Greater Charlotte Biz 2006.03

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Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet • Charlotte Shred-it • Sloan Financial Group • All American Roofing

march 2006

ALWAYS OUT

FRONT

Hospitality Czar is Really a

Team Player

Mohammad Jenatian President The Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance

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The Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance Mohammad Jenatian has a history of being out front – whether it’s promoting the Charlotte Convention Center, the building of the Westin Hotel, the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, a unified Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, or Charlotte for the site of the proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame. He’s been instrumental in rallying the team of hospitality players in Charlotte behind some incredibly important developments.

16 Larner’s Office Furniture Listening to Dan and Daryl Larner describe the months leading up to their opening day bears out the notion of “sweat equity.” With experience managing a used furniture outlet, the two brothers have made their business plan for a retail office furniture store complemented by brokering services into a thriving reality in their 10,000-square-foot showroom.

28 Charlotte Shred-it Charlotte’s Shred-it, an on-site document destruction company, specializes in protecting the privacy of company business as well as those of the company’s customers, helping businesses comply with the new identity theft protection laws and avoid costly mistakes. After all, what is the cost of your business and its reputation? Answer: priceless.

32 Sloan Financial Group Twenty years ago, life looked pretty bleak for this high school dropout facing cancer, an empty bank account, and a doomed marriage. But Angela Sloan took up the challenge and overcame, becoming a certified financial planner, building a thriving business, and owning her own building, thanks to her allies: faith and determination.

march 2006

departments publisher’s post

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employers biz

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Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

on top

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bizXperts

workforce biz

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Innovative New Program to Address Midlife Boomers

biz resource guide executive homes

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Luxury Homes above $500,000 on the cover: Mohammad Jenatian, President, The Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance

Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet • Charlotte Shred-it • Sloan Financial Group • All American Roofing

march 2006

ALWAYS

38 All American Roofing Mark DeBoo always wanted to own his own roofing company. Finally, after putting a plan together with some financial backing, he came to Charlotte to do just that. In six years, his company has grown from one employee to 100, moved to a new 18,000square-foot building, and, in any week builds from 50 to 70 roofs or in busier times, as many as 100 to120.

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Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

OUT

FRONT

Hospitality Czar is Really a

Team Player

Mohammad Jenatian President The Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance

Photography by Wayne Morris.

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[publisher’spost] Health Care That Works for All Americans “Here’s your chance to tell the President and Congress exactly how you want your health care system to change. Come to a public forum for people in Charlotte on the future of health care in America.” That was the promotional language from a flyer announcing a forum to discuss health care open to the public. Wow, here was my chance to offer my ideas to the national debate and contribute my recommendations for change. This forum was sponsored by the Citizens’ Health Care Working Group (CHCWG) and held at the Harris Conference Center at CPCC West Campus. The CHCWG was created in language that was part of the Medicare Prescription Drug Act of 2003. Formed by the Department of Health and Human Services, its mission is to provide for a nationwide public debate about improving the healthcare system to provide every American with the ability to obtain quality, affordable healthcare coverage. About 100 people attended the four-hour Charlotte forum on a Saturday morning. We were all given a briefing booklet 16 pages long that described the current healthcare system as well as key facts as a background for group discussions. We were told that Congress wants to know how we would answer four questions. 1. What healthcare benefits and services should be provided? 2. How does the American public want health care delivered? 3. How should healthcare coverage be financed? 4. What tradeoffs are the American public willing to make in either benefits or financing to ensure access to affordable, high quality healthcare coverage and services? After a brief welcome from Congressman Robin Hayes, we began a series of group discussions. The first session centered on core values and what we wanted to be part of our healthcare system and the question, “What does health care that works for all mean to you?” After gathering words that included fairness, equal access, affordable, and quality among others, we were all instructed to rate the importance of those values by pressing the appropriate keys on a key pad like you would use to enter your pin number at a retail store. Responses were collected throughout the event. The second through fifth discussions addressed each of the four questions that Congress wanted answered. Of course, we all wanted all the benefits and services that we could identify in the time allowed. Then, we expressed our dismay with the inadequacy of current delivery methods including Medicare, Medicaid, employer-provided coverage and all other programs that still left many without coverage. We did recommend a few additional ways to pay for health care including tax rules to encourage individuals and families to purchase coverage when it is not offered by an employer. We knew we wanted everyone to have access to health care, but we were not sure whether everyone ought to be required to enroll in basic healthcare coverage, private or public. And finally, we looked at tradeoffs like paying more or losing tax credits or basic benefit packages or rationed health care or limited choices. Nobody really wanted any of these tradeoffs or options. The meeting itself was well run, on time, efficient and organized. It probably helped those in attendance understand how hard it is to reach a consensus of opinion in four hours. As the CHCWG gathers input from their forums and their Web site during the first four months of 2006, they will collect a wide variety of recommendations and input to report to Congress. Whether they will develop any comprehensive action plan is doubtful. Some will say that it was a terrible waste of time and money. We will have to wait to see if they make a difference on public policy. The process is still open for input. You, too, are invited to contribute your ideas and input to this discussion. Go to the Web site, www.citizenshealthcare.gov, read, learn and participate. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending upon your perspective, lobbyists in Washington will have more input and involvement in any recommendations that ever reach a vote by Congress or a signature by a President. As a nation, we are slow to act unless we are feeling the pain that causes us to change. While health care costs are immensely painful to this nation, they are seldom felt by individuals when they are paid and provided by employers and/or the government. biz

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March 2006 Volume 7 • Issue 3 Publisher John Paul Galles jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

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

Creative Director Rebecca G. Fairchild rfairchild@greatercharlottebiz.com

Business Development E.Ward Norris wnorris@greatercharlottebiz.com

Account Executives Michelle Killi mkilli@greatercharlottebiz.com

Mimi Zelman mzelman@greatercharlottebiz.com

Contributing Editor Susanne Deitzel Contributing Writers Ellison Clary Susanne Deitzel Heather Head Lisa Hoffman Casey Jacobus Contributing Photographer Wayne Morris Galles Communications Group, Inc. 5601 77 Center Drive • Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28217-0736 704-676-5850 Phone • 704-676-5853 Fax 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 2006 by Galles Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved.The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, Galles Communications Group, Inc. makes no warranty to the accuracy or reliability of this information. Products named in these pages are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies.Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Greater Charlotte Biz or Galles Communications Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. For reprints call 704-676-5850 x102. Greater Charlotte Biz (ISSN 1554-6551) is published monthly by Galles Communications Group, Inc., 5601 77 Center Dr., Ste. 250, Charlotte, NC 28217-0736. Telephone: 704-676-5850. 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, 5601 77 Center Dr., Ste. 250, Charlotte, NC 28217-0736.

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[employersbiz]

Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

Free Speech May Come With a Cost It often comes as a surprise to employers when they are advised that they do have the authority to limit an employee’s right to speak freely in the workplace. Many employers are of the belief that the First Amendment protects employees’ speech, and thus, an employer may not discipline an employee for comments made in the workplace. In truth, employers have quite a bit of flexibility with respect to how they choose to deal with employees who air their gripes, grievances and beliefs in the workplace. Moreover, the definition of “speech” extends to employee actions as well. Take the case of the Charleston, South Carolina, employee who was an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. When he placed two Confederate flag stickers on his personal toolbox, a black employee complained that he found the stickers offensive. The employer ordered the employee to remove the stickers, even offering to buy the employee a new tool box, but the employee refused, arguing that he had a constitutional right to the stickers. The company then fired the employee for violating its anti-harassment policy. The federal appeals court hearing the case stated, “...[the employee] may have a constitutional right to fly the Confederate flag, however, that right is not unlimited. An individual may not exercise general rights of free speech on property privately owned and used non-discriminatorily for private purposes only.” The reality is that the First Amendment, as well as other constitutional protections, generally does not protect employees while in a private workplace. This rule does not apply to public employees (i.e. employees of the federal, state or local government). Public employers are much more limited in dealing with employee free speech issues. But even private employers should be careful not to act too swiftly. Below are some examples of what employees might call “protected speech” and recommended actions and responses:

Gang symbols and insignia. Employers have a right to prohibit gang-related items in order to maintain a safe work environment and curtail violence. Political expression. Employers may limit political expression as it can create conflict between employees as well as reduce employee productivity. Employers should be certain to treat political expression issues in a similar manner. Allowing some political expression while barring another kind could lead to claims of discrimination. OSHA or safety issues. Private employers are much more limited in disciplining employees who express concerns with safety issues or discuss other topics protected by law or public policy (such as whistleblowers under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or an employee discussing a charge of discrimination he has filed against the employer.) Protected concerted activity speech. All employers, union and non-union, must be careful not to discipline employees for speech that might qualify as “protected concerted activity” under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). For example, the National Labor Relations Board recently ruled that the Claremont Resort and Spa violated the NLRA when it instituted a rule prohibiting negative conversations about other associates or managers. Employees discussing salary issues. Many employers are unaware that they are prohibited by the NLRA from disciplining employees who share wage information with other employees. While employees may be encouraged to keep such information confidential, they cannot be disciplined for disclosing it. Religious speech. Employees are legally protected in their religious beliefs, unless they interfere with the legitimate business interests of the employer. For example, a customer service representative who ends conversations with customers by saying “God bless you” may be adversely impacting an employer’s business, allowing the employer to take measures to prohibit such comments. (The Management Association of Illinois)

2005/2006 Benefits Survey With over 390 questions, the Employers Association 2005/2006 Benefits Survey is the most comprehensive report on local benefits practices. The survey includes data by industry type, company size, and type of employee, for both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing sectors. When compared with the 2003 Benefits Survey, the results of this survey indicate some interesting trends in employee benefits, particularly in the area of health care. Here are a few of the highlights from the updated Benefits Survey: Cost Per Employee Rises: In 2003, 41 percent of responding companies paid $3,500 or more per employee per year for healthcare expenses; in 2005 that number increased to 48 percent of responding companies.

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Consumer-Driven Health Care Gains Popularity: According to the 2003 survey, 7 percent of responding companies reported utilizing a consumer-driven health care approach in their plan design. In 2005, that number has risen to 13 percent. Office Co-Pays Increase: In 2003, 47 percent of responding companies with a PPO Plan charged $20.00 or more for a medical office visit co-pay. In the 2005 survey, a full 53 percent of companies required that same medical office visit co-pay. Drug Co-Pays Increase: In 2003, 24 percent of responding companies required employees to pay $30.00 or more for their brand name drug co-pay. In 2005, 35 percent of companies had a brand name drug co-pay of $30.00 or more.

Employer-Paid Dental Benefits Decrease: When looking at dental care programs, 52 percent of respondents in 2003 paid for 80 percent or more of employee premiums. In 2005, that number paying for 80 percent or more has decreased to 40 percent. Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Plans on the Rise: In 2003, only 63 percent of responding companies offered Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to their employees; in 2005, a full 80 percent of responding companies offered such plans. Members participating in the survey are entitled to a free copy of this report; members that did not participate may purchase a copy. For more information on this survey or to order a copy of this survey, please contact Lauren Merritt at 704-522-8011.

