Greater Charlotte Biz 2007.02

Aquesta Bank • Apple Rock Advertising & Promotion • Cogdell Spencer • Compass Career Management Solutions

february 2007

Michael J. Mulligan President General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Inc.

Weaponry Paradigm Shift GDATP Integrates Speed to Market, Flexibility and Improvisation

HOOD HARGETT BREAKFAST CLUB

Charlotte T

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

2007 Speakers:

Q

February 9, 2007

James Carville Media Personality and Political Strategist

April 13, 2007 Liz Murray Inspiration for

Quality speakers.

Quality leaders.

Homeless to Harvard A Remarkable Journey

Quality leads.

March 9, 2007 Ron Insana CNBC Senior Analyst and Financial Expert

May 4, 2007 Jim Nantz Broadcaster CBS Sports

September 14, 2007

October 12, 2007

Rich Karlgaard Publisher Forbes Magazine

Michael Powell Former Chairman FCC

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

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

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

w w w.c har lotteb c a.c om ©2007 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

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in this issue

f

e

a

t

22

e

s

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (ATP) has firmly established its headquarters in Charlotte.The company has continued to grow its business of procuring and manufacturing weapons systems, biological and chemical detection systems and mobile shelter systems. In November 2006, Michael J. Mulligan was appointed president and is now viewing the company with a new set of eyes and a fresh perspective.

& Promotion Since fifty percent of trade show attendees plan to purchase at least one product at a show, companies often need help reaching these customers. Apple Rock provides everything needed for trade show success.

It is a full-service event-planning firm that draws customers in like panning for gold.

16 Compass Career Management Solutions Whether it is through downsizing or reorganization, transition and change can weigh heavily on all those involved. When a company is in the midst of a difficult transition, it is sometimes hard to know where to turn. Enter Bill and Robyn Crigger, who have made a career out of guiding people through these often challenging times.

28 Aquesta Bank Accounting executive Jim Engel questioned his career path as he reached his mid-40s and decided to make a big change.The result is the only bank headquartered in Northern Mecklenburg County. Engel perceived the need for a financial institution that would cater to business people in the burgeoning Lake Norman area and the growth of his Aquesta Bank would seem to bear him out.

febr uar y 2007

r

cover story

12 Apple Rock Advertising

2

u

departments publisher’s post

4

bizXperts Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

6

employersbiz Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

11

biznetwork

37

ontop

38

bizview The Charlotte Region: The View from Another Perspective

44

executive homes Luxury Homes above $350,000 on the cover:

Cogdell Spencer, the Charlotte-based real estate investment trust, specializes in developing, owning and managing health care properties. Cogdell Spencer is working to improve the health care system, and each day 6,500 health care providers see 36,000 patients in Cogdell Spencer facilities and two million people pass through these buildings annually.

Aquesta Bank • Apple Rock Advertising & Promotion • Cogdell Spencer • Compass Career Management Solutions

Michael J. Mulligan President General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Inc.

32 Cogdell Spencer

february 2007

Michael J. Mulligan President General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Inc.

Photography by Wayne Morris.

IBC

Weaponry Weaponry Paradigm Shift GDATP Integrates Speed to Market, Flexibility and Improvisation

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SouthPark is located on the corner of Sharon & Fairview Roads in Charlotte. Shopping Line速 704.364.4411.

[publisher’spost] Do What You Say You Will Do! DWYSYWD One of the most basic rules for succeeding in business is to simply, “Do what you say you will do.” That seems refreshingly easy: That seems like a “no-brainer.” Doesn’t everyone practice that simple principle for conducting business?

Shouldn’t that be expected as a minimum?

I asked a good friend of mine for his best advice when I started this business. His reply came quickly and in a perfunctory manner. He said, “You will succeed in business if you do what you say you will do.” I said that seemed too easy. He said that it is much tougher than I might imagine. There are many obstacles to performing successfully.

We all know that business transactions are generally conducted by way of contracts or agreements in writing. A contract is an agreement between two parties where one party agrees to do something like produce a product or provide a service in exchange for compensation from the other party.

No matter how complete and accurate the contract, however, the parties to any agreement have certain ambitions and expectations that may go beyond the words on paper. They may stem from words that have been expressed and/or impressions that have been created in advance of or alongside any written contract. And so, it is especially important to communicate accurately, honestly and forthrightly with all information that is important to any transaction.

Your customers, clients and vendors want you to do what you say you will do.

Furthermore, they want it done when you say you will do it. Don’t make the mistake of promising more than you can deliver! Don’t make the mistake of promising anything sooner that it can be delivered!

What you promise must be delivered on time for people to have confidence in you and your company. It is often a wiser practice to under-promise and over-deliver. I am proud to have recently received a thank you letter from a customer for a substantial project we had completed. It read: “You can never be better than under-promising and over-delivering and that is what you did with our project. We couldn’t be more pleased and thought your performance from start to finish was exceptional.

Thank you.”

In all of our relationships with our customers, clients and vendors, we are very careful to do what we say we will do. We also want them to do what they say they will do. It is that intrinsic trust and confidence in our working relationship that helps us perform successfully. In fact, we are working as a team for our mutual benefit. The success of our performance may lead to even more business opportunities in the future. We want to build trust and confidence and to meet more ambitions and expectations that go beyond what we have promised. We want to earn the trust and confidence of our customers and clients. We will be successful when we work in tandem with our employees and vendors to deliver a quality product or service that exceeds expectations.

As our company enters its eighth year in business, we promise to continue to work hard each and every day to make sure that each issue of Greater Charlotte Biz improves over the previous issues. We strive to provide quality content that meets the needs of our readership and helps them become better business people. We want to expand our readership so that our advertisers will receive more return on their investment in advertising in our pages.

Having produced over 400 biz profiles in seven years, we have merely scratched the surface of the abundant business activity in this region. We look forward to delivering even more quality content in 2007.

We invite your input. We invite your ideas. We invite your criticism and feedback. We want to earn your trust. We want to do what we say we will do and do even more. biz

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febr uar y 2007

February 2007 Volume 8 • Issue 2 Publisher John Paul Galles jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

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

Creative Directors Rebecca G. Fairchild Michele E.Warren Editorial & Sales Assistant Janet Kropinak jkropinak@greatercharlottebiz.com

Business Development Sandy Rosenfeld srosenfeld@greatercharlottebiz.com

Account Executive Mimi Zelman mzelman@greatercharlottebiz.com

Contributing Editor Susanne Deitzel Contributing Writers Ellison Clary Susanne Deitzel Lisa Hoffmann Janet Kropinak Contributing Photographer Wayne Morris Galles Communications Group, Inc. 5601 77 Center Drive • Suite 250 Charlotte, NC 28217-0736 704-676-5850 Phone • 704-676-5853 Fax www.greatercharlottebiz.com • Press releases and other news-related information, please fax to the attention of “Editor” or e-mail: editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Editorial or advertising inquiries, please call or fax at the numbers above or e-mail: info@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Subscription inquiries or change of address, please call or fax at the numbers above or visit our Web site: www.greatercharlottebiz.com. © Copyright 2007 by Galles Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved.The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable.

However, Galles Communications Group, Inc. makes no warranty to the accuracy or reliability of this information.

Products named in these pages are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies.Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Greater Charlotte Biz or Galles Communications Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. For reprints call 704-676-5850 x102.

Greater Charlotte Biz (ISSN 1554-6551) is published monthly by Galles Communications Group, Inc., 5601 77 Center Dr., Ste. 250, Charlotte, NC 28217-0736.

Telephone: 704-676-5850. Fax: 704-676-5853. Subscription rate is $24 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Greater Charlotte Biz, 5601 77 Center Dr., Ste. 250, Charlotte, NC 28217-0736.

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Add a Benefit at No Cost to Your Company North Carolina’s National College Savings Program Company Advantages • offer North Carolina’s 529 plan to your employees • no set-up fees or administrative charges • available through payroll deduction or automatic draft • minimal administrative involvement

Employee Advantages • easy enrollment and online account access • 15 investment options • tax-free earnings • state tax deduction on contributions

NC529.org Call 800-600-3453 to add this benefit for your employees.

The availability of tax benefits may be conditioned on meeting certain requirements.

To learn about North Carolina’s National College Savings Program, its investment objectives, risks, and costs, read the Program Description available from NC529.org.

© 2007 Pathways, College Foundation, Inc., and State Education Assistance Authority (CFNC)

[bizXperts] Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

asset protection 101: what you need to know before you’re sued Most business owners have heard of the concept of “Asset Protection.” This concept has become more popular in the last thirty years as the number of civil lawsuits in this country has almost tripled. In fact, according to Christopher R. Jarvis and David B. Mandell, authors of Wealth Protection, you are nearly four times as likely to be sued as you are to be injured or killed in a car accident, and you are nearly eighty times more likely to be sued than to lose your home to a fire. Thus, the idea of protecting your assets from lawsuits and creditors is one that you should definitely consider in today’s times. However, you must act to protect your assets before any lawsuit or creditor claim arises. Once a lawsuit or a claim is threatened, many protective strategies can no longer be used. Proper asset protection is always “preventative planning.”

Regarding your business assets, lawyers have long suggested setting up your business as a corporation, primarily for asset protection purposes. Under state law, a corporation is a legal entity distinct from its shareholders, and shareholders are not normally liable for the debts of the corporation. In most cases, the shareholders can only lose their investment in the corporation if the corporation is unable to pay its debts. Thus, many attorneys have long recommended structuring your business as a corporation or, in the alternative, a limited liability company (“LLC”). Formation of these entities as the owner of your business assets is an important “first step” towards asset protection. The corporation normally protects you from the corporation’s debts, provided you did not personally guarantee the debt. Any debt that you guarantee for your corporation (bank loan, lease, etc.) causes you (as well as the corporation) to be personally liable for these obligations.

In order to enjoy the limited liability protection afforded corporations and LLC’s, you must adhere to certain “corporate formalities”, including 1) making sure the corporation is sufficiently capitalized; 2) keeping adequate corporate records; 3) always identifying the business as a corporation through the word “Inc.” or “Incorporated” on all letters, checks, invoices, etc.; 4) executing corporate documents by signing not only your name but also your corporate title; and 5) using separate bank accounts so that you do not co-mingle personal and corporate funds, among other formalities.

Failure to follow these formalities can cause a court to “pierce the corporate veil” and hold the shareholder liable for the corporate debt.

It is very important that you learn to follow these formalities in order to ensure that you have your personal assets protected.

Beyond structuring your business as a corporation or an LLC, there are other asset protection strategies that should be considered for businesses. For instance, it is not normally advisable to put real estate that is used by the business into the corporation. Instead, real estate should normally be put into an LLC owned by the shareholders

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and leased back to the corporation. Thus, in the event of a lawsuit against the corporation which could cause the “operating” company to become insolvent, the shareholders would at least retain the real estate and prevent creditors from seizing this asset as long as it is owned in a separate entity and properly leased to the company prior to the creditor’s claim arising.

