Greater Charlotte Biz 2006.04 by CLT.biz & Charlotte Biz & Greater Charlotte Biz

Tyler 2 Construction • UNCC Belk MBA Program • Baxter-Harriss Co. • Group Insurance Solutions

april 2006

EnhanceEn gag e

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Andy Calhoun President and CEO YMCA of Greater Charlotte

in this issue

april 2006

cover story

YMCA of Greater Charlotte

CEO Andy Calhoun is quick to credit the success of the YMCA to every volunteer, donor, member, and staff member : “The history of our volunteerism, and its quality and commitment, is simply unparalleled. And, as a result, we have the happy duty of reaching out and positively shaping the lives of individuals, families, children and communities in the true spirit of servant leadership.”

16 Tyler 2 Construction After years of building a general contracting business, success looks different to Katie Tyler these days. She wants rapid growth, but there’s a bigger goal for this top dog; for Tyler, “letting go the shor t leash” might be her most difficult task yet, but she’s confident her team will perform superbly. “For me,” she adds, “it’s all about achievement.”

28 UNCC Belk MBA The Belk College of Business has been educating future business leaders in Charlotte since the mid-1960s. Today, the MBA program has dynamic new leadership since Ronald Veith assumed the role of director in June 2005. With 23 years of experience in business consulting, Veith brings a new energy and sense of direction to the program.

32 Baxter-Harriss Co.

departments publisher’s post

employers biz

Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

on top

biznetwork

bizXperts

Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

workforce biz

CPCC Offers Resources for New Business Owners

executive homes

IBC

Luxury Homes above $500,000

on the cover: Andy Calhoun President and CEO YMCA of Greater Charlotte

38 Group Ins. Solutions Carroll Gennings helps clients with a wide range of insurance products – health, life, dental, disability, vision, and voluntary products – assisting from beginning to end with identifying needs, choosing a carrier, presenting to employees, handling paperwork, interacting with the carrier, and solving problems and answering questions.

Photography by Wayne Morris.

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[publisher’spost] Imagine a Big Bathtub with a Faucet and a Drain! Small Business Week will be celebrated in Washington, D.C., April 9-15, 2006. To appreciate the significance of small businesses to the United States economy, imagine a very big bathtub with a faucet at one end and a drain at the other. That bathtub is the American economy and it is filled with the sum total of all businesses. The faucet is the source of all new and emerging businesses that flow into the American economy. Conversely, the drain represents those businesses that close, go bankrupt, or cease to exist for one reason or another. As it turns out, nearly all the businesses in that bathtub are small entities with fewer than 500 employees – “small businesses” – and those businesses are very diverse. According to U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy data collected from the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Commerce, and U.S. Census Bureau, there were approximately 23,974,500 businesses in the United States in 2004. However, out of all those business entities, only about 5,683,700 businesses actually had employees. And, within those firms with employees, nearly all (5,666,600) firms were classified as small businesses. Self-employed persons totaled 15,636,149 entities. Diversity within the American business community is constantly increasing. The most current statistics (from 2002) showed 6,492,795 women-owned enterprises. Those women-owned firms generated $950.6 billion in revenues. Women represent about 33.7 percent of self-employed persons. Hispanic-owned firms numbered about 1,574,159 and black-owned firms numbered about 1,197,988 in 2002. Fortunately, there was an influx of new businesses to our bathtub more than equal to those that slipped down the drain. In 2004, there were approximately 580,900 new employer businesses. In that same year, 576,200 businesses were terminated. Small businesses added jobs while large firms lost jobs. Businesses with fewer than 500 employees numbered about 5,680,914 in 2002. Together, they employed about 56,366,292 individuals. Small businesses added a net gain of 853,074 jobs between 2001 and 2002. Large firms with more than 500 employees lost 2,231,026 jobs in the same period. Proprietor’s income (a partial measure of small business income) increased to about $902.8 billion in 2004. By comparison, North Carolina had about 671,810 small businesses in 2004. Of that number, 182,598 firms had employees. Self-employed persons increased from 383,846 in 2003 to 419,654 in 2004. Women-owned firms totaled 173,921 and generated $26.8 billion in 2002. Hispanic-owned firms numbered 9,047 and black-owned firms numbered 52,134. Consistent with the national data, North Carolina added about as many new employer businesses as it lost in 2004. About 23,387 new employer businesses were added in 2004, while terminations totaled 22,055. Small firms added a net gain of 21,418 jobs while large firms lost 84,916 jobs. South Carolina had about 312,108 small businesses in 2004. Nearly 92,940 firms had employees. Self-employed persons grew from 179,586 in 2003 to 181,946 in 2004. Women-owned firms totaled 76,879 and generated $10.9 billion to the economy. Hispanic-owned firms numbered 3,019 in 2002, while black-owned firms totaled 28,620 in 2002. An estimated 11,745 new employer businesses were created in 2004. Business terminations numbered 10,975. Small firms added a net gain of 8,271 jobs, while large firms lost 50,963 jobs between 2001 and 2002. Small businesses are vital to the financial well-being of the nation’s economy. We need to keep our bathtub full. We will always need to create new businesses to replace those businesses being terminated. All together, small businesses generate about half of all U.S. non-farm output and create most of the new jobs. As powerful job-generators and wealthcreators, small businesses deserve to be celebrated. Small business owners should stand tall and be proud for all they contribute to the U.S. economy. They should be celebrated all year long and not just one week in one month. Keep up the good work! biz

april 2006

April 2006 Volume 7 • Issue 4 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

Compensating for Travel Time Most employers know that the law does not require companies to pay employees for the time spent traveling during their normal commute from home to work. However, other circumstances require more careful analysis to determine if the employee should be paid for travel time. Here are the guidelines from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) on this topic. Special One-Day Assignment in Another City (Section 785.37): When an employee travels to an out-of-town site for a special one-day assignment, the time traveled counts as work time. Thus you would pay an employee sent to Greensboro for a training class for the time spent commuting there and back. You may legally deduct the normal commute time they would have spent from home to work, but many companies pay for the total commute to keep things simple. Travel All in the Day’s Work (Section 785.38): The FLSA states that, “Time spent by an

employee in travel as part of his principal activity, such as travel from job site to job site during the workday, must be counted as hours worked.” So employees such as service technicians who travel from customer site to customer site during the day must be paid for the commuting time between customers. (Although if they stop for personal reasons, such as a meal period of 30 minutes or more where they are completely relieved from duty, this is unpaid time.) Overnight Travel Away from Home (Section 785.39): Trips that take employees away from home overnight have certain guidelines. The regulations say that, “Travel away from home is clearly work time when it cuts across the employee’s workday. The employee is simply substituting travel for other duties. The time is not only hours worked on regular working days during normal working hours, but also during the corresponding hours on nonworking days.”

When a nonexempt employee flies out of town on a Saturday or Sunday, flight time that occurs during their normal shift counts as hours worked, even if a Saturday/Sunday is not a normal workday. But if they fly outside of their normal shift hours, the time does not have to count as hours worked. Some companies choose to be more generous. Also, time spent performing work while traveling must be counted as hours worked, no matter what time of day. The regulations are less clear about driving time. Generally, it is a good practice to pay employees for time they are required to spend driving, even if it is outside the normal work hours. Passengers in a vehicle would not have to be paid if they are traveling outside of their normal work hours, unless they are performing work related duties while being a passenger. Again, some companies choose to be more generous in order to avoid an employee relations problem from paying the driver and not paying the passenger.

separate, stand-alone document. • Obtain written authorization from the individual for the report to be obtained (with certain exceptions for truck drivers). • Provide the individual with a summary of their rights under the FCRA. If the employer decides to take adverse action (i.e. not hire the person or not promote an employee) based upon the results of the report, the company must: • Before taking adverse action, furnish the individual with a copy of the report and a written description of their rights under the law. Some companies make it a practice to mail a copy of each report, along with a notice of rights, to every subject of such a report. Then they have already taken care of this requirement if they later decide to take adverse action based upon the report. • Once the decision to take adverse action has been made, give notice to the individual of the adverse action. Provide the name, address, and phone number of

the consumer reporting agency. • Include a statement that the consumer reporting agency did not make the decision and cannot tell the individual the specifics of the adverse action. • Tell the individual that they have the right to obtain a free copy of their report from the consumer reporting agency within 60 days of notice of the adverse action. • Give notice of the individual’s right to dispute the accuracy of the report. Investigative consumer reports are more thorough reports that describe a person’s credit, general reputation, and mode of living through personal interviews with neighbors, friends, and associates. Employers must notify an individual within three days of requesting such a report and give them information on their right to obtain a copy of the report. If the individual makes a written request to know the nature and scope of the report, the employer must reply within five days.

Background Check Reminder Employers should remember that if they use an outside source to conduct any type of background check (credit, criminal, driving record, investigative report, etc.) on an applicant or employee, they are subject to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA has certain strict disclosure requirements for employers who use so-called consumer or investigative consumer reports. Applicants have the right to know that a report will be conducted, the name and address of the consumer reporting agency, and to receive a free copy of the report if the company denies employment based on the information. Before conducting a consumer report using a third party, the employer must: • Provide the individual with a selfstanding, clear and conspicuous written disclosure which explains that a consumer report may be obtained for employment purposes. This cannot be a paragraph on the employment application; it must be a

april 2006

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Six Actions to Improve Your Human Relations Performance The six suggestions on the “To Do” list that follows are based on common sense and are relatively easy to implement, plus when executed properly, they can have a strong impact on your effectiveness. 1. Make sure employees get feedback on a regular basis. Once a year evaluations are not enough. Employees should receive regular input from their supervisors. These discussions should typically focus on day-to-day performance objectives rather than dwelling on past mistakes or failures. This approach requires supervisors to observe and evaluate their employees regularly and to work closely with targeted individuals as needed. In addition, make sure your managers give positive feedback for a job well done. 2. Terminate poorly performing or disruptive employees. This advice is an obvious companion to the first suggestion. However, many managers are unwilling to terminate an employee even when the action is justified. The most common reasons are fear of being sued and reluctance to confront. You can help limit the possibility of legal claims and be more comfortable with the decision

by following your published disciplinary process and completing all documentation before you terminate. 3. Pay overtime, even when you do not think it was properly authorized. One of the surest ways to provoke a wage and hour claim is to fail to pay employees properly for overtime that they have worked. According to the Department of Labor regulations, if you are aware that an employee is working more time than is scheduled, you must compensate the employee, even if you did not specifically request the additional work. 4. Treat your exempt employees as you want them to treat you. Most employers expect their exempt employees to work as long as it takes “to get the job done.” Yet, some of these same employers require those same exempt employees to use hours of paid vacation or sick time every time they leave early to take care of personal business. Exempt employees will resent being required to use paid leave for every partial day of absence if they regularly work more than 40 hours per week. If your concern is that your exempt

employees may abuse their status, address those issues on an individual basis. 5. Make sure you designate leave appropriately under the FMLA. The single biggest compliance mistake most employers make under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is their failure to notify an employee that a leave is a specifically covered by the FMLA. When this occurs, the time off will not count against the employee’s 12-week FMLA allotment until proper notification is given. As a result, the employee still enjoys the protections of the law, including continuation of health care coverage and reinstatement, but does not draw down the 12 weeks of protected FMLA leave until notice is given. 6. Review your HR policies and procedures. Clearly written policies that are regularly reviewed can be both an effective employee relations tool and a good defense against employee lawsuits. Make sure that your policies reflect any new laws, regulations, and court cases that can affect both policy language and how you implement the policies. (Capital Associated Industries)

