Greater Charlotte Biz 2006.07

Edifice •

Carolina Parenting •

U.S. National Whitewater Center •

Greater Charlotte BizEd

july 2006

Braving the Narrows Whitewater Center Opening After Uphill Paddle

Jeffrey T.Wise Executive Director U.S. National Whitewater Center, Inc.

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U.S. National Whitewater Center The concept is revolutionary, and the amount of resources needed to fuel the endeavor is impressive, but what is perhaps most interesting is how much the process of building the project resembled navigating the narrows of a particularly nasty rapid. Since the project began, ideological hurdles, funding challenges, design changes, logistical battles and copious day-to-day development issues helped shape the course of the park. Speaking to Jeff Wise, you’d think that was just part of the fun.

14 Edifice Amidst steady growth, Edifice enjoys a stellar reputation for professionalism and on-time delivery, and exhibits the highest level of civic commitment. Eric Laster credits its success to the strength of its workforce:“I believe we’ve got the best people…you’ve got to create a culture and environment where your employees enjoy their jobs on a daily basis.”

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Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

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20 Carolina Parenting Today’s busy parents welcome anything that makes their lives easier as they navigate those sometimes harrowing, nevertheless enchanting years of parenthood. Hail Carolina Parenting – a significant resource in that regard, with three publications targeting parents across North Carolina, and a vehicle for advertisers to reach a specific audience.

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CPCC A National Leader in Workforce Development

bizXperts

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Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

biznetwork

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bizview

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The Charlotte Region: The View from Another Perspective

executive homes

IBC

Luxury Homes above $350,000

34 Charlotte Regional Business Education Directory Greater Charlotte Biz directory of Charlotte regional business education offerings, from traditional business education programs to customized workforce training.Whether you are an employer interested in education and training programs to raise the performance levels of your employees, or an individual interested in gaining knowledge or skills for better performance or versatility, this directory should provide some guidance as to the breadth of offerings available.

on the cover: Jeffrey T. Wise Executive Director U.S. National Whitewater Center, Inc.

Photography by Wayne Morris.

Workforce Education Directory . . . 34 Education Offerings Chart . . . . . . . . . . 40

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Corner of Fairview and Sharon Roads in Charlotte. Shopping Line速 704.364.4411.

[publisher’spost] Bobcats Need to Become Part of this Community!

Wow! Michael Jordan has become an owner and manager of the Charlotte Bobcats! Isn’t that exciting? Certainly, the initial impact of having Michael Jordan in the ownership group provides Bobcat fans with some feeling and expectation that the team will become more competitive and hopefully, more successful. While no one believed that this team would find instant success in the NBA, nearly everyone wanted to see a more competitive team and at least a more aggressive spirit. At the same time, it is most important that this team make a connection with the community. We need to encourage Bob Johnson and Michael Jordan to move to Charlotte and become part of this community. They need to become part of this community!

Having grown up in Wilmington and playing for the UNC Tarheels, Michael Jordan is known for being a native North Carolinian. As an owner and managing member of basketball operations, he is expected to have an office in Charlotte, but, from all reports, Michael Jordan will continue to make Chicago his home. We will have to wait and see how visible and how involved he will actually be in the Bobcats organization. We will also have to see how successful he will be.

If history offers any indication of the future, one thing for sure is that Michael Jordan will become incredibly involved in the Bobcats.

When Abe Pollin, the owner of the Washington Wizards, fired Michael Jordan as he retired from playing for the third time, he told Jordan that he could not return as the team’s CEO. Originally hired as CEO, Jordan had ill-advisedly abandoned that position and tried to improve the team by playing. His personnel selections were also similarly disastrous. Drafting Kwame Brown and trading Richard Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse were two of the most criticized decisions. Upon Jordan’s departure in May of 2003, many comments were made about a newspaper picture that showed Jordan driving away from the MCI Center in his Mercedes convertible with an Illinois license plate.

Everyone deserves new opportunities and Michael Jordan has been offered a new opportunity with Bob Johnson. This time, Jordan enters as an owner. This time, Jordan will not play again.

This time, Jordan joins the Bobcats organization with a little more experience and hopefully a little more wisdom. In Washington, he boosted attendance at Wizard games by playing. In Charlotte, he will have to perform differently. This new opportunity offers him the chance to demonstrate that he is more than just a successful player.

All around the NBA, former players have become executives in team management positions.

Larry Bird is president of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers. Isaiah Thomas is president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks. Joe Dumars is president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons. Some have demonstrated success; others have yet to be successful.

When Ed Tapscott resigned from the management of the Bobcats after an annual meeting of team owners, it was reported that he stepped down rather than accept a separation of duties into two positions – one for basketball operations and one for business operations. In retrospect, Ed may have known that Bob Johnson wanted to bring Michael Jordan in to manage basketball operations. Tapscott was in Washington, D.C. when Jordan was with the Wizards.

Bob Johnson lives in the Washington, D.C. area. Michael Jordan lives in Chicago, Illinois. The two largest shareholders in the Bobcats ownership group do not live in Charlotte, North Carolina.

They are absentee owners.

Making a connection in the Charlotte community is extremely important. Wouldn’t it be great to have an owner/management group that got excited and disappointed with the wins and losses of the team just like the fans who pay to see each and every game? We certainly saw Jerry Richardson anguish when the Panthers were suffering and losing for several seasons, but we also saw him celebrate victories. Yes, it is important that the Bobcats are profitable, but we want to see the team be competitive and we want to see the team make a connection with the community. The principal owners should lead by example and become part of this community. It is important that they do so, especially after the unsavory taste left by the prior team’s ownership! biz

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July 2006 Volume 7 • Issue 7 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

Account Executives Maria Abate mabate@greatercharlottebiz.com

Gaye Bigelow gbigelow@greatercharlottebiz.com

Michelle Killi mkilli@greatercharlottebiz.com

Mimi Zelman mzelman@greatercharlottebiz.com

Contributing Editor Susanne Deitzel Contributing Writers Ellison Clary Susanne Deitzel Lisa Hoffman 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

Vacation Deprivation – U.S. Tops the Charts

Even though 36 percent of employed U.S. adults reported feeling better about their jobs and feeling more productive after a vacation, many employees are not using all of their available vacation time.

According to the sixth annual Expedia “Vacation Deprivation Survey,” more than 574 million well-earned U.S. vacation days will be spent at the office this year, instead of the beach. According to the survey, onethird of employed U.S. adults do not always take all of their vacation days. Even when they do take time off, 23 percent have checked their work email or voicemail while vacationing. (So was it really a vacation?)

Why is it so difficult for Americans to get away from work? Some of the barriers to taking time off that were identified in the survey were: • The need to schedule vacation in advance (14%) • Being too busy at work to get away (11%) • Getting money back for unused vacation days (10%) Working adults in the U.S. on average leave four vacation days per year on the table, higher than in the other five countries surveyed. Employed adults in Germany and Great Britain on average leave only one day on the table. And, employees in these countries earn over twice as many vacation days each year as their U.S. counterparts.

Employed adults in the U.S., on average, will receive 14 vacation days per year (up from 12 in 2005) but still the lowest of all countries surveyed: • Canada - 19 days • Great Britain - 24 days • France - 39 days • Germany - 27 days • Australia - 17 days Interestingly, French employees earn the most vacation time and they are also the most likely to actually use all of their available time.

It has long been accepted that time away from work can help improve productivity, morale and job satisfaction, but research is also showing links to employee health. According to Joe Robinson, author, Work to Live: The Guide to Getting A Life, an annual vacation can cut the risk of heart disease in men by 30 percent and women by 50 percent. As employers struggle to contain rising health costs, perhaps analyzing the organization’s unused vacation time should be taken into consideration.

Although the number of vacation days earned and taken has fluctuated some-what in each of the six years that Expedia has conducted its survey, one statistic has remained constant: Employees in the U.S. get the least and take the least vacation, making us the winner (or would that be loser?) in terms of vacation deprivation.

Help for Long Distance Care Givers

So Far Away Twenty Questions for Long-Distance Caregivers

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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Increasing Your Influence

The National Institute on Aging has issued a new resource to help long-distance caregivers. So Far Away: Twenty Questions for Long-Distance Caregivers is a booklet providing resources and ideas designed to make long-distance caregiving more convenient and fulfilling. For example, question number three covers “What can I really do from far away?” and provides a list of examples and ideas common to long-distance caregivers. So Far Away can be viewed online, or you may order a printed copy at www.nia.nih.gov.

Employees with influence get their ideas heard and, more importantly, have ideas accepted. You don’t have to be charismatic in order to be influential. You simply need to apply principles of influence: 1. Strive to be an authority by staying well-informed about your area of expertise.

2. Plan well-thought-out, logical arguments for your ideas that consider the needs and wants of others so you win their hearts and minds.

3. Develop a genuine interest in others’ values, and grow a network of mutually productive relationships.

4. Practice looking, sounding, and acting confident so you are seen as an authority.

5. Observe influential people in your organization, noting their social interactions.

6. Be open to feedback, negotiate with others, and practice self-discipline in managing your emotions in response to disappointments.

(Frontline Employee)

2006 Executive Compensation Survey Complete results of the 31st National Executive Compensation Survey are now available. The Employers Association, in collaboration with 18 other employer associations across the nation, sponsored this survey. Survey participants contributed data for 11,890 executives from 1,561 different organizations throughout the U.S. A total of 34 positions were analyzed in this report. Information is broken out by type of industry, geographical areas, and gross sales volumes. In addition to cash compensation, the report also summarizes data for a variety of benefits and perquisites, including stock ownership, supplemental insurance, and club memberships. For a copy of the survey, please contact The Employers Association.

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O

Zero Tolerance for “Zero Tolerance” Policies?

“Zero tolerance” policies are popular among employers trying to end unlawful harassment, drug use, violence, and other egregious behavior in their workplaces.

Such policies do have the benefit of being black-and-white, easy to apply, and non-discriminatory.

But is “zero tolerance” too much of a good thing? It could be – at least, if you really mean it.

Certainly there is nothing wrong with having a policy that certain types of behavior will result in termination – no ifs, ands or buts. For example, no one would lose sleep over an employee who was immediately terminated for threatening to kill a co-worker. Or, would they?

The trouble with “zero tolerance” policies is that even a seemingly clear-cut threat such as this may be anything but. It may help to view “workplace threats” (or harassment, or possibly, even drug use) on a continuum, with “Not Threatening at All” on one end, and “Very Threatening” at the other. At the “Very Threatening” end, there are employees who say they will kill their co-workers and really mean it. Perhaps midway is the “hothead” employee who

says such things in anger but in 25 years with the company has never hurt a fly and isn’t taken seriously by anyone who knows him. On the “Not Threatening at All” end is the employee who says in fun, “I’m gonna kill you!” any time he or she is mildly inconvenienced and may even be smiling or laughing when saying it. Should all three of these cases really be treated alike? They are all “threats,” but they are clearly not “equal.” Fire the first employee?

Absolutely. The second? Maybe a reprimand or counseling to be careful about his speech, but termination seems excessive.

Fire the third? What, are you kidding?

Most employers will remember the “Seinfeld case” from the 1990s, in which a male employee discussed the previous night’s episode, involving a character whose name rhymed with a female body part, at the office water cooler. A female co-worker was offended and reported him, and he was fired. He sued his employer and won a verdict for $26.6 million.

Assuming the female really was offended by the conversation, should this man’s behavior have been “dealt with”? Most definitely, but terminating his employment

Cloudy Retirement Fate for Female Baby Boomers Female baby boomers could be worse off in retirement than their predecessors, as they spend more, acquire more debt and are less likely to have pensions, spousal benefits and retiree health coverage, warns a new study from The Harvard Generations Policy Program and the Global Generations Policy Institute. (The study may be found at www.genpolicy.com/pressrelease.)

“Compared with their predecessors, [boomer women] married later, divorced more, acquired greater education, participated to a much greater extent in the paid labor force and earned higher wages,” the study states. “Nevertheless, they will receive less in retirement benefits relative to earnings than current retirees given changes to Social Security and the shift to 401(k)s.”

American women live an average of 79.9 years, more than four years longer than men. More than half of working women do not have access to pensions or other retirement plans, and 19 percent of women ages 18 to 64 lack health insurance. Women working full-time earn only 76 percent of what men earn, which lowers any benefit they might get from a pension and limits their ability to save in 401(k)s. Additionally, boomer women who rely on home equity to finance their retirement may be in for a shock if (or when) housing values level off and decline, the study concludes.

Marital status also has a financial punch. Unmarried elderly women are three to four times more likely than married elderly women to be poor. (BenefitNews.com)

greater charlotte biz

would strike most people as excessive.

So, it’s all right to keep those “zero tolerance” policies as long as everyone understands that they don’t mean that anyone who commits a violation, no matter how trivial, will receive the ultimate sanction. A “zero tolerance” policy should never prevent you from exercising your judgment and common sense: • “Zero tolerance” should never mean that you can’t retain an employee whom you found to be innocent, or against whom there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.