In most cases, where the business has significant possible liability exposure which cannot be adequately protected against by insurance, it’s a good idea to make sure the operating business never owns its most valuable assets. These assets can include not only real estate but also copyrights, patents (or other intellectual property) or even high tech, expensive equipment. The recommended course of action is to establish other legal entities to own the valuable assets and then lease or license these assets to the operating business entity. Normally, the operating business should have as few valuable assets as possible so that the company’s creditors cannot claim these assets in the event the corporation cannot pay its claims due to lawsuits or otherwise.

Also, for businesses with multiple locations or divisions, a separate corporation or LLC can be established for each location or division.

This is typically done when a successful business either acquires or starts up a business in a separate location. If the new location fails, there is a separate protective basket so that the rest of the business contained in the original entity is unaffected. The point is that “multiple” entities (corporations or limited liability companies) can often be effectively used in order to protect certain assets used in your business from lawsuits and claims against your business.

Though the basic planning techniques set forth in this article are generally appropriate, there are a number of others that can be considered. You should always seek the advice of legal counsel prior to deciding on any particular technique.

Of course, the legal structure for your business is driven not only by asset protection considerations, but also tax and other considerations. Again, these decisions should only be made after consultation with your attorney and tax advisor.

Robert Norris is managing partner of Wishart, Norris, Henninger & Pittman, P.A., a law firm which focuses on helping business owners define and achieve their business and personal objectives. Contact him at 704-364-0010 or www.wnhplaw.com.

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Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

[bizXperts

do you coach to win?

Whether you are a salesperson or a sales manager, you should take advantage of sales coaching. Once a salesperson understands that sales coaching can help them to make more money and have more fun, it’s inevitable that they’ll want to introduce their sales manager or sales trainer to the concept too. Then it’s up to these potential coaches to decide if they are willing to seriously commit to coaching for their salespeople. That’s where the salesperson’s commitment comes into play—can the salesperson show the manager or trainer that they will do whatever it takes—because that’s the first big step in getting help.

Sales management consists of everything the sales manager does to develop and grow an effective sales force, including…

• Briefing and debriefing • Growing salespeople and making them stronger every week • Being able to motivate salespeople—and keep them motivated • Holding salespeople accountable • Finding, hiring, and keeping top performers The sales manager carries out these functions in various forums, including sales meetings, sales training, the field, and sales coaching sessions. Coaching sessions differ from the other activities in that the focus of coaching is on combining technique reinforcement with one-on-one motivational interaction.

Either the sales manager or a trainer can perform coaching, although the sales manager must make the final decision as to the length and frequency of each type session. My own experience has been that each salesperson should receive an hour per week of coaching, in a one-on-one meeting run by the sales manager.

When using a trainer as your coach, the frequency will probably decrease because of the level of expertise of that trainer.

Some of the areas that should be covered in the coaching sessions are: ACTIVITY. This includes the quantity and results of dials, walk-ins, contacts, appointments booked, face-tofaces, referrals, and introductions. The coach motivates the salesperson to improve in the necessary areas, as measured against pre-established goals.

GOAL SETTING. The coach may permit the salesperson to reduce some of the goals if the salesperson is having trouble achieving them, in an effort to build self-confidence.

The goals then would be increased over time to steadily grow

greater charlotte biz

the salesperson to higher levels of performance.

DEBRIEFING AND BRIEFING. Debriefs are discussions about the meetings and telephone calls the salesperson made with customers and prospects in the week prior to the coaching session. Briefing is when the coach goes on to ask the salesperson what their next steps will be and how they would handle any scheduled follow-up. If necessary, the coach would work with the salesperson to modify those plans.

SALESPEOPLE’S SELF-ESTEEM. It’s important that the salesperson is receiving sales training to work on strategy, technique, and behavior. Take the case of a salesperson that just learned that when he approaches a small company in his industry, he should always call on the chief executive. Naturally it takes self-confidence to do this: therefore, it is key that the coach complement the training by helping to build the salesperson’s self-esteem. Otherwise the salesperson will avoid doing what they do not feel comfortable or capable of doing well. Provided that the salesperson demonstrates commitment, the training and coaching will help the salesperson grow to the point where he is performing effortlessly in pressure situations.

FUTURE COACHING SESSIONS. I recommend that sales coaching sessions always be planned out at least four weeks in advance. Sometimes it makes sense to have several shorter sessions each week. Take the case of the salesperson that is having difficulty achieving prospecting goals. Daily sessions of fifteen minutes would put light pressure on the person to achieve his daily goals. This would force the salesperson to avoid putting off his prospecting chores until the next day; after all, procrastination is one of the salesperson’s worst enemies. Daily sessions would also serve to re-inspire that rookie salesperson who is getting beaten up in the field.

If you are a sales manager, you’re undoubtedly running some sales meetings, but probably not coaching sessions. If you plan to start, congratulations! If not, ask yourself this question: If I could find the time and knew how to run quality coaching sessions, would it make a substantial difference in the results I am getting with my sales force?

If your answer is “yes,” then what’s stopping you?

Start coaching!!

Bob Henricks is president of Henricks Corporate Training and Development, a company dedicated to helping business owners, sales managers and salespeople succeed. Contact him at 704-5447383 or visit www.henrickscorp.sandler.com.

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[bizXperts] Smart Salvos, Select Strategies and Succinct Solutions

your intentional life - answering the call How are you spending your life? Let’s take a look at a few of the more common choices to this question.

Is your goal to: “…Make as much money as possible.” Let’s call this the Security Aim; acquiring material comforts and assuring a comfortable retirement. “…Be well-known and famous.” Let’s call this Fame Aim; wanting to be seen as important and well-known. “…To have a great time.” Let’s call this the Feeling Aim; wanting to feel good; to be entertained. “…To be the best at________.” Let’s call this the Accomplishment Aim; desiring competition with others or against oneself to prove that something can be done. “…To be the smartest.” Let’s call this the Intellect Aim; devoting energies to mastering a given subject or discipline.

These are all reasonable ways to use our life and we are often culturally conditioned to follow one of these paths. But by default, we follow them almost on autopilot, without truly being conscious of our choices.

Interestingly, most accomplished people attest that there is nothing as satisfying as making a difference in the life of others.

Imagine…the greatest pleasure that the world’s super-achievers have known is the conscious, deliberate choice to contribute.

What if you intentionally started to spend your life “making a difference?” What if we ALL actively started to use our lives to create a positive impact in our families, our offices, and our neighborhoods? What if we could get crystal clear how to live and lead in a way that is truly useful and meaningful?

This is “Leading an Intentional Life.” A life beyond just “making a living,” or becoming secure and comfortable.

A life that matters. The intentional life is a rewarding life. But it is neither easy nor comfortable. It requires waking up from our own slumber, and making the existential choice to answer the call to lead an intentional life.

Robert Frost famously said, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

We all have the choice to make that difference. To take that road.

Our next article will explore possible paths to leading and living and intentional life.

Mike Whitehead is president of Whitehead Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in leadership and culture development. Contact him at 704-331-9091 or www.whiteheadassociates.com.

are you a good delegator?

Do you have trouble delegating? Do you have trouble EFFECTIVELY delegating? Delegating effectively is difficult for many managers. There are several reasons that bear exploration.

First, many managers believe they can do the job faster and better than anyone they could delegate it to, so they do it themselves.

This is certainly a short-term solution. If the task will need to be done again, teaching someone to do it will free up the managers time over and over again. In the long term, the manager and the employee will benefit from the task being delegated.

Second, many managers feel they don’t have anyone to delegate to.

Perhaps all resources are stretched thin. They believe it would be unfair to pile one more thing on their already overworked team members. If the company is truly understaffed, this may be an accurate assessment. Often, though, the manager may be using this as an excuse. It’s easier to do it himself than to teach someone else how to handle it.

Third, many managers have found delegation unsuccessful.

They’ve tried to delegate, only to have the task done incorrectly, incompletely or not at all. They see that as proof that they should just have done the task themselves.

Good delegation requires several key components.

1. Training – the person receiving the new task must have training in

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how to accomplish it. Don’t assume it’s just “common sense.”

2. Context – too often, managers fail to explain the bigger picture when delegating. Without the context of where this piece fits, employees may have a difficult time making good decisions and judgments.

3. Benefits – while an employee may be expected to perform simply because he is asked to, explaining the benefits of the new task can improve motivation and commitment. Managers should explain how the task benefits the company, customers, and co-workers in addition to explaining how the new task will enhance the skills and career of the recipient.

4. Priority – just because something is urgent to us doesn’t mean it becomes urgent to the delegate. If we don’t clearly communicate the timeframe, deadline or urgency, we shouldn’t expect the employee to understand it. Again, don’t assume. Be specific.

For a manager to grow, he must help his people grow. Delegating is a critical component of that equation.

Denise Altman is president of Altman Initiative Group, Inc. She provides training, meeting facilitation, and executive coaching to help companies and managers reach their goals. Contact her at 704-708-6700 or daltman@altmaninitiative.com.

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Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers [employersbiz] Strange but From a ban on communal birthday cards to workplace colleagues, to $16,000 in city-funded boxer shorts, there was no shortage of strange but true workplace stories in 2006 that make anyone shake their heads and mutter “how bizarre.”

Workers at a Ford Motor Co. plant in Dearborn, Mich., were told to forget about parking in the company lot unless they drive a Ford vehicle or a vehicle manufactured by a Ford subsidiary. Any nonFord-driving employees must park in an employee lot that is farther away (although still within walking distance of the factory.) The Ford plant manager has the backing of local union leaders and the The city of Richmond in British Columbia instituted an company. underwear policy in 2006 after female firefighters there The policy, which took effect February complained to the city, alleging harassment and a 2006, is reminiscent of the one that took effect hostile work environment. Firefighters there in May 2005 at DaimlerChrysler’s transmission have no privacy when changing into protecplants in Kokomo, Ind. tive gear after a fire alarm sound. All must use a common area to slip off their trousers In South Africa, a 27-year-old man was so and into their gear. desperate for some days off from work that Richmond will now spend $16,000 to purchase six pairs he stole a medical certificate from a health of boxers for each firefighter under a new city policy requiring a center that his pregnant minimum standard of undergarment for those workers, girlfriend used and according to a Business & Legal Reports article. The Delta, British submitted it to his Columbia, fire department established a similar policy in 1997, employer, unaware that only it reported. women used gynecologists, Richmond also plans to implement a mediator’s recommenaccording to a news report. dation to establish A court fined him $140 and warned separate washroom, him “not to walk around faking sick letters In Dorset, shower and from gynecologists.”