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Tax Tidbits QUESTION: What should you do with Forms W-2 returned, undeliverable to you? The Official Rule is to keep all W-2 forms that you tried to deliver but could not for 4 years. Do not send undeliverable Forms W-2 to the Social Security Administration or to the IRS! (This is typically only a problem with employees who are on an extended leave-of-absence or who have terminated. From a practical standpoint, you may retain the undeliverable document in the employee’s personnel file. If the former employee notifies you of his / her new address, you should resend the document. Make sure that you keep a copy of the returned to sender notice so that you can show the document was originally mailed in a timely manner.) (Documentation Source: Form W-2 Instructions 2006, Page 3 and 4) QUESTION: What are your obligations when an employee claims to be

“exempt” from tax withholding, or claims more than 10 allowances (deductions)? In the past, an employer was required to submit to the IRS copies of Forms W-4 (Employee Withholding Allowance Certificate) where an employee claimed more than 10 allowances (deductions) or claimed complete exemption from income tax withholding. The Good News: Starting in mid 2005, the IRS changed its position and no longer requires employers to submit copies of Forms W-4 when employees claim that they are exempt or claim 10 or more allowances. You are now required to submit the Forms W-4 to the IRS only if directed to do so in a written notice. The IRS Web site states that they are making more effective use of information reported on Form W-2 wage statements to ensure that employees have enough withholding. If the IRS determines that an employee does not have

enough withholding they will notify you to increase the amount of withholding tax by issuing a “lock-in” letter that specifies the maximum number of withholding allowances permitted for that employee. www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=139412, 00.html The Bad News: The North Carolina Department of Revenue has not changed its position regarding the submission of Forms NC-4. Currently, the N.C. Dept. of Revenue still requires that you “advise” them if you believe that the amount of allowances claimed by an employee is greater than the amount to which they are entitled. Further, if the employee claims more than 10 allowances (deductions) or claims complete exemption and their wages normally exceed $200 per week, the employer must submit a copy of the employee’s Form NC-4 to the N.C. Dept. of Revenue. www.dor.state.nc.us/taxes/wh_tax/faq.html

2005/2006 National Wage & Salary Survey Now Available The 2005/2006 National Wage & Salary Survey is now available for purchase. This survey was conducted as a joint effort of members of The Employer Association Group (EAG) across the United States. Using employee data provided from Employer Association members, along with employee data from 31 other employers associations throughout the U.S., the 2005/2006 National Wage & Salary Survey provides employers with comparative wage and salary data between geographic regions in the continental United States. This survey consists of over 90 job titles from all levels in an organization, and it is a good reference for determining the appropriate pay differentials for different locations, as well as for targeting sites for future business ventures. For more information or to order this survey, please contact Lauren Merritt at 704-522-8011.

Place Your Bets! With the NCAA basketball tournament approaching, many companies will be facing a dilemma – how do you handle the betting pool(s) that is circulating around your facility? A lot of companies have an explicit policy or practice that prohibits gambling on the premises, but many companies seem to overlook this rule during this time of year. While most companies would take drastic action against a group of employees who were playing cards or rolling dice in the employee break room or restroom, it is common for managers to turn their heads towards “white collar” gambling such as basketball pools. Additionally, there are usually company rules against

greater charlotte biz

solicitation during working hours. And most of the betting pools are formed during work hours and take away from productivity. Be careful! Courts would probably look at dice in the restroom and a basketball pool in the front office as similar forms of gambling. It would be difficult to defend a company who took disciplinary action against an employee – or group of employees – for dice or cards, but subsequently permitted a basketball pool to float around the office or plant. Also, if the company had never let a union come onto the premises and solicit employees, there is the possibility of a precedent being set by allowing

employees to solicit for a betting pool. These pools generally are great conversation pieces for employees and they create a lot of excitement in the workplace, but they could be detrimental in the long run. 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 704-522-8011 or visit the Web site at www.employersassoc.com.

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[ontop] Awards & Achievements Brian Gomme, founder and president of ebasedEVOLUTION, a search engine marketing and Web development firm, has been chosen as a 2005 Ronald Reagan Gold Award winner. Advertising & Media Concentric Marketing, a Charlotte-based integrated marketing firm, has promoted Cathy Baad to senior account executive. Cathy Baad

YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR LOCAL BENEFITS DATA Is Your Benefits Package Competitive? The Employers Association is the best resource for local benefits data. Capturing information from Charlotte-area companies and covering over 390 benefits-related questions, the 2006 Benefits Survey provides comprehensive local data by industry and company size. Contact The Employers Association to see how your company’s benefits compare!

The

EMPLOYERS A S S O C I A T I O N

your trusted resource since 1958 with 750 local member companies

For more info: 704-522-8011 8

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www.employersassoc.com

Business & Professional Ed Gagnon, principal of Customer Service Solutions, Inc., has been featured in the January issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Ed Gagnon Finance. Nine of the attorneys at Poyner & Spruill LLP have been ranked among Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite: Mark Edwards, Terri Gardner, Chip Gibbons, Susie Gibbons, Rick Kane, David Long, Jerry Parnell, John Shaw, and David Warren. Glenn Dunn has been listed in the Legal Elite Hall of Fame. The firm has also announced two new partners, Josh Durham and Pamela Scott. Kennedy Covington, a full service law firm recently recognized in the National Law Journal annual survey as a Top 10 law firm in terms of growth in 2005, has announced the following attorneys voted into the partnership in 2005: Richard K. Brown, Brian C. Cox, Michael F. King, William B. Macurda, Donald E. Martin, and Patrick L. Ridinger. The following attorneys have joined the firm as partners: William J. Brian Jr., Raymond S. Koloski, Michel P. Vanesse, and Scott M. Yarbrough. Goodman, Carr, Laughrun, Levine and Murray has named Michael J. Greene full partner. He and George V. Laughrun II were named two of Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite. M. Andrew Avram of the Cranfill, Sumner & Hartzog law firm has been selected by peers for inclusion in The

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[ontop] Best Lawyers in America 2006 edition. Former federal prosecutor Richard S. Glaser has joined Parker Poe Adams & Richard S. Glaser Bernstein LLP. Marshall Hurley has joined Crumley & Associates in an of counsel capacity. Judy Thompson, partner of Poyner & Spruill LLP, has been elected network chair of the Carolinas Chapter of IWIRC, a group Judy Thompson of professional women in law, accounting, lending, and turnaround management. The Entrepreneur’s Source has recognized Randy Mitchell as its top franchise consultant in North and South Carolina for 2005 and awarded him with two out of three regional awards. Construction & Design Co-owners Alan Simonini and Ray Killian Jr. of custom homebuilder Simonini Builders, Inc. Alan Simonini and Ray Killian Jr. have been awarded the Builder of the Year 2006 award at the International Builders Show. Narmour Wright Creech Architecture has added Peter R. Wasmer as project manager, John M. Crawford as technical team leader, Lara E. Reeves as architectural intern, and Thomas Keeling as designer and architectural intern. The Lawrence Group, an architectural, interior design and town planning firm, has added John Cock as an John Cock Brian Simpson associate planner and Brian Simpson as an associate designer. Wayne Ballenger has been hired by Skanska USA Building Inc. as a senior superintendent. At ColeJenest & Stone, P.A., Bill Boston has been promoted to project civil

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[ontop] designer II, Jason Dolan has been promoted to project landscape architect, Chris Kemper has been hired as site designer, and Jonathan Thompson as an IT coordinator. Education & Staffing Eleven-year president of Gaston College, Dr. Patricia A. Skinner, has been recognized with the 2005 ATHENA Award. Dr. Patricia The University of North Skinner Carolina at Charlotte has announced two new doctoral programs: a Ph.D. in business administration offered by the Belk College of Business and another in organizational science offered jointly by the Colleges of Business and Arts and Sciences. Nick McEntire has been named interim director of Alumni Affairs at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Gilbert Cendejas has joined The Art Nick McEntire Institute of Charlotte as director of admissions. CharlotteGilbert Cendejas Mecklenburg Schools has named Annabelle Suddreth as director of the Strategic Partnerships Office. Debbie Antshel, executive director for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools Foundation and Strategic Partnerships, has received the Legacy Debbie Antshel Award from the Charlotte Alumni Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Bill Crigger, president of Compass Career Management Solutions, has been selected as first vice president (presidentBill Crigger elect) of the 400-member Charlotte Area Society for Human Resource Management. CEO Inc. has been named one of the Top 100 women-owned businesses, one of

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[ontop] the Top 50 small businesses, and one of the Top 50 diversity-owned businesses in the state of North Carolina by DiversityBusiness.com, the nation’s leading multicultural B2B online portal. Financial & Insurance The Bank of Granite Corporation’s board of directors has named Charles M. Snipes as chairman, in addition to his role as president and chief executive officer. Charles M. Snipes HomeBanc Mortgage banker Susan Webber was named HomeBanc’s 2005 Top Gun in North Carolina by closing the highest in mortgage volume in North Susan Webber Carolina; Matt Rowland has been promoted to vice president of HomeBanc’s Charlotte store. Deanna Valeo, loan consultant with American Home Maria Fisher Deanna Valeo Mortgage, has been recognized as one of the top 150 producers for American Home Mortgage in the country. Maria Fisher has joined the Valeo/Croy team at American Home Mortgage as a sales assistant. Scott Cannady has joined First Citizens Bank as a relationship Scott Canaday Jim Quinn manager with the private client group in Charlotte; Jim Quinn has joined as manager of the company’s Working Capital Finance Group. Vicki Pearsall, Mike Tyson and Matt Timmerman have joined Hinrichs Flanagan Financial as Financial Services Professionals. Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, a regional public accounting firm, has announced that Kerri Pierce has been certified as an Accredited Estate Planner by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.

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[ontop] Government & Non-Profit The director of the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department, R. Wayne Weston, has been awarded the 2006 Laurel Award by the Charlotte section of the American Institute of Architects. Mark Patafio has been elected chairman of the board of the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. A 2.2 mile section of Little Sugar Creek Greenway from Morehead Street to Brandywine Road has been honored with an Award for Excellence in Environmental Planning and Conservation by Little Sugar Creek Centralina Council of Greenway near Freedom Park Governments. Health Care Presbyterian Healthcare has named Mark Billings as its new vice president and administrator for Presbyterian Hospital Mark Billings Matthews. Charlotte Radiology has announced the addition of radiologist Sonia I. Crimaldi, M.D., who will serve as an orthopedic-spe- Sonia I. Crimaldi, M.D. cialized radiologist. Southeast Anesthesiology Consultants has recruited six new physicians to its practice: Raymond Sykola, M.D., Russell Sauder, M.D., Raj Metha, M.D., Neil Gillespie, M.D., Brittany Clyne, M.D., and Sung Chang, M.D.; and has added Dorothy Truax as a physician assistant in pre-operative screening at Carolinas Medical Center; and together with Southeast Pain Care has named Angela K. Jones, CPC, as director of Business Office Services. Real Estate Commercial/Residential Mindy McCorkle, operations manager for the apartments division of Crosland Inc., has been elected president of the Charlotte Mindy McCorkle Apartment Association for

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2006, and has won the association’s inaugural Instructor of the Year Award. RE/MAX Executive Realty has welcomed seven new associates: Lori Byrum and Brooks Shelley at the Southpark Office; Ronda Bruckno,Terri Lombardo and Dean Rumba at the Ballantyne Office; DeeDee Riley at the Huntersville/Lake Norman Office; and Diane Mowery at the York County Office. Lake Norman Realty has announced the addition of their newest sales associate, Julie Baker. Michael Altieri, Robert (Bob) Buch, Robert Gimenez, Maura Lachman and Hank Pugliese have joined Prudential Carolinas Realty in Charlotte. Trinity Partners Management LLC has announced that James (Jay) Coombs has received his Systems Maintenance Administrator professional designation and Karen Grove of Trinity Partners Management LLC has received her Real Property Administrator professional designation from BOMI Institute. Retail & Sports & Entertainment Charlotte-based Bella Tunno LLC’s “fancy, fresh & fun” baby line has been selected for the Golden Globe baby gift bags. Jeff Andrews has joined Proforma Classic Print Solutions as operations manager.

