Greater Charlotte Biz 2011.07

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july 2011

8TH ANNUAL 2011-2012

! ! ! Business Wise ! ! ! American Red Cross ! ! ! United Sleep Medicine ! ! ! Potter & Company

Presbyterian Healthcare– A Remarkable, Multi-dimensional Approach Scan to view greatercharlottebiz.com

Mark Billings President and CEO Presbyterian Healthcare

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115, Charlotte, N.C. 28226-1310

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 505 Charlotte, NC

I was two months away from high school graduation when life presented a series of challenges and I was forced to drop out. I had no credentials to secure a job, no way to earn a living. That was until I learned about CPCC’s programs; they turned my life around. Within three months of enrolling at CPCC, I earned a Ren’a Crawford Information Systems Technology Certificate student

GED and found employment.

CPCC took me from welfare to work and because of that, I have become successfulfilled.

filled www.cpcc.edu

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cover story

Presbyterian Healthcare

President and CEO Mark Billings has a calming air as he answers questions about the future of his organization, the second largest healthcare provider in the Charlotte metropolitan area. He follows Carl Armato’s mantra that, “By staying connected with our physicians, we hear loud and clear what the patients want, and what the patients need.” He is convinced, “If all of our activities center on the patient, the rest will take care of itself.”

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departments

BizEd 2011-2012

Given the pace of change in workplace technology and the growing demand for highly skilled employees, not even the most experienced workers can afford to rely on existing skills, and neither can their employers. BizEd features business education opportunities, from traditional business education programs to customized work force training.

8TH ANNUAL 2011-2012

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Business Wise Business Wise understands that identifying the right person in the right company unlocks opportunities for new business. They pride themselves on their laser focus on the local marketplace to provide the most accurate and up-todate verified prospecting information and business intelligence in their sales and marketing database.

28 American Red Cross “I’m glad the Red Cross found me and I’m so impressed with the staff and volunteers that work in this organization,” says Regional CEO Angela Broome. “I’m amazed everyday that they give all that they do—roll out of bed at 3 a.m. to respond to a fire or deploy for three weeks over Easter holiday; come home for two days and deploy again to Alabama, for example.”

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legalbiz

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Transforming the Business of Law to Meet the Needs of Business

consultingbiz

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Managing and Delivering Change to Optimize Business Value

webbiz

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Work Force Education and Training Opportunities

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Accounting, Tax and Consulting Solutions

employersbiz

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Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

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on the cover: Mark Billings President and CEO Presbyterian Healthcare

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july 2011

8TH ANNUAL 2011-2012

Photo by Wayne Morris

! ! ! Business Wise ! ! ! American Red Cross ! ! ! United Sleep Medicine ! ! ! Potter & Company

Presbyterian Healthcare– A Remarkable, Multi-dimensional Approach Scan to view greatercharlottebiz.com

Mark Billings President and CEO Presbyterian Healthcare

34 United Sleep Medicine

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“Our goal is to increase awareness of the effects of sleep deprivation,” says CEO Alan Campbell. “While diet and fitness may be pillars of wellness, sleep is also a significant contributor.” President Hemanth Rao adds, “Once they feel healthier by getting the benefits of restful sleep, they seek out ways to solve other medical problems. They are motivated to lead healthier lives.”

One of the largest locally-based CPA firms in the region, Potter & Company works with business owners to help them achieve their financial goals, not just providing audit and tax services, but facilitating business improvement planning and developing pathways to reach their clients’ goals. Says Bucky Glover, “Knowing your client well can help you think or anticipate for them.”

Potter & Company

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[publisher’spost] 704-676-5850

Are You an Entrepreneur or a Manure-preneur?

In order to succeed in business, you must have an optimistic attitude about your business—regardless of economic conditions and the attitudes of those around you.

Some days it may be hard to get out of bed, but let your optimism kick in and you can make things happen that will be good for you and John Paul Galles good for your business.

Optimism by itself cannot guarantee success, but it sure helps. In fact, economists and corporate entities actually track small business optimism to learn the direction of small business optimism and determine the strength or weakness of the business climate at any given time.

Just last month, two major organizations found their data at odds. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) found that their Small Business Optimism Index was falling.

At the same time, the American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor (AMEX) findings indicated an increase in optimism among small business owners.

NFIB’s news release stated “For the third consecutive month, NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index fell. While the drop was slight…-.3 points, with the index settling at 90.9 in May—the index makes clear that optimism is moving in the wrong direction; a recession-level reading for an economy fighting its way through a recovery. A leading cause of the low reading is the stubborn problem of weak consumer spending, which is especially problematic for services, a sector dominated by small businesses.”

