Greater Charlotte Biz 2008.09 by CLT.biz & Charlotte Biz & Greater Charlotte Biz

CPCC Center for Sustainability • Greer & Walker • Whitehead Associates • Windstream Communications

september 2008

POWER OF ENGAGEMENT Joseph B. Mazzola Dean UNC Charlotte The Belk College of Business

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150 Downtime is more expensive than you think.

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Internet. Phone. Video. 1.866.TWC.4BIZ www.twcbc.com

in this issue

cover story

UNC Charlotte Belk College of Business Dr. Joseph B. Mazzola, the new dean of The Belk College of Business, brings with him scholarly and administrative experience from some top business schools in the country. He describes the high energy in the people he’s met as palpable, and one of his objectives will be to harness the energy to push forward and achieve goals.

Windstream Communications Windstream’s refurbished 1953 vintage pickup truck is a memorable brand icon that represents the rich heritage of the company’s past and its focus on bringing new technologies to the communities it serves.

16 bizlife

CPCC Center for Sustainability Acknowledging sustainable development as a growth area for the region, CPCC developed the Center for Sustainability to meet the impending demand for training and education on both corporate and community levels.

departments publisher’spost

bizXperts Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

bizlife Pursuing a Balance of Business and Life

biznetwork

employersbiz Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

ontop

Whitehead Associates The purpose of the Center for Intentional Leadership is to convene forums for intentional conversation and relationship-building; Whitehead Associates’ vision behind it was to facilitate vital conversations for positive change in the community and the world.

sept em ber 20 08

on the cover: Joseph B. Mazzola Dean UNC Charlotte The Belk College of Business

Greer & Walker It sounds oversimplified, but its founders swear by a success formula of compatibility, unselfishness and hard work, with an eye toward civic involvement. Since 1984 they’ve grown steadily to become the largest Charlotte-based accounting and consulting firm.

Photography by Wayne Morris

www. grea tercha rl ot tebiz .c om

[publisher’spost] Health Care Reform High on the Agenda Whether John McCain or Barack Obama is elected president, this political season is likely to produce great debates and big promises about health care reform. By 2017, health care spending will balloon to about $4.3 trillion or one fifth of GDP. That is almost double what will be spent this year, which is about 16 percent of GDP. With the aging of the baby boomers and the increasing American life span, our health care crisis is no longer a partisan issue. Nearly everyone understands that something has to change. And fast. Both John McCain and Barack Obama are promising radical change to totally transfer the way health care is delivered and paid for in the United States. Both political parties want to make health care affordable and stem the rampant increases in health care costs. Since World War II, our government has favored the delivery of health care to individuals through employers. Employers are now slashing or substantially reducing health care programs because they can no longer bear the costs of skyrocketing premiums and more individuals than ever are uninsured or underinsured. Senator McCain has recommended a kind of national insurance market that places more purchasing power with consumers. Senator Obama is encouraging more of a national health insurance that would be an expanded Medicare and a huge federal super-program. Neither one is a perfect solution. Regardless of who is elected, real and actual health care reform is extremely complicated. To get Congress and the president to act and agree is a monumental task in itself. Additionally, health care coverage is governed by different sets of rules. Major corporations are regulated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ERISA preempts any non-federal laws that relate to employee benefit plans. When larger corporations self-insure or partially self-insure, they are exempt from state statutes. Smaller companies and/or anyone purchasing individual polices are governed by state statutes and regulated by the particular state’s department of insurance. Importantly, if you want to change the way health care is delivered or paid for systemwide, you must make coordinating changes at both the federal and state levels. Many of us remember the efforts of Hillary Clinton in 1993-94 to reform health care. With Bill Clinton as a newly elected president, together they learned the hard way about pushing too much change much too fast. In addition, special interests were throwing money in all directions to discredit any and all reform measures. You can be sure that lobbyists are already gearing up for another health care battle extraordinaire. The lessons learned to date are that any health care reforms must be done in stages. To achieve systemic reforms like John McCain and/or Barack Obama have prescribed, major legislation must be enacted. Moreover, reform is most likely to be successful in the first term of a presidency when he/she has the most leadership power. We are at a pivotal moment where public participation is crucial. The Congress will not vote for legislation that the public deplores; nor will they vote against legislation that the public approves. That means you can contribute your ideas, provide your input and affect the process. You have a chance to elect people who believe the way you do on November 2. Don’t wait until next spring to let them know how you feel about health care reform. Make known your concerns now, register to vote and be sure to vote on November 2, and stay involved on important issues affecting your lives! biz

September 2008 Volume 9 • Issue 9 Publisher John Paul Galles jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

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

Creative Director Trevor Adams tadams@greatercharlottebiz.com

Editorial & Sales Assistant Janet Kropinak jkropinak@greatercharlottebiz.com

Contributing Writers Thom Callahan Ellison Clary Susanne Deitzel Janet Kropinak Contributing Photographers Janet Kropinak Wayne Morris 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.

sept em ber 20 08

www. grea tercha rl ot tebiz .c om

The labor shortage is fast approaching ... ! 83 MILLION BABY BOOMERS WILL BEGIN RETIRING IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS ! 40% OF THE CURRENT WORK FORCE WILL REACH RETIREMENT AGE BY 2010 ! 3 MILLION JOBS WILL EXIST WITHOUT PEOPLE TO FILL THEM BY 2012

You and your company will soon face this dilemma!

BRIDGING THE TALENT GAP THURSDAY, OCT. 2, 2008 8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. ONLINE REGISTRATION $245 MARRIOTT SOUTHPARK HOTEL CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Don’t wait until it is too late...

Act Now! Register Online!!

“BUSINESS AS USUAL” WON’T HELP YOU SURVIVE THIS CRISIS. YOU’LL NEED NEW WAYS TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES, TOOLS FOR CAPTURING KNOWLEDGE CRITICAL TO YOUR OPERATION, AND EXTERNAL RESOURCES TO HELP YOU BRIDGE THE GAPS YOU CAN’ T FILL INTERNALLY.

We’ll help you get moving with these information-packed sessions: • Golden handcuffs: COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AS A RECRUITING AND RETENTION TOOL

Jennie D. Derby, CFP®, CLU, CLTC, and Rich A. DeVita Jr., CLU, ChFC, with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network have decades of experience in compensation and benefits planning. They know how to use these tools effectively, and they’ll share that knowledge with you.

• Brain drain: CAPTURING KNOWLEDGE BEFORE IT WALKS OUT THE DOOR

Sherry Barretta, CEO and Owner of VisionCor, Inc., has worked for 18 years to help companies develop methods for documenting knowledge and processes. She’ll provide a framework and suggest tools that can help make the process manageable.

• Farm it out: LEVERAGING RESOURCES THROUGH OUTSOURCING

Frances Queen, President and CEO of Queen Associates, Inc., is a master at utilizing and supplying outsourcing. She will provide insight to determine what areas should be outsourced, how to select a partner and how to manage the relationship for seamless workflow.

• Keep it legal: RULES AND REGULATIONS YOU MUST KEEP IN MIND

Age discrimination and employment contracts are just two of the issues we’ll discuss during our lunch presentation.

• Different strokes: DEALING WITH MULTIPLE GENERATIONS IN THE WORK FORCE

Denise Altman, MBA, CPA, CPBA, President of Altman Initiative Group, Inc. will share practical information about how to connect to each generation in recruiting, using technology, communication and compensation.

w w w. B r i d g i n g T h e Ta l e n t G a p . c o m

Pre-Approved

7 HRCI Credits Approved

[bizXperts] Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

common wage and hour pay mistakes you should avoid You know that the federal minimum wage increased to

or even outright theft of equipment, supplies or inventory.