England, a changing facilities. brokerage firm banned the A chair that made “flatulating” noises became too communal much for a British secondary school teacher who birthday cards that employees often resigned and claimed she will never teach again. The circulate around the office because of former deputy head teacher claimed her school refused fears of being sued over ageist to replace the chair, which made the noise whenever comments employees often jokingly anyone sat on it and was a source of embarrassment, add to the cards. especially at parent-teacher meetings, according to The firm was responding to a new one report. law that allows an employee to sue She also believed male colleagues were favored over her and that she because of a belief that he or she was “was placed under an unfair amount of pressure.” She sued her former harassed or discriminated against at employer for unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination. biz work because of age, according to a story at www.Metro.co.uk.

Employees at the firm may give The Employers Association is a nonprofit Charlotte organization providcards to each other, and the company ing comprehensive human resources and training ser vices. Founded in 1958, the Association maintains a broad-based membership of over 700 will send a board of directors-signed companies from all industries in the greater Charlotte region. birthday card to each staffer, but the The above excerpts were taken from The Management Report, the group card? Not going to happen.

Association’s monthly newsletter. For more information, please call Laura Hampton at 704-522-8011 or visit the Web site at www.employersassoc.com.

greater charlotte biz

february 2007

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back (l to r): Rick Norton, Regional Account Executive; Bill Dingle, Regional Account Executive; Katie Kenyon, Regional Account Executive front (l to r): Sherry Cox, Vice President, Regional Sales; Eric Burg, Owner and President; Audrey Hackett, Regional Design Manager Apple Rock Advertising & Promotion, Inc.

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by lisa hoffmann

[bizprofile]

Trading on a Great Name

Apple Rock makes a show of display Fifty percent of trade show attendees plan to purchase at least one product at a show, according to Exhibit Surveys, an exhibition and event research firm.

A full 80 percent of the people who visit trade shows have one or more roles in purchasing products touted at the trade shows they attend and almost 40 percent have final say in the decision-making process. For businesses that don’t know where to begin in leveraging these statistics, stepping into the Apple Rock showroom brings it all in focus. Apple Rock provides everything needed for trade show success. And when they say “everything” they really mean it, even when the advertising strategy involves helicopter rides or a killer whale. greater charlotte biz

The Customers’ Customers The plainness of the exterior of Apple Rock’s Charlotte showroom belies the artistry of its interior where visitors are immediately struck by the colorful and contemporary displays, showcasing everything from home improvement products to vacation getaways.Vibrancy stretches from floor to ceiling in a sea of fabric, metal and painted wood. It’s clear you’re seeing the work of inspired experts.

Apple Rock is very much about demographics, about knowing who a client’s customers are, what they like, and what they do, and targeting those customers, says Eric Burg, the company’s owner.And it does much more than just create high-impact event displays. It is a full-service eventplanning firm that draws customers in like panning for gold. ® february 2007

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“We make sure we know who your customers are,” Burg explains, “then we target them with pre-show promotions, get the attendee lists, and target those folks to get them to the exhibit. It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality and we want to make sure that clients’ best prospects show up at their booth.”

“I was impressed with Eric and his staff right from the first meeting,” says Kitty Spence, a corporate communications and marketing specialist for Siegling America, Inc. in Huntersville. “Each one of them has their own talents to contribute and together they create such a cohesive and effective team.”

Burg created a vertically integrated company, one that makes, sells and ships displays, rents displays, stores them, repairs them, refurbishes them, and designs and creates all the graphics. “We try not to outsource anything,” Burg says. “We do it all.”

Apple Rock Advertising & Promotion, Inc. 5005 West W.T. Harris Blvd., Ste. A Charlotte, N.C. 28269 Phone: 704-598-4920 Principal: Eric Burg, Owner and President Employees: 48 Established: 1988 Business: Provides original and creative design solutions and graphics for trade show displays. Offers comprehensive services including needs analysis, complete project management, event promotion and emergency service.Value-added services include parts, supplies and cleaning services; on-site installation and dismantling; catering; and warehouse storage.

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And he really means “all.”

Sometimes big promotions involve a hospitality party or pre-show targeted program.

Burg boasts, “We’ve had boats going around Chicago, we’ve arranged helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon, whatever we have to do to get the right people to the right place for a face-to-face introduction—that’s what our job is.

“In this business you’ve got to know your clients’ business and their customers and you’ve got to know who’s coming to the event and what they would enjoy. That’s when we can make magic.”

Fruits of Their Labor In the ’80s, Burg sold and produced television for an ABC affiliate in High Point.

He loved what he did, which helped him do it well. He impressed a local RV dealer, who approached him with a business proposal.

“

I was impressed with Eric and his staff right from the first meeting. Each one of them has their own talents to contribute and together they create such a cohesive and effective team.

”

~ Kitty Spence, Corporate Communications and Marketing Specialist, Siegling America, Inc.

“He was an RV dealer before RVs were really hot,” Burg recalls. “He wanted me to oversee his advertising. I used to watch ‘Thirty Something’ and I just thought that whole advertising agency idea was the coolest thing. So I told him ‘I’ll be the agency and you can be my first client.’”

And so, in 1988, Apple Rock was born as Russell, Burg and Rowell. As a partner, Burg created the first RV-only trade show in North Carolina in 1990.

“I thought it would be a way to grow the market,” he explains. “I added a show in Greensboro the next year and then added Fayetteville and then Charlotte. I had four RV shows and was doing agency work too.”

By 1991 he had bought out his partners and renamed the company to Apple Rock.

“I had a lot of fun as a kid running

around and playing in the streams around the Apple Rock area of New York,” Burg says. “So the name is a reminder to me, every day, of why I work. If you work hard enough you get to enjoy the things that you like. It’s inspiration that motivates me.”

Burg was doing all the things advertising agencies do—corporate videos, logos, mailers— while also organizing trade show events. So he came up with the concept of being an advertising agency for the event business: “There are thousands of agencies out there and people were gravitating to me because I specialized in face-to-face marketing. It made sense to focus on that.”

Apple Rock created the largest RV shows in the mid-Atlantic, serving more than 600,000 people over the past 19 years. As his client base grew, Burg grew his showrooms. He opened a Raleigh showroom in 1995 and the Charlotte showroom in 1996. “We started out just selling the actual hardware,” Burg says. “Opening the two other showrooms and then expanding our services to the point where they’re now all-inclusive has allowed us to outpace the industry growth rates.

Apple Rock’s typical client is a headquarter-based regional company with $25 to $50 million in annual sales that’s been around for 9 to 15 years. Usually, it’s trying to open up national and international markets. If a company wants to establish a global reach, Apple Rock is ready to help.

Setting up international shows can be much easier than American shows in many cases, Burg claims. “American unions can sometimes present a real challenge. The only real challenge we face with international shows is the time difference and logistics.”

Apple Rock is expanding its number of employees who work exclusively with Fortune 500 companies. Lowe’s Home

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Improvement, a Fortune 50 company, is one of its biggest clients; the company staffs exhibits, handles travel and hospitality, and coordinates many events for Lowe’s.

Tom Lamb, Lowe’s vice president of marketing for Lowe’s, is quick to praise: “Apple Rock Displays has consistently developed and executed exhibits for Lowe’s that reinforce our brand and create a unique and enjoyable experience for our customers. Plus, Eric Burg and the whole Apple Rock team provide excellent customer service.”

Apple Rock has been growing steadily and itself was voted a Fast 50 company in 2005.

Creativity Made Easy Apple Rock’s biggest challenge, according to Burg, is to continually come up with fresh ideas for clients who often come to the showroom complaining that sales are flat and budgets have been cut. As he describes the strategies Apple Rock employs for coming up with new and exciting event displays and planning, Burg lapses into “we” mode, as if he is the client or at least a close business partner. “If someone comes to us and says, ‘Help us come up with something that’ll make us the buzz of the show,’ we’ll put everything we’ve got into it.”

A year or so ago, Apple Rock worked on a trade show plan for Decision One Mortgage, a wholesale lender serving the non-conforming market. Decision One wanted to figure out how to separate itself from all the other mortgage lenders out there.

“When you think of mortgage companies you think of guys in suits and ties,” Burg explains. “Since it’s a mortgage company that lends to credit-challenged customers, we created 3-D branding displays with an extreme sports-based theme of ‘Challenge Accepted.’ The theme said,

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‘We’ll do whatever it takes to get you a mortgage loan, including jump out of airplanes.’” Decision One was awarded best of show and had the most profitable show in the company’s history.

Companies use all kinds of strategies to attract prospects to their trade show booths. They may send one earring, or half a show ticket, promising its mate or other half if the customer stops by the booth.

Sometimes a company will conduct a raffle or have a celebrity guest available. It can come down to something as simple as handing out branded bottles of water.

Whatever they do, it’s all with one goal in mind: engagement.

“It offers the opportunity to strike up conversation,” Burg says. “Informed consumers increase the demand for your product.”

Before Apple Rock can help bring prospects in for a face-to-face, a company needs to define its wants and needs in the trade show arena. That’s not easy these days, Burg says.

“Our business has gotten so complicated that the individual who has to make a purchase has to wrestle with getting more with the same or less money than what they had last year,” he explains. “Our designers and sales people have to create a product, service or event strategy that’s going to deliver more for less money.”

All this brings Burg to another challenge he regularly faces: finding the right employees. “I look for people who are extremely bright and creative who can challenge all the things they know because they have to continue to find new and better ways to serve our clients.” The characteristic Burg finds most important—and least prolific—is the true belief that it’s all about what’s best for the client.

“We came to Apple Rock when our former display house priced us out of our budget,” Spence says. “At Apple Rock

In this business you’ve got to know your clients’ business and their customers and you’ve got to know who’s coming to the event and what they would enjoy. That’s when we can make magic.

“

~ Eric Burg, Owner and President

”

they’re always looking for new avenues to offer better at a high value price.”

According to Burg, there are about six other event planning and trade show companies in the Charlotte metro area that he considers competition, but keeping clients’ best interests in mind gives Apple Rock an edge—that and a true passion for what they do. “We’ll take as much time as we need to so that people can understand their own needs, staying with the discussion long after other companies may become bored or impatient. Coming up with endless creative ideas is the ultimate challenge, and I live for it. It’s all about doing what you love to do.”

Burg sees the Charlotte showroom as the hub for North and South Carolina operations and plans to continue focused growth here. “I see this office growing in the future as the region grows in size over the next three years. We’ve put in all the right things: marketing, hard work, and the best people. We want to reach out to the entire region.”

