Greater Charlotte Biz 2005.10

Page 1


OU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE HERE TO PLAY THE BEST GOLF COURSE IN CHARLOTTE.*

THE CLUB AT LONGVIEW IS CURRENTLY ACCEPTING A LIMITED NUMBER OF NON-RESIDENT MEMBERSHIPS.

*As ranked by Golf Digest in it's May , 2005 edition.


At The Club at Longview, Charlotte"s ad ress of

members, the clul: is the ult imate way to indulge

distinction and ho.,e of the only Jack Ni::l:laus

in the pleasures af our old-world style clubhouse,

Signature Course in the area, all ameniti'e! are

complete with fire dining, spa, tennis courts,

completed, open'ed, and have

acti' i:y center and swimming pools.

been receved by members with

For ofler members, it's the way to play

rave revie'Ws and resounding suc-

the most stunning golf course in town.

cess. Now the Clu::> is pleased to

To ircuire about a Club at Longview

announce 3 li mitec number ol100% refu•c.able

membership, call our membership office at

non-resident memberships. For some of our

704-443-2561 or visit www.longview.cc.

Initiation deposit for •on-resident golf members/ips- $65:000. Initiation deposit for national memberships- $25,000. lni iction deposit for ~ton-resident soc ~a Imemberships- $1!:.COO. 0

Jr non-resident member~/- ips are

Prie<s are subject 10 change U::rhout no&ce. Moothly dut,

3nd

use (i<J wil JWly.

100% refundable and non-recallable.


a

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26

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cover story

Billy Graham Evangelistic Associa o n

For over sixty years tllis Chari Jtte-born nin1ster has preK'le :l :::> mor= live aud ences tha1 anyone E se i1 1-istory; hi~ messages 'lave reached ove-:;; IC milhc-1 people >nc opr=ad over mere t· m 185 countnes c.nd terntones BGEA ~c.s move:l its head:ju<rters to a nev; campus n Charlotte to nurtLrE this legacy. co1fidert -:-~at the 11essage Bil y l-as her<!lded will ccntnue to flourish unde· tle steward,hir: cf 16 s:m. Frcnklin Gra 1am.

4 departments

-homas Pel:roleum C::>mp.:m y The o<l inc•stry ::ar che1ge ct 3ny given no•:::-nent, t•t Tho-n:s s pre::>~-ed to hance ft. He's Jem

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c:Fering altur ~tv~ Jels becc ming the

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fi-;- 1r the .tale :o eta1 ethe1ol producs.

Legisht ,·e and Re.rul1Lr 1y Higr llg1ts for Arn f:mplcy ·s

noa ·kEt de •ards fc- co wen1.,1ce stores a 1C the Iii<!' . l-is mc•st recent 1nn::>vation is

20 Rodgers Builders, Inc. Pat

Rodger~

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on t:op

w:Jrked her v.a}· up r this

construction b•Js1ness, first J)' ta <ing :curses to leam the bu~iness, and subs=•luently by ga1n1ng a lot of e>:penen:e, a59-JTing more respo1sible pcsltions a o~ the way. Gradually she rose th-ougr t1e rariG to pres1dent, and :hats where she's been running the col1p;on·, since 198 3.

biz r:esource guide

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wor-b.rforce biz

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Bond IequesLLO f. dc ress • ,nVIth _t Centol Piedmont cm m Ln:_y Co ege

execSJtive homes Lux1ry :~{ames ab •vt ~50) , . 00

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he cover: P..n. Billy Graha:n ChaitTJal of th e Boa •d Billy Grahcrn Ewmgcll\t .: Associatu n on

r IS ter U""e, becorrf=Jtli: .n1versrt:y

p-esident i· S:·Lth Caroina at:er 17 years. H3 t3ken :hi~ hirtcric 1nsttJlon, wrth se1cu· infrastrJc-...Jre a · d fi11ancia problems, c•d transfo-rr ~d rt nto 1 first rate. natioral Gber cor erpo·a-y n.trtut•~r.

42 Euroston e s C o ., Inc You m1ght s3y :he Sctyber

famil:/~

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rock sol•d and sits on a roc< soic b.mdat•on

familr. The1r stcne craf.:smar ;hip can

be seen 1n hones and businesses c-oss the Chcrlotte eg1or, and e3.ch :ne rber of the fam•ly take; part But It ooe;r' end there; the fami y beh1nd Eurcstc ne, exudes

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clraflotte www grec.t=rchar lottebiz c Jm


(Seated) Andrew C hambers, Mike Monk; (Standing) Lat Williams and Tar Re id of Scott Insurance

Scott Insurance: Over 140 Years of Results "By focusing on safety improvements, loss prevention and claims management, Scott actually lowered our dependence on insurance."- Charlie Tew, Southern Pump & Tank "We've been with a large national broker. After being with Scott Insurance, we now realize we're with the best. Their innovative and proactive services are the best we've ever come across."- Sheila Williams, B&B Contracting "Scott Insurance has done a great job of further educating us on key issues, especially Workers' Comp. Their comprehensive approach to our risk management is helping MGM Transport take control of the future and be a better company."

Employee Owned

- Ross Windsor, MGM Transport

Find out how you can benefit from the knowledge and service that have made Scott an exceptional Insurance firm since 1864. Call Andrew Chambers, Mike Monk, Lat Williams or Tar Reid in Charlotte at (704) 556-1341.

INSURANCE, BENEFITS, BONDS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT NORTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, TENNESSEE

CAPTI VE INSURANCE DOMICILES IN BERMUDA AND GRAND CAYMA N

INSURANCE scottins.com


[publisher's

st]

CMS Schools Need More Focus on Excellence In March of this year, Foundation For The Carolinas convened a task force of citizen leaders to oversee a study focusing on structure and governance requirements for the Charlotte · Mecklenburg School system (CMS) funded with approximately $5oo,ooo pledged by a consortium of donors. With over 118,ooo students enrolled, CMS is the 23rd largest school district in the U.S. and the largest in the Carolinas. Enrollment is expected to increase by another 50,000 students over the next decade. The task force is focusing on two strategic questions. First, what is the ideal governance model for our public school system? Second, what is the ideal school manage· ment structure required to serve a rapidly growing Mecklenburg County? The task force has already held three town hall meetings. Summaries of the feedback from those meetings are incredibly outspoken and clear. A consensus of feedback has cen· tered on teachers' distrust of CMS administration and the dysfunctional nature of our exist· ing school board. Poor communication and bureaucracy have been repeatedly offered as obstacles to an improved CMS operation. Exacerbated by the exponential growth, debate over inadequate facilities and student assignment plans is significant. Hopefully, though, these concerns will not distract from our determination to find and implement innovative and best practices from around the world to improve the operation of our schools and the success of the learning process itself. One such example of innovative thinking is being implemented system-wide by the Indianapolis Public Schools. With about 40,000 students and five high schools, Indianapolis is carving those high schools into 24 small academies in a sweeping reform to boost the scores and radically improve graduation rates. The new smaller schools oper· ate in the existing buildings with the existing teachers. Each new high school is organized around themes such as health and wellness, science and technology, leadership and the arts, and each operates with only a few hundred stu· dents. Those students have the same teachers all four years with an integrated curriculum tailored specifically for student advancement. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is backing the project, suggesting that going small is the key to making sure these high schools are successful. They want campuses where every student is known by name and no one slips through unnoticed. To its credit, CMS is already testing this model with a grant of $350,000 from the Gates Foundation at Olympic High School. There they have broken students and teachers into five smaller schools within the larger school facility. Olympic principal Pamela Espinosa maintains that, with the increasing globalization, it is imperative that education in the United States change. She says that the current educa· tion model "is very archaic. .. built upon the agricultural and industrial society of the past," and indicates that today's student must learn how to deconstruct and solve problems. Education must look "completely different," in her words, and soon if the United States is to compete with other nations. According to Espinosa, "The heart of reform and the essence is how we change teaching and learning." Currently, Olympic is the only school in North Carolina participating in the program funded by the Gates Foundation. School officials will be studying the "schools within a school" co ncept during the course of the 2005-2006 school year. Fearful of fads within education like the open schooling concepts of the '8os, CMS superintendent Haithcock cautions that results are not yet conclusive that this smaller school concept will be beneficial. Among other things, she is anxious to do more to encour· age and support teacher planning and preparation. To be sure, CMS needs more than an optimal governance model and structure to meet the needs of this school system. It needs leadership that works together, communicates well and is able to reach a consensus and effectively execute appropriate action, moving forward with new and different ideas for improving students' performance. And it needs to be aggressive in seeking new ways of preparing students for the demands of this increas· ingly globalized world.

4

october 2005

clraflotte z w;

October 2005 Volume 6 • Issue I 0

Publisher John Paul Galles jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

Associate Publisher/Editor Maryl A. Lane maryl.a.lane@greatercharlottebiz.com

Creative Director/ Asst. Editor Sean Farrow sfarrow@greatercharlottebiz.com

Account Executives Gary Biernacki gbiernacki@greatercharlottebiz.com Michelle Killi mkilli@greatercharlottebiz.com Mimi Zelman mzelman@greatercharlottebiz.com

Contributing Editor Susanne Deitzel

Contributing Writers Ellison Clary Susanne Deitzel Heather Head Eloise D. Mo rano

Contributing Photographers Sean Farrow Wayne Morris Galles Communications Group, Inc. 560 I 77 Center Drive • Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28217-0736 704-676-5850 Phone • 704-676-5853 Fox www.greatercharlottebiz.com • Press releases and other news·related information,

please fax to the attention of" Editor" or e-mail: editor@greatercharlottebiz.com. • Editorial or advertising inquiries, please call or fax at the numbers above or e-mail: info@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Subscription inquiries or change of address, please call

or fax at the numbers above or visit our Web site: www.greatercharlottebiz.com .

© Copyright

2005 by Galles Communications Group. Inc.

All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable . H owever. Galles Communications Group. Inc. makes no warranty to the accuracy or reliabil ity 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. For reprints call704-676-5850 x l02 . Greater Charlotte Biz (ISSN 1554-655 I) is published monthly by Galles Communications Group, Inc., 5601 77 Center Dr., Ste . 2SO, Charlotte, NC

28217-0736.

Telephone: 704-676-S850. Fax: 704-676-5853 . Subscription rate is $24 for one year. Periodicals postage pending at Charlotte. N .C .. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Greater Charlotte Biz, S60 1 77 Center Dr.. Ste. 250. Charlotte, N C 282 17-0736.

www.greate rc harl otte biz. com


WllAT CAN A

FARMERS TEACH

WEALTH

MARKET

US ABOUT

A

MANAGEMENT

TEAM?

• Shipped in from someplace else just isn't as good.

Your l oca l Wachovia WealLh Management spec ia li sts believe in inv est : ng time and resou 1·ces in the comm u nity. Being r •g ht t h ere with you, we can arrange in-person meetings a: your convenience, no t around somebody's flight sc h edule. And our firsthan::l understanding- of . he things that are i-nportant to you means we ca n work with your other advisors to craft and execute a plan that's right for you and your fa mily. Talk to us. We'll show yo u that the freshest so luti ons come from the local source.

C:mccrd, wvering Lake Norman, Mooresville, Salisbury and Albemarle: Bob Suddreth, 704--785-2049. Charlotte Downtown: Susan johnson, 704-374-6194. Charlotte SouthPark: Tom Hodges, 704--442-6503.