$6.55 per hour on July 24, 2008. But did you know that law-

Many of these business owners assume that they can deduct

suits in federal courts concerning wage and hour claims have recently

for such items from an employee’s paycheck when discov-

increased by more than 50 percent? In fact, these types of lawsuits have

ered. However, North Carolina has very specific require-

steadily increased since the year 2000. Experts have offered many possible

ments for when an employer can deduct from an

explanations for the increase, from economic downturns to new regulations

employee’s wages. These requirements generally include a

and, of course, “overly aggressive” lawyers. One common explanation is the

written acceptance of the amount and reason for the deduc-

expansion of growing businesses that simply lack the staff and expertise to

tion by the employee. If the employee refuses to accept the

comply with the many wage and hour requirements of federal and state laws.

deduction, the employer then has few options. Also, the Department of

Below are examples of the more common mistakes made by many

Labor has issued an opinion that certain deductions from an

business owners.

exempt employee’s wages can violate the test that makes

1. Assuming Certain Employees Are Exempt

that employee exempt from the overtime pay

Many business owners believe that because they pay a “salary” to an

requirements. Therefore, business owners

employee, that employee is exempt from the overtime pay requirements. Oth-

should be sure that they know exactly when

ers sometimes believe that because the employee’s work is important to the

they may deduct amounts from employ-

business, the employee must be exempt. Unfortunately, their beliefs are incor-

ees’ paychecks and the proper meth-

rect. Federal laws have very specific requirements for determining whether an

ods for doing so.

employee is exempt from overtime pay regulations. These requirements do not

4. Everybody Does It

depend on the employee’s importance to the business or regular rates of pay.

Eric Bass

Another common mistake

The requirements also do not depend on whether the business owner pays

business owners make is the

them a “salary” for their regular wage. Instead, federal law has specific wage

“Everybody does it” mis-

and duty-related tests that must be considered by business owners before

take. For example, I often

labeling an employee as exempt from overtime pay.

hear business owners say

2. Not Paying For All Time Worked

that their clients won’t

Some business owners do not pay non-exempt employees for time spent

pay them for overtime

putting on protective equipment or for travelling to their work sites. Others

work, so they won’t pay

may supply their non-exempt employees with Blackberrys, cell phones or

their employees for over-

other communications equipment that may be used to conduct business at

time work. It just doesn’t

any time or ask employees to work or answer phones during a meal period.

work that way. Following any industry standard is not a defense for a claim

Under many circumstances, these types of practices result in compensable

under federal or state wage and hour laws. In fact, plaintiff’s lawyers and

time owed to employees. Generally speaking, if a non-exempt employee

the Department of Labor often target specific industries because of such

spends time doing things that are integral and

standard practices, which would make a business owner more likely to

indispensible to their work, they should be

deal with a claim for following the herd rather than less likely.

compensated for that time. For example,

Employees, plaintiffs’ lawyers and the Department of Labor take wage

some non-exempt employees were

and hour issues very seriously. Business owners should as well. Don’t rely

recently awarded overtime pay for check-

on your past experience or industry practices alone to comply with the

ing e-mails from home and making calls

many applicable rules and regulations. Ignoring these issues will not make

during off-hours.

them go away either. It is worth the time for you to work with your advi-

Even if a business owner has a policy prohibiting overtime or off-the-clock

sors to regularly audit your pay practices. This work should result in a bet-

work, it may still be required to pay for such work if it accepts the benefits of

ter work force and less time spent dealing with claims and issues. Then you

such work without disciplining violations of the policy. In general, business

and your employees can focus on your business and avoid those “overly

owners must compensate non-exempt employees for all time that they are

aggressive” lawyers.

“suffered or permitted” to work, so be careful to know what qualifies as com-

Eric Bass is an employment lawyer with Wishart, Norris, Henninger

pensable work time.

& Pittman, P.A., a law firm focused on serving the needs of business

3. Improper Paycheck Deductions

and business owners. Contact him at 704-364-0010 or visit

A common problem for business owners is an employee’s misuse, damage

sept em ber 20 08

www.wnhplaw.com.

www. grea tercha rl ot tebiz .c om

Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

[bizXperts]

making your cash work for you As a business owner, tracking cash flow is important, but getting the most

ing it. There is no investment risk involved and paying your

out of the cash you have is even more critical.

debt usually doesn’t involve any additional fees. When pay-

When determining where to invest your cash, first take a “big picture” look

ing existing debt, it is better to pay a revolving line of credit

at your business, and second, determine how easily any investment can be con-

rather than an installment debt. This retains your borrowing

verted back into cash should a more opportune way of spending it come along.

potential when the need for additional debt occurs.

Retaining the necessary cash reserves for day-to-day operations and emergencies can ease an owner’s stress level in their business. Consider regularly moving a percentage of deposits into a bucket to be used for funding a retirement plan. This can prevent money from dribbling away into other uses.

Debbie Daniel

While it is tempting for the entrepreneur to take extra money as salary or a bonus, or return it to other share-

holders, often the more prudent first choice is to reinvest the funds to help propel business growth.

Also, regularly transferring a percentage of funds from your main

Cash management is essentially about putting every dollar that comes in to

account into a payroll account to ensure the funds are available to

working in the most productive way it can for you. Inefficient cash manage-

pay employees can be worthwhile. Keep cash available by holding

ment practices can lead to a buildup of non-productive cash or its disburse-

off paying bills to near their due date unless there is a worthwhile dis-

ment in sub-optimal ways. Selecting the most efficient way of using cash

count for paying earlier. Purchasing assets can be a wise choice since it promotes business

involves an awareness of what is available along with the opportunity costs and trade-offs associated with spending it on one thing rather than another.

growth. After determining the need for the asset to the business, you

All rights to the content in this publication are reserved by RAN ONE

should determine if purchasing the asset is superior to acquiring the asset

Inc. Any use of the content outside of this format must acknowledge RAN

in some other way, such as leasing. Your accountant can help you deter-

ONE Inc. as the original source.

mine which option offers the best profitability. In general, when cash is available, it is a good decision for a business to pay down debt to avoid the difficulties that come with servic-

Deborah Daniel, C.P.A., is a principal with Daniel, Ratliff & Company, a full-service accounting and business development firm. Contact her at 704371-5000 or visit www.danielratliff.com.

one problem at a time, please Being in business means dealing with challenges. We all know

to a client this week who is actively documenting

that. Sometimes, though, we have so many challenges coming at us

processes and knowledge bases so that his less experi-

at once that we can’t seem to focus on them all. The natural tendency

enced people can learn from his more experienced

is to focus on the most immediate challenge, but that sets up a bad pat-

people without being in physical proximity to them.

tern. Problems that could be avoided or lessened with earlier action

This is a great step, and it reduces business risk over-

become fires instead, keeping us in that reactive pattern. I see this happening now on a large scale. The economy isn’t as robust as we’d like it to be, gas prices and other expenses are soaring,

Denise Altman

all. The more you have documented the less dependent you are on any individual contributor. That’s just

good business.

so we focus on those issues. We try to shore up sales, batten down the

I’ve talked to others who are outsourcing functions because they’re

hatches, cut costs, and so on. While these are prudent things to do,

already having trouble filling positions in-house. This is another good

they can distract us from other challenges that are moving in our direc-

option for addressing the problem, if it’s handled properly.

tion, like the fast approaching labor shortage.

The point is this: NOW is the time to begin looking at your own

Statistics clearly show that there will not be enough people to fill

company to address the challenge. It will take time, resources and

open jobs within the next three to five years, and that the skill levels

energy, but the benefits will be great. Ignoring the problem means

of many of the people available will not be sufficient. This isn’t a prob-

you’ll be playing catch-up in a highly competitive employee market.

lem that can be remedied quickly. It requires planning, deliberate sys-

That’s not good business. Don’t wait. Start planning today.

temization, training, and improved efficiency. It means that we’ll have

Denise Altman is president of Altman Initiative Group, Inc. and the

to change the way we do some things to be able to do them with fewer

co-producer of “Bridging the Talent Gap,” a symposium on dealing with the

people. It means no more “business as usual.”

coming labor shortage. Contact her at 704-315-9090 or visit

What is your company doing to plan for the labor shortage? I talked

pursuing a bala nc e of busi ness and life

www.bridgingthetalentgap.com.

sept ember 2008

[bizprofile]

by thom callahan

WINDSTREAM’S LANDLI NE IS A LI F ELI N E

Wind streaming is swift, powerful. And the eponymous Windstream Communications provides no less in the way of telecommunications services, using energy harnessed through fiber optics to carry a multitude of sounds and images to thousands of destinations in a matter of seconds. Via their services you can do everything from communicating on a secure landline, to navigating the World Wide Web with broadband, to watching high definition digital television. Windstream Communications makes communications service and equipment available to those outside of the big-city borders as the nation’s largest domestic, rural landline telecommunications company. Windstream now supplies about 3.2 million access lines in 16 states. Although its name may seem relatively new,Windstream has a long lineage in the telephone industry. The company was formed in mid-2006 through the spin-off of Alltel’s landline business and merger with VALOR Telecom. Alltel dates back to 1943, when it was founded in Little Rock, Ark., as the Allied Telephone Company before merging with an Ohio telephone company to become Alltel in 1983.

