our modern sentimental and commemorative needs, Plum Print could easily become lost in a sea of services—yet they don’t.

“A lot of people ask, ‘How do you differ from Shutterfly?’ Shutterfly takes your photos and you design your own book. We’re creating the digital images,” says Ragland. “People have piles of their kids’ artwork. They don’t have that digitally, whereas you already have your photos. So really, our benefit is actually the digitizing of your artwork.” Those digital reproductions distinguish Plum Print from any other service on the market, a caveat Ragland and Lanzetta began to recognize and market directly.

Once you send in the items and they’re digitized, you can access those images in a gallery where they stored indefinitely and on your own terms.

You can revisit all the images Plum Print has ever digitized for you, and reintegrate those images into additional books, or new products and gifts—a whole new line of which Plum Print recently unveiled. “Some people who have four kids and they’ve done three books for each kid, they have a lot of images, and they can access those,” Ragland says. “So they can pick 12 and put them into a calendar, [or] they can pick just one for a pillow for grandma for Mother’s Day.” You can even download the images to use in your own projects, be it a collage (admittedly counterintuitive, but you get the point) or even a different service.

Ragland acknowledges that this concept— incorporating your kids’ artwork into gifts for family—isn’t necessarily a new one, but it’s one that can be improved upon and has been by Plum Print.

Whereas other print studios might offer kitschy keychains, T-shirts, and mugs emblazoned with prints of your child’s work, Plum Print sells unique items such as pillows, dog beds, shower curtains, iPhone cases, and 18”-square poufs (sitting cubes).

The company’s shower curtains, in fact, were recently spotlighted by Fox News in a report on unusual July 4 decorations, recommending how parents can turn their kid’s American flag painting into a curtain. (To date, Plum Print has been the beneficiary of quite a bit of positive press, garnering positive press from such media outlets as Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Parents Magazine, ABC News New York, and The Today Show.)

And no matter what, Ragland maintains, their coffee table books will remain their premier November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 115

products; these additional items, she says, are simply a means of “upselling current customers.” It’s a savvy business strategy that capitalizes upon existing customers and those limitless galleries of their digitized keepsakes.

Another unique aspect of Plum Print is the sheer lack of limits when it comes to their digitization and market. When Plum Print began, Ragland and Lanzetta intentionally marketed their books to parents looking for solutions for their kids’ piles of artwork, and they still do. But over the years, they’ve received and digitized a miscellany of memorabilia, clippings, and curios. “People can send whatever they want,” says Ragland, an honest assessment that has earned Plum Print a fair share of curious projects. She recalls one book in which they digitized and categorized a series of hundreds of trophies: A recent high school graduate was flying the coop and heading to college, and his savvy mother (who recognized the awards would wind 116

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up forgotten in the attic) sent in his trophy collection to be memorialized in print. One Plum Print repeat customer in California creates quarterly collections, sending in every scrap and slip, from field trip permission forms to school photos.

They’ve digitized bins of baby clothes and shoes—the kinds of relics parents are loath to discard but can’t store forever.

A baker in Canada sends in collections bi-annually to create tomes of newspaper clippings and archives. The options for what can be immortalized in a Plum Print book are apparently limitless.

Ragland describes one special project, sent from that same regular customer in California: “Her mother-in-law passed away, and she was like, ‘Can you do a book? I have drawers full of stuff from my mother-in-law.’” Ragland gestures, intimating the size of the box that arrived a few weeks after the inquiry, a seemingly massive chest of memories. And its contents were

L-R Keely Knopp, Becky Johnson, Bryan Scanzoni, Sarah Sylvester , Meg Ragland. Cara Richards, & Mary Ellen Towns get to work while Gordie inspects the products

as varied as the life of the woman they documented, from hair ribbons to photographs to belt buckles. Once the project was completed—hundreds of pages—the customer ordered nine copies, one for each member of the family. “She wanted every relative to have it,” Ragland notes. Rather than divide the myriad contents between generations, spurring inevitable squabbles, the clever customer made sure everyone had a tangible copy of every memento—and no one had to store a thing. That project may eventually take shape as a whole new line of business; as they scale, Ragland mentions, they might consider partnering with assisted living homes, where they could provide senior citizens with printed books full of the memories they had to leave behind.

Recently, Plum Print launched the Plum Print Marketplace (Market.PlumPrint.com), which enables artists of any age to sell products featuring their artistic creations, including pillows,

shower curtain, notecards, dog beds, iPhone cases, and more.

