AF A
LAS I BLEB S SS TW HA
M M M MINI
M.
CUSTOM BUSINESS BANKINGe These are ju5t a f~:w of : he flexible and money-saving choices available to you with a Custa:rn Business Banki1g accou::1t No -nonthlr maintenar.ce fee wi· h a
Free Business .tAoney .\1arket account
$5.(•00 balar.ce in combined b ·.Biness
Free Online Banking
dep:>sit accountl;
Personal Crown Banling"~1 3Ccount with
Up : o 225 free t-ansactwns pe::- month
no montblv service fee
Stop by a Wzhovia Financial Center tDday, call BOO- 5GG- 3882 II' vistt wac~ovia.com.
WACHOVIA Uncommon Wiscom
f
e
a
t
8
cover story
United Way of Central Carolinas, Inc . In the telecommunications biz, a "gateway" is a network node equipped for interfacing with another network. For United W ay of Central Carolinas, that is an apt description of the way they interface between community resources and community needs.
dfarlotteb•z Keeping Up With Changing Work Fo rce Ski lls in the N ew Economy
-
55
Work Force Development
59
A ccreditatio n and Why It Matters
59
Accreditation A gencies
SIO
The GMAT Entrance Exam
Sll
Financing Your Business Education
512-13
Business Education Chart Degree Abbreviations
514-523 523
Alphabetical Dir ectory of Business Education Offer ings Onl ine Gu ides
publisher's post
4
employers biz
6
Legislative and regulatory highlights ror area employers
biz outlook
14
Carolina Economic Forecast: State economy, jobs outlook unproving, but increased energy costs may take toll
biz resource guide
52
United Mailing Service, Inc. Filling a need by filling mailboxes, United Mailing Service delivers over
on the cover: Gloria Pace King, President, Umtcd Way of Central Carolinas, Inc.
20 years of experience getting the message out
Skydive C arolina, Inc. Jumping from an airplane 14,000 feet above the earth, falling at 120 miles
Photography by Wayne Manis.
per hour, and opening a parachute at 3,000 feet was so addictive, Danny Smith made it his business.
july 2004
cllaflotte iz greater charlotte biz
(Front) Charlie Tew and Mike G riffin , Southern Pump & Tank; (Back) Mike Monk and Andrew C hambers, Scott Insurance
"We want Scott Insurance to become more involved with our company to improve safety and lower costs." - Charlie Tew, President , Southern Pump & Tank "Mike Monk , Andrew C hambers and Scott Insurance are very proactive in offering new, strong ideas to South ern Pump & Tank on risk manage ment issues. Their focus on im proving safety, loss preve ntion and cla ims manage ment will actu all y lower our dependency on insurance - those are the idea we like to hea r. In just a short time, we've seen their creati vity in solving safety and cost issues. In fac t, they've already bee n instrum ental in
INSURANCE
getting olde r cla ims resolved. Mike, A ndrew and cott made a real difference for us, and I believe they can he lp your company too."
scottins.com
Find out how you ca n benefit from the knowledge and service Scott In urance ca n prov ide. Call Mi ke Monk or A ndrew C hambers today in
INSURAN
ha rlotte at (704) 556- l 4 1.
E, BENEF I TS, BONDS A ' D F I NANC I AL MANAGEMENT
NORTH CA R\)LINA. VIRGINIA. TENNESSEE
CA I'TII'E INSURANC E POM IU LES IN
RE R ~I IJDA
AND GRAND CAYMAN
[publisher's
st 1
Gracious Praise of Mentors!
clraflotte iz July 2004
Traveling through life, we all witness and learn from
Volume 5 • Issue 7
those we encounter along the way. Parents and teachers are among the first to be mentioned as having an impor-
Publisher
tant influence on our lives. In fact, nearly everyone with
John Paul Galles
whom we come into contact leaves an impression on us in
jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com
one way or another. In the midst of our realm of experience, certain individuals stand out for having made a more substantial impact on our lives. When we have the opportunity
Associate Publisher/Editor Maryl A. Lane
to work with them and learn from them, they become our
maryl.a.lane@greatercharlottebiz.com
mentors. While we can recall how they have affected our lives, we don't often have the opportunity to reflect on the
Creative Director Pau l Bond
sum total of their contributions to our experience. In his eulogy for former President Reagan , former President George Bush remarked,
Account Executives
"As his vice president for eight years, I learned more from Ronald Reagan than from any-
Lynn Mooney
one I en countered in all my years of public life. I learned kindness, we all did. I also
lmooney@greatercharlottebiz.com
learned courage; the nation did." Having spent over 40 years in public service, former President Bush had worked with many talented people. His comment was high praise to
John Patterson jpatterson@greatercharlottebiz.com
his mentor. Locally, we can learn from Billy Wireman as he recalls his experiences working with
Cont ributing Writers
Adolph Rupp, Jack Eckerd, Bill Lee and Hugh McColl. His new book, Lessons from the Bi
Ellison Clary
Guys, is his opportunity to speak about and to heap praise upon four mentors in his life.
Heather Head
Rupp, coach at the University of Kentucky, Eckerd, entrepreneur and founder of Eckerd
Lynn Mooney
stores, Lee of Duke Energy, and McColl of Bank of America, all became important mentors to Billy Wirem an as they worked together on their mutual objectives. Billy describes his enco unters with each of these gentlemen and comments on how they have helped
Contributing Phot ogr aphers Wayne Morris Terry Hopkins
sh ape hi s life, his ambitions and his performance . Remembering his grandmother, he recalls her advising him to "associate with capable people ." Billy Wireman has taken the time to tell us about those with whom he associated. He gives us a chance to learn from hi s working relationship with four very ca pable people in thei r worlds of work. Billy shows what a student he was of their leadership and how he put their lessons into practice . For over 40 years of his life, Billy was a mentored by the big guys. Billy was also a leader and mentor in his own right. Whether he was helping to build a basketball team or rebuilding a school, Billy was wise enough to get good help and was trusted by these four men as well as many others to set goals and perform on those objectives successfully. Whether you are new to Charlotte or an original Charlottean, you ought to pick up this book. Besides learning about Billy Wireman and the lessons he learned, you learn his perspective on two significant Charlotte leaders, Bill Lee and Hugh McColl. While
Greater Charlotte Biz is published monthly by the Galles Communications Group, Inc. • 560 I 77 Center Drive, Suite 250 • Charlotte, NC 28217-0735 704.676.5850 Phone • 704.676.5853 Fax • www.greatercharlottebiz.com. Press releases and other news-related information, please fax to the attention of "Ed itor" or e-mail: editor@greatercharlottebiz.com. Editorial or advertising inquiries, please call or fax at the numbers above or e-mail: info@greatercharlottebiz.com.
reading his book, you cannot help reflecting on your own life and what you have learned from your own mentors. They may not be as well known as the big guys, but their effect on your life may be even more substantial. We are fortunate to learn from each other. Knowing how others influence us should
Subscription inquiries or change of address, please call or fax at the numbers above or visit our Web site: www.greatercharlottebiz.com.
make us even more aware of how we influence others. Influence works in both directions. Read Billy Wireman ' s book and think about those who have influenced your life. You may want to write a few letters thanking others for what they have done for you . Speaking of mentors, one of my mentors, Glen Dwinnells, the publisher of Columbia Business Monthly and two other publications for nearly 20 years, died on June 17th. His contribution to economic development in South Carolina was enormous . His insights and thoughtfuln ess will be missed. He was a gentle soul with a quick wit and a smile that lit up a room . He was great encouragement to me and I will miss him . I am grateful to have known him. I learned much from him. bi~
4
july 2004
©
C opyright 2004 by Galles Communications Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. T he information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. H ow ever, G alles Communicat ions G roup, Inc. makes no warranty to the accuracy o r rel iability of t his information. ProductS named in these pages are trade names or t rademar ks o f t heir respective companies. Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of
Greater Charlotte Biz
or G alles Communications G roup, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or t ransmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publishe r. For reprints call704· 676·5850 x l 02.
greater charlotte biz
USLEC voice I data I Internet
www. uslec. com
I
704-319-1 ooo
Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employees New Health Insurance Guide for Small Businesses
A new guide is ava ilable to help small business owners better understand their health insurance options. Robert Wo:Jd johnson Foundation has prepared a _?;uide for small business owners to encourc.ge a better understanding of the options available to them when purchasing health insurance. The guide provides great mformation on plan types , costs, laws, tax considerations and regulations. To view the guide, visit the Web site at ww.covertheuninsuredweek.org. HR Hotline - Industrial Commission
Q: An employee while out on worker's compensation ei ther quits because they found another job, is eliminated as a result of poor business or is termina:ed for misconduct. Does the company have to continue payi.ng that employee under worker's compensation7 A: Worker's compensation cove rage provides both parnal income replacement wages and medical payments for current employees who are injured on-the-job. If an employee quits or is tenninated for performance reasons, then the company no longer has to p;ovi de the income replacement portion of the worker's compensation benefits. The company is still responsible for medical bills until the case is closed , but the company does not have to pay wages. However, if the employee's job is eliminated, the company must continue to pay wageo to the employee until the case is closed or until the employee finds another job.
ny does not reimburse employees for these business expenses, employees can deduct these costs on their income tax returns. However, if a company chooses to reimburse , there is a standard rate set once a year by the IRS. Employers are able to claim a business-tax deduction for the reimbursed mileage. A company may reimburse up to the standard rate published by the IRS. Employers can reimburse less than the full amount, and the employee can deduct the difference on their personal taxes. Or the employer can reimburse for the full standard rate. The standard business mileage rate is set at 37.5 cents per mile as of j anuary l, 2004 (36 cents per mile in 2003). Employers can use this rate to provide tax-exempt reimbursement of employees' expenses for driving their personal cars on business, other than commuting to and from work. It also supplies a way to calculate the taxable value of an employee's personal use of a company-provided car. The standard business mileage rate takes into account the costs of fueling, maintaining, licensing, and insuring a vehicle. As a result , employers do not have to obtain separate documentation of fixed and variable au tomobile costs and calculate the business-related portion of these expenses. As long as employees substantiate the date, mileage, and business purpose of a trip, employers can apply the standard business mileage rate to take advantage of the tax break for businessrelated automobile expenses. Bureau of
National Affairs Employers Should Craft Better
Reimbursement for Mileage
40 I(k) Plans
With rising gas prices, employers are examining more closely their reimbursement for mileage. Do employers have to reimburse employees for mileage7 What is the going rate7 Employers are not required to reimburse employees for using their personal cars for job-related purposes. lf a compa-
Certain 40l(k) plan designs wlll encourage employees to contribute more, finds a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Employees tend to save at contribution rates that are either multiples of five or that serve some specifi c purpose in the 40l(k) plan, such as the default contribution rate , the match
6
july 2004
threshold or the maximum contribution rate, NBER reports. By setting default contributions rates and match thresholds, employers can influence the percentage of salary employees save. Employers also have a large measure of control over how quickly employees sign up for the 40l(k) plan through enrollment protocols. Automatic enrollment, for example, boosts participation rates. Companies can facilitate long-term retirement savings by not compelling cash distribution for workers who leave with a small account balance , the study concludes. "The central finding, that plan design matters in economically significant ways, places a tremendous responsibility on both employers and government regulators," write Harvard economists james Chio and David Laibson and Wharton professor Brigitte Madrian , who authored the study. They suggest policymakers "legislatively encourage" employer adoption of particular 40l(k) designs that foster greater retirement savings.
BenefitNews.com House Passes FSA Rollover Bill
Flexible spend ing account rollovers are one step nearer to becoming a reality. Currently, employees who participate in flexible spending accounts to pay for healthcare or dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars lose their contributions if they do not incur expenses in their plan year. In a 273-152 vote, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4279, which would allow FSA participants to carry over $500 of plan fu nds into the following year or transfer them into a health savings account. "We are moving closer and closer to changing the ill-considered 'use-it-or-lose-it' rule and encouraging employees to save their health dollars ," says Bonnie Whyte, executive director of the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation.
BenefitNews.com
greater charlotte biz
The Ten Commandments of Hiring and Firing Hiring
Firing
I. Follow closely all relevant company policies related to hiring, e .g. application and offer process, interviews, and EEO. If you do not have any such policies, develop them and train all persons who are to use them.
I. Follow closely all relevant company policies related to discharge, e.g. termination, progressive discipline and EEO. If you do not have any such policies, develop them and train all persons who are to use them.
2. Be aware of relevant state and local laws, as well as national
2. Do not act alone.Two heads are better than one.Two witnesses are better than one.Avoid the he said/she said scenario played out by Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas.
ones.
3. Learn about and train all employees to avoid inappropriate 3. Never act out of anger. Wait until you are no longer angry and
inquiries.
4. Be consistent in your decisions to avoid allegations of disparate
investigate thoroughly before deciding what to do. In an emergency, suspend (with pay for exempt employees).
treatment.
4. Do not give assurances of job security, long-term employment. Otherwise you may be creating contracts. If you have a contract, follow it.
5. Act on the basis of job-related factors. 6. Document such things as eligibility to work in the United
5. Honestly and fairly evaluate employees performance reviews
States after job offers.
7. Carefully verify the legality of and business justification for any
and document accurately. In other words, be proactive in trying to avoid problems before it is necessary to terminate.
pre-employment testing (drugs, psychology etc.)
6. Act based on job-related factors, not on personality or other
8. Use at-will statements and contract disclaimers on application forms and offer letters and avoid statements re: job security, probationary periods, tenure and reasons for discharge, unless you intend to create a contract, which should be done in writing.
factors not related to the job.
7. Be consistent. Discrimination claims thrive where similar circumstances are not treated similarly.
8. Be reasonable in establishing expectations of your employees
9. Do not make promises you may not be able
to keep- (e.g. "We will review your application against future openings").
and give clear notice of the same.
9. Document your decision in writing. Remember that whatever I 0. Be humane and professional.
you write will be "Exhibit A" in any lawsuit.
I 0. Be humane and professional. Many lawsuits are filed for Source: HR LÂŁgal Update
2004 Executive Compensation Survey Now Available Complete results of the 29th Annual National Executive Compensation Survey are now available. The su rvey was conducted by The Employers Association, in cooperation with 18 other employer associations across the nation . lnfom1ati on is broken out by type of industry, geographical areas, and gross sales volumes. In addition to cash compensation , the report also summarizes data for a
g r e a ter charlotte biz
reasons of revenge.
variety of benefits and perquisites. This survey also reports infonnati on on stock ownership by executives, especially for privately held compani es. Participants receive a free copy of the results; those who did not pa rticipate may purchase a copy of the survey by contacting TEA. biz
The Employers Association is a nonprofit Charlotte organization providing comprehen-
sive human resources and training services. Founded in 1958, the Association maintains
a broad-based membership of over 700 companies from all industries in the greater Charlotte region. The above excerpts were taken from The Management Report, the association's monthly newslette~ For more information, please call Laura Hampton at 704-52280 I I or visit the Web site at www.employersassoc.com. jul y 2004
7
by Ellison Clary
The United Gateway: Activating Community Resources, aximiz路ng Human mpact
United way of Central Carolinas, Inc.
a "gateway" is a network node equipped for interfacing with another network. For United Way of Central Carolinas (UWCC), that is an apt description of the way they interface between community resources and community needs. >-
IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS BIZ,
greater charlotte biz
july 2004
9
~·U? p o ni ng 99 member agencies in an effort D mobilize the caring power of the comllJ.unity, UWCC under the direction of Glori <. Pace King as president, has more than o:bubled annual contributions, from 5 1 7.~ :nillio n in 1993 , the year before she got here, to $37.4 million in 2003. Addi Lonally, UWCC is recognized national-
"[First Union chief Ed] Crutchfield and [Bank of America CEO Hugh] McColl and John Belk [of Belk department stores], they were genuinely interested in what I was doing and were very
ly as o::te of the best, with low admim:mative expenses and high efficiency, rankin?; ahead of agencies in Atlanta,
helpful in giving me good advice," King says.
Richrn Jnd and the Hampton Roads area of Virgiria which includes Norfolk. ben King admits that UWCC has achie\ t d remarkable success in the last decade. ---: :1e United Wc.y of Central Carolinas was f.J Jnded in Charlotte in 1931, to help peop· 3.ffected by the Great Depression . It was tlCil called the Emergency Relief and sought to reduce the number of charitable appeEls made to the business community to cond·:c ting a single fund raising drive. That 193 1 campaign rais~d over $139,000 . Since then _here have beet a number of mergers of thE United Way of Mecklenburg County wi.th _h.:>se of Union County, Cabarrus Courcy. and Mooresville-Lake No rman,
resulting in the presently named organization of the Central Carolinas. It was shortly after the reform of the national United Way (UW) organization in the early '90s that King found herself ~-ead ing up the organization here in Charlo:~. Lets be clear, she found us; it wasn't the other way around. She was a senior vice president in the Cleveland United Wa>; which routinely raised more than $50 million a year. But when she heard the tc p United Way job in Charlotte was open, soq1ething clicked.