Retain Older Workers to Avoid Talent Drain About 34 percent of employers say the aging workforce will have a significant corporate impact, yet 79 percent have not taken any steps to accommodate older workers, according to a new MetLife study. “Employers that make a long-term commitment to accommodate their older workers – not just through the physical environment or flexible work schedules, but by providing access to critical employee benefits – will reap the benefits,” Maria Morris, MetLife’s executive vice president of institutional business, comments. “Many older workers feel a strong sense of loyalty to their companies and expect the same in return. Older workers may prove to be the solution to

greater charlotte biz

the impending talent shortage. It’s crucial for companies to identify a strategy for retaining trained, experienced workers and keeping them satisfied and engaged.” Older workers are more likely than others to consider benefits an important reason for staying with their employer. They also are more satisfied with their jobs and more loyal to employers, MetLife reports. Roughly 33 percent of baby boomers (age 41-60) have not determined when they will retire from work. Moreover, 58 percent of younger baby boomers (age 41-50) are worried that they will have to work either full- or part-time during retirement, and 61 percent peg “outliving retirement money” as their No. 1

retirement-related fear. Fueling these concerns is the fact that 27 percent of boomers admit to being “significantly behind” in their savings, and 10 percent haven’t even started saving. (BenefitNews.com) 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.

april 2006

[ontop] Awards & Achievement President Bush has announced plans to appoint Duke Energy Corp. Chief Executive Paul Anderson to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Levine Museum of the New South has been presented the National Award for Museum Service by first lady Laura Levine Museum of the New South Bush at a White House ceremony held in the nation’s capital. Finalists have been named for the 18th annual Blue Diamond Awards recognizing technology-based contributions: Bank of America Corp., Wachovia Corp., Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Stripling & Beck Inc., and Uvest Financial Services Inc. for best information-technology innovation; American Tire Distributors Inc., BofA, Premier Inc., Charlotte Latin, CT Communications Inc. and Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement for information technology business value; BofA and Wachovia for project of the year; Socialserve, the Urban League of Central Carolinas, and the YMCA for the non-profit information-technology category; and Camstar Inc., goodmortgage.com, and Peak10 Inc. for the top-growth award. Christie Taylor, managing partner at Hodges Taylor Gallery, has received the 2005 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year award. Finalists included: Cynthia Carlson – Campbell/Carlson Executive Search; Dee Dixon – Pride Magazine/Pride Communications; Sandra P. Meyer – Duke Energy; and Frances Queen – Queen Associates, Inc. The ninth annual Mayor’s International Community Awards has announced the ten finalists for 2006 awards honoring the corporate philanthropy and volunteerism of over 650 foreign-owned companies in the 16-county Charlotte USA region: Small Company Category – Lufthansa German Airlines, Langford de Kock LLP, Coats North America (all of Mecklenburg Co.), Atotech USA Inc. (York Co.); Medium Company Category – DSM Getrag (Catawba Co.), Okuma America

april 2006

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[ontop] (Mecklenburg Co.), Areva (Mecklenburg Co.); Large Company Category – Freightliner LLC (Rowan Co.), Schaeffler Group, USA (York Co.), Food Lion LLC (Rowan Co.). Mooresville and Statesville have been named the No. 1 Micropolitan Area in the nation for the second consecutive year by Site Selection magazine; according to the publication. Tana Greene, president of staffing firm Strataforce, has been named by Enterprising Magazine as one of 25 women for its 2006 Enterprising Women of the Year national award winners. Ann S. Hodges, president of Sensible Space, LLC, has been nominated for the NAWBO-Charlotte 2006 Rising Star of the Year Award. Ann Hodges

greater charlotte biz

Artwork • Fitz & Floyd • Children’s Items • Handbags • Accent Pillows • Boxes

Business & Professional Twenty-six lawyers of Poyner & Spruill LLP have been selected by their peers for inclusion in Law & Politics ranking of North Carolina Super Lawyers. Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP has elected John D. Kocher and Joseph J. Santaniello

Gifts • Home Accents • Holiday Items • Vera Bradley • Stationery • Lamps • Mirrors

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Advertising & Media Kirby Strickland, member of Business Marketing Association of the Carolinas and founder of Strickland & Company, has been named BMA International Chairman. Kirby Strickland The Marketing Consortium, a marketing communications firm, has received an award in the MarCom Creative Awards competition for its client, Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy. WCNC-TV has been recognized with ten Mid-South Regional Emmys. Carolina Public Relations/Marketing has announced the addition of Michelle King as account manager and Amanda Kirkpatrick as administrative coordinator. Abby Burd has been promoted to account coordinator. SpreadYOURbusiness.com has promoted Kimberly Williams to senior project manager for advertising. Marketing communications firm, HMH, has hired Elizabeth Reed as marketing manager for its Charlotte office.

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Jewelry • Egyptian Cotton Sheets • Furniture • Florals • Ceramics • Christopher Radko

april 2006

[ontop] to the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnership. Charlotte attorney Gary W. Jackson has been John Kocher

Joseph Santaniello

selected to serve on the Board of Governors of the Southern Trial Lawyers Association. John J. Barnhardt III has Gary Jackson joined Summa, Allan & Additon, P.A., a law firm specializing in intellectual property. Kristin White del Rosso, president of Pea Organizing Services Inc., has become a member of the National Association of Professional Organizerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golden Circle. Greg Thomas has joined TrainingFolks, Inc. as project manager. Shred-it Charlotte, a secure on-site document destruction company, has added Ron Coleman and Martha Gay to its sales team, and Ira Taylor as a customer service representative.

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april 2006

Construction & Design Skanska USA Building Inc. has appointed Jessie Brewer as chief development officer in Charlotte to lead company-wide sales and business development organization. The National Association of Home Buildersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Council has recognized the HBA of Charlotte Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Council with a second-place Outstanding Legislative and Political Action Program award. Hanson Brick, North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest brick manufacturer, has named Charlie Ward as executive vice president for commercial sales Charlie Ward Cliff Taylor and has promoted Cliff Taylor to vice president of sales for the east region. First Colony Corporation has announced the promotions of Tiffany B. Slayden to senior vice president of sales and leasing, Randy T. Russell to development project manager, and Matthew J. Richard to senior property manager. Education & Staffing The University of North Carolina at

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[ontop] Charlotte has formally installed Philip L. Dubois as its fourth chancellor. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has Philip Dubois been named a Regional Visualization and Analytics Center, making it a partner in Homeland Security’s National Visualization and Analytics Center. The Art Institute of Charlotte has named its art gallery the Elizabeth M. “Libby” Guinan Gallery in honor of the college’s retiring founder and president; Gilbert Cendejas has joined as director of admissions, and Charles Easley has been named academic director of the college’s Interactive Media Design Department. Pfeiffer University has appointed executive editor of The Charlotte Observer, Rick Thames, to the Pfeiffer University Board of Trustees; Natasha Suber has been named director of communications at the college. Jeff Maidment has become a consultant for Compass Career Management Solutions/an OI Partner.

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Engineering Mulkey Engineers & Consultants has won the Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies for its Valley River stream restoration project. Ray Lawson has been named high-definition survey program manager for Mulkey Engineers & Consultants. Mechanical engineer Gary Burton, PE, has joined Charlotte Engineers LLP. Financial & Insurance Bill Dawkins has been promoted to president for Regions Bank’s North Carolina franchise. Burgess Moody, a financial professional with the South and Bill Dawkins Western Carolinas branch of AXA Advisors, LLC, has attained membership in the industry’s prestigious Million Dollar Round Table for 2005. Rebecca Thompson has joined Hinrichs Flanagan Financial as its director of recruiting. Seth Nannini, and Priscilla Owenby have joined the company as financial services professionals.

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april 2006

Don’t Don’t get get hosed hosed on on your your construction construction project. project.

[ontop] William Solomon, a financial professional with AXA Advisors, LLC, has earned the company’s Centurion Award recognizing outstanding sales achievement. Government & Non-Profit Deborah Millhouse, president of CEO Inc., has been elected president of the Metrolina Business Council. The Human Rights Campaign’ s Carolinas Dinner Deborah Millhouse Committee has awarded Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Chairman Parks Helms the 2006 Equality Award.

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Health Care The cancer treatment program at Carolinas Medical Center has received the national Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Carolinas Medical Center has celebrated the dedication of the McColl-Lockwood Laboratory for Muscular Dystrophy Research. Brian Poplin, vice president of strategic development for ARAMARK Healthcare, has completed the requirements to advance to Fellow status in the American College of Healthcare Executives, the highest level of achievement. Real Estate Commercial/Residential CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc., a commercial real estate services firm, has announced its 100th anniversary this year, as well as the 25th anniversary of the Charlotte office. Orleans Homebuilders has announced the addition of Mandy Dellinger as the new community sales manager for its Providence Forest community. The South Carolina Association of Realtors has named Nancy Legg of Prudential Carolinas Realty’s Rock Hill office as Educator of the Year for 2005. Retail & Sports & Entertainment East Coast Entertainment, with offices in Charlotte and five other southeast markets, has been named Agency of the Year by American Entertainment magazine, besting industry

april 2006

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[ontop] heavyweights Creative Artists Agency and William Morris Agency, which came in second. Tom Barbitta has been named vice president of marketing for Carolina Beverage Tom Barbitta Corp. Morton’s, The Steakhouse Uptown, has named Sheri Julian as its general manager. The Charlotte FASTSIGNS sign and graphics center, has received two sales achievement awards from the FASTSIGNS International, Inc. convention. Husqvarna, sponsors of both NASCAR and Joe Gibbs Racing, have introduced a new NASCAR Tough chain saw featuring the NASCAR Tough chain saw NASCAR logo and packaged as a collector’s edition with a NASCAR hologram authentication. Technology NPower Charlotte Region, Inc. has received a $50,000 grant from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation, an affiliate of Foundation For The Carolinas. Dataline, Inc., an information technology systems integrator, has hired of Kyle Sparks as regional manager for its newest office in Charlotte. The Comdyn Group, a custom software development company, has achieved the Microsoft competency for Custom Development Solutions. WebsiteBiz has announced it has achieved status as a Google Advertising Professionals Qualified Company. Tourism & Travel AAA Carolinas, the largest leisure travel agency in the Carolinas, has announced that Miriam Terres and Ruby Ward have joined its Travel Services staff as leisure travel agents. 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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Kathryn B. (“Katie”) Tyler Founder and President Tyler 2 Construction, Inc.

april 2006

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by ellison clary

[bizprofile]

RUNNING WITH THE BIG DOGS LETTING GO THE SHORT LEASH After years of building a general contracting business, success looks different to Katie Tyler these days. She wants rapid growth, but there’s a bigger goal for this top dog of one of the Carolina’s foremost construction companies.