The American Express Monitor reports that “small business owners are shifting their focus from surviving to capitalizing on growth opportunities and they’re expecting to hire and make necessary capital investments in their firms, signaling to signs of an economic recovery.”

They go on to show that more than one-third of small business owners have plans to hire, up nine percentage points from last fall and the highest level since the fall 2008 survey. Also, they indicate that four-in-ten plan to make capital investments, 44 percent up from 38 percent last fall, and that many expect to grow (37 percent) and are willing to take a financial risk to do so (56 percent).

This is simple proof that numbers are interpreted through the eyes of those reading them.

Economists differ. At the same time, those same mixed signals are similar to the reaction of business owners I have encountered lately around the Charlotte region. Some businesses are up; some are down; many are holding near the same.

An abundance of optimism from many business owners creates a rising tide of business activity that lifts all our boats. More than likely, individual business owners need to be taking actions to diversify, add new products or services, seek new lines of revenue and find ways to grow.

Nearly everyone has cut expenses as much as they can and they are less likely to spend until their confidence grows and they can be confident they will see a return on their investments. They have de-leveraged substantially.

Pessimism is the other side of the spectrum. Some say pessimism is simply being realistic and if your reality includes slow collections, slow sales, customer bankruptcies, rising prices, and many other obstacles, then you have reasons to be pessimistic.

I had to laugh recently when someone described the difference between business people who are optimistic as entrepreneurs and those who are pessimistic as “manure-preneurs”!

Which description applies to you? Our recovery does not work unless or until momentum builds from all the entrepreneurs who find ways to grow, build wealth and create jobs.

So, the optimism index is important to our economic future. It is an indicator of our collective economic direction. The good news is that the indices are mixed. They are not collectively falling. At the same time, they are not collectively rising. Nearly everyone predicted a long, slow recovery. It has been exactly that. It is a slog…a slow and long recovery.

Keep your personal optimism index high so that you can be even more successful, and, in turn, we will all be more successful. biz

Let me know what you think - jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

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July 2011 Volume 12 • Issue 07 Publisher John Paul Galles x102 jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com

Associate Publisher/Editor Maryl A. Lane x104 mlane@greatercharlottebiz.com

Creative Director Trevor Adams x107 tadams@greatercharlottebiz.com

Sales Manager Chris Sessions x106 cell: 704.816.0605 csessions@greatercharlottebiz.com

partners !CC Communications, Inc. !Central Piedmont Community College !NouvEON Technology Partners, Inc. !The Employers Association !Wishart, Norris, Henninger & Pittman, P.A.

Contributing Writers Zenda Douglas Barbara Fagan Carol Gifford Heather Head Casey Jacobus

Contributing Photographers Trevor Adams Wayne Morris Galles Communications Group, Inc. 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115 Charlotte, NC 28226-1310 704-676-5850 Phone • 704-676-5853 Fax www.greatercharlottebiz.com • Press releases and other news-related information: editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Editorial: mlane@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Advertising: jgalles@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Subscription inquiries or change of address: subscriptions@greatercharlottebiz.com.

• Other inquiries: please call or fax at the numbers above or visit our website www.greatercharlottebiz.com. © Copyright 2011 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., 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115, Charlotte, NC 28226-1310.

Telephone: 704-676-5850. Fax: 704-676-5853. Subscription rate is $24 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Greater Charlotte Biz, 7300 Carmel Executive Park Dr., Ste. 115, Charlotte, NC 28226-1310.

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[legalbiz]

THAT LAPTOP MAY BE YOU! !"#$%"&'()*+,-.',/)'*)+0-"&1'-0/)',&2'-0/)'+0--0&'"&'+0-3!$% )/.'$4).)'2,5.6',&2'"&'$!/&6'$4)5',/)'*)+0-"&1'-0/)',&2'-0/)'07',' #",*"#"$58' 9&)' +0!3#)' ".' &0(' ,++!."&1' &,$"0&,#' /)&$%$0%0(&' +4,"&' :,/0&;.'<&+8'07'.35"&1'0&'$4)-',$'40-)'!."&1'$4)"/'/)&$)2'+0-3!$% )/;.'()*+,-'("$40!$'$4)"/'=&0(#)21)8':,/0&;.',#.0',##)1)2#5'!.)2' ,'=)5#011)/',&2'$00='/)1!#,/'.+/))&.40$.'07'$4)'+0!3#);.',+$">"$").'

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c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

You Can Damage Your IRA’s Protection A United States Court of Appeals has ruled that a person’s individual retirement accounts (IRAs) were not exempt from creditors. The owner of the IRAs had entered into a “prohibited transaction” with his IRAs which caused the IRAs to be disqualified. This means that the IRAs are treated as being distributed to the owner on the first day of the tax year when the prohibited transaction occurred, with all of the taxes and penalties due as if the owner had withdrawn the money.