"I automatically said, T hats my job."' Her Cleveland boss, the man who told her about the opening, added an assessment. "You'll never get it. " Charlotte's Don Sanders was retiring after 34 years at the agency, the last 19 as president. UW people from across the country, about 200, coveted the Charlotte slot. King had lived her entire life in Cleveland, and, by the way, besides being a woman, King is black and Catholic. But she had credentials. She had been president and chief executi ve of the Visiting Nurse Association of Cleveland fo r over seven years and subsequently an executive of the Cleveland United Way for six years, after 10 years as a volunteer. She had raised $10 million in the last Cleveland campaign.
Blair, Bohle & Whitsitt PLLc Certified Public Accountants
• Audit & Accounting Services • Retirement Plan Compliance & Design • Real Estate Development Strategies • Merger and Acquisition Planning
• • • •
Tax Compliance & Planning Comprehensive Tax Review Multi-State Tax Structuring Company Formation Strategies
Back to Basics: Relationships, Value, Growth Now located in Providence Park at I-485 and Providence Road 10700 Sikes Place, Suite 100 • 704.841.8980 • Fax 704.841.3958 www.bbwpllc.com
10
jul y 2004
She did her homework. She subscribed to The Charlotte Observer. She requested information from The Chamber. She'd been through Charlotte briefly but, on her own, she visited again before her in-person interview, which she aced. By spring 1994, the job was hers. She worked long and hard, and the staff did, too. "I would get in [to the office] at 6:30 a.m. and the most fascinating thing," she smiles, "I was neve r the first person here. " She didn't mind stayi.ng until 8 p.m., "because I'm about winning," she says. But hard work was only the beginning. "I had to figure out how to survi.ve in this culture," she remembers. For instance, she had once admitted to a reporter that she did not like coun try music. "That was on the front page of the doggone Observer," she says ruefully Early on , people at breakfast meetings teased her about being from the North and
greater charlotte biz
eating grits. "History lesson," she told them . "The black people in the North are primarily from the South . All black people I know eat grits. I still cannot get used to white people eating grits." But she finds more substantive differences between Charlotte and Cleveland . Charl otteans are so polite that it is hard to
Major Accom_Rlishments of the United Way of Central Carolinas, Inc. in the Last Decade: 1994:-Added almost 1,000 new donors at high-dollar levels - Expanded "Day of Caring" into "Week of Caring"
gauge how they really feel, she says. On the other hand , Charlotte has a leadership base that has always been ve ry accessible. "[First Union chief Ed] Crutchfield and [Bank of America CEO Hugh] McColl and
1995:- Invo lved scores of community leaders in framing a Strategic Plan to strengthen an nual giving significantly by 2000
j ohn Belk [of Belk department stores]. they were genuinely interested in what I was doing and were very helpful in giving me good advice," King says.
1996:- Encouraged outcome measurement from me mber organizations -Launched community initiatives grants program
Her tenure has spanned Charloues leadership changes, and she feels that's a positive, since shes gotten to know the new
1997:- By raising $26.5 million , achieved a 21.5 percent increase from previous year, highest jump in the nation -Welcomed first million-dollar donor -Brought in more than 800 new, high-level donors -With Foundation for the Carolinas, implemented a planned giving and endowment program
honchos as they have moved up. "Ken Lewis [chairman of Bank of America] worked with us before, and so have lots of folks at Wachovia. I haven't felt like I had to start over again." Another challenge King found in Charlotte was the region's racial issues which tended to "fly under the radar screen ," and it was hurting the United Way. 'This organization in the black community was viewed as a white corporate organization. The black community didn't feel attached to it at all. You hire somebody like me, instantaneously, I'm supposed to make up all that ground. I made up a lot of ground , but I've worked hard to do it. Real hard ." Charlotte Leadership Serious About Volunteerism
Maybe Charlottes best attribute, King says, is that civic leadership is serious about every company chieftain taking his or her place in volunteer activities. Some newcomer execs have brushed her off, only to be back in touch shortly, after someone has explained the lay of the land. "Leadership says we stand for volunteerism, we stand for philanthropy," she smiles. Some of Charlottes corporate leaders have been particularly helpful to King because throughout her tenure she has depended on them to steer her straight. Jim Hynes of Hynes, Inc. and Bill Vandiver, now retired from Bank of Ameri ca, were like >
gr eat er c h a rlotte biz
1998:- Almost 400 companies increased UW bottom lines by more than lO percent - Campaign raised $29. 1 million , a 10 percent increase 1999:- For first time since 199 1, campaign set and achieved a goal with $32.2 million raised - Established special fu nd-raising initiatives among African Americans, women and new businesses 2000: - Another double-digit percentage increase with $36 million raised 2001 :- Reacted in mid-campaign to September 11 tragedies; UW and member agencies teamed wi th Foundation for the Carolinas to estab lish local disaster relief fund for all affected -Still set another record wi th $37.1 million raised
BankofAmerica.
HAR.LOTTF CENTH CITY I' A R.
2002: -In challenging economy, encouraged all audiences to support the Community Care Fund for keeping donations in local service area 2003: - Beat goal with mo re than $3 7. 4 millio n raised -Helped thousands of displaced Pillowtex workers
~
~
N
R
I
Piedmont
Natural Gas
-
?
COMPASS r: R 0
tT P
j u ly 2 004
II
the outlying areas.
that. "They listened :o me," she says, "but, more important, I listened to them." Hynes, who sold his consumer products
Gloria Pace King Honors and Awards:
median household income. "Our $38 mil-
brokerage business to the employees, but still consults for the firm, ran the United Way campaign in 1995 and chaired the 1999 drive. "When I think of her, I think of caring
She points out that Charlotte is the nation's 8th wealthiest city, measured by
2003: NCCJ Humanitarian Award
lion is a fraction of what should be raised,"
[National Conference for
she says. "The economy has an effect on
Community and justice]
everybody, but we're still growing. The chal-
2002: PRSA Pegasus Award [Charlotte
lenge for us [at UWCC] is to get our
and energy," Hynes says. "She's one of the
chapter of the Public Relations
tentacles spread out so we're not so depend-
people who make a difference in our com-
Society of America]
ent on Duke Power, Wachovia, Bank of
munity. She's a role :node! and we're lucky
2000: People of Prominence Award
to have her." Since Vicki Wi~son-McElreath moved to Charlotte five years ago as managing partner for Pricewaterhouse Coopers, she also has been close w King. WilsonMcElreath ran the 2002 campaign. "She [King] is really good at reaching out to people and trying to pull them into the network," Wilson-McElreath says. Contrary to so:ne non-profit leaders,
Community connection is essential, she says, because many hold the misguided notion that the United Way funds services only for poor people. "We have to make sure that the people in Ballantyne, the Peninsula, Pineville and Davidson understand that there are problems
Wilson-McElreath maintains, King sees her-
all over this community," she says. "It's about
self not as an administrator but as a part of
people with disabilities, credit problems,
the community. "She looks broadly at how
domestic violence, substance abuse - and the
the United Way impacts the community at
people come in every size and color."
large," she says. "That's how really successful folks run their own operations here. " And with respect to running her opera-
joy in the face of a wheelchair-bound child
tion, King turns more serious: "Let me tell
as staffers whirled him around to the beat of a recorded tune.
"When Ken Lewis and [Wachovia chief executive] Ken Thompson evaluate me, they
Still, some folks tell King that $38 million is too much for the United Way to
expect me to generate revenue, to be morally
raise . She begs to differ. With Charlotte and
ethical, to deliver the bottom line, to be efficient, to have a good staff, to have a good
surrounding areas growing like gangbusters, she says, the challenge is how to meet the needs of the central city as well as those of
name in the community. That's not easy."
"We have to make sure that the people in Ballantyne, the Peninsula, Pineville and Davidson understand that there are problems all over this community," she says. "It's about people with disabilities, credit problems, domestic violence, substance abuse - and the people come in every size and color." july 2004
A 'Mutual Fund' of Services King believes wholeheartedly in her mission. "The United Way is the premiere health and human services organization in the world," she says. "Here in Charlotte, it is the go-to organization for help in human services. We are a mutual fund of services. We have 99 organizations with hundreds of programs. If you donate to the United Way, you're allowing us to make the investment for you and you have the expectation that you will have a positive return on that
She remembers recently visiting a member organization's function and seeing
you something," she says with conviction.
12
America and the hospitals. "
[The Charlotte Post]
United Way o! â&#x20AC;˘ Central Carohnas, Inc. ...~-
c--~n:.
30 I South Brevard Street -=--=Charlotte, NC 28202-2317 Phone: 704-372-7170 1-866-744-7778 United Way 2-1-1 President: Gloria Pace King Founded: 1931 Area Served: Approx. I million Efficiency: 12. 1% (one of most efficient in nation) Mission: To improve people's lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. Nonprofit: United Way of Central Carolinas, Inc. is an autonomous organization, supporting 99 member agencies, that serves individuals in Cabbarus, Mecklenburg, MoorsevilleLake Norman and Union Counties. It is governed by a local board of di rectors made up of volunteers from these four communities. United Way of America is a national trade association whose primary objective is to support activities of over I ,400 local United Ways across America. www.uwcentralcarolinas.org
greater charlotte biz
"When Ken Lewis and [Wachovia chief executive] Ken Thompson evaluate me, they expect me to generate revenue, to be morally ethical, to deliver the bottom line, to be efficient, to have a good staff, to have a good name in the community. That's not easy." nvestment. We work hard to get you that." King and her staff require member 1gencies to evaluate their programs and lleasure their effectiveness, she says. They :ontinue to tweak the roster of member xganizations, taking in new groups as there s justification. And there's recognition of that, another "JOint King makes. "My biggest surprise is hat people say to me, 'Gloria, thank you for ~hat you do for this community. ' Nobody ~ver
said that in Cleveland," she says. When she praises Charlotte's warmth, ~he's not referring to the climate. "l don't -mow why we don't brand the people," she ~ays. "They're marvelous."
King lives in Huntersville and enjoys -,aving both her children nearby. Daughter <ara, 29, is working toward a Ph.D. in biology at UNC Charlotte and son Leslie, 27, is :1. Charloue tax lawyer. A single parent since 1he kids were 6 and 8, she calls Kara and :....eslie her best friends. She has golfing buddies and other rriends in a book club. She gets up at 4:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Pilates wd she's crazy about music, especially
rhythm & blues and smooth jazz. But she's
...... . . .... BUILDING ...... .. .. . ....
she smiles, then adds anothe r reason. "Those are the people who are the philanthropists of the future." What about the future for the United Way of Central Carolinas' "I would like to see it have much more community impact,'. she says with conviction. "l would like for
ANEW
this United Way to be the top United Way in the country. l don't have to raise the mos. money, I just want to be the best. l want people to look to Charloue if they want to know how to run a good United Way" Wi ll she lead this United Way for another decade' Maybe, she says, if we'll have her. For now, she hopes her mother and father, both deceased, wou ld have been proud of her. Born poor in the South, both sought and found a better life in the North. "To my mom and dad, it would have been especially meaningful for me to succeed here in the South." biz
Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
The Place To Be. Call and reserve your next event! Corporate Events • Private Parties • Large Groups Wine Spectator Award of Excellence - 2002 and 2003
~
~~~1~8~to
801 Providence Road • www.meeting-house.com • 704-334-6338 greater charlotte biz
WE'RE
expanding her tastes. ''I'm learning to appreciate hip-hoppeG because lthink they're on to something,"
FOUNDATION Even with a rich legacy as one of the Southeast' s leading providers of construction services, FN Thompson understands that success is rooted in change. We've grown and expanded since 1887 by constantly reinventing our company to meet our clients' present and future needs. Our dedication to quality remains as strong as ever as we embark on a new era of accountability . . . to our clients and to ourselves.
-
II
FN Thompson General Contractors Construction Managers
Ph: 704<523-0515 Charlotte Asheville Raleigh Richmond
july 2004
13
State economy, jobs outlook improving, but increased energy costs may take toll BELKCOLLEGE O F BUS INESS
t.NC()-IARIDTIE
T
c·~•
Excerpts provided by John E. Connaughton , Ph .D., Fore cast Director
he North Carolina economy is
Forecast Highlights
expected to increase by 1.6 percent during 2004 according to
UNC Charlotte economist john Connaughton
•
For 2003, eight of North Carolina's
in his TlAA-CREFIU C Cha rloue Economic
eleven majo r economic sectors expe-
Forecast for North Carolina .
rienced output increases. The sectors
Amtual Growtlt Ra~s In Real GSP
that experienced the strongest rates of
Th is fi gure represents a modest improvement over the meager l. 4 percent
growth were agriculture at 14.2 per-
increase in North Carolina Gross State
cent; fin ance, insurance, and real
Product (GSP a yardstick that measures the
estate (FIRE) at 4.4 percent; whole-
total output of a state's economy during a
sale trade at 2.9 percent; and retail
given yea r peri od , analogous to the U.S.
trade at 2. 7 percent.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)) experienced during 2003 . For 2004, the fi rst quarter GSP
• For 2003, No rth Carolina establishments lost 19,600 net jobs, a decrease of 0.5 percent over 2002 .
is expected to increase by an annualized real growth rate of only 0.8 percent. For th e second quarter, GSP growth should continue, but
• Only three of No rth Carolina's ten nonagricultural sectors experience increased employment levels during 2003.
at a stronger annualized rate of 1.5 pe rcent. During the thi rd quarter, growth should continue but at slower pace of 0 .6 percent. In
• The North Carolina unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in December of 2003 and has fallen to 5.3 in April of 2004. The U.S. rate in April was 5.6 percent.
the fourth quarter of 2004, growth is expected to conti nue with annualized real GS P forecast
• For 2004, North Carolina real GSP is fo recast to increase by 1.6 percent over the 2003
to increase by 1.8 percent. 2003 GSP
Gross State Product (GSP) reached a
level. • The North Ca rolina economy is forecast to add 57,900 net add itional jobs during 2004, an increase of 1.5 percent over the 2003 level.
level of $284,317.5 million in 2003 . Real (inflati on adjusted) GSP increased by 1.4 percent over the 2002 level. The growth for 2003
• Fo r 2004, six of No rth Carolina's ten nonagricultural secto rs are forecast to increase employment levels.
represented a considerable improvement over the meage r growth experienced in 2002. Unfortunately, economi c growth in
•
For 2005 , the North Carolina real
No rth Ca rolina was slowe r than United
GS P is expected to grow by 0 .9
States economic growth during 2003. The
percent and add 54 ,300 net additional jobs.
state's eco nomy was hit harder than th e
Year-End Seasonally Adjus~d Nortlt Carolina Unemployment Ra~s
.----
16 5 4 3 1 1
.----
u
4.2
JOOO
JOO 1
..,
.----
1001
1003
-
.---u 4.6
J004,
United States economy during the recessionQUARTERLY GROWTH RATES IN REAL GSP
and still see ms to be struggli ng. Despi te an
this pauern co nt inues into the recovery.
extended period of low interest rates, the
During the first quarter of the yea r, the
state's manufacturing sector has not responded
annualized GSP growth rate was 1.5 percent.
and still remains quite sluggish. The
During the second quarter of 2003, GSP
manufacturing sector's troubles are a result of
growth slowed slightl y to 1.1 percent.
mo re tha n just the cyclical downturn . The
During the third quarter, growth picked up
state's traditiona l ind ustries (textile, apparel,
to 2.6 percent. For the fourth quarter of
furn iture, and tobacco) had been weak dur-
2003, North Caro lina GSP growth increased
ing the expansion years of the 1990s, and
to
a 2.8 percent an nualized rate.
(Co ntinued on page 39)
14
jul y 2004
g reater charlotte bi z
A I
II I \
WAKE FOREST AI
.
,
Our busine- sis b 1ness.
Oeni. <. B one
\'Jli(E FOF EEl MBA Asso ; cte Pnf3S30f c1 dcetilg
Wk~FCREST l
"\. .
'
I
I\
~.
L
1 \
BaliCOCJ: GIV DUaTE ScR芦路 ~
of MAw
Ge.LENT
Ma i c n a II ., Aa li k e d Ma i:Jna ly F ecogniz ed Maticnal ly =tespected
Keeping Up with Changing Work Force Skills in the New Economy W lcome to our Greater Charlotte
Biz survey of Charlotte region
business education o!Terings, from traditional business education programs to customized work force training offerings. As business owners, managers and executives, many of our readers can attest to the shortage of skilled labor necessary for the succ~ssful operation of their companies. The American economy is in the midst of an historic change, the transition to an economy founded on new production and employment systems as a result of new technology and global competition- the "new economy." This new economy is also impacting work force s::O.lls, requiring higher levels of education as well as a new set of problem-solving and behavioral skills. There is overwhelming evidence that companies that invest more heavily in work force education are more successful, more productive and more profitable. Investment in Work Force Education = Increased Productivity According to a study by the National Center on the Educational Quality of the Workforce, on average a 10 percent increase in work force education levelled to an 8.6 percent gain in total productivity, whereas a 10 percent increase in the value of equipment
increased productivity just 3.4 percent: "Compared to capital stock increases, the boo,t to productivity associated with increased years of scho:Jling is ... dramatic ... A lO percent increase in the average education of all workers within an establishment (equivalent to slightly more than one additional year of schooling) is associated with an 8.6 percent increase in output for all industries, other things equal. This efTect rises to ll percent for the non-manufacturing sector - nearly three times the boost for a similc.r increase in capital stock. (See Figure 1.)
