Your greatest asset deserves awarCl-winning healthcare Your empbyees are one ofycur m::;st valuable assets, so you knO\'" 00../ im?c-ttant it is to keep them health)r 81 -,; .Tell. 1\ :; you cnoose the health pLL optD ns m=.c will gLve them access to ph:r,i: i81s c.nd specialized h ospital servi~s;, ID<L<e SITe you give them access to vresbyterian H ealrllcae.. As the most preferred ~l.ospital in Char.one", we
Presbyt e r ian Jrt ho p3edi c Hospital nalTed as a -r;:>p IOC ortl 0pedic hospital two years in a ro'tv Co nsumer C n::>ice A""'3.rd w inner br the fifch coo s.ec u tj'~e year by Natiooal Resecrch C orpo ~ation
offer primary care services as well as the rr::.c's( cacvannxi procedures and treatment options in the r~cn _ For a list of health insuance plans tha : vrul give your employees access to Presbyterian H eal-=hca.r:::, yisi[ our web site at www.presbyterian.org c路r cal OUT Managed Care Office at 704-384-4975 .
NamEd one ,:::f t he 1(1 best J: laces to ,{IO rk in tI-e natio n by
'vVorking Nl other /vlogaz'ne ' Nati::r.al
R~sesrd1
Ccrporctor 19<;6路:'OXl
Transcend old business methods
WOMBLE CARLYLE EXT-GENERATION BUSINESS LAWYERS''" www.wcsr.com WOMBLE CARLYLE SANDRIDGE &. R1CE, l'1.L:::
';; E O ~L'
NOEL-{ C\3.0C--:"'.
3c)UTH CARO LI NA
VlRG IN IA
WASHI NGTON , D.C. <&>200 1
Vote Yes On June 5th. Your Vision Will Be Applauded For Generations. All Charlotte citizens have the opportunity to vote in a Jun e 5th referendum to bring a vari ety of arts, sports and cultural !3cilities to the heart of Uptown . Tourism taxes, NO-:- property taxes, will fund this initiative. A unifi ed cultural and entertainment district wi ll: ./ Create new jobs end new revenues. ./ Encourage the lively synergy of arts and sports th3t will position Charlotte positively for the future . ./ Enhance Charlote's quality of life for our chi ldren and their ch ildren ./ Allow our city to grow as a regional, national and internatio nal touri;t and business destination.
PROGRESS IS THE KEY TO A HEALTHY FUTURE. We've welcomed it in the past. We've shown the wisdom and courage to move forward. Now it's more essential than ever to continue a proud tradition in Charlotte. A tradition of strategic planning.. Of progressive thinking ... Of moving forward on the strength of a single word .
Orpheus with Los Angeles Guitar Quartet Monday, November 5, 200 I
BBC Concert Orchestra of London Tuesday, January 22, 2002
Warsaw Philharmonic
Carolinas Concert
Association
Monday, February I I, 2002
Gold Medal Winner, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Monday, March 18, 2002
Grigorovich Ballet Company performs Spartacus Tuesday, April 9,2002 Performances at Bpm in the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center â&#x20AC;˘ www.carolinasconcertassoc.com
For Ticket Information, Call (704) 527-6680
Artist's Concept
rande Dunes, Myrtle Beach's prestigious ocean-to-Intracoastal address, features an enviable combination of world-class golf, a landmark Ocean Club, a festive proposed Marina Village and an inspired oceanfront lifestyle. This new master-planned community, unsurpassed in luxury and privilege reaches its pinnacle with Vista del Mar at Grande Dunes . Here, you'll find luxurious oceanfront condominiums , timeless Mediterranean architecture, a gated entry, covered parking , a lavishly appointed lobby, elevators that will open directly into your residenc e and every detail thoughtfully planned with a commitment to the fin est standards of quality and design. Vista del Mar at Grande Dunes will be a dream fulfilled. Call or visit the Grande Dunes Sales Gallery today for all of our exclusive residential opportunities, including oceanfront condos fro m the $600's, luxury single-family homes from the $300's and a wide selection of waterfront and golf h omesites from the $roo's.
THE ATIANTIC COAST'S PREMIER DESTINATION ADDRESS
1-877-3GRANDE â&#x20AC;˘ 843 -692-2323 â&#x20AC;˘ www.grandedunes.co)m Sales Gallery located on US 17 By-pass, 1/ 4 mile north of 82nd Ave. The planned facilities shown or depicted herein moy only be representations and may not be final, may not yet have been approved by governmental authority with jurisdiction, and may nj have been revelop,d alc ors.-ud,1 e::adIy as depicted. If the reader is relying upon any moHer herein as basis far the making of any decision, the reader should acquire the most current information, plans and ~ecifi(Qtions reTe dling ,..
@
interesting news and useful information
[bizdigest]
Paul Maguire Featured
TechBiz from LocalBusiness.com LocalBusiness.com is a national daily online business news si te with a local focus on the Cal-ol inas.
ESPN broadcaster speaks at Hood Hargett Breakfast
Access Cove rageCorp Gets Funding Access CoverageCorp Inc., the Charlottebased seller of Internet-based insurance software for financial institutions, has raised a second round of $8 million led by Capital Z Partners. The company, which closed a $10 million first round last spring, added a strategic investment from The Hartford Financial Group of Atlanta in this round. Other investors include Selective Insurance Group of Branchville, N.J., and New York City-based LC39 Ventures. Coverage Corp CEO Bruce A. Flachs told LocalBusiness.com the current influx of capital is expected to take it to positive cash flow later this year. Flachs also said the 55-employee company will use the money to continue development of its virtual insurance platform and for marketing. No new hires are planned.
Former NFL player and current ESPN analyst Paul Maguire makes a point during his speech to the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club in April. Paul Maguire spoke at t he April Hood Hargett Breakfast Club, a private monthly
The Hood Hargett Breakfast Club is held at the Charlotte Marriott Exec utive
event held exclusively for the 35 Hood
Park Hotel from September to May for
Charlotte's EResource Capital Group Inc.,
Hargett Breakfast Club sponsors and their
the select group of 230 clients, sponsors
a growing network of technology and
customers. Adelphia, a leading telecom-
and speakers. The purpose of the series
munications firm, was the Host Sponsor
is for sponsors and their guests to
EResource Announces Purchase
Internet enterprises under a single operating company, has signed a non-binding letter of intent to buy the Logisoft Subs subsidiary of Rochester, N.Y.-based Logisoft Corp. The two companies help corporate
for the event. Maguire is an analyst for the ESPN Sunday night football broadcast team
network with the ultimate goal of doing more business with each other. For sponsorship information or to
with Mike Patrick an d Joe Theismann.
join this exclusive group of businesses,
Prior to his network broadcasting days,
call the Charlotte market manager, Bucky
clients develop global e-commerce capabili-
Maguire played for 11 years in the NFL
Greeley, or president, Scott Crites, at
t ies and outsource e-retail businesses.
with the Lo s Angeles Chargers (now
704.556.7330. The 200 1-2002 Breakfast
Earlier this year, eResource Capital
known as t he San Diego Chargers) and
Club Series will be conducted in both
acquired Charlotte-based lifeStyle
the Buffalo Bills. His finest years came
Charlotte an d Greenville-Spartanburg-
Technologies, a "one-stop- shopping"
with the Bills where in seven seasons
Anderson (S.c.). Inquiries for the GSA
resource for smart-home technology. In
Maguire established virtually all of
series can be directed to the Charlotte
February, eResource Capital completed its
Buffalo's punting records.
office. Visit the 1st & 10 Marketing Web
acquisition of Charlotte-based Avenel
The speaker featured in next month's
Ventures, an investment banking and consulting firm controlled by eResource continued on page 6
g reate r c h ar lotte b iz
CEO
Pruitt.
site, www.lsta ndl0marketing.com. for the
issue will be the final speaker of~he nine-
latest photos and information on the
month series, Lesley Visser, a longtime
Breakfast Club Series.
network sportscaster.
ma y 2 0 0 I 7
moreTechBiz Online Literar y Magazine Launches Charlotte-based ThePedestalMagazine.com launched its third bimonthly issue in April. The featured writer is poet Sharon Olds. The featured artist is photographer Ginger Wagoner. The Pedestal Magazine is the vision of published writer and entrepreneur John Amen. His mission for the magazine is to publish a premier literary magazine, exclusively online, featuring new and established writers and visual artists. Each issue includes an in-depth interview with a featured writer and visual artist along with examples of their work, as well as poetry. fiction and non-fiction from writers around the world.
Presbyterian Healthcare Joins the ClGNA HealthCare HMO Presbyterian Healthcare and CIGNA HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc. have expanded their agreement to give 63,000 CIGNA HealthCare HMO plan participants in the Charlotte area access to Presbyterian Healthcare's 232 physicians, four hospitals and other health care facilities . This three-year agreement became effective May 1. "We are pleased to be able to expand our agreement with CIGNA HealthCare and welcome these CIGNA HealthCare HMO members to Presbyterian Healthcare's physicians and facilities ," said Ed Case, president and CEO of Presbyterian Healthcare. Presbyterian and its parent company, Novant Health, now participate in all CIGNA plans.
Charlotte Metro Credit Union to Expand Membership Designllf3 , ~~ facturelS & Consul ants \ta.
.:'.E'Ti]:xJRH()(J;£.._
~
~ ~ ~~~"'ra.:tsJ "'-G:r1..dUt"" - JECO _cOhn Priee Rd. Cha -I·:)r e, NG 28273 1 -80( -257-5880 b e"l: 1'04 -588 -2887 FID.: 70~-58e -2888 E-M3it bdm§ehrenhaus..com Pho,~
I£m n-J{a llS ~toc.lialgsJ
....-.,.,.-.'-"'
The North Carolina Credit Union Di vision has given Charlotte Metro Credit Union broad ne w power to expand beyond the traditional confines of a cred it union - allowing the non-profit financial institution to provide low-cost, banklike products and services to anyone who lives , works, worships or attends school in Mecklenburg or Union counties .
8
m ay 200 I
greater c harlotte bi z
Charlotte Lags Behind Triangle as "New Economy" City By Co/ Chong Yocum, Loco/Business.com On the strength of its three research universities - NC State University, UNC at
Management Corporation
Chapel Hill and Duke University - the
Building Wealth Through Customized Portfolio Management
Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area ranked
Fee-Based Investment Counselors
No.4 among "New Economy" cities,
jmnes L. Montag
according to a study released by the
jeffrey G. Vaughan
2915 Providence Road, Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28211 Telephone: 704.362. 1886 Facsimile: 704.366.5269 wwwrnontagmanagement.com
Progressive Policy Institute, the think tank for the Democratic Leadersh ip Council. Charlotte ranked No. 30, based on its strength in comp uter use in schools an d number of positions in companies that showed consistent revenue growth of 20 percent or more.
A DESK IS A DESK IS A DESK (UNLESS IT'S YOUR DESK)
The study critiqued the nation's largest metropolitan areas on 1999-2000 data in 16 different areas, including worker education, technology jobs, new publicly traded companies and global exports. The Triangle ranked first in the natio n for its number of degrees granted in science and engineering and for its academ ic research and development. It also ranked fifth in venture capital invested as a share of gross metropolitan product, the number of high-tech jobs as well as managerial and professional jobs, the amount of education of its workforce and the number of patents
Some just see a flat surface with legs. We see
issued to companies. Charlotte, however, ranked No. 48
a garden for your ideas. That's why we create
in degrees granted in science and engineering as well as academic research and development.
fta:. ble ctice solutions that allow you to work the way you want. Our
Raleigh-Durham's greatest weaknesses were in the areas of broadband
forai-ure system is made up of building blocks of different sizes and
telecommunications capacity, Internet backbone and "gazelle" jobs, positions
SClEpgS
t--at all work together in countless ways so you can define and
with companies that have had annual sales growth of 20 percent or more for four straight years.
red3fne ~c ur space. Be more organized. More productive. More creative.
In contrast, Charlotte ranked third in "gazelle" jobs and sixth in computer
This s 'N""3t we do. This is Techline.
use. Seventy-seven percent of children use computers in Charlotte metropolitan schoo ls compared with 68 percent in the Triangle. Charlotte ranked No. 33 in venture capital and 36 in new publicly-traded companies.
bi
greater ch a rlotte biz
. techline. For more information, call or visit our showroom, open Monday through Saturday
Techline Workspace Specialists 44=1'3 South Blvd . â&#x20AC;˘ Charlotte , NC 28209 â&#x20AC;˘ 704.334.6823 http://www.workspacespecialists .com m ay 2 0 0 I 9
PAACTICf~ PAACTICf~_ PRACTICf! 1,DOO,DOO SUo
fT.*
-'7!oh p r efioo'ogeofthe 3cgert Far. ,'r..T'(e!Umpi=::
The Regent Park Practice Com'piex One of the Carolina's most complete practice faci/:t,',es wcatr.pc5ses 26 lighted ACRES and is open to the public 364 aays aY2'tit.
REGENTPARK GOLF ACADEMY
Whether you are a beginning golfer, or well on yoor W1/ tJ par:n} scratch golf, the Regent Park GolfAcademy can r.lal.e asms :aiJ:b. difference in your game, Our PGA and LPGA teachi~g ;JTofes~iona'~ educatethe beginning golfer with the foundaful5 of as~/ii golfswing that allows alifetime of enjcyment oot!l' linfos For the more advanced player, they can pinpoin- <i,'eas ofyour game that need improvement or modifiwt cl", ultimately lowering your handicap.
Precise ... Perfect. .. PLAYER! Words that you would like others to use when describing your golf game? Unique to Charlotte and the southeast, the Regent Park Practice Comp/~x features 12 distinct practice and lesson areas that focus on improving elery segment ofyour game. PERFECT PRACTICE TO PERFECTION! • Develop touch with your wedge in the chipping area. • Learn how to get out of the sand wnfidently and wnsistently from fairway and green side bunker practice areas. • Conquer your fear of the long irons and hityour driver straighter than ever. • Understand how speed and grain affect the break ofyour putts.
Inspire your passion for the game. Challenge yourself today! Make the Regent Park Practice (omplexyour new golfhome. ,.
RfGfNT PARK lfGfNO 1. North Practice Tee 2. Short Game Practice Tee 1. Full Swing Target Area Multiple greens and measured targets let you zero in every dub in your bag from any tee. 4. Regent Park Golf Academy • PGM Classroom • Covered Teeing Areas • Video Swing Analysis 5. Private Lesson Tee 6. Clinic and Irons-Only Tee 7. Fairway Bunker and Uneven Lies Practice Area B. Lower South Practice Tees 9. Upper South Practice Tees 10. Regent Park Golf Shop Acomplete selection of the latest golf equipment and apparel from the industry's top suppliers. 11. Pitch Shot! (hipping Area 12. Practice Ball Vending 11. Main Putting Green 1/2 acre bent-grass putting surface allows for a true roll. 14. Green-side Bunker Practice Area 15. Tenth Tee 16. Eighteenth Green 17. The Rainbow Deli at Regent Park Enjoy a hot dog or a sandwich and a cold drink at the turn or a catered meal for your outing. lB. First Tee Putting Green 19. First Tee 20. Special Events Lawn and Tournament Scoreboard
.n.a
PGA &LP'A Profiessiow5 1K15Jaff; Gvlf leSSJII'S fp~&l ivtr.tt: u..rtom Fitted Goff Eqllip"'EIi.t; Personal aJti privilie ~st-ccf' lT I'J r ali C8mf15. d:ric; a,l '; : 2Io1li/ilCG t:r TJ{-: yalJr !J1me rc the Olen li:V!?Fv-ith c ages and IiJiJities. C'n ,:o';!"i?th1h 'n~ begif!f. er~ iUlliC4 ~dies JIfd 11t3"1 a.: ;?' 'f l1 ew clubs 'l1at fi,sr :'lY,' j d illTCrd available ct r'egeaPcrk iJ~"((tJ;. fE£ltl..;d u-roJ~1! 'h~ J'etJr.f a'I <IJI ,;rillg:119 motion. irJor:1fjti71.
Our Business is Golf 704.547.0023 • 803.547.1300 • 800.671.5550 5055 Regeni ww"v .regentpar kgc. com
Park~\"ay
• Fort Mill, SC 19715
[regional biz]
Davidson Manages Growth Town grows slowly on punose and
pro Tlo)te~
pecestrian-fr erdly development
Gowth and change have alresdy arrived in Davidson, located 20 miles north of Charlotte. But residents of the town - all 6)00-plus of them - want to be in control of the processes, not the other way around . "Davidson is abo ut walkabil ity a - d ccmmunity," says planning director W3rren Burgess . "We want to maint3ir t h3t unique cha racter of th e town." Observes Meredith Judy, a menbEr of the planning sta ff and a recent Davidson College grad, "In Davidso l , people get out of thei r cars and walk , 50 people see and know each other. lJI.e are one of the few towns to have maintai- ed that character in the face of development
"Davidson is about walkatility and
pressures from Charlotte's growth. I r at' s
v/ant to n .,tain t r at
un i '~ ue
com -n ur~ ty,"
Wly we're looking at alternatives - s(o we cen maintain the character the town has
" Drive-th D _g l s ar€ in conflict Wit l pedestricr trcffic, and 'I.e are a
had since 1837." Th at's the year Davidson College W3S founded; t he town officially cam ", irto being in 1891. The college, witil ils
a n-o ri en ~d to 'Ml,~
pede~ ~ ri
they have ~ o create a site-spec fic plan, an d ~ hat t ::. les energy, time and money.