“What we try to do is take all of our products, from features and equipment to data and voice services, and combine them in different ways...We want to provide customized solutions for business customers.” ~ Greg Baucom Area Vice President of Business—Southeast

september 2008

w ww. grea te rc har lottebiz .co m

(l to r) Edwin Jackson Director of Business Solutions Greg Baucom Area Vice President of Business Solutions—South East Bill Powell Director of Business Solutions Windstream Communications, Inc.

In 2007, Windstream acquired century-old CT Communications of Concord, nearly doubling the company’s presence in North Carolina. The company also completed a split-off its directory publishing business. Windstream’s strength is in streamlining offerings and bundling services, offering customers local and long distance landline communications along with broadband and resale satellite-TV services (Echo Star). The company is customizing broadband packages to specific customer categories while promoting faster high-capacity service. New products are being added, like video on demand and home networking. For business accounts, the company is strengthening its ties by offering data-heavy bundles. Despite this dizzying array of corporate combinations and substantial growth, Greg Baucom, Windstream’s area vice president of business solutions, wants folks to know the carrier didn’t forget its roots. He stands beside one of Windstream’s vintage 1953 Chevy pickup trucks painted in a vibrant lime green with orange flames and Windstream logo, and powered up on the inside with a new engine and all of the latest gadgets including a GPS

purs uing a bal ance of busines s and life

satellite system and DVD player. “The truck is our icon, it’s about our heritage,” explains Baucom. “We’ve taken this truck, its strong foundation, and added innovation. A strong foundation and innovation is what we can provide by building on our long history of being a telecom company.” The truck’s small town feel can be seen as a nod toward Windstream’s presence in predominantly rural communities. But it’s more than just a quaint notion. Like the truck, which travels on promotional tours, Windstream’s on the move and broadening its coverage. “I think our CEO [Jeff Gardner] has not made any secret about the fact that he’s looking to grow our company and plans to double the size within the next five years,” says Alice Hartnett, Windstream’s marketing communications manager. Total Package While Windstream has a presence in some larger areas such as greater

september 2008

➤ 11

Charlotte, Lincoln, Nebraska, get that network in place “Our truck certainly does tie in and focus on and Lexington, Kentucky, and have had great success our grassroots connections, illustrating that Hartnett points out, “Our in doing so. In fact, we’ve we’re classic yet contemporary—your history, where we’ve grown already tuned up that nethometown service provider.” up, and where we’re work in Charlotte and in licensed to provide service the surrounding cities of ~ Alice Hartnett Marketing Communications Manager is mostly in rural markets.” the Carolinas.” “Our truck certainly Baucom gives an examdoes tie in and focus on our ple of what he calls a grassroots connections, “needs analysis” and evenillustrating that we’re clastual solution that Windsic yet contemporary— stream provided for an your hometown service actual business customer provider,” she adds. that uses an extensive data The telecom network of network. The customer Windstream extends west to needed to have the capabilNew Mexico, north to New ity of routing data (disaster York, and south to Florida. recovery plan) from one of Closer to home, its access its distribution centers to lines total around 300,000 in another in the event there “If a customer needs a solution or has an issue, North Carolina and 49,000 in South Carolina. was a disaster at the first center. our technicians and sales reps can go out and But, however large or small the size of Wind“We have the capabilities to put emergency essentially diagnose or respond to whatever the stream’s market, their business model remains scripts in place, and for this customer we develneed may be.” focused on being a full-service provider. oped a plan with our network operation team,” Powell adds that other carriers may not have “We truly are a one-stop shop,” Baucom says. Baucom recalls. “So if an emergency happens, they the in-house capabilities to do the same, instead “We offer a product suite that gives customers one make a phone call, give a password and the script employing subcontractors for cable installation, point of contact so they do not have to go to multhen will be invoked for Windstream to reroute the traffic to the other center.” When it came to the hardware to implement the project, Windstream kept things in-house as well. In Alpharetta, Georgia, the carrier has its own sourcing company, Windstream Supply. “We also source and supply many other companies in this space,” Baucom says. “So we have a large catalog of equipment options we can tap into.” “One thing is for certain—even with the ever-evolving One construction contractor needed video surveillance for a project, Baucom remembers. technology in telecommunication, there will always be “You may not think a telecom company can a greater ‘need for speed.’” come up with a solution for that customer, but ~ Edwin Jackson we were able to go to Windstream Supply and Director of Business Solutions put a solution in place.”

tiple vendors or deal with multiple companies.” Whether seeking voice, broadband, digital TV, phones (systems and equipment) or data services, subscribers can obtain them through Windstream. “That’s what makes us different—being able to bring a total business solution together for our customers. Our products are not one set of vanillaflavored options, but are customized solutions.” Baucom affirms. Leading their local presence along with Baucom and Hartnett are Bill Powell and Edwin Jackson, directors of business solutions. The three men have 41 years of telecommunications service among them. “We’re one of the few carriers that can provide anything and everything,” asserts Powell.

sept em ber 20 08

using independent call centers to route inquiries, and contracting with vendors for phone equipment. Maintaining and improving infrastructure is crucial for any company, and Windstream is currently undergoing a network consolidation project to be able to offer new data services, Baucom confirms. “One thing is for certain—even with the ever-evolving technology in telecommunication, there will always be a greater ‘need for speed,’” acknowledges Jackson. “We’ll have greater data and Internet solutions for customers who may have multiple business footprints in different markets, and we can get those markets and businesses connected,” Baucom explains. “We’ve been working hard to

Broad Band of Products As with other carriers, Windstream’s products and services are numerous and offer basic to custom packages. “We offer residential and business voice services, local and long distance and data services with a variety of flavors,” Baucom says. There’s broadband, its current network access lines number 934,000, and Web hosting, to start with, right on down to the equipment. Windstream’s inventory boasts cordless phones with Bluetooth technology as well as the traditional corded phones for residential customers. There’s even a red Hot Lips telephone (with hearing aid compatibility) and Spiderman and Homer Simpson models. Whimsy aside, the carrier also assists businesses whose communication resources are

www. grea tercha rl ot tebiz .c om

vast but yearn to address them with one medium. “A business may have a need to make their communications as efficient and simple as possible,” Baucom describes. “Instead of having to check an e-mail, voicemail or fax, they can go to one place and have access to all of these mediums with unified messaging. So when an e-mail is checked, they can also listen to a voicemail and so on.” The unified messaging is part of Windstream’s premise equipment, which includes key line and PBX systems, and allows users to archive conversations and messages. “And that’s a pretty nifty option for customers to simplify their communications to one location instead of being tattered among three different mediums,” Baucom points out. Windstream’s residential subscribers can even watch digital TV through its partnership with the DISH Network. There are lots of choices for Windstream customers to be sure. But not everyone wants everything. So bundling solves that. “What we try to do is take all of our products, from features and equipment to data and voice services, and combine them in different ways,” Baucom offers. “Yes, we have standard bundles, but they are just the starting point of what we can put together. We want to provide customized solutions for business customers.” “Our account executives are absolutely empowered to work through pricing scenarios to fit a particular company’s business model,” affirms Baucom. “We have a plan, for example, that does not require an outlay of capital to purchase phone system equipment.” Instead, a business customer may pay a monthly rate for a phone system, which Windstream will guarantee, so they don’t have to worry about it becoming obsolete, Baucom says. And at any time during the term, if that customer wants to break the agreement and upgrade to a newer technology, there’s no termination penalty, he adds. “It’s evergreen, so instead of outlaying precious capital dollars, we’d rather you use that money to grow your business and make it profitable. Looking forward,” Baucom adds, “we try to be a telecommunications partner, not a provider that’s here today with a solution and five years down the road you’re looking for a new solution.” Local Economic Impact The success of Windstream has made a substantial footprint here at home, where employees in greater Charlotte account for 1,300 of its 7,500 work force. The company’s revenue as of December 31, 2007, was $3.3 billion, contributing $26.6 million to North Carolina in state and local taxes. Windstream’s business customer service call center for its 16-state network in Matthews is ➤

his 1953 vintage Ford pickup truck is the central component of Windstream’s advertising campaign. The truck is a recognizable classic that has been fully restored and features the latest technology. It serves as a memorable brand icon that represents the rich heritage of Windstream’s past and the company’s focus on bringing new technologies to the communities it serves. In early 2008, the truck was outfitted with yellow and orange flame decals to represent Windstream’s high-speed Internet service. Windstream also educates local residents about the safety of landline service and drives home the message that “Your Landline is Your Lifeline.” Windstream’s landline phone service allows 911 dispatchers to pinpoint a person’s location, even when the power goes out.

