Greater Charlotte Biz 2002.09 by CLT.biz & Charlotte Biz & Greater Charlotte Biz

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AMERICA'S BEST HOSPITALS CAROLINAS MEDICAL CENTER

THREE YEARS IN A ROW, ONE OF AMERicAS PREMIER PUBliCATIONS HONORS THE REGION'S PREMIER HOSPITAL. Each year, US News & World Report lisrs America's Best Hospitals. Again this year, Carolinas Medical Center is honored as one of the nation's best in rwo different categories Orthopedics and Urology. In addition , another prestigious journal America's Best Doctors- has recognized several of our physicians as being among America's elite. Best Doctors, Inc. has also selected many CMC physician in its 2002 "Best Doctors in America" listing. T he e recognitions reinforce our belief that we have some of the finest medical minds in America serving the people of our reg10n. We wish to thank US News & World Report, America's Best Doctors and Best Doctors, Inc. for recognizing the level and quality of care we give to all our patients at Carolinas Medical Center. A heartfelr thank you also to the world-class ream of doctors, specialists, nurses and support staffs who help make us the region's premier hospital. Most importam, we want to thank the thousands of patients who entrust us with their health and their li ves every single day. As yo u can see, your trust is well-placed.

~<;>~ Carolinas Medical Center www.carol i nashealthca re.org

SouthTrustBank

You're Not Just Another Customer. We're Not Just Another Bank

As a business owner, your first priority is running your business. South Trust Bank's priority is helping you run your business well. So we are pleased to bring you this monthly business column designed to promote Excellence In Business.

Show Me The Compass by Steven D. Huff In 1900 an unusual ad ran in London newspapers: "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success."

Explorer Ernest Shackleton placed the ad, in his effort to recruit volLmteers for his South Pole expedition. Who would be foolish eno ugh to respond to an ad that assured pain and danger to those who get involved? It turned out that many people were. Commenting on the results of the ad, Shackleton said, "It would seem as though all of Great Britain was to accompany me. "

Wherever your company is headed, let SouthTrust be a partner in getting you there.

One of the most powerful appeals we can make in business is the promise of a great challenge. Smart people are not only saying, "Show me the money!" They're saying, "Show me the compass!" In other words, show me what this company is all about. What direction are you heading? What guides you along the way? What role can I p lay in helping to "take the hill"? Show me someone asking these questions and I'll show you someone who will never have to worry abou t seeing the money. The best companies have the right compass reading on the following issues: â&#x20AC;˘ A Clear Direction You may have heard, "The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going." Well, the whole world seems to want to get on board with a business that knows where it is going. Pick a clear direction and set sail now. A Balance of Corporate and Individual Success The best companies know that when their amb itious people succeed, the company succeeds too. Remember, businesses and people succeed or fail together.

W. K. (Chuck) Raburn

An Ethical Playing Field

Stormy weather strikes every business. The ones that are ancl1ored to their principles are the ones that survive the storms. Robert Haas, as cl1ief of Levi Strauss, said, "A company's values- what it stands for, what its people believe in- are crucial to its competitive success."

SouthTrust Business Banker 553 East Plaza Drive Mooresville , NC (704 )262-1614 chuck.raburn@ southtrust.com

Stimulating Challenge Successful people are almost always motivated by a stiff challenge. On one talk show, a panel of millionaires was asked, "What is yo W' goa l?" Not one answered, "To make money." For each, the goal was the challenge of making it to the top.

Member FDIC ÂŠ200 1 South Trust www.southtrust.com

~ExcELLENCE IN BusiNEss

Newsletter

A Service To The Business Community Sponsored by: Steven D. Huff is a business coach specializing in small business grow1h and development. He runs the Excellence In Business Training Center in Charlotte, NC and can be reached at (704) 841-1600 or at www.GoForExcellence.com . Steve also publishes the "Excellence In Business" Newsletter, a motivational newsletter distributed weekly by South Trust Bank at no cost to more than 4500 businesses. To receive a FREE subscription, please fax or email your Name, Company Name, Address and Fax Number or E-mail to: Fax: (704) 841-1693 or e-mail: steven.huff@GoForExcellence.com.

Commanding a Comeback When Vince Lombardi sa1d, "Winning isn't everything, rt's the only th1ng," he gave words to a universal truth for the fans - and nobody knows that better than Jenry Richardson, owner and founder of the Carolina Panthers. Now, more t han ever before, Richardson realizes the need to build a competitive team and bolster fan loyalty to ma1nta1n a healthy sports enterpnse.

10 Welcome to Oz

de artments

CPI Security System's new headquarters is 48.000 square feet of brick and bombproof glass, with I 00 cameras guarding its pres-

publisher's post

employers biz

ence. At the end of the long foyer is a diminutive gatekeeper who appears to hold the fate of your entry in her hands. It is obvious: we're not 1n Kansas anymore.

executive biz

16 A World Unto Itself lndievision is a place, a state of m1nd and a wor ld unto itself. It IS a collect1on of wildly different people who are like-minded 1n their passion for 1ndiv1duality and acceptance of being

The Duke Mansion , fo rmer home of j ames Buchanan Duke, is the place where many of orth Carolina's lasting legacies , includ ing Duke Uni versity, the Duke Endowment , and Duke Energy Company, took shape. Today it is a place where busi ness meets elegance and seclusion.

different. And at the core 1s a branding and design agency that provides off-the-wall creat1ve for a blue chip list of corporate clients that

biz digest

biz resource guide

on top

other agencies covet.

28 Providing a Single Source for Risk Transfer N ineteen years ago when Skrp Knauff JOined the Insurance firm h1s father Bill started in

1969, it had six employees.Today. rt has more

on t h e cover:

than forty "We've grown way beyond a stereotypical fam1ly bus1ness," says Sk1p Knauff of t heir comprehens1ve agency.

32 Bearing Up Under

This month 's cove r f eatures j erry Ri chardson with Pa nther's Stadium in the background. Photography by Way ne Morris.

Pressure One hundred fifty years of firm expenence and a fundamental fa1th 1n the stock market help executives at Hilliard Lyons to handle slugg1sh Investments-and nervous invest ors-with considerable calm.

g re a ter charlotte b iz

cliaflotte iz s eptember 2002 3

[publisher's ost 1

clfaflotte iz September 2002 Vo lume 3 • Issue 9 Publisher John Paul Galles jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

An Excellent Senator for North Carolina! On November 5, 2002, we have the opportunity to select our next U.S. Senator to represent North Carolina. This Senate race will significantly impact the political balance of our nation's Congress as it conside rs signal issues of national security, a balanced budget and health care reform, as well as the potential appointment of Supreme Court Justices. Given the rapidly increasing costs of employee health care and already substantial burden of employ-

Associate Publisher/Edit or Mary I A Lane maryl.a.lane@greatercharlottebiz.com

john Paul Galles, Publisher

ment taxes, the management of these issues will significantly

impact business' bottom line, still suffering from a depressed allegedly recovering economy. While all of the candidates for office are reasonably qualified, I can personally attest to Erskine Bowles' ability to successfully maneuver in the political arena, as well as his accomplish·

Creative Director/ Asst. Editor Bra ndon Jordan bjordan@greatercharl ottebiz.com

ments in representing business interests. I have known Erskine for nearly ten years now, ever since he was appointed administrator of the U.S. Small Business Adm inistration in 1993. I was president of National Small Business Un ited, representing over 60,000 small businesses across the country, and we wanted to learn

Account Executive Lin dsey D. Trausch ltrausch@greatercharlottebiz.com

more about his interest and qualifications. We had watched a succession of failed politicians assume that role and the agency was deteriorating. In our very first conversation, he introduced himself and, after answering a few questions, he said outright, "You know, the President has asked me to do this and I want to do alii can to help

Contributing Write rs

him succeed . I have worked with small businesses for many years. You obviously know a lot about

Julie Cochran

small business issues and the SBA. I would like your help to learn as much as I can to prepare for

And rea Cooper Susanne Deitzel Heath er Head Casey Jacobus Lyn da A Stadler

this position and for my confirmation. Will you share what you know and help me prepare? I want you to know I will do alii can to do right by small business ." In subsequent meetings and conversations, I continued to be impressed with Erskine's Finan· cia I expertise and grasp of business issues, as well as his keen sense of what was needed and could be done. Most people would agree, Erskine Bowles was quite possibly the best and most effective SBA administrator the agency has ever had. While at the SBA, he simplified the small

Contributing Photogra phers

business loan application from a booklet that was 1'! 2 inches thick to only one page. He increased

Sean Bu sher

the amount of funding available for small businesses by nearly $5 billion and increased lending to

Wayne Morris

women-owned and minority enterprises as well. In addition, he made the SBA more responsive, faster and more efficient, as well as boosted staff morale. His success earned him a seat on the

Greater Charlotte Biz is published 12 times per year by: Gall es Communications Grou p, Inc. 560 I 77 Center Drive, Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28217-0735 www.greatercharlottebiz.com 704.676.5850 Phone 704.676.5853 Fax

National Economic Council and a role within the President's cabinet. He garnered more recogni· tion and clout for small business in that presidential administration than had been seen in many years. Even more profound than his impact on the SBA, however, was Erskine Bowles' ro le in balancing the federal budget. Elevated to the President's Chief of Staff in 1996, Erskine Bowles had his unwavering focus on negotiating the first balanced federal budget in nearly 30 years. Erskine Bowles, along with then Treasury Secretary Bob Rubin and OMB Director Franklin Raines, negotiated with Republican leaders including Senator Trent Lott and Speaker Newt Gingrich from

Press releases and other news-related information, please fax to the attention of "Editor" or e-mail: editor@greatercharlottebiz.com Editorial or advertising inquiries, please call or fax at the numbers above or e-mail: info@greatercharlottebiz.com Subscription in quiries or change of ad dress, please call or fax at the numbers above or visit our Web site: www.greatercharlottebiz.com All contents © 2002, Galles Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is

prohibited. Products named in these pages are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily

those of Greater Charlotte Biz or Gal les Communications Group, Inc.

se ptember 2002

Congress. Together, over many weeks, their bipartisan efforts hammered out a balanced budget bill that was signed into law on August 5, 1997. As a result, the federal government began to pay down its debts, borrowed less money and interest rates began to fall. With the number of Americans over age 65 increasing five to eight times faster than the working-age population and the concomitant burgeoning of our federal obligations of social security and Medicare, we must be even more vigilant to balance our federal budget and restrain deficit spend ing except for national emergencies. Erskine Bowles will be a respons ible steward and valuable advocate for protecting our national interests, meeting our federal obligations, checking wasteful spending and reducing taxes whenever possible. Erskine Bowles knows how to keep his priorities straight. He knows how to focus on critical objectives and work for progress. He is never too busy to respond to concerns and often follows up with a phone call or handwritten note. His community involvement and personal attention to others is an essential attribute for one serving in the U.S. Senate. He will make an excellent Senator for North Carolina.

We join with our fellow Americans in mourning the loss of life in the September 11, 2001, World Trade tragedy, but celebrate our increasingly appreciated freedoms and liberties as Americans on this, the anniversary of that human disaster.

greater charlotte biz

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[employersbiz] The

EMPlOYERS A SSOCI A TIO N

Legislative and Regulatcory Highlights for Area

• Fourtn Circuit Court Clarifies

Carolina- issued a r ling that hel:x; cla-ify

Employer~

por: to the st·xes.At times, the travel was

Definitic·n of"Qualified" Employee

what it means to be ":jualified." In tte CQe,

in response tc an emergency situation (sue

To be entitled to protection under the

the employee claimed that because he .ouf-

as =quiprrent "ailure) and could not be

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), two

fered from severe depression, he was cis-

k.ey questions must be answered: (I) Does

abled and should be ,sranted a1

the employee have a disability as defined by

dation which would allow hirr to

the Act, a1d (2) Is the employee "qualified"

part-time schedule.