© 2006 RCSH All Rights Reserved

[ontop]

- RUTH

SouthPark

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ITS REAL NAME SHOULD BE COPIER, PRINTER, SCANNER, FAX MACHINE, E-MAILER, COLLATOR, HOLE PUNCHER, AND STAPLER.

Technology DiversityBusiness.com has named Exervio Consulting as one of the top 50 small businesses in North Carolina (Div50). Tourism & Travel AAA Carolinas has announced its participation in AAA’s sponsorship of the NEXTEL Cup Series No. 6 Ford Fusion to be driven by legendary driver Mark Martin. biz To be considered for inclusion, please send your news releases and announcements in the body of an e-mail (only photos attached) to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com, or fax them to 704-676-5853, or post them to our business address – at least 30 days prior to our publication date.

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It’s amazing how much one piece of equipment can do to improve productivity, increase office efficiency and save money. But that’s exactly what our color copier/printer does. Because it’s networked with all your office computers, it eliminates the need for fax machines, scanners and personal printers. And its cost per printed page is less than you pay with personal printers. At Charlotte Copy Data, the largest independent office equipment dealer around, we have a full line of color copier/printers with names like Canon, Sharp, and Konica Minolta. They’re available for sale, or through a very low cost-per-print program called POP. And our Color Division specialists can help you determine the equipment that’s right for you. 4404-A Stuart Andrew Boulevard, 704.523.3333 FAX 704.525.1506 So give us a call, and find out more about the single piece of www.charlottecopydata.com equipment that does it all. THE AREA’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT DEALER OF COMPLETE OFFICE SOLUTIONS

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bizXperts: Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

bizXperts

getting out of your business alive

The setting was idyllic: crystalline seas, endless blue skies, gently swaying palm trees. Paul sighed deeply, remembering days in his hammock on the beaches of Bali. What a fabulous four-week hiatus from the stress of business ownership. In preparation for the sabbatical, Paul had formalized an estate plan. Now he realized, “I have a great plan if I die, but no way to get out of this business alive!” Unable to imagine his own exit, Paul called us and simply asked “What do I do now?” Paul had built an enviable practice. His professional services firm had a stellar reputation, loyal clients and steady profits. But all he saw were exit dead ends. His children had chosen other professions. His talented employees had no thirst for ownership. And why would another professional in the same situation want to buy more of the same? Paul became convinced that shutting down the business was his only retirement option. We assured Paul that he had more choices than he realized and we set about determining the possibilities. First we focused internally on the firm’s proprietary attributes and core competencies. What we found: operational efficiency supported by custom information systems, unique solutions delivered by an exceptional range of talent, and a niche position that addressed a growing market need. We then looked at external factors including demographic trends, market outlook and the competitive landscape. What we found: escalating demand and an

insufficient supply, ineffective competitors, and an evolving client service expectation which dovetailed to Paul’s niche. Based on these factors, we outlined several possibilities: #1: Status quo. Diversify by reinvesting company profits to build a generous personal nest egg. Then either close down the business or put it up for sale and hope for the best. #2: Acquire a professional partner who has an interest in growing the business but no desire to launch a start-up. #3: Transform Paul’s unique service offerings into a “product” which could address the expanding niche opportunity in the market. This would create a new, independent cash flow stream which could be transferred to others, be it a new owner or a partner. Rather than choosing one of these options, Paul chose all three. Because each had such compelling merits, we devised a multi-year plan which incorporated all of the above. Now Paul not only has an exit strategy, he has a plan that will get him there. Instead of selling his business, he has reinvented it. Mary Bruce and Tracey Gillespie of Kaleidoscope Business Options specialize in advising business owners on building the value of their enterprise. Contact them at 704-375-1970 or www.kboptions.com.

let me get my thoughts together… Business issues can be complex. Even issues that look simple from the outside can have many facets. If you’ve ever felt like your head was spinning from trying to make sense of all the information you were considering, you’re not alone. Most of us were taught linear thinking models like spreadsheets, T accounts and the like. But many issues aren’t linear, so we need a non-linear approach to solving them. There are available some different processes that often prove helpful: Mind-mapping and Six Thinking Hats. In simplified terms, mind-mapping encourages you to put the “issue” or “problem” at the center of a sheet of paper. Then you develop branches from that point to address peripheral issues, possible solutions, stakeholders, etc. It’s not linear, so you’re not locked into any order of listing things. It allows you to think around the problem and still be able to document what you’re thinking. From each branch, you can have many other branches. That’s where Six Thinking Hats comes in. Six Hats encourages you to look at an issue with singular focus. For instance, you might first think of

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what’s good about the issue (yellow hat) and document that on your mind map. Next, you might consider what’s not good about the issue or possible solution (black hat) and document that on your mind map. The other “hats” are red for how you feel about the issue, white for the facts you know about the issue, and green for the creative ideas that could address the issue. The sixth color is “blue.” When you’re practicing this in a group, the blue hat keeps everyone focused and on task. With these two methods, it’s easy to gather ideas, use brainstorming, and make decisions, because everything can be easily compared in one place. Removing the linear focus opens the mind up to new ways of thinking or looking for solutions. Don’t let yourself get locked in to a thinking style that stifles your creativity or ability to process information. Try something new the next time you’re struggling with putting all the pieces together. You may find it both helpful and refreshing. Denise Altman is president of Altman Initiative Group, Inc., which offers clients tools and techniques to make them more effective individually and when working as a group. Contact her at 704-708-6700 or www.altmaninitiative.com.

w w w. g r e a t e r c h a r l o t t e b i z . c o m

your closely held business… just a job or your biggest investment? I’ve got a proposition for you. It’s an investment I want you to look at. This investment just happens to be a closely held business. I’ve got this business for sale for a price which is at the “high end” of the valuation range for businesses in its industry. This company is for sale at eight times EBITDA. EBITDA is an acronym for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It is essentially the cash flow of the business before debt repayment. Now, there is one thing I forgot. This business is identical to your business. In fact, it IS your business. What price am I asking for your business? Take out your last year’s income statement for your business. What was your business’ cash flow (or EBITDA) for 2005? It’s a simple calculation. Take your earnings before taxes and add to that your interest expense and your depreciation and amortization expenses. To this figure you should also add “owners’ add backs.” Owners’ add backs are the amounts of compensation and benefits which your business has paid you as an owner, which it would not have paid you if you were simply an employee. Now that you have calculated your EBITDA adjusted for owners’ add backs, multiply this number by eight. For your business, would you be willing to pay this price, which is currently at the high end of the valuation range? Or would you be willing to pay a multiple of five or six times EBITDA? Or would you be willing to pay for this business only a multiple at the low end of the valuation range, say three or four times EBITDA? Or if you were looking at this business strictly as an investment and not as your job, would you be willing to pay anything for it? If your answer to this question is “No, I don’t think I would invest in this business at all because, knowing my business as I do, there are too many issues for me to get comfortable and invest any money,” then why is that? Maybe you have questions as to whether you should even be in this business. Maybe you haven’t quite figured out how to start revisiting your strategic plan (your vision, all aspects of your products and services, your people, your systems for implementing your vision, etc.). Or maybe you’re worried about “the messes” that you have failed to clean-up, such as your failure to have appropriate employment policies and procedures, your uncertainty as to whether you are fully complying with the new overtime regulations, etc. Or, is it that your top sales person is talking with your competitor and you have failed to properly incentivize him or protect your customers by having your sales person bound to a non-competition agreement? These are all issues which increase the “risk” associated with your business. You know these risks better than anyone else since you know

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“where all the bodies are buried.” The value of your business is a function of your business’ cash flow (or “return”) each year and the “risk” associated with your business’ ability to continue producing that cash flow. When valuing your business, an “investor” will look at the “risk” associated with the current “return” of the business to determine how likely it is that that return will continue. The higher the risk associated with the return, the lower the multiple of cash flow that the investor will be willing to pay. Of course, valuation is a much more complicated issue for a particular business than is outlined above. However, this illustration should get you headed in the right direction conceptually. Why is this important to you as a business owner? Statistics tell us that the value of the closely held business normally represents between 60 percent and 80 percent of a business owner’s net worth. Thus, if you are a typical business owner, your business is your biggest investment and it is very important for you to maximize the value of this investment. So, how do you maximize the value of your business? How can you best ensure that at the appropriate time you are able to have enough money to meet your personal objectives (like retirement)? There are two major areas you can work on: • Lowering the risk of your business; • Increasing the return from your business. These are areas where the right “trusted advisors” (CPA, consultant, attorney, etc.) can offer you significant assistance. Are you ready to turn your focus towards working on your business and maximizing its value rather then merely working in your business as discussed in the book, “The E-Myth Revisited,” by Michael E. Gerber? Are you ready to cause your business to “work for you” instead of you simply working for your business? Next month we will focus on how to get started with this process of “Maximizing the Value of Your Business.” Robert Norris is managing partner of Wishart Norris Henninger & Pittman, N.A., a full-service law firm advising closely held businesses, limited liability companies, limited and general partnerships, to define and achieve their objectives. Contact him at 704-364-0010 or www.wnhplaw.com. If you are interested in contributing to bizXperts, contact John Galles at 704-676-5850, ext. 102, or jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com.

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pictured (l to r): Daryl D. Larner President and CEO Dan D. Larner President and CFO Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet LLC

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by lisa hoffman

[bizprofile]

A COUPLE OF WISE GUYS TWO BROTHERS BUILD A BUSINESS ON EXPERIENCE, INTEGRITY AND SWEAT

L

Listening to Dan and Daryl Larner describe the months leading up to their opening day, it’s easy to forget that they’re the owners of a thriving retail office furniture outlet. Tales of long days stripping and resealing the concrete floor and painting exposed beams in their 10,000-square-foot showroom are more likely to have you guessing handyman or construction worker. Are they gluttons for punishment? No, just two smart, hard-working guys with a sharply focused vision.

Wisdom of Experience Dan and Daryl Larner grew up watching their businessman father, Dennis, work his way to the top. Dennis Larner was the president of a succession of companies, and stepping up the corporate ladder required family moves almost every year for a while. Their mother, Patricia, an energetic stay-at-home mom, was supportive of them all as they crisscrossed the country. “The only school I went to two years in a row was the one I was in for my junior and senior years in high school,” laughs Dan Larner, the eldest son. “But I didn’t mind. Looking back, I see that moving around a lot taught me how to relate quickly to people, something that has proven to be extremely valuable.”