What qualifies as a “prohibited transaction” is defined by statute, and, in general, covers situations where individuals use the funds in their IRA for their own or an affiliate’s or relative’s benefit (these people fall under the definition of a “disqualified person”).

In this case, the owner of the IRA had his funds transferred to a bank account in his and his wife’s name to cover a purchase of a mortgage. He repaid the amounts to his IRA within a year. He later used funds in the IRA to cover losses in his brokerage account and transferred funds back and forth multiple times from each account to the other. The owner of the IRAs then filed bankruptcy and claimed the IRAs were exempt from creditors.

The court ruled that the IRA owner’s actions violated the prohibited transaction rules. Thus, the owner’s creditors in bankruptcy had access to his IRA accounts.

It is important to take the rules pertaining to 401(k)s and IRAs very seriously. Do not access this money for you or your business’ benefit unless you intend it as a true withdrawal where you will pay tax (and penalties, if applicable).

Also, if you are considering withdrawing money from your 401(k) or IRA account before you had planned to in order to survive, you should consider bankruptcy as an option before you spend your protected retirement savings.

Content contributed by Wishart, Norris, Henninger & Pittman, P.A., which partners with owners of closely-held businesses to provide comprehensive legal ser vices in all areas of business, tax, estate planning, succession planning, purchases and sales of businesses, real estate, family law, and litigation.

For more information, contact Gar y Smith at 704-364-0010 or visit www.wnhplaw.com.

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[consultingbiz]

NouvEON Technology Partners, Inc. Managing and Delivering Change to Optimize Business Value

!Quantifying Soft Costs Subjective in Nature But No Less Important to the Bottom Line

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veryone knows there are soft costs associated with running a business.

However, many people overlook the fact that soft costs can have just as big an impact on the bottom line of a business as the hard costs—sometimes even more.

Many companies find themselves running their business on items associated with hard dollar costs. They understand raw material costs as so much per unit and labor costs as so much per hour. They manage budgets that are tied to these hard dollar costs and judge their progress to profitability based solely on these items.

However, hard costs cannot take into account costs associated with turnover, lost productivity, low morale, lost sales or any combination of these items. It is these soft costs that can have a big impact on the bottom line, driving up costs and reducing profits. Until a company accepts this fact and takes the time to quantify the soft costs, they will never understand the true potential of their business.

The problem with soft cost quantification lies in the fact that most are subjective in nature. You know an issue is leading to a loss in productivity and you know this is affecting your business in a negative way. But without quantifying it, you don’t know the amount of resources that should be allocated to correcting the issue. Many times, you find yourself trying to justify a project to the Finance Department and they point to a lack of “hard dollars” saved based on their ROI calculations.

You must have a way of quantifying these soft costs that makes sense, is fluid in nature, and based on pre-established parameters that can be updated given the situation that is presented. Without this supporting means of quantification, you most likely will not get the support you need and the underlying issues will continue to eat away at your company’s bottom line.

Most people put into this position of getting support to address a soft costrelated issue are left with no option but to submit a soft cost static report-out that outlines the issue as accurately as possible with a summary of costs associated. However, without proper quantification, this is nothing more than a rough guess. Then they squirm as their estimates are accosted and scrutinized. If the independent metrics that make up the estimates are unclear or missing, the overall estimate gets thrown out and the request for resources denied.

There is a desperate need for dynamic soft cost quantification methods with independent metric justification. One method is a series of soft cost calculators, which provide a sound way to help understand and quantify soft costs. These calculators are Excelbased and driven by unique, quantifiable metrics that are supported (and validated) by a series of submetrics. These calculators also include written logic to support the sub-metric approach. Soft costs that can be quantified by these Patrick Sullivan, calculators include the cost Process Excellence of turnover, lost productivity, Knowledge Domain Leader low morale, lost sales, and missed opportunities.

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!"#$%&'#(((Lost

Lost Productivity

sales

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The true power of these soft cost calculators lies not only in their ability to quantify soft costs, but to do so dynamically. This means that with the input of a few variables, you can see the immediate impact to the bottom line. If, for example, your estimated labor hours associated for the month are half of the original estimate, just change one variable (in this case, labor hours) and immediately see the impact to the bottom line. There are also opportunities for side-by-side analysis of variables. This allows you to see the immediate impact of, let’s say, a 50 percent reduction in a particular variable.

Soft cost calculators have been used over and over in many different situations and settings. Direct net savings to the bottom line have been recognized in direct proportion to the calculated values. Once again, keep in mind the avoidance of lost soft dollars has the same net affect as the addition of hard dollars.