Judy says .
"DaviJ=on is doing a real 5Dod job
Thi5 approach has k.e ptawaysore deve lopers 3nJ
says plannini, director Warren Bu rgess. "We
character ·::>f tle town ."
re~ail
crain5, but
~ ho ~ =
who bav= NC ~I~ed with t t- e Ca vid son o m-
with its desi~n criteria, " Harris cdds. " It' s not easy d:Jllg business in David son but not any' larder th an anywhEre else. "
1.6 00 stude nts and ap proxim ately 5 00
"Hats. elf to Davidson for teking con-
faculty members, remains a defin illg
"Hill ojJ to !J(TJid;;;;on for
essence of the town . It is Davidson 'S lc.gest employer and owns 450 acp-s
t2b:g ::ontrol Of!t [growth]:
ot land, 300 of them for its main carr pL.s
TTary 12'. .e orches!rated
adjacent to the town center. ;;<
Davidson has been successful at rr.a intaini ng its characte r, and has experi-
prl)cess to l?t
:: .... e'')tO'le
- Lc.... fs
5tCP:-CI15.
l,·.:al ::levelover
llO
fest food restaurants in Davidson O'r
-nuni ~y
el? pl=ase::f with the process.
"Big c ,mJar es dE :. i ~n
us~
a standa rd SlJ b-
urban
e~cept ion s,
-jarris, a IDca . devele pe-. "If th at 110c=1
a dry cle aners, we re grandfathered in .:'
g~eat e r
charlott e b i z
JOesl't fi:
fer
~h eir
d-ive-though windows . (Th e only two one at a bank and anot her at
plan~
oppositio - fur his
to buil.c a full-
size supelTk3rket on Main Stre2i beside the Librar)'.
~Th ey
have orchestra ted a
proCESS to let everyone be head ." Step - ESls' project, called
~ he
Daviidso n Tcwn Center, h as beel ap proved 31er change:: were m3de to th e
C,) rnelius. Because of strict design criteri3 and zoning ordi na nces, there are
Stephens, IfI.ho initially met wit h hostile
!?e ;1ec.rd."
enced far less growth than its fellow nDrt hern municipalities, Huntersvil e 3r d
trol of it [g-owth]," comme nts Louis
D:I\' id~ r)n's
sLo)res," notes =::d cesign criteria ,
original pl3 l, and work is currently und erwaya n the -esidential part oftre mixeduse
d e v e l ')~. ment.
Th e historic : 40-year-
old '::hai rn c: n Blake HOJse ha s been relocatej
wit ~
n the propert'l and is on the
may
>-
200 I I I
naket. - ,is sr: ring, seprens ":cn~s
=>
ture eight offices (two have alread,:" been
gart on ~"e ::Jmrrerci =l j2v~lepnerl a
sold), as well as two full-servic~ re3GU-
12,5.J'='-SC Ja rE -foot srJC~yste i€_ \vhich
rants and a hotel-conference C~lltEr.
v/ill pe,bi':l l,! be a Han"s T2Eter ::': r:re'::5, simila- [Q :he Colle in
'v' jErS :>ark, He a 50
r:lan5 -:: tJ ik:: ·Jffices ;j)·)'..-e t he st ore. ,:l,r ot l el jevelopE- b2S gone out ·)"" his wey tI: :Je·: cme p2,- ofD ::vd 5:ln . Jl.like jeh"150' cf the JU,Il50n Gr-Ju p /l;as asked 10' - 3ld rece r\-=d - per-ai!::s'cn for hiz :rc·pE'-Y to be iIlllexed 'n']) Davi d50r , e\'ell thuusr t,2 <i-6 3ces-:':11 L3ke [tall'1jsol called [aJid5:JfI Pu intE, are adu2~ -r r ecell C)[lIlt';. Wo "k h33 just S<lrtEj 01 t hE 12kEfruif collnu n·:y. wh ich \~iJfe3: Lre 5E Olrdomir iulls and 13E: ~ 19 -=- fami~
ernE::, SI21:i rt~ at
- hE 1':'111l3 0n Gro up la5 d()nated 14 acr€s tn 1:::1e town foc a la<.e5 i<i2 pa-k
tJ :he I:: kz .
50) ~ h e PLt ic Ail l have i:tECe ~S
"No rc-n =s VJ II be buil: or t. e la-:e," J(o hns()11 53YS_ "Th is "'c.}, EVe-yol,e liE al Jnob8:rJcfl=d v ewcf : re lake, as .... e.l as acc~s t'J it That's lIIis5ing in nar,!" lakes c" ::-=-'J=lapmen:s" Da" i::.::oo planner::: r= .:ognilE t e neE d br ·: :nrnercia l d-=-v2ioomerr: to t- elp supp01 t- -=- tcv, n' 5 ta:< :Ja5e. Thoe 5cUt east oL::d-artof E:<i t 3) ell 1-77 iScbcw tc EXP :.Kie.vifh
ac ~ ivi t\~ -
at le2st
try.
=:arcarcs. R,: m ~: ennerl ~,
who i3- bLild ill5' re 5i dE~i a l comll Jrities tre· e. has scid 18 acne.; t o CroslaJ1d Comm2r:ic ., .,..hich i5 ::i2l.eic 3ing it imJ Gatew<;"[ at [}eef Park. (aleway \c/t I fE~
rL-
1<10."1
each
('tIm: We are one (If t1C few towns to have
associate. "We worked well with tre communit'/, the town board an j thE planning board on our design plnn
people see and
111~1;rUil1ed
that character in :hr _~aa of
so
that it complements the town. Things
development preS:'li Fe.; ..'rom
Charlotte's growt1.
operated 5moothly."
- J:vlcrcclith .JlIdy, city r1c1/' ILll<~ s/ull
The hotel- which is yet t o :Je named - is being developed by a 0(31 firm , BRJl.lvl Hospit ality & Deveb:Jment .
development. Eventually, fle SlE will fea-
LLC. Scheduled to open in sp rillg 2D1)2,
ture s'ngle fami ly and mulfi-f cm il:{ resi -
the $20-million facility will in:l Jde 9D
dencEs, office, retail and s=t i r housirg.
con-
ference center, a day spa and a ful!-5Ervice restaurant. Levy Brothers, ",ho run Bistro 100 in Founder5 Hall, willopercte
"The market will be "tie 10 absorb all this," Knox comments _ 'Th ere isn':: going to be such a flood cf de-;ei opmelt that the town won't be a~e [ 0 h:: ndle it, " Davidson planners aEso v..ant to SEe
all the food services. a corr-mercial hub develoil "There's not a single full-s ervi ce [hotel] facility in this end of the CO Lntv," notes BRAM's M.J. Deya. "And e ~_cep : for those who are membe-s of a caunt-y club, there is a need for high -end dining and high-end amenities. Oa';id3:>1 is the perfect loca ~ ion , right in the middle of the Lake Norman communit,. And by beilg right on 1-77, ther= 's both visibility and access."
a' J-iwy. 73
near the intersection of Rat11 3 C1urc tRo ad. Although there are I ':' vater or sewer connections curren ::l i i rr plnce, plans call for the highwaytJb2 enlarged to six lanes. Already, it se .. es 35 connEctor road between 1-77 and 1-85. ~We'r~ not ta lking about strip de"'elop m= nt," Judy says. "We see it as ped estrian-orLented town center that ref..ed5: the ch= [acter of the current town c€.n:6'.-
Another first for Davidson y.,.-ll Jpen this fall in the same quadrant. Tre first multi-tenant medical office buil j ng ill the town is being developed by -'larri3.
Meanwhile, however, the DI:: nnir6 Board has its hands full trJlngto deci c e what to do with 4,000 acres Jf laid ac jacent to the town. Most of i i5 East of
Elrr-i I'Ss ne·t :::i ; h .sk·
The 34,OOO-square-foot facility, ca lled
~fr:iCE
Davidson Medical Center, will b ~ occu·
south of River Run and no·th ~ HWy. 73
pied on the first floor by the Da llidsv~
and a small section west (o f [cwi·: son -
Medical Clinic.
Concord Road. As a result.of 3 ::cmple;::
eFt's
Jwtd] fl1iilJt) in
~1
oj tlrz c );.Lnt)'.
/ J1cl excf Fl_:-ar th05e
who ~r~
menib~/s
oj 2
co:nli:-ry iiub, theY:: is a n=:ed i~ f
hi§Y.-end drj'1g Me.
"--.gr--end mr£ ilitl?S. ' - ~ .~-. De}c, EF·Plv1
1:2
a CW3 .ar d
lUXUry suites, a 12,OOO-square-fr) 0 ~
$250,:xJ') '
D 3v id~JI1
c: lon g
time," observes Eric Vargosko,
pe~5it: .~t;: ou ~
oj their cars and -ova'k, so
"This is the first real significant <Xllllmercial project in the area in
"In Davidson,
,n;
Le,o I
Also adjacent to Exit 30, [ hE Li ::Hl rci Family is developing another
4e acres .
Davidson, but there is also <l rsrcel
series of agreements with >C ha rlette, Hunte -sville and Cornelius;, [)a vidson
A 112,OOO-square-foot building .:: lready
has zcning jurisdiction over th es £creC@O.
sits on the property, he-using Liburc i
even th ough it is not officf31l... part of
Diamametric, Acclaim Academy .:: rd Da nce
the to"Vn (and actually dW3 rfs Dcvidso-
Davidson. According to development cen-
proper, which is 4.5 square ni _es). In
sultant Steve Knox, work will bes n ::his
zonine; parlance, it's called HJ - extra-
spring on the next phase of mix=d -Lse
territo ' ial jurisdiction. greater ciarlotte
b iZ
Tre
~ , ':C O
tain som€
(.j
aoe5 :'r e rura l a nj
':1:1- -
Blair, Bohle &Whitsitt PLLC
_ as~ '",,'.:r~ n g
'V1 2ckl.En::llJrl(5
f3 rms aoo 1:t5t wide o::.e n Sp-::CE
Certified Public Account8lB
Develc pment press ur:: ha5 r2c-=n:ly increasej "lith plcm5 :0 blJ id v.'ai'er E d S2wer lir ::5 to th e ,a-s.
• Emerging Company Strategies • Multi-State Tax Structuring • Merger ana Acqu isition Planning • Real Estale Development Strategies
The TJ .vn Boa d ,35 c stc.:-:: €oal 'J f
prese-Ji rrg ha l flh~ aueafe co
• Comprehensive Tax Review • Audit & ACIXlLrting Services • Tax ComplicncE & Planning • Retirenent Pia, Compliance & Design
c~ e n
Back to Basics: Relationships, Value; Growth
5pace, and lhe plarn ng s:a=f t; '..'ork 'lg I n an Open SPiKE Pin to d=tenni ne how
Ballantyne • SouthPark • 704,365.5400
r D" -errb-:: r, ' Ie Bcald impos ed a morat] ( _- ::-,
: 0 bes t e:o nplisl t1-i 5. Ir
www.bbwpllc.com
cevelop,oent in tr e Clr2a n: il th e pJa n ca n be co llJXetecL 3lu ge3:S s hould bE
Ty
I fted
31erw:Hd5
5 001
Xi!, S lha:
f\1ay. "Vll thE l1oratO'rium
A nJ rr J2 r of _a n:J::;wf eIs ::ilj ::e-.'el-
:o pers are
unna ppy w~ h
tr e tempocc.-,
ba n, eno: th:ir op J osHion h3S '::t'el' bud and
VOC:l 1.
1
res[:on s.e. t- e TO'Ar =,'::ard
has carr 1'I i:t2d to sp=ld lll= :c 51::' Inil-
,ion t·J tu'i' 13rd, j eVElo pll ent right5 and :onser\·3.ti·)n ea5211 21 ts i n th e area Town st aff is lJokin g at WO', 5
: ::.
-ai5e this
money, vJi- ich may in :l u::e gEt:'- g author·
We Bring You the Most Convenient and '\ffordable IT Services 1n America ...On Wheels!
ity frorr t r2 N.c. :::i2 r e-al A5S ErtJly . AllhoLgh referring tJ
H ari ~
J 13 n ~
'Vas spe:ifca t.v
ro[ ~i : 30 offE'7 . hE
caul Ea3 _y have bEen sJEak -5 a bout all of Da'lidson 's,Eff:.- ts ( 0
rr:;n ~,5 e
grow:h a.nd mairtain its 5':)€cia[ 3. bience wher r ", so·d. "F·eop.e .....it. Jo:li-: DC':].: an d
Fron- planning to installations - from hardware EO soft·....are - from intranets to internets - PC On Call does IT. Our f1e2t :Jf O n Call Con"(>uter Labs, uniq ue labs-on-wheels, deliver total w, pute r service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at a fraction of the cos: of conventiorl<11 IT sErvices. We keep your business operating at pea k rr= rfo r lance.
appre ci31:-:: e, cw fhings 100 '; aj e ...n at was don e to erha nce thE qUe i:!, o".i=e That's
704-596-0007
wh at it's 31l ab o[lt in Da l..idsc r . ' I
Beo QLr-!~ 15
0
Charolie-bcEE:J
FEiTce
writer.
g reate l- :: h a rlo'tte biz
O:;n01 PCOn Cali
We Com e To You
www.pco n call.colll
i!tt may 200 I
13
As the area s first installation of the Indigo Digital Offset Press, Powerhouse has more experience than any other
Charlotte printing house. Let us show you the hundreds of success applications for digital print that save you time , money, and increase you r brand image. We will professionally handle your project from start to finish.
lar~e . format t?rlnfing Encad Products Include: • Signage • Banners • Murals • Floor Graphics • Backlit Graphics • Point-of-Purchase Displays
di~'ital pre"'1Jr'Tss Pre-press services include: • Film Output up to 21.S" wide by 9ft. • Fuji Color Art Proofing . Graphic Design and Typesetting • Full Support for Mac or PC files • High-Resolution Drum Scanning . Image Manipulation and Color Correction . CD Burning
Copy Center Products Include: • Manuals • Newsletters • Catalogs • Presentations • Binders
YES! We support Mac and PC files!
You can find Powerhouse Color at:
804 Clanton Road, Suite C Charlotte, NC 28217 Telephone: 704.523.5019 Fax: 704.523.5031 Email us at: phc@powerhousecolor.com
indigo
Digital Products Il9Clude: • Business Cards • Letterhead • Brochures • Sell Sheets Presentations and • Proposals • Manuals and Books Invitations and • Announcements Direct Mail and • Promotional Pieces Labels
ENCAD
Powerhouse Color has built a solid reputation on quick turnaround time , reliable , helpful service , and top-quality products and services. We have hundreds of products and services that can help your business grow. To maximize your digital experience , each account has a professional account manager at your
http://www.realpages.com/powerhouse
~ FUJIFILM
[internationa~biz ] by beCl qtirk
Global Designs Chat-lotte's growing rol2 in -..he in~e
at i::mal marketpl3.ce is no accident
TierP!s no doubt abclt it -
:J3DlE% 3:ro und thE glnt2 via ph 'J ne, fax
Charbue has gone i::ltcrnational
3l d =- n c i:l.
and
~s
now an active player in
t::-<e globl marketpla.:e, Gene are the days when spea <ing
Charlotte'S nevIfoo nd lternati onal-
Ch3rlotte is al ready home to a
is m h3s occurred in _a-ge pert simply
3raziii an -estau rant anc Cit one shop-
be :3 Lse the wo rl c hil S gJtten 5ma.ler
.Ji rr{Eil:er along Ild =p= nd2nce
due. to technology, and
Iloc J'l!ev,m:: , ther e's a
,·:ithou: a drawl was con.s idered Jnusua ,
I nc~
r~ ow,
:;
Ts .JeCDming increasin t ly :omm01
Ca:}i net (t;lIC) <wv/I'J.charb lte-n ic.o rg' ,
d~
P.u ~ 3ian
groce ry, an
h od store and a ~ispani: market
: 'y 5' :Je, Cultu -al fes.tiva ls are held
b e :aLE~
no
one. C3n esca pe or is n: re the development of the globa e: cnomy. ro rtLrat elr ba:k 'n the 19805" _ea dErs -n ::ha r,otte-
tJ seE Indian women in saris food trucks
2Je' ,
r c nth of t he year. "If you know
cl: corstmction sites servmg t::>rtil la s ard
,J\ he~
to ,Jok, ifs not har:J to fi nd 3 cultural
quesccillJs (Nith the dc/5 fc -e IVr tt2n in
2.o<p=- 'e-nce in Chariot:e, ,. observes
arose and so put the region or th :: lead -
5panisl) ; or Jusines~ p2G1p lE cOllmunf..
~yI1tbi a
in g edge of the g[O b3 [ era.
c:::ting wit 1 customers, sup p.l 2rs alC
Diretto- 'J f the Mayor's Inte rnat ional
greater c harlotte tiz
5:ringham -Smith, executive
Meek enburs posi: ioned thE cr2a so) it co Jl d sra l: those op.Jo -t ur ·: iE'i when t he'/
" Rfte2n years <tgo, 'N€ hcd
>-
rna ', 2 00 I [5
dynanic, visionarjl leaders who pU5., e::l
Acquisitions? Mergers? Plant Closings? I
Be Proactive About Business Trans·itions
institutions to add-ess and prepare f')r these issues when no one else was1 1i-king about them," c bserves Stringhal1Smith. "By 1994, ·-.le developed a coor.: inated strategic international plan :rst
What is Outplacement?