"Recent research using household surveys of workers suggests that there is an 8 percent retuo to workers (in the form of higher wages) for each additional year of schooling. The isudy] documents that increases in the average education of an establishment's workforce has the same payoff for employers in the form of increased productivity."' There is also evidence that companies that invest more heavily in work force education are more successful and profitable. For exarr_ple, according to an American Society for Training and Development study, companies with the highest training expenditures showed: • 57% higher net sales per employee ($385,000 VS. $245,000); • 37% higher gross profits per employee
($165 ,000 vs. $120,000); • A 20% higher ratio in market-to-book values. The study found that "leading edge" companies have a di!Terent mindset when it comes to investing in people. Specifically, they typically: • Spend up to 6% of payroll on workplace learning; • Train an average of 85.9% of employees annually; • Jse the Internet, intranets, EPSS and CBT for training; • _<\re 11-18% higher than the industry average in the use of training companies and educational institutes to deliver learning; • "Jse innovative training, high performance, and compensation practices simultaneously. It seems clear that increased productivity is positively associated with investments in human capital and that employers who hire better-educated workers experience appreciably higher levels of productivity. 2
New Skills in a New Economy The new knowledge economy is demanding a new set of skills of the work force. In their seminal study, 'The Economic and ~ Employers will need to spend $96 billion on
Flgure1 Factors tor Increased Productivity
training in 2005 just to maintain their current training commitments to their most highly educated employees (see Figure 2). But, assuming employers wish to expand the number of employees being trained in 2005 to 50 percent of the work force to make up for current training shortcomings, the price tag of the additional training would be closer to $98 billion. This could take lll.UOSS«OOLLARS(IMotl) • !9'11~ - T - C..•......-liO!~ f-l_ C_
gr eater charlotte biz
employer
totals as high as $175 billion.
july 2004
S3
Growing to Meet Your Needs
Winthrop University Graduate Programs in Business • Executive MBA (Weekend) • MBA/Accounting • MBA/Internationa l • MBA/Finance • MS Software Development • MBA Traditional • SHRM® Learning System
Evening format for the working professional; nationally/interrzationally accredited programs by AA CSB at an affordable cost; accessible 20 1ninutes south of Charlotte. Check us out/ Accepting Applications forFaU2004 Winthrop University bup:/ l eba.wi11t h rop.edu 800/387-1923018 03/323-2409
S4
july 2004
Demographic Roots of Eeducation and Training," authors Carnevale and Fry maintain that, "[T]he way in which we produce and distribute education and training increasingly determines both our economic competitiveness as a nation and the apportionment of economic opportunity among individuals ... Increasing access to postsecondary education or training has become the new threshold requirement for the competitiveness of national workforces as well as for career success among individuals within nations." Specifically, the authors describe the narure of work force skills being demanded by this new regime: 'The new economy requires not only higher levels of education commonly associated with cognitive skills, but a new set of problem-solving and behavioral skills as well. The new skill requirements have emerged, in part, as a result of the changing occupational structure. Service jobs in education, health care, and in white-collar office jobs represent the vast majority of jobs in the upper two thirds of the income distribution. Service jobs require higher levels of interpersonal and problem-solving skills because the work entails higher levels of human interaction and personalized responses to peoples wants and needs. These same problem-solving and behavioral skills are required in high-technology and manufacturing jobs as well because the technology itself takes on more of the rote, manual processing tasks, allowing employees to spend more time interacting with each other. "Unlike the old manufacruring-based economy where simple productivity- high volume at low cost was paramount, the new economy demands a more complex set of performance standards and workers with the broad skills to meet them. These new standards include quality, variety, customization, customer focus, speed of innovation, and the ability to add novelty and entertainment value to products and services. "Companies that meet quality standards require conscientious employees who are able to take responsibility for the final product or service- regardless of their position in the company Variety and customization require workers who are creative and good at problem solving. "Focusing on customers demands empathy as well as good communication and interpersonal skills. Cominuous innovation requires a general ability to learn and work in groups. Adding novelty and entertainment
value requires creativity "3 The authors point out that most employers associate problem-solving and behavioral skills with educational attainment and that, as a result, employers increasingly use postsecondary education as a significant factor in screening job applicants. Employers Keeping Up The good news is that the rise in the demand for education has corresponded to an increase in both degreed and non-degreed postsecondary offerings as well as employer-based training. Carnevale and Fry point the importance of employer-provided training: "Employers play a pivotal role in our job-related education and training system. Employers use education and training provided by others and also are themselves major training providers. In fact, employers are second only to four-year colleges and postgraduate programs in training workers for initial qualification in their jobs, and remain the primary source of retraining to improve ones skills in a current job. Moreover, employer provided retraining increases an employees earnings more than retraining in (Continued on page 511)
cfiarlotte
ed
July 2004 Publisher John Paul Ga lles jgalles@ greatercharlottebiz.com
Associate Publisher Executive Editor Ma ryl A. Lan e maryl.a.lane@greatercharlotteb iz.co m
Special Editor Lynn Mooney lmooney@greate rcharlottebiz.com
Creative Director Pa ul Bond
diarlottebi
is published by the Galles Communications Gro up. Inc. • 560 I 77 Center Drive, Suite 250 • Charlotte, NC 282 17-0735 • 704.676.5850 Phone • 704.676.5853 Fax • www.greatercharlottebiz.com. © Copyright 2004 by Galles Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However. Galles Communications Group. Inc. makes no warranty to the accuracy or reliability of this information. Products named in these pages are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies. Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Greater Charlotte Biz or Galles Communications Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.
greater charlotte biz
Wok
m Education is aBusiness and Personal Win Employers and employees both benefit from an investment in education Look at the fine print of the emplcy~e
cnarlotte
ed
Table of Contents 53
Keeping Up With Changing Work Force Skills in the New Economy
benefits manual of oost major ccmpan:.e.;
ing 9C comparus are en:-olled in the
and you are likely to find a reference al::ou:
Charlot:e-basec. Wake Forest/Babcock pro-
59
Work Force Development Accreditation and
gram.
bursement. Offering further education to
school's Morrocroft lo:atio:J. in South
employees is nc mere perk, but rathe r an
Charlot:e;
investment witl-_ a h:gh rate of return in
ly anno·.mced r:lans to :no·:e its location
terms of employee satisfaction, employee
u:;>town
retention, and a sigr.ificant increase in
on pror;ety cu-rently C\med by Wachovia
panies that are constantly on the lookout for ways to incr~aoe performance.
"I can't see a thriving business not havFogel, dean of Charlotte programs for Wake Forest University's Babcock School of
Accreditation Agencies
S I0
The GMAT Entrance Exam
tificates and diplomas to M.B.A. and Ph.D.
SI I
Financing Your Business Education
programs offered i::1 the region. Fogel over-
S 12-13
Business Education Chart
con:inuing educatio:J programs- from cer-
Online Guides
Updated information, please fax to the attention of Editor at 704-676-5853 or e-mail: editor@greatercharlottebiz.com . Editorial or advertising inquiries, please
call at 704-676-5850 or fax at 704-676-5853 or e-mail: info@greatercharlottebiz.com.
greater charlotte biz
a new corcp1e:x :o :Je developed
Corporation at rhe co:-ner Df West lst and
59
523
the un:versity has recent-
Sout:l Tryon stJeets.
Management. Greater Charlotte Biz spoke
Business Education Offerings
·-lOw ~ver
worker productivity. That's according to
with several deans from schools c·ffering
S 14-523 Alphabetical Directory of
t::J
currently attend class at the
area education leaders who work with com-
Why It Matters
Degree Abbreviations
Th~y
cominuing educat:on and tuition reim-
ing an educational j:rogram," says Daniel S. 55
fl.pproxinutely 145 students represent-
sees the evening anC. Saturday M.B.A. programs offered i::1 Charlotte by Wake Forest University. "If you want your employees to offer something unique and different, you ca:1': affo:-d not to do it," says Fogel. Part of t:1eir edu::ation also i:J.cludes exposure to other corr.panies via fellow students, to differin5 ideas, and to a powerful network within +e business communit;, a significant oppo:-unity rarely attained without pursLing ar. M.B.A. Fogel describes this as an invaluable pan of an executive's educational process
Keeping work-::!f"S "skilled up" ensures a degree of success No stranger to : ontinuin5 education in theory ar.d pracnc~ is Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of Central ?iedclOnt Community College (CPCC) and recent w:nn~r of the Chief Execu:i•;e Officr Award for 21)0~. which is presented by th~ Associa:ion of Community College Trus:ee.;. "Compaces by themselves don't deter:ninE their succes;, ' says Zeiss, who no: onl:r O'iersees the lc.rgest community coll~ge system in the Carolinas, but also has co-wthcred several boo~s on economic develcprr.ent and workfcrc~ development. "Any or5aniza"bn's success is dependent u :;>on ' he abiliti's and will of its people to p-odu::e. If cor.:;>anies cant deve,op a reliable supply chzin of sk.lled 3.nd productive workers, they <Ie not g:Jing tc make it. " That supr:ly chair. o<en corces :·:om a:ea schools that not or ly p-ovide the covetec degrees such as an M.3 A. , but also ccnti:J.Uing education certifi::at::s and ciplomas, particularly >-
ul y 2004
SS
in technology fields. Across its nine area
campuses, CPCC offers numerous certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and continuing education opportunities geared br both individual training and corporate training, which is often customized to meet the needs of a particdar company According to Ze:.ss, contributing fact::)rs that increase the need for educational programs include an upcoming labor shortc.ge due to the retirement of the "baby boomers" and "Gen-Xers," a:1d a skills shortage. "We're not
~eeping
changing so rapidly that businesses are hard-pressed to keep their workers skilled up. " He adds, that businesses will have to decide that the lifelong education of their employees is paramount to their survival, p~ans
to attract, develop
and retain key performers. Plans can be developed within departments including: ~ecruitment,
staff development, retention,
succession, and cross-training efforts. While M.B.A. degrees often grab many •Jf the education headlines, the reality is -hat community college edu::ations fulfill ·he bulk of educational needs in the U .5. .-\ccording to U.S. Department of Labor sta·istics, only 20-21 percent of companies -, ave need for its employees to have a bachdar's degree or higher, while 75 percent -equire a community college degree at the '-SSociate's level. Providing educc.tion and training also :1elps a company develop a strong reputa·ion as a "pro-employee" organization. Free _uition or reimbursement, the encourage:nent of training and retraining are ::>owerful incentives. "Ameri:an workers are :notivated by recogn:tion, a sense of ::>elonging, a sense that they are making a :lifference, and fair compensation," says Zeiss. 'The companies that can address _hose four factors in meaningful ways will .3.ttract and retain their work force. "
M.B.A. - more than cachet Nationally, in 1952, approximately
36
july 2004
cation, Kenan-Flagler business school at the University of North Carolina ChapelHill. "An M.B.A. is a career accelerator. They should consider whether the degree would help them get them where they want to be - faster. And the person must already be a successful person. First, the person won't be able to get into a program without being successful; next, the degree will not make an unsuccessful person, successful." Dean also cautions that both the cost of the degree and the "opportunity cost" - what
up with
skills," says Zeiss. 'The technology is
and that they need
The economy and job placement for M.B.A. holders: Late 1990s: 85%of graduates are employed within three months 200 I to 2003: SO%of graduates are employed within three months 2004: 70%of graduates are employed within three months Source: Peter Browning, dean of the McColl Graduate School of Business, Queens University of Charlotte. 3,200 students graduated with a Master of Business Administration. That number now exceeds 120,000 annually according to Peter Browning, dean of the McColl Graduate School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte. Queens offers professional or executive M.B.A. programs as well as the McColl Executive Leadership Institute, which supplies customized training. Browning advises that both employers and degree seekers need to carefully study particular criteria before choosing a school. Considerations include: flexibility of the program schedule, the quality of the faculty, the program's reputation, the value the degree will provide, location, and the leadership skills taught in the program. And prospective students need to carefully consider how they will apply their M.B.A. once all is said and done. Browning warns of the following counter-productive scenario: "It's all paid for and all done, and then the student goes to his boss and says, 'Hey, how about a promotion and some more money?' But the boss says, 'Hey, let's take a look at your performance .' You can get into a program and you can develop needed skills, but you'll have to be able to demonstrate how you will apply those skills on the job and show how you've grown," advises Browning. "If someone is thinking about pursuing an M.B.A., he or she needs to think about where in their career they want to be in five to 10 years," says james W Dean, Jr., associate dean of executive edu-
someone gives up to attain the degree, such as two years' salary if attending full-time, or time away from family and recreation if attending nights and weekends - need to be weighed before beginning any program. Dean heads up the non-degree executive program at Kenan-Flagler, and he is the former dean of the school's fulltime M.B.A. program. Browning similarly states, that to pursue an M.B.A. involves more than tackling the classroom. "It's a big decision," he adds. "Even when attending a part-time program that only involves nights and weekends, the whole family makes this decision. "
As for which school and which degree, Dean suggests that the choice depends on what students already know and what they need to know to accelerate their career. "If you're changing careers, you may need the credential to change jobs and to change career paths," says Dean.
Degrees of degree programs A myriad of terms describes the many types of business education available in the greater Charlotte region and across the country There are the traditional advanced degrees: a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), which most students earn by attending class fulltime for two years. Browning describes the benefit of an M.B.A. as a "rounding out" of education and experience. Someone holding a history or arts degree may need to develop quantitative knowledge in order to succeed in business; an engineer will have the quantitative skills,
greater charlotte biz
but need to develop general managerial skills in order to be promoted. Then there are more flexible forms i::lcluding the Executive and Professional M.B.A.s. The terms "executive" and "professional" most often describe curricula that keep an executive on-the-job by offering weekend and evening classes, virtual and distance learning opportunities, and short, but intensive residencies. Programs, such as Duke University$ Fuqua School of Business Executive Global M.B.A., require residencies in North Carolina, Europe, South America md Asia. Twenty-five percent of teaching is f:ace-to-face with the balance delivered via the Internet. Duke also offers the Weekend Executive M.B.A. and the Cross-Continent M.B.A., two additional flexible programs geared for working executives. "Business schools are finding ways to get closer to companies," says Fogel. 'They
find out what a company wants, rather than just providin~ ge!leral information." He adds, that exeCl.:.tive education offers generally more flexibli~y than degree programs and is more targe~d for employers. Postbaccalaureate certificate programs are another a~ternative offered by many schools of b -iness. Students earn graduate credits taking a series of classes. Often these certific:::te credits can later optionally be applied tc .vard an advanced degree. They may h<ue great appeal for adult learners who may not wish to complete graduate school, or als.:::> serve as a less intimidating means of begn::1ing a graduate program. The certificat~s are in areas, such as e-commerce, finance, international business, management. marketing and accounting, and serve to :-lOne skills in a specified area. Or as in the :ase of UNCCs Belk College, a certificate prc•gram, the M.B.A. Plus, as an
additional certification program for students already holding ar. M.B.A. On the ground or online?
"Google" the term "M.B.A." and the search returns more than 7.5 million results. Run the same search engine for the term "business certificate," and the results numl:er more thn 8 million. Search for "onlir_e degree" results and more than 6.6 million are returned. Customized search engines, such as www.dearners.:om, review and provide links to thousands of accredited online degree programs, education programs, courses and colleges. Online classes and full-fledged degree programs are offered by many educational institutions and have gained enough credibility to be fully accredited programs and ranked by publications, such as L'.S. World & News Report. >
Success begins with a solid foundation. The Belk College MBA at UNC Charlorre offers: Flexibility. .. • MBA program designed for working professionals • classes on rhe main campus and in uptown Charlorre • evening classes that meet once a week • adaptable course loads Faculty... • 68 graduate faculty with PhDs • largest faculty of any Charlotte MBA program Community Connections. .. • MBA students representing 200+ companies • cxccmive guest speakers sharing management experience • networking opportunities wirh alumni and business leaders AACSB .A&creditation. .. • most prestigious national and international accreditation • held by only one-third of all business schools
The Belk College MBA hosts monthly information sessions for prospective students and accepts applications for admission year-round For a schedule of upcoming programs, visit www.rnba.uncc.edu or call 704-687-2569. Information sessions are held both in the University City area and Uptown. New students may begin the program in August, January or May. BELK COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
MBA
lNC(}IARIDTIE Visit us on the web at mba.uncc.cdu
greater charlotte biz
ju ly 2004 S!
B:.tt d.ploma mills stU exist 3nd the Internet has provided ampk opportunity k:·r una::credited or even :"rc.udulen.: operatms to ~aje money and cht:-rn out low quality degrees or degrees c•n pape--only. Eeame:rs.com offers rhe foll·J wing ~ips for ~elecrng Jnline education pr:Jgra~ : • Don't Lmit research to cl3ssified ads or '0/e J searches. • Mak ~ sure the school andlor that the program i5 accredited an::! b)- what a5ency. Ma <f sure it is a legitimate agenc{ • T1.t Better Business Bur~u and state allc rneys-general ·JfLces can cor firm licer.sing; professional organizacons can atlest to the level of trairmg offered. • Fir..d out if the schwl is e;:ablished with a repunble parent cc•m:?any or insuution. • Ask about the credentials of faculty, what courses they te ac~. and their areas of ex'Jertise.
