Greater Fayetteville Business Journal - November 12, 2021 Issue

‘Leave us a review’ The good, the bad and the ugly sides of online reviews Page 2

November 12 - November 25, 2021 Vol. 1, No. 12

WEB EXCLUSIVE

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ROBESON COUNTY

Military Business

The Logistics Company awarded a $15M contract bizfayetteville.com

Banking & Finance

Beware of bank scams Page 5

Health Care

The shortage of nurses continues Page 11

Index

In The News ........................................... 2 Editor's Notes ........................................ 4 Banking & Finance ................................ 5 Health Care .........................................11 Commercial Real Estate .......................13 Achievers .............................................16 Biz Leads .............................................18 Profile ..................................................23

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY UNC PEMBROKE & GLAVÉ & HOLMES ARCHITECTURE

New developments and facilities in Robeson County are creating new opportunities for economic growth in the region.

R

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES TO EXPAND

obeson County is seeing big shifts in the economy, to include groundbreaking upgrades and new facilities, some of which are already in the works.

The County encourages economic development by showcasing a variety of incentives and grants available to companies in the area who choose to take advantage of them, such as the Robeson County Industrial Development Incentive Grant, Article 3J Credit, Research and Development Tax Credit, Capital Investment Credit (Machinery & Equipment), HUBZone Eligibility, One North Carolina Fund, Robeson County Industrial >>

By Suet Lee-Growney

Development Incentive Grant, Golden LEAF Foundation / Economic Catalyst Grants and assistance from the NC Rural Economic Development Center. Learn more at www.robesoncountyoed.org/incentives.

In August, the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority approved 21 grant requests, three of which were for Robeson County.

One of the grants was a $140,000 grant supporting the reuse of a building that will become the site for Air Production & Service, Inc. The company anticipates that the project will create 14 new jobs with an

investment of $2,610,000.

Another grant was $200,000 to go toward the reuse of a building as Brianwood Custom Meats, LLC. The company will process cattle and swine for their wholesale and retail customers there, creating an anticipated 30 jobs and $1,248,874 investment in the project.

A $170,000 grant will be used to expand a building in Fairmont, where Harger Lighting & Grounding, Inc. plans to add 20,000 square feet to the facility, creating 20 jobs and $4,088,000 by the company.

And the changes keep coming.

Among some of the other up-andSee ROBESON COUNTY, page 7

Page 2

IN THE NEWS

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

bizfayetteville.com

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By Keyuri Parab

‘Leave us a review’

THE IMPACT OF A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE REVIEW ON A BUSINESS

I

n a world where information is easily accessible from the palm of your hand, reviews play a significant role in the lives of customers as well as businesses.

The data from websitebuilder.org showed that 95 percent of customers today read reviews online about a business.

“I would say that the typical business is very review conscious.

The current culture is different from the older one. In the old days, if you didn’t like a restaurant’s food or service, you would just think to yourself, ‘I don’t think I would come here again.’ These days, so many people will go online and write a bad review,” Deborah Bruton, owner of Family Lodge Apartments said.

Bruton has owned and operated her business since 1968 and says it’s been a positive change that people can access information about businesses online nowadays.

“People are more prone to go online and air their complaints to the world, so I would say the average business owner is very acutely aware of reviews,” she said.

Her business has a good rating on Google with 4.6 stars, and she attributes that to the product and living quarters they offer and the care her team has for their residents.

“We really try to provide them with a place to live that we would want to live,” Bruton said. “The majority of our reviews are very positive, so when I get an occasional negative one, the public can see that the reviews are real, and it gives credibility if you have an occasional negative one.”

She said it’s not possible to please people all the time and negative reviews are bound to happen once in a while.

“But if I looked online and the only thing I ever saw as a consumer was all five stars and nothing below that, I would wonder if the business had paid the reviewers or if the reviewers were the owner’s relatives, and it would call into question the credibility. So for me, I don’t mind having a negative one every once in a while,” Bruton said.

FTCC’s Dean of Business Programs Cindy Burns says she likes to know of other people’s experiences before she chooses a service or goes somewhere and looks for the five-

CANVA.COM

For years, consumers have used reviews as a way of determining which products, businesses or services they would like to utilize. But when consumers leave negative or false reviews, those can -- and do -- hurt businesses as well.

star as well as one-star reviews for comparison.

“If you only had 10 one-star but 500 five-star reviews, obviously that means something,” Burns said. “I also look at how old they are when I am going to a hotel, because reviews written seven years ago may not be as relevant as those from seven months ago.”

According to the World Economic Forum, the influence of fake online reviews on e-commerce translates into a $152 billion global impact.

The website also stated that about 4 percent of all online reviews are fake.

FTCC’s Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Kent Hill says if someone has all reviews that are five stars, nobody will take the item seriously; it takes away some degree of reality.

“I think the best customer experience companies, for example, Publix and Chick-fil-A, even get some negative reviews,” he said. “Negative reviews do give validity and a typical consumer can tell a fake review from a regular one.”

Burns emphasizes the importance of responding to all kinds of reviews for business owners.

“Even if they left not a great review, always be professional, polite and apologize for their bad experience and thank them for feedback.

Don’t blame them or anyone else.

Don’t argue with them,” she said.

“You don’t get defensive. What you do is you try to show your consumers that you care about what they think and their experiences and [that] you want to improve.”

Bruton said if sees management respond defensively to the reviews, that tells her that as a consumer they will do the same to her if she has a problem.

“I think it’s important for business owners to respond to all reviews, and depending on the nature of the problem, I might say, ‘Thank you for your feedback,’ or ‘I am sorry you did not have a five-star experience. We pride ourselves on customer service,’” Bruton said.

In difficult situations where the complaint isn’t legible, Bruton says she responds to them by saying she hopes they found suitable accommodations to meet their needs. She says she doesn’t fight back or say anything negative.

Bruton recalls a negative review by a tenant who lived in her community for three years. He said in a review that management was giving him trouble over rules he hadn’t heard of before for an extra car in the parking lot.

“In reality, he had seven cars in the apartment community, and he

didn’t mention that in the review, and I thought I could blast him back but I decided to say, ‘Sometimes people’s hobbies and lifestyles aren’t a good match for an apartment community. Maybe it’s better suited to a personal home, and that’s okay,’” Bruton said.

Burns says it’s important to know what’s being said about your business.

“If there is something somebody is saying that is negative, you want the opportunity to show you want to make it right,” she advises. “I would suggest you don’t want to do it online. You want to take it offline. Get a phone number or email address.”

“If you have evidence of a fake review, you can ask that the platform take it down. You need evidence for it,” Burns added. “A lot of them may not do that right away, but if you can show it was fraudulent or fake, then you can ask them to.”

She encourages people to monitor their businesses and set up alerts so Google will send an email when the name of their business gets mentioned on the internet.

“A lot of customer service has died, and it’s important for young businesses starting out to focus on relationship building,” Bruton said.

“I like residents to come into my office to pay bills, and I find out what’s going on with them. If they’re having any problems with their apartments that I need to address, If they’re having a surgery we’ll run an errand for them — we’re about relationship building. And, if you do that, you’re going to have raving customers who come back to you, and they will write good reviews.”

Steps that businesses can take when being affected by fake or negative reviews are, number one to respond without getting into an argument and number two to use it as feedback, Hill said.

Burns advises new businesses to encourage their customers to write reviews for them.

“When you have a satisfied customer, please ask them to put out a review or testimonial for you because people will either love you or hate you and well you don’t want just the ones that are mad or angry at you to just be the only ones speaking,” Burns said.

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal >>

Page 3

bizfayetteville.com

Staff Report

Sani heads to the Big Apple

S

ani, a South Asian-inspired fashion brand based in Fayetteville, has its first New York City storefront, says Ritika Shamdasani, co-founder of the company.

A couple of months ago, Sani co-founder Niki Shamdasani, who is also a sister to Ritika, applied for Sani to be a part of Stacy’s Founded

by Her directory. Stacy’s Pita Chips

created the directory in order to highlight and uplift female entrepreneurs by including them in a directory for exposure. Learn more about the directory at www.foundedbyher. org/about.

“We were so honored that Sani was chosen by POPSUGAR and Stacy Madison for their Founded

By Her campaign,” Ritika wrote in a LinkedIn post. “This also led to a wonderful LinkedIn Live we had with The Female Quotient and Ronda Carnegie.”

The news of Sani’s latest accomplishment came only a week after the announcement that Sani was among 13 finalists across the state for the Fall 2021 NC IDEA SEED grant, totalling $50,000. The finalists will present before a review panel and five to seven winners of the grant will be announced on Nov. 12 at this year’s Ecosystem Summit.

To learn more about Sani, visit www.sanidesigns.com.

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November 12 - November 25, 2021

Staff Report

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SANI

Ritika and Niki Shamdasani, sisters an owners of South Asian-inspired fashion brand Sani, have seen great success since the launch of their company.

While Sani has been predominantly available online, gaining popularity with coverage in publications nationwide, the company has also held pop-shops in the past. Now, for the first time, the company has a storefront in New York City..

bizfayetteville.com

$14M dollar gift METHODIST UNIVERSITY RECEIVES ITS LARGEST GIFT IN SCHOOL HISTORY

M

ethodist University received its largest monetary gift in the history of the school this past weekend.

Included in the $14 million dollar gift is $1.5 million designated for the Methodist’s nursing program and facility. Twelve million dollars will go toward scholarships.