An InterlJlCJtional Outplacement
Human Re.soul"ce Consufting Firm
Services For Your
Business:
• • • • •
encompassed bus -ness and educa:i:'1Oa1 issues, responde d to international r=sidents , and created visitor awareneS3. We were one of th e first cities in th~
Outplacement is a re~ource for business
coLnt-y to do it, ard we are still
transitions, Often inclL.cing di~p acement of employees (hourly & salariEd).
cor sidered a mod el today."
Individual, Executiv8 & Group 'Ju1p lac ~ ert Career Counseling/C oach ng • REsume Ihting Strategic Analysis ard EY,Jluations Partner Relocation h£sis~nce • Job Fa i -~ Internet Job Search VJorkshcp • Transrria-; Cen ter
Among the pioneers Stringham Smith credits are 1I..1exican Honorary Consul Wayne Cooper; the late Haro d Josephson, who le d UNC Charlotte' S: International Prog-am for many yea -s; In geborg Hegenba rt, now retired frol1 SouthTrust Bank (CYld who wi ll recei·/2
HE
NSIT 0 704-532-0084 • tttsolutic Soccm 7512 E. Independence E. -d., 5lJ ite 105 Chari:me, I'~C :L82~' Fax (704) 567-5033 • EMAJL tran~i t onteamQ;aol.com
the Mayor's Intern ctional Communitr Award from t he MI t:: th is month); and Michael Almo - d, an internatioral attorney ,\ ho now heads the Charlotte Regi c nal Partnership (www.charlotteregi)n.com>. formerl\> the Carolinas Partnership . "I was quite c()nfident, even in the mid -1 980s, th Et Charlotte wo ulc
JE
where it is today," 3ays Almond. "I ou _d see that my home, <:l place right und=f l1y nose, had everything it needed to : 'e a global player. "When I started out, internatioral business was a su t set of what people :lid for a living," Almollids adds. "Now tre lin es ere blurred, al d everyone in ous iness is in vo lved in -nternational bus ness. At the very le3st, the ir competru cis global. Charlotte was ready for that transformation. and is now wellpositioned to take advantage of it ar d succeed in it." When Almond talks about Charlotte, he's spe 3king not of the ::.ty or county alone, bLt of the entire regiJr .
27 years of kdpi.llg closely-held companies plan their neXI JfteV€S_.
Ii.. •
In fact. the stated §Oal of the Charlotte Regional Partners h p is "to provide
DELLINGER &DEZSE, ,""'!-LC CERT I FIED P UBLIC
AC ~ OU N "'.:J.N T"!.
leadership for regi cnal thinking and 1) act as a catalyst for regional action.':
(704) 33J-8001!
www.delideese.co'OI
6
may 20 ') I
Says Almond, 'Regions - or citl states - are efficielt and effective
greater charlotte
JI2:
Do : r ey gi ve 3L1':y sCLLe. :: t- ying to get orders'" Do t -e\:: pre p3re
l='- OXS3 [ ~ b~ fore
Dc ::leJ pr J!l o=a_s SEt Flrl j
cl=l=e d around ?
"Ec.l~ 1Ji31
n:S a"lSOJer
~oor
~
Qua lifying I=r0 3JE ct S?
prospects are i. cT l rol anc
sales i:'l EOI= liE are rr :lie WIM P TR ACK.
Thr~ b a ~eHer wa~! c.
11 r1 0re t USifl?5!> ~
,J(t-
00
Su cces~fL
in
2] :1
00 Wo rJ.s ..li::h a Y.
"The strength :if the Charlotte
6SS unpaid
cons ul ti n ~.
11 nO ffi- t racii t i.oniL carprehe ns i ve [flI1Jstr ies and
iP- 1-~ cn a l
b u ~ ir e~5
::ystem .
p rofE~s~ l S.
style.
g.ur place at our le;.t fA€E e.ecutive briefin~ .
~eservE
region is i.r. irs diversity, not :ts singulaJit?_ TJre region is >J1.cde
SO~
up of ru.any smaller
cities and rural -::r:reas, offering ~h e best c1 aI worlds ."
Jim Dunn 704 / 536- 32;7 f<Lx: 704/ 536-1 ' i'j 6425 IdJewilc, Su:i~ 210 Charlotte, N. :::. 2:3~ J 2 dUl1n@dunncn: ::<':'411
...i-isio n of Dunn Elltcrpr:se!"
- hli:hrzl Almol1d
01Q/'!Jtte Fegbw.al Partl1 ership
eco nomic players in tie global eCO,O ll'~, and t r ey ignore 31d cross state an:l county borders .
\j:J
=ilg1e city, cOJnty 0 -
comm nity in OLT re s on - not even Charlotte-.'vleckIErbu!; - has the ass~ts and resources ta ~o i f all alon e in t,e global eco nomy. I: i:: oust as clear that w hen we combir E or region's
ass~ t s
and resources, WE a-E truly a forc~ to be reckored
wi t h .~'
The primary- eo;:: l of the Partne-srip is to market and r=roTote the ChaJ.:Jtte Region to the war d -c ceate susta ncj and sustci nab le ecoT) mi c deve lopmE11t and prosper i ~'{ tr OLg1out the region. And the world in:
UCES
do mestic
cc·mp anies. too - \II 'I-ile 47 percETTi: of thoe leads the Partle -=hip deve loj:s a r~ interna:ionaL 53 per':2 nt are from J .5.
You deserve nol1ing less than the Morgan Hotel & EL tES. - Designe executive guest roc ms and 56 one-ted room SLl tES r1eeting facilities -Busines s center, pool End fitness facility- Harper's awardVi/i nning estauran: -Minutes irom dOW1: Jwn End Cha10tte AirfUi -Complim€ntary airl=or: t-anspor1ation
firms. Accordi ng tc .::\In :md, who jo ned the Partners hi p in J U1~ 1999, pro mot'ng th e reg ion requires a: teiional ide nti ty, a -egiona l CO l sel;
li
3nd a region " l
ccmmi tment. Th e =irst resu lt of tha t
greater ,: harbtte bi z
> [I
a-;,
2. 0 0 I 17
Project Mgrs management
I 'I'e are a pl3ctice of seasoned
cons utan ~
y.,.., o specialize in
maximizing return o rr proj ect-~ated investments.
Ou r firm provides : lient3 wfh a full range of services in support c- strategic litiatives.
Because I nets ." facts. lt:may not always be beneficial fo r orga "izations :0 manage every project themselves . .co rporate growth. change
t hinking - along with intense planni,g and collaboration among the va rious :llayers and stakeholders in the area""3.S the introduction of a new theme and logo last March to promote the
and crisis each -equip- spedaliz=d management
-egion: Charlotte USA. Many of the
(704) 332.6611 - WVJ'"-;:. Proj cct~rs. com
.sroups marketing the region are usi~ ~ re logo and concept as a complem~t ~o
cP Project ' O O OcPo
their individual efforts, serving to ceatE
'] strong, consistent and unifyi ng braid
grs
=cr Charlotte and the surroundilg COJnMtmber-PMI
~ ies.
Following up on that brand ing e=fort,
: he Partnership ad opted its new narre, :he Charlotte Regional Partnership, in lune 2000.
Cha-"'Iotte's Interna:ional Flavor
"As the largest city in both Nortli
- he ~ fea's glebal c.:nnecEicon run= rn uchdeeper than international food an:! festivals . He ~ ~e ~:::roe fa= fr::>m :le ct~ r1otte Chamber <www.charlottect.amber:com> that migh: sJrp-:;e yo u: - her=c re } ~ fcreign-c~lled firT.s in Clarl otte-Mecklenburg em~oying more than
: S,:Cil ~e =, pE .
3nd South Carolina, Charlotte is the h _b of the region ," Almond observe ~. " In conveying our message extern a 11"'.1 ,
oNe must leverage the place that has l he g reatest recognition. But the strength of lhe Charlotte region is in its diversit\"
It tfte L4 ':::OL lties::su r ro unci ng Me;:klenburg, there are about 200 loreigr-..owned frrns - epres.e,tinE" 22 ~oJn: ries 2l J empl.oying more than 29,000 people.
n ot its singula ri ty. Th e region is mad= up of many smaller cities and rural CIeas, o ffering the best of all worlds. We
Of lore
I ,200 ma'Jfa: tll r.g C:::)I]lpafl ie=
dlem'Ire tfclved
- [I
n Mecklenburg, more thar one-bird of
h ave something for everyone here, iIld that is what makes the region specic:1.
irterr uion al (rade, either importing or exporting goc:.ds.
That is the message of the Charlotte Chari tte is - omE 10 a Fo -eign T8.::Ie Zone, an inland port, an intelTlodal - erminal, ttle S3"7icE fOrt C=U.S. CL ~ toms -or North Carolina, and a U.S. Imnigration and f.ia::I.I3J zali= ofrll:e. Ch:3.d;;)tteJJOlJgja~ in te rna:K:J n ~
iO]
5 iltErn;;;:iomi
Jliirport offers daily non-stop or sirgle pla.,e service
destirra bns, ird•.Jding London, Frankfurt, Paris , Rome anc Toronto.
Regiona l Partnership." The brand, Almond explains, COOlmunicates the Charlotte region ' s uni::jue balance of business strength, accesoibil" · ty and quality of life. "Other places nay rank higher in a single category, butno
., th= Charlotte-H eckJeAt....rg Sc~ool S~:em, more than 6,000 stuci:nts fr::>m COIln::-ES spesk 7.:. diflerell:
94
la l1g~es.
one ranks as high in the comb inatio l of these factors," he says . "That' s the big thing for us to project."
CI-Erb:te· IS l-ome:t:o ~ra:n ;e 3nd
4 hC.£lorar;« ,: onsuls, representing Germany, Great B- itain,
Almond has a staff of 12 and ar annual budget of approximate ly $2. 5 mil-
i'1ex ic.
lion, about half of which is funded ~ pr ·
Ther; 2rerc re t b n
30 noop-cit agerdes in
Charlotte that foste- ard promote
t he sedal, .:Ji: ural.. educati;::nal ad religious identity of internati.ona:s. Am: >ng these . re Cl.r1atto: SiSt=T Gties;. ntcroo::ional House, the Charlotte \,yor~ AffaF-s Council .nd t ~E ClJa r ~tteWo - ld TT-il de k!:ociat on, which is one of the largest ch. pters ~ lh~ rat on.
vote investors. There's also an offiCE in Frankfurt. But as the competition for bu s'· ness locations and relocations grow3 more global and int ense, and people turn more and more to the Internet, techn ology is playing a bigger part in the organi2a· tion's activities. At the end of 2000, the Partnership'S Web site averaged mo-e t han 70,000 hits per month, up from
10,000 in 1998. The average visit W3S 3D minutes. One of th e Partnership's b gge~ undertakings this year will be to eXjAnd and upgrade its Web site. The Mayor' s International CabilJet is also expanding and improvilg its
13
g r e c. t e r e h a rio tte to i z
'Neb :;ite to include listings of the city's international organizations , ranging form
Hilliard Lyons, $10,000 Deserves the Same Careftll Attention a~
At
Hispanic soccer clubs to Greek women's organizations, as well as offoreign languag'2 media and trade groups, plus a ,:alerdar of the city's international festi'Ja ls, now numbering about three dozen . -'We don't put on programs or offer
$1,000,000.
ser... ir es - we are an ad visory board for : fty government and a clearinghouse of information abo ut the international
V\Thether large or small, y:lU~ i Ili7 est-rnen ts represent your life's: s avj ~ s . At H illiard Lyons we re a li~e that<r rct giw any fun ds held und er OUT a·: y ii emEnt th e utmo st att ention
community," says Stringham-Smith.
"No single city, county or ::0111nwnity in our region not evcn CharlotteMec1dcnburg -
has the assets and 5925 Camegie Br..d. Suite 101 Ct-arlDtte, NC 2E :;'09
resourccs to go it all alonc in the global economy.
704.556.9000 8010.444.1337
- ,\Jichdc/ Almond Clwr/ouc l<cgional Partllcrship
We enjoy working with all ou e jects anj helping t hem to purs1Je L~ i fmandal goals by bu i ldin~ tllI:ir a s~ ets. You see, m any of O.lr c.r~ accounts started out much SID l ~r.
~ HILLIARD L"rCNS A PNC ADVISORS C ,::MPANY
- ~ct
Th e Cabinet is a nonprofit agency
FDIC inS<lred -May los",,,,, ue -~o ban . ge<arantee
J.J.B. HILLIARD, W.L.lYONS, IN C.
I"EM BE. "'\Jy~
.~ ~
www.h illiard com
that receives financial support from the City of Charlotte and has office space, wh c:h it shares with Sister Cities, in the Go ... ernment Center. It hopes to receive more government funding this year. The l1ayor, city council and city man3ger appoint members of its 30-member board. Cities from as far away as Texas and Co lo rado have recently visited Charlotte to learn from the Cabinet "We 're considered a national model because there is a government structur-= in place to bring groups together and connect peop le who don 't ordinarily connect," Stringham-Smith says. "So when an issue is brought to the Ca bi net, we don't take it on, but rather figure out who is already addressing it cr who is best suited to address it We commLricate, cooperate and coordinate and do it better than most other
cities.~
And that means just one more thir g to tout when marketing the Charlotte re§;i 'Jn to the world.
i~
BeOJ QUirk is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
greater c h arlotte biz
m:l}
2)0 I 19
by casey jacobus
â&#x20AC;˘
â&#x20AC;˘
Win In
ence Former Major Leaguer Jeff Schaefer and his screen printing team at Wild Man Industries are taking a shot at the corporate big leagues.
When Jeff Schaefer and his partner John Vandewiel bought a Rock Hill screen printing company in 1996, they had one employee, one press and one computer -
and none of them knew how to
operate the machines. "We learned as we went along," says Schaefer. "We did a lot of cold calling, picked up some small accounts. At the time, our company was located next to a Subway restaurant. We could hear the orders coming through the walls! " Nonetheless, the unusual name, Wild Man Industries <www.wildmanind.com> , opened doors and [he two partners'
gr eate r char lotte biz
pure moxie got them through their first few months. Their big break came when the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) came calling. "We were turning out 50 to 60 printed shirts a day, and they wanted 35,000 to 50,000 units a month ," says Schaefer. " 'We're your people,' I told them. " Of course, the officials from WWF wanted to check out the plant before making a deal. So Schaefer called a realtor and borrowed the key to a vacant building just off Interstate 77 on Old Pineville Road. He bluffed his way through the visit. Two weeks later, with no equipment, no building and no staff, they had the contract - and two weeks to set up the business . "We ran the first WWF order without test running," says Schaefer. "The shirts were horrible . I though t it was over. "
>-
may 200 I 2 1
ut Wild Man Industries made the necessary adjustments and successfully delivered the order. The company evolved from that contract and is now turning out over 100,000 shirts a month fo r the WWF It also markets caps, shirts and other souvenirs for other organizations such as Alltel Communications and Black &: Decker US. In addition to the World Wrestling Federation, the company's clients now include sports teams, movie studios , musical acts, and department store chains. "We created a one stop shop for any type of corporate identity," says Schaefer. "We'll put a corporate logo on anything - coozies, pens, golf balls, mouse pads, apparel. We do all the work ourselves and promise overnight fulfillment. " Last year Wild Man Industries was purchased by Speedway Motorsports Inc. , which is building them a new facility in Harrisburg, near Lowes Motor Speedway.
junior year. He left college because he wanted to play major league ball, but promised his parents he would return for his degree (which he eventually did in 1985). He was drafted in the 12th round by the Baltimore Orioles and was assigned to what was then the Charlotte O's. Schaefer spent three years in Charlotte with the Orioles organization and was a member of the 1984 Charlotte O's team that won the Southern League Championship. That
the Charlotte Knights. Altogether, Schaefer spent eight and a half years in the minor leagues and four and a half years in the majors. He says the time in the minors was the best in his life. "We had no money," he recalls. "We traveled everywhere on buses and ate on $10 to $15 a day. We bonded as a franchise and a team, and I made some real close friendships." When Schaefer made it to the Major Leagues , it was a much different lifestyle - single roo ms, chartered flights , someone else to carry the luggage. "Every kid who ever puts on a uniform dreams of playing in the 'big leagues ,' " says Schaefer. "There is an adrenaline rush just stepping onto a big league field and knowing you're one of the best 800 players in the world. " Although Schaefer hit only two home runs in four years, he thought he would wear a uniform for the rest of his life - if not as a player, then as a coach or manager. But when the players' strike closed down the ball parks in 1994, Schaefer was 35 years old , a utility player, and a free agent. It was time to look for a challenge somewhere else.