• Refer to published guides of online and other distance learning programs. The U.S. Department of Education lists all nationally recognized accrediting agencies on its Web site at www.ed.gov. Employers are also embracing online education for employees. In 2003, Wachovia Corporation reached an agreement with Capella University, an accredited online university, which offers 80,000 Wachovia employees and their immediate family members an opportunity to earn college degrees online. "We offer degrees at all levels and more than 80 degree programs and specializations," said Mike Offerman, Capella University president in a Capella news release. "This type of opportunity is a fantastic benefit for Wachovia employees and a great opportunity for Capella to demonstrate the 'immediate career impact' that we espouse in our mission statement." Capella University, University of
GRADUATE STUDIES Application deadlines are approaching! Contact Graduate Studies about Winthrop's more than 40 graduate programs. Ask about the competitive graduate tuition for Charlotte Regional Partnership counties. In N.C.-Mecklenburg, Gaston, L'nion, Anson, Cleveland, Stanly, Lincoln, Cabarrus, Catawba, Rowan, Alexander and Iredell Counties. In S.C.- York, l.imcaster and Chester counties.
Graduate Studies 209 Tillman Hall Rock Hill, sc 29733 803/323-2204 or 800/411 -7041 Visit our Web site: www.winthrop.edu/graduate-studies
i uly 2004
Phoenix, UNC Charlotte, UNC Chapel Hill, Duke University, Ffeiffer University, and Strayer University, are listed on the U.S. World & News Report Web site along with the hundreds of other schools offering undergraduate and graduate programs online, and are accredited either regionally, professionally or both. The Bottom Line - Education contributes to the well-being of companies and people
Supporting the further education of an employee can still be considered a perk, or at a minimum, one of the first benefits to be removed from a company's roster when times are tight. Some employers - particularly those that pay fo r tuition in-full or in-part through reimbursement programsmay be concerned that they are fi nancing a portable credential that an employee will take to a new employers. To that concern, Zeiss replies, "What's better? To train people and lose them or to not train people and keep them?" Browning lists specific reasons why companies should invest in education. They include: • An employee's performance is based on components including knowledge, motivation, and the system in which they work. • Most companies expect increasing levels of performance; the knowledge piece via education is the one that can most be easily changed. • Investing in the education of an employee, in tum, also acts on the motivation piece. Employees feel taken care of, rewarded for working hard, invested in, and groomed. • Education is viewed as an important element of compensation and a reward. • An employee who is identified for further education generally is also identified as a high-potential person. Browning adds, "''ve always said, people are an organization's most important asset and education is a way to ensure that companies are really paying attention to their most-valuable asset. " biz
greate r char lotte biz
Accreditation and Why It Matters College accreditation is one of many ways to assess a college, university or program within a school, and is one of the most basic, yet important assurances that a program is legitimate and recognized in a particular field of study. The U.S. Department of Education provides the following information on accreditation in the U.S. The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality Accreditation in the United States involves nongovernmental entities as well as governmental agencies. The United States has no federal Ministry of Education or other centralized authority exercising single national control over postsecondary educational institutions in this country The states assume varying degrees of control over education, but, in general, institutions of higher education are permitted to operate with considerable independence and autonomy As a consequence, American educational institutions can vary widely in the character and quality of their programs. In order to ensure a basic level of quality, the practice of accreditation arose in the United States as a means of conducting non-governmental, peer evaluation of educational institutions and programs. Private educational associations of regional or national scope have adopted criteria reflecting the qualities of a sound educational program and have developed procedures for evaluating institutions or programs to determine whether they are operating at basic levels of quality Some Functions of Accreditation
l. Verifying that an institution or program meets established standards 2. Assisting prospective students in identifying acceptable institutions 3. Assisting institutions in determining the acceptability of transfer credits 4. Helping to identify institutions and programs for the investment of public and private funds 5. Protecting an institution against harmful internal and external pressure 6. Creating goals for self-improvement of weaker programs and stimulating a general raising of standards among educational institutions 7. Involving the faculty and staff comprehensively in institutional evaluation and planning 8. Establishing criteria for professional certification and licensure and for upgrading courses offering such preparation 9. Providing one of several considerations used as a basis for determining eligibility for federal assistance Special note: There are many agencies that claim to be accrediting agencies that are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each agency should be examined closely when choosing a school or program. Source: U.S. Department of Education, www.ed.gov
Accreditation Agencies A.A.C.S.B. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business A.C.B.S.P Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs A.C.l.C.S. Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools E.Q.U.l.S. European Quality Improvement System S.A.C.S.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
M.S.A.
Middle States Association
N.C.A.
North Central Associ.ati.on of Colleges and Schools
N .E.A.S.C. New England Association of Schools and Colleges
greater charlotte biz
j_ly 2C:::4
The GMAT Entrance Exam he Graduate Mnagement Admission Tes:.,
T
(GMAT) is a standardized assessment
th:~:
ativity, and interpersonal skills
contains 41 multiple-choice questions of three
Format and Timing
question types - reading comprehension, critical
The GMAT consists of three main parts, the ana-
reasoning, and sentence correction. You are
uons of applicants for acvanced otudy in busineso
lytical writing assessment, the quantitative section,
allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete
a.1d management. Schocls use the test as one pre-
and the verbal section.
the entire section.
actor of academic perfocmance in an M.B.A. or tn
Analytical Writing Assessment
Source: the Graduate Management Admission
o.her graduate management programs. The fee for
You begin the GMAT with the analytical writing
Coundl... www.mba.com/mba
taking the GMAT is $225. Students must register
assessment, which consists of two separate writing
for the exam, which is g.ven in roost major U.S.
tasks - analysis of an issue and analysis of an
dtie;. ln Charlotte, call ..,04-364-4126 or
argument. You are allowed 30 minutes to com-
7D4-364-8 745.
plete each one.
helps business schools assess the qualifiu-
What the GMAT Me,asures
Quantitative Section
The GMAT measures t:csic verbal, mathematica,
Following an optional five-minute break, you begin
;;ud analytical writing skills that you have devel-
the quantitative section of the GMAT. This section
cped over a long perioC. of time in your educati:m
contains 37 multiple-choice questions of two ques-
end work. It does NOT measure:
tion types - data sufficiency and problem solving.
• your knowledge of business
You will be allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to
• your job skills specific co:1tent b your undergradu-
complete the entire section.
ate or first university course work • your abilities in any other specific subject area
Verbal Section
After a second optional five-minute break, you begin the verbal section of the GMAT. This section
Steps when applying for graduate business school include: • Neatly fill ing out an application with complete, clear information • Providing a resume or CV ·Writing as essay, if required. Remember, the essay will service as a demonstration of your writing skills • Choosing and requesting people to provide letters of recommendation and references.They should come from various, recognizable businesses and be people who know you well and like you • Taking any required tests- such as the GMAT • Preparing for the graduate school interview- a critical step • Understanding the cost implication and financing, if needed Source: www.mboinfo.com
LIVE UP TO
YOURS.
How far you go is entirely up to you. At DeVry University, you can earn a DeVry Bachelor's Degree or a Master's Degree from our Keller Graduate School of Management. Take classes on your own terms nights, weekends and online. Our goal at DeVry is to give you the education, skills and confidence you need to reach your career potential.
Charlotte 704.362.2345 www.devry.edu o 2003 OeVry University. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a
DeVry University YOUR BEST CAREER MOVE "
member of the North Central Association (NCA), 30 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60602, ncahigherlearningcommission.org
Program offerings vary by location.
310
july 2004
greater charlotte biz
Financing Your Business Education
I
f you're one of the lucky ones, the "anointed"
The first step in applying for student loans is
provides the funds for your Stafford loan
and perceived as a high-achiever, you may be
to fill out the necessary qualifying paperwork - the
selected by your employer to return to graduate
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
the loan funds. First-year undergraduates are
school for a coveted M.B.A. But if you are like the
- which is now provided in a Web-based applica-
eligible for loans up to $2,625. Amounts
majority of students, you will need to face the eco-
tion at the U.S. Department of Educations site at
increase for subsequent years of study, with
nomic reality of paying for your degree, or at least
www.fafsa.ed.gov. The site provides an easy guide
higher amounts for graduate students. The
managing costs through an employer-sponsored
through the myriad of questions needing to be
interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 8.25
although the federal government guarantees
tuition reimbursement program. If the latter is the
answered to determine if you quality for financial
case, you may need to look at financial aid as a
aid. The final amount of your aid will depend on
means of paying for your program. The formidable
whether you attend school full-time or pan-time;
news is that the cost of earning an M.B.A. runs
whether you attend for a full academic year or less;
but never exceeds 9 percent. Participating
from $5,000 to more than $100,000. And as
and if you believe you have any special circum-
schools administer campus-based programs.
Daniel S. Fogel, dean of Charlotte programs for
stances that would quality you for additional aid.
Wake Forest University$ Babcock School of Management advises, "You get what you pay for." The good news is that if you are facing financ-
Federal student aid is paid directly to your
percent. •
Federal PLUS loans are unsubsidized loans
made to parents. The interest rate is variable,
Participating schools administer campusbased programs. There are three of these
school. You will receive an award letter from your
programs.
school advising you of the financial aid amount
• Federal Supplemental Educational
ing, school loans have never been as affordable as
available. Federal student aid programs include:
Opportunity grants are available for under-
they are now. Secretary of Education Rod Paige
• Federal Pell Grants are available to under-
graduates only; awards range from $100 to
recently announced that interest rates on federal stu-
graduate students only. Grants do not have to
dent loans have dropped to 3.37 percent, the lowest
be repaid.
point in nearly 35 years.
$4,000. • Federal Work Study provides jobs to under-
• Federal Stafford wans are student loans
"Low-cost student loans have made college a
that must be repaid and are available to both
reality for millions of students," according to Paige.
undergraduate and graduate students. If your
graduate and graduate students allowing them to
pay education expenses.
• Perkins loans are low-interest loans that
"Compared to three years ago, when the interest rate
school participates in the Federal Direct
must be repaid; the maximum annual loan
was 5.99 percent, borrowers with $10,000 in stu-
wan Program, the federal government pro-
amount in $4,000 for undergraduate students
dent loan debt and a 10-year standard repayment
vides the funds for your Stafford Loan. If your
and $6,000 for graduate students.
plan can save $1,523 in interest over the life of the
school participates in the Federal Family
loan."
Education wan Program, a private lender
Source: wwwfafsa.ed.gov
(Continued from page 54)
principal difficulty we face in career and techni-
any but the most menial of jobs. We have not
schools.
cal education is [that] we don't do enough of
built many bridges between those less enamored
it. .. What we're discovering ... is that applied
of the postsecondary educational system and
receiving company training remains low. For the
learning is a very powerful tool for teaching
meaningful vocational training, nor provided
American economy to take the high road in a
young kids, because it moves them into the real
enough emphasis on the importance of continu-
global economy - producing quality products with a skilled workforce - additional employer
world, teaches them problem-solving, and this
ing to educate the work force beyond a static
whole set of other behavioral skills that require
level. Continuing work force education, running
investments in training will be needed. In addi-
action learning . ..We don't have a system in
the gamut from traditional business education
tion, employers will have to offer training to more workers, particularly those outside the
America that moves kids from high school into occupational and professional training thereafter
high-skilled and highly paid circles, and to workers in smaller companies .. .In the new cen-
that is very systematic, or very much available to anybody ... [P]art of the solution in the long haul is to align school and work more closely, [so]
successful economy. biz
that vocational and technical education in the United States will become cool again. It isn't right now." •
'Amorian Socio<y b-T..rq ond ~ (ASTD~S... oiO..InUvy""""" Oaob« 1990.
"However, the proportion of workers
tury, employers will have to do considerably more - and spend more -just to maintain their current training commitments." (See Figure 2.) Carnevale, an internationally recognized authority on education, training and employment, has summed up the current state of continuing education as follows: "I think the
g r eater charl o tte b iz
Clearly the nature of work skills required
programs to customized on-the-job training, is increasingly important for a productive work force and profitable businesses, as well as for a
'The Od>tr ~ - · Coocri>uOon 10 0.. ~ ol &al>lohmona:A s.a..d Round ol ~ ln>m 0.. EQW Notiorol empo,.., SuNey, Notionol c...., on .,. EGodonal ~ ol dw: v.br16orce, 199S.
'The -
ond """""""" P.oob ol EGntion ondT..rq by""""""" P. c.m...lo.
V a - b PI.Ok l.oodonNp,~,..,.,.. Son<c~ond 1\idwdA.ITy.S...OO. Labor Economist. Educ:acionli~ s.rAce; ~ 27,200 1; In a paper ccnwnjs..
-byThe ............... -.... ... -w~...--olo..Notiorol ...-o~ HnD<a.nn.-..,.. ac.
of the work force is changing significantly. No
'T~c.m...lo.V<e_b_&f.*y.ondc.....n. EG.ational~ Senic:e; What Wi 'W::rt Be LJoe in the Next ~ ; Nacional
longer will a basic or static education suffice for
llissonWadon ""'"' ... c..- ond l'odw;ai ~The ()t;o Harth 4, 2004.
Uriooni<y.
july 2004
Sll
Charlotte Region Busines College/University Ap palachian State University The Art Institute of Charlotte Belmont Ab bey College Capella University Catawba Col lege Catawba Valley Comm . College Central Piedmont Comm. College Cleveland Comm. College Davidson College Duke University DeVry University Gardner-Webb University Gaston Community Col lege Johnson C. Smith University Johnson & Wales University Lenoir-Rhyne College Livingston e College Mitchell Comm . College NC A & T State University NC State University Pfeiffer University Queens University Rowan -Cabarrus Comm . College Southern Piedmont Comm . College Strayer University UNC Chapel Hill UNC Charlotte UNC Greensboro University of Phoenix USC Columbia Wake Forest University Wingate University Winthrop University York Technical College
Business School Walker College
Ketner School
Fuqua School Ke ller School Broyhill School
Charles Snipes School
McColl School
Kenan-Flagler Belk College Bryan School The Moore School Babcock & Calloway Matthews Center
Location Boone Charlotte Belmont (onl ine program) Salisbury Hickory Charl otte Shelby Davidson Durham Charl otte Boiling Springs Dallas Charlotte Charlotte Hickory Salisbury Statesville Greensboro Raleigh Misenheimer/Charlotte Charlotte Concord Monroe Charlotte Chapel Hill Charlotte Greensboro Charlotte Columbia, SC Winston-Salem/Charlotte Wingate/Matthews Rock Hill, SC Rock Hill, SC
Telephone 828-262-2057 704-357-8020 704-825-6665 888-CAPELLA BOD-CATAWBA 828-327-7000 704-330-2722 704-484-4000 704-8 94-2230 919-684-8941 704-362-2345 704-406-4000 704-922-6200 704-378-1 DOD 980-598-11 DO 828-328-17 41 704-216-6000 704-878-3200 336-334-7500 919-515-2011 704-463-1360 704-337-2200 704-637-0760 704-292-1300 704-717-2380 919-962-3235 704-687-2213 336-334-5000 704-504-5409 803-777-7000 704-365-1717 704-233-8148 803-323-2186 803-327-8000
Web Site appstate.edu aich .artinstitutes.edu belmontabbeycollege.edu capellau niversity.edu catawba.edu cvcc. edu cpcc.cc.nc.us cleveland .cc.nc.us davidson.edu fuqua.duke .edu kel ler.edu business.gardner-webb.edu gaston .cc.nc.us jcsu .edu jwu.edu/charlotte lrc.edu livingston e.edu mitchell.cc.nc.us ncat.ed u ncsu .edu pfeiffer.edu queens.edu rowancabarrus.edu spcc.edu strayer.edu kenan-flagler.unc.edu belkcollege .uncc.edu bncg .edu/bae phoenix.edu mooreschool.sc.edu mba.wfu .edu wingate.edu winthrop.edu yorktech.com
Information on business and continuing education programs in the Charlotte region was taken from the Web sites of the named schools. Please send your school updates to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.
PILD. Capella University Duke-Fuqua NCSU UNC-CH Kenan-Flagler UNCG-Bryan School University of Phoenix-Charlene USC-The Moore School
!.B.A. ASU-Walker College Capella University Duke-Fuqua DeVry University· Keller School Gardner-Webb-Broyhill School Pfeiffer University Strayer University UNC-CH-Kenan-Fiagler UNCG-Bryan School
University of Phoenix·Charloue Wake Forest-BaOCock Wingate University Wimhrop University
. !.B.A. [•'<Ring - \\ttlund &teutiw: - Profosional lntc:rnational
Academic Degrees A.A. A.A.S. B.B.A. B.L.S. B. S.