“The nursing program at MU is continually expanding along with the need for highly trained nursing professionals,” said Shannon Matthews, director of the MU nursing program.

“For more than a decade we’ve been offering students a hands-on learning environment — including a nursing building with its own 10,000-squarefoot simulation hospital — and we couldn’t be more grateful for this gift to help us make this unique, state-ofthe-art program even more affordable through additional scholarships for our outstanding students.”

The gift comes from the estate of Robert J. Chaffin of Fayetteville who

passed away in May. Chaffin’s career was spent working with Commercial Credit Corporation in Lumberton and Fayetteville, Cross Creek Savings and Loan in Fayetteville, and East Coast Federal Savings and Loan in Fayetteville.

“This remarkably generous gift demonstrates the extent to which the path we are taking as a faithbased university, rooted in the liberal arts but with strong professional programs, is both appreciated and valued,” said MU President Stanley T. Wearden in a press release. “Our willingness to adapt to workforce development and professional needs, while also holding strong to our mission and values, has put Methodist University in a position to succeed for decades.

“Mr. Chaffin clearly was not looking for attention to his generosity during his lifetime. Quietly, very much behind the scenes, he was working on building a highly success-

ful financial portfolio for the purpose of one day making a transformative gift to the University,” he said.

“While we knew he had established a bequest for the University, Mr. Chaffin never shared the full extent with us nor asked for any thanks in return.”

Local businessman and Chair of the Methodist University Board of Trustees Mac Healy noted that the large financial gift will create opportunities for campus improvement and education for many students.

“The Board of Trustees at Methodist University has long wanted

to grow our endowment and Mr. Chaffin’s gift is foundational as we launch a campaign for that purpose and continue to make MU affordable to all who desire our commitment to a mission-based education that prepares students to be both successful professionals and capable moral actors in the world,” said Healy. “This gift and others through the campaign will support all of our students, including greater scholarship support and improved campus facilities.”

Methodist University’s Student Government President Daniel Magen is one of many students who receive financial aid at the school.

“That a private institution with one of the best faculty-to-student ratios in the state can be as affordable as the big state schools shows me we’re investing in our students, both in our present and in our futures. MU students are so grateful to all who make Methodist University such an amazing value for us,” Magen said.

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Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

EDITOR'S NOTES

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By Jenna Shackelford

4424 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28303 910-240-9697 bizfayetteville.com

Supporting our veterans

PUBLISHER Marty Cayton martyc@bizfayetteville.com

HOW THE CIVILIAN WORKFORCE CAN AID THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jenna Shackelford jennas@bizfayetteville.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alyssa Hall Kathie Harris Jenna-Ley Jamison Monica Kreber Suet Lee-Growney Jami McLaughlin Brian Miner Scott Nunn Keyuri Parab CONTRIBUTING WRITER MARKETING CONTENT Stacie Borrello CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Samantha Lowe samanthal@bizfayetteville.com ACCOUNTING Priscilla Nelson billing@bizfayetteville

The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal is published twice a month throughout Fayetteville and the Cumberland County region.

News related to the region’s business sector is posted daily at bizfayetteville.com.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Your free trial of Greater Fayetteville Business Journal is ending soon.

To subscribe, call 910-240-9697 or visit bizfayetteville.com/ subscribe. Subscriptions cost $9.95 per month or $95 per year.

REPRINT For article reprints, plaques and more contact Jenna Shackelford at 910-240-9697.

ADVERTISING For advertising information, please email us at marketing@bizfayetteville.com or call 910-240-9697. © Copyright 2021 Greater Fayetteville Business Journal Correction: In the Oct. 22 edition’s list, the bed counts for FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital and FirstHealth Moore Regional - Hoke were correct; however, the description, administration and year were swapped.

The hospitals have the correct rank, but will be republished in the 2022 Book on Business with amended information in those columns.

T

his past Thursday was Veterans Day, a federal holiday honoring those who have bravely served in the United States Armed Forces.

We, the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal, recognize the profound impact of the defense industry on our lives and are proud to support our service members. We also recognize the large economic impact that the defense industry has on our region.

With those contributions come sacrifice and trials for military personnel both while serving and transitioning from military life.

For many service members, transitioning into a veteran status can be financially arduous. In 2019, in a study done by Pew Research Center, veterans with and without post-traumatic stress disorder were asked about financial challenges they faced during their transitions to civilian life. Sixty-one percent of the veterans with PTSD reported that they had difficulty paying bills, and 30 percent of veterans without PTSD reported that they had difficulty paying bills.

That equals out to roughly a third of the surveyed veterans saying they struggled to pay their bills; 16 percent said they had trouble getting medical care for themselves or family members, and only 12 percent reported that they receive food benefits from the government.

Nevertheless, the study showed that 58 percent of the veterans had a positive outlook on the job skills they gathered from the military, 25 percent had a civilian job lined up after the military and 48 percent started looking for a job right away.

Overall, the data seems to suggest that the majority of veterans surveyed felt that they had decent job skills and desired work, yet the majority also seemed to struggle financially.

How do we fix that? Luckily, thanks to a variety of local, state and national resources, finding ways to support veterans is easy.

VeteranOwnedBusiness.com is a database that allows users to

search by state and county for businesses owned by veterans. After selecting a county, the search can be refined further by choosing a town within the area.

Another way to support veterans is through the North Carolina Veteran Business Association, or NC Vet Biz. The organization is member-operated; the membership consists of veterans who are businesspeople.

The mission of the organization is to “support, educate and connect all veterans in commerce in North Carolina with resources to become successful in business,” their website says. Visit www.ncvetbiz.org to learn about their affiliations and how they strive to fulfill their mission.

Staying up to date on happenings within the defense industry currently may also help businesspeople understand the variety of skills that service members have to offer the civilian workforce when they transition out of military life. The Defense Alliance of North Carolina, which stems from a merger of the Boards of the North Carolina Military Foundation and North Carolina Business Defense Association in 2019, is a private nonprofit that focuses its

efforts on growing “North Carolina’s defense economy in a way that creates new long-term investments and job opportunities.” It strives to strengthen North Carolina’s economy through actionable information, events with networking opportunities, strategic growth initiatives and “positioning key organizations and senior leaders to assist in the expansion of defense-related business opportunities throughout the state,” according to its website.

To learn more, visit www. defensealliancenc.org.

On Nov. 16, the organization is holding its Defense Alliance of NC Science & Technology Forum at Fayetteville State University from 9:30 a.m.-noon. To learn more about the event, visit www.defensealliancenc. org/danc-events.

Another way to stay in the loop is through the North Carolina Military Business Center, headquartered at and supported by Fayetteville Technical Community College. Their mission, according to their website, is “to leverage military and other federal business opportunities to expand the economy, grow jobs and improve quality of life in North Carolina.” Among the NCMBC’s impressive work, the organization has assisted North Carolina Businesses in winning over 4,000 contracts. Additionally, NCMBC’s employment programs help transitioning military personnel, their family members and veterans with their transition to the civilian workforce. In fact, the organization maintains a searchable database of personnel transitioning from the military “to help economic developers quantify this potential workforce for businesses locating in North Carolina.” Learn more about NCMBC at www.ncmbc.us.

JENNA SHACKELFORD, Associate Editor 910-240-9697, Ext 102 • jennas@bizfayetteville.com

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal >>

November 12 - November 25, 2021

bizfayetteville.com

By Alyssa Hall

Page 5

BANKING & FINANCE

Beware of scammers BANKING SCAMS ARE ALIVE AND WELL. HERE’S WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR.

F

or anyone living in the twenty-first century, the bombardment of information happens constantly, from text messages, phone calls, and email, to social media and smartphone app notifications. For businesspeople, the constant barrage of communication is amplified, meaning that sifting through all the communication and differentiating phony requests from legitimate ones can be difficult. Problems can arise for business owners in the realm of banking in particular, as scammers have become increasingly adept at masquerading their nefarious attempts as seemingly harmless and routine communication from trusted sources.

One of the most common ways in which scammers can target your business is with what Forbes, in a June article, termed an “overpayment scam.” These types of scams start with the fraudster purchasing a good or service online or remotely, in such a context that they would mail the seller a check or money order as payment.

With this type of scam, the scammer mails a fake check to the seller for an amount greater than the cost of the goods or service purchased and then requests that the seller deposit the check and send the extra money back to them. When this happens, however, the bank charges the seller a fee for the fake check and your business loses the money from the sale altogether.

Another common type of scam is known as the unsolicited check scam.

With this scam, you or your business will receive a check in the mail for what appears to be a rebate of some kind or a refund on something you may have purchased. Unfortunately, if you endorse the check, you may be legally bound to some fine print terms, such as a subscription or membership, that you did not want, and you will get charged continually unless you are able to cancel it.

These types of scam memberships are often difficult to cancel, as the terms of cancellation are often such that the window of time to cancel is very limited or that you must jump through many different hoops in order to cancel. It may also be difficult to reach anyone via phone or email in order to cancel the membership or subscription. Scammers often try

PICKAWOOD/UNSPLASH

Avoiding falling into the traps of scammers is easier when you know the tell-tale signs of a scam.

to make it as annoying as possible to cancel your forced subscription in an attempt to dissuade you from succeeding and to therefore maximize their profits.

