Greater Charlotte Biz 2007.01 by CLT.biz & Charlotte Biz & Greater Charlotte Biz

Zobo.tv • Charlotte School of Law • Charlotte Marriott SouthPark • CC Communications

january 2007

Bob Morgan President Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

Success Ignited Chamber Rallies for City’s Takeoff

Planning A Bus

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in this issue

Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Ask Bob Morgan about the highlight of the short time he has served as president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and a broad smile covers his face. Morgan’s enthusiasm is matched only by his dogged determination to help guide Charlotte to continued growth through a carefully planned mission based on healthy economic development, good public policy and providing chamber members with increased value.

Do you Zobo? If not, you’re probably accustomed to juggling five remote controls each time you want to watch your favorite program or listen to a little jazz. Jay Faison, founder and owner of Zobo.tv, felt homeowners’ frustration and saw an opportunity. His mission? To make home entertainment the simple pleasure it’s meant to be.

16 Charlotte School of Law Filling underserved needs is a high priority at the new Charlotte School of Law. Dean Eugene Clark sees unmet legal education needs in Charlotte, and to address those needs, he likes the teaching model of the new school, aiming to fill the gaps between what prospective lawyers learn in class and what they are expected to know once they begin practicing.

28 Marriott SouthPark When murmurings first began of the possible sale of The Park Hotel, one of SouthPark’s most iconic landmarks, the news was met with nearly a widow's wail. What these naysayers did not realize is that the Marriott Corporation became as successful as it is because of the same warmth, hospitality, family focus and sense of history that The Park Hotel came to symbolize.

januar y 2007

cover story

12 Zobo.tv

departments publisher’s post

bizXperts Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

employersbiz Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

biznetwork

ontop

bizview The Charlotte Region: The View from Another Perspective

executive homes Luxury Homes above $350,000

IBC

on the cover: Bob Morgan President Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

32 CC Communications CC Communications is an online marketing firm, and more than just a mere Web design outfit. Its founders are proud of their top ranking among area Web designers, but avoid being categorized.They emphasize using the Internet and adapting its capabilities to fit the needs of clients that are interested in alternative, cutting edge solutions to marketing and operational issues.

Photography by Wayne Morris.

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

[publisher’spost] Unsustainable Health Care Premium Increases It is now 2007 and we still have done nothing to improve access to health care in our state or in our nation. Healthcare costs as well as healthcare premiums continue to skyrocket each and every year. In fact, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, premiums for employer-sponsored coverage have risen by 87 percent over the last six years. You would think that we would be more outraged by this broken health care system. I am curious. We certainly appreciate and enjoy very high quality health care, but the costs are immense. At what point are healthcare costs no longer sustainable? At what points are there so many paying so much for health care or going without healthcare coverage at all that Americans demand change in our overwhelmingly expensive healthcare system? Maybe we are beginning to reach that tipping point. Even before the government can act, international economic forces are offering new alternatives. How can that be? In the shadow of higher and higher healthcare costs, American patients are being lured to surgical enterprises in places like Costa Rica, India, China and Thailand for services ranging from heart surgeries to joint replacements and dental repair that may only cost 20 to 30 percent of what it would cost in American medical institutions. Even some healthcare insurers are getting into the act by reimbursing care in these countries when they see the savings that can be achieved by allowing their insureds to receive health care at remarkably lower costs at reputable health care centers in other countries. Even when you add in the costs of flying and staying in another country, the total costs are substantially below costs at many American facilities. Over the last 20 years we have witnessed the outsourcing of many industries. It began with the decline of American steel and auto manufacturing as industries moved overseas. Since then, many other American manufacturers have also failed, downsized or closed their operations, predominantly because they cannot compete with low wages in other countries. In the last five years, even American banks and other service-oriented companies have learned to outsource many of their call centers and technology based operations. Outsourcing health care provides new competition to the American healthcare industry. As an indication, a heart valve replacement in India would be $7,000 versus $150,000 or more in the United States, according to the Raleigh-based company IndUShealth.com. While we have experienced some competition from Canada and other countries for the delivery of drugs and pharmaceuticals to Americans, there has never been much competition to the practice of American health care that has driven down costs because it is primarily delivered locally. American regulation intended to slow increases in healthcare costs including Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement limitations have substantially failed. Concerns about the quality of foreign medical care are being assuaged since many of the physicians themselves have been educated and trained in the U.S. Many of these facilities also offer board-certified physicians and meet the accreditation standards of American care centers. However, they are not subject to American malpractice and liability laws and regulations, and seeking redress in a foreign country’s court system may be challenging at best. No doubt with a presidential contest in the offing for 2008, we will witness an increasing debate about American health care. Whether or not we reach a political consensus to reform our health care system, we will not likely see federal and/or state action that will change our dysfunctional system dramatically. Nevertheless, costs and premiums may be reaching the critical point at which alternative “outsourced” providers may become viable options for containing costs and offering new avenues for affordable care. It is still a shame that we cannot do more within our own country. biz

january 2007

January 2007 Volume 8 • Issue 1 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

Editorial & Sales Assistant Janet Kropinak jkropinak@greatercharlottebiz.com

Business Development Sandy Rosenfeld srosenfeld@greatercharlottebiz.com

Account Executive Mimi Zelman mzelman@greatercharlottebiz.com

Contributing Editor Susanne Deitzel Contributing Writers Ellison Clary Susanne Deitzel Lisa Hoffmann 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 2007 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. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Greater Charlotte Biz, 5601 77 Center Dr., Ste. 250, Charlotte, NC 28217-0736.

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HOOD HARGETT BREAKFAST CLUB

Charlotte T

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

2006-2007 Speakers: January 12, 2007 NFL Hall of Famer

Assistant Head Coach San Francisco 49ers

March 9, 2007

Ron Insana CNBC Senior Analyst and Financial Expert

May 4, 2007 Jim Nantz Broadcaster CBS Sports

Quality speakers Quality leaders Quality leads

Mike Singletary

October 12, 2007 Michael Powell Former Chairman FCC

HOOD HARGETT Breakfast Club America gives “Wake up and smell the coffee” full-bodied meaning!

February 9, 2007 James Carville Media Personality and Political Strategist

April 13, 2007 Liz Murray Inspiration for Homeless to Harvard A Remarkable Journey

September 14, 2007 Rich Karlgaard Publisher Forbes Magazine

November 9, 2007 Lloyd Trotter Vice Chairman, GE President & CEO, GE Industrial

To attend or learn more or to find out about membership,call JenniferSnyder at 704-602-9529 • jenn@hoodhargett.com

[bizXperts] bizXperts: Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

the A-B-T in selling Whatever we do, whenever we interact with the world, we do so with our attitude, our behavior and certain techniques. Together, they are important implements in a professional sales tool kit for sales professionals. In any sales organization, business owners and sales managers must get to know their salespeople well enough and be conscious how these three dimensions may appear in their salespeople as they interact with customers and prospects. Attitude, behavior and technique can dramatically affect their success or their failure. Whether it is one trait or a combination of these traits, it is not always easy to know what is helping or hurting sales interactions. After all, when you attempt to understand any of these, you quickly move into the realm of psychology or the social sciences. Nevertheless, there is nothing to fear if you keep it simple. Attitude is a state of mind, a disposition or a feeling that substantially affects personal interaction. The good news is that attitude can often be controlled and directed, but that requires people to explore the roots of their attitudes and take positive steps to erase negative feelings or focus on positive feelings. It is important to encourage the spread of positive roots, and “root out” all the sources of negativity. Sales managers find themselves in the unenviable position of constantly monitoring attitudes. Think about it, every day your staff arrives at work with certain attitudes reflecting their orientation to their tasks for the day. In order to enhance or improve their effectiveness with customers, clients and prospects, an owner or manager must be prepared to move in and adjust those negative attitudes or motivate more positive attitudes. While salespeople may not think about the impact of their attitude on their performance, sales managers must be vigilant to maintain positive and constructive attitudes to boost performance. One person’s attitude can affect a whole team and diminish the performance of the entire effort. It would be nice if everyone monitored their own attitudes and individually adjusted those as circumstances required, but it is safe to say that every manager has the responsibility to set his/her own priorities aside to further the execution of plans by the team. Attitudes influence choices in life…..your actions. A positive attitude/action moves you toward a positive result, and a negative attitude/action toward a negative result. Even better, positive results lead to even more positive attitudes and actions. Attitude leads to behavior. Behavior is how we act. Behavior is the manner in which we act. It certainly is true that behavior can be affected by our attitude, but behavior can also be controlled and adjusted. But you can’t know what behavior is controllable until you choose to master your destiny and guide your behavior consciously and appropriately. Business owners and sales managers must be on guard to encourage

january 2007

behavior that improves performance. Good behavior can become habit forming when it realizes its own rewards. Behavior is often simply acting out a role. Just like an actor, role playing requires practice and repetitive performance to improve and achieve excellence. Helping your salespeople means working with them so that they understand and learn that practice is essential so that performance improves and their behavior leads to their success. This is not a masquerade, it is personal growth. After all, managers are responsible for helping salespeople grow personally as well as professionally. Growth supports success. Appropriate sales behavior can protect salespeople from being held hostage by difficult prospects. Salespeople cannot display needy behavior. It is more important that salespeople behave in a way that finds the needs of their customers and sells to those needs. When a salesperson’s pipeline is full, they do not fear losing the deal. While they are filling their pipeline, they will behave more effectively by doing the right thing and acting in the best interest of their customer. No one wants to buy from a salesperson that appears desperate. Technique is a method of performing or a way of accomplishing. Usually, a technique is applied to achieve an end. The development and application of a technique stems from conscious efforts to succeed. Technique can be mastered, even easier than behavior, through training, observation, practice, and mentoring. When a technique is mastered, the sky is the limit. The results can be enormous. Technique can compensate for poor attitude and poor behavior, but only to the degree it is mastered and not offset by a bad attitude and inconsistent behavior. All three aspects of your professional tool kit must work together to become a complete and successful sales professional. Staying focused on maintaining a positive set of attitudes, repeatable, systematic behavior, and consistent, professional technique over time will guarantee continuous improvement and success. Don’t let bad attitudes, bad behavior and poor techniques get in the way of your success. Bob Henricks is president of Henricks Corporate Training and Development, a company dedicated to helping business owners, sales managers and salespeople succeed. Contact him at 704-544-7383 or visit www.henrickscorp.sandler.com.