From the sale of their items, artists receive royalties that can be directed towards an education fund, a growing career, a toy wish list, or even to benefit a charity of their choice.

Expansion into new markets and ventures is a hallmark of Plum Print. Last year the company revealed their new Ambassador program, an extension of their original motive of making life easier for parents. The Ambassador program offers flexibility and autonomy for moms or dads looking for part-time employment. Just as Plum Print brought Ragland and Lanzetta the freedom they’d been missing in their traditional jobs, so is the Plum Print Ambassador program intended to bring those opportunities to other parents. Perhaps, most popularly to date, they can host parties, where they share samples with other parents. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a mom who touched one of our books and wasn’t like, ‘I want one of these!’” says November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 117

Ragland. It’s also a fun opportunity for moms to take care of the task of sorting and sending their kids’ artwork in; a gathering of friends, a glass of wine, and a Plum Parcel can make for a very appealing afternoon off from parenting. After the party, the ambassador receives a portion of the sales, the hostess receives “Plum Print Dollars” for each sale, and the parents get their own Plum Print book.

Plum Print also partners with schools as a fundraiser, both through ambassadors and independently. Ragland refers to this partnership as the “Easier than a bake sale” fundraiser.

An ambassador simply goes to the school—shipping bags and order forms in tow—and passes them out for students to take home for parents to fill. The ambassadors subsequently pick up the bags and send them on to Plum Print; from there, Plum Print is in direct communication with the parents. It’s decidedly effortless for the actual school, yet they receive a portion of the profits from the fundraiser. “It’s not even [like] a fundraiser; it’s just a service to the parents,” says Ragland.

It’s a win-win for the school and the parents, and of course for Plum Print. Their revenue-sharing models, both as fundraisers and through their Ambassador Program, are “as easy as pie”— which is just what Ragland and Lanzetta always intended.

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Childlike Wonderings By the time a child graduates from elementary school, by some estimates they will have created around 800 pieces of artwork. That’s 800 finger-paintings, papier-mâché projects, and popsicle-stick structures, stuffed into boxes and hidden under beds where they yellow, curl, and flake away. Now multiply those 800 projects by some 25 million elementary school students across the country. It’s this commonality that’s helped turn Plum Print into a nationwide enterprise.

“We saw a need in our immediate area, especially living in New York City, so we thought, ‘Maybe this will just be a need on the coasts, people in big cities, Los Angeles and New York.’

Those are still our number one and number two, but number three is actually Texas; we would think people in Texas have plenty of room to store their kids’ artwork!” she says, smiling.

“But really I think there’s a need—it’s not just centered around a city. Parents everywhere have these boxes and bins, and even if you have room to store it, if you put it in a box or a bin your basement, you never look at it.”

That nationwide need is also responsible for Plum Print’s remarkable 70 percent repeat customer rate, figures rarely cited in businesses outside of coffee shops and grocery stores.

But that return rate isn’t just a matter of a need; as we’ve mentioned, there are other services that could satiate a parent’s hunger for products that memorialize their children’s artwork. The return rate, and the ever-increasing numbers of new customers, is a testament to Plum Print’s

the fact of how much these books mean to the children.”

Ragland cites the inestimable joy that glows from the kids after receiving their own Plum Print book. They see themselves as published authors, artists deserving of their very own publication. But that pride spans generations: “We have some great pictures of Christmas morning, these 30-year-old kids getting their books, and they instantly remember [those events],” says Ragland.

Even Ragland herself has experienced the simple joys of rekindling memories through Plum Print. She recalls sharing her own book with her daughter and the smile that spread across her face as she pointed out similarities in their artistic styles: the way they both drew stick-fingered hands, triangular dresses, family pets with four lines for legs. It’s a moment that stands out in Ragland’s mind, one that might never would have occurred if those yellowed drawings had remained hidden away in attics and basements. Plum Print pulls memories from the stale, veiled corners of the past into the radiant world of today—which is where they’ve always belonged.

But Plum Print’s true success lies not in its profits or projects, but in the pleasure it brings to its customers—especially the kids. merit. “I think that speaks to the quality of our product and our customer service,” says Ragland.

