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cover story

Cruising Victory Lane Felix Sabates is cruising success in his newest venture - mega motoryachts.The Charlc:te bJsinessman recently sold Top Sales Company. the two-man outfrt he grew to $500 million ir 31es. .Oabctes has also held interests in professional indoor soccer teams, the World Football Leagu= ~ r-~BA Charlotte Hornets and the Charlotte Checkers -

more often than not getting n on fle g10und

floor and selling at a substantial profrt.

20 The Professionals

de artments

Could your business use a professional who understands what it means to compete, not just from a distance but toe-

publisher's post

biz digest

to-t oe? Someone who knows how to contribute to the success of a team and

real estate biz New Urbanism Reaches the OuterbeL

•

shows up ready to make a difference? Carolina Pant hers director of player development Donnie Shell may have just t he answer for you.

regional biz Fort Mill Retains Heritage

expert opnion

Beware the Big Dog

Problem Solvers At wire and plastics manufacturer

auto biz Audi A4

Ehren-Haus Industries, Inc., former teachers

•

David and Helen-Marie Berthold (left) are stll

biz resource guide

helping people solve problems. Apparently they're pretty good at it This summer, their

community biz Building Brand Identity fo r Moissa:1iL

company wi ll move into a new $5 million, 53,000-square-foot headquarters in South Point Business Park in southwest Charlotte.

on the cover:

40 Back to Basics N athan Pulver and his team at E-D reamz have not been affected by the dot-com

This month's cover features Felix Sabates standing outside his office in SoLi thPark's RotL!nda Buildi ng. Photo by Wayne Morris.

downturn for one simple reason. While the company has grown by 250 percent year-over-year, Pulver emphas1zes, "We have old-fashioned business principles. We're not go1ng to stay in bus1ness 1f we can't make money. We haven't h1red a bunch of people in filler positions.

•

From the beginning, we have been conservat ive."

~ r ea ter

·: h a rl o tte biz

clfaflotte iz ju ne 2J O

cliaflotte

[publisher's ost] WI

June 200 I Vol ume 2 â&#x20AC;˘ Issu e 6

Be lnvolved ...Stay Involved! We have been preoccupied with the June 5th referendum, an d understandably so, in our haste to reach a decision so that a new arena could be built in time for the October 2003 basketball season . While the vote totals and turnout will iden-

Publisher John Paul Gal les jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

tify support for and against the bundled projects as proposed by City Council, there will still be a great many questions to be answered regarding the bundled package as well as the par-

Associate Publisher Maryl A. Lane maryl.a.lane@greatercharlottebiz.com Editor Timothy J. Parolini tparolini@greatercharlottebiz.com

John Paul Galles, Publisher

ticular projects. The bad news is that not all of those issues will be resolved before June 5th. The good news is, that regardless of the vote, a great many of those concerns will have to be addressed eventually anyway, if Charlotte is to continue to grow to meet the needs of its citizens. One such issue being debated is the exact location of the uptown arena . The site proposed by City Council is the area bordered by Mint, Graham, Second and Fourth Streets. However, the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners has recommended the arena

Vice President/Director of Sales Talbert Gray tgray@greatercharlottebiz.com Account Executives

be built on the site bordered by the railroad tracks, Graham and Fourth Streets with a 15-acre park in front of it (on the city's proposed arena site). Having been asked for their input, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission voted 4-3 in favor of the County's proposal. However, Mayor Pat McCrory said that the new lease with the Hornets det ermines

Dena Carmichael dcarmichael@greatercharlottebiz.com

that the arena goes where City Council wants it. There has been some conjecture as to whether the County's proposed site

Kathryn Moseley kmoseley@greatercharlottebiz.com

would involve moving an underground facility of Duke Energy and city staffers add that

Contributing Writers

placing the arena near the tracks would

Muhammad Abdullah

require more time and money before arena

Nethea Fortney Rhinehardt

development could begin in orde r to meet

Bea Quirk

the October 2003 opening deadline.

Chip Scholz

Most people agree that creating green Contributing Photographer

space in our center city is incredibly impor-

Wayne Morris

tant to making it attractive and accommodating to local residents as well as to visitors. With Marshall Park on the south side of our

Greater Charlotte Biz is published

uptown community, a new park in the Third Ward would be a welcome addition to the glass,

12 times per year by:

steel and concrete of new center city development and very accessib le to future trolley rid-

Galles Communications Group, Inc. 804 Clanton Road, Suite B Charlotte, NC 28217- 13S8 www.greatercharlottebiz.com For editorial or advertising inquiries, ca ll 704.676.5850.

ers. By comparison, building the arena next to a parking garage, next to Panther Stadium, without a park, sounds like typical piecemeal urban development. To quote from our Mayo r, "One lesson we have learned from Ericsson Stadium is that we don't want people walking out of a facility, going to their car and leaving. We want to keep that energy. Not just two hours at the facility and go home." To be sure, having an attractive park creates space for people to comfortably explore and enjoy uptown, its restaurants, shops and other activities, before and after events at either facility.

Please fax subscription inquiries to 704.676.5853 or e-mail them to

info@greatercharlottebiz.com

How much time and money would it cost to consider this alternate site plan with space for a new park? How can we examine these cho ices and still make progress on a new arena that meets the October 2003 deadline?

prohibited. Products named in these pages are trade names or trademarks of their

The county's proposal appears to be worth considering carefully, however difficult it may be to investigate and answer all the necessary questions within the agreed upon timeline of the Hornets. It is incumbent upon both city and the county officials involved to maintain the integrity of a unified plan, because in the final analysis that

respective companies. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily

is really what we are voting on- the intelligent compromise of many different interests

those of Greater Charlotte Biz or Galles

working together for the benefit of all of us. Being involved, and staying involved, as

Communications Group, Inc.

important issues like these need to be explored -that will be the true momentum behind the decade of progress to come.

june 200 I

greater charlotte biz

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

We B

lll

â&#x20AC;˘

ment

At Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, we are dedicated to achieving the most effective solutions for our clients. We recogni ze and value the trust clients place in our firm. Retaining that trust is our lawyers' highest priority. We know success comes only with commitment - commitment to our cli ents ' interests and to the handling of their needs in a highly competent, professional manner. Our commitment to success

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NORTH C AR OLINA OFFICE

SO UTH CAR OLIN A OFFICE

101 orth Tryon Street Suite 1900 Charlotte, NC 28246 704.3 77.2 536

The Guardian Building 223 East Main SuÂˇeet- Suite 600 Post Office Drawer 12070 Rock Hill, SC 29731 803.32 5.2900

http:/ /www.rbh.com

interesting news and useful information

[bizdigest]

Lesley Visser Featured

Tech Biz

CBS reporter speaks at Hood Hargett Breakfast

York County Launches Site York Count)' (S.C.) has announced a new information 'Neb site designed to bring up to the minute county information to local residents.The Web site, www.yorkcountygov.com, is frequently updated with information designed to inform residents of

news and information about county departments, meet,ngs, bid lists, local events and job opportunities. The Web site also contains downloadable forms to be completed by local residents and businesses that involve subjects ranging from road work requests to documents

~ nd

taX

public works information.

Designed entirely by York County employees, the site will be updated and maintained ty each county department and

CBS reporter Lesley Visser makes a point during her speech to the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club.

the MIS department.

Lesley Visser was the featured speaker at

She recently rejoined CBS Sport5, after

Qwest and Mind Blazer Team Up

the May Hood Hargett Breakfast Club, a

a 7-year hiatus, and continues to work on

Qwest Digital Media of Denver, Colo., a

private monthly event held exclusively for

NFL and college football, U.S. Open tennis

the 35 Hood Hargett Breakfast Club spon-

and other sports.

pioneer in the production, management and delivery of r ch media content via broadband and satellite distribution, and Charlotte-based MindBiazer, a leading provider of live and on-demand Webcasting strategies, have announced a strategic

sors and their invited guests. lnfoVision,

The 2001-2002 Breakfast Club Series

Inc., a local provider of comprehensive

will begin again in September of this year,

full-service technology solutions to small

and will feature new speakers each month .

and medium-sized businesses, was the Host Sponsor for the event. Visser, a pioneer among women

The Hood Hargett Breakfast Club Series has been held at the Charlotte Marriott Executive Park Hotel from

relationship to produce customized

sports journalists, served early on with

Webcasting solutions for the advertising

ESPN and ABC Sports. For ESPN, she

230 attendees. The purpose of the series

and marketing industry.

served as correspondent for ESPN's

is for sponsors and their guests to net-

Monday Night Countdown, the Super

work with the ultimate goal of doing more

Media and MindBiazer offerings provide

Bowl and SportsCenter program , and also

advertising and marketing professionals with

contributed to the network's Triple Crown

business with each other. For sponsorship information or to

The integration of Qwest Digital

essential and up-to-date technologies and expertise to produce compelling content for Web-based rich media events such as product launches, promotions, online seminars and events, CEO Webcasts and sales events.

AvidXchange Partners with Hughes AvidXchange, a provider of Web-based

horse racing specials, college basketball programming, including the NCAA Final Four, and hosted the "Backstage" segment on Monday NFL Countdown. For ABC Sports, she served as a reporter for Monday Night Football, col lege football bowl games, the Pro Bowl, NFL playoff games and the Super Bowl, Triple Crown horse racing events, Wide

procurement and competitive bid

World of Sports, and the U.S. and World

cont1nued or page 8

Figure Skating Championships.

grea ter c h a rlo t te b iz

September to May for the select group of

join this exclusive group of businesses, call the Charlotte market manager, Bucky Greeley, or president, Scott Crites, ar 704556-7330 . The 2001 -2002 Breakfas: Club Series will be conducted in both Charlotte and Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson (S.C.). Inquiries for the GSA series can be directed to the Charlotte office. Visi: the 1st & 10 Marketing Web site, www.landlOmarketing.com, for the latest photos and information on the Breakfast Club Series.

j u ne 200 I 7

moreTechBiz

Blair, Bohle &Whitsitt puc

management products and services, has

Certified Public Accountants • Emerging Company Strategies • Mu lti-State Tax Structuring • Merger and Acquisition Planning • Real Estate Development Strategies

announced the formation of a partnership

• Comprehensive Tax Review • Audit & Accounting Services • Tax Compl iance & Planning • Retirement Plan Compliance & Design

with Hughes Supply. W ith over 466 locations and 7,750 associates in 33 states and Mexico, Hughes Supply is one of the largest diversified wholesale distributors of construction

Back to Basics: Relationships, Value, Growth

materials.The ability to purchase from

Ballantyne • SouthPark • 704.365.5400

Hughes Supply catalogs will be available to

www.bbwpllc.com

AvidXchange customers later this year.

ettain and Mid rex Ink Web Site Deal Mid rex Technologies has chosen etta in to design and build a new corporate Web site for the international engineering and technology firm. Working collaboratively with Midrex management, ettain will redesign the site to integrate the company's new technology ventures with the existing MIDRE.X® Direct Reduction Process.

Salton to Use Convey System's OnDemand Utility Convey Systems, a Charlotte-based developer of interactive Web-based technology, has announced that Illinois-based Salton, Inc., a provider of innovative home enhancement products, is using Convey System's OnDemand utility to optimize its customer service, virtually bringing customers to Salton's experts for assistance. Salton's Web site, www.saltoninc.com. provides customer care by direcdy connecting customers and support professionals via the Internet using On Demand.

Charlotte Metro Credit Union is now open to everyone! Your company

Convey's Web-based, interactive utility. The

doesn 't have to be a member o f Charlotte Metro Credit Unio n Fo r you

OnDemand utility enables the inquiring cus-

to take advantage o f o ur lower loan rates . high investm ent rates and Fee- Free checking with direct deposit. just open a $25 Share Account online at www.cmcu.org. by phone at 704.375. 0 183 or at one of our

tomer to speak to and see the expert that

.,•-,. ,,;,;,.

personally addresses his needs. Salton's customer services staff interacts

========~··T~~------~

Charlotte Metro CREDIT

•

with video, voice and text chat features to

L: : ' \ I O N

create comfortable environments that are

locations. Because thi s is one public o ffering you ca n't pass up!

718 Central Ave. 704.375.0183

Now that's smart.

conducive to enhancing the assistance provided to the customer using only one communi-

1928 Randolph Rd. www.cmcu.org

cation vehicle -

the Internet, and one utility

-OnDemand. Membersh1p in Charlotte Metro Credit Union is open to people who Ii-.e. work. worship or attend school in Mecklenburg and Union counties. Ma1l-in or online applications requrre notarization with signature. Not all companies offer dwect deposiL: ask us about other options.

u ne 20 01

CUA Ins ured

g r ea t e r c h ar lotte b iz

______________________ moreBizDigest TIAA-CREF Opens Service Center Financial services provider TIAA-CREF

key component in TIAA-CREF's

has opened the first major office complex

nationwide service-delivery network."

in its new Southern Service Center at

The company also announced that

Charlotte's University Research Park.

construction of a second office complex

Approximately 800 operations, administra-

is scheduled to begin this July, with

Software Watchdog Focuses on Southeast If your company uses unlicensed software, beware. The Business Software Alliance (BSA), a watchdog group that represents the world's leading software manufacturers, recently settled with eight organizations in

tive and counseling

completion slated

professionals

for the first quarter

are expected to

of 2003 .

the southeast -

In all, the

be working at the 562,000-square-foot

TIAA-CREF site in

building by the end

University Research

Charlotte -

including one company in

to the tune of $304,359. In

add ition to the financial settlement, companies audited during the BSA's "Sweeps Week" agreed to delete any unlicensed copies, purchase replacement software and

Park encompasses 137 acres. Company

strengthen their software management

officials expect to develop over 2 million

practices. Companies are not immune from

state-of-the-art facility in Charlotte,"

square feet of offices and facilities on

BSA claims even for software installed by

said TIAA-CREF chairman and

the campus to accommodate up to

outside consultants. For more information,

I ,400 TIAA-CREF employees.

log on to www.bsa.org/usa/.

of this year. "We are proud to launch this

CEO

John

H. Biggs at the opening. " It will be a

Ballantyne CC Presents Check Ballantyne Country Club and Highgrove

Left holding the bag?

leaders prese'1ted a $5,000 check to South

If you're having trouble getting the technical support you need for your computer hardware, software or networking, call InfoVision. We offer support for existing systems, as well as design, installation, training and support for new ones. Let InfoVision be your single-source provider.

Charlotte Middle School for their volunteer efforts during the communities' "First Sign of Spring" home tour.

Our customers appreciate having a single point of resolution. And that's why they stay with us. Call today for a free consultation.

Dr. Maureen Furr, South Charlotte's principal, said the school will use the $5,000 to equip mobile classrooms with media equipment. "We're happy to help South Charlotte Middle School, which in turn helps residents in our communities," said Mike Burnett, director of sales and marketing for

r'\

Microsoft路

i n f ov is i on 路路

\......._,/

LEADING TECHNOLOGY. LASTING PARTNERSHIP.

CERTIFIED Partner

r. ~(""

Microsoft

Great Plains

Business Solutions Partner

Ballantyne Country Club and Highgrove. "The PTA volunteers staffed our homes during 'The First Sign of Spring' tour, which close to 1,000 people attended."

gr e a te r c h ar lotte b iz

jun e 200 I 9

- - - moreBizDigest BizBits Caterpiller Inc, has relocated its local office from the Carmel/Highway 51 area to the Bissell Company's Cullman Park Building at Ballantyne Corporate Park.... Morehead Associates, a national research firm that specializes in employee opinion surveys, has expanded its quarters at 141 0 West Morehead Street. It is the anchor tenant for the 20,000-square-foot mixed-use development in the burgeoning historic business district .... Norelli

& Company, a Charlotte-based strategic management consulting firm has joined forces with K. Mark Stephens, founder and president of The Stephens Group, a consulting firm specializing in operations management and information systems ....