There is no business situation that is not directly affected by the soft costs of doing business and these tools can be applied to many of them.

In summary, we all have struggled with the means for quantifying soft costs.

Knowing they are impacting the bottom line of our company and not being able to quantify them can be extremely frustrating. Oftentimes, these costs are completely overlooked, ignored or not addressed as they should be. Projects will be incorrectly assigned priority based on their proposed impact to the bottom line.

If the soft costs associated with an opportunity are not taken into consideration, a company’s valuable resources will be wasted. By analyzing your soft costs in conjunction with hard costs, you will see the most accurate picture of what is happening to the bottom line.

Content contributed by NouvEON, a management consulting firm. For more information, contact NouvEON Process Excellence Knowledge Domain Leader Patrick Sullivan at psullivan@nouveon.com or 704-944-3155, or download a complimentary copy of this white paper at www.nouveon.com/insights.

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CC Communications, Inc.

[webbiz]

New Media Strategies, Secrets and Solutions

WORK Yates Engines! Roush Aerodynamic Content Management Over the recent Memorial Day weekend, Roush Yates Racing Engines continued its ever growing trend of providing customers with winning, reliable engines in the NASCAR Nationwide, GT3, 360 Sprint, and Dirt Late Model Series races. Successful news like this is updated instantly to their website at www.RoushYates.com and to active social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.

Live social media feedback is fed right back to the website to keep visitors in the know, during and after racing events. www.RoushYates.com is hooked up with streamlined content management tools that make this aerodynamic online communication process a winning reality. Because more good news crossing the finish line to the website means greater website traffic for Roush Yates Engines. And that’s the checkered flag!

QUESTION

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ANSWER

do I get started with Q: How web video? ~Shelby, N.C.

A:

It’s easier than you think. First, decide on the goal for your Web video.

Is it a tour of your facility? An introduction of executives? A product demonstration? Customer testimonials? Once your purpose is known, determine complexity. Is this a simple message you can produce from your desktop with a $100 webcam? Or is the script more complex, requiring professional videography, writing, editing and perhaps specialized talent? Most top online marketing firms in Charlotte offer Web video products to fit your needs and budget. When your video is ready, add it to your website and promote it in email marketing. Share it via your social media like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. And don’t forget to add it to YouTube, which now gets three billion views per day.

Have a question about Web design or online marketing? Submit your question to www.greatercharlottebiz.com/webbiz. Questions & Answers may be reprinted here in upcoming editions of Greater Charlotte Biz! Content contributed by CC Communications, a Web design, programming and Internet media company providing a full array of services to businesses and organizations to enhance and produce effective Web, email, multimedia marketing initiatives and business process improvements.

For more information, contact Kip Cozart at 704-543-1171 or visit www.cccommunications.com/resources_articles.cfm.

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

!"#$%&'!

THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR WEBSITE

The performance of your website can make or break your bottom line, especially in this challenging business climate. A well-designed website can help supercharge lagging sales, increase customer loyalty, expand resell and upsell activity, gather new intelligence about buying trends and sales opportunities, capture qualified prospects and leads for future promotional campaigns, facilitate immediate sales transactions, and more. Here are a few simple, but effective ideas that will help you strengthen the performance of your website overnight. Think “Power Boosters.”

What’s in it for me?… Let’s face it, very little happens until someone chooses to actually interact with your website. To encourage more visitors to engage with you online during their visit, give them a good reason to do so. Remember that we are representing our products and services while working within a predominantly “me-centric” customer sales environment. So, make certain to present a clear and compelling benefit to your prospects to encourage them to engage with you.

For instance, when inviting prospects to register for your email newsletter or upcoming webinar, post a link directly beside the sign-up form that says, “How Does This Benefit Me?” With a click of the link, you can explain the customer value advantages that are associated with the encouraged activity. On another front, when composing “page description tags” to improve search engine recognition, make sure to include a clear customer benefit statement within the phrasing of the description itself. A benefit-driven description in Google, Yahoo! and Bing will also motivate more visitors to click over to your website in the first place.

Make it quick and simple… To increase online interaction, make it very convenient and easy for your customers to act. Reduce the number of clicks and keystrokes that are needed to present your case and only exchange the information that is specifically necessary to accomplish your goals. This will help to avoid “click fatigue,” which leads visitors to simply abandon the website if compelling interactive content is not discovered almost immediately.

Consider replacing a lengthy traditional “contact form” with a miniature version of the form that is positioned consistently on the right-hand sidebar of each page of your website. Only ask the visitor to enter two or three initial fields of information (such as their name, email address and/or phone number). Keep in mind that the customer’s company name is normally already associated with the email address, so there’s no need to key this additional information in. You can collect additional information that you might need during your follow-up conversation with the prospect. And for an additional shortcut, add programming to each version of the form which will identify the specific page that the customer was viewing when the decision was made to contact you.