WACHOVIA WEALTH MANAGEMENT Uncommon Wisdom

PLA.'NL G • 1NVEST\1ENT MANAGEM ENT • TR UST AND ESTATE ADMINISTRATION • PRIYATE BANKJ

G • INSURANCE


Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

Employees Will Shoulder More Health Care Costs health care costs say it ts likely their employ-

include a greater number of lower-income

nesses say they must conunue to pass a

ees would consider droppmg their health care

Americans (26%)

portion of the mcreased costs on to their

CO\'erage because of this mcrease in out-of-

employees by requtrmg them to pay a mounting share of the premiums, co-pays, or

pocket costs • Busmesses are focused on affordability of

deductibles, a new survey of busmess leaders

health care. The goal of ·makmg health care

Faced 'W1th nsmg health care costs, busi-

shows. Four in five business owners (79 per-

more affordable' is a top pnonty among busi-

o

Providing tax credits for low-income

Americans to help them afford private insurance (23%) 0

Allowing Americans to set up tax-free

health savings accounts (21 %) The survey underscores what some of the

cent) who anticipate increases m the1r health

nesses, Mth half (53 percent) ciung th1s as

care costs say they are concerned about the1r

the most Important health care goal that

nation's top business leaders, health policy

employees' ability to shoulder the projected

should rece1ve the greatest auennon in health

analysts, and labor economists have been say-

mcreases. The survey of more than 600 busmess

care reform efforts.

owners and benefits managers whose compa-

tcy proposals. Among a range of policy

nesses, individuals, !amihes, and government

• Busmess leaders support a range of pol-

mg for many months: As the pnce of health care coverage contmues to nse, fewer busi-

proposals tested, busmess owners and bene-

programs can afford to pay for coverage- and

msurance benefits shows that compames of

fits managers expressed strong support for

more Amencans will be forced to go without

all stzes expect health care costs to Jump an

granung tax credns to small businesses that

health insurance. Accordmg to numbers

addmonal 12 percent over the next year.

ofler insurance coverage, and for allowing the

released last month from the U.S. Census

Busmess owners surveyed say they will ask

self-employed and small busmesses to band

Bureau, nearlv 46 million Amencans had no

the1r employees to pay an average of 21 per-

together to purchase msurance

health insurance m 2004. The Census

mes currently pay for at least some health

cent of the mcrease. Survey respondents

When asked wh1ch ideas would help

reported that the percentage of Americans

esttmate that thetr employees currently pa),

"a lot" to increase the number of Amencans

who receive the1r health msurance from

on average, 29 percent of the cost of their

with health coverage, busmess leaders

employer-sponsored coverage declined signif-

own health insurance premiums- up six per-

responded:

icantly between 2003 and 2004.

centage pomts from 2003. According to figures from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research Educational Trust, premiums average

$10,880 annually for family coverage ($907 per month) in 2005, and $4,024 ($335 per month) for individual coverage. "Business leaders know firsthand how important it is to offer health insurance, both because it improves the health of the workforce and because it makes their businesses more attractive to employees," says Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood johnson Foundation. "Small and mid-sized companies have long struggled to provide affordable health insurance for their employees, b ut now large companies with thousands of employees are finding it difficult to offer affordable health coverage. Our nation's leaders need to act on this issue before more and more working Americans find themselves unable to afford health care coverage ." According to the survey: • Employers worry that their workforce may drop insurance because of rising costs. More than one-third (35 percent) of businesses that report an expected increase in

6

october 2005

0

Allowing the self-employed and small

A Guide to Health Insurance Options for

businesses to purchase private health insur-

Small Business is available to help small

ance at group rates (53%)

business owners identify and evaluate their

0

Providing tax incentives for small busi-

health coverage options - various plan

nesses to encourage them to provide health

options, tax advantages for providing

coverage to the ir employees (41 %) 0 Enrolling more Americans who are eli-

employee coverage, tools to help estimate the cost of providing coverage, information

gible for governmen t-funded health care programs (27%)

on employee cost-sharing, and more- at www.CoverTheUninsured.org. (fhe Robert

0

Expanding Medicaid coverage to

Woodjohnson Foundation; www.RW]Eorg)

Can Employees See Their Personnel Files? In North and South Carolina, current and former employees have no right to see their personnel records or files. Personnel files are company property. While there are a few documents that the employee must be allowed to see (i.e. access to OSHA medical records), the exceptions are limited. Many employers choose to promote good employee relations by allO\ving current employees to review their own personnel records under controlled conditions, even if not required

to

do so

by law. For example, employees may make an appointment with the human resource department to come and review their file in the presence of a human resource staff member. If employees are not allowed

to

see their files, it may raise more questions than necessary as to what is in the file.

Some companies allow the employees to make a copy of any document while others say that it is company property and copies are not allowed. Most companies do not provide access to former employees. Employers should review the content of the personnel files and decide in advance what their policy will be for access. What should employers keep in personnel files? The general rule is to keep only information that can legally be the basis of an employment-related decision in your employees' personnel flies.

www.greaterch arl otte biz. com


New Hours for Commercial Truck Drivers Effective October l, 2005, the U.S. Department of Transporta-

rad·us of their starting point- to extend their work day twtce a week.

tions Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration revised Hours of

ln addition, these dnvers will no longer have to maintain logbooks.

Service rule specifying the length of time commercial d-ivers can

The change was prompted by safety data that show short haul drivers

operate trucks before they are required to take a break goes into

make up over half the commercial neet yet are involved in less than

effect.

seven percent of the nation's fatigue-related fatal truck crashes.

The new rule prohtbits truckers from dnving more than ll hours

Another change contained in the new rule requires truckers who

in a row, working longer L1.an 14 hours in a shtft (dowr. from the

use sleeper-berths to rest for eight hours in a row, and take another

current 15-hour limit) and driving more than 60 ho1rs over a seven-

two consecutive hours off duty before resetting their daily drivmg

day period or 70 hours over an eight-day period. In addition, the

schedule. Studies show that drivers are less likely to be fatigued if

new rule requires truckers to rest for at least ten hours between shifts

they take a single eight hour block of rest than if they break their

(up from the current eight-hour requirement) and p~ov1des a 34-

rest into smaller periods of time as they were allowed under the

hour period to recover from cumulative fatigue.

prev10us rule.

One significant change under the new rule now allows short-haul operators not required to hold a commercial drivers license- such as landscape crews and

deliv~ry

drivers who work witl-_in a 150 mile

The new rule applies only to commercial truck drivers, and not to passenger motor coach operators. (wwwjmcsa.dot.gov and

www.dot.gov)

~ --··--- ··------- ---·· ---·· --- ·· -----·----- · --- - --- ---------------------------·---------- -------------------·------- - ----------- ---- -- ·-- -- -------- - ----·-----------·----------------------- · -------------------·-----··--- ··---··---· · ----1

Mandatory Use of Americanized Nickname Constitutes Racial Discrimination Upon immigration to the U.S., it is common

employees objections, the supervisor persisted

for many foreign-born employees to adopt

in using this nickname in e-mail and other

affirming a jury verdict for the plaintiff. The court stated that the mandatory use of the nick-

Americanized nicknames, especially for work-

communications. He explained that U.S. cus-

name was clearly due to the employees race

ing purposes. Ho·.vever, can an employer

tomers of the business would be more

and national origin. The repeated use of the

require the use of such an alternative name over

"comfortable" with the rjckname.

the employees objection? In a new Ninth

The employee sued unc.er Title VII and

Circuit Court of Appeals decision, the supervi-

Section 1981, claiming race discrimination. The

sor of an Arabic employee ru.med Mamdouh

employer claimed that the use of the nickname

EI-Hakim require:! that he go by the name

was nDt race discrimination, because it was not

"Manny" with customers. Despite the

a racial epithet. The Nin.h Circuit disagreed,

nickname over the employees objections created a hostile and offensive working environment. While an employer clearly can accommodate an employee's choice to adopt an Americanized name for work purposes, the suggestion that such step be taken, or any requirement over the employee's objection, should be avoided. While an employees name

Standard Mileage Rate Increase

could conceivably affect sales or relations with some customers, the employer cannot require

The Internal Revenue Sen·ice (IRS) has announced the o:Jlional standard mileage

cia! adjustment was ma:le. Tl-.e 48.5 cents per mile rate is effec-

rate has increased to 48.5 cents per mile for

tive u:-ttilthe end of 2005. With many

the September 1 through December 31,

enens predicting a fall in gasoline prices,

2005 time period. The previous rate was 40 .5 cents per m·le. The new rate for computing deductible medical or moving

the IRS will hold off on setting the 2006 rate until the end of 2005.

expenses is 22 cents per mile , up from the prior rate of 15 cents per mile. The rate for providing sen·ices for charitable organizations remains at ~ 4 cents per mile. The IRS normally updates the mileage rate in November each year and the new

Keep in mind a company does not ha-.·e to reimburse an employee for mileage. The IRS rate is a benchmark that is used by many companies to reimburse their employees for mileage. While most companies use this rate a company can use a lower or higher rate . If a higher rate

rate is elfecti\-e on January 1st of the lo\low-

is used , any amount above the IRS rate is

ing year. Howewr, based upon the rapid

to he considered as income to :he

rise in gas prices in recent weeks, this spe-

emplcyce.

(www.irs.,~ov)

any change as a condition of employment or continued employment. (Reprinted by pennission

of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein UP) biz The Employers Association is a nonprofit Charlotte organization providing comprehensive human resources and training services. Founded in 1958, the Association maintains a broadbased 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 newsletter. For more infOrmation, please call Laura Hampton at 704-522-80 I I or visit their Web site at WWVv".employersassoc.com.

october 2005

7


Awards & Achievements The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce has announced the recipients of its 2005 Entrepreneur Awards: Melissa Swanson of Occasions Catering (l - lO employees); C. Rudy Alexander of The Elevator Channel, Inc. (l l -35 emplorees); and john Owens of Ameritrust Mortgage, LLC (36- 150 employees); and Mihe and Tana Greene of StrataForce received the Trailblazer Award . Congratulations to the businesses voted first-place as the best in the tourism and hospitality industry and honored at the Fourth Annual Charlotte Visitor's Choice Gold Awards Gala: Brixx , Morton's , The Steakhouse , ikko Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Bentley's on 27 , The Park Hotel , The Westin Charlotte, Paramount's Carowinds , The Men's Club, Mint Museum of Art, NASCAR Racing at lowe's Motor Speedway, Discovery Place, Concord Mills, Ballantyne Resort Golf Course, Charlotte Trolley, Inc. , Food lion Speed Street, and Dale Earnhardt, lnc. Theresa Salmen, CAE, president ofTH Mgmt. , lnc. has recei\'ed the Charlotte Business journal's 2005 Women in Business Achievement Award. Advertising & Media The Radio-Tele\'ision News Directors Association has awarded WFAE 90.7 FM, Charloues NPR news station, a national Edward R. Murrow Award and a RT DN

Tom Swanson of Swanson-PRJ , a Southeast

Tom Swanson

Sorl.ft')CVCI-3.Sa

8

cctober 2005

public relations and corporate communications firm, has received the Public Relations Society of

America - Charlotte Chapter's 2005 Infinity Award for character, career and ser\'ice. The Marketing Consortium, a full-service markeung communications firm . has won an Aster Award for the marketing communicauons campaign created for Carolinas Medical enter-Mercy. Wray Ward Laseter, a creative market-

www.greate rc h ar l otte biz. com


Your Authentic Style Of Speaking

ing communications firm, has added two new staff members: Michael O'N•il

jennifer Nediano

Michael O'Neil

as an applica.ions engineer and jennifer

edian o as an interactive account manager. The Charlotte Direct Marketing Association has appointed Lisa Bell , of Tivoli Partners, as president. The Associations best-selling Lisa Bell

publication features Tivoli

Partners recent survey highlights.

Business and Professional Th:rty attorneys at Kennedy Covington , ::me of the largest full service law firms in the :::arolinas, have been recognized in the 2006 ~ clition

of Tlt e Best Lawyers in America.

Thmeen l.awyers from Poyner & Spruill LLP have oeen selected by their peers for

Kal Kardous President, Charlotte

opy Data

Vicky Mitchener President, Dickens Mitchener

M1ke Whi te head President , Whitehead Assocmtes

... is also your most persuasive. Exceptional business people are those among us who use their deep interests to have genuine conversations, tell stories, build relationships and provide solutions ... instead of making pitches, networking with acquaintances and providing a product. We're Interact. We specialize in Authentic Speaking and Presenting for individuals and teams. Call Lou Solomon or Sally Mitchener at n (704) 374-0423 . Let us know how we can suppmt ~ Your Authentic Style. www.InteractSkills.com

iTE

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nclusion in The Best Lawyers in America

'or 2006. Deloitte & Touche USA, LLP, a profes;ional ;ervices fitm, has announced the 1ppoimment of Christopher Cotton and jim

A ''NEW ERA''

OFCONSULTINGSERVICES

Tietjen as partners and Michael Zagora as :l.irecwr in the AudiliEnterprise Risk Services :l.ivision of its Charloue practice. Moonlight Design Group Inc. has

Delivery Services

NouvEON Technology Partners was founded on the principle of "VALUE DRIVEN DELIVERY".

-eceivcd the Magnum Opus Bronze Award -or Best Overall Design and the 2005 Apex :\ward of Excellence.

Rob Metzler has joined Project Managers, Inc., a professional services fitm for business executives with

Fortune 500 companies, as Rob Metzler

director of business development.

judy Black has been named technical

100% Referenceability is our ultimate goal, which Business we earn by utilizing Value Referenceability our unique Resource Optimization model to Share in the value of the "New Era" by deliver unprecedented becoming the next partner in NouvEON's business value to you . 100% referenceable client base!

tirectcr of tl":e pest prevention division of The Steritech Group , Inc. Bob Siczaga has been announced as the 1.ew facility manager of Bonded Logistics' 1imh md :1.ewest warehousing facility on -Nest WI. Harris Road.

~echnology pa r~ner s

.blue. .diamond

Construction & Design Clark Nexsen, an architecture, )--

greater charlotte biz

october 2005

9


HEY, SALES MANAGER, ARE YOU AS 路

; . /'

'

,

AS YOU COULD BE??

I

engineering, interior design, and planning firm has

Do you wish you could cransfo rm the same skills you mastered in rhe fie ld imo learn ing how ro manage sales people ro do whar you want rhem ro do?

named Peter]. Aranyi, ALA the managing principal of their Charlotte office. j enkins Peer Architects

Are yo u certain if your co mpensation an d incentive plans are really d riving rhe righr behavior? Are you exhausted from trying ro co nstan tly drive your sales people ro behave consistently and reach rheir q uoras?

of Spartanburg, S.C, has accepted a Merit Award for

Are you rired of hiring rhe wrong people and disappointed when rhey do n't wo rk our? (Ever wonder how much they're even costing you??)

the Phifer Hall Your sales people are roo co mfortab le "cherry- picking" existing customers and do n't open up as m uch new business as you wo uld like?

project at Converse College in Spartanburg. Brad Edwards has been named vice president of the Industrial Group at Edifice, Inc. , a Charlotte-based general contracting company

/!!J!JYlJ...

