Add a Benefit at No Cost to Your Company North Carolina’s National College Savings Program Company Advantages • offer North Carolina’s 529 plan to your employees • no set-up fees or administrative charges • available through payroll deduction or automatic draft • minimal administrative involvement Employee Advantages • easy enrollment and online account access • multiple investment options • tax-free earnings • state tax deduction on contributions
CFNC.org/NC529 Call 800-600-3453 to add this benefit for your employees. For more information about North Carolina’s National College Savings Program, please review the complete Program Description and Enrollment Agreement available at CFNC.org/NC529 or contact 800-600-3453 to request an enrollment kit that includes both. Before opening an Account, or contributing funds to an existing Account, you should carefully read and consider the Program Description, which includes information on investment objectives, strategies, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information. North Carolina’s National College Savings Program is a program of the State of North Carolina, established and maintained by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) as a qualified tuition program under federal tax law, and administered by College Foundation, Inc. (CFI) with administration and record keeping services provided by Upromise Investments, Inc. and Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC (collectively, Upromise). Investment options are made available through NCM Capital Management Group, LLC; J. & W. Seligman & Co. Incorporated; Wachovia Bank, N.A. through its affiliate, Evergreen Investment Management Company, LLC; the State Treasurer of North Carolina; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife); and The Vanguard Group, Inc. The features of a qualified tuition program are complex and involve significant tax issues. The earnings portion of withdrawals not used for qualified higher education expenses are subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements. The Investment Options are not guaranteed by the State of North Carolina, the Authority, CFI, Upromise, any investment manager, or MetLife, except to the extent that MetLife has made guarantees for the Protected Stock Fund Investment Option under funding agreements with CFI, acting as agent for the Authority. Participation in the Program involves investment risk, which may include the loss of principal in the case of investments in Investment Options other than the Protected Stock Fund. Accounts are not bank deposits and are not insured by the FDIC or any governmental unit or private person. Participants assume all responsibility for federal and state tax consequences. © 2008 Pathways, College Foundation, Inc., and State Education Assistance Authority (CFNC)
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cover story
First Citizens Bank A $16 billion-asset bank operating in the backyard of the nation’s biggest financial institutions needs a niche, a concentration where it can shine. How does First Citizens Bank compete in Charlotte’s banking hotbed? Area Executive Marc Horgan points to the bank’s succinct vision statement:“To help our customers achieve a lifetime of success.”
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Time Warner Cable TWC Business Services is introducing its new services gradually, planning the region’s expansion based on the growth and demands of the market in an effort to achieve its goal to be the premiere communications company in the Carolinas.
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departments publisher’spost
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bizXperts Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions
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bizoutlook Regional Economic Analyses and Forecast
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employersbiz Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers
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workforcebiz Work Force Training and Development
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bizlife Pursuing a Balance of Business and Life
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biznetwork
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ontop
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In today’s competitive market, companies are searching for new and innovative ways to spread their message and brand their name to potential and existing clients. Max Daniel has made a career out of selling solutions through his promotional marketing business.
executive homes Luxury Homes above $500,000
McAllister Shawn and Gregg McAllister have built a company known for its care in planning, cost analysis and efficient building practices. Their business has grown to include adaptive reuse projects, high end restaurants, retail and office space, as well as multifamily residential projects.
MaxMpact
february 2008
32 bizlife
IBC
on the cover:
Marc Horgan Charlotte Area Executive First Citizens Bank
River Bend Sportsman’s Resort Ralph Brendle’s goal in 1985 was to create a sporting resort that provides a quality destination for private members, the general public, and corporate client entertainment.Twenty-three years later, he continues to exceed his customer’s expectations with River Bend.
Photography by Wayne Morris
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[publisher’spost] Learning to Live Intentional Lives Competing in the 21st century requires a thoughtful response to the opportunities and obstacles that confront us each and every day. Making the most of our days and lives requires that we respond intentionally from an analysis of the options, consideration of the choices and an understanding of the expected outcomes before we act with determination to improve our work, our families, our communities and our lives. Stephen Covey in his book The 8th Habit—From Effectiveness to Greatness builds on the premise that “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freeJohn Paul Galles dom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and our happiness.” How we choose and how we act are a cumulative result of our perception of those stimuli and our preparation to respond. Our actions determine our futures and the reception we receive in our encounters. At a recent lunch meeting at Whitehead Manor and Conference Center, I had the opportunity to meet with Mike Whitehead and several local “communicators” to discuss the concept of intentional thinking and how that may be effectuated in the Charlotte region. Those in attendance were given the opportunity to identify themselves and what has shaped their individual thinking, and the words they craft in their businesses to convey thoughts, ideas and messages to customers, employees, readers, audiences and the public. Having experienced rapid growth in the Charlotte region over the past decade and expecting even greater growth over the next, it is especially important that we initiate dialogues all over this community that stimulate conversations and encourage intentional thinking that leads us to more collective actions for the benefit of the entire region. How will we live with the increasing diversity in this community? How will we educate our children for their longer term success? How will new residents interact with those who have grown up here? How will young interact with older people? How will we address transportation, air quality, education, crime, immigration and health care? How will we balance public responsibility and encourage private initiative? How will we prepare our children for the future? How will we manage the elderly population through their remaining years? How will we live with the restructuring of our economy and the globalization of economy at the same time? All of these questions and more are the topics that we can examine and consider and act upon in ways that improve our lives and our futures. It takes talent, participation, time and thoughtful direction to build upon the space between stimuli and response. As Americans, we have always maintained a strong “work” ethic that has driven the successes of our nation for over 200 years. With the growth of democracy around the world and growing capitalism at the same time, other nations and their businesses are instilling a strong “work” ethic within their work force. To continue to compete and build on our own economic capacity, it is now more essential than ever that we expand and advance our “learning” ethic so that we can continue to improve on our economic success and continue our leadership position in the world. We can do that learning in that space between opportunities and obstacles and the times to take action. Learning improves our decisions and actions. We will be more successful collectively. We can start in our own community. If you would like to volunteer in dialogues that help us learn about each other and how to improve our community and/or if you would like to get involved in intentional thinking exercises, please let me know. I will forward your inputs to Mike Whitehead who intends to organize these events to the benefit of ourselves and our community. biz
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February 2008 Volume 9 • Issue 2 Publisher John Paul Galles jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com
Associate Publisher/Editor Maryl A. Lane maryl.a.lane@greatercharlottebiz.com
Creative Director Joanna L. Davis jdavis@greatercharlottebiz.com
Editorial & Sales Assistant Janet Kropinak jkropinak@greatercharlottebiz.com
Business Development Sandy Rosenfeld srosenfeld@greatercharlottebiz.com
Account Executive Locke Burnette lburnette@greatercharlottebiz.com
Contributing Writers Ellison Clary Carol Gifford Bruce Hensley Casey Jacobus Janet Kropinak Contributing Photographers Wayne Morris Janet Kropinak Galles Communications Group, Inc. 5601 77 Center Drive • Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28217-0737 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 2008 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 28217-0737. 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 28217-0737.
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[bizXperts] Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions
owners “at risk” — part IV The last three articles have focused on the basic transitions a business owner faces during the life cycle of his business. These transitions present significant risks to the long-term success of the business due to the different legal, tax, accounting and risk management issues related to each transition. This article addresses some of the issues which a business owner faces during the fifth and final transition: from “continuous growth” to “eventual exit” of the owner from the business. This final transition is often the most difficult for a business owner to navigate successfully. By the time a business owner gets his business to the “continuous growth” phase where the business is continuously growing and consistently profitable, he is finally enjoying the long sought after success of his business that has always been his dream. He is finally at a point where it’s hard for him to envision himself doing anything else other than owning and running his business. In fact, we find it very difficult to persuade him to focus on creating a business succession plan for his business, which should now be his number one priority. What is a succession plan? It’s a plan for how the business will, not only survive, but also thrive after the owner leaves the business through retirement, disability, or death. Three things have to be planned for: (1) the transition of ownership, (2) the transition of management and control of the business; and (3) the particular terms and conditions of the owner’s exit from the business. The typical result of succession planning is the identification of an exit strategy for the owner that satisfies his ongoing financial needs during retirement as well as a plan for the identification and implementation of the structure necessary for the business to thrive independently of the owner. Many exit strategies may exist—from liquidation (selling the assets of the business and paying off the liabilities—not usually desirable from a value standpoint), to a sale to insiders (key employees, family members, ESOP, etc.), to a sale to outsiders (financial or strategic buyer), to gifting the business to the children. Without a succession plan which is accepted by all stakeholders (current owners, family, key employees, etc.) and appropriately implemented, many businesses do not survive separation from the owner— no matter what the reason. Succession planning is a process that all business owners will ultimately have to deal with. There is no if in succession planning. There is only when and how. Succession planning is a difficult process which requires and involves: • Understanding the strategic plan for the business. • Understanding the current financial condition and cash flow of the business. • Understanding the relationships among the owners and their families. • Identifying the interests of all stakeholders (current owners, potential successors, management and key employees). • Understanding and assessing the leadership abilities of potential successors for the owner.
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• Understanding estate planning, life insurance planning, retirement planning, investment planning, and business valuation. • Planning for the disability or death of the owners. • Understanding organization and entity structure as well as the tax effect of various options. • Understanding executive compensation planning Robert Norris (current and deferred). • Understanding ownership agreements (buy-sell, cross-purchase, redemption, etc.) • Negotiation and mediation skills in order to create and implement a succession plan which best satisfies the interest of all stakeholders. There is usually no one answer to the issues that will arise. The answer depends on many factors, including the goals and personalities of the owner and the other key people involved in the business. There is, however, usually an optimum solution and succession plan for a particular business and owners. One of the prerequisites for the creation of a succession plan which best meets the objectives of the owner is a qualified team of advisors. No one person knows all the answers; not the owner, not his lawyer, not his CPA and not his insurance and investment agent. In our experience, succession planning is best done when the right advisors, who know the client understand his business and have expertise and experience in all areas and disciplines that are involved in succession planning, participate in the process to bring about an optimum succession plan for a particular business. If such a plan is created, not only will the business survive and thrive after separation from the owner, but also the value of the business will be maximized in the event of an ultimate sale. One final note: succession planning and the identification of the right exit strategy for the owner is not a “do it yourself” project. Owners should seek the help of qualified professionals at least five years (if not ten years) prior to their desired exit from the business. Our firm utilizes a five step succession planning process in conjunction with the owner’s other advisors which helps insure that the above issues are appropriately addressed and the succession plan best meets the objectives of the owner as well as the other stakeholders. 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 visit www.wnhplaw.com.