Speed up the message… Everyone’s time is limited, so get right to the point.

Succinctly convey the most unique and appealing benefits of your product and then point the customer directly towards a single desired conversion path. Deliver information in a bullet point format that can be read at a glance. Structure your online content, so that you limit information to one main thought per page, so that visitors will not have to sift through several different themes all at once to find what interests them most. Consider embedding short supplemental text summaries within drop-down navigation tabs, which expand and collapse with mouse-over triggers, in order to deliver helpful supplemental information to your visitors more quickly.

You can also convey information more quickly by adding well-conceived graphic images and other visual cues to your text content. Consider presenting a sequence of photos and captions that dramatically tell your story through the strategic use of an animated slideshow application that is embedded onto the page. Online slideshows add instant and memorable visual impact that can ~Kip Cozart also drive higher conversion responses.

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Workers with college experience have held up better during the current downturn, and new research suggests that demand for more educated employees may outstrip supply over the next decade.

There may not be enough graduates to meet the demands of the U.S. work force by 2018.By 2018, the United States will see 46.8 million job openings, 63 %—29.5 million—of which will require some college education. One-third, or 16 million positions, will require a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to a report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Companies will seek 22 million new postsecondary degree-holders, but just 19 million or so will have earned an associate’s degree or higher by then, according to the report. The difference averages to a 300,000 annual deficit of college graduates between 2008 and 2018.

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The shift toward a “college economy” stems from a greater reliance on technology, which has recently replaced many blue collar jobs: a change from 25 million jobs for degree-holders in 1973—28% of the work force— to 91 million in 2007—42% of the work force. The report estimates that 45% of the expected 166 million work force in 2018 is expected to hold an associate’s degree or higher.

“The implications of this shift represent a sea change in American society,” the report states. “Essentially, postsecondary education or training has become the threshold requirement for access to middle-class status and earnings in good times and in bad. It is no longer the preferred pathway to middle-class jobs—it is, increasingly, the only pathway.”

(The Wall Street Journal; Demand for Educated Workers May Outstrip Supply by 2018; June 15, 2010)

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Business Education Directory

Work Force

A Comprehensive Resourse for

TRAINING & EDUCATION IN THE CHARLOTTE MARKETPLACE

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W

elcome to our eighth annual Greater Charlotte Biz directory of Charlotte regional business education opportunities, from traditional business education programs to customized work force training.

As our economic climate slowly recovers, companies have been forced to trim training and education budgets, lessening the availability of resources for workers needing to hone and build their skills.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the quickening pace of change in workplace technology and the growing demand for flexible, highly skilled employees means that not even the most experienced workers can afford to rely on existing skills. And neither can the employers: “To remain competitive, businesses must invest not just in the preparation and recruitment of new talent, but also the continuing development of workers at all stages of their careers. Unless America makes dramatic improvements in education and work force training, it will pay a terrible price, risking its place as an economic superpower and its identity as a striving, middle-class democracy.”

!A Challenging Economic Environment Traditionally, employers have turned to community colleges and MBA programs for work force training in traditional classroom-style. These options are still viable, even more so now that many institutions specifically tailor programming to meet specific employer needs and also offer flexible, online options for easier accessibility.

However, in a tough economy, employers must also look to untraditional, cost-effective options to enhance their education and training options. David R. Wetzel, author and continuing education specialist, offers the following six tips for increasing work force training on a tight budget: 1. Identify experts from inside the company in specific areas of production, sales, management, technology, and other key areas. Organize a series of brown bag lunches at each of which one of your resident experts conducts an in-house training session.

2. Encourage employees to join professional,

civic, and other local organizations related to their career field. These organizations provide employees with the latest information, strategies, and techniques for improving productivity and efficiencies.

3. Share the cost of training by offering flex-time to accommodate employees’ attendance in work force education programs.

4. Encourage enrollment in online education experiences. Provide the use of company resources to access the Internet and other technologies necessary to participate.

5. Offer employees tuition reimbursement in place of other financial incentives for exceeding work goals or completing specific education requirements on their own.

In addition to opting for less expensive types of training and sharing the costs of training, it’s important to evaluate the training investment to ensure that it is truly meeting company goals and providing a valuable return on the company’s investment.

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

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Training Without Going Into Debt Many students who want exposure to a real work environment look for an internship but they may not know about a growing trend that provides them with the chance to earn a degree, a paycheck and experience at the same time.