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Growing up listening to their father tell stories around the dinner table about the trials and tribulations of running a business, Dan and Daryl Larner felt destined for the business world themselves. After college, they both began their careers in the restaurant industry. Dan Larner spent more than ten years working in management positions for Pizza Hut and Daryl Larner managed a Chili’s Grill & Bar. The men agree they gained crucial insights from their experiences. “The most important thing you learn in the restaurant business is what it takes to satisfy customers,” Dan Larner says. “It’s very simple: People want a quality product, good value and excellent service.” In January, 2002, Daryl Larner began managing the Office Environments furniture outlet store. Since he regularly purchased product for the store, Office Environments secured him a membership to the OFR Clubhouse, an online interactive office furniture marketplace that

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facilitates easy communication between brokers and dealers across the country. “Buying wasn’t my main focus as manager, but there was a lot of information sharing going on between brokers and I started getting more and more involved,” Daryl Larner says. “I learned that many of the brokers I was dealing with were in business for themselves, and that interested me.” In January, 2005, Office Environments told Daryl Larner they planned to close the outlet store and

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his position would be dissolved effective that April. “They thought I was going to be upset about the store closing but I saw it as an opportunity to start brokering by myself,” he says. “I knew the client base was there.” Once Office Environments made their decision on the outlet store, Daryl Larner joined the OFR Clubhouse on his own and began networking. “I figured I’d start out brokering and save enough money to open my own store in a few years,” he says. “Office

Your Company

Smart Strategy The brothers began formulating a business plan for a retail office furniture store complemented by brokering services. Dan would oversee the nittygritty of the business end and Daryl would handle brokering and product acquisition. They agreed to avoid debt by starting small and doing as much as they could by themselves. “We put the whole thing together on sweat equity,” Dan Larner says. “Everything from day one has come from our personal finances and sales.” To feed the pipeline, they served

Workers Comp Employee Benefits Medical Disability Home Auto Your Life

Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet, LLC

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3111 Freedom Drive Charlotte, N.C. 28208 Phone: 704-399-1948 Principals: Dan D. Larner, President and CFO; Daryl D. Larner, President and CEO Established: June 2005 Business: Retail sales of quality new and pre-owned office furniture; arranges all cleaning, refurbishing, delivery and installation services; offers complete office planning and layout services as well as trusted referrals for a wide range of office design and remodeling services. Also provides brokering services to effectively match companies seeking furniture asset relief with those in need of product. www.larnersoffice.com

Property Liability Surety Bonds 1001 Morehead Square Drive Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28203 800. 849.8008 704. 375.8000 334.6526 fax

Environments gave me plenty of notice and a nice severance package so I felt pretty secure.” Two years prior, with almost two decades of experience in mid- and upper-level management to stand on, Dan Larner had become operations manager at Office Environments’ Charlotte headquarters. The company had changed hands in September, 2004, and he suspected that closing the outlet store wasn’t the only company modification in the works. In February, 2005, he learned that he, too, would soon be out of a job.

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customers before the store even opened. Jordan Cain, owner of AmeriFirst Direct, based in Crawfordville, Fla., was their first customer. “We moved up here from Florida thinking we’d find a great selection and low prices in the ‘furniture capital of the country,’” Cain explains. “Boy, were we wrong. We went from store to store and just couldn’t believe the prices. Then I met Daryl Larner. I gave him our floor plan and he made excellent recommendations for filling the space. And the best part is that we got gorgeous furniture for about 50 percent of what we would have spent at the other places. Since then, they’ve furnished three of our offices. We plan to open about 20 offices over the next three years and we’ll be calling on the Larner’s to furnish them all.” Years of restaurant experience taught the brothers how to treat customers. Years in the Charlotte furniture business illustrated the need for an office furniture store catering to small and mid-sized businesses. None of it prepared

them for how long it would take to find the right location, though.

“We put the whole thing together on sweat equity. Everything from day one has come from our personal finances and sales. ~Dan D. Larner, President and CFO “We went out looking at places almost every day for more than two months, inspecting close to 100 buildings,” Daryl Larner recalls. “We knew we wanted to keep our overhead low to stay true to the outlet ideal.” Weighing size, location and visibility against cost, they finally settled on leasing a 14,000-square-foot brick

building off Freedom Drive. It was big enough, accessible and the price was right. Although it’s not right on the street, a large lighted sign serves to increase visibility. Once the location was set, they rolled up their sleeves and got to work installing drywall, painting walls, laying carpet, cleaning and decorating. “We even got our wives involved to make suggestions about the ladies’ room,” Dan Larner explains. “We both know it’s important that people feel comfortable here. With the showroom ready, Daryl Larner leveraged his brokering experience to stock inventory. He ordered ten trailer loads of liquidated furniture, all of which the brothers unloaded themselves under the blistering August sun. The delivery company parked one or two trailers at the store’s loading dock each morning and the Larners had the day to unload everything. The next morning, the company would collect the empty trailers and return with more furniture.

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This went on for about a week. Knowing all that hard work was putting them closer to opening day made it well worth the effort. “We were tired and hurting every morning but it was a good kind of tired,” Dan Larner explains. “We stayed energized the whole time, thinking about what we were working toward.” Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet opened its doors in September 2005, just nine months after Daryl Larner had first learned the store he managed was closing. Clever Concept The Larner’s showroom looks a lot like any office furniture store. Matched sets of new and pre-owned furniture sit neatly together on one side and rows of sturdy file cabinets and bookcases line the back. Orderly rows of desk, break room, lobby, meeting room and task chairs and a variety of tables take up most of the other side. Some of the items look used, but nothing looks anywhere near used up. And many of the pre-owned pieces seem brand new. Wellknown brands such as Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth and Knoll figure prominently in the mix. “We have Steelcase file cabinets in here that are just a few years old. They still have decades left in them,” Dan Larner says. “Our customers save about 60 percent by buying them from us, getting excellent durability for the same price they’d pay for a new, but far flimsier, product.” Daryl Larner only deals with brokers he’s learned he can trust. His enviable reputation among office furniture brokers positions him to locate prime product. And he doesn’t mind sharing. “Dealing with Daryl is like working with a friend,” says Brian Jacobs, owner of Top of the Line Furniture in Greenville, S.C. “He never misrepresents his product and always does what he says he’s going to do. We’ve partnered together on shipments and I don’t think twice about letting him supervise loadouts. He’s found inventory and offered it to me when I know he could have used it himself. That’s just the kind of

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Lisa Hoffman is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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©2006 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

businessman he is. Both Dan and Daryl are honest guys who know how to take care of the customer.” The Larners carefully inspect every item they receive. Anything too damaged to sell is stripped for parts and discarded. They don’t buy damaged goods directly from distributors because they watched a competitor disappoint too many customers with furniture purchased that way. Desks, tables, cabinets and bookcases are cleaned and touched up, drawers are tested and fixed, and they test drive every chair. “We sit in the chair, try the lift cylinder, roll it around and make sure everything works,” Dan Larner says. “We clean all the upholstery and can have chairs reupholstered if the customer prefers. We don’t ever want anything to come back to us because the customer isn’t happy.” Their vast furniture selection and price range allows them to cater to a wide range of tastes, needs and pocketbooks. The choices can be a little overwhelming, especially for the business owner on a budget. “We recognize that $1,000 is a lot for some customers and that moving or setting up a new business can be very stressful,” Daryl Larner says. “Once they realize what we can do for them, they start to relax.” When customers enter Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet looking to furnish a home office or 3,000 square feet of space, they may not expect to receive planning and layout advice, personalized recommendations, myriad reupholstering and refurbishing options and trusted referrals for related services. But that’s exactly what they get, and at considerable savings. “We offer everyone the same level of customer service whether they’re buying one table or an entire office set-up,” Daryl Larner says. “Dan and Daryl are all about relationships and customer service,” says Terry Cox, executive director of the Business Innovation & Growth Council of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. “They were a tremendous help when I moved from South End into the Chamber.” biz

ALWAYS OUT

FRONT

Hospitality Czar is Really a

photo: Wayne Morris

Team Player

Mohammad Jenatian President The Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance

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by ellison clary

[bizprofile]

Mohammad Jenatian has a history of being out front. He was out front promoting the building of the Charlotte Convention Center; he was out front promoting the city’s support for the building of the Westin Hotel; he was out front promoting the construction of the Charlotte Bobcats Arena; he was out front promoting the creation of a unified Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority; and most recently he’s been out front promoting Charlotte for the site of the proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame. Jenatian was characteristically out front in 1994 when he first launched his present position as president of The Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance (HTA). He had been vice president of sales and marketing with SREE Hotels (17 properties in North and South Carolina) when he helped establish the HTA, merging the Charlotte Hotel & Motel Association, the CharlotteMecklenburg Restaurant Association, and the local chapter of the American Culinary Federation, to bring together the dominant but seemingly disparate forces in the hospitality and tourism trades. The association didn’t have money to pay an executive, but Jenatian had experience working with the Chamber, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Auditorium-ColiseumConvention Center, so he took the HTA helm. “We started meeting with no members,” Jenatian remembers. “It was just a group of us who were leaders in the industry around Charlotte.” Even after the official merger Jenatian says, “We were doing well to attract 20 people to our meetings.” Today, with Jenatian still at the helm and many successes under his belt, the HTA represents more than 800 businesses in the greater Charlotte area including hotels and motels, restaurants and attractions such as Paramount’s Carowinds. Members’ annual dues range from $295 to $5,000 for a “corporate partner.” Hospitality and tourism has grown into a $3 billion business in Mecklenburg County, and Jenatian calls HTA “the voice” of that industry. The HTA message, he says, is that tourism has been great for our entire region and must be recognized and embraced by decision makers for the huge economic catalyst it is now and can continue to be.

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Engineering a Future Passion has served Jenatian well. He leaned on it when he landed in the United States in 1976. He was a 17-year-old aspiring college student, happy to have been able to leave his native Iran to pursue his dream of attending college. Revolution and war with Iraq were looming for young men like him, fresh out of high school.

He gravitated to the Charlotte area to attend classes at the English Language Center at Sacred Heart College, now a part of Belmont Abbey College. Then, after graduating from Gaston College, he enrolled in Civil Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. “The main reason a lot of people like me get into engineering,” he says, “is you don’t know any English, but you’ve got a strong background in math. Numbers are the same in any language.” To finance his studies, Jenatian had to work. But the revolution in Iran, the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the American hostage crisis in Tehran took a toll. With his nationality and first name, Jenatian was an easy mark for those who wanted to vent frustration. He remembers how grateful he was when he applied for a job at a Days Inn Hotel and someone asked: “When do you want to start?” Soon, he was logging 40 hours each weekend in the hotel business. From driving a hotel courtesy van, he worked his way up and ultimately became a hotel manager. Meanwhile, he progressed as best he could toward his Civil Engineering

degree, which he finally completed in 1986. By then though, he was hooked. The hospitality industry had a firm grip on him. When Jenatian left his native Isfahan, Iran, he was glad to leave behind the threat of being caught up in revolution or drafted into war with Iraq. But tourism wasn’t what he’d mapped out for himself. “I was thinking I would go to school for four years and get a Civil Engineering degree and go back home,” Jenatian continues. “By the time I finished my degree,” he shakes his head, “conditions back home were not what anyone would want to go back to. More importantly, I already had a life over here.” He and his wife, Donna, have been married for 14 years and have a daughter Madison, six, and son Connor, one. Now 46, Jenatian appreciates the family he can see each day. His mother and father are deceased. He’s been back to Iran just once, for six days in 1979. The only other time he’s seen any of his Iranian family was about seven years ago when his brother, one of his four sisters and two brothers-in-law met him in Istanbul, Turkey. Jenatian realizes his good fortune at

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©2006 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

“When the hospitality industry is doing well,” Jenatian smiles, “everybody benefits. We’ve got members like SouthPark Mall: They know our mission to increase tourism revenues in Mecklenburg County ultimately means more business for them.” The hospitality and tourism industry employs more than 60,000 people in Mecklenburg County alone, says Cindy Curry, group sales manager of Paramount’s Carowinds who recently completed a twoyear term as HTA chair. She praises Jenatian for getting across the message of tourism’s economic benefits and specifically for helping her theme park become better connected. “Mohammad has tenaciousness,” Curry says, “and a passion for the industry.”

having a loving family and a successful career in the United States. He credits much of it to that person in the hospitality industry that gave him a job when he was a struggling student from Iran and had limited English skills. He’s seen the hospitality industry help others further their dreams, as well. “There are a lot of doctors, lawyers and bankers out there that worked in the industry in order to go to school and pay their tuition, as bartenders, as waitresses and such,” he says. “A lot of what I’ve done over the years is payback to the industry,” he says, “And it’s payback to the community.” Politically Astute Jenatian’s introduction to the politics of the industry began during the ’80s when Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s PTL Ministry collapsed under the weight of massive scandal. The Bakkers had abandoned the PTL campus in disgrace and the multitudes who visited Charlotte had no reason to return. The industry was faced with the enormous challenge of coping with and replacing such a major economic generator,

which had been bringing thousands of people to Charlotte every week. “When PTL went away,” Jenatian says, “it was almost like taking Disney away from Orlando, at least for the small number of hotels we had in Charlotte.” Jenatian calls the loss of the PTL a major defining circumstance for the industry and for Charlotte. He, along with other leaders in the industry, got out in front to address their challenge and campaigned and ultimately convinced elected and civic leaders to support building a new convention center in Charlotte. The major issue was how to pay for the proposed $180 million convention center and how to convince law makers to support any funding legislation. Jenatian is extremely passionate about the convention center, mainly due to the fact that he ended up being the point person to convince his industry to support required tax increases (a three percent occupancy tax and one percent food and beverage tax), and to lobby on behalf of the industry at the local and state level. A monument to his conviction, the 850,000-square-foot Charlotte Convention

FEELING LOST?

