Greater Wilmington Business Journal - June 18 Issue

That’s the rub Couple gets spicy Page 23

June 18 - July 1, 2021 Vol. 22, No. 12

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WEB EXCLUSIVE Airport news

ILM director voted out wilmingtonbiz.com

MANUFACTURING SPECIAL FOCUS

PAGE

9

IN THE NEWS: A roundup of the latest industry stories

PAGE

10 BRACED FOR CHANGE: Dental brackets firm grows in Leland

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23

FULL OF FLAVOR: Couple concocts spice rubs PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER

Index Economic Indicators .............................. 3 Technology ............................................. 4 Hospitality ............................................. 5 The List ...............................................6-7 In Profile...............................................10 Real Estate...........................................18 Business of Life.............................. 22-23

Making a point: Mike McManus, CFO of Yogasleep, is part of a group addressing manufacturing issues.

SPECIAL FOCUS MANUFACTURING

MAKING INDUSTRY WORK LOCAL MANUFACTURERS FORM GROUP TO ADDRESS TALENT PIPELINE, MORE

SUBSCRIBE NOW SUBSCRIBE TO THE BUSINESS JOURNAL NOW AT WilmingtonBiz.com/subscribe Your subscription includes: • Unlimited access to stories on WilmingtonBiz.com • Bimonthly Business Journals, quarterly WilmingtonBiz Magazine and the 2021 Book on Business mailed to your office or home • At least 20 extra IQ points with your added business knowledge!

BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL

M

anufacturing companies in the Cape Fear region face two significant issues with their labor force.

They’re having trouble meeting immediate job needs to round out recovery and grow as they emerge from the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. And in the long run, many company leaders are starting to wonder what the future holds for

open positions.

“We are hiring more outside of North Carolina than we have in the past,” said Michael McManus, CFO of Wilmington-based Yogasleep, a maker of nationally sold, fan-based sound machines. “I believe the entire job market right now is very tight from a talent recruitment standpoint.”

In the world of manufacturing, however, improving the workforce situation may not lie just in COVID recovery efforts; nor is it as simple as reeling in the right talent, says a recently formed local manufacturing

partnership made up of several industry leaders, including McManus.

Many companies are also seeking the next-generation hire looking for a long-term career in manufacturing before the lion’s share of the current workforce retires.

To address such key issues, a group of 27 manufacturing executives have come together to form the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership.

THE RECOVERY

“Right now, we can’t get people to work,” said Eric Barton, vice president of operations for Tri-Tech See INDUSTRY, page 17

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June 18 - July 1, 2021

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

If you missed the Power Breakfast on June 14 visit the Business Journal’s YouTube page to watch the recorded program.

WilmingtonBizJournal

THE ROARING 20 S

CHRIS BONEY Architect/Principal LS3P

ANNE GARDNER CEO Cape Fear Realtors

CHRIS NORVELL Principal Edgewater Ventures

ADAM TUCKER Director of Development Zimmer Development Co.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS WHO HELP MAKE THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE. PRESENTING SPONSORS:

PARKING SPONSOR:

TECH SPONSOR:

To learn about becoming a Power Breakfast sponsor, contact Maggi Apel at (910) 343-8600 x203 or mapel@wilmingtonbiz.com.

Stay tuned for the next Power Breakfast in September!

CORPORATE SPONSORS:

0

0

NEW HANOVER APRIL 2021:

PENDER APRIL 2021:

BRUNSWICK APRIL 2021:

DOWN FROM APRIL 2020:

DOWN FROM APRIL 2020:

DOWN FROM APRIL 2020:

15.7%

13%

17.9%

(NEW HANOVER COUNTY)

SALES TAX COLLECTION MARCH 2021

3.9% 3.8% 5.4%

$19,185,055 UP FROM SALES TAX COLLECTION MARCH 2020 APRIL 2021 DEPARTURES

APRIL 2021 ARRIVALS

28,833

31,281

UP FROM APRIL 2020 DEPARTURES

UP FROM APRIL 2020 ARRIVALS

1,839 Source: N.C. Department of Commerce

$317,591

$378,797

$297,654

50K

Commercial

300 300

300K

100K

2020

2021

2019

250 250

April 2021

200 200 150 150 100 100

5050 00

4/20

420

5/20

520

6/20

620

7/20

720

8/20

820

9/20

920

Source: Cape Fear Realtors

MARCH ROOM OCCUPANCY TAX

2020

2021 2021 Source: Wilmington CVB

10/20

1020

11/20

1120

12/20

1220

1/21

121

2/21

221

3/21

321

4/21

421

Source: Brunswick County Code Administration

TOP ATTRACTIONS VISITOR ATTENDANCE 0

(NEW HANOVER COUNTY)

2020

Residential

350 350

350K

150K

Source: N.C. Department of Revenue

400

400K

200K

1,963

MONTHLY BUILDING PERMITS (BRUNSWICK COUNTY)

(SINGLE-FAMILY, TRI-COUNTY AREA)

250K

$17,125,975

Source: Wilmington International Airport

MAY AVERAGE HOME SALE PRICE

0

0

Page 3

MARCH SALES TAX COLLECTION

APRIL AIRPORT PASSENGER TRAFFIC

APRIL UNEMPLOYMENT

$1,434,240

0

June 18 - July 1, 2021

| ECONOMIC INDICATORS |

$456,188

0

wilmingtonbiz.com

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

2019 2020*

500K

1M

1.5M

FORT FISHER STATE HISTORIC SITE

988,962

567,473 CAROLINA BEACH STATE PARK

843,888

2019 2020* 2019 2020*

1,516,169 N.C. AQUARIUM AT FORT FISHER

463,726 109,250 BATTLESHIP NORTH CAROLINA

2019 2020* 2019 2020*

192,985 100,483

AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON FOR REGULAR UNLEADED IN WILMINGTON ON JUNE 9, 2021:

$2.87 AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON FOR WILMINGTON ON JUNE 9, 2020:

$1.90

AIRLIE GARDENS

107,270 100,006

Source: Area attractions provided their own figures *COVID-19 impacted year

Source: AAA

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June 18 - July 1, 2021

wilmingtonbiz.com

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

| TECHNOLOGY |

AI used in identifying strokes

W

hen someone experiences a stroke, a blockage causing a lack of blood flow to the brain, minutes are crucial because brain cells begin to die, an estiJOHANNA mated 2 million every minute.

The longer a stroke goes untreated, the greater the potential for brain damage and disability to occur that can include paralysis, speech and vision problems and memory loss, according to the American Stroke Association.

The seriousness of a stroke and the importance of getting medical aid quickly have prompted hospitals and health technology companies to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help reduce the time in the triage, diagnosis and treatment of strokes, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients.

This month, New Hanover Regional Medical Center will begin using Viz LVO, a cloud-based imaging platform from the company Viz.ai that uses artificial intelligence to help medical providers identify strokes.

NHRMC stroke physicians have already been accessing Viz.ai images from Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. In 2019, Novant announced a partnership with Viz.ai, an artificial intelligence care coordination company based in San Francisco that has the goal to “fundamentally improve how healthcare is delivered in the world,” as stated on its website.

“Brunswick Medical Center was the first step in our use of the technology and the beginning of our advancement and using artificial intelligence to help us identify and target stroke patients in the fastest times possible,” said Jeffrey Beecher, an endovascular neurosurgeon and NHRMC’s director of cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgery.

According to Viz.ai, its product can reduce the standard workflow from 123 minutes to 34 minutes.

And, in a study the company conducted with 300 patients, the company’s software could notify a stroke neurologist about 7 minutes on average after brain imaging occurred, much quicker than the traditional procedure.

Typically, when a patient might

INFO J U N K I E Jackie Jordan Welker

Senior director, marketing and communications, Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina

CANO

PHOTO C/O VIZ.AI

Time saver: Viz LVO, a cloud-based imaging platform from the company Viz.ai, uses artificial intelligence to help medical providers identify strokes.

be having a stroke, a code stroke is activated at NHRMC that initiates the stroke team to the patient or to meet the patient upon arrival to the hospital, Beecher said.

The stroke team evaluates the patient while obtaining necessary lab work and appropriate access to the patient so that diagnostic tests can be performed. The patient is then tested to determine the type of stroke, and the best treatment modality is then selected, he added.

With Viz LVO, physicians receive alerts and images on their phones.

They can access the CT image on their phone and zoom in and manipulate it in the same way they could in radiology.

Viz LVO, which stands for large vessel occlusion, a type of stroke, uses AI algorithms to analyze images for suspected LVOs and notifies medical specialists the findings along with images that can be viewed through an app.

“It [Viz.ai] has improved care between Brunswick Medical Center and NHRMC. Without this, there are significant delays as outside hospitals try to reach us by phone,” said Vinodh Doss, an interventional neurologist and NHRMC’s medical director of stroke and neurointerventional surgery. “If we can implement AI technology, it cuts down times, improves communication and thereby improves patient care.

“It’s the leverage of technology to get patients the best care possible as fast as possible,” he added.

This time-saving that the Viz.ai product can provide is critical for patients at NHRMC and partnering facilities in the region, officials said.

“Time is brain,” Doss said. “If we can reduce treatment times then we can save brain, therefore reducing morbidity and mortality.”

“The technology brings the imaging directly to us, the treating physicians, and we can find these things before the patient is even off the CT table,” Beecher added.

The stride to partner with Viz.ai and adopt more technologies at its health care facilities are part of Novant’s goal to use technology to advance patient care and specifically to provide access to the most advanced stroke care, officials said.

“Novant Health is committed to using leading edge technology to connect with and care for our patients,” said Angela Yochem, executive vice president and chief digital and tech officer for Novant Health, in a press release. “Viz.ai is just one of the many ways Novant Health looks to incorporate artificial intelligence in improving the efficiency and quality of patient care.”

With increased use in technology, hospitals, health care staff and patients can benefit from early access, improved communication, reduced treatment and transfer times and it regionalizes care, said Doss.

“The advancements in technology in the medical fields have been tremendous, especially in the neuro space,” Beecher said. “We have had great advances that allow us to not only identify the appropriate patients and ways to get them to the appropriate doctors faster, but also it has advanced the treatment options that we have for different patients.”

At Make-AWish, Welker leads storytelling efforts on all media platforms to share the stories of wishes granted for children with critical illnesses in the 49 counties of Eastern North Carolina.

Welker said she uses technology all the time in her role.

“The storytelling aspect of my work has me on social media, email programs, website design, video production, etc. every day. Our organization uses Microsoft Teams to communicate locally and nationwide.”

Favorite websites and blogs she regularly checks include social media where she follows lots of different news outlets and bloggers.

Her favorite account right now is Kobe Eats, @kobe_yn on Instagram.

“He’s a kid chef and just the cutest! He’s my break from the heaviness of the world,” she said.

One favorite podcast is SmartLess.

“Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes are just so fun to listen to and they have a wide variety of guests,” she said.

For TV, current shows include Ozark, The Handmaid’s Tale, Younger, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and she always rewatches Schitt’s Creek or The Office.

Her favorite movie of all time is Back to the Future. “I have a decent collection of memorabilia from that series and, hey, ‘Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one.’”

Find Welker on Facebook and Instagram @makeawisheastnc.

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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June 18 - July 1, 2021

Page 5

| HOSPITALITY |

Attractions extend in-person, online mix

A

rea attractions are beginning to look and feel like they’ve recovered from the pandemic, but they are all using the lessons learned to move forward carefully and conscientiously.

“People are really ready to get back,” said Heather Wilson, Cameron Art Museum deputy director, who said that many of the museum’s newest members LAURA came on board during the pandemic through virtual programming.

That virtual component will continue to be part of future programming despite the return of in-person events.