H')'

B<~.

L \

1'\

I ( ORPOR-\1 I

PI '\d

\t!

Education/Staffing

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Wake Forest University's Babcock Graduate School of Management has ranked 12th in the nation for return on investment eaoed by MBA graduates according to Forbes rr.agazine and has ranked 45th in the world in the fifth annual survey of

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10

october 2005

gradua:e business schools conducted by the .r:ublic:::tion America Economfa. The Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte has received a $1 million contribution from th~ BB&T Charitable Foundation to create a program for the s:udy of the moral foundations of capitalism. UNC Charlotte has announced the l:eginning of classes at the new William States Lee College of Engineering building, prt of the Charlotte Research Institute. Erinn Tucker has joined johnson & Wales University Charlotte

Erinn TLcker

Campus as career development educator/career coach. Premier Resources has welcomed julie Berryhill as a staffing consultant.

Financial & Insurance

lOGs CIO magazine has named TIAACREF , the naLonal financial services company, as a -ecipient of the 2005 CIO 100 award, recognizing organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of

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operational and strategic excellence in information technology Wachovia Trust, a division ofWachovia Wealth Management, has named W Robert Newell as president, 'N. Robert Newell

succeeding Robert Kniejski, who is retiring.

Lany W Carroll, CFP, CMFC, president •Jf Carroll Financial Associates, has again ·Jeen selected for Worth magazines annual · isting Jf the nati.on's top 100 wealth advisors as listed in its most recent issue.

Brian P.Jeter

Brian P. Jeter has joined Wachovia Wealth Management as a consumer real estate product manager.

Stephen Grey has joined Hinrichs Flanagan Financial, a MassMutual general agency in Charlotte, as agency

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supervisory officer. Herbert

Spaugh, also of the firm , was named to the Million Dollar Roun d Table for the 45th consecutive year. Daniel, Ratliff & Company, a full service Herbert Spaugh

public accounting firm, has promoted Martha Michael,

CPA to client service director in the firms Mooresville office, and Matt Miller, CPA to client service director of the firms Charlotte location. Dixon Hughes, PLLC , has promoted Eric Smith to senior associate in its Salisbury office, and jonathan Hansen has joined the firms Charlotte uptown office as a manager. Government/Non-Profit

The Arts & Science Council has announced that Katy Gray will be the

Katy Gray

program director of ASC North, a regional office of cultural development for the

three North Mecklenburg towns o[ Corneli us, Davidson and Huntersville. Mecklenburg County Commissioner

greater charlotte biz

> october 2005

II


orman A. Mitchell Sr. has been

appointed to the Steering Committee of the National Association of Counties' Large Urban County Caucus. The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners has installed interim health director Dr. Wynn Mabry as fulltime director of the Mecklenburg County Health Department. It may surprise you to know that our color copier/printers are more affordable than most personal printers. Thats because the cartridges in those printers are costly to replace. And a color copier/printer isn't all you get from us. You get the services of specialists in our Color Division who can help you determine the equipment thats right for you . We have a Training Division. too. for your employees. and Application Specialists who can help you customize your new equipment to meet the needs of your workfiow. All this and the added benefit of certified service technicians. So its no wonder we're the largest Independent office equipment dealer around, with great names like Canon. Sharp. and Konica Minolta. Give us a call and start getting the kind of color you've always dreamed of. at a price you can afford. THE AREA"S lARGEST INDEPENDENT DEALER OF COMPLETE OFFICE SOLIIT10NS

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Charlotte Mayor Pat McCr01y to erve on the avant board of trustees. Home Instead Senior Care of Charl otte-Mecklenburg County has announced the promotion of Cindy Greer to director of marketing; the appointment of]im Cooper as client relations manager, and the return of Karen Chisholm as client relations manage r.

Leanne Kinsella has joined SELMARQ as brand engineer.

At The Employers Association, our goal is to provide human resource and training services to build a better business climate. Our services include: • Managem ent Trainin g • Human Resource Classes • O utso urcin g of Benefits

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Brooks Utility Products Group has named Elijah Stewart as a new southeast district sales manage r based in Charlotte. MilliCare, a provider of commercial textile and carpet care setvices, has promoted Charlotte native Chris Cusich to director of business development for its more than 80 franchise locations. Real Estate Commercial/Residential

Percival McGuire Commerical Real Estate has named new presidents for three divisions of the brokerage, development and pro perty management company: .]. "joey" Godbold , Trent Gustafson , and Eliza beth "Beth" Machen. Retail/Sports/Entertainment

For more info: 704-522-8011 I www.employersassoc.com 12

octobe r 2 0 0 5

Ruth 's Chris Steak House has announced its entrance into the Charlotte

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area with its 42nd location at 6000 Fairview Road in SouthPark with Christopher ]. Nelson as partner/general

manage r and justin Christopher J. Nelson

Mendenhall as executive

chef.

Technology SDN Global, a satellite technology company, has added Scali Bob Re id

Pederson as

directo r of channel markets, Bob Reid as senior vice presi-

dent of operations, and Les Dicllert as senior network

engineer. Ray mond Swann has joined NouvEON

Les Dickert

Technology Partners as a managing consultant, Kim Arciero as a business development manage r, and Kevin Davis as a senior managing consultant.

Tourism & Travel Colman Co nneely has been appointed

general manager of the Hilton Charlotte Center City. M ichael Wa lt rip, driver of the # 15

APA

Auto Parts NEXTEL Cup series car, has announ ced plans to build a racing facility in Cornelius, 1\1 .:::, named 'Waltrip Racing World ,' encompassing eight acres and more than l l 0,000 square feet of building. Visit Charlotte has announced that it has been awarded the prestigious Meetings & Conventions 2005 Gold Service Award by

the publication's subscribers. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has announced th<: resignation of executive director Mill e Bush, and the appointmem of Lorelia Dodgen of lvlultiple Chmce, Inc. as in tenm cli rect路X. biz

To be conSidered for incluston, please send your news releases and announcements tn the body of an e-mail (only color photos attached) to edttor@greatercharlottebiz.com, or fax them to 704-.)7 6-5853, or post them to our business address - at least 30 days prior to our publication date.

greater charlotte b iz



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>-


From the Ground Up

of his own home where, to his annoyance,

As the day itself dramatically demon-

money over to the Middle East."

his secretary quickly became more of a

An oilman at heart, Thomas still had not

strates, the oil industry can change

babysitter to his children. So he had to

quite 'taken' to ethanol as an alternative fuel

precipitously. But Thomas is more prepared

change plans again, and find offices else-

source when a young man by the name of

than most to deal with it. An oil man all of

where. For a while he was hopeful about a

Chad Ertel, a senior at U C Charlotte, brought it forcefully front and center.

his life, he already had years of el'.rperience

location in Greensboro, but when that fell

when he started Thomas Petroleum in 1984.

through, he ended up choosing the location

Ertel had been visiting a friend out in

A big com pany he had been working for in

in Shelby where the com pany is headquar-

Oregon when he first learned about E85. He

the 1970s, now Petroleum World in Cliffside,

tered today.

wondered why, if all the touted economic

.C. , was in the midst of a merger when he decided to go his own way. At first , that meant working entirely out

More than 20 years later, Thomas

wasn't ethanol all over the country? He came

and annual sales of over $100 million.

back to Charlotte and started extensively

"Our goals have changed over time,"

Ray Thomas Petroleum Co., Inc. d/b/a

and environment benefits were as reported,

Petroleum has offices in Shelby and Robbins,

researching to learn all he could about alte r-

Thomas says. "We used to have just three

native fuel. One thing led him to another and

f?,OM.ÂŤ< S

kinds of gas: regular, premium and unleaded .

eventually he learned about Thomas

[j)E T ROLEUM

Now we have more. We used to have pumps

Petroleum in Shelby.

@oMPANV

Thomas Petroleum Company

at 'mom and pop' stores, and now everything is su per pumpers. These bigger places have

Ray Thomas. When he finally got Thomas'

1629 S. Lafayette Street P.O.Box 338 Shelby, N.C. 28151-0338

meant we have to be in the real estate busi-

attention, Thomas listened as Ertel described

ness and the convenience food business as

what he had learned and why he felt so

we ll.

strongly about putting E85 and other ethanol

Phone: 704-482-035 I or 800-262-5453 Principals: Ray Thomas, Founder and President; R.G. McGinnis, Vice-President; Lewis D.Thomas - Secretary!Treasurer O t her Offices: Robbins, N.C. Founded: 1984 from a home office with two small fuel trucks and one transport tanker Employe es: 124 Ope rations: four bulk plants, and 14 retail convenience stores; serving over 6,500 customers Gross Annua l Sales: $ 100 million A rea Stations Offering Et hanol: Gasland USA # 3 on South Lafayette Street in Shelby; Fuel Land # 2 on Johnston Road in Charlotte; Caton's Grocery on Statesville Road in Charlotte; P.C. Mart on East Woodlawn Road in Charlotte; Homer's Truck Stop in Statesville [has six lanes of biodiesel) Business: Independent petroleum marketing company serving as the 'middleman' buying refined petroleum products and distributing them to the motoring public throughout North and South Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Recently became North Carolina's first supplier of the cleanerburning alternative fuel, ethanol, opening the state's first retail gas pump offering multiple grades of fuel. Thomas Petroleum was ranked 57th by North Carolina Business and Industry Magazine.The ranking put TPC in the top I00 category for volume and productivity. www.thomaspetroleum.com

"But mainly, we are petroleum marketers.

october 2005

products into the Southeast. In Thomas'

We are the middlemen; they used to call us

words, "He hounded me about it for two

'oil jobbers. ' We buy the refined product and

months," until Thomas agreed and hired

distribute it to the motoring public." He adds

Ertel to help launch the alternative fuel

that territories used to be concentrated; now

pumps.

they are spread far and wide. His territory includes

orth and South Carolina an d east-

em Tennessee. Thomas Petroleum operates a number of

In July, Thomas Petroleum became North Carolinas alternative fuel pioneer with the opening of its first retail location selling ethanol fuels in Shelby. Amidst some fanfare,

the areas Shell, BP Amoco, Chevron Texaco,

it began offering E-10, E-85 and B-20

and Conoco Phillips stations, as well as

biodiesel fuels. lt also has fou r additional

unbranded ones like Crown and Sunbelt.

locations in the area under contract to get the fuels.

Thomas seems to shrug this off casually, with the slight impatience people reserve for old news. He's the kind of man who tends to say very little about his past successes; he would rather be doing it. These days, hes face-to-the-wind, focused

Thomas has put Ertel in charge of promoting ethanol and Thomas Petroleum by making sales and developing and maintaining customer relationships. Ertel points out, "Ethanol is good for the economy, the envi-

full speed ahead to the fu ture, and some of that future is spelled a-1-t-e-r-n-a-t-i-v-e.

ronment, and I li ke the fact that eve1yone wins," and says he is intent on promoting

And, as before in his life, its a future he

and building the new fuel infrastructure

didn't originally envision, or even particularly

throughout

welcome, when he first considered it.

"Chad reminds me of myself when l was his age," comments Thomas. Athough a full -

Fuel of the Future

time student at college, Ertel has been busy with his public relations effort to inform the

"I wasn't too excited about the whole

orth Carolina.

alternative fue l thing at first. We did gasohol,

public and the media and educating them

as it was called, back in the '70s and ea rly

about ethanol. He has been remarkably suc-

'80s," says Thomas. "But about a year ago, I

cessful garnering the attention of the press and major television networks in the Thomas

began taking more of an interest after talking with two British chemists who persuaded me of the benefits. We realized we could start

Petroleum offering.

something. Its good for America, an d its

A Grainy Subject

patriotic. We're not sending our hard earned 16

Ertel was persistent about meeting with

Thomas is betting a portion of his ~

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company's future on this alternative

independent middleman like Thomas

fuel. Ethanol is made from the starch

Petroleum gets it and distributes it.

in com kernels, leaving the protein

Katrina suddenly shut down more than

and vitamins behind for other uses. It

80 percent of daily production , causing

is blended with gasoline to make a

the kind of ripple effect that will be felt

biodegradable, cleaner-burning, non-

for some time to come. Ethanol prices ordinarily compare

toxic fuel. It is rated at 100+ octane,

favorably to regular gas prices at the

compared to gasoline's 87 + octane rating, and it can boost engine horse-

pump, and the recent and predicted

power. "It's so clean that you'll find it

hurricane activity may strengthen that

actually cleans the corrosion out of

even more in favor of the alternative fuel. Gasland USA in Shelby reports

your engine," Thomas smiles. The three kinds of ethanol fuel Thomas offers are E-10 (10 percent ethanol) similar to the old gasohol; E-85 (85 percent ethanol) which is for the newer, modified SUVs and 'flex' cars; and B-20 (20 percent soybean oil) for any vehicle that runs on diesel.