Team Play tS
Playing Ba"
While Schaefer hit a home run with the WWF contract, it did not take him by surprise. This a~fo former professional player prepared to run his business by studying the game of baseball. "If you're a baseball purist, it's the greatest strategic game there is, " says Schaefer. Schaefer grew up on Long Island, the son of a judge and the oldest of four children. He went to the University of Maryland where he was named to the All ACC Baseball Team in 1981 , his
22
may 200 I
Schaefer liked his
der 0\'l_sl-'lIr initial exposure to e witn a large or wnicn remaIns Charlotte and had brea\<. cam federatIon, I dustnes' bIg Id Y'/restling returned nearly every off-seaY'/ild I"\an n ol'ular Y'/or he wildly I' son . He had mvested m Buzsaw Apparel, ~rom 1., day. d client to Wlnter Crockett a Charlo tte company whIch manufac'
Park, the O's home field in South End, burned down. DUling the next decade, Schaefer moved up and down the minor and major league ranks. He made it briefly in the big leagues with the Chicago White Sox in 1989 , but by 1993 he was back in Charlotte, playing for the K::l.ights. He is the only player in Charlotte baseball history to win championships \vith both the Charlotte O's and
tured golf clothes, and saw that the city was growing and its economy beginning to boom. He decided to settle in Charlotte, and it was while playing golf with his friend, John Vandewiel, that the idea of Wild Man Industries was born. "The name Wi ld Man came from the way I played baseball," says Schaefer. "It also stood for our attitude about
greater charlotte biz
Now you can have access to Documents where you need them, When you Need them! IKON Business Information Services Presents OTG Imaging Software
-
aggressively getting
business and doing whatever it takes. " Together the partners purchased the Rock Hill screen printing company, Pro Expressions , and haven't looked back since. One of the reasons is Schaefer's
The Obvious Choice for your Total Information Management Needs: • Imaging • Enterprise Report Management • Workflow • Web/Browser Based Solutions 1-800-729-1268, ext. 3077 • Forms Processing/OCR/ICR Solutions • Conversions Bgeorge@lkon .com State of the Art Document Management Technologies
application of baseball management principles to his business. Schaefer has organized the company like a team. He's the general
We Believe
In
Res
not the executive director, and while the final decisions rest with him, the company operates in a linear, rather than hierarchical fashion . "Nobody is greater in value than anybody else ," Schaefer says. "There are no superstars. It's fun - like being inside a clubhouse." It's also a little like a family. Schaefer's mother, Pat Rodgers , is a partner; his sister, Courtney Rodgers, is on the sales tearn; and his fiancee , Tracy Thatcher, is assistant general manager. Vandewiel is creative director and, says Schaefer, the two are as close as brothers. "We've shared houses, drun k together and clocked each other." Roddy Broadna.,'(, who left Alitel to head up corporate sales at Wild Man in January, says Schaefer runs the company more like a coach than a general manager, >
greater chulotte b iz
At Robinson, Bradshaw & I-linson, we go to considerable lengths to maintai.n a client-focused, results-oriented law Brm. The strength of our fIrm lies in the quality of lawyers who have joined us - lawyers with practical problem-solving skills and the experience necessary to meet our clients' real world challenges. vVe recognize the importance of properly utilizing om team of experts to achieve the most effective solutions for our clients' lega l needs. Robinson, Bradshaw & I-lillson - a traditi on of excellence.
Robinson Bradshaw
& Hinson
NORTH CARO LIN A OFFICE
SO UTH C AR OLINA OFFICE
101 North Tryon Street Suite 1900 Charlotte, NC 28246 704.377.2 536
The Guardial1 BuiJdi ng 223 East Ma in Street - Suite 600 Post Office Drawer 12070 Rock Hi ll , SC 297 31 803.325 .2900
www.rbh.com
may 200 I 23
to develop into whatever they wanted," explains Schaefer. For a company that set its goal to be the best in Charlotte , being associated vvith Speedway meant a giant stride towards home plate. "It meant that what we envisioned happening in 10 years waulc'. be accelerated ," says Schaefer. "It was elsa a relief. The pressure of owning and 'J perating a company growing so fast wa~ intense. We were flying, working crazy hours, doing whatever we
promoting teamwork ar:d e:-_路: :ru: agin.; everybody to do their best. ",\.:-_d t~r.;: s nothing he won't do r_.rnself.. ::a:fs Broadnax, "whether it5 pickin?; 1.:.p Ih.;: trash or making a delivery:' Broadnax got to tn.)w ::J': te:a:u <J: Wild Man as the buyer br A.C.~el$ spc :-:swea r. He appreciated I ~'E CUS1GIlEr service tbe ce路 -'Jany P:Jvic:::::!
anc thinks it is one of Wild Man's greatest assets. Wild Mn Industries now employs 80 people , including two in-house graphic artis t~. and an information technology specialist. It runs three shifts a day and, with seven automatic presses, can produce 500 to 800 shirts an hour. It has the capacity to do 70,000 impressions a week, including printing on black, and can print up to 14 differenl colors. "No ace person can build anything like what we've built," says Schaefer. "The people who work here are the best. And, they want to corne to work here . It's addictive. "
get the job done." During busy times, the company would rent rooms at a nearby Howard Johnson. Schaefer was once so exhausted, he fell asleep in the bathtub for three hours. Now, Wild Man has th:: backing of SMl. This month it will move into
Playing in the Big Leagues Last year, just two and a half years after Schaefer started the company, Wild Man Industries was purchased by Speedway Motorsports Inc (SMI) "We were profitable; we had the WWF contBct, and were small enough
24
may 200 I
a new 53,000 square foot facGty in Harrisburg, replacing the two bUildings it is now using on Old Pineville Road "Being associated with S1I.1l gives us credibility, " says Broadnax. "We can leverage the relationship. It demonstrates that no job is too big for us ."
greater charlotte biz
Schaefer exp:::ts: ih~ ass: ciaLon wit:,
There's nothing
Speedway to propel Wil::: Mc.:1 lr.:luu ies onD the nali'Jnal sce:e. in c. tougher -eague
~Y;_'-:e
r::cw, ~
field gets smc.ller o the
Li~"'ler
general about us.
(ay:.ng
ie 3ays_
"~e
IF you r.! seet.in.:; special empl oy"!': cs or I f( lOOking 'Dr that speciall joh it: HC~lnti l~ _ 5n:l n ce. bookkccpi_ g o r <I:. la c illry. call us today. ~ spcc i:tla c in jX'JViding temporary.:'lnd , li ~c l ·h rre a·..:counting slalJ-
:/ou go.
fr.)111 ~LPPOrT ·O professional pc: snnnc .
The strong and tie g:xxl su[--.-ive ' Wild Men Irdu:'L:ies grossed $8 million in sales tb ; ; ear ~n t·;/o ;ears Scraefer anti::ipa _es grcoS9:1g over $:'J million and , _n ::en ye:us $35 to :!i4(l million. "We'-:e 5bwly s=r-i.lg natk:mc~ awareness, new," ie sc.;:o. lbngs ·;;ill Jeally pop when We hit :h~ nation,,) mar:<et ~
Clerks C)"t i\ CanJtants Ba) ·)kkcq)..!:'s & Co]Jc('tors Account n...! M:U1agcrs
ACCOUl1t1U
CPt.s O:ltI Entry Fin;..nc...iai Ar alvs:s CreJil Man:lgcr.'
t: 7043760006
, Control c:.fS Payroll , ..I./R &AIP l:IX SpC.:;aliSIS
f: 7043764787
22; West Trade Street , Suite181O, Charlctte , NC 28202 charLot1 e@a'Jc.et.ccm
aoc:
F l IfANCI .... L STAFFING A i D R ECRUITI'tG SPECIA 11STS
During busy times, the company \lJould rent rooms
at a nearby Howa rd Johnsen. Schaefer was
0
e so
One Stop For All Your Insurance Needs!
exhausted[ he fcll asleep in the bathtub for thr.;,e hours. Whi1e vlild Mal hl :bs : ~ies geas up for the coq::crate: big -fagufS . SchaeEr is loc·king forov.ard 0 l:' _urnir::g to bas~all for the first time sinC2 ~994. Th.; ST..Inmer he planf to : oaci a :e8Il of 16 - 0 18-year-olds It -;;,rill b:: t.:J.e first Lme he's pill on a ur.forn in 5<:'\' e:n -,rears. 'Til be glad to E.el: -J;lCK intco baL," says the forDer pro
We Care About Protecting And Serving You.
Knauff ·=dlj±;.yer. who's nc'v s'...rLng:"" g fot the :eno-: in hi:; own bu.snes.
CcseyJoco bu~ is c :::hado':e-tQ5ed freEhmcE
II'JSURANCE
N ~ 0 R P ) RAT f n -. 310 E3.st Morehead St. P.O . Box 33789 Charlotte, "';IC 28233 phone: 704.37580(10 fax: 70 L .334.6526 I
writer.
greater cha -lotte biz
ma y 200 I 25
ADefi ing Moment Charlotte's business leaders campaign for the future of uptown Charlotte At the kick-off of the Decade of Progress Committee campaig:l, organized to promote (he passage of the Uptown Bundled Projects ~eferen dum , co-chair : ohnny Harris spoke passionately
about the purpcse of the group , the importance of the June 5th referendum and the future of Charlotte. "The idea behind the proposed package of uptown projects _s not really new. We are c.sking Charlotte voters to do somethiLg that they have done every decade for the last tiree decades. .. to invest in the future. Over the last ten years we have invested $330 million in capital funds on projects such as the Charlotte Convention Center, the Discovery Place expansion and the Blumenthal Ferforming Arts
~enter.
Think what this community would
te like without those investments. 'Just as we have done in the past, we must continue to te the best we can be.
2. 6
ma y 200 I
>-
IiOtrfl Uf! isep'ea:dent u mpe1ing everJ day fir DEW business, new deas and new l1inds. Iy prasiing this referendl~ ""E' re Chart11g iI
course Uat win ensure a lIecooe of progr拢ss ftr he tublre of CbarlMte.'~ - JabMj' Iw$,. focal tEte oper ,alii O!csdE: o路
P~ss ~o"ctlci r,
sot.Iing
in fnIlt ~f the. )r~D~i!j ~te' for tl! n~ Waske_ arena
20 : I 27
future is dependent upon competing every day for new business: new Ideas and new minds. UI
Frequertly Asl"ed Questions ;md Ans'A~rs about the ArEna I,. an effort to providE further cirrifica3o.., cf
oncerns arising frort" the UptOW'l Bulldl:d ~oiec~s Referendum~ the ~ogrEss
Decadl" of
organizatioJ <www.decaded-
~ogress.com>
has f7ovirie:i thEfol/'J<./ir]
i~formation :
Phy are we funding the Gonstruction of 3 new aena \;Then we alrearrJ have tl::e Charlotte Coliseum? The Charlotte Col seurn was prill a'i:y' fnanced through $47 milli:m iIT Gelera l Obligati'::Il Bonds ippov"d ty voters in 1984. At the tille, :i1e, eoa l of building anew colisew-. .....3S b attract events that the 0 d cc i5'eLm (now Cricket Arena, wh ch ~=ct$ 11,666) could no lo nger SLpPClt. [,<BA basketball \\\i3S not ye- in me I=ictu -e for CharlOii:te . By the time th e Coliseun op =n=d il 1988, NBA basE:. etball had be: ome e reality, and the florne ts began :J1=y· ilg tf'ere one year later. Eve, traugh tie Coliseum was not built t::J h'Jllse en NBA team, it sewed the romEs ·well Dryears. Overtheyears, hO\.ole\l~ thE Econom ics of the "'-lBA have crcllgej Rliing an arena wih fans bLying:si- · gle·seat tickets is ,ot enough fo - a earn to survive. Ircome gerera-ed -:)'1 ~kyboxes, which ere rented j n ITClst cases by corporate entities, ha s tecome a crucial source of ilcollle. The Coliseum currently .has 1; ~k)'boxes. wherecs other l\I3A ETeflc3 t-ave between 50 and 170 5kyt~>:=s. "f.his is an in adeq Jate num:Jer ~f skj · t axes for the Honet::; to St3Y fj - a- · Gaily competitive- with other te:: rr3. Othe r NBA teams ha'/e faced tlE need for new :a renas to: st a~ fnandally compEtitive. On.y fi\2 : f tle 29 arenas hO..lsing NBf:. te.:ITl S ere older than the Charlotte Coli:::eum, end at least two cf those fi,le rave been rebuilt or su bst;wti- Iy. illproved. > >:> >
?3
may 200 I
By passil15 dlis rderendum, we c.re ciart· ing a cou:se tl:".at will ensure a decade of pDgress :cr the future of Charlotte We VJant 10 build anc. improve upon tho:: quali.ty oE life that we are so determinsd to es ~ablish a:ld rcaintain for generat:ons to come," continlEd Harris as he. enCOlITc.ged supporte:s to campaign on behaJ of ths referendum that wodd approve hmd:ng for a collection of projects tc b e deve:oped h the uptown a::-ea.
:::harlone city council members have alrec.d;" v:Jted to approve the
"We want 10 build a d im:>rove upon the quality o,f Iffe that we are so
bunded projects. However, certain members promise::i constituents the
determined to estcblis and maintain far generatr ns toe omE-. '.
cl13n::e ta vote on these projects in a referendu:n The state legisla ~ure agre::c to call for tl:-.e : -eferendum and has
scheduled il to be: conducted on June 5, 2001 h1 Ch:lrlotte city precincts. Vote::-s must be registerec by May 11, 2,)01 be eLgibk
tJ
t:l
vote in :his special eleeo:-..
Polling plac::s wili be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:3C :=>.m. on that day fo ~ voter:: to exp res~ t' eir SLpport or rejection. Absen:ee baUots oay also be cast. :Jnl}
residen~s
of the city of
Charlotte will be .. llo'"ved to 'lote on th:s referendum s:nce. all taxes and fees used
to
fund these proje:::ts '..vil!
be impos::d exclUSively within the cit: ; nc lv:eckknburg County ftmds 'vvill te us ~ d
::Ounding fOl: the package of prcjec:s
will be generated primarily through ta;;:eo: on ho:el. motel and car rental fees. Acdi.tionc.l tevenues will be. created f::-:: > D rent5: paid for use of the new arena a:::d a th::-ee perc:ent uset fee on tickets sold :or ev::n:s at the Charlotte Coliseum , Cr:cket Ar~I13
and c·ti er dty-{)wned facilities. Witl:".ou passage of this referendum,
the r:rojects cannot move forward on the r:.eces3ary schedu ~e of constnctic,n to erSJre ttat the Hornets remain in Charlotte and the other proj ects be coolpletd 'V.thin the next ten years.
- hhlln) lMarris
H .e referer:.d-. lo wi]
t e non-::'inding,
[hJugh , ad th<:refc re i; it feL, it win
net cecess=tily !=rec1uck de'v'eJopment :Jf SO:l1e or i111 :::>f t:l:E buniled proj::ct plans
A Look at the Combined Package The 'Cr:town B..lc:led F'Dj t Cts a:e: combind -:n a pilckag:: that is Frojected 10 cost $34:;' million in pub~it: ~ pen:i ing over the n~l ten years All i.c?;e:ther, they are expected tc pro :h:. ~ addi.:ional e::1terlainment IT cu ltu ~al c.ctivi:e s v'vithin on center ::i::y that wiL draw n:ore vis· lO::-S and lElke Glarlett:: mer:: ~ttra= [ive as a desLnalion :or tourists r .d COLVC:lliens and,;ts a Tesu.t, ::ring Dey,' dol.lars and sper:.clir.g to om = ter :::.:y disi.lict. The Cry CouncL with remmr::En· dations frc::n the Arts 3...id Sci.eLce Council, has iCe:l.tifiei the ~e<'e:1 i.n.::lividnal p-ojecls to b :: included Tn the ref::ren· dLm as fOLo'"vO':
The Arena The lujority cf t~ fur.c.3, $2(: mil· ;icn, woul:! be 1.:sed ill build ~, new mu l· tipurpose cr:ter:ainoe:dsport= Henc . The ~:::>r:J p :::> sed 3ITl1a, to be. b cated on 10 acres smrcunde::i by Mint , (~raha ;n, :::-h:d and ?0Ul1h Sl1~e ~s, would inclLc£ :in greater cha - Iotte biz
Q&:A , conti nued:
Why combinE these projects? It makes good business sense to do the projects together. The arena and the s: adium cannot be b_ilt on a tax·exempf basis without combining them wit, the other projects Combining the projects could save Charlotte more fhan $100 million iinterest over thE next 30 years. Collectively, these projects are a catalyst n,) t only for the organizations irw olved, but also for the creation of a true cultural, entertainment 2nd sports destina-
levels , up
to)
2O,OJO 3eats, c. practce:
court, a brcacl::asl cotEr
;t
team s.o·e,
ou:docr ten3ces, 70 hnny boxes:c.t:.d 2,500 club sects. This arena 'Noulc 1:e owned by L:e .city or Chc.Lor:e ane ea:.e::l
by the Horn::t3 unde a
~S:-y:: ar
lec.sE..
Th:: buildir:.g 6 b ein,~ :lesigned to .;e:3.t 18 ,500 for :As<et:>ar; it ,:,,-n be ex?a.ided to 20,000 S::a3 for c-her e,',,:lts as weeded, Initial clrivings ';;JeE created a. Lie instruction =f :-IomefS CVlller3 by tt.E architectural frm of :::Jerb:: E,ecket, deoigners
OL
tbrteen :::d'.er
~;BA
an:ms
located thrcug::lOu the counuy inch::di:lg Ne·N York's Yi:=dison :i=tuar::: Gardn, Center m::l the: Com::::co
tion, which will benefit generatiors
Boston's Fie
of Charlotte res dents. The arena
Fieldhcuse .n .nd~arn.pcl:s
"For the first time in tweh,e years since I have neen in pLblic S'IH'~K:~
and stadium alone will draw an estimated 3.2 rnillion spectators per year, and cLltural events in Charlotte alreacy draw
>>>>
we finally ha'l e a plan ir place \l.<here
The Mint Museum With 1'1- 1 millioo in l1Z\\' funds, th= Mint Muse= wO'llC be relocated ·o
>
we are loolting for the long term. " - :>at IJlcCrori
m
Attractions
included in the June 5th
referendum are shown in BLUE.