Choose CharlotteUSA 2008

choose

Live Work Play...

in Charlotte USA

Choose CharlotteUSA 2008, 5th annual edition, shows corporate decision-makers what we already know—that Charlotte USA is America’s best business environment for companies thinking of corporate relocation or expansion. This comprehensive and colorful resource guide is a most valuable tool for area economic developers, commercial real estate developers, and government agencies promoting the Charlotte USA region. Choose CharlotteUSA delivers a complete picture of each county and the advantages available to companies looking for To purchase your copy or for attractive locations for conducting business. Area-wide and county2009 advertising inquiries, please specific stats including maps, charts and graphs show geographic, call 704-676-5850 x102 or e-mail population, business activity and income data. Additionally, jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com. business leaders share their success stories and various regional leaders give their testimonial to Charlotte’s continuing success.

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W W W. G R E AT E R C H A R L O T T E B I Z . C O M

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headed by Les Harrell, director of business customer service. Baucom credits Harrell and the employees for the center’s success.

“We truly are a one-stop shop... That’s what makes us different, being able to bring a total business solution together for our customers.” ~ Greg Baucom Area Vice President of Business—Southeast

“Our business service center reps live and work here, using our products and services, and I think that’s a great resource for this market, really knowing our products inside and out,” Baucom comments with pride. A residential call center is also located in the Matthews center and another is located in Cornelia, Georgia. For local and long distance repairs and broadband support, assistance is available 24/7. Every year Windstream promotes its Green Truck Tour to spread community donations and safety messages throughout its 16-state service

area. The Green Truck is a refurbished 1953 vintage pickup truck that depicts Windstream’s rural and suburban heritage on the outside and its commitment to future innovation on the inside, as illustrated by the revved up interior. Two new 1953 refurbished vintage trucks have been added to the tour fleet (for a total of four) and will be traveling more than 50,000 miles from New Mexico to New York with more than 90 stops in 14 states. Windstream uses the Green Truck Tour as an opportunity to educate the public about how traditional landline phone service offers additional safety, security and reliability since it continues to work during power outages and failures, and allows emergency responders to pinpoint the exact location from which an emergency phone call was made. The iconic Windstream pickup will continue to roll with its small-town feel hauling a big-city vibe. And along the way, Baucom hopes new onlookers will remember: “We strive to take our products and services and tailor them for our business customers. Our dedicated account representatives really dive in and understand where we have opportunities to help that business be more efficient, profitable, and thus be more successful.” biz Thom Callahan is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

Windstream Communications, Inc. 10005 Monroe Road Matthews, N.C. 28105 Phone: 800-843-9214 Principals: Greg Baucom, Area Vice President of Business—Southeast; Edwin Jackson, Director of Business Solutions; Bill Powell, Director of Business Solutions; Les Harrell, Director of Business Customer Service NYSE: WIN (S&P 500) Revenues: $3.3 billion Employees: 1,300 in the greater Charlotte region; nearly 8,000 companywide Access lines: 300,000 in North Carolina, 3.2 million across 16 states Formed: Mid-2006 through the spinoff of Alltel’s landline business and merger with VALOR Communications Group; is now the largest domestic, rural landline telecommunications company. Business: Provides voice, broadband and digital TV services to customers in 16 states; offers business solutions for small, medium and large-sized businesses including local and long-distance phone, data services, networking, hosting services, security suites and premise equipment. www.windstream.com

24 Years In Business

sept em ber 2008

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[bizlife]

by janet kropinak

“SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS...DEVELOPMENT THAT MEETS

THE NEEDS OF THE PRESENT WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS.”

- World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future, 1987

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Joseph B. Mazzola Dean UNC Charlotte The Belk College of Business

september 2008

Belk’s Joe Mazzola finally has the position he’s sought for years. After all, as an undergraduate he decided on an academic career.As a graduate student, he fell in love with North Carolina. For a decade, he’s considered becoming dean of a business school. So here he is, Dr. Joseph B. Mazzola, newly minted dean of The Belk College of Business at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (a position formerly held by Claude Lilly). He is also the Belk Distinguished Professor of Business. Of the position he assumed on July 1, 2008, Mazzola says, “As I interviewed for the position, the more I learned, the more interested I became. It just has gotten better since.” w ww. grea te rc har lottebiz .co m

by ellison clary

The Belk College of Business maintains its Center City presence here at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design while it awaits construction of a new building scheduled for completion in 2010. These statues on the balcony overlooking Tryon Street are called The Ladies of the Four Seasons. They have watched over Charlotte's changing cityscape since 1961 when the building housed Montaldo's, Charlotte’s most prestigious department store.

Mazzola, 56, was a professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University where he served three years as executive dean of the faculty and senior associate dean. Mazzola joins a Belk College that has experienced significant growth during the past decade. Its M.B.A. program has held off stiff competition in the region and raised admissions standards while maintaining steady enrollment. A master’s program in mathematical finance enrolls nearly 100 students—more than double the

[bizprofile]

“TO ENGAGE THE CREATIVITY AND ENERGY OF A GROUP OF TALENTED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALL DEDICATED TO THE SAME END IS INFINITELY MORE

POWERFUL.”

~ Dr. Joseph Mazzola Dean

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The vision of The Belk College of Business is to be nationally and globally recognized for the high quality of its research and educational programs, and to be valued for its efforts to foster economic, social and cultural development.

university’s original projections. A new M.B.A. program focusing on sports marketing and management has attracted strong support from the local business community, as has The Center for Real Estate, which is completing a $4 million fundraising campaign this fall. UNC Charlotte’s enrollment is about 23,000 and is projected to top 35,000 by 2020. The business school has about 2,700 undergraduates and 500 more in the graduate school, including about a dozen in the doctoral program that began two years ago.

pursuing a bal ance of busines s and life

What hooked him? Mazzola lists the attractions succinctly. “The university is growing,” he says, “not only in size but in academic reputation as well. The size is not as important to me as the fact that it’s become a research university. The people here are genuine, as are the business community and its relationship to the college. Chancellor Phil Dubois and the city understand that both the university and the city of Charlotte need one another. Everything seems to be aligned here,” he concludes. ➤

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Mazzola knows a thing or two about alignment, having built a career as a respected and published scholar with specialties in operations management and management science. Growing up in a Long Island town near New York City, Mazzola was the first in his family to earn a college degree, having set his career course on academics. While studying mathematics at State University of New York at Stony Brook, he married Peggy, his high school sweetheart. (She, too, is an educator and is the new principal at St. Ann’s Elementary School in Charlotte.) The next stop for the Mazzolas was WinstonSalem, where Mazzola earned a master’s in mathematics at Wake Forest University. While there, he and Peggy formed an affinity for North Carolina. Mazzola pursued his subsequent education—a master’s in operations research and a doctorate in industrial administration—

Sculpture: Self-Made Man, created by artist Bobbie Carlyle, depicts a man carving himself from the raw stone from which he emerges.

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outside the state to increase his chances of being hired by a Tar Heel State school. The business school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill obliged. Later he taught at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, earning tenure. He joined the Georgetown business faculty in 1999 and developed a desire to move into administration. He was appointed senior associate dean and then became executive dean of the faculty. “I found that I really enjoyed it,” Mazzola says of his work as an administrator. He started looking for the right opportunity to become a dean, but turned down more than a few feelers. Now that he’s on the job, Mazzola says he’s sure UNC Charlotte is the right place. He’s encountered high energy in the people he’s met. “It’s palpable,” he says. “One of my objectives will be to harness the energy to push forward and achieve goals.”