But Plum Print’s true success lies not in its profits or projects, but in the pleasure it brings to its customers— especially the kids. “When we started the business, we really did it to take care of the parents’ needs,” says Ragland. “What we were really happily surprised by was

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15. (L to R) Teri Harrell, NC SHRM State Director Jeff Luttrell, & Molly Lukes 16. Sharon Craig, HR Director, Sierra Nevada & WNC HRA President November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 121

events

november 4 - 6 & 11-13

The Chalk Garden 7:30PM (Fri & Sat), 2PM (Sat & Sun)

november

EVENTS november 1- 22

Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Biennial Juried Show

10AM-5PM (Mon-Fri) Black Mountain Center for the Arts 222 West State St, Black Mountain NC For the past thirteen years, the arts center has hosted the show in its upper gallery. This year’s show takes in a wide range of media judged by Saluda’s own artist, educator, author, and nationally-respected art juror, Bill Jameson.

> FREE > 828-669-0930 > blackmountainarts.org

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Hendersonville Community Theatre 299 South Washington Street Hendersonville, NC Mrs. St. Maugham and her granddaughter, who has issues, find hope in the new but mysterious governess Miss Madrigal.

>Tickets: Adult $22, Youth (0-17) $12 > 828-692-1082 > hendersonvilletheatre.org november 4 , 11, 18 , 25

Needle-Felting Fall Pumpkins & Snowmen

11AM-4PM

Grovewood Gallery 111 Grovewood Road, Asheville, NC Karen Kennedy demonstrates how to make holiday decorations with locally-dyed wool. Kennedy is a graduate of Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program. Big and little pre-mades will be available for sale.

> 828-253-7651 > grovewood.com

– january The Polar Express november 4

7

8PM

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 226 Everett Street, Bryson City, NC The steam-powered locomotive departs the Bryson City depot for a tour up to the North Pole. Music from the movie of the same name will set the mood as children read the story. Santa, of course, will board the train for a meet-and-greet.

> Consult schedule for pricing. > 800-872-4681 > gsmr.com november 4

Balsam Range 8PM

Diana Wortham Theatre 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC Balsam Range won Album of the Year in 2013, and was named Entertainer of the Year in 2014 and the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Vocal Group of the year in 2014 and 2015.

The five-man Appalachian band has taken local music to the world stage.

The music is an infusion of a diversity

of influences and plays out in a variety of soulful styles.

>Tickets: Regular $32, Student $27, Child $20 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com

november 4 - 5

This is the 11th annual. Thousands of enthusiasts typically flock the juried event that this year will showcase the handiwork of over 40 master potters.

Demos will run showing nifty techniques beyond basic throwing on a wheel. Come!

Buy! And lug-a-jug! The affair is rain or shine, ’cos if it rains, you can fill your purchases with free, fresh, mountain water.

> 828-631-5100 > wncpotteryfest@gmail.com

Drive-By Truckers

8PM The Orange Peel 101 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC

november 5 - 6

The storied Southern rockers are making yet another one of their two-night stands in one of their acknowledged favorite towns. Currently on tour supporting their American Band LP, they have a fiercely loyal fanbase, and with good reason: They rock hard and long.

> Admission: $25 > 828-398-1837 > theorangepeel.net november 5

WNC Pottery Festival

10AM-4PM Downtown - Front Street, Dillsboro, NC

Mini Maker Faire: Make & Collaborate

12-5PM Barnes & Noble, Biltmore Park 33 Town Square Boulevard, Suite 100, Asheville, NC

Little Makers (3 and over) work with Legos, Magformers, Brackitz and Squigz.

Junior Makers (8 and over) get to work with LittleBits, Strawbees, and DK Publishing. The Makers without a modifier (13 and over) get to go all out with Lego Architecture and Extraordinaires Design Studio Pro. Special one-hour workshops in virtual reality, 3D printing, robotics, and all that jazz will run simultaneously. Fun, fun, fun.

> 828-687-0681 > barnesandnoble.com november 9

Fiddles-n-Vittles

6-8PM Crest Mountain Dinner Show 6 Celebration Place, Asheville, NC

You’re invited to an evening of wholesome food and entertainment around an outdoor fireplace. The views up there are panoramically splendid; the fiddlers and their music are local.

> Admission: $49 > 828-252-2637 > crestmountainpresents.com november 10

WomanUP

8AM Mission Health Conference Center A-B Tech Campus, Victoria Road, Asheville, NC Everyday Gourmet will cater breakfast for the launch of another initiative promoting women in business. The keynote speaker will be Pamela Ryckman, author

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November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 123

events

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of Stiletto Network: Power Circles that Are Changing the Face of Business. A copy of the book is included with ticket purchase. The initiative and the event, which includes an awards ceremony, are produced by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.