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[bizXperts]

protecting your customer base when key employees leave One of the greatest “risks” that we find in our clients’ companies is the failure to properly address issues relating to retention of key employees. Last month’s article dealt with the myriad of “ownership based” incentive compensation arrangements which are used as “carrots” for key employees to encourage them to stay with the company on a long-term basis. In some situations, however, even with the best incentive compensation arrangements, key employees do leave and go to work for competitors. This article will discuss the current status of the law with respect to the business owner’s “stick” which can be used to deal with departing key employees. This “stick” used to protect the business’ customer base is called a “Covenant Not to Compete.” The information in this article is intended to assist the reader in identifying issues and is not a substitute for the advice of legal counsel. It seems that almost every day we are asked by business owners about whether a covenant not to compete is enforceable and “worth the paper it’s written on.” The answer is that though covenants not to compete are generally not viewed favorably by North Carolina courts, a well drafted covenant not to compete is enforceable. Generally, the courts will respect the employer’s interests if the employer respects the rules laid out by the court. Unfortunately, these rules change all of the time based on rulings of the court which are “fact driven” and often seem contradictory. In North Carolina, a covenant not to compete must meet five requirements in order to be enforceable. It must be: 1) In writing; 2) Made a part of the contract of employment or sale of the business; 3) Based on valuable consideration; 4) Reasonable as to time and territory; and 5) Designed to protect the legitimate business interest of the employer. What exactly do these five requirements mean? Well, there is no such thing as a valid “oral” agreement between the employer and employee that the employee will not compete. Furthermore, the employee should sign a written covenant not to compete at the beginning of his employment as part of a written employment contract, or, if the employee is also an owner of the business, upon the sale of the employee’s business. What is “valuable consideration?” It’s a general rule that if the covenant not to compete is contained in the initial employment

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contract, then the covenant not to compete is founded upon adequate legal consideration. However, if the employee begins work without a written covenant not to compete, any such future covenant must be supported by new consideration. This usually means a separate amount of money must be paid to the employee (in addition to his salary and other bonus arrangements) in order for the covenant not to compete to be valid. As to the “time and territory” requirement, time and territory are considered together and are regarded as two parts of one test. Therefore, a longer period of time is acceptable where the geographic restriction is relatively small, and vice versa. As to the issue of territory/geography, a covenant not to compete need not necessarily be framed in these terms. The scope of a covenant not to compete may focus on “customers” rather than on “geography.” The test applicable to geography applies equally to a customer based covenant. Both must be reasonable in scope when balanced against the time restriction imposed. The test for reasonableness of geography or customers is as follows: An employer must show reasonableness as to: i) the area or scope of the restriction; ii) the area assigned to the employee; iii) the area where the employee actually worked; iv) the area in which the employer operated; v) the nature of the business involved and vi) the nature of the employee’s duty and his knowledge of the employer’s business operations. To prove that a geographic restriction in a covenant not to compete is reasonable, an employer must first show where its customers are located and that the geographic scope of the covenant is no broader than necessary to maintain these customer relationships. This helps demonstrate that the covenant is truly designed to protect only the legitimate business interests of the employer. As to time, normally a five-year time restriction is the outer boundary which North Carolina courts have considered reasonable and even so, a five-year restriction is not often favored by the courts. What is our recommendation if you are considering requiring a key employee to execute a covenant not to compete? It’s simple. Contact an experienced business lawyer to help you draft a valid agreement; one which is crafted carefully to be enforceable based on the specific facts of your situation and the current status of the law. Do not use someone else’s form and do not attempt to “Do it yourself.” If you do, you will likely have something which provides no protection when a key employee leaves and pursues your customers. 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.

january 2007

[bizXperts]

meeting madness Most companies I know hold lots of meetings. They hold short meetings and long meetings, weekly meetings and monthly meetings. They may even hold an annual meeting. The most common complaint I hear from people is this, “We meet and we meet and nothing gets done.” This is what I refer to as “Meeting Madness.” There are only a few legitimate reasons to have a meeting. One is to inform. It is helpful to gather people together to give them information, especially if it is sensitive or if it involves serious upcoming changes. However, you don’t always have to meet to share information. Use e-mail, voicemail and written reports where appropriate. At a minimum, this will allow you to use meetings to discuss and act on the information, rather than simply to impart it. Second is to brainstorm. There is nothing like getting a group of people together to bounce ideas around. The interaction can result in better ideas than one person could develop alone, and the exercise helps get buy-in from those involved. The third legitimate reason to have a meeting is to plan for action. This means there will be specific assignments as a result of the meeting with deadlines and measurement mechanisms. Actually, this third reason should be a part of almost every meeting. In many meetings, action statements are stated like this: “We really need to ….” The first problem with this statement is the pronoun

“we.” Who IS “we” anyway? Without a specific person assigned, it is likely that nothing will get done. Without a deadline for completing the action, it will get put off. Without a reporting mechanism to close the loop, it will end up in the black hole of things that never got done. If you hear these complaints in your company, perhaps you should consider using a meeting facilitator. A good facilitator will help you plan, keep you on schedule and on task, and make sure assignments are specific and measurable. If you use the same facilitator over time, he or she can help you monitor progress. It’s amazing how much gets done when people know they’ll be called on to report at the next gathering. If you’ve never tried using a facilitator because you thought it was too expensive, think of the time and money you waste with unproductive meetings. Reduce the number of meetings, make those you have more productive, and you could find that a good facilitator is like money in the bank! Denise Altman is president of Altman Initiative Group, Inc. She facilitates meetings for clients to improve meeting productivity. Contact her at 704-708-6700 or www.altmaninitiative.com.

expand management capacity with outsourcing At a 1991 executive briefing, one speaker stood out from the rest. His message was, “If you can’t do it better than everyone else, outsource it!” It was a radical message for the time and many of us were skeptical. Yes, just 15 years ago it was hard to imagine manufacturers who don’t make anything or service companies who have no front-line employees. Now, outsourcing is so common that I’m surprised to see how many of our rapidly-growing clients still struggle in trying to do it all. When we suggest outsourcing, they cite concerns: reduced flexibility to respond quickly to customers, loss of quality control, or someone stealing their intellectual property. These are viewed as risks the CEO is not willing to take. Yet, in most of these companies, we see another greater risk—one or more functional areas that are unable to keep up with the evolving, changing, expanding enterprise. Why? The CEO or owner has no passion for that part of the business and considers it a necessary evil. Let’s face it—we prefer to focus management attention on the things we love. And for those other areas, we don’t hire heavy enough or provide enough rewards for the people who do it well, often accepting sub par performance rather than spending the time and energy to make it work effectively. Sooner or later, no matter how well we perform in our strongest suits, those “secondary functions” slow enterprise progress.

Are you resisting outsourcing? Rather than all or nothing, consider stepping through a more gradual progression from doing it internally to handing it off. 1. Consulting support. Contract with an expert to coach your internal team leader through initiatives that improve processes and raise performance levels. 2. Contract management. An external specialist comes in to manage one or more of your associates. An example is the part-time CFO who routinely closes the books and supervises the bookkeeper. 3. Overflow outsourcing. In this hybrid arrangement, an outside company provides off-site capacity to accommodate seasonal volume spikes or rapid response to growth surges. 4. Contract staffing. Just one step from full blown outsourcing. An enterprise with depth in the needed function hires, pays and supervises the work of a team that performs services at your site. If some functional area feels like a “necessary evil,” admit it. What you do not love, you will not nurture, and what does not get nurtured, will weaken your whole enterprise. 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.

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

january 2007

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[employersbiz]

Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

Mileage Rate and Other IRS Rates Announced The IRS recently announced that the standard business mileage reimbursement rate for 2007 will be 48.5 cents per mile. Employers typically reimburse employees at the IRS standard business mileage rate for business use of a personal vehicle. Employers are not required to reimburse employees for personal use of a vehicle, nor are they required to reimburse at the IRS rate (they can reimburse more or less than the IRS rate). If employers don’t reimburse employees for business use of a personal vehicle, employees may take a deduction on their personal income taxes for the business use. If an employer reimburses less than the standard IRS rate, employees may take a deduction for the difference between the IRS rate and the employer’s rate. For those employers reimbursing more than the standard rate, employees will have to pay taxes on any amount above 48.5 cents per mile. Other information pertinent in 2007 is as follows: • Social Security wage base: $97,500 (increased from $94,200 in 2006) • Medicare tax rate: 1.45 percent with no maximum wage base (same as 2006) • 401(k) contribution limits: $15,500 (increased from $15,000 in 2006) • 401(k) catch-up contribution for those over 50: $5,000 (no increase from 2006) (The Management Association of Illinois)

january 2007

Can you hear me now? Everyone has heard about how dangerous cell phones can be if used while driving. But how about when walking? A construction worker was strolling around a site where scaffolding was being disassembled. Engrossed in a cell phone conversation and oblivious to workers waving their arms and shouting at him, the walker/talker was hit on the foot by a falling piece of lumber. His subsequent lawsuit for workplace negligence went nowhere, as the appeals court that eventually put the final nail in the case equated walking in a construction area while talking on a cell phone with “strolling on a battlefield wearing horse blinders and earplugs.” In fact, the court ordered the worker to pay court costs. (Spartanburg Development Association)

SSN Numbers – Preventing Identity Theft North Carolina businesses now face severe restrictions on the use of customer or employee Social Security Numbers (“SSNs”). The new law is intended to cut down on theft of SSNs for use in identity theft schemes. The law prohibits the following uses of SSNs: • Printing on any card used to access products or services; • Requiring transmission over non-secure or non-encrypted Internet connections; • Requiring use to access any Internet site, unless also accompanied by a secure password; and • Printing the number on any mailing sent to an individual unless otherwise required by federal law. The new law also prohibits companies from selling SSNs to third parties without written consent, in the absence of prior due diligence regarding the purchaser’s intended use. The law contains several exceptions from these provisions, most importantly for use of SSNs for opening accounts or enrolling in plans, such as employer group medical insurance. In addition to these legal restrictions, the growing threat of identity theft should cause employers to examine when and why they request SSNs from applicants and employees. In many situations, old forms remain in use, that ask for SSNs without any good reason or business purpose. By obtaining this information, employers face potential liability if such numbers are stolen from within the company, or misplaced when discarded. Employers should limit requests for SSNs to situations where they are needed for specific legal reasons, i.e., I-9 verification. (Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP)

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[employersbiz] Survey Says….Generational Stereotypes are Often Given Weight Question: Do you believe that there are major generational differences between Baby Boomers, Gen Xs and Gen Ys? Survey Analysis: Generational stereotypes can often give valuable insight to behaviors, traits, and perspectives towards life. That’s probably why the overwhelming majority of respondents to the survey question (over 70 percent) indicated that they believe and recognize there are differences depending on generation. The age range of our current workforce spans over 50 years,

incorporating four generations in the work force. This includes the Matures or Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen Xs, and Gen Ys or Nexters. Each generation brings a unique perspective to work-related tasks. Although this workforce mix creates exciting possibilities, it is not without challenges. Working with the generations requires patience and understanding. Each generation brings a new perspective, but we need to learn to value the new ideas, and embrace the change that each new generation brings. The Matures are dedicated to a job once they take it, and are extremely practical. Willing to work hard, they typically display a great deal of patience, dedication and personal sacrifice. The Baby Boomers live to work, and are driven to succeed. They love information and choice. They tend to be optimistic and have