~ccorrmo ~tori-_

defined

account development specialist (ADS) lcr a

the job, with or without a reasonable

company that leases flm

accommcdation.

ment to retail organizations. Hi> job

developm~t

El:JU p-

re~ired

that he travel to the different retzi si: €0' tc

full-time; there were no

pa~

Shortly atrer his employment began, ti-e employee .experienced numerous me::licl problems, which required that he miss w::rl<..T 1e conpany granted the employee s~o"t-term

Appeals - which has jurisdiction over North

tirreADSs errployed by the company.

be able to perform the essential functions of

Recently, the Fourth Circuit Court of

cl ents a lease once per month.The positio 1 W35

The plaintiff was :mployed as n

k>r the joo.To be qualified, an employee must

pinned in ad..ance or put off until the next de:): -he ADS 'Vas required to visit all cf his

di!ability leave in accordance

'Nith their poky. Near the end of the errployee's lecve, it became apparent that he vwould not be released to return to f J 1time work.TI-e employee reqJested that heo be a lowed :o work a part-time schedule tc• rec.s:mably accommodate his disab ility. The co'l'any dened the employee's requested acccmmcdation because the ADS position req _.red a full-time employee and ultimate!-, terminated th: employee's employ11ePt. The emp()yee filed a lawsuit claiming t~a

the

com~any

had violated the ADA by

terminating his employment because of his disill::ility and

198

13.88

14.94

failing to reasonably accorr-

rrocate his

di ~ability.The

t~e

b:" s:ating that the employee W35

·:harges

company disputec

not :JUalified, c.s specified by the ADA, for tile .ADS position because he could net work

581

10.30

9.35

fL-1 -time hoJG and that it was not reasonabe to create a part-time position. Both thE Ci;-rrict Cour: and the Fourth Circuit Cou-r a~:reed

With the employer.

The AD,A does not require that e11plq. · e -~

e liminate

:Jr

transfer "essential functior6·

o(the job.j:>t descriptions that clearly spel

505

24,488

23,807

38,779

37,309

52,945

52,500

55,064

55,999

Sou r(e:The Employers Association 2002 W c.ge & Salary Survey

oi.Jt essential -equirements w II help emo o:e -~

:letennine what accommodations migh:.

re~.;onably

:>e made for an employee. (LanD

v. Qlalex, Incorporated) • Benefit Pr·~grams Address Caregiver 1'-eeds Ne1rly one ir four adul:s currently find themselves cc:ring for an elderly loved one -

s~ptember

2002

greater charl:::>tte t z

and their numbers are growing. New research from the Kaiser Family foundation indicates that how employers respond to this need is becoming more significant as the care giving burden increasingly shifts to the baby boom generation. Most caregivers (68%) are assisting close family members, including parents, grandparents, or a spouse. Caregivers are generally under the age of 45 (54%), wcxk full-time (53 %) and are married (60%). Forty percent (40%) of those receiving care cannot afford professional assistance, yet nearly half of the caregivers (49%) earn less than $35,000 per year and may nm be able to help out financially. The number of Americans over age 65 is increasing five to eight times faster than the working-age population. Inevitably, thE number of caregivers needed to support this growing percentage of the populatior will also rise. Many employers have recognized this need and are trying to assist employees as much as possible. For example AT&T sponsored a month of elder care ti!IEconference seminars and DuPont hosted an Elder Care Fair, where employees could gather information from 40 vendors. Most caregivers, however, simply need more flexibility in their work schedules, which has prompted many employers to expand work/life benefits to accommodate them.The Employers Association 200 I Benefits Survey indicates that 13% of the companies surveyed provided some form of elder care assistance. Of those compar ie$

85% offer flexible scheduling, 25% allow job sharing and 5% provide some type of referra service. (www.benefitnews.com)

â&#x20AC;˘ Screen Saver Leads to Violation of National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) A computer screen saver might cause a violation of the NLRA?Yes! In much the same way that policies regarding bulletin

Stocker Associates. Inc. pr _ de, geoorill contracting services, spe:i31izing n commercial interiors and ll..~j to sJit construction with a high :iegree oÂˇ personal service and atte 1 on to Jtail We have a unique under5ttnaing Jf he need for precise upfit w:r", perfcrmec on schedule, at a compEl tive r cE, and with minimum disr pt1cn to tre workplace.

board~

or solicitation/distribution could be violat ions of the law, screen savers can also cause problems.Technically, the purpose of a screen saver is to reduce wear and tear on a computer monitor when the user is away for an extended period of time. In many offices, however, screen savers have become message boards, office decorations, or family photo displays.Aithough these uses are typically harmless, the National Labor

greater charlotte biz

Stocker Associates Has 3een Providing Quality Contracting Services for U '(e :Hs.

sept"1teÂˇ 200::2. 7

Relations Board ('\JLRB) has

is~ued ~

:hat may change how employers

ruling

tr~al

c:>m -

puter displays. During the early stages of • unic·n organizing campaiJn at St. Josepr 's H:>spital, a nurse programmed her scree, saver to

~q-,

''Look for the U." Her supervis x issueod :he 1urse a written warning stating that ~bJIIetin C>oards and screen savers are hospital prop· erty and it is inappropriate to fXJSt Pf'Ounion messages 01 hospital p operty .. .."The NLRB found that the hospital ffid violcte::l the NLRA for

JOIN TODAY!

t¥\'O

reasons. First, the NLRB

found that the hmpital had acteod in • discriminatory manner when it prooibiteo the

•

M-::n' ~

and ladies' Locker Roo:n:lS and Showers

employee from displaying a union-related

• T.:re KP Grill wi.fu Dining Pavilion (seating up tc 15•J)

screen saver. The evidence showed thac the

• Golf dub :Repair and Storage

hospital regularly lllowed nursi:!S to displc.y

BOOK _ rOWl For golf tournamenvevent bookings, contact Linda Senneker

a wide variety of personal, noo-work relal:e.:l screen saver

mes~ages

such as. ~Go

Buccaneers;' "Go FSU;' " Be

Po~itive,"'

anc

"Have a Nice D<l)'." Second, the NLRB rued that the hospital c.cted illegally when it

di~d

plined the nurse br exercising 1er p·O(ected right to participatz in union act vity. The NLRB ruling could very we I be the tip of the ice!: erg regarding screen savers. Employers may also find facing Title VII

di~crimination

therrselve~

cffirges Vlh3:

types of displays/photos could be co1s1rueo as sexual harassment? Could ar emr:loyee make a hostile work environment cl•in i"

Golf Instru.ction SJX:cials Coa-::act l.PG-a Teaching Pt:ofessional 1.a1.1ct ~c·vingo ~ for Summer Golf Ins-.ructio Sped~!

he disagrees with the religious :>r ethric message that ano: her employee has di;played on his monitor? The potEntial for trouble if a company does not 1ave or doe; not enforce an

e~ isting

screen

~aver

poliq·

could be significant. (HR Comply Newsle:ttm biz

Practice Ball Bonus Card Fiv~

Large Buckets

f Pr-ac:ic e

- $30 ... reg. $3/.50 Get -:m -line tips from 1tege:1t Park

Goli Academy ?roessionals at www.nbd5.c :r.. and each Saturday and Sunda~ mo.:- nb.g at 8:ZO.un o::J .

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Our Business is GoH! 1 04..5 ...7 .0) 2 3 8 0 3. 5 47 .1 300 l 800.6 7 1.5550 5 055 R,;gent Pa rkwa y

F-ort M i I, S C 2 9715 - ~ .,.eg e rrt~ar~k:lub .co:m

.>ep t e11 b':: r 2 )02.

The Employers AsscciaMn is o r.onpro(lt Charlotte orgonizat'on providing ccmpre'Jensiote human resources a 1d training sen-ices. Fot.naeo in /958, the Association maintoi.1s o brooc-ba~ed membership of ove· 700 compari=s from all industries in the greater Charlotte regior. As one of over 70 nonpro(lt HR os~ociolions notionally providing HR services to .-egio1c7 memberships, Th e Emp.'oyers Association ponicipotes in a notional information ex.:nang= 11nder the auspices of tne National Assodotion of Manufacturers. The above excerpts were token fro.71 Th ~ Monogement Repo·t, the Asso:iotiJn's rrollth 'y newsletter. For more in(:Jrmation, J;.leose ccJI Laura Hampton a! 704-522-80 II or vi:;it th= Web site at www.e.71ployersos>oc.com.

g r eater

ch c~ lo t te

::i;::

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704 . 527.3733

Charlotte office : 4301 - H Stuart Andrew Blvd . Charlotte NC, 28217 Charlotte

Atlanta

Raleigh

Nashville

by susanne deitzel

VIEW THE WORKINGS BEHIND CPI SECURITY SYSTEMS' NEW HI-TECH WORLD

15 to 20 minutes offeting the product and monitoring service, hand the customer the brochure and move on. CPI representatives average an hour to an hour and a half each visit to understand the lifestyle and needs of the client, so essentially the client is designing his or her own security system using our resources To maximize these resources, CPI sets a powerful standard for secwing staff knowledge and career-development via a program they call "CPl University. " Using talem both from within and outside the organization, a selection of courses is avail"Basically," remarks Gi ll , "we met as an organization and detetmined that we need-

monitoring station operators will be online with clients within seconds. The

ed to step up our efforts LO do the best job possible in this new environment. We took the economic downturn as an opportunity

advanced two-way voice system is made possible by a full-tilt, high-octane data system referred LO as "Oz."

to be an advocate to our clients who were hardest hit, working with newly unem-

But in the case of CPis system intelligence, there is no smoke and mirrors to

ployed cusLOmers and finan ially strapped businesses to accommodate their cash flow. We stayed in LOuch with our cusLOmers, focused on the job at hand, and made our-

conceal the guts of the operation. 24/7 onsite central monitoring station personnel

selves 100 percent accessib le." According to Gill, what the customer receives from CPI is complete hands-on involvement and a tumkcy approach. All of CPl's security systems are designed , marketed , sold, installed, monitored and managed within the organization. There is no sub-contracting on any level, and thus responsibility and control lies within the organization itself. "One of our credos is LO 'Inspect What We Expect,"' says Gill. To do so, CPI has earmarked pan of its new facility for its notorious "Wall of Fame" -or "Wall of Shame"-upon which cusLOmer surveys and phoLOs from comprehensive qualitycontrol installation reviews are displayed for proper peer reinforcement. In addition to these performance reviews, CPl makes cuswmer satisfaction calls immediately after installation, plus 30 days and 90 days thereafter.

The Brain - How the CPI System Works or The land of Oz One of CP!s major offerings is the state-of-the-an Real Time Response System. In the evem of an intrusion, fire or medical emergency, CPis local central

september 2002

moniLOr all security system activities. These professionals can evaluate alarm situations and dispatch the proper authorities or can quell dispatch in case of a false alarm. As

able to employees to further their knowledge and ski lls. In fact, each employee is required LO take a certain number of courses (ranging from new software literacy to Spanish) LO gain consideration for lateral or promotional moves within the company. The course units are also considered during performance reviews. CP! also has a "One Call Resolution. " goal. Any employee should be able to answer a call, determine the problem and direct the caller LO the appropriate source for a resolution. Gill concedes that with the volume of incoming calls, voice mail

an added service, CPI offers clients \vith the Real Time Response Systems a "No

and a call-management system is absolutely essential, but focuses on minimizing the

False Alann Guarantee." In the instance that a false alann fine is

time spem within the system and increasing personal auemion to the client. Blount

levied and is not the clients fault, for example equipmen t issues or uncontrollable circumstances, CPI will deduct the cost of the fine from the customers monthly statement. CPis "CFL Philosophy" (Cuswmers for Life) represents its staff's commitment

also adds, "regardless of the nature of the problem, it needs to be corrected immediately If you cannot trust me to bill you correctly, how can you expect my company to keep you and your home afe7"

to customer retention. Specialized customer-care teams personally handle special situations such as clients who are moving, upgrading, or have had unique problems that need LO be add ressed. By providing this high level of care and attention, Gill says CPI has been reported to have one of the lowest cusLOmer atuition rates in the country. To achieve the high customer service standards CPI sets for its employees, each part of the team undergoes a 30-day training course to become fully fluem in the products as well as how they address a clients safety and secmity Says Blount, "Our closest competiLOrs will spend on average

The Heart- CPl extends care to customers, employees and the community While their standards may be high for their employees, Gill and Blount are just as concemed with their comfort. When designing the new campus, special consideration was given LO employee comfort. A generous break room is outfitted with free coffee, soda machines and comfortable furniture as well as air hockey and foosball tables. Every member of CPI receives hand-signed birthday cards and anniversary cards, as well as enclosed gift certificates, thanking them for their comribution to the company By these measures, the managemem appreciates its team while

greater charlotte biz

enjoying low employee turnover rates. Also, priority consideration for new and empty positions is given first to current CPl employees. Yet, customer service and employee attention are only a fraction of the CPl equation. The company sets itself apart from many competitors by emphasizing overall security of the community to achieve one of the most important tenets of the industry: deterrence. By supporting local, state, regional and national charities, by maintaining supportive and positive relationships with local law enforcement, and by en ouraging employees to do the same, they facilitate the overall security and growt h of the community. As sponso rs of the Burnette Nobles Golf Tournament, CPl helped to raise funds to benefit Charlotte's West End area. The proceeds have been used to fund an entire yea r of community education, restoration and protection in the volatile area where namesakes Officers Burneue and Nobles died in the line of service.