II
Existing attractions will complement
and benefrt from the June 5th ref-
erendum. These sites are shown in RED.
' Th e Decade of Pr~ress Committee ~ ustraes the synergis: ic ef -eel :>assl.
greatel' charlc,tte biz
:1 ::>
the r eierefldurn 'Nill have trrou§.hou: uptov n Ch",rl u::e.
Q&A, continued:
uptown, where larger audiences could nearly 2.9 million per ye;u" t w:Ju ld be shortsighted and inefj( ertto
enjoy its expansion and events, and p ro-
not combine these im po'talt proj ·
r_ationally recognized activities.
grams would be enh anced to become
ects, all of which support<3ld illpact
Discovery Place
each other.
With $30 million in new fu nds, Some p eople say that cornb..l ing the projects is simply ::t var ior the Hornets to get a ne'"V arena. Is that true ? Absolutely not. The projects WE re combined because theya ll ar2 part of a long·range strategic plan f:J r a cultural, entertainment
crlC
sP:Jrts
district. It would have m3 je Irt: le sense to consider the or::Jjects i ndependently. It is an
insult1JJih ~ resi
dents of Charlotte to
sU5§;~t
tll ey
are not capable of unde -sta nd ' ng the issues surrounding the cCrllbrred projects, and making all in=ormed decision on June 5th. It ls:J i3
Discovery Place would be expanded and renovated at its current location enabling the Science Center to more adequately meet the demands of school groups coming to the museum. Classes, exhibit
spac~
md visitor services would be enlar~ d in line with a compreh ensive Master Concept and Feasibility plan that h as been created fo r the n ext 10 to 25 years.
The Ballpark With $25 million in new fund5", the city would build a n ew 12,000-seat red brick ballpark in th e historic South End to house the Charlotte Knights, retuning
"The June 5th referet1dum presents an opportunity tor us to make Charlotte all even better pClce to live and grow with our fantilies. "
important to note that t i:3 is rot a
the team to their roots in the heart of
bond referendum in w'1 i=:, the voters
Charlotte. Construction would start in
are being asked to appD'/E tile fund-
2002, with the first ball to be throv;n in
South End and help rs -create d:.s inti-
2004. The stadium, modeled partly on
mate, homey [crmer Crockeu
ing of the projects. It is an 3d." sory referendum requested
tv tle
Charlotte City CounciL
- Reverefld Claude Ale,;alUler
P ~ rk,
'/ictory Field in Indianapolis, would
the Knights' previous Charlo:.te n::nTIe.
complement other recent projects in the
Team officials expect a new baLpark in Ch arlotte's center city will boo ; t
Still , if combining the:- pLOj ~:: ts is such a good idea, ~l-_y w asn't it suggested ea:lirr? As a matter of fact, the ide3 b a combined arts, enterta inllelit and sports district is not ne\ol. Destination Charlotte, a, ilit Etive by a group of Charlot:e eajefs as part of the Charlotte Cha m:Jer:s Advantage Carolina strate§ic ~ Ian, recommended two year; -a~o be combination of arts anc ertera inment facilities, and the :::JllstrJction of a new arena, to creae a vi3:Jle uptown that would ensLl~ Charlotte's continued p-asper ty. This type of progressive pl3nl' ng has also been done in the pas-. During the last decade, more ttlar $~O million was spent on pu bli : projects devoted to tourism . Th~ pqects included the Charlotte CorvErtion Center, Blumenthal Peri:lnlling Arts Center and the expansi a n:Jf Discovery Place. ~ ~ >- ~ 30
may 200 I
attendance by 6 ,000 pe~ galE.
The Carolina Theatre With $13 ..3 milli'Jn in
n...~'
funds from the referendum, :.h e Carolina Theatre would resu:ne i:.s former glory tmough an ada?ti~ re-use of the fa:ility. In 3. restore.::. condition, the :.heater v\-ould ?::::l',ride performance space fo ~ emerging artists and art groups who are not cnr:-ently part of the programs .Jffered by tie Blumenthal Performing Arts Cen:.er.
The Afro-American Cultural Center With proceeds OI ~pro~irr:.c.te ly $10 million, tl":.e Afro-Americ3.f_ Center prograos, events anG a:::vi.ties "In adopting this vision and passing
would be expanded to ll1Cre33e i :.s
this referendum, we'll keep faith to
ability to serve a larger <ludie::l.:e
the vision of those who have committed their lives to this city in the past." - Hugh McColl
Through joint programming -,'vi:.h other local, regional and natioJr:.a1
greater char lotte biz
Q&A, COIH:iI1UEC':
Why not use thi3 money for other pressing needs, such ~ schools?
<Its g:-OTJ5, the CCle r wo uld E=eon:mocate DCE s·: hool §.rcu ps and erx::,u:-ase n o:-e cC'Dlmmrty-ba3ed cultur:;l botage
While t he needs af school s and ot1er ~ntities are 3 high priarity fa alf of LIS, bV law, tn2 funds colle ctec from t'-- e hotel-rrat=l tax an d .ertel car ta)C mu!:'t be used for tou -isrrre atec pro, ects, end may net be used for SC100ls or other ne:=ds
educatioc a::1C :ra6t:ons.
fu ldec through:> operty : ax" s. It i: important to note that n=a-ly all fiftt-·gra de stuclents in the arlc,:te·/lAecklerburg SchoDls (more : han 8,000 this schod Yeilr aloneJvisitthe Mrrt Mus€un a!: pa -t ofthe '- cur-iculum , and thousar. d ~. m.Jre go to DisCOYEry Place fr:,r sci erce-rk h field trips . The Afro-American CuJural (e t2r provic:= s school-based cLltural ed ucation proFams. T1eatre Charlctt ~ works "vith Char,ot:e-Meeklenbug high ~ .: hools to :>rovide thecter instruction . and it' houses an on-site acting:school. S·) , hese pro ects wi'll have cr significantfrnpactoned JG3 . tion ai d schools i r our comTlunit!'.
§cnentic.s and anEcting qua:'_Y PD-
cr
We h:=ve just finished paying oil the e,<'isting Coliseum, what wlI happrn to it? Tre rE al value o=lre Coliselm is the 1 76 3cres efland Gn w hich itsits. ~
>
~ ~
Theatre Charlotte Nev:
reYer; ue~
bster e:q:,ar.si.o::J. 0:- Theatre Charb:te, Daking :::s IZc ilities Evailable to ruey cuctio~
3t.ppDrli:-l.§ innovat:ve th:w::r
cJ.1d a cocpl-clEns.ve acting
~cb::J :,L
What City Leaders Are Saying Chalo: te :v1ayo- Pat MCC:::I}' -;;as a 9:rcng ECSOGJte in fevor of tbe p cc~ge of ~encir.-§.
Proges; ~ick-cff. HE said , "Vie
T~e':' to
cor:tinoc to p repare : his com.i ...LL',; this city a:1d this region :-or the h,:c:-e, Fo:d1e fi:-st time in t'v\.elve years
::;mc= ]
Microsoft
Network- g
pro?osaG ;l.t the De:::JdE c:
have
AutoCAD Desktop Pub ishing
Programming
been in [:ubli:: ser.rice, we fir.-ally ~l 'T/e a
pin in pl3.ce V\'hete we are lcc:.qng fer d1e lcng C IT]" put.:ing everyl:1L § tc.sethEr End sE)in.s l:1es>': are the CEp_:<i [JfQj ects
(:lilt
:ore gong e:<pand
0
r qual::)' of
ife fer ~e Il.n.:re . T at is caCed E:~eI~hi')
ard ·.ris:or.," Oth.~rs
s?eakmg in favor .:':- 'oc
bundled pr.:Jjects [e~rendum i:oc -J,:'~d ~
ReC¥:;tior to the inital area dEsigns hes been mi>.ed, t..t
greater charl:::>tte b z
c:f $200 ,OJ) p(){I ld
po~. itive
.::hanges ere plarned .
w wvv.liquiddes=ign . n e t n- ay 2C J I 31
Q&A, cconti.Hued:
Bmk of America's Hugh McColl, The Colise u-n most .i <_Ely wou ld be raze c , and th: l an d Lsed for ather purposes. flctu 3lJy, jue to the success :of the C= lise um in attracting
Reverend Claude Alexander, pastor of University Park Baptist Church, and Ju::ly Allison, senior vice president of
new ::JUsi ne:=;:;es, tre ldnd or whicr
Fi: st Union Bank. McColl emphasized
the facility now s't s VO Jld be more
th:: continuum of community service
va luc ble for other uses_ The Colis ~ um
and commitment Charlotte has long
land, p_m:h ased by the city
in 192 9, nO A: i~ vJOrth at least $20
enjoyed saying, "In adopting this vision
milli c;n, de fJE ndingo - the end use.
c.W passing this referendum, we'll keep
And while this ... al u.cb_E land currert-
faith to the vision of those who have
ly g e ne rate ~ , 0 prope rty taxes for t1e ci ty, it would cc n7itu: e signi ficant pro pe rty taxES orce d~'l elop e d.
committed their lives
to
this city in the
past. Together, we will build on their \i5ion for our children and the future "
So tte Colise1.::m mon~y,
',I'<a3
a waste of
right?
Reverend Alexander, also a co-chair of the Decade of Progress Committee,
A: Not at aL. The C:yliseum brough t
c1c.rified the question of funding for
in en: ertai mr en t 5u( h as Fran l~
the projects. "First , let me tell you
Si nat -a, the Ro Li ng Sco les, and Luci a1 0 Pa varotti; spcr:: s event s includ ing th e ACe 13ask 2tbal [
hmv they vvill not be paid for.. .no new property taxes . Funding will be
Tourna me nt 2ld me, '3 and women's
搂e::lerated through taxes on hotel/motel
NCAA Basketba.l "i<Jill Four; big time
rooms and car rentals in Charlotte only,
>- ~ ~
as well as from rent and use of the new
profe;;sion at w resl-ng; ~
32
may 2e路0 I
"An uptown arena for Charlotte will provij~ millions of new dollars for Charl路)tte area businesses and restaura1:s and new exposure to cultural ami arts destinations." - . udy Allison
.s r e:ater charlotte bi z
Q&:~ ,
coll ti/Hled:
;nena and a user fee on tickets sold a-d other events that wouldn't have olle to Charlotte without a large
:0
events in City-owned facilities. " He
~onclude d ,
\P-Iue. The Coliseum also spurred
"The June 5th referendum
sign ificant development. In 1985,
presents an opportunity for us to make
tl e land adjoining the eventual
Charlotte an even better place to live
Ccliseum site brought in $115,000
and grow with our families."
iI property taxes. In 1999, that sam e 13ld generated $3.5 million in propErty taxes. With the addition of the Coliseum, the area was transformed
Judy Allison, the other co-chair of the Decade of Progress Cmmnittee,
be~ n
by chiding Hugh McColl about the COD-
..om virtually unused land whose
petition between Bank of America and
J10 st notable feature was a garbage
First Union, but then said , "When it
dump, to a thriving section of
comes to our community, there is no
;:: harlotte that now is home to the cor-
competition. We are all in this togetheI."
:J ~ rate
headquarters of B.F. Goodrich
3ld Belk, and major operations for
She then pointed out, "This is really a defining moment for our city This refer-
3 :211South and other companies.
endum is about opportunity At First Union, I see a lot of
lsn't the Hornets' demand for a ::new home the real reason for 1:uilding an uptown arena?
who have come to Charlotte and reloC3t-
VJhile a large arena must have an
ed here because they believe it is the
anchor te na nt li ke the Hornets, it
i~
young faces, talented young people
place to be. They want to make their
important to note that the arena wi;
homes here and build for their future
r ot be built "for the Horn ets." The
here. They see Charlotte as a place of
r;eople of Charlotte will own the
opportunity Yet, I've heard stories reC31t-
crena , and only about one-third of
ly about losing recruits to places like
the events at the arena will involvE the Hornets. The Hornets are getti ""lg nothing from taxpayers . The HornEi5 will pay $7 million a year to play t here, rather than the approximatEI:; $400,000 a year they pay now
Cleveland and Pittsburgh that we
ha~
never lost to before. Those cities have made decision::: to reinvest in their downtowns and create new cultural and sports districs.
: $9,000 per game), and be bound f:J
An UptoWTI arena for Charlotte will
25-year lease . Concerts, the cirCJs,
provide millions of new dollars fo r
3
:Jther sporting events and add itio [n l
Charlotte area businesses and restaur3.l1ts
:activities will bring visitors to the
and new exposure to cultural and arB
people' s arena nearly twice as often
destinations. "
:as will the Hornets.
Speaking about a recent experie:J.ce, she went on to say, "I spoke to a group of
Other cities that have lost pro sports franchises have done just fine , haven't they? In fact, severa l cities - including Cleveland, Baltimore and Houstol have spent hundreds of millions of
people who had many questions and misconceptions about this referendull. But once they learned that the numl::ers work here, that this m.akes financial sense for our city, that this does not
dollars to build new facilities an d
involve property tax increases, and nat
bring in new teams in the last feV'
this is part of a long term strategy foc
years after other franchises left t(tVin .
Charlotte's economic gain that will !-ave
That's a hefty price to pay if t hose
positive effects for years to come fm-our
cities felt they were just fine wit oc ...J:
children and our families -
their professional sports teams.
stood its value. "
they under-
Q&A, continued on page 50.
ยง5 re ate r chMlotte biz
may 200 1 33
by jerry stahl
cure for the killer caller Ulysses Learning has a
so~ution
for call centers plagued with poor customer service:
Web-based individual judgment and skills training.
We have all experienced frustration and anger after plr cing a phone call to a company and receiving poor customer service. Ma:,be you've had to spend an excessive amount of time navigating through a companys telephone auto-prompG and self-help features before finally reaching a live person. i\nd then you find out that he or she can't handle your situation, so your cc.ll is forwarded through the system :0 someone else. And on and on it goes. At that point, any of us has the potential to become "The Killer Caller." Corr_panies are building an increasing number of call centers to manage their customer relationship~ . In Charlotte alone, the top 30 call centers employ over 12,00C customer service agents. But even though call centers are an important part of the stntegy for providing service to custJmers, many companies are missing a key element neec:ed for achieving customer
greater charlotte biz
satisfaction. Research shows that companies spend most of their training time teaching their Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) to understand their products, policies, procedures, and technology systems. However, on average they spend less than 20 percent of their time and budget training CSRs on customer interaction skills. Ulysses Learning <ulysseslearning.com> of Mooresville, is carving out a special niche in the growing field of Web-based training, also known as e-learning, by developing training products that improve an individual's judgment and skills. For CSRs, this means improving their call handling and customer interaction skills. CallMentor;" Ulysses' award-winning training product , is arming CSRs around the globe with the skills needed to avoid "The Killer Caller," a term coined by Ulysses' creative agency, Indievision, as a way to describe the result of poor customer service. ~
may 200 I 35
arkW Brodsky, president and CEO of Ulysses l earning, puts quality customer ssrvice at the heart of his comrany's business. "It is vital in today's informationbOlsed economy, to provide CSRs with the jLdgment and skills to effectively take control of calis, helping them to qUickly icentify and solve customer problems," h= says. "The goal is to balance both qJality and productivity during the call." Until recently, corporate training was rr.ainly an instructor-led classroom style e'lent. Statistics show, though, that trainees will only retain 20 percent of the irJormation they learn in this manner, and will lose much of that within one week. Companies are finding that in sc.me environments, e-Iearning is more effective than traditional training. Call centers are a perfect example. As call center reps are asked to keep up with rr:ore and more product information, irtroduced in increasingly rapid time fG.mes , it becomes difficult to keep up with all of the latest information needed tc do an effective job. "Coordinating customer relationship tBining for 3,000 people in our organizati;:m demands a consistent and uniform approach, while providing individualized leOlrning pathways ," says Nancee Cates, a ::ustomer relationship management learning consultant for AT&T. "Ulysses' CallMentor is helping us achieve that goal." What makes CallMentor unique is the computer-based simulations designed ahlund scientific behavioral models. The C.3R1learner is presented with a variety of realistic simulated calls from computerized customers with different emotions, problems and dilemmas. The CSR ac.dresses the customer by speaking into a ¡: omputer microphone, where the entire call is recorded. The simulated customer then responds to the learner. As the leOlrner attempts to help the customer, the customer may become angry or 36
may 200 I
upset, just as in a real call. If the learner fails to provide the best response in handling the customer, the learner is "interrupted" by a computerized coach who explains what the learner did wrong, offers advice on how to get the call back on track, and then returns the learner to the simulation to continue. The learners' scores are captured so a supervisor can measure their progression and coach them on improvements. "I wish I had Ulysses' CallMentor program when I was director of training for CIGNA," says Anne Nickerson, founder of Call Center Coach;M one of the industry's leading call center consultants. Nickerson, one of many experts consulted during development of the product, believes that "there is no other application that brings together the flexibility, ease of implementation, depth of content and measurable return on investment. "
The Birth of an Idea An international private
investment trust, led by an investor with a passion for education, training and technology, founded Ulysses Training, later renamed, Ulysses Learning. In the mid 1990s the investor was searching the world
â&#x20AC;˘
for an expert in learning design and technology. He found Dr. Roger Schank, of Northwestern University's Institute for Learning Sciences, one of the world's recognized authorities on artificial intelligence and cognitive science. Dr. Schank had been doing
I-S00-FOR SERVICE. The project was in development for over a year before being launched. In looking for a sales channel for distributing the new training program, the investor decided to form a new company dedicated to bringing this program and future developments to market. The investor engaged an executive recruiter in a natiomvide search for an executive in the training industry who would help form and lead this effort. This search lead to Mark Brodsky of The Forum Corporation, a Boston-based international training and consulting firm. With over 22 years in the business , Brodsky had moved to the Lake Norman area in 1991 to help Forum develop their southeastern region. When first contacted by the recruiter, Brodsky was intrigued that an investment firm out of Athens , Greece, which had made its fortune in internat.ional shipping, wanted to hire him to start a computerbased training firm. After months of phone calls and a fair amount of research, Brodsky became convinced that the venture offered an opportunity to revolutionize the way industry trains employees to gain peak performance. With his decision to leave Forum, Ulysses Learning was born in 1997. "The name Ulysses obviously represents the heritage of our Greek investor, but the mythical Ulysses was a problem solver, so the investor determined it was a fitting name given the unique mission of our business," says Brodsky. The investor wanted Brodsky to start the business in a port city, given the
"It is vita l in today's information-based economy, to provide CSRs with the judgment and skills to effectively take control of ca lls, helping them to quickly identify and solve customer problems. The goal is to balance both quality and productivity during the call. " Mark W. Brodsky, pres ident and CEO , Ulysses Learni ng
customized computer-based training projects for some of the world's leading companies. The trust then funded his development of one of the first commercially available simulation-based training products for call centers called
trust's background in international shipping. But the Brooklyn-born Brodsky, who had come to love lakefront living and North Carolina, had no inclination to move . Brodsky had become ensconced in community activities in Mooresville, especially with the Lake Norman YMCA,
greater charlotte biz
Bob Mey errnff, .t9ft) d;"ecr(J( of c.perations, 8'10. Jo~ LaBo.rte ' righfJ, ciector of perfcrfil1ance results, sta'O ir ~ro') ! !iOTe~f t:'-e rece,l t indJs:r/ cwar js Jlysses LeCJ71irg has won.