• “Zero tolerance” should never prevent you from electing to discipline rather than terminate an employee if the violation was relatively trivial.

• “Zero tolerance” should never prevent you from refraining from discipline at all, where the violation was really trivial, inoffensive, or in jest and understood as such.

• “Zero tolerance” should never prevent you from making an exception where a reasonable accommodation for the employee’s disability or religion is appropriate.

There is an old cliché that one should never say “never” and always avoid saying “always.” But a prudent employer will never apply a “zero tolerance” policy mechanically, and will always exercise sound discretion and judgment based on the circumstances of the case. Zero tolerance for “zero tolerance” policies!

(The strict kind, anyway.) (Reprinted by Permission, John Critchfield, Constangy Brooks& Smith, LLC, www.constangy.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.

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Awards & Achievements The Charlotte Chamber has announced the finalists for its 2006 entrepreneur awards.

In the small-company category (1 – 20 employees), the finalists are FileVault, Daniel Entertainment, SLD Unlimited Marketing/PR Inc., and Topics Education Group. In the larger category (21 – 100 employees), the finalists are Peak 10 Inc., Sherpa, Exervio Management Consulting Inc., and The Restaurant Group (Fuel Pizza and Jolina).

Tim Paschall has been named Business Person of the Year for the state of North Carolina by Future Business Leaders of America.

Tim Paschall President and chief executive officer David Jones of Peak 10, data center operator and managed services provider, has been named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 Award in the Carolinas region; the awards program recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs on a regional, national and global level who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses.

The National Association of Woman Business Owners (NAWBO) has awarded Frances Queen, CEO and founder of Queen Associates, Inc., its Woman Frances Queen Business Owner of the Year. Other awardees include Memuna Williams, NAWBO Rising Star of the Year; Jeannie Falknor, NAWBO Community Service Award; Marguerite Rupar, Bridge Builder; Robyn Crigger, Unsung Hero; Dina Dembicki, Pioneer; Denise Cagan, Team Builder; and Nicole Sinclair, Rookie of the Year.

Five African American Women have been honored by The Charlotte Post as Women of Distinction for their business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit and community involvement: Emma Allen, First Charter Bank; Angeline Clinton, Duke Energy; LaRita Barber, Charlotte Bobcats; Raichelle Glover, Bank of America; and Linda Lockman-Brooks, Lockman Brooks Marketing.

Charlotte-South Rotary Club has selected Scott Cottrill, vice president of sales, southern

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[ontop] region for Webb/Mason, as its 2006 Distinguished Rotarian.

Advertising & Media The Marketing Consortium has received one silver and one bronze Aster Award, a national medical marketing award recognizing creative excellence.

The Charlotte Ad Club has honored Robert L. Johnson for his induction into the 57th Annual American Advertising Hall of Fame.

Moonlight Design Group, Inc., a design and marketing company, has received a Silver Award from Summit Creative Awards.

Walker Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations, Inc. has promoted Jodi Laffoon to vice presiJodi Laffoon dent, Creative Services.

Corder Philips Wilson, a marketing communications firm, has hired Jim Stadler as associate creative director and Shawn Kelley as senior art director.

Business & Professional Nina Shor, one of the founding members of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys and Charlotte Women’s Bar, has joined the Nina Shor firm of Kennedy Covington.

Poyner & Spruill LLP has announced several new staff additions: Paul G. Porter has joined as a partner; Shawn J. Richard and Thomas M. Asmar have become associates; and Christopher P. Brewer, Kenneth L. Burgess and Meg D. Goldstein were named Of Counsel with the firm.

At Piedmont Natural Gas, Robert O. Pritchard, currently treasurer, has been promoted to vice president, treasurer and chief risk officer, and Jose M. Simon, CPA, has been elected to vice president and controller.

Shiping Yang, P.E., Ph.D. has been named chief engineer of Boyle Consulting Engineers.

Cheri Mincey has joined Shiping Yang Fluent Language Solutions Inc., a nationwide provider of

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Construction & Design FreemanWhite, Inc. has been chosen by the editors of Building Design & Construction as one of five Best AEC Firms To Work For 2006.

McCar Homes has been ranked as one of the top 100 homebuilders in the nation according to Big Builder magazine, at number 40 in the 2006 annual poll, up nine places from last year.

ColeJenest & Stone, P.A. has been recognized at the City Committee’s Work/Life Awards Ceremony with first place in the Mezzo category (firms with 50-249 employees).

Tyler 2 Construction has promoted Lynne P. Ferretti to Vice President of Operations.

At Narmour Wright Creech Architecture Lynne Ferretti Charlotte, Peter R. Wasmer, AIA has been promoted to associate; Krista L. Karlson has joined as project manager; and L. Gail Snodgrass and Scotty S. Smith have joined as project leaders.

The FWA Group, Architects has promoted Don Van Ollefen to principal/partner; Darryn Bouknight has become a N.C. registered Don Van Ollefen architect; and Chris Johnson has become LEED accredited.

Builder Services, Inc. (BSI) has promoted Drew Basinger to broker-in-charge.

Multi-family and commercial builder Superior Construction has hired Drew Basinger Philip Clark and Jonathon Sharpe as project managers.

HouseRaising, Inc. has recruited T. Kim Cope as sales manager of custom homes in Zone One, the Carolinas.

Education & Staffing The College of Education at UNC Charlotte has been complimented in its latest review by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which cited the university’s

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[ontop] extraordinary standards of compliance.

Queens University of Charlotte has promoted William K. Cody, RN, Ph.D., to dean of the Presbyterian School of Nursing at Queens, William Cody the fourth major unit on campus, joining the McColl School of Business, Hayworth College and the College of Arts and Sciences.

President of the Retirement and Investments Products Group with Wachovia Corporation, Robert L. Reid II, has been appointed to the Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) board of trustees.

Belmont Abbey College professor David Neipert, Esq. has become one of a handful of individuals worldwide to receive the designation of NASBITE David Neipert Certified Business Professional.

Premier Resources, a full-service staffing agency, has welcomed Theresa Urban, Heather Ryan, and Tammy Johnson to its team of personnel managers.

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Engineering Jackie Duncan has joined Dewberry as assistant survey manager, and Calvin Colson has joined Dewberry as GIS data collection manager.

Financial & Insurance Jewell D. Hoover of Hoover and Associates, LLC has been appointed to a fouryear term to the North Carolina Banking Commission Jewell Hoover

by Governor Mike Easley.

First Charter Insurance Services has promoted Matthew Kerry and Linda Thomas to the position of vice president.

First Bancorp has elected Jerry L. Ocheltree to its board of directors.

First Trust Bank has named Karl G. Cahoon, Jr., Bryce A. Friesz and Eleanor M. McIntire as vice president and commercial loan officers and Chris Sharpe as a branch loan officer.

Garrick Wilson and Steve Burleson have joined Hinrichs Flanagan Financial as Financial Services Professionals.

Chris Ross has joined First Charter

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Government & Non-Profit Bobby J. Crumley has been appointed to the executive committee of the Leadership North Carolina (LNC) Board of Directors.

Bobby Crumley Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont has recognized Goodwill president and CEO Michael Elder with the 2006 Jack Callahan Cornerstone Award, the agency’s highest award.

Michael Elder The Mecklenburg County Health Department’s Fit City Challenge program has been awarded a Fit Community Grant from the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has raised $315,000 in the record-breaking Muscle Team 2006 fundraiser to benefit children suffering from a neuromuscular disease.

Health Care The national Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has designated Carolinas Medical Center – Charlotte, Northeast Medical Center – Concord, and Presbyterian Hospital – Charlotte among its North Carolina Cardiac Centers of Excellence.

Military Captain Chris Gilbert, of the Charlotte Research Institute at UNC Charlotte, is currently serving as Bravo Company Commander for the National Guard’s 505th Engineer Combat Battalion. He is stationed in Iraq along with 145 other soldiers from the Charlotte region. Capt. Gilbert, who is scheduled to return to Charlotte in October, recently painted their company’s insignia outside their location in Iraq.

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Real Estate Commercial/Residential Lindsay Dimmick has joined the Valeo-Croy Team at American Home Mortgage as sales assistant.

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[ontop] Benjamin H. Curran has joined T.B. Harris, Jr. & Associates as research assistant.

Retail & Sports & Entertainment Rocky River Golf Club has received No. 77 in the North Carolina Golf Panel’s Top 100, the ranking of North Carolina’s best golf courses.

SunTrust Motorsports has appointed Jeff Bulger as the private financial advisor for SunTrust’s Charlotte Motorsports Division.

Disbrow Enterprises, a turf equipment company, has hired Brian Love for the posiBrian Love tion of Carolinas district sales and service manager.

Morton’s, The Steakhouse, SouthPark has named Brandon Foster its new general manager.

Charlotte Copy Data has promoted Tim Renegar to execBrandon Foster utive vice president of sales and service for its operations in the Carolinas.

Charlotte native LaRita Barber has been promoted to senior vice president of community relations and player development for Bobcats Sports & Entertainment and named executive director of the Charlotte Jumper Classic annual equestrian event.

Jack Roush received the Spirit of Ford Award, the highest honor Ford Motor Co. can bestow on anyone in racing, for his significant contributions on and off the track to the sport of auto racing.

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Technology Microsoft has announced that local technology consultant Matthew Wittemann of gTECHserve has been named a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award.

The Comdyn Group has hired Jon Keeler as account manager for the Charlotte region. 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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pictured (l to r) Bryan R. Knupp Senior Vice President N. Eric Laster CEO and President Edifice, Inc.

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by ellison clary

[bizprofile]

STRUCTURED for SATISFACTION

Edifice Constructs Growth Around Employee and Client Contentment Edifice is poised and ready for rapid growth. The 28-year-old general contracting company turned $120 million in revenue in 2005 and anticipates even better returns in 2006. Edifice is licensed to build in 22 states, is committed to reaching even further across the nation, and enjoys a stellar reputation for professionalism and on-time delivery. Despite all this good business news, Eric Laster, the firm’s owner, president and CEO, insists growth is not his main focus.

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Edifice, is important. I think it’s the “Happiness and satisfaction are more employer’s responsibility to understand important,” Laster, 50, says. His quick where the pay should be. I can’t ask for smile and infectious laughter attest to more than I pay for.” both qualities. “You’ve got to create a Laster grew up in a construction famculture and environment where your ily in Burlington, N.C. His father was a customers and employees can be satismasonry contractor and his grandfafied and your employees enjoy their ther was a concrete jobs on an everyday basis.” contractor.

That said, Laster acknowledges that growth will continue.

“I think we can double our revenue in five years, easily. I think that’s going to spread some happiness,” he adds with a chuckle.

Edifice has specialized divisions in the retail, entertainment, office, industrial, civic, religious, educational and medical building industries as well as a separate division for special projects.

“I’ve always wanted to grow the company,” Laster muses. “But it’s more about giving people opportunities.

Wayn e Mo rris It’s letting the people grow right along with the company.”

Customer satisfaction is a high priority for Laster and he builds that satisfaction on honest relationships with clients and by minillan McLe Sarah mizing their feelings Edifice of risk. Division leadconstructed ers know the the buildings industries they operand bus shelters ate in and anticipate that comprise the new CATS Mainthe challenges associtenance and Operated with those industries. ations Facility.

Maintaining specialized diviWayne sions allows Edifice to meet Morris project requirements on time and within budget. These qualities are not easy to come by in the construction He was hanging around business and Laster knows he needs to building sites by the time he was 6 and keep his employees happy to keep his was pushing a wheelbarrow at 11. He left clients happy.

East Carolina University in 1979 to join a “If quality employees are happy, small contractor in West Palm Beach, Fla. they’ll do what it takes to produce satisLaster’s voice takes on more emotion fied clients,” Laster confirms. when he speaks about employees that “Compensation is one piece of it. I have not gone in the same direction as the come from a very poor family. I assume company. He describes letting an that pay, to everybody who works for

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employee go as “one of the most difficult parts of the job.”

“Because of my background, I have an affinity for the people in the construction industry,” Laster says. “They are men and women that have trained in the field to do their work. They’ve learned to build complicated structures without having formal education.”

Providing the right equipment for each job is another key to employee contentment, Laster says. In addition, time off must be adequate and fair and bonuses must be properly accounted for and distributed. Employees need to know their colleagues are working with them and not against them. That goes for employers, too.

“I come to work whistling in the morning and I leave whistling,” Laster says with a laugh. “I believe I’ve created an environment where everyone here would tell you they enjoy coming to work. We’ve put together a group of people that has become as much family as interrelated employees.”

Personal Growth Laster learned as he grew with Edifice. He joined the company in 1987 from S.C. Hondros & Associates in Charlotte, where he’d moved to get back to the Carolinas. The pair of architects who had founded Edifice in 1978 hired him to run the fledgling custom home construction company.

By 1990, he owned 50 percent of the company and in 2000 he bought the rest of Edifice, which has always been privately held.