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Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions
[bizXperts]
you gotta love it! February is the month for love, so I thought it appropriate to write about the topic—loving your job, that is. If you’re in the business of hiring people, you should be especially interested in this topic. Hiring is the most important and impactful function in your company. Why? Because the people you hire affect everything— your product, your service, your integrity, your sales, your customers, your vendors, the list goes on. Make a bad hire, and it can cost you for years! Make a good hire and watch your company benefit over and over. Hiring people who are not only qualified for the job, but who are also likely to love the job is the smartest move you can make. Think about it. Who performs best, the person who loves their job or the person who hates their job? Who is easier to manage, the person who loves their job or the person who hates their job? Who is likely to contribute more to the company, the person who loves the job or the person who hates it? You get the picture. Behavioral fit is critical to job enjoyment. If you hire someone who thrives on being around people and
interacting, and put them into a job where they are tied to a desk and data all day, that’s going to be a rough life for them. They may be qualified. They may even be technically very successful, but the lack of people contact will eventually wear on them and make them unhappy. A good behavioral job Denise Altman assessment can help you understand what type of person would be best suited to the job behaviorally. Then using a behavioral assessment with qualified candidates can help you put someone in the position that will not only be competent, but comfortable with what the job requires. Obviously, there’s more to loving the job than the behavioral fit. You have to make your company a good place to be. You have to treat your employees fairly and have a company they can be proud of. Even with these things, however, putting people in the wrong kind of job will still cause them to be unhappy. Do yourself, your company, and your employees a favor. Help your employees LOVE their jobs by hiring for a good behavioral fit. Denise Altman is President of Altman Initiative Group, Inc., helping companies hire and retain productive employees. Contact her at 704-315-9090 or visit www.altmaninitiative.com.
intentional leadership 101: self-awareness The habit of self-awareness is critical to be an Intentional Leader. While the term is often herded into spiritual or metaphysical conversations, to be “self-aware” means simply to be awake to one’s traits, feelings and behaviors. As obvious as that sounds, self-awareness takes some practice. Instead, we tend to react to things in an automatic way. We often see the world through filters of our own experience. Our personal history and the perspectives that accompany them can literally program our reactions. Like a ‘default’ setting on a computer, this is our ‘default’ mode of being. The problem with a default mode is that it causes us to make assumptions and decisions about people and situations with subjective—and sometimes just plain wrong—information. What’s more, it gives the illusion that we know more about a situation than we actually do. For a leader, this is a fatal flaw. Conversely, when a leader cultivates and practices self-awareness, a space opens up between stimulus and response that creates inspired possibilities for leadership. The Intentional Leader learns to “suspend” judgments, reactions and automatic behavior. Perhaps you have seen the film technique where everything in an intense action shot is frozen in time and movement except for one character? That character can then move around the scene and view what is happening from all perspectives, with temporary freedom from the action
pursuing a balance of business and life
taking place. After the character assimilates the information, he makes a clever move and action resumes. This is what suspension is about. It is what separates an inspired decision from a resigned decision; a decision aligned with objectives, purpose, and values or one processed through an individual’s personal Mike Whitehead experience. It is also what brings a decision into the present moment, with an eye to the future, as opposed to replaying old tapes of past performance. This is why innovation relies upon it. Self-awareness also permits an open-leadership style that facilitates the relationships, and subsequent information to make the best decisions. When we practice default leadership, our decisions are based on executing an agenda rather than acknowledging ‘what is.’ When this happens, we blindly cut off information, possibilities, creativity and ultimately, the prosperity of an organization This doesn’t mean leaders become perfect people. Only that they possess a vital tool to make intentional decisions about their organization. What they choose to do after that is a matter of integrity. Mike Whitehead is president of Whitehead Associates Inc., a consulting firm specializing in leadership and culture development and founder of The Center for Intentional Leadership. Contact him at 704366-5335 or visit www.whiteheadassociates.com.
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[bizXperts] Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions
its getting harder all the time Perhaps it’s part of the human condition that a lot of us in at least a small way hark back to some period known as “the good old days.” Before age 12, my father Harold endured peritonitis, gangrene, whooping cough and diphtheria, all of which were frequently lethal in the first quarter of the last century. When Henry Ford made automobiles available to the mass market, they were considered one of the greatest environmentally-friendly inventions in history because of dramatic improvements from the filth associated with horses. Less than 100 years ago, the global flu pandemic killed nearly one million Americans with estimates ranging from 20 to 100 million across the globe. Also, pollution was rampant in many parts of this country from manufacturing alone. Picture belching smokestacks in steel-producing towns like Pittsburgh; falling ash was such a problem that many executives changed their proper white shirts once or twice per work day. Milk and “drinking” water regularly carried a number of fatal bacteria. Here’s an amazing quote from It’s Getting Better All the Time by Julian Simon (deceased) and Stephen Moore. “Throughout the centuries human existence has been primarily a struggle against early death. In the past 100 years that struggle has been largely won. The death rate of children under the age of 15 has fallen by 95 percent since 1900 in the United States. Par-
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ents should reflect long and hard on that statistic whenever they think life isn’t treating them well these days. The child death rates in just the past 20 years have incredibly been halved in India, Egypt, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, South Korea, Israel, and scores of other nations. Almost all of the major killer diseases before Bill Staton 1900—tuberculosis, typhoid, smallpox, whooping cough, polio, malaria, to name a few—have been all but eradicated. “The advanced civilization that we are now living through is different from those of earlier times. Ours is the first age in which affluence has been enjoyed by more than just a tiny fraction, typically just five or 10 percent, of the population, In other great empires, at least 90 percent of the populace remained at Malthusian [in 1798 Thomas Malthus predicted unending misery for the mass of humankind forever] level of subsistence existence. Never before have quality of life improvements been spread to virtually every segment of the population as has happened in the United States in this century.” Carol King was right, “These are the good old days.” Bill Staton, M.B.A., CFA, is chairman of Staton Financial Advisors LLC, a money management firm. Contact him at 704-365-2122 or visit www.statonfinancial.com.
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Regional Economic Analyses and Forecasts
[bizoutlook]
Weak Economic Data Portends a Challenging 2008 U.S. Overview Does weak economic data at the end of 2007 portend a weak 2008? Early employment data and manufacturing activJohn E. Silvia, ity for the month of Chief Economist December came in notably below expectations and the unemployment rate jumped 0.3 percentage points to 5.0 percent. The weaker economic news coupled with reports of disappointing gains in holiday retail sales has further raised fears that the now sixyear-old expansion may falter. We continue to believe the economy will avoid an outright recession but recognize the next few quarters will be very challenging. Our forecast calls for three consecutive quarters of sub-two percent real GDP growth—at least one quarter will likely have a zero handle. Such growth is insufficient to produce enough jobs to keep the unemployment rate from rising and we expect it to gradually increase through mid year. While December’s weaker economic data set off alarm bells, including our own recession warning model, we would caution that December was an odd month. We had an ice storm and two other major winter storms which impacted the Midwest and parts of the Northeast. The storms undoubtedly affected the ISM report, holiday shopping and employment. January should see a modest rebound. The unwinding of the housing boom has gained momentum and the largest cutbacks in homebuilding occurred during the second half of 2007. Commercial construction and net exports continue to offset much of this weakness, however, by mid-2008 growth should return to a 2.5 percent pace.
Risky Business The New Year has gotten off to an unpromising start. In addition to weakerthan-expected reports on manufacturing and employment, the stock market has started with its worst first five trading days ever, on an S&P500 basis. Our own recession warning model currently indicates that the odds of a recession occurring in the next six months are slightly greater than 50 percent. That said, we still believe the economy will avoid an outright downturn, as a good part of December’s weakness appears to be tied to special factors. We believe that harsh winter weather in the Midwest and parts of the Northeast cut into manufacturing activity during December and also likely impacted the employment figures. In addition, the relatively
early timing of Thanksgiving meant that holiday shopping and hiring began earlier than usual, leading to stronger gains in November and subsequently weaker gains in December. If we are right, we should at least see a slight rebound in manufacturing activity, employment and retail sales in January, which should help assuage some of the recession fears. Make no mistake, the risks
pursuing a balance of business and life
to the economy and the financial markets have clearly increased. These increased risks are why stocks are selling off and business investment and hiring decisions are becoming less committed. Fears can become self-fulfilling if they are not arrested soon enough. Moreover, with real GDP growth expected to slow to less than a two percent pace from the fourth quarter of 2007 through the middle of 2008, it would not take much of an exogenous shock to tip the economy into a recession. Our forecast remains roughly in line with where it has been in recent months. The unwinding of the housing boom is now seen to be even more dramatic than we thought previously, with residential construction declining at a 25 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter and additional 22 percent pace in the current quarter. Housing starts are rapidly approaching zero in many of the markets where overbuilding and speculative buying were most evident. As a result, we believe that from a direct GDP perspective much of the correction in housing is largely behind us. Dr. John Silvia is chief economist for Wachovia Corporation. Prior to joining Wachovia, Silvia worked on Capitol Hill as senior economist for the Senate Joint Economic Committee and chief economist for the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Affairs Committee. He had formerly been chief economist of Kemper Funds and managing director of Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. Silvia holds a B.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Northeastern University and a Master’s in Economics from Brown University.
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Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers
[employersbiz]
HEALTH BENEFIT COSTS STILL OUTPACE THE RATE OF INFLATION Health insurance costs increased by 6.1% in 2007, which is an average of $7,983 per employee, according to a recently released Mercer report on employer-sponsored health plans. While increases have remained in the single digits for four years, overall cost growth is still twice the rate of inflation. Health care inflation eats away at corporate profits. Consequently, employers continue to embrace cost shifting measures and consumer-directed health plans (CDHP). In fact, according to the study, employers estimate health insurance costs will grow only by 5.7% in 2008 because they plan on altering their health plan design. For instance, at large companies with 500 or more employees, average in-network preferred provider organization deductibles increased by about 11%, from $426 to $473 for individuals and from $1,022 to$1,134 for families. Whereas, smaller firms, employing 10 to 499 workers, witnessed deductibles rise by about 2% for individuals from $859 to $872, and 5% for families from $1,786 to $1,879. Some small employers, however, have eliminated their health care plans. The percentage of employers with fewer than 200 workers that offer health insurance fell from 66% in 2002 to 61% in 2007. The Mercer research, which surveyed nearly 3,000 private and public employers, also shows CDHP adoption increasing. In 2007, the percentage of workers who enrolled in a CDHP offering a heath savings account or a health reimbursement account jumped from 3% to 5%.
Additionally, larger employers tend to implement CDHPs while still providing traditional plans. Approximately 41% of companies with 20,000 or more employees added the plans, a 4% jump from last year. In the survey, 77 large employers had a CDHP in place for at least three years and also offered other medical plan options. Mercer found average enrollment rose from 21% in 2005 to 29% at those companies in 2007. Likewise, only 7% of employers with fewer than 500 workers provided a CDHP, a 2% increase from 2006. Industry data also substantiates that the high-deductible plan is cost-effective, Mercer reports. CDHP costs averaged $5,970 per employee, compared to $7,120 for HMOs and $7,352 for PPOs. Moreover, about three-fifths of CDHP sponsors believed employees who enrolled in the plans felt “strongly positive” or “more positive than negative” about the offering. Fewer than 10% of respondents thought workers enrolled in the plans received inadequate health care delivery regarding preventive care and chronic and acute conditions. “Employer adoption of CDHPs slowed in 2007 and will be moderate in 2008 as well,” according to Blaine Bos, a Mercer worldwide partner. “The next big wave of adopters is still waiting to be convinced that the plans work before they commit.” Despite encouraging results, more employers aren’t moving faster to adopt CDHPs, Bos explains. Employers “worry that a big change in such an important benefit could hurt attraction and retention. So even when they do add a CDHP, most make it an option, which dilutes potential savings.” (Employee Benefit News)
How Not to Fire an Employee Firings may cause employees to cry, become defensive or even turn violent. Others may even distort what happens during your firing meeting to justify a lawsuit against you. To protect yourself legally, have someone else with you during the firing so no one can question what you say. Write a memo after the meeting summarizing what happened and have the witness sign it. Here are five other ways to defuse fired employees’ justifications for a lawsuit down the line: 1. Keep your cool. Avoid heightening an already emotional situation. Don’t spring the news suddenly or berate the employee in front of others. 2. Avoid surprises. Employees should never be completely surprised by a termination. Give them regular feedback on performance and suggest ways for them to improve. At the very least, poor performance reviews prove to a court that you had valid reasons for firing someone. 3. Watch what you say. On the day you fire someone, he or she will remember whatever you say in the worst possible light. While you should always avoid making discriminatory statements, be especially cautious during a termination meeting. 4. Don’t be too kind. You may feel compassion for the person you must fire, but don’t express your feelings in
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the wrong way. If the employee’s performance is substandard, don’t offer compliments on any aspect of their performance. Doing so might make you feel better, but it will only give the employee cause to question and challenge your reasons for terminating them. And your off-handed compliments could turn up as evidence against you in a wrongful termination suit. 5. Keep quiet. Don’t discuss your reasons for the termination with other employees. It’s enough to say “Jamie will not be working with us anymore.” Some managers have spoken too freely about the reasons for a departed employee’s termination, only to find themselves in court defending themselves against a defamation-of-character suit. (HR Specialist) The Employers Association is a nonprofit Charlotte organization providing comprehensive human resources and training services. Founded in 1958, the Association maintains a broad-based membership of over 800 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 their Web site at www.employersassoc.com.