where he :-as ;;:orved en tIte =xecutfve
sta-t =:skng cuestiO::lS about th.: produc
Board and BOe-:l .)f 11.3.:laseIoo for tr.e past
its design ard .ts marketablit:l,' :.ays BradS«}' He .'ltteD'Iined that 'V:1i.le the procl.ct was attta:ting attention for its
seven year!' . "tb.r~ i!i c.L ~crEdible individual," Lotes t=-eorgia H3£1io~ execLtive director of the Leke N:J::TIl3.n i. "Ju ~t
ul1.que r:mILT.e::Iia design. techno log;
last mcm1-. he -:vas aVled=d tl:.e Gecrge Williams &var-:.1., whi:::J. 'ID.ticnally is the
hc.d cianged s::n:::~ the early stases of de7 elDpoem "Il ·NeS a classic case of
highest de:=ign=tior: bes:C"Ved by the YMCA for 70hIltl':er leadcrsbp." Once .)n tDu d w L'1 :Jly~ses,
wc:nr rful R:;r:J :md not mOll,5t maikel fe,cus ::0 ~nSUE tl:at the prod\.: d rema:nd
Brodsky an::::l hE a3s i~tant,. Sheri Thom-:JSoL woo i.3 nO"ll the cl.rector of client 5~rv...=e s, began 5C:ting up the business. 'We =-.ave a tr::meLcluo a dvantage over otie::- -inT':; in tte: ( --=calTing space who a::-e h : ke·:. b? VeLl..I:£ c:rpitalis:s," says B::-ods :-y "'-::-he firs :i~e I met with our inns to: , I ='.3k:d abo\!t: h.~ commitment to th.3 bu::ine;s. :-1e. s aid he WclS committed 10 i: for ' lo::J y::ars.' That doesn': m~J1 t :: \,,<.n:s; LJ ·va.! 100 'lears be profi:.3.ble tu: i.l ::b~ s.gnify the trust's williLgne:s :0 inves: tC"lard longterm Sl1cce3. "
to
The Death :of a Prcdu:ct "I was :1.ird with t:1.<:: ...::::lee :::>f bll ging 1-800-FORSEF:'>7J:C::: T =rke.. Like any good marke:er, me fir~t t iing J .::lid W;l.S
greater ;:ha - iottE t.i z
co:rn::-rerciall;= \.ieble," he scys. E-rods!<;' decided · at -:Jefo:-e he cou_d uBrket Ll.e pr:: du:.:t, he r~edd to do some: user ao::eptan:e t --tiq: PS vithrr.any newly ronred comp 3nies, cas:1. flc"N W;lS tight. "We o nce f::[ behi::d en
O'_T ccrorate
America n
hpre3s ':A1vI2~( acount and _ place::l a ca:· tex their Cll3tmnzr service cepartoem, wiEre: I 'Vas cktrenely impres:oed with th e: CSR whcrl·.and1ed my call: said Brcds· y "I icqu.rec about her training an:.. a~d to SJICek to her mar-ager. EJter :SJ=eaking to L1.e ::-r.anager and f n:lirlg OJt tha:: Lce opeEcoo v;as in GreercSboro, I wa.= invited tc >ish and show them my na1.Trg prog-a'lL" That open.d the .::Io ::.r t::, r Amcricall Express to be;:ome oEUlysses' b:st clients, and ~hey be§1n teS:in§ tie pwduct. ~
:;:)[1"
lay 2)01 37
At that point the trust had invested roughly $15 million in the development of l-SOO-FOR SERVICE. But after a year in development, and more than a year of testing the product with clients such as AMEX, Brodsky determined that the product was not as commercially viable as it could be. He understood the power of the simulation-based learning that the system pioneered, but he also knew that for the product to be accepted it needed to be built in a more flexible and dynamic fashion. He made the difficult decision to start from scratch and develop a new learning system, this time using the emerging technology of Web-based learning.
A New Beginning Using a multi-disciplined, crossfunctional team of experts from across the country Brodsky set out to develop a new product that would incorporate the effective learning methodologies of the old product, with new functions made possible through Web-enabled technology "My challenge to our devel-
opment team was to create a product that the market would crave, not just want," he says. To build the leading product of its kind, Brodsky assembled leading experts in performance analysis and measurement, call center operations, technology, e-learning deSign, as well as client-partners from different industry segments. In August of 2000 , he introduced the CallMentor Suite. CallMentor provides three multimedia-training programs for CSRs and their coaches, supervisors and managers. The system can be accessed from a company's intranet, over the Internet from Ulysses' portal, The Ulysses Learning Channel'" or on CD-ROM. The ServiceMentor'" program develops CSR call-handling skills through simulation-based calls with customers. The CoachingMentorâ&#x201E;˘ program trains supervisors and managers to coach agents, and SalesMentor,'" available by year's end, develops CSR cross-selling and up-selling skills. Julie Cochran, Ulysses' director of marketing, observes that "while most
companies, especially technology companies , say they listen to the market when they develop new products, myexperience has been that few really do. " It was Ulysses' market-driven approach, and obsession with quality and results measurement, that convinced Cochran to join the company earlier this year. "A quality product with proven results is a marketer's dream come true," says Cochran. And the number of industry awards the product has garnered is pure satisfaction to Brodsky The two leading publications for the call center industry, CallCenter Magazine and Customer Inter@ction Solutions magazine, have both selected CallMentor as "Product of the Year" in their most recent awards. "Few investors would have allowed an expensive new product to be scrapped, and then had the confidence to fund a completely new product from scratch," muses Brodsky "The support Ulysses has received is phenomenaL" Partnering with world-class clients to develop CallMentor across different vertical spaces, Ulysses has launched
Business is rarely conducted by the book, so why learn it that way? Not all MBA programs are alike. Many are fine, if all you're after is a reswne line. But to truly excel in your career, you must expand your knowledge and abilities in ways that will be noticed by your superiors. If you can go beyond the textbook theories and fonnulas by offering real insights into your company's challenges, you will be valued. That's what we want to help you achieve at McColl School of Business. Our MBA programs offer more than classroom lectures.You'll be immersed into critical thinking situations that will prepare you for a better life back at the office. Whether you're interested in executive business programs, an MBA or an School of Business Executive MBA, give us a call at 704-337-2224. Or visit www.mccollschooLedu. Queens College of Charlotte
Me ColI
1900 Selwyn Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina 28274
38
may 200 I
greater charlotte biz
:Jfoducts in financial services, insurance, ~elecommunicati ons, technology and ~ransportationlshipping. Its client-part:lers have included Fidelity Investments :Jf Boston; Independence Blue Cross, a :eading insurer headquartered in Philadelphia ; Clarica, one of Canada's ~ea ding healthcare insurance institu tions; .'\T&T's small business services division; ::;eorgia-Pacific ; and Central Piedmont =ommunity College , one of the largest ·: ommunity colleges in the nation. "Ulysses is interested in working with cutting edge companies, willing to .: hallenge traditional methods of training, :n order to define a new paradigm that lmproves judgment, skills and results," .3ays Tom LaBonte, Ulysses' director of :onsulting, and author of the book Building A New Performance Vision. Since the product's release to rave reviews, Brodsky has concentrated his dforts on transforming the company :rom a development company to a ·: ustomer-driven marketing organization. Within the past year Bob Meyerhoff, a
A:;;:;=,~m
Killer Caller, continued on page 50.
~iIlVJti1ro[
.5 reater charlott e biz
rEprasertcK::ve George A-f£>" 8'1J director of 177erkeYrll€ jut.e Crxhran demonst.raf£ b Canini8n prospect= vsng the :com;Bnys
~b
-.echruogy.
may 2:::0 I 39
[bizinterview]
ne-,vSI1J(fKerS, power brol:t::.rs a.rxl j:ersonoli;tfes
Local business leader sees t~l e 3.·-ena p:roposal 1S.a c ennirE r:~l=' lv= nt in Charlotte's history Nelson Schwab III is co-founder and c managing director with Carousel Cat'Lo;, a merchant banking firm. He is a for.'11?f CEO of Paramount Parks. He currently SEJV2S on the board of directors of Burlingtor Industries, First Union Corporation, SUrJl71/i( Properties, Inc., Silver Dollar City, Inc., cnc '1e Griffin Corporation and several privately f.- '=.0 companies. He also serves on the KelO'1Flagler Business School Board ofVisitc -s ~ --j is Chairman of the Blumenthal PerforY ilf Arts Center Board of Directors. He recently became chairman of the Financial Services Exchange, a non-profit private-public partnership formed to focus on critical issues facing the financial services industry.
Ho\<!' ',",3.S i.t :iecid::i ",him c~ l1Lfal emi.ti::s ,;,,':o ul:l be u17·e.lvro in this -= 1311 ~ The il-:S er d Scienc:: c1Jnei m3de iris deci3in b,:, S21ling vi orf::ies. a ultuBI stanc p0 ntanc then mc.de t l:l~e p-c;:.m· mellCali::J1lS to the city. TiE ccy re\ iE'..te d them auj 1Y:= is wh =t C2T e ::a.Jt of it
.0.. ,
Why is i1 sc, :mpeortE.:It :c an u -= kW:1. ",lena ~
na ':e
We could be bringing three mi li onplus people uptown that aren't comi ns
Why should the people who never attend a basketball game or concert be supportive of the plan?
The loc::rt cn 0 = an aren.c 'n : - e uptCVq 3fE' 3 d::Jes far rr YE f: rt1E city :md t l 2 resion th en wh3e : 12 ColiSBln i3 !:Jeated. Wheth=r c,' rcxwe have.a j:dEs.90 na Jas<:2tE: ::: 1 :e3rr, the
o::port.J ri~
to bui d an "'-Ena
in the cEntEr:
something for our children and our grand·
can': :,a3S JP. TherE
children that would continue to mab tr s
thing5~ tt-
a great place to live.
ifwEool -thil\o€ a hS<Etbii te:: n.
may 200 I
attractions and the Charlotte Kr gltS baseball park as we ll as the arena, IVE [ have greater convention business 3r:J more visitors spending the night. JVE'11have 3 million people coming here i E=r:: ing to eat, sleep and be entertained.
Businesses create jobs, which give people money to spend on cultural and entertainment activi· ties. The two are intertwined . The more you can create here, the more attractive it is to live here and the more jobs that are created. It creates vitality in the community that has ripple effects from an economic standpoint.
now. This is a real opportunity to dc
40
JV : h the proposed improvements to our 2 ~ting
Why should the business community support the referendum?
Why is this "Decade of Progress" referendum important to Charlotte? The projects contemp lated within the "Decade of Progress" referendum represent a defining moment in Charlotte'S history. It's a pivotal moment for a community that happens once every 25 years. All the various interests have come together and said, "If we can do th is all together in a planned way and do it more efficienLy from a financing standpoint, we can create a critical mass that guarantee:; that each entity will be more succes ~fu[ just by its proximity to the others."
But are we really attracting new 'd3posable dollars ,' or are we just 3Lfling them around?
t'{
is
S OTl:= ~ l r- s
WE
a -~p . ~:y
'Jf
'Nfl ch v,;e cald [
it ev=sl
We're talking about a community as a whole, something for every· one to enjoy. I probably shouldn't admit this, but I haven't been to the Mint Museum in a while. Yet all very supportive of it because it adds : 0 : hoe cultural base of the city. I haven't :=V!e - been to a county park by Lake (4'l1an, but my tax dollars help pay for t. 3'hould I not be in favor of someone :=ISE havin g a park in the proximity of NhEre they live? Sure, not everyone will take advan· :a§e of the proposed projects, but an 3V"fJllot of people in this community and : h =~ urrounding communities wi ll. ~~3 rdless of this, the proposed projects grea t er c ha rl otte biz
will improve the econom ic base in t his community, which will keep taxes down as revenues flow into the city. If it wo rks the right way, the proposed projects will actually be pa id for by the peop le using t hem and at t he same tim e the activity generated will crEate other opportunities in other tax bases that cou ld actually lower ou r
CABLES ARE LAZY
taxes . So I wou ld say, first, we are not
UNTIL WE PUT THEIR
paying fo r it, and seco nd, if t he project s
TECHNOLOGY TO WORK
create the econom ic benefit that we
Network Cabling Systems, Inc 588 Griffith Road - Charlotte Phone: 70 4. 523.8606 Regional: 800.468.1 635
think they will and t hat they have proven to in t he past, it will lower taxes.
NetworkCabfingSystems.com
Just how does this referendum,
info@NetworkCablingSystems.com
particularly the arena, create benefits Gigabit Eth ernet Solutions Job Design & Engineering Category 5, 5E & 6 Cabling
for all of us? The Blumenthal Performing Arts Cen ter is evidence of how bu ilding a first-class
SERVING CHARLOTTE - GREENVII.LE RALEIGH - DURHAM - CAR Y - RTP AND ALL POINTS CONNECTING
fac ility has a ripp le effect on all t he people who are exposed to it or are participati ng in it. Before t he Perfo rmi ng Arts Center, we had no dance theater, we had a very meager Broadway series, and
Nes
the symp hony and the ope ra were near bankruptcy. Now, we have a very vib rant
NETWORK
CABLING
I SYSTEMS
dance company that gets rave reviews, we have an opera theate r t hat is so lve nt and do ing we ll, and we have a symphony that has now hired a worl d-renowned cond uctor. All three of these organizations are begging for more dates. Look at all the restaurants uptown t hat Vl'ere n't here be fore the Perfo rmin g Arts Center was bui lt eight years ago. That's evidence of what can and will happen . The exciting thing is that by add ing and improving our cu ltural institutions alongs ide our sportin g faciliti es, t he synergy is go ing to be tremendous . This area is goilg to be a gathering area for everybody in the region. Where is the opposition to the referendum coming from? There are some people who don't want any money spent on anything t hat doesn't seem to benefit t he community as a whole. Our hope is For free inJOlmation contact-
that we can respond to t heir concerns in a Vlay that reass ures these people that t hi s is a benefit to th e entire comm unity and region.
>-
gre e t e r ch a rlotte biz
Susa n Keen, Dental Benefits consultant
DIRECT REI MB URSE ME N T 0,
. . O~Ttnl ""o\.'"
PO. Box 4219 Cary, North Carolina 275 [9
Telepho ne 1-888-403-4 147 or 1-919-678-8732 www.ncdentai.org
m ay 2 0 0 I 41
Are you concerned about the referendum not being passed?
An: y,: u discppointed that the state ha"n't been :n:)Ie supportive?
Of course we have conce rn . It's a co ntroversial issue. But, I think if people know the facts and the opportunities, then people will be in fa vor. That is what we are doing - trying to educate people.