Burg is expanding his manufacturing facilities in High Point in order to effectively support future growth. “Our graphics production is growing by leaps and bounds. Our fabrication team needs more room. We have 70,000 square feet at the High Point facility right now and we need to get it closer to 100,000 square feet.” Burg is keeping his feet planted firmly on the ground throughout this rapid expansion.

“When all is said and done, customers buy from people they like,” he says, “Our approach to business is to treat the customer the way we would like to be treated. It’s that old golden rule. It never goes out of style.” biz Lisa Hoffmann is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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by janet kropinak

[bizprofile]

NAVIGATING THE WINDS OF CHANGE Compass Career is a Beacon Through Transition Change can come in countless forms and the effects on a company can be long lasting. Whether it is through downsizing or reorganization, transition weighs heavily on all those involved. When a company is in the midst of a difficult transition, it is sometimes hard to know where to turn.

Enter Bill and Robyn Crigger, who have made a career out of guiding people through these often challenging times.

In 1994 the Criggers started The Transition Team, an outplacement and human resources-consulting firm. Bill himself had faced displacement in his career and they decided to use their experience to help others who found themselves in this difficult situation.

But by October 2002, Bill and Robyn realized they had outgrown their franchise and made the decision to go into business independently. Although a risky decision, they both agreed it was the only way they could meet the demands of their customers. 速

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When Bill and Robyn opened Compass Career Management Solutions later that year, it was their clients who steered them toward their new name; remarking that in addition to problem solving, a large part of what they do is help people in gaining direction within their careers.

Along with the change came new challenges and new opportunities, but Bill and Robyn have managed to stay true to their core values and have remained a client-focused company.

Steering Through Change One of the changes the Criggers have seen in recent years is a drop in the demand for outplacement services. In 1994 it was 100 percent of their business, but today has shifted down to 65 percent. The demand for large group outplacement has also shifted to focus more on executives and individuals or small groups.

Although starting Compass Career allowed the Criggers to broaden their service offerings, they weren’t looking to become ‘jacks of all trades’ but instead, worked to carve out their niche.

“We decided that what we were doing was right. Our customers were just asking us to expand on it a little bit,” Robyn explains.

And expand on it is what they did. Bill and Robyn listened to their clients and used their input in creating new divisions and services for their business.

They stayed under the change management and career development umbrella but offered more services.

In addition to continuing their work with outplacement services, they offered coaching and training seminars and began developing their consulting skills.

Compass Career started to morph into a human resources consulting firm

“Compass Career Management, heads of HR, and the decision-makers should work together as partners in transition.

The fact is all business today is in the midst of transition—nothing stays the same and people sometimes just need someone to help guide them.” ~ Robyn Crigger, CEO

Bill Crigger, President Robyn Crigger, CEO Compass Career Management Solutions, LLC

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specializing in outplacement career transition assistance, organizational development and executive search.

Amidst these changes Bill and Robyn made a point of continuing to use personalization and customization to distinguish themselves from other firms.

“Clients asked us to take the personalization and customization that we had done in outplacement and apply it to exit interviews and training so they knew they could count on us,” Bill says.

“That is what ultimately happens, they count on us for what they know we can deliver.”

Organizational development, training and leadership development, executive coaching and assessment and exit interviews, which are customized for each

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client to address retention within a company are predominant among the services Compass Career now offers to their clients.

Organizational development helps companies cultivate their talent by taking a group of individuals and creating a climate where they can be the most effective. Compass Career strives to teach people how to be effective within their cultures.

One thing Bill feels strongly about is putting the focus back on the employees. His team is working to give people the skills they need to become effective in the workplace by giving them the tools they need to educate themselves and communicate their needs and ambitions.

Compass Career has a partnership with OI Partners, Inc., a national organization made up of independent human resource firms, that allows them access to a wide array of resources that would otherwise be unavailable as independent owners.

OI Partners has also helped in cutting

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“We believe in what we do. We made the choice to get into our line of work. And we make a choice everyday to continue to do it and so we work hard to design our systems to support what we believe in.” ~ Bill Crigger, President

down travel demands for Bill and his staff. If they are talking to a company in Denver about training seminars, they are able to put them in touch with a group out there to avoid Bill having to make the trip and, at the same time, saving the company the cost of travel expenses.

Though staying true to their focus

of establishing partnerships with their clients, they are always available upon request, whether that means traveling or not.

Making themselves available to their clients extends past the willingness to travel. Bill and Robyn and their consultants give out their home phone numbers to their clients in case an emergency comes up outside of working hours.

Their dedication is evident: Bill recalls getting a phone call on December 26th while visiting family, but was happy to take the call and assist his client. “It would have been terrible if she had to wait until the next week to get answers to her questions. We aren’t 24/7 but you can reach us when you need to get a hold of us,” he says.

In addition to making themselves readily available to their clients, Bill and Robyn are always finding ways to connect with people. Whether it is hosting roundtable discussions or small group seminars, Compass Career is always willing to go the extra mile. And Bill insists that these ®

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groups are also a great learning experience for them.

Staying True to Course Availability is not the only thing that sets Compass Career apart from other companies.

Robyn says their competitors often refer to them as a boutique firm because of the special TLC they offer their clients that you aren’t likely to find in large corporations.

“It really is a partnership, and we are learning as much from our clients as they are learning from us,” Bill notes.

Bill and Robyn have focused their executive search on the Carolinas because it allows them to spend time doing one-on-one interviews, a process Bill says is important to them. Making the time to personalize and customize the services they are providing is what gives Compass Career the reputation they have today.

Oftentimes, people don’t know what they want. So for Compass Career, an important part of their job is to identify not only what they want but what they need and assist them accordingly. Customization plays a large role in this.

Partnering with OI Partners has strengthened their ability to serve their clients by creating a larger network of associates to help assist their clients. And if a client comes to them with a need they can’t fill, they find someone who can.

“If someone comes to us and wants something that we don’t do, we are glad to give them the name of someone we would trust to do a good job,” says Robyn. “But at the same time, we are very selective about who we recommend.”

When it comes to selecting people for their own team, Bill and Robyn have very high standards. Although their consultants are independent contractors, they are looking for people with whom they can build long-term relationships. “We are looking for people who have the same philosophies as us,” confirms Robyn.

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“The Criggers believe that it is their combination of knowledge and passion that makes them effective. "We don't sell products—we sell the knowledge and the training needed to assist people...” ~ Bill Crigger, President

The Criggers’ extensive community and organizational involvement have only enhanced their relationship building. Through these involvements they have forged countless relationships and developed a large network of contacts benefiting their business and their clients.

Both are filling rather prominent roles this year: Bill is president of the Charlotte chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management in addition to being on the Board of the Charlotte Manufacturers Alliance. And Robyn is the president of the National Association of Women Business Owners and a member

of the Metropolitan Business and Professional Women.

This is only scratching the surface of their community involvement and Robyn is the first to admit that their plates are full, “We definitely pick and choose where we spend our time. But we are doing are things that we believe in and things that are going to benefit our clients.”

When asked if Bill and Robyn have the same approach to their work, Bill replies, “We have the same approach but with different functionalities.”

Since Bill has a history in human resources and corporate America and Robyn has a background in organization skills and communications, they balance each other out in terms of their strengths.

“We are on the same page, but we use our different strengths to accomplish the goal,” Bill affirms.

Bill and Robyn also agree on the importance of letting yourself have a little fun and learning to laugh at your own mistakes. “You need to plan to have some fun and release some of the stress and tension that people have when they are job hunting,” Bill says with a smile.

Having been through displacement themselves in the past, Bill and Robyn often offer personal stories to help others avoid some of the mistakes they made.

Full Speed Ahead Having worked hard over the past 13 years to carve out their niche, Compass Career is now on course for a prosperous future.

Bill says he would like to see an expansion into Raleigh in the near future.

Currently, they have consultants throughout North Carolina and Virginia who help service those clients.

Since 1994 Compass Career has offered educational financial planning workshops for those in transition, retirement decision-making and pre-retirement planning and will continue to expand on these services in the coming year. But Bill is quick to

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point out, “We don’t sell products—we sell the knowledge and the training needed to assist people in these areas.”

Another area they will be focusing on more is succession planning, something that has been pushed to the back burner and is now becoming a concern to many employers.

This is where executive coaching comes in; it is designed to help younger, less experienced employees learn what is necessary to fill the shoes of the employees preparing to retire.

The Criggers believe that it is their combination of knowledge and passion that makes them effective. “I’m not a salesman. If I am able to talk about what we do, and you can see that I believe in it strongly and I’m passionate about it, that is really what we have to offer,” he says.

There is no doubt that Bill and Robyn love what they do. Their enthusiasm is

contagious and their energy is envious.

“We believe in what we do. We made the choice to get into our line of work. And we make a choice everyday to continue to do it and so we work hard to design our systems to support what we believe in,” Bill comments.

In addition to having the knowledge needed to assist their clients, Bill and Robyn and their consultants are really in the business to help people, which is something not all their competitors can claim. Though Bill is quick to give credit

where credit is due, “They do a good job, if they didn’t they wouldn’t be in business. We just choose to do things differently.”

Wherever the winds of change take Compass Career, one thing is certain; Bill and Robyn will continue to service their clients with their knowledge and passion and continue to grow and offer new services while staying true to themselves and their clients. biz Janet Kropinak is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

PARTN E R S

8509 Crown Crescent Court, Ste. 100 Charlotte, N.C. 28227 Phone: 704-849-2500; 800-2156410 Principals: Bill Crigger, President; Robyn Crigger, CEO; Matthew Crigger, Office Manager and Project Manager Additional Locations: Greensboro, N.C., and Richmond,Va. Employees: 18 Consultants In Business: 13 years Community Involvement: Charlotte Chamber/Manufacturers Alliance, NAWBO, Society of Human Resource Management, Metropolitan Business and Professional Women,The Employers Association, Aldersgate, University of Phoenix, Providence United Methodist Church.

Business: Compass Career Management Solutions, LLC provides a variety of outplacement and human resource services.

The main divisions of the company are outplacement and career transition, training and development and recruiting and search but when necessary, Compass Career develops new programs to fit the needs of their clients. www.oipartners.net www.compasscareer.com

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Member FDIC

Compass Career Management Solutions, LLC

Power sports call for power banking.

When she started Lake Norman Power Sports, Dana Martin borrowed from a number of sources until Bank of Granite’s Derek Titus showed her the value of power banking: a consolidated loan got her a better rate and a single payment.

“Derek just came by and asked if he could help,” said Dana. “Did he ever!”

Lake Norman/Cornelius 704.987.9990 Matthews 704.814.1200 SouthPark 704.442.5900 Uptown Charlotte 704.945.6565

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photo: Wayne Morris

Michael J. Mulligan President General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Inc.