Listening to Laster, it’s easy to see he’s a natural at his craft.

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“I like to smell the dirt when it turns,” 1930 as a bottling plant. important for Edifice to diversify, so he he explains. “I like to see the concrete go Today, Edifice is pressing at the made sure it kept at least one civic project down. I like the whole thing.” He adds that seams of the 12,000 square feet in its going. That emphasis grew into an imporhe enjoys drivtant market and ing through now Edifice can Charlotte and point to three seeing how the schools it has structures built in the Edifice has Charlottebuilt have Mecklenburg changed the School system: city’s footprint.

Philip O. Berry Edifice’s Academy of headquarters Technology High and only office School on is on West Alleghany Street; Morehead Street E.E. Waddell near Bank of High School on America Nations Ford Stadium where Road; and a growing list of Hopewell High businesses are School in creating a Huntersville. renaissance Laster also in oncefound a niche abandoned for Edifice in warehouse and building movie manufacturing theaters facilities. Edifice throughout the Wayne Morris was among the eastern half of first to relocate the United in the area States. The The Club at Longview’s two-story 28,000-square-foot,Tudor-style structure includes a turret used for when Laster informal dining that overlooks the 18th green. company has bought a buildbuilt more than ing in 1998 that Coca-Cola constructed in 200 theaters, including Regal Cinemas tastefully decorated facility and Laster Stonecrest on Rea Road in Charlotte. is looking for a bigger home, which But when the theater industry will be in a yet-to-be-determined became overbuilt in the late 1990s, it hit Charlotte location. He muses at the Edifice hard. “In one year, around the present value of the property, he spent Edifice Inc. late ’90s, I went from maybe 60 projects about $650,000 for the land and build1401 W. Morehead St. to two because the movie theater indusing combined. The land alone is Charlotte, N.C. 28208 try had built up so quickly,” Laster says. probably selling for $650,000 to Phone: 704-332-0900 “That work really kind of went away.” $700,000 an acre today.

Principals: N. Eric Laster, President and Still, Edifice kept all its employees Laster did more than play a hunch CEO; Brian R. Knupp, Senior Vice President and turned a profit, something it’s done on the location. He scouted the site, Employees: 75 each year since Laster came aboard. which is a half-mile from Center City Established: 1978 “Fortunately, I had started to reposiand a stone’s throw from Interstate 77, Business: General contractor with extensive experience in the industrial, tion and remarket Edifice in other types driving by it at all hours. retail, healthcare, religious, multi-family, of industry,” Laster explains. “That was a “I felt very comfortable that this was entertainment, adaptive re-use, office, big turning point. We started focusing a great area of Charlotte that people for educational and civic industries doing business in 22 states. on the Charlotte market and other types some reason had overlooked or didn’t www.edificeinc.com of industries.” understand,” he explains.

Emphasis on quality work and finishing on time helped. Edifice recently Diversification Hits Pay Dirt completed a $38 million bus operation Laster decided early on that it was

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Knupp and other Edifice employees and maintenance facility for the volunteer to work on Habitat for Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).

Humanity projects and Laster serves on “They did a terrific job on a complicated project,” says Ron Tober, chief executive of CATS. “They brought that project in on time and under budget.”

The company that has done most of its work in other cities now has about 75 percent of its projects in Charlotte. Edifice has grown strong in religious construction, a big plus in the “city of churches.”

Laster credits Bryan Knupp, senior vice president of Edifice, for the thriving church segment.

Wayne Morris Knupp left Rodgers Builders 10 years ago for The Albemarle luxury condominium community in Charleston features situated around a second-floor courtyard and pool. the opportunity to concentrate the board of the organization’s Charlotte on churches. chapter. He regularly travels to El “Church-building was an attraction to Salvador to work on Habitat for me, I enjoy it,” Knupp says. “Now I’ve Humanity houses there, and Edifice has taken on more responsibility in managdonated its services to build The Habitat ing and running the company.”

ReStore and offices on Wendover Road.

Laster has been active in Habitat for Community Contributions Humanity for 15 years because “Habitat Edifice has positioned itself to conis a hand up instead of a hand out. tribute to the regional community. Not only People aren’t given anything; they have does it contribute in a variety of markets to be responsible, they have to work, such as industrial and retail construction, they have to put in hours to get their but it is also active in charities. own home and they have to pay for it.”

Laster turned a company fishing trip Bert Green, executive director of last fall into a relief effort for victims of Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte, Hurricane Katrina. He led 18 Edifice praises Edifice and Laster. He calls the superintendents on a hands-on mission work Edifice has done on Habitat for in Pascagoula, Miss., to restore damaged Humanity facilities “a major contribuhousing and a local church. tion” and acknowledges that everything “We bonded more down there workEdifice has done has been “on time and ing side-by-side,” Knupp says, “than we of excellent quality.” ever would have on a boat catching fish.”

greater charlotte biz

“I’m proud of all the buildings we’ve built,” Laster says. “There’s not a bad one out there.”

Laster, his wife Kim and their two children enjoy traveling, and recently climbed Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro.

But Laster also enjoys staying close to home, tooling around Charlotte where his company’s handiwork envelopes him.

“I get to attend a church that Edifice built (Christ Lutheran over 60 residential units Church on Providence Road),” Laster says. “Someday, our daughter will be married in that church.” I get to go to the movie theater that Edifice built (Stonecrest). I get to go to the country club that Edifice built (Longview).”

After pausing for a moment, Laster credits Edifice’s success to the strength of its workforce.

“Edifice has never been about me,” he says. “I really believe we’ve got the best people. I’ve tried to stay small, stay behind the scenes and get everybody else in front.”

And he’s sure that strong growth is ahead.

“We’ve got a financially sound company with a good reputation,” he says.

“We’ve built a stable foundation.” biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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Sharon Havranek Publisher,V.P. of Advertising Mark F. Ethridge III President Carolina Parenting, Inc.

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by lisa hoffman

[bizprofile]

t o M N e s ’ r t e I s ’ P d l l i a h y C Carolina Parenting Ably Serves a Focused Market

The tag line for the Peace Corps used to be “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love.” The Peace Corps may be tough, but it can’t be tougher than going from diapers to preschool to dating to college with a tenacious toddler-turned-teenager, loving him or her every step of the way. Today’s busy parents welcome anything that makes their lives a little easier as they navigate those sometimes harrowing, nevertheless enchanting years.

Carolina Parenting is a significant resource in that regard, targeting parents in local communities across North Carolina, providing a treasure trove of valuable information in its three area publications and a vehicle for advertisers to reach a specific audience. greater charlotte biz

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A Passion for Parents It was in the ’70s that Mark Ethridge became an investigative reporter for The Charlotte Observer because he wanted to serve the public. And serve the public he did. He worked his way up to managing editor and led Pulitzer Prize-winning investigations into the scandal that plagued PTL leaders Jim and Tammy Bakker and the textile industry’s role in causing debilitating lung disease.

Then, in the ’80s, Ethridge became president and publisher of the Charlotte Business Journal, just as the local business community began to boil over. From his position at the helm of the business publication, Ethridge, ever the pulse-taker, noticed a trend. Niche media was slowly expanding, nudging mass media aside. The number of television channels rose, radio stations catered to every taste, and magazines covering everything from cooking to canoeing popped up across the nation.

When word hit the local industry that the publishers of Our Kids magazine, a Charlotte parenting publication, were looking for a buyer, Ethridge was interested. He had seen the magazine around his own house and asked his wife what she thought of it. She described it as a useful

and unique resource filled with just the kind of advertising that interested her. A short time later, in 1990, Ethridge closed the deal on what is now Charlotte Parent.

Since then, he has acquired Carolina Parent, a magazine catering to the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill (Triangle) area, and Piedmont Parent, covering the Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point (Triad) area.

“Throughout my journalism career, my passion and vision has always been to help inform the public,” Ethridge says. “I can’t think of a greater public service than helping people be better parents. I saw the ‘mom market’ was becoming very powerful and serving such a worthwhile niche market just made sense to me in a lot of ways.”

Today, Carolina Parenting’s three publications have a combined total distribution of 151,000, reaching hundreds of thousands of parents across the state.

Focusing on Families Carolina Parenting’s main demographic is women 25 to 54 years old, but about 20 percent of readers in some areas are men. Just like national publications, these magazines provide features covering timely issues such as health and nutritional concerns, sports and other activities and opportunities for fun and learning. What makes these local publications unique is their local slant.

“Our greatest value is the extensive local directories and calendars filled with valuable, heavily researched data that parents and visitors find useful,” Ethridge says. “The staff works very hard to provide parents with a comprehensive resource.”

Readers are just as passionate about the magazines as Ethridge and his staff.

When issues don’t make it to the stands on the first of the month, the office phones start ringing.

“Parents just love our publications, which is so satisfying and reinforces what we’re doing,” says Sharon Havranek, publisher for Charlotte Parent and Piedmont Parent. “We have a less than 5 percent return rate during our distribution audits. That rate is unheard of for a free magazine and a real source of pride for us. It drives us.”

The publication’s unique content and focused distribution help insulate it from ripples in the economy.

“We’ve got a natural cushion, because even when the economy’s down, the last thing people stop spending money on is their kids,” Ethridge says.

“They might stop going to expensive restaurants and shopping at boutiques but they’re still going to send their kids to summer camp.”

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“When times get tough, people reevaluate their priorities,” Havranek adds. “The same goes for advertisers.

We strive to reach parents with no waste, as opposed to a newspaper ad or television commercial. So if advertisers find themselves with less money to spend, they’re more likely to stay with us because they know we’re reaching families.”

Carolina Parenting magazines don’t have many national advertisers, who tend to favor big media players, Ethridge points out. So when Toys ‘R’ Us or Gymboree slashes its budget and starts pulling ads, free and regional publications generally aren’t affected.

Ethridge strives to surround himself with people who share his vision and Havranek, who worked with Ethridge as a sales manager at the Charlotte Business Journal, says she had to seriously consider the implications of working for a free magazine, something she’d never done before, when he offered her the publishing job.

“I thought back to when I was raising

my son, who’s 25 now,” she explains. “I wish there was something out there like this for me back then. Now this isn’t just a job for me, it’s something I look forward to everyday.”

Paging Mom - and Mr. Mom Havranek, who oversees distribution, has become skilled over the years in reaching the magazine’s target market.

Free publications have to work a little harder than subscriber magazines, Ethridge says, because they aren’t delivered to readers’ mailboxes.

“We have a much higher obligation to make it great,” he says. “If we don’t do a good job, it’s just going to sit there.”

Distribution is limited to reduce waste and keep the budget in check.

You won’t usually find Charlotte Parent in a restaurant or auto repair shop.

Look for it at the pediatrician’s office

or your child’s preschool or daycare.

“We have more than 900 outlets in Charlotte and I’d like to narrow it down to be even more targeted,” Havranek says. “We do a great job for our advertisers because our distribution sites are very specific to our market, so an ad for a children’s entertainer isn’t wasted on a student or young professional.”

The magazines’ readers have real purchase power. About 80 percent of readers have a combined annual household income of greater than $50,000 and are the primary shoppers for their homes. That translates to a lot of bang for the advertisers’ buck.

“Moms, by and large, control the spending habits of their families,” Ethridge adds. “We run a lot of information about summer camps, private schools and children’s parties which dovetails nicely with our advertisers’ products and services.”

Although the magazines do a superb job of reaching their intended market, it can still be a challenge to secure ad sales.

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Carolina Parenting, Inc. 2125 Southend Drive, Ste. 253 Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Phone: 704-344-1980 Principals: Mark F. Ethridge, President and Majority Owner; Sharon Havranek, Publisher,V.P. of Advertising (Charlotte Parent and Piedmont Parent); Liz Holt, Publisher (Carolina Parent) Employees: 30 Established: 1990 Awards: Parenting Publications of America’s 2005 Editorial and Design Awards: Charlotte Parent, one gold and two bronze medals in editorial, two silver medals in design; Carolina Parent, one silver and one bronze medal in design and one silver medal in editorial; Piedmont Parent, one gold and one silver medal in design and one bronze medal for general excellence Business: Publishes a trio of award-winning magazines meant to support, inform and advise parents in North Carolina’s three largest metro areas: Charlotte, the Triangle and the Piedmont Triad.

Combined total distribution of 151,000. www.charlotteparent.com

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Charlotte’s tall buildings, you’d most likely find a male CEO who hasn’t read our magazine,” Ethridge says. “Once we present ourselves, they understand the value of placing an ad in our publication, but reaching the decision-makers can be a challenge.”

The company has made leaps and bounds on this front in recent years through community events, according to Havranek. The annual Moms@Work luncheon held each fall at the Westin Charlotte always features a well-known keynote speaker and attracts about 600 people, and many are big shots in the Charlotte business arena. This year’s guest speaker is Sheri Lynch, co-host of the “Bob & Sheri” radio show and author of two humorous books that look at the trials and tribulations of parenting. She is sure to carry widespread appeal.