“Our virtual audience included many newcomers – a lot of younger people, especially since we’re free for CFCC and UNCW students,” Wilson said. “We are finding lots of ways to engage with the community and keep on keeping on.”

The Art Buzz series on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings offers a complimentary glass of wine or sparkling water to enjoy while creating a work of art with a local artist.

Live music has returned on Thursday nights and on Saturdays at brunch in the CAM Café.

“It’s picking back up. We’re really busy. We have been reopened since September and spent many months getting back serving the public,” Wilson said. “Visitors say it’s the first place they’ve gone and feel safe coming here.”

Camps are already sold out for the summer, and families seem excited to be back, taking part in the CAM Kids Second Saturdays. In addition, the CAM will have a new installation that represents work by children in the community who have completed art kits.

The kits were inspired by themes of nature and landscapes from current exhibitions Robert Johnson: Safe Places and Elizabeth Bradford: A House of One Room and are on display in the Pancoe Art Education Center for the summer.

Christine Lamberton, director of the Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens, tells a similar story. Despite the site being closed March through September, officials were still wary about reopening. Following all guidelines, they continued to be conserva-

MOORE

PHOTOS C/O CAMERON ART MUSEUM

Hybrid mix: Cameron Art Museum continues to add more in-person programs and events back to its lineup, even as it keeps some popular online offerings to reach a wider audience.

tive about reopening, yet they “were busy right away.”

With restrictions being reinforced, the museum had an uptick during spring break week with “almost 8085% as far as our numbers coming in,” Lamberton said.

Even with numbers of visitors increasing steadily, Burgwin-Wright plans to continue to offer hybrid events that offer the opportunity to take part with in-person events virtually.

“The hybrid events will continue for the rest of forever,” Lamberton said. “They were very well-received and allow us to reach others who would not have been here otherwise – to not alienate and also to expand.”

The Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Guided tours are given every hour until 3 p.m. Virtual tours are available, as well as group and private tours.

The attraction will resume its lecture series in September. Within the visitor center, there is an art gal-

lery that features a local artist each month and a gift shop that offers locally made goods. These, as well as ever-blooming gardens, are complimentary and open to the public year-round.

In addition to summer in-person exhibits and programming, the Cape Fear Museum’s virtual programs will continue to be available.

“Jorey Stories and adult programs will continue as Zoom programs for the foreseeable future,” said Barbi Baker, museum marketing specialist. “We use a blend of virtual and in-person as a way to reach within the community and reach farther out and take advantage of that.”

That strategy has been working.

Between March and April, the museum saw a 50% increase in visitation, Baker said.

“We are definitely seeing a steady increase in numbers from the first of the year. Every month keeps getting better as confidence is on the rise,” Baker said.

The museum is offering three Summer Shorts, interactive programs

for small groups. These 60-minute hands-on educational learning experiences include: H20 Today, a Smithsonian Program about how water is the lifeblood of the planet; Ready, Set, Science, a sports-oriented program; and Cape Fear Critters, which is offered in-person or virtually.

Visitation has been down at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher, “not because of lack of interest but due to lack of school groups with the capacity limitations and social distancing rules,” said Hap Fatzinger, aquarium director.

The pandemic has encouraged the aquarium to implement lasting changes, also.

Fatzinger admits that some policies may still undergo changes, but one thing that will not change in the near future, or possibly ever, is the advanced ticket sales implemented because of COVID-19.

Selling advanced reserved, online tickets was a strategy to adhere to strict capacity guidelines, but officials have made the decision to continue using the advanced ticket sales to “restructure what visiting the aquarium looks like,” Fatzinger said.

With large numbers of people visiting the aquarium daily, aquarium staff hope spacing visitors out over the course of the day will allow for a better overall experience.

“Similar to how you would visit the movies pre-COVID, you have to plan appropriately and accordingly,” Fatzinger said. “Think about it, make your reservations, and secure that time slot.”

Live aquarium programs are still on pause with the state, so “with little predictability” much of their “onground programming” is not planned for the summer.

Current exhibits continue to grow, and the aquarium staff members are ready to share them with visitors.

Future exhibits are in the process of being built and developed, but the timing of completion is still unpredictable.

“The timelines are off due to COVID, as well as supply and labor issues,” Fatzinger said. “It’s been challenging, but we are moving forward and working diligently to be able to share these with our visitors.”

He added, “We’re excited to welcome people back, and we’re excited to interact with people on the floor.

We are learning everyday and have been learning since March 2020.”

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

| THE LIST |

Web Developers and Designers

Ranked by number of local full-time web designers

RANK

1

2

3

3

5

6

6

8

COMPANY ADDRESS PHONE EMAIL WEBSITE

NO. LOCAL FT WEB DEVELOPERS/ NO. OF LOCAL EMPLOYEES

SAMPLE WEB ADDRESSES

% OF REVENUE FROM WEB DESIGN OR NO. OF DEVELOPMENT/ ACTIVE % OF WORK CLIENTS SUBCONTRACTED

MAJOR CLIENTS

SPECIALTIES

TOP LOCAL OFFICIAL/ YEAR FOUNDED

InterCoastal Net Designs 6934 Beach Drive SW, #3 Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 575-6095 info@icoastalnet.com www.icoastalnet.com

25 45

https://www.treasurerealty.com/, https://tybeevacationrentals.com/, https://www.fishmyrtlebeach.com/, https://www.longshottv.com/, https://www.30aescapes.com/, https://southernresorts.com/

600

90% 5%

Treasure Realty, Tybee Vacation Rentals, Southern Resorts, Sloane Vacations, Alpine Lodging

BlueTone Media 201 N. Front St., Suite 601 Wilmington, NC 28401 795-2280 info@bluetonemedia.com www.bluetonemedia.com

15 16

rimguardxtreme.com, homesc.com, carolinacoffeecompany.com

550

50% 2

UNCW, ATMC, Port City Java, HomeSC

Tayloe/Gray 221 N. Second St. Wilmington, NC 28401 (910) 795-4831 info@tayloegray.com www.tayloegray.com

7 23

www.bradfordproducts.com, www.valsource.com, www.markraft.com, www.firstbanksba.com, www.northeastbank.com, www.wilmingtoneye.com, www.highspeedweld.com, www.evasivemotorsports.com, www.liquidlogickayaks.com,

100

50% 5

Wilmington Design Company 3517 Wrightsville Ave. Wilmington, NC 28403 910-395-9997 hello@wilmingtondesignco.com www.wilmingtondesignco.com

7 20

Provis Media 8115 Market St., Suite 300 Wilmington, NC 28411 256-6252 letstalk@provismedia.com www.provismedia.com

5 8

ncino.com, ahperformance.com, markjohnsoncustomhomes.com

100

20% 0

American Express, Arm & Hammer, Cisco, nCino

Matthew Web development, 3D animation, video Summers, Chief production, inbound marketing, SEO, lead Digital Officer generation, sales enablement 2003

DesignLoud Inc. 10 N. Front St., Unit C Wilmington, NC 28401 302-3286 Contact@DesignLoud.com www.DesignLoud.com

4 12

labellevieps.com, tekmountain.com, www.littlepim.com

30

20% 5

Atlanta Falcons, LittlePIM, CastleBranch, tekMountain

Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Google Derek Schmidt, Ads, Facebook Ads, WordPress, Laravel, President CRM 2011

Wide Open Tech 226 N Front Street Wilmington, NC 28401 400-1055 info@wideopentechnologies.com wideopentech.com

4 6

clenaeatz.com, ncartmuseum.org, www.shelfgenie.com

20

80%

Ford Design Group LLC 311 Judges Road, 6C Wilmington, NC 28405 202-0096 info@forddesign.com / greg@forddesign.com forddesign.com

3 6

slooppoint.com, livingwatersguidenc.com, stonegarden-nc.com, sharenc.org, hibachibistro.com, www.specialwood.com

300

Conversion focused vacation rental and real Brandon Sauls, estate web development, custom design, President/ search engine optimization, pay-per-click Owner advertising, social media marketing, email 1999 marketing

Custom design, development, digital marketing, SEO, content management system

Jimmy Honsinger, CEO 2003

Northeast Bank, Markraft Cabinets, Tayloe, MaxPro Window Films, Valsource, Pay Branding, Design, Marketing, Technology Nathan Owner / CEO Tel Communications, Velocity 2009 Solutions, ACAP

Cathead Vodka, Valley Regional Website design and development, web Imaging, Wilmington Surgical, Tears of applications, data analytics, enterprise-level Llorona. Red Door Homes hosting

eCommerce, custom application 101 Mobility, Clean Eatz, Boardworks development, systems integration, web Education, America’s Mattress, the N.C. design, Wordpress, SEO, Facebook Ads, Museum of Art Wordpress

Bill Hunter, President/ Creative Director 2005

John Cornelius, Owner 2002

Greg Ford, Branding, corporate identity, web design/ Owner/Creative Balfour Beatty, Hyster-Yale, Rulmeca, development, print media, graphic design, Cilvil Works, GUY C. LEE Director promo items, apparel and safety gear 1992

List is compiled based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.

Want to be considered for The List? Request an industry survey by emailing lists@wilmingtonbiz.com.

The Business Journal will feature the following lists in upcoming publications: Commercial Real Estate Brokers • Auto Dealers

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

June 18 - July 1, 2021

Page 7

| THE LIST |

Audio-Visual Companies

Ranked by number of local full-time employees PHONE WEBSITE EMAIL

NO. FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES/ NO. PART-TIME EMPLOYEES

SPECIALTIES, SERVICES OFFERED

TOP LOCAL OFFICIAL/ YEAR FOUNDED

1

Filmwerks LLC 589 Carver Drive Rocky Point, NC 28457

675-1145 www.Filmwerks.com michaels@filmwerks.com

120

Generator rental, stage/mobile structure construction, scenic set design, carpentry, fabrication, custom lighting build, climate control for live events and film productions

Michael Satrazemis CEO 2001

2

AValive 311 Judges Road Wilmington, NC 28405

790-0324 www.AValive.com customerservice@avalive.com

6 3

LCD projectors, Apple/PC computers, LCD monitors, laptops, microphones for rent, on-site AV engineers, iPad rentals, cameras and video editing systems

Frank Fugazi Manager 1992

3

EZAV 194 Tim Moore Drive Hampstead, NC 28443

762-4144 www.ezav.biz Info@ezav.biz

6 24

AV production, lighting, events, video production; for: corporate, association, convention; virtual conferencing and virtual exhibit halls

Brian McArtan CEO 2007

4

AcoustiCreations Inc. 311 Judges Road, Suite 13-A Wilmington, NC 28405

371-2038 www.acousticreations.com sales@acousticreations.com

4 0

Commercial and residential audio/video, automation, lighting and structured cabling (Cat6, fiber, etc.)

Shaun Olsen President/CEO 2004

5

Audio Visual Services Coastal 1200 N. 23rd St., Suite 211 Wilmington, NC 28405

341-0045 www.avscoastal.com info@avscoastal.com

4 4

Audio/visual rentals and streaming services

Michael Jacaruso Owner 1989

6

Past Present Future Digital 4601 Peachtree Ave. Wilmington, NC 28403

399-1820 www.ppfdigital.com josh@ppfdigital.com

1 1

Digitize photos, slides, film and videotapes; create custom slideshows; video editing and production

Josh Caine Owner 2004

7

Sound Wave Audio 102 Portwatch Way, Suite A Wilmington, NC 28412

794-2858 www.soundwaveaudio.com soundwaveaudio@att.net

0 6

Concert production services; state-of-the-art audio, lighting, video, backline and staging; large inventory of wireless microphones

Michael Thrift Owner 1987

COMPANY RANK ADDRESS

List is compiled based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.

Page 8

June 18 - July 1, 2021

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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June 18 - July 1, 2021

Page 9

FOCUS | IN THE NEWS: SPECIAL MANUFACTURING | This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s daily coverage.

Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.

Wilmington-based firm to expand in South Carolina A company headquartered in Wilmington is growing again in a neighboring state.

PolyQuest, distributor of PET resins and manufacturer of recycled PET resins, announced the expansion of its facility in Darlington, South Carolina.

PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a lightweight plastic belonging to the polyester family, according to PETRA, the PET Resin Association.

Established in 2004, PolyQuest's Darlington facility is the company’s flagship distribution and recycling location, according to a news release.

“Our business continues to grow at exponential levels, both organically in virgin PET and rPET as well as via access to new resins such as polypropylene and polyethylene,” said Tod Durst, president of PolyQuest, in the release. “With demand for our products at the highest level we have

experienced in our company’s history and limited available supply, our customers are facing extended lead times, which predicates that we hold higher levels of safety stock to service their needs.

“That factor, coupled with the continued push for recycled plastic content from brand owners and converters alike, made our expansion in Darlington a logical one.”

In addition to its Wilmington headquarters and South Carolina facility, PolyQuest has a location in Farmingdale, New York, and an office in Austria.

Industries try different tactics to find workers From local restaurants to logistics, some companies are having trouble finding workers and are hosting hiring events to draw in more candidates.

Wilmington-based MCO Transport Inc. is looking to fill as many as 20 truck driver positions, said Laurie King, vice president and director of corporate relations for the trucking and warehouse company with terminal operations in Chesapeake, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina;

and Savannah, Georgia.

“The trucking industry has been suffering from a labor shortage, and it just has gotten worse,” King said.

The company has had its second pay increase for drivers in the past six months.

MCO Transport officials said in a news release that the company raised pay by as much as 10% across all divisions in May, the increase due to a severe labor shortage in the trucking industry on top of a “record demand in freight services.”

“Under the new pay increase, new drivers can earn at least $50,000 in their first year, with top drivers grossing nearly 6 figures. All local positions pay hourly, and regional drivers earn as much as $0.47/mile with weekly home time,” stated the release.

Corbetts weigh former milling site New development could be in the future for some Corbett family land near downtown Wilmington.

The 17-acre Castle Hayne Road property is not currently on the market, and the future of the site is still being determined after milling oper-

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ations shut down two years ago, said Albert Corbett, a partner of Corbett Package Co. But Corbett said recently that he wouldn’t turn down an offer of development if the right fit came along.

“The buildings and the land are for lease,” Corbett said. “I see in the future it’s going to be probably commercial and/or a combination of multifamily housing because that is what is happening all around us here.

It’s an ideal property.”

The Corbett Package Co.’s manufacturing operation closed in September 2019, ceasing its veneer milling operations after nearly 100 years.

The company still holds offices at the site, where it runs multiple divisions of the family business, Corbett said.

The Corbetts have owned the property at 1200 Castle Hayne Road for generations. The milling operation started there in the 1920s, Corbett said.

The company stopped manufacturing mainly because of the declining source of raw material, Corbett said, adding that given the location, “the property is more valuable for other commercial uses and perhaps residential use.”

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June 18 - July 1, 2021

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

SPECIAL FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

IN PROFILE

Dental manufacturer braces for growth

BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL

A

local manufacturer of orthodontic dental brackets has grown its production in Leland over the past year, while navigating the business through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ceramic Dental Brackets (CDB) Corp., with American headquarters at 2304 Mercantile Drive in Leland, is an Austrian company and part of Switzerland-based Hirsch Dynamics Holding, a global contract manufacturer.

The company supplies various brackets for dental braces, said Herbert Haas, managing director of CDB Corp.

“It’s a very simple product, but we have thousands of final products,” Haas said.

The company has more than 4,000 different types of brackets it makes in Leland.

The company makes three main products: ceramic and composite dental brackets and clear aligners.

The company uses computer numerical control (CNC) machines to produce its ceramic brackets.

“We are extruding ceramic sticks and these ceramic sticks will be used on the CNC machine to make the brackets,” Haas said. “After that, it goes into the furnace for firing and is readied for shipping to the customer.”

For its composite brackets, CDB Corp. utilizes a vacuum pouring process to make the product from polyurethane.

“This year, we will be producing 6.5 million brackets by the end of the year,” Haas said, adding that those numbers come from the orders that CDB Corp. has received.

And in the summer of last year, the company started making its third product at the facility: clear dental aligners, Haas said.

“We are introducing clear aligners. This is a product made in many different production steps starting with 3D printing of molds,” Haas said. “We are growing very fast. We are getting a lot of orders in. So, in the next six months, we have to make some big investments in our production.”

To produce these invisible aligners, the company had to set up new production areas and invest in new machines and new equipment to serve the invisible aligners market,

CDB CORP.

2304 MERCANTILE DRIVE, LELAND

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER

Bracket biz: Herbert Haas, managing director of Ceramic Dental Brackets Corp., said the company has more than 4,000 types of brackets it makes in Leland.

Haas said.

The company, which started manufacturing at the site in 1989, has grown into two buildings over the years, for a total of 8,800 square feet, with about 5,900 square feet of production space, Haas said.

A shareholder in the company had a partner in the beginning, who brought the manufacturing business to the area because of the environment and the people, he said.

“It was a good location to start the business. And we don’t have any intention to leave. We plan to grow here,” Haas said.

The Leland operation of the foreign-owned company supports distribution around the globe with the main markets in the United States, Europe and Japan, he said.

“There has been a lot of changes since we started … there has been significant growth,” Haas said. “We have 20% more sales than we had in 2019.”

Although the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the company’s sales last year, business has been picking up.

The pandemic last year impacted the facility with a 30-40% partial

shutdown of business operations. It wasn’t until November that the company was back to full production, he said, adding that COVID also impacted the company globally.

The company today has nearly 70 employees, including machinists, engineers and operators, he said. The Leland operation also holds CDB’s research and development division.

CDB Corp. supplies its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and dealers globally, including 3M Co., he said.

“They are distributing to [OEM] customers and end-users,” Haas said.

“We are a so-called private-label supplier. So, we [do not have] our own brands because we are working for OEMs and the OEMs are using their name on the product. If we’re developing the product, we find someone who wants to take it. Or we develop together a product, or our customers come to us [with a product] and ask us to produce it.”

The company is also packaging its various products for its customers.

For the future, CDB Corp. has some more developments and ideas coming to serve its market, Haas

No. of employees: 68 Year founded: 1989 Top local official: Herbert Haas, managing director Company description: CDB Corp. is a maker of dental brackets in ceramic and composite, as well as clear aligners for the dental market.

Product distribution: The company delivers its products around the world.

What made the company decide to make its goods locally? Herbert Haas: “A former business partner had shown us this place in 1989, and we have decided to have our production here.”

What’s your target market? Haas: “We are a white label manufacturer.

Our target markets are OEMs around the globe.”

What’s planned next? Haas: “We have two projects planned. One project is the setup of a bracket assembling line … a new customer product. Production start will be mid-July. The second project is a two-step extension of our clear aligner production. Step one is a capacity increase to 50,000 aligners per month and starting this autumn.”

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said.

The company will increase capacity in production with additional investments in the fourth quarter of this year, on top of the new developments in its brackets, he said.

“We are working on different development projects, using new technologies,” Haas said. “We’re offering a one-stop shop for clear aligners.

That means that we are also offering the treatment plan, for which we have developed an AI software.”

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THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT:

OPPORTUNITIES & OBSTACLES IN

HEALTH TECHNOLOGY Presenting Sponsor

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M O D E R AT O R

June 18 - July 1, 2021

MICHEALLE GADY, JD PRESIDENT, ATRÓMITOS

DEAR READER: Atrómitos is honored to have sponsored the Insightful Discussion “There’s an App for That: Opportunities and Obstacles in Health Technology.” We are grateful to the panel that participated in this important and timely discussion.

Technology has long played an integral role in healthcare. Primarily, it has been leveraged by clinicians through advancements such as X-rays, MRI machines, and medical lasers. The early 2000s saw a wave of technology improvements through electronic health records, which allowed for better organization of patient data and made information (theoretically) easier to share between clinicians. Since March 2020, the availability and use of telehealth services has exploded. In response, we have seen rapid policy changes at the federal and state level to accommodate telehealth in meeting patient needs during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

PANELISTS

Page 12

While all of these technologies benefit patients, they exist primarily to enable clinicians to deliver healthcare more efficiently and to more people.

Over the last few years, we have seen a growing use of technology that is focused on enabling patients to meet their health and wellbeing needs where they are and when they are ready to do so. This trend is driven in large part by mobile technology, in particular mobile applications or “apps.” This is a revolutionary opportunity that can place patients in the driver’s seat when it comes to the management of healthcare. However, it also brings with it some new risks. Balancing between the two represents a challenge for regulators, patients, providers, and industry stakeholders.

At Atrómitos, we see this technology as a great leveler; driving equity in access and improved health and wellbeing for individuals and our communities. But the obstacles and barriers must be overcome. Technology companies—and those who invest in them—need to understand the healthcare market and meet patients where they are, rather than take a “if you build it, they will come” approach. The team at Atrómitos offers over 70 years collective experience in healthcare policy, regulation, management, operations, and innovation. When navigating new waters, it is important to have a partner you can trust. We are passionately and fearlessly committed to helping you do big things and would be honored to support you through this time of tremendous opportunity.

Sincerely,

Michealle Gady, JD President, AtrÓmitos, LLC

+

DR. PHILIP BROWN

PRESIDENT, NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL SOCIETY

DR. CHARLES DUNHAM

BH MEDICAL DIRECTOR, CAROLINA COMPLETE HEALTH/CENTENE

PETER FREEMAN PRINCIPAL, ATRÓMITOS

CINDY JORDAN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PYX HEALTH

CHRIS MCABEE

DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE HEALTH, LIVE OAK BANK

DR. BRAD YOUNGGREN CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, 98POINT6

VIEW THE WEBINAR Go to atromitosconsulting.com/insightful-discussionstelehealth to watch this Insightful Discussion webinar.

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Page 13

TELE HEALTH THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT:

OPPORTUNITIES & OBSTACLES IN

HEALTH TECHNOLOGY

and enhance a patient’s autonomy and control of their healthcare. This is particularly true as it relates to consumer-facing mobile health (mHealth) applications. The spectrum of technology is focused on consumers—from addressing loneliness to acute primary care needs the very moment the patient realizes they need care. This ability to use mobile healthcare technology to bring access to scale in an effort to reach more people is the common goal of using application-based technology in a healthcare setting.

When we think about advancing healthcare in the United States, the conversation frequently shifts to innovation and technology.

Advancements in technology over recent years have touched every industry sector and healthcare is no exception. For telehealth in particular, the COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst for accomplishing almost overnight what normally would have taken years. The widespread adoption of this remote audio-video experience with a healthcare provider proved integral to ensuring continued access to healthcare from the comfort and convenience of your home. Now, domestically, the telehealth field is estimated to be valued at around $111 billion annually by 2025.

Technology represents not only an opportunity to expand access, but to improve quality and outcomes

While this is revolutionary from the perspective of helping achieve healthier communities, and helping individuals achieve their best health and wellbeing, there are significant barriers to the adoption and integration of mHealth applications across care delivery, particularly when it comes to underserved populations.

Last month, the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and Atrómitos partnered to host a panel discussion between six leaders from across the healthcare and technology industry.

The panel offered an opportunity for a frank discussion of the barriers that exist in integrating patient-centered mHealth applications. While the discussion necessarily centered on health technology

and the specific regulatory, operational, and technological barriers and opportunities that exist, the conversation continuously circled around the broader theme of transformation and how interdisciplinary partners can work together to achieve a more equitable, efficient, and patient-centered health care experience. Below is an overarching summary of the topics raised in this discussion.