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by susanne deitzel

[bizprofile]

Weaponry Paradigm Shift

GDATP Integrates Speed to Market, Flexibility and Improvisation In 2002, the relocation of the headquarters of General Dynamics’ Armament and Technical Products (GDATP) operation was widely heralded in Charlotte; by 2004 it was firmly established. Since then, the company has continued to grow its business of procuring and manufacturing weapons systems, biological and chemical detection systems and mobile shelter systems. Vis á vis relationships with the defense department and its incumbent forces, GDATP has consistently proposed innovative solutions and won large contracts to keep national defense strategies well fortified.

This past November GDATP appointed a new president, Michael J. Mulligan, who is viewing the company with a new set of eyes and a fresh perspective. ®

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Learning the Line Prior to joining GDATP, Mulligan spent 20 years at Electric Boat Corporation, the submarine arm of parent company, General Dynamics Corporation. During his tenure at Electric Boat, Mulligan oversaw vital program management and engineering assignments, including serving as the design program manager for the Virginia Class submarine program and as engineering supervisor for reactor plant fluid systems. Mulligan also became responsible for development, execution and testing of all aspects of the conversion of two Trident class system submarines into new guided missile configurations.

For the layman, this translates as a lot of responsibility in terms of security, human life, deadlines, high-level communications and money. Spokesperson John Suttle explains it best, “When you are responsible for making sure every detail is perfect before a hugely expensive government vessel filled with American sailors goes under water, you have to have a lot on the ball.”

Mulligan recalls, “When I began at Electric Boat, it was the perfect job for me. It was the most demanding, rigorous engineering work I could imagine.

Then, as I began to work more closely with the commanders, I found myself being surprised at what was important to them. My perspective began to change from a product-focused to a

customer-focused mentality.”

Mulligan took a year sabbatical to participate in a Sloan Fellow program in innovation and global leadership.

Mulligan credits the program’s immer-

“We view our business as part of an ecosystem with customers, technology developers and suppliers, to create a hub of expertise that will help to attract the talent that will continue to make Charlotte vibrant and sustainable.” ~ Michael Mulligan, President

sion experience with professors, business leaders and professionals to cultivate knowledge, collaboration, networks, global understanding and leadership for cementing his focus: “My vision morphed from the engineering mindset where there is a definite right or wrong answer, to seeing that in many situations there are several right answers, and that the trick is selecting the most appropriate one.”

Company: Inspection!

Mulligan joined GDATP in 2006 as vice president of operations, shedding his engineering sea legs for

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the terra firma of the company’s ATP division. “We are an incredibly diverse company in terms of products, customers and people. While a lot of people think that all we do is deliver weaponry—what we really pride ourselves on is offering solutions. We cultivate an understanding for what is needed, and coordinate people, places and things in our sphere of influence to provide an answer.”

Mulligan says, the nature of the beast has changed, “This business used to be about long procurement cycles, identifying a need and putting ideas into development. We don’t have the luxury of time anymore; we get requests from the battlefield for things needed immediately. Our charge is to be well-connected and nimble so that we can provide a solution as quickly as possible.”

What Mulligan is talking about here is a paradigm shift. Defense procurement is no longer about placing an order for a weapon and waiting a few years for it to be researched, developed and built. The system is now grounded in cultivating and managing a network of relationships, on both the customer and development ends of the spectrum, to forge instant connectivity at the slightest spark of need.

For example, the biggest challenge recently for GDATP was answering the threat of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices).

Explains Mulligan, “This business did not exist 18 months ago. A customer informed us of the problem, we did research and found a Canadian company that had well-developed technology compatible with that need, and then developed a scenario and the integration to make the solution accessi-

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ble as quickly as possible.”

The power and efficiency of the GDATP model makes it uniquely suited for this kind of facilitation. Its relationships with the Department of Defense, intimate knowledge of procurement protocol, project management prowess, supply chain management capability and vast supplier network allows the company to advocate for a best-case scenario quickly. It also opens other avenues for revenue: brokering and integration.

GDATP has business development personnel scouting for new academic and commercial technology providers that can satisfy future needs. The company also stays close to government agencies to gain insight into what might be envisioned for the future.

This way, Mulligan’s people can seek out, partner or acquire companies that fit the bill, or determine to develop the product in-house.

“We have the ability to critically assess, provide enhancements where necessary, and get the product fielded. In today’s world, speed to market and flexibility are critical,” comments Mulligan.

Integration is another fascinating improvisation gaining more and more play in the current world theatres like Afghanistan and Iraq. To outfit a soldier with a solution, there is a lot more needed than just shipping a product in a box.

“In the case of the IED jammer device, procuring the product was just the starting point,” explains Mulligan. “We had to make sure that the product would fit into military vehicles properly, that the electrical wiring would work out, and find a location where it was most convenient and appropriate.

Then, once the soldiers receive the device, they need to know how to install and maintain the equipment, training and support to employ it

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in theatre, and spare parts immediately accessible.”

He adds, “We also had to devise a way for the provider to deliver the product on a large scale and create an

“We have to leverage our skills and solutions like any other business. But when you start talking about technology transfer, security and other issues, you must be supersensitive and attentive to cultural differences...” ~ Michael Mulligan, President

acquisition program including a funding, execution and delivery strategy.

Most technologies operate as individual subsystems. Our degree of integration is unusual and because of the caliber of our people; that is where we excel.”

Armed and Ready With the world stage being the way it is, it is easy to come up with questions for Mike Mulligan. Will defense spending rise or fall if the Iraq conflict deescalates? How do you anticipate the types of products that will be required?

How long do you think it will take the shift from wartime to time-out practices to resume?

Unfortunately, Mulligan knows no more than the rest of us when it comes to these questions. While some estimates report that “the top line budget for the U.S. Department of Defense…in real buying power is the highest now since the Korean War,” and that “planned defense spending for FY2007 is 439.3 billion, 6.5 percent higher than 2006 before any supplemental defense spending,” there are little specifics about how or where that money will be spent.

The same report also suggests that real buying power for procurement and development of new technology will actually decrease.* One of the centerpieces of GDATP’s move to Charlotte was its chemical and biological weapons detection systems laboratory. While the company has been in contact with Homeland Security about further developing a ®

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defense strategy to integrate this program, progress has been slower than anticipated.

Says Mulligan, “Initially we thought that every unit would have to outfitted against the threat of biological or chemical weapons. But body armor has

usurped that need.

It is a matter of establishing priorities, and it is a tough balancing act when you are talking money and threats.”

Mulligan shares that the company is focusing activity on detecting radiological equipment in shipping containers at U.S. ports, and that it has developed a system for protecting domestic airports against anti-aircraft missiles.

“We are an incredibly diverse company in terms of products, customers and people.

While a lot of people think that all we do is deliver weaponry-what we really pride ourselves on is offering solutions.

We cultivate an understanding for what is needed, and coordinate people, places, and things in our sphere of influence to provide an answer.”

business used to be a product of the government procurement cycle. But the world is a different place now, and we aren’t interested in focusing solely on proprietary solutions. We want something that is viable now, and this involves strategic relationships.”

Comments Mulligan, “We have to leverage our skills and solutions like any other business. But when you start talking about technology transfer, security and other issues, you must be supersensitive and attentive to cultural differences. Accountability isn’t viewed the same way in other cultures as it is in the U.S. So there is a huge demand to choose relationships wisely and use exacting measures.”

To this aim, General Dynamics has released the 5th edition of its “Blue Book,” its official handbook of conduct and ethics. These guidelines set standards of fairness, asset management in accordance with company values, delivering on promises, accountability and fair return. It also outlines the global importance of its work, how to get answers, make tough decisions, handle international business practically and legally, work with the government, confidentiality, transparency and sundry other concerns.

In fact, General Dynamic’s ATP division was awarded the 2006 American Business Ethics Award from The Society of Financial Service Professionals, an accomplishment that continues to leverage General Dynamics’ reputation for integrity and ethical standards.

Comments Mulligan, “When I got here, it became clear that ATP has a strong ethics focus even within the stringent considerations of General Dynamics. When you have a strong ethical framework, decision-making becomes more efficient. It is a very integral part of our business.”

While the horizon might be decidedly hazy in terms of defense spending or world events, GDATP plans on continuing to entrench itself as part of Charlotte’s business and organizational landscape. Mulligan lives in Ballantyne

~ Michael Mulligan, President

Of course, a large chunk of GDATP is still manufacturing, boxing up and shipping out guns and combat systems, but it is constantly honing and refining what spokesperson John Suttle calls its ‘sixth sense’ for the customer. Says Suttle, “Our

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with family and looks forward to becoming part of the corporate community once he is fully acclimated to his new surroundings.

He also looks forward to contributing to what he calls an impressively constructive business climate, and continuing to position the company as a rich storehouse of human resources. He explains, “A lot of people think we are just a big house of engineers when actually we have brilliant financial people, legal and contracts people, and HR experts. We have a huge variety of skills

“We have the ability to critically assess, provide enhancements where necessary and get the product fielded. In today’s world, speed to market and flexibility are critical.” ~ Michael Mulligan, President

under our roof.”

Mulligan concludes, “We view our business as part of an ecosystem with customers, technology developers and suppliers, to create a hub of expertise that will help to attract the talent that will continue to make Charlotte vibrant and sustainable.” biz * Source: Keller, John. Military and Aerospace Electronics, November 2006.

“Defense Industry Upbeat…”

Susanne Deitzel is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (GDATP) 2118 Water Ridge Parkway Charlotte, N.C. 28217 Phone: 704-714-8000 Principal: Michael J. Mulligan, President Employees: 300 in Charlotte Established: May 2002 Business: General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, an operating unit of the General Dynamics Corporation, is a proven systems integrator of defense products for all branches of the U.S. Department of Defense and the Ministries of Defense of over 30 allied nations. GDATP provides customers with advanced capabilities through Advanced Materials, Detection Systems, Gun Systems and Weapon Systems. GDATP designs, develops and produces high-performance armament systems, a full range of high-performance composite products for the aerospace industry, biological and chemical detection systems, advanced sensor and vision-enhancement systems, and mobile shelter systems. GDATP also provides system management for key DOD programs, including the 2.75-inch (70mm) Hydra-70 rocket family.

General Dynamics: Defense contractor General Dynamics brings it on by land, air, and sea. It operates in four areas: Information Systems & Technology (command and control systems), Marine Systems (warships and nuclear submarines), Combat Systems (tanks, amphibious assault vehicles and munitions), and Aerospace (business jets).

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pictured (l to r): Jim Engel, President and CEO; Lauren Kimsey, Director of Marketing and Executive Assistant Aquesta Bank Bill Scibetta, President Precision Fitness

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by ellison clary

Bank Invests in Lake Norman

[bizprofile]

Aquesta Targets Fast-Growing Business Community

Like many, accounting executive Jim Engel questioned his career path as he reached his mid-40s. Unlike most, he made a big change. The result is the only bank headquartered in northern Mecklenburg County.