“We didn’t start the Moms@Work luncheon with the express intention of reaching the big decision-makers around town, but it has had the side effect of increasing awareness about the publication among businessmen

over the years,” Havranek says.

The Family-Friendly 40, an annual award program that recognizes 40 companies across the state that go out of their way to make life easier for their employees who are parents, is another way Carolina Parenting makes itself known to the business community. The nomination process considers things like schedule flexibility, maternity and adoption leave and onsite childcare.

Companies hoping to attract employees with families would do well to examine how Carolina Parenting manages its offices.

“We offer very flexible schedules and avoid micromanaging peoples’ time,” Ethridge says. “I’ve found that when you are careful to hire the right people, left to their own devices they will meet and exceed your expectations. If staff members are able to occasionally bring a child to work with them or take time off

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to attend a school function they appreciate it and pay the company back with their passion and enthusiasm.”

A Little Magazine Grows Up The first issue of Our Kids magazine was probably about 16 pages, Ethridge estimates. Current issues of Carolina Parenting’s magazines top 100 pages. And that’s still not enough room for all the information the publishers and editors want to share with North Carolina’s families.

“Every month I hear ‘Sharon I need more pages!’” Havranek adds. “But since it’s just not practical to create a magazine that’s hundreds of pages, we’ve decided to concentrate on upgrading and improving our Web site.”

Carolina Parenting’s Web sites also offer the opportunity to reach many more people, serving as both an informational outlet and a gathering tool.

“Publishing is a constantly evolving process,” Havranek explains. “Expanding our Web site’s capabilities gives us opportunities to communicate more effectively with our readers, for information sharing

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for our new format, doing some behindthe-scenes work. Our company’s staff consists of some of the most talented people on the planet. Why would I want to distract them from their work?”

Ethridge is content with the way things are progressing and doesn’t feel the biggest growth opportunities presently involve acquisitions. But he’s not closing the door on the possibility either. He keeps a close eye on and maintains good relationships with other regional parenting publications.

For now, ramping up Web sites, launching special publications and sharpening the focus on their target market is keeping them busy and on the map for many parents.

“To some degree, our publications go beyond just being information outlets,” Ethridge says. “They provide a sense of community, creating an understanding that somebody is out there thinking about what parents want and need. I consider them touchstones.” biz

that flows both ways. We don’t want to make assumptions about what’s going on in the parenting world.”

Carolina Parenting takes a unique approach to new ideas, one that doesn’t tax staff members’ time and resources. Since Ethridge is not a publisher or editor, he takes on the role of “beta tester” for new projects. If he determines that the idea has legs, he gets the ball rolling, hires new staff if necessary and then hands the project off.

An annual college guide for parents and students is a recently launched project. Ethridge managed the development process, helped sell ads and sponsorships and made sure costs stayed under control.

“The great thing about that arrangement is, if it doesn’t work out then it’s not a big deal,” Ethridge says. “Right now I’m working with a Web site consultant

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photo: Wayne Morris

Jeffrey T.Wise Executive Director U.S. National Whitewater Center, Inc.

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by susanne deitzel

[bizprofile]

Braving the Narrows

Jeff Wise is a seasoned paddler – and it’s a darned good thing. The former lawyer abandoned his career several years ago to follow his passion, which just happens to be chopping through any swath of whitewater he can find. What makes his story unique is that he didn’t wave goodbye to the wife and kids with his kayak slung over his shoulder. Instead, he helped master the plan to build a man-made river powerful enough to propel rafters and paddlers through its muscular channels. Dubbed the U.S. National Whitewater Center, Wise’s river has been rising for the past couple of years, and the park’s opening date is clearly in sight.

greater charlotte biz

Whitewater Center Opening After Uphill Paddle

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The concept is revolutionary, and the amount of resources needed to fuel the endeavor is impressive, but what is perhaps most interesting is how much the process of building the U.S. National Whitewater Park resembled navigating the narrows of a particularly nasty rapid.

Classing the Rapids Since the project began, ideological hurdles, funding challenges, design changes, logistical battles and copious day-to-day development issues helped shape the course of the park. Speaking to Jeff Wise, you’d think that was just part of the fun.

“If you can’t get the horse to water,

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bring the water to the horse,” he says with a grin.

After all is said and done, the original $25 million back-of-napkin price tag for the non-profit endeavor will have evolved into a $35 million playground, Wise says. The goals: to introduce paddling to the region in a big way and provide a local venue to encourage an active lifestyle for any demographic.

The facility is located on 300 acres of woodlands adjacent to five miles of the Catawba riverfront, which it has adopted as an amenity for its paddlers by adding a boathouse to accommodate boating, skulling and fishing. The park boasts 11

miles of biking, hiking and running trails, a high ropes course, the largest climbing wall in the country and a 20,000-square-foot lodge. The lodge includes a conference center, changing stations, equipment rental and check-in facilities, a grab-and-go lunch cafe, a full-service grill, retail and an observation deck overlooking the rapids. A 37-acre island offering primitive camping sites sits within the park’s 300 acres.

Of course, the big buzz centers around the mammoth manmade river powered by seven 750-horsepower pumps that whip 12 million gallons of water daily into Class III, IV and IV+ rapids. Up to 50 full-size rafts have clearance to ride the course at a time, and a one and a

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half hour trip can serve up eight to 10 unique rapid experiences by virtue of a 25-foot conveyor belt repeatedly feeding rafters and kayakers back into the churn.

The project came into being after Bank of America’s Vic Howie, who oversaw the bank’s sponsorship of the 2000 U.S. Olympic whitewater team, and attorney Chet Rabon visited the team’s training camp in Australia and the 2004 site in Athens, Greece. In a move that Wise characterizes as “classic Charlotte boosterism,” the two started talking with Bank of America and governmental leaders to plan a whitewater training facility in Charlotte.

The project was bound by fits and starts, including discussions of 470 different locations for the site. Initially drawn as an uptown attraction with Charlotte’s many banking high-rises in the background, it was Wise’s outdoor acumen that determined the park’s final location just north of I-485’s southern-most exit.

“One day,” explains Wise, “I was mountain biking out here and it became very clear to me that this was THE place.”

Although many players had an interest in keeping the center downtown for revenue and visibility issues, Wise and his team were seeking to create a lifestyle option, not a short-lived attraction. Many

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banks they approached were concerned that the whitewater center model would parallel an aquarium, that it would be hot for a while and then fizzle out.

“What we are impressing upon people is that it is a recreation center, an active, healthy atmosphere that brings the great outdoors just a few miles away from the metropolis,” Wise says. “The model is actually a lot more like a ski slope. Skiers have a passion for their sport and will go to any lengths to get as much of it as possible.

Plus, like a ski resort, conditions at the whitewater center will be in a constant state of flux. It is an activity, not passive entertainment.”

Building a major venue for outdoor activity is very attractive to those who believe they have to abandon activity and the outdoors for a stable income and cost of living issues. With this new, huge resource, they won’t have to choose.

Charting the Line Getting the project from the planning stage to pouring tons of cement was an arduous process, and Wise and his wife often found themselves stuck between making ends meet and pursuing what seemed like fantastical plans to put a roaring river where nature didn’t plan for it to be.

After Wise realized that someone had to make the center his full-time job, he volunteered for the task for three months. Two years later, he had burned through their savings, mortgaged their home, and was literally wondering where money for their next grocery trip was coming from.

“My wife is an amazing, strong woman,” Wise says, “But she was saying to me, ‘I can’t do this. This race is running too long.’”

A board member overheard the problems the couple was experiencing and

assembled all nine of the center’s board members, convincing each of them to personally guarantee a loan for $25,000.

The money helped the Wises and paid the designers and planners, who had seen nothing for their services thus far.

“For me, it was one of those defining moments,” Wise recalls. “One of those times when you just know everything is going to turn out okay, when something big happens to confirm your faith.”

Surprisingly, many people shared faith in what appeared to be a radical and outlandish project. Approximately five months into the project, the U.S. Kayak Team voted to relocate here.

Then, the U.S. Olympic Committee designated it as its official training site. The project’s tide of credibility rose organically thereafter.

An essential part of the formula was to designate the U.S. National Whitewater Center as a non-profit entity.

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“In a traditional for-profit structure, investors are motivated by the riskreward equation, and we weren’t interested in throwing out the integrity of the project to line anybody’s pockets,” Wise explains. “Once we introduced our true mission - providing value to the community - the fish started biting.”

Building man-made rapids on the edge of a city is revolutionary, and finding funding for the project took similar ingenuity. The project is run on two separate $10 million loans, which have been jointly guaranteed by the governments of Mecklenburg and Gaston counties and the City of Charlotte.

Official annual projections target $11 million in revenue and $4 million in operating revenue based on 300,000 visitors. If the center meets its projections, the entities will share in the profits. If it fails by the end of the seven to 10-year loan year period however, $13 million becomes due and payable.

U.S. National Whitewater Center, Inc.

Located at the intersection of Interstate 85 South and Interstate 485 Mailing Address: 1430 South Mint St., Ste. 105A Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Phone: 704-372-9695 Principal: Jeffrey T. Wise, Executive Director Employees: Approximately 300 at full capacity Established: April 2001 Scheduled Grand Opening: July 2006 Business: A 300-acre outdoor recreation and environmental learning center offering the world’s only multi-channel re-circulating whitewater river customized for rafting, canoeing and kayaking.Also offers running and mountain biking trails; a climbing center; and camping areas. Formally endorsed by the U.S. Olympic Committee and designated as an official Olympic training center. www.usnwc.org

Fundraisers for the group are still scouting private investments, including $5 million in naming rights to various sections of the facility.

Perfecting the Eskimo Roll Eventually, a director of operations will manage the center. But for now, Wise has the weighty responsibility of developing the park in keeping with its

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singular premise: providing a healthy, fun, varied and accessible outdoor recreation venue that will excite avid paddlers; be trusted and valued by families; and provide the competitive edge in training facilities for pros and Olympic hopefuls.

There is no room in this formula for making a quick buck or compromise, Wise stresses. Remaining loyal to the regionalist approach of governmental

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entities with high stakes in the project must be balanced against the center’s determination to be a world class, national facility - made clear by its name.

“We chose ‘U.S. National Whitewater Center’ to bring value to Charlotte,” Wise explains.

“There were very strong voices that pushed for having ‘Charlotte’ in the name, but we just couldn’t do that.

That would be a slap in the face to other contributors and ignores the fact that having a nationally recognized facility contiguous to Charlotte will bring more value to the city, not less.”

When a major fast food chain expressed interest in naming rights and on-site operations in the park, another challenge arose.

“At first glance, we rejected the proposal because it didn’t reflect the healthy lifestyle we are trying to encourage,” Wise says. “Our second thought was a doozy, because there was considerable money involved and I guess for a moment we lost our soul. Fortunately, we shook ourselves out of it. We decided on food service for the park that endorses healthy choices and provides easy staples for families.”

Wise is also responsible for maintaining

what he calls a “healthy creative tension” between the architects, builders, CFO, operation leadership and owners, to assure all voices get their fair day in court.

At one point, it appeared that

that is exactly where the U.S. National Whitewater Center would land. The proposed main entrance off Belmeade Drive was stalled a year ago, when partner and property developer Crosland became entangled in a city-county zoning debate over the entrance’s location. An alternate plan was to make a temporary entrance at a planned egress road to the south of the park, off Charlie Hipp Road. A handful of residents fought the move, hoping to delay this addition by two more years.

The debate became heated in June, when residents won a temporary roadblock of a third

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construction road, delaying the project by at least a couple of weeks. They removed the roadblock within 48 hours, but some contractors left for other projects when the duration of the standoff appeared unclear.

The egress road off Charlie Hipp Road is required and approved in the initial zoning for the site, according to Wise, and it is a public road.

“What is in limbo is permission to connect two neighboring county properties that promises a $35 million dollar asset right next door,” Wise says. “Plus, the infrastructure that the whitewater center is providing will eventually benefit current residents and people relocating to the area.”

A prime example is a 2,300-unit residential development Crosland is planning.

“Change is coming,” Wise says. “I just want our neighbors to consider that having an eco-friendly outdoor center footing the bill for all the lines we are putting in here, and the streets we are building could be a good thing. We are dedicated to low-impact construction and doing things right, and if they try and postpone the inevitable, they might end up with someone a whole lot less interested in these things.”

At the time of this writing, a secondary plan for the main entrance off Belmeade Drive is in planning stages, and appears to be appeasing everyone involved.

The U.S. National Whitewater Park is set to open this month, and the climate in the community is truly one of anticipation.

After the region dips its toe in the water, Jeff Wise and his cadre of consultants will take the intellectual property rights and lessons learned from tragedies narrowly averted and set off in search of the next big wave. biz

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W

elcome to our annual Greater Charlotte Biz director y of Charlotte regional business education offerings, from traditional business education programs to customized workforce training.