The traditional European apprenticeCPCC Builds ship is taking root here Program on in the states by offering unparalleled workEuropean study opportunities for Model students while providing businesses with the highly trained employees needed for success in today’s economy.

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is in its 16th year of partnership with Apprenticeship 2000, a four-year technical training program that prepares high school students for exciting job opportunities in

Less than High School Diploma, 25 yrs. & over Some College or Associate Degree, 25 yrs. & over

High School Graduates, No College, 25 yrs. & over Bachelor’s degree and higher, 25 yrs. & over

18% 16% 14%

Unemployment Rate

!"#$%&'"( Apprenticeship

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY LEVEL OF EDUCATION

12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%

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http://www.calculatedriskblog.com

tomorrow’s careers. While many of the apprentices from centuries past spent their days learning various trades and crafts, present-day apprentices may be found working amid the latest state-of-the-art technology, owned by many of today’s leading manufacturing giants such as Blum, Inc., Siemens Energy, Inc. and Ameritech, among others.

So why is a learning model that was founded more than 1,000 years ago in Europe finding traction among America’s business

leaders? It’s simple: the return on a company’s investment in students, is the creation of their own highly-trained work force of educated, motivated employees.

How it works For many teenagers, life after high school is a huge question mark. Many are curious about their career options, earning potential and whether they will be able to find a job after graduation. An apprenticeship program answers all of these questions and more.

Programs like Apprenticeship 2000 bring together higher education institutions and business and industry leaders to create a learning environment that produces well-trained and highly skilled students who are ready to enter the work force and drive business success.

Students enroll in the program with the understanding that it’s a four-year commitment.

Time is split between receiving traditional classroom instruction in math, computer and technical skills at CPCC, and gaining intensive company-specific technical training knowledge from their mentors on the job.

Students are paid for their time, just like a regular job; earn free college credit that may be applied toward CPCC’s associate degree in mechatronics; and can expect a job offer from their employer upon completion of the program. In return, participating companies are guaranteed a fully trained employee who is knowledgeable on the many new and challenging technologies it will need to grow its business. It’s a win-win partnership.

A partnership that’s strengthening the local work force European manufacturers Blum, Inc. and Daetwyler founded the Apprenticeship 2000 program in 1995. Since its inception, the "

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QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE

McCOLL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Not just a degree. An experience.

Even though times have changed, for the past thirty-one years the McColl School of Business has continued to educate and develop students into successful business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Flexible. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complex world, our graduate programs meet the hectic schedules and needs of working professionals.

Location. An exceptional university starts with an incredible city. Our main campus is located in the heart of historic Charlotte, on Selwyn Avenue in the Myers Park neighborhood.

Reputation. All our degree programs offered are relevant, respected and rewarding. Our alumni represent 1,600 business and community leaders.

Quality. We are proud to have AACSB International accreditation, a distinction earned by only 5% of business schools worldwide.

Variety.We offer the following graduate programs: Executive MBA, Professional MBA, MS in Organization Development and MS in Executive Coaching.

www.mccollschool.edu c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

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program has grown to include CPCC and seven other local organizations that oversee a variety of fields ranging from telecommunications to energy production.

To date, the apprenticeship model has gained momentum in the Charlotte market and has been successfully applied within local businesses. “Regardless of location, all businesses want to succeed, and all college graduates want a job,” said Andreas Thurner, apprenticeship manager for Blum, Inc. “Apprenticeship 2000 speaks to both audiences, producing skilled professionals who can immediately enter their employer’s labor force and make a difference by elevating its efficiencies, capabilities and operations.”

Thurner credits CPCC with a lot of the program’s success on the local level. “CPCC is by far one of the most important partners to the Apprenticeship 2000 program,” he explains. “The College is home to quality instructors and the best in training technology. Without CPCC’s support, Apprenticeship 2000’s participating companies wouldn’t be able to perform at the level they’ve come to expect.”

To ensure its coursework is meeting each company’s work force needs, CPCC leaders meet with the program’s corporate partners

four times a year to evaluate the curriculum and make any necessary adjustments. “By continually improving and building upon our curriculum, we’re able to proactively respond to local, regional and global trends in the marketplace. This is critical to CPCC, especially when we’re working with international businesses like Blum and Daetwyler and striving to become the national leader in work force development,” said Jorma Harkonen, CPCC’s Apprentice 2000 coordinator.

A student’s perspective In 2003, Nicholas Roland had just graduated high school and realized he had no definitive career plan. “In all fairness to my parents, I didn’t want them to feel as though they had to pay for my college education and incur financial debt when I didn’t even know what I wanted to do with my life.”