Courage - Security in a brave new world ln the face of increased security tensions as well as an increasingly high-tech and high-security business environment, Gill maintains that there are two critical components to evaluate in tern1s of secutity concerns: access and deterrence. 'The most important thing you can do is address the issues that invite an invasion of you r property Today's companies need to restrict access to the building as well as restrict movement within it. Biomeuic devices such as fingerptint readers and card-access keys are popular solutions. " Additionally, Gill recommends a system of surveillance and security to discourage the most ambitious intruder, and recommends CCTV (closed circuit televisions). Despite their advances in the commercial sector and requests from large, highprofile corporations, Gill focuses on what he considers to be their forte: residential and small to mid-size commercial, as well as projects in their new Builder Division. "Our ideal commercial client is one who manages from 25,000 to 30,000 square feet, wi thin multiple locations. " Right now the CPl commercial client ~

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What areyo ur custo m e r~ b king :1wc;ry fromyo ur pro motions and events? It 's tough to know where to spe d_vow promotional dollar;. Yo u want to lea ve a lasting impression and build relationsfipo ~ith _:.ii ur customers at the sa me tim e. Targeted Golf can helpyou get there. We can be p1r oj"you.- event, or design c program that will enterta in and engage your participants with :rc j UJstr _ction featuring th~ latest technologies and proven teaching methods. So allyou nEeG to ask_:ourself is do you went to take up some space in th e bottom ofyour client's t-shirt d路a~e r, or 1oyou wa nt a lot mere?

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Perhaps the most notable development on CP!s horizon is the development of a high-security professional office park within the 28 acres surrounding the new campus. Designated "Olympic Corporate Center," the site will be home to several corporate buildings, and is adjacent to an in-progress restaurant and hotel site. A joint venture with Pinnacle Properties, OCC is yet another example of CPI following its destined course as growth and opportunity dictate. Short of being a fenced and gated environment, tenants will enjoy the high-tech, high security offerings that CPI itself employs. "The move was a natural," says Gill. "We are already here, and can easily provide this high-security environment. Plus ," he adds, "the cost will be very attractive to companies looking for an alternative to the cramped-parking and high-rem locations downtown that do not offer such a service." OCC Park is another indication that CPI is "here to stay" With a powerful bridge between customer service, callresponse and high-tech security products, they continue to pursue initiatives that further develop their reach into homes , businesses and communities. Perhaps one of the more notable things one notices after talking with Gill and Blount is that there is a tremendous difference between an "alarm" and "security " Security, according to Blount is the "peace of mind you get knowing that your affairs are attended to , that your important spaces are protected." In the words of their new campaign, CPI helps you "Spend less time Worrying, and more time Enjoying. " bi

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Susanne Deitzel is a Charlotte-based freelance writer

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From there he went to work for an industrial ladder company selling ladders door to door, then on to selling software. By 1995, Hesse had started and sold two successful companies. One was a technology company that he sold

publicly

traded Sykes Industries, and one was a healthcare company that he sold to Columbia HCA. Hesse realized that vvhile his business career had been successful, it wa missing something. "As l built my businesses, I had de\·eloped an understanding of the value of perception. In uying to figure out my next move, it hit me - I wanted to work in the creative industry and help companies develop the perceptions of their brands." lle began selling corporate clients on the value of creativity. Tony Elwood's compan}, Electro Entertainment, was one of the firms used by Hesse to produce qualit)' creati\·e for his clients. "Within a few years, we realized we had a synergy and that our companies needed to marry," adds Elwood. In 1998 lndievision was fom1ed. lf every good marketing company needs a pitchman like Hesse, every good creative agency needs an artist in residence like Elwood. Elwood took a much different path to building his career, but his entrepreneurial dtive mirrors Hesse's. Beginning in the early SO's Elwood did special effects, makeup and props for the film industry After that he began to art direct TV commercials, which brought two advantages. First, he learned how to deal with clients and secondly, the duration of projects was short, so Elwood had lots of free time to pursue hi· own film projects. ln 1986 Elwood wrote, directed and produced his first movie on $10,000 he had saved. The movie Killer became a low budget success and can be seen occasionally on Showtime, l!BO and Cinemax. For his next movie, Roadkill, he wa able to attract $50,000 in investment. ln 1987 he bought his first computer and learned to use graphics software since he had to create his own packaging and marketing materials for distributing his mmies. He also used the computer to design ptctures of the sets he was going to build for commercial shoots. "l got so absorbed by the computer, that after eight

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years as a successful an director of commercials, l walked away from my job in that industry to stan an agency that would provide creati\·e serdccs to client companies," states Elwood, sounding almost amazed at himself. Elwood and his Electro business partner, Paul Barrett, now an lndievision partner, found themselves involved in a wide vatiety of projects. "We created everything from restaurant interiors to props for the mO\ie Carrie. There was one scene in the movie where teens had to voraciously eat ra"" steaks, so we created these steaks out of gelatin that looked real and were edible," says Barrett. Today these unusual skills have led to some imeresting projects. For example, Indievision's film division has produced a live action "webi ode" which stars lifesized puppets. The series The Thickuns is shot on a set that looks like the inside of a jerry Springer guest's mobile home. With two episodes completed, the series can be seen on Atom Film's Web site, <www.atomfilms.com>, where it has become a hit with a cult following. Elwood is hoping that exposure through the Web site may lead to a syndication deal where The Thickuns can be picked up as a movie or on-going series. "l would like to see the entertainment side of our business grow and become financially self-supporting." he says. "Right no"" the profits from the corporate side of the business allow us to develop our entertainment projects." The varied skills that the creatives at lndievision possess have allowed them to think outside the box for their corporate clients, and result in work that few other agencies have the ability to conceive of or produce. For Roush Racing, lndie\ision built an interactive CD that is used to promote the company and sell new sponsorships. john Miller, director of business development at Roush comments, "Their perspecti\·e was very different from what we were used to and they told our story in a more entertaining and creative war than you normally see in racing." When asked about the most exciting project that lndievision has worked on, Elwood doesn't hesitate. "It is working with Continental Tire and Raycom Sports to design the logo and promotions for the newly announced ACC College >-

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Bowl game, the Continental Tire Bowl." The Continental Bowl game will be the first Charlotte-hosted Bowl game ever according to jeff Miller, manager of marketing for Continental Tire. Of Indievision he says, "There is no other agency to compare. When it comes to multimedia and interactive computer graphics, no one else knows the things they do." The agency took another step forward when they hired Mike Wilhite in 2000. Wilhite, a partner and the agency's senior an director, came from big agencies in San Francisco and Atlanta, where he worked

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on high profile accounts like Sony and Fox Sports. According to Wilhite, what differentiates lndievision from other agencies is how they work with clients. "Our goal isn't to keep clients happy just because they are happy doesn't mean that the work is good. We push clients to be different," he says. And they are different. Indievision client NEWgame Communications has developed and markets a Web-based video magazine (Vmagr") product using Indievision talent to bring it to the screen. Vmags are a way to distribute digital video content over the Web to subscribers, even those on a dial-up connection. The technology is unique in that it brings TV quality, full-screen video, music and sound to the desktop in the form of a five-minute video magazine. For NEWgame, Indievision is producing Vmags for major college sports programs and some of the entertainment industry's biggest name recording acts. Kathleen Hessert, CEO of NEWgamc, says lndievision's creative work was so far above others that she chose them to be her partner in launching the Vmag concept. She says, "l get thrilled when I present to Major League Baseball or companies like Sony and they are amazed that we do all of our creative work in Charlotte. I'm proud to show Indievision's work anywhere I go because it stands up to the best in the world." Hessert also points out that what makes Indievision unique is that they are versatile and adapt to the business needs of the client. "Their ability to understand and adapt to different types of businesses is why their work is so effective in creating an emotional connection with the audience." The people of Indievision also share

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their creativity on a volunteer basis to help build a different vision of Charlotte. Hesse is chair of the Charlotte Regional Partners "Greenlight" committee. Greenlight has been established to educate the community on the value of bringing independent films to Charloue and promoting it as an area that is supportive of the independent film industry. Elwood donates time and resour es to help individual filmmakers learn their craft. Hesse is also a founding member on the board of the Charlotte Whitewater Park. "''m not against an arena , but the Whitewater Park is a $16 million investment that will make us a recreational destination and give us a unique identity. " According to Hesse a new arena is a non-event outside of Charlmte , but an outdoor recreation center will bring people from all over the world LO use it. "The U.S. Association for Kayaking (USAK) is highly considering relocating to Charlotte from Lake Placid, New York, if we will build this facility. " "Communities with strong arts programs and diverse recreational venues are more attractive places to live and for drawing in new industry," says Hesse. "Charlotte still has a perception of taking itself too seriously. We shouldn't be afraid of diversity. Be different, think different, and act differently. These initiatives not only do that, but it makes our job as a creative agency easier if the community is open to new ideas." Hesse comments on lndievision's growth plans with a laugh. "We'll probably grow from 10 to ll people this year." As an agency lndievision's goal is to produce successful clients. "That is not done by adding bodies. That is done by hiring the kind of people that understand creativity and its value. " "Success is being able to be choosy about the diems we Lake," says Elwood . Hesse adds, "We're not trying to be everything to everyone. We don't change our philosophy to fit a client. You have to be original Lo build your image. If a diem doesn't understand that, we can't do work for them." Welcome to lndievision's world. biz

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september 2002 21

Jerome J. Richardson (Ovne r/fo~;ncer), M:.rk~. Rich~rdson (President), _e·cme Oon) I.