“I want to be a non-essential element at Tyler 2 Construction,” says the attractive vibrant company president with a passion for animals, especially canines. greater charlotte biz

april 2006

photo: John Jackson

“I want to bring my dog to work,” Chinnis She relates a story from a strategy session told Tyler. Chinnis relates that her boss said for the Humane Society of Charlotte, whose okay before she’d finished asking. That was board she chairs. A facilitator asked what easy for Tyler, who prepares various breeds to the Humane Society wanted to be and one be guide dogs and whose company logo feareply was incisive: The Humane Society tures a dog’s head prominently. should not need to exist, because animals Recently, Chinnis’ German shepherd would have happy, non-abusive homes. Gypsy celebrated “That’s my her third goal,” says Tyler. anniversary with “I want Tyler 2 Tyler 2. Gypsy Construction to enjoys plenty of grow and thrive four-legged without Katie friends because Tyler’s daily Tyler routinely involvement.” brings in at least That’s not to one of her litter say the 54-yearthat includes old Tyler is ready a guide dog to quit. Her goal in training. is to grow the “The working firm that specialenvironment is izes in interior very open, construction friendly and from its $30 milsupportive,” says lion in revenue Chinnis, who’s last year to at been with the least $70 million Tyler and Elphaba, a 4.5 month old goldador (golden retriever/Labrador retriever puppy) from Southfirm five years by 2011. eastern Guide Dogs being trained as a guide dog for longer than her That’s heady the blind. pet. “People are territory for the very relaxed and supportive. Everybody’s former executive secretary of George Ivey, a team.” scion of the Ivey’s department stores that With the 26 employees in the 9,000 ultimately were folded into Dillard’s. And it’s square feet on Old Pineville Road where a far cry from her company’s reincarnation Tyler 2 recently expanded (August 2005), in 1986 as a five-person firm operating in the dogs seem to fit right in. The building 900 square feet on Tyvola Road. is dog friendly and includes lobby chairs She’s confident the company can perform, covered in dog-print fabric and a meditabecause she’s learned hard lessons in hiring tion room and water feature at the rear of good people and listening to their ideas. the property. “While I own the business,” she says. “I To get where she is, Tyler had to follow know I can and do learn something from much the same path of a guide dog. She everyone in the company. Anybody is free

to come into my office at any time and give me advice.” Tyler praises her accountant, Donna Chinnis, who toils daily crunching numbers. During an annual review, she asked Chinnis what she wanted, besides money. Chinnis’ answer was that she’d like a new puppy, but she didn’t want to leave the dog alone at home all day.

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slowly learned her trade. She had to scratch and dig for success, but she learned from people she trusted. ‘This Is What I Want To Do’ A graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s in Studio Art, Tyler moved to Charlotte in 1974 to join her parents. Her father was an executive with the

Boy Scouts of America. In a job market tightened by an oil crisis, she signed on in the Ivey’s executive offices, reporting to the vice president of real estate, who worked with designers and contractors to build stores in the Carolinas and Florida. When her boss required heart surgery, Tyler jumped in on a new store construction project in Cary, an addition to the Asheville Ivey’s and a renovation of an acquired store in Greensboro. She regularly visited the projects and made decisions on carpet, paint, fixtures and accessory issues as they arose during construction. “I thought ‘Wow, this is what I want to do’,” Tyler remembers. She also recalls the let-down of resuming her assistant duties when her boss returned. But Tyler had made an impression on the architect who designed a renovation of the Tulip Terrace, the center city Ivey’s restaurant. The firm hired Tyler in 1982 to help develop its retail design business. At first, Tyler felt under-qualified and was miserable. Her mother stepped in. “She sat me down and said, ‘Katie, you’re unhappy. You cry when you go to work and you cry when you get home. What do you like doing?’”

Tyler 2 Construction, Inc. 5400 Old Pineville Road Charlotte, N.C. 28217 Phone: 704-527-3031 Principal: Kathryn B. (“Katie”) Tyler, Founder and President Employees: 26 Established: Founded in 1983; incorporated in 1986 as Inside Moves Co., Inc.; renamed Tyler II Construction, Inc. in 1990; operating under present name since 1991 Revenue: $24.2 million (2004) Business: Commercial general contractor serving the Carolinas, providing construction services to medical, office, retail and industrial clients; best known for specialty in interior construction and upfitting; prides itself on relating to concerns of clients with practical solutions. www.tyler2construction.com

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How a team of heart specialists helped Hugh McColl make the best investment of his life. When Hugh McColl, the man who changed American banking, learned he needed heart bypass surgery, he chose the team that has outpaced all others for years. He chose the Carolinas Heart Institute at Carolinas Medical Center and the Sanger Clinic’s Dr. Mark Stiegel. Carolinas Heart Institute has a rich and storied history of groundbreaking innovations; some of the finest medical minds in

America, and the latest, most advanced technology available – including the new revolutionary 64 Slice CT Scanner. Today, Hugh McColl is enjoying the success of his surgery with his usual zest for life. In fact, he calls his choice of care “one of the best investments I ever made.” We know Mr. McColl could have gone anywhere in the world for cardiac treatment. He chose the region’s premier team.

www.carolinashealthcare.org

Mr. Hugh McColl and R. Mark Stiegel, MD

photo: Sean Busher

photo courtesy of Tyler 2 Construction

“I said I really liked those Ivey’s conCharlotte’s Lyerly Agency, who advised her Tyler laughs, “I got hundreds of letters and struction sites,” Tyler recalls. “It was solving to change the company name. Tyler was still phone calls of congratulations.” She also problems, managing time and managing using Inside Moves, which sounded like a received an invitation from the Chamber to people. It was working with subcontractors. moving company or movie-maker, but not a chair its small business division. In my mind, that was construction.” construction company. “Call it Tyler That 1990 name change – she subsequently She was ready in mid-1983 when she got Construction,” Lyerly advised. altered it to the current Tyler 2 – boosted an opportunity to help a Dallas, Texas-based Tyler Construction was already taken, annual revenue to $2.5 million. When her firm developer start a general contracting firm but Tyler was used to correcting people who got stuck at that level, Tyler brought in a concentrating on interior construction. business coaching team, the first of four She won the day with her interview. she’s used. The executive who was establishing The coaches peppered her with the J.D. Sims contracting entity in questions: Who does this and who Charlotte told her he didn’t think a does that? Tyler’s unchanging answer woman could do the job they had in was “me.” mind, that of managing construction sites. “You’re still doing everything,” they He posed a scenario: “You’re on a told her. “That’s why you can’t grow.” job site and a painter shows up drunk. What would you do?” Delegation Sparks Growth “I looked him straight in the eye,” Tyler listened. Through friends, she the straight-talking Tyler smiles. “I said, The Employer’s Association11,000-square-foot found accountant Wendy Laxton and ‘I’d throw his ass off the job.’” headquarters in southwest Charlotte features adminhired her in 1991 to take over the Tyler He laughed and they brought her on istrative offices, employment library, kitchen and dining 2 accounting, finance, insurance manfacilities, printing operation and computer/training rooms. agement and human relations, and to board. She concentrated on design and found a general contractor to build help with training. what she drew, teaching her the busi“The thing that I admire most about ness. Officially, she owned 51 percent Katie,” Laxton says, “is her willingness of Inside Moves, Inc., the company she to step back, evaluate not only her helped start. company but herself, and make The savings and loan crisis clamped changes that some leaders find diffitight on her Dallas partners, and Tyler cult. She looks at what she’s doing bought them out of the Charlotte operafirst,” adds Laxton, who doesn’t bring tion. Tyler moved herself and four her two dogs to work but enjoys playemployees from Class A office space ing with those in the office. near Billy Graham Parkway into a tiny Shortly after hiring Laxton, Tyler spot on Tyvola Road. saw that the company’s projects were The Johnson & Wales residents’ dining hall uptown It was a struggle. “My revenue went growing more complex. She realized Charlotte, completed in 2004, serves the student from $2 million to less than a million the need for someone with more conpopulation of the University. that first year,” she says, “and I really struction knowledge to manage jobs. didn’t know how we were going to do.” wanted to call her Taylor. She’d say, “It’s She brought in Ben Biggers from FN Then she lost a potentially lucrative Tyler, like Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too,” the Thompson Construction. Almost like contract when a large company opening 19th century political slogan. So she magic, annual revenue shot to $7 million. a Charlotte presence backed away from decided to call her company Tyler II Delegating to Biggers and subsequent

her because the Chamber sent them to another firm. A Chamber member herself, Tyler fumed. “Finally, I realized the problem was that nobody at the Chamber knew who we were,” she says. New Name, Big Ad Campaign That’s when Tyler hired Elaine Lyerly of

april 2006

Construction, with Roman numerals that Lyerly designed like columns. Then Lyerly devised a print advertisement with Tyler in a silk blouse and pearls, lipstick and makeup, but wearing a hard hat – with a great big grin “like you know everything.” The tag line read: “BAD GIRL,” with BAD being an acronym for Tyler’s specialty, Building And Design.

managers paid off. In 1998, Tyler 2 got 10 floors to upfit in the 19-story tower Bank of America put up at 525 North Tryon Street. Though revenue zoomed to $20 million, Tyler knew the pace wasn’t sustainable. She dropped back a bit before gradually growing to the 2006 projection of $35 million. Big projects for Tyler 2 include the Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine headquar-

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trust + strategy + integrity planning + insight + experience

photo: Sean Busher

they can do it,” Tyler says. “That’s important ters on East Third Street and the Johnson & to me.” Wales University residence halls for its Also valuable is working on her list of Charlotte campus in Gateway Village. Tyler 100 things she wants to do in her life. It 2 is now building a medical office for reflects whatever tasks or goals she’s considMecklenburg Medical Group in the new ering at the moment while keeping attention Museum Medical Plaza on Randolph Road on important things such as spending more near the Mint Museum. And the firm is time with family and friends. helping Learning Wachovia golf has been a rearrange priority and space in one her instructor of its center is Dana Rader city towers. of Dana Rader With busiGolf School. ness booming, Rader thinks Tyler looks Tyler could be a harder for good golfer chances to get with more freaway with quent practice. husband Scott Completed in fall 2005, headquarters for Carolina Rader and NeuroSurgery and Spine Associates in midtown Charlotte Tyler, who was a joint venture of Tyler 2 and FN Thompson. Tyler have owns Lead teamed up in Dog Realty. Atlanta and Boston, With no children, the leading seminars for Tylers covet time with females hosted by Golf their yellow lab, two for Women magazine. giant schnauzers and Rader explains the two “goldadors” sport’s rules and eti(golden quette and Tyler talks retriever/Labrador about using golf in retriever mix) – business as well as Elphaba, a guide good business practices. puppy they’re training, “Katie is very and Phoebe, a former driven,” says Rader. guide in training who “She’s the person you was released from the want to have on your program with hip team.” But probably problems. They not for golf, yet. volunteer Phoebe for therapy dog duty in High on Tyler’s “100 Things” list is assisted living centers because she misses building her team – Tyler 2. her work. “I’ve spent a lot of years growing Katie Still big in the Chamber, Tyler is helping

“Debbie and I have worked together for 15 years. Her firm has been an integral part in the growth and success of our business, and she has been with us every step of the way .”

– Craig Cass it offer more to small businesses. She’s heavily involved in civic work and, besides the Humane Society, especially enjoys time with the Hornets’ Nest Council of the Girl Scouts. “Young women get so many mixed messages. If they can see role models, if they can see another woman doing something successful, fun and productive, they’ll know

greater charlotte biz

Tyler and now I’ve realized I need to grow Tyler 2, and I’ve got just the team to do it,” she says steadfastly. While for Tyler “letting go the short leash” might be the most difficult task yet, she’s confident her team will perform superbly. “For me,” she adds, “it’s all about achievement.” biz

Vice President, Cassco, Inc. of North Carolina and Subsidiary, a Tinderbox franchisee with multiple locations.