Engel perceived the need for a financial institution that would cater to business people in the burgeoning Lake Norman area and the growth of his Aquesta Bank, based in Cornelius, would seem to bear him out. The shores of that man-made lake on the Catawba River teem with small- and medium-sized businesses, the target market Engel set for Aquesta.

“I think people recognize that the big banks do a lot of things well,” says Engel, Aquesta’s president and chief executive, as he sits casually at a conference table in the bank’s temporary headquarters. “But their target market tends to be significantly larger than ours.”

Aquesta pursues commercial customers seeking loans of $1 million to $2.5 million, Engel says. Other prime prospects include retailers who might not want that much money, industrial firms that need a bit more, and land developers whose loan requests could go as high as $5 million.

The legal lending ceiling for Aquesta is $3.2 million, but its self-imposed limit is $2 million, unless its board decides to go higher. If a qualified borrower wants significantly more, Aquesta can approach other banks to help fund the loan. However, Aquesta has the wherewithal to serve most Lake Norman businesses. ®

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february 2007

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From his temporary offices in the Magnolia Estates Plaza, Engel outlines how the fledgling financial institution got there.

In January 2006, Engel started raising funds for Aquesta. By the end of March, he and his helpers had the promise of $18 million, a benchmark set by the N.C. Banking Commission. When Aquesta opened August 1, it had more than 560 shareholders and $22 million.

But don’t get the idea it was easy, Engel cautions. “Quite honestly, there was a significant amount of work,” he explains. “We got commitments very fast. The hard part is actually getting a check. We held a number of investor meetings. I would have breakfast, lunch and dinner with potential investors.”

Engel attracted people such as Ginger Griffin, principal at Ginger Griffin Marketing and Design in Cornelius, a native and life-long resident of the Lake Norman area. As Aquesta’s chairperson, she is one of only two or three women to have led Tar Heel bank boards.

Other members of the 15-person board whose names are well-known in the Charlotte region include Greg Biffle, who competes in NASCAR Busch Series races; Jon Dressler of Dressler’s Restaurant in

Huntersville; and Charlotte native Charles Knox Jr., a commercial real estate broker and developer with The Knox Group, which focuses on North Mecklenburg from a Huntersville office.

Soon after its September 9, 2006, grand opening, Aquesta issued its first earnings report for the two months ended September 30. Assets had climbed to $40 million, and since have reached $56 million.

The earnings report included an operating loss of about $205,000, but Engel points to “strong growth momentum.”

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The average community bank reaches profitability in 5.5 quarters. “We certainly hope to be at least average,” Engel says.

Taking the Plunge When he took the plunge into banking, Engel had fashioned an aboveaverage career. With a bachelor’s degree from Maryville College and law degrees from Suffolk and Boston Universities, the St. Petersburg, Fla., native had put in 21 years at accounting juggernaut KPMG, working primarily in Boston and Washington before relocating to Charlotte.

He concentrated on bank taxation and in the early 1990s, when banks began building interstate empires; he made himself an expert on multi-state bank taxation. Given that North Carolina financial institutions were among the interstate leaders, it made sense for KPMG to base him in the Queen City.

Engel built an organization of 15 partners and 120 or so managers and staff.

He was based in what is now a Wachovia tower in center city Charlotte.

By age 45, Engel and his family had lived in Lake Norman’s Peninsula neighborhood for a decade. They were involved in community and school activities, but Engel was restless.

“I got to the point where I could stay at KPMG and continue on, or take a chance and go into something where I thought I could make a difference,” Engel says matter-of-factly. “I said, ‘I need to do this now or never.’ So I chose to do it—to start a community bank.”

Now 47, start-up rigors haven’t robbed Engel of his youthful looks. He smiles easily as he explains why he can be effective as a community banker.

“

Engel named his startup bank Aquesta for the word’s roots in the Latin for water, which dominates its Lake Norman home. He also likes the “quest” element because it conjures an image of striving for a different future.

”

~ Jim Engel, CEO and President “I saw the good, the bad and the ugly of the large banks,” Engel says. It disturbed him that most banks lost their community focus as they grew. The main reason was their tendency to promote people away from their customers.

“For many small business owners,” Engel says, “they don’t see any continuity in terms of banking relationships.”

He decided he could run a community bank where people who are good with customers find an inviting career path in continuing to be customer-facing professionals as loan officers, tellers or office managers, with pay scales that encourage them to stay in their competency areas. At Aquesta, he says, small business people won’t have to “start at square one every single time they need a loan.”

Living where he does, Engel is confident a community bank with headquarters near Lake Norman can thrive. He knows the area’s image of vacation homes and recreation is being altered by a fast-growing business community.

Engel named his startup bank Aquesta for the word’s roots in the Latin for water, which dominates its Lake Norman home.

He also likes the “quest” element because it conjures an image of striving for a different future.

Local Decision-Making With fast, local decision-making as its strongest lure, Engel believes Aquesta can overcome some of the traditional strengths of large institutions such as Bank of America and Wachovia, both of which maintain offices in Cornelius along with a host of other banks including First Charter, First Citizens, Regions Bank and

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Mooresville Savings Bank.

Engel calls online banking a commodity, and Aquesta gets its online capability from data processing companies. Further, Aquesta reimburses the fees other banks charge for using their automatic teller machines. “Essentially, our bank has every ATM in the country,” he chuckles.

A piece of technology Aquesta uses to its advantage is a machine called Check 21. Installed in a business location, it scans the firm’s checks, puts them in digital format and transmits them to Aquesta for same day deposit.

Good timing has helped Aquesta make a fast start. “Luck counts,” Engel admits.

“Interest rates have been in our favor.

They stopped going up about the time we opened. I think we’ll see a decrease sometime in 2007. If that happens, we could be in great position. As a new bank, we have a very large securities portfolio and we’ve done well with that.”

Engel is moving ahead with help from a Lake Norman area veteran. He hired Davidson native Buddy Caldwell, who attracted a loyal North Mecklenburg following at First Charter, as chief credit officer.

Engel has known his chief operating officer, Paul Dougovito, for two decades.

When he called Dougovito in Boston to tell him of his career change, Dougovito

Aquesta Bank 8301-17 Magnolia Estates Drive Cornelius, N.C. 28031 Phone: 704-439-4322 Principals: Ginger Griffin, Chairperson; Jim Engel, President and CEO; Paul Dougovito, COO; Buddy Caldwell, CCO Employees: 18 Established: August 2006 Assets: $56 million Business: Aquesta Bank is dedicated to providing unexpected convenience and unsurpassed service by catering to banking expectations of the Lake Norman community. www.aquesta.com

greater charlotte biz

shared the news that he was retiring from his financial career, which featured a long tenure as a chief financial officer. Engel convinced Dougovito to reconsider and move south.

Now living in Birkdale Village, Dougovito enthusiastically sings the praises of Aquesta’s headquarters building that will rise at the corner of West Caldwell Avenue and Jetton Road (right behind Aquesta’s temporary headquarters). That three-story structure, designed

by Roger Layman Architects of Davidson, will house 14,000 square feet inside its stone and blue-green glass exterior. Environmentally friendly features include water reuse.

Groundbreaking is set for early this month. When Charlotte’s Edifice general contractors completes the new building in fourth quarter 2007, Aquesta’s staff should number 25.

Aquesta hopes to occupy a branch in Davidson in late summer and the bank already operates a loan production office in the Lincoln County town of Denver.

Engel is looking closely at other potential branch locations that include Huntersville and the Brawley School Road area of southern Iredell County.

That takes care of expansion for the next three to four years, Engel figures, but he acknowledges Aquesta won’t stop with five offices. Ultimately, there could be more than one branch in Cornelius and Huntersville, he says, and he likes the way the Iredell County town of Troutman is growing.

The Next Frontier Board member Knox, a former chairman of the Lake Norman Chamber, is enthusiastic about growth for the lessdeveloped west side of Lake Norman, calling it the area’s next frontier. “Eventually, you’ll see development on all sides of the lake,” Knox says.

The lake-dominated areas of Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba counties are Aquesta’s natural territory, Engel feels. For signs of economic vitality, he points to continued work on Interstate 485 and improvements to Highway 16, the planned expansion of Mooresville headquarters for home improvement giant

“

What I'd really love to think is that we will be a very successful community bank.

As you get bigger, it becomes easier to move more toward being a big bank.What you really want to do is retain the local connections and the local decision-making.

”

~ Jim Engel, CEO and President Lowe’s and the thriving NASCAR shops that dot the lake towns.

That brings Engel back to NASCAR driver Biffle. He wanted Biffle on his board for more than the obvious benefit of an auto racing connection. “He’s a very good business person, with foresight and an appreciation for planning,” Engel says.

Can Engel envision the Aquesta name on Biffle’s Number 16 Ford? “That’s expensive,” he laughs. “I’d love to have our name on his car, but I don’t see that happening for quite a while.”

Engel feels Aquesta can make a significant difference for the towns where it operates by placing Community Reinvestment Act funds in meaningful projects. These towns often have needs that large banks consider too small for consideration.

He cites an example for Cornelius, which he guesses doesn’t get its share of federal funds. “We paid a scholarship for Cornelius to send a person to a grant writing school,” he says.

Engel himself brings up the question of whether Aquesta might someday sell to a larger bank. He leaves no doubt that is not on the institution’s radar screen.

Yet he shies from predicting Aquesta might become the lake’s dominant financial institution.

“What I’d really love to think is that we will be a very successful community bank,” he says. “As you get bigger, it becomes easier to move more toward being a big bank. What you really want to do is retain the local connections and the local decision-making.” biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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Frank Spencer President and CEO Cogdell Spencer Inc.

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by ellison clary

[bizprofile]

Healthy Investments OWNERS

DEVELOPERS

MANAGERS

Cogdell Spencer Focuses On Facilities It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who first spoke of building a better mousetrap. Were the 19th century philosopher with us today, he would praise Cogdell Spencer Inc. The Charlotte-based real estate investment trust specializes in developing, owning and managing health care properties, including hospital facilities and medical office buildings. Started in 1972 by James Cogdell, its formula proved so compelling that competition forced it to become a public company.

Today, Cogdell Spencer’s portfolio includes 111 buildings in 11 states with 5.4 million square feet of rentable space and another 400,000 square feet under development. It owns 50 properties,

greater charlotte biz

manages 57 more and also has four joint venture properties.

Though Cogdell remains very active and serves as chairman, Frank Spencer is president and chief executive and oversees all daily operations.