Using Complementary/ Alternative Medicine Insurance to Contain Health Care Costs The average annual medical plan costs $6,905 per employee; a 7.1 percent increase over the previous year’s cost. Although health care costs have dropped significantly from the days of annual double digit increases, they are still exacting a tremendous toll on most employers. According to the survey, an overwhelming majority of respondents still rated rising costs as the primary issue driving their health care strategies. Fortunately, a growing number of employers are adding another prong to their cost-containment strategy—health coverage for complementary and alternative medicine. Clinical evidence proves that alternative therapies help control medical costs through the phenomenon of substitution. Studies show that migration to high-touch, low-cost approaches like chiropractic or massage therapy can significantly reduce an employer’s overall medical costs by eliminating or reducing high-tech surgical and pharmacological treatments. In the most compelling study to date (Archives of Internal Medicine, October 2004), chiropractic benefits were proven to significantly reduce health care use and costs. In a

greater charlotte biz

comparison of the groups studied, employees with chiropractic coverage experienced 41percent fewer hospitalizations due to back pain, 32 percent fewer back surgeries, 37 percent less use of costly CT scans and MRIs and 23 percent less use of x-rays. Overall, the cost per episode of treating back pain was 28 percent lower for employees with chiropractic health plan coverage than for those without coverage. Over the past decade, the trend toward alternative care has been carefully watched by the health care and insurance industries, as well as state regulators.To ensure access for more Americans, some states are mandating that insurers cover some form of alternative services.With mandates expected to further expand, traditional insurers are expanding their complementary care offerings to make purchasing easier for employers. All in all, this growing national interest in complementary and alternative medicine therapies provides an opportunity for employers to rethink the way they approach health benefits and offer less costly substitutes to expensive traditional therapies. (Excerpt from Benefits & Compensation Digest, September 2006)

greater comfort with risk-taking. Generation X works to live. They tend to be less motivated by promises of overtime pay and more motivated by personal satisfaction with their jobs. Therefore, they will change jobs often seeking better benefits, better opportunities for professional growth, and more personal fulfillment. Generation Y is a huge demographic group, because it represents a period in which Baby Boomers produced numerous offspring. Generation Ys live in the moment and tend to be optimistic, support teamwork arrangements, have the ability to multitask, and are comfortable with technology. Often the biggest challenge when working with multiple generations is understanding each group’s unique talents, contributions and idiosyncrasies. The more you know about a generation, the more you can appreciate those who come from that generation and value their contributions. The information about these groups is valuable in all aspects of business including resolving conflicts, creating training curriculum, communicating with others, and running meetings. Researching and reading about the various generations is a great start to learning about generational stereotypes. However, learning about the generations doesn’t mean managers don’t need to get to know people as individuals. Be open to their ideas. Get to know employees’ interests, strengths and weaknesses. This is the best strategy for successfully managing a multigenerational work force. (The Management Association of Illinois) 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.

january 2007

pictured (l to r) Kyle Ray, General Manager Jay W. Faison, President Zobo.tv

january 2007

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by lisa hoffmann

[bizprofile]

Zen Zone

in the Entertainment

Zobo.tv Has a High Definition of Home Entertainment Do you Zobo? If not, you’re probably accustomed to juggling five remote controls each time you want to watch your favorite program or listen to a little jazz. It’s likely you don’t use many of the system’s dazzling (or so the salesman said) features, either. Jay Faison, founder and owner of Zobo.tv, felt homeowners’ frustration and saw an opportunity. His mission? To make home entertainment the simple pleasure it’s meant to be. A Zeal for Simplicity So what’s a zobo? The 1902 Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog advertised it as “the simplest musical instrument made.” It was a kazoo of sorts and was easy to play. When Faison was searching for the right name for his home entertainment company he wanted something related to entertainment that was catchy yet had a simple feel. “Zobo” was perfect. He tagged “tv” on the end and was well on his way to successfully branding a company meant to fill a niche for headache-ridden homeowners. After business school Faison took a job in Portugal where he got involved with a group of people that wanted to bring Blockbuster stores to the country. Faison lined everything up but then the group backed out. An entrepreneur through and through, Faison figured “why don’t I just take them on myself?” and oversaw operations of 25 Blockbuster stores (now run by a former business partner) for a few years before returning to the states. ®

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januar y 2007

Faison had become more interested in technology and home theater systems and in 1999 he founded WirePath Home Systems. WirePath focused entirely on custom audio/video and automation systems for new homes. By 2002, WirePath was the largest provider of custom audio/video and automation systems for new homes in the Charlotte market. Being in a prime position to research the home entertainment industry from the inside out, Faison uncovered a common thread running through most everyone’s experiences with home entertainment systems.

“INSTALLATION We are not satisfied until you are.” “I was hearing from customers time and again that what electronics stores and installation services were providing wasn’t what they wanted,” Faison says. “Industry experts were describing their products as “easy to use” and “great values”; customers were saying “too complicated, overpriced and unreliable.” I figured there had to be an approach that leaves the customer feeling better about their investment and enjoying their systems more.” Faison saw a niche and set out to figure out how to fill it. He set about evolving his business to tame the complexities of home entertainment systems and offer the greater value and reliability customers thirsted for—to fill the gap between high-end custom home entertainment installation companies and the big box stores many people on a more modest budget resort to. “When I realized there was no one in the middle, my vision really started to come into focus,” Faison says. “I decided I wanted to position my business somewhere in that middle ground.” The Niche Master Faison formulated a business strategy that focused on simplicity, value and reliability, and re-branded the company as Zobo.tv to best represent his vision. He opened his first storefront in the Pineville Design Center in 2004, offering systems ranging in price from $4,000 to $25,000. With his vision clearly developed, Faison fashioned his new business like a

januar y 2007

jigsaw puzzle piece fitted snugly into the open niche. Basing each decision on his mantra of simplicity, value and reliability, Faison began steering Zobo.tv toward setting up home entertainment systems for homeowners in addition to wiring new construction for builders. The first obstacle Faison faced was simplifying the highly complex field of home entertainment. As he walked through the cavern of a big box store’s television displays it became clear that narrowing the choices was a good first step. “If you look at four different brand receivers of the same class, the guts are the same and you can’t hear a difference. So here we just offer one,” Faison explains. “We just give you what you want and not a whole lot more that you don’t need. If there’s not a big demand for a product we don’t offer it. And that simplicity allows us to keep it simple for the customer, deliver on our promises and really understand our products inside and out.” Simply by narrowing the choices, Zobo.tv streamlines the entire buying

WirePath Home Systems, LLC dba

Zobo.tv 10405-F Granite St. Charlotte, N.C. 28273 Phone: 704-672-9151 Principal: Jay W. Faison, President; Kyle Ray, General Manager Employees: 30 Founded: 1999 Store Locations: Pineville Design Center, Northlake Commons Design Center Business: Supplies and installs home entertainment systems and furniture for private and commercial customers. www.zobotv.com

process. Although it may seem as though fewer choices is a negative thing for the consumer, Faison—and his customers— view it as entirely positive. All Zobo.tv set-ups are packaged for maximum value and performance in each respective price range and application. Zobo.tv’s customers spend a fraction of the time choosing their systems that customers at the most expensive custom home entertainment companies or big box stores spend. All package prices are posted prominently nearby the displays. “You can come in here, look at our set-ups and in 15 minutes you can decide what you want,” Faison says. “You’ll know exactly what it’s going to cost and you can be assured that you’ll have one simple remote for everything.”

“SERVICE The best service you’ve ever had even after the sale.” Zobo.tv’s showroom is divided into “rooms” so that customers can see various set-ups in settings similar to what they have at home. If they’re looking for a living room system they can visit the living room section. If they’re looking for a basement set-up they can check out the basement displays. “You spend more time here talking about your room than the TV or receiver,” Faison says. Screening Costs Narrowing the choices led Faison to solutions for his other business goals. Zobo.tv buys in quantity, negotiating a reduced price with its electronics vendors. Zobo.tv is the third largest dealer of Pioneer/Elite products in the Southeast. Faison has furniture made offshore and buys it by the container load. Mounts, cables and other commodities are often bought straight from foreign factories, cutting out the expensive middle man. “We save money any way we can and then pass that savings on to the customer,” Faison says. “It’s a formula that works for us in a lot of ways. And we have a lot of delighted customers.” Having one remote control for all their home entertainment components is a

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significant benefit for many customers. “I’ve heard every story there is out there about how hard it is for people’s parents or baby sitters to figure out how to use their TV,” Faison says with a laugh. “It doesn’t have to be that way. All our remotes are pre-programmed for a customer’s components. Anyone can learn to use the remote in a quick minute. It really is that easy. We encourage customers to shop around and compare us to other companies. It’ll make them feel great about the value they’re going to get here.”

“ONE REMOTE Universal remotes that really are...universal.” Limiting the number of components it offers also allows Zobo.tv’s technicians to become completely familiar with the equipment they’re installing, using the same installation process every time. Faison oversees time-motion studies at his warehouse where installers are run through the process over and over again to ensure maximum efficiency. Supplies are pre-loaded the night before scheduled installations so that installation crews are turning the ignition keys in the delivery vans at 7:01 a.m. Zobo.tv has also removed many of the layers of communication for the customer. The salesperson becomes the customer’s single point of contact for everything from choosing a system to scheduling installation to troubleshooting any issues that come up. Zobo.tv installs about 90 systems per month. “We establish a certain comfort level with our customers,” says Kyle Ray, Zobo.tv’s general manager. “I see salespeople becoming real friends with their customers all the time.” “And we’ve developed a real reputation among our customers; more than 50 percent of our business comes from referrals. Many of those people are pre-sold when they walk through the door,” Faison adds. Past, Present and Future Faison knew he’d hit on the right formula almost from the day he opened the doors in Pineville. “We were lucky enough to have a lot of success right out of the chute.” A little luck and a lot of

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planning results in happy customers who like to tell their friends about Zobo.tv. “I get an e-mail every other day from customers who are just delighted with the whole experience,” Faison explains. “That’s how I know I’m hitting the mark. People won’t take the time to tell you they’re happy unless they’re absolutely thrilled. Our whole business is predicated around delighting the customer and getting them to tell someone else about us.” When Zobo.tv first opened Faison was spending seven percent of sales revenue on television, radio and print advertising. Today the company spends only two percent of its sales revenue on advertising, most of which is devoted to direct mail for new home owners. Sales figures topped $4 million in 2005 and were forecasted to reach $6.8 million at the end of 2006. Now that Faison has simplified the home entertainment system installation process for customers, he faces new challenges for growing the company. The very things that make Zobo.tv unique are the

same things that are difficult to market. The concept doesn’t easily fit into a sound byte or television commercial. Faison plans to add more information and videos to his Web site in the hope that people will surf through and spend a little time getting educated. “Instead of getting a master’s degree in home entertainment, they can take a few minutes to see how we can make the whole process easier and more enjoyable,” Faison explains. The full cost of ownership of a home entertainment system is another concept that’s difficult to communicate to the public. Zobo.tv is careful to do the job right the first time and protect customers’ investments with things like surge protectors. This isn’t common practice, according to Faison.