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C O R P O R AT E
&
C O N T I N U I N G
E D U C AT I O N
IN TODAY’S COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, CREDENTIALS ARE EVERYTHING! Getting your certification can lead to… • Better visibility • Better opportunities • Better jobs
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Visit www.cpcc.edu/cce or call 704.330.4223 for more information.
Work Force Training and Development
[workforcebiz]
Career-Enhancing Certificate Programs for Today’s Competitive Marketplace
C
entral Piedmont Community College (CPCC) understands what career professionals and employers are seeking to meet the job skills needed for today’s competitive marketplace. For years, the college has been responsive to these needs by developing cutting-edge job training programs to enhance the skills of today’s workers. CPCC’s certification programs allow employees a fast track to getting the skills they need for today and tomorrow. Through certificate programs, employees have an opportunity to improve their skills and enhance their career opportunities. Certification programs such as Six Sigma Certification, Human Resources Certification, Professional Meeting Management Certification, Certified Building Code Inspector, and Certificate in Non-Destructive Testing—just to name a few—are part of CPCC’s Corporate and Continuing Education program this year. Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) Program The newest offering at CPCC is the new Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) program. CPCC began this exciting new program to meet the critical shortage in one of the most high demand jobs in the country. The new NDE program offers training for professionals who test welds and detect hidden indications of flaws in railroads, ships, bridges, airplanes, nuclear power plants, and much more. CPCC is one of the first community colleges in the Southeast to offer this program. NDE is a form of examining a material or part without damaging the intended usefulness of the component. Unlike destructive examination, where the part is destroyed as a part of the examination, NDE methods are applied to find hidden indications of potential flaws. These are then compared to standards, established by sound engineering principles, to determine if the part can continue in service. NDE is often a routine part of design, manufacture, and in-service testing performed to better establish and assess the reliability of the part in its design function.
Certified Bank Teller Program (CBT) The CBT is the first partnership between a community college and the North Carolina Banking Association. Through this partnership, CPCC is proud to offer the American Institute of Banking (AIB) courses that lead to the new CBT credential. Completion of the nine courses along with six months experience on the job will allow an individual to sit for the Certified Bank Teller certification exam. A two-week accelerated program is also available for individuals seeking immediate careers in the industry. Six Sigma Certification Programs The most successful companies in America focus on processes with the same emphasis they place on products and services. These companies have turned to their most valuable resource, their employees, to find the knowledge base and capabilities to improve quality, increase productivity, reduce cost, and improve customer satisfaction. One excellent way to do this is through CPCC Six Sigma certification classes. Over the past eighteen months, CPCC has certified more than 300 Green Belts and more than 20 Black Belts in the Six Sigma program. After successful completion of the Six Sigma Green Belt certification course, participants are prepared to work directly with cross-functional project leaders and carry out identified improvement projects. Certified SS Green Belts are also be prepared to define and measure problems, analyze the root causes, implement improvements, and establish control at new levels. Code Inspector Program Code inspectors play a vital role in the construction industry, assuring that equipment, installations, and systems are in compliance with established codes, laws, and regulations. CPCC offers courses in building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing inspection for this high-demand, high-growth career. CPCC’s Corporate Training also offers customized training for groups delivered at your business, on your schedule.
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Logistics and Supply Chain Certificate Program In today’s competitive marketplace, it’s imperative that companies are able to increase customer demands for quality delivery and speed, as well as communicate quickly. The Logistics and Supply Chain Demand program at CPCC helps businesses reduce inventory and associated costs while adding product value and extending resources. Supply Chain Management is a process that’s primarily concerned with the flow of products and information between supply chain member organizations and the end customers. To support this growing need, CPCC has developed a certificate program in Logistics and Supply Chain Analysis. The five courses provide a firm foundation for understanding how supply chain efficiency impacts the bottom line for a company. Catering Certificate Program CPCC offers an exciting 67-hour Professional Catering Certificate Program for anyone interested in becoming a caterer. Successful completion of two courses will prepare individuals to launch their catering business through planning, analyzing, marketing and menu planning. Instructors bring real life experiences to the classroom by emphasizing creative menu design and food presentation, costs and profits, banquet contracts and staffing. Helping employees and employers stay abreast of the job skills needed in today’s workplace is part of CPCC’s focus. These certification programs are one way the College is addressing the needs. To find out more about the certificate programs and other offerings through CPCC’s Corporate and Continuing Education program, call 704-330-4223 or visit www.cpcc.edu/cce. biz
This section is intended to highlight work force training and development programs and initiatives delivered by community colleges within the Charlotte region. Community colleges are invited to submit substantive content ideas to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.
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(l to r) Fritz Ferrell,Vice President of New Business Development; Albert Blackmon,Vice President of Marketing; Ron Cleboski,Vice President of Sales; Bo Coughlin, Regional Vice President Time Warner Cable Business Services (not pictured) Bob Walcot,Vice President of Operations
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by carol gifford
[bizprofile]
Time Warner Offers Up Digital Phones and Service Time Warner Cable Business Services is introducing its new services gradually, planning the region’s expansion based on the growth and demands of the market, according to Ron Cleboski, new vice president of sales for the Carolinas region of the company. “Time Warner Cable Business Services is expanding its services and offerings to meet the needs of the market and its customers,” explains Cleboski, a seventh-generation Houstonian transplant to Charlotte by way of Wisconsin. “The introduction of phone service using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is the latest service we now offer to the Carolinas.” Time Warner Cable’s new Business Services team also includes Bo Coughlin, regional vice president; Bob Walcot, vice president of operations; Fritz Ferrell, vice president of new business development, and Albert Blackmon, vice president of marketing. The goal of the new team is to be the premiere communications company in the Carolinas. pursuing a balance of business and life
Business Class Telephone Service The Carolinas regional rollout of the new business class telephone service in August was a first for Time Warner Cable—the first time its digital phone service has been introduced in a regional market. The company brought in experienced leadership from other areas to implement the rollout across both North and South Carolina. “We offer a phone service that provides unlimited local and long-distance calling, combined with the most popular features available from the incumbent phone companies,” says Walcot. “This new phone service will grow with the needs and expectations of the market. By the end of the second quarter, Time Warner Cable Business Services hopes to offer toll-free services to its customers,” says Walcot. Time Warner Cable Business Services started in the Carolinas in the early 2000s by offering Internet services to local businesses. It gradually grew its business communications products and now offers remote data backup, managed security, video and other value-added services such as television and music entertainment. All business customers receive their own business representative and can tailor the full suite of scalable broadband services to their company requirements. !
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Cleboski says Time Warner Cable Business Services expects to reach as many phone customers in the next several months as possible. Well-versed in the culture of the South and eager to bring his energy and expertise to his new home city, Cleboski says he has big expectations and “can’t get things done fast enough” in his new job. “The Carolinas and our customers will see bigger and better services with our new phone offering,” pledges Cleboski. “This is an ever growing market and we look forward to great success.” “Our Business Class services have become a highly desired and sought after competitive alternative for small to midsized businesses, many of which had no choices previously,” Coughlin points out. “The Carolinas are known for economic strength and growth, and we see an enormous opportunity to serve this growing and often ignored small to medium business segment with our services.” In an ever-increasing competitive arena, Time Warner Cable Business Class customers appreciate the value offered through the bundling options, allowing them to save money on extra features that other telecommunications providers may charge for, such as per line charges, threeway calling and call waiting. “Many of our customers are on a tight budget,” says Cleboski. “If a four-line customer has to pay an extra $15 to $20 a month, it really adds up on an annual basis. If this customer saves an additional $200 a year with Time Warner Cable Business Services, he has money to use to buy a new printer or a new copier.” Time Warner Cable’s RoadRunner product has grown phenomenally fast. Residential customer satisfaction with their cable Internet service has led homeowners to ask for the same
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options for their businesses. “We grew almost by osmosis,” says Blackmon. “We started with a RoadRunner-like product with a few business applications. Then we broadened our offering
“We view all of the telecommunications providers as our competitors; but some of them have become stagnant, just answering the call of today and not looking toward the future.” - Ron Cleboski, Vice President of Sales, Business Services
to include vanity e-mail, Web hosting, DNS and other standard Internet applications. Over time we were able to offer metro-Ethernet services via our advanced fiber network to large enterprise and government organizations, challenging what was, until then, a tightly controlled market with little competition other than the major telecommunications providers.” Full-Solution Provider By 2005, Time Warner Cable Business Services customers had started looking for a full-solution provider for all of their business needs. It took too much time and effort for small business owners to research telecommunications companies
and make choices from various providers to satisfy different communication needs. “To be a provider of choice, we needed to offer a complete suite of services and be able to support those services better than the competition. Phone service was our obvious next step” says Cleboski. “We offer Internet services, cable TV, and phone service with free long-distance and unlimited domestic calls at very competitive prices,” explains Ferrell. Business customers can also receive special offers that may include free installation, free voice mail or discounted monthly services. “Businesses are also more likely to choose Time Warner Cable than other carriers because of our stability. We’ve been here in the community for more than 30 years and we’ll be here for many more years to come,” adds Ferrell. Business Class Services customers range from the dry cleaner, requiring a single phone line, Business Class Internet connection, and cable TV, to the small architectural firm requiring larger bandwidth to the Internet and satellite offices with 12 telephone lines. “We have made significant investments in our infrastructure in the Carolinas,” remarks Walcot. “Our telephone service is very reliable and includes a robust backup power system that ensures the service operates even if the power goes out at the business’s location.” Time Warner Cable’s advanced fiber optic network provides customers the most reliable and robust service available in the market today. And unlike DSL or other technologies utilized by incumbent telecom companies or CLEC’s, the service is not impacted by distance. “Our customers always receive the highest level of service available regardless of how close or distant they are. Offering phone serv(l to r) Fritz Ferrell, Albert Blackmon, Ron Cleboski and Bo Coughlin
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ices with 12 or fewer lines allows Time Warner Cable Business Services to dedicate our resources and attention to a segment of the market that has simply been ignored by large incumbents and constantly changing CLEC’s,” says Cleboski. Another reason for Time Warner Cable and other cable companies to offer telephone services to small businesses is the sheer size of the opportunity, according to recent report on cable telephony by the business group, Insight Research Corporation. It noted that small businesses, or those with less than 100 employees, have a greater need for enhanced communication and are “ready targets for a bundle of voice, Internet access and data services.” The report cites that competition between providers of residential telephone and broadband services is fierce but the competition for small businesses is just heating up; “on a per customer basis, revenue associated with providing a small business with data and voice services can generate three to four times the revenue of the residential customer buying a bundle of voice, data and video services.” The competitors are many, says Cleboski, including larger incumbent local exchange carriers, or ILECs, such as AT&T, Verizon and smaller competitive local exchange carriers, or CLECs. Cleboski understands his competition, he says, and how to beat it. He first worked for CLECs, small regional communications providers who compete with incumbent local exchange carriers, in Houston at a time when the industry demanded quick returns. He got “tired of chasing the money,” and after working for a company that went bankrupt, decided to change employers. He opted for Time Warner Cable and he and his family were transferred to Wisconsin where they spent four years before moving to Charlotte in November. They reside in the Weddington area and are very happy “to be back in a culture that is warm and welcoming and in a climate where snow is something you visit, not live in.” “We view all of the telecommunications providers as our competitors; but some of them have become stagnant, just answering the call of today and not