21st Century Business School As a scholar and teacher of operations management, Mazzola has spent his career immersed in publications and case studies debating best

“[Self-Made Man] is the perfect sculpture to have on a university campus. The concept of being self-made is not only relevant to individuals, but to all organizations; it epitomizes the learning organization. UNC Charlotte and The Belk College are crafting their own futures as well. And I’m both honored and excited to be able to be part of it.” ~ Dr. Joseph Mazzola Dean

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practices in business. Through his research and his practical experience at three of the top business schools in the country, he has developed a concept for the “21st century business school” which he hopes to bring to fruition at The Belk College.

“The faculty, staff and students together breathe life into the bricks and mortar of The Belk College. My role is to guide the process through which we determine the paths the college takes.”

a focused initiative. “We have so many opportunities and so many ways to grow,” Mazzola says, “that we run the risk of stretching ourselves too thin. The last thing we want to be is ‘pretty good’ in a large number of things, but not excellent in any.” Mazzola spent his first few weeks on the job meeting faculty and students. He’s starting a series of one-on-one sessions with business leaders as well. He’ll have a full agenda throughout the first year of his appointment, meeting with the college’s advisory boards and alumni groups, and navigating through Charlotte’s calendar of civic and charitable events. “There is enough going on here that I want

the people to know who I am, how I think, how I feel. They need to trust me and I need to trust them,” he explains of his busy schedule. Finding Balance In addition to growing its graduate programs, The Belk College has become a school of choice for undergraduate students across the state. This popularity comes at a price, as the college balances enrollment surges with constraints in physical and faculty resources. However, Mazzola stresses that the college’s growth can be a win-win, not a sacrifice of one level in favor of the other. “I refuse to accept the trade-off argument,➤

~ Dr. Joseph Mazzola Dean

The cornerstone of this concept is people, Mazzola says. “In Western society, we tend to think of organizations in terms of mechanistic structures that need to be managed. The irony, though, is that the very word organization— has its roots in concepts of life and change. I prefer to focus on the living, people-centered aspect of organizations.” Citing work by MIT Professor Peter Senge on the “learning organization,” Mazzola is drawn to an inclusive management style, where the leader builds shared vision through a common purpose and core values. “The faculty, staff and students together breathe life into the bricks and mortar of The Belk College,” Mazzola says. “My role is to guide the process through which we determine the paths the college takes. “Top-down leadership is limiting to an organization,” he adds. “To engage the creativity and energy of a group of talented individuals who are all dedicated to the same end is infinitely more powerful.” To take the 21st century business school from concept to reality at The Belk College, Mazzola will embark on a comprehensive strategic planning process, which will gather feedback from all interested constituencies. “Our students have an interest in shaping the future of the college, certainly, as do our faculty and staff,” Mazzola says. “But we also need to talk to our alumni, corporate executives and regional leaders so we get a clear and comprehensive picture of where The Belk College fits, both on the academic landscape and in the future of our region overall.” Mazzola’s approach is all-encompassing, but he promises that the strategic plan will be

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that you have to choose A or B rather than having A and B,” he says. “There’s no reason that we can’t progress towards the goal that the university has set for itself—to become a major research institution—and remain equally committed to undergraduate education. “We just need to know where we want to be growing and how we want to grow,” he continues. “Size is not as important as excellence.” The new dean is looking forward to working under the leadership of UNC Charlotte Chancellor Phil Dubois. He says he indentifies strongly with Dubois’ commitments to excellence, to research, to teaching, and to partnering with the Charlotte community.

“The role of the 21st century business school is to partner with the business community and civic leaders to understand what the trends are and to seek opportunities. Not to be reactive, but to delve deeply into understanding the principal drivers and come up with ways to find lasting and enduring growth.” ~ Dr. Joseph Mazzola Dean

Dubois says Mazzola is well-rounded, with “an outstanding scholarly background in business, knowledge of North Carolina and a solid administrative experience in first-rate graduate business programs. He will bring great energy to The Belk College as we expand our presence in Charlotte’s Center City and throughout the region.” Coming from the business school at Georgetown—one that appears on many top 25 lists, sometimes top 10—Mazzola describes the advantages of being a top 25 school as immense, but he adds that he doesn’t want rankings to drive what The Belk College becomes. “We will target at a level that’s competitive, that’s doable and that would make people take

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note and say, ‘The Belk College is moving quickly,’” he says. An Optimistic Future “I was uptown this morning,” Mazzola says in an on-campus interview. “I am really, really impressed with Charlotte as a city. It’s already meeting my high expectations.” He’s well aware of the many challenges facing the U.S. economy, but overall is optimistic about the future. “Our problems are serious, but we’re going to pull through. It has a lot to do with the intrinsic nature of the American people: we are creative, caring, remarkably resilient—and very, very strong.” Looking at Charlotte’s concentration of financial and related businesses, he sees it as a tremendous strength for the city but also sees room for improvement. “It would be beneficial for the city to continue to think about how it could diversify the portfolio of businesses that are headquartered here,” he says, noting that The Belk College can be a helpful resource and strategic partner in developing and managing this portfolio. “The role of the 21st century business school,” Mazzola says, “is to partner with the business community and civic leaders to understand what the trends are and to seek opportunities. Not to be reactive, but to delve deeply into understanding the principal drivers and come up with ways to find lasting and enduring growth.” Mazzola’s inclusive approach is what Bob Wilhelm mentions first. Wilhelm, the executive director of the Charlotte Research Institute at UNC Charlotte, led the business dean search committee. “I think we’ll see some significant new efforts in terms of getting the business school integrated across the university,” Wilhelm

says. “And also we’ll see some new ways of the business school being integrated within the business community. I expect we’ll see a broader connection into the business community.” Each morning on the way to his office, Mazzola passes a particular sculpture in one of the campus quads. Created by artist Bobbie Carlyle, Self-Made Man depicts a man carving himself from the raw stone from which he emerges. “I loved that piece from the moment I saw it,” says Mazzola, who developed an appreciation for art while he and Peggy were living in Paris in the mid 1990s. “It’s the perfect sculpture to have on a university campus. The concept of being selfmade is not only relevant to individuals, but to all organizations; it epitomizes the learning organization. UNC Charlotte and The Belk College are crafting their own futures as well. And I’m both honored and excited to be able to be part of it.” biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

UNC Charlotte The Belk College of Business 9201 University City Blvd. THE BELK Charlotte, N.C. 28223 COLLEGE of BUSINESS Phone: 704-687-7577 Principal: Joseph B. Mazzola, Ph.D., Dean and Distinguished Professor of Business Enrollment: 2,700 undergraduate students; 500 graduate students Alumni: 19,000 Full-time Faculty: 86 Academic Departments: Accounting, Business Information Systems & Operations Management, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing Accreditation: First business school in the Charlotte region to earn accreditation by AACSB International (the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide); has held that distinction for more than 20 years. Business: Develops future generations of business leaders through high quality graduate, undergraduate, and executive educational programs; conducts significant academic and applied research consistent with that of a research university. www.belkcollege.uncc.edu

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(back, l to r) Debbie Walters, Executive Assistant Beth Whitehead, Finance Manager Susanne Deitzel, Director of Communications Chris Bolinger, Property Manager (front, l to r) Mike Whitehead, Founder Tom Lane, COO and Consultant Yvonne Carrasco, Event Coordinator Whitehead Associates, Inc.

september 2008

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by susanne deitzel

Shared

[bizprofile]