Understanding the Barriers to Adoption for mHealth Prior to 2020, if you were to ask anyone in health care or technology what they thought was the largest barrier to telehealth use in the United States, the answer would have been unanimous: Reimbursement. Restrictions on reimbursement for telehealth or telemedicine encounters have been commonplace for decades. However, the COVID Pandemic has changed and is likely to continue to change those restrictions. As Dr. Brown succinctly explained, “We know from our COVID experience that the pace of technological advances has really been held down by reimbursement mechanisms.”

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Continued on page 14

Page 14

June 18 - July 1, 2021

“WE KNOW FROM THE COVID EXPERIENCE THAT THE PACE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS HAVE BEEN HELD DOWN BY REIMBURSEMENT MECHANISMS, BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE, THE FOCUS BECOMES TRANSFORMING FROM A MEDICAL CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM TO A HEALTH PROMOTION SYSTEM.”

The pandemic was a catalyst for accomplishing what normally would have taken years. Overnight, providers, patients, and payers had to grapple with the logistics of delivering necessary care remotely.

The widespread adoption of this remote audio-video care delivery experience proved integral to ensuring continued access to healthcare. It demonstrated what is possible with telehealth and will continue to inform patient choices, payer policies, and provider practices, for the better.

While reimbursement and payment models and incentives continue to be an indispensable component of any strategy to promote telehealth delivery, there are other operational and logistical issues. The first obstacle is fragmentation. Dr. Younggren noted that moving care delivery from the physical provider’s office to a digital space does not (and cannot) magically resolve all of the problems that exist in our health care system. Unfortunately, in our fragmented health care system, access to a complete, current health record of each patient at the point of care is not a given in any health encounter. It is no different for health technology companies, which confront “the same problems that traditional health systems have around fragmented care…We work really hard to connect all the dots that a patient may come in with…but it is quite challenging even for [a technology company],” said Dr. Younggren.

Improved access to patient data and interoperability among providers is one solution to this problem, but that also comes with its own challenges. While healthcare providers and technology solutions seek to “connect the dots” as it relates to patient data, there are also concerns regarding patient privacy and data security when using technology solutions, as Mr. Freeman observed.

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navigational shift when it comes to regulations governing patient data and privacy and balancing that against interoperability. Within all this complexity, it is important that patients are the decision makers, and that they have the information necessary to make those decisions.

DR. PHILIP BROWN President, North Carolina Medical Society

Over the past year, with the passage of Patient Right of Access and Interoperability Final Rules by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Technology and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there has been significant

Mr. Freeman also noted that any successful integration of an mHealth or telehealth application within traditional care delivery depends upon effectively communicating with patients about their rights and how their data will be used. For this, it is important that it be “very simple and very plain.” Providers have a responsibility in “helping our patients understand what is being collected, why [it’s being collected], and where it is going,” particularly when that data is being shared outside of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covered entities or associates.

the due date. This leaves providers unable to contact patients in order to provide follow-up care, ultimately leaving thousands of individuals with inadequate healthcare. “There is a huge technology gap as well as a stability in technology gap, for lack of a better term,” said Dr. Dunham.

Ms.

DR. CHARLES DUNHAM Carolina Complete Health/Centene

“WE AT CAROLINA COMPLETE HEALTH ARE USING TECHNOLOGY IN SEVERAL WAYS. WE ARE OFFERING ONLINE TUTORING, ADDING KIOSKS IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS THAT PROVIDE HEALTH FEEDBACK AND EDUCATION, AND WE ARE USING AN EFFECTIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MOBILE APPLICATION.”

Meeting Patients Where They Are While healthcare technology aims to provide convenience for patients and providers, expanding healthcare services to meet the needs of individuals in rural or underserved areas is another way these new technologies can help. Another lesson learned from

PETER FREEMAN Principal, Atrómitos LLC

“I THINK PATIENTS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ASK FOR MORE INTEGRATION WITHIN WEARABLE HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY. THEY DON’T WANT ONE PIECE OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY TO FUNCTION FOR ONLY ONE HEALTHCARE NEED. THE GROWTH OF WEARABLES WILL DEPEND ON THE INTEGRATION THAT MAKES HEALTHCARE CONVENIENT FOR PATIENTS.”

Jordan explained that Pyx Health, as a smartphone application designed to address loneliness and social isolation, is aware of this “digital divide.” As she observed in the discussion, “Innovation ignores vulnerable populations.” And that is a problem that she set out to resolve in designing Pyx Health’s platform; building it to the specifications of the Medicaid and low-income populations. This meant minimizing data use and developing work arounds to on-board and transition members who have their phone numbers automatically revoked following a lapsed bill. For Ms. Jordan, it isn’t a question of the glitziest or highest-tech graphics to engage

CINDY JORDAN Chief Executive Officer, Pyx Health

COVID is the reality of a deep digital divide across the country that leaves many without the tools necessary to connect with healthcare providers including reliable and affordable access to high-speed broadband internet and access to smart phone technology. Phone and phone number turn-over is one such problem that Dr. Dunham grapples with when it comes to technology delivery to North Carolina Medicaid patients. For example, Ms. Jordan noted that certain pay-as-yougo cell phone service providers automatically change cell phone numbers if customers pay their bill after

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“INNOVATION IGNORES VULNERABLE POPULATIONS… WE HAVE TO SOLVE A PERVASIVE PAIN POINT FOR THE END USER, OR IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU BUILD BECAUSE IT WON’T BE USED.”

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As was underscored throughout this discussion, mHealth and other technology solutions are not a panacea to our fragmented and too often inefficient and inequitable health care system.

However, they are indispensable tools whose time has come.

“A CORE PRINCIPLE OF WHAT WE DO AT 98POINT6 IS PROVIDE APP– BASED, TEXT–FORWARD PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE… THIS ALLOWS US TO LEVERAGE A MOBILE PLATFORM TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT.” members, but instead relying on deep knowledge of the population served, and the human touch. “You have to build your technology for where they are at,” she said.

If You Build It…Will they Come?

The next question of course is, if you build and deploy an mHealth or other patient-facing technology solution, how can you best ensure that it is used, and it is effective?

For Dr. Younggren, one of the answers is simplicity and interoperability. Among employers, “there is such a fatigue around “how do we integrate all these different programs and technologies we are using in a way that impacts outcomes because none of them connect.”

As Director of Corporate Health at Live Oak Bank, Mr. McAbee has experience in building “environments of health” and in his experience, it is a question of both built environment and design (“making the healthy choice the easy choice”), and of a corporate culture that truly supports those values. It is only when employee wellness is supported and valued as an inextricable component and driver of corporate

In 2021, we are at a point of transformation, when the traditional, ‘transactional’ or fee-for service delivery model is shifting into a more value-based payment model. Providers should be able to deliver the care regardless of the medium and the physician or the healthcare provider needs to get reimbursed for that in a way that is sustainable.

Dr. Brown eloquently compared this sometimes slow and painful transition to that of the caterpillar into a butterfly saying: “This transformation that you are seeing—of which technology is going to be [a] huge [part]—is really underpinned by the transformation of a medical care delivery system to something that we never had, which is a health promotion system.” In this moment, in this discussion and in the actionable steps the panelists outlined, Dr. Brown closed on a hopeful note observing, “I can almost watch the butterfly emerge from the cocoon.”

Atrómitos is an SBA-certified woman-owned business headquartered in Wilmington, NC. Their team, collectively, has approximately seventy years of experience combined working in health law and policy operations and implementation, and their work falls within four particular areas: strategy and innovation, policy and research, fundraising and development, and marketing and communications. Atrómitos works with organizations of all shapes and sizes, predominantly in the health and human services sector. Their specialty really is in working with organizations that are going through some form of change — whether it's big or small change, change coming from the inside, or change coming from the outside. Healthcare policy and procedure remains in a constant state of change, but what drives the team at Atrómitos is ensuring that communities are achieving their best health and wellbeing.

Page 15

HOW ATRÓMITOS CAN HELP TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES

Conclusions

98POINT6

“WE HAVE TAKEN AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH IN TERMS OF PROACTIVE AND PREVENTIVE LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS ON OUR CAMPUS. WE DO HAVE TELEHEALTH AND TELE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATED INTO OUR BENEFITS PLAN AND STRUCTURE.”

June 18 - July 1, 2021

performance that external technology vendors or solutions can be successful. Otherwise, as Mr. McAbee noted, “I am going to waste a lot of money thinking a vendor is going to solve my problem.”

DR. BRAD YOUNGGREN Chief Executive Officer,

CHRIS MCABEE Director of Corporate Health, Live Oak Bank

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IDENTIFY NEW MARKETS If your growth strategy includes expanding services either into new geographies or in support of new lines of business (and it should!), we can help you identify opportunities and remove obstacles.

Our extensive regulatory and practical industry experience will help clarify which service areas are best aligned with your operational model.

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS Sustainable, mutually beneficial contracts that create the opportunity for growth of both parties is an integral component of any growth strategy.

We not only have years of experience negotiating complex contracts, but we also have deep knowledge of the stakeholders’ priorities and pain-points. We can help ensure the contracts you get are the ones necessary to support your business’ growth.

PARTNER IDENTIFICATION Identifying and securing the right partner for your growth strategy is imperative. Atromitos can help you evaluate your potential collaborators, including engaging key stakeholders to better understand how your platform can and should operate within a given partnership.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE The regulations governing the health care industry are extensive, complex and intersect with your operational model at multiple points. We can support your team in auditing your compliance with any market’s regulations and legislation, including thoseyou are already in and those you want to expand into. And we will leave you with a roadmap on changes your company must make to abide by all relevant policies.

PUBLIC PAYOR EDUCATION If entering the public payor market (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplace, etc.) is part of your growth strategy, you must know how the program works and who the program covers services for. Our expertise in the public payor market means we can easily catch your team up-to-speed on how these programs function and challenges to be aware of.

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TOP 5 WAYS ATRÓMITOS CAN SUPPORT YOUR HEALTHCARE CAPITAL INVESTMENT PARTNERS

DEVELOPING AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY

ORIENTATION AND EDUCATION

MARKETING YOUR IMPACT

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT

CONDUCTING DUE DILIGENCE

ATRÓMITOS TEAM

MICHEALLE GADY, JD PRESIDENT

PETER FREEMAN, MPH PRINCIPAL

•Nearly 20 years’ experience in health law and policy, program design and implementation, value-based care and change management

•Seven years’ experience supporting providers in optimizing performance within their respective Medicaid programs

•Worked at state and federal level in legislative and policy change across Medicaid programs and practical implementation of such changes

•Over a decade of experience interpreting data to inform program design, with an emphasis on models of care delivery

•More than 4 years working with North Carolina stakeholders to understand and prepare for Medicaid Transformation

•Former member of two state-facilitated Advisory Councils on the delivery of care management services to Medicaid beneficiaries

SARAH JAGGER, JD, MPH

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS •Served as Director of Policy for Indiana Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning •Attorney and public health professional with more than a decade experience working with health plans, providers, and CBOs to assess readiness for program changes and implementation processes and procedures to achieve program goals •Extensive experience identifying and implementing traditional and nontraditional partnerships among Medicaid stakeholders

TINA SIMPSON, JD, MSPH PRINCIPAL

•Fifteen years’ experience in health law and policy at both the federal and state level, with specific focus on federally funded programs

BREA NERI

MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND DESIGN CONSULTANT •Experienced in driving all aspects of an organization’s communications strategy and helps clients create targeted messaging campaigns that help them achieve their goals

•Former Chief Compliance Officer and Director of Contracts at Emtiro Health, a population health company focused on supporting North Carolina providers in Advanced Medical Homes

•Managed and grew a thriving network of social media accounts by over 25% in one year through creation and curation of content

•A Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance Professional (CHPC), Tina is proficient in strategically aligning both legal and business risks

•Conducted media relations by pitching press releases and media advisories that publicize events and organizational priorities, maintaining media lists, and conducting media monitoring

If we can meet any of your needs, send us an email to info@AtrómitosConsulting.com. We also offer free, 30-minute consultations.