“Our Business Class services have become a highly desired and sought after competitive alternative for small to mid-sized businesses, many of which had no choices previously. The Carolinas are known for economic strength and growth, and we see an enormous opportunity to serve this growing and often ignored small to medium business segment with our services.” - Bo Coughlin, Regional Vice President
looking toward the future,” says Cleboski. Time Warner Cable Business Services recognized a weakness in its competitors and aggressively pursued telephone services. Committing to Growth Time Warner Cable Business Services is just getting started in its commitment to offer telephony. The introduction of such a new service comes with some growing pains. “There are a lot of moving targets. We’re building our sales team and we have a budget to hit. We have to make sure that we provide value for our customers and that we’re taking care of our employees,” Coughlin explains. Prior to regionalizing the Carolinas, all five divisions had the same Business Class services but offered them in different ways, with different rates. There may have been different product selections, different price points, and different phone numbers in two adjoining regions. Customers who had locations in both regions—with offices located literally across a freeway— might have been caught in the middle with different rates and different numbers to call for service. “With the launch of the new business class phone service, we have one consistent message throughout the two states, and more consistent pricing and marketing,” explains Cleboski. “Even though we have melded our five divisions into one
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larger region, our customers will continue to have local business representatives.” Another important new feature, says Walcot, is the introduction of one customer support center in Charlotte. “We offer customer support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” says Walcot. Time Warner Business Services is currently searching for facilities in which to locate its sales and support call center, as well as the management team. These new facilities will be in addition to Time Warner Cable’s already significant presence at their Arrowood campus. “We expect to grow a multi-faceted command center in Charlotte that will be a front-line customer support center and house our sales, support, executive and local team,” says Coughlin. “We’re looking for the best of the best to add to our team to support the Carolinas region.” biz Carol Gifford is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
Time Warner Cable, Inc. dba Time Warner Cable Business Services 7910 Crescent Executive Drive Charlotte, N.C. 28217 Phone: 704-378-3006 Principals: Bo Coughlin, Regional Vice President, Business Services; Ron Cleboski,Vice President of Sales, Business Services; Bob Walcot,Vice President of Operations, Business Services; Fritz Ferrell,Vice President of New Business Development, Business Services;Albert Blackmon,Vice President of Marketing, Business Services Employees: Nearly 200 in the Carolinas’ region, expecting a 100% increase in 12 to18 months Established: Regional organization established in 2006; first offered Internet services in the Carolinas to business customers in 2000 Business: Communications solutions for businesses of all sizes including: business class phone, data services, security, storage, video and music services, standard and digital cable, and digital music. www.carolinas.twcbc.com
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[bizprofile]
by casey jacobus
Brothers Gregg and Shawn McAllister burst on the Charlotte scene in 1996, when they bought and renovated the Gin Mill, now a South End pub that’s become part of the trolley line party scene. The McAllisters handled their own renovation and construction needs for the restaurant. Word of their success spread and soon local business owners began contacting them for construction advice and project management. Over the past 10 years, their business has grown to include additional adaptive reuse projects, high end restaurants, retail and office space, as well as multifamily residential projects. In 1997 the brothers incorporated the company name, developed a logo, and adopted the slogan “Obsessive Constructive.” “The name suits us because of our attention to detail,” says Gregg. “We’re passionate about the business and the brand depicts us well.” Over the past decade, the company has become known for its care in planning, paying particular attention to cost analysis and efficient building practices. The brothers’ background as business owners themselves helps them understand financing requirements, market conditions and client needs. They are able to manage the entire building process from interacting with owner’s representatives to working with landlords and vendors. “McAllister is one of the few contractors who say they will do preconstruction services and then actually do it,” says Steve Starr, a partner with Tobin, Dudley & Starr Architects. “They develop budgets and cost estimates early on, encouraging collaboration from the beginning of a project.” “We’re not a typical construction busi-
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ness,” emphasizes Shawn. “We don’t just take a hammer and nail approach to a project. Coming out of constructing our own projects, we look at everything from the owner’s point of view. We put ourselves in the client’s footsteps.” Among the brothers’ recent projects are Queens Six Two Six, a luxury condominium development in Myers Park, Citispace, a three-acre adaptive re-use office campus in South End, and Southborough, a $12,000,000 mixed-use construction project, which encumbrances a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store and is also an innovative urban village unlike any other in the Southeast. Convenient to two new light rail stations, the project combines the “industrial chic” energy of Charlotte’s South End district with the calm elegance of the historic Dilworth neighborhood. From the Ground Up Shawn and Gregg grew up in Spring Lake, New Jersey, where their father was a successful real estate developer. Larry McAllister’s own father had been an assembly line foreman and Larry was the first member of his family to break away from the factory and go to college. “He was willing to go out and take risks and he was rewarded for it,” says Shawn. “He taught us to work hard and to make sure we knew more than the next guy.” In 1991 Gregg came to Belmont Abbey College to get an education and to play soccer. Two years later Shawn followed his brother to North Carolina, attending UNC Wilmington. While Gregg worked for Wachovia for a year after graduation, the brothers knew they really didn’t want to work for a big company. Young and ambitious, they bought an existing business and, after doing all the rehabilitative design and construction, found themselves the owner of the Gin Mill, now a thriving bar and restaurant. “We had to learn more about accounting and finance,” says Shawn, “but we established our business model.” The brothers met with a lot of success early on, building a base of clients through referrals. One of those projects was La Vecchia’s !
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(l to r) Shawn McAllister, Gregg McAllister, Partners McAllister
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Southborough – A mixed-use construction project, which encumbrances a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store, and it also an innovative urban village unlike any other in the Southeast. Seafood Grille in the Shops on the Green shopping center in Cornelius. Soon Gregg was bringing in more investment projects to the company, while Shawn continued to run the construction end of things. The brothers’ skill sets continued to improve as the jobs got harder and larger. They faced consistent challenges and as they accomplished these, they gained the confidence to tackle larger projects. They moved into multifamily construction with the $8 million project Queen Six Two Six, a 12-unit luxury condominium on Queens Road in Charlotte. A four-story steel and concrete structure with a brick veneer, fitting well with the adjacent Myers Park neighborhood, the building includes underground parking, a first floor wine room, covered balconies and a rooftop penthouse. The project was sold out prior to completion. Attention to Detail As the young company grew, so did its reputation for paying attention to detail, allowing the client the freedom to focus on other matters. When restaurateur Alex Myrick built the upscale Table Restaurant & Bar in the Ballanytne Village Shopping Center, he hired McAllister to help control costs on the million-dollar plus project. Myrick credits McAllister’s knowledge of materials and the restaurant business with completing the project on time and budget. “From start to finish they were on top of everything before it became an issue,” says Myrick. “As an owner and client I was pleased that I was not bothered with small items; they just took care of it and kept me informed.”
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“We’re not a typical construction business. We don’t just take a hammer and nail approach to a project. Coming out of constructing our own projects, we look at everything from the owner’s point-of view. We put ourselves in the client’s footsteps.” - Shawn McAllister, Partner
McAllister has recently taken on a mixed-use revitalization of four historic buildings located in downtown Gastonia, totaling over 50,000 square feet. Originally planned as a commercial development called South Street Arcade, the name was changed to The Standard when a residential component was added. The new name honors the Standard Hardware Building, which is the largest of the four South Street structures being redeveloped. Working with Narmour Wright Creech Architecture of Charlotte, McAllister plans to develop 11,725 square feet of Class A retail space, 5,500 square feet of office space, two 1,300 square-foot live/work lofts and eight spacious residential lofts. While preserving The Standard’s 1920s architecture, the project features hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, vaulted ceilings and wood and steel beams. McAllister’s current projects also include Citispace, a three-acre adaptive reuse office campus in South End and Southborough, an $18,000,000 multi-use project adjacent to the Lowes Home Improvement store along the city’s light rail line. Southborough, an area along South Boulevard between Magnolia Ave and Iverson Way, is planned to act as a
Queen Six Two Six – 12-unit luxury condominium project located in Historic Myers Park. The four-story steel and concrete structure has a brick veneer mixed with accent materials. The building includes underground parking, a first floor wine room, covered balconies and a rooftop penthouse. Table Restaurant & Bar, Ballantyne – The space, originally designed for mercantile, has been customized and restructured to suit the needs of a high-end restaurant. w w w. g r e a t e r c h a r l o t t e b i z . c o m
buffer between the Dilworth neighborhood and the forthcoming Lowe’s store. Citispace at South Tryon and Tremont Avenue is already home to McAllister, which occupies 3,500 square feet in a 17,000-square-foot renovated building dating back to the 1940s. When completed, the project will include three new buildings and a courtyard, all of which will be enclosed behind a decorative metal fence and electronic gates. McAllister plans to move to its new 5,500-square-foot home within the project later this year. “The new office space will reflect our growth and image,” says Shawn. Pay Off Success has come quickly for Shawn and Gregg McAllister. Starting out at ages 21 and 23, respectively, they have thrived by taking on a task, doing it well, and improving their skill sets in the process. As the jobs get harder and larger, they look for what is similar in the new project to ones they have done in the past and, at the same time, look for the challenges they can accomplish and learn from for the future. And they have always been willing to work hard. “As Jerry Richardson says, ‘No matter what, you have to work hard,’” says Shawn. “Beware of anything that seems easy, fast or simple. Rethink anything that begins with ‘Only….’” Because they are brothers and both are interested in sports (Gregg has coached soccer at Belmont Abbey for the past seven years), they are naturally competitive. Fortunately, Shawn says they are not competitive with each other. Rather they compliment each other in skills and abilities. As the company has grown, Gregg has become responsible for the Real Estate Development Division, while Shawn runs the Construction Division. When the occasional conflict occurs, the brothers resolve it behind closed doors. “There is nothing diplomatic about how we settle things,” laughs Shawn. Despite their passion for business and their obsession with detail, the McAllister brothers can play as hard as they work. Both of them own homes in Charleston, where Gregg likes to play golf, go boating, and fish with his family, which includes two young sons. Shawn, who was recently
married and expecting his first child, enjoys boxing and the martial arts. “Work does not define me,” says Gregg. “While I’m passionate about business, family comes first.” Management Team In addition to valuing time spent with their own young families, the McAllister brothers are proud and appreciative of the management team they have put together. “The folks who make a living with us are our extended family,” says Gregg. “Each of them is an expert in their own area and they are the key to our success.” The city of Charlotte has also contributed to the McAllister’s success. Its geographic location, population growth, and job growth have helped the young entrepreneurs evolve into mature business people. “Charlotte is a great place to be selfemployed,” asserts Gregg. In addition, the brothers say, Charlotte has a number of good honest people who have been willing to offer advice and support. Among those who have acted as mentors to the young company are influential restaurateur Jim Verney; attorney Bob Hord; Dennis Kenna, president of Heede Southeast, which supplies tower cranes for major building projects; Tony Pressley, president and CEO of Mecca Properties and the “godfather” of South End development; as well as Bill Egan, an executive at Sonic Automotive and Gregg’s father-in-law. “We were really young when we started, with more work ethic and drive than brains or experience,” says Gregg. “My advice to others in the same place is to seek advice in order to avoid mistakes.” Neither Gregg nor Shawn are ready to rest on their accomplishments. They have big dreams for the future, expecting to build on the name and reputation that McAllister has acquired over the past 10 years to take on multiple projects on a larger scale. “We’ll take what we’ve learned and apply it to other businesses,” says Gregg. “With the core management team we’ve built, we’ll be able to take significant roles in other ventures.” Shawn echoes Gregg: “With the people we have working for us, the potential is endless.” Diversity is key to the McAllister future.