Center on South College Street has steadily drawn business since opening in late 1995. Jenatian is totally committed to getting a great return on the industry’s investment and has not shied away from advocating for changes necessary to maximize the center’s business opportunities. Based in the Merchandise Mart, Jenatian keeps his staff small but gives the HTA impact. One of the primary objectives of the HTA in the beginning years was to change and improve the structure of conventions and visitors marketing and sales for Charlotte. Jenatian and the HTA pushed tirelessly to create the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA). That organization combined the marketing capabilities of the prior Convention and Visitors Bureau with the management responsibilities of the Auditorium-ColiseumConvention Center under one roof with a chief executive, Tim Newman, responsible for keeping the Convention Center hopping. Newman, tourism guru and former leader of Charlotte Center City Partners, praises Jenatian: “Mohammad’s is the voice we look to for representation of the private sector in the

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hospitality industry,” Newman says. “He cares very deeply about growing our industry.” Newman, Jenatian and others continue rigorous efforts to convince NASCAR that its racing Hall of Fame belongs on property adjacent to the Convention Center. Jenatian remains confident Charlotte’s enticement package, which includes revenue from a contemplated higher hotel-motel room tax, will see the checkered flag. The racing museum would be another attraction on a growing list of reasons for people to visit Charlotte. Meanwhile, Jenatian and his HTA members take pride in the $34 million a year they generate in hotel-motel and food and beverage taxes. Destination Charlotte “Charlotte has become a travel and tourism destination,” says Mayor Pat McCrory. “I give a lot of that credit to Mohammad. He’s formed partnerships to build the necessary infrastructure to help people, from the taxi driver to the waitress to the hotel owner.” The HTA has an impressive list of priorities for 2006 that includes a five percent increase in hotel occupancy rates (up to 65 percent) and a $15 hike in average daily rates (goal of $75). It also wants a four percent hike in food and beverage revenue, with a goal of $1.75 billion. Achieving these numbers will result in $12 million more in sales taxes and more than $6 million more in

Greater Charlotte Hospitality & Tourism Alliance 800 Briar Creek Rd., Ste. CC505 Charlotte, N.C. 28205 Phone: 704 331-0079 Principal: Mohammad Jenatian, President Established: 1994; formed by the alliance of the Charlotte Hotel & Motel Association, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Restaurant Association, and the local chapter of the American Culinary Federation Employees: 4 Business: A unified organization with committed leadership pledged to promote, protect, and serve the interests of the hospitality and tourism industry in the Charlotte community. www.charlottehta.com

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occupancy and food and beverage taxes, the group estimates. And just as they have in the past decade, Jenatian and the HTA continue to be out front – either initiating or playing a proactive role every major travel and tourism-related project in Mecklenburg County. Some of those projects include: center city stadium for the Triple-A baseball Charlotte Knights, completion of Charlotte’s River Walk as well as Sugar Creek Greenway, a U.S. National Whitewater Center, an Arts and Cultural Facilities complex and an uptown park. And the HTA has long been a champion of public transit and light rail projects as well. At the state level the HTA has taken the lead in building relationships with statewide elected officials, with the goal of increasing their awareness regarding the tremendous economic and employment impacts of the hospitality and tourism industry in North Carolina. HTA’s philosophy is that the increased awareness and partnerships with these decision makers, such as state representative Beverly Earle, is the key to gain their support in embracing growth and development of this massive industry, which currently

generates over $13 billion in annual revenues for the state. Earle calls Jenatian “probably the best advocate the tourism industry has.” She, too, mentions his passion, compliments his affability. “He just has Charlotte’s proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame. the kind of personality that people like and want Right now, Jenatian’s thoughts are on putto work with.” ting together a comprehensive marketing plan Jenatian, who cites building relationships to showcase the NASCAR Hall of Fame. And as the biggest accomplishment of the HTA, what about the fact that we don't have it yet? readily admits to a preference for action. “If I (The decision on which city wins is due in don’t like something, I’m going to do somebefore the end of this month, authorities say.) thing about it,” he vows. “That’s what I’ve Jenatian doesn’t waver in his characteristic been doing all my professional life.” bravado one bit: “I’m not worried about that. He expands on that thought, again revealI’m going full speed on it.” ing his passionate nature. “I enjoy where I am,” he adds with a wide “I have zero tolerance for people in this grin. “I love my job. The HTA makes a posicountry who give you all kinds of reasons tive difference for my industry. What we do why they’re not successful, not wanting to has community-wide impact.” take advantage of the opportunities that Jenatian’s honorific as the city’s “hospitality this country offers everybody,” he says. “I czar” seems to be well earned. biz can tell you I have been able to capitalize on those offers.” Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

Come be Inspired ... HOOD HARGETT Breakfast Club America

gives “Wake up and smell the coffee” full-bodied meaning!

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hroughout the year, the Hood Hargett BCA hosts a series of business-tobusiness development events, business entertainment events and business training events exclusively for its members and their employees and customers. These are membership events, not available to the general public. You must join or be invited as a guest of a breakfast club member.

©2006 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

Join Our Members! Apple Rock BE&K Business Wise Carolina Traffic Devices Catalyst Consulting Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte Copy Data ClickCom CNP Technologies Consolidated Planning Diamond Springs First Citizens Bank Greater Charlotte Biz Hood Hargett Interact

L.A. Management Company Make-A-Wish Foundation Nash Institute/Ross W. Nash DDS Noble's Resturants Paige Bickel Fine Jewelry & Design Queen City Audio Video & Appliances Rose Limousine Scott Jaguar Signal Graphics/Vision Envelope Sprint Taylor Richards & Conger Thunder Road Brandworks Tice McNinch Wagner Noble & Company WFAE 90.7 Wishart Norris Henninger & Pittman

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Featured Speakers: March 10, 2006 September 15, 2006 Joe Theismann, ESPN NFL Analyst Former Washington Redskins Star Quarterback

Geoffrey Colvin, Editor at Large Fortune Magazine

April 7, 2006

October 13, 2006

Tucker Carlson Host of ‘The Situation’ with Tucker Carlson

Howard Putnam, Former CEO Southwest Airlines

May 12, 2006

November 10, 2006

Kyle Maynard ESPN 2004 ESPY Award Winner Success Without Excuses

William Shipman, Expert Social Security and Retirement

To attend or learn more or to find out about membership, call Jennifer Snyder at

704-602-9529 • jenn@hoodhargett.com • www.charlottebca.com march 2006

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Stuart L.Wash Owner and President Charlotte Shred-it

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by susanne deitzel

Your trashcans are talking. They are crying out for attention from anybody who might be interested, and boy, do they have a lot to say! Sam in accounting overprinted some pages of a client file and just threw them in the trash. Judy cleaned her purse before lunch and tossed a handful of debit card receipts and bank deposit slips. Eileen in HR casually dumped a few duplicate copies an employee’s healthcare form. This kind of information is a goldmine for the person who knows how to use it. But, it can be a legal and costly blow to any company who underestimates the security measures needed to protect the information it contains. Shred-it, an international onsite document destruction company,

greater charlotte biz

specializes in protecting the privacy of company business as well as those of the company’s customers, helping businesses comply with the new identity theft protection laws and avoid costly mistakes. Putting the Pieces Together

It is easy to look at the rather self-explanatory name of Shred-it and think that its story is all told; boxes of unwanted paper equal confetti, right? Wrong! A former restaurateur from the northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. areas, Stuart Wash was savvy

[bizprofile]

about the potential in this new industry of on-site document destruction. So he purchased the franchise rights to open Shred-it in western North Carolina in 1988. Wash opened the Charlotte location as the 52nd of what is now 160 total branches of the parent company, Securit. “Even when my brother opened the 35th facility in Hampton, Va.,” says Wash, “it was very obvious that ID theft was emerging as a major issue. So when the Charlotte opportunity opened up, it was something I immediately jumped into.”

Shred-it’s Business is to Ensure No One Knows Yours! march 2006

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The storage bins themselves appear to be worthy of the investment. The locked, grayspeckled, strategically located bins encourage employee compliance, while concealing messy piles of material. The bin is only opened by an authorized Shred-it customer service representative, who pulls out the lockable nylon bag and carries it to the shredding unit.

photo courtesy of Shred-it

“When I started this business seven years ago, I had to do a lot more explaining about the potential for abuse of private information,” he remembers. “Today, every time you read the newspaper or watch the nightly news there are multiple stories involving identity theft.” Shred-it is an on-site shredding company. It routes mobile shredding trucks into the parking lot of any facility and starts shredding things up. According to Wash, on-site shredding has definite advantages, “When we come to you, all you have to do is look into the parking lot to see the job getting done. We provide a detailed certificate of destruction, and we don’t drive off until every last sheet of paper is gone. Obviously, with an off-site service, you have no such assurance. Your material could be warehoused for all you know. Plus, the documentation is very convenient to have in audits to demonstrate compliance with regulations.” He also touts the time and cost-savings of using a shredding company rather than purchasing shredders, “It can take one employee fifteen hours a week to do what we do in ten to fifteen minutes. When a company takes a lot of care hiring the perfect person for a position, plus spending time and money training them to do their job, I don’t think they would consider standing over a shredder a valuable use of its resources.” Wash says that Shred-it’s M.O. is to be completely seamless, “We offer operational efficiency that makes our approach turnkey and worry-free for our clients.” A Shred-it representative provides an initial on-site consultation, and completes a security audit to identify problems. The representative will ask if the office manager would like him to take a walk though the office and identify potential security breaches, right down to going through the trash bins. Explains Wash, “Bottom line is, if you aren’t comfortable with us taking the contents of your trash bins, you need to be shredding more.” In addition to the security evaluation, the Shred-it consultant will help calculate the volume of material needing destruction based upon employees, workstations, and paper flow. He will then calculate the number of storage containers needed for the site, a reasonable schedule for destruction visits, and the cost.