Ethanol Facts rl3je

the =tarch

OM

the

Of

co11 l<emell3cwing b:nird ::>rc-:ei1 and 1itami1s

thing here in the Carolinas is if the farmers products," Thomas observes.

I tustel :::orn

;tha-ol

::>lu~

= 2.7 g3Hon:. co-proc ucts

will always be a need for traditional gasoline.

Bic·de~rad3t

-e, cle:trJ-

erase the need for a pumped fuel either, since gas stations already have invested a great deal in their fuel pumping infrastructure.

tun ng, nCI'l-toxic octc.ne: ·ated 1 )0+ ,

IQ'le£

comnared -:o 9asolile's

JctruB ralirg of 87+

requires that municipalities, cities and the available. In Shelby, Utilities Director Jay Stowe says the town is looking into it already.

E-10 ,- C% ethc.1ol) suitat le

i1 cry

~as

hit hard by power outages and restoration takes time - thus the panicked calls to Thomas. To illustrate the magnitude, the

B-.CO (niocliesel; 2C•% an~·

::o:lbe.:on .::>iO 3L.itable n ciesel venicle

per day. That's when it is operating normally. And that's the smaller of the two pipelines.

Mt. Holly, northwest Charlotte, where an

18

october 2005

in the next year or so, and the National

Coalition's project director, says though ethanol fuels are made with some percentage of gasoline, they use less. "It's kind of a 'feel good' thing for consumers," White says.

uel

...e1~eles

over it, particularly if, as Thomas advocates,

(look fer the

North Carolina farmers begin planting their

c:Ec31 below il::::ide ve1 icle 's C-:1'

dioxide, and has higher octane than gasoline. Best of all, there could be more direct control

fl~:

:::L.ilab e =or the newS"

:bcr to confirn

fields with the com and soy needed to manufacture it. Thomas' ambitious two-year plan calls for 50 retail units providing his ethanol products

suitabiity)

to the motoring public here in the Carolinas. "It can't come soon enough," Thomas says

~ BS%

5

Etkanol

with some chagrin, no doubt wishing they were on -line already. First things first, as he grabs the phone and sinks back into his chair. biz

Ordinarily, fuel flows from the Colonial and the Plantation to Paw Creek Terminal in

about the same as regular dieseL

Ethanol is cleaner burning, reduces carbon

Plantation Pipeline is 3,000 miles long, supplying much of the southeast with a normal 25.2 million gallons of gas, jet fuel and diesel

tributors of it in North Carolina. Biodiesel can be used in any diesel vehicle, and costs

more than ready to buy it. Robert White, the

E-85 (35% et anol) only

Colonial and the Plantation pipelines were

Biodiesel was an easier decision to offer at

Ethanol Vehicle Coalition thinks the public is

vehicl3

Pumping It Up all of Charlotte's traditional fueL Both the

door. ) E-85 is expected to more closely track

Thomas says he hopes to be able to sup-

After all, he is close to the source.

Two major pipelines from the Gulf supply

listed in the owners' manual and prominently displayed on a decal inside the vehicle's

ply his ethanol fuels to 40 more retail outlets

anteed to have customers pumping its alternative fuels. The federal government U.S. postal service use alternative fuel if it is

which typically are many of the newer cars,

The U.S. Department of Energy lists 3 1 dis-

Even without fuel shortages affecting the average motorist, Thomas Petroleum is guar-

content E-85 is for flex-fuel vehicles only,

the pumps since it is a little more familiar.

For one thing, it is used in the mix to make ethanol. He doesn't think hybrid cars will

being only 10 percent ethanol can be used in any gas-powered vehicle. The higher-ethanol

premium prices.

But don't expect to convert completely to ethanol fuels; Thomas says he believes there

price of regular gas from day to day. E-10

SUVs and trucks. (This flex-fuel capability is

"You know what would really start somestarted to plant com and soy for these fuel

that E-10 is closely tracking the fluctuating

SourcE: -.Jat cnal E: hanol c:oaliti=n

\'e1icl~

Eloise D. Murano is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

www .greate rc h arl otte biz. com


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evt r built," sa;s Pat R>Jdgers, "+o has been presidnt and chtef executive of Rodgers BlLlders, lnc. since B.D. Rodger~ uok the tl.le of :bairman in 1988. "We'w. been very fonuna..e to be involved in projects that l think rave hK a real impac c>n the comnt:nity." She cttcs the Daniel ~towe B.)tanical Garder in G1s on Coun y. "Vle J\·ersaw the entire infrastncture, thL t:Jads, the utilities and constructmg the bui lding," she says •)f the deYelopomt that st meJ in 1996 on 110 acres near Belmont "That~an incredi-

ble prcject for the Charfone re~cn," she adds abou: the facilit) t:l.at Rod5ers Butlc..ers rerrains i mob,;~d i:1 th.:-cugh support for Fou-th of]uly [reworlG ;how5, butterfly exhbts and olher eve1ts. Chc.rlotte native B.D (Bomr Day) Rodgers graduated frcrr old Cntral High

greater charlotte biz

School, earned a civil engineering degree at ~~.C State Uruv~rsity, and spen. a decade c.t a Charlotte architecture firm. In 1963, he started Rocg~rs Builders from scratch By the time Pa Rodgers came alcng in 1972. he had growr. the compan:,r .o about ~-

nillion doll:Hs a year in revenue and mc.ybe 70 emplr)yees. Fat Rodgw; ;tartecl as a pan -time receptionist, J-a·,ing recently arrived in era-lotte from St. Louis. A SlruggLng mot:'ler with ro college degree. she needed to suppon LW•) ·;oung daughters. She wcrkd her way up, first oy takir:g business cour3e3 at Central Piedoont Ccmmunity Co .lege tJ learn construction cost estim.:~ti115, and larcr enrolling at Queens College.. By 1982, when sl-e get her ccmractor's license, she'd become" part of Rodge-s Builders· estimating department. Sonn, sh~ made vt::e presi:lent

and then executive vtce prcsid~nt By 1988, B.D. Rodger5 could see that she was the puson to run the company's everyday affairs. It praYed a pr::>fitab· e d~cision for the soft-spoken, modest foJnder. After I 7 years wit'l Pat Rodgers at the helm, R:)(lgeG Builders has 30;) employees. S'le estirr.ates revenues of the privately held finn at between $200 million and $300 million for the fiscal ~ear endmg Septe·nber 3C. The pipeline is bulging, she acds. Amor:.g new projecr s, Rodgers Bmlders recently was chosen as the general contractor [o: ~0,000-square-foot Billy Graham Library on th~ campus of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Charlotte. That's all the more tmpressive for the wom<.n who remembers walki:1g onto a job si e in 197 4 and bringing all activity to a stand5ttll merely because she was a

october 2005

~

21


woman. She was wearing dressy shoes and,

Concurrently, higher education

as she strode across a field , the ground grew progressively muddier. But she didn't stop.

projects have mushroomed for

"I was proud of myself because l'd walked across that muddy field," Rodgers recalls with a rueful smile. "The superintendent looked at me and said, 'Next time, Pat, you might want to use that sidewalk over there.' l was embarrassed, but I learned to be myself

Rodgers Builders with such iconic structures as the Academic Center for the Charlotte campus of Johnson &Wales Univers1ty and the

and never be afraid to ask for help . And a lot of people have helped me.'' Not all her early encounters ended hap-

James H. Barnhardt Student

pily She vividly remembers when a managing contractor from another firm

Arena at the University of North

asked her to leave a construction site because he did not want a woman on the premises. That was in '81 or '82. "That wouldn't hap-

Carolina at Charlotte .

pen today," she says, adding that sex discrimination is waning.

Constructive Changes A growing acceptance of women is one of many changes Rodgers has watched in the area's construction industry She's presided over more than a few. When Rodgers Builders was young, the Charlotte area construction industry was dominated by home-owned companies such

Activity Center and Dale Halton

Gateway Village, the technology oriented complex that Cousins Properties helped Bank of America develop, illustrates the growing presence of Rodgers Builders in commercial and mixed use construction, but it is an example of much more. Rodgers Builders got the l.l million-square-fool project on the west side of center city Charlotte by forming a joint venture with Atlanta-based Hardin Construction Company The resulting RodgersHardin collaboration built a landmark urban village.

as F.N. Thompson, j A jones and McDevitt

"I think Daniel, Ratliff &Company has a real genuine interest in the success of our business. We have 15 different business entities, and we could not have managed them without Daniel, Ratti &Company's help."

/la!rr . );~,,Y K& M

Tirr1

Comptmy ~danielraUiff.com

301 S. McDcwel Street Suite 502 Charlotte, NC 28204

125 EPlaza Drive Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28115

704.371.5000

704.663.0193

it all Adds up. 22

octobe- 2005

&: Street. Now those and others are either

JointVentures Make Dollars and Sense

owned from afar, merged into other entities, or out of business. But Rodgers Builders continues to thrive with a mixture of healthcare, higher education and commercial projects, with some senior living, industrial and special projects thrown in . The proportions are altered a good bit since 1988, when healthcare made up maybe 90 percent of the company$ work. "We built Mercy Hospital South," Rodgers recalls from the 1980s. "At the time, it was only the second ground-up hospital that had been built in the Carolinas in a couple of decades." Since that facility in Pineville, Rodgers Builders' healthcare projects have included the Women's Center expansion and renovation at Charlottes Presbyterian Hospital and preconstruction and construction servi.ces for a clinical services building at Concord's NorthEast

Though not everyone at Rodgers Builders thought it would work, the joint venture made sense to Rodgers. The two companies had worked closely in Pinehurst, N.C., on a retirement community that had a healthcare component. "At the end of that project, Gateway was beginning to be developed," Rodgers says. "So we interviewed as RodgersHardin. They had a relationship with Cousins Properties in Atlanta and we had a relationship with Bank of America. We are now on our ninth project with Hardin Construction Company." That led to other joint ventures. Rodgers Builders has collaborated with Charl otte's R.T. Dooley Construction Company on six projects. Among those are the club level upgrade at Bank of America Stadium and new TimeWarner Cable offices in Arrowood Business Park. ow Rodgers Builders is working with Rentenbach Constructors Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn. , as RodgersRemenbach to build a major addition to Forsyth Medical Center

Medical Center. As recently as 2004, Rodgers Builders ranked fifth among the nations top 16 healthcare general contractors.

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in Winston-Salem.

the -J', iversity of I-Jcrth Carclina at

To succeed, Rodgers emphasizes, joint ventures should be with partners that share core values. For Rodgers Builders, those

Chapel Hill.

include creating quality projects that satisfy clients, and doing so with integrity, Rodgers says, adding that it also involves concern for employee safety and for the community Besides a lesson in joint ventures, Gateway provided the company and Rodge rs a lesson in diversity. Bank of Ame rica specified that at least 15 percent of the construction work be done by minority- and wo men-owned subcontractors. Rodge rsHardin exceeded that goal. "We're very proud of that," Rodgers smiles as she points out a zero tolerance for discrimination at Rodgers Builders. Providing an opportunity for deserving but struggling companies helps Rodgers Builders long-term, she adds. "The contracting field can be very limited and we need to help grow some firms ," she says. "We have a subcontractor program manager who interviews minority firms, qualifies them and helps them wherever we can to wo rk on our projects." Relationships with minority-owned fi rms gave Rodgers Builders a boost in pursuing higher education projects financed by State of North Carolina bonds, Rodgers says, because these projects specify minority involvement. The company is building a performing arts academic building at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and an informa tion technology fac ility at

Rodgers Builders, Inc.

m

RODGERS BUILDERS

5701 North Sharon Amity Road Charlotte, N.C. 28215

OENE:RAL CONTI'tACTOfltS

Roclgers FOint~ out that, with ·,er at the helm, Rodgers Bu l:lers quaLfies as a woman-own:::d bLS~:less. But the ·: ompany never b as used tr_at _o its advantage; R od~E rs feels tha: s:.nus should oe reserved for th•Jse wh:> ned _t most.

Build ng Strong Relationships Pe-haps that f~ling emanates fro m Rod~ers ' strong desire to mento: . That, she says, is rooteC. in her rememorance of help

she got from lots of people when she was learning the ropes . Rodgers mentors both for those in the construction business and folks in other disciplines, for "probably more wome n than men," she says. One mentoring recipient who praises her is judy Rose, athletic director for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. "Personally and professionally, I'm a better person for knowing Pat," Rose says. "There's a lot of loyalty when Pat is committed to you." Rodgers is also committed to keeping _)...

Building brighter fittures togethe1~ .. Poyner & Spruill attomeys understand the construction process. Together, we will seek a future ofpromise, and we'll be with you every step of the way.

Owners, developers , contractors and design professionals rely on our const ruction attorneys every day. From concept to planning , to construction and close-out and beyond , we protect your interests. Wh ether you need an occasion al trouble-shooter or help with an ent ire project, contact Marshall Yoder , Section Cha ir, at 704.342 .5309 to create a relationship that will keep on growing .

Phone: 704-537-6044 Principals: B.D. Rodgers, Chairman; Patricia A Rodgers, President and CEO Employees: 300 Established: 1963 Business: Provides construction management services, general contracting, and preconstruction services to healthcare, institutional, commercial, and industrial clients in the Southeast.