Visit us here at www.AtrómitosConsulting.com/Contact-Us/Free-Consultation to schedule your free consultation.

Search Atrómitos, LLC on both Facebook and LinkedIn to stay connected with us.

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From INDUSTRY, page 1

Forensics Inc., a Leland-based company that assembles packaging kits for forensic evidence collection and tactical emergency medical kits.

Barton, whose firm is part of the new manufacturing partnership, said the business is at least two months behind production and cannot find the workforce it needs to ramp up operations.

“I’ve been at the company 31 years, and we’ve never had a problem getting workers,” he said.

The company has about 100 employees, with 50 performing kit assemblies. To help with the company’s immediate work, Tri-Tech could hire another 25 employees for production, he said.

Barton hopes that the employment issue will resolve itself in the next few months as society continues to open up and with the timing out of the additional COVID-19 unemployment assistance that seems to be keeping some of his workers from returning to the production lines, he said.

Nationally, about 1.4 million manufacturing jobs in the United States were lost during the early days of the pandemic, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). And while the industry has recouped about 63% of those, NAM reports that about 570,000 remaining jobs were left to fill at the end of 2020.

Locally, the manufacturing labor force is improving compared to last year. Manufacturing employment in April increased by 15.2% year over year for the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes Pender and New Hanover counties.

In April 2020, the Wilmington MSA manufacturing labor force was down by 13.3% from that month the year prior.

Still, even setting the pandemic aside, manufacturers are finding it difficult to recruit certain positions, McManus said.

“We do have challenges with identifying and finding talent locally for specific roles,” McManus said.

The company does hire outside the region, usually for specific work surrounding e-commerce and other elements of commercial expertise, he said.

There are about 40 people working full time in Wilmington at Yogasleep, making up about 70% of the company’s entire organization. The company also has offices in Richmond, Virginia, and Austin, Texas.

FUTURE JOBS

With more specialized roles coming through manufacturing advancements and new technologies, opportunities in the sector are growing.

But getting the people to fill the jobs could be problematic in the future.

“A lot of us will be aging out of this over the next 10 to 20 years, and we need to line up succession,” said Jim Flock, general manager of Leland-based aviation and aerospace parts manufacturer HSM Machine Works. He is chair of the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership.

“If we’re going to succeed as a company over here, one of my priorities is to train and identify somebody who can eventually replace me,” he said. “And I’m sure I’m not the only one.”

There are 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs anticipated by 2030, according to NAM. “The cost of those missing jobs could potentially total $1 trillion in 2030 alone,” states a NAM report.

A survey by NAM indicates that among its respondents, attracting and retaining a quality workforce is one of the biggest challenges facing the sector in the United States.

“Historically, in this country, the middle class has been driven by the so-called blue-collar jobs that we feel that society has minimized and pushed to the fringes. Additionally, corporations are taking the approach of sending a lot of this work overseas,” Flock said.

He said the local partnership, which started meeting last fall, is the first of its kind for the region and aims to highlight manufacturing as a viable long-term career path in Southeastern North Carolina. The group represents the area’s varying industries and wide range of locally manufactured products.

Companies with executives in the group include Acme Smoked Fish, Mojotone, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Pacon Manufacturing, Polyhose, Tank Fab, Flow Sciences Inc. and Cape Fear Catamarans, in addition to HSM Machine Works, Yoga leep and Tri-Tech Forensics.

SHIFTING PERSPECTIVE

“There’s more options than just going to college,” Barton said.

“There’s room for advancement within the manufacturing and production departments in each of these companies, and/or there’s room for advancement into other departments within those companies as well.”

The partnership group aims to make an impact by getting into the local education system, starting at middle school, to speak to students

and parents about the different manufacturing jobs and wages. It also aims to change the public perception of manufacturing labor.

Turning to the area’s school systems early could help change the stigma around manufacturing, which is often viewed as a dirty line of work with little mobility, Barton said.

“I think the last generation or two has had this mentality that it’s college or bust,” Barton said. “The real intent of this group is to educate the younger generation about the opportunities within these manufacturing companies. You can have a pretty successful and rewarding lifelong career in the industry.”

The partnership network alone represents the many different types of businesses with varying lines of work, including machinists, programmers, engineers and upper management positions, Flock said.

“We have a wide range of people,” Flock said. “So, if you’re not making airplane parts, you could be making guitar parts, food products or working at General Electric doing nuclear or aviation work, similar to what we do here at HSM.” Salary ranges in the area are also becoming more competitive, he said.

There are nearly 20 people working at HSM, where employee wages range from $10 an hour as a trainee up to about $150,000 in upper management positions, Flock said.

“Our typical machinist is somewhere in the neighborhood of mid $20-an-hour range right now. And that’s been gradually going up,” Flock said.

But HSM and others in the partnership want to find people who are in the market for a manufacturing career.

“I’m looking for somebody who wants to come in, learn their craft and grow as an individual, as a professional, and help the company to grow as well,” Flock said.

The partnership has created a logo and website and continues to add manufacturing members, as well as mold its objectives.

“This is a long-term project for me. I don’t see this ending in three to six months. This is something that’s going to take a while to change the mindset, to activate all these things, and to get all these programs and activities that we’re talking about doing in place,” Flock said. “Manufacturing may not be a significant part of the local economy, but it will be an important part of the local economy.

And the people that get these jobs in our organizations are going to be very well compensated.”

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| REAL ESTATE |

Buyers, sellers cope with rising prices W

BY CECE NUNN ith inventory so low and buyer demand so high, home prices are expected to continue to increase at least through the rest of this year and into 2022, said Michelle Clark-Bradley, a Realtor with Wilmington-based Intracoastal Realty Corp.

“At some point we will get back to a ‘normal’ market with an average annual increase of 3%-5%, but until then, it will continue to be a seller’s market,” she said.

Increasing prices for homes in the Wilmington area are having an impact on buyer and seller behavior, Realtors said.

For example: In May this year compared to the same month last year, the median sale price in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties increased nearly 22% to $347,000 for single-family homes and 16.8% to $275,000 for townhouses and condos, according to a report from Cape Fear Realtors. The local numbers coincide with national statistics: 99% of the metro areas tracked by the National Association of Realtors recorded year-over-year price increases in the first quarter of 2021.

“Our current sale prices continue to amaze all of us,” said Realtor Gail Bailey of Intracoastal Realty Corp. “Are they fair? The buyers continue to buy with offers that are competitively above the list price and sometimes offer stipulations such as no appraisals and no repairs. That answers that question to me.”

Clark-Bradley, who heads the Michelle Clark Team, said it’s important to note why home prices are increasing, which is simply the law of supply and demand.

“Believe it or not, there’s plenty of supply; there’s just an overabundance of demand,” she said. “And the demand (i.e. more buyers in the marketplace than usual) is there for a variety of reasons including: 1) the pandemic is allowing people to work from home now, so people don’t have to live in snow states or urban areas; 2) the stock market has been doing well, so people are cashing out and putting their money into real estate – maybe they need something larger because they’re working from home now, or their family has grown, or they want a second home somewhere; 3) people are living longer, so

PHOTO BY CECE NUNN

Hot market: Marketing information disappeared quickly for a home in midtown Wilmington earlier this year. High demand is one of the factors leading to higher local prices.

baby boomers are competing with millennials in the marketplace, when really they hadn’t been before.”

She said ongoing low interest rates are also encouraging buyers to make a home purchase.

Competition among first-time homebuyers is especially fierce.

“We’ve had multiple first-time homebuyers make six or seven offers on properties that haven’t been accepted,” said Stephanie Lanier of the Lanier Property Group of Intracoastal Realty Corp. “And we hear that oftentimes they’re losing out to cash offers.”

The hunt for a home is also extremely time-consuming, made more so by multiple-offer situations.

“What we’ve done is to say, ‘Hey, let’s change your price point,’” Lanier said of first-time homebuyers who are becoming discouraged. “Basically, if you lower the price point, then at least you can get in the market, you can lock in at this interest rate, and it will get the ball rolling for you on home ownership.”

It also might mean bringing more to the table.

“You just have to have a lot of extra cash to participate in this market,” Lanier said. “It’s like a spotlight on the inequity of getting into the American dream of owning a home … It’s like they’ve worked so hard

to get to this place and then it’s not enough, which is why lowering your price point can help in some ways.”

In some cases, family members are chipping in for new buyers.

“Instead of having a big wedding, some first-time homebuyers are using their own money and the money their parents may have contributed for a wedding towards a bigger down payment,” Lanier said. “It is hard to compete with cash offers in the first place, so having at least 20% to put down can make a big difference in a multiple-offer situation for those people who are at a really competitive price point.”

Sellers are also experiencing the effects of price increases and a low inventory, in certain cases leasing their homes back after closing to give them time to find a new place to live, Lanier and other Realtors said.

“Then the seller also doesn’t have to move three times,” Lanier said.

Clark-Bradley said she, too, has started “negotiating seller possession after closing at no, or a very minimal, cost to sellers to give them more time, and funds in hand, to find their next home or to just get movers lined up and move out of their home in a reasonable timeframe. There’s certainly value in being able to stay in your home for more time after closing. And it’s not going to impact the appraisal in any way.”

She gives the example of some clients of hers who were moving out of the area to a market “even crazier than ours. I negotiated them almost three additional months in their home to give them time to find a home they love and to have the funds in their bank account to show proof of down payment when the time came to compete with other offers, and their offer was stronger because they didn’t have to sell anything before they purchased – because that was already done. And it worked – they found the perfect home for their family and couldn’t be happier.”

Homebuyers are also competing with investors.

“They’re buying it to just turn around and rent it out,” Lanier said. Investors include those buying homes to turn them into short-term rentals via Airbnb and other platforms and those who are worried about the future of 1031 exchanges.

“You have to put that money somewhere by a certain point,” Lanier said. “That’s also driving some of the investors to pick up properties.”

Clients sitting on the fence waiting for a bubble to burst might be making a mistake, she said.

“I don’t think it exists,” Lanier said. “We think it might plateau, but if you waited from last year to this year, your prices just increased.”

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

wilmingtonbiz.com

June 18 - July 1, 2021

Page 19

| BIZ LEADS | Reader’s Guide BizLeads is a collection of information gathered from greater Wilmington courthouses, state government offices and informational websites. These listings are intended to help the business community find new customers and stay on top of happenings with current customers, vendors and competitors.

New Corporations lists firms that were recently incorporated in the state of North Carolina. All information is gathered from the North Carolina Secretary of State website. Addresses listed may not be the actual address of the business.