Ri:hardson, Jr. (President · Caroli n:t S ~adium Corp.), Rosali•d S. Richardson, Ashley Fichard.;x Allen, jo1n W. Belk H.C. (Smoky) BissEll Erski1e B. Bowles, Derick S. Close, Elliot S. C ose, Cameron M. HciTiS, jobn W. Harris, Don ale j;. Kec ug1, _eon l:v n~ Richard Loughlin, Katie Marrs,. erry W:.rds-.vorth, Steve Wordsworth [J!Im]~~3:-~ Designated th~ 29: h Nf _ expc.nsion te3m en Octc·ber 26, 1993; first :;eason 1~95

~~~~~~~;t. $206 rA )993)

by lyn da a. stadler

Com ... anding a Come ack

Le sons L arned Portend anther Recovery

When Vince Lombardi said, "Winning isn't

was not going to renew her ti:kets. Being

want to follow him. lie's eamecl everyone's

everything, its the only thing," h.: gave

cutious

respect because he treats people equally at

to wh}, I invited her to visit. Sre

words to a universal truth for tht: fans-

came less than a week later, and after talk-

and nobod} knows that bcuer than jen)

mg for s:1me time \\lth our cc-aches, decic-

every level. l ie doesn't see a d ifference between people who work here, so we all

Richardson, ov.11er and founder oJf the

eel she liked what she had heard and

work \Try hard to attain the vision he has

Carolina Pamhers. !\ow, .11on: than ever

renewec her tickets. She was impressed

for our organization."

before, Richardson realizes the need to

with ou- staff as they hstened to her

build a competitive ream and bo stcr fan

concerns and shared their plans with

staffers from executi\·es to the staff prepar-

loyalty to maintain a healthy sports enter-

her," Richardson affirmed. A1d '"bile Richardson can't handle e\'el) fan commu-

each one by name with a wm·c, smi le or a

prise. And he's willing to do whatC\'el"

R1chardson mO\'CS easily among ing food or cutting the grass. He greets

takes- from maintaining a who lesome and

nication this way, It's a good e"ample of

handshake. He laughs at the notion that it

comfortable environment for watching a

how focused ]en-, Richardson is right noVJ

is unique and 1mpressive that he seems to

football game, to modifying his nethods

knO\\ nearly C\'eryone by name. "lt is my

according to lessons learned, o talkmg to

on his customers "In our busmess," Richardson says,

fans one-on-one for goodwill and honest

"we realize that people neeclw feel eon-

hard working people, and I want to know

feedback. "What 1 ha,·e learned most about

necteclto their team. They need constant

them all," he says.

support. contact, knowledge and commu-

being an Nfl franchise owne- is just how

nication. lt is difficult to communicate pe•-

passionate and emotionally ceonn:cted th~

sonally with thousands of pecple, but it's

fans are to their team," Richar:iscn renects.

important to do what we can, whenever

Richardson, a North Carolina native who

we can," asserts Richardson.

played the game in both high schoo l and

"I never fully realized the emc·limal

inn~st

rnent they make in their teams. I· things go

MaL< Richardson, president of the

business to knm\ their names. The} are

Foot Ills in His Blood Football has always been a passion for

college. He attended Wofford College

111

Spartanburg, S.C., and after a stellar col-

wTong, or we ha\'C a poor season, the> get

Panther Jrgamzaunn. crcd1t:. IllS father's

very upset. Fans want to .:omc tc games

honest, straightforward personalit} as the

lege career lor the Terriers, the Baltimore

that are excitmg and see their team \\in. It's

reason h~ is ahle to relate to fans so well.

Colts drafted him in the 13th round

that simple." Making good with the fans is a serious

111

"My father is the most genuine people-per-

1958. lie m-ercame tremendous odds to

son l have e\·er met," he says. "Now that l

earn a ro ter spot as a third receiver for the

work with hnn

gives me a better understanding of why he's always been so successful H.e has a

clown pass from j ohnny Unitas in the 1959 Championship Game for a 31-16

off that they appreciate hm'ins thz Fl here. But they don't hold back wl-J.cn

passion for evei)'Onc and e\·erything he works with. He's created an organization

speaking their mind about team players

and an environment that rcne.:rs his personal values and beliefs, a place where

victol)' over the ew York Giants. Today, Richardson, along \\'ith the late George Halas, is one of only two NFL owners to

111

a business 'cuing, it

Colts and is known for catch ing a touch-

issue to Richardson, who personally receives letters and e-maL, as well as conducts annual surveys. ''Fans tell me right

ever ha\"C played

the League.

and tactics," he says. Richardson recently received a heated

C\'et)' far or employee feels at home \vith

e-mail from one avid game-going fan in

the Panthers. We all strive to meet the

Columbia, S.C. "She wrote saying how

standard3 he sets- v.hich are high- but

to begin a successful 30-year career in

unhappy she was with the team and wit!:

he is a great leader and a prec sc commu-

business as CI.:O of Flagstar Companies,

nicator and people arc drawn to him and

a restauram empire he co-founded in

me. She said she was just

disg:ust~d

greater charlotte biz

and

111

After his two-year stint in the pros, Richardson used his $),500 playoff check

september 2002 23

1961 and took public on the New York Stock Exchange. Although Richardson stepped down and sold out of the business in 1985, he still owns 50 percent of a business in Raleigh that operates 30 Bojangles restaurants in the area. With his children grown and his career "complete ," Jerry Richardson relented to his passion for football and began making his ultimate dream of landing an FL expansion team in the Carolinas into a reality "During my career I'd built a $3 billion business and taken it public; it was time to get back to what l enjoy most football- and to make a substantial contribution to it if possible. We had seen how difficult the competition was to get the NBA to come to Charlotte, but we also saw how it cmiched the community and how commiued the fans were. We really felt we could get an FL team for the Carolinas." His quest was driven in pan by a desire to give back to the community, suggests Mark Richardson. "Besides his passion for the game, I think my father saw this as an opportunity to give something back to the people of the Carolinas who had shown him support throughout the years," he says. "He also saw it as an opportunity to provide a major asset to the Carolinas, something that perhaps no one else would have been able to accomplish. " In the summer of 1987, Richardson and his son, Mark, along with NationsBank Chairman High McColl, Jr. , attorney Richard Thigpen, Jr., and John Lewis of Arthur Andersen, met in Charlotte to discuss the possibility of entering a bid for an FL franchise. With the marketing genius of Max Muhleman providing nationwide attention, the ownership group overcame repeated hurdles to obtain the franchise six and a half years later. One of the first orders of business was to choose a stadium site for the privatelyfinanced $200 million facility that would seat 70,000 fans. Richardson felt strongly that it should be a "Carolinas" team. "We wanted the people of both North and South Carolina to feel an ownership of the team and we narrowed it to two locations in North Carolina and two locations in South Carolina. Ultimately we chose Charlotte as having the greatest potential , being in close proximity to South Carolina 24

september 2002

fans. " To further provide South Carolinians a sense of ownership, the team holds training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg during the preseason. Richardson's partners, Richardson Sports Limited Partners (cllb/a Carolina Panthers), consisted originally or 12 members and has now grown to 18. John Belk, chairman and CEO of Belk, Inc. , is one of 18 parmers in the organization. He believes Richardson has provided the community with a great asset and provides outstanding community support. "We think he's a very honorable man and we were one of his first supporters even before he ever brought the team here," says Belk. "We think a lot of his ability -he's smart in business and has played the game himself. We congratulate him on bringing the team here."

Learning from History Richardson describes the first six seasons as a "learning process" in which he learned many things from what he considers to be major mistakes. "In the beginning we wanted to win and win quickly," he admits. "We didn't really understand the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the salary cap, and gave up too much currency by being too aggressive with signing free agents. But we wanted to present the best FL football team as we could. And we did." Indeed, the team made NFL history with an impressive 7-9 record its inaugural season and advanced to the NFC Championship Game during its second season. The team's success, however, has slowed over the ensuing years. "When you make big mistakes, you pay for it," declares Richardson. "Last year's season was just a nightmare," he says ruefully, recalling the team's losing streak, including four games lost during the final play of the game. After going through two head coaches , the Panthers' organization had begun to lose its energy and fans had become increasingly disappointed Although nearly 90 percent of stadium seats were sold in advance, the Panthers were increasingly playing to half-full stadiums - a real sore spot for Richardson. "It's very disappointing to me when the fans don't want to come see the

games. We try to provide a top-notch environment and we want them to have a team they are proud of and enjoy watching. But, as they've told us , it's not fun when the team's not winning, especially if they've traveled a long distance to get here. "

New Season, New Beginning As the nation's #1 spectator sport kicks off a new season this month , Richardson is more intent than ever on rebuilding the franchise organization to move beyond last season's dismal record and redeem itself as one of the leading NFL franchises . With a new coaching staff, the addition of several enthusiastic young players, a general manager appointment and a re-energized organization, Richardson believes the fans are in for a long-awaited treat. "I will be just shocked if the fans cannot feel the new level of energy in this team the moment they walk into the stadium," says Richardson. Richardson has taken more care this time around in the search for new personnel, seeking advice from others in the industry and conducting a more extensive interview process. "When we hired George Seifert, a veteran coach with a notable winning record , we thought it was the best way to quickly generate a winning season. But it's one thing to generate success and another to sustain success. This time we wanted to get things right from the start, because if you are learning from your mistakes, you should do things better the next time around." "We wanted someone who was very competent and had a high energy level;' says Richardson, who believes he has found the perfect coach for the Panthers in john Fox. Fox, the former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, came with glowing recommendations from Wellington Mara, owner of the Giants, and is known for his ability to energize and motivate his players. " ! believe john is the best coach for us," says Richardson . "He has an exceptional coaching staff, he's experienced with coaching different levels of players, and he has an engaging personality. l believe having john on board will be the

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greatest icpetus to I::Jl:ing

winnirg

team, boO::t.ing t~ e OJB<.Lz:uion's spirit a:1d re-energizing our fam:.·• Likewise, Fo:< V..Gt3 :'.B•'I::l D the Panthers crganizaioo ty R.du::cson's rqutation as a ::Jp-rotch o\\-=--:-, a nan 'F... Commiss:.: r.er Prul 8gl:al::re c.escril::es with words s..1ch 3S "ccdi.i::l' , ":egacy" and "integrity " ')ert} :Z.char:i~cr_ c~ fom a grec.t tradition ,..._ :·ootb:lll. HE ::·.c.~d for ar: owner, Carroll Rc·s.::n'll·X In :Jf the Baltimore Cdts, vho u:-~ooc. tha a !Ek had tc be a team's goals on and :if legacy in :he corrmu::ti::, P.rd al::ove 311, he brings the hl_5hes: .evd o ~ ittEgrity tc whatever ·-:e :loe~,'- sc-y-s Ta~al::ue. "v.!hcn we have ow::ershp rr:e::~:-::-.g.> :J.H senlor staff knov...s :1at "Vhalj ... r;y 3 g:Jing to contribute is not in De s.J ,--T_te-esr of th~

tre

Panthers x br h..s c·vr. OJg~.:Ko , but is what is ri~:,~ for !--.:: ·1FL a:.c llOre importan:Jy, for :1.e R IffilS. "That is v-ha~ we ned toJ s:::i\-e br througho.t. the e:11irE Lee.~," Taglioi:ue adds. "We need the f:-a1•:::h .S2~ :o recogn:.ze that tradi:b-_is pa ~t nf wm.r ties genera-