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The Grey Eagle 85 Clingman AvenueAsheville, NC One of the best garage rock bands currently operating, the San Francisco outfit raises a righteous ruckus— cranking the amps to “11” in the process—while literally making the audience part of the show. Sweat not optional.

> Admission: $15 > 828-232-5800 > thegreyeagle.com november 10

Scholars & Scones 5:30-7PM

Blowing Rock Art & History Museum 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock, NC

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Author and educator Leslie Dula McKesson presents Black and White: The Story of Harriet Harshaw and ‘Squire’ James Alfred Dula. The story won the North Carolina Society of Historians’ 2013 Robert Bruce Cook Family History Award. It’s the tale of a forbidden relationship between a slave and her master, and the world’s generational coming-of-age to accept their descendants.

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> 828-295-9099x3006 > blowingrockmuseum.org november 11

Pan Harmonia’s Alternate Current Series

7:30PM

St. James Episcopal Church 424 West State St, Black Mountain, NC Dosia McKay’s “Is Now Not Enough?” and Michael Hosford’s “Time” will premiere, in collaboration with the Opal String Quartet.

> 828-254-7123 > panharmonia.org november 11-13 & 18 - 20 A Thousand Cranes 7PM (Fri & Sat), 2PM (Sat & Sun) Flat Rock Playhouse 2661 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock, NC This is the famous story of a 12-yearold, who, having been diagnosed with radiation sickness, was told if she folded a thousand origami cranes, the gods would make her well. It is interpreted by the playhouse’s own Studio 52.

>Tickets: $10-$18 > 828-693-0731 > flatrockplayhouse.org november 11 & 12

Broadway Bootcamp Showcase

7:30PM (Fri) 2:30PM (Sat)

ACT: Mainstage 35 East Walnut Street, Asheville, NC Local youth perform selections from Hamilton, Matilda, School of Rock, Waitress, Beautiful, Rock of Ages, Motown, and Smokey Joe’s Café. The kids have been practicing for months.

The acts are choreographed with costumes and all.

>Tickets: $5 > 828-254-1320 > ashevilletheatre.org november 11

David Joe Miller Presents WORD! 8PM Trade & Lore Coffee House 37 Wall Street, Asheville, NC

Internationally-renowned storyteller Elizabeth Ellis will warm the heart with home learning. She’s so lovable and insightful, event producer and storyteller himself David Joe Miller has dubbed her Queen Mother of Storytelling. The queen will be joined

by Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach.

He learned the art from uncles who were tribal storytellers, and he comes from a line of Cherokee royalty of sorts.

A resident of Dallas, Ellis will be making a number of other appearances about town during her brief visit.

>Tickets: Advance $12, Door $15 > 828-808-1150 > davidjoemiller.com

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november 12 - december 31

Vessels of Merriment

10AM-6PM (Mon-Sat) 11AM-5PM (Sun) Grovewood Gallery 111 Grovewood Road, Asheville, NC This the second annual celebration of handmade drinking vessels. It begins with a reception, free and open to the public, November 12, from 3-6PM. Steins! Growlers! Porcelain sake sets!

> FREE > 828-253-7651 > grovewood.com

He bought it brand new, Dated his wife in it, Went on their honeymoon in it, Drove all across the country in it, & Yes he will pass it down it’s a Family Heirloom

1968 Camaro

828-693-8246

www.bealandco.net 5522 Willow Road, Hendersonville, NC November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 125

events

november 12

Jackie Tohn

8PM Tryon Fine Arts Center 34 Melrose Avenue, Tyron, NC Singer/songwriter/guitarist/comedienne Jackie Tohn was a finalist in the top 24 of the eighth season of American Idol. Her artform is fast-paced silliness or manic genius. She’s described as a mix of Laura Nyro, Janis Joplin, and Rickie Lee Jones. She’s sort of like a pretty Robin Williams.

>Tickets: Adult $35, Student $17 > 828-859-8322 > tryonarts.org november 16

Mark De Castrique Book Signing

7PM Novels & Novelties Bookstore 408 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC

THE EVOLUTION OF TRADITION We take the mystery out of buying Estate Diamonds and fine Pre-owned Jewelry. Since our beginning when David L. Yaffin became “Boston’s Diamond Broker” in the 1920’s, we’ve helped thousands to appreciate the quality and savings provided by selecting pre-owned diamonds. Our story is truly an evolution of tradition. For sixty years, we served St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area and now, Richard S. Yaffin is proud to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Estate Jewelry Ltd. in historic Biltmore Village.