NEW CORPS May 3 - 27

DANIELLE BROWN LIMITED LIABILITY CO. 4111 Princess Place Dr Unit 103 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Queens Of Art DAVID SCOTT HAGAN INSURANCE SERVICES INC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. DAVID&GOLIATH TRUCKING LLC 547 Draymore Dr Leland 28451 Agent: William Verreen Jr. DAVIS COASTAL CABLING LLC 3537 Masonboro Loop Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Jordan A. Davis DEGREE CONSULTING LLC 7322 Springwater Dr. Wilmington 28411 Agent: Christopher Dustin DET LPN L.L.C. 446 Lady Bug Lane Wilmington 28411 Agent: LanPhuong Nguyen DIAMOND BRAT LLC 7233 Peppercorn Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Tonya Reynolds DIJD LLC 3907 100 Wrightsville Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: Samuel B Potter DIXIE BY THE RIVER LLC 1029 N Lake Park Blvd Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Coastal Accounting & Tax LLC DIXIE GRILL PROPERTIES LLC 1224 Pembroke Jones Dr. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Argie Franck DORSETT FARMS LLC

3629 Airport Rd SE Southport 28461 Agent: John A McCloskey DOUBLE K HOLDINGS LLC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. DOUBLE L’S OCEAN ISLE LLC 3412 Market Street Wilmington 28403 Agent: Lance Lazarus DS & LS ENTERPRISES LLC 2316 S 17th St Ste 140-230 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Donna Dawson DUMPSTAR RENTALS LLC 6140 Riverwoods Drive Ste 107 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Servilho A. Miranda Jr. EAST COASTAL FLOORING LLC 302 Mossy Oak Ct Leland 28451 Agent: Otniel Sotelo ELECTRONIC TRENDS USA LLC 108 Antler Dr Hampstead 28443 Agent: Dan K Ellis ELEMENT BARCLAY JV2 LLC 1201 Glen Meade Road Wilmington 28401 Agent: Raymond Hill Rogers ELVIS TRUCKING LLC 2404 Bloomsbury Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Elvis Pereira EMPIRE ELEET INC LLC 6 Little Creek Road Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Tashel Rene Nixon ENLIGHTENING WEALTH LLC 3224 C-North College Rd #195 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Enlightening Nurturance Inc. ESTERSON MHP TEAM LLC

1316 Lovingston Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Cassidy L Esterson ETHICAL INFLUENCE GLOBAL LLC 228 Trawlers Way Wilmington 28412 Agent: Keith A. Mercurio EVANS SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LLC 3905 Ashley Circle Wilmington 28403 Agent: Alexandra S Evans EVERLY HOLDINGS LLC 3024 Hall Watters Dr. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Evelyn Elvegaard EZ PASS 3 OF WILMINGTON INC. 1994 Eastwood Rd Ste 400 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Fawzi Kassim FAVARA FOODS WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS LLC 162 Argonne Rd Southport 28461 Agent: Linda Favara FELICIA GRANT LLC 409 Burgee Court Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Felicia L Grant FF HOUSE LLC 134 Middle Oaks Drive Wilmington 28409 Agent: Robert T Bennett FOX HOLLOW PROPERTIES INC. 4637 Manchester Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Joey Mayo FRENCHESCA’S BREWS WINE COMPANY LLC 7031 Orchard Trace Wilmington 28409 Agent: Georgette L Sidbury FUTURE FORMED INC 2101 Medeira Ct Wilmington 28405 Agent: Christian McKemie G AND G RENTAL AND INVESTMENT PROPERTIES INC. 108 North Kerr Avenue Suite G3 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Olman Milan Giron GENIS FLOORING LLC 7293 Bo Truck Rd Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Sabino Cazales Genis

Blanchard

Agent: James Hightower

GOURMET ON THE GO LLC 3401 Belmont Circle Wilmington 28405 Agent: Christina Bahrs

HKS CONSTRUCTION INC 8200 Lantana Ln Wilmington 28411 Agent: William Hartnett

GRAYS ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION INC. 9485 Huckabee Drive NE Wilmington 28451 Agent: Kyle Pierce GREEN EAGLE CONSULTING LLC 746 Creekway Circle SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Robert William Sullivan H. BODEMANN LLC 1904 Eastwood Road Suite 315 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Fuss Law Firm P.C. HALL & LANIER L.L.C. 98 J H Batts Rd. Surf City 28445 Agent: James M Hall III HAMPSTEAD 8AC LLC 1051 Military Cutoff Rd Suite 210 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Raiford G Trask III HAPPY ROBOT LLC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. HAPPY TAILS DOG WALKING & PET SITTING LLC 7215 Cooper Mare Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Alexis Wadsworth Harmony Coastal Properties LLC 1430 N. Howe Street Southport 28461 Agent: Sandra L. Darby HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR DOG TODAY LLC 3819 Park Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. HEALING WITH QUEEN LLC 556 Randolphville Rd Bolivia 28422 Agent: Joneishia Johnson HEELBILLY HOLDINGS LLC 1410 Old Lamplighter Way Wilmington 28403 Agent: David Coleman Dunn Jr.

GENWEALTH LEGACY INVESTMENTS LLC 2029 Graywalsh Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Cornell Slade

HELIOS INVESTMENTS SDIRA LLC 8209 Sage Valley Dr. Wilmington 28411 Agent: Andrew J. Vamvakias

GOODEN INVESTMENTS LLC 1120 Town Lake Dr Leland 28451 Agent: Daniel Gooden

HELMS FAMILY BIZ LLC 5896 Kingtown Rd NW Ash 28420 Agent: Jennifer Nicole Helms

GOODNIGHTS LLC 215 Greenville Ave Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Jonathan

HIGHTOWER & SONS CONSTRUCTION LLC 121 Kingston Rd Wilmington 28409

HODGE LLC 529 Spencer Farlow Dr Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Shannon L. Hodge HOFFMAN CONSTRUCTION SERVICES LLC 108 Teel Ct. Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Christopher Robin Hoffman HOLD FAST NC INC. 5500 Bernhardt Ct Wilmington 28409 Agent: Darius L Goff HOLIDAYS TRAVEL LLC 1587 Eyota Drive SW Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Peter Michael DeLuke HONEY BEE & FOOD SECURITY COLLABORATIVE 1056 Meares Street Calabash 28467 Agent: Amy Olson HOST & GRAZE LLC 4237 Happy Valley Lane Shallotte 28470 Agent: Lindsay D Ransom HOUSE OF GEMINITY LLC 111 Oak Lane Leland 28451 Agent: Rona Denise Martin Watson HUMPHREY FARMS 1 LLC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. HYDROSHIELD GLASS & STONE PROTECTION LLC 222 Seacrest Dr. Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Jason David Akins ICC OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION INC. 1201 Glen Meade Road Wilmington 28401 Agent: William H. Cameron IDETAIL NC LLC 6315 Baylor Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Brendan Kernan ILM DOWNTOWN HOLDINGS LLC 1051 Military Cutoff Rd Suite 210 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Raiford G Trask III ILM ELECTRICAL SERVICES LLC 7432 Bright Leaf Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Ian Robert Sinclair

Wilmington 28401 Agent: Rosalinda Martinez

Leland 28451 Agent: Jessica Danielle Hargrove

Burgaw 28425 Agent: Katerine Murphy Coles

INSIGHTFUL ASSOCIATES LLC 4457 Indigo Slate Way Wilmington 28412 Agent: Melissa Reed

JESUS FUEL LLC 7215 Wrightsville Ave Apt 304 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Frank Wilson Knecht IV

KB ME1 LLC 10 S. Cardinal Dr. Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robert J. Hollis

INTRACOASTAL BUILDERS L.L.C. 2005 Country Club Drive Hampstead 28443 Agent: Terry Gene English ISLAND CREEK VENTURE PARTNERS LLC 3414 Wrightsville Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robbie B. Parker IT MAN Landscape’s LLC. 5140 Greenville Loop Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Itamo Jordan IVY COMBAT INSTITUTE LLC. 4241 Sunglow Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Charles Michael Ivy JACKEY’S CREEK INVESTORS LLC 1201 Glen Meade Road Wilmington 28401 Agent: Raymond Hill Rogers JACKSONVILLE MOTOCROSS PARK INCORPORATED 1222 Beresford Ct. Wilmington 28409 Agent: Joseph Juliano JAF CONSULTING INC. 1116 Short Leaf Way Wilmington 28409 Agent: Joseph A Franchetti JC COASTAL PAINTING LLC 803 Moore Town Rd Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Laura Baez JC JUNE INC. 692 Rivage Promenade Wilmington 28412 Agent: Hyunjune Shin JC MORGAN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC 1904 Eastwood Road #305 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Jack C Morgan III JC’S PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING LLC 509 Vorils Lane Apt #204 Wilmington 28411 Agent: James Howard Wiley Jr JCK’S TRUCKING LLC 1004 Lake Norman Lane Leland 28451 Agent: Joseph Casillas

INMAN CONSTRUCTION AND HAULING LLC 1613 Woodard Road NW Supply 28462 Agent: Heath Inman

JEFFREY P WARNER BUSINESS SCHOLARSHIP FUND 1725 Corcus Ferry Rd. Hampstead 28443 Agent: Pamela Stocks Warner

INNERGY GEMS LLC 2234 Adams St

JESSYE BEAUTY LLC 1104 Heartstone Court

JILLIAN ELIZABETH INC. 8670 Grayson Park Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jillian S Mills JLRV PROPERTIES LLC 1502 Goose Landing Cir Wilmington 28403 Agent: Richard Vena JM SMITH CONSTRUCTION CORP 5513 Palmers Branch Dr NE Leland 28451 Agent: Jeff Smith JMJ VENTURES INC 1015 Ashes Dr Ste 202 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jeff Harkleroad JO’S MEDICAL WEAR LLC. 6617 Carolina Beach Rd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Sherwan Jones JOHNNY ON THE SPOT INSULATION LLC 50 Patrick Henry Circle NW Supply 28462 Agent: John Christopher Lynch JOY A PHIDD CPA P.C. 4308 Terrington Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Joy Phidd JUST A SNACK LLC 609 Piner Road Suite a Wilmington 28409 Agent: Robert Owens JUST LIKE NEW AUTO DETAILING LLC 4122 Fairlawn Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jerry Lee Williams Jr JUSTICE COUSINS LLC 4520 Mockingbird Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Julie Anne Carpenter JW COX CONSTRUCTION LLC 507 S 2nd St. Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jeffrey Wade Cox K CUSTOM TRIM LLC 4199 Spirea Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Elsa M Escobar Colindres K&D CUSTOM CLEARING & GRADING LLC 945 Brinson Road Currie 28435 Agent: Kayla Elizabeth Lewis KALTECH LLC 2408 Highland Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Louise Latham KAT’S CREATIONS LLC 206 Sunshine Rd

KB ML2 LLC 10 S. Cardinal Dr. Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robert J. Hollis KB MP4 LLC 10 S. Cardinal Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robert J. Hollis KB MS3 LLC 10 S. Cardinal Dr. Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robert J. Hollis KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF ME INC 932 Randolphville Rd NE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Tracy D Harrison KEEPING IT GRASSY LLC 455 Pheasant Ct Wilmington 28403 Agent: Terrell D Hansley KEN’S TRACTOR SERVICES LLC 4700 Mazur Dr Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Monica Rocha KIDNEY MATTERS INC. 4929 Woodcrest Dr Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Rachel Lloyd KIMO & MAKA LLC 225 N Cardinal Extension Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: James Frank Efird Jr KING COASTAL HOME LLC 5017 Crown Point Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Shiying Wang KINLAW LANDSCAPING LLC 1018 S 8th Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Walter Kinlaw KNOTICAL WORKS WOODCRAFTING LLC 148 NE 29th Street Oak Island 28465 Agent: Robert Phillips KRAGEM LLC 6946 Runningbrook Ter Wilmington 28411 Agent: Matthew Roland Messier KRISTEN ZAVRACKY LCSW PLLC 1407 Old Lamplighter Way Wilmington 28403 Agent: Kristen M. Zavracky KULTURAL POLE & ARTS LLC. 1123 Village Rd #2293 Leland 28451 Agent: Kiara Shameka McKoy L.E.M. CONSTRUCTION LLC 103 Royal Street