The following is an actual unsolicited check scam, published by the Consumer Protection Division of the state of Georgia: “SIMPLY ENDORSE AND CASH OR DEPOSIT THIS CHECK AT ANY BANK TO AUTOMATICALLY ENROLL IN XXXXXX starting with thirty days free. Unless you call to cancel during this trial, XXXXXX will notify XXXXXXX, the issuer of your XXXXXX credit card, to bill the $9.99 monthly membership fee, or then-current fee, to your credit card each month, without your having to do anything further. You can cancel at any time after the trial period for a full refund of your current month’s paid membership fee.

The $2.50 check is yours to keep.”

In today’s climate, however, those numbers may be inflated in order to make the deal more attractive so that victims will be more likely to take the bait. To be safe, simply do not endorse any checks that you receive unexpectedly from unfamiliar organizations.

Our society is internet-driven, so it would seem at first that mail-based scams, such as these, might be on the way out. But according to Tonya Lowry, information security officer at Lumbee Guaranty Bank, they still pose a threat to more traditionally-run businesses, and since

those businesses often have a greater reliance on physical mail, they are more susceptible to getting stuck in this trap.

With the increase in online banking, another scam that has become increasingly common is the automatic withdrawal scam. Similar to the unsolicited check scam, this type of scam will involve a scammer reaching out to you or your business with a phone call or mailer indicating that you qualify for a special offer of some sort, and requesting your banking information to ensure that you qualify for the deal. Of course, once the scammers have your banking information, your account is compromised, and susceptible to automatic withdrawals that you did not mean to authorize.

Probably the most ubiquitous type of banking scam is phishing.

Phishing is simply receiving an email requesting you to send your bank account information in order to verify your account, after which the scammers have access to your account. Lowry says, “We have noticed a lot of phishing scams lately … Our customers’ accounts may have been hacked somehow and there have been phishing emails sent out from their accounts.”

Lowry cites the jump in digitization as a result of COVID as a contributing factor to the increase in phishing scams that target businesses, often hacking the accounts of legitimate businesses to use them as a cover for their scamming efforts.

Lowry continued, “Many businesses don’t have a dedicated IT person or aren’t too tech savvy, so safeguarding their businesses using antivirus software is important.”

In addition, Lowry recommended changing your business’ account passwords every 60-90 days, or at least every six months in order to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of phishing scams.

She also added as a side note that she has seen numerous IRS scams on the rise, that target victims through text and phone call, requesting sensitive information from an individual or business. She made it clear that the IRS simply does not use phone or text to reach out for information — they will always send physical mail to communicate with you or your business.

While scammers are certainly on the prowl for unsuspecting victims, it can be much easier to avoid falling into one of these traps once you know how these scams present themselves. Antivirus and malware protection for your business computers can be a helpful tool in protecting yourself and your business from hackers and scammers in phishing schemes, but with many of these types of scams, the biggest safeguard is to simply avoid taking the bait by being able to recognize phony mailers and emails on sight. Once you know what to look for, avoiding these types of scams becomes much easier to evade.

Page 6

November 12 - November 25, 2021

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

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Greater Fayetteville Business Journal >>

By Suet Lee-Growney

November 12 - November 25, 2021

bizfayetteville.com

Page 7

IN THE NEWS

From ROBESON COUNTY, page 1

coming projects and developments that will boost the county’s industry are the ongoing building of the I-95/I-74 Industrial Park, the soonto-be completed University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP) Thomas School of Business building, the expansion of Lumberton Municipal Airport, and the continual economic support of both Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub (TEH) and Lumbee Tribe Enterprises.

I-95/I-74 INDUSTRIAL PARK

is estimated to aid in the expansion of the university, according to UNCP Chancellor Robin Cummings.

“We will move in over the holiday season and first classes will be held in spring 2022,” Cummings said. “We will be contributing to our continued growth of our School of Business;

that students really want to have gathering places where they can sit and study together.”

The facility cost $38 million to build and was funded by a bond program with North Carolina and Jim Thomas, a Pembroke native and LA real estate tycoon. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held next spring,

Situated on 215 acres of land and nestled between I-95 and I-74 interstate highways in southeastern North Carolina, the industrial park will be open for bidding this month, according to Channing Jones, director of Robeson County Economic Development.

“We’re in the process of designing the parameters for the design of the park,” Jones said. “Bids should come back at the end of November and we should start seeing initial construction phases starting at the end of this year or the beginning of 2022.

Jones added, they identify the site to be one of the few — if not the only — industrial sites in North Carolina that is completely surrounded by interstate.

“We believe that would be a really nice industrial park for Robeson County, for southeastern North Carolina and hopefully to be a showcase position for travelers not only up PHOTO PROVIDED BY UNC PEMBROKE and down I-95 but one that is situatThe Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub opened its doors in November 2015 and has ed very near to the South Carolina since generated 312 clients, 130 active businesses, and created 294 jobs. border,” he said.

The project was conceived October 2020 by the officials of City of added Cummings. we grow about 10 percent per year at Lumberton, Robeson County and “I think it's going to be a state-ofthe undergraduate level.” the economic development office. As the-art, higher education building in Accredited by the Southern plans matured, the economic desoutheast North Carolina,” he said.

Association of Colleges and velopment office was able to obtain Schools Commission on Colleges development funds from the North (SACSCOC) in 2010 and to be reLUMBERTON MUNICIPAL Carolina Department of Commerce accredited again in December 2021, AIRPORT under two stipulations. the architecture of the building is The City of Lumberton’s airport “One is that we had to control the patterned after the fronts of two rehas been on a path of transformation land or own the land,” Jones said. nowned business schools in the counfor the past five years, according to “And two, we have to provide some try: Harvard and Wake Forest. A Jones. Recently, they received a grant form of job creation within the park unique student learning feature from of $5 million from North Carolina initially.” those schools has been incorporated Board of Transportation to expand There is about $2 million of bidinto the facility — the trading room, their runway. dable land in the industrial park and where the NASDAQ ticker tape will “That may allow various types of currently, Elkay Plumbing, leading be run along the walls at all times. commercial traffic at some point,” producer of stainless steel sinks, is “In that room, students will go in Jones added. “Most of the flights partnered with the economic comand learn about Wall Street and how here are private. There is no commermission to occupy the largest lot. to trade,” Cummings said. “Classes cial traffic here at this stage.”

“They are the largest manufacturwill be taught there.”

Prior to this, the airport received a er of stainless steel sinks,” Jones said.

Another feature new to the 64,000 facelift focusing on a more elevated square-foot business school is comaesthetic appeal and shares the buildUNCP THOMAS SCHOOL OF mon areas for students to congreing with the county’s economic deBUSINESS gate. velopment office. The birdseye view Anticipated to be functional for “Students are more social these of the terminal is fashioned into the in-person classes next year, the new days,” Cummings said. “We learned shape of a wing, Jones said.

Thomas School of Business building

“(The airport) hired a group of engineers and architects to design the building,” he said. “We started moving in January 2021 in various stages.”

THOMAS ENTREPRENEURSHIP HUB (TEH) AND LUMBEE TRIBE ENTERPRISE (LTE)

Another project by the UNCP business school and funded by Jim Thomas, the focal point of the TEH is to aid and churn out small businesses in Robeson County and its surrounding communities in southeastern North Carolina.

According to Jones, the design of the hub was to provide a place where startup companies could come at relatively very low cost to take advantage of the office space, use telecommunications facilities, and access cash-flow analysis and business plan advice.

Located at 202 Main St., the 20,000 square-foot hub offers nine private office spaces, 16 semi-private cubicles, an Idea Lab, conference rooms, a 24-seat co-working space, and more. According to the hub’s website, the facility opened its doors in November 2015 and has since generated 312 clients, 130 active businesses, and created 294 jobs.

“I think they've been very successful,” Jones said. “The idea is to get them low start-up costs, so that they can get a customer base started, and then eventually those entrepreneurs will start to move out into the greater community and that cycle would continue.”

The LTE is a for-profit function of the Lumbee Tribe who bids on government contracts, according to Jones.

“A percentage of those funds come back to the tribe,” he said.

“These contracts can be something as very high-level and very classified training programs for special forces, to getting the contracts to do all the laundry on the military base — there’s just a large swath of opportunity they can go into.”

According to LTE’s website, they are a Native American, 8(a), Disadvantaged Small Business with a primary NAICS code of 541611. After receiving 8(a) certification from the SBA, LTE’s niche is to source federal contract work.

“Last time I heard they had over $800 million worth of contracts going on right now,” Jones said. “So it's a substantial endeavor.”

Page 8

IN THE NEWS

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

bizfayetteville.com

>>

By Jami McLaughlin

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL THEATRE FOR CHILDREN

The Energy Time Trek is a collaboration between the National Theatre for Children and Piedmont Natural Gas performed for 61 schools in Piedmont’s service area.

‘The Energy Time Trek’ T

PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS SPONSORS EDUCATIONAL LIVE STREAM PRODUCTION THROUGH THEATRE PARTNERSHIP

hroughout North Carolina, students in public, charter and private schools are learning about natural gas including usage, geology and history, conservation, how to be safe around natural gas and how to create a family communication plan through a partnership with Piedmont Natural Gas (Piedmont) and the National Theatre for Children (NTC). A program called “The Energy Time Trek” is the latest collaboration marking a 12 year partnership designed to educate elementary school students and their families about energy and science in NC. “The Energy Time Trek” is a fun livestream event performed for 61 schools in Piedmont’s service area, reaching over 21,000 students and 1375 teachers in a 34 county area including Cumberland County. The livestream events reached students learning in the classroom, remotely from home or a combination of both with take home activities such as printed activity guides and posters as well as digital curriculum including games, e-books, hands-on lessons, assessments for educators and smart speaker apps.