Vision

W H I T E H E A D A S S O C I AT E S A C T S A S C ATA LY S T F O R I N T E N T I O N A L I T Y

pen up any management book and inside you Whitehead, a visionary who integrated his challenging are bound to find a wealth of paradoxes. “To personal life experience into opportunity. The result is a create stability—manage change,” “Develop penetrating understanding of human dynamics that perstructure—and be flexible,” “To be producmeates his work, family life, interaction in the tive—get plenty of rest,” and of course, community, and relationships. The “To succeed—be willing to fail.” consulting provided by Whitehead Great leaders do more than and his associates uses an just read and comprehend approach that underscores these paradoxes, they live the conditioning of perthem. Such is the nature sonal experience, and how of the work that occurs it can impact decisionon the carefully manimaking, execution and cured grounds of personal integrity. Whitehead Manor For 10 years this SHARED Conference Center, VISION January, Whitehead has and offices of Whiteused the word intentionhead Associates, Inc. ality to describe this In the midst of rose mode of leadership. As bushes and the shade of the word implies, every aged oaks, conversations decision is framed deliberfrequently mesh the lanately in agreement with what guage of the corporate lexicon the individual or organization with self-awareness. It is here that determines is important. Individuals attention to the people-side of business say that cultivating a habit of intentional translates into vaulted financial performance behavior has a transformative effect on every and more satisfying lives. aspect of their life; companies say that this transformaWhitehead Associates, Inc. is a leadership and culture tion and its organizational implications have a profound development consulting firm created by Mike effect on the bottom line. ➤ Dictionary: intentionality (ĭn-tĕn'shə-năl'ĭ-tē) 1. The state of having or being formed by an intention. 2. Philosophy. The property of being about or directed toward a subject, as inherent in conscious states, beliefs, or creations of the mind, such as sentences or books. 3. A consulting approach provided by Whitehead Associates which underscores the conditioning of personal experience, and how it can impact decision-making, execution and personal integrity. This form of leadership implies that every decision is framed deliberately in agreement with what the individual or organization determines is important. purs uing a bal ance of busines s and life

september 2008

Being the Change Whitehead’s business partner and COO Tom Lane joined the firm four years ago. He had taken the firm’s Quest for Personal Leadership course (QPL) when he started to question why his MBA and considerable success in the banking industry were failing to bring him the quality of life that he was looking for, and to avoid the frenetic lifestyle that he saw many colleagues pursuing. Says Lane of his experience: “QPL helped me see that I had a lot more choice in my life than I previously thought, and that wealth, health and satisfying relationships did not have to be mutually exclusive.” Shortly after completing the course, Lane approached Whitehead with the idea of joining the firm, which materialized a few months later. Lane’s personal experience and business acumen proved to be the perfect complement for what one client described as Whitehead’s “laser-like ability to get to core issues in an empowering fashion.” Between the two, they have devised a highly-efficient framework for transforming the challenges of today’s executives and their organizations into opportunities and results. Harris Teeter President Fred Morganthal relates, “It takes some people three or four years to learn a lesson that Whitehead can teach in three to six months. This training increases the proficiency of individuals and teams, and operational performance follows.” Morganthal says the company’s metrics show the training improves efficiency, turnover and the bottom line. Janet Fortner, president and CEO of Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Region, engaged Whitehead Associates to illuminate growth opportunities. She shares, “For us to take timely advantage of opportunities, we had to share a common vision, a common language and enjoy clear and direct communication. Our work with Whitehead Associates has created new opportunities for our leadership to excel and maximize their contribution to the organization’s success.” Whitehead Associates’ consulting approach is highly customized. The firm assists organizations

september 2008

in the areas of team development, succession planning, and culture issues related to increased growth, mergers and acquisitions. Most consulting engagements involve assessments, 360 degree feedback, group facilitation and executive coaching.

preparation and people.” Lane also says that many breakdowns are concealed by rapid growth, and are revealed during flat or down cycles. So despite appearances, lean times are conducive to exploring what works and what doesn’t. “It is a great time

It is here that attention to the people-side of business translates into vaulted financial performance and more satisfying lives.

Construction is currently underway on the 5,200-square-foot conference facility which will house the Center for Intentional Leadership. In November, the two-story conference facility will be complete with wide foyers, several conference rooms, offices and a prep kitchen, as well as oversize deck space, complete with the white rocking chairs that have become a client favorite and hallmark of Whitehead Manor.

The facilitation and coaching process involves assisting executives to see how attitudes, assumptions and communication style affect organizational results. Whitehead says that in the process of these coaching sessions, executives are often surprised by the insights and solutions that emerge. Comments Whitehead, “The bottom line is to create a culture where people are accountable and self-managed; when this happens performance is optimized.” The firm stays current within the evolving field of organizational development which includes emotional intelligence, fully-engaged performance and work-life balance. “Whether we are talking about developing a business culture, individual leadership development, or team development, people become conditioned to certain ways of operating that often limit growth potential,” explains Whitehead. “When we coach people on their ‘default’ communication and behavior, they begin to see new ways of doing things.” Emerging Vision Whitehead should know—he often sees possibilities that aren’t readily evident to those around him. He offers by example the 5,200-square-foot conference facility he is building, saying, “It’s easy to hesitate on investing right now, but I am betting that it is the right time.” Like much else that occurs at Whitehead Associates, the decision to begin construction of a new building in an ‘off’ economic cycle was very deliberate. Tom Lane weighs in: “As a rule, companies that perform well in a strong economy, plan well when things are less rosy. Now is the time to be planning for the next up-cycle in terms of

to be assessing organizational strategy, pursuing culture development and recruiting good people, he comments. “By default, people fall into a hunkering down mentality—and this provides hunkering down results.”

“People become conditioned to certain ways of operating that often limit growth potential. When we coach people on their ‘default’ communication and behavior, they begin to see new ways of doing things.” ~ Mike Whitehead Founder

Hunkering down certainly doesn’t describe the atmosphere at Whitehead; growth is visible in all directions, most notably on the new construction site behind the Whitehead Manor house. In November, the two-story conference facility will be complete with wide foyers, several conference rooms, offices and a prep kitchen, as well as oversize deck space, complete with the white rocking chairs that have become a client favorite and hallmark of Whitehead Manor. Whitehead envisioned the conference center as a contemplative, creative space offering high-tech accoutrements alongside meandering gardens, with a special emphasis on hospitality. Whitehead Associates will use the space for corporate consulting

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[bizprofile]

by ellison clary

I PLATFORM FOR GROWTH GREER & WALKER ACCOUNTS FOR ITS SUCCESS

september 2008

t may sound oversimplified, but the founders of Greer & Walker, L.L.P. swear by a success formula of compatibility, unselfishness and hard work, with an eye toward civic involvement. Charlie Greer and Kevin Walker already knew they got along well when they started their firm in 1984. Their specialties were complementary and they weren’t territorial. Since then, they’ve grown steadily to become the largest Charlotte-based accounting and consulting firm. “After the first busy season, January through April, I think we knew we’d survive,” says Walker. “We knew we had something that would work financially.” Initially, the partners focused on the middle market, which in 1984 was much smaller in the Charlotte region. They sought out clients with annual revenue of $2 million to $20 million, primarily closely held businesses. These days, they’re still in the middle market, but the annual revenue parameters have increased to a range of $20 million to $150 million. The formula for Greer & Walker remains the same, however; to concentrate on clients that the Big Four accounting firms—Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young and KPMG— deem too small. “That was the opportunity we saw,” Walker says. “Give a little better service and provide a little more partner involvement. Plus, our rates are better.” Compared to three employees and $300,000 in billings their first year, Greer & Walker have grown steadily to 80 employees and annual revenue they expect in excess of $14 million this year. ➤

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(l to r) Kevin Walker Founding Partner Charlie Greer Founding Partner Greer & Walker, L.L.P.