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. Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

april 2006

photo: Mike Carroll

Ronald A.Veith Director UNCC Belk MBA Program

april 2006

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by casey jacobus

[bizprofile]

The Belk MBA Program Moves to the Next Level

Future

Framing

Your

Possibilities

W hen Al Minter, an account manager in financial services, decided that an MBA degree would add value to his portfolio of skills, he checked out what various Charlotte area schools had to offer. After attending an open house for the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte’s Belk School of Business MBA program at the City Club, he was sold. “The open house pulled me in,” Minter says. “It validated that I was making the right decision.” He also found that the value/cost ratio at UNC Charlotte was very attractive. An instate student can complete an MBA degree for under $20,000. “The education you get seriously challenges

the Ivy League universities at a much lower cost,” asserts Minter. Minter, who graduated in May2005, is just one of approximately 2,000 students who have received their MBA degree from UNC Charlotte over the past 30 years. UNC Charlotte was the first university in the Charlotte region to offer an MBA program, the first to attain the prestigious AACSB accreditation, and the first to offer courses at an uptown facility to meet the needs of working professionals. The Belk College now offers graduate degrees in four business disciplines – accounting, business administration, economics and mathematical finance – and is on track to offer a Ph.D. program in business administration in 2006.

“Earning an MBA is one of the best investments you can make in yourself and your career. Our MBA program will prepare you to be an innovative leader in any type of organization.” ~Ronald A. Veith, UNCC MBA Program greater charlotte biz

april 2006

photo: Wade Bruton

While the Belk College of vision, hard work and partBusiness has been educating nerships. He cites the four future business leaders in particular qualities that disCharlotte since the midtinguish the Belk MBA pro1960s, today the program gram from its competitors in has dynamic new leaderthe marketplace: a distinship. Ronald Veith assumed guished faculty, a flexible the role of director of the program, AACSB accreditaMBA program in June 2005. tion, and tuition cost. With 23 years of experience “You can get an accredited in business consulting, Veith degree from a world-class brings a new energy and faculty while balancing your UNC Charlotte’s main campus is in the University City area. sense of direction to the professional, home and acaBelk MBA program. “Ron’s corporate experience will be demic lives without mortgaging your “I’m here to take this program to the invaluable in his new role as MBA future,” asserts Veith. next level,” says Veith confidently. director,” says Claude C. Lilly, dean of The Belk College of Business received Veith, whose responsibilities include the Belk College. “By building strong accreditation from the Association to recruiting new students, scheduling relationships with Charlotte businessAdvance Collegiate Schools of Business classes, counseling students, planning es, we will increase opportunities for in 1981. It is presently one of only two career development sessions, and marour students and enhance their acaschools in the Charlotte market to have keting the program, plans for 10 to 15 demic experiences.” received AACSB accreditation (Wake percent program growth while maintainVeith earned a bachelor’s degree in Forest is the other.) ing the same high level of quality in stuindustrial engineering from Georgia AACSB International accreditation dents and faculty. Institute of Technology and an MBA from represents the highest standard of He also hopes to see all of the MBA the University of Notre Dame in 1981. He achievement for business schools classes moved downtown when the state has been active in alumni and fund-raisworldwide. Institutions that earn legislature approves funding for a new ing activities for Georgia Tech and served accreditation confirm their commitment UNC Charlotte building in the business on the board of the Arts & Science to quality and continuous improvement district. He plans to add an Executive Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Veith through a rigorous and comprehensive MBA program to the curriculum and lives in Charlotte with his wife, Lori, and peer review. In addition to being the hopes to include more international acatheir two children. highest accreditation a business school demic experiences for students. Minter is among the people enthusican get, the AACSB distinction can also According to Veith, the groundwork is astic about Veith’s assumption of leaderserve students who relocate either to or already laid for these changes and the ship in the MBA program. from Charlotte while enrolled in the faculty supports them. “Coming from one of the top four Belk program. It ensures that the stu“I may have to be the orchestra leader consulting firms in the country, he’ll dent can easily transfer credit from one and write a little music, but they’re bring a visibility to the UNC Charlotte school to another. already playing the melody,” says Veith. program that has been lacking,” says “If someone gets relocated while Starting Again Veith, at 49, is starting a second career at UNC Charlotte. He was a partner with Accenture, the global management and technology consulting firm. Starting there in 1981, he specialized in enterprise strategy and planning, and managed one of the firm’s global enterprise practices responding to 350 clients around the world. Tiring of taking 130 flights a year, Veith took early retirement in 2002. He made the transition to the academic world first as an adjunct instructor of management at UNC Charlotte, and most recently, as a full-time professor for business at Johnson & Wales University.

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Minter. “He brings a business marketing perspective to academia, which is extremely important these days.” As MBA director, Veith will work with the Charlotte business community to promote the program and enhance its reputation. The Belk College of Business has a business advisory council of accomplished business and civic leaders with whom Veith will work to ensure the MBA program reflects current business trends and opportunities. Building on the Assets Veith wants to assure that the UNC Charlotte MBA program experiences dynamic growth, driven by strategic

doing his degree work, we can work with them,” says Veith. “If he transfers from or to another AACSB school, there is no problem.” Veith calls the Belk College MBA faculty “its hidden gem.” One hundred percent of them have earned an advanced degree (Ph.D., J.D., or D.B.A.) and are academically or professionally qualified as defined by AACSB. “They have an outstanding mix of business and academic experience,” says Veith. “They are often referenced in business publications and are active in community organizations.” The faculty includes Alan. T. Shao, assistant dean for international programs

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and N.C. Ports Professor of Marketing, who is also president of the North Carolina World Trade Association; Gary Kohut, professor of management, who is a recipient of UNC Charlotte’s highest teaching honor, the Bank of America Teaching Award; Casper Wiggins, associate dean for graduate programs and Big Five Distinguished Professor of Accounting who is active in the American Accounting Association; and Ben Nunnally, professor of finance, a frequent consultant on valuing business. “The faculty combines a passion for research with a commitment to their students’ success,” asserts Veith. “They teach using a mix of lectures, case studies and real life applications.” Francis H. Fabian, assistant professor of management, whose research specializes in managerial cognition, is

Belk College of Business MBA University of North Carolina – Charlotte 9201 University City Blvd. (Friday Building) Charlotte, N.C. 28223 Phone: 704-687-2569 Principal: Ronald A.Veith, Director, MBA Program Accreditation: UNC Charlotte was the first university in the Charlotte region to earn accreditation by AACSB International (the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide), and has held that distinction for more than 20 years now. Faculty: 87 full-time faculty members Students: More than 2,500 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students (one of the largest business programs in the Carolinas) Business: The Belk College MBA at UNC Charlotte offers a comprehensive curriculum for aspiring managers and leaders; it is an evening program with classes offered year-round on both the main campus and at the UNC Charlotte facility uptown. www.mba.uncc.edu

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an example of the professors who have made significant contributions to business, government and the academic community through innovative applied research. Minter agrees that the faculty is outstanding. “UNC Charlotte has made a name for itself by providing top quality professors,” he says. “Their staff is beyond capable.” Like Minter, more than three-quarters of the Belk MBA students are working professionals. They range in age from 21 to 61 years of age. International students compromise 13 percent of the enrollment and represent more than 27 countries. Recognizing the need for these students to balance their academic, professional and personal lives, the Belk program offers a lot of flexibility. Students can begin the program in January, May, July or August. Part-time students can complete their degree in 24 to 36 months. Full time students can complete the program in less than two years. “Flexibility is a key asset of the Belk MBA,” says Veith. “It is a real challenge to add an MBA program to an already demanding life, but UNC Charlotte understands that challenge and is prepared to meet the students’ personal schedule.” The Belk MBA is an evening program, with classes offered both on campus and at the UNC Charlotte Uptown Center. Students can take classes at either or both locations. Minter found the uptown location particularly convenient. “I was working uptown and most of my clients were uptown,” he says. “It was extremely convenient to be able to take 85 percent of my courses there as well.” In addition to flexibility in scheduling, the Belk MBA program offers flexibility in its curriculum. While the traditional MBA is a general management degree that prepares students for a broad range of careers, students in the Belk MBA have the flexibility to develop depth in a business discipline through one of several specialized academic concentrations. Beyond the

essential coursework, these concentrations let students explore the business area of their choice. This might be Management or Marketing or International Business or Commercial Banking, among other choices. This flexibility in the curriculum allows working students to bring in the challenges they face at work and solve them in the classroom. They can also take the knowledge and strategy they learn in class directly back to the workplace. “It’s what you do with what you’ve learned and how you apply what you’ve learned to the marketplace that really counts,” emphasizes Minter. Looking Ahead An MBA degree is one of the most sought after postgraduate degrees in the world because of its value to people in business and administration. An MBA program offers students business knowledge and helps develop leadership abilities. It also provides the opportunity for networking with fellow students, program faculty, and business leaders in the community. In Charlotte where companies have an ever-growing need for individuals with a high level of business skills and leadership abilities, earning an MBA is one way in which working professionals can invest in themselves and their careers. “More and more companies are recognizing higher education or ‘knowledge capital’ as a need,” says Veith. “As Charlotte grows, there is a growing demand for what we can provide.” Veith intends for the Belk MBA program to address all aspects of career development, adding personal development sessions to its academic elements. He envisions expanding orientation sessions, like a recent one on “Rebranding Yourself,” as well as workshops on business protocol, career coaching and how to work with nonprofit organizations. Vintage Veith: “We want to graduate total professionals, not just people with MBA degrees.” biz Casey Jacobus is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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(Seated) Andrew Chambers, Mike Monk; (Standing) Lat Williams and Tar Reid of Scott Insurance

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

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

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photo: Wayne Morris

Andy C. Calhoun President and CEO YMCA of Greater Charlotte

april 2006

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by susanne deitzel

[bizprofile]

siderable success. Since its founding in 1874

AG E

a nd How

Charlotte enjoys con-

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YMCA of Greater

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By all measures, the

CONNECT with 23 members, the

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Greater Charlotte group of YMCAs has grown to

ing a Community greater charlotte biz

the eighth largest in the country, and with 152,372 members carries the second largest mem-

powerful business and

bership in the U.S. One

community leaders and

out of every six residents

members of the venerable

in a YMCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service area is

founding families of

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Charlotte. The organiza-

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tion also boasts a whop-

Greater Charlotte received

ping 576 board members

$10.9 million in charitable

over its 15 branches and 2

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camps, overseen by a cen-

volunteer roster numbering

tralized, metropolitan

in the thousands, including

board of directors.