I vilsh · he'y ' ''Quld say, "Here is a pot of f old." 3ut til ey have tremendo us con· =-tr,::i1fs to til e-ir spen di ng right now with tl e big defi ci; tlat was inherited. That's e ~ - Ldent rEi,c 'on give n their reso urces anc c i-=um~a n c Es . Th e vast majority of legrslcnor5 til2t we ta lked to wanted to fi ne a I./ay tilEt :hey cou ld be helpful. But t hE'{ b::sica l y sa id, "Yo u just have to uneErs:and :re circ umstances that we fin e ourselve= '1 today."
What would you say to those who think that every cent should be put toward improving the schools? I don't think its an either/ or situation . We definitely have to improve our schools. This is a different bucket of money, though . These are dedicated user fees that aren't going to get s pe nt for roads or education, no matter what. Speaking of finanCing, what is the status of the debt on the existing Coliseum? On March 26th, the Charlotte city council voted to retire the remaining portion of the debt. It wou ld have been retired with norma l funds by 2003, so it was very close to being paid off.
Th.ere ave J::·esn some allegations that t' c re.:son ':E:rtain developers support the re=~rend.m is because they will per:;onally ::-ofit from it. Tl c: ~ill d of ~E l k us ually comes from people who 3-E not interested in seei ng ~ hi s th i1g hap:Jen, It' s a slap in the face : 0 the ·jty bEcause the re is no history to :>3::= it:>n. T.ke Johnny Harris [co·chair, )e C3deof P-:J5"'e SS Comm ittee] as an eXaRlp l=. HE ss:>e nt his entire life in '= l ,~-lJ t: e. Sue, he's a busin essma n, but h= r eS 3pen{ a great deal of time on civic
CONVENIENT FLEXIBLE AFFORDABLE
projects and he doesn't get paid for any of that - he does it out of dedication to the community. And Johnny Harris isn't alon e; there are hundreds and thousands of people who donate their time a/l the time to ma ke this a great community. To su dde nly insinuate that they are usin g what they are doing for their own person· al ga in, to me, is distasteful. As we approach the referendum, how would you have done this proj ect differently? I wish we'd have been able to reach an agreeme nt with the Hornets sooner than we have. For variou s reasons, th at has n't happened, so now we have to hurry in order to have an are na built in 15 months. What would you say to convince the business executives reached by this magazine that they should support the referendum? Th e business comm unity in Charlotte has always been unbelievably supportive of Charlotte. This is another opportunity to do that. I say that out of respect and
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES Innovative programs tailored for your success • Master of Business Administration (MBA) • Master of Health Administration (MHA) • Master of Business Administration/Master of Health Administration (MBA/MHA) • Master of Science in Organizational Management
• Distinguished residential faculty available for individual consultation • All classes Videotaped for missed sessions • Courses on-line for greater flexibility • Free, convenient parking
Preparing Servant Leaders for Lifelong Learning
Pfeiffer University • 4701 Park R03:i r Cnarl atte 42
ma y 200 I
·71).4-521-9116
(voice)
·704-521-8617
(fax) • www.pfeiffer.edu
greater charlotte b iz
110: o:> ligG ':>,. - he
b J'Si-E~S
CrT llurit;l
le t of - hin:~s:, co. n:2:': one mal:. B_: th s 15
g::t 5 Gl led J, I' sup:ort 3 ' I j r:2p-
x= t - a: re:J t=:=nts e: de'hing -cme,t
fa - Chi1r1 e[fe . I N : 1U. CI
If e
"2Vefl bL5in~s
o V\fT"2r
1""1 ~ra.d-=-
a.d lTa l ag:er :o cJ pr:::tVE this r::fE relcuT,
shc""
ifar Iy !Xc of:2 !.=-intef"2s:t It vlill. ra ~= this a m(,re " ibr.3r:c·J.mmL ni;t'/ and in t un I:; e
~X~::'bi-:s
g JOC f.o - -::h=ir Ls ine:'0 3e5. Th ::' [ =rT pto',e== ,vii i be he: pzl-= r h3'Ji ng more tEJil1SS to
dJ", ':wiJ b= e~ i -=rt(J hi-?e m:l
o '~es:
Sales
I"':l rO<E pe<J:d"2 to Cloo =e fro, . ocr er
bJ5rn "2S3eS MiJ ·:o.me nere to co l':::usiless IV1l,
-::h~
qua it), of lie v.i ,_ in':J e3::e - aL
tret1.i n i ~
th e:
ca -5id e -IL.,n~
)'OiU 103 k
f:rwh:: n VO L
'r a cell 11 Lnit'{.
n e histQryof thi s: c':::,.
ShOWr:lo~s
dem: 'n3tra :es
a 'ecord::>fsec p'rg upto iTa ke iliir gs h;cpEn , an
hc~ e=ul
fhatl1e mesXlge ·of
tr-e DE·: ade :.fP H~6-es~ vViIl b"2, ,,\\'E ha·.t:: an
oJ~o ~ niP; .t:1
do sOlletl ing il a 'Jerl
(l rg;;n i;;:ej "ne cC05:-efflCie - t m2r1ilef t h,,~ N ",
h::t"'ea n uge -mpad on our c:rrmu-jly
f,)-
l:::cajes tccore. fJJwisti-E, r rr etc
3E EE tllct oplJ::o.:nity! ' I -c pe ·,.J€
do.
iz
IT
a '/ 2 tJ 0
43
[techbiz] by Solly Phillip==
The Art of Web Design Choosing the right We= design firm is a key part of a succes:;fu l \Veb strategy \Vith the explosion of the Internet, Fortune sao comp anies, mom-and-pop shops. and even the 3rd grade class at the local elementary school wm t to own a piece of cyberspCk::e. For most companies, selectirs the right firm to develop their Web: site is one of the most im portant bus路- ess dec isio ns they will make. It will ha.Je a direct impact on an organizatiolfs image and potentially
mid-range Web site at www.axiomjj.coll _
:o mmon pitfalls: overdesign and under-
The site focuses on presenting its POO:=o-
jesign . Man-y people are pressured
lio without a lot of superfluous copy. [t also has a basic e-biz component, offEring wou ld-be inventors and entrepreleU [S access to online quotes for prototyping their ideas.
Ile rce solution and are roped into a Iluch more complex site than they ne ed . For many firms, a brochure-ware t ype of site is appropriate. So don't be
Another web site, www.amazon.co:m is the granddaddy of the e-commerce set. Regardless of its legendary lac"(I.Jster earnings record,
nto thinking That they need an e-com-
it does have the
consummate consumer e-commerce sit=_
:oversold and overdesign a site that .extends beyon d your needs. Conversely, think through all the cOpt ion s that are availab le now and are anticipated in the
its operations, if
future.
it ever plans to con-
A brochure-style
duct any e-business
site may be just what
from the site. There are
you need now, but
generally three
may fall short in the
types of firms that
long run. While you
develop Web sites:
may not need to
the trad ition al media
implement e-com-
firms that have moved into the Web
merce immediately,
development space
make sure that the
(including advertising
basic structure of the
agencies, PR firms,
site lends itself to
etc.); Web site devel-
expansion and
opers whose sole pur-
increased e-business
pose is to build sites; and software devel-
functionality if that is a
opers who have the
direction you intend to
technological know-
pursue down the road.
how to launch e-busi-
After you've
nesses. So what is the right choi ce for
Amazon has made electronic purCra3e3.
nailed down the purpose of the site,
your company?
the easiest thing to do since ATM s carre
you are ready to start evaluating your
along. A site of this caliber require:> : op -
options: traditional media firm , Web
First, you must determine the purpose of the site to be develo :路=d. To give you an idea of the differe' t options, take a loo k at the follov ing sites, which run the gamut from =rochure-
notch programming in addition to userfriendly, inviting design. Which of these sites most cl03ely
site specialists, or software developers. There are pros and cons to each. The traditional media firms tend to ha ve the creativity needed to develop
mirrors the needs of your company?
innovative images and messages.
Axiom Design, a design and =ngi-
This wi ll help you determine the ty::Je cf
However, it is im portant to verify their
neering firm in Charlotte, has an h triguing
firm to choose. Be careful to avoid t\Vo:
te chnological know-how. Th e best
ware to full-blown e-commerce.
44
may
200 I
greater charlotte biz
firm las taken a creative staff and incorpora: ed technically savvy individuals to balance design and implementation. Web site firms are also a viable
you ant t REA thfreme de 10
option, and there are plenty of them . Thes~
firms tend to have a staff of devot-
ed technologists that are keen, computerdriven designers. The only caveat is that building e-commerce sites can be a stretch. Most Web site development staff know all there is about designing, developing and launching an awesome brochure-style site. They may even have the skills to establish some basic func-
creme
tions for your site, such as a site-wide search or e-mail links to specific personnel in your office. If your company expe cts to need more, be certain the Web site developer has the experience to follow through and to complete the heavylifting e-commerce component.
Underwriting on WDAV gets the job done. Call (704) 894-8900 for details. A
Service
of
Davidson
~lassical~~.~
College.
www.wdav.org
That's where software firms come into the picture. Traditionally, they exce l in the behind-the-scenes development. Databases, data warehouses, transaction management systems, inventory control systems, customer relationship management, and so forth are the bread and butter of software firms, not the stumbling blocks they can be for more designoriented firms. However, software designers, by nature, have a tendency to be very left-brained . They can develop a sound e-commerce system, but will it
have a kick-butt graphical user interface? All this can leave the cyber-neophyte confLsed. In fact, it may appear that no single choice may be the best option. Perhaps the answer lies in that rare hybrid organization, or set of partnered
gre c. ter charlotte b i z
>may 20 0 I 4S
organizations, that can take you from
• ,,~
concept, th ro ugh visual design to the top
.....
of the e-commerce wo rld . This organization should help fully define the exa ct purpose
LNC(}IARIDITE :a The"l i\-ersily
cf~brtJ
Caro!ina
Charlotte
The ()ffice of Cor:tinuing 3ducation ESTABLISHI~G AND MANAGING SUCCESSFUL
RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS =.ea-u prc.c t:cal, t.dlld!i:-on s olc.ci():1~ to your rec:::ds maruge:rnent clilenu::la
June 11-12,20rH Li\C Charlotte UptoWJ:] Center (704) 687-£451 for moe mfocnation o.r ....i··_t our vvebsite ;c www.uncc.Eduicontednc (.3.:':'
and projected evolution of the site . Even if you're looking for brochure-ware today, a good partner wi ll help yo u plan for future needs and make sure that decisions made today don't prevent your company from re aching those long-range goals. As an added bon us, a highcaliber, hybrid firm can deve lop a Web site strategy that includes the elusive Web marketing plan to target appropriate search engines, a scalab ility plan to address how the site and site infrastru cture can grow to meet increasing demands, and a maintenance plan that accommodates your company's ability and desire to be invo lved in the ongoing upkeep of the site. Make sure in your haste to get on the Internet that you don't settle for the first whiz-bang Web site presentation you see. Look for an organization that is
may 2.CO I
greater cha r lotte biz
~ot",sted
I I
'0
"d",taodio, yO", short
and long-term goals. Ask for the URLs of
sites that they have developed and check thelT out. If you like what you see, then
S:>lving business problems with custom software design and development.
What was the budgeted versus actual
\Y: design the solutions that make your business visions come true.
cost of the site? What was the estimated
704.846.8121
begin asking the really hard questions:
www.insitebiz.com
•
I ~ Site
Business Solutions Software Consulting and Development
versus actual time to launch the site? Who worked on the site and are they still
the ability to see and understand
around? Then ask for references and
~
::::r
contact them, for goodness sake! You're tion in their hands!
Web . Be prepared to pay for this service, but know that it is money well spent. A
CD -0;
• Programming
request a quick prototype of your site to
tion would package your company on the
:::i :::i
• Design
Once the research is complete,
give '{ou an idea as to how the organiza-
CD
• Consultation
about to put the future of your organiza-
•
• Internet
Applications
preview is the best barometer of their
13777 Ballantyne Corporate Place Suite 305 Charlotte NC 282 77-3419 Phone 704.540.5800 Fax 704.541.0059 Visit us on-line at www.ineteng.com
understanding of your world and objectives. If they are reluctant to do so, run, do not walk, to your next candidate, as
I;: ........ I~o'tk £ugWRJtiJ1g HSerious Nebvork Solutions"
this firm is probably not interested in what's best for your organization. Bottom line: as always, be informed. Do your homework. Spend some time up front to formalize the goals of your Web site and fully research all potential Web site developers. This is the best
The Carolina 's Most Experienced Consulting, Network Engineering and Design Team with Specialization and Certification in: Multi-VendorlMulti-Protocol Interoperabili ty, Bridged, RoutedfRo uting Protoco l Support IP Te lephony, Voice over IP, Voice over Frame, Multi-service Support and Des ign - e E nterprise WAN and LAN Des ig n , Deploy m e nt and D ataflow Optimization
Network Analysis, Di saster R ecovery and R e mote A ccess Connectivity Cisco Sys tems Si lver Partller a nd Network Managem e nt Special ists NOS Support fo r Wind ows 2000, NT, Novell , So la ri s, HP-UX
way to make sure you get what you need to join the Internet age intelligently and economically.
i
HP Open V iew N etwork Management and Integration Network A ppliance Storage/Co ntent Networking C heck Point Secure Virtual Networking Higb Availabil ity Soluti o ns
Sally Phillips is the marketing maven for Mariner, a Charlotte-based information soluticns provider specializing in business intelligence, data warehousing, e-business and knowledge management technology.
gre at er ch a rlotte biz
m ay 200 I 47
[autob1Z] reviewed by Neil ")unlop. Ejrr>lAl==
':~'T
High Hopes The n evI' convertible from Lex.Js p--,: rr \lext
sprir~,
SeS
Eur::nean-style soph istication
:l,=~ :he
Lexus launches its first con're-t
2002 SC 4-30. Anticipation has b=en high =:r tl ~ 300-rorsepower drop top ever since it vilas _n'/eiled :It thE 2000 New York Auto Show. It a so
= reat~ eLite a
3tir wl-w2 n it Has disp layed at the Paris AJtJ ~how h ::: :J cc; bâ&#x201A;Źr,
'Vle disco\-ered that people (on the French Riviera) show a Jre =erence to products and services with a high degree of simJucity, ch :racter, sophistication and quality," The tnny high-performance luxury yachts that ply the deep bile water:; off the Riviera's shores, Kovos says, best represent t hese tastes. So, he trie d to reflect this in the SC 430's design. TI""i::re is a lautica l resonance in its scu lpted, aerodynamic lin es.
That
W3 S
th e first time European aute jOJrna
i s:~
h3d s.e en t he
land some sJntanner on Continenta l so il.
oftle 193)s than a modern yacht. And that 's a good thing. It
It's fitt i g they should feel an affini:y toware t e s in ce
i1~
dig'jnctive exte rior design
W3S
It doe3 resemble a boat, but more the wooden speedboats
n~\''''
~xu~
-nspi"ed t r s.o:: hist (atEd
gi,es the r ew Lexus a classic, streamlined look that makes it ins antly a::J pealing. The rEtractable aluminum hardtop adds an element of
Euror: ean ic eals of luxury_
The develoF.,ent of the Lexus SC 43(- began '."i. h : r~ =t=rior de5ign team embark ng on an extensive research trip to the French Riviera to stucy ele~nce, beauty, class and ric-mess. While :nere. the team spErt several weeks observing architecture, design of clothes and accessories, li"est;,"es, castes and home interior deÂŁi:ns. Le)QJs gsve the task of crea: ing ne car 's exter On J European d=sign center. Chief exterior eesi gler 5 :r::ir
50 KO "'05
mod ern, hi gh,te ch soph istication to t he SC 430. Demonstration s of the
to~
rl-opp ing at the Paris Auto Show received enthusiastic
spent 3 eve~ 1 weeks in the French Riviera (vJl at a s3 crl =ice for his
p-aise. Everyone seemed to enjoy the ballet'like machinations
a rt!) tc gairt nsight into what is the moce-n o l:ept of t -j ? luxu-
of the hardtoJ retracting and stowing seamlessly away. Lexus wants us to know that even with the top down there's sti ll enou gh room for a set of golf cl ubs in the trunk. They don 't
ry. How he g:Jt his bosses to buy intoth sliT2 oftt-in -=lg;;lld sign h s und::J ubtedly extravagant expe rse point, 1hou~ most of us admire his
dil e d:~
i :; ~ 5TcEt h e
cre 3 fv~ .
What Kovos came away wit n at tile elC :: f h
5 T ID
ttr 01g
sojo ulll (b~ i de5 a killer tan and a ta3te for F'iper Cl3JI pa gne and
48
fa;i~
gr;:: s) was a clear idea of what the ri : h " artt 'n a C3t.
mention, however, what you can do with your partner's set. Pre:sumab y. t hey'll just have to rent. More .ikely, the second set of clubs will have to be stowed in tho rear sEating area. Altho ugh Lexus calls the SC 430 a "2+2," it a[s:J says l he rear seats are good for "sma ll chi ldren or extra
greater charlotte bi:o
cargo," wlich i5
the lUicry
as good as sayi1g
aJ:orril-<er, e·ur
the sea ts are use-
e:<pect:ticrlS 3re
less for adu lts or
hish.
biz
anyone with leEs thicker th:m ro~· e.