POYNER . SPRUILL LLP ATTORNEYS -AT- LAW Charlotte 704.342 .5250 Raleigh 9 19 .783 .6400 Rocky Mount 252.446.2341

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people involved in her company's operations. "Not long ago," she recalls, "a young man came to work for us and when l asked him why he chose us, he said , 'Because I went to your Web site and you looked like a very inclusive company."' Eric Reichard started at Rodge rs Builders as a field engineer 14 years ago and is now a senior vice president. 'Tm impressed with our people," he says. "It's a family business where you get to know the owners." And though Pat and B.D., who married in 199 1, own nearly all the Rodge rs Builders stock, they have instituted a strategic plan to spread that ownership among a group of senior leaders. A succession outline also is taking shape. "It is no t our intent to sell the company to outsiders," Rodgers says. "We want to allow those who have worked so hard within the company to have an opportun ity to move into leadership roles." The strategic plan germinated in the aftermath of a blowout party for about 900 at Charlotte Country Club two years ago. It was a gala celebration of the company's 40th anniversary "We decided to ensure the futu re for the fo lks who are coming up in the company now," she says. Once other executives take a bigger role in day-to-day management, what will Pat do7 'Til be in the business another 10 or 15 years, but not as active on a day-to-day basis," she says. She can spend time with her three grandchildren, but that's not enough for a person who runs four miles a time or two a week. She's also fond of snow skiing and travel. Active in the community, Rodgers chairs the Mint Museum board and serves on many other civic panels. She's also a member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Task Force. CMS educated her daugh ters. Going forwa rd, she's eying organizations that address poverty issues, especially those that deal with single-parent homes where the mother is trying to juggle child rearing with work. "Somebody asked me what my proudest accomplishment was," she says, "and l said I hope l haven't done it yet. l still have a lot of things l want to do." biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based fTeelonce writer.

24

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COM New Headquarters Chronicles the Life and Crusades of One of the Most Influential Evangelists of the Twentieth Century

7,

a passiona.e young man enrolled at Florida Bible Institute waited among his classmates for his call to preach. His moment ::ane during a service in a small, rural church in Palatka, Florida. Prepared with four sermons he had committed to memory, he attacked the pulpit unabashedly. With vigor and feroci-y, he raged on the pulpit, and before he knew it he had delivered all four sermons in only eight minutes! His :elf-doubt was amplified by the whispers of ministers and town folk who found his style unusual, even crazed. He was roundly criticized for having "flailed the air with his pipe-stem arms," having "pounced around the pulpit like a man swatting flies," and "booming his raw North Carolina twang" to the far corners: his style was likened to machine-gunning. For a time, even his

O'Wtl

family was embarrassed ...

Little did the parishio ers of that small church realize they were witnessing a p "lenomenon that would change the tide of evangelical Christian preaching forever ... the Reverend Billy Graham. Known in his younger years for fire and brimstone grea:er c h ar lotte b iz

sermons, Graham has since been embraced the world over for his hum 1ity, his compassion, and his singular fc •:us: delivering the message of redemption thro gh jesus Christ. For over sixty years the Charlotte-born ministe has preached to more hve audiences than an:,one else in history, his messages have reached over 210 million people and spread over more than 185 countries and temtories. Individuals turning their live¡ over to Je-us in a moment Graham calls 'Decifion,' continue to multtply, even as the Reverend's voice becomes fraf and his he~ th continues in conspicuous decline. >-octoter 2005

27


I have had the pr"vilege of pre~c.hi ng the Gospel on every continent in most of the countries of th(: ·n: rld. And I have found that wher I present :~ simple message of ~e Gospel of Jesus Christ, with

authority, quoting from the very ·w ord of God- He takes that me;sage and drives it supernaturally :.:1to the human heart." - Bi/Jy

"I read Ephesians again and again, where it mentions that the Lord gave some to be evangelists and some to be pastors. God did not want me to be a pastor. It was time to take up what the Lord called

" . me to d o- evange11sm. - BilJy Graham Just a North Carolina Boy On November 7, 1918, four days befc•re World War 1 ended, MmTow Coffey Graharr

gave birth to a baby boy in a farmhouse on Park Road near Woodlawn. She and 1-er hu:band, dairy fa1mer William Franklin Graham, named the boy William Frank_in Graham Jr. and called him "Billy Fran<" as a youngster. Graham became the eldest of fivE children born into a family of strong con\ictions and dedicated to hard work. ln his autobiography, just As 1Am, he describes himself as a child of the Roaring Twenties who reached adolescence in the Depression of the early thirties. Amidst the tunnoil Jf t:-e time, Graham observed that rural life .J[er-c. him the best of all worlds: "As Scottish Presbyterians believing in strict observance of moral values, we stayed relatively uncontaminated by the Great Gatsby lifestyle of the flapper era, with i.s ,2.~ t dancing and illegal drinking And being farmers, we could manage to live off the brol

28

october 2005

Gra-'!a~

at the 1996 Charlotte crus•c'e !.J over 75,000 listeners

when the eccnor:1y nose-dh·ed in the 1929 stock market crash." But it w;~snt easy: Grc.ham remembers days when I-.e; thot:.ght nis father's dairy fa 1m wouldn't survi\·e; they had lost their family :a\irgs in the failed Farmers and Merchants :Bar.:k and :~is father had to start over frcm s•:ra ch. Billy Graham also says that hard tine:. never diminished ills father:: sense of hu:no·, or his fa...he's ability to insti l the valLe oE h..-d work ill his children. Graha:n r~nemb~rs being one of the :irs: in their neigl:brhoxl a···le to listen to the radic on hi: fa her's horr:E:-built crystal set and also in _hecc.r; he re:nembers being particularly fas:ir...1ted by t~ oratorical ranting~ of a mn in Gcrmar.y na11ed Adolf Hitler, whose style r:1csmerized but somehow frightened 1-i:r even thongh he did not understar:d th£ language: "But," G·aham rer:1enbers, "there were more imponan things L• think about in :ny boyhood ;\I.Jrth Carolina universe. It centered on the tlTee hLnd:-.=d acres inherited from my gr<.ncfather by 11y father and his brother Cly Je wnere they ran Graham Brothers D::il). Father hmdled the business affairs and Lie :arm itseE. with Mother doin:!; the bookkeephg at our l:itchen table. Uncle Clyde looked :fter tl-_e n:ilk-processing house." Graham wculd fi::-Jd •.Jell-deserved refJgE and peace hom his :1ard :lays' work in th~ damp unde-phnings of· he family dairy barn. He slu·N~d ar_earl; leaning toward meditation: "Ou~ barr:s hc.d :in rcofs. On rainy days, I liked to sne..1k lway into the hay bam and li: on a sw~et-:mdling and 3lippery pile of straw, listen r:g lO the randrops hit that tin roof and drcan:.ing. I: wa:; a sanctuary that helped shaj:c ny charac~r." LightingThe =ire

Graham a_t:nded -haon High Schoo~. a small count]: ~cr.ool Hi~ re?ort cards

reflected the :act that he worked so hard anc. so early 0::1 the farm that he sometimes fell asleep in class. He was high-spirited , goodlooking, \.,-ell-liked, and athletic, and exhibited a vigorous sense of humor. By his own desc:iption, he dated girls, played base ball, did his chores, and grew up. The Grahams attended the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in downtown Charlotte. "1 don't ever remember not going to church," Graham recalls. "lf I had told m} parents I didn't want to go, they would have whaled the tar out of me. " Although as a teenager he was rapt with admiration for the preaching style, 'The last thing l wanted to do was be a preacher," he says. The turning point in Graham's life came around his seventeenth birthday, in the fall d 1934, when evangelist Mordecai Ham of Louisville. Kentucky, held a three-month revival meeting in Charlotte. At first refusin§ to go, Graham was later persuaded by friencs to attend. Ham, a man of fierce passion himself, was reputed to "seek out the worst of sinners LO clmm them for redemption, even threateni g to pray to God to convert or kill the most stubborn of the lot." Graham c:mtinued to attend night after night, finally coming forth at the evangelist's invitation on the last verse of the final hymn to make his 1=ersonal commitment to Christ. The contoversial Ham roused Graham's curiosity, lighting a fire that would never be extinguished. After graduation from high school, Graham a_tended Bob Jones College (now University) brieOy before transferring in january of 1937 to the Florida Bible InstitutE (now Trinity College of Florida). He remembers the very moment on a nighttime walk when an inner, irresistible urge caused him to sink to his knees and sob, "Oh, God, if you want me to serve you, 1 wilL 1'11 be what you want me to be. I'll go where you want me to go,'· wholly surrendering to the call to preach , tears streaming down his face . www. greate rc h arl otte biz. con


ln his second year there, in 1938, at just 19 years old, Graham preached his first revival at East Palatka Baptist Church. ln large pan because of his popularity, he changed denominations from Presbyterian to Baptist and was ordained in 1939 as a Baptist minister. When Graham graduated in 1940, he was accepted to Wheaton College just outside Chicago as an anthropology major on a sophomore level. At Wheaton, Graham met and eventually wed Ruth McCue Bell, an intelligent, practical, witty and determined young woman- also a campus beauty- who had been born and raised in northern China. Her father was a Presbyterian missionary-surgeon from Virginia who had helped build and develop a large missionary hospital there. After their graduation, the couple married in 1943 in Montreat where Ruth's parents had settled after leaving China, and took a short honeymoon in Blowing Rock before returning to Chicago. Ruth's profound faith and life experience embued her with the understanding and wisdom that would guide her through a sometimes lonely, and sometimes harried world. While Billy Graham, the evangelist, was out recruiting souls for God, Ruth Graham, \vife and mother, was busy ministering to their five children. From the beginning, Ruth wholly supported Billy's calling, and she became his greatest ally, often providing a glimpse into a worldview Reverend Graham could later call upon in his international ministries. 1n fact, when asked upon whom he calls for spiritual guidance, Graham's answer is his wife: "She is the only one 1 completely confide in ... her life is ruled by the Bible more than any person 1 have ever known ... When it comes to spiritual things, my wife has had the greatest infiuence on my ministry ... We were called by God as a team." Graham's career path blossomed from pastor at a Chicago Baptist church to the charter vice president for Youth for Christ (YFC) , an organization founded for ministry to youth and servicemen during World War II. Graham preached throughout the United States and in Europe in the immediate post war era, emerging as a rising young evangelist.

when Graham's infiuence demonstrably grew from the appleseed to the orchard. When a well-known mobster and local disk jockey each proclaimed his decision to accept jesus Christ, the media stood up and took notice. Both newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and Time/Life publisher Henry Luce had articles featuring Graham, and other publications rode the wave of Graham-fever. With his newfound fame and inexhaustible fervor to spread the gospel, Graham would preside at 417 crusades from 1948 until his most recent, and perhaps last, at Flushing Meadows, New York, in june of 2005. Many of his crusades were extended weeks beyond original plans to accommodate overfiow crowds. One London crusade extended to 12 weeks, and the historic New York City crusade in Madison Square Garden in 1957 ran nightly for 16 weeks. As his popularity soared, so did inevitable rumors of questionable appropriation of money being collected to fund the crusades. To quell any possible seed of doubt, Graham effectively revolutionized ecumenical fundraising. 1n 1950, he incorporated the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and

appointed a board of directors to oversee the business of the organization, which included paying Graham a salary This removed the practice of monetary "love-offerings" which in many cases were not recorded or monitored. His efforts strongly encouraged the creation of the respected Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, of which Graham was a charter member. By pairing his God-given talent to preach to the masses, with operational efficiencies steeped in integrity, accountability and openness, Graham laid a solid foundation of trust for his ministry and his followers. Firmly Grounded

Originally founded in Minnesota during Graham's tenure as president of Northwestern Schools, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) grew from a desire for financial transparency However, it evolved into much, much more. Graham's prominence found him courted by U.S presidents, international leaders and celebrities, and the common man, all seeking his counsel. To answer the deafening call of those looking for spilitual guidance, >-

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BGEA developed several initiatives to spread the gospel. Graham started a series of radio programs and television gospels called 'The Hour of Decision'; founded the Grason literary ministry for which he authored several titles; began World Wide Pictures, which has produced films and broadcasts of his crusades, and opened The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, an evangelical training center in Asheville. These examples of constant innovation and attention to the finest detail in human communications are a cornerstone in the network of Billy Graham's

ministries. Today, BGEA finds itself back in Charlotte, Graham's original home. just minutes from the intersection of Park and Woodlawn Roads where the original Graham homestead once rested , BGEA is now seated in plum real estate just off the beaten path of Billy Graham Parkway: A heavy timbered edifice welcomes visitors imo a lodge-like retreat, its walls dotted with portraits of its namesake shaking hands with dignitaries anc. leading masses of humanity into prayer. It is here that Graham's legacy will be nur-

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tured, so that the message he has heralded will continue to Oourish. He has handed the baton of stewardship to his son, Franklin Graham, who, at 53, has become the president, first vice chairman and chief executive officer of BGEA. Franklin, after first filling the necessary role of rebellious preacher's son, has evolved from a reluctant ambassador of his father's legacy to a full-Oedged warrior on the front of redemption. Explains Preston Parrish, executive vice president of BGEA, and long-time friend of Franklin Graham, "Franklin and l were in school together when he was figuring out his path. He'd be the first to tell you he doesn't expect to fill his father's shoes, that that is God's call. What l can tell you is that it is wonderful to see him at his crusades, sharing the message of the gospel. God has used him to transform countless lives. He gets more comfortable and enjoys the events more now than ever." Franklin Graham has presided at over 100 crusades from which Parrish says thousands of people have made Decisions for

BGEA and Samaritan's Purse, was very instrumental in bringing BGEA back to his father's birthplace in North Carolina.