Sll
Associate of Arts Associate of Applied Science Bachelor of Business Administration Bachelor of Liberal Studies Bachelor of Science
jul y 2004
~
Duke-Fuqua Gardner-Webb/Broyhill School Lenoir-Rhyne College NCSU Queens University-McColl School UNC-CH-Kenan-Fiagler UNC Charloue-Belk School USC-The Moore School Wake Forest-Babcock Winthrop University
B.S. B.A. E.M.B.A . I. M.B.A.
f.S.- \I.A . ASU-Walker College Capella Umversity NCA&T NCSU Strayer University UNC Charlotte-Belk School UNCG-Bryan School UNCG-Bryan School University of Phoenix-Charloue USC-The Moore School Wake Forest-Babcock Winthrop University I.A. C. (\lastcr of Acrounting/Accountancy)
Gardner-Webb-Broyhill School NCSU
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Execu tive Master of Business Administration International Master of Business Administration
UNC-CH-Kenan-Fiagler UNC Charlotte-Belk School USC-The Moore School
Wingate University Winthrop University
M.I .S. Lenoir-Rhyne College Strayer University
B.A. ASU Walker College Belmont Abbey College Davidson College Duke Umversity·Trinity Gardner-Webb-Broyhill School Lenoir·Rhyne College Queens University·McColl UNC Charloue-Belk School UNCG-Bryan School
M.E. M.A. C. or M.Acc. M.B.A. M.DIV. M. H.A.
B.S. ASU Walker College Belmont Abbey College Capella University Catawba College-Ketner School Duke University-Trinity De\fry Univer>ity-Keller School Johnson C. Smith University johnson & Wales Livingstone College NCA&:T NCSU Pfeiffer University Strayer University UNC-CH Kenan-Fiagler
Maste r of Economics Maste r of Accounting or Master of Accountancy Master of Business Administration Master of Divinity Master of Health Administration
greater charlotte biz
Education Offerings Chart Pub./Pri Public Proprietary Private Private Private Public Public Public Private Private Private Private Public Private Private Private Private Public Public Public Private Private Public Public Private Public Public Public Private Public Private Private Public Public
Accreditation SACS/AACSB ACICS SACS NCA SACS SACS/ACBSP SACS SACS SACS SACS NCA SACS SACS SACS NEASC SACS/ACBSP SACS/AACSB SACS SACS/AACSB SACS/AACSB SACS SACS/ACBSP SACS SACS MSA SACS/AACSB/EQUIS SACS/AACSB SACS/AACSB NCA/AACSB AACSB AACSB SACS/AACSB SACS/AACSB SACS
UNC-Charloue-Belk School UNCG-Bryan School University of Phoenix Charlotte USC - The Moore School Wake Forest-Callaway Wingate University Wimhrop University AA-A.S. Cleveland Community College johnson&: Wales Mitchell Community College Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. College Strayer University York Technical College AAA.- AAS.
M.H.R. M .l.S. M.S. M.S. A. M.S. ITM .
Undergraduate BS/BA AAS BS/BA BS BS AAS AAS AA!AAS BA BS/BA BS BA AAS BS BS/AS BA BS AA!AAS BS BS BS BA AA AAS BS/AA BS/BA BS/BA BS/BA BS BS BS BS/BA BS/BA AAS
The An Institute of Charloue Catawba Valley Comm College CPCC Cleveland Community College Gaston College Mitchell Community College Southern Pied. Comm. College
C<rtificat.s - Non-dqptt ASU Walker College The An Institute of Charloue Cleveland Community College Duke-Fuqua DeVry University-Keller School Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. College Southern Pied. Comm. College Strayer University
grea t er charlotte biz
M.S. L. Ph.D. PM .B.A.
Special Programs International Certificate Program New International Program Professional Dev./Certificates Adult BA Program Corporate/Cont. Ed ./Certificates Corp ./Cont. Ed./Small Bus. Ctr. Cont. Ed/Cert./Small Bus Ctr. Econom ics Concentration Leadership/Custom Training Graduate Certificates Adult BS Program Professional Development Adult Learning Program Daytime Business Program Executive Series/Adult BA Prog . College of Business Corp./Cont. Ed ./Small Bus. Ctr. Entrepreneur/e-business Ctr. McKimmon Ctr./Exec. Education School of Adult Studies McColl Leadership Institute Continuing Education Certificate Program Online Degrees/Certificates OneMBA Program/Executive Ed . Continuing Ed ./MBA Plus Cert. Management Dev. Prog ./Cert. Professional Development Daniel Management Center Fast-track Executive Program Certificate Program Institute of Management Center for Mgmt./Leadership
Online
Yes MBA/MS/PhD
Yes
Yes Yes MBA/EMBA/PhD MBA MBA/IMBA/MAC
Yes Yes Yes Yes
MBA Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MS MBA/MAC/PhD MBA/MHA PMBA/EMBA
MBA/MS/MIS MBA/MAC/PhD MBA/MAC/PhD MBA/MSA/PhD MBA/MS/PhD MBAll MBA/MAC MS/MBA/EMBA MBA MBA/EMBAlMS
Yes Yes Yes Yes
UNC Charlotte-Belk School UNCG-Bryan School
USC-The Moore School
Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. College
Continuing Education -
Coq>orate - &.cutiv< -
Adult Education Barber-Scotia College Belmont Abbey College Catawba College-Ketner School CPCC Cleveland Community College Duke-Fuqua Gardner-Webb-Broyhill School johnson C. Smith University lenoir-Rhyne College Mitchell Community College NCA&:T Pfeiffer University Queens University-McColl School
Distantt L<aming Online TdcYiscd - Videotape CPCC Cleveland Community College DeVry University-Keller School Gaston College Mitchell Community College NCA&:T NCSU pfeHfer Universuy Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. College Southern Pied. Comm. College USC-The Moore School
Professional Education Capella University CPCC Duke-Fuqua Gaston College l.enoir-Rhyne College NCA&:T NCSU Queens University-McColl UNC-CH-Kenan-Flagler UNC Charloue-Belk School UNCG-Bryan School University of Phoenix-Charloue
Undagraduatr: - Graduale:
Master of Hu man Resources Management o f Information Systems Master of Science Master of Scien ce in Accou ntin g Master of Science In fo rmation Technology and Management
Graduate MBA/MS
Master of O rgan izational Change and Leadership Doctor of Philosophy Profession al Master of Business Administration
cliaflotte
w. july 200
Alphabetical Directory of Business Education Offerings Summer international and special international programs. Tuition: undergraduate full-time$1,712.75 per semester; graduate full-time - $1,687 .75 (2004-05) . Total school enrollment: 14,303 Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S., A.A.C.S.B.
courses - $1,750 per online 4-credit course; M.S.- $1,750 per online 4-credit course; M.B.A.- $1,625 per online 3-credit course; Ph.D. - $3,750 per quarter. Accreditation: N.C.A. Capella has corporate alliances with more than 1,350 employers who provide tuition reimbursement.
The A rt Institute of Charlotte
Catawba College Ketner School of Business 2300 West Innes St. Salisbury, NC 28144-2441 1-800-CATAWBA www.catawba.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in accounting, business administration, information systems, and marketing. Adult Degree Program: B.B.A. Tuition: $225 per semester credit hour (2004-05) Total school enrollment: 1,300 Private/United Church of Christ Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
undergraduate and graduate pro-
Three LakePointe Plaza 2110 Water Ridge Parkway Charlotte, NC 28217-4536 704-357-8020 www.aich.artinstitutes.edu aichadm@aii.edu Undergraduate: A.A.S. culinary arts, fashion marketing, graphic design, interior design, multimedia and web design. Certificate programs: art of cooking, digital design, residential design, Web design. Tuition: A.A.S.- $37 ,408; an of cooking certificate- $10,020; digital design, residential design and web design certificates $18,036. (Program totals 2004) Proprietary Accreditation: A.C.I.C.S.
grams; accreditation; ranking; and
Belmont Abbey College
reater Charlotte Biz maghas surveyed our and regional colleges
schools business programs which range from certificate and diploma programs to Master of Business Administration and doctoral programs. Information was taken from each schools Web site and includes the following information where available: address and contact information; descriptions of business-related
public/private status. Only licensed and accredited programs were included in this survey. Prospective students should contact a school directly for additional information. Appalachian State University Walker College of Business ASU Box 32037 Boone, NC 28608-0001 828-262-2057 www.appstate.edu admissions@appstate.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration with majors in accounting, economics, finance and banking, health care management, hospitality and tourism management, information systems, international business, management, marketing, risk and insurance; B.A. in economics. Graduate: M.B.A., M.S. in accounting with general, tax, or systems concentration. Graduate certificate: finance , information systems, and human resource management.
S\4
july 2004
100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd. Belmont, NC 28012-2702 704-825-6665 www.belmontabbeycollege.edu Undergraduate in business management with concentrations in accounting, finance, banking, economics, international business, management, marketing/communications, and management information systems. Adult Degree Completion Program (baccalaureate- evening, weekend, day): business management, accounting, and economics. Total school enrollment: 1,000 Private Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Capella University School of Business www.capellauniversityedu Online undergraduate: B.S. in business administration, management and leadership, human resource management, marketing, finance. Online graduate: M.B.A., M.S. in organization and management, Ph.D. organization and management. Professional development courses are available. Tuition: undergraduate- $1,575 per online 6-credit course; graduate certificate
Catawba Valley Community College 2250 Hwy 70 SE Hickory, NC 28602-5164 828-327-7000 www.cvcc.edu Undergraduate: A.A.S. in business administration. A certificate program in business administration and corporate continuing education courses are available. Tuition: $350 per semester credit hour (2003-04) Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S., A.C.B.S.P.
Central Piedmont Community College Central Campus 1201 Elizabeth Ave. Charlotte, NC 28204-2240 704-330-2722 www.cpcc.cc.nc.us Nine Charlotte area campuses Undergraduate: A.A.S. in business administration, international business. Specialized certificate in business management. Corporate and continuing education: computer training, leadership management and professional development, and business and entrepreneurial skills. Small Business Center: training in running a small business. Virtual campus: television, computers,
greater charlotte b iz
audio and videocassette tapes, printed materials designed especially for independent study, and the Internet. Tuition: Fewer than 16 semester credit hours - $35.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more- $568 per semester. Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Cleveland Community College l3 7 South Post Rd. Shelby, NC 28152-6205 704-484-4000 www.cleveland.cc.nc.us Undergraduate: A.A. in pre-business administration, and in pre-business education and marketing; A.A.S. in accounting, business administration, business administration/electronic commerce, business administration/ marketing and retailing; information systems, information systernslnetwork administrator and support. Other programs: diploma and certificate programs available; continuing education courses available; online and distance learning courses available. Small Business Center : small business seminars. Tuition: Fewer than 16 semester credit hours- $35.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more - $568 per semester. Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Your custo'Tiers have lots of choices these days and part of your task is showing them that they made the right one. That's where we excel. When Wachovia looked for ways to further serve their customers, they came to CPCC. Through corporate training in Six Sigma quality programs, team building courses and even notary public classes, Wachovia employees discovered new tools to meet the demands of their growing business . Let us profile your operations and identify areas of untapped potential. We can even deliver training at your site or at one of our campuses. How's that for choice? Training available for: • Front Line Leadership
• Computer Training
• Customized Language
• Assessments
• Customer Service
• Work-Life Balance
For more information about corporate training call Customer Service: 704.330.4223
E
CENTRAL PIEDMONT
~ COMMUNflY COUEGE Corporate & Continuing Education
www.cpcctraining.org Central Piedmont Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
Davidson College Box 7156 Davidson , NC 28035-7156 704-894-2230 www.davidson.edu Undergraduate: B.A. with a concentration in economics Tuition and fees: $25,903- academic year (2003-04) Total school enrollment: 1,644 Private Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Duke University 2138 Campus Drive Box 90586 Durham, NC 27708-0586 919-684-3214; 919-681-8941 www.duke.edu Undergraduate/Trinity College of Arts and Sciences: B.A. or B.S. liberal an studies with recommended core courses in economics, statistics, computer science, mathematics and accounting; certificate in markets and management studies. Tuition: $29,350 - academic year (200304) Graduate!Fuqua School of Business: admissions-fuqua@fuqua.duke .edu (daytime program) 919-660-7705 (daytime program) executive-mba-info@fuqua.duke.edu 919-660-7804 (executive program) The Duke MBA program (daytime) $70,900 (full program tuition)
greater charlotte biz
'
Angi Clinton
President, ~uke Power MBA Graduate 01
Vice
. e McColl School 11 1usually Learmng at th happens continua Y· ay of thinking Idea or w new foun d a I< d session that in every wee enorl< in the real ld put tow . I cou M day morn1ng. world on on
We've designed our Professional and Executive MBA programs to awaken your inner leader. By keeping our class size small we give you a personalized atmosphere that challenges you on every level, taking you on a journey of selfdiscovery. You'll graduate with the knowledge and commitment to be the leader you've always wanted to be. To find out more, call the McColl Graduate School of Business, Queen s University of Charlotte, at 704 337-2525 or visit www.mccollschool.edu.
1 M cCOLL CRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Discover the leader within.
july 2004
SIS
fasten more flexible for busy executives. We fit your life. Earn your MBA in the fastest, most flexible way possible at Strayer University. Designed for busy professionals, the Strayer executive MBA program lets you choose the courses that fit your schedule and your learning style. Attend classes on campus or via the Internet or through a c Jmbination of both. Our accelerated format enables you to earn you r degree years before you could at other universities.
DeVry University Keller Graduate School of Management 4521 Sharon Rd., Ste. 145 Charlotte, NC 2821 1-3627 704-362-2345 www.keller.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business administration Graduate: M.B.A., master programs in acco unting and financial management; human resource management, information systems management, network and communications management, project management. Graduate certificates: accounting, business administration, electronic commerce management, entrepreneurship, financial analysis, human resou rces management, information systems management, network and communications management, project management. Online undergraduate, graduate and graduate certificate programs in business administration. Tuition: $355 per semester credit hour; $390 per online semester credit hour Total school enrollment: 49,000 Private Accreditation: N.C.A.
Marketing, HR, and Management concentrations available. With a
Gardner-Webb University
11 0-year trai:lition of educational excellence, Strayer University is one
Broyhill School of Management 110 South Main St. Boiling Springs, NC 28017-9797 704-406-4000 www.business.gardner-webb.edu The Gardner-Webb business programs are also offered at the following locations: Gardner-Webb University at Charlotte Gardner-Webb University at Statesville Burke I Valdese Center Surry Community College Forsyth Country Day School Spartanburg Regional Medical Center Undergraduate: B.A. in accounting, business administration, finance, international business, management information systems. Undergraduate tuition: $7 ,480 Graduate: MBA, M.Acc., !. M.B.A.
of the
large ~ t,
accredited, adult-focused universities in America, and
a leading provider of online education. Classes start the week of September 20. To get started on your degree without delay, call today.
msTRAYER ~ ~UNIVERSITY
North Charlotte¡ South Charlotte
1-866-324-5917 htt p://business.straye r.edu â&#x20AC;˘ AOL Keyword: Strayer
Sl l:
The Duke MBA Global Executive program - $107,000 (full program tuition) The Duke MBA Weekend Executive program - $79,500 (full program tuition) The Duke MBA Cross Continent program - $82,500 (full program tuition) Non-degree executive education programs; non-degree customized corporate education programs. Ph.D. in business administration with concentrations in accounting, decision science, finance, management, marketing and operations management. Continuing studies certifica tes: business coaching, leadership, Duke Leadership Training Associates. Total school enrollment: 13,123 (Fuqua total enrollment 1,340) Private Accreditation : S.A.C.S.
july 2004
greater charlotte biz
Dual graduate degrees: M.Acc./M.B.A., M.Acc.!I.M.B.A., M.DIV/M.B.A. Graduate tuition - $272 per semester credit hour Adult learner program/GOAL: B.S. in accounting, business administration, human services, and management information systems. (16 North Carolina locations -online courses available.) Private Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
fashion merchandizing, A.S. and E.S. in :nanagement, A.S. and B.S. in marketing. Colleges of culi nary arts and hospitality Tuition: $16,650- College of Business â&#x20AC;˘:daytime program) Private Accreditation: .E.A.S.C.
Lenoir-Rhyne College Charles M. Snipes School of Business
625 7th Ave. NE Hickorv, NC 28601-391ÂĽ828-328-1741 www. lrc.edu admissions@lrc.edu Undergraduate: B.A in ..:counting, business education, finance , international busine5s, information sy:;tems, management, marketing. Graduate: M.B.A., M.B.X with accounting
Gaston Community College 20] Highway 321 South Dallas, North Carolina 28034 (704) 922-6200 www.gaston.cc. nc.us Undergraduate: A.A.S. in accounting, business administration (concentrations: electronic commerce, human resources management, international business, logistics management;) continuing education; corporate training. Professional Development Institute: public and customized training. Distance education : lntemet, aud io and video, and interactive video. Tuition: Fewer than 16 semester credit hours- $35.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more- $568 per semester. Total school enrollment: 4,213 (fulltime 2001) Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Johnson C. Smith University 100 Beatties Ford Rd. Charlotte, NC 28216-5302 704-378-1000 www.jcsu.edu admissions@jcsu.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration with concentrations in accounting, banking and finance , economics, management, and marketing. Division of lifelong learning: adult learning program Tuition: $11,542- per academic year (200405) Private/Presbyterian Total school enrollment: 1,546 Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Johnson & Wales University Charlotte Campus College of Business 901 West Trade St. Charlotte, NC 28201 980-598-1100 www.jwu.edu/charlotte cn.admissions@jwu.edu Undergraduate: A.S. and B.S. in accounting, A.S. in business administration, A.S. in
greater charlotte biz
_uly 2004
517
concentration. Evening College: Adult B.A. programs in marketing, management and accounting. Executive Education: M.B.A. Foundation Series Undergraduate tuition: day - $15,750, evening- $250 per semester credit hour. M.B.A. tuition: $300 per credit hour. Total school enrollment: 1,500 Plivate/Lutheran Accreditation: S.A.C.S., A.C.B.S.P.