Edmur=.ccrn. he. '-"'<13
Although Lexus designers in Jap<:ll
fOln::ie.::i in 176E.
to :Jub i;n re'V
~nd
u'>Ed v;; .... c1=
.created the inte rior, t na ir taTs the elegant, stream li ned simplidt/
gui:les. 1- 1775. Ecmurds b;;came t he fi-;t Qrr pery ~c esta:Jlsh a 9:-= or ore
of the e_~terior. IrEEid o f relyTg on molded plastic for the intericr.
VJeb cr Wlicr CO-,SlJners =ould obtcir '"",ride
waoe and leather. Spring-
Lexus diose to fiJ th2 cockpit with real
loadec Nooden COvEr3 hd:~ rJa ny of the controls, so that the corr sole has an unclul :eTl =eel, ;iLsa in much like a classic speed boa". Le;::us has e::u pi=led tle ::C 430 witt- the amenities expected of a luxur/ auto including a navigation system,
inbr~ti:Jn:a:
ir 2000 =cmJn::ls became :he fr>- soorce fox '/ehicle p 'icins
ro
co~.
e.,d
nbrm~ Ii::· r
b-
U3er's 0- -IVi-e ess INeb,enatled de'/ices. Edrru,::Is=m =o,ti,Les to Dn::-,.;;::Ioo fre=. un:>a==d
nfa-rna~ion
on al 33pe:t; of ::Ju:'in:; ow-irg ;r.rd 5elli-g =' '-e,:I=.
Ma-< L="ir sc;n ~ a de5igno;!- of pr=rrium hOln!! ster=c s~ter.s has: :;el~cti'!d LEXJS as its afJtoTT'o:ive :>artn.=r t:> ::lemonsiT~ 'the f n€::r n..la,ces of Mark _e"in~of"s special '" :les~red nn~... sp~<.ke£ 240-w:ltt Premiurr SOl.rd System "'~h sawen-C"l3'rr.e amp fi=r and Automatic S~und Leveliz:er (As...).
leather seats with drivEr and passenger merrarv functions. a ni1e-sJ:aker prem 'lln audic system anc a sophisticated clim ate contro_s ystem th3t 3 [J:OImtically adjusts to provide either hot or coo 3ir dependi-gon out::ojje air temperatures and the speec of the 3r. Th e a..rtClTE:kEr sc/5 the system Nill allow for topdown ,otoring cver 3 widerrange of olltside temperatu -es thar most o: her con\'er: ' tles ,
T-.e same 4 3- i-er 1/8 E1gine that Lexus created fo ' tre redesi5Jle d LS 43J, wlich 'Vent on sal ~ tti5 fall powers the SC 43: . The do uble :J.;erheEd cam alu minun powerpLcnl r::-oCLCE3 300 horse, powe r ' at 5,600 rp m) and
no foot-
pound ; of torq ue :al 3,ilOO), which shouli faci litate ri):r:: ing sta1s, and ple ntic nf pull-al'\a'{ j::owe r 01 the freew3Y. l£xus S3yS t = e:ig1ed 11e SC 430 as a con -e rtible fron : re start. 30 that it Vias imbue.] with a s: ru=-urc l ri &,dity not norma llyfJund on co _ p~ s J' s~.jans converted to n op :ops.. C::mJined "'ith front cmd rear Oc uble-wish oo re in de:J endent suspensi= n, this shJ U C mea n 3. smooth ride with e;::ce llent stee-i'1g resj::mse and h:lndling. The stand<lrd l 8-i ncil.alloy wheels with h gh-perforrncr ce 245 '40ZR18 tir-es shouk:: help too LJltil we gEt a : laa1:::e tc jrive the
s.c
430 a- d give ye·u o.rimpre ~ ions, we can only §lless at the q Ja ity, peiormance and desirability ofth 's re.aJ Lel(u"., However, judgi
s by current ard
j::ast ')ITe rings frOOl
grec:-::er c h a r l·:>tte b z
TheSe 430 1-la5 a hardtop roof, like a spo-t Cll4lE, -hat re:nru all ~ iGef at tbe push of 2. button. I: opens .ari:! cbses in j.J~ 25 :Second~, ana i5 fulty operati.:>nal at ~peeds j] ~ to ,3 mp". Tho: SC 430 3.lso feature~ t he lates: safety tecnnobgy. Drr-aand pass.e:rg€::r are prote.: :ed in emergelCY ~ 'tua: ion3 b. a SupJlemenal R6stra nt System (SRS) tnat I1Clud=~ criver'= i.rd frOlL passoenge- 's airbags, as well as front s';:!;It-m:>unted si.:eimp3Ct airbags.
Killer Caller, continued from page 38.
Q&:A, continued:
seasoned veteran of the performance consulting industry, has joined as director of operations. "Our corporate mission is to help our clients create a culture of service excellence that provides them a competitive advantage," says Meyerhoff. Brodsky has taken extraordinary means to build a team dedicated to worldclass service. Says Bob O'Connell, Ulysses manager of inside sales, "I was a telemarketing agent that happened to make a sales call to Mark's home one Saturday morning. He evidently liked what he heard, because he stopped me halfway through my pitch and said, 'I don't want to buy your product, but I am interested in hiring you to work for my company.' " Ulysses does have competitors, but none that approach the business in the same way. That is why Pam Gibson, interim associate dean of information technology at Central Piedmont Community College , recently selected Ulysses' CallMentor over a competitive offering. "After detailed analysis, it was determined that Ulysses system was both richer, and more quickly deployable, as we prepare to launch a program this summer to train call center representatives for Charlotte area businesses " "We will not release any product before its time," says Brodsky, who predicts achieving profitability in the fourth quarter. "We project our sales and financial growth to explode by the end of 2002." i
How much impact does a professional sports franchise contribut€ to a City?
Jerry Stahl is president of Turnkey, a Charlotte· based public relations firm.
There are numerous studies that point to the value that a professional sports franchise brings a city and entire state, and many different ways of calculating economic impac:. But even without complicated formulas and intensive study, the impact is obvious. Consider that profeSSional athletes and staff contribute to both the local and state tax base. The Hornets pay
$1.8 million in income taxes and $1 million in sales and entertainment taxes to the state every year. Players from opposing teams also pay payroll taxes to the state every time they play in Charlotte. The NBA is broadcast nationally and in more than 100 countries worldwide, providing name
What about the arts? How much impact do they have on the community? It's a fact. Culture creates progress_ It generates jobs and activities that produce salaries, revenues and taxes. A recent economic impact study (conducted by John E. Connaughton, Ph.D. and Rob Roy McGregor, Ph.D. of UNC Charlotte) showed that the cultural organiza· tions in our community contributed more than $94 million to the local economy. Cultural organizations also create jobs. Arts and science affiliates in Charlotte contribute more than 1,700 jobs to our local economy. And the cultural sector draws crowds to our events across our county. In the fiscal year 19992000, more than 51,000 events and activities drew visitors and area res t_dents from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community. Nearly 2.9 million people attended these events.
recognition and exposure for the city. Perhaps one of the best indicators is past experience. Look at the economic development that has occurred on the land surrounding the current Coliseum and Ericsson Stadium. At the Coliseum, land surrounding the site now generates an estimated $3.5 million in property taxes - compared with
$115,000 in 1985.
Let RHI C)nsulting find your Jlace in the futll'e.
So why bother to move the Knights to South End? Minor league baseball can't have much of an impact, can it? It certainly can. A new downtown minor league baseball stadium in Memphis drew nearly 1 million fans last year and already has fueled
$80 million in development around the stadium.
At RHI Consulting, ensuring an exceJtiorsl full-time technology career has never beel easier. No endless searches. No worrie::.
Through connections and expertise dher:; only drean of, we match your skills to the most engaging, challelgng Jd profitablE jJbs on the market. We don't just open doors, we amn~e y:LJ passage tlrough them.
So call or ~o to rhic.com today, and let us conre;t you to your future.
biz
Find out what you're really worth. FREE. Get your 2001 Salary Guide at rhic.com.
RHICONSULnNG" Technolo gy P rofes sio::illls POWER YOUR FUTIRE
704 . 342.7982 201 S. College Street Suite 2200 Charlotte, NC 28244 chari otte@rhic.c om
rhic . com C RHIConsutnng. EOE
50
may 200 I
greater charlotte b
~
b 1â&#x20AC;˘ Take advantage
esourc of these products and services from I
.
1
de
Charlotte's leading business-to-business suppliers.
accounting services
golf course
Blair, Bohle & Whitsitt, PllC www.bbwpllc.co m 704.365.5400
Regent Park Golf Club
Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
www.rege ntparkgc.com 803.547.1300 I 704.547 .0023
www.rbh.com 704.377 .2536
healthcare
Womble Carlyle
NC Services for Dentistry
WWW.wcsr.com 704.331.4900
www.ncdental.org 888.403.414
media
Presbyterian Healthcare/ Novant Health
WDAV 89.9 Classical
Dellinger & Deese, PllC www.de lldeese.com 704.331.8000 architectural
I
design firms
liquid Design
www.liquiddesign.net 704.338.9980
I
displays
recreation
www.presbyterian .org 704.384.2273
presentations
hospitality
G. Michael's Dunhill Hotel
www.gmichaels. com 704.679.4100
www.dunhillhotel.com 704.332.4141 I 800.354.4141
Sharpe Images
704.525.7087. Dept. 31 education CPCC Corporate Training Center
www.mccollsc hool.edu 704.337.2224 Pfeiffer University
www.pfeiffer.edu 704.521.9116
www.morganhotels.com 704.522 .0852 I 800.522.1994
www .aocnet.com 704.376.0006 RHI Consulting
sfx.com 704.549.1292 financial services
I
banking
plastic products I design Ehren-Haus Industries, Inc.
www.ehrenhaus.com 704.588.2887 printing I pre-press
Staff America
The Transition Team
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
www.workspacespecialists.com 704.334.6823
Powerhouse Color
www.uncc.edu/conted 704.687.2424 entertainment
Techline
www.rea lpages.com / powerhouse 704.523.5019
www. staffamerica.com 704.944.7600
I
IKON Office Solutions
www.ikon.com 800.729.1268
www.rhic.com 704.342.7986
UNC Charlotte Continuing Education
events
office equipment
office furniture
AOC McColl School of Business at Queens College
www.wdav.org 704.894 .8900
Morgan Hotel and Suites
human resources
www.cpcc.cc.nc.us 704.330.4656
legal services
www.tttsolutions.com 704.532.0084 it
I internet services
Ballantyne Consulting Group
R. l. Bryan Company www.rlbryan .com 704.573.4946 real estate Prudential Carolinas Realty
www.prudentia lcharlotte.com 704.366.5545 sales training I contact management
First Citizens Bank
www.gobcg.com 704.540.0509
www.firstcitizens.com 888.323.4732
CAl Concepts
www.pharos-software.com 704.587.0225
financial services
I
Beacon
insurance
www.ca iconcepts.com 704.338.9808
Dunn Enterprises Hood Hargett & Associates
www.hoodhargett.com 704.374.1863
704.536.1759
www.insitebiz .com 704.846 .812 1
telecommunications iReadyWorld
Knauff Insurance
Internetwork Engineering
704.375.8000 financial services
InSite Business Solutions
I
investments
www. ineteng.com 704.540.5800
Hilliard lyons
PC OnCali
www.hilliard.com 704.556.9000
www.pconcall.com 704.596.8007
Montag Management Corporation
Project Managers
www.mantagmanagement.com 704.362.1886
great e r charl o tt e b iz
www.ireadyworld.com 877.473.2399 travel Vista del Mar at Grande Dunes
www.grandedunes.com 877.347.26 33
704.332.6611
m ay 200 I 51
making charlotte a better pf:Jce to live
[communitybiz]
McColl Launches Commllnity Drive Bank of A merica kicks in $
million tC>\,1rds $7 rni lli:)n ~ami l y center campaign
Hugh McColl, recently retired chairman GIT"_ =
ire Charlotte Transpo r-atio n Center. It will also be near
chief executive officer of Bank of America . ha:s
Mecl:lenl:urg County court facil ities. The City of Cha rlotte
kicked off a $ 7 million
campa~gn
to raise n__oney
h3S prov~kJed a 50-ye ar ground lease for the two ac res . The - ile age ncie s wi ll offer what drive leaders
for the construction of a five-story Children &:.
:a .l ' onE-3f op shoppin§;" that will allow thei r clients to
Family Services Center in downtown Cha:: k t:::.
=ind so lulkxns to multil=le problems. Agency leaders poilt
The fac ility, to be lo cated in First Ward, \.\'ill house nin:2
oLt that 'iha red ad mi ni3trative functions and co llaborative a ~ Jroac h2 ~
comm un ity organizations that fo cus on rnprov in g life fe-
will stre ngthen the ir advocacy efforts whi le saving more than $500,000 a year
ch ildren and familie s.
in operating costs .
"Nine no n· profit organizations shar,:,
The nine agenc ies will occupy
a vis ion - a lofty vis ion - of meeting
about half the building's 100,000
every need of every child and his or he r
square feet of space. The remain defamily in Charlotte-Mecklenburg," sa id
wi ll be leased to third partie s an d w i ~
McCo ll in making t he announcement.
be avai lab le to acco mmodate growth
McColl is co -chair for the drive alor E"
McColl said mo ney continues to
Nith Ed Crutchfield, recent ly retired chai r
flow into the drive. The nine agencie s
-nan of First Union Corporation.
themselves, in concert with t he Unitej
" I am pleased to announ ce that 'Ne
Way of Ce nt ral Caro li nas, have con-
lave sec ured seve ral gifts to kick off ou-
tributed $400,000. Seven of the agert-
.:a mp aign," said McColl.
x: ies are funded by the United Way. Innovative technology wi ll be bu.il:
Bank of America has contributed 51 mill ion, $500,000 is com in g
-n to the new facility to allow the nin e
from the Harris Foundation and
3gencies to imp rove information man-
f3mi ly, and Coca-Cola Consolidated
" Nine non-pr.::>fu o-gani:!atiolls sh'lre a v'sion -
agement systems an d increase irtern cl
a lofty visiOrl -
ras pledged $100,000, for a total
;and externa l communications, maki i g
child an d r ~ or her fam Iy i n o,arlom-
of $1.6 milli on.
Mecklenblrg.: ~3id McColl in makng t r e
The Children & Family Services
of meetin: fNE -y nee::l of every
announcemeilt.
{hem more com prehensi ve an d efficie (l t Thos e lead ing the contribution soic -
Center will house The Relat;ves (now knoV"'n as YouthNEt"~J rk.),
ta: ion s inc._c e si x vice clii ai rs with stron g co mmunity ti es : Chu ck.
Youth Homes, Council for Clildren, United Family Serv i c~
Ccoley, co rl=o rate personlel executive for Bank of America; Ned
CJmmunity Li nk, Commurities in Schools. Children's
LGW
CE :e -,
::J fThe ~e it r Corporat ion ; 10m Nelson, president and CEO of
A Chi ld 's Place and Smart Sta rt. The bu ild in g will be next door to the First Ward
Dcvis, J re s' .J ent ofThe CJlville Group; Graeme Keith, chairman
Rec-~ .:l i (t
ation al G 'I'P ~ um Com pa.y; John Stedman, retired cha irm3n
Cente r on a plot bounded bv Davidson, Alexa nder, Fifth <l nj
3nj CEO of P- epubli c Banl: and Trust; and Vicki Wilson McElreat:1,
Six Streets, one block from a bu s route and three block~ non
ll cn3ghg p~ rtner for Pri c:2Waterho useCoope rs .
52
may 200 I
iz
greater charlotte biz
Business Credit Services • Equipment Leasing • Vehicle Leasing • Term Loans
Leasi"Vtg 'l.lehicles and equipment ca~ be the o£st financing alternative for man'fj businesses, For others, term loans make -more sense, At First Citizens, we'll work to understcnd your business so that we can help yo't.{. make the right decisions. Talk to 1...s about your credit needs, whether to buy or not to buy. You can count on 1.J.sjor the right answers and the ~u..'-;)p ort you need to help your business grow.
• Capital Lines of Credit • Revolving Lines of Credit • Business Credit Card with BankMilessM *
~FJ:RST CITIZENS BANK firstciti zens. com 1-888-FC DIRECT (1-888-323-4732)
Wcrki'Yl,{; f er your business every day_ "Celtain rest rict'ions may apply. See application for full details . Normal cTedit appTOval appli.es. Membel' FDIC. Equal Housing Lendel: Gl
1 1
eap.
i
(EVEr ON THESE COOL CISCO SYSTEMSTM PHONES.)
I
1 WANNA HEAR MORE? These da ys, sma ll to
mid-si;: ~Q
compan i es face difficult
In c luded are the net work, Ci sco IP phones, voi ce mail ,
and costly dec isions r ega rd n ;:; prone sys tems , t ec hnolog y
Cisco Cal I Manager software, intra - company to l l bypass and
infrastructure , maintenancE, ar o upgrades. Until now.
24x7 guaranteed su ppo rt. To arrange you r free on-site sur vey,
iReadyWorldâ&#x201E;˘
pr ov id Es
::I
full y
integrated , fu ll y
managed voice so lutio n trat gr:)ws w ith you. And , not only does it afford you in f ini :e scalab ility, it cos ts yo u absolutely nothing up front-ju~t "Jne low monthly fee.
ca ll (877) iReadyWorld or v isit us at iReadyWorld.com .
<tJ) iReadyWorld
lM
Because You Have To Compute To Compete.