The American economy is transitioning to an economy founded on new production and employment systems as a result of developing technology and global competition – the “new economy.” This new economy is directly impacting workforce skills, requiring higher levels of education as well as more specialized training.

In this increasing age of displacement, there is overwhelming evidence that individuals attaining higher levels of education and training are more often and better employed and routinely describe themselves as more successful and having greater job satisfaction. There is equally compelling evidence that companies which invest more heavily in workforce education have better employee retention and are more successful, more productive and more profitable.

WORKFORCE EDUCATION DIRECTORY 34

july 2006

So, whether you are an employer interested in education and training programs to raise the performance levels of your employees, or an individual interested in gaining knowledge or skills for better performance or versatility, this directory should provide some guidance as to the breadth of offerings available.

The information included herein was solicited directly and extracted from the Web site for each school. Only licensed and accredited programs are included in this survey. Prospective students should contact a school directly for additional information.

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Appalachian State University

Walker College of Business ASU Box 32037 Boone, NC 28608-0001 828-262-2057 www.appstate.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration with majors in accounting, economics, finance and banking, health care management, hospitality and tourism management, information systems, international business, management, marketing, risk and insurance; B.A. in economics Graduate: M.B.A., M.S. in accounting with general, tax, or systems concentration Graduate certificate: Finance, information systems, and human resource management Other: Summer international and special international programs available Tuition: (Undergraduate) $1,717.25 per semester full-time; (Graduate) $1,690.00 per semester full-time (2005-06) Enrollment: 14,653 Public Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

The Art Institute of Charlotte 2110 Water Ridge Parkway Charlotte, NC 28217-4536 704-357-8020 aich.artinstitutes.edu Undergraduate: B.A. in fashion marketing & management, interior design; A.A.S. in culinary arts, fashion marketing, graphic design, interior design, interactive media design Certificate programs: Art of cooking, digital design, residential design, Web design Tuition: $372.00 per credit hour Proprietary Accreditation: ACICS

Belmont Abbey College 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd. Belmont, NC 28012-2702 704-825-6665 www.belmontabbeycollege.edu Undergraduate: B.A., B.S. in business management with concentrations in accounting, finance, banking, economics, international business, management, marketing/communications, and management information systems Other: Adult Degree Completion Program: Business management, accounting, and

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economics (baccalaureate – evening, weekend, day,) international program Tuition: $8,430 full-time undergraduate per semester Enrollment: 900 Private [North Carolina’s only Catholic College] Accreditation: SACS, NCATE

Capella University – Online

School of Business and Technology 225 South 6th Street, 9th Floor Minneapolis, MN 55402 888-CAPELLA www.capellauniversity.edu Online undergraduate: B.S. in business administration, management and leadership, human resource management, marketing, finance, information technology Online graduate: M.B.A., M.S. in organization and management, and information technology; Ph.D. organization and management Other: Professional development courses available Tuition: (Undergraduate) $1,740 per online 6-credit course; (Graduate Certificate Courses) $1,755 per online 3credit course; M.S. – $1,925 per online 4-credit course; M.B.A. – $1,755 per online 3-credit course; Ph.D. – $3,975 per quarter; Capella has corporate alliances with more than 1,350 employers who provide tuition reimbursement Private Accreditation: NCA

Catawba College

Ketner School of Business 2300 West Innes St. Salisbury, NC 28144-2488 1-800-CATAWBA www.catawba.edu Undergraduate: (Day Program) B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in accounting, general management, information systems, and marketing Adult Degree Program: (Evening Program) B.B.A. with concentrations in business management, information systems, and administration of justice Tuition: (Day Program) $9,845 per semester full-time (2006-07); (Adult Evening Program) $245.00 per semester credit hour (2006-07) Enrollment: 1,200 Private [United Church of Christ] Accreditation: SACS

Catawba Valley Community College 2250 Hwy. 70 SE Hickory, NC 28602-5164 828-327-7000 www.cvcc.edu Undergraduate: A.A.S. in business administration Graduate: M.B.A. Other: Certificate program in business administration and corporate continuing education courses available Tuition: (Undergraduate) $1,553 full-time annual tuition Enrollment: 3,943 Public Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP

Central Piedmont Community College

Comprised of 8 Charlotte area campuses,The Harris Conference Center, and the Corporate Training Center.

Central Campus 1201 Elizabeth Ave. Charlotte, NC 28204-2240 704-330-2722 www.cpcc.cc.nc.us Undergraduate: A.A.S. in business administration, international business, specialized certificate in business management Corporate and continuing education: Corporate training and public courses offered in workforce development, process improvement, leadership, management, professional development, computer skills, technical and safety training (www.cpcctraining.org). Also offering new programs including Geospatial Technology, Integrated Systems Technology, Automotive Co-op, Flexography & Graphic Arts, and Internet Technologies. Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business supports small business owners and start-ups in Charlotte-Mecklenburg (www.cpcctraining.org/e-institute).

Small Business Center: Training in running a small business Virtual campus: Television, computers, audio and videocassette tapes, printed materials designed especially for independent study, and the Internet facilitate distance learning Tuition: Fewer than 16 semester credit hours – $39.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more – $632 per semester Enrollment: 16,400 Public Accreditation: SACS

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35

Cleveland Community College 137 South Post Rd. Shelby, NC 28152-6205 704-484-4073 www.cleveland.cc.nc.us Undergraduate: A.A. in pre-business administration, and in pre-business education and marketing; A.A.S. in accounting, business administration, business administration/electronic commerce, business administration/ marketing and retailing; information systems, information systems/network administrator and support Other programs: Diploma and certificate programs available; continuing education courses available; online and distance learning courses available Small Business Center: Small business seminars Tuition: Fewer than 16 semester credit hours – $39.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more – $608 per semester Public Accreditation: SACS

Davidson College Box 7156 Davidson, NC 28035-7156 704-894-2230 www.davidson.edu Undergraduate: B.A. with a concentration in economics Tuition: $30,194 per academic year (2006-07) Enrollment: 1,714 Private Accreditation: SACS

DeVry University

Keller Graduate School of Management 4521 Sharon Rd., Ste. 145 Charlotte, NC 28211-3627 704-362-2345 www.keller.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business administration, information technology Graduate: M.B.A., master programs in accounting and financial management; human resource management, information systems management, network and communications management, project management Graduate certificates: Accounting, business administration, electronic commerce management, entrepreneurship, financial analysis, human resources management, information systems management, network and communications management, project management,

36

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public administration.

Online undergraduate, graduate and graduate certificate programs in business administration.

Tuition: $465 per semester credit hour; $1,670 per course Enrollment: 49,000 (system-wide) Private Accreditation: NCA

Duke University

Fuqua School of Business 2138 Campus Drive Box 90586 Durham, NC 27708-0586 919-684-3214; 919-681-8941 www.fuqua.duke.edu Undergraduate (Trinity College of Arts and Sciences): B.A. or B.S. liberal art studies with recommended core courses in economics, statistics, computer science, mathematics and accounting; certificate in markets and management studies Graduate (Fuqua School of Business): Duke M.B.A. Daytime; Duke M.B.A. Global Executive; Duke M.B.A. Weekend Executive; Duke M.B.A. Cross Continent; Ph.D. in business administration with concentrations in accounting, decision science, finance, management, and marketing and operations management Continuing studies certificates: Business coaching, leadership, Duke Leadership Training Associates Other: Non-degree executive education programs available; non-degree customized corporate education programs available Tuition: Undergraduate admission: $32,409 academic year; Duke M.B.A. Daytime – $39,350 (tuition 2006-2007); Duke M.B.A. Global Executive – $115,700 (full program tuition); Duke M.B.A. Weekend Executive – $91,950 (full program tuition); Duke M.B.A. Cross Continent – $93,450 (full program tuition) Enrollment: 12,237 (Fuqua enrollment 1,337, spring 2006) Private Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

Elon University

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business 2075 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244-2010 800-334-8448 www.elon.edu Undergraduate: A.S., B.S.-Business

Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurism, Accounting and Finance, Computer Information Systems (CIS)/ Management Information Systems (MIS), International Business, Management, Marketing, Economics/Managerial Economics.

Graduate: M.B.A., I.M.B.A. Other: International studies Tuition: (Undergraduate) $20,441 annual full-time; (Graduate) $1,248 per course, $16,224 total program Enrollment: 4,700 Private Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

Gardner-Webb University

Broyhill School of Management Graduate School of Business Campus Box 5168 Boiling Springs, NC 28017 704-406-4375 Graduate business programs offered at: Gardner-Webb University (main campus), Gardner-Webb University at Charlotte; Gardner-Webb University at Statesville, Burke / Valdese Center; Surry Community College; Forsyth Country Day School; and Spartanburg Regional Medical Center www.business.gardner-webb.edu www.gradbiz.gardner-webb.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in accounting, business administration, finance, international business, management information systems Graduate: M.B.A., M.Acc., I.M.B.A. Adult learner program/GOAL: B.S. in accounting, business administration, human services, and management information systems (16 North Carolina locations – online courses available) Tuition: (Undergraduate) $8,520 per semester (2005-2006); (Graduate) $292 per semester credit hour (2006-2007) Private [Southern Baptist] Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP

Gaston College 201 Highway 321 South Dallas, North Carolina 28034 704-922-6200 www.gaston.edu Undergraduate: A.A.S. in accounting, business administration (concentrations: electronic commerce, human resources management, international business, logistics management); continuing education; corporate training Certificate programs: Available in

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concentration areas such as e-commerce, human resources, international business, and logistics Professional Development Institute: Public and customized training Distance education: Internet, audio and video, and interactive video Tuition: Fewer than 16 semester credit hours – $39.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more – $632 per semester Public Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP

assisting, network management, office administration, paralegal, travel and tourism management Diploma: Accounting, administrative assistant, computer specialist, graphic design, legal administrative assistant, medical assisting, travel and tourism Tuition: $9,960 full-time per academic year Enrollment: 519 Private [Proprietary] Accreditation: ACICS

Johnson C. Smith University

Lenoir-Rhyne College

100 Beatties Ford Rd. Charlotte, NC 28216-5302 704-378-1000 www.jcsu.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration with concentrations in accounting, banking and finance, economics, management, and marketing Division of Lifelong Learning: Adult learning program Tuition: $12,120 – per academic year (2005-06) Private [Presbyterian] Enrollment: 1,474 Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP

Johnson & Wales University

College of Business Charlotte Campus 901 West Trade St. Charlotte, NC 28201 980-598-1100 www.jwu.edu/charlotte Undergraduate: A.S. and B.S. in accounting, A.S. in business administration, A.S. in fashion merchandising, A.S. and B.S. in management, A.S. and B.S. in marketing Colleges of culinary arts and hospitality: A.S. and B.S. with variety of concentrations; distance education and technical training available Tuition: $19,200 – College of Business (daytime program) Enrollment: 1,094 Private Accreditation: NEASC

King’s College 322 Lamar Avenue Charlotte, NC 28204 800-768-2255/704-372-0266 www.kingscollegecharlotte.edu Undergraduate: A.A.S. in accounting, computer programming, graphic design, legal administrative assistant, medical

38

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Charles M. Snipes School of Business 625 7th Ave. NE Hickory, NC 28601-3984 828-328-1741 www.lrc.edu Undergraduate: B.A in accounting, business education, finance, international business, information systems, management, marketing Graduate: M.B.A., M.B.A. with accounting concentration Evening College: Adult B.A. programs in marketing, management and accounting Executive Education: M.B.A. Foundation Series Tuition: (Undergraduate) 12-21 credit hours (daytime) – $18,900 full-time off campus (daytime); (Graduate) $315-$465 per credit hour Enrollment: 1,500 Private [Lutheran] Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP, NCA

Livingstone College 701 West Monroe St. Salisbury, NC 28144-5213 704-216-6000 www.livingstone.edu Undergraduate: B.S. degree with programs in accounting, business administration, and computer information systems Tuition: full-time, $10,278.90 – per academic year ($428.30 per credit hour part-time) Private [A.M.E. Zion] Enrollment: 1,100 Accreditation: SACS

Mitchell Community College 500 West Broad St. Statesville, NC 28677-5264 704-878-3200 www.mitchell.cc.nc.us Undergraduate: A.A.S. in business administration, business administration with a

marketing and retail concentration, and human services technology; A.A. in pre-business administration, pre-business education, marketing/retail education, internet technology, office systems technology, information systems and computer programming Diplomas and certificate courses: Available Continuing education: Statesville and Mooresville campuses, small business center Distance education: Internet, video, television Tuition: $1,216 (2005-2006) Enrollment: 2,243 Public Accreditation: SACS

Montreat College P.O. Box 1267 Montreat, NC 28757 800-622-6968/ 828-669-8012 www.montreat.edu Undergraduate: A.S. degree with concentrations in business; B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in accounting, international business, management, marketing, sports management and computer information systems (CIS) Graduate: M.B.A. Tuition: (Undergraduate) $8,091 per semester 2006-07 Enrollment: 1,036 (2003-2004) Private [Presbyterian] Accreditation: SACS

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

School of Business and Economics 1601 East Market St. Greensboro, NC 27411-0001 336-334-7500 www.ncat.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in accounting, business administration, business education, economics and transportation Graduate: M.S. business and economics, management Other: Evening/weekend programs in marketing and management, Interdisciplinary Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business, continuing studies, professional development courses, seminars Distance learning: Online business administration degree program Tuition: (Undergraduate) $1,679 (full-time 12+ hours); (Graduate) $1,841 (9+ hours) Enrollment: 9,735 undergraduate, 1,368 graduate (2005) Public Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

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CENTRAL

PIEDMONT

COMMUNITY

COLLEGE

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) welcomes you to Charlotte. CPCC serves more than 70,000 people with over 100 degree, diploma, and certificate programs on our six campuses throughout Mecklenburg County. Our unique Business and Industry Training program addresses the ever-changing needs of today’s workplace. CPCC offers training solutions for business and industry that are customized and affordable. �

� �

Customized for your business model Delivered at your site Training times that suit you

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Experienced instructors Search for training solutions online*

*Visit the Training Matrix® at: www.trainingmatrix.com/cpcc/ and click on the red box to access.