“ TURN-KEY SYSTEMS AHHH, simplicity from shopping to showtime” Faison just bought each salesperson a new car to promote the business and offer one of the perks that makes Zobo.tv is a nice place to work. “It’s great here,” Ray says. “We’ve gotten quite a reputation for being a great place to work because employees are treated with respect. The stores are closed on Sundays, for example. Being well-trained makes you feel good about your job, too. The employees believe in the products and it shows.” Faison recently opened a second store at the Northlake Mall in north Charlotte and says he’s well-positioned to open more stores in the future should he decide to. The Zobo.tv concept is now so well-defined that replicating it would be easy. More stores are not part of the current growth plan, though. “Our next initiative is to go beyond these four walls and out into the community and build relationships with realtors, interior designers and builders,” Faison explains. “We’re aiming for $15 to $16 million per year (sales) by 2009.” It may not be as easy as playing a zobo, but if past history is any indication, Zobo.tv will hit the mark. biz Lisa Hoffmann is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

januar y 2007

pictured (l to r) Victoria Taylor Carter Assistant Dean of Admissions E. Eugene Clark Dean and Professor of Law Charlotte School of Law, LLC

january 2007

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by ellison clary

Charlotte’s New Legal Beagle

[bizprofile]

For-Profit Law School Offers Practical Approach

Filling underserved needs is a high priority at the new Charlotte School of Law, a for-profit institution with a pragmatic approach to teaching and learning. Dean E. Eugene (“Gene”) Clark, who signed on with the school in late 2005, left Australia for Charlotte and the school, which welcomed its first students this past August. He sees unmet legal education needs in Charlotte, and to address those needs, he likes the teaching model of the Charlotte School of Law. “What excites me,” says Clark, “is a legal education that is extremely student-centered. It is based on outcomes, and we will be judged by the outcomes we produce in the lives of our students, which includes not only success in law school, not only a high bar passage rate, but also a fulfilling career afterwards.” Before arriving in Charlotte, the Kansas-born Clark was executive dean of the Faculty of Law, Business and Arts at Charles Darwin University in Australia’s Northern Territory. This involved leadership of four schools (including law) across six campuses. He forged a 30-year education career in the Land Down Under. ® Charlotte, the law school’s legal beagle

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His wife Pat has long-established roots in North Carolina, however. Her mother was a tribal member of the Cherokee Nation and her family was among the Cherokees that were moved from the Blue Ridge Mountains to an Oklahoma reservation. Clark is practical in his vision for this new institution: He hopes they can address the gaps between what prospective lawyers learn in class and what they are expected to know once they begin practicing. “We’re making a far more serious commitment to skills and to comprehensive professional development,” Clark says, “and it’s really a professional degree compared to the traditional model.” By reaching out to underserved populations, Clark means for Charlotte School of Law to offer this type of education to those who might not otherwise have access to it. In its inaugural class, 18 percent of Charlotte School of

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Law’s students are people of color. The focus on an underserved population reflects an emphasis of The InfiLaw System, the parent company of Charlotte School of Law, as well as sister campuses Phoenix School of Law and Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Fla. Now a decade old and accredited by the American Bar Association, Florida Coastal has become the nation’s only law school where minority students have outperformed those of the majority on the state bar exam. Based in Naples, Fla., InfiLaw’s

chief executive Rick Inatome is managing director of Sterling Partners, a $300 million private equity fund. A technology industry pioneer, Inatome founded a computer company as a 17-year-old and, in a decade, transformed it into Inacom, a Fortune 500 firm with approximately 20,000 employees. He is a champion of bringing minorities into the American business mainstream. Ensconced in a Georgian-style building on East Morehead Street, Charlotte School of Law has already begun serving a city and region that Clark views as underserved. Until this new campus opened, Charlotte was the largest city in the United States without a law school. North Carolina is the 48th state in number of lawyers per capita and South Carolina ranks last. The new law school occupies 33,600 square feet in the three-story Morehead Street structure that had been home to legal firms for decades. It also operates classrooms in 10,000 square feet of a building on Harding Place, a block away. Total employment is 40, including 12 lawyers on staff and six full-time faculty. Clark expects the faculty to double for next fall.

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“

We will be deeply

embedded in the

region. Our faculty will contribute to innovation in Charlotte. We are adding value,

”

bringing people in

$21,700 part-time. Clark calls that roughly equivalent to out-of-state tuition at UNC Chapel Hill, and Taylor Carter adds that financial help is readily available. About half the first class gets financial aid through loans or scholarships. “We’ve got a very generous merit scholar program,” she says, “and wonderful lenders that we work with. We have a nice partnership with Wachovia for folks to look at some other creative financing.”

and creating jobs.

~ Dean Gene Clark

Meanwhile, in another non-traditional move, Charlotte School of Law will accept approximately 20 more students for admission this month. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for December college graduates or for people who don’t want to wait until August,” says Victoria Taylor Carter, assistant dean of admissions. A Greensboro native who graduated from the North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham, Taylor Carter came to the new Charlotte school after working in human resources handling employee matters for Wachovia, a stone’s throw away in center city. Class Begins Taylor Carter offers a catalogue of statistics on the school and its students. It received 1,010 applications for the first class. They came from 46 states. The school accepted 420 and a bit fewer than half of those sent in seat deposits. That ultimately produced 85 students for the initial class, with some from as far away as Hawaii and Maine. A full 75 percent come from the Greater Charlotte region. In the fulltime program, 48 percent are men and 52 percent women, and their average age is 27 or 28. Of 18 part-timers, 55 percent are men. Overall, students’ ages range from 21 to 48. Tuition is $26,900 for full-time and

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the place to go to protect all that’s important to you since 1969

She believes attrition will be low, partly because of a strong academic support program that recognizes differences in learning styles. The school soon will add a career services director to help students find summer work as well as post-graduation employment. Provisional ABA Accreditation takes 24 to 36 months, Taylor Carter says, adding that the school is working hard to make that happen before the first class graduates in 2009. A team from the American Bar Association will visit ®

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the school in fall 2007. ABA provisional approval by spring 2008 is the school’s goal, with full approval targeted for 2010. Students who graduate from a provisionally accredited law school are entitled to sit for the bar exam. And why would an employer consider a Charlotte School of Law grad? Taylor Carter has a ready response. “Our inaugural class, they’re part of something that isn’t an established shop,” she says. “They’re willing to take the risk and join us in this journey. These are the kind of folks that are going to be bulldogs. They’re not afraid of work.”

“

The community has welcomed the school, and that has reinforced our desire and commitment to be part of the community.

”

~ Dean Gene Clark Indeed, Adam Bridgers says he picked Charlotte School of Law partly because he likes the Queen City and also because he’s not averse to risk. From the Wilmington area, Bridgers was student body vice president in his junior year at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he graduated with a bachelor’s in political science in May 2006. Risk a Success Factor “You look at individuals in American society that we consider successful and what’s one common factor?” Bridgers asks. “It’s risk. A key to success is risk-taking. Look at Bill Gates and people like that. It is taking a risk to be at a new school, but I believe it’s a healthy risk.”

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Dean Clark, 58, is no stranger to risk, having left the predictable life of a Kansas attorney to teach in Australia. He acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit of the school’s first class and adds that the legal education the school offers is focused on outcomes in students’ lives. He thinks another attraction is the quality of people associated with the school. Its board includes Burley Mitchell, retired chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court, and is chaired by Shirley Fulton, a former N.C. Superior Court judge. Art Gallagher, president of the Charlotte campus of Johnson & Wales University, says he joined the school’s board because he was impressed with its leadership, student-centered approach and commitment to serve the underserved. “The core values at Charlotte School of Law are similar to those at Johnson & Wales University,” he says. Clark values advice Gallagher shared. “If you have a commitment to the community, you will get rewarded ten-fold,” Gallagher told him. “The community has welcomed the school,” Clark says, “and that has reinforced our desire and commitment to be part of the community.” Charlotte School of Law won’t turn a profit for at least seven years, Clark says, but it is contributing to the Charlotte region in many ways already. Not the least of these is developing people who will add value to companies and organizations, regardless of whether their core function is the law. “The law degree is becoming akin to a premiere master’s of business administration degree,” Clark says, adding that banks are among the biggest hirers of attorneys these days because of the heavily regulated environment in which they operate. “Training in law develops conceptual thinking, and argumentative and other skills that are of the highest order,” he adds. An Image That Will Grow Asked about the longer term future for Charlotte School of Law, Clark

...another attraction is the quality of people associated with the school. Its board includes Burley Mitchell, retired chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court, and is chaired by Shirley Fulton, a former N.C. Superior Court judge.

points to a greeting card he plans to send to one of his two daughters, both of whom are on tennis scholarships at Montana State University. It pictures a housecat staring into a mirror and seeing the image of a male lion. “We will be a law school highly regarded by its students and employers,” he says. Students will be helping with legal aid, working part-time in government and in various law firms. “We will be deeply embedded in the region,” he continues in painting his view of a decade from now. “Our faculty will contribute to innovation in Charlotte. We are adding value, bringing people in and creating jobs. We will have invested millions of dollars in the Charlotte community.” He expects the school will find larger quarters in two or three years. Clark would be open to cooperating with area schools, such as UNC Charlotte and Queens University of Charlotte, to give their M.B.A. students an opportunity to combine that degree with a Juris Doctor from Charlotte School of Law. He might even consider a law school partnership with either campus. “We’re going to be successful in

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waynemorrisphotography wayne@wmphoto.biz www.wmphoto.biz

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Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

Charlotte School of Law, LLC 1211 East Morehead St. Charlotte, N.C. 28204 Phone: 704-971-8500 Principal: E. Eugene (“Gene”) Clark, Dean;Victoria Taylor Carter,Assistant Dean of Admissions Parent: The InfiLaw System, Naples, Florida; CEO Rick Inatome Employees: 40 Established: 2004; first class August 2006 Initial Enrollment: 85 Additional Campuses: Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville, Fla.; Phoenix School of Law, Phoenix,Ariz. Business: Part of a consortium of independent, community-based, for-profit law schools endeavoring to make legal education more responsive to the changing legal profession, with a mission is to establish student-centered, American Bar Association-accredited law schools in underserved markets graduating students with the skills of second-year law professionals. www.charlottelaw.org

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our own right,” he says, “but we would be open and responsive if there is a value proposition that is good for both organizations.” But for now, Clark concentrates on producing quality graduates. Reemphasizing a commitment to teaching, Clark says Charlotte School of Law administers a rarity—a mid-term exam. Further, professors sit down with students and give feedback on their graded papers. Every student must have a personal laptop computer. Classrooms and gathering spots are festooned with electric sockets. Each graduate will have built an electronic portfolio and will be able to show a prospective employer a compact disc that includes writing samples and excerpts from making a mock argument. “We’re big on evidence,” Clark says. “We’re not based on anecdotes.” biz

For more information on how The Employers Association can help you reach your New Year’s HR Resolutions, please visit us at www.employersassoc.com or call 704-522-8011.