As our name implies, we showcase an outstanding selection of pre-owned diamonds and fine jewelry sourced from local area estates and private owners.

De Castrique will be interviewed and sign his latest release, The Singularity Race, a work of sci-fi describing what could happen when artificial intelligence outpowers human intelligence.

Wine will be served.

>Tickets: $5 applied to the purchase of one of De Castrique’s books > 828-697-1870 > novelsandnovelties.com

november 17 – december A Christmas Carol

HISTORIC BILTMORE VILLAGE 2 BOSTON WAY, ASHEVILLE, NC 28803 For Questions Or Information, CALL 828.274.7007 | EstateJewelryLtd.com 126

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17

8PM (Wed-Sun) Flat Rock Playhouse 2661 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock, NC The State Theatre of North Carolina will perform Charles Dickens’ classic adapted for the stage by Richard Hellesen with music and lyrics adapted

WE SELL from traditional sources by David De Berry. Ebenezer Scrooge was made a hard man by the raw deals life threw him. But the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come help him come to terms with it all to be the change he wants to see in the world.

>Tickets: $15-$40 > 828-693-0731 > flatrockplayhouse.org

– january Winter Wonderland november 18

and Billy the Kid. The performance is part of the ASO’s Masterworks series.

>Tickets: Adult $22-$62, Child $11-$43, Student Rush $10 > 828-254-7046 > ashevillesymphony.org

november 19

All County Honors Chorus 2PM

1

10AM-8PM Grove Arcade 1 Page Avenue, Asheville, NC

This isn’t lights for the sake of lights or conspicuous consumption. If it holds true to past performance, it will be a display of taste and elegance well worth seeing, reminiscent of New York’s Grand Central Station.

> FREE to wander > 828-252-7799 > grovearcade.com november 19

Asheville Symphony Presents Rhapsody in Blue 8-10PM Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, US Cellular Center 87 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC If your sore ears are starved for good music, this is what the doctor orders.

Conducted by Daniel Meyer with special pianist Conrad Tao, the symphony takes on George Gershwin’s challenging classic masterpiece, which is arguably the best jazz composition ever. Added to the playlist are David Diamond’s Symphony No. 2 and Aaron Copland’s Our Town

• Vintage pieces, one-of-a-kind gems, contemporary designs and signed pieces

• Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van

Cleef and Arpels, Bulgari, David Yurman, John Hardy

• Pre-owned G.I.A certified

diamonds and precious gems

•

Licensed and insured Diamond Brokerage

• Beautiful estate jewelry at significant savings

Grace Lutheran Church 1245 6th Ave West, Hendersonville, NC Students from local middle and high schools auditioned in September to attend a one-day clinic in preparation for their performance. This outreach program is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council and a gift from Dr. and Mrs. Stuart Glassman.

>Tickets: $5 > 828-393-5737 > carolinaconcertchoir.org november 21; november 27 – january 9

2016 National Gingerbread House Competition™ & Display

12PM until (Mon-Thu), 3PM until (Sun) Omni Grove Park Inn 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, NC The tradition is now a holiday standard.

The competition draws entrants and news coverage from around the world and takes place Nov. 21, with the subsequent display starting Nov. 27. See this issue’s Insight section for more information.

> Parking: $10 and up > 800-438-5800 > omnihotels.com

WE BUY • Your unwanted diamonds,

gemstones and fine jewelry

• Premium always paid for

signed pieces from Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpels, Bulgari

• We’re prepared to purchase outright one item or an entire estate

• Pre-owned G.I.A certified

diamonds and precious gems.

Free examination, evaluation and estimate We use G.I.A standardized grading on all evaluations All transactions held in strictest confidence November 2016 | capitalatplay.com 127

EILEEN FISHER

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

events

– december Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland november 23

31

Dusk-10PM WNC Ag Center 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher, NC

2onCrescent

828.274.1276 • 2oncrescent.com Open Everyday 11am - 5pm 4 All Souls Crescent, Biltmore Village

It’s back—that crazy, zany, over-the-top light extravaganza. It’s the It’s a Small World ride on steroids. Families get to drive their car through gazillions of lights in all kinds of bodacious creations. With the radio tuned to the right station, the lights play in synch. This is the Shadrack people’s way of screaming “Joy to the world!” and that includes you and yours.