Nicholas had heard about the Apprenticeship 2000 program at his high school. It’s free tuition, employment guarantee and multiple career track options appealed to him. He entered the program that same year and began working for Blum, Inc., a manufacturer of high-end hardware for kitchen cabinets and furniture, opting to enter the company’s manufacturing "

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w w w. g re a t e rc h a r l o t t e b i z . c o m

Durham

Duke University-Fuqua School Boiling Springs

Charlotte Hickory Salisbury

Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College

Lenoir-Rhyne University-Charles Snipes School

Livingstone College

Monroe/Polkton/Wadesboro

South Piedmont Comm. College

Greensboro

UNC Greensboro-Bryan School

Rock Hill, SC

York Technical College

Telephone

803-327-8000

803-323-2186

704-849-2132

704-365-1717

803-777-3176

704-501-3077

336-334-5000

704-687-2213

919-962-5327

704-499-9200

704-290-5100

704-637-0760

704-337-2525

704-463-1360

919-513-4478

336-334-7500

800-436-2777

704-878-3200

704-216-6000

828-328-1741

704-372-0266

980-598-1000

704-378-1010

704-922-6200

704-406-4375

800-334-8448

919-660-7700

704-362-2345

704-894-2230

704-484-4000

704-330-2722

828-327-7000

800-CATAWBA

888-CAPELLA

704-461-6665

704-357-8020

828-262-2057

The information included herein was solicited directly and extracted from the Web site for each school. Only licensed and accredited programs are included in this survey. Prospective students should contact a school directly for additional information.

Rock Hill, SC

Wingate/Matthews

Winston-Salem/Charlotte

Columbia, SC

Winthrop University

Wingate University-School of Graduate & Adult Ed.

Wake Forest University School of Business

USC Columbia-The Moore School

Charlotte (3 locations)

Charlotte

UNC Charlotte-Belk College

University of Phoenix

Chapel Hill

UNC Chapel Hill-Kenan-Flagler

Charlotte/Huntersville

Kannapolis/Salisbury/Concord

Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. College

Strayer University

Charlotte

Durham/Misenheimer/Charlotte

Raleigh

Greensboro

Charlotte/Asheville/Montreat

Queens University-McColl School

Pfeiffer University

NC State University-Poole College of Management

NC A & T State University-School of Business & Economics

Montreat College-School of Profess. & Adult Studies

Statesville/Mooresville

Charlotte

Johnson & Wales University-College of Business

Mitchell Comm. College

Charlotte

Dallas/Lincolnton/Belmont

Johnson C. Smith University

Gaston College

Gardner-Webb University-Godbold School of Business

Elon

Charlotte

DeVry University-Keller Graduate School of Management

Elon University-Martha and Spencer Love

Davidson

Davidson College

Central Piedmont Comm. College Shelby

Hickory Charlotte (6 locations)

Catawba Valley Comm. College

Cleveland Comm. College

Salisbury

Catawba College-Ketner School

(online program)