5 OFF 5 ON Race Team Performance has opened at 169 Gasoline Alley in Mooresville. The new training facility is dedicated to the enhancement of technical skills, physical conditioning, mental preparation and safety for pit crew performance in motorsports.The curriculum focuses on three general areas: classroom education, physical conditioning and skill performance .... Katie Tyler, president and

CEO

Tyler II Construction, will speak on "Women excelling in a man's world" at the Carolina Association for Professional Saleswomen on June 14th at the Holiday Oesignern, Manulaclurers & Consunanls

Inn Woodlawn .... More than 9.4 million WELCOMETOOURHOUSE .

people visited Charlotte last year,

fÂŁJiren-J{a us fllilslnM: ofiC

Ulce 19153

10600 John Price Rd. Charlotte, NC 28273

spending an estimated $2.4 million locally,

Phone: 1-800-257-5880 Local: 704-588-2887 Fax: 704-588-2888 E-Mail: bdm@ehrenhaus.com

according to the Charlotte Convention

and Visitor's Bureau (CCVB). An estimated 12,000 people in the Charlotte area earn thei r living from the travel and entertainment industry.

j une 200 I

bi~

gr eater charlotte biz

[realestatebiz]

Ne"1 Urbanism Reaches the Outerbelt Ay~sle:;

During

development w ill :Jrin.~ n~o-- a..::i iooal des 6n tc ~outhv~g Chc:rotte

th~

1990s, populacon

g-owth in the Steele Creek ar-::a ir sou:hwestern

~cklenburg

G:> Jnty \.vas the siJ. th fastest in

tre county Accord.ng to 2000 C::Znsus figures, the: area grew fom cOO to 4,052 residents.

T J.at's a :ot of gro'Mr~ . But during the first decade of thEnew century, southwest Mecklen Jurg is ac oJt to grow even faster. And it won ': just be mJre residents, Jut also more bLsinesses, more jobs c: nd more lifestyle a- d entertainment offer ngs. Much of the growth will be focus:d or a 129-acre tract of la1d being t·an:;fo-rr ed irrto what its de-.elopers are calling t he area's "town center." The rest of us v1ill know it asAyrsley. "The -e'~

" AtJ.-yTIIey, )·ou II be able to :>ar < ;-o• · ·: ar ar:f ea :til y:>ur :tail~ n eed ~ klr week~ c.:: c. ti me IJi:hoJt ~tarting it up again,' Sl!)I> Tom _Jw c:f DJany Flater-Z~berlc & ·:crrpc.fl¥ ~ I t is net .Jrl ke the V¥ay t~ !Onall t Cl"\n ~ arcL.n:l Crarlctte to.n c:io1e::l for m:ll)' ·re=-~·-

already a bt of emp!Jymert s ar Jrba- vi lagethatloo<S rruc - . i~f

hErE, but no focal po int;' says CharliE

Jede.st ·ic:n -friendly, comt=a : t and n·:X

Hodges, one of the p ·incipals of

3Ltcro::n:f: .

Cc: mbridge P3rtners <W?,'Vv.nccambrldgepa:tners.com>, cevelopers of :h e

3rd : har E~' Hodges, partner:; silce : J94,

1ct only rr iAed , bu t Jverla ~· pe:l; il\nere

poj ect. ".l.yrsley will cre3te a nucleus out

l cVE !-i -~.:1 .\ndres Duany o Duany P~t er

-h=re JVcs hot-sing for all i1corre l211els;

h;;: re and not co1tribute to urban sprawl."

~ybes-~

•vhe rE tt-e-.: 'rnlS lots of gree nsp 3:e ; ard

Located at the soutrec.st corner of the

-h= tr01ditiJna small t:JNrs of :he scrl;

r =a::, :Je\elopers Gen :; Bod~,oc :: tt

3. ::c.mpany <www.dp.z.com> , Jle

2C•t n ce1tory- tovms wh ere -~ es V\l€re

Jfth= lli:l o 's foremJst ne11· uroarisr1

'"l'here p:cest ians 1ot ca·:;, ot1e--e the

l-l:85 and South Tryon St ·eet (Higrway 49)

:Jesi!Jl'lrn.; to master plan : re comiLni-

"ir:;t C·Jn:;ider<:ticn . tJotes --;Jm Low, 'A'ho Dua - y':; localcf"ice, "A: h.~· sley,

in·erchange, Ayrsley will, when comple:ed

:y. It i s th :! fi rst development Duan11 ·:;

lEad ~

feature 1.2 million square feet of Class A

:Jesi~il§" n Ch3rlott:, and is the lar~e~

'IOU'

lbe able to pc.r<yOU ' C3rC.OO seta

of ic2 spa:e, 277,000 sqJare feet of re:ail,

1ew url::oaliSTI ~rojed in th-o ·egion .

'~OUr

ca i y needs for V\eeks at at 11e •t~it -

a 11ultiplex rrovie theate ·, two hotels 'Aith 4~ 5

room:;, and 1,605 residences. r~ore af

)L-a l'i has been direc

"'Vith

L\.y'!"~F/

y i nvol1'=d

sirce its incep: ·cn. a::e nding

th : residences will be sirgle-family hones,

3 "Vee~ o1g :hcrett2 here "'lith po:.:--.tic. l

bLt ratherwil l include ap3rtments, conjo-

Jser; , l!e<illtc rs, offi ce and rEtail dev=lc·p-

m - nium~

_rs a11 arx re;idents to help

lofts and other multi-family li :ing

oj:tions at a variety of pri: e points. But .t.yrsley is rot jLst another massive deve op11ent going up along the OLter Bel: .

R:~ther,

it is Lsing rhe con-

ce::>t:s o" new urbanism b create a tra diticnally desi&ned commJnity that is

la~·:t--o

ro u- d .v o - ~ forthe desigr1. •)le c c:nge

lE re.::.Tinend 2d is more housing. Ill.: •Jr gi · a

cn nc e~

· hat ngJr=

ca.l:d for on y 6~0 ur ·ts;

now nearly t ri pled, gi,, ng-

.\yrsl-=•t " ;o better ba13nce,• Bojycr •t s.:.ys.

',\d"J aJ Cambridg-o Partn =r:; is c-ea l "ng

oLt st3rtirrg it up agai1 It s no un ikf - h2 way t e srna.l towns a·ou r d :: cr!Jt:e --u lC:iJ ned "o r ma ny ye3rs ·~n

most plc.ces toda~." LJrl colfn -

JES, "the goal is for cars to move qu idd·,_ SJ str: e·s are conauits . no: d~:c s t

aticrs..

-klt creat-os on "lict ~i : h p=dest i rs. "Ve' llll13 ke ;idev1a ks ~ide ·, a.lc 11 Jnst reft pc.rl: h g or all the reads, c.n: 3Cc eatur=s so pecest-i3ns a ossilg the s ~ reet s. "

VI ill fe~

.;.a=e

> JUnE

20 0

New Urbanism An authentic "new urb:m''ref1tcrhooj co.1tains mast af these 13 !>ain:; .'.-o.;de~ by ,__, fllc.Jners Andres Duan! an-:' E.I.Lci.oetil Pla:£r..Z."Je.k. d i scernibl~

I. The neighborh:>Od has a This is often a scuare

::~fa ~reel,

<.en:er.

a1.:f !;()me-

times a busy or mem:r;i)le ;t-eet OO-:ler.

2. Most of the

dwelli - g~

are within <.i.e-

minute walk of the ce11te-, an awer<.ge d roughly 2,000 feet. typ~

3. There are a va ·iety of dwellirg

that younger anc clde:- p:ople, sinl;IE! 11d families, the poor anc lflE "''eahhy :a- cl 1d places to live. 4. There are shops anc cffbes at tile

e:l~e

:>f

the neighborhood, o: ~ ~ffici;ntl' v<.ri ~ :Yfes to supply the weekly r:eds of a h()m:h:>lc. S.A small ancillary bLi di-g s perrmted within the backyard :>I ean ho.Jse .• t nay :>e ~ace 'X>

used as a rental •.Jnit ·:>r

w:JI'I.:

"We'll make s.cewalks "Vider;- ow a ·Htreet FGrl<r § on all the roads, anc adj fea:un!s S:> pedestrian,; vvill feel siie cros;ing the ;treet:;,' says Tan Lew of Duany Plater-Z:tberk 6t Cc mp:~.ny. Atth o ug~Ayrsley

will r ot rrimi :

There will be greer ·Na~s. greensp3CE

Cha·le;to<'s c: r:hitectmalst,L=, nc!Es

nd bike paths througho ut the collmuni -

6.An elementary s:ho::.l is co;: enOLlt s::>

Bodycott, the LJaste· Jlan dces take a cue

most children can .vall::: ..~ their :-ores.

from the city fy street widt"tS and si :le-

3cross the street :rcn he Emergilg

wa~:s.

'Nhitehall developmer : . P..y·sley's :wo

7. Small playgrourds are 11e2r every 4-e I n& -not more tha11 a

t~r. :~

An aret- itect VJi:h OdE l A; so·: ate;

for n a1y year~. Bodycott ce.=cribe; the am : ·ie1ce Jf Pyrsle·1 this wa•,: " he t uilc-

c:L a mile awa..

· y, which 'hill front Sou :h Tr 101 St ·eet:,

1otels and retail centE r '" ll be vi~ i blE : rom tre interstate.

ing:: w ll te t eht to the str:!l':. 'Aihi :'l is B. The streets within tlle

11:i~b:rhocd

connected network, p·cv ding a 'lari::: estrian and vehicular

~utes

.-:;a .::~

ped-

:•:> ;ny destinati·::>n.

9.The streets are rel<.:;,;el·l nrrow

~n::

by trees.This slows tra=ic. crea:ing

;an ec·~ir->n

shaced

ment suitable for p:ciestri311i nd b cyc~ .

I0. Buildings in t1e nei,!!:hbomcod placed close to the

~:ree:,

:e-.~ -

are

crea:ing a ;arong

sense of place.

II . Parking lots and

~ra,se

cocrs rcrel.· front

the street. Parki11g is r<:legc.::c to buildings, usually acceSl'ed

t~e

-.ear of

~y al l ey~ .

Those who wonder ~hy anyone

wrat's most i iJl porta rrt in creaing an oJ t-

"''IOuld want to builc o- such c:. grand

doo- room - · s t he f3ces o{ · he tuild ings

; cale in the middle of nwhere hc.ven 't

that cr=at= the cont ;:inmen: o= c utioor sp :: •:es," 1e ; a•1s. "A,nd wi:h ,:eopiE .ivirg

; een a recent map. In add 'tion to bein&

there whc· will walk to wor u r d to shop,

·ight at the Outer Belt 1::oJth -ryan int=r-

yo .'ll have a ceo mmLrity th 31';

real~

alive.

Jeen to the Steele Creek area late .y- or

It's an urban l festyte :hat no ·e anc more

: hange, Ayrsley is jus: = 12 m i.e ~est of -77. When the next lef o: 1-435 is coll -

peo:)le ar= loc-king for."

Jieted late next year,

The devEl•Jpmerrts wi thi1 Ay -~ley will fea llt re diffe·ent arch .tect ra style:,

; eve1 miles from Char~:· tte'Doug .as

~~ ·~ley

.viii be just

ntenational Airport. It will al; o h:lVe

although ther= will be guide l nes end

3ccess to Westin&hou'i€ Bc ulevard via

res:·ic:ive CCI.Enarrts governi1g tre

;outhern boundary.

des gr. Bcdvcott and

Ho d g e~.

v1ill li <ely

Ayrsley is located i n : he 1eart of

dev =lc p most of thE office bL ild in gs

'>Jorth Carolina's secon=

themselv~, e~ th at' ~

llent center, minutes

whe ·e :h:!y raVE

i t~

l:~rge;t

~ way

elplcy-

from the

12. Certain promir.ert srte; at :he tzrm n,._

the most expe rience, and v-.· Urn to

ikes

tion of street vista; c,r in tf-,e 1:igllbonooo

other develq: ers fa · Jther ,:crt; of : hE

nsurance, Cadmus ard C:e1e·a1 Tire.

center are reser·1ed k r ch.ic build llb' These

co r m Jnit·/. Infrastru cture - g·;: dirg,

::ompanies such as S:lf nt. Kemper

provide sites for corrmLni::t aaivi:i=s.

w;::e r, se•11·er 31d sto ·mwa :o:r- is r ov-

nsurance, General Ele::ric arxl Tille

being laid in., ;:: nd roedwori< wiU begin this

Narrer are plann ·ng new rrajor fe:cili: ies.

13.The neighborhood s

:>r~mized

governing.A formal as;rxiaion

to be

deba:~

~elf

ard

su rr mer. Carrbridee

=>artn er~

OOJ: es to

maJ..e 3nnounceme nts of spa: i=i: p-oje:ts

Cogentrix. i<O\ocl & Su1All a nee

V1icrosoft has alread'/tTOJed nto

-'100,000 square feet 01 its cc:.mpus in

decides matters of rraiJ'ltenan.:e. secu-i£t and

soo1. "We wa1t tc get th is : o a c·itical

!l.rrow~oint,

physical change.

m~s

=ncompass 800,000 S::JU arE feet. Witt-

j une 2 001

as soar as p"Js;iblE,"

HodgE~

savs.

which wil em: dey expard tc

gr eate - ·:ha r lo -: te b:?.

more than 5 million square feet of office space, the area is the largest suburban office market in Mecklenburg. Last year, the area absorbed nearly 550,000 square feet of new office space and added 5,00Ct new jobs, according to figures from Karnes Rese3rch Company. People who already live in the area know that growth is coming, and they wei· come new lifestyle offerings such as shop· ping and restaurants. But they are con· cerned that t{pical development will cause traffic congestion and other problems associated with sJrawl. With Ayrsley's focus or new urbanism concepts, the surrounding neighborhoods are supportive of Cambridge Partners' efforts. David Hughes, president of the Steele Creek Residents Association , spoke in favo · of the project before Charlotte City Council during the rezoning process . "With 1·485 opening up, it's creating a lot more pres· sure on the area," he says. "This is the kin d of development we like - mixed-use and pedestrian-friendly. They've asked for our input. Ayrsley is the right project in the right place at the right time." Ayrsley is also the right project for Cambridge Partners, which is developing office space on the 40 acres it owns adjacent to Cambridge Beltway Park. They assembled the land for Ayrsley about a year ago, most of it purchased from

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Norfolk Southern. Bodycott is an architect: by training and did some development work in York County; Hodges was formerl•t with McDevitt & Street, a major general contractor. "We came together because we liked each other and have different strengths," Hodges says.

IH1iw!1iPD'fk fttg~g ~'Se rio us ~ctwo r t

Solu f ian-;•

Cambridge Partners is using office space at Cambridge Beltway Park as its sales office for Ayrsley. Instead of asking people to rely solely on their imagina· tions to sell the concept, they have created a walk-through tour of the develop· ment inside the sales office. It features slate floors, greenery, a water founta in, lampposts, earth -tone colors and even a picnic table. As visitors turn the corners through the winding walkway, they are greeted by m3ps and information on the

Tlrt! Ct!H11iir1a :S M()st Experienct:d Conswlt;11g. Ve1J4Jork Engineering ai'ld De•itJ• Teawr wi:Jr Specializatio11 aad Ce~lijict!tioo in: • MLiri· Vendor'l\1ull i-Prctoco l lnteropc·ati lit{ Bri..lgcd, Ro• ted/Routing Protocol Support • If' Te lepboey. Voice ever IP, Voice :Jv'r f' l3mc, Multi-s.orv icc Support and Design • EJ•c:rprise: W;>. N ar d L AN

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Dc:ployment and Data now Optim iza ti on

• N.otwort: A n3 1ys i.;, Di Hster Rcc::ver:: an.j Remote Access Con necti v ity • C i5ec Sys· c m s Si lvc- Pa rtn er and Nctwmi:: Ma r· agcmcnt Specia li s ts • HOS Support for 'Nindo"s -. HJ Open '/ iew

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rlifferent aspects of Ayrsley. "We want you to feel like you're already there," Bodycott exp .ains.

biz

3ea Quirk covers the real estate market each -nonth for Greater Charlotte Biz.