BGEA, Franklin Graham was making his own spiritual footprint. Several weeks after committing his life to Christ in a jerusalem hotel room in 1974, Franklin Graham was asked to join Dr. Bob Pierce, the founder of Samaritan's Purse, on a mission. They con30

october 2005

www.greate rc h arl otte biz. com


Charlotte is now home to the new 63-acre Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquarters located at I Billy Graham Parkway.

every need." Grahams birthplace. Its the home of Billy

ate through Keith in blind fc.ith that the

nected on a very deep level, so much so that

Graham Parkway. And Billy Graham is 'North

organization that would assume the remain-

Franklin Graham was elected president of

Carolinas Favorite Son ."'

the organization upm Pierces death in 1979. Franklin currently manages his position as

"Finally," says Parrish, "this is Billy

For Billy Graham, all roads were truly leading home.

CEO and president of Samaritans Purse concurrently with his BGEA responsibihies, and the two organizations consider c路ne ;mother 'affiliate ministries. ' Franklin Graham was instrumen al in relocating BGEA to Charlotte. kter gathering a few foot-soldiers and presenting plans to

his dad, the idea gained ground. Recalls Preston Parrish, "When Franklin assumed leadership of BGEA, it became clear that logistically, Charlotte was a better fiL It's within two hours of :he Grahams home in Montreat, Franklins home and Samaritans Purse in Boone, The Cove in AsheviJe, and our radio stations in Black Mountain, N.C. Compare that to the 1,100 miles to get from orth Carolina to Mmneapolis and there is no contest. Plus, here the cost oi business is cheaper, a good site was available, a:1d we were able to design a location that fit our

greater charlotte biz

For months both the Chamber of Commerce and Childress Klein Propert es had to negoti-

ing vacancy on the property (40 acres was already spoken for) and would be a stable and reputable neighbor as V"'ell as a good fit for the existing tenants.

The Road Home However, getting BGEA back home was no small feat. Graeme Keith of the Keith Corporation, one of Charlottes most respected and inOuential development corporations, happens to be on BGEA's board of

According to Keith, the negotiations were completed and solidified at he eleventh hour, the very morning he vas to officially present the proposal to BGU:S board of )-

directors and played no small part in finding

"It is wonder ful

the land for the headquarters. The poetically-located spot off Billy

to see [Billy] at

Graham Parkway was originally optioned to

hi s cr usad es,

Childress Klein Properties by the city of harlotte, and it was understandably hesitant to let go of the well-situated 143 acres of

land. BGEA recruited Keith to indicate interest on its behalf, and Keith in tum recruited the help of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce in his pursuit. There was one minor caveat, however:

sh aring the m es:>age o f th e gosp el. God h as use d h i m t o transform

co untle~s

lives.

-Preston Parrish Executive v;路,e President, BGEA

Keith could not divulge the propertys suitor.

october 2005

31


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directors. That same day, an annou ncement of the new ownership was made to attendees of an Advantage Carolinas luncheon, which included both officials of Childress Klein and the Chamber of Commerce. Comments Keith, "lt was a great moment, and the reaction was very positive." He adds, "l have to say though, it wok a set of perfectly-timed miracles to make Charlotte our new home." As of November 2004 , the BGEA headquarters assumed its new home occupying 63 acres at l Billy Graham Parkway and boasts, among other things, a 24/7 telephone response center to field calls for literature requests; spiritual questions and prayer requests, an in-house, state-of-the-art television and radio production facility; an astounding archive of photos and film from

lllWBilly Graham

~Evangelistic Association

I Billy Graham Parkway Charlotte, N.C. 2820 I Phone: 704-401-2432 and 877-2GRAHAM (877-247-2426)

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Principal: William {Billy) Franklin Graham Jr., Evangelist and Chairman of the Board; Franklin Graham, President, First Vice Chairman and CEO; Preston Parrish, Executive Vice President Locations: BGEA Headquarters, Charlotte, N.C.; Billy Graham Training Center, The Cove,Asheville, N.C. International Offices: Australia, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom Ministries: Crusade Ministries, 'Decision' Magazine, Grason Literature, 'My Hope' World TV Project, World Wide Pictures, Radio Ministries -The Hour of Decision and the Decision Minute, Schools of Evangelism, www.billygraham.org, television and training ministries Employees: Approximately 5 I0 fulltime staff organization-wide

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Final Crusade: June 24-26, 2005, Billy Graham delivered his final American crusade in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, N.Y More than 230,000 people attended over three days.The 86-yearold evangelist suffers from Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer. www.billygraham.org

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Graham\:; extraordinaty life; a literature disuibution services depanmer.t; a counyarJ patio; a walking path; an employee cafeteria; and a generous meeting hall where sta[ers gathe r for daily morning cevotionals. Yet, the most important asset co nta:ned within BGEA's walls is the true ·lean of the ministry: its people. b.1Jlains Parrish, "Ministry is about people. The ::;raharr_family, the board members, our err.ployees, our long time friends- we all put cur hear~ and

f...&OVE: ~-ef'!) ~en:l~ri1g d tile -ami yfrisully E::;~ co11>l ~:x. to ilclude th~ Bil)'

Gnt-an _ib-ary, 1:1~ :>;J nc. Gra~arr fanil)' oomestead, a res~rce c~-.;e- 1nd an on-s1:e r-sta.~~nL :rutflt) herio· -zrder ng ::> ne 4),000-squc.re-foot 3ill r C::: rahan .Jbrar} fea:u·in,s e:rlliJits m.Jit~.e::ia di!.pbr's nc fi~s. i ne m dst of a recrEa ed ::lairt hrrr

.:;.J c Medal. hey al~c· w ' I see how 5rowing J"J

o-. a farm influenced Mlys chara.::ter, heo' '

:rs marriage.,. Ruth ilflLenced his Ue and

1:s irue matio:~a l ministry how his :-elatim31: i::>:.

with pr...sidents ·ro

Truoan D BLsh

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::onduck!d and \o"" he was al::l.e tc ::J.L.... a..s look f·r new a1d ;nproved V"ays to

m.-i r:>n 'T'erL

u:;e ~chnolc•&>' to sha·e t--:e oessage of the

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The ibrar;- is co•- rurted to

re~e11ble

Graram5 dai->' barr. J11d is h'lllmark:d by

the

>-

soul into protecting the integrity and imparting the core message of Jesus Christ to this generation and generations to come. There are more people ali ve on earth wday that need Christ than ever before ." The creation of the 40.000-square-~oot Billy Graham Library el\'[Jected LOoper in mid to late 2007, will be the cmwningjewel of the BGEA campus. But rather than commemorating the life of Billy Graham for personal glory, Reverend Grahc.m insisted that the message of God be

thr~aded

through

each exhibit. Explains Parrish, "Every choice made in the creation of the library is de iberate and constructed to emphasize the message of Chtist and its impact upo1 Billy Graham\:; life and sixty years of his min:stry These expeti ences, from seeing his writings and ph:Jtos, to dtinking milk out of a Graham Brot::,ers Dairy milk bottle, are created to impar: a better understanding of his experience through Chtist. Visitors will learn abou: how a farn1 boy grew up to receive the Congressional

greater charlotte biz

octcber 20JS

33


Billy Graham (cener) and his son Frankl n

(second from right) president of the Bily Graham Eva1gelinic Association, brec.k ground for tile Eilly Graham Library n Charlotte in jLne 2105.

Grahams, the messlge was, and is, God's." Graham he pes that his legacy is not on~ of mere brick~ and mortar, or images frozen in time, but r;;rher n the people he hopes to continue to insp re. By providing a glimpse into Eilly Grahams story, and by sharing the gcspel -rom his crusades and writings, BGE% hcpe is that generations upon generati )n5 on continue to be callec. home to God. As Reverend Guham once said in a crusade, "The rea stOri ... is not in the great choirs, the thcusan::ls in attendance, not the hundreds )[ incuirers who are coun-

a giant cross through which visitors must pass to gain entry A country kitchen , talking cow and sundry exhibits document the

grandmoihers homestead which will be featured across from the library Over :;_oo,ooo visitors per year are

historical achievements and the life of Billy Graham. Graham's nephew, businessman Mel Graham, says that the family is looking

expected _o :our the library Admission will be free. Comrr_ents Parrish, "lt was important to

forward to sharing some of the important family mementos such as a set of playing cards upon which Billy's mother carefully

Billy Gral-am and to all in his min istry that people cootinue hearing the message he has

(For more il!jorm::J.tion: Billy Graham, God's AmbassaJor, Eilly Graham Evangelistic Association, 19:19.) biz

shared lo•g after he has gone to heaven. As he himse[ says, the message wasn't Billy

Susanne Dettzel i: a CITJrlotte-based freelance wnte;

typed Bible verses, and a replication of his

seled. The real star: is in the changes that have taken place in the hearts and lives of people. "

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HlSTO lC 0 THE OUTSIDlE U HIGt NS DE TlECH 0 V I SION OF DISTI~JCT IOt'-J BEC()MES REALITY FOR Wit~ T HROP UNr/E RSIT'{ good udversiLy is a pervasively good univer.;ty,'. F.esi.:ient

Froo the

r:rl~

of his :lesk chair, he continLes. "Frankly c•ur -

~itu­

Antho::ty]. (Terry) DiGiorgio ofte::l says in descrhng the bsti-

ticnal trajecto-y bm thct point has b ~en nothin,5les: than p~n::nenal.

tution he leads. These days, with Winthrop Uri-.er3it>- v.-Dely

~

acclaimed for {:erformance, DiGiorgio can deliver his mJ

_o

w.lh :t lilt.

The trustees of the Rock Hill s:hool of 6,600 studer.t= a~firmed his

have matin:d in our identity snc. we have natio:wl aspGtio::J.s. We

wwtto be kn.::>v-_natioDally as one d the best instil tions Jf our knd. " The son o- a -Jrickla}er father \\'lu emlgra~:l fran Sici y, DtGiorgio kn<J""v~ h~

assessment in june. "Dr. DiGiorgio is chan:ng a course

readLy admits ::-.e; introvered ht

for the university$ future that i3 fulfilling our g:.al of

intuir_ ve and ha3 .1 knack ft•T fiui..::t5 det.1i:S t:>?,e::her.

also is

national distin: tiJn," acclaimed Yfary jean Martin ,

Gooc. at visicn, tl-ough, he was {l.ort :::><.:::oruruni-

trustees chair, in announcing a C·JnLTact extensior. umil

catio~-

at least e rly on. When he ac:::cpted the positi:J::l at -Mnthq: in

2011 for the 65-year-old DiGiorgio. Winthrop has been ci:ed by entities from U.S. :Ve1n & World Repo1t to the P1inceton Review to the Co115;,mers Digest Be.;t Value Top 50 for its perbm.ancc as a com-

ous in:rastructure problems and araucit,r )f bncial

1989, he says, he k1unC. an listori:: camp.G v\i.:hseriresocces. Fairly immediatdy he hsd a rew ·· -:-h ~

~lEctri­

prehensive, largely unC.ergraduate institution wit:,_

cal cl3tributic·n s:;stem ins ailed

quality students, national caliber academic programs,

chillil.g c.nd he3tL1.g ·J ur bLildir..~ had L be tctally

award-v.i nning student affairs p~ograms, and top-level

repla:~d ,"

NCAA athletic

he

c1.pacit: for

:e~mbers.

To finance such projeCts Di~i:::>rgia i lve:;ted in

progra~.

For DiGiorgic, whose office c.mbience includes

deve:opment,

s tr~ngtl-.enirg

th;:

sd.ocl~

efbr:s to

bring in dona:ims Meanwti:e, hE pushe:i for :::ccr::d-

classic jazz playing soLly in the "::Jackground, thats more than music .o his ears. Making it all the mJre a

itatio'l of all acsdonic programs -htle -ro:kirg >Aith

triumph are the not-so-r;leasanttimes that he has had

a fac•~ty whose sdar.es, he adn: is, "werr faHy low

to endure considerable dissonance. SJ much

and 1 0t terribly competijve.' Ibs

S·J,

his

Rough Beginnings

so even.

A facJlty corruniuee e>3min : d tie aJmui:;tra-

With 17 years at Winthrop to his credit. DiGiorgio is now the longest serving public university president in ~·C.tth Cuo.ina. But three years into his :enure, 3ooe profe3sors didn't v.'3.-t to 1-eed his baton. Disgruntled largely with spending priorities, th::

'I.'C.S

thou;h tuition w~ rising, Flacin,:: Wmt:nor 1rw.ong the P:.lmetto states tY.03t e.Lensl . e cafl'1) JSes..

detractors thought him tone-deaf.