tions tq;etle~ and what ties people together. Ani :cga::y is a very important part of the s-:xxts v.-orld. " '1. th_nk _-erry Richardson is a very wise man.' c.g-ees Fox, "I think he likes a positive ffi\'ironment and has a lot of character as an •YA'leL He's very solid in his beliefs. He b ught tte team for different reasons than rm.ny o: the other owners who buy a team rre~ely for a hobby He has a great loyal;' tc the region, and hes played football md :.md ~ rstands the game. This man bougt.t a team and put it where he wanted it. Tbr5 im.Jressive. " f:J.<. :~lso shares Richardson$ desire to get 1»:::-< on the winning track. "One thing I tole. hem is that we have a great owner, a great cit-y to recruit players to, and a great stadi:..nn,' sc.ys Fox. "Theres really no reason why wr: : an't win. If we make good soun:: :lecisons and stay on course, its just c. DEtter of time to bring this thing to when: -Ne wc.nt il to be- at the top."

Maldn~ Gaod with the Fans Allluugh the Panther organization has been snc:e~ul in renewing 96 percent of

season tickets for the upcoming season, it took more convincing this year than in the past. "We had more staff working on it and we reached out to more businesses and more people in outlying areas of the city" admits Richardson. "After last season it definitely took more convincing, but [ guess their positive response is an indication that they have confidence in us." So far, fans do seem to be responding enthusiastically, attending training camp sessions and special events. About 1,200 people showed up for the opening day of training camp, more than 15,000 people attended the Pamhers' Fanfest Day in August, and the stadium was sold out for the Panthers' home pre-season games. 'These figures exceeded all our expectations,'' says Charlie Dayton , the Panthers director of communications. "It is encouraging for us and I think it shows a confidence in what we're doing with the team." The Panthers' marketing group has been promoting Coach Fox heavily, touting his past success and positioning him as the teams energizing source. They've also thrust him into the community, where

We've crossed state--of...the--art with a relaxed state of mind. ith its serene private setting, coloni al design and state-of-the-art technology, it's easy to see why Virgini a C ross in gs Resort is regarded as the Ri chmond area 's pree minent co nfe rence facility. The reso rt fea tures luxuri ous gues t roo ms and suite , elega nt ameniti es and lush ga rdens spread ac ross 20 bea utifully landscaped ac res. For business, over 23,000 qu are fee t of meeting space, three executi ve board rooms and a ballroo m sea ting up ro 350 people are ava ilable. And now that th e property is managed by Benchmark Hospitality, meetings , confe rences and events will be more memorable than eve:.

The true measure of meetings.

B E N CH MARK@ H OS PITA L IT Y

1000 Virginia CentEr Parkway, Glen Allen, VA 23059 804.727. 1400 . 888. 444 .6553 wWtV .virginiacrossingsresort.com J5 m inu~ from dou..ntown Richmond , 15 mrles from RIChnwnd lnrenuuional An·porr

greate r

cha~

o:te ::•i:::

s e pte m b e r 2 0 0 2 25

\Vith them is outstanding," says john Belk.

fans can get up close and personal. Dt:Iing

decsK.on aimed at imprm'ing bn relations.

tra ning cam"J, r ox took lime to sch 110:1:::c

"WE

with fans, gt\'C upbeat speeches. anci s:gn

not acxessible to the com11unit) ... explains

autographs- rersonally thanking pcop'c

RichrJson. "So in addiuon to all the cur-

relationship wtth the community. lies

for their support. "The fans hm·c been very supporiv;:

rent wmmunity aeti\'lties we do with the

done an excellem job on that."

anc.l thats what is so great about our ?3ll12

point to have john, as well as Marty

being Improved to better serve the fans .

[wty year is

lluney, our general manager, and the

"When we built the stadium we spent

new season and thcres al'..la,·s

h:n e gotten feedback that we were

playe-s and cheerleaders, we\·e made it a

"He really has a connection \\ith fans and has bent over backwards to keep up his

Even the stadium facility is continually

a new reason for optimism," says Fox

othtr coaches and execut \'CS, out in the

more money on liLLie details that vve

"0 Jviously, l<:st year was a \·ery chsappomt-

publi• \"'here people can 11eet them, talk

believe make a difference to people and

inf season, bnt the fans are back and .he -c

with them one-on-one."

create a posill\'e frame of mmd and a great

seems to be a nc\\11ess in their energr" Th1s personal approach is a conseic•Lh

" cr ·y is the from runner between the

fans ,.-d the players and his relationship

cm1ronment for football," says Richardson, beaming as he walks out onto the playing field. "No matter how many times I come out here, l still get a jolt from it," he says. While g1ving a tour of the facilit), he proudly points out the "details" that not everyone may notice right away, such as the three grand entrances that were built to make sure everyone has an equal feeling of importance when entering the faCility, the way each scat is perfectly angled to directly face the playing field, and how many plants and trees indigenous to the Carolinas make up the perfectly manicured landscape around the stadium. "When the landscape architect told us pine trees were not suitable for our landscapmg, we told him they arc a "Jorth Carolma tree and we want them ," Richardson asserts. fhc Panthers stadium is so admired

by the NIL and 'FL owners across the country that Rtchardson serves as Chaim1an of the Nfl Stadium Committee, which explores future consuuction of stadium sites in other cities. lie also scr\·es as a member of the NFL Business Ventures and Legtslauvc Committees. For Richardson. making the experience positive and memorable for fans can mean anything from adding more benches to the indoor ramps for people who need to rest on their way to the upper decks, to building an extra-wide concourse so parents with small children can navigate safel7 through thick crowds. "As owner of the team I take the responsibility very personally and uy to respond to the needs of the fans as much as possible. Thts game and this stadium arc here for everyone lO enJO}."

biz

Lynda A Stadler IS a Charlotte-based freelance wnter 26

september 2002

greater charlotte biz

WHAT IS MODERN LUIURY?

THE. WEST CH

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"Maxlmem •f

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Knauff Ins urance Agency, Inc. d/ b/ a Kna uff Insurance, Inc. CEO: Skip Knauff Employees: 40+ 1001 Morehead Square Drive, Suite 400; P.O. Box 33789; Charlotte, N.C. 28233路3789 704-375-8000/800- 849-8008 www.knauffins.com

ca;e~

jacobus

Prov· ing a S·ng e So for Risk ransfer

Brokering Re ationships bernreen Su pliers an Customers Nineteen) cars a;?,o when Skip

-~nauff

joined the i1surooce firm his fmher Eill started in

69, thad six emp oyees.

r.oks. Five dL>i.sions del ;er business ~"ld

.0"1;?-·e:rrr

JJSi:les;; ::: b ic1o_1iJs. Th -:'

personal insL ranee cove ·age as we. I as

.:nc:.•urag~

clients o ~-..;n .•n fc-c. m.ru-

employee bnefits, sure.y l:onds, :md

m_n C•f three :·ears. Thio ex-:erded reno_ J.IIOIV3 their broke ·s tc esrathsh and ::uik

Today, it h;;s mole than forty Curren .. y on

financial plarning. The "llajority cf the

track to grew at 21 to 23 percent a y=ar,

company:S business is io the Caro ·nas and

pn;oml -:;: bticnshi ~·~ h.:o t ere :n the -,ear

Knauff lnsuancc also enjoys a 98 per::ent

r~:mes partic.Jlarly to ti-e construction

-.f ::::naJff:s business :a, !e.. T-e:i - brok::t-s ~

client reteiLion nte. And the C<)mpany just

in:lusu;~ manufacturing. distributiJn and

l•J

moved intc a ne"V 13,000-squae-foct

service prO\iJers.

facility, doLbling its previous amounl of

"When "Ve first COle into CC•:l.tXt ,. th a business owner we usual y are

hy ,isi iiL.,job •ites ax! tcu ;n_?; act:rie; Th::, tJke _he time .lS 'Ve·· }ZU LJ ~

office spac:. "We've grov.n way beyond a · teleotyp-

responding o a panicr:lar problem Jr

ical family Jus in ~ss," says Skip KnauiT,

1isk. We fous on that wnccrn and find

who officia.ly to:Jk over the rehs of the

coverage thzt matches -heir neec.s. Once

business from hi- father in 19~5. "AO of

that is resohed and after we ha\'<: eo.tab-

our broker; havt a vested interest in the

lished a sen:e of trust ,vith our c·ients,

business. '...!e ha-e actually beome a very

we seek to examine th...ir ~ mire -isk port-

big extend.-d family "

folio and loc•k for wayo to reduc .:: their

Knauff lnsu ance is licensed :n ~8

overall costo: and save mo:-~ey wh~n possi-

states, but t:S or y office is the fourtii floor

ble" says Sk p. "We enJ up hanc.lir ,! all

of a new six-story building on East

tr_eir insuraace needs.

Morehead :itreeL tucked in bet-.veen Tryon

t!-_e 'go

and South Boulevard. From t~ effie: windows ther;: is a beautiful 'iew :.f Ericcson Stadium aud the skyline cf do-.vntoV'TI Charlotte . There are no brand- o~Ticcs;

all come

to'

we enjoy being

company. Y..:. like rna <:ing it

to~ther. "

The sec-et to succ.ss, says Skip, is treating each business -c lationshp individually. " _really lis 2 n to leam a1d

however, t 1eir lxokers ha'le the flexiJility

u:J.derstand :Jur client's needs ," he sJys. "

to go after the br:st clients wherever _:tey are located

We visit eac"l location md study th .=:ir o erations LJ ascertair h(lw we :an help

Knau -lnsu ·ance star:ed cut as

them. 'vVe fhd out what th ey w~nt

_::J

provider o- proj:erty/casualty hsurance

protect. Thrn we help them ma <e Lhe

and services. It - as grown intc a full serv-

right decisic·ns as they grow."

ice

insura ~ce

br·Jker that cove-.; all types o£

greater chc.rlotte biz

The conpany plac::s an empnas son

-: 1:JN ~ch

and

C\"o::)'

lx1sT..::ss cu- ou-c-

:ny :::.-..::r;;~eojge ~ b:.:: >bout :he chen's :·usir:e:S md

-J.OW

i: ::>pera _es

~nc

ho'V

. ch~s. ' \'-e t=.k: a creat::ve approach r.:;

t..::J b ~

they can protect their companies from

li~tentn;; to th~ir

claims. With rates rising, the insured and

clients to anticipate

: Lent o~ ~s . ~e~ing

- ow·= •::an ~? :osts lov.·," s>ys 5kip. "\Ve :.; -- ~ t.'-IE t.::.- e :o help o::acl·. anc e·;ny •:::Ustc :r..: r. Vve ,\·Jn: t:lem

h- ppy t.:: rEspond and are constantly

cor:fice:1t

·"tat 1"10::' ue §:.: t ir-f : he tight :ov-erc..ge at a : oo: o::ti:iv= ::·::cf .~

Fr3u:I seo: <.s cc cliet:s who wa::tt tc .!I·J'N a.:ld be:n::.- e r:>Jre 8.1J:ce:sfL1. :t loo -~ 'o:.- thf 'c.b::>"' _ ::t''e~ compar.y" that will :Jfpre .;.te tl-.~ tenefi :s and va ue o: the

the carrier want -o maintain protection

WlL e :<nauff's primary responsibility .s to

t ~_fir

client , they realize it is impor-

and reduce costs " Nevertheless, when the unfortunate

:nt to :::- ainn r. healthy relationships

happens and a claim needs to be filed ,

·mth th ~ i.nsurJnce carriers. As one of

Knauff is there to help the client. "We're

:he fe·,v .nge h:iependent insurance

involved from the first phone call ," says

shops .. dt, Knauff has managed to avoid

Skip. "If a building burns down, we help

acquio.it.o:ls md mergers , which have

to examine the cause and establish a plan

swallc">~d

to avoid its recurrence. We help determine

·1p so many of its counterparts

m anc ~roWld Charlotte in recent years.

"Ov-: :el.a .b:1.ships with carriers are

who is going to d J the demolition or repair and what to do while construction is

:mg- e:-:n retr:..: n~l-..p Koc..uff .s seeking.

'Jery im::= ort3.r:t," says Steve Santee, genera

going on. We help decide if the company

> tri~

manage ~ 31.

should rent space or put a warehouse

_ tc L"lt · ·u-ee-year r::la:ior.shlp tha:

Knauff. "Our sales force has to

=·~c..t: T ':no:ouwges i..;

a can:prehe:~o ive ::nterr ' ud1. ,- f irs-...rance necrls. Of:.::n,

ur..ders:md the products they're selling. "

use. Our goal is to get the client back

\i\.1Y-:J Sanree joined Knauff in 1999,

operating at full capacity as quickly as

:<:nau T ~1 c_s;c._vcr unccvered ent.ties or

he hac se'\·e::n::w years experience manag-

rsks- ·or e?.amplc , .nth:: ·:as:: of c. large

tng the distribuuon of a national insurancE

In the case oi workers' compensation

nunuf=-: tLring cJnpny, one -3.ci.il) of fi·;.::

: ompm:: or. the supplier side. In addition

claims , Knauff's inside claims department

to han::Ung ti-e Knauff's internal affairs, he

investigates claims thoroughly to deter-

is ~he m~i:n contact person with the insur-

mine what happened and why in order

fi:mt= -.,c.o

fc·~-d to

unbsL ~eci. _A_s

tesult _"l~ au± . 51·:E ~ the i:::lsured a cb r ;:,;::!

c :::-.r lee sumrury cf :~eeds c:m d a

11rec~

::f tl-e a:.jus:mems the..: might ned

possible."

to avoid further hjuries and claims. It

:m:e car=lErs.

"Th:: perfo-mance we deliver for the

also works direct: y with injured employ-

:arri.er:; -ve represent is Ciitical," he says.

ees , employers ard doctors to make sure

'VI'e cmi bun any bridges with them. -VV:.1ile w:- eed tJ put the clients' needs

the proper care is given and paid for.

·irst, v.e ;;l;c l-..<Ne to provide client infor-

the coverage and protection ," says Skip .

;;:c:ior: :1. :.ight ·=· r.s:bg pnmhn:s c..r.d

llc..tior. t:o : arrieG accurately so they can

"When a claim is made, it's show time

"J ar. ~ c .: st ?::: .3 . ~ :: me : l.ems rna·; ask ::::nau] o ,;hq _ e:ir insu rmcc v.ith :;e-v-

"Jredict J=o-otic..l losses. "

here. Our job is