“Consistent with our mission,” Spencer explains, “we view ourselves as a health care company that focuses on facilities, not as a developer that happens to do some medical office buildings. This company is built around health care development, management and finance.”

Thirty-five years ago Cogdell’s first project was Randolph Medical Park, still operating on Randolph Road near Charlotte’s

hospital district. Cogdell invited physicians to co-invest as limited partners in the real estate, not just as project tenants. Through three decades, Cogdell employed that general formula to build and manage medical projects across the southeast.

Perhaps the best measure of the company’s success is that many other investors decided to pursue medical offices. By early in the 21st century, the company that had become Cogdell Spencer needed more investment dollars to keep pace. So it recast itself as a selfadvised real estate investment trust (REIT), debuting on the New York Stock Exchange with the symbol CSA on October 27, 2005. ®

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Spencer lays out the reasoning behind the move: Large sums of money were flowing into medical office investment, driving prices up. After considering private equity, Spencer says, the firm decided to go public because it fit the business model.

“We always have bought and held,” he says. “Once we are on a hospital campus, we don’t want to sell our building. We want to work with the hospital to develop the next one.”

“We said we needed permanent capital that doesn’t force us to sell,” Spencer continues. “We wanted to be in charge and make decisions about our assets and our partnerships.”

The REIT market funds long-term growth, operating income and a consistent growth pattern that doesn’t rely on selling assets, Spencer adds.

Jim Cogdell, Frank Spencer and the firm’s management team own about 25 percent of the Cogdell Spencer stock, but those with the company (approximately 118) received shares at the IPO and have some ownership. About a third of the workforce resides in 10,200 square feet in a SouthPark office building on Barclay Downs Drive. The rest of the Cogdell Spencer employees are spread throughout properties the company owns and or manages in cities such as Columbia and Charleston, S.C., Augusta, Ga., Gulfport, Miss., and St. Petersburg, Fla. “Our commitment to our clients is that everywhere there is a Cogdell Spencer building, there is a Cogdell Spencer employee in it everyday. We believe in a hands-on approach to managing property,” Spencer says.

The mixture of development and management works well. “Most of our fee-

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based management is buildings that we either developed for clients and stayed on to manage, or buildings that we manage in the context of other relationships,” Spencer says. “At University Hospital in Augusta, we own four buildings on their main campus.

We manage another nine buildings and that brings the total to over a half-million square feet under management.”

“

We view ourselves as a healthcare company that focuses on facilities, not as a developer that happens to do some medical office buildings. This company is built around healthcare development, management and finance.

”

~ Frank Spencer, President and CEO

Becoming a National Company Cogdell Spencer is quickly growing into a national company. Spencer points to new initiatives in places such as Indianapolis, Ind., Glendale, Calif., and Lancaster, Pa. That growth is possible, he adds, because the company now has the resources to pursue “the right kinds of clients.”

The company seeks mostly non-profit health care institutions with a dominant market share and strong local decisionmaking. “When you find that combination, you almost always find investment-grade credit,” Spencer says. “Locally, NorthEast Medical Center in Cabarrus County has been a terrific client for over a decade.

They fit the mold exactly.”

Dr. Lynn Hughes of NorthEast Ear Nose & Throat Center is certain his practice is better off for its association with Cogdell Spencer. A decade ago, he recalls, the company encouraged him to invest in

a new medical office building attached to NorthEast Medical Center.

“I elected to buy into this building and that was the best investment I ever made,” Dr. Hughes says matter-of-factly.

The new building provided the extra space Dr. Hughes needed because he was adding a partner and it solved a parking problem as well. Cogdell Spencer continues to manage the facility.

“It’s a fine company,” Dr. Hughes says of Cogdell Spencer. “They’re very good at teaching doctors—who aren’t always very good businessmen—about the good business practices that can be readily learned if you’re open to owning real estate.

They’re good at explaining it in a way that I can understand.”

Fully 80 percent of Cogdell Spencer assets are on hospital campuses, Spencer says. “We’re trying to work with the hospitals in conjunction with the physicians.”

Unique Formula Cogdell Spencer has plenty of competitors like Pacific Medical Buildings in Southern California that “look a lot like us,” Spencer says, but Spencer sees his company as unique.

“We are clearly the only public company that allows physician participation in asset-level investment,” Spencer says. “That’s how Jim Cogdell founded the company and that’s how we built our reputation. We get a franchise location, the hospital gets a new facility without using its own capital, and we give the physicians an opportunity to participate financially in the building where they’re paying rent.”

It’s a formula that Spencer feels is improving health care in the United States. He reels off statistics: Each day

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6,500 health care providers see 36,000 patients in Cogdell Spencer facilities and two million people pass through these buildings annually.

What these patients don’t see, Spencer says, is that because medical providers can use Cogdell Spencer capital instead of their own for their physical buildings, they can invest their money in a CT scan or some other enhancement.

“Finally, and perhaps most important,” Spencer says, “we bring physicians and hospitals together in a positive economic ®

waynemorrisphotography wayne@wmphoto.biz www.wmphoto.biz

704.545.7001

Architectural Interiors & Exteriors Advertising Industrial Corporate

HR ADVICE HOTLINE Love is in the air…Are you prepared for it in your workplace?

The Employers Association provides advice daily on these and other questions as an exclusive benefit for members.

Cogdell Spencer Inc.

Q: I’ve found out that two of my employees have entered into a romantic relationship that may potentially cause conflict in my workplace. How should I handle this situation?

4401 Barclay Downs Dr., Ste. 300 Charlotte, N.C. 28209 Phone: 704-940-2926

www.cogdellspencer.com

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A) Terminate both employees.

B) Give both employees a brief time to think about which one will either move into another position (if available) or leave the company.

C) Terminate the employee who contributes less value to the company.

D) Do nothing.

E) Call The Employers Association to discuss.

The

EMPLOYERS A S S O C I A T I O N

©2007 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

Principals: James W. Cogdell, Founder and Chairman; Frank C. Spencer, President and CEO, Charles M. Handy, Senior Vice President and CFO NYSE: CSA Founded: 1972 Employees: 118 Market Capitalization (12-29-06): $273 million Buildings in Portfolio: 111 Net Rentable Space in Portfolio: 5,400,000 square feet Business: Cogdell Spencer Inc. is a real estate investment trust that invests in specialty office buildings for the medical profession, including medical offices, ambulatory surgery and diagnostic centers. Its mission is to improve the quality of health care in the United States by providing its clients with state-of-the-art facilities, expert management and financial resources.

For more information on The Employers Association please visit us at www.employersassoc.com or call 704-522-8011.

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35

venture. There is always some tension between a hospital and physicians. As cost pressure has manifested itself in this industry, being able to provide that positive relationship has become even more important.”

Spencer, son of former Davidson College President Sam Spencer, was a Morehead Scholar as he earned his bachelor’s degree in German at the University of North Carolina. He went on to get a Master of Business Administration from Harvard

“

Our commitment to our clients is that everywhere there is a Cogdell Spencer building, there is a Cogdell Spencer employee in it everyday. We believe in a hands-on approach to managing property.

”

~ Frank Spencer, President and CEO

University where he was a Baker Scholar.

Now 46, his career has included stops at Bank of America predecessor NCNB; The Crosland Company, a leading Carolinas developer; and Children’s Services Network, a public-private venture charged with evaluation and coordination of all services for children in Mecklenburg County, where he served as the first executive director.

He joined Jim Cogdell in 1996, he says, for two reasons. First, he likes providing a service. (At Crosland, he worked in affordable housing among other things.) Second, he saw a lucrative business opportunity, and performance has borne that out.

Yet, Spencer readily admits the company faces challenges. Moving from a private company to a public firm created plenty internal stress. There’s more

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detailed reporting required in accounting, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance must be documented, and there are compliance audits and public filings.

‘No Longer a Secret Industry’ Externally, he smiles, “We are no longer a secret industry.” A decade ago, he explains, development came almost entirely from existing relationships.

“Well, the world has changed,” he says.

“We now compete for projects. Our track record has been good so far, but it really forces you to be more precise, more aggressive in your pricing. That challenge of competition is something we’ve embraced, but it’s clearly a difference in the way we do business now.”

The uninitiated might glance at Cogdell Spencer’s third quarter earnings report and wonder at Spencer’s words. For the three months ended September 30, the company reported a net loss of $2.3 million. But Spencer explains that is a function of depreciation on the buildings that Cogdell Spencer in essence bought when it issued its initial public offering.

“If you look at the analysts who follow the REIT industry, none of them report earnings per share because it’s not meaningful,” Spencer says. “They all look at Funds From Operations (FFO); that’s true cash flow available for dividends or reinvestment.”

Cogdell Spencer reported third quarter FFO of $3.2 million, or 26 cents a share.

FFO for the first three quarters of 2006 was $11.3 million, or 92 cents per share.

The company’s future is bright, Spencer says, and is quick to explain why. Assets for the medical office buildings industry are estimated at $250 billion. Yet the market capitalization of all that have invested in it is only a fraction of that number.

“Our total capitalization is just over a half billion dollars and we’re the only public company that’s devoted exclusively to medical office buildings,” Spencer says.

“So we think there’s a lot of upside.”

About 80 percent of all U.S. hospital revenues and expenditures still go through the non-profit sector, he says. Yet most investment funds have focused on the for-profit industry because it was easier to identify the large companies.

“We think we’re playing in the large side of the market,” Spencer says. “Right now, we have a development pipeline that is as strong as we’ve ever had. Certainly, in the foreseeable future, we think we can continue to take our model—physician partnerships with non-profit hospitals— and do a lot more business than we’ve done in the past.”

Spencer won’t end an interview without praising “the team effort” that has built the company and explaining why that’s important.

“Jim Cogdell clearly laid the foundation on which this company is built,” Spencer says, “and for 25 years he was the driving force in what happened.” Since Spencer joined as a partner, he continues, he and Cogdell have built the management that runs the firm today.

“The average tenure of the folks that report to me is 13 years,” Spencer says.

That team of six plus Cogdell and Spencer has helped transform the company from Cogdell’s entrepreneurial vision to a firm with an institutionalized process for conducting business. “That team delivers to the clients everyday,” Spencer says, “and Jim and I wouldn’t be anywhere without that team.” biz Ellison Clary is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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[ontop] Awards & Achievements Southern Living magazine has named Cutter Productions’ and For Your Home TV show hosts Vicki Payne and daughter Sloan Payne-Rutter to its North Carolina’s Fantastic Forty list.

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Advertising & Media Moonlight Creative Group has received a platinum and gold award at the MarCom Creative Awards.

Luquire George Andrews (LGA) advertising, marketing and public relations firm has appointed Paula Armstrong as traffic Paula Armstrong and media coordinator.

The Marketing Consortium has been honored with a Silver Tusk Award at the annual Carolinas Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society fall conference.