Shred-it customer service representatives collect and shred material on-site at each location where documents are collected. The shredding truck is outfitted with Shred-it’s proprietary technology that assures the highest degree of shredding available; staples and paperclips are not an issue. As a matter of fact, bring your binders, CDs, tapes and videocassettes too. These guys have got some jaws on them. The former items, called ‘contaminants’, excluded, Shred-it recycles all of its paper into low-end recyclables like paper towels. “One of the founder’s major missions in business was to be environmentally responsible, so we take that pretty seriously.” But don’t be fooled. Document destruction isn’t just about feel-good, peace-of-mind, green goodwill in protecting your own assets; it’s also the law. ID Theft – The Cost According to two studies undertaken by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), approximately 7 million people became victims of identity theft between July 2002 and July 2003. Quotes the study, “This equals 19,178 people per day, 799 per hours, 13.3 per minute.” To add insult to injury, most identity theft victims sustain costly damage after the violation takes place; it can take years to clear up the mess. Consider unspoken amounts of money and time with investigators, govern-

ment agencies, banks and credit bureaus, not to mention the demoralizing process of having to defend something as basic as who you are. And, says Wash, it is just getting worse. “As identity theft gets more exposure in the media, people have more awareness. Unfortunately, that is a double-edged sword, because the crooks are watching the same reports.” He continues, “Shred-it teams up occasionally with the CMPD (CharlotteMecklenburg Police Department) at various functions to educate and raise awareness about identity theft, and a police department representative said to me at one of them, “I don’t know why anyone would even bother to rob a bank any more considering what these guys can do with just a small amount of information.” The ITRC study estimates that the business community loses between $40,000 to 90,000 per name in these fraud cases. It also states that between the FBI, the executive office for U.S. Attorneys, and the Secret Service, investigation and prosecution of these types of cases can easily reach $47,000 per case. Comments Wash, “It used to be that the systems weren’t in place to penalize appropriately for identity theft; it was just too new. This is changing now. Since the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, criminals are now receiving more than just a slap on the wrist; identity theft is now a federal crime.” And it is not just the criminals who are being served notice. Consumers and the government are also demanding that businesses be held accountable for the privilege of harboring important personal information about clients. For example, the GLC (Gramm-LeachBliley) Act of 1999 introduced the “Safeguard Rule,” requiring financial institutions to set and enforce policies to protect customers’ private information, including document destruction protocols. Civil penalties per violation of the GLC are $11,000. Another regulation is HIPAA, better known as that ubiquitous piece of paper in every medical office, advising patients of privacy rights. HIPAA’s Security Rule, which became effective in April of 2005, specifies administrative, technical and physical

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security procedures, and includes document destruction prior to disposal. But perhaps the biggest legislation to date is the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) of 2003. FACTA affects “any person or company that maintains or otherwise possesses consumer information or any compilation of consumer information derived from consumer reports for a business purpose,” and includes the following provision: “(such persons)…must properly dispose of such information by taking reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the information in connection with its disposal.” Wash says that N.C. State Attorney General Roy Cooper is taking identity theft very seriously, and that the N.C. State Senate recently enacted the North Carolina Identity Theft Protection Act which contains specific provisions for document destruction. Failure to comply can result in fines up to $5,000 for each incident, or three times the amount of actual damages, whichever is higher. Getting Down to Business While fines directly threatening a

Charlotte Shredders, LLC d/b/a

Charlotte Shred-it

1859 Lindbergh St., Ste. 200 Charlotte, N.C. 28208 Phone: 704-424-5997 Parent: Franchise of the Securit Company with 160 branches on five continents Principal: Stuart L.Wash, Owner and President Employees: 25 Units: 10 mobile shredding units In Business: In Charlotte since 1998; parent company (Securit Company) since 1988 Recognitions: AAA National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) certified; ranked in Top 3 customer service satisfaction rating out of all Shred-it franchisees Business: Shred-it is a franchise and subsidiary of parent company Securit, which also facilitates records management. Shredit is distinguished by on-site shredding service, proprietary equipment and practices for maximum security, and a professional, well-screened and bonded, team of employees. www.shred-it.com

greater charlotte biz

company’s pocketbook are certainly deterrent, the blight on a company’s reputation can be irreparable. Says Wash, “Companies are absolutely required to notify their customers in the event of a security breach.” Last spring, newsprint was plastered with debacles involving customer information. Beginning in February, Bank of America reported missing data tapes of customer information, including Social Security numbers, for 1.2 million federal employees. In May of 2005, both Wachovia and Bank of America suspected that financial records for more than 100,000 customers may have been stolen by bank employees. It is speculated that the suspects pulled up the account data while working inside the banks, then printed out screen captures of the information or wrote it out by hand. Then, in June 2005, Citigroup claimed that United Parcel Service lost computer tapes with information from 3.9 million customers of CitiFinancial. The breaches moved across the countryside, and all of a sudden the scourge had hit your neighbor’s house. Says Wash, “Document destruction is not just a necessary evil or a simple afterthought anymore. It is in its own rite, an end in itself. Policies must be in place, and they must be enforced. Businesses have got to step up to the plate and protect consumer information.” Wash advises basic strategies for keeping a tight ship, “Have a coherent, enforced document destruction policy. Look around at your waste stream – are there some areas that are more dangerous than others? Do you have documents that have passed the required amount of time to store them? And, do background checks on your employees before hiring.” A good employee is a great thing, but a bad egg can ruin a business, so Wash practices what he preaches. He does extensive background checks on his employees, and most have been with him for quite a long time. He tries to keep each customer service representative on a regular route, so that the client and the representative can build a familiar relationship. “We get more positive mail on our reps than you can imagine. Their dedication and friendliness is just a given when they get into your office,” says Wash. From his initial one-man operation – Wash, a truck, a big loan and what he says

was a maxed out credit card for the initial capital investment – Stuart Wash has come a long way. He now has 25 employees, a full schedule of trucks doing their thing, and business just keeps growing. “It used to be medical, legal, and financial offices were the only major customers in the shredding market, but that has all changed. We get calls from everyone from major retailers to small businesses, and even private residences. Overall, people are just more aware, and that is a good thing for everyone,” says Wash. Wash works hard to deliver a service that is unparalleled in quality, “I try to make people see that it is more than just a commodity, that it is about more than price. It is about ease, security, protection and reliability.” A company benefits from these qualities, and the trickle-down effect assures that the company’s customer’s personal information is safe. After all, what is the cost of your business and its reputation? Answer: priceless. biz Susanne Deitzel is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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First Accredited Luxury Home Specialists This designation is limited to an elite group of top real estate agents throughout the United States. Accredited members strive to provide exceptional service to affluent clients through rigorous education focusing on the Luxury Home Market and their understanding of the special demands of affluent buyers and sellers.

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Realtor®, Broker, Design Consultant & Accredited Luxury Home Specialist 704-449-5833 Mobile ellen.watkins@allentate.com www.contactellen.com

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Angela D. Sloan Founder and President Sloan Financial Group, LLC

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by heather head

[bizprofile]

pirited ettled ious and odest There May Be a Logical Explanation Why Helping Others Has Helped Sloan Financial Develop a Healthy Services Practice A little over twenty years ago, life looked

Angry, Sloan took the first step toward

pretty bleak for this high school dropout

what would eventually become a thriving

facing cancer, an empty bank account, and

business: She completed all the coursework

a doomed marriage. But Angela Sloan took

and certifications necessary to become a

up the challenge and overcame, thanks to

financial planner.

her partnership with two powerful allies: faith and determination.

She then followed her former financial advisor around town. When he would walk

When first diagnosed with cancer and facing a poor

away from someone’s house, she would walk right past him

prognosis, Sloan turned to her financial advisor to with-

on the sidewalk, and in the door behind him. She’d plunk

draw some of the $14,440 she and her husband had

down the pile of papers from her “$14,440 Ph.D.” and say, “I

entrusted to his care over the past several years. When he

just saw him leave. This what he did to me, and I think he’s

informed her that her account balance was only $800, she

probably doing it to you.”

thought there must be some mistake. No, and her investigations into the matter revealed ultimately that, while her trusted advisor had done nothing illegal, he had most

Last she heard, he was selling house trailers in the same coastal community, and running into trouble with that, too. Did he ever say anything to her about her tactics? “Oh,

definitely taken advantage of her vulnerability and grossly

no. He’d walk right past me without even looking at me,”

mishandled her money.

says Sloan devilishly. “He knew. He knew.”

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Out of the Ashes Sloan’s marriage didn’t make it through the gauntlet, but she did, and so did her faith. Now this “should’ve been welfare mom” as she describes herself is happily remarried, and running a thriving financial organization she created out of the ashes of her own bad experience. The clients she gained from following her former advisor around town formed the basis of a business Sloan ran partially from home during the first few years. While her children, 8 and 10 at the time, were in school in the mornings she would meet clients in a tiny rented office. Then she would pick them up from school in the afternoon, and spend the rest of the day as Mom, finishing paperwork and behind-the-scenes work after they were in bed. As the investment business became more computerized, Sloan knew she’d have to invest in equipment if she wanted to stay current. So she put a $2,000 computer on her credit card, and decided that she would pay for it with tax clients. She began calling all of her investment clients and telling them she was available for taxes, too. They in turn told their children and parents and neighbors and, in that first year, Sloan filed 475 tax returns. She had more than paid for the computer. Sloan Financial Group, the current incarnation of Sloan’s business, bears little surface resemblance to those early years. Their brand new, 10,000-squarefoot space at the intersection of Highways 55 and 557 in Clover, S.C., boasts a spacious greeting area, many large windowed offices, and meeting space for her 14 employees and the clients they serve. The building also houses three additional rental units. The company is gearing up to open a casualty and property insurance branch, will add a full-time attorney this summer, and is looking for an experienced mortgage broker. “There is no logical explanation,” she begins, as she shuffles through a pile of framed photos of her with various famous people – George and Barbara Bush, Walter Cronkite, Rudy Giuliani,

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world, as well as missions in her own community. Every summer, she and her husband travel abroad to help with mission work in locations like Turkey, Israel and the Caribbean. Within her own community, Sloan feels that her business is a mission. She hosts free financial seminars on topics such as financing for the aging population, and offers tax preparation for half price to people over the age of 62. And there is no cost to walk into her office and pick her brain.

Angela Sloan with her numerous awards for her work in the industry.

Senator Bill Bradley, The Beach Boys, Congressman J.C. Watts, and Chubby Checker to name a few. “Look at me; I should have been a welfare mom! There is just no logical explanation for all this.” A Mission of Faith But under the surface, nothing much has changed about Angela Sloan from the old days. She still believes in serving others ethically and compassionately, and she still places her trust in “God up above.” And she still sports that dogged determination that blows away all objections to the plans she feels God writes on her heart. When asked why she was chosen for this, she says, “There is nothing that God has that he will withhold from me if I am obedient and do what he says to do with what he gives me. He stands by me even when I mess up,” she says with a smile. Stepping out on faith has become a cornerstone of Sloan’s business, and she constantly talks about the things God has “written on her heart.” One of the things written there is her commitment to service. “God blesses us so we can turn around and bless others.” This commitment is evident in everything Sloan and her business do. Ten percent of gross revenue is tithed automatically to Sloan’s church. And that forms only the beginning of the charitable giving done through her company. She supports missions all over the

greater charlotte biz

A Thriving Business But the company maintains a strong financial position, profiting well from multiple revenue streams. Tax preparation, insurance sales, investment clients, and nationwide software sales and support form the backbone of the company’s profitability, augmented by rental income from the units in their new building. Sloan has garnered numerous awards for her work in the industry. Software that she pioneered has now gone national, as well as a marketing system for financial professionals to team with tax professionals to better serve the needs of the client. She won the muchcoveted Rick Metcalfe Memorial Award, the only woman ever to have done so, as well as numerous awards for service and invention. Her clients rave about her, and are extremely loyal. Although she now has a staff that performs a large percentage of client service, Sloan ensures the service level remains high, thanks to intensive and constant training and careful employee selection. Although most of her staff is female, Sloan says it was not intentional. She feels God attracted her staff and although she feels women bring “a breath of fresh air” to clients in the financial services industry. She certainly doesn’t mind working with men, though. In fact, her husband works in the company. Sloan refuses to take any of the credit for the success of her business. “I always ask God to do things in a way that only He can take the credit for,” she says. “This is way too big for me.” Her mantra

trust + strategy + integrity planning + insight + experience

“Daniel, Ratliff & Company has been more than an accountant to us, they have been a true business partner in helping us get the right information to manage our business.”