Learn the latest trends — Subscribe to our eNewsletter.

Call 704.330.4660 or visit the Training Matrix to register.

The Team: Michelle Miller, Corporate Training Advisor; Tanya Currie-Richards, Corporate Training Advisor; Bill Heitman, Director of Training Services; CJ Johnson, Administrative Secretary Senior

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An equal opportunity institution.

training

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Charlotte Regional Workforce College/University Appalachian State University The Art Institute of Charlotte Belmont Abbey College Capella University Catawba College Catawba Valley Comm. College Central Piedmont Comm.College Cleveland Comm. College Davidson College DeVry University Duke University Elon University Gardner-Webb University Gaston College Johnson C. Smith University Johnson & Wales University King’s College Lenoir-Rhyne College Livingstone College Mitchell Comm. College Montreat College NC A & T State University NC State University Pfeiffer University Queens University Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. College Southern Piedmont Comm. College Strayer University UNC Chapel Hill UNC Charlotte UNC Greensboro University of Phoenix USC Columbia Wake Forest University Wingate University Winthrop University York Technical College

Business School Walker College

Ketner School

Keller School Fuqua School Martha and Spencer Love Broyhill School

Charles Snipes

College of Management McColl School

Kenan-Flagler Belk College Bryan School The Moore School Babcock & Calloway Matthews Center

Location Boone Charlotte Belmont (online program) Salisbury Hickory Charlotte Shelby Davidson Charlotte Durham Elon Boiling Springs Dallas Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte Hickory Salisbury Statesville Montreat/Charlotte Greensboro Raleigh Misenheimer/Charlotte Charlotte Salisbury/Concord Monroe Charlotte Chapel Hill Charlotte Greensboro Charlotte Columbia, SC Winston-Salem/Charlotte Wingate/Matthews Rock HIll, SC Rock HIll, SC

Telephone 828-262-2057 704-357-8020 704-825-6665 888-CAPELLA 800-CATAWBA 828-327-7000 704-330-2722 704-484-4073 704-894-2230 704-362-2345 919-684-8941 800-334-8448 704-406-4375 704-922-6200 704-378-1000 980-598-1100 704-372-0266 828-328-1741 704-216-6000 704-878-3200 800-622-6968 336-334-7500 919-515-2011 704-463-1360 704-337-2525 704-637-0760 704-290-5100 704-587-5360 919-962-8301 704-687-2213 336-334-5000 704-504-5409 803-777-7000 704-365-1717 704-849-2132 803-323-2186 803-327-8000

Web Site appstate.edu aich.artinstitutes.edu belmontabbeycollege.edu capellauniversity.edu catawba.edu cvcc.edu cpcc.cc.nc.us cleveland.cc.nc.us davidson.edu keller.edu fuqua.duke.edu elon.edu business.gardner-webb.edu gaston.edu jcsu.edu jwu.edu/charlotte kingscollegecharlotte.edu lrc.edu livingstone.edu mitchell.cc.nc.us montreat.edu ncat.edu ncsu.edu pfeiffer.edu mccollschool.edu rowancabarrus.edu spcc.edu strayer.edu kenan-flagler.unc.edu belkcollege.uncc.edu bncg.edu/bae phoenix.edu mooreschool.sc.edu mba.wfu.edu wingate.edu winthrop.edu yorktech.com

Information on business and continuing education programs in the Charlotte regional marketplace was solicited both directly and extracted from the Web sites of the named schools.

North Carolina State University

College of Management Box 7313 Raleigh, NC 27695-7313 919-515-2011 www.ncsu.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in economics, accounting and business management with concentrations in finance, human resource management information systems/information technology, marketing operations and supply chain management Graduate: M.B.A., M.A.C., M.E., M.A. economics, M.S. agricultural economics, Ph.D. economics Other: Executive education program/customized programs;

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july 2006

McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education Tuition: (Undergraduate) $1,602.50 – 12+ semester credit hours (2004-2005): (Graduate) $2,651 – 9+ semester credit hours; (M.A.C.) $5,307 – 9+ semester credit hours; (M.B.A.) $5,963.50 – 12+ semester credit hours (per semester 2006-2007) Enrollment: 29,957 Public Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

Pfeiffer University

Undergraduate College at Misenheimer 48380 U.S. Hwy. 52 North Misenheimer, NC 28109 704-463-1360 www.pfeiffer.edu

Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration, computer information systems, economics, international business Tuition: (Undergraduate) $15,590– per academic year (2005-06); $355 per semester hour for part time School of Graduate Studies at Charlotte 4701 Park Road Charlotte, NC 28209 704-521-9116 Graduate: M.B.A., M.H.A., M.S.L., M.B.A./M.H.A. dual degree, M.B.A./M.S.L. dual degree Tuition: (Graduate) $360 – per semester credit hour, $435 – per semester credit hour for those classes incorporating online delivery, $405 per semester credit for regional and satellite campuses

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Education Offerings Chart 2006 Pub/Pri Public Proprietary Private Private Private Public Public Public Private Private Private Private Private Public Private Private Private Private Private Public Private Public Public Private Private Public Public Private Public Public Public Private Public Private Private Public Public

Accreditation SACS/AACSB ACICS SACS/NCATE NCA SACS SACS/ACBSP SACS SACS SACS NCA SACS/AACSB SACS/AACSB SACS/ACBSP SACS/ACBSP SACS/ACBSP NEASC ACICS SACS/ACBSP/NCA SACS SACS SACS SACS/AACSB SACS/AACSB SACS SACS/ACBSP SACS SACS MSA SACS/AACSB/EQUIS SACS/AACSB SACS/AACSB NCA SACS/AACSB SACS/AACSB SACS/ACBSP SACS/AACSB SACS/ACBSP

Undergraduate BS/BA AAS/BA BS/BA BS BS AAS AAS AA/AAS BA BS BS/BA AS/BS BS AAS BS BS/AS AAS BA BS AA/AAS AS/BS BS BS BS BA AA AAS BS/AA BS BS BS/BA BS BS BS BS/BA BS/BA AAS

Graduate MBA/MS

Online Yes

MBA/MS/PhD

Yes

MBA Yes Yes MBA MBA/EMBA/PhD MBA/IMBA MBA/IMBA/MAC No

Yes Yes Yes Yes

MBA Yes MBA MS MBA/MAC/MS/ME/MA/PhD MBA/MHA/MSL PMBA/EMBA

MBA/MS/MIS MBA/EMBA/MAC/PhD MBA/MAC/PhD MBA/MSA/PhD MBA/MS/PhD MBA/IMBA/MACC/MA/MHR/PhD MS/MBA/EMBA MBA MBA/EMBA/MS

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Special Programs International Certificate program Adult degree program/Intl. program Professional Dev./Certificates Adult BA program Corporate/Cont. Ed./Certificates Corp./Cont. Ed./Small Bus. Ctr. Cont. Ed/Cert./Small Bus Ctr. Economics concentration Graduate certificates Leadership/Custom Training International Studies Adult BS program Professional Development Adult Learning program Daytime business program Diploma program Executive Series/Adult BA prog.

College of Business Corp./Cont. Ed./Small Bus. Ctr. Corporate/ Continuing Education Entrepreneur/e-business ctr.

McKimmon Ctr./Exec. Education School of Adult Studies McColl Leadership Institute Continuing Education Certificate program Online degrees/certificates OneMBA program/Executive Ed Continuing Ed./MBA Plus cert.

Management Dev. Prog./Cert.

Professional Development Daniel Managemt Center Fast-track executive program Certificate program Institute of Management Center for Mgmt/Leadership

Please send your school updates to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.

School of Adult Studies at Charlotte 4701 Park Rd. Charlotte, NC 28209 704-521-9116 Undergraduate: B.S in business administration, health care administration and information systems Tuition: (Adult Studies) $220– per semester credit hour full-time; 12 credit and under $290 per credit hour. Additional online delivery charges may apply.

Online: Pfeiffer Online Education is a distance-learning version of the regular master’s-level courses taught in classrooms Enrollment: 2,807 Private [United Methodist] Accreditation: SACS

greater charlotte biz

Queens University of Charlotte

McColl School of Business 1900 Selwyn Ave Charlotte, NC 28274-0001 704-337-2525 www.mccollschool.edu Undergraduate: B.A. in business administration; evening program: business administration Graduate: Professional M.B.A., Executive M.B.A. Other: McColl Executive Leadership Institute - Customized programs Tuition: (Undergraduate) $19,450 per academic year (2006-07); (Undergraduate Evening) $305 per credit hour; (Graduate) Professional M.B.A. $660 per credit hour; Executive M.B.A.,

$54,000 all-inclusive tuition for twoyear program Private [Presbyterian] Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

North Campus 1333 Jake Alexander Blvd. South Salisbury, NC 28146-8357 704-637-0760 South Campus 1531 Trinity Church Rd. Concord, NC 28027-7601 704-788-3197 www.rowancabarrus.edu Undergraduate: A.A. pre-business administration, business education and

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marketing; diploma and certificate programs in accounting, business administration, marketing, and information systems, certificate programs in business technologies; industrial and engineering technologies; and health and public services technologies.

Other: Continuing education and workforce development programs; distance learning via Internet, televised interactive television courses Tuition: $39.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more – $632 per semester (2005-2006) Public Accreditation: SACS

Lockhart-Taylor Center 514 N. Washington St. Wadesboro, NC 28170-1819 704-272-5300 www.spcc.edu Undergraduate: A.A.S., certificates and diplomas in accounting, business administration (a concentration in e-commerce is available,) and information systems Other: Distance learning via Internet, televised and videotaped courses available Tuition: $39.50 per credit; 16 semester credit hours or more – $632 per semester Public Accreditation: SACS

Southern Piedmont Community College

Strayer University

West Continuing Education Center 4209 Old Charlotte Highway Monroe, NC 28110-7333 704-290-5100 L. L. Polk Campus Post Office Box 126, Polkton, NC 28135 704-272-5300

North Charlotte Campus 8335 IBM Dr., Ste. 150 Charlotte, NC 28262-4329 704-717-2380 South Charlotte Campus 2430 Whitehall Park Dr., Ste. 700 Charlotte, NC 28273-3423 704-587-5360 www.strayer.edu

Undergraduate: A.A. in marketing, business administration, acquisition and contract management, economics, accounting and general studies; B.S. in international business, economics, business administration, computer information systems, computer networking, database technology and accounting Graduate: M.B.A., M.S.I.S., M.S., health services administration, public administration, education and accounting Graduate certificate: Business administration, computer information systems and accounting Strayer University Online: Same as listed above Tuition: (Undergraduate) $1,215 - per course full-time, $1,285 per course part-time (under 13 credits); (Graduate) $1,630.00 per course Private Accreditation: MSA

UNC Chapel Hill

Kenan-Flagler Business School Campus Box 3490 3122 McColl Building Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3490 919-962-8301

How will you stand out in the workplace?

Earn a master’s degree from DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management and move up in your career. For over 30 years, we’ve offered career-oriented programs taught by working professionals, in business administration, accounting, human resources and project management. Get your professional edge by studying with us—onsite or online.

Hear what employers say: Download a free copy of “Tomorrow’s MBA: The Expectations of America’s Top Employers” at www.gotokellergsm.com.

Charlotte Center 4521 Sharon Rd., Ste. 145 Charlotte, NC 28211 704-362-2345

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www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration Graduate: M.A.C., M.B.A., E.M.B.A. (weekend and evening programs); Ph.D. business administration OneMBA Program: OneMBA executives for the Class of 2008 will be made up of approximately 100 executives living and working in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Executives attend ongoing classes at the partner university for their region, and come together for four weeklong global residencies held in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

English is the common language for all OneMBA executives.