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“The folks who make a living with us are our extended family. Each of them is an expert in their own area and they are the key to our success.” - Gregg McAllister, Partner They have never allowed themselves to become pigeon-holed. Before they were builders, they were entrepreneurs, and they still own multiple businesses and develop projects for their own portfolio. Specializing in high-end retail restaurant and office upfits and having acquired expertise in the development of luxury condominiums, mixed-use communities, and urban renewal, the partners are about to turn their attention in a new direction. In March they plan to launch a new transportation company. “Ten years down the road, its possible we’ll own five companies in different areas,” laughs Gregg. “It all boils down to ‘one day at a time’ and a lot of hard work,” adds Shawn. “Mom always told us to ‘Be happy and challenge yourself.” biz Casey Jacobus is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
The McAllister Group Construction Company dba McAllister 2030 S.Tryon Street, Ste. 3A Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Phone: 704-333-1644 Principals: Gregg and Shawn McAllister, Partners Founded: 1997 Employees: 25 Sample Projects: Queens Six Two Six, a luxury condominium development in Myers Park; Citispace, a three-acre adaptive re-use office campus in South End; Southborough, a $12,000,000 mixed-use construction project; and Table Restaurant & Bar in the Ballantyne Village Shopping Center Business: Commercial construction and real estate development. www.obsessiveconstructive.com
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(l to r) Marc Horgan, Charlotte Area Executive, First Citizens Bank; Scott Angel, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisory Services, First Citizens Bank
A
$16 billion-asset bank operating in the backyard of the nation’s biggest financial institutions needs a niche, a concentration where it can shine. First Citizens Bank has such a niche and it serves the Raleigh-based institution doubly well in Charlotte, the veritable kitchen for Bank of America and Wachovia,
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second and fourth largest banks in the United States. The First Citizens sweet spot is concentrating on small- and medium-sized businesses as well as professionals, medical practitioners, financially active clients and those interested in relationship banking. Bank officers emphasize developing and maintaining a relationship approach that fits each client. w w w. g r e a t e r c h a r l o t t e b i z . c o m
by ellison clary
[bizprofile]
SWEET SPOT
First Citizens Values Relationships
photo: Wayne Morris
“A bank our size can’t try to be all things to all people. Our commitment to our customers and their needs set us apart.” - Marc Horgan, Charlotte Area Executive
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“A bank our size can’t try to be all things to all people,” says Marc Horgan, area executive for First Citizens in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties. “Our commitment to our customers and their needs sets us apart.” Horgan has occupied his office in the 23-story First Citizens Bank Plaza on Tryon Street for about nine months, but he’s been with First Citizens for nine years, working in Raleigh and Cary and other parts of the Triangle. How does First Citizens compete in Charlotte’s banking hotbed? Horgan points to the bank’s succinct vision statement: “To help our customers achieve a lifetime of success.” His bank defines success by its clients’ unique standards, Horgan says, adding, “We serve the depth of their financial needs from traditional bank products to our comprehensive wealth management offerings.” Horgan emphasizes that he depends on the dedication and expertise of each of the 170 First Citizens employees in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties. “We’re visible,” he says. “While our commercial team is right here in the main office, we have 13 business bankers servicing the community from their branches. Then you put the bankers together with our partners, those in merchant services, leasing, cash management, working capital finance. In a market like Charlotte, it’s a pretty unique story.” Horgan works in partnership with Private Wealth Advisory Services, led in Charlotte by senior vice president and managing director Scott Angel. Angel’s group focuses on providing professional asset management, objective financial counsel and an integrated approach designed to synchronize !
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all aspects of a private wealth client’s financial affairs. For businesses, municipalities and foundations, First Citizens Institutional Advisory Services Group offers institutional asset management and retirement planning services. The overriding goal for Angel and his associates, according to Angel, is growing the bank by serving each individual client through what he calls their “financial life cycle.” Angel feels he and his
“We manage wealth relationships at the personal level. Our job is not to tell the client what to do. Our job is to proactively help clients understand what their options are so they can best make decisions for their family. If we take that perspective, then our clients will be successful, and we will too.” - Scott Angel, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisory Services
team can, better than any other company, guide a person from business startup through business sale: “We help clients make better financial decisions.” Along with Horgan, Angel praises the emphasis First Citizens places on its associates and their ability to serve their clients. Ultimately, that leads to bankers with strong expertise over an extended tenure. “Our regional team of 13 individuals includes six Certified Financial Planners and our professionals average more than 15 years of experience,” points up Angel. “These relationship managers and partners have specific expertise in comprehensive areas of wealth management, including financial planning, investments, estates and trusts, insurance planning and private banking.” Personal Approach to Service “But what really sets First Citizens apart,” Angel continues, “is that the
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bank encourages its associates to visit a client’s office or home.” And although Horgan and Angel and their associates knock on many doors for new business, that personal approach leads to a steady stream of referrals from satisfied clients. That’s how Jim Thompson of Charlotte got to First Citizens. Thompson was frustrated with bad banking experiences when he was trying to sell his interest in Agdata, a business he helped found. A friend suggested he try First Citizens. “They could not have been more attentive or helpful,” Thompson remembers of the 2005 experience. “When the time came that I did sell my portion of the business, I gave a substantial portion of that money to First Citizens to manage for me. They keep me apprised of how my investments are doing. If I have questions, I get answers right away.” Thompson is now co-owner and general manager of Southeast Biodiesel, with offices in Charlotte and a production plant in North Charleston, S.C. “First Citizens has put together a couple of lines of credit for me that I have used to get my new business off the ground,” he continues. “The thing I really have appreciated is they’ve all been there the whole time,” he adds. “There’s not been a lot of turnover.” Personal attention comes natural for First Citizens, Horgan says. Though a public company traded on NASDAQ, it continues to be controlled by members of its founding family, the Holdings, who started First Citizens in 1898. “We’re one of the largest family-controlled banks in the country,” Horgan adds. “By the family being involved, we’re making decisions from a longterm perspective to support the bank’s vision.” System wide, First Citizens earned $126.5 million for 2006 and reported $82.5 million in earnings through September 2007. The bank isn’t feeling too much of a mortgage pinch, Horgan says, because it has a diverse loan portfolio as a result of providing a full range of credit services to both
business and retail customers. Bank of America and Wachovia control 90 percent of the Charlotte financial market, so First Citizens and others, including a plethora of community banks, scramble for the remaining 10 percent. In fast-growing Mecklenburg and Iredell, that’s still a lot of business. It’s enough to make First Citizens’ Charlotte operation second only to the Triangle on a system that includes 340 branches in West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Maryland as well as North Carolina. Combining Best of Big and Small To mine the Charlotte market, Horgan says, First Citizens mixes the strengths of both big and small banks. Large banks enjoy huge reserves of resources, he explains, but they often
“We’re going to grow the bank and do it one person, one business at a time. At First Citizens, we’re committed to delivering on our promise of understanding our clients’ financial needs and goals and applying our knowledge, expertise and resources to make a difference in their lives. In other words, we value their relationships with us.” - Marc Horgan, Charlotte Area Executive
can’t react nearly as quickly as smaller institutions. “The ability to be nimble, creative and flexible is an advantage for community banks,” he adds. First Citizens combines both, he says. “We’ve got the resources to support client needs, but we can also make local decisions and give our clients the long-term approach.” Executives such as Horgan and Angel have the latitude to make individual deals that larger banks often can’t accommodate.
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First Citizens has 27 banking centers in the Charlotte area and two under construction, one each in burgeoning southwest Mecklenburg and the Lake Norman area that straddles the Mecklenburg-Iredell line. That’s testimony, Horgan and Angel point out, that First Citizens is competing successfully. “We manage wealth relationships at
“The ability to be nimble, creative and flexible is an advantage for community banks. We’ve got the resources to support client needs, but we can also make local decisions and give our clients the long-term approach.” - Marc Horgan, Charlotte Area Executive
the personal level,” Angel explains. “Our job is not to tell the client what to do. Our job is to proactively help clients understand what their options are so they can best make decisions for their family. If we take that perspective, then our clients will be successful, and we will too.” Angel gives some examples of a typical business client’s needs. Among them are children’s education and basic insurance, business succession, and estate planning. His teammates often partner with an attorney or accountant, he says, to address such concerns. Though First Citizens boasts $17 billion in assets under management and custody, Angel says the bank doesn’t try to produce every product and service in-house. Instead, he and his team leverage experts and technology to offer best-of-class investment services from across the country. Strong Retention For proof that approach works, Angel points to a client retention rate that exceeds industry standards. “We do an amazing job of keeping clients
long term,” he says. A client the Charlotte office has kept for more than two decades is Dale Halton, former president and chief executive of Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Charlotte. She sold the firm in 2005, but remains on the local First Citizens advisory board. Halton recalls how she established a relationship with First Citizens in 1984 and 1985 when she was renovating and rebuilding the Pepsi plant on South Boulevard. “First Citizens came up with the best deal,” she says. “They have been a super bank to work with. They are very personable and flexible. They want to help. I moved a lot of my personal stuff over there, also.” Halton sometimes is featured in advertisements extolling the virtues of First Citizens in the Charlotte area. “They are certainly about personal service,” she says. “It means a lot to know you can call and you don’t have to be passed around from person to person. I highly recommend them.” At 37 and 40 respectively, Horgan and Angel profess their preference to remain in Charlotte for years to come. What will the First Citizens presence in the Charlotte area look like in, say, five years? They sketch a broad picture. Horgan sees continued opportunities in the Lake Norman and Mooresville areas and other sections such as near the South Carolina border. Horgan says First Citizens has a strong tradition of community involvement and making cities and towns the bank serves even better places to live and work. He and Angel vow to continue their involvement in local civic affairs and encourage their associates to do the same. Horgan recently was elected to the Foundation’s board for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he earned a bachelor’s in finance in 1993. Angel, an Eagle Scout, is on the executive board of the Mecklenburg Council of Boy Scouts of America and is an active deacon and treasurer of First Presbyterian Church. “We’re going to grow the bank and
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“We’re one of the largest family-controlled banks in the country. By the family being involved, we’re making decisions from a longterm perspective to support the bank’s vision.” - Marc Horgan, Charlotte Area Executive
do it one person, one business at a time,” Horgan says. “At First Citizens, we’re committed to delivering on our promise of understanding our clients’ financial needs and goals and applying our knowledge, expertise and resources to make a difference in their lives. In other words, we value their relationships with us.” biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company dba First Citizens Bank 128 South Tryon St. Charlotte, N.C. 28202 Phone: 704-338-4055 Parent Company: First Citizens Bancshares, Inc. Principals: Lewis R. Holding, Chairman; Frank B. Holding, Executive Vice Chairman; James B. Hyler Jr.,Vice Chairman; Frank B. Holding Jr., President; Marc Horgan, Charlotte Area Executive; Scott Angel, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisory Services Established: 1898 in Smithfield, N.C. Headquarters: Raleigh, N.C. Banking Centers: 340 in North Carolina,Virginia,West Virginia,Tennessee, Maryland; 27 Charlotte area banking centers Employees: 5,000; 170 in Charlotte area Business: Offers a complete line of financial services, including personal banking, business banking, trust services and insurance services. www.firstcitizens.com
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[bizprofile]
by janet kropinak
Generators
MaxMpact is All About Brand Identity
I
n an age where e-mails are prevented from reaching their intended recipients and television commercials are automatically fast forwarded before they even begin, deciding the best places to spend your marketing dollars has become more challenging than ever. Companies are left searching for new and innovative ways to spread their message and brand their name to potential and existing clients. Enter Max Daniel, who has made a career out of selling solutions through his promotional marketing business, MaxMpact. Whether it is in the form of a printed T-shirt, an embroidered polo, coffee mug or custom stationery, Daniel and his staff can help your company get its name out in the Charlotte marketplace and beyond. Finding a Niche When Daniel founded Corporate Data Products (later shortened to Corp Data Products), a computer supplies product company, in 1984, he was hoping to fill a niche in the market. But in the following years, because of standardization and commoditization of products, he decided to diversify his business and its offerings. “We began distribution of hundreds of various sizes, colors, and number of parts of computer papers for different applications, and then people began requesting customization. Almost once we began this business, we evolved into custom forms. Other print products became the next logical step,� remembers Daniel. “This was really a logical progression from where we were to where we !