YOUR TRUSTED RESOURCE SINCE 1958 WITH 790 LOCAL MEMBER COMPANIES greater charlotte biz

januar y 2007

photo: Wayne Morris

Bob Morgan President Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

january 2007

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by lisa hoffmann

[bizprofile]

Success Ignited Chamber Rallies for City’s Takeoff Ask Bob Morgan about the highlight of the short time he has served as president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and a broad smile covers his face. “The day I was appointed,” he says simply. “It is a great time to be in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I’m thrilled to be a part of its growth.” Morgan’s enthusiasm is matched only by his dogged determination to help guide Charlotte to continued growth through a carefully planned mission based on healthy economic development, good public policy and providing Chamber members with increased value. He calls it a “three-legged stool,” an apt name for a vision meant to support business in our

photo by Brad Kuntz, courtesy of The Charlotte Chamber

thriving city.

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january 2007

The Three-Legged Approach Job one of the Chamber is to recruit new jobs and investment, Morgan explains: “Job growth [through the third quarter of 2006] was running slightly below last year’s record and investment is literally off the charts.” The previous investment record for 12 months was $2.6 billion and figures had already topped that by the end of the third quarter of 2006. “And Bank of America recently announced its new 32-story tower,” he adds. “That’s another $450 million. We’re very fortunate in that Charlotte is on a lot of radar screens. Our goal is to continue this trend.” In addition to recruiting new business, the Chamber has placed increased focus on retention. Rather than taking the existing business base for granted, Morgan cites the Northeast and the Midwest as model regions that have taken a proactive stance with business retention programs. The Chamber recently rolled out “Business First,” a program that targets 400 at-risk companies in Charlotte and uses trained volunteers to conduct formal surveys of those business’s leaders.

“

Charlotte’s just a great place to be and it's not that difficult to convince people of that. Our job is to help ensure that the positive growth and attraction continues into the coming decades.

”

~ Bob Morgan

The first useful result of that program is constituent service casework, which reveals companies’ weaknesses, such as a need for training, and guides troubled businesses to viable solutions. The second business-retention measure is aggregating the survey data to provide a snapshot of what’s happening within Charlotte’s existing businesses. “This helps us forecast and plan for the future,” Morgan says. “We know how many jobs a company plans to have

januar y 2007

lenge facing this region and indeed the state is transportation funding,” Morgan asserts. “The current MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) figure is 1.4 million people. We project that in 20 years the MSA will rise to 4.2 million people, making us as large in 20 years as Atlanta is today. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when and what is it going to look like? How are we going to fund that growth?” The third leg of the Chamber’s supportive stool is providing real value to its members. The Bob Morgan addresses the Chamber’s annual meeting. Chamber lost the following year, what major chal1,500 members after 9-11 and never lenges it is facing and what they’d like bounced back. Its membership once the Chamber and the public sector to reached a high of 5,000, but currently work on.” hovers around 3,750. “We lost 1,000 The second leg of the stool focuses members last year, 80 percent of which on public policy. The Chamber’s goal is was winnable,” Morgan says. “Clearly to remain active and visible as a legislawe need to provide more value to our tive presence representing the needs of members and help them understand Chamber members and of Charlotte. how we can support them.” Charlotte’s Chamber is the only chamber Not a man to procrastinate, Morgan of commerce in the state that has a fullhas already implemented a program time lobbyist walking the halls of the designed to reach out to new members. Legislature in Raleigh. Each of the Chamber’s 50 staff members The school bond issue Charlotte is is assigned to contact and communicate likely to vote on this year is of particular with a new member within 30 days of interest to the Chamber, Morgan says. joining. The Chamber has not been very “We will be very supportive of that.” good at telling members what it can do Chamber members are increasingly confor them, Morgan says, a potentially cerned about crime so the Chamber will fatal mistake. likely support proposed jail bonds. The “We’re in a growing, vibrant marChamber has its eye on transportation ketplace and we are not growing legislation too. membership units,” he says. “We have “The long-term public policy chalmade it our mission to become more

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member-centric, to find out what our members expect from us and match those expectations to our delivery of value. There’s no reason why we can’t be an organization of 8,000 members within the next 20 years. If we don’t have that vision we won’t get there.” Morgan and his staff also implemented a regional partnership plan that allows members of chambers in surrounding areas to join the Charlotte Chamber for a discount. It’s a win-winwin proposal, Morgan explains. The Charlotte Chamber wins because it gets a new member, the business wins because it can avail itself of the Chamber’s resources, and the regional chamber wins because the business can’t get the discounted membership in the Charlotte Chamber unless it belongs to its local chamber. A Big Fish in a Bigger Pond Morgan’s three years overseeing the Gaston County Chamber of Commerce’s eight-member staff got him acclimated to a CEO role—and got him thinking

like an entrepreneur too, he says. “I learned that Wednesday nights the garbage had to be brought to the curb,” he says with a laugh. His experience there helped prepare him for the Charlotte Chamber role and he came to the job quite focused. “One of the hardest things for the Chamber to do is to stay true to our core mission,” he says. “I have to say no to a lot of good opportunities that come across my desk. We’re about economic development and you can make the case that anything is good for economic development. In trying to be mission-focused and membercentric, though, we have stay true to our vision.” When the Chamber appointed Morgan in the fall of 2005 the organization was still strong in pulling money into Charlotte but was suffering from flat membership. The first thing Morgan did as the new president was sit down with the staff and create a five-year plan. The detailed, 23-page plan is in draft form, he says, and is

sure to evolve. But it’s a key to the Chamber’s future growth and success. “Having a plan helps us focus and gives us some targets to shoot for.” In an effort to become leaner, the ®

Greater Charlotte Chamber of Commerce 330 South Tryon St. Charlotte, N.C. 28232 Phone: 704-378-1300 Principal: Bob Morgan, President Employees: 50 Founded: 1915 Mission and work: Works to grow the economy, serve as a voice for local businesses and deliver value in order to ignite success for chamber members and for Charlotte. Recruits new businesses and retains and supports existing businesses to promote quality economic growth. Represents members’ interests in government and legislative issues. www.charlottechamber.com

greater charlotte biz

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Fortunately, we’ve got a great group of people here who have really rallied around the changes and shown great enthusiasm.” Eye on the Future The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce recently ranked Charlotte second among American metropolitan areas to attract 25- to 34-yearolds with a four-year college degree, a demographic Morgan refers to as the “Creative Class.” Eager to maintain that momentum, the Chamber is implementing a Creative Industries Council this year. The council will Senator Elizabeth Dole was honored by the Charlotte target creative firms Chamber and Duke Energy with the Citizen of the Carolinas and look for ways to award, given annually to an outstanding citizen who has raised serve the creative awareness of and contributed to the reputation of our region through leadership and innovation. industry. “We typically don’t have much marChamber delegated or eliminated 20 ket penetration in that marketplace and programs and initiatives that didn’t fit we need to change that,” Morgan says. its core competency. Morgan left no Deciding to remain competitive rock unturned in his quest to streamwith other regions is easy; defining line and nothing was sacred. The leadthose regions is a bit more challenging. ership school the Chamber’s been run“For every company it’s just a different ning for 35 years is now part of circumstance,” Morgan explains. “For Leadership Charlotte. Charlotte some corporate headquarters we comReads—a program Morgan calls “wonplete with Atlanta and Dallas. If they’re derful and valuable”—is now run by coming from New York they always the Public Library of Charlotte & have the option of staying there. More Mecklenburg County. Morgan also cut often than not we’re benchmarking seven staff positions in the beginning of against places like Tampa, Richmond his tenure, something that was “difficult and Nashville.” but necessary.” Morgan cites several challenges The changes allowed the Chamber Charlotte faces in the competitive to trim its budget by $1 million. arena. Work force development is “Carroll Gray [former Chamber presiheavy on his mind. “Our population is dent] was my mentor and he taught not as well-educated as some of these me that ‘if it ain’t broke, break it.’” other regions and that’s a concern as we Morgan explains. “I don’t go around look to compete for the high-skilled jobs breaking things for the sake of breakof the future,” he says. “UNC Charlotte ing them but maintaining the status represents one of the greatest opportuniquo is not enough for Charlotte if we ties we have for positive growth. It gradare to succeed over the long run. uated 50 Ph.D.s in 2006, which is about

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double what it graduated in 2005 but is still just a fraction of what universities in some of these other cities are putting out. There’s also a direct correlation between research and job growth. So the Chamber will continue to support university funding with an eye on staying competitive.” The state’s personal and corporate income tax rates make it less attractive to prospective businesses and the longterm challenge of transportation makes the Chamber’s job more difficult too, according to Morgan. “Charlotte’s transportation infrastructure is a ticking time bomb,” Morgan says. “From the outside it still looks pretty good so it’s not chasing people away yet, but in the long term it’s going to be a problem.” A potential US Airways/Delta merger has Morgan concerned about Charlotte losing hub status. Delta’s big hub is in Atlanta and maintaining two large hubs so close together seems unlikely, although airline officials have assured Charlotte’s leaders that the hub will remain. Morgan stresses the importance of retaining the airline’s hub status, a critical factor in the city’s ability to attract businesses and professionals. “Right now we’re enjoying the fruits of investments that were made over the last 10 or 15 years and they’re wonderful,” he says. “We’re nearing the completion of I-485 and later this year

Mission The Charlotte Chamber works to grow the economy, to serve as a voice for business and to deliver value... in order to ignite success for our members and for Charlotte.

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“

We have made it our mission to become more member-centric, to find out what our members expect from us and match those expectations to our delivery of value. There’s no reason why we can’t be an organization of 8,000 members within the next 20 years. If we don’t have that vision we won’t get there.

”

~ Bob Morgan

we’ll see the opening of the transit line to Pineville. We’re already seeing the development that’s occurring on that route line. That’s very exciting. We’re seeing young people from the Northeast continue to come here and have such a positive experience that their family members follow them down. Three years from today we’ll have the 15-story NASCAR Hall of Fame. We have the Wachovia tower and the Bank of America building coming in. Hopefully we’ll be seeing the construction of a minor league baseball stadium and city park soon. These are all positive, attractive things.” A true cheerleader, Morgan has a mental list of Charlotte’s positive attributes at the ready: “Being the second largest financial center in the United States is a big boon. In addition to offering the convenience of an international hub, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport has a $10 billion impact on the area, something we’ll work to keep. We have a good location, strong business environment, growing metropolitan area, accessibility, we’re attractive to the creative class, we have great weather… Charlotte’s just a great place to be and it’s not that difficult to convince people of that. Our job is to help ensure that the positive growth and attraction continues into the coming decades. And, God willing, I’ll be sitting in this chair as it does.” biz Lisa Hoffmann is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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John Marriott III President and CEO, JWM Family Enterprises Michele Pajot General Manager, Charlotte Marriott SouthPark

january 2007

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by susanne deitzel

[bizprofile]

Boutique Hospitality at Its Best

Marriott Buys into Understated Luxury When murmurings first began of the possible sale of The Park Hotel, one of the most iconic and venerable of SouthPark’s landmarks, the news was met with nearly a widow’s wail. Built in 1984 as a labor of love by one of Charlotte’s leading families, H.C. “Smoky” Bissell and his wife, Sara, the hotel reflected the couple’s luxurious tastes, was outfitted with one-of-a-kind antiques from their travels, and was reputed to be one of the warmest, most accommodating and unique sites in the Charlotte area. So when The Park Hotel, which was designed to the specifications of the Bissells and lovingly decorated by Sara Bissell herself, went under contract to none other than the megalithic Marriott

greater charlotte biz

Hotel group, prevailing gossip coddled fears of homogeneity, and the loss of one of the most accommodating and colorful of Charlotte’s meeting places. What these naysayers did not realize is that the Marriott Corporation became as successful as it is because of the same warmth, hospitality, family focus and sense of history that The Park Hotel itself came to symbolize. And, what anyone who knows the Bissells should have guessed is that Smoky and Sara Bissell were not going to see their ‘baby’ going to just anyone, and they wanted assurance that their family of staff would be well-cared for. They found what they were looking for in John W. Marriott Jr., chairman and CEO of Marriott International, Inc.