“As part of Piedmont’s energy efficiency programs, Piedmont has administered this program throughout its NC service territory to provide interactive, engaging performances, lessons and take-home activities for K-5 grade students on the importance of natural gas conservation and safety,” said David Nestor, market development and support engineer for Piedmont.

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, is an energy services company whose principal business is the distribution of natural gas customers in NC, SC and TN, also supplying natural gas to power plants.

According to NTC, “The Energy Time Trek” livestream program features a host who introduces the program, sets up and recaps a series of comedic videos, and leads a Q&A in which students and teachers can submit questions for the host to answer live in real time. The educational videos tell a hilarious, time travel-themed story about energy, science and natural gas, engaging learners of all types.

With fun characters like Tina Mercaptan, Tony Llama and Dr.

Schmeinstein, children learn about the uses of natural gas and the warning signs for dangerous leaks.

Mercaptan, the rotten egg smell compound that is added to natural gas to help detect leaks, is the main indication and primary character who travels back in time to learn about how to save and be safe around natural gas. Through a series of activities, including the sponsored activity guide by Piedmont, children are encouraged if they smell rotten eggs to tell an adult immediately, get out of the house quickly, do not turn on lights or electrical devices because they can cause a spark and go to a neighbor’s house to call 911.

Children also learn about saving energy including how to detect leaks, monitor closing the door when they go outside, watching water usage while brushing teeth and how not to block vents by cleaning their rooms.

Livestream shows differ in level from K-2, which features puppetry and sing-alongs and grades 3-6 with the live hosts offering more advanced information and leading with more challenging questions for discussion.

“Piedmont Natural Gas sponsors every aspect of the program, making

it a valuable, cost-free supplement for teachers looking to enhance their learning resources this school year,” said Matt Levine, content manager for the NTC Corporate office.

Program costs are estimated at $150,000, which includes the cost of all the livestream performances, videos, educational digital activities, printed workbooks, posters and teachers guides. Piedmont sponsors the program with the hope that participants will expand their knowledge about energy conservation and natural gas safety and that household costs can be lowered by incorporating energy-saving behaviors learned through the program.

Piedmont further outlines in their 2021 Annual Conservation Program Report that the program is important for the investment in future generations by promoting energy efficiency education in schools and increasing opportunities for children to live in a clean and healthy environment.

Citing research published by the Journal of Environment Education, Piedmont recognizes that school-age children are “powerful catalysts for community attitude and behavior See TIME TREK, page 9

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November 12 - November 25, 2021

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IN THE NEWS

From TIME TREK, page 8

change. The study found that 73% of students reported discussing environmental lessons learned in school with their parents and that hands-on activities, such as those in Piedmont’s program, can have a strong influence on a students’ interest and awareness of environmental issues.” The expectation through “The Energy Time Trek” program and further home discussion is that it can also stimulate clean energy service and equipment markets by promoting the installation of natural gas savings measures (e.g., insulation and air sealing).

Feedback for the program by the schools has been extremely positive as well. After each performance, teachers are asked to complete an online survey. Based on the evaluation, teachers rated the overall educational value of the 2020-2021 program a 6.47 on a scale of 1-7 and had a 100% response that teachers would continue to use the programming performed by the NTC and supplemented with educational materials in their classroom.

One of the schools taking advantage of the program is Fayetteville Academy, known for their three state of the art SmartLabs and STEAM

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL THEATRE FOR CHILDREN

“The Energy Time Trek” livestream program features a host who introduces the program, sets up and recaps a series of comedic videos, and leads a Q&A in which students and teachers can submit questions for the host to answer live in real time.

curriculum.

“I chose to use the National Children's Theater production of ‘The Energy Time Trek’ to incorporate more Art into STEAM. I wanted the students to see that Art is not just drawing, but also theatre and how they could use theatre as another creative medium for showing the content they have learned or want to teach others,” said Kristin Reeder, SmartLab facilitator and teacher at Fayetteville Academy, “We had just been studying energy and the connection to natural gas in their own lives was a great curriculum tie to the real world and offered information

Page 9

that would keep them safe. I have not used the other shows yet due to the very hands-on nature of what we do in the Systel SmartLab; however, after watching this one, I know that this high-quality arts connection is available.”

NTC has been a leader in live educational theatre since 1978 with operations throughout the US, Australia and New Zealand. Other programs through the NTC ranging K-12 levels include lessons in electrical science and safety, water conservation and environmental stewardship, energy efficiency, emergency preparation,

disaster awareness, green and renewable energy, climate change, financial literacy, saving and investing, fitness and nutrition, bullying, smoking prevention, life skills, germ awareness, STEM, pollution prevention and more.

“Our award-winning educational programs are provided for students, teachers and their families and are customizable to accommodate specific messages and goals for clients,” said Levine, “Through formats including livestream performance, e-learning, in-school presentations, class discussion, graphic novels, print curriculum, and digital games and activities, we are helping our clients to be forces of change for students, parents and communities.”

Schools can request the free educational programs by booking through the NTC website, emailing schools@ nationaltheatre.com or calling 1-800858-3999 ext. 1. Businesses can also sponsor the programs by contacting the NTC client services department.

For more information about "The Energy Time Trek" livestream event, visit www. nationaltheatre.com/Program/the-energy-time-trek-livestream-special. More information about Duke Energy is available at duke-energy.com.

Page 10

November 12 - November 25, 2021

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

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By Kathie Harris

Page 11

HEALTH CARE

Shortage of nurses A ONCE STABLE INDUSTRY FOR JOBS IS SEEING LARGE EMPLOYMENT GAPS

I

t’s been nearly a decade since a national nursing shortage was announced, and the Fayetteville region isn’t immune to the impact.

According to a University of St. Augustine data study, the U.S. will need 1.2 million nurses by 2030 to fill the gap.

In 2020, North Carolina had 120,600 registered nurses employed statewide. For every 1,000 residents, there are fewer than 12 practicing nurses. According to the North Carolina Board of Nursing, Cumberland County has 3,363 RNs and 1,018 licensed practicing nurses serving its 335,500 residents.

The factors behind the shortage are varied. The aging baby boomer generation is creating more demand.

Many nurses belong to this generation themselves, so retirement numbers are up.

Another factor is the lack of nursing faculty to teach future nurses. Thousands of qualified nursing applicants are turned away every semester because schools don’t have enough teaching nurses or clinical spaces. One reason for this is the industry-wide low pay rates for nursing faculty compared to practicing nurses.

On top of all these issues, the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed the medical community. Nurse burnout has resulted in many leaving the profession entirely.

Nursing shortages historically lead to longer wait times and are a detriment to patient safety. The Fayetteville region is experiencing an impact across all aspects of the spectrum.

HOSPITALS RECRUITING TALENT Cape Fear Regional employs 2,012 LPNs and RNs across its six major hospitals in the region. The healthcare system is short 450 nurses.

In response, Cape Fear’s human resources team has prioritized nurse recruitment, says Debbie Marshburn, a registered nurse and chief nursing executive at Cape Fear. The system has contracted with several agencies to bring in travel nurses and international nursing staff, some of whom have become permanent hires.

“We are also focusing on growing the local pool of talented nurses by working with local colleges and uni-

versities to help them graduate more nurses,” says Marshburn.

Marshburn says the nursing staff is stretched thin, which increases dissatisfaction.

“A shortage of available nurses can also lead to temporary or long-term closures of the number of available inpatient beds,” says Marshburn. “When you don’t have the staff to manage those beds, you can’t keep the beds open.”

Even local ambulatory surgical centers are feeling the pinch. The increasing use of ASCs in performing outpatient surgeries in lieu of hospitals makes them a popular choice. ASCs are struggling to operate with fewer nursing staff. Fayetteville Ambulatory Center employs 42 nurses but needs 12 more to be at full strength.

FirstHealth, headquartered in Pinehurst, operates four hospitals in the mid-Carolinas region. It employs 1,630 RNs, LPNs, nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners. It currently has 150 open RN positions.

To mitigate the shortage, FirstHealth has implemented a multiphased approach to attract and retain nursing talent, says Jacklynn Lesniak, a doctor of nursing practice and chief nursing officer for FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

The effort involves recruitment bonuses of up to $25,000 for some positions, flexible scheduling, and a floating system for full-time positions. FirstHealth has also implemented a nurse extern program to allow nursing students to gain handson experience working alongside experienced registered nurses.

“Professional registered nurses are the cornerstone of our workforce, and we are working every day to attract and retain clinically excellent registered nurses at FirstHealth,” says Lesniak. “Our shared governance practice environment provides a strong foundation to work collaboratively with our nursing team to develop innovative strategies and to ensure our nurses' voices are heard.

We are extremely grateful and proud of our nursing staff and how tirelessly they have worked to provide exceptional care to our community despite the challenges of nursing shortages and the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.”

CDC/UNSPLASH

A variety of factors have led to the shortage in nurses nationwide, but hospitals, nonprofits and educational institutions are hoping to alleviate the issue over the coming years.

SCHOOLS SUPPORTING STUDENTS A fundamental issue causing the nursing shortage is the need for more faculty to teach future nurses. A recent American Association of Colleges of Nursing found that more than 80,000 qualified nursing candidates were turned away from nursing colleges because of a lack of faculty to teach and clinical spaces for training.

Shannon Matthews, a doctor of nursing practice and nursing department director at Methodist University, says its nursing faculty shortages match national trends. The average age of a teaching nurse is older than 50, so they are often lost to retirement.