purs uing a bal ance of busines s and life

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Platform for Growth names such as Bojangles, Just Greer and Walker first met Fresh and Salsarita’s, restauin the Charlotte office of rants could soon become Deloitte in 1980. An Army brat, another significant niche. Greer had been with the firm The firm also flexes mussince earning his master’s in cles in the annual audits of business administration in a pension plans, 401(k) plans joint Clemson-Furman proand trust funds. That type of gram. Walker, a New York project work is where it native, majored in accounting interacts with larger publicly at Hofstra University and had traded companies such as made manager in Deloitte’s Nucor, EnPro Industries, New York office before moving Coca-Cola Bottling, and to Charlotte in 1980. Wachovia. “Charlie’s a tax guy; I’m an “Most of that is done outaudit guy,” Walker explains side our traditional busy seasimply. “We’re both jocks, so son, in the summer and fall,” we bonded on the basketball says Walker. “It’s a nice fit.” and tennis courts and in the Since 1999, Greer & CPA softball league. And we Walker has maintained offices had mutual clients at Deloitte.” in South Tryon Square and Greer got a chance to today occupies all of the 15th (front, l to r) Sandi Thorman, John Norman, Monica Hamilton, Barry Leasure; make partner, but only if he’d floor and parts of three oth(back, l to r) Jonathan Mangels, Michael McNamara, Charlie Greer, Kevin Walker, move to Hickory. He balked, ers, taking 18,000 square feet James Reichard; Partners, Greer & Walker, L.L.P. and spoke with Walker about total. The firm has nine partautomated warehousing and distribution centers. starting a new firm. ners and no other Charlotte-based operation Aiding in the global effort—and domestically, “We looked at each other and said, ‘I’ll do it if comes close to matching its size. too—is Greer & Walker’s membership in the PKF you’ll do it,’” Walker remembers. “We had no “We’re perfect complements to each other,” Association. It’s a network of over 200 firms money and no clients. We talked it over with our Greer smiles. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a disthroughout the world, each independently wives and they said ‘Go for it!’” agreement. We’ve never been jealous of each owned, which cooperate to share technical inforThey set up shop at 112 South Tryon Street other.” They credit their unselfishness as playing mation and serve each other’s clients. Greer & with furniture from auction sales, heeding the a big role in their success. Walker is the exclusive Charlotte member. advice of Joddy Peer, Charlotte architect and “Inevitably, firms get to a point where they’ve Another notable niche is money management, early client, who told them to locate in Center got to make a fork-in-the-road decision,” Walker conducted through the firm’s affiliate, Greer & City. Almost immediately, they attracted four or injects. “Do we want to continue to grow? Growth Walker Investment Advisors LLC, with client assets five small accounts, and soon they were able to comes with some challenges. You might make under management approaching $300 million. add their first professional staff member, Beth more money, but things get more complicated.” Greer explains those concentrations simply. Morris (also from Deloitte) before the end of the At that point, many firms decide to stay “We had a partner who was interested in internafirst year. Beth subsequently reached the level of small, Walker says, adding, “We set the platform tional practice and we had a partner who was partner at Greer & Walker. for growth.”

Integrity

Employer of choice Visible and active in the community

Extraordinary client service Almost from almost the beginning, Greer & Walker has concentrated on niches within the middle market. Strengths today include an international practice with 140 clients, more than 60 percent German. Among them is Schaefer Systems International, Inc., which makes and installs material handling systems for all types of

september 2008

interested in money management,” he says. “They just followed their passions.” Other notable areas include real estate, construction, financial services and manufacturing and distribution. Motorsports is also a significant niche, with the firm representing various NASCAR clients, drivers and teams alike. With

Sharing Makes a Difference This platform meant more partners and sharing clients. Each client belongs to the firm, not an individual, Greer states. “That makes a big difference.” Because Greer and Walker enjoy what they do, they’ve always worked hard and emphasized that part of the company culture. A client who appreciates that is Ed Crutchfield, the retired former chairman and chief executive of First Union Corporation, which is now part of Wachovia. “I’ve known Charlie Greer for maybe 30 years,” Crutchfield says. “I’ve done business with Greer & Walker a long time, maybe 20 years.” The firm’s competence and service stand out, he says. He trusts its advice and appreciates professionals such as Sandi Thorman, partner, being available for him after normal business hours. “They’re smart,” he sums up. “And Charlie

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Balanced life

Leadership by example

Excellence in everything we do Greer is probably as hard a worker as I’ve ever seen.” Word of mouth such as that brings additional clients, Greer says. Another factor is that the Big Four firms continue to go “up market” to concentrate on ever-larger companies. The fallout is that the Big Four refer out their smaller clients and often choose Greer & Walker because of its reputation.

track that,” he adds. “If it happens, great.” Still, the firm makes an impression. Linda Gallehugh, executive director of Teen Health Connection, praises Walker for his leadership on her board, where he moved up the ranks from treasurer to president. “He’s also provided other

“Inevitably, firms get to a point where they’ve got to make a fork-in-the-road decision. Do we want to continue to grow? Growth comes with some challenges. You might make more money, but things get more complicated. At that point, many firms decide to stay small. We set the platform for growth.” ~ Kevin Walker Founding Partner

Another part of the Greer & Walker culture has always been community involvement. Greer and Walker tout the firm’s strong support of the United Way of Central Carolinas and the Arts & Science Council. New hires hear dual expectations: Pass the CPA exam and get involved in the community. Serving as examples, both Greer and Walker have compiled long lists of civic connections. “We’re a public accounting firm,” says Greer. “We’ve got to give back to the community.” He lists the benefits: “Accomplishments on a civic board can mitigate bad days in the office, and solving an organization’s problems can teach teamwork and leadership. It helps people grow into decision makers at work.” Is it good for business? Certainly it can be, Greer admits. He met Crutchfield at Myers Park Presbyterian a long time ago, but he was involved as a Sunday school teacher and deacon for 10 years before he ever got a client from the church, he says. From civic connections, Walker says business development is indirect and intangible. “We don’t

purs uing a bal ance of busines s and life

staff members to be treasurer,” she says. Further, she’s seen Greer & Walker associates perform well for Community Health Services. “They do a good job on the boards,” she sums up. Greer & Walker used to hire public accounting firm veterans almost exclusively, and it still does occasionally. But these days the firm concentrates on college campuses. Favorites include Appalachian State, UNC Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, and Virginia Tech. Turnover is about 15 percent a year, which is pretty low for accounting firms. Most that leave do so for solid opportunities in the corporate world, and that often benefits Greer & Walker with referrals down the road. ➤

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The Right Fit The founders say they look for people who are a good fit for the no-nonsense culture that’s evolved. “At the highest level, we don’t tolerate politics,” Walker says. “I think everybody understands that, in large degree, we are a meritocracy. If you work hard, good things are going to happen. There’s a high level of respect for everybody here.” Greer chimes in: “I think there’s a lot of trust in this firm. Partners work as hard as associates do.” With the work comes benefits. The firm spends about 3 percent of annual revenue on continuing

education, including courses for professional development in the appropriate niche. Opportunities for leadership training also are available. Walker enjoys watching employees develop into people he feels comfortable delegating to. Greer likes the bonding that happens during the crazy work schedules predicated by the April 15 tax deadline. To promote more balanced lives, the firm allows employees to take off Friday afternoons during the summer, but still pays them for 40 hours. The result has been even better productivity—along with an unexpected development. The employees wanted to get together for Friday

outings, for golf or boat trips. The firm decided it could fund those excursions, Greer says, chuckling as he delivers the punch line. “Then they said, ‘We want the partners to go with us.’” Greer & Walker hasn’t noticed much effect from the current economic downturn. But Greer adds a caveat. “It’s important to us that the Charlotte marketplace continues to grow and that Wachovia stays strong, and Bank of America, too. It’s a great marketplace. We couldn’t have picked a better place to start an accounting practice”. Greer & Walker is on track to continue an annual growth rate of 15 to 20 percent with a spike here and there, perhaps even this year. It could employ over 120 in five years, the founders feel. “Our clients are growing and they want to see us do it, too,” Greer says. “They don’t want to outgrow us.” Sustainability is a concept that Greer, 59, and Walker, 58, take seriously. Neither founder’s retirement is imminent, but each realizes that it likely will come in the next decade. They have fashioned a platform so that, when they retire, the remaining partners can continue and not be forced to sell out to a larger player. “They may choose to retain the firm name of Greer & Walker,” says Walker. “It’s got a lot of goodwill in the market. It’s not an ego thing; it’s just an economic reality.” biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

Greer & Walker, L.L.P. South Tryon Square 201 South Tryon Street, Ste. 1500 Charlotte, N.C. 28202 Phone: 704-377-0239 Established: 1984 Principals: Charles T. Greer and Kevin P. Walker, Founding Partners; James N. Reichard; Barry T. Leasure; John M. Norman; Monica Hamilton, Michael A. McNamara; Jonathan Mangels, Sandi O. Thorman, Partners Employees: 80 Estimated 2008 revenue: $14 million Business: Largest Charlotte-based accounting and consulting firm; services include audits and reviews, tax planning and compliance, international taxation, estate and business succession planning, business valuations, litigation support services, forensic accounting services, asset management services, mergers and acquisitions, business consulting services. www.greerwalker.com

september 2008

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[employersbiz] Being Heard: Effective E-Mail “I never got it!” exclaims Maureen. She claims she never received the e-mail from the HR Director, Raul, telling her that her proposed vacation timing was rejected. Raul is positive that he informed her of the situation and the vacation reality. “I sure hope I still have that e-mail,” he thinks. “What do I have to do—follow up on every e-mail I send?” E-mail has become the preferred form of communication in a large swath of America’s organizations. Users are drawn to the ease of sending communications to a large number of recipients, the economic efficiency of conversing electronically, the archival nature of e-mail, and the simple connection to mobile devices. The result of this love affair is a torrent of e-mails flooding mailboxes. Corporate e-mail is expected to increase 27 percent this year, according to a Radicati Group survey. Employees are either consciously or unconsciously reacting to this flood of information with several survival techniques, which have lead many of them to ignore or simply breeze past important e-mails that you desperately want and need them to read and understand.