Living Legacy John W. Marriott Jr. is the son of Marriott founders J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott, so he knows a thing or two about legacies. Today’s $19 billion global lodging company started as a nine-stool root beer stand called The Hot Shoppe in the 1920s. The Marriott’s ‘spirit to serve’ evolved into a wildly successful food service company, which led to the couple’s foray into hospitality, the first Marriott Hotel in 1957. The rest, as they say is history. J.W. Marriott Jr. pioneered the plan that marshaled Marriott International into over 2,700 properties in 70 countries with 17 different brands. Its umbrella includes the familiar Marriott Courtyard, Fairfield and Renaissance Hotels, the posh Ritz-Carlton, ®

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“

Properties like Charlotte Marriott SouthPark represent the best of both worlds. The hotel has a very involved, small, familyoriented ownership which cares about the space and its employees and, at the same time, benefits from the management talent and resources of the biggest and best hotel management company...

”

and several vacation ownership resorts, executive apartments and conference centers. However, the Marriott SouthPark is a bird of a slightly different feather. John Marriott III purchased The Park Hotel as part of J.W.M. Family Enterprises, a 13property portfolio that is not simply managed by Marriott, but is a ‘legacy-property’ (i.e. actually owned by the Marriott family.) Comments John Marriott III on the legacy properties, “Properties like Charlotte Marriott SouthPark represent the best of both worlds. The hotel has a very involved, small, family-oriented ownership which cares about the space and its employees and, at the same time, benefits from the management talent and resources of the biggest and best hotel management company with the best employees—bar none—in the world.” While this nomenclature automatically confers an aura of distinction, the SouthPark location is also Marriott’s flagship offering of “boutique hospitality.” The unique footprint, loyal clientele, sumptuous accommodations, location, and impeccable service that the Marriott’s encountered when visiting the hotel, set it in a class by itself. Says Marriott, “Overall, the purchase of the hotel was a great deal—and by that, I mean the location is seated in a great neighborhood with a strong business and retail community, it is very well built, it offered an opportunity for renovation and to utilize Marriott’s management practices, and it was a fair price. But in addition to that, I love the feel of this hotel.” Marriott continues, “Charlotte Marriott SouthPark inherited an understated luxury from The Park Hotel. It is comfortable and inviting, not ostentatious. And its reputation

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has built a strong following and warm clientele that has embraced the hotel as an integral part of the community, and this is something Marriott believes in very strongly.” Says Marriott SouthPark’s General Manager Michele Pajot, “Community building is one of our core values, and the hospitality of the Charlotte community makes that commitment not just easy, but fun. It seems like everybody is willing to extend their hand to say hello or help out.” Pajot represents Marriott locally and encourages her team members to get involved in several community capacities. Pajot is charged with implementing the company’s national efforts supporting The Children’s Miracle Network and The United Way, as well as local efforts such as the Levine Children’s Hospital, the Breast Cancer Walk, and Sister-to-Sister. She also holds positions on the SouthPark Chamber of Commerce board of directors, the Charlotte Area Hotel Association, and the Hotel and Tourism Alliance. According to John Marriott, Pajot is eminently qualified to be the face representing the company in the SouthPark community. This compliment from the man himself is an extraordinary vote of confidence. But add to that the fact that Pajot is relatively young at 34, female, and has been promoted to her first general manager position at the first boutique hotel of a major corporation, and the accomplishment borders on astounding. Pajot started with the Management Services Division of Marriott at 18 as a banquet supervisor while working her way through a college finance degree. “I did it all,” she smiles. “I worked in every aspect of food service from catering, to restaurant and lounge service, to back of the house, and I loved it. I became really enamored with the values of the Marriott family and knew that I had to find a way to stay with the company and utilize my degree.” Prior to Marriott SouthPark, Pajot worked in finance areas of the company and held Marriott managerial positions in Boston and Philadelphia. She has won several industry and company awards, and presented a paper suggesting

Marriott Core Values in the context of hourly associates, which was implemented nationally by the corporation. She clearly has the communication style, enthusiasm and an appreciation for Marriott that translates very well into managing its operations and promoting its culture. She is quick to point out that it is neither hers nor Marriott’s plan to make change for change’s sake, but rather to provide the best overall environment for everyone. Pajot attests: “The most famous Marriott saying is that if you take care of the associates, the associates will care for the guests. My 16-year experience with Marriott has been steeped in the history and the culture of the organization and I can personally testify to its generosity and warmth toward all people—employees and clients alike. I see it as my job to continue faithfully in that tradition.”

Charlotte Marriott SouthPark 2200 Rexford Road Charlotte, N.C. 28211 Phone: 704-364-8220; 800-228-9290 Principals: John Marriott III, CEO of J.W.M. Family Enterprises, L.P., a Marriott family property trust; Michele Pajot, General Manager, Charlotte Marriott SouthPark Owner: J.W.M. Family Enterprises (Purchased from Bissell Companies, March 2006; previously The Park Hotel; built 1985 by H.C. and Sara Bissell) Management: Marriott International, Inc. Employees: 130 Size: 6 floors, 185 rooms, 7 suites, concierge level; 12 meeting rooms , 8,750 sq ft of total meeting space Awards: AAA 4 Diamond rating Business: Boutique Charlotte hotel offers an elegant combination of European sophistication and Southern charm in the affluent SouthPark neighborhood. Originally built in 1984 by H.C. and Sara Bissell; J.W.M. Family Enterprises purchased the formerly named Park Hotel from The Bissell Companies in March 2006.The CEO John Marriott III is grandson of founder John Willard Marriott, and son of J.W. Marriott Jr., Chairman and CEO of Marriott International, Inc. marriott.com/property/propertypage/CLTPH

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Ringing in the New Pajot explains the transition has been rather smooth: “People are comfortable enough now to joke about how nervous they were when the company purchased the property, and what kind of changes they feared. I think now it has become evident that Marriott bought the property with an appreciation for what it is, not with an agenda to change it to be like many other full-service hotels.” The practically non-existent employee turnover indicates that the staff agrees. She adds, “It is more like an instance of Marriott valuing the essence of what was great about The Park Hotel and folding that into its offerings, while also providing its vast resources to amplify and accentuate its uniqueness. John Marriott just loves this property for its character; the last thing we would want to do is change that.” Which is not to say that there won’t be changes. The $24.5 million contract for the sale of the property had a property improvement contingency that includes at least $5.7 million in upfits and renovations. Among the items are replacing carpets and wall vinyl, upfitting bathroom fixtures, making necessary repairs, as well as adding flat screen televisions, a high-tech ‘jack pack’ and hallmark Marriott luxury bedding in all guest quarters. The improvements process necessitated a complete inventory of the entire hotel, compiling a catalogue of items in each room. According to Pajot, “John went through the catalogue page by page and hand-selected the items we would keep. It was of paramount importance that all the special pieces that make this hotel so extraordinary be highlighted.” In some instances furniture will be reupholstered or moved around a bit, but the overall goal is that the unique look and feel of The Park Hotel will be preserved. Some custom furniture will be created to coordinate with the existing pieces, a testament to the sincere value the new ownership places on the hotel’s existing personality. What was once Smoky’s Grill has become just The Grill, and is getting its own revamping of decor. Pajot shared that Executive Chef Scott Spaulding stayed through the transition and still enjoys free

greater charlotte biz

Coin Toss at Grand Opening. Pictured (l to r): Mayor Pat McCrory, John Marriott, Bill Marriott and his wife, Smoky Bissell and his wife Sara, and Michele Pajot.

reign in the kitchen. Spaulding has been working on implementing a new lunch and dinner menu that Pajot says reflects Marriott restaurants’ emphasis on variety while maintaining several of the local favorites. Marriott also enlisted the architect originally commissioned by Smoky Bissell for The Park Hotel, LS3P Associates, to oversee the redesign process. “They had the intimate knowledge of the building, an astute feel for the design, and an enthusiasm that made the choice pretty natural,” comments Pajot. Extended Family The biggest hallmarks of The Park Hotel were its friendly staff, its paramount dedication to customer service, and the familial atmosphere between the former owners and the hotel employees. By all accounts it appears as though things will stay that way. Says Marriott III, “I firmly believe that one of the reasons we were able to get involved with this deal is because of the commonalities between our families. Like the Bissells, the Marriotts care about our team members like family, strive to be very involved in the community, are very family-oriented, hold fast to good values, and believe in building strong relationships.” Says Pajot, “It was very entertaining the

day we held our grand opening ceremony. The two families were side-by-side most of the day, laughing and smiling. At one point they sat down to an afternoon tea, and it was the most down-to-earth and relaxed atmosphere you could imagine.” While Marriott has a firm commitment to building upon the strong values that the Bissells began in the Park Hotel, Pajot adds that many of the behind-the-scenes changes will add countless benefits to customers. “We are adding to our accommodations, amenities and services on-site, as well as introducing the incentives across the Marriott network, such as our Marriott Rewards program. We think customers will embrace the changes we make as much as they appreciate our attempts to preserve what they have come to love about the property.” The grand opening festivities of the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark were emotionally charged when Smoky and Sara Bissell handed off ownership to the Marriott team. The Bissells, the Marriotts and Pajot ceremoniously threw good luck coins into the hotel fountain, sealing the best intentions to preserve its understated luxury while broadening its offerings. biz Susanne Deitzel is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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pictured (l to r) Kip Cozart, President and CEO; Loretta Cozart, Vice President and CFO; Russ Husky, Vice President, Systems Engineer and CIO CC Communications, Inc. Photo taken at Peak 10 Data Center Solutions

january 2007

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by ellison clary

[bizprofile]

Finding Solutions in a

High-Tech World

CC Communications Goes Beyond Web Design CC Communications is an online marketing firm, offering customized Internet marketing and systems implementation plans specifically designed to meet the individual needs of the customer. While known primarily for its Web design capabilities, the company offers a much broader array of services. As co-founder William H. (“Kip”) Cozart explains, “Primarily what companies hire us to do is find creative and innovative methods to solve communication and operational problems. We adapt technology to find business solutions for our customers.” Typically, that technology involves the Internet. And that is where Kip Cozart, wife and cofounder Loretta Cozart, and her twin brother Russ Husky see themselves as pioneers. The Cozarts built upon their backgrounds in media, advertising and public relations work when they started CC Communications in 1994. From the beginning, they had clients that wanted to dabble in early business versions of the Internet. But, typically, such systems were selfcontained, not universal. After Husky joined the Cozarts–he signed on at the 45th day, bringing along his uncanny technological savvy–the company found itself repeatedly attracting clients seeking new ways to market and communicate. ® greater charlotte biz

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Loretta Cozart recalls how the trio consulted with a business counselor to identify a niche for their nascent firm. The advice was to find one thing and do it well.