Methodist currently has seven faculty on staff and recently received a grant that left one position vacant.

In the last three years, there’s been some turnover, says Matthews. At least two nurses left to go back to practice, where the pay is greater.

Matthews says they are more or less fully staffed at the moment.

To support faculty retention and student recruitment, Methodist is participating in the Golden LEAF community economic grant program along with other area nursing schools and high schools. The partnerships help increase the nursing workforce pipeline with projects like workshops, simulation experiences, and information sessions.

Methodist is working with Cape Fear Valley Health System to enhance clinical experiences and shorten residency periods for nurses

transitioning from the classroom to practicing. Methodist also has dedicated education units for clinical education, so students can understand their expectations once they get into the field.

The school is also expanding its clinical spaces through partnerships with the Fayetteville VA Medical Center and other medical facilities in the area.

In the Spring, Methodist is launching a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to help fill the requirements of higher educated nurses in the industry. It’s also in the final stages of creating a fully online masters program, which will include 12 credit hours of a nursing assistant program that can be done separately.

Matthews says the highly competitive nursing market means nurse graduates receive multiple job offers, generally months before they even graduate. Medical facilities that want to attract nurses should consider what benefits they’re offering.

“They really want to work in a facility that’s got an extensive orientation process, that gives them that time to develop work practices, that have mentors and role models in the facility,” says Matthews. “Some others that students have mentioned were enticing include relocation assistance, tuition and loan reimbursement, childcare, and scheduling options.”

DRIVING CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL At the state level, the North Carolina Nurses Association has been lobbying for better pay for nursing faculty in hopes of filling the gap.

They’re getting close to realizing their efforts as the NC General Assembly prepares to pass the budget, which will include pay increases for frontline workers. The bill would increase pay for nursing faculty, though the amount is currently being negotiated. The NCNA lobbied for a 20% increase.

“They have to take a 20% pay cut to go from clinical practice to academia, and we have to consider the cost of living loss and the value they bring in supporting the nurses of the future, “says Meka Douthit, a doctor of nursing practice and president of the NCNA. “We’re glad we’re gaining some momentum on that.”

Page 12

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

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November 12 - November 25, 2021

Page 13

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

bizfayetteville.com

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY COSTAR GROUP

Sites for potential expansions or incoming industries abound in Cumberland County. Some of these sites have buildings and some of them offer opportunities for new construction. Some sites stand out in particular to FCEDC as having potential for profitable growth.

Prime spots

FAYETTEVILLE CUMBERLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SPOTLIGHTS FOR LEASE AND SALE PROPERTIES IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY

T

he Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation (FCEDC) spotlights four prime commercial and industrial real estate properties in the community that possess potential for profitable growth: the Harrelson Building, the Systel Building, Campground Building, and the to-be-completed Liberty Point.

Natalie LaVallee, FCEDC marketing director, said each of these spaces are unique and in high demand.

While the corporation does not sell these properties, they do take and highlight them to enhance job growth and prosperity across the community.

According to Robert Van Geons, FCEDC president and CEO, potentially interested parties in different industries look for a variety of factors when deciding to relocate their operations to this area, such as cost.

However, there are perks to incoming corporations and to the local community in choosing this area.

“Fayetteville and Cumberland County provide a lower cost per square foot than many competing communities, and we also have a business-friendly climate with the ability to occasionally expedite permits and other development needs,” Van Geons said. “When our properties get leased out or sold or when our land is developed, our job growth and prosperity are enhanced, our economy is strengthened and our tax base is increased.”

HARRELSON BUILDING

Space: 30,516 square feet Sale price: $4.65 million Lease price: $15-19 per square feet Address: 2810 Procurement Cir. Currently vacant, this commercial building is located in Fayetteville’s Military Business Park just minutes down the road from Fort Bragg’s All-American Gate.

“It would be great to see a [federal] contractor in there,” LaVallee said.

“It would be a great training space, so anyone who is training soldiers for tactical needs, I think would be ideal for it.”

The property was completed in 2017 and sits on a commercial zone with rezoning capabilities. The owner is open to discuss upfitting options.

SYSTEL BUILDING

Space: 45-50,000 square feet Lease price: $22 per square feet Address: 225 Green St. “This one is iconic,” LaVallee said.

“It’s downtown, located in an opportunity zone, which is a big seller because you get kind of a tax break on it because it’s in an area that needs a little more development. A lot of people look for sites and buildings in opportunity zones.”

The multi-tenant, class A commercial building has different vacancy options: from whole floors and partial spaces, to smaller office spaces.

“Former tenants have been the IRS, I think the GSA and other government related agencies,” LaVallee

“

Fayetteville and Cumberland County provide a lower cost per square foot than many competing communities...”

ROBERT VAN GEONS

President/CEO, FCEDC said. “We do recruit industries, business and financial services, so that would also be a really great location for those.”

CAMPGROUND BUILDING

Space: 63,000 square feet Sale price: $4.29 million Lease price: $8 per square feet Address: 4525 Campground Rd. Located right off the bustle of Skibo Road, this flexible property boasts both a warehouse and office spaces.

“It’s in great shape,” LaVallee said.

“The flex space is nice because you can have a multi-tenant building or you can have a company that does different things like warehouse and logistic needs — flex spaces are really great just to have.”

Currently, a section of the space is being leased on a month-to-month agreement. According to LaVallee, the tenant is prepared to leave when

the seller chooses to sell the property, or whatever new agreement is decided upon.

LIBERTY POINT

Space: 142.15 acres Lease price: $4.98 per square feet Address: Corporation Dr. This class A industrial development is located in Hope Mills across the road from Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom. Currently, it is still under construction with the first of its four buildings almost completed.

“Ideally, we are looking for manufacturers or distribution and logistics companies,” LaVallee said. “That's because it’s got a great location right off of the highway right off of I-95, which is another perk about Fayetteville in general because we're located right in the middle of I-95.”

Liberty Point is located about equidistance between Brooklyn, New York and Miami, which according to LaVallee, is convenient access for distributors having access to two massive populations of the country within a full day’s drive north or south I-95.

“The buildings are going to be brand new, so they’re going to be in wonderful shape,” she added.

“They're going to have great industrial utilities involved; they're going to be more modern looking. We’re really excited for when that's finished because if we can get some distribution or any type of industrial industry in there.”

Page 14

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ACHIEVERS Moore, Sampson Counties recipients of North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority grants Governor Roy Cooper announced in late October the approval of 22 grant requests for rural communities in North Carolina.

These grants, totaling $4,742,465, are intended to create 663 jobs.

Among the rural communities that received grants are the town of Robbins and Sampson County.

Robbins is located in Moore County. The town’s $74,000 grant was awarded under the state’s Building Reuse program under the Vacant Building category. The grant supports the reuse of a 153,700-squarefoot building that Minhas Furniture House, Inc., a furniture manufacturer, will move into. The business anticipates that it will create 18 jobs and invest $2,344,519 in the project.

bizfayetteville.com

What are you and your peers achieving? Have you reached a new goal? Have you acquired another business? Maybe your business has a new hire you would like to highlight.

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal wants to hear from you and your business to shine a spotlight on your accomplishments.

To nominate someone for GFBJ’s Achievers section, email editor@bizfayetteville.com with the subject line “Achiever.”

Jim Myers, Khaddrick Graham

The Sampson County grant request was approved under North Carolina’s Rural Demolition program. The grant totals $29,465 and will be used to support the demolition and removal of six structures on the property of the Sampson Southeast Business Center in Clinton. The county plans to turn the property into a location for light industrial manufacturing.

Graham receives Brosnan Risk Consultants’ On The SPOT Award

Brosnan Risk Consultants, the largest privately-held security services company in America, just awarded security officer KHADDRICK GRAHAM with their regional On The SPOT Award for the Carolinas district.

Officer Graham has been great and has been a very valuable asset to the Fayetteville Area market.

“I have had nothing but great reviews about S/O Graham from our customers at our Saks 5th Avenue Client and Walmart. He has been willing to work in Luxury, and Walmart locations at a last request, even driving nearly 2 hours to help out,” Jim Myers, district manager of the Carolinas Security District, said.

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

“Officer Graham always is professional and does everything needed in a moment’s notice and more. I’m very grateful to have someone like him and I am excited to see what the future holds with Mr. Graham.”

The award is given twice a month in the district, which covers North Carolina and South Carolina. Graham works primarily in the Cumberland County region.

“The BRC Regional Spot Award Plan is to be used to recognize employee contributions that have exceeded expectations for exceptional performance,” Myers said.

The Association of Community College Trustees recognizes Sandhills trustee The Association of Community College Trustees held its annual award ceremony last month on Oct. 15 in San Diego. Several cat-

egories of awards are presented, which include the Trustee Leadership Award, the Equity Award, the

Chief Executive Officer Award, the Faculty Member Award and Professional Board Staff Member Award.

One recipient is picked out for each region. The regions are listed as the Central Region, Northeast Region, Pacific Region, Southern Region and Western Region respectively.

The winner of the Trustee Leadership Award for the Southern Region was GEORGE LITTLE of Sandhills Community College. Little is the chairman of the Board of Trustees at the school, appointed by the Moore County Board of Education in July 2018, but has held the position for 35 years. He lives in Southern Pines.

Little previously served as the president of the North Carolina Association Community Colleges and as a board member and then chairman of the board for the American Association of Community Colleges.