Page 20

June 18 - July 1, 2021

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

wilmingtonbiz.com

| BIZ LEADS | Leland 28451 Agent: Luis Geraldo Galindo Portilla LA LUBE AND AUTO LLC 9812 N Olde Towne Wynd SE Leland 28451 Agent: Shane Marshall LA MER PUISSANTE LLC 4813 Wilderness Road Wilmington 28412 Agent: Meredith Bowden LAKES TO SEA LLC 1001 Military Cutoff Road Suite 101 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Elizabeth Eesley LAMBIOTTE ENTERPRISES LLC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. LATITUDE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LLC 1031 Fayetteville Ave Calabash 28467 Agent: Brandon Yannotti LAW OFFICE OF J. CHRIS HUFF P.C. 1650 Military Cutoff Road Wilmington 28403 Agent: J. Chris Huff LAWLOR COMPANY LLC 6024 Wrightsville Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Christine Lawlor LC LAND MANAGEMENT LLC 1624 Willard Road Willard 28478 Agent: Guy Logan Croom LEGAL FOCUS GROUP LLC 705 Princess Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Devlin K Horton LIBERTY DEVELOPMENT OF BRUNSWICK FOREST LLC 2334 S 41st Street Wilmington 28403 Agent: Yoel H Balter LIBERTY MANAGEMENT OF KING STREET LLC 2334 S 41st Street Wilmington 28403 Agent: Yoel H Balter LIBERTY SENIOR LIVING PROPERTIES OF BRUNSWICK FOREST LLC 2334 S 41st Street Wilmington 28403 Agent: Yoel H Balter LIBERTY SENIOR LIVING PROPERTIES OF KING STREET LLC 2334 S 41st St Wilmington 28403 Agent: Yoel H. Balter LIFE ORGANIZED WITH MICHELLE LLC 3960 Independence Blvd. Apt 406 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Michelle Dawn Nehlen LIME & LEMON BAKE

SHOP L.L.C. 322 Causeway Dr. 106 Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Katharine Constance Ingalls LIT BY MELANIN LLC 7216 Vespar Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Shakera J’nai Grady LIVENERGETIC LLC 7215 Wrightsville Ave Apt 304 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Frank Wilson Knecht IV LOCAL CAROLINA LLC 101 Balsam Drive Wilmington 28409 Agent: Courtney Lynn Russell LOESCH LIFESTYLES INC 6408 Riva Ridge Rd Wilmington 27411 Agent: Stacey F Loesch LONDYNS DREAM LLC 6400 Carolina Beach Road Suite 8 #316 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Ashley Lynch LONG BAY FLOORS LLC 1282 Cedar Landing Rd SW Supply 28462 Agent: Bryan Dale Eaker LOS PRIMOS ON WHEELS LLC 110 Antler DR Hampstead 28443 Agent: Alejandro Hernandez-Perez LOSCHIAVO ENTERPRISES INC. 532 Groves Point Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Diane Loschiavo LOST HOPE LLC 216 Castle Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Daniel Peter Rusterholz LOVE AND LUCK LLC 4312 Scotland Avenue Wilmington 28409 Agent: Robin DeVido LOVE TO GET HEALTHY LLC 116 SE 17th St Oak Island 28465 Agent: Karen Lynn Potts LOVELAND ENTERPRISES LLC 448 Foxfield Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Michelle Beth Loveland-Ayer LOW VOLTAGE PROFESSIONALS NC INC. 1022 Grandiflora Drive Suite 200 Leland 28451 Agent: Timothy Moore LUCKY TAPS LLC 64 Darlington Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Mohamed Ismail LUMINA HARD SELTZER LLC 104 Inlet Court

Hampstead 28443 Agent: Michael Williams

Agent: Robert Carl McKenzie Jr

LUNASEA NC LLC 1309 Bridge Barrier Road Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Missy Mason

MEADOW POINTE PROPERTIES LLC 433 Aquarius Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: B. Gordon Garrison

LUXURIOUS LOCS LLC 4514-106 Tesla Park Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Samantha Martin M.I.L.F SPA LLC 5362 New Centre Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Shania T Walker MAGIKNIGHTS LLC 5102 BELGRAVE CIRCLE Wilmington 28403 Agent: Laren Avery MAHI MAHI LLC 7 Bufflehead Court Bald Head Island 28461 Agent: Brandy Nicole Munroe MAJESTY HOLDINGS LLC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. MALAI HIDE COMPANY LLC 305 Water St Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Pallavi Saraf MARCELO CONSTRUCTION LLC 1749 Leland School Rd NE Leland 28451 Agent: Marcelo Hernandez Lopez MARGARITAS MEXICAN GRILL & CANTINA LLC 204f N New River Drive Surf City 28445 Agent: Ellizabeth Aguirre Chavez MARIAH LYN FITNESS AND NUTRITION LLC 113 Dapple Ct. Apt 304 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Mariah Lyn MacDowell MARINE MASTERS LLC 101 N. Atlantic Avenue Southport 28461 Agent: Jesse P. McPherson MARLOWES ENTERPRISE LLC 4480 Main Street Shallotte 28470 Agent: Estalene S Marlowe MASCIO BROTHERS ASCIBROTHERS LLC 1005 Bryan Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Daniel Lees Masciotti MAX TRANSPORTATION INC. 102 Drake Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Margaret Kasper MCKENZIEFORENSICS. LLC 2048 Deer Island Lane Wilmington 28405

MELTON’S MOBILE DETAILING LLC 5305 Golden Rod Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Hunter Melton MGSS LLC 408 Market Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: James O. Carter MHF VENTURES LLC 1907 Wolcott Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: Worth Merritt MILSPEC HOME SERVICES 576 W. Craftsman Way Hampstead 28443 Agent: Karel L Mullen MJWITHIAM LLC. 6220 Navigator Way Southport 28461 Agent: Marcia Jane Withiam-Wilson MODULO LOTUS LLC 3659 Echo Farms Blvd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Matthew Lane Davidson MOPLEY CREW CLEANING PROS. LLC 5622 Harvest Grove Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Michelle Dawn Miller MORALES CAMEY ROOFING LLC 1300 N Kerr Ave #46 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Nazario Camey Morales MOYA’S CONSTRUCTION LLC 1002 Monitor Dr Apt 10 I Wilmington 28412 Agent: Lesvin Javier Moya Argueta MPJP LTD. PARTNERSHIP 6450 Shinnwood Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: MIchael H Pollak MULBERRY INTERIORS LLC 2032 Scrimshaw Place Wilmington 28405 Agent: Shahrzad Nasseri MURRAY EVENT SERVICES LLC 101 Pine Hollow Drive Rocky Point 28457 Agent: LaTrease Ann Kravetsky MURRAY WIND SERVICES LLC 15326 NC Highway 210 Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Nicholas Murray MUSKETEER ADVISORY GROUP LLC 428 Oceana Way Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Gary William

Boettcher MYCOLOGICS LLC 220 Guinevere Lane APT 108 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Anindya Chanda MYCYBEREXEC LLC 2017 Corporate Drive Suite 4 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Adrianne George NAILS BY JOHN INC 7122 Market St Ste 170-107 Wilmington 28411 Agent: Si Chuong NC 1ST RESPONDERS SOCIAL CLUB 403 Racine Dr Apt O Wilmington 28403 Agent: Clarion Business Services LLC NEW LEAF BUILDERS OF NC LLC 265 Racine Drive Suite 104 Wilmington 28403 Agent: J C Hearne II NEW TOWN ROASTERY LLC 8209 Market Street Suite A268 Wilmington 28411 Agent: Camron Faulkner NEXT LEVELS OF ENTERPRISE LLC 7824-307 High Market Street Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Camelia Frink NFT PROPERTY GROUP LLC 1213 Culbreth Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Thomas W. Kerner NHC YOUTH SERVICE 344 Shipyard Blvd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Noble Accounting Group Inc NICHOLAS NICHOLS BRANDS LLC 1021 Stoney Woods Lane Leland 28451 Agent: Nicholas A. Nichols NICO’S ROOFING & CLEANING LLC 519 Rochelle Road Wilmington 28411 Agent: Nicacio Sales Hernandez NINA’S PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICES INC. 4607 Split Rail Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Nina Cook NO COMPLAINTS INC. 3965-B Market Street Wilmington 28403 Agent: Sherman and Rodgers PLLC NOTHING N-2 SOMETHING FOOD PANTRY & KITCHEN LLC 308 N 30th St Wilmington 28405 Agent: Latonia V B Greene

NOURA REAL ESTATE GROUP LLC 639 Caicos Ct Wilmington 28405 Agent: Ahmad Noura NTMOB1 LLC 1051 Military Cutoff Rd Wilmington 28405 Agent: Raiford G Trask III OCEAN VIEW POOLS LLC 1428 Forest Hill Drive Navassa 28451 Agent: Julio C.Valerio Garcia OHANA WB LLC 6208 Towels Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: Tamal Dodge OLAOLU ENTERPRISES L.L.C. 305 Donald E Gore Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Danielle Nicole Neeland Odunusi ON DEMAND HM LLC 2211 S Canterbury Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Donald G Croteau Jr ONWARD LEADING LLC 908 S. 4th Street Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Tony Grady Martin OSAGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LLC 734 Cutter Tt Kure Beach 28449 Agent: Paris Therese Land OSPAYE LLC 204 Frederica Ct Wilmington 28412 Agent: Franchon Francees OSPREY TRAINING FACILITY LLC 3819 Park Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. PAMFILIS CONSTRUCTION LLC 6625 Amsterdam Way Unit 130 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Michael Pamfilis PAPPY ENTERPRISES LLC 601 N Howe Street Southport 28461 Agent: James R Prevatte Jr PARKER HOLDINGS GROUP INC. 429 Covil Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Richard A Parker PATRIOTS FOR A CAUSE LLC 55 Myrtle Pt Cir SW Supply 28462 Agent: Katherine Anne Blatz PAX FISHING LLC 6168 Rick Street SW Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Adam Roberts Steelman PEARLY HANDS CLEANING LLC 1090 Dobson Street SW Supply 28462

Agent: Marvenya Jeter PEREZ BUILDERS LLC 1010 Adelaide Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Alexis B. Perez Arriaga PERFECT HOME CLEANING SERVICE ILM LLC 5430 Peden Point Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: Christina J Hayslip PERIGEAN PROPERTIES LLC 412 Church St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Thomas McGeough

Wright PREMIUM MULCH CO INC. 2929 Kerr Avenue Wilmington 28405 Agent: Brian E. Hutchison PRESEVI AUTOMOTIVE LLC DBA GENE’S TIRE AND AUTOCARE SPECIALIST 2311 Carolina Beach Rd Wilmington 28401 Agent: Lisa M Wisner PRESS PAUSE PRESS 201 N Front St Ste 514 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Sofie Ellen Harsha

PHARMAPATH CONSULTING LLC 370 Avery Dr. Apt 2240 Wilmington 28411 Agent: Muhammad Subhan Mian

PRIME CUT TREE SERVICE LLC 5472 Eastwind Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Garry Langston Bishop

PHASE ONE LLC 149 Lafayette St Wilmington 28411 Agent: Marie Lightner

PROPER TREE LLC 126 Ludlow Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Logan Paul Marlowe

PIERCE BARDEN LLC 5742 Wisteria Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Pierce Barden PLANK HOLDING LLC 8566 Galloway National Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Stanley Manuel Pamfilis POINT BREAK CONSTRUCTION LLC 1468 Eastbourne Dr. Wilmington 28411 Agent: Nathan Bageant PORT 2 STARBOARD LLC 1608 Queen St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Thomas J. Romadka PORT CITY BROWS LLC 2212 Sapling Cr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Sara Massey PORT CITY CARPENTRY LLC 1313 Lanvale Rd Leland 28451 Agent: Sarah Furr PORT CITY INTERIORS INC. 1490 Judith Drive SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Kyle C Terry PORT CITY SLINGSHOT RENTALS LLC 3835 Blue Clay Road Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Brenda Denise Bryant POWERHOUSEHAPPY LLC 326 Yulan Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Lauren R Burke PRECISION 2.0 LLC 1305 Audubon Blvd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Kenneth Butler Jr PREMIER ELECTRIC LLC 238 Cheyenne Trail Wilmington 28409 Agent: Stephen Anthony

PROSPECTION LLC 1333 N Fisher King Dr SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Jason Edward Smith PROVIDENCE MEDICAL MANAGEMENT LLC 3555 Hansa Dr Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Carl D Hurd PUREMAHOGANY LLC 7640 Etheridge Rd Longwood 28452 Agent: Natosha Y Brown QUALITY FENCE AND LANDSCAPE LLC 47 Kerrie St Currie 28435 Agent: Victor Cruz Rojas R&J LANDSCAPING SERVICES LLC 217 Kellyville Road Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Raul Cruz Rojas RACHEL LLOYD REALTY LLC 4929 Woodcrest Dr Castle Haynes 28429 Agent: Rachel LLoyd RACING HEART LLC 1642 Tidewater Court SW Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Kathry A Richards Wilt RAINBOW GARDEN PRESCHOOL & EXTENDED CARE INCORPORATED 1497 Country Club Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Stephanie Nestor RB PROPERTIES NC LLC 219 Cabbage Inlet Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Rudy Howard RBW IV ENTERPRISES INC. 2113 Randolph Road Wilmington 28403 Agent: Ralph Williams IV

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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| ACHIEVERS | Send information about company hires, promotions or awards to editor@wilmingtonbiz.com

Hays selected to Hunt State Policy Fellows New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair DEB HAYS has been named as one of 28 people selected from across the state to be part Hays of the inaugural cohort of the Hunt State Policy Fellows Program.