:>reater charlotte biz

·=>

june 200 I 13

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Fort Mill Retains Heritage Gro'f'.~h rtill tied to ~· p n ngs lrdustrie; , v1hil2 re:::ert relocation:; add fresh blood

The groY..'th of Springs Industries (co rporat-e -JEHdcp.¥"ters ~icturej abO<.·e) a:d Fort Mill h;:we b=e n tied togetler sr<:e Lero) Springs E~ blished Lan:aster Cotto n Mills in 1895. Spri1gs c::>ntinues to grow, tihile new companies are c.dding to Fort Hil 's vitality 1s a business ce•ter.

F:.rt VJJls Etory began like a lo .

,,;lllook Ike. As 1110fe and more peor:l~

1 ~er in, businesses opEn up to supply

about evEry ~·=• wl in the Charlcrt1e re5ion.

:· ~ newcomer5.

The rema ins of old mi lls are still visi:lle in

small lCt'.v:l.S. Settlers .oo.::<ing

fc·:: - a gx ::l lace to settle down

:;ource of watEr an :

water. good land to farm, and c..

trcde r::ute ner rby to b Jy and se<l tLeir g_cds. More people move in and form :;erne kind of goJern ment to t-elp t1e 1E\IV

se~ tler5

v,ith services, bu ild roads,

-<eep the pea c.e , ar d plan wh c.t the land ~reater crarlotte

biz

many towrs.. Some have foun d new life

/l miU is startEc near the good

need =~r.aio. ll-ings: a S•::urce of

mo r~

people corre

tov..n . The mill ft:.Jris hes and so doEs

~ t- =

This :;co:1e 1as r:layed ou t in ju:;t

toNr it suppor:s. Workers are housed

as upscal e C•ffice buildings, re :.t3ur~ts, coffee hous o:s or outl:t malls . -lJwe·,er the toVIIn of =ort Mill, S.C. has .:. different

n company housi r g, shop in comparry

ending to 1he story, one that rrakes ·t

.otores and are loot?d a · er by the mill.

unique in 1he region.

.::•·,er t1e years the

1E <til~

c- 3nges, and t1e rrill company finds ~·c. ys

The ni l. ·, this c3se is Springs

business n~ ·N

of keepin5 up but eventually global

c·:·l1petiticn forces ~ re mi ll to close.

lndustr

es, c:

conpan1 that

stal:~d

single mil l a1d t-as grown to 4 :_

'Aith a

ma~fac

turing faci lit :;s i1 13 U.S. states and june 2.0( I

>15

CLEAR

SPR I NGS

PLAN

ct.r.Aa.-..:.ns~--r('Q!(j;..t..,T.LLC.

marketing and sales sub-

Lancaster, S.C., Leroy Springs establish':!d

sidiaries in Canada and

Lancaster Cotton Mills in 1895. His corr -

Mexico. Major brands made

pany would assume control of Fort Mill

and sold by Springs Industries

Manufacturing in 1914, and by 1919,

are Wamsutta, Springmaid,

Colonel Springs was operating five texti=

Graber, Bali, Nanik, Dundee,

mills as separate companies in and

Wabasso and Texmade . The

around the area. These companies woti :

headquarters for the company

be brought together under the banner c·f

is still in Fort Mill.

Springs Industries.

Fort Mill takes its name

The growth and development of

from a colonial-era fort built

Springs Industries and Fort Mill has

by the British and a gristmill

remained tied together ever since. Accordils

built on nearby Steele Creek.

to Tim Morgan, president of the York Cou"ty

Scotch-Irish settlers began

Regional Chamber of Commerce

arriving in the 1750s and

<www.yorkcountychamber.com>, the

1760s and a small settlement

town and surrounding Fort Mill Township is

soon developed. The settlers

better off for the partnership.

used the old Nations Ford

·-·-·-

·-

The Cl::!ar Springs master plan allows for a balance of traditicnally-built neighborhoods, recreational green space and business and industrial development.

"The town is lucky to have Springs

Road to travel and trade from

Industries and the Close family. The

Pennsylvania to Charleston.

school system, local parks, and certain '{

The town received its charter

the local economy would not be what it

in 1873,shortly before Samuel

is today if it were not for them," says

Elliott Wh ite founded the Fort

Morgan . The members of the Close farri '/

Mill Manufacturing Company

are direct descendants of Leroy Spring~.

textile business in 1887. Over in neighboring

Several family members still live in Fort Mill, and Springs Industries is run by a member of the family, chairman and CEO

JA~ A sports car named desire.

Crandall Close Bowles. She is the

fifth generation of the Springs family to lead the company. Recently, the company and the family have become even closer with tb ::announcement that the company woul.j be taken private . On April 25, Springs Industries, Inc. agreed to be bought by Heartland Industrial Partners LP and descendants of the company's founder. The Close family's stake will rise to 55 percent from 41 percent. Heartland wi . own the remainder. Bowles will rem ain CEO, according to the company.

How have the company and the family shaped the community? The

'Jtherwise known as the ]agua r XK8. It exhibits a power Jar beyond its 290 hp A]-V8 engine ... the power to entice, to coax, even to seduce.

Springs Foundation, funded solely by the family, is dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the environment. Will

THE BLENDING of ART a11d MACHINE .

JA~ SCOTT JAGUAR 41 6 TYVOLA RO AD • 527-:'000

www.scottjag.com

june200 1

Close is president of the foundation."VJ::believe in supporting the community, b_t doing so in quiet ways," he says. The foundation is prim arily involve : in two missions ... enh ancing and impro:· ing the environment and maintaining c: d improving edu cation. "The last seven schools built in the area are on proper-~

greater charlotte :::iz

donated by the family," Mr. Close says with a great deal of pride. The fou1dation is also one of the primary func ing sources for Leroy Springs a1d Compary, which is dedicated to creating recreational opportunities in the area. Through the foundation, the Close family holds approximately 6,200 acres, which has been in the fc. mily for ov:!r 200 years. Several exciting developments are taking place on that property which will

"Our goal is to balance progress and preservation. What we are building is a series o.r traditional neighborhoods, similar to the kinds of neighborhoods that many of us grew up in." - Don Killoren, chairman and CEO of Clear Springs Development Company shape the fa ce of the area for years to come . The first project is the Anne

The Village of oa:xter <'\'V'w'W.villageofua:ter.com> is the frst ol a series of raditio1al n~ighborooods b-= ~ developed hf th~ Oear Springs .:J~veiopmem Companr in Fo-: Mr

Springs Clos :! Greenway, a 2,300-acre tract of land dedicated to the public in perpetuity. Active and passive recreational uses are included on the tract, which is accessible from several points in and aroun d the area . More importantly to local residents, it provides a buffer to tr e growth and development of Mecklenburg County, which abuts the northern bound路 ary of the greenway. Clear Springs Development Company, wholly owned by the Close family, is ch arged with development of the greenway and the rest of the acreag-2. For more tha1 ten years the company ard the family have been working together lD design a use for the remaining land tha ~ enhances the community and the envi ronment. "Our goal is to balance progress and preservation," says Don Killoren, chairman and CEO of Clear Springs. "What we are building is a series of traditional neighborhoods, similar to the kinds of neighborhoods that many of us grew up in." Four vill ages are planned. The first, Baxter, has been under construction for t he past two and one half years.

~reater c1arlotte biz

>junE:.:CoO I 17

Differing from tract housing ::>r su Jd ivisions, each village will be fairly se lfcontained with a variety of land Lse.; con tained within each block. "On the co rn er you will have a commercial bu ild ng wit1

Do they

~ive

a1.o1ay solutions

tryin~

~et

orders?

Do they Jrepare prJposals before (•UOJlifyirg prospects? Do thei r p·oposals get shopped arJt.-Jd?

town homes adjacent to it, located n 2 <t to single family housing," comments Killoren. Pricing ranges from the llic-$7C•; for town homes to well into the $300,C•OC•

Any YE:S 3nslaJer neans that prospcts ar2 in control and ~our

salespEople are on the WIMP TAACf.; .

T~ere is a hUer waJ! 111 MJre busine~s w1th less Jnp.a_j con ~u ltin~. 111 F nJn-:raditiorKJl, compreherc;ive bJsiness system.

ill Successful in

230

industri3 s. and vofessions.

00 Wcrks with an•:1 personal

st~::ole.

7).(/536-3277 f;::x= 704/ 536- 1759 6+:3 Idle"'·ild , Suite 210 (fgrlotte . .C. 28212 cl.J r n@dLnnent.com c ~ nn

Each village will contain 50 p 2 rce1 ~ open space dedicated to a variety of recreational uses. In addition, 10 pe rcEnt o{ tre property is set aside for civic uses; libr:::r e; Baxter resides on 1,033 acres, wt-lch

Sandler Jit::.1. D ·.mn

a division ol

block.

schools, churches and public serv ces

Aes3rve your pl1oe at our next FREE executive briefin~.July 3·d 8-10 a.m., o- call for alte · nate dates.

~ Sales lnslilule"

range for custom homes. All price ranges and styles will be represented or ec;ch

w II

eventually hold 1,500 housing unis. So fa r about 150 families have moved irt. Baxter and much of the commerci al and residential growth in the are::~ io in Fort Mill Township and not in thetOI>r itself. The last ten years have seen

c. ruge

increase in township population , wh 12 the actual town has only grown f-om

Eme: p-ises

4,930 people in 1990 to approxi-na :-= y 7,800 people today. "South Carolina has had a nuch more restrictive annexation policy th3n North Carolina," explains David Hudspeth, town manager of Fort Mill <www.fortmillsc.org> . "The old lalf" required that 75 percent of the resid21to in the affected area had to sign

pe ~ i t i ·J

to be annexed. Getting 75 percent cf any group of people to agree on so metring i:: pretty difficult." Annexations in tile c: rea have only come as a result of a sing! :! land owner agreeing to annex prJ pert! to the town. Hudspeth continues: 'We'·;e grown in the same way as Charlctte h:ts, so we have had to be smarter atou ~ cur growth . A new annexation law ~A-aS recently passed in South Caro lin 3 th a~ changes the process. Under the ne·IV law. 25 percent of the voters in the affectzd area can petition for a special el :!ction ~ o decide whether to be annexed o· no ~ . The new law has not been tested in t he are3 y2~ There is still plenty of land b doE\ elop within the city limits and i n tre trwnship as well. Mark Ferris, directo · of :!:anomic development for York Cou1ty <www.ycedb.com>, is optimistic about the area. "Fort Mill and the surrouncing-IDM1-

j une 200 1

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Willamette Industries located its eastern regional headquarters in Fort Mill's Kingsley Park.

cP Project 0

........,.

ship have become a home for corporate or regional headquarters sites," he comments. "Wit1 close proximity to a major transportation corridor, Charlotte/Douglas airport, and easy access to the port at Charleston, we feel that this is a perfect

A DESK IS A DESK IS A DESK (UNLESS IT'S YOUR DESK)

area for development." Emphasis has been on hec.dquarters/office campus type development. Recent announcements and relocations have added to the corporate headquarters reputation of the area. Grid South, a new joint venture company, which will manage the power grid in the southeast, recently announced that its headquarters would be built in Kingsley Business Park. Other corporate or regional headquarters that have moved in are timber products giant Willamette Industries, Northern Tool Company, Leiner Health Products and Muzak, which recently relo-

Some just see a flat surface with legs. We see

cated to Fort Mill from Seattle. Many o= the qualities that drew the original settlers to the area are responsi-

a garden for your ideas. That's why we create

ble for its current growth .. .water resources close at hand, convenient location near trade routes and good land on which to build and develop. Add to that a town government that supports smart growth and development, good local

flexible office solutions that allow you to work the way you want. Our

furniture system is made up of building blocks of different sizes and

shapes that all work together in countless ways so you can define and

housing stock, one of the best education systems in the area and a founding family with the area's best interests at heart, and you have a formula for success. To quote one of the chamber of commerce objectives: "We want a place where people grow rest less if too frequently confronted with the past, where tradition is an insufficient excuse for stagnation, where each day is a day for accomplishment, and tomorrow holds a promise of better living in a better community." biz,

Chip Scholz is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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greater charlotte biz

by muhammad abdutlah

The Professionals lr today's business climate, what every business needs is a professional. An NFL Intern could give your business an edge.

With fluctuating interest rates , volatile markets, and technology that is changing

to make your organization a success7 Where can you find such a person7 Closer than you think. ln 1991 , the National Football League (NFL) began its

as often as the weather, your business

Career Internship Program (ClP) as an oppo rtunity for active

could probably use a professional.

NF L playe rs to gain valuable work expe1ience with businesses

Cou ld your business use a professional who understands what it mean.;

compete, not just from a distance but toe-

and organizations throughout the United tates. By 1997, the ClP had provided over 700 player internships, accordin g to Guy FL Programs, And , in 1998, 150 p layers

to-toe? How about a professional raised in the discipline of

Troupe, director of

comprehensive and sustained preparation , one who understands

held internships dming the off-season alone. With over 15 percenL

the importance of contributing to a team, and one who shows

of the interns being hired by participating companies, the national

up ready to make a difference when your asse ts are on the line7

story is an impressive one, but what is happening light here in th e

W hat about a professional who is willing to learn all that it takes

Carolinas is even more impressive.

greater crarlotte biz

>june 200 I 21

he success of the national CIP effort is rooted in the work of each NFL team's director of player development along with the 3upport of the team's ownership. Nowhere has that combination been more effective than at the Carolina Panthers. Panthers director of player development , former NFL Steelers legend Donnie Shell, is coordinator of a management team that has led the league for the last two years with the best player development program in the entire NFL. After a close examination of the Carolina Panthers programs, it is easy to see why that is.

Politics The average NFL career is only three to four years, and most players will not earn enough money to never have to work again. Even so, with the challenging requirements of succeeding in the NFL and the players' natural reluctance to leave their professional football careers, getting players to participate in an internship program is not always an easy sale.

"I see Congress and

politicians, and I think I know what it is, but I suspect the reality is quite different. Show me the reality," said kicker John Kasay (above) to Representative Sue Myrick at the beginning of his internship with her office.

june 200 I

Panthers players, though, seem to be getting the message. In fact , they are embracing the program with great enthusiasm, largely because of the success of the initial participants. Kicker John Kasay, who is earning his MBA at Pfeiffer University, is considering a career in politics. At

the beginning of his iotc:rnsh4J , he told Congressional represe:ll.a the Sue Myrt:~. "You see professional ·o·J tblll on Sum:hys and you think you know ""her it is. T e reality is quite different. 1 ~e Congres: and politicians, and I tbnl< l know wb.at it is, but l suspect the r ali.y is quite ciJferent. Show me the rea ity " Kasay was quite -ig:ht. A ·ter a fe"'days traveling with Myr ck both in Charlotte and on Captc-l Hill, he got .:. chance to see that reaJir;. Eut beyond .he reality check, he and M·ITick develope.:. a sustained friendship. M,rrick notes, "\.·!?. talked more abou t our .•iews of life, oJr values and our famili~s tlun about rrr:1 work . l found we had so much in common. " Because of the experience , Myrick is excited about extending the same opportunity to other players, and she -vil encourage: her colleagues on both sW::le:s d t:1e polinei.l aisle to do the same.