Little is the owner and president of Little and Associates, a full service insurance agency in Southern Pines, and spends much of his time as a member of civic organizations.

Campbell Law School appoints new assistant dean APRIL GIANCOLA began serving as Campbell Law School’s new Assistant Dean of Career Services and Professional Development on Nov. 1.

“I am excited to join the dynamic team at Campbell Law because I enjoy connecting with law students and having Giancola a direct impact on their future success as lawyer leaders,”Giancola said.

“From one-on-one counseling and job application, resume and cover letter review to executing professional development programs and events, I will use my extensive network to help

identify the most viable employment opportunities for Campbell Law students and alumni.”

Giancola’s background includes 21 years of legal and program management experience. Her most recent role prior to her role at Campbell was Director of Public Interest Advising for the University of North Carolina School of Law’s Career Development Office. Before that, she was the Chief Legal Program Officer for Disability Rights N.C. and a civil attorney and post-conviction managing attorney for N.C. Prisoner Legal Services Inc. Giancola also has experience as a trial attorney in Arizona and director of legal services for Our Place D.C. She also previously served as the volunteer and training coordinator for the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center.

Giancola is a member of the Massachusetts, District of Columbia and North Carolina State bars and is bar certified in the Eastern, Middle and Western District Courts of North Carolina, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

ASOMF announces new board members, development coordinator

Three new board members recently joined the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides community outreach and helps to sustain the mission of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville.

The new board members are ELAINA BALL, CEO and General Manager of Fayetteville PWC, Cumberland County District Court Judge LOU OLIVERA and TAD DAVIS, who retired recently from the U. S. Department of State.

“They all believe in our mission and serving on the board allows them to help us further it along,” said Executive Director of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation Renee Lane.

In addition to the new board member appointments, KRIS JOHNSON joined the Foundation staff as Development Coordinator. “Johnson will be responsible for overall donor engagement strategy and the ASOM Foundation tribute gifts program,” Lane said.

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November 12 - November 25, 2021

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Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

BIZ LEADS Reader’s Guide BizLeads is a collection of information gathered from greater Fayetteville courthouses, state government offices and information websites. The 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 from the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal region that were recently incorporated in the State of North Carolina.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY Greater Glory International House of Fire 1607 Gillespie Street Fayetteville Agent: Jeremiah E. Ford Rivera & Watts Enterprises LLC 895 Long Iron Dr Fayetteville Agent: Richard R Rivera Mom's Beef Jerky LLC 3021 Scotty Hill Rd Fayetteville Agent: Victor Nguyen Sylvia's LLC 1006B N Bragg Blvd # 176 Spring Lake Agent: Dominic Bosticic Contractor In Charge LLC 554 Birdsong Lane #107 Fayetteville Agent: Anna Lynn Wise Nonna Lucia's Pizzeria L.L.C. 1518 Grandview Drive Fayetteville Agent: John Vlahos GGM3-Clinton LLC 115 E Russell St Fayetteville Agent: J Thomas Neville New Shogun Jr. Express Inc. 3604 Camberly Dr Fayetteville Agent: Tong Lin

Penelope Bourbon LLC 2128 Rock Ave Fayetteville Agent: Shane Caulder Relative Roots LLC 5075 Morganton Rd Ste 10c #1181 Fayetteville Agent: Nicole Llanos Hall Poole Family Investments LLC 1200 Longleaf Dr Fayetteville Agent: Robert Earl Poole II Dreams Memories & Commitment LLP 405 Harrill Street Spring Lake Agent: Lashawna Collins Yvonnes Dispatcher Service LLC 854 Rembrandt Dr Fayetteville Agent: Mignonia Y White 217 fashion Boutique LLC 2406 Ireland Dr. Fayetteville Agent: Jamere O. Gholston Moore Consolidation LLC 712 Kensington Park Rd. Fayetteville Agent: Lukas Moore Konnections with Dr. K. Ph.D. LLC 111 Lamon St Suite 127 B Fayetteville Agent: Katherine Washington Williams

V.A.W 2 Trucking LLC. 3528 Gazella Cir Fayetteville Agent: Victor Walker Community DME Inc. 2409 Murchison Road Fayetteville Agent: Delvin McAllister Elk Park Development LLC 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville Agent: Davis W. Puryear

Fuck'N New Guys LLC 1570 Gray Hill Ct Hope Mills Agent: Maxine C Krueger Petty Me Nails LLC 4609 Turquoise Rd Fayetteville Agent: Briona Petty WellCare Practitioners of the Sandhills PLLC 6138 Tudor Pl. Linden Agent: Robin L Jackson

S-Rank RE Investments LLC 1290 Caribou Court Fayetteville Agent: Edward Arrington Wilson

Glaudi Renovations LLC 3279 Turtle Point Drive Apt F Fayetteville Agent: Ryan Glaudi

AR Logistics & Dispatching Services LLC 3011 Town Center Dr Unit 141 Fayetteville Agent: Cassandra Ann Johnson

Nubie's Beauty Bar LLC 713 Emeline Ave. Fayetteville Agent: An Thu Hoang Chu

Yaya's Nail Candy LLC 744 Edgehill Rd Fayetteville Agent: Ayana Laurene Washington Radix LLC 1073 Glen Reilly Dr Fayetteville Agent: Cheryl Lynn Daniels

Phawn’s Enterprise LLC 713 Emeline Ave Fayetteville Agent: An Thu Hoang Chu Godbolt and Associates LLC 591 Ambrose Place Fayetteville Agent: John Leroy Godbolt

CraftzByAngie LLC 5813 Kindley Drive Fayetteville Agent: Angelica Evelyn Mizzelle

Dialed In Construction L.L.C. 427 Shoreline Drive Fayetteville Agent: Joshua Allen Dial

TC Transport LLC 3284 Florida Dr. Fayetteville Agent: Todd Bradley

Garner Comm LLC 258 Kenwood Dr Fayetteville Agent: Rashun Atkins

EarthVibez L.L.C. 6449 Hidden Lake Loop #159 Fayetteville Agent: Jaylin Russell

BLK Hemp Co. 312 Nettletree Lane Fayetteville Agent: LaAdah Demus

Green House Project CDC Inc 228 Irene St Fayetteville Agent: Costella Green

Legacy Wealth Building LLC 7425 Hammersley Rd Fayetteville

Agent: Nina M Johnson Flourish Studio LLC 308 Hay St. Suite J Fayetteville Agent: Taylor Nicole Williams Caraballo Trucking LLC 5829 Crepe Myrtle Drive Hope Mills Agent: Michael Anthony Caraballo THF Towing LLC 406 Northumberland St Apt B Fayetteville Agent: Andrew Evans Odyssey of Sound Band Booster Club Inc. 525 Andrews Rd Fayetteville Agent: James Richardson Pro King LLC 336 Westwater Way Fayetteville Agent: Belle Smith AVA Real Estate LLC 2919 Breezewood Avenue Ste 300 Fayetteville Joel S Jenkins Jr EAT Entertainment Designz LLC 6380 Cliffdale Rd #27316 Fayetteville Agent: NetPay LLC JACQS LLC 507 Westmont Drive Fayetteville Agent: Jacqueline Rose Alvitre Dare 2B Bold L.L.C. 1514 Granite Square Fayetteville Agent: Amanda Spain Journey Construction Services LLC 6399 Blake Rd Stedman Agent: Kenneth R Hale Aurora Electric LLC 4435 Wellington Drive

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Fayetteville Agent: Michael J. Houser II Maritime Aviation Security Team LLC 4400 Bragg Blvd Fayetteville Agent: Emory E Harshman IV 4C Royalty LLC 3035H Enterprise Avenue Fayetteville Agent: Andrea L Bellamy InGeneral Enterprise LLC 5813 Waters Edge Drive Fayetteville Agent: Lashauna Reid HATM Limited Liability Company 6807 Cinnamon Creek Circle Apt 103 Fayetteville Agent: Isaiah Resto Bigmo Unlimited LLC 3825 Crusader Drive Hope Mills Agent: Timothy Ronald Morris The Body Tea Party LLC 338 Conifer Dr Fayetteville Agent: Delmescia J McRae A2Z Enterprise LLC 2399 Dunwoody Dr Fayetteville Agent: Zetta L Hockaday Coop D Ville Distributors LLC 4582 Virsalli Loop Hope Mills Agent: Phillip Cooper Butler Realty LLC 61 Lenoir Dr Spring Lake Agent: Shaniece Wilson Capri Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria LLC 2734 Bragg Boulevard Fayetteville Agent: Jessica Fran-

cesca Coppola 704hypeshop LLC 2304 Wingate rd #48853 Cumberland Agent: Tahir Taylor Jaice Trucking LLC 2410 Smith Rd Hope Mills Agent: Carla Jai Simmons Joshua Tree Massage and Bodyworks LLC 6509 Draycott Rd Fayetteville Agent: Joyce Noel Johnson Counseling Consulting and Wellness Services of Joanne Coddington PLLC 5841 Blue Sky Ln Hope Mills Agent: Joanne Lorraine Coddington JoeJam LLC 2630 Adams Lake Drive Apt C Fayetteville Agent: Joseph Daunte McDonald RNRWoodworks LLC 3800 Chadbourne Dr Fayetteville Agent: Randy K Martyn Westmore Eatz LLC 3057 Boone Trail Ext Fayetteville Agent: Odane Ramsingh EB LYFE LLC 945 Lower Bridge Drive Drive Apt 20 Fayetteville Agent: Quontica S Conley With His Hands Creative Ministries LLC 5575 Linkwood Drive Fayetteville Agent: Angela Marks Luxe Auto Spa & mobile detailing LLC 6881 Apsley Ct Fayetteville Agent: Freddie A. Wells Books Unseen LLC 6856 Torrance Lane