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Most YMCAs within the Greater Charlotte system have a health center, a collaborative service with Carolinas HealthCare System. In the past three years, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte has raised over $50 million dollars in its ‘Promises for the Future’ comprehensive campaign to augment Y outreach projects and fund new and renovated facilities, career and literacy services, scholarships, community partnerships and new program initiatives. It is clear that the YMCA is knitted into the very fabric of our community, impacting every age group with a variety of programs and activities, as a community leader in health and wellness, child care, youth sports and as a strong provider of teen services, literacy classes, ESL classes, job training, GED and several social services. Culling a Community The YMCA movement was founded in London in 1844 by George Williams and a group of like-minded young Christian men, drawn to big cities by the Industrial Revolution, and concerned by the lack of healthy activities for young men in large cities. The

april 2006

alternatives were often taverns, brothels, and other temptations to sin. The organization expanded across Europe and later to the United States in 1851 in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1855 delegates from YMCAs convened in Paris, France, where they adopted a common mission for all present and future national YMCAs with a motto that “...that they may all be one.” The focus of the Paris conference was almost purely individual – to help young men to “build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.” YMCAs in the United States and Canada use the threesided red triangle – symbolizing these concepts – as part of their logo. Today, YMCAs are present in 119 countries. Collectively, YMCAs are the largest not-for-profit community service organizations in America, serving 18.3 million people of all faiths, races, ages and incomes. YMCAs are at the heart of community life in neighborhoods and towns across the nation. With their longtime emphasis on values, YMCAs are well positioned as leaders in building

strong kids, strong families and strong communities. YMCAs work to teach and demonstrate on a daily basis the four core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. These values are evident in all of the Y’s programs. More Than Just Fitness By fostering fitness for mind, body and spirit, the YMCA’s support enabled it to pioneer facilities outfitted with the latest exercise equipment and fitness programs. The Greater Charlotte YMCA continues to be one of the best equipped YMCAs in the community and the nation. In the late 1970s, however, the YMCA focus began to evolve from its core of fellowship and fitness, adding youth development programs, camps, and health and wellness programs designed to educate and take care of its membership. Now, just past the cusp of a new millennium, the leadership of this historical organization seeks to keep community building, relationship

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in real time. Calhoun adds, “People come to the YMCA for excellent services and programs. I believe they stay for the relationships and the desire to be part of a community.” Calhoun can attest to this personally. He has been associated with the organization since 1972 when he worked at what is now the Dowd YMCA branch as an assistant youth director. He then became the first executive director of the Harris branch, followed by his appointment to COO in 1994. Calhoun served as interim CEO after the unexpected passing of Harry Brace, and became president and CEO in March of 2000. So Calhoun has been all-Y, all the time, for 33 years. To what does he attribute this staying power? “We are not an organization that simply follows the ‘business’ of providing services. At the YMCA, the objective is not to build a location where we can get the most members; it is to build a location where there is the greatest need. By reaching beyond traditional business paradigms, together we can very creatively use our human and capital resources to address the needs of the community.” Continues Calhoun, “As those needs change, we develop new, even more

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building, and servant leadership a primary focus of the organization. Explains President Andy Calhoun, “From a few men playing basketball or running the track, the YMCA developed into a place where everyone felt comfortable to come for their family and fitness needs. That’s when we saw fitness evolve into health and wellness. Now we are at a juncture where health and wellness extends not only to the individual, but also to communities. By virtue of the fact that people feel a very natural inclination and real comfort building relationships at our YMCAs, it becomes a logical outlet to address personal and community needs.” Calhoun cites an aging baby boomer population, skyrocketing healthcare costs, and access to health care as driving forces for its wellness programs. With the commoditization of fitness – a gym on every corner, a Pilates DVD or personal trainer in every other living room, the YMCA wants to pull the fitness seeker into its communities, by promising a better payoff. It offers more than how to shed a few pounds or shave some points off of your cholesterol. It wants members and the community to use it as a tool to achieve stronger, closer knit, more diverse and more productive relationships that will answer the needs of its communities –

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intentional strategies that help us grow in our mission of serving all. We seek a social, cultural, demographic, and economic balance that is dictated to us by the fabric of our communities.” A Multifaceted Organization In fact, the structure of the Greater Charlotte YMCA is designed to suit this very purpose. While large-scale collaborations such as those with Carolinas HealthCare System, the United Way and the Charlotte Bobcats are managed centrally, each of the 17 Greater Charlotte YMCA branches has its own board of managers and its own local collaborations to suit the community. This empowers each branch with greater autonomy and a reflexive response to partnership opportunities, in addition to increasing the relevance and inclusivity of each branch The 556 volunteer leaders are accountable to the Greater Charlotte YMCA’s executive volunteer leadership, chaired from March 2004 through March 2006, by financier Jim Morgan, formerly of Wachovia and Interstate/ Johnson Lane leadership. These two formidable assemblies filter communications through what Calhoun calls “the mission lens.” He explains, “We get into some pretty strong dialogue when discussing how

april 2006

to best carry out our mission. It is not a one or two man show, but a large pool of ideas from which we draw as many as possible. The thing that makes it work (apart from a lot of meetings,) is a firm and resolute commitment for the good of our communities, and collaboration the likes of which you don’t see many other places.” “We have 20 or 30 strong leaders in a room with different talents, and a common purpose. They have already built strong, positive relationships,

which functions to build unity around issues. Add to that the satisfaction of leaving the ‘day job’ where bottom lines and numbers define success, and working in a place where the crux of the mission is leading with the right heart, and anything becomes possible.” Greater Charlotte YMCA Chairman Jim Morgan offers, “The YMCA is a major beneficiary of Charlotte’s rare and exuberant volunteer spirit. There’s no grandstanding, no figureheads, no controversies. There is an extraordinary amount of giving, of resources, time, and capital, and the spirit in which these things are given is genuine.” This family of YMCAs is characterized by a diverse group of people,

“The YMCA is a major beneficiary of Charlotte’s rare and exuberant volunteer spirit.” ~ Jim Morgan,YMCA of Greater Charlotte

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and it intentionally mixes them together to build relationships between communities. Under a program called YCommunities, Charlotte’s YMCA branches are assigned partnerships, with each branch responsible for its sister branch. “For example,” offers Calhoun, “the firmly established Dowd YMCA is partnered with the Stratford Richardson YMCA on West Boulevard. They share resources, programs and some jobs between branches. We have seen extraordinary bonds created between children involved in the program together, which lays a foundation for their future. Plus, the children’s relationships bring the parents together over a common passion, which nourishes their understanding and appreciation of one another. This is how this network flourishes and succeeds.” Jim Morgan says that one such partnership was responsible for one of his fondest memories at the organization.

The Young Men’s Christian Association of Greater Charlotte d/b/a

YMCA of Greater Charlotte (Non-profit)

500 E. Morehead St., Ste. 300 Charlotte, N.C. 28202 Phone: 704-716-6200 Principals: Jim Morgan, Chairman; Andy C. Calhoun, President and CEO 2005 Statistics: Branches and Camps: 17 YMCA Market Ranking: 8th in US Membership Ranking: 2nd in US Employees: 3,350 (3,000 part-time, 350 full-time) Board Members: 556 YMCA Members: 152,372 Volunteers: 7,525 Charity Status Q4 FY2004: Charity Organizational Efficiency rating: 56.68 (***) Revenue: $68,825,725 Net Assets: $101,225,143 www.ymcacharlotte.org

greater charlotte biz

april 2006

“In one partnership, a smaller, financially challenged Y was in desperate need of help with its facilities. Its stronger, very successful partner didn’t just offer to help raise money – its board, out of the blue, made a large sixfigure gift to its partner. No repayment. No terms. This is truly symbolic of the Y spirit.” Connect, Engage, Enhance, Build YMCA programs and its staff are the vehicles by which the YMCA mission gets delivered. Says Jim Morgan, “I wish the community of Charlotte could see the energy and behind-the-scenes work that goes on at the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. Its accomplishments are measured by the quality of improvements that happen on a community level.” For example, Starfish Academy, a childhood literacy initiative in collaboration with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, helps first and second graders to improve reading skills. While many embrace the feel-good nature of this endeavor, what citizens might not realize is how it affects their pocketbook. To send a child to Starfish Academy costs $1,000 for the summer, but to reeducate that child by repeating a grade costs $6,300. Add to that the attention and talent these children receive from committed corporate mentors, and the benefits become immeasurable. Carolinas Healthcare System sought the YMCA for another collaboration called “LiveWell Carolinas.” Conceived by CHS President Michael Tarwater to combat what he considers a looming crisis in healthcare, the program seeks to proactively involve corporate leadership and its employees in improving

april 2006

their health to avert financially devastating illnesses. As healthcare costs are projected to double in the next six years, some estimates suggest that for every $1 spent on employee wellness, there will be a $3 to $5 return. Now in its pilot stage, LiveWell’s major tenets are providing onsite corporate wellness programs, nutritional counseling and weight management, educating about active lifestyles, and major lifestyle choices to contribute to wellness. The Greater Charlotte YMCAs have installed health centers in major Y branches to impart these messages on a variety of different levels. “We have a nurse employed by CHS and the YMCA to act as an intermediary between physician-referred care and our program offerings. A member can bring a doctor’s orders to the YMCA and we will try to help build a plan to address the concerns within our area of expertise,” says Calhoun. “We can help with exercise plans, nutrition, rehabilitation, health screenings, blood pressure monitoring; in other words a host of things that empowers a person to feel responsible for his or her health.” Just as LiveWell Carolinas is (Continued on page 48)

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The YMCA of Greater Charlotte thanks its 556 policy-making community leaders who help connect and engage people to enhance lives and build community.

Board of Directors Lee Armstrong George Battle Johnny Belk George Board Greg Bridgeford Ronnie Bryant Debra Campbell Vivian Carroll Kevin Collins Charlie Davidson Pamela Davies Jean Davis David Dooley Hilda Gurdian H.K. Hallett Jamie Harris, Treasurer Barnes Hauptfuhrer Harry Jones Milton Jones Davis Kuykendall Marshall Larsen Mike Minter Jim Morgan, Chair Wilfred Neal Bailey Patrick Ward Pritchett, Vice Chair/Chair Elect Ronnie Sherrill Ed Tapscott Michael Tarwater Norman Walters Ed Weisiger, Jr. Stick Williams Landon Wyatt

Rennie Cuthbertson Steele Dewey Stuart Dickson Frank Dowd, IV, Immediate Past Chair Frank Dowd, Jr. Mac Everett, Vice Chair Ray Farris Carlton Fleming Harvey Gantt Joe Grier, Jr. Frank Harrison George Ivey Edwin Jones Graeme Keith Bob King Edward O’Herron Russell Robinson Raymond Rorie Bill Southerland, Secretary Don Steger Jack Tate Ken Thompson Bill Underwood Richard Vinroot Tom Webb Ed Weisiger, Sr. Velva Woollen (Executive Committee Members noted in bold)

Branch Board Chairs (each Chair leads a Board of Managers)

Mitch Gibson, University City Tony Gray, Siskey Paul Grube, Steele Creek Cory Hohnbaum, Simmons Joe Hunt, Lake Norman India Keith, Harris Cedric McCorkle, McCrorey Clark Neilson, Community Development Jody Rhyne, Lincoln County Randy Riggins, Dowd Bill Tome, Johnston 2006

John R. Mott The Dowd Family Willie J. Stratford, Sr. Diversity Award Mildred Gwinn George Williams Award Recipients Michael Blackman, Childress Klein Gilbert Browne, Stratford Richardson Mike Chandler, Morrison B Crigler, Harris Charlie Davidson, Community Development Ned Davis, Dowd Steele Dewey, Camp Harrison at Herring Ridge Bob Gates, Lowe’s Kenston Griffin, McCrorey Paul Grube, Steele Creek Karen Jones, Johnston Bill Latham, University City Pat O’Brien, Siskey Norman Richards, Lake Norman Terry Robertson, Simmons Mickey Thomas, Camp Thunderbird Jim Watson, Lincoln County Darrel Williams, Gateway Village

Omega Autry Jim Babb Bill Barnhardt Sara Bissell Smoky Bissell Eric Clark Benner Crigler, Sr.