Fcul ~

VJted

"no confidence" in DiGiorgio. The Jrst-time president who had come from the CcJege Jf New

Lions p1ioritie3 as veil as the "'' ays _w~ sp:ndi:l.§ and pcttogetl1er a rC?rt that~iGiorgb still calls ·'ve-y mi9ea:ling.' At.:. oeetin~ that include:l :ewer d-.an half the -aculty. D~iort'io -ec 1:, abu 75 pcr·:em of these :•resent vot~d "no confidence." According :o DiGior~_o , some ddn't undeGtand t'1e f1rn:::ia. s tuaticn. "Money Aa:. limited Vle di.~n·t 1bir.k sala.-y inc-eases ._,c:re Lle: first prority, butt~-:a.. we couJd i~prcve ourse~ves · o the pci::11 .v~erE sllarr

jersey kept the support of the \Vir.throp trustees and rc::L out .he discord. He believes hes one of only three un:versi:y preside::Jts who have

in·:::-eases wo _l:i be earned recognitio:t of e::;::ellen:::e. It jJst to:Jk a

survived such a vote. He knows it was a turning point.

liule time. "

"That was a negative chapte with a sil\'er lin:ng, ' rec "l learned. l grew up as a presiden:."

greater charlotte biz

s DJGio-gio.

DiGiorgic w1:; mass~ing an c.mLal budge1 Jf $t·5 mill O'l vne:t. he arrived, and b:: ~·own i into one tillt currendy is ~ )0 milbn

o•:toter 2005

>37


The necessary funding increases have come from higher tuition and more grants and gifts. Currently, state funds account for almost 22 percent of the schools revenues, whereas in 1989 state funds were about half :he budget. Learning Better Communication

DiGiorgio is the first to admit that he needed to communicate better and more Jften. He set about explaining his priorities. 路'People will tell you now," he smiles, "th.at l probably inundate them with information. "

38

october 2005

Though his board stood by him, DiGiorgio acknowledges he had private c:>.Jversations with individual trustees in whi:-1 they and he agreed he should chan some corrections. Slowly, he quieted the crescendc of criticism. As academic quality grew, salaries got better. A few faculty movemenr leaders remain on campus and DiGiorgio says his relations with them are cordial. He gives much credit to a younger fac.11ty member who was on the edge of the upstit, Thomas Moore. Moore, at the time, was director of the master of liberal arts progn11

a position in which he could see both sides. He agrees that a dearth of communication exacerbated the situation. Now 50, Moore is vice president for academic affairs with an office near DiGiorgio$. At the time, he says, he wondered how people motivated by the best interests of the university could have such different perspectives on its leadership. He and DiGiorgio worked hard to foster two-way communication, he adds. "Out of that communication came a realization that institutional best interest was the motivating factor for both groups, and a level of trust began to develop," he says. "It started out more individual than broad, but our communication increased that, and Tonys leadership proved we were both right." DiGiorgio maintains that history played a large part m the situation in which he found himself. Founded in 1886, Winthrop was the first institution in South Carolina where women could get a post-secondary education. For decades, tt churned out teachers and home economists. But by the 1970s, most women weren't enrolling in single-sex institutions and financial necessity forced Winthrop to become co-educational. According to DiGiorgio, "Winthrop was rather til-prepared to make the transition. The rest of the '70s were a struggle to find a new tdenmy When l came in 1989, I was the seventh person in the presidents chair in the "80s. There was no consistency and no sense of common purpose." DiGiorgio was a native of Sharon, Pa., with degrees from Gannon College and Purdue University, where he had taught. He had been vice prestdent for academic affai rs at The College of New jersey; his wife Gale had been dean of students at a nearby college. As a native of Kentucky, she helped him adapt to South Carolina mores. With trustee support, DiGiorgio says, he set about achievi ng overall improvement at Winthrop that included his early attention to infrastructure, funding and boosting academic faculty He also concentrated on academics. "We said every one of our academic programs for which there is a national accreditation will be accredited or we're not going to have the program. We said by year 2000 we will make that happen." DiGiorgio smiles, then adds, "We did it by 1996."

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Winthrop enjoys 100 percent accreditation for its 37 undergraduate and 25 graduate degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, The Richard W Riley College of Education and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. DiGiorgio now characterizes Winthrop as a "first-rate, national caliber contemporary institution." A Vision of Distinction

To get there, DiGiorgio implemented a six-point "Vision of Distinction" that has guided development for most of his 17 years. It commits the university to policies that will develop student leadership, nurture growth, encourage a search for truth, embrace diversity and inspire pride in an historic campus. Prospective students noticed the improvements. Average Student Achievement Test (SAT) scores for incoming freshmen improved about 50 percent, from the BOOs to 1,100. From the prior enrollment figure of 5,000 that DiGiorgio inherited, enrollment has grown to 6,600 , about 5,200 of whom are undergraduates. Faculty has increased from

greater charlotte biz

250 to 300 and administration and staff has nearly doubled to approximately 1,000. Women students still outnumber men by a two to one margin. About 25 percent of all students are African-American. DiGiorgio says he never espoused rapid growth. Instead, he sought quality To illustrate success, he reels off a list of accomplishments. Hes proud the school has kept the look and feel of its historic campus. The infrast:-ucture improvements have helped preserve the neo-Georgian buildings that dot Winthrop$ 425-acre campus. The central campus is one of Rock Hill's five historic districts and several buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. The structures that have been added maintain harmony "Everything new that w~'ve built looks like it's been here for 100 years," DiGiorgio says proudly Evidence that appearance will not be altered lies in archite::ts renderings that lean against the presidents office wall. Besides classroom buildings, they include a l3 7,000-squarefoot health, wellness and physical educatio:1 fa::ility and a $25 million campus center, all

(w~b'

I-ft)

(verb_l l. To .r il ize tno_s. and e:<pe-ience

leverage tb:路 r.otentia[ for the benefi- of yolL b

octJI::er 2. 005


Winthrop University

WINTI-IROP ' '

1 '

,

s

1 ,

,

Rock Hill, S.C. 29733 Phone: 803-323-221 1 or 800-763-0230 President: Anthony J. (Tony) DiGiorgio Founded: 1886; first school in South Carolina for women's post-secondary education Status: Public; coeducational as of 1974 National Accreditation: I00 percent in all eligible academic programs Degree Programs: 37 undergraduate and 25 graduate degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration,The Richard W Riley College of Education and the College ofYisual and Performing Arts Enrollment: 6,600 (undergraduate and graduate); female to male student ratio: 2 to I; student to faculty ratio: I5 to I School Attributes: School colors are garnet and gold; team is Winthrop Eagles; Big South, NCAA Division I sports www.winthrop.edu

of which emphasize traditional lines. DiGiorgio also takes pride in technology improvements. The school boasts state-ofthe-art distance learning facilities. There is high-speed Internet access from campus buildings and residence halls to a campuswide local area network and this provides access to the library's online catalogue of 560,000 books. Select locations feature wireless Internet access. "Frankly, we are one of the more technologically sophisticated institutions of ou~ kind in the country," says DiGiorgio, who likes to repeat the assessment of a 2004 entering freshman. "She said, '! was after the historic look on the outside and high tech on the inside.' Thats why she came here." DiGiorgio doesn't overlook athletics. Winthrop is a charter member of the Big South Conference and competes in CM Division l sports. The Eagles field teams in women\:; and mens basketball, tennis, golf, indoor/outdoor track, cross-country and soccer. Additionally, there's a mens baseball team and women wear the garnet and golC. school colors in softball and volleyball.

"''m very pleased with our progress in athletics," DiGiorgio says. "We've done it the right way and done it slowly For the second year in a row, the South Carolina women\:; scholar ath lete of the year is from Winthrop.' Finally, DiGiorgio lists Winthrop's growing importance in the community The school has reversed a long-time status of remaining insular. "We are now an integral part of the community of Rock Hill," he beams. The university is cooperating with the citys economic development personnel in planning a "textile corridor" between the campus and downtown to be put in place in the nextlO years. That trajectory brings DiGiorgio back to his overall mission: building a pervasively good university Though his two daughters have made him the grandfather of three, retirement isn't foremost in his mind. "The visioning thing is real for me," he says. "Its something l do everyday l will finish my career at Winthrop. 1 still see challenges in the next five or six years.'' biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance wnter.

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paured (I to r):

Sebastian Sztyber C & C Operator Bogdan Sztyber President R~fal Sztyber Prc路d uction Manager Peter Sztyber G.estolrH~ r Relations Euro stt res C.:>mpany, Inc.


•

profile]


Eu-astore~ :s conTit~::;:cf D =rovidi~ tinely gra-tite s~rvi~ :J.n:!i•g::;ll..rJC • as we I as C1Jality craftoan!hip :::~ l-ifii en.! lt-::~me C\olners.

"ln 1997 then: .>..e::: m } t..vo or Lire~

grarrte >CtoJ= ir. thE :s.=.,' exphins &:gdan. "Bu the:r::c "'1:;.3 on y ~ 1 LC1. -.-ork o- :hi:: tyre, not sc 11a1yjJ·J~ =.v:~i2M~. " The exi~ t­ ingsl.op~ ·,.-oe p:tt:- i;l-t:l:' connec'E<i w ti ~aa o t~u :s.n•i ·Ni 1- :c.•r.stn.cti:m cmrpan.es, 30 lhJt it wa~ -u;rd E\e'l tc hve :m O':}Jo:rJ:lit:- tObe Oil~ ClJs

A3 a csnt. t:1Cl.l?;l tiley :::ti:ed m.lio:lS of :lo a·sir:jcb: :nn ~I-f-s ]EC.r,Eurcscnes 3f03SCd o:::nl.r $3JC,C1(1(. Tc·~ :imes conth.Jec br th~ re:xt thoc r.:.aiS. Thoc~h t-lf:)' \\e::cr' n:.a-<i~ rr_uc}_ llOl.l y f-~ Ei:-st leA :cG, tl- ey wee builclng sorr_:-: h~ --n::n: :r.- o-t:HL for tho: r on5- en sJ~r.,al- .1. ·q:nu. (ln. T~r fir,t ob ir Clur-a.::: c:n gj b~ ~ecn in ti-c cud-

44

c ·:-::o::o ~r

?.:)CS

ity workmanship of the stonework at The Capital Grille in uptown. Word of the superior quality of Eurostones craftsmanship spread , and new upscale developments increased demand for their product. Each year, by and large, the company has seen at least 25 percent rev.::n1..e growth and more. In fact, since its inception, the com:Jany has posted total rev~nue growth of 600 percent. Werking together so closely, both Bogdan .me oldest son Peter each instigate their share ·Jf quarrels and pra::J.ks, but both agree that ::urostones commitment to old-fashioned quality craftsmanship and exceptional, timely cus~om e r service. .A..s ar. .::xample, Bogdan points out the high gloss on the polished, beveled edge of a sial: of granite forming the surface of the conference tJ.Jle in his Jffice. Many companies ach·eve a similar look by machine polishing the edge and then topping the granite with a ~ealam Unfortunately, the sealant wears off over the years, leaving a dull finish on the otor_e_ At Eurostones, after the machine is done pJlishing. each edge is hand-polished t::J a high gleam, emuring a shine that will

stand the test of time. "We don't cut corners, ever,'' says Peter firn1l y Adds Bogdan, "We train our people to do it right, the way it was done years ago before complex machinery, so that each product receives the level of craftsmanship expected." And as for customer service, Eurostones frequently finds that it is the only contractor on a new constmction job that doesn't keep anyone else waiting. "We do not overbook,'' states Peter. Bogdan adclo, "We take on only jobs which we can handle to meet the customers' tern15. lf we promise that we'll do a kitchen in five clays, we do it in ftve clays. Our clients trust us; they can count on us." As a result, Eurostones maintains established relationships with many of the builders in town who speak highly of the company's workmanship and professionalism. "If the economy doesn't change, we're booked for another five or six years,'' boasts Bogdan. The company employs 23 craftsmen, all of whom are full-time, permanent, and fully trained in the company's high standard of workmanship . j oe Mounie of New Wave Construction attests to the company's service: "We build high end homes, and Eurostones does an excellent job of providing our customers with granite service and installation. We like the way they treat our customers, they've got a great selection, and they're very nice people. Thats probably the most important thing -they're just really nice people." The companys reputation for excellence

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has led to growth in more than revenue. Cunemly, Bogdan and sons are working on a new venue by request from their builders- a cabinet shop. Because stonework must be installed after the cabinets, and is dependent to some extent on the quality of their installation, Bogdan and his crew must expect the best quality work clone so each

Hard Work is Our Policy

installation is top notch. So he says, "What better way to ensure that the cabinets are installed perfectly, than to do it ourselves". He plans to have the $800,000 project complete within two years, financed with profits from the existing business. Once the cabinet shop is up and running, and the companys debts paid down, Bogdan plans to hand the business over to his sons and retire. This, he explains, is his

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big challenge for the next five years: "My sons, they have to run this company equally " Laughing, he adds, "And for me, a small share- 50 percent. They will be running the company but l'd like to stay on top of the decisions. " Currently, Peter is chief estimator and manages customer relations, while Bogdan's next oldest son, Rafal, is production )o-

Good quesl"ion john. I

The fact is, rapid

tran sit provides a more efficient alternative to congestion. Consider this: A light rail line can carry as many people as an eig ht-la ne freeway, using one-tenth of the land.* Whi le we 'll always need to widen roads and build new ones , we can't pave our way out

of

congestion with roads alone.