Livingstone College 701 West Monroe St. Salisbury, NC 28144-5213 704-216-6000 www.livingstone.edu admissions@livingstone.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in accounting, business administration , computer information systems Tuition: $12,000- per academic year (2003-04) Private/A.M.E. Zion Total school enrollment: 1,000 Accreditation: S.A.C.S ., A.A.C.S .B.
Mitchell Community College 500 West Broad St. Statesville, NC 28677-5264 704-878-3200 www.mitchell.cc.nc.us Undergraduate: A.A.S. in business administration, business administration with a marketing and retail concentration, and human services technology; A.A. pre-business administration, and pre-business education and marketing education. Continuing education: Statesville and Mooresville campuses, small business center. Distance education: Internet, video, television. Tuition: Fewer than 16 semester credit hours- $35.50 per semester credit; 16 semester credit hours or more - $568 per semester. Total school enrollment: 2,300 Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Greensboro, NC 27411-0001 336-334-7500 www.ncat.edu uadmit@ncat.edu (undergraduate admissions) gradsch@ncat.edu (graduate admissions) Undergraduate: B.S. in accounting, business administration, business education, economics and transportation Graduate: M.S. business and economics Evening/Weekend program: marketing and management. Interdisciplinary Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business. Continuing studies: professional development courses, seminars. Distance leaming: online business administration degree program. Undergraduate tuition: $2,788- per academic year. Graduate tuition: $2,860 - per academic year. Total school enrollment: 10,030 (2003) Public Accreditation : S.A.C.S., A.A.C.S.B.
School of Business and Economics 1601 East Market St.
Pfeiffer University
All sessions begin at 6 p .m. on the Charlotte Campus 4701 Park Road.
For more information and to reserve a seat, log on to www.pfeiffer.edu/info or call 704-521-9116. Pfeiffer University - Putting Full Faith in Your Future.
518
july 2004
greater char lotte biz
North Carolina State University College of Management Box 7313 Raleigh, NC 27695-7313 919-515-2011 www.ncsu.edu undergrad_admissions@ncsu.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in accounting, business management, and economics. Graduate: M.B.A., M.A.C., M.E. , M.A. economics, M.S. agricultural economics, Ph.D. economics. Executive education program/customized programs McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education Undergraduate tuition: $1,602 .50- 12+ semester credit hours (2004-2005) Graduate Graduate tuition: $1,581 - 9+ semester credit hours M.A. C. tuition: $2,750.50- 9 semester credit hours M.B.A. tuition : $20,252- entire program Total school enrollment: 29,637 Public Accreditation : S.A.C.S., A.A.C.S.B.
Total school enrollment: 2,100 Private/United Methodist Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Undergraduate: B.A. m business administration with concentr.J.tions in marketing and accounting. Undergraduate evening program: business administration, bfonnacion systems. Graduate: PM .B.A, EMB.A. McColl Executive Leadership Institutecustomized programs Continuing educaticn online program Undergraduate tuition: $17,008- per
Queens University of Charlotte McColl Graduate School of Business 1900 Selwyn Ave. Charlotte, NC 28274-0001 704-337-2200 www.queens.edu
Pfeiffer University Undergraduate College@Misenheimer 48380 U.S. Hwy 52 North Misenheimer, NC 28109 704-463-1360 www. pfeiffer.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration, computer information systems, economics, international business Undergraduate tuition: $13,550- per academic year (2003-04) School of Graduate Studies@Charlotte 4701 Park Road Charlotte, NC 28209 704-521-9116 Graduate: M.B.A., M.H.A., M.S.L. , M.B.A./M.H.A. dual degree, M.B.A./M.S.L. dual degree. Graduate tuition: $310- per semester credit hour, $375- per semester credit hour for those classes incorporating online delivery School of Adult Studies@Charlotte 4701 Park Rd. Charlotte, NC 28209 704-521-9116 Undergraduate: B.S in business administration, health care administration and information systems. Adult Studies tuition: $310- per semester credit hour, $375 - per semester credit hour for those classes incorporating online delivery. Online: Pfeiffer Online Education is a distance-learning version of the regular masters-level courses taught in classrooms.
greater charlotte biz
Your body is 55% water. Shouldn 't it be the best water?
Make Diamond Sp路inqs your drink of choice.
DIAMOND
SPRINGS Call 704-393-3900 for free and utterly reliable deliver路, wwvv.diamondspringscarolinas.com
july 2004
academic year (2004-05); Evening undergraduate tuition: $260- per credit hour Graduate tuition: P.M.B.A.$560 - per credit hour; E.MB.A. $49,000 entire twoyear program. Private/Presbyterian Accreditation: S.A.C.S., A.C.B.S.P.
development programs. Distance learning: Internet, televised, interactive television courses. Tuition: $35.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more- $568 per semester. Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Southern Piedmont Community College
Nort h Campus 1333 Jake Alexander Blvd. South Salisbury, NC 28146-8357 704-637-0760 ext. 221 South Campus 1531 Trinity Church Rd. Concord, NC 28027-7601 704- 788-3197 ext. 510 www.rowancabarrus.edu studentservices@rowancabarrus.edu Undergraduate: A.A. pre-business administration, business education and marketing; diploma and certificate programs in accounting, business administration, marketing, and information systems. Continuing education and workforce
West Ca mpus 721 Brewer Dr. Monroe, NC 28112-6192 704-292-1300 or 1-877-591-1130 West Continuing Education Center 4209 Old Charlotte Highway Monroe, NC 28110-7333 704-289-8588 L. L. Polk Campus u.s. 74 Polkton, NC 28135 704-272-7635 or 1-866-385-7722 Lockhart-Taylor Center 514 N. Washington St. Wadesboro, NC 28170-1819 704-694-6505 www.spcc.edu
Four Reasons Why You Think You Can't Get Your MBA THE TIME ;t; HE P-REREQUISI ;t; ES
THE MONEY •
THE FOUR YEARS
Four Reasons Why You Can Get Your MBA
Undergraduate: A.A.S., certificates and diplomas in accounting, business administration (a concentration in e-commerce is available,) and information systems. Distance learning: Internet televised an videotaped courses available. Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
Strayer University North Charlotte Campus 8335 IBM Dr., Ste. 150 Charlotte, NC 28262-4329 704-717-2380 northcharlone@strayer.edu South Charlotte Campus 2430 Whitehall Park Dr. , Ste. 700 Charlotte, NC 28273-3423 704-587-5360 southcharlotte®strayer.edu www.strayer.edu/ Undergraduate: A.A. in marketing, business administration, acquisition and contract management, economics, accounting; B.S. in international business, economics, business administration, and accounting Graduate: M.B.A. , M.S. in M.I.S. and professional accounting; graduate certificate in business administration and accounting. Strayer University Online: A.A. in business administration, acquisition and contract management, economics, accounting, marketing; B.S. in economics, accounting, international business, and business administration; M.S. professional accounting, information systems; certificates in accounting, business administration Undergraduate tuition: $243.50- per credit hour, fulltime; $255.50- per credit hour, part-time. Graduate tuition: $324.50- per credit hour Private Accreditation: M.S.A.
UNC Chapel Hill
Flexible Schedules Fast-Track, One-Semester Prerequisite Course
Affordable Classes Finish In Just Two Years
Wingate University's MBA program is conveniently located in Matthews, N.C.
V\l lNGATE UNI v' ERSITY
www.wingate.edu • 1.800.755.5550 • 704.233.8148 • karowell@wingate.edu Accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
520
j u Iy 2 0 0 4
Kenan-Flagler Business School Campus Box 3490 3122 McColl Building Chapel Hill, NC 27599-0001 919-962-3235 bschool_undergrad@unc.edu www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration Graduate: M.A.C., M.B.A. , E.M.B.A. (weekend and evening programs); Ph.D. business administration. OneMBA® Program: OneMBA executives for the Class of 2006 will be made up of approximately 100 executives living and working in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Executives attend ongoing
greater charlotte biz
classes at the partner university for their region , and come together for four weeklong global residencies held in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia. English is the common language for all OneMBA executives. Executive education program: open enrollment and custom programs. Undergraduate tuition: $ 3,205 academic year (2004-05) Graduate: M.A. C. - $16,074 per academic year, fulltime M.B.A.- $34,588 per academic year, evening executive M.B.A. $48,000 entire program, weekend executive M.B.A.- $61,500 entire program, OneMBA global tuition $69,5000 entire program, Ph.D. business administration- $2,058.77. Public Total school enrollment: 24,000 Accreditation: S.A.C.S., A.A.C.S .B. , E.Q.U.l.S.
semester (2003-04) Total school enrollmen t: 14,328 Public Accreditation: A.A.C.S.B., S.A.C.S.
international business Graduate: M.A. applied economics; M.S.A.; M.B.A.; M.S. information technology and management; Ph.D. economics and information systems. Professional: Program for Management Development and certificate programs Undergraduate tuition : $1,717 - fulltime per semester (2003-04) Graduate tuition: $1,559.50- fulltime per
University of Phoenix Charlotte Campus 3800 Arco Corporate Drive Charlotte, NC 28273 704-504-5409
UNC Charlotte The Belk College of Business Administration 9201 University City Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28223-0001 704-687-2213 www.belkcollege.uncc.edu Uptown location {The Mint Museum of Craft and Design Building] 220 North Tryon St. Charlotte, C 28202 Undergraduate: B.S. business administration; B.S. accounting; B.A. economics. Graduate: M.A.C. accountancy, business administration (M.B.A./ evening program) , MBA Plus certificate, M.S. economics; M.S. mathematical finance. Continuing education business programs Undergraduate tuition : $1554.50- fulltime per semester Graduate tuition: $1592 - fulltime per semester M.B.A. tuition: $5,684 per academic year - 24 credit hours; $4,000 per academic year- 12 credit hours Total school enrollment: 19,605 Public Accreditation: A.A.C.S.B., S.A.C.S.
UNC Greensboro Bryan School of Business and Economics 1000 Spring Garden St. Greensboro, NC 27403-0001 336-334-5000 www. uncg.edu/bae Undergraduate: B.S. accounting; B.S. accounting and information systems; B.S . business administration; B.A. and B.S. economics; B.S. finance; B.S. information systems and operations management, B.S.
greater charlotte biz
Iarn a degree that doesn't just appear on your resume ... it validates your accomplishments. • Earn your degree in 2 to 3 years, in most cases. • Take one course at a tim e. • Attend class once a week in th e evening; or ch oose our new weekend format. • Attend class at a campus location close to your home or office; or ch oose to enroll in our online fo rmat. • Learn with peers in a fast-paced, dynamic learning environmen t. • Financial aid is available for those who q ualify
~University of ~:PhoeniX"'
fl
Ch arl otte Cam pus
Call today to sign up for classes!
1-800-MY-SUCCESS ~ http://charlottecampus.phoenix.edu © 2001-2004 Uni-ersity of Phoenixlnc. All rights resered.
july 2004
www. phoenix.edu Campus-based and online programs Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration, e-business, management, marketing, information technology, and management. Graduate: M.B.A., M.S. computer information systems; Ph.D. business administration management in organizational leadership Professional development programs Tuition : varied by location/program of study Total school enrollment: 201 ,381 (99,457 online) Private Accreditation: N.C.A., A.A.C.S.B.
USC Columbia Moore School of Business University of South Carolina 1705 College St. Columbia, SC 29208-0001 803-777-7000 mooreschool.sc.edu; www.sc.edu info@sc.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business administration
Graduate: l.M.B.A; Executive l.M.B.A; Professional M.B.A. (Internet, satellite and audio distance learning,); M.A.C. , M.A. economics, M.H.R. , Ph.D. economics, Ph.D. business administration. Executive education: The Daniel Management Center - custom programs with an emphasis on large-scale management and leadership programs; PM. B.A. (pan-time evening program utilizing distance learning.) Undergraduate tuition: $5,778 per academic year Graduate tuition: l.M.B.A.- $32,000 program fee; M.A.C.- $13,820 program fee; M.H.R. - $19,600 program fee ; M.A. economics - $9200 program fee ; Professional M.B.A. program- $410 per credit hour; Professionall.M.B.A.$39,000 program fee; fulltime doctorate- $2,700 per semester. Total school enrollment: 37,575 Public Accreditation : A.A.C.S.B.
Wake Forest University Undergraduate: Wayne Calloway School of Business and Accountancy
Graduate: Babcock Graduate School of Management 1834 Wake Forest Rd. Winston-Salem, NC 27106-8758 336-758-5255 www.wfu.edu admissions@wfu.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business, B.S. analytical finance, B.S. information systems, B.S. mathematical business, B.S./M.S. accounting, B.S. analytical finance!M.S . accounting, B.S. information systems/M.S. accounting. Graduate: full-time M.B.A. , fast-track executive M.B.A., Evening M.B.A. Undergraduate tuition: fulltime- $28,210 per academic year (2004-05) Graduate tuition: Full-time MBA program, first year- $28,000; Full-time MBA program, second year- $26,500; Executive MBA program, fast track 1 - $29,750; Executive MBA program, fast track 2 $27 ,500; Evening program, first year $27,000; Evening program, second year $25,500. Angell Center for Entrepreneurship The Babcock Demon Incubator Charlotte MBA Program*
Ten Years of Success! BUSINESS/CAREER TRANSITIONS & HUMAN RESOURCE CONSULTING INCLUDES TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Compass Career Management Solutions builds strong relationships with companies, delivering solutions and procedures which bring the company goals to fruition.
Specializing in Outplacement and Change Management ,.. Strategic Planning
,.. Employee Relations & Counseling
,.. Consulting I Assessment I Coaching
,.. Career & Job Development Centers
,.. Corporate I Community Relations
,.. Transition-Related Workshops I Training
Executive Coaching, Individual/Group Outplacement, Training & Development Assessments, Retirement Workshops, Strategic Money Management Workshops . . .
£~et:t.;§i§
1994-2004 • The Winds of Change Bring Opportunity
704.849.2500 • 704.845.2420
FAX •
www.compasscareer.com
8509 Crown Crescent Court • Suite 100 • Cha rlotte, NC 28227
july 2004
greater charlotte biz
One Morrocroft Centre 6805 Morrison Blvd., Ste. 150 Charlotte, NC 28211-3575 704-365-1717 www.mba.wfu.edu clt.mba@mba.wfu.edu Evening M.B.A., Saturday M.B.A. Tuition: Evening M.B.A. - $54,000, Saturday M.B.A.- $54,000 * Wake Forest University's Babcock Graduate School of Management has announced plans to move its Charlotte campus to a new complex to be developed on property currently owned by Wachovia at the comer of West 1st Street and South Tryon Street in uptown Charlotte. Total school enrollment: 6,444 Private Accreditation: AACSB, EQUIS
Wingate University Wingate, North Carolina 28174 704-233-8148 www.wingate.edu info速wingate.edu The Matthews Center (graduate/ M.B.A./adult completion) 110 Matthews Station St., Ste. 2-A
Matthews, NC 28105-6716 704-849-2132 Undergraduate: B.A./B.S. accounting, B.A./B.S. finance , B.A./B.S. management, B.A./B.S. marketing; B.L.S. (business concentration - adult completion degree.) Graduate: M.B.A. Undergraduate tuition: $15,200- per academic year. Graduate tuition: $960 per course. Total school enrollment: 1,400 Private Accreditation: S.A.C.S. , A.C.B.S.P.
Winthrop University 209 Thurmond Rock Hill, SC 29733-0001 803-323-2186 www. winthrop.edu admissions@winthrop .edu graduatestu@winthrop.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business administration; B.A. economics. Graduate: MBA, Executive MBA, Evening MBA, MBA Coastal (offered through Coastal Carolina University), M.S. software development, certificate in software project management.
Online Guides to Colleges and Universities www.petersons.com - Critically acclaimedbooks, Web sites, online products, and admissions services. Information about colleges and universities, career schools, graduate programs, distance learning, executive training, private secondary schools, summer opportunities, study abroad, financial aid, test preparation, and career exploration. www.elearners.com/online-degrees Lists 729 accredited online college degrees from 63 colleges and universities. All of these degrees have accreditation which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. www.usnews.com/usnewsledu/eduhome - U.S. World &: News Report's annual guide to the top business schools. www.thecollegeboard.com- Not-forprofit membership association, composed
greater charlotte biz
of more than 4,500 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations, whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity www.ga.unc.edu!Directories/nchighered - Listing of all of the institutions for higher education in North Carolina with links to all of their known Web sites, including the University of North Carolina, private two and four year institutions, and the North Carolina Community College System. www.cfnc.org - College Foundation of North Carolina is a nonprofit partnership between Pathways of North Carolina, College Foundation, Inc., and the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority These organizations have broad expertise in helping students to prepare successfully for college and to find the best financial aid alternatives.
Tuition: fulltime undergraduate per semester- $3,326; fulltime graduate per semester- $3,203; Executive MBA per semester- $4,750. (Spring 2004)
Public Total school enrollment: 6,062 Accreditation: S.A.C.S., A.A.C.S.B.