– Ron Herbert Co-owner of Red Rock’s Restaurant, with locations on Providence Rd. in Charlotte and at Birkdale Village in Huntersville.

301 S. McDowell Street Suite 502 Charlotte, NC 28204 704.371.5000

125 E Plaza Drive Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28115 704.663.0193

it all Adds up. march 2006

35

of “there is no logical explanation” underlines many of the stories she tells of her business experience. For instance, when the owner of her first small office decided to sell the property, Sloan went looking for a new place. She knew she couldn’t afford an old Duke Power building that was for sale, but felt led to call about it anyway. From that call, she learned that a local doctor had purchased the building, so she thought to call him and see if she could lease his old building. He didn’t want to lease it but offered to sell it at whatever reasonable price she wanted to offer. She didn’t think she could get a commercial loan, but she started calling anyway, and those calls led her to the Bank of York County, which loaned her the money without any of the usual associated expenses. “There’s no logical explanation,” she repeats. When that 1800-square-foot building became too small, she felt led to build the current building, which everyone from the real estate agent to the building consultant and even her husband told her was impossible. “Our consultant,

Sloan Financial Group, LLC 1474 Highway 55 East Clover, S.C. 29710 Phone: 803-222-2892 Principal: Angela D. Sloan, Founder and President Employees: 14 In Business: 23 years Awards: Rick Metcalfe Memorial Award (formerly the financial services Hall of Fame) and inventor’s awards for contributions to tax, insurance, and investment software and marketing systems Business: Full service financial services firm, including tax, investments, and insurance; striving to find better ways for people to invest their money safely, claim every tax deduction possible, choose tax saving strategies, and save on appropriate life, long term care, Medicare supplements, auto, and homeowners insurance. www.sloanfinancial.net

John Rinehart of Rinehart Realty Corp., stands in amazement; he says he’s never seen what he’s seen here.” She repeats, “There’s just no logical explanation. God’s fingerprints are all over this place.” So are images representing both her faith and the loyalty she has garnered from employees, clients, and members of the community. Upon entering the waiting room, one is greeted by the large glass sculpture of a rapt Jesus – a work of art Sloan believes God chose for her. “I was at an art gallery, completely entranced by this piece. I knew God had chosen it for me, but then I looked at the price tag,” she laughs. “Oops, I guess that was a misunderstanding, I thought.” Apparently, though, it was no misunderstanding – later, a grateful friend presented her with the piece as a gift. An original Thomas Kinkade painting, “Son Rise,” also a gift, adorns another wall of the waiting room, and a set of three Peter Max paintings (gifts from a private collector) decorate the large conference room. A torn but framed T-shirt from an orphan in Sudan, yet another gift from a friend, keeps Sloan mindful of all the gifts she’s been given, including the gift of her thriving business. Sloan’s children are grown now, and her daughter and a daughter-in-law work with her at Sloan Financial, as does her husband. She loves her four grandchildren, and continues to win the battle with cancer, and she has no regrets about anything. When asked where she expects the business to be in five or ten years, it is no surprise to hear her say, “I don’t have plans, but I feel God has written something on my heart. After it was built, I felt I was led to go to the four corners of this building and give thanks to God for a $100 million business. So that’s what I did.” Unimaginable, perhaps. And there may be no logical explanation. But with a little faith and Angela-style determination, somehow it seems bound to happen. biz Heather Head is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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Workforce Training and Development

[workforcebiz]

Innovative New Program to Address Midlife Boomers Focus on Life/Career Transitions and Personal Interests of the Boomer Population Did you know that boomers are the largest demographic population? Did you also know that this year the first boomers turn 60? The state of North Carolina is now the third most popular retirement destination of all 50 states and has the fifth largest over-65 population in the country. In fact, 20 percent of the population in Mecklenburg County is in the 45 to 60-year age range. This population will once again reinvent what the next decade of their lives will look like. With that in mind, Central Piedmont Community College has implemented a new program that addresses the needs of the boomer population. The new Lifetime Learning Institute provides an innovative one-stop shopping opportunity for those midlife boomers who are in transition into new careers, entrepreneurial opportunities, and other life transitions. In addition, course offerings through this program will bring together educational offerings and personal interest experiences. The mission of the Lifetime Learning Institute is “to advance the lifetime educational, personal, and career development of mid-life and older adults consistent with their needs, interests, abilities, and efforts.” Dr. Lyndall Hare was recently handpicked to serve as the new director of the Institute. Her outstanding credentials, experience and network in the industry bring a wealth of knowledge and skill to the position. “I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting new initiative at Central Piedmont Community College,” says Hare. “As a boomer myself, I know there is tremendous potential for life and career transition training for us, as well as creative opportunities to address our impact on the workforce as we continue moving into new endeavors in the world of work and/or retirement.” The Institute’s highly qualified faculty is offering exciting weekend workshops, seminars, and courses beginning in the spring semester. The Institute will officially be

greater charlotte biz

launched on April 6, 2006, and will target its efforts on four demographic groups within the boomer population: 1) collegeeducated people who have been in careers for three or four decades and are ready for a change but are not looking at retirement; 2) college-educated people who have been in a number of careers and have been downsized who need to be retrained; 3) those with little or no college education who need to be retrained; and 4) those who are interested in pursuing personal interests while still working or in retirement. To address workforce issues related to the boomer population, the Lifetime Learning Institute is co-hosting a conference with the Council on Aging on May 25, 2006, which will feature keynote speaker and workshop facilitator Dr. David DeLong, MIT Research Fellow and author of Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce. Addressing the impact on business and industry of retiring midlife employees, the following are some of Dr. DeLong’s insights: Q: What challenges do aging boomers pose for the workplace? A: The changing aging baby boomer population poses a number of serious challenges in the years ahead. We are now retiring the first generation of professionals and managers with deep knowledge, such as advanced science and medical practices and advanced management practices. All these changes mean that people are leaving organizations with knowledge that didn’t exist years ago. This knowledge base is hard to recreate. A large number of boomers are going to retire in five to ten years, and organizations will “bleed” knowledge quickly. The objective for businesses is to ask the question, “How do we develop a high performance workforce for the future?” Businesses must address the three “R’s”: Retirement – the growing number of boomers who will retire in the near future; Retention – retaining mid-career employees; Recruiting – many businesses

have been out of this business, and they have forgotten how to recruit. Q: How can businesses prepare for this challenge? A: Businesses must seriously address this issue and proactively plan. First, businesses, non-profits, and the public sector must identify where their organization is the most vulnerable. They need to look at where knowledge could be lost and what areas are the most “at risk.” Businesses must address human resource policy and practice such as succession planning, career development, and phased retirement policies. They also must address knowledge transfer practices including debriefing interviews, mentoring, training and development. Businesses must also connect with people as they “retire” and look at ways to continue partnering with them through part-time, contract and consulting work. Q: What businesses are particularly vulnerable? A: Businesses that are the most vulnerable include power utility companies, healthcare, government, manufacturing, education, aerospace and defense, and energy (oil, gas, chemicals). For more information on the Lifetime Learning Institute at Central Piedmont Community College and the courses offered, call Dr. Lyndall Hare at 704-330-6624 or visit the CPCC Web site at www.lifetimelearning.cpcc.edu. biz This section is intended to highlight workforce training and development programs and initiatives delivered by community colleges within the Charlotte region. Community colleges are invited to submit substantive content ideas to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.

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Mark DeBoo President and CEO All American Roofing, Inc.

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by casey jacobus

[bizprofile]

R o e h o t f g n i s i a R on Quality and Service For as long as he can remember, Mark DeBoo wanted to own his own business. “Everybody works for somebody,” he says. “Even the doctors and lawyers work for someone. Owning your company is the only way to have the freedom and ability to guide your own destiny.” Growing up in Chicago, DeBoo worked for a roofing company while still in high school. At Benedictine Illinois and later at DePauw University, he studied business management. The day he left school, at age 21, he started his own roofing and siding business. But, after 12 years, DeBoo realized the company wasn’t growing. His company was earning $750,000 a year and he was employing about 20 people, but he wanted a larger organization. “I had never really worked for a big business,” he says. “I

knew how to roof, but I didn’t have the experience or internal knowledge necessary to grow a business.” DeBoo dissolved his company and went to work for All American Exteriors in Lake Zurich, Illinois. He spent the next 13 years learning everything he could about managing a business. He started out as a “troubleshooter” – going out in the field and tracking down problems and solving them. Soon he took over the residential department and grew it from earning at the level of his old company to $5 million a year. But the desire to own his own company never left him. Finally, he convinced the owners of the Illinois company to back him in opening a roofing business in the southeast. After a year of research, he narrowed the location for his future business down to three areas: Atlanta, Raleigh/Durham, and Charlotte. A visit to Charlotte clinched the deal.

How one man’s vision built a major Charlotte business

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“Charlotte was a slam dunk,” says DeBoo. “It’s such a beautiful city; there’s nothing not to like.”

“I never had any intention of being the cheapest roofing company, I just wanted to be the best.” ~Mark DeBoo, CEO,All American Roofing DeBoo spent his time in Charlotte talking with builders, while his wife Terri investigated schools for their son Blaine. When DeBoo went back to Illinois, he had 250 pounds of blueprints from builders who wanted him to give them estimates on projects. In July 1999, he moved to Charlotte and opened All American Roofing, Inc. He had the financial backing of two silent partners and two subcontracting

crews, but the management of the new company was in his own hands. In six years, the company has grown from one employee to one hundred. In 2002, the company moved from its original office on Tyron Street to a new 18,000square-foot building in the Harrisburg Industrial Park. In an average week the company builds 50 to 70 roofs; in a busy week, it does as many as 100 to120. It is currently putting roofs on houses in 170 different subdivisions. In an industry where profits run from $100,000 to $40 million a year, All American Roofing falls strongly in the middle of the range – not the biggest company in town, but close. Nailing Customer Service For the past two years, Mark DeBoo has been recognized by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce as a finalist in its entrepreneur awards. In both 2004 and 2005, All American Roofing was a finalist in the 36-150 employees category. Although he didn’t win, DeBoo says it was an honor to be in the running. “With 5,600 businesses in Charlotte, to

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be one of the top three in the category two years in a row is exciting,” he says. Steve Partridge, senior vice president at the Chamber, says the only reason All American Roofing hasn’t actually won is that “it’s a very competitive category.” Partridge calls DeBoo “a very sincere guy with a quiet passion.” He also says that what distinguishes All American Roofing is DeBoo’s commitment to the business and to customer service. “From the very beginning, I set up the business to be proactive,” says DeBoo. “Our primary business is doing new construction for major builders. Those builders are our customers and it is the quality of our customer service that sets us apart.” The bottom line in customer service is getting the job done right and on time, and All American Roofing has built a reputation