Education Closer to home , fbe :>lc-yers h av ~ completed internships in _he CharloLeMecklenburg School District. For that, they have director of athletics, Vicki Hamilton , to thank. Although she stands no more than 5' 6" to Panthers Tony Booth, Dameyur :! Cratg, Kerry Hood , Jamar esbit ard ~oJert Dan els, she is a towering fig..tr~. As the only fema le director of athbics in all of r-: onh Carolina at the seco'lc..::try level and l'. former school principal, she was the r·§;ht

choice to pilot the NFI's high school internship program. To the players she is both coach and mother, and she insists on CO\'eli ng all the basics Vicki Hamilton (above) is director of athletics for L1.e CharlotteMecklenburg schocl ,-l·stem. As director of the NFI.:s high scr.ool internship program, she help; such players as Kerry Hood (left), Se:::1:1 Gilbert (below left) and Damyur:e Craig (below) with their irternships. from dress to attitude. P.s she tells the players, "These kids hn~ all kinds of stereotypes of you and your life, so l don't want to see any flash and dash. " Business attire is the order of the day The players are quick to make sure they are get.ing it 1ight. By all accounts they have. This is defensiv~ :!nd Rob Daniel's second year as an in em , this time at Vance High chod. His love for the kids and his respect fc•t the school teachers and administ:ators is clearly evident. As Daniel says, "It is a humbling experience and I look forward to each day at the school." For quarterback =•Jmeyune Craig, the story is the same. He ells Ms. Hamilton he can't go to another ~ hool next year because "they need -re back at North Meek" (where he inteTed this year). Like the other Panthers interns, he gives of his time far beyond what t e program

greater charlotte biz

路-

- - - -- - -- -- -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - -

requires. He wants to make a difference. Making a difference means a lot to the players, both on the field and off. Defensive li::J.eman Sean Gilbert intends to go back to his native Aliquippa, Pa. , to make the city a better place. just out-

side Pittsburgh, Aliquippa is one of the most economically depressed areas in America. Gil ben considers it a gift that

Deveron Hcrper (above) plans to own his own business someday, so David Jessey, vice president for s::>onsorship marketing at Bank of America, is showing Harper "wr.at life is like for us c; to Sers:'

he was given the opportunity to travel by playing football. He's using footba ll and his intern-

ship opportunities to get better p-epared for his return home.

Business Bank of America, a long time corporate partner of the Panthers, has gotten into the act as well. David j essey, vice president fm路 sponsorship marketing, works closely with the Panthers in the "caravan" tcurs where Panthers players and cheerleaders visit hospitals and businesses and put on clinics. Panthe - Deveron Harper has participated in these caravans as a player; now he's participating as a Bank America intern. According to Jessey, as a player participanL, Deveron need only show up and everything is laid out. "We intend to show him the other side of the coin. What it takes to get things set up , what life is like for us 9 to 5ers." Hood hopes to one day run his own business. He's determined to get all the experience he can and tells Shell, "l also intend to play in this league 15 years." Shell looks back at him, as ~terans often look at rookies, and replies , "Okay. Right. " >

greater charlotte biz

ju1t: 2(:0

Broadcasting

North Carolina to working at Bank America to becoming a commissioner of the Big Ten, before coming to the Panthers. He knew th ~ road could be arduous. Ricca kn ~ w that it was also a long shot. The Linda Ricca (right). Panthers director cf opportunibroadcasting, set up the NFI:s first m2dia day ties at the workshop, giving such players as Wes'By top of the Walls (left). Chuck Smith (below left) . Ji::n broadcast field are Turner (below) and Eugene Robinson :bE-low more limitright) the chance to practice their 0:1-cir ed than at radio and television skills with Panthes-s the top of radio play-by-play announcer Bill Rosir:3ki. professional football. already "These guys worked in an need training investment firm _ nte~nsbp in :-_is native Mississippi and broadcast experiand i=arred ~ t \V:O:•'t what he really ence. They wan~d w do. SU.::::::'l is one of the values need of th ~ iu~rnshq:: e'perience. He has a reality worked aound t-.c: furniture business all check ," his li~e. b.tt in his 'lean , he harbors a explains desie to see if h:: r:ould succeed in Ricca. "They broadca;ting -=-rn.- ks to the creative need to thinking :Jf Lir:d : o Ricca , Carolina Panthers :lirecw- d broadcasting, he may know they can't just become a nocional broadcaster get his because they played t::te game and have chance. name recognition. T~y have to be preWhile pared. " attending the She was determired to help them December get there , but firs: she had to get their internship attention. Panthers VV:>sley Walls, Chuck luncheon , it Smith, Jim Turner, Eu;sene Robinson and became eviSean Gilbert dent to Ricca were in for a that the prosurprise. gram did not On include any April lOth, broadcasting demonstratfirms Sh~ decidec. :o put together a ing the crebroadcas1 internsLp workshop that ativity that woul3 l::r:ng togct:1er interested players has separated and broa.:lcast e;...~:ts. the Panthers Shel and c~-•les Waddell, Panthers programs direc_or c·f spon:·Jilships and marketing, from the rest, thou~ht t was a 60C:at idea. Waddell had Shell and playe::l h the NF:.. when there were no Ricca organized a Mecia Day Workshop, such op-::>:Jrtunities in broadcasting or the first of its kind in :he NFL During any cthn field. 1-:e had made his own the course of one day, five players did way, :ro:-r player C• football administrator on-air radio commentny with Bill to guin§ an MBA~t the University of --=>ar:uer All-?loo tight end Wesley Wall: he_~ hear::'. h _; share of rookies talking a:Jou· wha: th::y plan to do, and his recen m:ury wao =- wake-up call that the end E c c·ser tha:1 _he beginning. He has

june 2CO

Rosinski (Carolina Panthers radio play-by-play announcer and television host) and executive producer David Langton , as well as on air television broadcasting with executive producer Greg Brannon and associate producer Mike Craft. Defensive back Eugene Robinson said it best: "It's a beast." They all quickly learned that the reality of doing radio and television is a lot more difficult than they had at first imagined. Ricca had gotten their attention. Now they were ready to learn. Ricca , an Alabama native , was able to demonstrate to Mississippian Wesley Walls , that he could tame his accent as well. Robinson soon tamed the beast, and by day's end was ready for more. Chuck Smith and Sean Gilbert flooded the camera with personality and flair, and entertained the entire crew throughout the day Panther Jim Turner, articulate and intense, remained poised yet relaxed. Then Jimmy Rayburn, executive producer of Jefferson Pilot Sports, added some perspective. "This is a good start. Your name recognition will get you in the door, but you'll need to produce. To do that, you will need experience - lots of it. Start at the right level, and work your way up. " Carolina Panthers president Mark Richardson reminded them that when they leave football at 28 or 30, they are five to seven years behind their college classmates who are already working in the real world. To close that gap , the internship experience can help make up the difference.

Investing in the Future According to Guy Troupe, a good program is one that is administered thoroughly and well. For Shell and

greater charlotte biz

Richardson , that is only the beginning

Approximately 25 percent of the

of the story. The Panther interns would

players are involved in the Panthers'

be an asset to any business organization.

internship program. The buzz in the

Richardson is quick to point out that this is no accident. "We have invested as

bcker room i increasing its momentum. Shell also encourages the players' educa-

much Lime and money in evaluating the

Lional goals. As he reminds hi players

athletic talent of our players as we have evaluating what kind of people they are. "

c.bouL the real world: "They look at you a

Richardson is very involved with the

uniform on." Shell is a match-maker who

internship program. He accompanied hell and Hamilton and the players

little different when you don't have that takes his business very seriously, who intends to equip his players with off-the-

when they made a presentation to the

field as well as on-the-field preparation

Charloue-Mecklenburg School Board. He supports Shell's efforts to open doors for the program. He and his father, Carolina

c.ncl experience.

How you can get involved ... You don't have to be a large company to participate , nor be limited to any one field. Panther pla~rs are interested in working in many arc! varied settings. You only need one number and one name: Donnie hell 7C-t.358.7405 The Panthers' imernship program cc·uld bring you an asset that will zdd value to your business, one that will set you asid~ from your competitors. biz

Muhammad Abdullah is tne director of the MBA program at Pfei-:fer Univers1ty at Charlotte.

Panthers O'A'Tier jerry Richardson , provide whatever resources are necessary to facilitate Shell's work. Mark Richardson underscores , "the reality is that these young men will have a life after football , and we want to "We believe that the internship experience gives [the players] more roots in the Charlotte

encourage them to stay in Charlotte. We believe that the

community. As such, we

internship

are constantly looking

experience

for firms v1ho want to

gives them more roots in

participate in the program," says Mark Richardson, president of the Carolina Panthers.

the Charlotte community. As such, we

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ly looking for firms who want to participate in the "Jrogram." She ll screens all players through a bauery of tests , questionnaires and interviews. He g~Ls to know them personally and works closely with interested organizations. Then Shell brings everyone together at a December luncheon (much like a job fair) where, in a relaxed setting, the players :md companies can begin a dialogue. He matches interested players with interested firms .

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june 200 I 25

?el.i:x S. SGbates Jr. l cis

ac~1.ie-v-ed

remarkable

st:.2cess by kLUi'\T: ::1.g c: good thinq when he sees it

-~d,

by knowinq -w-hen it's tin1e :o mov2

ToJ Felix Sr bates

succe~s

VvT:m~ . :-lis ULCa::m y

0::1.

is m:•-:-e than ~ ust knowing how to pick

acJi:y

t-:J

io::entify prOCU t tends, 3.S

'A~~n

m:ura _ p :or:i c:.cl:-_e. have hdpe:l bm achi::ve enviable success

<JS

aS h:s

•Jne of

tr.e m os: af:_uent. res?e:ted a:: .j recognized businessmen i::1 Ame::ic.a. He tempers .:- is su:ce!:ses. hOI'reve:r, v.iJ::lcJ. rec.li~r-c app:oa:h vrhen necessa=-::. saying, "\Vher: :m ~ 6scovers he is ridin£ a ~d .<or~ . the bes: idea is to dismoun.. " lt is predsel: t:lls d.stitc:i.:m tnat :-_as .3c ~ :~s cruisiq; Victcry Lane.. Tho: Ch::n-lotte n : reprenwr _s fre::::_-_ently ml:-<ing ocwo in :<is diverse y_sines~ in :ereSl:£ Thi5 past fall he wa=; awardee d-_e Chair-nan's AW3.rd a the Charlene C :1amber's S:tall Eu8ness CClU1d: EaP-;:reneur .\ward3. 1: took him quite -:ry ~rpri=e, ~\.-w. thcugh 30 richly descvd. Ee 1-__:r::o :teld i nt ~:ests a: vc.rious times in prcfe~sio::nl ind::>or s::·c:.:z~ teams, the \\'orld Focttc. l League, th e N3A Chc lotte H::>rnel!:. ar.d tk ~j;ulou~ d-.ec:-<eG - gett:ng in on tfJ.= 3rcur.d bcr and £llir.3 at a scbstardal profit Ea:r.ier t:t.s ;-=ar he sc·li a rraj : "i.ty intc:r.:~ in Tea:n ~abco, bs '\SCAR research anc :le-~elop::-_e::t team to Chip Gmas~i. PI_i m::>st recently he 3old Top Sales Compn:: the ~r.t~rprEe :1e gtew from 1 tw·J- mm o-:u:lit to S-500 millbn in s:des, to his orployets. Thee dry~ Sabctes occ:up es jirr.xE ir_ l c.r~ part beir.g o·Pner and pr o:- dent ::>f VictJr;' ' ~,e Erte ~pris~. which desi.5:1s and sells mEga motoryachts. AX. hE'll p cbcJ.bb sell ·l-et 100 Vlh en the timing an•:. ·he pri.::e i5 right. 'Tve never gone ir:to a bt.s:ness wh~E 1 :::li:ln': h _nk l hc.c a chan~ to succed," he admit... "But I donl re: ly nc:ec t: .:wr n,rthins." >26

j ..Jr e 2 0 C I

greater c1ar-lotte biz

n hindsight his achie-Y=ments seem inevitable, but at 16, Felix Sabates clidn't know what he wanted to d:J with his life. He had a feejng it was going to be b ig, though. "A lot of people thought 1 v..o·1l::ln't amount lO anything," he says, "lx.ll l knew beuer. 1t was just a maue:- oJ - dme. ' As a Cuban refugee . he didn't sp::ak English and lacked c. high schoo diploma. He counted all of $25 , l\-J C• boxes of Cuban cigars and a few

S:tbates soon :c 1nd hims.clf J.:i::ked cut d the -l.OUSe. ~-1;:

gav ~ .r:• o s.::hcol aoc mo,·ej

w:<ne::l stored housewares in hot=e chests fm wl-.en they got mar:ied.

vmr a rebtrJe ::J ColJmb a, :vi >s : uri. 1C make en:i~. n eet . ·le wJshe- p::• s

"If we saw a youn5 woman vlitl- out a 17edding ring, we gave her a pic pc.n. 1- ffie would arrange a party whe•e -we

~d p~s

cculd make a presentation to her friend ~.

at the Univ: rsily of ··.Jisoc•'- ;

H : cicc.l Cert : t md 13ter wo l:ed a> =.::1 cderl): I:e5J te Lhe nenic.l drxige-~, ~abate,; waS::li (azd. '\v'hen yoJ're lo , yu1're j_st b~ py t::> have a fe-v cJllars in >·our px ~ e ' he

i13ists. "You dcon t know -..rhet::er ·r::o_ Phv.ng problcr ; o- r.ot. ·

vr:. d give her a starter set br free " It was an offer the women w:mldn't P-fJse Fast-talking abates made en::Jugh money to quit his job at the re-diQ.Il center. But he was still barely eking out a living. In 1963 , the Catholic Chu:-c·l resettled his mother and siblir gs i1

changes of clothing 1s his only t=ossessions. However, Felix Sabate3

Lexington , .C. Sabates soJn followed. He joined his family,

brought with him an instinct for business and a rich ·amily history

housed in an old funeral p:trk·r,

and worked doLble shifts sanding furniture in a factory to keep them

draw upo::1. His maternal grandfather h;: j

aOoat. Far from being di~couragec by the seemingly endless CJcle of poverty, Sabates was gratebl. "People in i..exingwn ?Jete

been an executive with the Cul::m National Railroad; his paternal grandfather foundec a successfu

very good

jewelry enterprise. The Sabates family were a promi:tent clan in

that the compary let me wor~-: double shifts. "

and sugar-cane farms, service st<tions, drugstores , je'Velry swre~ , a

Eventually, the Catholic Church helped the Sabates family

car dealership and cptical shops But more impco:tant than ti-e material trappings were Sabate_'

concerned about his son's teena~e antics amid the cou:nry's deteric·rating political situation, shuttled him out of the country f!TSt. Sa bates left his parents and six sibl:ngs behind. Although Felix was the scic n of a well-to-do Cuban family, it cer:c: inly didn't look that wa} in 1959. The displaced tew reloQ.Ited to Bost ~r under the care of an aunt :md uncle. r .e wem to school lO learn English and ..01·ked in a city hospital washing pots <n::l pa~. Stubborn , clashing :Jften with h..s a1nt,

june 200

us ," he says, ' Thzy

brought us furn .ture, do:hzs, food and everything. And 1 was grzteful

Cuba, with holding:: spanning many businesses - cattle ranch.:s

family values. "I cooe from a v?:q strong family, " he says. "1 had a good upbringing. My grandfathEr~ taught us right frorr: wrong and T.•X to look back. And my father wa,; the same way. " After leaving C1stro's Cuba. the family couldn't -ook back. They lost everything. Sabates' f.1..her,

relocate lO Charloue. (The' r fathefinally escaped from Cul::a to _oin the family in 1965.) Sabates ·Nas

~·lrve

never gone into a business

where I didn't think I had a chance to succeed.'' -Charlotte dnt:repre::~eur Feli.K S. Sabates 1.-.