York T echnicaJ College 452 South Anderson Rd. Rock Hill, SC 29730-7318 803-32 7-8000 www.yorktech.com Undergraduate: associate degrees in accounting, general business and management; certificates in accounting clerk, entrepreneurial, human resource management, payroll/income tax specialist; continuing education courses in the Center for Management and Leadership. Online courses available. Tuition: $109 per credit hour (in-county); $122 per credit hour (out-of-county). Total school enrollment: 3,600
Public Accreditation: S.A.C.S.
No Surprises!
____ ---
........ ........ ........ United Mailing Service, Inc. Use the professionals at United Mailing Service for your next Direct Mail project!
www.unitedmailingservice.com 704-392-2805
"Celebrating 20 years!" j u Iy 2 0 0 4
S23
YOU HAVEN'T LIVED UNTIL YOU'VE SAID, "THAT'S MY JAG." For most, it is a thing long w ished for, three words dangling somewhere in a hopeful future . A declaration more thri lling than any you have yet made. It's time to say them. Time to put an end to dreamy looks and wishful promises. Because now is the perfect time for you to discover the unimaginable thrill of owning one of the finest automobiles on the plaret. Thanks to astonish ing lease and finance offers that are better than any we can remember, there has never been a more opportune time to find yourself w ithin the finely crafted interior of a Jaguar. Meaning , unlike those destined to remain forever hopeful, you can soon know the sheer thrill that comes with simply saying three little words: " That's my Jag ."
JAGUAR X-TYPE
JAGUAR S-TYPE
msrp starting at
msrp starting at
$29,995*
$44,995*
2004 JAGUAR X-TYPE 2 .5 MANUAL
2004 JAGUARS-TYPE 3 .0 WITH MOON ROOF
JAGUAR XJ
JAGUAR XKS
msrp starting at
msrp starting at
$59,995*
$75,995*
2004 JAGUAR XJ8
2004 JAGUAR XK8
400 Tyvola Road • 1-866-200-3031 • www.scottjag.com See retailer i or price and details on limited warranty, Roadside Assistance and scheduled maintenance. *MSRP excludes tax, title and license fees. Caii1 -800-4-JAGUAR or visit jaguar.com/us. ©2004 Jaguar Cars.
(Continued from page 14) North Carolina economic growth during 2003 has been considerably slower than that posted by United States GOP Overall the United States economy grew by 3. 1 percent during 2003. Additionally, the United States GOP in the third and fourth quarters of the year grew by 8.2 and 4.1 percent respectively. 2003 Sector Analysis - GSP
Because of the slow pace of the recovery in North Carolina only eight of the states eleven economic sectors ex']Jerienced growth during 2003. The sectors with the strongest growth were agriculture with a real growth rate of 14.2 percent; finance, insurance, and real estate (FIRE) with a real growth rate of 4.4 percent; wholesale trade with a real growth rate of 2.9 percent; and retail trade with a real growth rate of 2.7 percent. Four other sectors experienced growth during 2003 but at rates less that the overall state growth rate of 1.8 percent. These sectors were services at l.O percent; durable goods manufacturing at 0.9 percent; transportation, communications, and public utilities (TCPU) at 0.8 percent; and government at 0.4. Three sectors continued to decline during 2003. These sectors included construction at 2.8 percent, nondurable good manufacturing at 4.0 percent, and mining at 8. 1 percent. 2004 GSP Gross State Product (GSP) is expected to
reach a level of 293,333. 1 million in 2004. Real (inflation adjusted) GSP is ex'])ected to increase by 1.6 percent over the 2003 level. The growth forecast for 2004 represents about the same pace of economic growth that the state experienced during 2003. For 2004 the first quarter, GSP is expected to increase by an annualized real growth rate of only 0.8 percent. For the second quarter, GSP growth should continue but at a stronger annualized rate of 1.5 percent. During the third quarter, growth should continue but at slower pace of 0.6 percent. In the fourth quarter of 2004, growth is expected to continue with annualized real GSP forecast to increase by 1.8 percent. The overall expansion of the states economy during the three years of economic recovery has been slow. While the United States economy grew by inflation adjusted rates of 2.2 percent in 2002 and 3.1 percent in
greater charlotte biz
QUARTERLY GROWTH RATES IN FORECASTED REAL GSP
The sectors with the strongest expected growth forecasts are finance, insurance, and real estate (FIRE) with a projected real growth rate of 3.3 percent; durable goods manufacturing and agriculture both with a projected real growth rate of 2.6 percent; retail trade with a projected real growth rate of 2.2 percent.; and wholesale trade with a projected real growth rate of l. 7 percent.
2003, the North Carolina economy could only manage 0.1 percent real growth in 2002 and 1.4 percent in 2003. For 2004 it again looks like the North Carolina economy will underperform the United States GOP growth. Consensus estimates of United States real GOP growth in 2004 had ranged between 4.0 and 5.0 percent. However, with the recent increase in gasoline prices these forecasts are likely to be revised downward to 3 to 3.5 percent. Both increased gasoline prices and the continued manufacturing decline have combined to produce a considerable drag on the already sluggish North Carolina economy. 2004 Sector Analysis - GSP
Eight of the states eleven economic sectors are forecast to experience growth during 2004.
Three other sectors are ex'])Ccted to grow during 2004 but at rates less than the overall 1.6 percent state level. These sectors are services with a projected real growth rate of 1.3 percent; transportation, communications, and public utilities (TCPU) with a projected real growth rate of l.O percent; and government at 0.9 percent. Construction, mining, and nondurable goods manufacturing are all expected to experience output declines in 2004. 2003 and 2004 Sector Analysis Employment Seasonally adj usted nonagricultural employment reached a level of 3,795,300 persons by December 2003, a slight decline of 0.5 percent
over the December 2002 level, resulting in a loss of 19,600 net jobs in 2003.
(Contin ued on page 52)
Are you in compliance? We help companies stay current with human resources regulations and laws. • Employee Handbooks • Human Resources Advice Hotline • Human Resource Audits • EEO/Affirmative Action Plans • Human Resources Seminars • Management & Leadership Training • Human Resources Newsletter The
EMPlOYERS ASS O C I AT IO N
Visit our web site to learn more about what we offer! Your Trusted Resource with 700 Local Members Comprehensive Human Resources and Train ing Services 3020 West Arrowood Road • Charlotte, NC 28273 704-522-8011 • www.employersassoc.com
july 2004
39
arlotte biz
by Heather Head
FILLING A NEED BY FILLING United aili g Service delivers 20 years of experience orking for a company that profits from filling your mailbox may not make United Mailing Service (UMS) employees the heroes of everyday folks, but getting the message out does make them heroes to their clients. Twenty years ago, Frank Hovis walked away from a secure, high-level management job with a Charlotte-based mailing services company, bringing along employees Ed Stirewalt and Bob Smith, to begin his own company out of little more than a phone booth. Now headed up by Stirewalt, the same company operates in a 50,000square-foot custom-built warehouse off Boyer Street, employs over 40 people, and generates seven times the amount of business it did in its first year. >greater charlotte b iz
july 2004
41
United Mailing Service's present state-of-the-art facility Stirewalt attributes the company$ early survival and growth to good timing and outstanding leadership: "l knew the day we started that we would be successful , becau~ ~ Hovis was a genius." But that's not to say the company ::lidn't face its share of challenges. "Our biggest challenge then was money," says
Stirewalt. "We realized right quick it takes a loL of money to run a business; we had backing but it was tough." Add to that the need for a location and a lack of equipment, and it would seem like the obstacles were insurmountable. From sales calls in a phone booth, the company moved fairly quickly into an older building off of Westinghouse
Boulevard with no air conditioning, minimal heating, dim lighting, and a single inserting and addressing machine. Three employees and a handful of temporaries, worked in stifling heat and uncomfortable chill to meet deadlines and please ever-increasing numbers of clients. Fortunately, in 1984, Charlotte was
Don't lose another reservation because you don't offer FREE High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) ineve room! The End IT End HSIASolution: [ Generate Additional Revenue [ Fast & Friendly [ Equitable Bandwidth Sharing [ Increase Network Securil:tj [ Simple Installation [ Wide Area Network Ready [ Competitively Priced Our solution design provides High Speed Internet Access throughout you r property for your guests and our products create a secu re infrastructure for your management group to connect all your prope rties via the Internet.
Extend ] Your [ EnterpriseT"'
42
july 2004
greater charlotte biz
entering a phase of rapid expansion that would fuel growth for the fledgling company. And with a combination of good business sense and a commitment to service, UMS was able to move into a better facility off of Woodlawn Road. They added new equipment, employees, and clients over the years , and finally were able to move into their current custom space in 1997 . They now have more than 40 full-time employees, in addition to seasonal temporary workers. Packaging Options United Mailing Service clients include Carowinds , Belk and the Panthers, as well as colleges, banks, and nonprofits, among others. Clients ap preciate the comprehensive array of direct mail services offered by the company. The company sells mailing lists gleaned from national databases and then sorted so that clients can target consumers based on a limitless array of criteria - age , income, type of automobiles, number of children, geographic area, and so on. For clients who bring their own mailing lists, UMS can merge sources and remove duplicate ad dresses to produce a final list. Other data services offered include standardizing addresses, zip+4 encoding, address correction, and bar coding, all of which streamline the mailing process, saving time and money for the client. In addition, management and sales staff invest in educating each client to
United Mailing Service, Inc.
best takE advantage of the postal system. For instance , an extremely creative piece mcy contain elements tnat make it G.ifficu _t and expensive to mail. Donnie Funde:ud, a sales representative for the CJmpany, asks clients to send sam? les :Jefore they commit to c. mailing, w that he can check for this a:1.d recommend mnor changes to significantly re:luce costs both in processing and post3.ge. One:: the mailing list is finalized and the piece is printed, a variety of let-
tershcp and laser printing s~ rvices prepare t 1e iterr_ f::r mailing, ir eluding printing ad :l.resf.es ar.d bar codes, folding, collating, tcbbing, meta:ing, stamp ng. and shipping. T~n the mailing cn b~ fulfiLed inmedinely, or items ::an be he d ur.til a sp_cified mail date. A_! d never s the client left in the dark -JMS cuswmer Nancy Truesdale, director of adve ~tis in 5 for Weineke Car Care says that. '"They communicate before. during 311d after the mailing is >--
IT'S MY EMPLOYEE BE.FIT.CATS CHARLOTTE
AREA
TRANSIT
SYSTEM
United Mailing Service, loc.
4335 Taggart Creek Rd., Ste. A Charlotte, NC 28208 Phone: 704-392-2805 President: J. Edward Stirewalt In Business: 20+ years Employees: O ver 40 Business: Provides complete mailing services including lettershop, list procurement, fulfillment, laser printing and data processing. www.unitedmailingservice.com
greater charlotte biz
july 2004
43
completed. I never have to call and check on the status of a mailing. I give them a schedule c.nd they take care of the rest. " Says Jim Heintz , vice president of operations, clients can benefit from their services with jobs as small as 200 or as large as in the millions.
Delivering Service Although services are similar among direct mail companies and pricing is competitiv , United Mailing Service has set itself apart from the competition through a combination of experience , customer service , and efficiency. "Most of the customers are pretty loyal," says Stirewalt. "We've had customers from day one that we've still got." Mark Ingram, vice president of sales, says he's seen customers leave , "testing the waters on price ," and come right back in relatively short time because of their exceptional customer service. Many printing companies have added direct maL to their list of services, expanding the already large pool of
competition in the field. But Heintz isn't worried: "Offset our twenty years' experience against their one year, and it's clear who the winner is. " And because it's purely a service industry, experience counts for a lot. Knowledge of post office regulations and industry techniques can sometimes save companies thousands of dollars per mailing or expedite unusual mailings that other direct mailers might turn down or botch. Additionally, their location near the Bulk Mail Facility means that mailings get into the postal system faster. UMS also boasts an impressive array of efficiently arranged equipment, up-to-date technology, and consistent, long-term management. These things combine to ensure outstanding quality control, fewer hold-ups in the process, great customer service, and substantial savings for the client.
Procuring Commitment It is no coincidence that both Stirewalt and Heintz have been with
~
f~usiness Success Institute >
join us in August as we explore the challenge of managing multiple generations in the workplace. Chapters in Charlotte, Mooresville and Matthews.
For specific dates, times, locations and membership information visit our Web site at www.business-success-institute.com or call Denise Altman at (704) 708-6700.
44
july 2004
United Mailing Service from the beginning. Turnover in the company is extremely low, thanks to a caring attitude from management, good benefits, and a stable environment. Stirewalt started his career in a literally more explosive arena. He worked for Martin Marietta , in their explosives department. "I loved playing with dynamite! " he says, grinning. But the company wanted him to move to Georgia, and he wanted to stay home in Concord. He began working for Frank Hovis at another direct mail company in 1972, loading delivery trucks . "It was just a summer job for me, " he says, but he was so impressed with his boss that he stayed on and in 1984 when Hovis asked him to walk away from that job and join him in makings sales calls from a telephone booth, Stirewalt agreed. While that leap of faith didn't scare him, he says the day Hovis died in 1998 sure did. But six years later, UMS is still going strong and he plans some day to pass the legacy on to up and coming talent. Heintz came to Charlotte from Buffalo, New York, just "looking for a job." He took one in shipping with UMS and says about Charlotte that he "liked the sunshine better than the snow," and so he stayed. He liked that he could learn and grow with the company, and the excellent management made it easy for him to do .
Addressing Challenges Shortly after the World Trade Towers fell, the anthrax mail scare slowed everything in the mailing industry down. But Heintz says that the slowdown was short-lived and that ordinarily, they operate at a fairly steady rate . Large jobs balance out smaller ones, and one industry$ busy season is offset by another. Holidays tend to slow down a little bit, as most companies get their mailings out ahead of major holidays, but otherwise it all evens out. A larger challenge for United Mailing Service is keeping up with changing technology and postal regulations. In 1984 it was still possible to do business with a single inserting
greater charlotte biz
machine and lots of hands-on temporary workers. But by the time the post office switched from five-digit zip codes to bar coding, a larger portion of the work had to be automated, meaning a larger investment of equipment. Of course, in the long term bar coding (which requires specialized equipment) has been a boon to business, as the discounts offered by the post office for bar coded materials often offset the client's cost in having UMS handle their mail. Still, it is a challenge to constantly predict which new equipment will be a sound investment, and it has only gotten more difficult with rapidly changing computer technology. ln the data processing room at the back of the UMS warehouse stands a symbol of this rapid change: a rack of film reels sits above a stack of magnetic tape cassettes, next to a computer that accepts both 5-l/4" and 3-l/2" disks, across the room from another computer wi.th a CD-Rom drive. Today, most clients e-mail their data or transmit it via an FTP site. Changes in laws and government regulations also affect the business, positively as often as negatively. Recent "no-call list" requirements have put a damper on traditional telemarketing industries, and driven that business straight to the direct mailers. Stamping Ahead Stirewalt hedges a bit when asked about growth in the next few years, but it's clear that they expect it. "The past couple of years have been flat," says Stirewalt, "and this last year we have had the wo rst month si nce we've been in business and the best month , and they were back to back'" But while showing off their state-o fthe-an facility, Heintz points out the many ways in which the space can accommodate significant growth. Currently, they are in the process of hiring new full-time staff members. With their experience and commitment of handling over 150 million pieces yearly, growth seems inevitable. biz
Heather Head is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
greater charlotte biz
Our Professional Corporate Outing Packages Include: • • • •
Event Planning/Preparation Bag drop attendants Rules/Format sheets Pairing/Handicap sheets
• Personalized scorecards • Practice balls on range
• • • •
Gift Pack Personalized bag tag Personalized golf car signage Closest to the pin/long drive signs
• Customized meals • "Post Event" scoreboard
Our tournament operations staff has nearly a decade of experience.
Call for details: (704) 547-0023 or (803) 547-1300 or see www.regentparkgolfclub.com • #1 Daily Fee Golf Facility In Charlotte • Voted Charlotte's Best For The Past Four Years • 26 Acre Lighted Practice Complex • PGA and LPGA Professionals offer personal and group instruction for golfers of all skill levels • New covered teeing areas • Practice memberships available
GOLFCLUBANDACADEMY
• Turnkey Tournament Administration
Located 15 minutes from Uptown . 1-77 south co exit 90, tum left Go 1/2 mile on US 21 , tu-n left.
704.547.0023.803.547.1300.800.671.5550 jul y 2004
45
Former Bank Executive Makes Hobby a Business
''S
KYDlVING MAKES YOU FE:O:L LIKE YOU'RE FLYJN::;,"
Danny Smith says
simply. He's felt that sens3.tion more than 2,200 times 3.nd he earns a
living by helping others share it. Smith owns Skydive Carolica, Inc., a Chester County, S.C., firm that teaches people to dive through the air. They jump from an airplane 14,000 feet above the earth and =all at 120 miles per hour for 60 to 70 seconds. At 3,000 feet, they pull open a parachute and glide
Freeflying
to
the grcund.
As they maneuver the parac-iute, they trul y are flying , Srdth says. "Once a prachute opens, you've got
to
fly it
to
the ground," he explains.