All American Roofing, Inc 5555 Harrisburg Industrial Park Dr. Harrisburg, N.C. 28075 Phone: 704-455-7663 Principal: Mark DeBoo, President and CEO Headquarters: Charlotte; office in Charleston, S.C. Employees: 100 Founded: 1999 Business: Professional roofing contractors performing commercial, residential, metal roofing, and service and repairs; offers all types of roofing systems including shingles, slate, cedar, tile, flat metal and copper. Residential: Among its residential customers are Ryland Homes, Southampton Homes, D.R. Horton, Mercedes Homes, Centex Homes, as well as custom home builders like Arcadia Homes. Residential communities include Waterside Landing, Mallard Pointe, and Mission Hills in Kannapolis, Roberta Woods in Concord, and Cherry Grove and The Pointe in Mooresville. Commercial:Among its many commercial projects are numerous hospitals, churches and schools; Citizen’s South Bank building in Salisbury, the Boy Scouts of America Headquarters in Charlotte, the Rockingham City Hall, and the Holiday Inn Express in Kannapolis; the roofing for the new Northlake Mall, the renovated Southpark Mall, and the Shoppes@University. Recent Projects: SouthPark Mall, Northlake Mall, Shoppes@University www.aar-inc.com

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for meeting schedules and for quality work. However, DeBoo has gone far beyond that step in making customer service a high priority. There are no answering machines at All American; customers talk to a live person. The staff at All American works hand-inhand with the builder, talking with each customer at least once a week, to provide a level of service unmatched by others. And, All American is the only roofing company in the area that hires its own service technicians to inspect the finished job or to troubleshoot problems. “Most companies hire subcontractors to do the final inspection or complete the punch out list,” explains DeBoo. “We hire our own service technicians. This helps us control the quality and meet the builder’s schedule. It’s much easier to exercise control over an employee than a subcontractor.” DeBoo shows the same commitment to his employees that he does to his customers. All American Roofing provides longevity and security for its employees with health care and retirement plans. No one, including DeBoo, works on Sundays, giving employees time to spend with their families. “Our employees are family and we’re committed to them.” says DeBoo. “The company depends on bringing the right people together. You can’t do it all yourself. Our estimates are more timely and more accurate because of our excellent office personal.” All American Roofing is what DeBoo calls “a one stop shop.” It does both residential and commercial work and offers all types of roofing systems including shingles, slate, cedar, tile, flat metal and copper. Among its residential customers are Ryland Homes, Southampton Homes, D.R. Horton, Mercedes Homes, Centex Homes, as well as custom home builders like Arcadia Homes. It has done work in residential communities such as Waterside Landing, Mallard Pointe, and Mission Hills in Kannapolis, Roberta Woods in Concord, and Cherry Grove and The Pointe in Mooresville. Among its many commercial projects are numerous hospitals, churches and schools. It put the roof on the Citizen’s South Bank building in Salisbury, the Boy Scouts of America Headquarters in

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Charlotte, the Rockingham City Hall, and the Holiday Inn Express in Kannapolis. It did the roofing for the new Northlake Mall, the renovated Southpark Mall, and the Shoppes@University. Secrets of Success A half million companies are started in this county every year. Not many of them show the type of explosive growth that All American Roofing has demonstrated in its first six years. Mark DeBoo has been honored as an Entrepreneur by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and interviewed as part of the WTVI series “American Entrepreneur” by Skylark Entertainment. He has some insight into what is necessary to start a successful business. First, he says it is necessary to have a vision. In his own case, he saw a need for quality roofing companies throughout the county. In an industry where anyone with a pick up truck can go into the roofing business, it is not enough just to know how to property install a roofing system. DeBoo says you have to find the right people to do the work; people who will take pride in their work and are willing to do it right. And you have to do the work as economically as possible – keeping in mind that it is a business and must be run with structure, discipline and accountability. Second, you need financial backing. DeBoo has two partners in his company –

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one runs a custom home building company in Illinois while the other heads up American Exteriors – who helped finance the start up of All American Roofing. If you can’t find partners willing to invest, you can put together a financial plan and take it to a bank, but capital is critical to an entrepreneur’s success. Third, you have to have the ability to bring in customers. DeBoo says the secret to building a customer base, in addition to providing dependable, stable, and quality service, is to listen to the customer and find out what they need. “Too many people try to tell their customer what he needs instead of spending their time listening to the customer,” says DeBoo. DeBoo has a secret weapon in his business arsenal; it’s his wife Terri. Both Terri and Mark believe it is important for a business to give something back to the community that supports it. Since they moved to Charlotte six years ago, Terri has been a willing volunteer with the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system as well as with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. “She’s the ultimate volunteer,” says Partridge. “She’s served on several area committees. She’s personable and aggressive about talking with folks. It was her networking that resulted in All American Roofing getting a piece of the SouthPark Mall job.” DeBoo says Charlotte is a great place

to do business. He believes that All American Roofing will continue to prosper as along as the atmosphere in Charlotte continues to encourage growth and development. The company has recently become involved with building retirement communities – an area that DeBoo expects to grow even more important to the bottom line in the future. He also expects the company to expand into different regions around the area. The company already has an office in Charleston and crews working in the Triad area. DeBoo also expects changes in technology to change the roofing industry. With asphalt shingles becoming more and more expensive as oil prices rise, the industry will need to look at more economical ways to put a roof on a building. He believes that metal and shake roofs will be used more widely because of their longevity. He is also concerned about the environment and the way we keep filling up our dumps. Metal, he says, could be recycled at the end of a roof’s life. “I never had any intention of being the cheapest roofing company,” says DeBoo, “I just wanted to do it right and on time, and be the best.” Mark DeBoo has certainly raised the roof on quality and service for the Charlotte market; he and his company seem to be in peak performance. biz Casey Jacobus is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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bizresource guide Take advantage of these products and services from Charlotte’s leading business-to-business suppliers. page #

Allen Tate Realtors ............................................44 Allen Tate - Ellen Watkins ..................................31 Apple Rock Displays ..........................................11 ATCOM ................................................................24 Ballantyne Center for Dentistry............................26 Bank of America ....................................................3 Blair, Bohlé & Whitsitt ..........................................11 Breakfast Club America ......................................27 Century 21 Hecht Realty-Commercial ..................24 Charlotte Copy Data ..........................................13 Choice Translating................................................9 Coffee Boss, The ................................................21 CPCC Corp Training ............................................BC Daniel Ratliff & Company ....................................35 Dunn Enterprises................................................34 Employers Association ..........................................8 Employers Association-Benefits ..........................41 Exervio Consulting..............................................25 Gotham Images ..................................................36 Group Insurance Solutions ....................................34 Integraphx ........................................................20 Interact................................................................12 Knauff Insurance ................................................18 Land America ....................................................12 Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet ..............................8 Mecklenburg County Recycling ............................21 New Way Media ................................................10 Peninsula Yacht Club ..........................................10 Randolph & Sons Builders ....................................9 RBC Centura ........................................................5 Ruth’s Chris Steak House ......................................13 Santo & Josie Café ..............................................43 Sauder Woodworking ..........................................41 Scott Jaguar ......................................................19 Shield Engineering ............................................40 Sloan Financial Group ........................................42 Studio Displays/Nimlock Charlotte ......................20 Tathwell Printing ................................................43 TimeWarner Business ..........................................1 UNCC Belk College ............................................IFC

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Featuring Executive Homes in the Charlotte Region LAKEFRONT PERFECTION Lake Wylie, South Carolina This property is both grand and charming. It’s one of the finest homes on Lake Wylie with amazing views from 1.50 acres. Entire main house is designed for entertaining and family living. Guest cottage, just steps from water, offers perfect space for guests or for use as an artist’s studio. 4 BRs, 3.1 BAs MLS# 1028318 - $1,495,000 Property Address: 321 Carroll Cove Road

Kay Grigsby - 803-322-7024 www.kaygrigsby.com

STUNNING GOLF COURSE RETREAT Mooresville, North Carolina French provincial on The Point Golf Course. Grand entrance, arched doorways. Spectacular family room features two-story ceiling, custom built-ins and limestone fireplace. Cook's kitchen has top-of-the-line appliances and granite counters. Spacious master retreat on main, overlooks the course. Outdoor living with screened porch, patio and fireplace. Boat slip. 4BRs, 4.1 BAs MLS# 562177 - $1,100,000 Property Address: 116 Wellfleet Lane

Candi Schuerger - 704-235-2417 www.candisugar.com

DRAMATIC SKYLINE VIEWS Charlotte, North Carolina Have it all. The open living room features a tray ceiling, built-in bookcases and a gas-log fireplace with marble surround. An oversized dining area accommodates guests who will enjoy spectacular views through the wall of windows. Step outside to the terrace from the living room, dining area or master bedroom. 2 BRs, 3 BAs MLS# 557907 - $899,000 Property Address: 546 N. Church Street

Sandy Kindbom - 704-491-5045 www.allentate.com/sandykindbom

PELLYN WOOD Charlotte, North Carolina This custom, Low Country home by Potter Builders is set on more than an acre. Soaring ceilings and classic millwork is featured throughout. It has everything for an active family including a home theater and swimming pool. Good architecture, imagination and love for details make this a truly exceptional home. 5 BRs, 5.5 BAs MLS# 551844 - $2,100,000 Property Address: 5400 Stonesthrow Court

Barbara Tate - 704-367-7200 www.allentate.com/barbaratate

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT SECTION

Featuring Executive Homes in the Charlotte Region EXECUTIVE TOWNHOME Charlotte, North Carolina This executive townhome overlooks Carmel Country Club. It features formals and a gourmet kitchen. The master bedroom is on the main. A second master bedroom and two additional bedrooms are on the upper level. The lower level includes a great room with wet bar, billiard room, exercise room and guest suite. 5BRs, 4.1 BAs MLS# 564250 - $799,900 Property Address: 6521 Wakehurst Road

Leila Schellenberg - 704-543-5871 www.allentate.com/leilaschellenberg

TALLWOOD ESTATES Indian Trail, North Carolina This Union County show house is located in Fairview, near Mint Hill. The home features beautiful hardwood and ceramic floors.The lower-level master bedroom suite includes an exceptional master bathroom. Covered front porch, rear porch and sunroom make excellent, relaxing retreats.The courtyard includes a covered patio, pool and privacy fencing. 4BRs, 3.1 BAs MLS# 552540 - $529,900 Property Address: 437 Foxglove Lane

Russell Wing - 704-291-8908 www.allentate.com/russellwing

LAKE NORMAN WATERFRONT Mooresville, North Carolina Spectacular lake views await you from this majestic stone estate. Every inch of this grand, three-story residence emphasizes luxurious living. No detail goes unnoticed in the beautiful interior, boasting five bedrooms and five full baths. The covered loggia with fireplace, large deck, pool, spa and dock complete the fabulous outdoor living areas. 5BRs, 5.1BAs MLS# 520494 - $2,950,000 Property Address: 105 Woods Hole Court

Dudley Spangler - 704-953-2735 www.dudleyspangler.com

SOUTHPARK ESTATE Charlotte, North Carolina This elegant, brick estate home is located on a 1-acre lot in highly desirable Pellyn Grove. Easy entertaining inside and out. Well appointed with a master suite on main. Large kitchen features hearth room. Two gas fireplaces, study. Screened porch and 3-car garage. Fabulous pool accented by 2 brick arbors. 4 BRs, 3.2 BAs MLS# 566420 - $1,200,000 Property Address: 5420 Mirabell Road

Connie Nuttall - 704-367-7249 www.allentate.com/connienuttall

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The Lifetime Learning Institute Announces 2 Spring Events •

A Launching Luncheon

“Lifetime Learning @ Midlife and Beyond” April 6, 2006 •

Joint Conference co-hosted by the Lifetime Learning Institute and the Council on Aging

“Can Business Boom as Boomers Retire?” May 25, 2006 Seminars, Courses and Workshops aimed at Midlife Boomers. To register for these events call 704.330.6624 For more information visit: www.lifetimelearning.cpcc.edu

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