Loretta smiles and muses: “That’s when Russ said, ‘Now don’t get excited, but there’s this new thing called the Internet.’” So they emphasized using the Internet and adapting its capabilities to fit the needs of clients that were interested in alternative, cutting edge solutions to marketing and operational issues. “We didn’t see, and still don’t see, the Internet as anything different than traditional media,” says Kip Cozart. “It’s just another set of tools to accomplish communication goals. That’s why our company name is CC Communications. We’re not CC Web Site Design.” More Than Award-Winning Web Sites CC Communications was recently ranked #1 in the list of Top 25 Website Design Companies by The Charlotte Business Journal. The team has also won notable Web site design honors from The Web Marketing Association and The MarCom Creative Awards. But there’s much more to their story. Yes, CC Communications can point to hundreds of Web site designs it has created, with myriad emphases such as corporate branding, business-to-business, broadcast e-mail, e-commerce services and flash animation to name

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several. And it is true that notable clients include more than a few heavy hitters such as Snider Tire, The Cato Corporation and the Bissell Companies. But CC Communications does much more for these clients and others. Husky explains the company’s viewpoint. “The majority of Web companies are really brochure designers,” he says. “If you look at pretty pictures on a page and some words and it’s linked all together, that’s what 95 percent of Web design companies do.” “These companies definitely are not application designers,” Husky continues. “If you say, ‘I need you to connect to the legacy system that I have in the back that’s reading data and passing data back and forth and connecting information from the Web, most companies that are Web designers wouldn’t be able to handle that,” he says. “I feel like we’re more of a software company.” But CC Communications is more, still, Kip Cozart says. Like an ad agency, his company features creative services, graphics and other staples of the advertising trade. “We’re also a software integrator and a software application and development company,” he adds. “We’re a technical strategy company and a consulting company. We are a programming company, an application developer, and we’ll write software or adapt existing software. We are a Web site hosting company. We are an information technology company.” While CC Communications won’t build a technology network for a client, it will design applications and processes to custom fit that company’s environment. And what CC Communications adds, Kip Cozart says, will help a client

operate better, smarter, quicker and faster. With that explanation, he hits on his company’s mantra: “Work better, smarter, quicker and faster.” The phrase recurs frequently as the Cozarts and Husky outline their business model. CC Communications serves as an extension of a client’s advertising, marketing and information technology departments, Kip Cozart says. The company does this through on-going consultation, creative services and technical advice, and it provides these services for as long as the client wants them. CC Communications offers more than just off-the-shelf solutions. “People would rather us design a system around them than for them to use a system that already exists,” Husky says, and adds that it makes sense. Often a client operates as it does because it has found a competitive advantage. That’s why CC Communications takes time to study a client’s situation, sizing up resources and goals, and assessing the technology that’s already in place, Kip Cozart says. The object is to identify how to add the most efficient enhancements, without replacing everything the client has put together. Then CC Communications develops a blueprint for solutions to the prospective client’s needs. Clients Want Trusted Advisor The vast majority of CC Communications clients sign on because they want a trusted advisor, Kip Cozart says. “They want to know how to adapt to new technology and make it work continuously better for them,” he adds. “We end up with customers for a very long time, and hopefully we’re helping

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them grow and continue to prosper.â&#x20AC;? CC Communications uses three concentrations of skill sets to be what Loretta Cozart calls â&#x20AC;&#x153;advocates for our clients.â&#x20AC;? Kip Cozart charts those skills this way: creative services, which includes graphic designers, artists and copywriters; programmers, who use technology or invent technology; and strategists, for customers who want to know how to use the Internet in creative, marketing and technical senses. Kip Cozart calls it a holistic approach, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working. Since 1994, the company has grown to 17 fulltimers. Growth is coming faster these days. Kip Cozart expects a 20 percent to 22 percent increase in revenue for fiscal 2006. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clients number in the hundreds and, while most are situated in the Carolinas, some are international such as Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company. CC Communications started ÂŽ

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CC Communications, Inc. 205 Regency Executive Park Dr., Ste. 100 Charlotte, N.C. 28217 Phone: 704-543-1171; 800-556-1561 Principals: William H. (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kipâ&#x20AC;?) Cozart III, President and CEO; Loretta H. Cozart,Vice President and CFO; Russ Husky,Vice President, Systems Engineer and CIO Employees: 17 Founded: 1994 Awards: MarCom Creative Awards, Gold Award & Honorable Mention, 2006;Web Marketing Association, Standard of Excellence WebAward, 2006;Top National Web Site Design, Successful Meetings magazine, 1999; National Award of Distinction, The Communicator Awards, 2000; Best of Class Award â&#x20AC;&#x201C; American Economic Development Council, 1997; Golden Web Award,The NC High Country Host, 2001/2002 Business: Leading Internet production and marketing companies serving the Carolinas and the Southeast offering advanced and cost-efficient Web-based resources.The company delivers a customized Internet marketing and systems implementation plan specifically designed to meet the individual needs of the customer. www.cccommunications.com

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with that firm’s U.S. headquarters in Rock Hill, but now does most of its work with the corporate office in France. CC Communications brought in a host of new clients in 2004 when it agreed with Concord-based CT Communications (CTC), primarily a phone company, to take over Web hosting and technical support for its customers. “Fortunately for us,” Kip Cozart says, “CTC was very concerned about taking care of their customers, even if they were going to divorce themselves from that part of the business. We have a reputation of very strong service and proactive customer relationships. They invited us to work with them and that’s how the process began.” The Cozarts and Husky preside over 3,500 square feet in Regency Executive Park near Nations Ford Road, but expect to expand in early 2007. They haven’t determined whether that will be at their south Charlotte site or somewhere else. Farther down the road, there might be multiple locations. Looking at the rapid changes in the Internet and in technology, Husky feels the company has to double in size in five years. As the company grows, its founders hope to keep long-term clients, those that have been in the fold for six or seven years. That kind of

longevity means a client trusts CC Communications to keep it up to speed, Kip Cozart says. Welcoming Technology Change “When we see a change in technology, we welcome it, because it helps us continue to refine ways we can add value to what we’re doing for

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our customers,” affirms Cozart. One satisfied client is the Wachovia Championship, which brings PGA Tour golfers to Charlotte for annual competition at Quail Hollow Club. In 2002, the first year of the tournament, CC Communications played a relatively small role, but saw enough to suggest a significant change in ticket sales, greatly reducing the need for telemarketing. “We said we really think the public is ready for online ticket buying and we think you can do it faster, cheaper and better, and tie it in more directly to support services like e-mail notification,” Kip Cozart explains. With help from CC Communications, the tourney’s support staff made the switch and realized costcutting efficiencies. CC Communications has become more of a database partner for the tournament rather than a vendor, says Jan Ivey, Wachovia Championship director of marketing and sponsor services. “They come to us with creative ideas of how we can accomplish things with technology,” Ivey says. “CC Communications built a volunteer database management tool for us that is one of the best in the volunteer environment. Within the PGA Tour, we probably are the most technologically savvy event.” Seeing results such as those with the Wachovia Championship is a big gratification, Kip Cozart says. “Everything we do is an educational process,” he says. “We have to educate ourselves because technology is never the same two days in a row.” Husky underscores that point. “One of the founders of Intel says that roughly every 24 months, the capacity of technology will double,” he says. “Now, technology is coming at us like a fire hose. We’re taking the Internet off the desktop and putting it into the telephone. When you get a true broadband on the phone, you’ll have the handheld power of a desktop. Then, the sky is the limit,and that probably will happen in five years. “We’re going to have to use ingenuity to help clients,” he adds.

That leads Kip Cozart to muse about simplicity. “Right now, we’ve got so many things, so many combinations of technology and tools,” he says. “The next big breakthrough is taking these technologies and tools and ingraining them into the more natural ways people build and run organizations. We need a one-stop shop where you’re getting things done without having to look at all the components. The simplicity factor will help us take advantage of all these technologies.”

“

When we see a change in technology, we welcome it, because it helps us continue to refine ways we can add value to what we're doing for our customers.

”

- Kip Cozart, President With that, Kip and Loretta return to simple business precepts. “Our company is involved in the community,” Loretta Cozart says, “and that plays to our success.” She cites her work with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and her husband’s service on the board of the Better Business Bureau. “You have to contribute to the community in ways that don’t necessarily impact your bottom line,” she adds. And Kip Cozart offers an uncomplicated take on what his company does: “The fundamental rules of marketing and business haven’t changed,” he says. “It’s all about setting goals, setting objectives, using creative strategy and using the best tools you have. That’s why we have always seen ourselves as a communications provider and a solutions provider. We will continue to help clients find ways to do things better.” biz Lisa Hoffmann is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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greater charlotte biz

januar y 2007

[ontop] Awards & Achievements The State Board of Community Colleges (Tony Zeiss pictured) has presented its I.E. Ready Award to former Duke Power president Ruth G. Shaw for her years of service and commitment to the North Carolina Community Ruth Shaw College System. The McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte and the Carolina Panthers have awarded McColl School Community Agency Fellowships as follows: Jennifer Algire, the McColl Executive MBA program fellowship, and Jessica George and Justin Lewter, the McColl Professional MBA program fellowship.

People are critical to your success. Get the right people aligned with the vision, train them to perform and set clear expectations, and you’ll be amazed at the outcome. We’ll give you tools to do just that.

“BSI provides us with a regularly scheduled reason to work ON the business, not IN it.”

“Being a member of BSI saves me time and effort... The fact that I have continued to be a member for over 6 years is proof that they deliver!” ~ Laurie Leonard SUITE 1000

~ Katharine Monk Lucas-Forman, Inc.

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

XEROX

Our Features & Affordable Pricing Will Surprise you!

Print I Copy I Scan I Fax I Color - Ranks #1 for Networked Productivity - Largest Product Portfolio For Custom Solutions for Large or Small Businesses - Top Trade In Value For Your Old Machine Locally Owned & Operated Since 1994

(P) 704.357.3347 info@basicsplus.net

january 2007

- JD Power & Associates Certified for Excellence in Customer Service! - Global Support & Local Values Call Today - We Can Save You $$

Advertising & Media CC Communications, Inc. has won two distinguished awards in the 2006 international MarCom Creative Awards Competition, recognizing the company for Web site and intranet designs that exceed high industry standards. Barnhardt, Day & Hines has promoted Thomas Day to company president, Alaine Hines to senior vice president, and Laurey McElroy to vice president, account services. Walker Marketing, Inc. has hired Arrick Maurice as its new graphic/interactive media designer and has appointed Stephanie LaDue to the position of account Arrick Maurice Stephanie LaDue manager. Planet Central Advertising has hired Amy Crocket as account coordinator and Mandy Thornton as graphic designer. Internet solutions company ClickCom.com has promoted Emily Hickok to director of Internet Emily Hickok marketing. Sue Hunter has joined signage and graphic company, SouthWood Corporation as Sue Hunter account executive.