Earl·,r ·r,

~c.batt..s

fcunc :::s g ft .·or

;ales. At a :Tie-i.'s sLgge>:ion he u't'd 1-.is ~and 1t ~elting aluminum coc-.v.a ~::. His :J:Jor Engli9:1 dash::d hCJes J ~ .:;el ~ng i:Jor-t<J-do :n., ut he fo-_nd 1 crec.ti v:o ;obtion to thi::. pEcicaoent. He ru :lis Eri:nds hJwked coo~·:ware _>n ;treet corn-or;, offeritg ::.ee p:2 pc.rl." .o s : ner:tte in .ercst. "3ack .her ," he explains, · y::·ung

picking up a friend at the •=harlotte airport one day when he noticed a Se hab/a Espana/ sign at t1e National Car Rental desk. The owner, Hardy Spatz , was a::1 Austrian jew wr.o had m:J\ed to Cuba during World War 11 Spatz had known abates' fc.ther so he offered Sabates a job. Des[:Xte the family connection , this job wc.s al.;o hard work. Sabc.tes parked an:::l .>13.shed cars, often working double shifts. Fortunately, however, r.ot only j i::] hz find a job at the airp:m . ~bau:s also met hi future wife there. He married the orth Car::>lina rar ·Je, ::::uolyn Pearce, in 1964. ' Carolyn was always telling me, A3 rruch as you talk , you ought to be c: x..lesman,' " Sabates says. So he c.pplied Jl Charloue Chrysler and P~ymo ..llh , but

greater charlot-:e biz

the rr_:maget· w;o•'t too keen on hirhg a

hu ~l::an.:f;

Cuban. Undau:-toC., Sabat£s mace tr.e

sales cn :e:r. · aba:es m>:-t-

manager an off-:r he coulc t refuse . --; told hirr

new

a.§e::l to ~ lk R::: :h

lf l dcn't s:: ll rrore ccr;

tha1 myon~ el: ~ l.~ rc in ~.) :la y~, fire

into :::>u:t-rg him

me.' ,. SabJteS r_ l tie StreEtS pJSoing OUt

on :::onri -sion.,

bro: h·1res :IJd n ract:.n.s cus .c m ~ rs. In

less thal.

da..s, he w3.s the dealershit='s

top sc. esrran. ~.-r_ he mc' d or. to bigger City Chu-::>let and

·A:~s

making

enough m::ney ·c SUJ=port iris wife a>c

b.r:: the fi rs. sc.ks =1, .1:::>t' wa.; h lih F_Et:h had sE.t the bu ::tt O"l.e

mil iJn in

daughiEr C.S we =s bJy a r.O JSe. "But l didrt .ike sc lli::- g ors," hz confes;ses. '· lik=.c selling, b u t 1 \ Jas >ev ~ r

J:cugl-. he :::anparr hac n ~\· ~ r n ;: & .ry-wh re nac c n L ion

sdes,

comfortable wif1 :he finan : ng pacbg~s and c.:::>sing rooms. " He turned 1c c. cJs on·.c-, W1lter Reich . fJr h.s

m•we. ~0c:1 vas

n.=:;-..-

::iJllus b~Lo. k c. rrar.u.-oc-u.P- :'s

ano.ho:r Auotriu =ew wl.o :<new Sab3.tes' family cu ri r.g a :x ief .enure in C1ba

_;E.n

tati"c S1ba:e.;

p ~ dd~d

rep~-

cl-ea::l t-ar.~is

Reich rcpr~:.ent.:c ma::Jda·:Lrers. selling

t= rad o; and .ow- ~·r cEd b r dr,1ers. :=.ut

toys , dectrcnic: n::l 1ove:r1 items tc•

he :lid s_rpss the o ilbn-d.olla ~Y .. A ·ter -" f=.v short ye:u;, Y...,'1 tE.r k .::ich fd _ iJ :;.nd dfe ~ed ;, im -:..1.~ ~o:qnr._ . 53.b:~s

"When ::ne discovers he is riding a dead horse, the best idea

pu rchasd it 0\·e:- tiE mx: e"N _c:3 ~S.

Top Sales Comp=my A: hls ·.vife 's

is to dismount:'

su ~s

icr , - a'j~ t~s

rcr...am::c th:: firm a> Top SJI.es c.-npL)' in ~ 969 Topp Elect-cncs

pa\vns:nps, ha.::J?;are stor:'s, fJmitu -e stor~s

Jnd mmr -< l.d-?:>P ·Jariety stores. R i: h a5keC::: "tim !-. ow lllKh he 'NcS

rna~ in.~.

ai:ate: old :1im fL•JO, <vhich

Reich agreed to "T_rch. Sai:B.2s rE.sigoeJ :rom his car salc:s-:1an j c b ;

ll3

mwager

.vas less thai tlui led . He p:r ::ctict ~ d, 'You'll fail atd ::::>:ne back here b ~gging "or :'OJr job " Ec..ger to

pr:o~

'i.:.mi , Fla -based w=ll-

:-c·~vn

r~ di ::·

Ccm:>~r.y,

iru:x·r·er

"NC. S ~

multi-r iili ~·n c ella- .:;upp~: r:r

foc SabJ es Ca:-olyr. f:guee if :=cople :CJfuscd

tbe t V/C CC

rpc.n:E>, ret ru.;-

c d co·Jlc only be- e{!:

"t d.id open a k·t o · dco·s,' Sab; te: says. ':'ecp1e tr.ough it w:~: -::-cpJ=, a :n..: .ti-m fiicn dollarcompln} oli of

him w::>Og,

"abates wc r <ed "Erd , but ar the End of :he k: t week, 1- ~ didn't ge1

:1.

pay<:he: k.

\fum:, L:-.stead o - Tcp :·1t d ~b-bt::e.~ S::.b:ll~

be5-c n t ~ ccu::-t a ddner.:

\lo r at t 1e seco::d or ·.hird Cipping into

c<iod of rctaler- c::o.talcg s1ow:coms

savings, Sabnes nd his w.:e g ~ev

ar d d:s.:::::: u1 ters hkE Ees: ?ro ju :..:;

conce m ~ d.

O:: : Ir::uit C t;·l in !<icL-rond crrl 'e:nic::

"At the wd •):· tie morih," he say;,

·waite- gave mt. c: chEck fo - S"-00. He rhoLgh l

m~anl

40C a m:: n_l-. "

Sabates hac roeact JA:•o a week ::::>evasnted, 1e L·T sicered besging for his job ba:l< at City ~ l evro· et. His wife,

.'verchar<l.i~~

( LJ\

in Nas \.ill::. Ey tte 1970s,

T__ Saes C:>mpan.y .v.-as o.T a.1d rJ :mln;;;. ~-i<: 3.dd ~.:'

a team of

:-c l e; p ~ oplc ~ .j J

cCTJ_::an::- pbne to his a::;e:nl

=•- ool:t

dd the p .are imp reo potcrti3.1 :_e m -. OLr:t.a."lC'\..-v ~ r

.he

Caroly1. tl-.cugr : :> thErV"ise:. Sr e encou --

it ::mbl::::. him _o

agee h m w sta; put md t:: c < on two

coctpec. tbn., whi : h .:>:>1. valn:::b te i::-n.:

jobs to supp::m

dr.·-ing

greater cha - lotte biz

r:t.ake sa le- :c Is

was

~ct to

ccme in 1979, with an

elec:t;-onic §.a-ne called Pong, made

Enerson

by ~

VCRs,

new connany, Atari. Sabates

had exclusive rights

Sabates' 'I:>p Sales Company cap:itcLized on numerous electronics product trends, incl.udi:>g Ata ri's Pong (above), To!ddy 3uxpin (right), Nbte:o.do (below), and such major br.. ads as Canor_ copiers (upper right) and

machines,

distribute

Uniden cord-

Atan throushout the entire South-

less phones,

eas_ egion. lt soon became a

and Compaq

recreaiona . force among the youth

computers.

oft~

'80s and exceeded all sales

figmos pro_ e:ted. r"""!!!"'!!!!l_

Sabates was no less successful with his

,....,_ _ __

Compaq comJ7Uters (below right).

"W1.1 a single engine

:tii~latZ,

l could eat them to the crJst•)mer," he says. "Y( u mention to the

:u8.on ~ r

you've get an airpla:-te, the:; tlin ,z, 'Whate\~r

he's got, ·t must be gocd.'"

Hi tacLcs wor-<ed. Saba _es was a success. But even more su: cess

Sabates'

strea ~<

of successes contin-

ued wi±l subseqJent product lines and investrrmts. T_lero:: was Teddy Ruxpin, the talking teddy bear, in 1983. The doll maker, in which abates had invested, had sales of 10) million in its first five month~.

Other3 fcllowed- Nintendo

games, Cmon :::opiers, Mirata fax

j\..nt:2001

greater charlotte biz

Top S:des Com:Ja:1y, which had expanced dn.ma ic:dly to Sl'{ branc-1es serving the South ~ ast ,

1id klantic , ~nd outh

Cntral United State>, wi:h over $500 mi lio- in s<: les and :Jroducts distributed though ::::ircuit Ci ty, 7 .. 11 , Radio Shack, Office Dc:po , Lowe's and Eckerd Drug.

Sabates receat4>" s.Xd an 80 pe:-oert interes: in Team SciXo, v.l. ich features NA! CAR driv£rS Ste~ling Marlh (to);: left) aad Jaso::t Leff!er {::.•ttom left), lo Clip Gan=s: Rccing.

Ea licr this ,rear Sc.bates sold Top

'When you're green,

Team Sab::o

bu . S<.ba _es asain felt tl-..at it was time to DC\e en Efkctive earli ~r t ~year, he

Anothcr •Jf

you're growing. When you're ripe, you're dead:'

S:l.C1tes' intcrfsts

s:Jl:f an EO pucent maj•·ri .. y nterest in

J o n~

Teun Sabco t:J Chip Ga.:JaSsL

held sh ce

·· t t:~.ke~ racing pecple t.:: take

b.s 1rrival i Sales

t:J

hs c:mplcyec. "1 chose to sell it

the e,_m to the next le\.-=L A1d l' m not

Chcrlotte, v. as

_c• them ,'· he explains. "Tl-.at was my way J-

.:lJne r.:>r me I'd grow:1 ccnservative in

a r.J•=- -. l wa ed to sell it to som_one

:ASCAR \1-'ith

pay .:1g them bc.ck br what they have his ·Nife a cie-hard f:m

wlx:

o: :l chard P ~ : :y,

d nuke the tean grow. " 3lbc:tes i.3 on ce aga n J=aiing

re bu::oineSS OV _r the ?aS~ few years. lt

he v.ras a marked man. [n D88 he

MIS time to 11ove on.'" TJ-..e new owner_

bou5ht a research. and de·:e:lopment :earn

.vere n less ap""Jrecic.tive, electing

from busin_ssmn Riel~ H ~::a.drick, t1c:

Whn ; oo're rtpe, )'Ou'e dec: d. " Having

3al::ate-

beginni:15s of Te<.m SaJCo. :)ver thE

c.d- ~\d.sucess

years the team h<.s tad m1ry

no- ; g:Jtrg tc- try to

1el\l

haiTm:m of the ::::oard for the

fi .-e years.

su cce~s~s,

do"vn

'~wr en

ho .::lings; h e i; b:1:l of saying,

y Ju'r:: green, yoJ're grow ng.

on lan.:l, it ;qpeJ rs he's wa[~

on water.

[Tnique One-Story All Brick Townhomes WHv

SETTLE

F 0 R l E S S . .. W H E N Y 0 l

C /1. N

0 WN

THE

BEST.

.Jru first vis.t to our one--5tc.ry, mc;ntenance-frce homes a./ Mint Lak ~ Village wilf Jc _-~cur last. Beca.Js ~ from :-he,1 on you wil; caJl Mirt L c ~ ViJ/age hon~er\ uniou!'. WJw-densi ,_; sit e :n a to-1.. n 1•Jn e

u1v1ro 1m r: r:.t. Comfcnably wide st-.rer o11 d cff-:>tr?et puking for up to fo'.lr c.;·s c.t au ;- fwm e. !4irrt LakE / illage i; LOnver.ie.1tly loJCJ ·e-t cn the 'J OIJ I".dary of .M-at:!ze1..1s and M. mt Hill at Higi!way 51 a ~d Idlewild l'Ni. ...usf t1..1o 'f1 nutes fnn T- 485! <he /a :;t op:JOrtunit:_; <o :; wro a totLJ.hi:IJni' c.f this qu.Hity insi~ the oi.Cterbeltjor ~ nd.~ r $2CtC, OOO! A ;;~ awur O'.J r c.utstaod1 rg standal"tl· features p ac n~ J(;.J 8 Ml tth ews -Mi nt Hifl liJxrd

841-1492 ww'f\.. mintla loevi lla·=e.co-n

;::r eat=r charlot-:e biz

jL-ne 200 I 31

date is about two to three a year; production time is about three years. - Laning pric~

for a Victory Lane yacht ·s around

$10 million for a 126- footer. The 177 -foot Sea hawk, ommissiooed by j im Mattei , runs $32.5 million. The yachts rival the best of Europe.1n yac hts (considered preeminent) and t le interiors

~h emse l ves

mo~t

ri val th e grandeur of the

plush furniture stores and elegant

decorating magazines. Sabates is no stranger to t:le boat in ~ industry, having purchased his origina l runabout for $400 many years ago to Whe:1 thE Seahawk is lcn:.ncl-e.:i at 7'rinity ·rax:h.s lclle this sUB.mer, own•.:i :tJLC. ficgged alumjmon ,.a:±! bai.t l : dcte.

..:~e

"Nill be the lc::-ge£1 Ameri<:an-l=uilt,

becoming a licensed yacht broker in Florida. A number of years ago, the lan and marina whe re he docked his boat

Trin ty r.L: ine of \lt.,\ C•Ll.:an:; La.

Victory Lane Ente-rprises 1-e 1<.s taken up au·thc- ir:te :::;. <n the bell:"" of his own :'acrtirb en ~pris ~ -

\iLtc•t)' Lane Entcp·isc:; _LLJ

::1

The ves.o:: s SabJtcs' c:-rrpany

produ 2 ~s

in Florida we re up fo r sale. HE bought them; little did he know or even suspec

ran§e fr:r : 00 _(• 222 f~ ~- in le gth

that Congress was about to by a luxur ;

and have

tax on boats. The tax was repealed a

worl.J·...iJc ro::p _tali or as

a " ry - _ is returning tc h·s >o·_Lb -_l

sornz d ~e m -J~t h..xu.:riJ...tS anol ~ asi

few years later and business did pick

day~

mareu l't-::d bo;:;ts ·:n :..e wate·.

up again. At that point Winthrop

hr _he wate rsido in

r J ~. - ,

will

mc·re Y<JvaJ o. Victo)' U.n:: ~ pa11 of hz-loc

~-based

Ame:ic:JI 5 · a·;: -=c·z"s

COJ- (:aTI, which de{grs

an ~ s-c[~

ega

Ezc-, year the :OID.f81Y se l:o ou its

Rockefeller purchased his manna at

full proJt.:ct:on GJ ~C:' w::ll _r _dvcnce

a better price than he had originally

and is :x•-.timul ly s-:oolng for r>Jre

paid for the land and marina. Several

yacht buiklers tA

years later he so ld th e land as well at a

_ ,fORRIS,

nurr car: an y to

A-T 0 RfJ EY S 4 T LAV/ Atlan:a

..JI=

Charlotte

200 I

'Nashing:on

>Conn=cted. Experienced >Ready to help you groll'l'. greater charlotte b z

ccsiderc.ble FO -il. Sabates spc1ds pan c·f e--ery V~.ee _ in

N~w

Orle:ar ;, xt he is n<:venheless

duoted to his faTily. H :: :1<-S b::n m:- ried to wiL , :::a roly:1,

[cT

37 y::a1:;

o -esde

now and the CJup"e continues in ::cuth ChJrbue cLlc.ren and s._x

CEO

:h ree

g~ndch il ::he:1 ·uv~

His :::hildren occupations aoo

Th ~y ha~e

'&C

int::P-:=ticg

l. Son Cluny is

:•f lnvencom here in Cl::aJ : ue ,

'~II

the traveling I ever

did was on business. This time,. rm going :?laces that already been to, but

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e ·:y devices. Hi:; 1:-aug:uer Vlioi ow1; he own deoig- fm n . Perfect Designo _

And son , Mari _•, speobtes 1.1 the rea es-"'. te market. Saba_es al:.J ccLses m.J·_h a tenti.(ln or civic a::tivitE:s. He sene:. ._on t1e Bene of :>irectcrs :ot Cuolinas HeJth Care Systems, the

U - iE ~Slt}'

of t: cnh Carolnc.