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“It is our job to help our clients generate an idea and develop that into something tangible.� - Max L. Daniel President and Founder MaxMpact
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wanted to go, and was our foray into the promotional marketing business,” he explains. Following this decision, Daniel continued to see the demand of these personalized jobs increase and wisely shifted focus to expanding their distribution of promotional and specialty products, which has since become a $19 billion industry nationally. In 2006, Daniel decided to rebrand the business as MaxMpact, to more accurately reflect its mission.
Focusing efforts on business-to-business marketing, MaxMpact has a team of sales representatives that average over 20 years of experience in the industry. “We look for people with desire, creativity and the ability to build long-lasting relationships with our clients,” he explains. “Everyone on our team is hands-on through the entire process, from concept to delivery.” Daniel is quick to clarify that they aren’t in the business of merely selling products, but instead look for companies
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“Promotional products have a positive impact on brand image. Brand image is a mental impression that reflects the way a brand in perceived, including all the identifying elements, the products or companies’ personality, and the emotions and associations evoked in the consumer’s mind.” - Promotional Products Association International
where they can both add value and help enhance image. “We like to think of ourselves as a marketing arm to the company,” Daniel affirms. “We aren’t in this business to sell 1,000 pens at the lowest cost, we are looking for the most efficient ways to help a company brand themselves and gain further name recognition, which is an invaluable service.” Daniel explains that branding and name recognition is essential in today’s competitive market and something every company needs to think seriously about. “Whether it’s building morale within their own company, creating give-a-ways for a tradeshow, designing a Christmas gift for their customers, launching a new product or holding a golf event, we can help these companies build upon their brand,” Daniel explains. The importance of branding cannot be understated. According to a study by the Promotional Products Association International, “Promotional products have a positive impact on brand image. Brand image is a mental impression that reflects the way a brand in perceived, including all the identifying elements, the products or companies’ personality, and the emotions and associations evoked in the consumer’s mind.” Partnering for Success According to Daniel, the first thing to remember when thinking about the promotional marketing business is that perception is reality. “That is what makes this a $19 billion industry; people are looking for ways to
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better their image, whether it is to their clients, potential clients, vendors, or their employees. It’s a service that everyone can benefit from,” he explains. “We are helping clients improve their image through the use of various marketing products.” Upon initial meeting, the sales representative will do a complete needs analysis, which helps the rep become familiar with the companies objectives. This is followed by a brainstorming session which eventually leads to the initial concept and design of a product. “It is our job to help our clients generate an idea and develop that into something tangible,” he says. Seeing their relationship with clients as more of a partnership, the sales team is involved in all steps of the process. After a concept is decided on, they participate in the planning and execution. “From development to fulfillment of the order, we are involved in all of it,” affirms Daniel. He goes on to explain that the first step in making a sale is often winning over the client “emotionally” before selling them on the product itself. “We can show someone 100 items, but it is usually the one that gets an initial reaction from them that they end up going with. And that is usually true with all marketing.” In keeping true with the idea of a partnership, Daniel insists that their job isn’t to push the product; instead they use the pull method, engaging their customers into the buying process by identifying their needs and capitalizing on their objectives. Another responsibility Daniel sees for his staff is educating their customers on what is new in the market and what is going to get them the most recognition. “We are doing the leg work, we are researching thousands of products and bringing to the table a small selection of what we think will work best in accomplishing their objectives,” explains Daniel. “This frees up a lot of time and stress from our clients.” Making sure they are on top of the trends is crucial for the MaxMpact staff. “Right now, we are seeing a shift toward
digital items. iPod accessories, flash drives and digital photo frames are all very hot right now. Green items, made from recycled products are also on the rise,” says Daniel. “You can never forget about the old mainstays like writing instruments and stationery, those are still some of our best sellers. Apparel also holds a large share of our business and accounts for nearly 30 percent of our revenue. But now, we are seeing a lot of environmental friendly clothing and performance fabrics options
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coming into play, so adaptability is key in knowing what products to push.” Daniel emphasizes that this is a knowledge-based business, so one of the most important elements in being successful is making sure you stay knowledgeable despite an ever changing market. Competitive Edge In addition to their strong focus on customer service, Daniel says it isn’t the only factor in his business success. “One !
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of our biggest assets is our showroom,” he says proudly. In 1989 they built a 25,000-square-foot facility in Charlotte from which they can promote and showcase over 1,700 vendors, making it one of the largest in the Southeast. “This is something you can’t get from a catalog. We are really able to show our customers options and let them see what they are buying before they buy it,” says Daniel. “Having the ability to touch and hold an item before you buy it is such a large advantage.” In addition to catalog sales, online promotional marketing sites are also vying for marketing dollars. Noting the problems with Internet sales, Daniel also acknowledges the use advantages it has brought to the industry. “Going digital has really made our jobs a lot easier. From exchanging information to placing orders and receiving proofs, it really has cut down on the paperwork. But it still isn’t able to offer any guidance to the purchaser, and that is where we come in.” Customers who choose to purchase items from a catalog or off the Internet
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are missing out on the expertise that the sales team can bring to the table. “We are able to walk them through the details; we understand printing, four-color process, bleeds, registration, and embossing. We are also able to offer direction and assistance with the design of their product from our creative team,” he says. “We
“We are helping clients improve their image through the of various marketing products.” -Max Daniel, President and Founder
strive to help our customers do it right the first time. This is a customized solution they are buying and there is no room for error in this business.”
This drive to satisfy their customers has helped MaxMpact build long-term relationships with many of its clients. “We approach everyone with a ‘customers for life’ mentality. And that really seems to work for us,” Daniel states. Another advantage MaxMpact has is its size. The business is small enough to remain focused on the details and make sure things aren’t falling through the cracks, but large enough to handle national accounts. Their size also helps reduce costs to their customers because they are able to purchase larger quantities than some smaller operations. Additionally, the ability to store merchandise in their local onsite warehouse is another service that the majority of their competitors cannot offer. Moving Forward When it comes to a business plan for 2008, Daniel aims high as he lays out his goals. “We had a lot of changes go on this past year—building renovations and new phone systems—which have really helped position us for growth this year,” he states. “We are looking to grow our
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revenues by 30 percent in 2008.”Though he is quick to admit that a few additional sales and support staff will aid in making this goal happen. “We are looking to add to our customer service staff, which will allow our sales reps more time with the clients and less time doing research, which will in turn help increase our sales volume.” Daniel and his staff attend trade shows throughout the year, including four national shows, including one catered to the PGA, and monthly vendor shows that come through Charlotte. This allows them to stay on top of the newest trends and products. “An important factor of success in this business knowing when a product needs to be replaced and also knowing what to replace it with,” he says. To showcase their findings to potential customers, MaxMpact holds quarterly open houses, where customers can tour
their showroom to gain ideas for their own marketing needs. They also have the opportunity to see new offerings and talk to the sales representatives and vendors about future projects. Our open houses have been instrumental in our success, they really give people an idea about all the offerings out there,” says Daniel. Over the past 24 years, MaxMpact has provided marketing strategies, branding concepts, employee awards, sales incentives, and motivational pro-
grams. According to Daniel, MaxMpact has gained a spot in the top three percent in sales volume nationally among the industry. Priding themselves on partnering with clients through originality, creative listening, thinking outside the box, and hard work, Daniel is able to summarize their success in a complicated industry with just three simple words, “Price, quality and service.” biz Janet Kropinak is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.
Start With Trust
SM
If you are looking for a dry cleaner, a home repair contractor or any other business, you want one you can trust a business with a proven track record for
Corp Data Products, Inc. dba MaxMpact 2920 Whitehall Park Drive Charlotte, N.C. 28273 Phone: 704-588-8882
keeping its commitments and doing the job right. Businesses you can trust are easy to find - just look for the Better Business Bureau Seal.
Principal: Max L. Daniel, President and Founder Facility Size: 25,000 square feet Employees: 14 Established: 1984 Services: Corporate awards and incentives, executive and client gifts, tradeshow give-a-ways, company store, apparel, hats and visors, golf event merchandise, uniforms, design, warehousing and fulfillment, binding equipment, custom folders, business forms, stationery and envelopes. Sample Vendors: Nike,Thermos, Bic, Logomark,Adidas, Ping, Leed’s,Award Craft, Fossil, OGIO,Tervis, Hanes, Cutter & Buck, Bobby Jones,Titleist and Time Planner Calendars. Business: Specialty advertising consultants partnering with clients through originality, creative listening, thinking outside of the box, and hard work; provides marketing strategies, branding concepts, employee awards, sales incentives, and motivational programs. www.maxmpact.com
John and Young Kim, Ballantyne Dry Cleaners, BBB Accredited Business Since 2005
Find businesses you can trust at bbb.org
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T
Tucker and Taffy leap from the truck and sprint, noses down, scouring the ground relentlessly but methodically through the knee-high broom straw. Within minutes, Tucker slides to an abrupt halt, her feathery tail frozen skyward, nose twitching and body quivering. Within seconds, Taffy is a perfect mimic barely 20 feet away. “Tucker don’t lie, boys…and Taffy knows it,” proclaims Roddy. “Ready, Dodson? Ready, John? Here they come!” Suddenly, a covey of quail spring into furious flight from the grassy cover and head in three directions. Two quick blasts, two calculated shots, and four fast retrieves later, Roddy proudly but calmly asserts, “Tucker and Taffy’ll make you look good.” “We are good!” chime Dodson and John in unison. “Yes, sir, everything’s good here,” smiles Roddy, “Looky there, boys, we got another point. Remember, Tucker don’t lie.”