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Business & Professional RSM McGladrey Inc. has announced John Brackett as the newest managing director of its Charlotte office, Brandon Rucker as its newest partner, and Neil B. Glenn Jr. as a new associate. Alyson Grossman has joined the Charlotte office of Wishart Norris Henninger & Pittman. Alyson Grossman Blair, Bohlé & Whitsitt, PLLC, certified public accountants, have announced Steven J. Johnston, CPA as an audit partner. The McLaughlin Young Group has hired Debbie Creed as director of coaching. Debbie Creed Special Counsel has appointed Kevin Profit as executive director for North and South Carolina. PayStream Advisors Inc., a research, analysis and consulting company, has announced Ryan Hampton as director of operations and Ryan Hampton healthcare solutions. The law firm of Wells Daisley Rabon, P.A. has announced that Brendan Dillashaw is now affiliated with the firm. Forest2Market, Inc. (F2M) Brendan Dillashaw has hired Suzanne Hearn as manager of sales and direct marketing.

• Tax Compliance & Planning • Comprehensive Tax Review • Multi-State Tax Structuring • Company Formation Strategies

Accountants First, Advisors Foremost Located at Providence Park at I-485 and Providence Road 10815 Sikes Place, Suite 100 • 704-841-9800 • Fax 704-841-9802 www.bbwpllc.com

Construction & Design LandDesign, an urban planning, civil engineering and landscape architecture company, has promoted Tedd Duncan to principal; and has added two engineers, Adam Freeman and Steve Lawing, and landscape architect, Aaron Shier, to its Charlotte office. Education & Staffing Backed by a $900,000 grant, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte has been selected by UNC system president Erskine Bowles as the first official “Open

greater charlotte biz

january 2007

[ontop]

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

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

4404-A Stuart Andrew Boulevard, 704.523.3333 FAX 704.525.1506 www.charlottecopydata.com

THE AREA’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT DEALER OF COMPLETE OFFICE SOLUTIONS

january 2007

For Business” university in the state, a three-year pilot project to develop the nation’s best partnership model with businesses. Scott Carlberg will be the project manager for Scott Carlberg the initiative. The Ben Craig Center, outreach program of UNC-Charlotte, has announced its 20th anniversary, celebrating the creation of more than 1,100 jobs, spurring $104 million in annual economic activity, graduating 100 small businesses from its Incubator program, and generating $150 million in venture capital by its graduates and clients. Peter J. Wagner has been appointed director of alumni relations at Peter Wagner Davidson College. UNC Charlotte’s Alumni Association has honored David Taylor with (not shown in order) David Taylor, its Steve Hall, Ted Alexander, Clay Aiken, Greg Davis Distinguished Service Award and has inducted Steve Hall, Ted Alexander, Clay Aiken and Greg Davis into its Alumni Hall of Fame. Faculty from UNC Charlotte’s William States Lee College of Engineering, College of Education, and College of Arts & Sciences has received a $300,000 National Science Foundation grant. Dr. Joanne Sulek, professor of operations management at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, has been Dr. Joanne Sulek selected as the recipient of the Piedmont Triad Chapter of APICS 2006 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award. Central Piedmont Community College has announced the selection of Stephen Gerhardt to the newly created position of Harper National Flexographic Center Coordinator.

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Engineering Pease Associates, Inc. has announced that Deborah Barger has attained professional accreditation in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the U.S. Green Building Council. Peter C. D’Adamo, Ph.D., P.E., has joined HDR as the Carolinas water/wastewater business class manager based in the Peter D’Adamo firm’s Charlotte office. KingGuinn Associates, P.A., a full service structural engineering firm in Charlotte, has added Chris Clark as a structural designer and Matthew Schneider as a professional engineer.

Networking Services “No business is too small”

If you are looking for a company that gives a personal touch and honestly cares about their clients, then give us a call! Local & Wide Area Networks Wiring Routers Switches Servers Wireless Workstations ©2006 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

UNC Charlotte has selected the Stamats firm of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to conduct a comprehensive branding study from which the university will develop a strategic marketing plan. Davidson IB Middle has celebrated a national Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction Award for its science achievements receiving a $10,000 grant from the Intel Foundation and several prizes ranging from curriculum materials and professional development resources to computer hardware and software. Jane Fountain of Central Piedmont Community College has Jane Fountain received the inaugural North Carolina Campus Compact Community Impact Student Award.

We are an innovative, high tech company, specializing in local and wide area networking to the small and medium business market. We provide complete turnkey solutions from concept to reality. For more information call: Walt Fields at 704-560-4897 or Dwayne Stone at 704-560-4900 FieldStone Networking Services • 16041-G Johnston Rd. #161• Charlotte, NC 28277

www.fieldstonenetworking.com

Financial & Insurance Grant Thornton LLP, has announced the promotion of seven employees to partner in its Charlotte and Raleigh firms: Jim Dee, Kris E. Ruckman, Ted Thomas, Forrest Frazier, Mark J. Edwards, Ben Proffitt, and Mike Phillips. RBC Centura Bank has announced

greater charlotte biz

january 2007

[ontop] trust+strategy+integrity+planning+insight+experience We're not your typical CPA firm. Instead, we go beyond traditional accounting services, adding valuable insight and guidance to your growth process. Think of us as the business development partner you always wished you had - a Champion for your business!

it all adds up!

Our Philosophy We believe we are rewarded only to the extent that we add value to those we are privileged to serve. At Daniel, Ratliff & Company, we are here to serve you, to help your business achieve its goals. We do so by learning your business and the challenges you face, then working with you to guide you toward success.

“We consider Daniel, Ratliff & Company to be true business partners. They have assisted in refining our financial systems, planning our cash flow, negotiating with our bankers, and reviewing our tax strategies. We could not be more satisfied with the services they provide.”

~ Alan Baldwin President, FreemanWhite, Inc.

At the lake:

Uptown office:

Daniel, Ratliff & Company 107 Kilson Dr., Ste. 205, Mooresville, NC 28117

Daniel, Ratliff & Company 301 S. McDowell St., Ste. 502, Charlotte, NC 28204

704.663.0193

704.371.5000

www.danielratliff.com

january 2007

the appointment of Shirley Lawrence Edmond as regional president, personal and business banking in western Shirley Lawrence North Carolina. Edmond Peter Brady and Nicole Holder have joined Hinrichs Flanagan Financial as financial services professionals. Daniel J. Shanahan has joined The Principal Financial Group’s North Carolina Business Center as regional managing director. Government & Non-Profit David Swenson has joined the Charlotte Regional Partnership as vice president of business development and Juawana Colbert has David Swenson Juawana Colbert joined the organization as project manager of economic development services. The Foundation for the Arts & Sciences has changed its name to The Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust and has hired Chris McLeod as vice president. Chris McLeod For the second year, the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) has received a 2006 National Award for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for the public service provided by libraries and museums. Courtenay Jackson has been appointed director of development for The Mint Museums. The Wachovia Foundation has awarded a grant of $25,000 to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership, Inc. Chris Linke has joined the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas as donor education specialist and Robin Joseph has joined the center as sponsorship development specialist.

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[ontop]

NAVIGATING ROUGH WATERS? Compass Career Management can help your business through rough waters!

The SPCA Alliance of Mecklenburg County has been honored with an award for Best Practices for their successful S.N.I.P. program (Spay/Neuter Intervention Program).

Succession Planning

Health Care Richard C. Rauh has been named executive director of Southeast Anesthesiology Consultants and the practice has hired Georgianna Wright as a physician assistant at CMC-Northcross in Huntersville.

Retail & Sports & Entertainment The Charlotte Knights Baseball Club has announced the addition of John Agresti as director of media relations and Timothy O’ Reilly as director of community and public relations. Atlanta-based Raving Brands has announced it will place seven of its nine restaurant concepts in the 100,000square-foot $300 million dining and entertainment mixed-use project at East Trade and South College streets. Lori Weaver has joined Donald Haack Diamonds as sales associate. Lori Weaver

• Outplacement • Acquisitions • Consolidations • Plant Closings • Downsizings

Real Estate Commercial/Residential Trinity Partners has announced that Donna Rusinovich has been appointed senior property manager for the Meridian Corporate Center project.

Organizational Development

Exit Surveys

Executive Recruiting

• Lay-Offs • Career Transitions • Training and Leadership Development • Search & Recruiting

The winds of change bring opportunity.

For information call: 704-849-2500 • compasscareer.com 8509 Crown Crescent Court • Charlotte, NC 28227

Technology Independent data center operator and managed services company Peak 10 has been recognized as the Top Customer Service Company of the Year by the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA). 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.

greater charlotte biz

january 2007

[bizview]

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

january 2007

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Featuring Executive Homes in the Charlotte Region HISTORIC MONROE Monroe, North Carolina This beautiful home is located in the Historic District of Monroe. It features lovely woodwork and hardwood floors.The newly customized kitchen has granite counters, cabinet space galore, beautiful backsplash and new stainless steel appliances, including Bosch dishwasher, washer and dryer. Gorgeous landscape, a deck, brick-paver patio and walkway add to the charm. 4BRs/2.1BAs MLS# 633075 - $369,900 Property Address: 301 Lancaster Avenue

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

CUSTOM PERFECTION Marvin, North Carolina The exceptional design and luxurious details of this impressive custom home are a rare blend of opulence and livability. This lovely home includes a custom leaded glass entry to the two-story foyer, a gourmet kitchen with all the modern extras, a lavish mainlevel master bedroom and beautiful sunroom that overlooks a rose garden. 4BRs/3.1BAs MLS# 633277 - $699,000 Property Address: 557 Wyndham Lane

Gina Strumpf – 704-367-7262 www.charlotterelo.com

WEDDINGTON CHASE Waxhaw, North Carolina Sophisticated and elegant, this beautiful transitional-style home has been meticulously maintained with professional landscaping and outdoor lighting.Inside are spacious rooms with heavy moldings and wonderful built-ins.The lavish master and guest suites are located on the main level.You’ll enjoy the gourmet kitchen, morning room and large recreation room.5BRs/4.1BAs MLS# 621631 - $714,900 Property Address: 2001 Streamview Court

Michelle Gray – 704-619-2424 www.allentate.com/michellegray

BEST OF SOUTHEND Charlotte, North Carolina This sleek city condo offers the most amazing skyline views through floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and master bedroom.Enjoy the fabulous upgrades, including gleaming hardwood floors, built-in bookcases, upgraded light fixtures, Corian counters and a California Closet system.Restaurants, stores, light rail and free trolley are within walking distance.2BRs/2BAs MLS# 632026 - $409,000 Property Address: 315 Arlington Avenue #1406

Barbara Edwards – 704-331-2122 www.centercityallentate.com/barbaraedwards

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