The program aims to provide participants “with the resources, space and expertise needed to develop thoughtful positions on a variety of education policy issues,” according to The Hunt Institute.

The institute gathers leaders from across the state, including county commissioners, school board members, mayors, city councilors, advocates and other community leaders, officials said.

Mincey named to national civil rights commission PATRICK MINCEY, a partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP, has been appointed to serve on the N.C. Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Mincey is based Mincey in the Wilmington and Raleigh offices of CSH Law. Created under the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is a bipartisan, independent commission of the federal government that investigates, reports on and makes recommendations to the president and Congress regarding civil rights throughout the country.

State advisory committees examine various issues surrounding the criminal justice system such as policing practices, hate crimes, voting rights and questions surrounding solitary confinement in the prison system, officials said.

Two join Pathfinder Wealth Consulting’s office Pathfinder Wealth Consulting has added two people to its team.

LINDSAY WRIGHT joined as office administrator, and DAVIS BYRD was hired as a financial planning associ-

ate.

Wright joined the Pathfinder team in January.

Her role focuses on maintaining office operations, and she assists with client Wright administration and marketing tasks for the firm.

Byrd was hired in May, following an 11-month internship with the firm, officials said. In his role, Byrd is part of Byrd Pathfinder’s team of certified financial planning professionals working on investments, reports and client services.

Barnwell Whaley welcomes Derrick at local firm PAUL DERRICK has joined the legal team at Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms.

Derrick joins as special counsel at the firm’s Wilmington office. He has more than 30 years of legal practice experience.

Derrick “He is an accomplished trial attorney who has successfully advised and defended employers throughout the country against individual, class and collective actions involving a range of workplace and constitutional law issues,” officials said.

Derrick began his practice with the National Labor Relations Board.

He also had a private practice working with prominent regional and national firms.

June 18 - July 1, 2021

Page 21

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Plantation Village hires Cook for marketing team Plantation Village has hired ANNA COOK to its team.

Cook joins as the organization’s marketing coordinator and will support its marketing and sales teams, manage resident interest Cook groups and assist new residents.

Before Plantation Village, Cook had a career in broadcast journalism and worked at various stations in Virginia and North Carolina as a reporter and anchor.

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June 18 - July 1, 2021

The Team with the White Truck.

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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RESTAURANT ROUNDUP

BUSINESS OF LIFE

This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email.

Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.

Monkey Junction Antonio’s moving to new location After more than 15 years in the strip mall opposite Walmart, Antonio’s Pizza & Pasta of Monkey Junction is moving to a new location next to Eggs Up Grill at Beau Rivage Marketplace, 5932 Carolina Beach Road.

Co-owner Willie Beasley, who owns the two Wilmington Antonio’s locations, as well as one in Powdersville, South Carolina, with business partner Steuart Watson, said the lease at the current location is ending and he and Watson have been seeking a larger location.

“Thank goodness business has been good, and we’re in need of a larger location,” Beasley said. “The new location offers us a brand new space with about 1,000 more square feet of space at a lower cost and with better visibility and parking.”

Originally slated for a second Port City location of MOD Pizza, Beasley said that plan fell through last year, and the space went back on the market.

Beasley is hoping to be open by the end of June. The current location will likely close for two or three days at the end of the month in order for the staff to move some equipment and finish setting up the new restaurant.

Vinny’s Seafood Express a catch for Carolina Beach When Uncle Vinny’s Pizzeria Ristorante owner Vinny Doria was approached by his landlord asking if he would be interested in running a small seafood restaurant next door to his pizzeria, he agreed it was something Pleasure Island needed.

“Most of the seafood restaurants here are sit-down places,” Doria said.

“We wanted to do something very casual, quick and easy where you walk up and get your food to take home or to the beach or enjoy a quick bite right here.”

While Vinny’s Seafood Express, 1010 S. Lake Park Blvd., is mainly designed for takeout, there are 28 seats available, some inside and some out.

The restaurant opened just before Memorial Day.

The initial menu included mostly fried items, but a recent menu update included several lighter options including salads and grilled seafood.

Doria said he will be utilizing locally sourced seafood as much as possible.

Bridgewater Wines preps to open in Porters Neck Doug and Susan Zucker, owners of Bridgewater Wines in Leland, are putting the finishing touches on their new Porters Neck location, with hopes of opening to the public by mid-July.

Located next to the Holiday Inn Express, the store at 178 Porters Neck Road will feature a full restaurant kitchen and about twice the retail space they have currently in Leland.

The store recently rebranded as Bridgewater Wines + Dines because food has become an integral part of the business.

Now the Zuckers are looking forward to being able to offer a similar menu of sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, charcuterie boards and small plates in Porters Neck.

The Porters Neck location will feature 800 to 900 wines and offer both indoor and outdoor seating.

The Zuckers and their staff will hold weekly events as they do in Leland, including four days a week of free tastings featuring five different wines.

Wheelhouse Pizza opens in North Fourth spot Wheelhouse Pizza officially opened its doors just before Memorial Day and is cranking out several specialty pies as well as customer favorites made to order.

Wheelhouse is located in a 360-square-foot, red-roofed building from the 1930s at 1215 N. Fourth St. near 1898 Memorial Park.

Chef Mark Milner, who operates Wheelhouse with Port City Holding Co. owner Kent Tomaselli, said specialty pizzas have been popular, particularly the pesto goat cheese with roasted tomatoes and pecorino, and the Garlic Love with red sauce, mozzarella, raw garlic, toasted garlic, roasted garlic, caramelized onions and pecorino.

In addition to whole pies, Wheelhouse offers a few options for slices each day, as well as a special stromboli. The menu also includes flatbread sandwiches.

– Jessica Maurer

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

wilmingtonbiz.com

June 18 - July 1, 2021

Page 23

SPECIAL FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

BUSINESS OF LIFE

Couple spices up a business

BY LYNDA VAN KUREN ay and Shemeka Stokes, co-owners of Jay Ski’s Rub-A-Dub Spice Co., knew they had something special when their wedding guests tried to commandeer extra favors – small jars of their personal food rub – to take home.

But it wasn’t until Jay Stokes lost his job due to health issues that the couple took action on a long-deferred dream – turning their love of cooking into a business.

“After I lost my job, I had no other reason to put this off,” said Jay Stokes.

In starting a spice business, the Stokeses are pitting themselves against big-name seasoning producers in the state like Simply NC (maker of Barber’s Seasoning Salt and Adam’s Rib Rubb) and Carolina Sauce Co. However, high consumption of new spices and spice blends is propelling significant market growth in the spice and seasonings industry, according to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights.

And the Stokeses’ rub has several factors in its favor. First is the taste.

Jay Stokes created the rub when he couldn’t find one that met his standards. Given the consistent rave reviews his rub garners from customers, as well as friends and family, there is a strong market for Jay Stokes’ unique blend of spices.

In addition, unlike most rubs, which are used solely on meats, poultry and fish, the Stokeses’ rub can be used on many different types of food.

“The rub is for all your grub,” Shemeka Stokes said. “It’s not just for meats or grilling. You can use it on different dishes and snacks, pasta, veggies. It can be used on practically anything you eat.”

The Stokeses’ rub is also easy to use. Cooks don’t have to marinate food in it for hours. The Stokeses’ rub tenderizes and seasons meat in 15 to 20 minutes.

Last but not least, the Stokeses’ rub is healthy. It has a low sodium content, and all the spices are organic.

Although the Stokeses knew they had the makings of a successful product, they needed help with the business side – getting a limited liability company (LLC) designation, setting up a website, finding suppliers and financial backing and learning

J

RESTAURANT ROUN DUP

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER

In season: Shemeka and Jay Stokes started Jay Ski’s Rub-A-Dub Spice Co. in 2019 and have been growing their brand since.

how to network. The Stokeses turned to the Genesis Block Accelerator Program, which advances minorityand women-owned businesses, for help and credit the group with giving them direction and furthering their ideas.

“We are so grateful to have received so much knowledge from successful business owners,” said Shemeka Stokes. “The Wilmington entrepreneurial community was so welcoming and willing to help.”

Even with extensive preparation, getting Jay Ski’s Rub-A-Dub off the ground wasn’t without its challenges.

The first obstacle was the lack of a manufacturing site in Wilmington.

That meant the Stokeses had to take on every aspect of their rub’s production on their own.

Undaunted, the Stokeses forged ahead and found a certified, commercial-grade church kitchen they could use. It’s there that the entire production of the rubs takes place.

After gathering the spices, which the Stokeses order from Amazon, the couple forms two assembly lines. Jay Stokes is in charge of the hot rub, while Shemeka Stokes makes the regular rub. The Stokeses measure and combine the spices for their rub, mix

the batch with a spoon, and then, to ensure the batch’s texture is fine and lump-free, run it through a food processor.

Once blended, the couple measures out the rub, places the correct amount in containers and seals them.

Finally, the Stokeses apply the labels, which they print themselves. The last step is placing the rubs in storage.

To date, the majority of Jay Ski’s Rub-A-Dub sales stem from its website. However, the rub is gaining other clients, too, such as the Cameron Art Museum’s CAM Café. To further increase sales, the Stokeses attend local vendor markets.

The Stokeses opened their business in 2019, but it didn’t take off until 2020. This year is their best yet. In 2021’s first quarter, they have seen a 60% increase in sales of their 8-ounce original rub, a 30% increase in sales of their 48-ounce original rub, and a 9% increase of their 8-ounce hot rub.

The Stokeses recently added meal preparation to their offerings, a move intended to scale up their business and increase revenue. The couple is offering convenient, fresh, nutritious meals for families as well as a special option for student athletes. For now the meals, which contain a protein,

veggies and a grain, will only be offered locally; but the Stokeses hope to expand later.

“We are steering away from big-box and frozen meals,” said Jay Stokes. “We’ll hone in on the local area until we figure out how to deliver the same service on a bigger stage.”

In the future, the Stokeses plan to grow every aspect of their business: They would like to supply their rub to restaurants and national grocery stores, offer catering services and own and operate a food truck.

Opening their own business allows the Stokeses to do what they love, and they hope it will benefit both their family and the community.

It will be there for their daughter, should she wish to pursue it when she grows up, and if all goes as planned, it will also provide jobs. The Stokeses also plan to share with other budding entrepreneurs the insights they’ve learned. Finally, there’s the pleasure the Stokeses get from seeing others enjoy their products.

“We make something people love and enjoy with meal preparation and the rubs,” said Shemeka Stokes.

“That’s encouraging and motivates you to keep doing it.”

Page 24

June 18 - July 1, 2021

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

wilmingtonbiz.com

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