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by bruce hensley
[bizlife]
Tucker and Taffy are two beautifully muscular and lithe English Setter hunting dogs. Roddy is South Carolina native Roddy McFalls, a knowledgeable, gentle, accommodating, and humorous hunting and fishing guide. Dodson and John are Dodson Patterson and John Williams, owners and CEOs of Charlotte-based Patterson Heating and Air Conditioning and Metrolina Builders, respectively. The location is The River Bend Sportsman’s Resort in Fingerville, South Carolina, just off the Cherokee Scenic Highway about 30 miles north of Spartanburg and 90 miles southwest of Charlotte. Situated on 550 majestic, rolling acres in South Carolina’s upstate area, this multi-faceted upscale sporting resort has played host to countless national and international sportsmen and -women, and even youth, since its inception in 1985. In addition to eight perfectly prepared hunting fields that feature pheasant, chukar and quail, River Bend offers deer hunting via eight strategically placed Strong Built tripods, turkey hunting (in April only), and duck hunting. River Bend is one of only three facilities in South Carolina approved for released duck hunting, which means hunters pay for a specific number of ducks to be released, which are then harvested accordingly. It also means that no duck stamps, bag limit or steel shot are required, and that both mallard hens and drakes can be released for the hunt. There are three blinds accommodating up to four hunters each; River Bend supplies dogs and dog handlers if needed. All harvested game is cleaned and frozen on site and sent home with hunters. Unclaimed game is used for an annual fund raiser, so all game from River Bend is consumed by someone. !
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Hunting Up a Resort River Bend is the vision and brainchild of Statesville, N.C., native Ralph Brendle. Brendle had always had a passion for the outdoors and outdoor activities. He graduated from Wofford College with a chemistry degree in 1974 and went to work for Millikin Chemicals in Spartanburg, where he helped develop, patent and sell various textile-related chemicals across the globe. Part of his job also involved customer entertainment. “Like any company, we found it necessary and usually enjoyable to entertain our customers,” explains Brendle, 56. “But when we hosted clients in the South Carolina upstate during the mid ’70s to mid ’80s, we didn’t have anywhere decent to hunt and shoot. So that got me thinking about finding some land and opening my own sporting resort. Besides, I was kind of burned out with world travel and chemical sales.” So Brendle pieced together and purchased several contiguous plots of land, and opened River Bend in 1985 featuring three hunting fields, a skeet range, six modest sleeping rooms, and a 2000-square-foot conference center with a small kitchen. At the time, River Bend was only the second U.S. sporting facility to have a
sporting clays course. A favorite of Europeans, sporting clays was new and relatively unknown in
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the U.S. until the mid1980s. Brendle also had the support of his former Milliken associates and other regional corporate contacts in using the fledgling resort as often as possible. A couple of years later, Brendle began River Bend’s Youth
Flush With Expansion By 1996, Brendle’s business was flourishing, flush with textile, manufacturing, banking, and several other industries’ corporate entertainment business, as well as individual members. Having already added five more hunting fields in 1994, Brendle decided to take River Bend to the next level by building a stunning 6000-square-foot lodge with a massive stone fireplace, commercial kitchen, billiard room, bar, pro shop, gun
Camp, a popular and highly acclaimed beginner and advanced camp for boys and girls aged 10 to 15. Taught by trained professionals, youngsters learn gun safety and shooting techniques including shotgun, rifle, and pistol safety and marksmanship; gun cleaning/maintenance; wildlife law enforcement, identification, and habitat management; hunting techniques; and game care and preparation. Other camp activities include paintball, swimming, fishing, golf, and volleyball. “The youth program is something I feel very strongly about,” emphasizes Brendle. “There are lots of kids who need and want an opportunity to learn about fun, wholesome outdoor activities, and unfortunately, the times are such now that many kids don’t get the chance. I believe that our Youth Camp is an education in our heritage and an investment in our future.” Additionally, the youth program nurtures future customers, and the resort is now enjoying individual and corporate customers who were past Youth Camp attendees.
storage/cleaning room, public and private dining rooms, men’s and women’s saunas, loft, administrative office, and a 1000square-foot deck for cookouts. The lodge accommodates up to 125 for sit-down dinners, and the conference center can hold 135 in a theater-style setting. Brendle also added upscale accommodations with a cottage that features eight private bedrooms and a great room and a wet bar—bringing the resort’s total sleeping rooms with private baths to 14. “It’s a wonderful place,” declares Dodson Patterson. “I feel like River Bend is my second home, and I come here as often as possible. I can be here from Charlotte in about 90 minutes, grab some lunch, take a lesson from any of the great instructors, shoot some sporting clays or skeet, and be home by dinner time. “But what I really enjoy,” Patterson continues, “is bringing my wife Lisa and/or some customers down for an overnight visit. We’ll meet here for lunch, maybe work with instructors for a while, shoot a round of sporting clays or skeet, then hit the lodge for cocktails and appetizers by the fireplace. Follow that with a great dinner by Chef Lee [Whitehurst], and top it off with a pool or poker game before bed. “The next morning we’ll enjoy an
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authentic country breakfast and a half-day bird hunt. I just love it here—by myself, with my wife, with friends, or with customers. Ralph and his staff are so friendly and accommodating, and the whole resort is nice and professional. The instructors have significantly improved my shooting skills, the rooms are comfortable, the food is great, and the staff have all become really good friends. I can’t say enough good things about River Bend,” Patterson concludes. John Williams elaborates, “This is a terrific way to entertain our clients and spend time with my son Matt, who works with me, at the same time. My wife has hunted deer, and she really wants to try bird hunting and sporting clays, not to mention the food. She’s heard about all the fun we have here.” David Adams, president of CurtissWright Controls Inc. in Charlotte, adds, “River Bend is a very handsome facility, a secluded gem. It’s a true sporting paradise that’s great for entertaining and team building.” Al Waddell, president of Waddell Homes in Rock Hill, S.C., is a huge fan of River Bend and has been spotted there hosting actor Larry Hagman of TV’s Dallas and I Dream of Jeannie fame. “Ralph Brendle and his staff take excellent care of their guests,” explains Waddell. “Once while duck hunting at River Bend with Hagman and his good friend Mark Erwin of Charlotte, we realized we were shooting the wrong ammunition—slugs instead of shot. Well, Ralph—after a good laugh at us—delivered the appropriate ammo with a smile on his face and a few well-deserved barbs. As soon as people walk into that lodge and meet Ralph, they know they are going to have a great time.” “We have a huge contingency of corporate and individual members from the Char-
lotte area,” confirms Brendle. “That is a very important market for us.” The Round of Activities Sporting clays is often described as “golf with a shotgun.” The sporting clays course at River Bend is actually two courses, intermediate and advanced, in one. Its twelvestation course meanders over dozens of
“River Bend is a very handsome facility, a secluded gem. It’s a true sporting paradise that’s great for entertaining and team building.” - David Adams, President Curtiss-Wright Controls
acres encompassing both wooded and open areas, hilly and flat terrain. Several stations abut a bend in the Pacolet River (thus, the river and bend in the River Bend name). Each station incorporates two state-of-the art automatic trap machines that fling flying clay targets in varying trajectories, simulating different bird flights and rabbit hops. “Sporting clays is one of the fastest growing sports in America,” says Brendle, “and it’s especially popular here at River Bend for the scenery, diverse terrain, and ever-changing clay flight patterns. We can adjust the difficulty of the course to accommodate any group or tournament, and we change the course about every month to maintain a nice variety.” There is also a covered, automated fivestand sporting clay course that is usually used as a warm-up to the larger course or during inclement weather. And, most certainly, there is a skeet course, certified as an official American Skeet Range by the National Skeet Shooting Association. The resort also offers a River Bend exclusive, a “dove and quail flurry.” This oscillating clay-shooting challenge simulates quail
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and dove flights from a 45-foot tower. It is operated like a five-stand course from five different positions. One of the most popular activities is a tower shoot, held throughout the October to March bird-hunting season, in which hunters wait in blinds surrounding a large field for pheasants to rocket past from a 90foot tower. This is the perfect activity for groups of 15 to 30. Ancillary programs and activities at River Bend also include paintball, golf via a reciprocal relationship at each of the very popular The Cliffs courses, and lake and fly fishing as well as whitewater rafting via professional outfitters. The River Bend Executive Leadership Institute, a hands-on, customized leadership program, can include team building, interactive presentations, leadership development, motivation, and a variety of light physical activities designed to augment each program. Precision Personnel Like any popular resort, the place is only as good as the people who work there, and Brendle has assembled a litany of professionals who keep guests coming back year after year. He enlists the services of retired U.S. Equestrian Team Executive Director Bob Standish as assistant resort manager, National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) Level II instructor, and point man for River Bend’s Federal Firearms License, which means customers can buy and sell firearms at the resort. Other Level II NSCA instructors include retired IT executive Joe Smith, who also cleans guns for guests with his patented, biodegradable Bore Bright gun maintenance products; and Wally Schneider, a retired school teacher who is one of the few NSCA Level II female instructors in America. Also on site are Level II instructors Rick !
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Smith and Mike Bates and Paragon School owner and NSCA Level III instructor Daniel Schindler. Loaner guns and instruction are readily available for beginners and shooters of all levels. Sometimes a guide can make a good hunt great. They know the dogs and how to handle them, see where birds fall or fly after they have been shot or flushed, keep safety as the top priority, and usually add a firm dose of subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) humor. That is often the case at River Bend with several longtime guides on staff.
In addition to the aforementioned Roddy McFalls, who is also one of South Carolina’s most renowned fishing guides, River Bend guides include Hank Rogers and Clarence May. Rogers, a former pro baseball player and high school teacher/coach, has been at River Bend since 1997. His guide services are highly sought after because of his personality and extraordinary bird dogs. Rogers raises, trains and sells about a dozen dogs annually, many to River Bend guests, with some dogs fetching as much as $5,000.
SUCCESS NEEDS A PARTNER
“I’m an Angela fan. She’ll always have my business. Plus, it is rewarding to walk through the door and everyone knows you.” – I’m Sarah McAulay, community leader, and my banker is Angela Lovelace.
May chose to join the staff at River Bend after spending decades at another popular South Carolina hunting lodge. Most guests are both thrilled and amazed at the quality of River Bend’s hunting dogs. The on-site kennel includes 20 purebred English Setters, English Pointers, and German Shorthairs. The dogs are wonderfully trained, cared for, and loved by all of the handlers. During hunting season, Spartanburg veterinarian and Iditarod race veteran Sonny King makes a River Bend kennel call at least every two weeks. Ralph Brendle’s goal in 1985 was to create a sporting resort that would provide a quality destination for private members, the general public, and corporate client entertainment. Twenty-three years later, he continues to exceed his customer’s expectations with River Bend Sportsman’s Resort, “Where Business Is Pleasure.” biz Bruce Hensley is a Charlotte-based freelance writer. Photos by Bruce Hensley.