VJindme ~e

at Charlotte, t!-E

Coq::orati·::r.,

and the Cha-lo::te Cham-J ::r cf ::.OrrmercE. He io equally "" ::11 b:novm fc•r bis m :m:r

pL.anttropi::

cm-~lib utions

a.td -1as

receh•ed se\'era. m1ors and <PWads for his generosity. ::etrr.ont Abte:r hLE narec its dining hall c. -tE r him , Elcon co lege bestowed ut=or h m an H:::mo-aT) Doct:•rate Degr::e c..nd

h ~ rec ~ i -_,d

"S-:~ecal Blessi~" ir '>''liting :'ore ::he P::.•pc.

As he appr::·ad.es 60, ~abws jus: dc•::sn 't wan

te doing the o<.me t!-_T.,§S

he d:d rwen _y :re: ts ago.

To go _n& tc r: lay a

let::> ~

_§olf, ]::lay

with 11)' granc[ <i.:b ar.d tr<r1d •· 'e so~: . "Al l the

tra\·~ li 1.g

ness . This time

l eve c id -vas on tnsi-

l'1T

goiq; pb.ce::; that -' " ~

drea:iy beer to , but r.evcr r: all)

s~ en_'

He jokes, Ll'J probJJI:T be bo-ec in :;ix months. Ibm 1'11 els :: to de. "

fioo

greater ch :: rlotte bi:::

sone _hing

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DAVE '\ LF\1 HC......J

"It never occurred to us that we wouldn't succee d. so we

~~nt

forward/'

says Ehren-Kaus ltdustries, Inc. CEO Helen-Marie BerthJid (right) about the company

a rl er husband David

(left) started in t h:air garage. This

sum~et they will 11ove into a new $5 m\lfion, 53,001-sqtare-foot facility.

by nethea fortney rhinehardt

At wire and plastics manufacturer Ehren-Haus Industries, former teachers David and Helen-Marie Berthold are still helping people solve problems.

Back in 1983,

Helen-Ylari~

Berthold was a stay-

at-home o.om caring for a toddler and a newborn. Her husband, David was a vocational teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. To make encs meet, he wo~ked part-time at small plastics company Helen-Marie made ~Les calls for a business broker during the children's naptime. Tre young couple did not want to enroll their children in day care. but their situation was less than ideal. Then David nad an idea. "We knew it would be difficult living on just one income," he says, "so we decided tc ·ake a chance going into business for ourselves." While both David an•l Helen-Marie's backgrounds were in education, Helen-Marie hc.. c an instinct for business, and David was a craftsman at heart.

greater C'larlotte tiz

Through contacts, the Bertholds met Paul Ehrenburg, a master craftsman skilled in plastics. earing retirement, Ehrenburg had a one-man shop, named Ehren-Haus Corp. that he was interested in selling. He agreed to stay on to train the Benholds, but gladly handed over the reigns to th~ husband and wife team. The Bert holds began the company in their garage in 1983 making snack food displays [or Charlotte-based Lance , Inc. (Today, a major part of their business still involves making point-of-purchase displays for snack foods. ) Helen-Marie says, "It never occurred to us that we wouldr't succeed , so we went forward. " Instead of helping kids solve problems , the Bertholds c.. re now helping major corporations solve their merchandisir.g ard manufacturing challenges through the creative collaboration or specialized craftsmen. And they're just getting started. > june 200 I 35

oday that business, Ehren-Haus Industries, Inc. <www.ehrenhaus.com> employs twelve and counts BMW, Michelin, IBM, DuPont and Frito Lay as clients. Ehren-Haus Industries specializes in the design, manufacture and production of plastic and wire products for industrial, specialty, business and retail markets. Their products include poim-ofpurcha e racks and displays in stores; proprietary materiaVapplication delivery systems in tire manufacturing plants; protective machine gua rds, communication boards and OEM components; oneof-a-kind museum cases, custom

American- making plastic signage. Helen-Marie set out to get more business.

turers , distribu tors and sales prospects. She set up a playroom in the office and

She made calls, she asked questic•ns, and

brought the children to work each day.

above all , sl-e did not give up . "Back then, I knew nothing Jbout

had wondcrful relationships with some of the plastics distributors in tovm. l'd call and ask , 'What kind of material can

David continued working as a teacher during the day and for Ehren-Haus Industries in the evenings and on weekends. They had four employees on payroll. By then, Paul Ehrenburg had exited the ompany. The Benholds we re on their own.

do this7' An::! they were very helpful. " David however, was no stra 1ger to plastics. He had once worked pc. -t -time

ln 1987 they outgrew their 7th Street shop and needed financing for a new 7,200 square foot building on j ohn

for a plasti·:s engineer. Paul Ehrenburg

Price Road. Helen-Marie bundled up the children and made the rounds at downtown banks with a loan proposal. "1. had some wonderful people tell me, 'No ,"' she recalls, "but more importantly, they were still encouraging. It

plastics," she admits. "l had on-Ll:.e-job training wi_h Paul [Ehrenburg]. f,Ul we

lent his expertise, particularly wi h acrylics and luxury plastics. "l was always good at workilg with my hands,' explains David , "and HelenMarie was good at business. But we

wasn't easy to get a loan , but I found the bankers to be supportive. "

First Big Break Ehren-Haus once focused solely on plastics, but there was opportunity in wire fabrication. The Benholds got their first big break making wire snack

food displays for Frito Lay. Ehren1-laus was invited to submit a proposal for a new snack food display for Frito Lay products at convenience stores. This summer Ehren-Haus The current units were bulky, Industries will move into a new $5 unwieldy and difficult to assemble. million , 53 ,000-square-foot headquarThe Bertholds did their homework, ters in outh Poim Business Park off researching units already in stores, Carowinds Boulevard. The Benholds and asked a lot of questions. plan to add 35 additional employees David says, "We tal ked to truck over the next five years. With Helendrivers, store managers, to Frito Lay Marie as CEO and David as CFO, the people from the bouom up , abo ut company's expects to gross $4 to $7 developing something that would million in revenues this year-a far cry create value for everyone ." from their early days. Other design shops outlined Ehren-Haus still -nakes wire point-of-pun:hase snack their presentations using sophisticated Getting Started food racks that c.re both sturdy and east to assembl =, compu ter programs. In contrast, the When they first started the busiEhren-Haus proposal was produced on wanted Ehen-Haus to be more than just ness, David, the family's sole breadwina manual typewriter with carbon paper. a craft shor- . We wanted it to gn:·w." ner, wou ld head off to his teaching job, But of the 300 submissions, Ehren-Haus· The Eenholds reassessed thdr and Helen-Marie would take their two wire design was selected. The prototype strengths, examined the market .mel young chi ld ren to the office every mornwas sturdy, yet lightweight and easy to decided tc .;hift the company's direction. ing- a tiny l ,200 square feet shop on assemble-without the confusing hardwar2 They elim nated some of the pai !Staking, 7th Street. Paul Ehrenburg, their lone of ea rlier models. David eventually quit handc rafted products to focus en the employee , handled production, with his teaching position to work at EhrenDavid joining him after school. retail, industrial and business rr.;.rkets. Haus Industries full-time. The couple inherited two key clients Helen-Marie continued to hancll ~ day-toMore big-name clients soon followed - Presbyterian Hospital and Bat·clays' day managemem, calling upon nanufackeepsake boxes and personal trophy/awards; and brochure/sign holders and office accessories.

JUne2001

greater charlotte b 1z

sui~.

becoming aware of the

Ehren-Hau~

expertise in

custom izati Jn. When :! MW's Z3 Roadster luxuy spor:s car- the convertible featured in the james Bond mov-ie, The world is Never Enough --~;as

introJuced in 1996, BMW

faced the cral lenge of protecting the Z3's Rocket Panel surfacs during the o-ophisticated on-line chassis assembly. BMW engineers along with Ehren-Haus' pla5tics experts, soh·ed the problem. Wo ~,< ing

wi· h a full-scale prJduc-

tion chassis, Ehren-Haus was ab le to design, precisely thermoforn and trim left and right-hand covers that could easily be positioned and tcmoved by a team of s~illed wo:-kers, allowing for greater m b liLy and higher

Ehren---1<.15 poduct I ne ras d vers fled thanks mos:ly to referral~ and Hel-::n-Marie's sales skil s.

production ciTiciency. Ehren-Haus had produced

the i:1itial design , produced mold "JatLern5, forme :) prototype parts and

~xtt:n

c<rrl.:l-rr o·.ing cquif•menl is _, tnwr·lna.:-ly cc·mple:x. Custom -aw :::>r 'green ' c_bh r

sive.y tested the refined design

c;;;,trusions are tramponc .:; n s,..ecUll~

solution. Th ~ company conunues

d.:signd !hers sep1ratoG ::>-envelopes <.s

deliver

th ~se

sophisticatec

CO\'

s Lc

BMW's specifications. ::::onLine:ntal General Tir~ also 3Gu.;ht

tl-..e ,<ey corrpo1en1s of com~yance in the n-.:::>1:\ing poce55. Ihren-Haus creacc ~ciall:'

clcsigred iners LD meet itdusl!)

Ehre:1-Haus' problem-solving pro\• ess

ffin:lards ::)[ti-e e:dreme moldir..g ccocb-

for their Lire manufacturing plants..

ti< -113 of h~L , pressJre, sa et) and rc.li.Jbility

ManufacLUring high-performance -..~bber for c. utomob les to airplanes to larfe

Creativicy + Tenacly

=Success

Whi:e he:;e p-ojects -ray seem dau1tins.o the Berdl•Jids it's a testan:en . of theit :: •mmitmcn·

thei- clienG. "We ccn't

give

eas· t;, ' Da\. id stre~sc5 .

"lE .ve belie.~ in Lhe compan·;, t1e

Early on, the E.ertholds shifted Ehren-Hau~ focus frcm handcnf:ed pre ducts more lucra:ive business sectors su :h as ·etai.

greater charlotte biz

idea the si~ti·)fl, we will -ind an

alE\

cr ....

june 200 I 37

and make it righL. " Making it right just might be the key to their success. Competition is fierce , including local companies Plastex Fabricators, Morton Custom Plastics and New Wave Acrylics. But Helen-Marie just

Continental General Tire called on Ehren-Haus to help in their tire manufacturing plants.

doesn't look at the competition the way most people do. "There are tons of wire companies and just as many plastic companies. So it's not necessarily the product that sets us apart. Hopefully what sets us apart is the service." She adds, "We stand Ehren-Haus still retcins the quality craftsmanship, suc:1 as in this baker's rack that customers have come to exFect.

behind everything we do even when we're wrong. Even

when someone else is wrong." Ehren-Haus Industries has plastics manufacturing capabilities in Charlotte . wire manufacturing in Thomasville, N.C. , and in Indiana ; research, design and development in Charlotte , and additional warehousing facilities in South Carolina. Ehren-Haus' book and brochure displays, CD displays and auto kiosks are evider:t at stores nationwide. Even the Kathie Lee" ' hosiery display at Wal-Man is an Ehren-Haus design. The company also

Business is rarely conducted by the book, so why learn it that way? l::::t all MBA programs are alike. Many are fine, if all you're after is a resume line. But to truly excel in your care~:-, you must expand your kno-Nledge and abilities in ways that will be noticed by your superiors. If you can beyond the textbook theor:es and formulas 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

prcgrams offer more than classroom lectures. You'll be immersed into critical thiri<ing situations that will prerare you for a better life back at the office. 路whether you're interested in executive business programs, an MBA or an ExEcutive MBA, give u a call at 704-337-2224. Or visit www.mccollschool.edu.

McColl School of Business Queens College of Charlotte

1900 Selwyn Avenue, Charlotte, Nort/1 Carolina 28274

june200I

greater charlotte biz

naru_factures m<Er-the-ccur:ter :(lke t's racks.

cL~ay

rack~

cases . lecterns ar:.d

--.cap picture fr-~3.

Family Bustness [-.Jot mmy peo?le wcu]d enjoy ;:.·urk_ng wit!-_ tte - spcuse~. but the E·~r:h::Jlds '

p3.rtnership ao:tw.lly' began wile::1 they -,;,-~re L t.dergra.::Lla:es at

\'.'est Virgir:iz V-'e:;."eyan uxle5e. The :-,"0 ?arnei :iegre:s in ph:;sic:~l educat-on nd later "V:'d i::-_ _575. Da\id received m a:;::pointmen _: : West Pcin: Military t..,cacemy .:~s the clrving ccB>:h and :-:::creation d .rea<X:, eventucollr earning 3 m;;:ter's degr~ _::1 coun:e:iing in Long :ohn :i Un:versi y':; evenin_s pogram. :-ld~L Mari~ :o :-:u.ited to Yonkers, NY, :·) te~h rni::.::lle sd-_ooL -=-he p::rir cc.rre to Ch:~t1otte in ::-.e early ] 9.~·~ to ::-un a go up home k:>r -ro ..ltt_Home5, bcxporated, a group :-_Jmf for dd ~nqu31.t b•)y~. VVhile they -/P-re passionate a.::•out he :<iCs, the

.?fOUf' hooe en:iro:nnent was ill-suited 0 0:·r 3:.ming a fa-r( . David took a job ·Nt:h :he s·: hool o:"3=em, \\.hie Helen-

Marie looked after the children. The Ehren-Haus playroom, once reserved for the Berthold children, has long since given way to administrative space. Amanda, now 20, is a senior at Florida State University, and Corey, their son, is a high school senior. Helen-Marie and David still have a few lingering preschool drawings at the office. Without sacrificing their dedication to family, they have built a very successful company "When our children came along, we were both very committed to being with them , but we wondered how we could afford to send them to college," says HelenMarie. "Dave came up with this idea of owning your own busines: and taking the kids along. "It was a great plan."

Nethea Fortney Rhinehardt is a Charlotte-based freelance write~

june- 28) I 39

by nethea fortney rhinehardt

â&#x20AC;˘ E-Dreamz's a-business consulting is growing despite a national downtrend. There's no business like e-business consulting.