Other: Executive education program, open enrollment and custom programs Tuition: (Undergraduate) $18,411 academic year (2005-2006); (Graduate) M.A.C. $27,717 per academic year, fulltime M.B.A. $35,300 per academic year, evening executive M.B.A. $54,000 entire program, weekend executive M.B.A. $67,200 entire program, OneMBA global tuition $77,700 entire program, Ph.D. business administration $19,012 per academic year Public Enrollment: 26,000+ (730 in KenanFlagler Business School) Accreditation: SACS, AACSB, EQUIS

institutions/commercial banking, information and technology management, international business, management, marketing, real estate finance and development or supply chain management); M.B.A. Plus certificate; graduate certificate in real estate finance and development; M.S. economics; M.S. mathematical finance; dual-degree M.B.A. program with EGADE (Monterrey, Mexico); executive MBA in

• • •

Taipei, Taiwan; Ph.D. business administration with finance major.

Other: Continuing education business programs Undergraduate tuition: (Undergraduate) $1,776.50 – full-time per semester (12+ hours, N.C. residents); Graduate Tuition: $1,964.00 – full-time per semester (9+ hours, N.C. residents); (M.B.A.) $8,928 per academic year - 24 credit hours (N.C. residents), $6,162 per

I Am An Executive VP I Am My Son’s Soccer Coach I Am Earning My MBA In 18 Months

UNC Charlotte

The Belk College of Business 9201 University City Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28223-0001 704-687-2213 (Graduate Admissions) www.belkcollege.uncc.edu Uptown Charlotte Campus 220 North Tryon St., 3rd Floor Mint Museum of Craft + Design Building Charlotte, NC 28202 Undergraduate: B.S. business administration with majors in finance (opt. concentration in risk management and insurance; industrial and operations management; international business; management (leadership, human resources management or entrepreneurship concentrations); management information systems; and marketing; B.S. accounting; B.S. economics (liberal arts or business administration concentrations) Graduate: M.Acc.* (accountancy), business administration (M.B.A./evening program with concentrations available in business, finance, economics, financial

greater charlotte biz

Any college can offer you the opportunity to earn your degree ... but only Pfeiffer University offers that little something extra ... a degree of individuality.

For more information on how Pfeiffer’s practical and applied approach to learning can change your life for the better, go to pfeiffer.edu/info.

UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS Charlotte SouthPark • Wednesday, July 12th • Tuesday, July 25th

Lake Norman • Tuesday, July 18th • Tuesday, August 1st

pfeiffer.edu/info

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academic year - 12 credit hours (N.C. residents) Total school enrollment: 20,700 Public Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

UNC Greensboro

Bryan School of Business and Economics 1000 Spring Garden St. Greensboro, NC 27403-0001 336-334-5000 www.uncg.edu/bae or www.mybryanmba.com Undergraduate: B.S. accounting; B.S. accounting and information systems; B.S. business administration; B.A. and B.S. economics; B.S. finance; B.S. information systems and operations management, B.S. international business Graduate: M.B.A. (day-time & evening programs), M.S. in Accounting, M.S. in Information Technology & Management, Ph.D. in Information Systems; M.A. in Applied Economics Ph.D. in Economics.

Dual degrees: M.B.A./M.S. – Nursing & M.B.A./M.S. – Gerontology. Post-Master’s certificates: International Business,

Management, Information Technology, & Financial Analysis.

Post-Baccalaureate certificates: Business Administration, Information Technology, Supply Chain Management Program for Management Development Undergraduate tuition: $2,028 – full-time Graduate tuition: $2,765.50 per semester, full-time, in-state graduate student Total school enrollment: 16,060 Public Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

University of Phoenix

Charlotte Campus 3800 Arco Corporate Drive Charlotte, NC 28273 704-504-5409 www.phoenix.edu Undergraduate: B.S. in business administration, e-business, management, marketing, information technology, and management Graduate: M.B.A., M.S. computer information systems; Ph.D. business administration management in organizational leadership

Rewarding.

Employers look for more than just an MBA. At the McColl Graduate School of Business you will earn an MBA and gain much more. You build a life-long network, identify your role in the community, interact with Leaders In Action speakers and Executives-In-Residence and work one-on-one with a professional coach to create a personal development plan. You only earn one MBA. Make it count.

704 337-2525 www.mccollschool.edu 44

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Other: Campus-based and online programs and professional development programs Tuition: Varies by location/program of study Enrollment: Approximately 215,000 (2004) Private Accreditation: NCA

USC Columbia

Moore School of Business University of South Carolina 1705 College St. Columbia, SC 29208-0001 803-777-7000 www.sc.edu; www.mooreschool.sc.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business administration Graduate: I.M.B.A., Executive I.M.B.A., Professional M.B.A (20 S.C. locations – Charlotte location opens in fall 2006), M.Acc., M.A. economics, M.H.R., Ph.D. economics, Ph.D. business administration Other: Daniel Management Center provides executive education and custom and open enrollment programs with an emphasis on large-scale management and leadership Tuition: Varies by program Enrollment: 37,800 Public Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

Wake Forest University

Wayne Calloway School of Business and Accountancy (Undergraduate) Babcock Graduate School of Management (Graduate) 1834 Wake Forest Rd. Winston-Salem, NC 27106-8758 336-758-5255 www.wfu.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business, B.S. analytical finance, B.S. information systems, B.S. mathematical business, B.S./M.S. accounting, B.S. analytical finance/M.S. accounting, B.S. information systems/M.S. accounting Graduate: Full-time M.B.A., fast-track executive M.B.A., Evening M.B.A. Tuition: (Undergraduate) full-time – $32,040 per academic year (2006-07); (Graduate) full-time M.B.A. program first year – $31,500; full-time M.B.A. program second year – $29,500; Executive M.B.A. program fast track 1 – $32,500; Executive M.B.A. program fast track 2 – $31,000; Evening program first year – $29,500; Evening program second

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Wingate University

School of Business Post Office Box 159 Wingate, NC 28174-9905 800-755-5550 www.wingate.edu Undergraduate: B.A., B.S. Wingate Metro College-Matthews 110 Matthews Station St., Ste. 2-A Matthews, NC 28105-6716 704-849-2132 www.metro.wingate.edu Undergraduate: B.L.S. with a minor in business administration Graduate (Metro College only): M.B.A. Other: Metro College-Adult Degree Completion Program Tuition: B.A., B.S. – $12,700 per semester BSL $250 per credit hour MBA $350 per credit hour Enrollment: 1,632 Private Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP

Winthrop University 209 Thurmond Rock Hill, SC 29733-0001 803-323-2186 www.winthrop.edu Undergraduate: B.S. business administration; B.A. economics Graduate: Business Administration, Accounting Emphasis, Executive Program, Finance Concentration, International Concentration, Software Development, Certificate Program in Software Project Management Tuition: (Undergraduate) full-time $4,368 per semester; (Graduate) full-time $4,216 per semester, Executive M.B.A. $5,375 per semester (2006) Enrollment: 6,480

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Public Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

York Technical College 452 South Anderson Rd. Rock Hill, SC 29730-7318 803-327-8000 www.yorktech.com Undergraduate: A.A.S. degree offered in the following areas: university transfer, technical, occupational, vocational;

custom-designed continuing education for business and industry Online courses available: Heavy Equipment Operator Training, Institute for Manufacturing Productivity Tuition: full-time $1,450 per semester; parttime $121 per credit hour (in-county); $136 per credit hour (out-of-county) Enrollment: 4,000 Public Accreditation: SACS, ACBSP biz

53# 0ROFESSIONAL -"!

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year $28,500; Charlotte Saturday Program $29,500; Evening program first year $28,500; Evening program second year $27,500 Babcock Graduate School of ManagementCharlotte campus Wake Forest University One Morrocroft Centre 6805 Morrison Blvd., Suite 150 Charlotte, NC 28211 888-WAKE-MBA/704-365-1717 Graduate: Evening M.B.A., Saturday M.B.A. Tuition: Varies Enrollment: 6,444 Private Accreditation: SACS, AACSB

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“We learn about best practices to successfully manage and grow our family business.”

Charlotte Metro member (From left) Lewis Barnhardt, Lee Barnhardt Hatling, Robert Barnhardt and Tom Barnhardt BARNHARDT MANUFACTURING CO. Charlotte, NC

W NE Family Business Center ~ Charlotte Metro A service of the Angell Center for Entrepreneurship

The Charlotte area’s premier resource for family businesses and closely held firms offers its members: Regular educational forums featuring executives of nationally known family businesses and closely held firms

Confidential meetings with peers where sensitive issues are discussed

Opportunities to learn from Wake Forest faculty and other nationally known experts in the field

Roundtable discussions on issues ranging from compensation to how preceding generations can relinquish responsibility

Real-world solutions to problems common to family businesses

Affiliation with one of the nation’s top graduate schools of business

Contact us at 704.366.0540 or www.mba.wfu.edu/fbc Sponsors: BB&T

•

Grant Thornton

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Greater Charlotte Biz

•

Poyner & Spruill LLP ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW

Workforce Training and Development

[workforcebiz]

CPCC A National Leader in Workforce Development Since Central Piedmont Community College’s birth in 1963, the institution has not only been making promises, but it has been keeping promises to this community. From the College’s humble beginning more than 40 years ago, a host of dedicated college and community leaders have built Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) into an institution that’s recognized nationally in workforce development. Today, CPCC serves more than 70,000 people on six campuses throughout Mecklenburg County.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only 22% of the nation’s jobs require a bachelor’s degree or higher. But, 75% of the nation’s jobs require training by community or technical colleges. That’s why CPCC offers programs and degrees needed for today’s workforce. Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering 100 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, marketfocused continuing education, special interest classes, a host of online course opportunities.

CPCC is academically, financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of Mecklenburg County. The College has a multi-campus system to better serve its students and the business community.

Currently, classes are offered at the Central Campus near downtown Charlotte, the North Campus in Huntersville, the Levine Campus in Matthews, the Cato Campus on W.T. Harris Boulevard, the Harper Campus near Nations Ford Road, and the West Campus located near Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The Harris Corporate Training and Conference Center is also located on the West Campus.

CPCC serves more than 3,000 businesses through its business and industry training programs. Today’s competitive business environment requires that organizations employ a highly skilled and productive

greater charlotte biz

workforce. CPCC’s Corporate and Continuing Education program provides courses and programs that are either customized for a specific business or industry’s workforce or targeted to an individual’s career attainment, upgrade or enrichment.

Corporate and Continuing Education also offers programs that foster civic, cultural and personal enrichment.

Training solutions offered

by CPCC include: • Computer Training – CPCC is Mecklenburg County’s largest computer training organization, providing skills and knowledge to nearly 8,000 individuals each year at companies including AT&T, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, Family Dollar, Bell South, and United Auto Workers, among others.

• Employee Wellness – CPCC offers a wide array of wellness courses that add balance and energy to employees at all levels.

• Finance and Licensure – Courses in personal finance strategies, finance for nonfinancial managers, money management, mortgage banking, notary public training and more are available at the college.

• Health and Safety – CPCC helps businesses build a safety training program in compliance with North Carolina’s Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) by offering customized classes and workshops.

• Leadership Development – The hallmark of corporate training at CPCC is the customized training solutions programs that help businesses meet their goals and objectives. In addition to leadership and team skill training, programs include business writing, communication skills, time and stress management, and 360 degree skills assessment. The corporate and continuing education program at CPCC is Mecklenburg County’s only Licensed Official Registered Provider of Command Spanish, the nation’s leading provider of Spanish training programs for the workplace.

• Quality and Process Improvement – These courses benefit managers and leaders

who work with cross-functional teams to define and measure problems and implement improvements. Courses such as Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Process Improvement, and Decision Making are among the list.

• Technical Training – From Basic Conventional Machining, to Blueprint Reading or Metrology, the Corporate and Continuing Education program offers practical training for hourly workers, frontline supervisors, and managers in technical positions.

CPCC has fast gained national recognition. Over the past several years, the college has been noted for its outstanding educational offerings to this community: • The Association of Community College Trustees Southern Region presented its highest award, The National CEO of the Year, to Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of CPCC. • In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers through innovative educational and training strategies.

• CPCC Service Learning Program participants completed 10,000 hours of service to the community involving 32 instructors, 500 students, and 210 community organizations.

• In 2002, both the Ford Foundation and U.S. General Accounting Office recognized CPCC as a national leader in workforce development.

CPCC programs and services provide citizens with new career opportunities and the chance to advance their skills. In addition, the college transfer programs offer the first two years of education for those who wish to continue their education at a four-year college or university. Simply put, CPCC promises something for everyone. 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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bizXperts: Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

bizXperts

increase your return on human capital

Growing businesses are always adding people – often into newly-created or recently upgraded positions. In planning for expansion, one question frequently asked is, “Can we afford to pay that much?” Whether it is an administrative assistant or a vice president of operations, the answer should always be the same – “What value do you expect this person to create?”