More questions? Visit charlottefuture.com.

* Source. Response Jo criticisms "qvesltons about mvesfing in pubfic transit, CATS, 2004

greater charlotte biz

october 2005

45


manager heading up operations. Sebastian , the youngest, is studying at the Art Institute of Charlotte and works on a contract basis with the company, predominantly with their computerized machines. He plans to start a Web development company soon. But it doesn't end there; the family behind Eurostones exudes entrepreneurialism. Both wife Dana and daughter-in-law Alex have recently opened an enterprise of their own, Studio Forma, a home decor retail business, just off Hwy 51

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in South Charlotte, showcasing local and regional artists and designers. Alex manages the multi-merchant operation with the help

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talents and experience well. Dana enjoys

with the stone business. "What we found

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was that the home decor business and

industrial design skills.

Eurostones had a lot of clientele crossover,"

Ever since the family moved to Charlotte,

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up the companies in a cooperative relation-

synergy of complementary shopping oppor-

granite and marble for high craftsman hip,

ship, and provides a legacy for future

tunities, and many business support

one-of-a-kind furniture.

generations as well."

services, and artists prO\'ide the products

Eurostones and the floral decor act as the anchors for the merchandise showroom

and design their portion of the showroom. The result is a beautiful and unique

Fo r Alex and Dana, the biggest challenge has been getting word out about the company and its location. The reward is being

where various merchants display their wares.

shopping experience for cu tomers who can

able to work among beautiful things, and

While Studio Forma acts as a satellite show-

sample one-of-a-kind home decor options

participating in something creative.

room for several established businesses, one

spanning the gamut of styles from shabby

of the things Alex is proudest of is how it

chic to contemporary and including every-

helps artists and craftspeople expand their

thing from wall art to window dressings to

right people \villing to work at the level of

home-based businesses without the usual

furniture. In addition, Alex hopes to merge

craftsmanship we expect to deliver. " But the

hassles of establishing a full retail presence.

Eurostones and tudio Forma further with a

pay-off is seeing how beautiful their finished

Studio Forma provides the showroom, the

new line of products that will use reclaimed

work looks.

Peter and Bogdans other sons agree the hardest pan at Eurostones is "finding the

For Bogdan, the reward and the challenge are the same: nurturing both

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companys' growth and passing on a legacy to the fa mily that has been at the heart of all his work for nearly 30 years. "The most difficult part for me," he says, "is to accept that Peter, Rafal and Sebastian

are ready for the challenge." Peter, however, is confident: "''ve been telling him for five years that we are ready " But regard less, Bogdan expects to see his sons at the helm within a maximum of five years. And he expects that to be a pretty big pay-off. Talking about his sons, he turns briefly to his native tongue. Peter translates, "They fill each other up." "Yes," says Bogdan, "they fill each other up ."

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Heather Head is a Charlotte-based fi"eelance

write~

PROCESS MANAGEMENT D evelop competencies that ca n help your organization ac hieve operational excellence -superior quality, speed, efficiency and customer servi e.

NEW MANAGEMENT Lea rn the key ele ments of management- accounting, co mmunications, finance, leadership and strategy.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Learn practical tools for managing projects effectively. Introduci ng th e Advanced CertiR ate and a PMP Exam Prep course. The Certificate Program requirements are revised.

Eurostones Company, Inc.

~ e uro... _ ones co. Inc.

9358 Old Bailes Road Fort Mill, S.C. 2971 S Phone: 803-548-4082 Principals: Bogdan Sztyber, Founder and President; Peter Sztyber, Rafal Sztyber, Sebastian Sztyber Founded: 1997

FREE INFORMATION SESSIONS Business Analyst Dec. 6, 2005 Process Management Feb. 9, 2006 Project Management Jan. I 0, 2006

Courses Cal l be take11 withou t en rolling in the certificate program.

Employees: 23 Business: Fabrication and installation of granite, marble, and other hard surfaces in homes and businesses. Related Businesses: Studio Forma, Inc., a multi-merchant retailer specializing in home decor; Bossman Studios offering Web development services. www.eurostones.net

48

october 2005

www.greate rc h arl otte biz. com


bizresource guide Take advantage of these products and servrces from Charlotte's /eadmg busmess-to-busrness suppliers. Allen Tate Realtors ATCOM Ballantyne Center for Dentistry Breakfast Club America Business Success lnstitut3 Carolinas HealthCare Carpenter Cammack CATS Charlotte Copy Oata Choice Translating Cirque du Solei! •:lickCom :Pee Corp Training Janie! Ratliff Jilworth Hair Co. Dunn Marketing Employers Association Employers Association-Benefits Gotham Images Hinrichs Flanagan Financial Interact Longview, The Club at Mecklenburg County Recycling Nat'l Business Women's Week NouvEON Technology Partners Pfeiffer University PR Store Poyner & Spruill Prince Parker Regency Alliance Group Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Scott Insurance Scott Jaguar Shield Engineering Signature Healthcare SMS Catering Tathwell Printing TimeWarner Business UNCC Belk College UNCC Continuing Educat on Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre VisionCor Wachovia Bank- Wealth Wachovia Bank- Retail Wake Forest Babcock

IBC pg . 46 pg . 13 pg . 39 pg . 11 pg . 25 pg. 45 pg. 45 pg. 12 pg. 29 pg . 47 pg . 39 pg . 50 pg . 22 pg. 8 pg. 10 pg . 12 pg. 49 pg. 35 pg. 32 pg . 9 IFC, pg. 1 pg. 8 pg. 19 pg . 9 pg . 44 pg. 46 pg . 23 pg . 10 pg. 24 BC pg . 3 pg . 40 pg. 24 pg. 11 pg. 35 pg . 49 pg. 41 pg. 34 pg. 48 pg. 38 pg. 35 pg . 5 pg . 17 pg. 30

Allow us to offer you a long-term strategic approach to employee benefits management. With more than 80 years of HR/Benefits experience, we are a strategic partnership working together to provide valuable service to answer your benefits needs.

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The car Emily test drove

The day Emily came in

It tlUl4U tfll 1119~Hll1ll4

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Emily Grant, we'd like to buy back your '01 Accord and put you in that blue '05 Pilot you test-drove last Tuesday.

place postage here

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American Honda 123456 Main Boulevard Anytown, USA 10012 Sample variable data mailer

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~~O~trO~@l

october 2005

49


? oc r:x::r _ inj;)nnal:im: :m Internet Technologies visit wMv.cpcc.edu/it


Bond Request to Address GrJwth at Central Piedmont Community College

C

entral Piedmont Commumty College

has

often be~:-.

re : erred to as the nationa ~

:) ;er t:1e [ESL five Fars, enrJllo~nt has ircoased 25 f•ercenL at CPCC;

hov;~:ver,

the

corcge's squac:: footage has only in:-eased

.\lthoug:1. growt has ·::Jeen steady, ::=PCC has not had a bond referendum on de ~ocal ball.Jt since 1999. Previouo local bones in bond~

leader in workfc.rce development. That

23.; -:Jercenl. The gro\\ th has res•Jhcd in a

19<;7 and 1999, as well as state

statement has been proven true as more

corrinued shctage of ~pace aL the :: Jllege.

20CO, have helped address some of tre

than 70 ,000 peo p le in Mecklenburg

Tl.c. 5 why CFCC's $46.5 million bo1.d refer-

.gro-.,rth needs at CPCC; however, con inued

County are t:npac te d by programs a:1.C.

e!lCJll slated to be on the November 8th

.gro-.,rth has made the ned for

services offered by CPCC In fact, loo :.:

b::al ot is c:itic::..l to the :allege and Lo this

vatiJns and expans~ons c:ijcal. In fac , th:s

anywher e in Mecklenburg CJunty a:1.c

corrmni.y.

sen-ester, more than 2,000 CPCC students

you can see the evidence Jf tl:-_e colleges work. CPCC is w innovative and comprehensive college thJt advances the life-long educational de·<elapnent o -students

::::rcc h1s been recognized as te:mg efficEtt a nd effecive. Th= college opentes on a

cons~s­

Ic.... o::t cost per square =··JOL than boLl-- the

in

buildi~

reno-

wee unable to .~et the cl:;,sses they ne~ dec o :.ten because of space limitations. The college ·1as been a good steward o -

n:JLJnal duc<-tional mJrket and :te staLe

1he :::ommunity's money in the past, v.ith all

cornuni.y cc liege av;:nge. Accordil.g to an

o ;. the local bond dollars either spent •Jr ::ur-

Lent w_th their neds. interests, and abilities.

ec.cnomic imract stud> of the Ncrti-

remly under co:- tract. The previous lccal

At the same time, CPCC i; strengthening the

C3.JOlina Com.1.1unity College Systen clone

and state bonds have provided renovcti::lns

economic, social, end cullurallire of our

b: =cBecefit~ for evcry $1 spent b~- stu-

and expans10ns at all six of the college's corn-

diverse coomunit~ The college accom-

d-o r s, cr:::c provides

JY'J~s. )-

plishes thio pupooe by pro·Jiding

0'1_l..:estmenl of $3.9 : annually mer their

l

cumulative return

high-quality, l..exible pre-bac::alaueaLe and

'VO--< :1.g Lves_ In addit:on, for every $1

career-focused educatiJnal programs and

spenL by Laxp::_yers, cr=c provides

services, whic:: are academ:cally, geographi-

lai..e return en invesL::tent of $3 T?' over

cally a:1d finan : ially accessible.

56 ,rears.

greater char otte biz

'l

cumu-

E CENTRAL PIEDMO~rr ~

COMMUNITY COLLEGE Promises made. Promises <eot

october 200.)

51


~

I

,

.-.. -

~

--. ,

•· 'I

These bond dollars will fi-:1ance the next "Jhase of t:-e co l ege's strategic plan to expand Jccess to CPCC education and training. For -nore information on the 20(•5 CPCC bond -eferendu:n. ch:ck out the CPCC website at ·NWW.cpcc..e::lu. Business and civic leaders ·merested · a t=resematicn on the bonds or -nore infor-nation regarding CPCC should contact the Offi.:e cf Community Relations and Public Affa:rs at 704.330.6660 or e-mail _erri. Haigl r®c:xc edu biz This sect.o.1 is ntende<i to higrlight workforce trairr ng and deveopmmt trograms and initiatives de/rvered by commun't¥ cclleges wirhin the Charlotte region. Community colleges are invited to submit substantive content ideo~ w editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.

52

::ct:Jb=r 2005

www. uec:te rch arl otte biz . com


EXCLUSIVE ADDRESS Charlotte, North Carolina One of Fou rth Ward's landmark bui ldings on Church Street, CHAPEL WATCH. Exciting city views from the living room with gas fireplace, gleaming hardwoods and built-in bookshelves. Entertain in the gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, ceram ic tile floor and light wood cabinets. Relax in the spacious master with sitting area and luxurious bathroom. MLS# 520648 • $645,000 Property Address: 564 N. Church Street

·-------

Alice Gallagher - 704-331-2128 www.a llentate.com/alicegal lagher

ELEGANT LIVING Concord, North Carolina Exquisite home in a golf course community. Heated, antique brick flooring imported from France in great room and kitchen . Crystal and gold chandeliers accent this beautiful home. Pub room com plete with hand carved wooden bar. Lutron and Elan lighting and sound systems are throughout the home. The English co nservatory has an endless pool. MLS# 536383 • $1 ,400,000 Property Address: 1191 Asheford Green Avenue

Team Honeycutt - 704-721-7130 www.teamhoneycutt.com

STUNNING WATERFRONT Lake Wylie, South Carolina Gorgeous brick and stone custom-home being built by Denton Construction . on two acres of waterfront with dock. Interior features inc ude hardwoods, custom cabinetry, heavy moldings, tray ceilings in the master, vau lted ceilings in the dining room, keeping room and great room - fireplaces in the keeping room and great room . Perfect lot for a pool. MLS# 536438 • $599,900 Property Address: 5800 Natoma Road

Mary Beth Shealy - 704-913-3233 www.marybethshealy.com

PENTHOUSES AT PHILLIPS PLACE Charlotte, North Carolina Location, location, location! Li ke new, in the heart of South Park. Shoppin;J, dining and entertainment only footsteps away. Ultimate elegance in a maintenance-free lifestyle of penthouse living, gated, kEy access only garage, private elevator. Impeccable quality and exceptional value. 38R/3BA MLS# 51 6949 • $1,200,000 Property Address: 6700 Fairview Road, Unit 450

·--·-------··--- ······- ..-------···---Barbara Tate -704-367-7200

www.allentate.com/barbaratate



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