to be !'lEd: . l::rtluff c. ~ :J 3.C\i3es ~ cl~ent J f : an;;e:. :n t : e

hsu--::~nce

::h~ C Cl ::lC\'f

,- p a -ene"'- ] J:lan • f

oar:<et. : t

heir: ~

e-ul irsm;;;nce corr:pmies; other~ \<rc-.:11 t: stav ..,._:h -~~ - CL rem careers unless

Ski]: :;ays the choice of diem affects the rebt.o"lshtp with the carrier. "We p rotec U:e

ca ~ri~r

"You pay insurance premivms for

perform and serve

as a conduit of ccmmunication between the insured and t'1e insurance compa-

by bringing high-qual-

nies. Every study shows that early action

calt ~.;r i n.ss b ~ mc·•: .ng t:J a c.ifferent

i:y cust::oers tJ the table ," he says. c\i\.'e're .G:Jkmg f:Jr insurance buyers who

is the key to succ~ ssful claims resolution. We know the pro : ess and we know our

j - ~ur::r :e

want t•::

t- o::re .s a:1 o:: p ..•-tLn:ty to ~ake :;i~f corrpan:'- :<nauE br:Jk _rs ::.re

~· t

d()'F!l and talk about how

clients' needs.

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Providing a high level of service is a way to maintain client loyalty and therefore achieve long-term growth. Knauff provides educational seminars as another tool to build a long-term client relationship. For the past five years Knauff has hosted seminars for audiences that range from 50 to 150. While they began as a service to existing clients, the seminars have become an effective marketing tool for prospective clients as well. A recent seminar topic was Healthcare Problems and Solutions. The program was held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Club and included a free buffet lunch. Two guest speakers covered topics such as reducing medical claim costs and using technology to define benefit planning. "The seminars are one way to say 'We appreciate you' to our insureds," says Skip. "It also emphasizes that our goal is to educate our clients and help them succeed." Because the emphasis at Knauff is on personal service, and the company's success rests on the broker's ability to discover and meet the client's objectives, the brokers/ salesmen are very important. Knauff actively searches for employees who have a sense of compassion, a desire to succeed, and persistence in helping others. "When we see someone who is exceptional, we find a place for him, because exceptional people are hard to find, " says Skip. "The best compliment comes from a client who remarks, 'I enjoyed working with him.' That tells us the client knows they're being taken care of and that we have a commitment to serve them." The biggest challenge Knauff faces is to please both the insured and the insurance underwriter at the same time. While their first allegiance is to the insurance buyer, Knauff also works with the carrier to help them understand their job is to pay claims and that it is to their advantage to do so quickly "A claim can go one of two ways," says Skip. "It can be a nightmare or it can be the best advertising any of us could have. If we can work with the carrier to bring the client the best possible solution, we're making everyone happy" As one of the largest independent insurance brokerage houses around,

greater charlotte biz

Knauff is able to compete with the larger national firms because it works so hard on building long-term personal relationships with its clients. lL also competes well \vith the smaller independents because they often don't have access to all the insurance carriers with which Knauff has developed relationships. Santee has seen Knauff grow from 19 employees to over 40 in four years. He believes Knauff is positioned perfectly to balance the relationship with the client and the carrier. "It doesn't mauer if you have great customer service, if you don't have the suppliers," he says. "A lot of smaller agencies are so busy trying to meet the bottom line that they're selling all the time. They don't have time to build relationships with the client and carriers. Big brokers sometimes forget to sell. We can do it all. " Bill Knauff says that service has been the bottom line for the company since he founded it and it's the reason for its success. "As the business climate has gotten tougher, everyone is looking at cost figures daily," says Bill Knauff. "We've refused to cut back in services. We've continued to add claims people. You've got to spend the money to do the service to attract the business. " Bill, who was once president and chairman of the board , turned the business over to Skip in 1995. Although he now carries the simple title of "salesman," he said it was a good move for the company 'The younger generation of management has attracted younger producers," he says. 'The people who come on board now see a real long future with the company There is good harmony in the agency Everyone enjoys working together. " Santee says Bill had a vision and Skip has grown it. He also believes it will continue to grow because the company is dedicated to hiring the right individual sales people and talented inside support staff. "We're growing by hiring the right mix of knowledge and sales skills," Santee says. "We're all young here . Our better days are ahead of us. " biz

Casey jacobus is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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lodwille, Ky. Nc:tiolc:. ll•t: O\:er 1.DOD Charlotte: 21 'lay "'Jidely, iiiJd h3Ve dropped fi rm-widea:lproximate!lt 15 percent smce t•l!! ITalk:t h~hS •:Jf 19~9 and earlt 2000. •u: 11e : onpall!i nas remainedJProfil3:lls. 592~ Ca11Egie Bcmlev:nd; First floor; Charlotte. rt.C . 13209 . Charlotte phone n.Jnbel: 704~56-9000

des designed t:::•

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The J~:1efL. t...'1 irFes o::s of th s approach is obuus, b_. it has b~ref s for inves: ment :xdesicra·s, to ~· - lm instance. -lilli- -e. l.,Jcr- ha3 a]V~.:~·;s u>.:d tl-e oppcr:unir;· c klp cl~nts ~ :;E::>-:e11ber 2CO~

understand appropriate expectations for their portfolio, and prepare them :c handle-emotionally and financiallythe fallout of a major market downturL The bottom line: Fewer angry ca-ls from frightened clients when Wall Street posts yet another day of losses.. Yes, there have been complaints"more ... in the last year than we've had in the prior seven years ," accordx.g to Pierucki-but far fewer than one might expect.

Betting on Teams

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'llsit o_r webs te, WJW.uncc.edu/conteduc :x- ca 704-61J7- 2424 fOf rrore nklrmati>r on these YO~ ' atnS ard fur a compleÂˇe li~irs of dher pre ;~rams .

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While Hilliard Lyons' century-pluo. antiquity gives it an air of solidity, the firm is far from stodgy. Says Pierucki..., "Change is constant, and if we don't continue to change and mature as a firm, as a branch, as individuals, we won 't be able to keep up. " In addition to the switch from sales to relationship management, the Charlotte branch is keeping up through innovative coLsultative teams. Two major teams-The Hendrick: Group and The Herberg Cox Groupoffer the synergy of complementary skill sets to targeted markets. Each team has its own mission statement and goals , and offers a blend of resources unavailable from any one consultant. The Herberg Cox Group targets high net worth individuals with a conbination of Rick Herberg's detail-oriented analytical insight , and Michael Cox'>market experience and outgoing personality. Between them Herberg and Cox have over 50 years' investment experience. While Cox has been in th:: in vestment busi.ness since the 1982 , Herberg began in the industry in 199::. having a master's degree in engineering and personal investing experience dating to 1971 . Their partnership grew ou_ of conversations at their church , during which they realized that they not only :;hared an interest in investing, but that their skills could leverage off each :>ther. Although The Herberg Cox team Jffers a unique synergy to clients , they 3hare the Hilliard Lyons optimism and :ts commitment to conservative invest-

ment and customer education. Says Cox, "We screen our investments very, very carefully to look in terms of what could go wrong as well as what our upside expectations are. Our goal is to do what's necessary to ensure that our clients accomplish their goals." Herberg adds, "We try to get peopl~ to understand and to anticipate the tyr:e of emotions that they're going to be feeling ... [because] if you've set yourself up with the right process, then it gives you the confidence to avoid erratic behavior and emotional decision making [during down times]." The team's conservative investme:1t approach relies heavily on processes ~o overcome the "enemy" of peoples' ov..-:1 emotions. Says Herberg, "At the top [of the markets] people tend to be very greedy," and at the bottom, "they tend to get fearful." You can tell when you're near the bottom, he says, by the fact that many people are selling their stocks and putting their money in "safe investments" like cash and real estate /'_ disciplined investment process prevents investors from acting on their irrational fear and greed, and keeps them on a prudent and consistent investment track. The other major team at Hilliard Lyons is notable partly for the fact thac the team's principals, Dave Hendricks and Bruce Hendricks, are brothers-but you'd never guess it from looking at them. Lean, red-headed Bruce claims ~o be as different in investment approach from his dark-haired, stocky brother as he is in appearance. Dave's many years in the investment industry integrated with Bruce's analytical approach mean~ better service for clients. And when their approaches clash (and what brotl-_ers don't occasionally clash7)-"We agree to disagree," says Bruce. While The Herberg Cox group focuses primarily on high net worth individuals, the Hendrick's target market is broader. "Young families may not :1ave a lot of money," says Dave, "but _hey may just need a 529 plan and we :an help them with that. " The approach -.:Jays off. even netting unexpected -Nealth at times, like the gentleman

greater charlotte biz

who came tc them looking for just 1 little advice and appearing to have ·:er 1 few assets. He had been turned dovvr.. for assistance at another firm, and o::tethe Hendricks agreed to work with h..n. he revealed that he actually had over a million dollars to invest. Like The Herberg Cox Group, T~l~ Hendricks Group's investment appwc.ch is personalized and places emphasi~ on educating the customer. An additio~l advantage of educated consumers io: that , like others at Hilliard Lyons , the Hendricks' c.ients are, on the whole. handling the plunge in the markets pretty well.

t~ near futur~: "I i..rrugine fiv!' .•ca:s from now w::'Tl h<..ve --..,e \~ [bruches rn the Carolin.ls] ten ye<:n frcr& nJw -vc'll probably hGJ'.e t'Vwt;. " Eu 1e :lc es not expe·:t, r.c- waLt r:i.Jit-c Lynns to become a mniond fim_ ".'\ lot ::>f people really p efe- _o v:>or~ ~ni a :.mailer regieon::ll fi rm;· he :;ay'. -n·..ey

feel like +e:l're going to get a rr ere persJnaltoc.Cl." And the calm, un'V:::tried rersonal Li)LCh -lillia ·d Lyons hJs LO offer is pre :isely what many anxiou> investors re:d ir the current chrrru.:.:. biz Heather freela.xe

H~c.d

is a CharlottE-ba5ed

IM. ;:er

Buying intc the Future The overall lack of anxiety at Hilliard Lyons over the market doW1turn is grounded in the firm's long history and experience with market fluctuations. Founded in 1854 , Hill ard Lyons survived the infamous Black Tuesday market crash of 1929 , as well as many less famous bear markets before and since. The company in its current inca:neltion was inccrporared in 1972 after the merger ir. 1965 of two long-starding investment firms, j.j.B. Hilliard and WL. Lyons. ln 1998 the firm was acquired by PNC Bank out of Pittsburgh , b·Jt maintains its indepcdent identity and management. Based in Kentucky, the company has always bon a regional firm and in 1994, when]::: hn Pierucki took over as branch manag::r in North Carolina, there were only :7 branches in eight states. Since then the number has almost doubled to lOS branches in 16 states. The Caroli:J.ao: have seen similar growth, from two branches in l ;)94, to seven today But unlik;;: much of the '90s gro\<·th bubble, Hillic.rd Lyons' approach ha,. been conservative, allowing them to remain prosp~rous through the hard times. Pierucki.'s approach to openi~ new branches in the Carolinas invoL-es recruiting good financial consultam tale:::t in an area before opening a branch there, so that the revenue stream is established before the office opens. Pierucki expects more growth in

greater charlotte biz

DO YOU •VASTE VALUABLE TIIV E INTERVIEWING lNAPPROPRIATE CANDIDATES? WE CAN HELP.

s2ptember 20:2 35

-----------------------------~-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

iz l 1 by andrea oope-

The Duke Mansion vVhere El :'!ga lee Meets Busirress When the American Institute of Architects (AlA) held its national convention in Charlotte earlier this year,AIA chancellors gathered for their annual luncheon at a regal spot, once private, but now open to the public; a former home where many of North Carolina's lasting legacies, including Duke University, the Duke Endowment, and Duke Energy Company, took shape. That place is The Duke Mansion