Mark Brodsky, Lowe’s Wil Brooks, Morrison Jeff Brown/Tom Webb, Stratford Richardson Mark Decherd, Childress Klein Bill DeLoache, Gateway Village Sharon Decker, Camping Services Steele Dewey, Camp Harrison at Herring Ridge Chuck Ellison, Camp Thunderbird

www.ymcacharlotte.org

YMCA of Greater Charlotte

Trustees

Award Winners

pictured (l to r) Herbert L. Harriss Principal Andrew B. Harriss Principal John E. Kiser Principal Baxter-Harriss Co., Inc.

april 2006

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by lisa hoffman

[bizprofile]

Third-Party Warehousing Enables First-Rate Service It’s a good bet that a third-party logistics

owners who sold you that chambray shirt or

company handled the clothes you’re wearing,

brewed your grande latte this morning proba-

the coffee you’re drinking and the paper or

bly aren’t even aware that a third-party

monitor you’re reading from somewhere

distributor ever handled the products. And

along their journeys to you. But the store-

that’s just how it’s supposed to be.

greater charlotte biz

april 2006

Invisibility to manufacturers’ customers means success for a warehousing firm. The seamless process that takes products from manufacturers to warehousing and through distribution is the magic of third-party logistics, or 3PL. For partners Herb and Drew Harriss and John Kiser, of BaxterHarriss in Belmont, mixing up 3PL magic is part of an ordinary day. A Logical Formation The warehousing industry does such a good job of staying under the radar that it is largely misunderstood. Many people assume all warehousing is private warehousing, where companies handle their own products in spaces they own or lease. In reality, third-party logistics play an essential role in improving core competency and maintaining the bottom line for manufacturing and retail industries. “The nature of public warehousing – where businesses hire someone else to store, control and distribute their products – is that you only pay for the space you use,” Kiser says. “You don’t have to lease space for a year or more, and you can take inventory back whenever you need to. You have the added benefit of letting experts handle the warehousing while you concentrate on your business.” Baxter-Harriss can play a temporary role or offer contract warehousing, a more permanent arrangement. They also act as the manufacturer’s distribution center, providing packaging, order fulfillment, freight management and transportation. These days, the whole process is tracked by specialized computer systems. It hasn’t always been that way, though. “People used to call me a warehouseman and now I’m a logistician,” laughs Herb Harriss. “The basic premise is the same, but the process certainly has changed.” Harriss’ father-in-law, Carl Baxter, was

april 2006

asked to partner in the original business, which became Baxter-Davis in 1968,

when his neighbor, who ran a small paper company, decided he wanted to maximize the use of spare storage space. Herb Harriss joined Baxter-Davis in 1972, after leaving his post as an account manager for DuPont in Wisconsin and relocating to Charlotte. The company became BaxterHarriss in 1978. “As soon as I joined the business I knew it needed to grow,” Harriss says. “We operated about 35,000 square feet on North Tryon Street and started off with simple storage services. In the early ’80s we started offering packaging services. We’d store merchandise, take orders by mail, telephone and Western Union telex, pick and pack the items from the merchandise stock and ship them off to the retailer. Business was steady, but I knew there was more we could do.” A 1982 incident forced their hand. “We had a fire in the warehouse, which at the time was, of course, a terrible thing,” Harriss explains. “But we came back from it and it enabled us to build some small specialized facilities that were designed to store chemical products, something that was pretty unique in the business. That’s when the real growth began.” In 1989, a distribution manager for Western Auto contacted Harriss to find out if he could help him store about 100 truckloads of tires. Western Auto’s storage

facility was full and, faced with the pricey prospect of leasing a building and hiring people to run it, he was looking for other options. That distribution manager was John Kiser. “Up until then, I had the same misconception that many people have about warehousing,” Kiser says. “When I learned that Herb had the flex space that I needed, I knew it was the right option. I was really impressed with the all-around great job Baxter-Harriss did controlling the inventory, and I was intrigued with the third-party warehousing idea. In 1992, I joined the company.” In 1994, after several years teaching high school, Drew Harriss, Herb Harriss’ son, officially joined the company as well.

“The nature of public warehousing... You have the added benefit of letting experts handle the warehousing while you concentrate on your business.” ~ John E. Kiser, Baxter-Harriss Co.

A Notable Niche Baxter-Harriss began carving a niche for itself in the chemical warehousing market and landed a lucrative contract with an international chemical company, allowing them to build a 360,000square-foot chemical warehouse in Belmont. Designing specialty storage

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space offers an effective competitive edge. “We have the Cadillac of sprinkler systems in here,” explains Drew Harriss as he walks among rows of barrels, all neatly labeled and arranged. “We also have special rooms that can maintain certain temperatures, provide special ventilation and utilize containment systems, in the unlikely event of an incident. Safety and security are our first priorities, and customers like that. We cooperate with companies that want to come in and audit our facilities. We welcome suggestions on ways we can better handle their products.” Most of Baxter-Harriss’ customers are not household names. But if you like colorful clothes, clean pools, safe affordable housing and tasty fruits and vegetables, they play a major role in your life. Clariant, Dystar and Chemtura manufacture textile dyes, pool care chemicals, insect control products, stabilizers for PVC pipe and vinyl siding and window frames, and flame retardants. “Our warehouse features, combined with our experience in the market and a fantastically safe record, help us stay ahead of the curve,” Drew Harriss says. “Combining both short-term and longterm warehousing options with our specialization sets us apart from most of our competitors.” Martha Rollefson, manager of thirdparty warehousing services for Chemtura in Middlebury, Conn., thinks they’ve found a winning combination. “It’s not too hard to find chemical warehousing companies,” she says. “But it’s very difficult to find one this good.” Rollefson discovered Baxter-Harriss in 2001, when she was shopping for a company to take over the one that was overseeing Chemtura’s Fort Mill, S.C., warehouse; the warehousing company that was not fulfilling expectations. “When I met with Baxter-Harriss, I was very impressed with the way they operated and their positive attitudes,” Rollefson recalls. “They took over our Fort Mill warehouse in 2002 and the improvements were immediate and considerable. It was uplifting to see everyone working together to get the job done right.”

greater charlotte biz

operates as a satellite location of sorts for these clients.

When Chemtura’s lease in Fort Mill was up, Rollefson moved the entire inventory – nine million pounds worth – up to a 112,000-square-foot BaxterHarriss facility, the second of their two Belmont warehouses. “We now have 12 million pounds of product there,” she says. “Superior inventory control helps us keep the facility full and keep the product moving through it, without hiring more people. Our cost of doing business continues to decrease.”

“It’s not too hard to find chemical warehousing companies, but it’s very difficult to find one this good.”

High-Tech Advantage Inventory control is the name of the game in warehousing, and technology plays a pivotal role in getting it right. Baxter-Harriss has an in-house warehouse management system that it uses for smaller companies. With larger clients, they employ SAP, a well-known enterprise resource planning (ERP) software package. ERPs are highly evolved, networked systems that integrate all of a company’s database functions, including supply chain management. Baxter-Harriss

~ Mar th Rollefson, Manager Third-Par ty Warehousing Services, Chemtura

“The trend used to be to set up different systems to communicate through electronic data interchange,” Drew Harriss says. “But as the economy and feasibility of running a line between two

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april 2006

points has increased, we have found this to be a better solution.” Baxter-Harriss has also installed Windows-based computers with bar code scanners on some of their forklifts. It looks impressive, but Drew Harriss isn’t convinced it’s worth the investment to put them on all their trucks – yet. Affordable technology to make the forklift terminals more advantageous is right around the corner, Harriss predicts. Writable RFID (radio frequency identification) tags will make the system work. RFID tags contain silicon chips and antennas that enable them to receive and respond to a transceiver. This may sound like something out of high-tech spy novel, but you see them everyday. They’re the little devils that activate the security alarm at the music store when the cashier forgets to deactivate the one on the DVD you just

Baxter-Harriss Co., Inc. 2000 Oaks Parkway Belmont, N.C. 28012 Phone: 704-827-1995 Principals: Herbert L. Harriss, Principal; John E. Kiser, Principal;Andrew B. Harriss, Principal Employees: 73 In Business: Began as Parker-Davis Co., Inc. in 1963; became Baxter-Davis Co., Inc. in 1968; has operated as Baxter-Harriss Co., Inc. since 1978 Location: Headquarters in Belmont; operates a 20,000-square-foot contract packaging warehouse in Highpoint, N.C., for Thomas Built Buses Business: Provides supply chain solutions thorough logistics, transportation and consulting services meant to maximize warehousing and distribution efficiency and accuracy and minimize costs for a wide range of companies; provides the expertise and physical assets necessary to cater to the non-hazardous and hazardous chemicals industry. www.baxterharriss.com

april 2006

bought. The security tags used in retail stores are passive tags, which have no power source of their own and are cheaper to manufacture. Warehouse inventory control requires active tags, which are much more expensive. “Someday our operators will be able to pull an item off a pallet and the system will automatically recognize that it’s been removed,” Drew Harriss says. “As they drive past the shelves, the inventory will update itself through a system of chips and transceivers. The technology is available now, but it’s cost prohibitive. We’ll wait and target the point when the benefit best matches the required investment.” Back in the Driver’s Seat In 1999, Harriss, Harriss and Kiser were approached with the opportunity to merge with three other companies and create one large industry player. After much consideration, they decided to take the plunge and began operating as part of Logisco. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t a good fit. “Our ability to make and implement decisions quickly has always worked very well for us,” Drew Harriss says. “We just didn’t anticipate the way consolidating into Logisco was going to change that process. The hierarchy included local, corporate and private equity market parties, and making decisions started taking a long time. We were used to making decisions over lunch.” Shortly after the merger, Logisco invested in a 10-year lease of a 500,000-square-foot warehouse in Nashville, Tenn. Then, tragedy struck on September 11, 2001, and the economy sank deeper into recession. The monolith warehouse stood empty, and revenues could not outpace the increased expenses. The original plan had included rapid continued growth through acquisitions, but the economy and its effect on capital markets prevented that. “Things weren’t happening the way we had expected them to,” Drew Harriss says. In 2005, the partners decided they wanted to go back to making their decisions over lunch. Fortunately, Logisco

accepted their offer. They reverted to operating as Baxter-Harriss that summer.

“Someday our operators will be able to pull an item off a pallet and the system will automatically recognize that it’s been removed.” ~Drew Harriss, Baxter-Harriss Co.