"You pull beth of you::- control toggles down at the same time and it Heed_. off the
a~r
speed. Its the same way an airplane
would land, putting flaps down
to
slow down. \l-./hen you
touch the gDund, you're doing zero miles per hour, sort of a tiptoe landir_g." "\Vowl " is how mDre than a few t:::stimonials
~viewable
n the Skyd ve Carolina Web site) describe the experience. "It was unreal," says Christy Griffin of Fort Mill, S.C., cescrib~ng
fast. My
1-rr first skydive earlier this year. "I was going so
ear~
were popping and I couldn't breathe. It was
exhilarating_" The owner of Belle Vive Spa and Wellness
Cen~er
Accele rated Free Fall
in Fort
Mill says s:tes jumped a second time v..ith Sh.)ldive Carolina and plans tc do it some more. "It's definitely addictive," says Griffin, who calls her first dive her 35th birthday present. Addicti\.e is how -mith found it 38 years ago when he took is initial skydive. "After that first jump," he says, "in my mine and heart I knew that this was a sport that I would be involved in for the rest of my hfe_ '路 It took mucr_longer for Smith business. >gre ater charlotte b iz
to
make skydiving into a Relat ive Wo r k july 2J 04
47
Smith grew U:_J near Asheville, N.C., eaned a business administration degree at Western Carolina University, then spent four years in the US Air Force. As a sergeant fi rst class at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, La., he worked in ground or:erations with a tanker crew that refueled B-52s. While there:, he caught a perform-
ace a rr:ilL;~.ry fitness course. -'I : rrxked around and, lo and behold,
Amusement Park that straddles the North Carolina-South Carolina line just south of
right ti-er~ in Shreveport was a civilian parachute : lub," he remembers. "l inquired,
Charlotte.
got my m.::ni ng and made my jump.' Ard l:.e kept jumping, even after signing en ?./"_ h 'v\'achovia Corporation
The Need to Make a Change Smith was forty, and he was restless. "l enjoyed what I did at the bank, but it was simply time for a change," he says. "What better way to make a change than to make your hobby your profession?" So Smith started Skydive Carolina in 1986 at a former military base near Chester, S.C. , about 45 miles down Interstate 77 from Charlotte. It boasts three runways, each 5,000 feet long. He bought a couple of airplanes and started operating a skydiving school strictly on weekends. "I picked this location trying to get centrally located between Columbia and Charlotte and even the GreenvilleSpartanburg area ," Smith explains. The Rock Hill resident leases the 800-acre site through the Chester County airport commission. "You don't want to be near a major airport like Charlotte-Douglas," he says. "And for a student operation, you love to have as big a place as you can. "
ance of the U.S. Army parachute team, the Golden Knights. "This looked exciting," says the wiry, soft spoken 58-year-old, who keeps his hair
predccess:::r First Union Nationa~ Back in Char.one b 1969. By 40, Smith was vice presi:lnt .c·f :te bank's Security Services Dq;artme:r_t and, as a member of the Fires _one Fara:hute Team, he was perform-
at service length and looks as if he could
ing e:Kh "~..P-ekend at Carowinds
[The Carolinas' Premier Remittance Processi r g Service Provider... ] Crown Solutions, providingcustomized services to Municipar.ties and die~~~ in Manufacturing. Utility and Cable, Credit Card, Properly Management, Non Prafits and Insurance. We provide robust and fle •ible services that are typically reserved for major accoun~ . Rnd out ...hycompanies look to Crown for fast and accurate service with exceJtional customer care. • Retoii/Whole501e a<counts • Image archival and retriev • t.le<honized doloentry
• Document on~ accounts • Credit cord pra<essing 2200 Executive Street• ChorloHe, NC 28208
704.973.9000
1903 King Air Drive Chester, SC 29706 Phone: 803-581 -5867; 1.800.SKYDIVE (from area codes 704, 828, 803 and 864) Owner/CEO: G. Danny Smith In Business: 18 years Employees: As many as 36 Number of jumps conducted: 26,000 Number of injuries: 14 (broken leg most serious) Location: 36 miles south of Charlotte at the Chester County Municipal Airport Business: Full service drop zone (United States Parachute Association Group Member Drop Zone) open yearround for skydiving and offering a full line of skydiving services and training programs including Tandem, Instructor Assisted Freefall (IAF) and Accelerated Freefall (AFF).
48
ju l y 2004
grea te r charlotte biz
The business grew, mostly because of
costs $339. A serious student can learn to
Smith's enthusiasm. '"It's not work to me,"
skydive solo for a little more that $1,300 ,
he says. "I enjoy it immensely"
but that takes 20 jumps, spread over several weeks.
After a decade cf running the skydiving business on the side, Smith decided he was ready to make it his sole source of income. "In 1996, l took early retirement from First Union anC. began the business full-time," he says, adding that he's never looked back. "I look at some J f my former colleagues at the bank and the banking industry has just totally changed ," Smith smiles. 'They're bored to death and wish they could get out. S~<ydiving gave me an out to do something else and have some fun at it. " Starting in early morning, Smith and his staff can teach a person enough about skydivi ng that he or she can make a "tandem" dive - strappeC. to an instructor- by day's end. That costs $1 79 unless you weigh 190 or more, which hikes the fee to $189. A customer can opt for "accelerated free fall" in which he or she wears a parachute and dives with two instructors, but descends to the ground individually That
CAROLINA FOOT ASSOCIATES Committed to the health of your feet
Smith declines to share revenue numbers, but the business grew steadily from
1986, when it trained 99, through the first eight months of 2001. The terror attacks of September 11 wilted interest, but Smith still trained 2,000 first-timers that year. Terror fears and a lousy economy dampened revenues in 2002 and, just as a recovery was building, the rains of 2003 severely hampered operations. "Our business is a weekend business," he says. "Through july last yea r, we had lost 80 percent of our available weekend days to rain." Even after a fall rebound, business was down 45 percent for 2003, mirroring 2002 . Fortunately, this year's been much better. "I think people are getting a little more confident in the economy," Smith says. 'T hey've ridden out the storm - the same thing we had to do -and they're returning to some of the things they want to do. " The biggest challenge these days is the
fuel for Smiths two airplanes, a singleengine Cessna 182 that carries four skydivers and a pilot, and a twin-engine DeHavilland that carries 22 skydivers. "Fuel is out of sight," Smith shakes his head. 'Just go to the gas pump . What you're paying, just think from an aircraft perspective, itt usually a dollar to a dollar and a half more." And insurance7 For skydiver operations, itt hard to come by "We do have individual insurance we get as a member of the U.S. Parachute Association. But in terms of getting insurance to cover every skydiver that comes down, you can't get it. Thatt why we have to have all of our jumpers sign a liability waiver," Smith explains.
Safety Prevents Accidents "We never hide the fact that you can get hurt in this sport," Smith is careful to point out. "For the most part, if you follow the rules, if you've trained p roperly, and if you've got good parachute equipment on your back, an injury rarely happens." In 26,000 student j umps, Skydive Carolina has recorded just 14 inj uries, the >-
Solutions to all your technology needs
Charlotte help desk
Chronic Heel Pain! What is it? Plantar Fasciitis, also referred to as "heel spur," is a painfu l problem affecting about 2.5 million people each year in the U .S . Who has it? Teachers, mail carriers, runners, ath letes- an yo ne with jobs requiring a lot of ~ tand i ng o r walking. What can be done? GREAT NEWS! ESWT-extracorporea l shockwave therapy. This non-invasive, non-surgica l procedure is performed in the office. It uses shock waves created by ound energy to reduce the inflamation and aJeviate the pa in .
If you suffer with this chronic heel pain , please call:
Dr. Thomas Hampton, DPM Board Certified 2200 Randolph Rd., C harlotte, NC 28207
Information Systems ploy on integral role in business today. Charlotte Help Desk's team of engineers and consultants provide high quality, cost-efficient IT applications and services designed to help your business stay ahead. Services include: • Help Desk and Knowledgebase • Antivirus Protection • Network Integration • PC/Netwark Support • WAN/Firewall Support
• • • • • •
Network Security VPN/ Remote Access Data Cabling Database Services Web Development Dynamic Marketing
Help Desk includes: • Unl imited knowledgebase access • Remote support • Monthly or quarterly preventative maintenance pockoges • Interactive web-based trai ning • Web based occess portal
704,376,3947 www.carolinafootassociates.com
greater cha rl o tt e bi z
jul y 2 004
49
most serious of wh1ch was a broken leg suf-
22-passenger plane flies as many as 20
from james LaBarrie, whom he met while
fered by one of Sm1th's bank buddies on his
loads of jumpers a clay
pursuing his other passion, golf. A former
These jumpers and their instructors
ooe and only jump.
pro at Regent Park Golf Club near
aim their 400-fcot-square nylon chute
Carowinds Boulevard, LaBarrie struck a
c lebrities such as NASCAR drivers j erry
canopies to touch down in a 10-meter pit
deal with Smith in which Smith taught him
Nadeau ar_d Chad :;_iule and Cha: lotte
built like an upside-clo·.vn bowl and filled
to skyclive and LaBarrie tinkered with
radio personality R·J bert Raiford. A
with fine pea graveL If they miss that,
Smiths golf game. Smith hopes to cut his
Charlotte couple exchanged vows in mid-
there's a soft grassy area that surrounds it.
handicap to single digi ts. Meanwhile,
Those student jumps include some by
a r in the late 1980s and this
y ~ar
a man
Smith says he·s always looking for
LaBarrie has signed on full-time to publi-
jumped just fa r enough ahead of his sweet-
ways to improve business and, these clays,
l£art to unfu rl a banner on the ground that
he and some staffers do :nore than a few
a3ked, "W:ll you marry me7" (Once on terra
promotional jumps. Smi:h has jumped 15
est livi ng in," Smith says. Then he smiles
ftrma , she said yes.)
times into Lowe's Motor Speedway and
and adds, ''I'm blessed to take a hobby and
cize Skydi ve Carolina. "It's a business you can make an hon-
Skydive Carolina helped the Charlotte
tum it into a profession. Its given me an
terminal illness, told her family she'd like to
Knights introdu·: e :heir mascot, Homer the
enj oyment that a lot of people never get."
Last summer, a lady in her EOs, with a
Retirement isn't in his vocabulary, he
s<yclive. Her son took the course and
Dragon, by parachuting a staffer dressed as
jumped with her. "She h ad us all in tears
Homer into Knights Cas:le. The original
l:efore she left," Srr_ith says. "We were able
Hugo the Hornet also jumped with Smith's
as possi ble: "As long as you stay healthy
crew.
and can pull a rip cord , you can para-
to
fulfill a dream fer her." Most of Smiths staff works on a con-
t-act basis. ready to show up on short
They'll do ·.vhat Smith calls "character jumps" too. Staffer judy Girard sometimes
says as he vows to continue diving as long
chute. " "My goal is to just keep on improving
rotice, depending on number of customers.
portrays Marilyn Monwe in midair, com-
the business and making it better," Smith
They include abou: three dozen instructors
plete with blonde wig and billowing dress.
muses. "Definitely keeping it safe, that's my
<r~d
three pilots.
She's made more than 4 ,500 jumps and
number one goal. 1 want my legacy to be,
Smith rarely jumps on busy weekend
Steve Vaughn, Smi:hs director of training,
'He ran a safe drop zone."' biz
cays. 'Tm on the groun6 seeing that things §Ct done. " When business is booming, the
has dived more than 7.000 times. For promotion , Srruth's getting help
Ellison Gary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
TRUST US with your office • Serving the C harlotte area fo r over 14 yea rs • Monthl y Inspections • Commercial & Industri al Offices • Trained Technicians • Licensed, Bonded and Insured • Drug Screening • 7-year C riminal Background Search
I 72 l
. Davidson St.
harlotte,
C 28206
Call Gary Espin
704 .. 332 .. 3850 :.o
j u y 2 004
g reater charlotte biz
greater chari::Jtte ti:;:
j..JI路,;
~004
(Continued from page 39)
percent. By March , the North Carolina rate fell
Despite the slowed GSP growth for 2005 ,
Only three secto rs experienced job
to 5.2 percent and for the first time in two
growth during 2003. These were government
years was below the United States unemploy-
achieve modest employment growth adding
at 2.2 percent, FIRE at l.l percent, and servic-
ment rate. For the remainder of 2004, the
just over 50,000 net additional jobs. This
North Carolina unemployment rate is expect-
should contribute to maintaining the unem-
es at l. 0 percent. Seasonally adjusted nonagricultural
ed to decline, ending the year at 4.6 percent.
employment in North Carolina is foreca st to reach 3,853,200 persons by December 2004, an increase of 1.5 percent over the employment
2005 QUARTERLY GROWTHRATES IN REAL GSP
level in December 2003. The employment tional jobs to the state's economy during the year. Six of the state's ten nonagricultural sectors of the economy should expe rience J005 I
20o5 n
20o5 m
2005 IV
The secto rs expected to display the strongest employment growth rates in 2004 are retai l trade at 3.8 percent, FIRE at 2.8 percent, and
2005 END OF QUARTER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
services at 2. 7 percent.
20o5 I
2oos n
20o5 m
20o5 IV
the first four months of 2004 and the No rth Carolina unemployment rate forecast through sents the North Carolina seasonally adjusted
2005 North Carolina Forecast North Carolina real Gross State Product
historic unemployment rate while the red line
(GSP) is expected to grow by 0.9 percent dur-
provides the projected North Carolina unem-
ing 2005. The quarterly growth rates for 2005
ployment rate. The seasonally adjusted
are present in the graph above. The slower
unemployment rate fo r the United States is
growth expected in 2005 is a reflection of
represented by the solid blue line. The sea-
recent increases in energy prices and the drag
sonally adjusted rates for the United States
that higher prices put on the economy:
and No rth Carolina can be directly compared and provide more reliable estim ates than the unadjusted rates. The North Carolina seasonally adjusted
In add ition to the drag on the state's economy caused by higher energy prices, the state's traditional industries (textile, apparel, furniture, and tobacco) are also expected to continue
unemployment rate began the year at 5.8
their weak pattern of growth, thus contributing
percent, above the United States rate of 5.6
the sluggish grow expected in 2005 .
7~------------------------------------------------------
6.5
6
'=-=~~,------·~--~-~---~·------·~--1·1---~·------·
5 .5
5 4 .5 4
3.5 3
2.5 2 +---,----r--~----r---,----r--~----r---~--,----r--~
JAN
FEB
MAR APR MAY JUN
JUL AUG
SEP OCT NOV DEC
2004 NORTH CAROLINA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FORECAST
52
july 2004
john E. Connaughton is professor of economics in the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte. He IS director of the Carolina Economic Forecast, funded by TI.AA-CREF and published quarterly by the University of North Corolmo at Charlotte. The Forecast provides both a review of North Carolina's recent economic performance and on estimation of the state's future growth. Dr. Connaughton earned his PhD. and master's degrees from Northeastern University and his bachelor's degree from Boston State College.
Toke advantage or rhese products and serviCes from Charlotte's leod1ng busmess-to-bus1ness suppliers.
The graph below provides a summary of
the end of the year. The solid green line repre-
biZJ
bizresource guide
2004 North Carolina Une mployment Forecast the historic monthly unemployment rates for
ployment rate around 4 .5 percent fo r most of the year.
growth forecast should add 57 ,900 net addi-
positive employment growth during 2004.
the North Carolina economy is expected to
ABC Cleaning Altman Initiative Grou p ATCOM Blai r, Bohle & Whitsitt Carolina Foot Associates Carolina VW CATS Center City Partners Charlotte Help Desk Compass Career Crown Solutions Diamond Springs Du nhill Hotel END II EN D Employers Association First Citizens Bank 5 Off 5 On FN Thompson Hood Hargett Insurance Liquid Design Meeting House Regent Park Scott Insurance Scott Jaguar Tathwell Printing TimeWarner Business United Mailing Service US LEG Wachovia Bank WestPort Marina
pg. 50 pg. 44 pg. 42 pg . 10 pg. 49 BC pg.43 pg. 11 pg. 49 S22 pg. 48 S19 S9 pg.42 pg.39 IBC S22 pg. 13 pg. 51 pg. 48 pg. 13 pg. 45 pg.3 S24 pg. 51 IFC S23 pg.5 pg. 1 pg 50
bizEd resource guide CPCC Corp Training DeVry/University-Keller School Pfeiffer University Queens University-McColl School Strayer University UNC Charlotte·Belk School University of Phoenix Wake Forest University-Babcock School Wingate University Winthrop University-MBA Winthrop University-Graduate Winthrop University-Graduate
S15 S10 S18 S15 S16
S7 S21 S2 S20 S4
sa S17
greater charlotte biz
COII1II10llSense is knowing there is nothing common about our customers' needs.
~FIRSr CmZENS BANK Do something amazing
firstcitizens.com 1-888- FC DIRECT Member FD IC
Carolina Volkswagen (Nothing could be fine r) 7800 E. Independence Elvd . at Krefeld Dr. â&#x20AC;˘ Charlotte, NC 28227 704-537-2336 . l-800-489-2336 '1-'VI/VI/. co rol inavw.com
11:>2004V<>kswogen. l-300DRMVW"'VWCOM