Fayetteville Agent: Destiny Ann Marie Collier Wait For The End LLC 816 Tamarack Dr., Apt. 9316 Fayetteville Agent: Linae Sarabia Engler Bag Seazon LLC 5075 Morganton Rd Ste 10c 1196 Fayetteville Agent: Keron Pearson Goodness cleaning & Services LLC 5572 Parkton Rd Hope Mills Agent: Tina Marie Bl AMW Photography LLC. 5548 Faith Dr Apt 203 Fayetteville Agent: Alston Marquis Walker Homeland Property Management LLC 6890 S Staff Rd Fayetteville Agent: Tracey Laureles Cozy Comfort Inn. LLC 1300 N Forest Dr Fayetteville Agent: Keran Rodney Shurief Hanna Gripper Vilified LLC 7052 Kings Lynn Loop Fayetteville Agent: Kevin Harr Protecting Crowns LLC 6455 Hidden Lake Loop 131 Fayetteville Agent: Ariana A Freeman KDC Vending LLC 2908 Chillingworth dr Fayetteville Agent: Daneia C Gray aBetterImage LLC 1354 Camelot Dr. FAYETTEVILLE Agent: Stasik Anton Vaughn Jr Lasalle Avenue LLC

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

BIZ LEADS

bizfayetteville.com

1702 Lasalle Avenue Fayetteville Agent: John J. Reynolds Haymount Properties LLC 106 N Churchill Dr Fayetteville Agent: Samantha Strizich Back Pocket Woodshop L.L.C 116 Stedman Street Fayetteville Agent: Michael James Rowlette Team Shaq Security and Bodyguard Service Company LLC 5850 Century Oaks Dr Apt E Fayetteville Agent: William Peay Peay Xenas Hauling LLC 439 Westwood Shopping Center PMB248 Fayetteville Agent: Priscilla Taylor Sky Real Estate LLC 2812 Ramsey Street #9087 Fayetteville Agent: Onaje Sigh C-cil G Entertainment LLC 1303 Clinton Rd Fayetteville Agent: Cedric Bernard Willis C&S Global Solutions LLC 1073 Glen Reilly Dr Fayetteville Agent: Cheryl Lynn Daniels Clayton Transport LLC. 6438 Alliance Street Hope Mills Agent: Kevona J Bethune Howard Transports LLC 3301 Benson Pl Hope Mills Agent: Steven Howard Paco Realty LLC 3520 Birkdale Ct. Fayetteville

Agent: Paco Williams KJ'S Logistics LLC 2502 Cameron Woods Lane Fayetteville Agent: Nikara McNeill Faustin Client Services LLC 521 Abbotts Landing Cir. Apt E Fayetteville Agent: Neker Faustin GO-We Set LLC 5712 Scarecrow Ct Fayetteville Agent: Griselle Olivares Havana Club & Lounge LLC 5048 Yadkin Rd Suite 202 Fayetteville Agent: Karla Cabrera The Peake Foundation 5936 Crown Ridge CT Fayetteville Agent: Maurice A. Reid Properties of Eden LLC 3632 Castlefield Lane Fayetteville Agent: James T Kelly Sr Nedla LLC 5075 Morganton Rd Ste 10C # 1039 Fayetteville Agent: Orrett Lawrence Streamline Homes LLC 1339 Vandenburg Drive Fayetteville Agent: Timothy A Odell Secure Networks Consulting Inc 2507 Alberry Place Fayetteville Agent: Mitchell Johnson Keep It Simply Sweet LLC 15 Victory Way Fort Bragg Agent: Melessa Harris

AWay Productions LLC 201 Ruth St Spring Lake Agent: Antione Manuel Way

HavenCareGroup LLC 200 Scotland Dr Spring Lake Agent: Toryana Baldwin

Land 2020 Inc. 350 Wagoner Dr. Fayetteville Agent: E. Frank Weaver III

The Cruz Law Firm PLLC 60 Crane Way Bunnlevel Agent: Freddie Cruz

ROB-BEES Handyman Services LLC 6708 Lune Circle Fayetteville Agent: Robbie Lee Felton

Seidel Family Investments LLC 4094 Ross Rd Lillington Agent: Brian Richard Seidel

I Marin Enterprises Inc 5843 Pettigrew Dr Fayetteville Agent: Juan M. Marin

Clark Automotive LLC 36 BJ Palmer Drive Spring Lake Agent: Allen Scott Clark

Yearby's Family Transportation LLC 1521 Elk Run Drive Fayetteville Agent: Arthur J Yearby Jr

Fab Brokerage LLC 138 Barnes Ave Lillington Agent: Dale Robert Fortune

Create Counseling and Consulting PLLC 2525 Raeford Road Suite D Fayetteville Agent: Jason Henry Pratscher

Angier K9 Consultants LLC 6404 Old Stage Road N Angier Agent: Christian Thomas Scharphorn

VAAP Restaurant Group LLC 100 Hay Street Suite 808 Fayetteville Agent: Alpesh Patel

Body Elite KNS LLC 40 Cottonade Cir. Lillington Agent: Tony Keith Carlton

Daniel's Doodles LLC 1209 Thistle Gold Dr Hope Mills Agent: Barbara A Hylland HARNETT COUNTY EM Decks & Trim LLC 1601 Cane Mill Rd Coats Agent: Edgar Rivera Riverside Community Action Network Inc. 126 Alexander Drive Suite 300 Lillington Agent: Kittrane Sanders

Karing Hearts LLC 1963 Bunnlevel Erwin Rd Bunnlevel Agent: Teresa Francine Barnes Bella Yard Cards LLC 62 Scholar Drive Spring Lake Agent: Rodney Richardson Touch of Freedom Logistics LLC 304 Community Road Lillington Agent: George Scott Rogers Faith Stone Publisher LLC

2686 Tim Currin Road Lillington Agent: Anita Faith Stone NC Growth Investments LLC 210 Supreme Drive Lillington Agent: Linda Marie Loso Big Boyz Rolling LLC 754 Tim Curin Road Lillington Agent: William F Tew Bump Birth & Beyond L.L.C. 51 Pump Station Rd. Agent: Erwin Tara Matney Bosslady Enterprises LLC 218B West Northpoint Street Spring Lake Agent: Victoria Geovanna Rodriguez Martus Works LLC 1185 Magruder Rd Dunn Agent: Graham Alexander Dorman Simple But Fabulous LLC 5155 Fairground Rd Dunn Agent: latosha Wilson Zero Fox LLC 60 Yukon Trl Fuquay Varina Agent: Patrick Kelly Jason's Flooring LLC 239 Broom Sage Dr Angier Agent: D. Jason Blancett Cart Doctor LLC 1007 Denim Drive Erwin Agent: Randy Glenn Avery Isabel Cruz Mendoza Cleaning LLC 944 Young Rd Angier Agent: Isabel Cruz Mendoza

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NAVG8R LLC. 193 Heather Brook Circle Spring Lake Agent: Verjilia Marquetta Avila

Harris Hub & More LLC 111 Liberty Ct Raeford Agent: Latoya F. Harris

Caring With Zeal Home Health LLC 189 Bennington Dr. Raeford Agent: Taja Sade Flagg

Triple Threat Trucking Company LLC 416 Pittfield Run Cameron Agent: Jessie L Scriven

Third Arrow LLC 331 Weston Woods St Raeford Agent: Erika Castro-Quinn

Multi Mind Corporation 7158 NC Hwy 27 Lillington Agent: Monica Cortes

Sweet Cravings Lab LLC 355 Walter Gibson Rd Raeford Agent: Lynnette Lee Graham

Tada Party Rentals & Beautiful Creations LLC 256 Sedgefield Dr Raeford Agent: Tasha H. McGregor

Sassin Swag LLC 1084 Festus Rd Coats Agent: Keason Kindale Stocks CH Brown Investments LLC 98 Plainview Pointe Dr Angier Agent: Carey Hunter Brown Artio LLC 135 Huntington Drive Dunn Agent: James Lockamy Better Home Handyman Services Inc. 74 Turnbridge Way Spring Lake Agent: Rene Valdivia JS Beauty Inc. 1721 W Cumberland St Dunn Agent: Soon Lim Sharilynn LLC 611 N. Ellis Ave Dunn Agent: Naomi Khan Kass Enterprises LLC 1400 Interstate Dr Dunn Agent: Joel Foy Right Elevation LLC 1400 Interstate Dr Dunn Agent: John Jackson Foy HOKE

Pink Elite Athletics LLC 120 Turney Street Raeford Agent: Kim Lee Sh umpert That Jerky Lady LLC 302 Sparrow Drive Fayetteville Agent: Yian Saeteurn Coker Vapetown Inc. 2203 Checker Dr Raeford Agent: Ziad Awawda Brixton 18 Trucking LLC 110 Steeplechase Lane Raeford Agent: Jason Williams Blue Jay Custom Designs LLC 138 McKinley Dr Raeford Agent: Julie M Ellis Vector86 Realty LLC 2950 Lindsay Road Ste 19 Raeford Agent: Nyke A McRae Elite Home Health Care of North Carolina LLC 170 Ivywood Lane Raeford Agent: Latoya Kathie Whittington

Jesstation Co. LLC 1145 South Parker Church Road Raeford Agent: Jessica Danielle Thompson Rising Starz Family Childcare LLC 547 N. Parker Church Rd Raeford Agent: Vanne Monique Hoskins Sugar N' Crumbs Limited Liability Company 350 Loblolly Loop Raeford Agent: Cayleigh Michelle Norton Smart Body Curve It Up LLC 531 Broad Dr Raeford Agent: Maria E Andrade New Wave Beauty Supply LLC 310 Sanford Ct Raeford Agent: Megan Floyd Spofex Mechanical LLC 117 Trinity Rd Raeford Agent: Darryl House Catina's Christian and Creative LLC 211 Bugle Call Drive Raeford Agent: Catina Hamm Yah Knows! LLC 708 South Parker Church Rd Raeford Agent: Darren D. McCollum

Page 20

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

bizfayetteville.com

>>

Staff Report

Digital insurance agency LUMBEE GUARANTY BANK LAUNCHES AGENCY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP “We are excited for the opportunity to work with Insuritas and Community Insurance Services in this new venture. This partnership will allow our Bank to continue to offer first-class products and services that help meet the financial needs of our customers.” — Kyle R. Chavis, Chief Executive Officer of Lumbee Guaranty Bank

L

umbee Guaranty Bank is planning to launch a digital insurance agency through a partnership with Insuritas, a digital insurance agency platform.