The team considers the years they spent with Logisco to be an invaluable learning experience. “People tend to regret inaction more than action,” Drew Harriss says. “If we hadn’t tried it, we would have always wondered if we had made the right choice. And now we’re wiser as we face the future.” Their plan for the future focuses on controlled growth. Several customers have asked them to investigate moving operations into Georgia and Tennessee. Most of the space they currently hold is full, creating an imminent need for expansion. There’s also a plan in the works to ally themselves with a company that specializes in freight forwarding, one of the value-added services Baxter-Harriss is concentrating on for the future. “We need to explore ways we can grow within our established niche to provide related services to our customers,” Kiser emphasizes. “We ship out hundreds of containers every year. Perhaps we can take them a step further. We need to find ways to make our service more complete for our core customers, which will make the process easier for them and allow us to grow at the same time. That’s a win-win situation all around.” biz Lisa Hoffman is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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pictured (l to r) Carroll A. Gennings Founder and President Stephanie Madanski Office Manager Group Insurance Solutions, LLC

april 2006

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by heather head

[bizprofile]

Offering a diversified benefits When Carroll Gennings was working her way through college, using the proceeds of fashion modeling gigs to help pay her way, she little knew that she would one day grow into a model in many other ways as well. Model Businesswoman

Clients rave about Group Insurance Solutions, the company Gennings founded in 1997. They love her products, her expertise, and the fact that she is always available to them to guide them through all the many facets of the insurance process. And they love that she returns their calls. Says Gennings, “One of my biggest pet peeves is when people don’t return my phone calls. So I make sure I do, and I make sure I get it done.” That means that even vacation isn’t really vacation for Gennings, who is always checking e-mail, voice mail, and solving client problems on their schedule, not hers.

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But she doesn’t mind, because she loves her work. “I tell my daughter all the time to do whatever you love doing,” she says. “Because if you love doing it, it doesn’t seem like work.” Because of that, her clients know that they can call her any time and she and her staff will be genuinely happy to help them. Gennings helps clients with a wide range of insurance products, including health, life, dental, disability, vision, and voluntary products. Whatever their specific needs, Gennings will shop the market and find the best solution, assisting from beginning to end with identification of needs, shopping and choosing a carrier, presenting benefits to employees, handling paperwork and legal requirements, troubleshooting and interacting with the carrier, and solving problems and answering questions. By shopping dozens of carriers, Gennings takes much of the hassle and guesswork out of the process for new and existing clients. Once bids are received for a company, Group Insurance Solutions consolidates all the information into a single spreadsheet comparing everything from cost to deductibles to benefit coverage. She goes over the spreadsheet with the client and together they select the best carrier for the company’s needs. Says one client, “She is an expert in getting the best offers for insurance coverage,

Group Insurance Solutions, Inc. 8058 Corporate Center Dr., Ste. 200 Charlotte, N.C. 28226 Phone: 704-543-9314 Principal: Carroll A. Gennings, President Employees: 4 Established: January 1997 Business: Provides group insurance coverage for employers of all sizes in North Carolina including health, life, dental, disability, vision, and voluntary products. www.groupinsurancesolutions.com

april 2006

and even handles issues beyond the renewal stage as far as billing, questions, and employee requests.” And that is one thing that sets Gennings apart from many brokers – her work doesn’t stop at the sale. She can assist companies in presenting and explaining benefits and how best to use them to employees, buffer the relationship with the carrier, and address concerns and questions as they arise. Model Citizen But as committed as Gennings is to her work, there is something else that holds her interest – and her heart. Gennings is on the board of a local charity called A Better World which provides support and opportunities for inner city children through a special after school program on West Morehead. Gennings says the first time she went to visit A Better World, she was struck by the stark contrast between how these children live and most of the rest of Charlotte. “It’s a very impoverished area. Their norm is to look out their door and see a drug deal – a norm that most kids in Charlotte don’t see. I feel it is our obligation to help these children see that there is hope, and a real chance at a better future given the right guidance and tools in life. And that is what A Better World gives them.” One story Gennings will never forget was how she heard the mother of one of the students telling the director, Ken Gilliard, of the holes in the roof of their rented home, and how the landlord would not come out and help her fix it. Rain was coming in and getting on the children’s beds, and she felt hopeless. A few minutes later the woman’s child was dropped off by bus and he came running into the center, grinning and proud, showing off his report card – all A’s and B’s. He had gone from making C’s and D’s to being on the honor roll. Remembers Gennings: “I thought, this kid lives with things we can’t even imagine. And then he comes here and he’s happy, smiling, and proud of what he was able to accomplish with the help from A Better World. That’s all he cared about at that moment; that made a real difference in

his life. That’s what touched us.” Among the benefits A Better World offers are homework assistance, tutoring, mentoring, computer access and a hot meal each day. Gennings shows her commitment to the work in part by assisting with their annual fundraiser, a Celebrity Invitational golf tournament. She brings in celebrities like John Fox, Kris Jenkins, Steve Smith, Wesley Walls, Steve Beuerlein, Billy Packer, and many others. Team sponsors get to play with a celebrity, and A Better World wins all the proceeds. In addition to her heartfelt commitment to A Better World, Gennings demonstrates her model citizenship in another way as well – by treating her own employees fairly and generously. For instance, she lets everyone know that their family comes first and that if there is an event they need to attend, or if their child is sick, that they are encouraged to take care of that. “We all pitch in to help each other and provide flexibility as needed, to make sure our families and our clients are taken care of,” Gennings says confidently. Model Parent True to what she says, although work and charity are of great importance to Gennings, neither takes top billing on her priority list: “My motto around here is your family comes first. It always has come first for me.” In 1990, when her first child was born, Gennings was working for Blue Cross Blue Shield, and her schedule necessitated daycare for her new daughter. “I didn’t like that,” she remembers. “But my husband started his own business shortly thereafter and was able to work from home, so we took her out of nursery and had someone come to the house and take care of her there.” From that point, she and her husband took turns being available for their children, and making sure they always made it to their important events. “I think my children think all parents work for themselves,” laughs Gennings. “They wonder why someone’s parents aren’t at an event and you have to explain to them that they’d like to be there but they can’t

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because they work for someone else. We have just been very blessed to own our own business and be our own boss.” Although her children are now 15 and 12 respectively, Gennings hasn’t changed her policy of putting them first. Sometimes, this plays out in surprising and fun ways – like the small part as “extras” she and her daughter played together in the movie Shallow Hal filmed here in Charlotte. At one point in the movie, Hal’s best friend is meeting Hal’s new girlfriend (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) for the first time. Just before he realizes which woman Hal is pointing to, the scene shows a woman, man and child walk directly in front of Gwyneth. Gennings and her daughter are that woman and child. “Every time the networks showed a clip of that movie to advertise it, they used that particular scene and my children got a real kick out of that.” Modeling the Future Having been a part-time model in college and participating as an extra in a few movies, Gennings says she never imagined that she would one day be an insurance broker – and love it. She always knew that she wanted to be in marketing or sales and spent several years in retail sales developing those skills, but she imagined herself eventually in New York City as a fashion marketer or something similarly glamorous. After graduating from the University of Arkansas with a BA in marketing in 1988 and then moving to Charlotte with her husband that same year, she was delighted when Blue Cross offered her an inside sales and service position. The job was a good fit, and Gennings quickly moved up in the company. But in 1996, the company went through a transition period, and Gennings began to evaluate her future. She loved working at Blue Cross, and speaks well of the company still. But she also loved her relationships with customers, and wanted to continue seeing that their needs were met but also wanted to increase the level of service she could provide. Larry Goodgame, a friend and fellow

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insurance broker, encouraged her to consider following his path. His ethical and honest approach to this business inspired her to strike out on her own. So that year, Goodgame partnered with her and gave her a space to call her office, while helping her navigate her new role as an independent broker. The company grew that year by more than 100 percent, and continued to do so for another two years. Since then, she estimates that it has grown approximately 20 percent each year, almost exclusively through referrals. In 1998, she was also made an exclusive marketing broker for the Medical Mutual Insurance Company to market the North Carolina Medical Society health plans to area medical practices. With this arrangement, she handles all of the quoting and enrollment for area practices that want these exclusive health plans. This Association plan has helped hundreds of medical practices keep their healthcare costs under control.

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Challenges Posed But that doesn’t mean the business has been without its challenges, and one of the largest challenges has been the rampantly escalating cost of healthcare and health insurance. Remembers Gennings: “When I started in this business in 1988, we had a health insurance rate for an employee in the $30 range, and a family was right at $55. Now some people feel fortunate if they have a rate of $250 for an employee and $750 for a family.” The rising cost causes many employers to cut back on their benefits, and others drop the insurance altogether – though obviously Gennings never recommends that route. To buffer the pain, says Gennings, “You’ve got to be creative, you have to come up with unique ways to cut that cost, so that the employees are happy and the employers are happy. This creativity is what we bring to the client.” “We help our clients add Health Reimbursement Accounts or Health Savings Accounts to certain health plans to help lower their overall costs, along with a few other creative options.” Gennings says her work is now more hands-on than ever before, because she

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views it as her job to help buffer the impact of these rising costs both for employees and employers. One way she does this is to visit client sites during the enrollment period and discuss the changes with the employees. So instead of simply telling the employees, “Here you go, your deductible has just doubled,” she begins by showing them how much costs have risen, why they have risen, and how much of the cost her client is bearing. “It’s a softer sell,” she explains. “My job is to make my clients look good to their employees, and help educate the employees at the same time.” Despite the challenges, and perhaps because of how Gennings handles them, her clients rave. Says Kathy Kiser of Watson Electric Company, “She not only is involved at renewal time with quotes and answers, she is here for us all during the year to help with questions and problems.” Adds Jane Byrum of Carolina Ear Nose and Throat, “This is a company that truly goes the extra mile to satisfy their customers.” Poised for Growth Gennings knows that the insurance industry is always changing and evolving with rising costs a big factor, and she is poised and ready to enjoy the ride for many years to come – more growth, more service to the community, and of course plenty more activities with her family. Her business goal is yearly growth of 20 to 25 percent over the next five years, and the addition of more staff as needed. As for her other commitments, she’d like to see the fundraising for A Better World continue to grow as well – she expects to increase this year’s funds from the Celebrity Invitational Golf tournament to $50,000 over last year’s $40,000. And she would like to continue her annual “Adopt A Child” program at Christmastime, so all children can enjoy the holidays. “We’re all here for a purpose,” she says, “And I think this is my calling.” It would be hard to imagine anyone answering the call better. biz Heather Head is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

april 2006

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Serving 270 families with children, Strengthening Families provides the support of licensed social workers, as well as access to healthcare, housing, childcare and employment training. “The ultimate goal,” says Calhoun, “is to take families from dependency to self-sufficiency by maximizing all the bridges to the community we can offer.” Local camps, scholarship programs, free or reduced-fee Y-Pathways membership, career training such as adult literacy, GED and ESL programs, all continue to strive