, once known

as White Oaks. On the National Register of Historic Places, the mansion can be booked for strategic planning sessions, board meetings for up to 60 people, and special events for up to 300. The mansion also features 20 overnight rooms available for the business or leisure traveler. Originally built circa 191 5 by Zeb Taylor in the newly created Myers Park neighborhood, and made famous by former owner James Buchanan Duke, the mansion, now operated by a non-profit organization, remains one of the state's finest examples of Colonial Revival architecture. Jim Lawler, vice chancellor of the AlA's College of Fellows, said he chose the mansion for his colleagues because, "I wanted to get them out of a hotel/meeting room kind of atmosphere and bring them to an elegant place with a notable architectural setting." That sentiment is widely shared. Companies that meet or hold events at The Duke Mansion read like a Who's Who of Charlotte business, including Bank of America, Wachovia, Duke Energy, and Merck Pharmaceuticals. A few years ago, National Gypsum Co. housed clients at the mansion and flew them to Pinehurst fo r the U.S. Open.

Saved From a Future as Condos In some ways , it's amazing anyone can hold an event at The Duke Mansion, given the home's challenging history. In 1919,

septEmber 2002

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eorth Crolim err:rep: n:ur jaT~s E. • 3•ck' CLke prcmse:l it a1d trif edits

=7. ~

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oa<nr times, ard w ;os e.'en owne:l by The J..rior le3.5ue. Jn ~~-=late 70s a ~i:n

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'1&~. P, cl::.and =•ee Raj. -::h"'r owners o" the ~pcrts me~ia comp::n~

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res~otAti:n pr::>:E:ss.ft,;

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eic•rt to resolv= thE fat: of this archite•:tura J ~, m~

Rays ;old it to ti-e nan-p-::>fit

::-ITV~ood r ee:i~s

Fou•dat Jn. M-lit:l- oJen=d it to

:nd o:hert:cor.:or::tte everts ir

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He non-profrt

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an:,. istcri: lan::lma-k."

TI-e Duke "an=:ioo ro·.., attrc.= re-:1 in.~

and e>ent!= frorr thro_ghcct

Ca -::·liras. "f yo _'re p arr;ng a n::tre::tt,

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get :;'Olr

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awar --om nor-

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roe.-' way,' :>at:erSDi :~E. "Creati•g s~paratio•

frcn y:> Jr P-gular envi-on-

rre•t sCITlE!:ime:; heos dn:. p-cce;s.' Patter~n ,

c :OrTIE:r C - lrlor.te ·: ty

c: m::il member ·NI-c>

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e-pe-ien::.:! as a coq: orcte neeting p lan1er, bi'li:!"'e: t h ;, lust-res:: of tbesurTourdings d>e:rgLishes thE xcpert}.' Mam pL:::es

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greater 路: harlotte biz

and luxurious. The quality of the food and service make being here hassle free and

What's the cost for this luxury? For

very intimate.The intimacy really lends itself

including all meals and beverages, the

to making a meaningful meeting."

space, and audio/visual services. Day-long

The mansion goes a step beyond by

meeting plus dinner and overnight accom-

offering conference-planning help. An on-

modations is $347 per person per night.

staff planner can recommend facilitators to

The mansion is available for half-day meet-

help visiting groups accomplish their goals.

ings. Non-profit organizations receive a

The planner can also suggest specialized

break in the price.

equipment to make a meeting run more

Those desiring the ultimate in seclu-

smoothly, or offer other ways to improve

sion can book a "pr ivacy rental." For

the look and feel of an event.

$8,000 per day, your company can be guar-

Foundation For The Carolinas is a regu-

anteed that no other guests will be on the

lar client. Associate vice president Sara

property during your stay. The fee includes

Collins has booked the mansion for staff

all 20 guestrooms, three meals, use of all

and board retreats, and for a donors recep-

meeting spaces, basic AIV equipment, and

tion. She cites the accessible Myers Park

service charges. Who selects such a posh

location and attentive staff as key benefits.

arrangement? Typically, it's companies with

"It's an impressive facility," she says. "The

something confidential to discuss; merger-

grounds are beautifui.The interiors are

and acquisition , buyout talks, choosing a

beautiful. It's a great spot to hold a retreat,

new chairman, or planning a new product.

when you 're generally having some heavyduty conversations."

the mansion during race week, for example,

Interspersed with places to relax, the

using it as a base for entertaining clients.

mansion's ornate public rooms have been

To round out the offerings, the man-

transformed into comfortable conference

sion is also open as a bed-and-breakfast. It

spaces.The living room spans I ,460 square

appeals to tourists and locals looking for a

feet, with 14-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling

romantic weekend getaway, or a place to

windows, and ergonomically designed

house friends and fam ily in style. Rates

chairs. Presentation equipment includes a

range from $1 59 to $229 pe r night.

public address system, LCD projector with

tising, depending instead on word-of-mouth

and a projection screen.A solarium offers a

and referrals from colleagues. "It provides

light-filled space for break-out sessions.

a unique venue and a classic, gracious

~3n<:g~ rrErt newslett E~ 1 ~ 3nEJ:lBTEn: 3nc hurre1 ""830l.J'C2S 7:'1 nln;J

Canp.r3" tr:: ninJ '.'13gEs, be· et-:s 3nd Jricie~ te1chrsr< :;[J-ve;s Pcyrol ard ]Elefts a:Ui - ist"'EtKJ1 :lr.:Jfe3sonal "1..11Til1 re3JU'c: :msL.ltflg ::rr::: oLtso[Jrlir ;J

heE1111 ID!fi!I'S As511 : 3ftion 3020\VFS. ~j RE n~o:;;:: , N: 28273 7=4 -522-801' NVIJIU

ll!*yersan-. ton

Southern setting which will be memorable

designed with fine furnishings and antiques.

to anyone we refer," says Margaret Barr,

That was part of the fun for physicians with

director of sales and marketing for The

the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle

Park Hotel. "We host many high-end groups

Society, who stayed at the mansion while

just as The Duke Mansion does, and guests

studying at Carolinas Medical Center. "They

often ask for other places which will give

loved it. They went from room to room ,

them the flavor of our city.The Duke

asking each other, 'What does your room

Mansion is the first place we think of to

look like?"' says the Society's Kathleen

refer."

Shepard.

-iLmcn rt*c. ·ce ad\·ice hot ine

The mansion hasn 't done much adver-

separate amplification, podium, microphones

Guest bedrooms are individually

• • • • • • •

Mansion sales director Debbie Taylor says companies also choose the privacy rental for entertaining. A firm might rent

20th Century Meets 21st

Tl. e:

an all-day meeting, it's $1 I 5 per person,

Rosemary Wyche, vice president of

Standard amenities include sumptuous

development for North Carolinians for

linens and robes, personal voice mail and a

Business and Industry in Raleigh , is one

dedicated data port for laptop e-mail

Duke Mansion client who's glad this grand

access. While a fitness studio is on site,

edifice was rescued. "You feel like you're

many guests jog or stroll the grounds and

entertaining in your own home, and that's

neighborhood. Restaurants, shops and The

what makes it so appealing."

biz

Manor Theater are within walking distance. Charlotte's skyscrapers are about five minutes away; the airport, about ten miles.

gr e a t er char lotte b iz

Andrea Cooper is a Charlotte-based freelance wnter.

;-op t e m ber 2 C0 2 39

[bizdigest]

bits

is active in retail, office, industrial, multi -

july Convention Sales Are the Highest in Recent History

Capital Strategies, a full-service public

family and single-family residential real

relations, public affairs and marketing firm,

estate, land development and general

Visit Charlotte (formerly the Charlotte

has acqu ired Burney Design, one of the

contracting.

Convention & Visitors Bureau) reports good

largest graphic design and Internet communications fi rms in North Carolina.

Founded in 1969 and also based in Charlotte, Faison is one of the premier

news amidst economic difficulties -July was one of the highest booking months in

Capital Strategies will now have 55

retail management and development

recent history -

employees and generate about $6 million

companies in the Southeast . . .Charlotte

essentially translates into almost $19 million

Regional Partnership reports that for

in future delegate spending in Charlotte.

in annual net revenue. David Burney, CEO and founder of

the last three years, filmakers have spent

48,496 room nights, which

According to Melvin Tennant, CAE,

Burney Design, will become chief creative

(on average) more than $130 million per

president and CEO ofVisit Charlotte, this is

officer of Capital Strategies and a mem-

year in the 16 county Charlotte USA

the fifth highest month in the history of the

ber of the Capital Strategies Management

region. According to the Partnership,

organization.

Committee.

these are real, hard dollars with no multi-

The combined firm's capabilities

Among the July conventions confirmed

pliers applied, and given that the

are the Entomological Society of America

Partnership's film office operating budget

for annual conferences in both 2008

ment, branding,Web and interactive serv-

is only $200,000, this represents a 650-

and 20 II , and the Society for Information

ices, annual reports and advertising.

to-1 return on investment.

include graphic design , identity develop-

Capital Strategies was founded in

"When it comes to return on

1994, and has offices in Raleigh and

investment, the film industry is a winner

Charlotte. Burney Design was founded in

for the Charlotte area," says Michael

Display for their 2008 International Symposium. More good news- after three years of discussing, planning and presenting, Visit

1985 . . . Internetwork Engineering

Almond, CRP president and CEO.

Charlotte and the City of Charlotte have

has announced a business expansion and

" Filmaking brings big dollars to our

won the bid for the National League of

the opening of a new Charleston, S.C.,

community, but does not require hiring

area office.The new office will serve as a

any new school teachers, building any

satellite office for the Charlotte, N.C.,

new roads or schools, or running water

corporate headquarters.Additionally,

or sewer lines. And when they finish

Andy Campbell joins the team as the

their work, they leave -generally leav-

regional sales manager for the new

ing th ings better than they found them."

Charleston office as well as Amy

. . . Charlotte-based Sterrett Dymond

Robinson as primary sales support in the

Stewart Advertising was recently

region . . . Crosland and Faison, two of

presented with a Finalist award at the

the Southeast's leading diversified private-

45th annual New York Festivals

ly-held real estate companies, have

International Print and Radio Advertising

announced the sale of Sycamore

Awards.

Commons retail center to Inland Real

The agency won for a Rowan

Estate Acquisitions, Inc. of Oak Brook, Ill.

Regional Medical Center print adver-

and Costco Wholesale Corporation of

t isement.

Issaquah,Wash., for $48.6 million. Located in southeast Charlotte,

For this year's competition, the New York Festivals received over 12,000

Sycamore Commons is a 620,000-square-

entries from 64 countries ... goodmort-

foot retail shopping center. It was devel-

gage.com, a Charlotte-based Internet

oped as a joint venture between

mortgage bank, has been named a "Rising

Crosland, Inc. and Faison Enterprises.

Star" by Deloitte & Touche.

David Lampke of Faison represented the

The Rising Star category is part of

seller, and Steve Sanders of Inland repre-

Deloitte & Touche's Technology Fast SO

sented the buyer.

programs and honors young technology

Founded in 1937, and headquartered

held, diversified real estate companies and

delegate spending, that could mean over $7 million added to our economy in 2005 and during the month of December, historically the slowest in the travel and convention industry.

Peter Max Salute to Patriotism Peter Max, the well known American Pop artist, will be featuring his " Pop to Patriotism" collection at the Wentworth Gallery in Charlotte on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2002, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Max has a long-standing career as the most preeminent Pop artist in America. Charlotteans may remember his vivid colors and bold design on the late Dale Earnhardt's #3 Millenium car.