The River Bend Sportsman’s Resort, Inc. 1000 Wilkie Bridge Road Inman, S.C. 29349 Phone: 864-592-1348; 800-516-9606 Principal: Ralph N. Brendle, President Employees: 16 Established: 1985
Member FDIC
Business: Upscale sporting resort on 550 acres in upstate South Carolina (Fingerville) featuring field hunts; skeet and sporting clays courses; tower shoots; rifle and pistol target ranges; fly fishing; golf (four regional courses); paintball; whitewater rafting; and a summer youth sporting camp.
Cornelius/Lake Norman 704.987.9990 Matthews 704.814.1200 SouthPark 704.442.5900 Uptown Charlotte 704.945.6565
Facilities: Lodge has a fully stocked pro shop, public and private dining rooms, locker rooms with steam room, bar and lounge, fireplace and conference facilities. Overnight accommodations include 14 rooms scattered between the River Bend Cottage featuring fireplace, wet bar, entertainment center and Jacuzzi style bathtubs, and Shotgun Cabins. Full-time chef; planned Oyster Roasts, Barbecue and Pig Roasts. Quail, pheasant, chukar, duck, deer and turkey hunting. www.rvrbend.com
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[ontop] Awards & Achievements A recently released 2007 United Vans migration study shows the South as a top migration spot, with North Carolina coming in as the top destination (61.6 percent inbound). Forbes.com has ranked Charlotte 3rd most under-valued real estate market in the United States.
trust+strategy+integrity+planning+insight+experience
it all adds up!
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! 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.
“I think Daniel, Ratliff & Company has a real genuine interest in the success of our business. We have many different business entities, and we could not have managed them without Daniel, Ratliff & Company’s help.”
©2007 Galles Communications Group, Inc.
~ Wayne Kirby K & M Tire Company
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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 february 2008
Advertising & Media Terri Bennett, chief meteorologist for WCNC-TV, has been honored with the Award for Excellence in Science Reporting by the American Meteorologist Society. Moonlight Creative Group has been named a Merit Winner in the Creativity Annual Awards. Luquire George Andrews (LGA), one of the Southeast region’s leading advertising, marketing and public relations firms, has named Steve Dunkley as Steve Dunkley executive creative director. Corder Philips, a strategic marketing-communications firm, has promoted Jenn Hausman to associate media director. Jenn Hausman Business & Professional Kennedy Covington has formed the Kennedy Covington Diversity Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law to be awarded to a firstyear student with outstanding academic merit who has demonstrated a commitment to community service. Fourteen of the firm’s attorneys have also been listed among the Legal Elite by Business North Carolina. Eight members of Helms Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC Charlotte office have been named Legal Elite by Business North Carolina: E. Osborne Ayscue Jr., Peter J. Covington, Larry J. Dagenhart, Douglas W. Ey Jr., Robert H. Pryor, Robert W. Simmons, Scott P. Vaughn, and J. Michael Wilson. Nexsen Pruet Charlotte Partner
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[ontop] David R. Cannon has been named among Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite. The firm has also hired C. Grainger Pierce Jr. as special counsel in the employment and labor law group. Time Warner Cable has promoted Tom Mathews to executive vice president of human resources. Tom Mathews Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice has acquired Charles “Dusty” McCreary as a member in its real estate development practice group. Shumaker, Loop, & Kendrick has added Tasha L. Winebarger to its Charlotte office. Attorneys Patra Sinner, Lauren Vaughn, Tasha Winebarger and Keith Nichols have joined Horack Talley.
Patra Sinner
Lauren Vaughn
Keith Nichols
David Wiles and Timothy Ryan have joined Hunton & Williams as partners in the financial-services practice in Charlotte. Ash Bowers has joined Fluent Language Solutions as information technology manager. Construction & Design Edifice, Inc. has earned four performance-related awards for completed projects, including three for construction excellence and another for its design-build results. The company has also been ranked 87th on the list of largest private companies in North Carolina. Hubert Whitlock Builders Inc. has been honored with two Contractor of the Year awards for remodeling projects by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Greater Charlotte, Inc. Historic Charlotte, a non-profit historic preservation advocacy and history heritage organization, has honored Little with one of four Historic Preservation Awards.
pursuing a balance of business and life
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[ontop]
TOPIC 2008:
VALUE BUILDERS… VALUE BUSTERS! You know you need to spend time working “ON” your business, not just “IN” it. You may have wondered how you could find the time with all you have to juggle. Business Success Institute is the answer. Our five meetings a year can make a real difference in your business. We address practical business concerns, share insights and advice, and give you a chance to network with other business owners who are facing the same challenges and opportunities you are. Learn how to increase the value of your business by developing a good management team, improving your sales and marketing, using technology wisely and practicing sound financial management.
VALUE BUILDERS…
2008 Meetings February 26 April 22 June 24 August 26 October 28
VALUE BUSTERS!
For times, locations and membership information visit www.business-success-institute.com or call Denise Altman at 704-315-9090.
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Site Solutions, a Charlottebased landscape architecture and civil engineering firm, has received two awards for design excellence from the North Carolina Chapter of Frances Koenig the American Society of Landscape Architects. The firm has also hired Frances Koenig as a civil designer. The Charlotte District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI Charlotte) has honored Martin R. Cramton Jr., AICP, former planning director of the CharlotteMecklenburg Planning Commission, with the second ULI Legacy Award. Wright McGraw Beyer Architects has hired Sanjay Parmar as principal and director of planning, David Magariner as associate and senior project manager, and H. Karl Reisinger as senior construction administrator. McKim & Creed has acquired Scott Groves as senior designer, Jacob VandenBosch as an engineer intern, and Larry Whitaker as a project surveyor. BJAC has hired Jonathan Hutchinson as project architect for the Charlotte office. Hope Clontz has joined Tyler 2 Construction in the role of customer service manager. Concorde Construction Safety Director and Project Superintendent Tony Hayes has been awarded the Professional Construction Supervisor Tony Hayes Master certification. The company has also hired Dan Kerber as project manager and George Kelley as project superintendent. Robert Yatko and Marcus Rabun have joined Myers & Chapman Inc. as project superintendents. Driesenga & Associates has acquired Andy Widenhouse as civil group manager. The FWA Group Architects has hired Jeff Benham as a project architect. Angela Pyle has joined The Bainbridge Crew as marketing and sales assistant.
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[ontop] Education & Staffing Seddon “Rusty” Goode Jr. has been awarded an honorary degree from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Rusty Goode
Finance & Insurance SunTrust Bank has named Thomas M. Hodges IV Charlotte city president. Aquesta Bank has hired Michael Bridges as VP/city executive for CabarMichael Bridges Mitch Love rus County and Mitch Love as VP/city executive for the Belmont/Gastonia region. Paragon Commercial Bank has appointed Charles W. Bartz to senior vice president, client development officer in Charlotte. Patrick Vaughn has joined LMC Capital LLC as a managing director. Billy Williams has been named mortgage loan originator at Provident Community Bank. First Reliance Bank has named Dan Tate as vice president, mortgage market manager. Sandi O. Thorman, CPA, has been named a partner at Greer & Walker, LLP. Money Counts Inc. has hired Marsha Taylor Pepper as office manager and Doug Milone as client relationship manager. Health Care David Jacobs, M.D., FACS, associate medical director of the Ross Trauma Center at Carolinas Medical Center, has received the 2007 Director’s Community David Jacobs Leadership Award from the Charlotte office of the FBI. ComForcare Senior Services of Charlotte, a home care service provider for the elderly in their homes or in senior communities, has been named the inaugural winner of the Silver Torch Award by the Better Business Bureau Consumer Foundation.
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 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
pursuing a balance of business and life
www.fieldstonenetworking.com
february 2008
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[ontop] Manufacturing Cinda Corp. has hired James Mitchell Jr. as director of operations for its Charlotte office. Real Estate Commercial/Residential Joan Thomas, SCRP, vice-president of business development for Allen Tate Relocation Services, has been named a recipient of the 2008 Joan Thomas Lisa Green Distinguished Service Award from Worldwide ERC. Allen Tate Mortgage Services has hired Lisa Green as vice president of loan origination, south region and Alex Limardo and Susie Woods as senAlex Limardo Susie Woods ior mortgage consultants. Allen Tate Company has also opened its 50th sales office in Steele Creek. Terri Marshall has been hired as the executive director for the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association’s (CRRA) Housing Opportunity Foundation. Lake Norman Realty Terri Marshall has hired Sona Aquino as a sales associate. Misun Kim McCuistion has joined Percival McGuire as a broker. Joan Inglis, owner of Lake Wylie Home Staging, has been elected 2008 president of the Charlotte regional chapter of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals. Joan Inglis WEICHERT, REALTORS Rebhan & Associates SouthPark has hired Sandy Hirsch, Susan Dougherty, Lora-Lee Hamlin, I-Mei Ervin, Tony D’Agostino, Debbie Graham, Michele Hutchins, Archie Laney, and Terri Shidal as associates. Retail & Sports & Entertainment Autobell Car Wash Inc. has opened its 48th location at the intersection of Providence Road South/Highway 16 and New
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[ontop] Town Road in Union County, N.C. The Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont (BBB) has reported that consumers filed 14,268 complaints in 2007 against area businesses, a 25% increase over last year, and 84% of these complaints were closed satisfactorily in 2007 taking an average of 16 days, down from last year’s 19 days. The BBB provided consumers with 486,681 free Reliability Reports on area businesses over the course of the year, a 72% increase. The top ten industries that received the most BBB complaints in 2007 were as follows: Auto Dealers - New cars; Home Builders; Auto Repair Services; Television - Cable, Satellite Service; Home Improvements & Remodeling; Furniture – Retail; Auto Dealers - Used cars; Magazine Sales - Door-to-door; Mobile Telephone Services; and Internet Shopping Services. Larry Hill, owner of Dandy Cleaners and American Dry Cleaners, has been honored with the Award of Excellence for Quality Garment Cleaning & Customer Service from the Clothing Care Council. 704events.com, Charlotte’s leading online events portal, has named Kimberly Hughes general manager. Technology NouvEON has been named a Top Five Growth Company in the nation on the Private Company Index. Carey VanVladricken has joined Shared Resources as account administrator. Travel & Tourism Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has hired Jeff Sperry as the new director of development. The Holiday Inn Center City has been honored with Jeff Sperry the InterContinental Hotel Group’s 2007 Renovation Award. biz To be considered for inclusion, please send your news releases and announcements in the body of an e-mail (only photos attached) to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com, or fax them to 704-676-5853, or post them to our business address—at least 30 days prior to our publication date.
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Sustainability for Your Image You want to portray a green image. You want to support sustainable business practices. The Hickory Printing Group can include the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) logo on your print projects,
For more information, contact Samantha Beerli. 1-800-HICKORY Ext 6529 (1-800-442-5679) sbeerli@hickoryprinting.com
telling your stakeholders that you are practicing sustainable printprocurement.
Sustainable Solutions
www.hickoryprinting.com/fsc.html
725 Reese Dr SW Conover, NC 28613
JAGUAR XF
2008 JAGUAR XF AVAILABLE AT SCOTT JAGUAR IN MARCH 2008. SCOTT JAGUAR
400 Tyvola Road • 704-527-7000
Now accepting orders at www.scottjag.com.