1,500 jobs and, the company is laying off employees at its Charlotte office amid another round of corporate restructuring. After trimming 1,000 workers last fall, marchF!RST filed for

Consulting firms sprang up during the Internet boom to

bankruptcy protection in April and began selling off assets and closing offices. Some workers lost jobs, while others moved to firms that bought former offices or went to new firms created by

help busines~es create Web sites and e-commerce systems. Web development was a catchy buzzword, the center of cocktail party conversation, luring talented young professionals to Oashy e-consulting firms. Venture capitalists and angel investors were only too eager to fund the trend, pouring millions into e-consulting businesses with far more style than substance. Today's business landscape is littered with empty offices of what once were bustling e-business consulting finns. With the demise of their dot-com clientele and the general economic slowdown, many firms have had layoffs or simply gone out of business. The bust of the Internet economy has spawned financial ruin for numerous players. Charlotte has witnessed even seemingly invincible national firms falter, as in the case of iXL and march FIRST. iXL entered the Charlotte area after buying two local Web firms in 1997 and 1998. But over the past yea r, iXL has cut

greater cl-arlotte biz

marchF!RST employees. Somewhere in the midst of this technology wasteland Charlotte-based E-Dreamz <www.edreamz.com> , an e-busi ness consulting and development firm, has quietly managed to grow 250 percent year-over-year, mostly through referrals. At a time when competitors are gnashing their teeth to drum up business and many finns are cutting jobs, E-Dreamz looks to add to its modest staff of 11 to service the business they have. To CEO Nathan Pulver, the secret is surprisingly obvious, but one that many entrepreneurs fail to grasp. "We have old-fashioned business principles," he says. "We're not going to stay in business if we can't make money We haven't hired a bunch of people in filler positions." "From the beginning, we have been conservative."

june 200 I 41

-Dreamz has not suffered nearly as much as some of its competitors because of its adherence to traditional business values: frugality, cautiousness, industriousness and QUality - forgoing the glitz and glam for profLts. According to Wall Street investment bank Thomas Weisel Partners, more and more Internet businesses were established in the 1990s, the need for speed was the o. 1 priority, and this breed of firms emerged to address it. Competing through their ability to offer faster and more specialized lT solutions, they quickly won business from Internet companies. Industry insiders point out that many firms grew too fast and didn't deliver the best service - a prescription for disaster. Now that the economy is slowing, traditional consulting firms as well as small boutique firms like E-Dreamz have been able to mobilize and catch up , namely because they often offer lower prices and better results. That phenomenon is something that E-Dreamz's CEO Nathan Pulver witnessed firsthand as a former employee at a large national firm. "Companies were growing too fast and the quality of work and customer service really suffered," he says. "There were far too many layers of personnel between the employees who were actually building the application and the customers. It was tough to deliver solutions on time. " Pulver believed there was opportunity for excellence even in the then-crowded industry. He began moonlighting in February 1999, building his e-consulting business slowly after hours while keeping his day job as a web developer at i.XL. "l didn't want to jump ship until I had a ship to jump to," he admits. Eventually, Pulver felt secure enough to focus on E-Dreamz full-time , albeit working out of a spare room in his home. "We worked from home until we could afford office space," he says, "We

JUne 200 I

had to se::.· :;em: .c.:ger dt1ls .c justify spending. We Cidr t :;~nd ITD~.ey just tc spend mcn ~y' ?ulv:· asstrr:t.d a ::r.anc.g::ment team of d.. :;o:ipli1Ec. ?C•U!l1; prof::ssionals whc were fJnr~ r c -workers Corey MilliT, dirc:ctoc o[ ,J:~::n s~ rvi-:es , a form::r ccnsult.o.n: :.t iXL iad -..,orked a~ new busir::es5 ::J::ve:-.c:;n:lent rr::a<ager at Concentr ::r (OTp . ~Y'U"- C:.::mr-oi le , chief technDloE:' o --"j.: ~-, a forner aJDlication5 engin~ er

• iXl., E .. worked as a sysc- 15.1k311t f.:::-:- K(.ystone Con~ultirg (rcup

tems

des~

No Angels ReQuired Shur: Ling 3f§_::: inve: tor; =.nd ,·e:-ur:: :;pitalists , t1e three partn~rs ~ r:ec. b t::-teir ;•::rsoral resc-urces, fam:l;• 2--d friends nd, most byp~sing

was formerly executive producer of nbc6 .com and Chicagoland Television and also worked as a producer at ABC News Chicago. Their strategy is apparently paying off. While the company focus has been on small and middle-market Fortune 1000 companies, their commitment to quality has earned E-Dreamz larger clientele including ucor Steel, Core Technologies, Britax, Boyles Furniture and Belk's Department Store. All during a disastrous year for the industry as a whole. Web development can be quite complex. While a finished, functional , dynamic Web site looks easy, its creation involves more than meets the eye. Building an intranet, an extranet, an e-commerce site with business-to-busi-

"A lot of people wondered why we didn't have fancy cars or designer offices," says E-Dreamz president Nathan Pulver. "But we needed to make money out of the gate so instead of spending, we focused on doing the best work, delivering on time and keeping our clients happy." imp-xtan1y, ccrq:•ny p:-::>fit5 :::J fund the:r ne\- bt:shes:o. Puh.er rf.C:Ills, "We didr: t se::- -< ir_.r : ~toc: ~ :lidn't want to~ ve •)Jr mpa:-_y a'YC!y. " "A l·::t of peo-1:: wcnde~C. why we didn· ba~~ f-'- n:::::r cats or :!::signer offices," --€ co-:t.turJ: s. "But V"e needed to make mL•-.':)' cut _,f the g::tte sc instead :::·spendin§ w:: k"~L6 : d 0:1 do::ns the bes woL<., dii-Jerio5 tim::- and -:eeping our clier:ts hap:;:,_Part :::f ·-1 -~ i : -::uto~r s~rvice initi3tive= n:::h-:kg estc.tlisl:.i.lg a relationship 1r a"l<Se:r ::ledic:ued :c implemer.ting b ::S<. Lll5t•)::ler :;::rvi :t: practices at en ry ; ·oint h LI.e sen-ice ~:cle. The trio addt-ijason '. ·aile · 2CC•J. Walle

ness or business-to-customer, or even a static "brochure" site varies wildly from client to client. E-Dreamz services include strategy development, highimpact design, Web development and wireless or mobile functionality. "We help companies understand how they can use the Internet to their advantage," explains Corey Miller. "Part of that is building a strategy around how to approach the Internet. The other part of that is finding a solution and implementing it. " jason Walle, "Companies that already have a Web presence are changing and their Web needs change. They still need our services. " Companies also tap E-Dreamz'

greater charlotte biz

Web developers to manage the content on their Web sites. To add press releases, post breaking news, or simply change information can require costly maintenance fees, nJt to mention time lost waiting for service. E-Dreamz has pioneered an administrative tool, eMedia, that enables companies to update their Web sites themsebes. eMedia is a Web-based tool used to create, publish, update and manage a company's electronic assets from just about any computer with Internet access. Non-technical users easily produce content using Windowsn'-like controls, which translate into less training and enhanced productivity. Walle e plains, "We're a small company, and we didn't want to be a maintenance shop. Dur clients don't have to fork out money to update their site. They can do it themselves. " eMedia has allowed nbc6.com's reporters to publish stories remotely and with greater speed. The new publishing capabilities mean that the reporters can now pos: their bylined stories on

CONVENIENT FLEXIBLE AFFORDABLE

nbc6.::om shortly after the TV newscast. They can even post swries on location or fro:n :heir cars - anywhere that Internet acceo;, wired or wireless, is available. _c,nother success story involves Charbtte-based Laminex , the world's large:r supplier of lamination and identification equipment oupplies.They contncted E-Dreamz to develop a business-·o-business conmerce site that coulc offset rising customer service call cente~ costs and boost revenues by providins a self-serve online ordering environ~nt for their cuslOmers. E-Dreamz also ":.elped cut HR costs by developing an in eractive emplcyrnent area where peop e could view the latest jobs and im:n~ diately apply for them online. And "LS Web-based administration tool allow.:; Laminex employees to manage their ~-business initiative. E-Dreamz is building a reputation for s,_perior customer service , delivering cost-effective services that exceed rec:m:ements in less than the project time Ryan Courville stresses that E-Drcamz has never missed a client's

deadline of its own accord. "One of the big problems we saw was that companies were over committing themselves to tight deadlines ," he says. "We never wanted to do that. If it's going to take three weeks, we are going to take three weeks to do it. " Pulver adds, "We never wanted to come back and say, 'We're really sorry. We got in over our heads. '" Another pan of the customer service equation includes hiring experienced , highly skilled personnel. Management is scrupulous in its efforts to separate the wheat from the chaff with wannabe employees. However, hiring top employees is often easier said than done. Courville has seen far wo many inOated resumes and can easily spot telltale overstatements. What's more, technical engineers who make the initial cut may still find their work under scrutiny. "We put technical candidates through rigorous testing to make sure that they really can do the things they put on their resume," Courville says. "We want to keep the quality high and lO do See E-Dreamz, continued on page 50

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greater charlotte biz

june 200 I 43

[expertopinion] by Edward D. Gcznon

Beware the Big Dog Nordstrom is com ing Charlotte a1d will cha15e t he way ya u do business. Here's why. Beware the Big Dog. Yes ,

cha:~ge

Nordstrom is slated to come to Charlotte in Spring 2003. And with Nordstrom come stories like Charlotte has

company tha do.s not signi ·ica..-nl, tamp

le5s-than-jt:dic ious ways : ould !nil their

never heard before.

own bJttom line.

Why7 Because, reality or not, Nordstrom is

Did you hear about the

the bu>in"ss environment.

up ser,ri.ce could risk bsir,g thei£ hceas-

Raising the Bar Anecdotes like the returned tires swry drive

ordstrom's customer service mys-

ingl? senri.ce-sw,-r cuswmer-;. Poe _ ose

tique imo levels only dreamed of by most

busmesses ha_ tt-:' to impro\e s;:-•,icc ir.

companies. CEOs often talk about waming

Thereh lies The

crds.-oll' Effo:ct "

deliver "Nordstrom's level of service."

perceived as being at the pinnacle of cusLOmer service.

lady who received a refund from

"Nordstrom will estab-

ordstrom for four

lish in people's minds a new

automobile tires7 They don't

standard in what's accept-

sell tires! And with

able customer service,"

Nordstrom <www.nord-

states Queens

strom.com> also comes hype

ciate professor of marketing,

like Charloue has rarely seen.

Dr. David Rudd.

This is Alicia Shawn, your

Many local business

roving reporter, standing in

owners are already hearing

Columbia next to a bus ready

the buzz about

to take frenzied consumers

talked to -

ordstrom in Charlotte . There will be television

SouthPark owner Ernie Peny 'Their expectation levels are

on SouthPark Mall, newspa-

very, very high. "

per articles written on "The

Where it might have

Nordstrom Way," and radio

a particular effect is with

shows with wpics such as

men, according to Denise

ordstrom

Browning, marketing man-

Service Story" or "The worst

ager for Trammell Crow,

service you ever had." Along

which manages SouthPark

with all the press, the traffic,

Mall. "Men will talk about

and the additional shoppers

Nordstrom even though they

to the area, virtually all area

don't typically talk about

businesses will notice the both from the press and their customers. So why should you "Beware the Big Dog7" Because expectations and demands for dramatically improved service will rise, even for companies that don't compete with Nordstrom. This will literall y

june 200 I

it amazes me the

reaction I get," said PetTy's at

news swries about the impact

additional focus on customer service,

ordstrom's

service. "Every customer l've

on a shopping spree to

"Your Favorite

ollege asso-

shopping. As I've spoken Consu:ners· hcighened fo : us or suvice ll lead to more sensitivity <.bo·.L .1,hch

with people during neighborhood meetings, it initially caught me off-guard how

ccrr.?anies ·,vant w set-Je and ·,vl-L::h a:e

enthusiastic the men were about

in:lifferent. T1ose _tat del 'Jer wiJ gi-o..,,,

Nordstrom." Men talking about shop-

and for

tho~e

t-1.at ;:npear ndi!TeP-n . t:J.e

scre,vs wi ll ·ighteo.

ping7

ow, that's buzzl

And along with the buzz will be sig-

greater charlotte biz

nificant increases in the number of shoppers to the area. Although the increase of consumers to the area is a great boon to SouthPark Mall tenants, with rising traffic come rising expectations. The bar will be raised. Nordstrom raises the service bar for other businesses in two primary ways. First , the publicity that Nordstrom will receive and tie reputation they have with consumers creates a greater focus on the value of customer service and consumers' right

good service. Second, the service

itself will dri'Te up expectations of others. Accord ing to Angie Hicks , founder of Angie's List , a national company whose consumer-members rate businesses on auributes such as service, quality, responsiveness , and professionalism, "When you experien:::e great service, you begin

"Nordstrom will establish

Underwriting on WDAV gets the job done.

]in people's minds a new

Call (704) 894-8900 for details.

~lassical~R~

standard in what's acceptable customer service," states

Service

Davidson

College

•

www.wdav.or

Queens College associate professor of marketing, Dr. David Rudd.

to expect it and look for it. People seek

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out companies that keep the promises they make. Companies need

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sure they manage expectations so they

the ability to see and understand

can actually fulfill them."

........

::::r

So why is it so important to close

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the reality of the service level delivered7

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greater charlotte biz

june 200 I 45

If customers will pay I0 pe rcent more for the same product with better service, how much in sales are you losing because you have to keep prices low to coincide with less-than-stellar service levels? The Unive 路sit; ofi.Jy

A Technical Assistant Research

The Offk:e of Cctt:.nuing EdJ::aticn

Project study noted that 68 per-

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Learn practicaJ, ha::1d~- :m solution:; to -your rec-::>re::ts :ran c.genent d:_leillilla

on customer service will shine a

une ll- 12, 2001 UNC Charlotte "CptoVHl Call (?04) 687-459:0 :'or or vi sit our

wtb - :e at

business because of perceived indifference. The increased focus glaring light on the companies that keep service as secondary, thereby

c~nter

causing a stronger potential for lost business.

mar~ ic-~- rma : i oo

.,.- ,a 路''-UJll~!,'~u

Customer service has a bottom line impact. While some may point to a recent drop in Nordstrom's stock price as an indication that customer service does not drive profitability, don't let misdirected corporate expansion plans and questionable updates to its apparel lines divert you fro m the tru th . Service means dollars, and Nordstrom means traffic -

jLro :: :;_ool

grea t er c h ar lo tt e bi z

many more shoppers roaming the mall

ble Nordstrom-type environment where

corridors. "lL3 like a guaranteed addition-

the Nordstrom employee handbook has

al five to six percent in traffic and sales,"

only two rules:

says Perry, "because they draw in such a

Rule #l -Use your good judgment in all

bigger base from a larger range. " But Perry concedes that "if a person goes in

Rule #2 - There will be no additional rules.

there and their initial reaction is good and they go into another store and it to

0 0

Dillard's at SouthPark Mall, experienced

be hard to get that customer

back from

direct competition with

ordstrom. "

Nordstrom will also impact local busi-

ordstrom at

another store in the late 1990s, and he

nesses by drawing on the local talent pool.

says , "We lost one or two to

Dr. Rudd points out that some of the best

in Norfolk, and they didn't stay at

retail salespeople in the Charlotte area will

Nordstrom long after the opening. "

:5: I»

::I I» (Q

that Nordstrom's arrival will make a tight

in a commission-based system.

retail labor market even tighter, especially for the upper echelon salespeople.

certainly going to be very competitive

Act Now or Pay Later

and they're going to be recruiting very

Customers will expect better service

strongly, it won't be that much more of an impact thc.n if another department

store came in. And some employees may

more personal, of higher quality, more

be hesitant to work in an especially flexi-

See Big Dog, continued on page 50

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Nordstrom Way" if they feel they can excel ordstrom is

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june 200 I 47

[autobiz]

luxury vehicles for the successful e»ecuti .·e reviewed by Neil Dunlop, Edmunds.com

Sometimes Second Best Is Best of All Audi's A4 is almost as nice as the BMVV 3

Seri~

"I wish I would have driven this before I bought my BMW" announced my friend Catherine after

and it costs thousands less mi:l shed the throttle, you'd no doubt be surprised that a 1.8-liter engine is capable of whisking a stocky (3,362 -pound) car along w th such spirit. The relatively small engine produces a decent

a day in the 2001 Audi A4 l.ST quattro.

Catherine readily admits she's not a car nut, so the tech1ological

Some people might be disappointed to discover that the 1.8T

subtleties that distinguish her 2000 BMW 328Ci from the Audi

is1't going to let them win many stoplight drag races. The engine

A4 are beyond her knowledge and, quite frankly, her interest.

doesn't really get going until about 2,000 rpm where torque is

Anyone who climbs into the A4 will recognize the sound of substance and quality when th e door shuts behind them 1t1i: h 3 satisfyingly solid thud. Once they're settled into the sporty cl OThcovered front seats and they gaze over the sculpted das1 wit it ~

:o horsepower at 5,900 rpm (up 20 horsepower from last year).

r<Ied at 166 foot-pounds. Past that point, though, the 1.8T engine really shines. It may well be the best engine Audi makes. When you consider that the A4 1.8T is thousands less than a similarly-equipped BMW 3 Series (for example, the 184-horse-

warmly glowing red displays, h "gh -quality materials, thoJghtfu ly·

po-..ver, 2.5-liter, six-cylinder BMW 325 xi is more than $36,000)

designed switchgear and polished aluminum accents, they 'll be

tre Audi looks more and more like a bargain.

really impressed.