The launch will be made possible through a joint venture with Community Insurance Services LLC, a subsidiary of North Carolina Bankers Association.

Headquartered in Pembroke N.C., Lumbee Guaranty Bank serves Cumberland, Hoke and Robeson Counties by offering a full range of

>>

financial services across fourteen branch locations.

"We are excited for the opportunity to work with Insuritas and Community Insurance Services in this new venture. This partnership will allow our Bank to continue to offer first-class products and services that help meet the financial needs of our customers," said Kyle R. Chavis, Chief Executive Officer of Lumbee Guaranty Bank in a press release.

The new digital insurance agency will offer 40 carrier options.

Insuritas is excited for the announcement of the partnership, Insuritas Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Chesky said. "Through our unique partnership with the NCBA, the bank will now be able to provide simple, seamless access to competitive options for their customers' insurance needs, all with a focus on delivering the right coverages at the right price at the right time," he stated in the release.

Peter Gwaltney, president of the North Carolina Bankers Associa-

tion, sees the benefit in the partnership as well. "Building recurring fee income from helping customers and expanding customer wallet share will be increasingly important to our community banks, and this innovative partnership between the NCBA and Insuritas continues to allow our community bank members to provide a full service insurance agency platform without the traditional capital, execution and reputation risks of buying or building a local agency," Gwaltney said.

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Staff Report

NC IDEA awards grants THE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF MICRO-GRANTS ACROSS STATE “This cycle drew a record number of applications, particularly from our rural communities. We are seeing a clear need from all parts of the state for funding and support to help these companies grow.”

— Thom Ruhe, President and CEO of NC IDEA

N

C IDEA Foundation announced yesterday that it would award $10,000 grants to 22 startups statewide, one of which is in Cumberland County.

“With such a strong group of applicants, this is the most grant recipients we have awarded in one cycle,” said Thom Ruhe, President and CEO of NC IDEA. “This cycle drew a record number of applications, particularly from our rural communities.

We are seeing a clear need from all parts of the state for funding and

support to help these companies grow,” Ruhe added.

BattleBuggies To Go LLC, based in Fayetteville, was one of the recipients of an NC IDEA grant.

The company is a grocery delivery service. This company, however, stands out from its competitors with a specific niche.

BattleBuggies To Go specifically delivers groceries from commissaries, both in the United States and abroad.

Supported by WeWork and Bun-

ker Labs, the company is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that strives to employ active service members and their family members as well as veterans with service-connected disabilities and retirees.

In addition to the recipients of the micro-grants, NC IDEA announced the thirteen finalists for their $50,000 NC IDEA SEED for fall 2021, one of which was Sani, a Fayetteville-based, South Asian clothing company.

To learn more about NC IDEA, visit www.ncidea.org.

To learn more about BattleBuggies, visit www.battlebuggiestogo.comom.

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

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Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

November 12 - November 25, 2021

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By Jami McLaughlin

November 12 - November 25, 2021

Page 23

PROFILE

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Thomas leads the way with minority-owned contracting business Q&A A aron Thomas, president and CEO of Metcon, is leading the largest minority owned general contracting service business in the Carolinas. Metcon is also a leader in the construction of energy positive buildings, which generate more energy than they consume.

Metcon has more energy positive projects on record than any other construction firm in the United States, winning the company national “Best of the Best” awards from Engineering News and Record.

With six locations throughout the Carolinas and an office in National Harbor, MD, their construction and design projects range from higher education, K-12 schools, government buildings, healthcare facilities and other commercial structures.

GFBJ: What was your background before starting Metcon?

THOMAS: I grew up working with

my grandfather, Curt Locklear, in his hardware and construction material business in Pembroke, N.C. I was mentored by and worked for him in various areas of the business from the time I was 10 years old until I founded Metcon at 23.

GFBJ: How did you start Metcon

and what growth has the company experienced under your leadership?

THOMAS: My partner and I started

the company in 2000 with one employee. We have grown from a single location to multiple offices across the Carolinas with annual volume in excess of 150 million. We have 94 employees over seven locations.

GFBJ: What sets Metcon apart from other companies?

THOMAS: A. Our ability to tackle

large complex construction projects while maintaining a small company feel and customer friendly approach.

B. Our ability to utilize our entrepreneurial mindset to think out of the box to find innovative solutions that drive value for our clients. Examples of that have been our public private partnerships, energy positive buildings that generate more energy than they consume and prefabrication. C. Our talented and dedicated team!

GFBJ: With regard to Native Amer-

ican culture, how is that represented in Metcon and what responsibility do you feel as a Lumbee-based business?

THOMAS: Our culture leads us to be

forward thinking with environmentally sustainable solutions to protect mother earth while driving economic benefits for our customers. We also are sensitive to diversity in our team makeup and our trade partners making sure we are reaching out to all minority groups inviting them to learn and train in the construction field as a career and helping them grow their companies.

Our Lumbee people are also talented builders and tradespeople and work all over the country in construction, particularly in metal framing, drywall, structural steel erection, and rod busting. This is the foundation of our company and we began initially fabricating and erecting panelized metal framed walls and trusses which we still incorporate into our many student housing projects today.

GFBJ: Tell us about Metcon’s Com-

munity and Education Foundation.

How did the foundation come about and what impact has it made on the various communities it has served?

THOMAS: Metcon’s mission is, “To

successfully deliver projects that positively impact our clients, the environment, our employees, and the communities in which we live and work.” We started our Community and Educational Foundation in order to be able to give back to those communities in which we live and work. We have been fortunate to be able to provide endowed scholarships, sponsor projects at schools and universities, and participate in so many worthwhile community projects. A couple of examples are our bicycle drive and event to give new bicycles to kids affected by the hurricanes in southeast North Carolina.

I am also particularly proud of the special adapted home we were able to build and donate to a local 82nd Airborne veteran that was injured in Iraq by an IED in conjunction with Homes for our Troops, our subcontractors and suppliers.

Aaron Thomas President/CEO of Metcon

PHOTO COURTESY OF METCON

Age: 45 Family: His wife, Azalea, and children Ayanna, age 21, Alena, age 17, Ashtyn, age 16, and Austin Curt, age 7 Education: UNC-Pembroke, BS., East Carolina University, Master of Construction Management, UNC Executive Management Hobbies: Hunting, politics, golf, watching sports and spending time with family

GFBJ: What do you see on the horizon for Metcon?

THOMAS: We are in growth mode.

We are continuing to add to our talented team and strive to continue driving value for our clients through innovation and customer service for current as well as new markets and project types.

GFBJ: What are you the proudest of in your career with Metcon?

THOMAS: I’m particularly proud of

being able to build projects that are so impactful to the communities we serve. When I see kids walk into a new school that we built with that glow on their faces, it is very special.

This is especially fulfilling when many of those schools are in communities that have not had anything new in generations and many of the students have never been in anything new before at all. In that we are able

to be a small part of changing those young people’s lives. It’s the best part of what we do!

GFBJ: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

THOMAS: My grandfather always said he was in business to serve his customers and take care of their needs first, to make sure he was there to get them what they needed to do their job no matter what it took or whether it was at night, weekends, on holidays or during hurricanes. Because of this, he built strong, lasting relationships with his customers, and they were fiercely loyal to him and the family business. Ensuring that Metcon provides that high level of client service just as my grandfather did has produced loyal repeat customers and long lasting relationships with our clients.

Page 24

November 12 - November 25, 2021

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT PEMBROKE

Thomas School of Business 14 CLASSROOMS • CAREER SERVICES CENTER • 300-SEAT AUDITORIUM INTERACTIVE MARKET-STYLE TRADING ROOM • VIDEO CONFERENCE ROOM COMPUTER LAB • SMALL AND LARGE GROUP DISCUSSION AREAS FOOD COURT • MULTIMEDIA RESOURCE ROOM

“Our new, state-of-the-art Thomas School of Business will provide our students with all the resources they need in order to succeed in the business world of today and beyond. Every facet of the building is designed with student success in mind.”

Dr. Susan D. Peters - Interim Dean, School of Business

Internationally accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Positively impacting our region by creating business and economic growth. uncp.edu/business