companies that have experienced signifi-

in Charlotte, Crosland, Inc. is recognized

cant revenue growth, but are not yet eli-

as one of the Southeast's leading privately

gible for the Technology Fast SO.

september 2002

Cities annual conference for 2005. In direct

greater charlotte biz

Dienst Custom Homes Wins HomeArama People's Choice Award This Charlestonstyle home won the "People's Choice Award" at the 2002 Homebuilders Association's HomeArama showcase of homes held in Charlotte's Highgrove community. Built by Dienst Custom Homes, this is the third award-winning home for the company, which has only participated in four HomeAramas.

ew and Improved SBAExpress According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) , newly implemented changes to the SBAExpress pilot loan program will significantly expand the number of lenders participating in the program and increase access to capital for small businesses. In particular, the SBA has implemented program modifications that will allow an estimated 2,400 lenders already delivering other SBA loan products to participate in the SBAExpress program. Many of these are small and rural lenders that serve small businesses in remote areas.As an additional measure, the SBA will open up the program to other lenders across the country experienced in small business lend ing but that have not participated

Blair, fuhle & Whitsitt PLLc Certif.ed Public Accountants

with the SBA.

Alston &: Bird Earns o. 5 Among IP Law Firms Alston & Bird LLP, which has more than half of its intellectual property practice in

• Au1jit a A.ca:JiinJ Se--. ces • Refirell!Jl P:n Cnrrplic: ce. :'. Jesign • Real .:.:tc.te Ot\lelo :~ rr 3rc StrTigies • 1.;&~ - c:nd f..cquls ti :.r Panr ill]

• • • •

Tax Compliance & Planning Comprehensive Tax Review Multi-State Tax Structuring Company Formation Strategies

North Carolina, continues to be recognized for its national preeminence in the field of intellectual property law. In its annual "Who Protects IP America" survey, IP Worldwide magazine ranked Atlanta-based Alston & Bird No. 5

&lck to Baslcs: Relationships, Value, Growth : ·o\\ ..:> ::Jted iL F ~<l2Ke Park at 1-485 and Providence Road D700 :::i ~_es P.a~. ~ .rite : DO • 704.841.8980 • Fax 704.84 1.3958 ~~ .bbwpllc.com

among IP law fims most frequently cited by Fortune 250 companies as the firms they rely on for IP representation .

gr e a te r c h a rlotte b iz

se pt ember

200~

Heod Coc..cl-1 Chuc Amato t'~.C

Speak 3t Charlotte T01.lchdov.'11 Club

ChJc-< Amato cam: h::>-.e t:l f'. C StAite

: he

32nd head co:och in prc>J<Hn h:;t:Jry en

!-5 record. unfortuna:el~ firist-ing in : he '·JC State has wen a lo: cJ ~Tes :he past

fiery at:ituce "r::m waxhing him pay

durin5 the

6C'~.- - a

fi re

vt:o~ al~

evijem

lines ...-hile Fklrid;;. S:ate "101

t~ase

into the national elite coJid bE, ir :h: o'ing

on the s;de-

·,....ith AII-ACC-candidate quart:rbac•. Ft-ilip ~.iver:;

~:e,

14 as assistant he;t:j c:n<h. He h3d dir=ctEd th: defe!l~ive

;o:asons wth young talent. 'Nil:h

atcnal :'tie.

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Take advantage of these products and services from Charlotte's leading business-to-business suppliers. accounting Blair, Bohle & Whitsitt PLLC www.bbwp llc.com architectural

pg. 41

I design firms

Perkins & Will www.perkinswill.com

pg.13

commercial construction services Blythe Development Company

pg. 19

Stocker Associates, Inc. autos

pg. 7

I transportation

Carolina Volkswagen www.carolinavw.net

consulting Pomeroy Consulting Group www.gopcg.com

pg. 9

hospitality Dunhill Hotel www.du nhillhotel.com Virginia Crossings Resort

office equipment pg. 31

www.virginacrossingsresort.com

pg. 25

The Westin Charlotte www.thewestin.com/charlotte

pg. 27

pg. 19

UNC Charlotte Continuing Education www.uncc.edu/ conteduc financial services

pg. 35 pg. 39 pg. 14

pg. 26

eeoc

it I internet services lnfoVision

pg. 41

First Citizens Bank pg. 15

www.firstcitizens.com

South Trust Bank www.southtrust.com

pg. 2

Staton Financial www.billstaton.com

I education pg. 20

pg. 21

pg. 7

pg. 1

Ferguson Bath , Kitchen www.ferguson.com

Lighting Gallery pg. 20

•••

IFC pg. 5

Single Office Space Available for Lease Tyvola Rd./1-77 Area Company has furnished, windowed office (130 sf) available immediately. $450/mon. inclusive. Tete/data wired. 704-676-5850 x 102.

It's Free! Date (Required)

Company Name State

Zip

Fax

0 Wholesale/ Retail Trade

(Please check only one box.) 0 Service

0 Other Businesses

(Please check only one box.) 0 Executive Management (Senior VP, VP, Director, COO, GM, Executive VP)

0 CFO/Financial Management

0 CIO/MISJTechnical Management

0 Business Development

0 Marketing/Sales Management

0 Purchasing

:::J Other (please specify)

Please indicate the annual sales of your organization. 0 Under $1 million

U $1-10 million

0 $251-$500 million

U Over $500 million

(Please check only one box.) 0 $11-25 million 0 $26-$50 million

Please indicate the number of employees in your organization. 0 11-50

LJ 51-100

Please fill out form completely and either . . . 1. Fax

greater charlotte biz

pg. 13

continue to recei ve a free subscription to Greater Charlotte Biz_

Please check the category that best describes your title.

0 Under 10

pg. 8

Targeted Golf www.targetedgolf.com

BellSouth www.bellsouth.com/sma llbusiness

0 Senior Executive Management (Owner, President, CEO, Partner)

Regent ParkGolf Club www.regentparkgolfclub.com

pg. 30

1. The primary business activity of your organization is:

IBC

I entertainment

Cricket Comfortable Wireless www.cricketpro.biz

Signature (Required) Name Street Address City Business Phone

recreation

Webpro.com www.webpro.com

Subscription/Change of Address

0 Manufacturing

Prudential Ca rolinas Realty www.prudentialcharlotte.com

pg. 14

medical Carolinas Medical Center www.carolinashealthcare.org

0 Yes! I wish to receive I 0 Change my address.

pg. 42

www.sandirect.com

pg. 39

Catwalk Communications www.silverhammer.com

pre-press

R. L. Bryan Company www.rlbryan.com

telecommunications

SanDirect.com

legal services Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson www.rbh .com

film production

pg. 38

retail

www.infov.com

www.charlottecdc.com

Techline www.workspacespecialists.com

real estate

www.knauffins.com

pg. 34

pg. 21

office furniture

printing

human resources TrainCharlotte.com www.traincharlotte.com Sedona Staffing Services www.sedonagroup.com The Employers Association www.employersassoc.com The Forum Group www.tttsolutions.com insurance Knauff Insurance, Inc.

education

DTI lntergrated Business Solutions www.dtiibs.com

(Please check only one box.) .J 101-500 .J 501-1 ,000

to Greater Charlotte Biz 704-676-5853

2. Mail

U $51-100 million

0 $101-$250 million

U Over 1,000

to Greater Charlotte Biz 5601 77 Center Dr., Ste. 250 Charlotte, N.C. 28217-0735

3. Go Online and submit. www.greatercharlottebiz.com

s eptember 2002 43

[ontop] Visit Charlotte (formerly the Charlotte Convention & Visitors Bureau) has named Mike Anderson the new national sales manager, Sports Market, for the Char lotte travel and tour ism organization. Anderson will be assuming the responsibilities held previously by Bill McMillan, who recently accepted a position with the Charlotte Regional Sports Commission . Steven H. Ott, professor of Mike Anderson finance , has been named the John Crosland Sr. Distinguished Professor of Real Estate and Development in the Belk College of Business Administration at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The Crosland Distinguished Professorship in Real Estate was established in 1991 by friends and colleagues of developer John Crosland Sr. in recognition of his contributions to the Charlotte region and the real estate industry. Ott, who joined the Belk College faculty in 1999, developed a real estate curriculum which supplements the general MBA program with specialized courses in real estate finance and development to provide students with the educational foundation and skills necessary to become managers and leaders within the real estate industry. Additionally, Ott has organized an advisory board for the Belk College real estate program to provide guidance on curricular and program issues . Fred Klein of Childress Klein Properties chairs the board and Todd Mansfield of Crosland serves as vice chair. Charlotte business leaders Krista Tillman and Matthew Michalewicz have joined the Business Advisory Council of the Belk College of Business Administration at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte . Tillman is president of North Carolina operations at BeiiSouth Corporation , a role she assumed in 2000 after 21 years with the company. She is chair of the North Carolina Business Committee for Education, a director of both the North Carolina Business Council of Management & Development and the North Carolina Telecommunications Industry Association , Inc., and vice chair of Charlotte Center City Partners. She also serves on boards at UNC Wilmington , Communities in Schools and the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Michalewicz is president and CEO of NuTech Solutions , a company he co-founded in 1999. He is a member of the board of advisors of the College of Applied Artificial Intelligence at the Polish-Japanese Institute of Information Technology in Warsaw, Poland and serves on the board of directors of Excavio Systems, Inc. A 1998 graduate of UNC Charlotte, Michalewicz serves on the university's board of advisors for the College of Information Technology. He was named UNC Charlotte's 2002 "Young Alumnus of the Year" and was a Charlotte Chamber " Entrepreneur of the Year" finalist. The Business Advisory Council is a group of business and civic leaders who work with the Belk College of Business to increase its visibility and presence in the community. The council also provides feedback so the college can better serve the com-

september 2002

munity through its curriculum and programming. Members are appointed to a three-year term and can serve two consecutive terms . Johnny Belk, president of Belk Stores Services, is chair of the Business Advisory Council. Crosland , one of the Southeast's leading diversified privately-held real estate companies, has appointed David L. Smith as vice president of construction services for Crosland's Contracting division . Smith will oversee pre-construction services, which include design consultation , estimates and project scheduling. In addition, Smith will collaborate with the other Crosland divisions on the construction of multi-use and mixed-use projects including design review, contractor selection and project coordination. James Carroll , the managing partner of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft's Charlotte office, has been appointed Chair of the Securitization Committee for the American Bar Association's (ABA) Section of Real Property, Probate & Trust Law for the 2002-03 bar year. Carroll had served as vicechair for the Real Estate Securitization Section of the ABA's Real Property division since 1998. James Carroll In his new role , Carroll will guide the committee in addressing the securitization aspect of residential and commercial mortgage lending, including the legal issues affecting the borrower/ lender relationship as a result of the securitization of the financing vehicle. Carroll, a member of Cadwalader's Management Committee , concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate finance and securitization. He also has an active capital markets practice in mortgage loan conduit programs, mortgage pool purchases and sales as well as multiple property and numerous originations of single asset real estate securitizations. Charlotte Checkers owners Felix Sabates and Carl Scheer have announced the addition of Mark Richardson as a minority partner in the East Coast Hockey League team. Richardson joins Steve Luquire (CEO, Luquire George Andrews, Inc.) as a minority owner in the ECHL club. South Carolina businessman Jerry Zucker is also part owner. Richardson is the president of the NFL Carolina Panthers and is a member of the NFL Properties Board of Directors . Colony Homes, L.L.C., the largest privately owned homebuilder in the Southeast and ranked #38 in the nation, has appointed Scott Kavanaugh to area manager for the company's Charlotte division, headquartered in the University Area. Kavanaugh was formerly Area Manager for Colony Homes' Atlanta division, having served previously as a customer service manager and builder. Beth Petty has been named director of film by the Charlotte Regional Partnership. The former project coordinator for the Partnership's film division , Petty is charged with recruiting feature films , commercials and other video productions to the region . Since joining the Partnership in 1998, Petty has been instrumental in bringing several major film projects to the Charlotte area including The Patriot with Mel Gibson and Shallow Hal with Gwyneth Paltrow.

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