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Electronic Rules and Fixes. Many e-mail applications allow users to automatically have messages sent directly to particular folders when received, instead of ending up in their Inbox. That’s great for e-mail organization. Unless you review the contents of that e-mail folder regularly, however, you can miss important messages. The programs can be set to filter out e-mails by sender, subject line text, or even size. Make sure that employees use the programs judiciously or not at all. Many employees simply forget a filter is in place and should be instructed to review such folders at least once a day. You can use technology tools and rules to help ensure that your messages are read. Messages can be sent with confirmation that the e-mail has been delivered and/or opened. The latter is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “Read Receipt.”

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Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

Receiving that type of confirmation may assist you in disciplining employees for not following an instruction included in the e-mail but likely will do little to ensure that they have read and understand the message. Use the “Voting Buttons” or other e-mail features that allow employees to affirmatively respond that they have read and understand the message.

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Colorful Subject Lines. You also should consider regulating the use of subject lines in an effort to improve worker review of important e-mails. It’s almost futile trying to regulate the use of the “Priority” (!) button in e-mail. (Whether something is critically important or not appears to be as subjective as your choice of facial tissue.) You can more effectively regulate the use of certain terms on the subject line. Generic terms like “Response Required,” “Policy Enclosed,” and “New Procedure” can be regulated to certain communications. Department-specific language can be adopted for subject lines as well (“HR Alert,” “Safety Update,” and “Benefits Deadline”). Employers can also adopt a specific color for the background of important communications that affect the terms and conditions of employment.

No E-mail Days. Some companies like Deloitte, Intel, and U.S. Cellular have tried to tame the e-mail tiger by outlawing nonessential e-mail on certain days. The effort has met with mixed results, as many employees have revolted over the productivity drag that such protocols create. Other employees have simply stockpiled their e-mails and let loose the deluge on Mondays. Whatever we do, e-mails and other electronic communications tools are likely with us to stay. The Radicati Group survey found that corporate employees are sending 47 e-mails each day. E-mails influence on how we communicate with our employees will likely simply increase in the future. You must regulate employees’ Inboxes if you want your e-mails to be effective. (HR Insight) ➤

purs uing a bal ance of busines s and life

september 2008

Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

STOP BEING AFRAID OF YOUR ENERGY BILLS.

health insurance, and a hazard-free work environment. Give these people predictable work with little risk or uncertainty. Also, salary and fringe benefits are very important to them. 7. The need for equity. These employees want to be treated fairly. They probably compare work hours, job duties, salary, and privileges to those of other employees—and will become discouraged if they perceive inequities. Adapted from The Manager’s Desk Reference, by Cynthia Berryman-Fink and Charles B. Fink (American Management Association)

JOB SEEKERS NOT PARTICULARLY ECO-FRIENDY Global warming may be a hot topic and the subject of an Oscar-winning film, but an employer’s eco-friendliness is an important distinction for only about one-third of U.S. workers according to a survey conducted with Earth Day. “We’ve seen an increase recently in the number of job seekers who want to work for ‘green’ companies,” Adecco USA’s chief career officer Bernadette Kenny says, “however, when it comes to taking less compensation for those jobs, not everyone is willing to make that leap unless they are younger and just starting out in their careers. What can be helpful for companies in recruiting and retaining green-minded employees,” she added, is “to communicate its environmental policies and create an environmentally conscious culture by instituting some simple and basic programs.” About seven in 10 U.S. workers know that their employer has an environmental policy, with men slightly more likely than their female colleagues to say they know what that policy is—35 percent of men versus 28 percent of women— according to an online survey for Adecco. (SHRM) The Employers Association is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive human resources and training services to a membership of over 850 companies in the greater Charlotte region. For more information, please call Laura Hampton at 704-522-8011 or visit www.employersassoc.com.

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[ontop] Advertising & Media Kirby Strickland, president of Strickland & Co. Advertising and past chairman of the Business Marketing Association, has been awarded the G. D. Crain Award. Kirby Strickland Luquire George Andrews (LGA) has hired Todd Badgley to head the agency’s client services department. WFAE President and General Manager Roger Sarow has been elected to NPR’s board of directors for a three-year term. The station has also Todd Badgley earned first place recognition in the Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism awards. WTVI has promoted Eric Davis to vice president of broadcasting and content and Paulette Martin Whitfield to vice president of administration. Marie Brown has been recognized as Volunteer of the Year. Business & Professional Parker Poe’s Aretha V. Blake has been selected as NCBA Citizen Lawyer and Kristi K. Walters has been recognized by the Charlotte Business Journal among the 40 under 40 for 2008. K&L Gates attorney Jo Ann Brighton has been honored with the Charlotte Business Journal’s Women in Business Achievement Award. Wilmar Leasing Inc.’s Bill Crawford has been awarded the Clemens-Pender Lessor of the Year award by The National Vehicle Leasing Association. Scott Crawford was has been elected first vice president of The National Vehicle Leasing Association for the 2008 to 2009 term. Shiptransportal has been awarded the Supplier of Excellence award from Idearc Media Corporation. Vision Office Systems, Inc. has been selected for the 2008 Best of Charlotte Award in the Copy Sales and Service category by the U.S. Local Business Association. The Charlotte Regional Partnership has promoted Kenny McDonald to executive vice president of economic development services and Melissa Hendrick to chief financial officer. Construction & Design Mark Van Sickle has joined Little’s Land Development Services Studio as a project manager. Education & Staffing Robert Fish, CFO of Integra Staffing and president of Bankston Partners, has received the first ever EO Hall of Fame Award from the Charlotte chapter of Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Richard McDevitt has joined the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as director of marketing services in the division of university relations and community affairs. Richard McDevitt Engineering Mulkey Engineers & Consultants’ Andy Belcher has been honored with the Viewer Choice Award from the Environmental Systems Research Institute.

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Local & Wide Area Networks Wiring Routers Switches Servers Wireless Workstations FieldStone Networking Services: Walt Fields at 704-560-4897 or Dwayne Stone at 704-560-4900 www.fieldstonenetworking.com

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SGIS has hired Frank Drejka as the area vice president of business development. Finance & Insurance Gary W. Bowman has joined Bank of Granite as South Caldwell market executive. Marsh Inc. has elected Curtis Williams of the company’s Charlotte office as a managing director. Government & Nonprofit Mecklenburg County has won eight Telly awards for its innovative infotainment program The Mecklenburgers, including its first Silver Award. Michael Rizer of Wachovia Corporation has been recognized by NeighborWorks America for significant accomplishments in supporting affordable housing development and improving quality of life in Charlotte’s revitalized neighborhoods. Health Care Dr. Dan Murrey has been named OrthoCarolina’s new chief executive Dr. Dan Murrey officer. Real Estate Commercial/Residential Crescent Resources, LLC has named Robert Zeiller to lead its new division to manage urban, mixed-use projects. Charlotte International Association of Home Staging Professional’s Regional Chapter has received the 2008 IAHSP Chapter Excellence Award. Retail & Sports & Entertainment Autobell Car Wash Inc. has awarded 66 employees 2008 academic scholarships toward the college or university of their choice, with this year’s gifts totaling $61,600. Technology M3 Technology Group has been honored with Microsoft’s East Region Award for marketing excellence. OmniVue Business Solutions has been nominated as Microsoft’s East Region Partner of the Year for 2008. Exervio Management Consulting’s Pepper Pounds has been named to Strathmore’s Who’s Who Directory. Internet security firm Calyptix Security’s CEO Ben Yarbrough and Waypoint Solutions Group’s President Dan Wilson have been named to the list of most influential people in the managed services industry by MSPmentor. CC Communications has added Hillary Webb as an account manager and Brian Phillips as a project manager. Tourism Successful Meetings magazine has awarded the Hilton Charlotte Center City its prestigious Pinnacle Award for 2008 as one of the country’s finest meeting and conference hotels. biz

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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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