Our tester was

The A4's cabin

also equipped with

is surprisingly

the optional five-

roomy up front

speed automatic

(rear passengers

transmission with

are not treated so

Tiptronic. Tiptronic

commodiously as

allows drivers the

there's limited leg·

option of sequen -

and headroom),

tially selecting

and every control

gears by moving the

and switch is

shift lever into a

illuminated. All

separate shift gate.

the switchgear has

Then, shifts can be

pressure points,

made by moving

so you can easily

the lever up and

gauge adjustments

down (for up· and

without ever taking your eyes from the road. The multi·

When you consider that the A4 I.ST is :housancs ess than a similarly-equipped BMW 3 Series, the Audi looks more and more lil:.e a l::3r~in .

level dial-a-setting heated-seat controls are among the best in the industry. Also pleasing is the fact that the grab handles an:J

downshifts). The system is designed to allow the driver

tc operate the car as though it were a manual shifter. In Tiptronic mode, you can hold gears longer or downshift

the doors for the ashtray cover and other little compartments c: re

ea ·tier for more aggressive acceleration, or you can downshift on

spring loaded so they operate with a precise, hydraulic motion

corners to use the engine as a brake and facilitate a faster exit

that speaks volumes for Audi's attention to detail. Next, when you start the c3r, you should notice its

fom the corner. You will appreciate this system as it allows you tc choose between effortless automatic shifting in stop-and-go

pleasantly muted engine note and whisper-quiet interior. Once

tr3ffic and spirit-lifting manual shifts when you find yourself on a

in motion, you'lllove how the four-wheel independent susp ~ n

tvtisty country road . It's a lot of fun .

sion smoothes out bumps, but also delivers a palpable feel fo the road. BMW does this better, but Audi is not far behind . This year, Audi increased the power output of the 1.8T

And anyone who encounters poor road conditions in the A4

w ll immediately appreciate the quattro all-wheel-drive system wth the new-for-2001 optional Electronic Stabilization Program

engine. Additionally, the engin~ is now cleaner-burning, so

(ESP). Quattro is a full-time all-wheel-drive system designed

it qual ifies as an Ultra -Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV). If you

tc ensure maximum traction and power regardless of road

june 200 I

grea t e r charlotte b iz

conditions or

sport sedan and trying to decide between the 3 Series and the

speed. When it

A4 . The 3 Series is quite possibly the best sedan on the planet,

detects slippage at

but the A4 isn't far behind .

any wheel, it directs

We don't want to make your decision any more difficult, but,

power to the other

in 2002, Audi is unveiling an updated version of the A4. If it's a

wheels with grip.

success, its price might go up. That makes the 2001 model an

Audi brags that if

even better deal, so you'd better make up your mind soon .

only one wheel has

biz

Edmunds.com, Inc. was founded 1n 1966 to publ1sh new and used veh1cle guides. In I 99 5, Edmunds became the first company to establish a site on the Web on wh1ch consumers could obt01n veh1cle m{ormation at no cost and 1n 2000, Edmunds became the first source {or veh1cle pricmg m{ormation {or users of w1reless Web-enabled dev1ces. Edmunds. com continues to prov1de free, unbiased m{ormat1on on all aspects of buymg, ownmg and selling a veh1cle.

tract on, a qu3ttro-equipped Audi will still move forward. To the driVEr. quattro is imperceptible, as is ESP, which takes readings from the ABS and traction control systems to detect over- or uncJ.Ersteer c.rd then it adjusts the brakes and engine power to help prevent potentially dangerous skids and spins. What is noti<:eable, however, is that the A4 holds a true course on snow,

At a Glance

wate{, loose gravel and bare pavement. The result is a comforting Vehicle Tested: 200 I Audi A4 1.8T Quattro AWD 4dr Sedan ( 1.8L 4Cyl Turbo SM)

sen;;e of confidence that your Audi will get you from point A to point B, regardless of road conditions. Still, no matter

Pros:

Roomy and comfortable interior, new engine with higher horsepower, excellent ergonomics and switchgear design, effective all-wheel-drive system, plethora of safety gear including new side airbags, new electronic stability system, excellent value.

Cons:

Cramped rear seat.

Price:

Test Vehicle: $30.765

how confident you are in the car's ability, you still need to worry about other drivers. Audi thought of that and has Equipped the A4 with a plethora of safety features, including

(including destination charge)

antikck brakes, dual front and side airbags for front occupants and head protection airbags for all outboard occLpants. These curtain-style safety devi::=s are be ·ng highly touted by organizations such a_; the Insurance Institute for Higr\./ay Safetv for their ability to prevent seve~

head injury. When triggered, the

side airbags cover nearly the whole side wine ow area, helping prevent the car's

PAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM * ••• •• * •••

•

occ pants from hibng the A-pillar or the wincow with their heads. Of course, this is vastt) preferabte to what occurs in a vehicle wi: h no side airbag a: all. From the exterior. the A4 is equally

In the southeastern coastal states from Maryland to Florida, city after city is experiencing traffic congestion, water quality issues, air pollution, greenspace depletion, urban sprawl and a diminishing quality of

impre.ssive. Cur tester was finished in silve ·, "'.t-ich nice!y complemented the 15inch eight-spol:e cast alloy wheels. We also

life. Watch the documentary that explores these issues as well as potential so lutions.

thought the optional xenon high-intensity heacights distinguished the A4. Much brighter and therefore safer than conven tionc.l head lamps, the white beam of the

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2001

xenor lights not only provides greater illu-

at 8 p.m.

minelion, but l·Joks way cool, too. Catherine is now considering trading

A production of UNC Wilmington, narrated by Chancellor James Leutze.

herB mmer f:r the A4 . It's a lesson lear ed - depend ng on your needs and want ~ .

sometimes second best is the best

choice for you . We think this is especially

M aj o r fu nd ing p rov id ed by

UNCW

~Sprint. Sprint Pes· Weyerhaeuser

true I you're Slopping for an entry-level greater chu l otte biz

june 200 I 49

Big Dog, continued from page 4 7 simple- better. So how do you deal with these higher expectations, and how do you compete in this changing environment? Consider three options: Dramatically Increase Advertising. True or False7 There's no better way to offset your lost business than to spend excessively on advertising to make up for customer service shortcomings. False. Drastically Cut Costs. True or False7 The best path to improving profitability is to strip products and service offerings to the bare bones. False. Implement a Customer Retention Strategy Now. True or False' The best marketing dollar spent is one spent to keep a customer. Excellent customer service should actually cost less. True , and true . Mike Moore, general manager for the Village Tavern located across the street from SouthPark Mall , says there's already been a trend in the restaurant industry toward focusing back on customer serv-

people's product knowledge and by improving the customer-to-server ratios. It demonstrates that there's much more to excellent customer service than being able to pleasantly converse. Customer satisfaction is derived from attitude and process as much as it is by the product itself. To comprehensively deliver on marketing's promises of exceptional service, companies must build their "Attitude Bank" by hiring people that will be good in customer service because they demonstrate a willingness to learn, customer focus, organizational skills, and good communication skills. Then companies need to train on skill sets as well as required product and process knowledge to effectively deliver a service. By improving your attitudes and processes, you raise your own performance first. Only then can you raise your customers' expectations through marketing, because you're confident that your operations can deliver on what your marketing promises. Don't let Nordstrom's reputation steamroll yours, and more importantly, don't let their customer satisfaction exceed yours.

If you implement a plan to keep

ice. "We've standardized a lot of training,

your customers today, you can avoid

given servers smaller sections, made sure

increased advertising and major cost cut-

they've learned the menu. " That one statement says a lot, because the Village Tavern is improving customer service by investing in their

ting initiatives tomorrow. Then, there will be no need to Beware the Big Dog. biz Edward D. Gagnon is cofounder and president of Cusomer Service Solutions, Inc., a Charlotte-based management consultancy and training firm.

Let RHI Consulting find your place in the future.

E-Dreamz, continued from page 43 that, we have to hire the best people. " Despite E-Dreamz resilience in a challenging environment, the past year hasn't been a cakewalk While business is still out there, sales cycles are longer. And with larger, national players expe1iencing high profile demises, the entire indusny has been tainted with the same brush. "We've definitely had some hard times," Pulver admits, "but it hasn't been anything like everyone else. We haven't had any layoffs. In fact, we're hiring. " Competitors hope that E-Dreamz's staying power is catching. Locally, ettain and Viologics offer Web development services. And recently T.J. Felice, marchFlRST's former managing partner of marchFlRST's Charlotte office , started his own company, Exervio Consulting. On the national scene, traditional business consulting firms like Accenture, have e-consulting units. While the future is still anybody's guess, Nathan Pulver is optimistic. "Every single week we have people asking us if we're going to be around next year," he reflects. "l know we only have ll employees. But we grew 250 percent in 2000 when others had losses. "And we're profitable ," he continues. "This year could be our best year yet." Corey Miller agrees, "There are always companies that are going to come through an economic downturn. We're going to be one of those." biz Nethea Fortney Rhinehardt is a Charlottebased freelance writer

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JUne 200 I

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june 200 I 51

[communitybiz]

CHARLES & CO L\'ARDT~ - - - - - - - Crea1ed - - - - - - -

A Special Thanks Charles & Colvard

M Ol

building branc id::lltity fer its rew jewel -

A Spec-al Thanks to Charles &: Colvard ·or Contri.Jutins a 1.34 :t. Moissanite Pendar_t D the Great ~- Cha-lotte Biz Hat Contest at the 2CC :.. Queerrs Ct.:p Steeple: hJse. Althoug the U1ited State; accounts for less th3n cne percent of

S A

moissc:rite

a~ "hard" (9 .25 vs. 10 Jn tle rochs scale~ .

Within days, brothers =:ric, Jeff 3nc Neal Hun er brmed 0, lr-.:. :now Charles & Colvard) an:J b=gan resec.rch 3nd de¥elo~ menton production processe~and 11arkets fJr m"Jissanite je..vels. At the same tirre, C3 e1terej irto a long-terrr excluoi"'€

global g:: m pr:duction, it :S the world's leading gens:o1e market

Sllf=ply arrangement wi:h c-ee fo · the development a11d

- acco~ting for 3 5 perce-1t of world gem de11and. The J .S.

pwduction of silicon carbde c~stc:ls and als::J besan develor: ng

market f:Jr unset gem diar-.onds is estimated to ha\.e 2>-c=eded

$8 billioo, acccrding to

1~98 statistics. And de11ar..d :cntinues

ptoJ J:rietary cutting and po . shingte : hniques. C3 als::: file:J U 3. patent applications fc- moissaite jewel ;.

C3 financed its ea-ly c--evelo Jm2nt and operatior s throu&h

to increc:.:;e steo1dily. Givo::n the relative scar:ity and the expense of firdin& naturally.-occurrng gems, s;nt1etic gems and gemstcnE si " Uiants

a se·ies of private equity p 3CEn2rrt5 from mid-1996throug1 rrid-1997. Then, in Novem::Jer 15:97, the companv WEnt r:ubli:

becc.me 3Vailal::ie in the mcrketpla:e as early as the : 9~Cs Charles

a d its stock began tradinf on ti-e NASDAQ stoc <. ma·ket under

& Colvad, heacquartered i1 R2search Triangle Pc.rk (I.J1crr s .. ille,

tl-:= ticker symbol CTHR. La: e in 1.99~. C3 began ::klin.5 business

N.C.), has recertly created !;UC1 a rew diamond simu..antv.4th

enhanced cha-c:cteristics calle:J "rroissanite" (orono11no:~ fv\OYsan-nite: Despie the tradikJnally cold shoulders of the established

under the name of Charle~ 3t :::o lvard, Ltd. c:nd ras contirlU-

-'W ,l

ally revised its Web site «www.rno:Ssa.ite.com> to

~ keep pace with :he developing ma·ket

jewelry L3de, it is gaining V'idespread appeal. Mo .:;sc.nite v1as first ciscovered in meteorice fr:Jg-

The cor:Jpaw1be5an distri Jut ng its m•Jiss.: nite jewels to indepe Dden: e"\elers th ro ugh strateg c

rrents ir the Alizona desert i1 the late 1800s by Nobel

relationships with Stuller Se: tings, In c. an:J Ri.l G ran:J ~ .

P·ize wianer HEnri Moissa1. lr these fragmerts Dr.

the two largest di~ribut ·Jrs in the jeo.:elry incustry,

lv'oissarr disco•.ered minu~ cuantities of a very hard

as well as through :ertai1 jEwelry manuf3ctu rers . It

rrineral. A.fter EXtensive resea rch, Dr. Moissan condu:Jed tha t this mi1e ral was rr ade of silicon carbide (S C) and, in : 905, t1is mineralwc:s named moissanite i1 hi5

in significant internatio11al dis· ribution agreements, and egabli7ed its own subsidiary i• Hon~ ~:ong.

h::>n or.

"To casual observers rroissanit:E certa nl~· loo-<S lilce a

It V*!S not urtil the ia· e 1980s, though, that a sroup •Jf researchrs fro11 North Carolina State University- in: r~ ed by Dr. Mo iS5ar's ciscovery -wEre able to develop a r:rop ·ie:ary process -=or prooucing lar~ s·ngle crystals of si lico1 ca 1bi:Je through 3 pate1ted therm31 ~- recess. In 1987, theyfo·r-. t: d the Durham :N.C.)-::Jased Cree. Inc. to hold the patent

d ~ mond," says Bob Thoma5, h23j

tr:= product as a separate n erE it:=m in part to: cam jeNelers' j'tte·s tht the gems will undermire dic:nrn-d sa les, but a.so fo h"ghli[lt

tt-=product's own qualities

That o:oxer1 is well-foJ1d2d onsi .:: er-

a-<iiamond but cost about ooe-tErtr :Js much.

It v-...;as a fe.N years later, in the summer of 199:-, 1h3t

ao Eri c Hunter anc hi.:; brothers decided to

•X Char.es ,.i',_ Co .var:J. Howe1--er,

tr= company studiously avcids t.:= comparison. It prefers torr c:-ket

ilg that moissanite gems a: tuaJ1 sparkle v1ith 11oc2 brlliance t · an

anc corr merc ic: lize silicon ca ·o ide for semiconducbr u;E. forrrer

:; s

launched a strategic glctc:l rrarket ng pro~rarr re su lt 15

m•estigate

According to Thomas, (hc:ries ~Colvard s s: rc.te:sy for 2CJ1 i ~ to

achieve sales growth w1 I= reducing markEting .and aclv=r-

the po tEltial u;e of moissanite as a surgical blade. ThEy

ti :::irlg costs and curtailing -esEc:a:l- 3nd deve!op11enl expens2s.

e'Tlplo•td a mc: ster diamood cutter for the task who cb3erved

- tre company reported sai('!S o · $12 8 million for~ear- end 21XO

samples of mo ssanite an:J sJggested that proper!\ CJtcrystals

o· shipments of 68,000 ccrats. Re1:ently, the'/ have c: dded cc or

would rr 3ke a ::Jrilliant je\1\el. Its high refractive ind ex a 1d

tc treir gemstones as well a~. a 1e1\ pear-sh;. Jed cut (in addjjon

dispersi:.n givE it "diamord-flke" sparkle or fire. In additi Jn,

tc tt-e moissanite princess cus•·o-, oval. marqu se, radian:,

its hardaess c. I ows superior 'aceting and wear resi;tar-.::e

h=-art, triangle and trillion o:u:~)

compare!:! to many gemstone materials. In je'Neler' ; t=rns,

Charles & Colvard has stra:e gically placed

nois~ar

ite v1lh 3

mo·ssar te has more "briLian -: e" (refractive index of 2. SS to

u· ic ue brand image as a jewe l i1 i:; own right, d sti1ct from

2.69 vs.2.42; , "fire" (dis~ersion of .104 vs .. 044), ard " ! Jster"

o:hH jewels. The strategy ; eerr~ to be worki1 g.

=. II

biz

(20.4 percent •.s . 17.2 percent) than a diamond, ardis rrearly

jJne

:;:oo 1

great::r C1;:!-r l ctte b i;:

PnAcT 1cf ~ PnAcT 1cf ~ PnAcT 1cf ~ 1ooo ooo sn. FT.* I

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