> Admission: Family Vehicle $25,

Activity Van $40, Limo $40, Bus $80 > 888-321-7547 > shadrackchristmas.com

november 25

Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the Tree

2-8PM Memorial Park 1094 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC

Feather Your Nest

CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Specializing in upscale one-of-a-kind furnishings, housewares, home decorative items and vintage & fine jewelry.

New items arriving daily!

Come see for yourself!

Tuesday through Saturday | 10am to 4pm 1215A Greenville Hwy. Hendersonville, NC

828.693.3535 Accepting Quality Consignments

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It’s going to be a tough year for Santa.

Wildlife rules prohibit the harnessing of reindeers to flying sleighs; zoning regulations don’t allow more than a four-deer load on residential roofing, astronomers have lobbied to outlaw the light trespass from Rudolph’s nose—better get your Christmas lists to Santa early. Here’s a tip: He’s coming to town for the party in the park to make sure the tree gets lit.

> 828-295-5222 > blowingrock.com november 26

Holiday Open House

12-2PM Blowing Rock Art & History Museum 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock, NC

Kids will get to make crafts of the season and eat holiday cookies.

> 828-295-9099 > blowingrock.com november 26

Annual Thanksgiving Kiln Opening

10AM-5PM Bolick & Traditions Pottery 4443 Bolick Road, Lenoir, NC

A wood kiln of face jugs, Rebekah pitchers, candlesticks, sculpted chickens, and other mountain traditions will be unloaded for shoppers and gawkers.

> FREE to wander > 828-295-3862 > traditionspottery.com november 26

Old Timey Christmas

8AM-2PM Henderson County Curb Market 221 North Church Street, Hendersonville, NC The market will be chock-full of foods, arts, and crafts designed in the traditional Christmas style. The market only sells items that are handmade or locally-grown. Music and refreshments will accompany the holiday season kickoff.

> 828-692-8012 > curbmarket.com

If your organization has any local press releases for our briefs section, or events that you would like to see here, feel free to email us at events@capitalatplay.com.

Please submit your event at least six weeks in advance.

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Transformations begin here...

...and last a lifetime.

Our inclusive community, inspired teaching, and innovative program combine to create the ideal balance for transformational character development and intellectual growth.

Our commitment is to each student’s success.

We activate, inspire, and celebrate the potential of each student. We prepare students to independently drive their own futures equipped with adaptability, flexibility, and agility.

CarolinaDay.org/Apply 829-407-4442

Visit and apply now for school year 2017-18.

Join us on campus for events below or schedule a private tour.

November 2 - Pre-K Play Visit - 9 a.m.- 10 a.m.

Kindergarten Play Visit - 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

November 5 - 9 a.m.- 12 noon Financial Assistance Workshop

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All grades and divisions Learn about the process and complete your application online. | November 2016

November 10 - 8:30 a.m.

Inside the Classroom Grades Pre-K/8 See our faculty and students in action during classes.

November 30 - 8:30 a.m.- 9:30 a.m.

Parent-to-Parent Conversation All Grades

Talk with current Carolina Day School parents about the school’s culture, community, academics, arts, athletics, and faculty.

Your schedule.

Your needs.

Your smile.

DENTISTRY

DESIGNED FOR CONVENIENCE. COMPELLED BY COMFORT. Providing outstanding dentistry means putting the patient first. Dr. Peter Pang passionately pursues minimally-invasive dental care for every patient so that you can spend less time in our office, and more time enjoying a healthy life.

It starts with: • • •

All-inclusive general and specialty services such as CEREC same-day crowns.

Advanced, in-house treatments by the team you trust without referring out care.

An unrivaled dedication to using only the latest, state-of-the-art technology.

Our style of dentistry is derived from a dedication to accommodation. Come feel the difference.

I love visiting Asheville Dental Care. The entire team is so friendly and attentive. I went for pinhole therapy treatment for my recessed gums. It was so much more comfortable than my previous experience elsewhere.” - Greg M.

IMPLANTS | DENTURES | EMERGENCY CARE | COSMETIC DENTISTRY PINHOLE GRAFTING | LASERS 828-274-3882 10A Yorkshire Street | Suite B | Asheville

A s he vi l l e Dent alCa r e.c om

Peter Pang DDS, MAGD, PA

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