In reality, business is a lot like football. Only a few team members have the opportunity to score points: the sales person who lands the big account, the developer who designs the new product/service, or the operations manager who streamlines production. Yet, it takes a whole company to produce business “wins.” Sustained success requires good financial management, dependable information systems, effective customer service, and quality-conscious production workers.

The easiest thing to quantify about most team members – how much they cost – fails to adequately measure their economic impact on the enterprise. That is especially true for those individuals who do the blocking and tackling that make the offense and defense work.

Owners who see the enterprise as one interconnected team find ways to optimize each position by defining its contribution value. Sometimes their solutions defy the “economically sound” principles of choosing the lowest cost resource or minimizing “overhead” staff. Two examples: • Kimberly was struggling to keep up with demand for on-site service of

her installations. She hired a skilled technician to “triage” phone calls for emergency service. This “costly” customer service rep is often able to talk customers through making simple repairs themselves. Now field technicians can handle more critical calls and the company is saving on everrising fuel costs. Better yet, customers who solve their problem over the phone are delighted to find a provider who saves both their money and time.

• Last year John realized that his rapidly growing business was being constrained by the limits of his own management capacity. Fortunately, John was able to recruit three very talented individuals. The two new vice presidents brought industry experience but were new to the local market.

To accelerate their successful contributions, John also hired Ellen, his first executive assistant. By buffering interruptions, scheduling meetings and managing details, Ellen’s support allows all three executives to focus maximum time on high-impact business decisions.

Want to increase your return on human capital? Articulate key results for each position, then make sure that every person’s value contribution outweighs their cost.

Mary H. Bruce of Kaleidoscope Business Options, Inc. specializes in advising business owners on building the value of their enterprise.

Contact her at 704-375-1970 or www.kboptions.com.

no news is NOT good news Feedback is a critical component of employee development. Yet, many businesses spend far too little time and energy on feedback mechanisms. If employees don’t know how they are doing, how can managers expect them to do better?

Some managers use the body language approach. You know, “Watch my body language and you’ll know whether or not I’m happy with you.” They assume (or hope) that the employee will “get the message” and change whatever behavior is causing the problem. Unfortunately, the employee can’t read the manager’s mind, so he or she may think one thing is the problem when the manager is upset about something else entirely.

Other managers use the “no news is good news” approach. They manage by exception. In this scenario, the employee learns to dread talks with the boss because they always contain bad news. Constructive feedback and kudos are non-existent.

If you want an employee to grow, develop and improve performance, a systematic approach to feedback is needed. First, the employee must know what he is expected to do. Job descriptions are the first step. More specific and time-sensitive goals and expectations come next. Don’t

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expect employees to figure out what you as a manager think is important. Define the goals, determine what success will look like, and then provide the training and tools necessary to help the employee succeed.

Regular, informal feedback is an important component. Don’t wait until the official annual review to give feedback. Talk to your employees regularly about what is going well and what needs to be improved. Open the lines of communication so that they won’t dread the conversation. We all need to improve – that doesn’t make us bad people. Show your employees that you’re committed to their growth and development. Listen to their needs and concerns. Set them up to succeed.

Finally, as a manager, you may need training in how to comfortably conduct performance discussions. If you’re uncomfortable giving feedback, you’ll shy away from it. You’ll let things build until they are big issues instead of small ones that can be easily addressed. That’s not fair to the employee, the company, or yourself.

Feedback is critical. Humans thrive on it. Give it in abundance. If you do it right, you and your employees will be glad you did.

Denise Altman is president of Altman Initiative Group, Inc. and provides training and coaching on employee development and other management issues. Contact her at 704-708-6700 or www.altmaninitiative.com.

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“success(ion) planning” is “planning for success” In last month’s article we discussed the basic ingredients of strategic business planning. Again, in your strategic plan, you develop the blueprint for your business that will guide every decision that you make on a daily basis.

Let’s assume that you have decided the overall objective of your business, that you are in a business that deserves your investment, and that you have gotten the right people, the right systems, etc. for your business to be enormously successful. Let’s further assume that early results from the implementation of your strategic business plan are positive and that you and your business have taken a significant first step.

What is the next step in your strategic business planning process?

Once your strategic business plan has been formulated and is being executed successfully, the next step is that of looking at succession planning and exit strategies.

What exactly is succession planning? Many business owners mistakenly believe that a succession plan is simply a buy-sell agreement and a life insurance policy, where the only objective of succession planning is to make sure the owner (and his family) receives life insurance proceeds in return for his ownership interest in the company at his death. These business owners think they have a succession plan when really they only have a vehicle for providing liquidity for their family in the event of their death.

Yes, buy-sell agreements and life insurance policies are often a part of a business owner’s succession plan. However, succession planning goes far beyond the idea of an owner’s family receiving insurance upon his death.

Succession planning is a process for business owners to determine exactly how a business can continue after its founders (or current owners) leave through either sale of the business, retirement, disability or death. Succession planning addresses how a business survives the retirement or the withdrawal of its principal owners. It involves every aspect of the business and personal lives of current owners and proposed future owners. The typical result of succession planning is the identification of an “exit strategy” for current owners that satisfies their ongoing retirement needs, and a plan for the identification and implementation of the business structure necessary to survive independently of its current owners.

Succession planning and exit strategies are often the most overlooked and underplanned aspect of strategic business planning.

According to Jeff J. Saccacio, an expert in the field, the average life expectancy of a closely-held business is only 24 years. On average, only 33 percent of closely-held businesses survive their founders.

Only 12 percent survive the second generation of owners. Only 3 percent survive the third generation of owners.

In addition, only about 30 to 40 percent of businesses have succession plans at all. If you just look at business owners of very

greater charlotte biz

successful closely-held businesses, only 36 percent of those businesses have a succession plan. Approximately 53 percent of those owners have considered a succession plan, but they have not implemented any plan. The remaining 11 percent have not even thought about succession planning.

In addition, according to a U.S. Trust survey, succession planning is the “biggest source of conflict” in a closely-held business.

What is meant by “closely-held businesses”? Businesses in which a majority of the ownership is held by family or relatively small group of owners. These businesses are generally privately held; however, they may have shares which are publicly traded.

The size of these businesses varies widely from newly formed companies to long-standing companies with billions of dollars of revenue annually.

After 30 years of representing closely-held businesses and their owners, our firm believes that succession planning is the greatest unmet need of closely-held business owners today.

Why is it so important that business owners try to figure out how to make their business survive them and thrive during the next generation of owners? Our economy in the United States is driven by closely-held businesses. Approximately 90 percent of all businesses in the United States are family owned or closely-held.

These businesses help create 78 percent of all new jobs and employ 60 percent of our workforce. Approximately half of our gross domestic product depends on these businesses. In addition, the closely-held business is often the main asset of the owner (surveys have shown it is normally 60 to 80 percent of the owners’ net worth) which must survive to support the owner and his family through his or her retirement.

The worst thing that can happen to the owners of a business and the economy overall is having only a “liquidation option” for the business when the owner is ready to retire or when the owner dies.

Stay tuned for future installments focusing on the steps necessary to create and implement a succession plan which allows the business to survive and thrive after the departure of the current owner(s).

Robert Norris is managing partner of Wishart, Norris, Henninger & Pittman, P.A., a law firm which focuses on helping business owners define and achieve their business and personal objectives. Contact him at 704-364-0010 or www.wnhplaw.com.

If you are interested in contributing to bizXperts, contact John Galles at 704-676-5850, ext. 102, or jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com. biz

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

[biznetwork] Thank you to our advertisers who make this publication and its distribution to over 100,000 readers possible! Enjoy their products and services as Charlotte’s leading business-to-business suppliers.

IBC 09

Business Owners – Don’t miss it! August meeting – “All Systems Go” After examining all your internal strengths and weaknesses and analyzing all the external opportunities and threats, you have built your corporate plan of action.

Now, your company’s systems have to keep up with your plans. Learn how to set up and monitor the systems that are critical to your success.

Prepare to launch your plan with “All Systems Go!” That will be our focus at our August meeting. Come and join us!

Join y! a Tod

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Our 2006 Schedule of Meetings August – October –

“All Systems ‘Go’” “All Hands on Deck”

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Our meetings are packed with practical information you can use to improve your business and reach your goals. Join today and become part of this exciting and worthwhile group.

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For specific dates, times, locations and membership information visit www.business-success-institute.com or call Denise Altman at (704) 708-6700.

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INSURANCE PREMIUMS OUT OF CONTROL?

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

BC 03 22 08 50

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Strategic Partners for your Benefits Needs

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For more info: 704-522-8011

greater charlotte biz

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www.employersassoc.com

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Allen Tate Realtors allentate.com ATCOM atcombts.com Atlantic Software Alliance atlanticsoftwarealliance.com Ballantyne Center for Dentistry ballantynedentistry.com Blair Bohlé & Whitsitt bbwpllc.com Breakfast Club America charlottebca.com Bruster’s Ice Cream brusters.com Business Success Institute business-success-institute.com Century 21 Hecht Realty - Commercial c21hecht.com/buy/commercial.asp Charlotte Copy Data charlottecopydata.com Choice Translating choicetranslating.com Compass Career Mgmt Solutions compasscareer.com CPCC Corporate Training cpcctraining.org Daniel, Ratliff & Company danielratliff.com DeVry University Keller Graduate School keller.edu Diamond Springs diamondspringscarolinas.com Employers Association employersassoc.com Employers Association - Benefits employersassoc.com Hear Direct heardirect.com Integraphx integraphx.com Knauff Insurance knauffins.com LandAmerica landam.com Larner’s Office Furniture Outlet larnersoffice.com New Way Media wampower.com Pfeiffer University School of Graduate Studies pfeiffer.edu/info Queens University McColl Graduate School of Business mccollschool.edu Radisson Columbia radisson.com/columbiasc RBC Centura rbccentura.com Santo & Josie Café santojosie.com Scott Insurance scottins.com Scott Jaguar jaguarusa.com Simon Malls - SouthPark simongiftcard.com Sloan Financial Group sloanfinancial.net Studio Displays/Nimlock Charlotte nimlok-charlotte.com Tathwell Printing tathwellprinting.com TimeWarner Cable - Business Class twcbc.com UNCC Belk College belkcollege.uncc.edu USC Moore School of Business mooreschool.sc.edu VOYSS voyss.com Wake Forest Family Business Center mba.wfu.edu/fbc WynnCom wynncom.com

july 2006

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Spring 2006:The U.S. National Whitewater Center’s waterways are carved into the Charlotte terrain.

[bizview]

The Charlotte Region:The View from Another Perspective

Aerial, Architectural and Stock Photography Larry Harwell 704-334-7874

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july 2006

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Featuring Executive Homes in the Charlotte Region WATERFRONT RETREAT Cornelius, North Carolina Breathtaking waterfront views and sandy beaches set the stage for this luxurious estate. It is the ultimate everyday getaway complete with a resort-style swimming pool and waterfall. All living areas overlook the lake and have access to the covered terrace or patio.

The interior provides a state-of-the-art kitchen and lavish owner’s suite. 6BRs/6.2BAs MLS# 591325 - $2,275,000 Property Address: 20601 Bethel Church Road

Becky Barbour – 704-607-1733 www.allentate.com/beckybarbour.com

SUMMER OASIS Indian Trail, North Carolina Summer is sensational at this northern Union County address. An outdoor oasis, complete with in-ground pool, hot tub, waterfall and sand volleyball court, is surrounded by palm trees on nine acres. Inside find a fabulous gourmet kitchen and recreation rooms, such as a billiard room and home theater that are sure to please. 4BRs/3.2BAs MLS# 595168 - $1,500,000 Property Address: 401 Highway 218 West

Russell Wing – 704-291-8908 www.thewingteam.com

HOME SWEET HOME Matthews, North Carolina Come home to traditional elegance where an inviting front porch awaits. Sweeping, curved stairway and hardwood floors with medallion inlay are just a few of the extra-special features found right inside the door. Retreat to the luxurious master bedroom suite or unwind on the back deck, this home is ready to be enjoyed. 5BRs/4.1BAs MLS# 594125 - $644,900 Property Address: 617 Hampshire Hill Road

Kelly Ross – 704-609-3159 www.charlotteresidential.com

RED BARN RESIDENCE Matthews, North Carolina This beautiful country home is nestled in a wooded setting of more than three acres in Indian Trail. Room by room, there’s a great flow and feeling of comfort. Enjoy summer evenings on the rocking chair porch or get warm by the fireplace during winter.

Anytime of year, this house is enchanting.

4BRs/2.1BAs MLS# 596176 - $469,900 Property Address: 333 Red Barn Trail

Russell Wing – 704-291-8908 www.thewingteam.com

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FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT BEAUTY IS HEREDITARY.

2006 X-Type

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2007 XK

T H E J A G U A R FA M I LY The XK Series, the XJ Series, the X-Type and the S-Type.

Powerful AJ-V8 and V-6 engines. Fine leather and wood trim interiors.

4-year/50,000-mile warranties.

SCOTT JAGUAR

400 Tyvola Road 704-527-7000 • www.scottjag.com