CC Communications, Inc. has earned a first place ranking in the recent list of Top 25 Website Design Companies published by The Charlotte Business Journal.

Enventys, a full-service product development and marketing firm, has hired Arcadio Pesqueira as a new Web developer. WCNC Arcadio Pesqueira Interactivity executive producer Matthew Ipsan has been promoted to the newly created position of director of new media.

Lyerly Agency has named Stephen Huneycutt as account executive and Andy Aldridge as senior account executive.

Business & Professional The law firm of Hedrick Eatman Gardner & Kincheloe, LLP has named Elizabeth A. Martineau, Melissa L. McDonald, Sharon E. Dent and Jennifer S. Jerzak partners in the firm.

Kennedy Covington, one of the largest law firms in the Carolinas, has announced that 24 of its attorneys have been named to Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite for 2007.

www.fieldstonenetworking.com

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[ontop]

Excellence

Charlotte attorney E. Fitzgerald “Jerry” Parnell III has been elected a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Labor law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP has elected Kevin Dalton Charlotte attorney Kevin Dalton to the partnership.

Education & Staffing Kim Riggi has been appointed the new senior director of campaigns and development at Queens University of Charlotte.

Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of Central Piedmont Kim Riggi Community College, has announced the selection of Stephen Gerhardt to the newly created position of Harper National Flexographic Center Coordinator.

Pfeiffer University President Dr. Chuck Stephen Garhardt

greater charlotte biz

Dedication... and a touch of

Office ©2007 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

Construction & Design The Women’s Council of the Home Builders Association has named Harel Howze Woman of the Year for outstanding service.

Lauth Property Group has announced that its HSBC Regional Headquarters project has received the Excellence in Private Building Award from Southeast Construction magazine.

Anita Holland Interiors, Inc. has been selected as a member of the Best Practices Network, an elite national group of interior design firms.

The Lake Norman Home Anita Holland Builders Association has honored Deborah Bowen, vice president and co-owner of EFC Builders, with its first-ever Gold Star Award, recognizing outstanding commitment in volunteer and community involvement, leadership and continuing industry-related education.

Mike Phillips, PE of Clark Nexsen has become a registered communications distribution designer.

Experience

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704-399-1948 www.LarnersOffice.com

february 2007

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[ontop] Ambrose has been re-elected to serve a second term as chair of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Presidents Council.

Dr. Charles Central Piedmont Ambrose Community College has held a 100th birthday celebration for longtime friend, supporter and retiree of the college, Powell Majors, as well as announced the results of a scholarship Powell Majors fundraising effort in honor of Majors. CEO Inc. has been named as one of the top 50 diversity-owned businesses, one of the top 100 women-owned businesses and one of the top 100 small businesses in North Carolina by www.DiversityBusiness.com, a multicultural business-to-business online portal. CEO Inc. has also hired Ayanna Scott and Shawn Wilkerson as account executives.

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Engineering Mulkey Engineers & Consultants has appointed Andy DeGroat to firm principal and has hired Bill Seaborn as utility coordination manager. r

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Financial & Insurance Grant Thornton LLP has announced the promotion of several employees to partner in the Charlotte office: Jim Dee, Kris E. Ruckman, Forrest Frazie, and Mark J. Edwards The Charlotte office of national specialty insurance wholesaler, underwriter and managing general agent Burns & Wilcox has been named one of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gold medal branches of the year.

Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.P., has announced the addition of Mark K. Nelson as a partner with the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accounting and auditing group.

Timothy C. Flanagan, Jr., general agent with Mark Nelson Hinrichs Flanagan Financial, has received the Pete Peterson Advisor of the Year award from the Charlotte

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[ontop] Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Flanagan has also been selected to serve on the board of directors of the WTVI public television station.

Greg Morris has joined Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) General Agency as a disability practice consultant.

Mark Edinger has joined First Trust Bank as vice president/branch development officer of the SouthPark office.

First Charter has promoted Joe Crews to vice president, Rick Eveson to senior vice president, and Dick Lester and Trey Weir, to executive vice president. First Charter has also welcomed Sheila Stoke as senior vice president and controller and Bob Nadler as senior vice president and investment services division manager.

Michael J. Jette of Carroll Financial Associates has received the CFPN Certified designation from Atlanta-based Christian Financial Professionals Network.

del Rosso

Health Care Lorree Riley has been promoted to chief program officer for Community Health Services.

greater charlotte biz

trust+strategy+integrity+planning+insight+experience it all adds up.

Š2007 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

Government & Non-Profit Mecklenburg County has named Jim Garges as its new park and recreation director.

The Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross has honored The Duke Jim Garges Energy Foundation with the prestigious Circle of Humanitarians award, the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest award honoring financial assistance.

Special Olympics North Carolina has received a $20,000 grant from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust, the private foundation managed by CVS Corporation.

Kristin White del Rosso, president of Charlotte-based Pea Organizing Services Inc., has been selected to serve on the board of directors for the Carnivore Preservation Trust Kristin White in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

At the lake:

Uptown office:

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

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

704.663.0193

704.371.5000

www.danielratliff.com february 2007

41

[ontop] Angela Gallo, founder and president of Total Nutrition Technology, Inc., has been awarded Dietetic Professional of the Year for 2006 by the North Carolina American Dietetic Association.

Michael C. Burton has been named the new corporate communications director at Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Michael Burton Manufacturing The Continental Tire North America, Inc. PLT Replacement Sales and Marketing group has announced Dana Zamalloa as manager, public relations and communications.

Bonsal American has promoted Jeff Lax to general manager of the Pavement Jeff Lax Coatings Division.

Global anilox supplier Harper Corporation of America has announced that Christopher Mueller has joined its European affiliate, Christopher Harper Graphics, as producMuller tion manager.

Real Estate Commercial/Residential Steve Deaton, Holly Elmaghri, Ryan Gibson, Norris McCleary, Sara Robinson, Sheila Tischler and Chuck Webb have joined Prudential Carolinas Realty as sales associates in Charlotte.

Michael Morris has joined global real estate comMichael Morris pany Binswanger as vice president of the Charlotte Retail & Sports & Entertainment Emeka Okafor, 2005 NBA Rookie of the Year and Charlotte Bobcat, has announced the launch of the Million Lives Initiative in partnership with the Safe Blood for Africa Foundation to reduce the number of transmission infections of HIV and other bloodborne diseases in Africa.

Jonathan Waters has been named owner

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[ontop] and president of A-1 Printing, a Hickorybased commercial printing company.

Geoff Bragg has reassumed the position of head chef at Pewter Rose Bistro in South End. Technology Cynthia Marshall, most recently president of regulatory and constituency affairs for AT&T California, has assumed the responsibilities of former President Krista Tillman upon her retirement from the new AT&T. Time Warner Cable’s Charlotte Division has named Mike Cullim vice president of technical operations and IT, Jim DiSalle vice president of finance, and Mike Smith vice president of customer care.

Concord-based CT Communications, Inc., a growing provider of integrated telecommunications and related services to residential and business customers, has been added to Standard & Poor’s SmallCap 600 Index.

Lauren Friday has joined Lauren Friday Decision Support Inc. as marketing coordinator and Winn Maddrey has joined the company as vice president, business development and strategic initiatives.

Winn Maddrey

People are critical to your success.

Tourism The Light Factory’s River Docs exhibit has won a $7,350 grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council.

Get the right people aligned with the vision, train them to perform and set clear expectations, and you’ll be amazed at the outcome.

We’ll give you tools to do just that.

Transportation Horizon Lines, Inc. has announced three new directors to its board: William J. Flynn, James W. Down and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. biz

greater charlotte biz

~ Laurie Leonard SUITE 1000

~ Katharine Monk Lucas-Forman, Inc. ©2007 Galles Communications Group, Inc.

To be considered for inclusion, please send your news releases and announcements in the body of an e-mail (only photos attached) to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com, or fax them to 704-676-5853, or post them to our business address – at least 30 days prior to our publication date.

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

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

Our meetings are packed with practical information you can use to improve your business and reach your goals. Join today and become part of this exciting and worthwhile group.

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

february 2007

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[bizview]

The Charlotte Region:The View from Another Perspective

Location, Location, Location

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

N

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Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT) averages more daily flights per capita than any other airport in the nation. Charlotte/Douglas provides non-stop service to 124 destinations worldwide via 635 daily flights to more than 25.5 million passengers annually. Charlotte is a national hub, with service provided by eight major domestic airlines, two foreign flag carriers, including Lufthansa, and seven regional carriers. The airport ranks 16th nationwide in operations and 19th nationwide in total passengers. International travel is easy with daily non-stop flights to 28 international destinations, including London, Mexico City and Munich, Germany. CLT has approximately 20,400 parking w w w. g r e a t e r c h a r l o t t e b i z . c o m

Featuring Executive Homes in the Charlotte Region CLASSIC FARMHOUSE Monroe, North Carolina This classic farmhouse is situated on 12+ acres with a lot of road frontage. It features a beautiful chandelier in the formal dining room, gas-log fireplace with marble surround and ornate mantel in the living room. The large kitchen is open to a cozy den and sunroom.

3BRs/2BAs MLS# 634080 - $459,900 Property Address: 7421 Morgan Mill Road

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

NEW CONSTRUCTION AT COOKS COVE Lake Wylie, South Carolina Immerse yourself in the luxuries of this opulent residence.

Overlooking the waters of Lake Wyle is this wooded, 1.66-acre lot with wooded walkway to boat dock and grand home with three levels of gracious rooms. Second living quarters in the basement offers a great place to entertain.

5BRs/5.1BAs YMLS# 1035669 - CMLS# 628764 - $1,340,000 Property Address: 5583 Creole Road

Mary Beth Shealy – 866-658-5754 www.marybethshealy.com

VIEWS AT THE POINT Mooresville, North Carolina This remarkable waterfront property is located in the prestigious community of The Point. It is perfect for entertaining with tall ceilings and numerous windows to help appreciate the view. The basement has second living quarters, a billiard room and bar. The boat slip is just steps away.

5BRs/3.1BAs MLS# 643121- $1,185,000 Property Address: 155 Vineyard Drive

Candi Schuerger – 704-235-2417 www.allentate.com/candischuerger

210 TRADE Charlotte, North Carolina Located in the heart of Center City’s EpiCentre is this chic 20th-floor condo overlooking Charlotte’s skyline. It offers 1,567 square feet of luxury, 2 parking spaces and access to the tower’s lounge, billiards room, wine cellar, fitness club, pool, sundeck, putting green, pet walk. Completion date 2008. 2BRs/2BAs MLS# 638645 - $625,500 Property Address: 210 Trade Street

Builder Services Inc. – 704-333-0244 www.210trade.com

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