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bizXperts: Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

bizXperts

maximizing the value of your business

John owns a successful business. He has just turned age 50 and has begun to think about his eventual retirement. John has decided that he will need at least $200,000 per year in pretax income to retire and live the way he wants to live. Currently, his business is providing $500,000 of cash flow per year to him after all business expenses. His financial advisor has informed him that his business will likely sell for a multiple of at least four times its annual cash flow. He thinks, “Great, it’s worth at least $2 million (4 times $500,000 = $2 million). I currently have a $500,000 house with a $250,000 mortgage and about $250,000 in my investment account. So if I sold the business and paid off the mortgage, I’d have about $2.25 million to invest in my retirement.” He asks his advisor, “What amount of retirement income will that provide?” His advisor responds, “You’ve overestimated your business’ value by $600,000. A buyer would have to pay someone at least $150,000 per year to replace you as an employee. Thus the cash flow is only $350,000 per year and at a four multiple, which I believe is appropriate given the risk inherent in your business, your business is worth about $1.4 million. Are there any ‘owner’s add backs’ like country club dues, autos, charitable contributions, or ‘personal’ expenses which we can add to the cash flow to make the value higher?” “No, I’m afraid not, at least nothing material,” John replies. The advisor then says, “If you need at least $200,000 per year to retire, then your investments will need to grow to 20 times that amount, or $4 million, to create enough principal invested so that a ‘safe’ investment return of five percent per year would give you $200,000. Many endowments assume they can invest their money conservatively and always earn an average of at least five percent per year which could be distributed without reducing the principal amount invested. After considering the taxes which would be paid upon the sale of the business, it looks like you need to increase the value of your business by about $3 million before you can quit working.” “Gee,” John responds, “how do I go about doing that?” The scenario set forth above is one that occurs often. Perhaps, as a business owner, you’ve already addressed these issues related to “How do you retire when you’re the boss?” Your business’ annual cash flow and valuation multiple may well differ from the example above as well as your age and your yearly retirement income needs. Also, you may have a much greater percentage of your net worth held in real estate, securities, or investments outside of your business. However, the majority of business owners have between 60 percent to 80 percent of their personal net worth tied up in their business. Therefore, it is critical for these owners to treat their business

april 2006

as their biggest “investment.” The value of this investment needs to be maximized over time in order for a business owner to meet his personal objectives, including retirement when he wishes at a level of retirement income he desires. So how does John increase the value of his business to the point where his business will sell for at least $4 million? Conceptually, it’s simple. He must focus on the “Two R’s” – Return and Risk. Value equals Return divided by Risk. You can increase your business’ value by either a) increasing your “Return” (or annual cash flow from your business); or b) decreasing your “Risk” (or required return on investment in this business), or better yet, by a combination of both. For example, assume John is able to increase his cash flow (Return) from $350,000 per year to $700,000 per year, and is able to lower the Risk (required Return) from a 25 percent required Return to a 16.66 percent required Return. In this case the value of the business would increase from $1.4 million to $4.2 million. Conceptually, it’s a matter of simple division. Valuation = Return = $700,000 = $4.2 Million Risk 16.66% The factor used for “Risk” is simply the Return on investment that a buyer would require for an investment into this business given the likelihood that the Return would continue into the future. If an investor believes that it is likely that the Return would only continue for four to five years, he would likely not pay more than four years of the Return for this business. If John were able to “lower the risk” in his business so that a buyer felt that the Return would continue for at least six to seven years, he would then be willing to require only a 16.67 percent Return on investment and pay a multiple of six times the Return. The multiple is the reciprocal of the Required Return. John asks his advisor, “What can I do to lower my Risk and increase my valuation multiple?” This will be our topic for next month. 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.

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the care and feeding of your new employee The interviews are done. The selection has been made. The employee is ready to start work, so you breathe a sigh of relief. The hiring process is over. Now the next phase of hard work starts – your new employee’s orientation to your company. Too often, the employee experiences chaos on his first day. His office isn’t set up, he doesn’t have a computer, even the receptionist seems surprised to see him. Once the receptionist finds the person who hired him, the new employee is given lots of tax and legal forms to sign, shown to an office and set loose. There is some training on the job tasks, but there is little formal orientation to the business, and that’s unfortunate. If you want your new employee to become part of the team, you should help him get there. A good orientation process will help your new employee understand your products and services, client base, industry, and environmental factors that impact the business. You’ll share success stories, company legends, and stories of challenges the company has overcome. He’ll learn how his position impacts customers, vendors and coworkers. At the end of the process, the employee will better understand his role and how he can make a difference. The orientation process can’t happen all at once or the new employee will suffer from information overload. There should be a process over

the first several weeks. This allows the employee to begin learning his job at the same time he’s learning about the company. Involve a variety of people in the orientation process so that the employee gets to know more people and feel better connected to his colleagues. As the manager, take time to talk to the new employee over the first several weeks and months. Make sure he’s getting the training and support he needs. Ask for feedback on the orientation process so that you can continue to improve it. It isn’t fun to be the “new kid on the block.” Assign a “buddy” or mentor to help the new employee during his orientation period. This should be someone who doesn’t supervise the employee – someone he can be comfortable asking the “stupid questions.” The first few weeks and months set the tone for your new employee’s experience with your company. Take them seriously and make him feel welcomed, supported and valued. Denise Altman is president of Altman Initiative Group, Inc. She works with companies to help them hire and retain productive employees. Contact her at 704-708-6700 or www.altmaninitiative.com.

culture, you’re swimming in it Let’s pretend, for a moment, that your entire organization fits inside a fish tank. And everyone involved, including you, is now a fish. It’s probably easy to see some people as sharks, others as goldfish and every group is certain to have at least one clownfish. If we extend this analogy, your company’s culture is the water in which everyone swims. Which is a good way of pointing out that you probably don’t think about your culture all that much. Because, honestly, how often does a fish think about the water? How often do you think about the air you breathe? It’s usually much easier to focus on the task or problem at hand. But there is a well-known fact among aquarium owners: the water in a fish tank is the single biggest factor in the health of the fish. In exactly the same way, an organization’s culture is the most fundamental influence on the people involved. Happiness, productivity, quality of decisions are all affected by the unwritten (and often unspoken) rules of a culture. If you’re not happy with your fish tank, the first thing you check is the water. But how often do you examine your organization’s culture? Maybe when everything is running perfectly and no problems or opportunities have cropped up. But when does

greater charlotte biz

that happen? It’s so much easier (and more acceptable) to focus on fixing the problem at hand, or finding someone or something to blame, rather than asking, “Is the way we’re doing things the reason we keep having these problems?” Culture is difficult to talk about and even harder to change. Because you’re busy swimming in it, for one thing. But if you haven’t thought about your organization’s culture – recognized it for what it is and worked to shape and nurture it so that it becomes what you need it to be – then you’ve got a default culture. You’ve accepted whatever smattering of ideas and beliefs that wandered in and set up shop. And this default culture might be perfect. But few things that happen by accident are. Mike Whitehead is president of Whitehead Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in leadership and culture development. Contact him at 704-331-9091 or www.whiteheadassociates.com. If you are interested in contributing to bizXperts, contact John Galles at 704-676-5850, ext. 102, or jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com. biz

april 2006

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Workforce Training and Development

CPCC Offers Resources for New Business Owners books, CD-ROMs and other reference materials. These materials are available in a lending library for small business owners, and include how-to books, biographies, sample templates, videos, research tools and timely business publications. The Institute is an evolution of the CPCC’s successful Small Business Center, which operated for more than a decade at variThe focus of CPCC’s Institute for Entrepreneurship is entrepreneurial education; it offers online classes and an ous campus locations. The array of courses and free seminars, as well as a new Institute continues to remain a resource center. partner in the Small Business Recently ranked #2 on the national list of Center Network, which is comprised of the Top 10 Best Cities for Entrepreneurs, Charlotte 58 Small Business Centers located in comis fast becoming an attractive city to start a munity colleges throughout North Carolina. new business or become a small business This network supports the development of owner. In fact, in a jointly-sponsored survey new businesses and the growth of existing released in January, local small business ownbusinesses by being a community-based ers listed economic strength, business provider of training, counseling, and environment and population growth as some resource information. of the draws to Charlotte. Primary candidates for the Institute are Central Piedmont Community College those who are considering taking the (CPCC) recognizes the growing “entrepreplunge in to business ownership or self neurial spirit” in Charlotte and offers small employment, as well as those who have business owners and entrepreneurial hopebeen in the small business arena for a year fuls a mechanism to find answers, solutions, or more and want to take their business to education, resources – whatever is needed to the next level. Some clients need special realize business success – in its new Institute assistance in marketing their business or for Entrepreneurship office located in understanding their financial statements. CPCC’s Professional Development building. The focus of the Institute is entrepreneurial education. This spring, the Institute is offering new online classes and an array of courses and free seminars on starting a business, writing a business plan, marketing, e-commerce, business finances, legal issues, accounting and Both the Institute and the BizHub Network are located in much more. In addition, the the Professional Development Building on the CPCC Institute has a new resource Central Campus. center where visitors can receive one-on-one confidential counseling, The seminars and sessions offered by the explore the Internet, plus view the latest copies Institute provide such hands-on learning of local and national business publications, experiences for new small business owners.

april 2006

Lori Day serves as the Executive Director of the Institute and has played a lead role in expanding the program. A CPCC employee for more than six years, Day has been involved in creating and delivering training for business and industry in state-funded programs, including New and Expanding Industry Training. She has been active in various economic development efforts in the region and participates with partner organizations in educating, recruiting and building a capable workforce. The BizHub Network serves as Just a clearinghouse referring small recently, business owners to a range of Day was regional organizations that selected provide training, advice and other services. to head (Inset) Lori Day up the BizHub Network, a separate non-profit organization that is also located in the Professional Development Building. In these dual capacities, she has the opportunity to integrate activities and services between the Institute and the BizHub Network to increase efficiency. Together, the BizHub Network, CPCC’s Institute for Entrepreneurship, and other organizations and service providers answer a recognized need for support for area entrepreneurs. For more information on the Institute for Entrepreneurship and its offerings, call 704-330-4223 or visit http://www.cpcctraining.org/e-institute. For more information on the BizHub Network, call 704-330-OPEN or visit www.bizhub.org. 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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Featuring Executive Homes in the Charlotte Region AMAZING WATERFRONT HOME Lake Wylie, South Carolina Spectacular attention to detail was put forth in this lakefront home. From Brazilian cherry floors to extensive moldings and custom cabinetry, this home is picture-perfect. It features four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a media room with wetbar. The owner’s suite is breathtaking. Enjoy the privacy of the wooded, 2-acre lot of this deepwater cove. MLS# 1029535 and 572584 - $699,900 Property Address: 2274 Sussex Road

Sandy Johnson – 803-817-9696 www.allentate.com/sandyjohnson

MYERS PARK MASTERPIECE Charlotte ,North Carolina Classic styling blends with modern luxury in this extensively renovated home, which boasts all the amenities, that today’s buyers desire. It features an incredible family room and kitchen with cherry cabinets, granite counters, stainless appliances and wine refrigerator. Spacious master has sitting area and extraordinary bath. Additional 510 square feet can be finished. 5BRs/3.1BAs MLS# 572409 - $965,000 Property Address: 2210 Colony Road

Lee Reynolds – 704-996-1351 www.allentate.com/leereynolds

WATER VIEW Lake Wylie, SC This new construction is exquisite. It features a formal living room and dining room.The great room is enhanced with a fireplace. Cherry, builtin cabinets grace the gourmet kitchen. French doors lead to a deck overlooking the water-view lot.The full, finished, walkout basement includes a recreation room, office and exercise/playroom. Located within the Clover School District. MLS# 1020498 and 500949 - $534,900 Property Address: 1739 Mineral Springs Road

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UPTOWN LIVING Charlotte, North Carolina This is fabulous Uptown living at its finest. This beautiful and spacious townhome features a marble foyer, hardwood floors and custom moldings. It is located in the heart of the city’s Historic Fourth Ward, convenient to shopping, dining and great entertainment. 2BRs/2BAs MLS# 572676 - $825,000 Property Address: 229 N. Church Street, Unit 2

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