Belmont

Capella University-School of Business & Technology

Charlotte

Belmont Abbey College

Boone

Location

The Art Institute of Charlotte

Appalachian State University-Walker College

College/University

Web Site artinstitutes.edu

yorktech.edu

winthrop.edu

wingate.edu

business.wfu.edu

moore.sc.edu

phoenix.edu

uncg.edu/bae

belkcollege.uncc.edu

graduateschool.unc.edu

strayer.edu

spcc.edu

rowancabarrus.edu

mccollschool.edu

pfeiffer.edu

poole.ncsu.edu

ncat.edu/~sbe

montreat.edu

mitchellcc.edu

livingstone.edu

lr.edu

kingscollegecharlotte.edu

jwu.edu/charlotte

jcsu.edu

gaston.edu

business.gardner-webb.edu

elon.edu

fuqua.duke.edu

keller.edu

davidson.edu

clevelandcommunitycollege.edu

cpcc.edu

cvcc.edu

catawba.edu

capella.edu

belmontabbeycollege.edu

Public

Public

Private

Private

Public

Private

Public

Public

Public

Private

Public

Public

Private

Private

Public

Public

Private

Public

Private

Private

Private

Private

Private

Public

Private

Private

Private

Private

Private

Public

Public

Public

Private

Private

Private

Proprietary

Public

Pub/Pri

AAS

BS/BA

BS/BA/BLS

BS

BS

BS/AAS

BS/BA

BS

BS

BS/AA

AA/AS/AAS

AA

BA

BS

BA/BS

BS

AS/BS

AA/AAS

BS/BA/BFA/BSW

BA

AAS

BA/BS/AS

BS

AAS

BS

BS/BA

BS/BA

BS

BA

AA/AAS

AA/AAS

AA/AAS

BS

BS

BS/BA

AAS/BA

BS/BA

Undergraduate

PharmD/MBA/EMBA/EdD

MBA/MAEd/MAT/PharmD

MS/MBA/MA

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Online

MBA/IMBA/MACC/MA/MHR/PhD

MBA/MS/PhD

MBA/MS/PhD/MA

IMBA/MBA/MAC/PhD/MS

MBA/EMBA/MAC/PhD

MBA/MS/MSI

PMBA/EMBA/MSOD

MBA/MHA/MS/MA

MBA/MAC/ME/PhD

MA/MS

MBA/MSML/MAEd

MBA

MBA/IMBA/MAC/MBA-Plus

MBA

MBA/EMBA/PhD

MBA

MEd

MBA/MS/PhD

MBA/MS

Graduate

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Please send your school updates to editor@greatercharlottebiz.com.

SACS/ACBSP/ABET

SACS/AACSB

SACS

SACS/AACSB

SACS/AACSB

NCA/ACBSP

SACS/AACSB-International

SACS/AACSB

SACS/AACSB

MSCHE

SACS

SACS

ACBSP/AACSB

SACS/IACBE/ACQUIN

SACS/AACSB

SACS/AACSB-International

SACS

SACS

SACS

SACS

ACICS/CAAHEP

NEASC

SACS/ACBSP

SACS/ACBSP

SACS/ACBSP

SACS/AACSB

SACS/AACSB

NCA

SACS

SACS

SACS

SACS

SACS

NCA

SACS/NCATE

ACICS

SACS/AACSB

Accreditation

DIRECTORY

business.appstate.edu

BUSINESS EDUCATION

EDUCATION PAYS Unemployment rate in 2010 (%) Doctoral degree

1.9

Professional degree

2.4

Master’s degree

4.0

Bachelor’s degree

5.4

Associate degree

7.0

Some college, no degree High school graduate

9.2 10.3

Less than a high school diploma

14.9 8.2

Average, all workers

Median weekly earnings in 2010 ($) Doctoral degree

1,550

Professional degree

1,610

Master’s degree

1,272

Bachelor’s degree

1,038

Associate degree Some college, no degree High school graduate Less than a high school diploma

767 712 626 444 782

Average, all workers

VoIP one company | one call

Unified Communications !Business Telephone Systems !Structured Cabling Systems !Office & Warehouse Paging !Data Networking Build & Design !Telecom Management & Consulting !"#$%& '()*+,&-. %/ 0'+0, %/ &,/.0% / 1-,.2++0 3%'/%#"#!4 56$789"7$566%% : : : 7 + 0 .:- , 0 7 / 2 ;

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Note: Data are 2010 annual averages for persons 25 and over. Earnings are for full-time wages and salary workers.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, May 4, 2011

“Looking back, the apprenticeship program was the smartest thing I have ever done in my life. I had never planned on attending college after high school graduation because I didn’t enjoy school. But then the Apprenticeship 2000 program presented itself and not only did I get to attend college and earn an associate degree, but I also got paid to do it.” ~Nicholas Roland

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maintenance technician career track.

(Apprenticeship 2000 students have the option of choosing from six different career trades, including computer numerical control technician, machine technician, quality technician, tool & die technician, injection molding technician and mechatronics electronics technician.)

While Nicholas dedicated his time to attending courses at CPCC—where he learned applicable skills such as problem solving, scheduling, communication and organization skills—and learning Blum’s manufacturing technology in its $1.8 million secure training facility, Blum trainers carefully supervised Nicholas’ progress and professional growth.

“Each student is an investment for us—a $175,000, four-year investment,” explains Thurner. “To ensure we receive a great return, we require our apprentices to show us their ‘homework’ each day. Students who perform well are compensated accordingly, so there is an incentive for them to excel in both the training aspect of their education and in the classroom.”

school. But then the Apprenticeship 2000 program presented itself and not only did I get to attend college and earn an associate degree, but I also got paid to do it.”

Achieving success At present, the Apprenticeship 2000 program shows no sign of slowing down.

Blum, Inc. is currently “sponsoring” more than 10 CPCC students and its mentors are busy training the next generation of manufacturing technicians, individuals equipped with the mechanical, electrical and technical skills needed to excel in the trade industry.

The apprenticeship model the company created more than 16 years ago is exceeding expectations in all areas of its design and its numbers prove it. “We have an 80 percent retention rate of our graduates after five years,” explains Thurner. “Looking ahead to the future, we hope even more local business and industry leaders decide to join our program as our organization—together with CPCC— strives to move Charlotte’s manufacturing work force forward in a dramatic way.”

To learn more about the Apprenticeship 2000 program, please visit https://www.cpcc.edu/et/ academic-programs/apprenticeship-programs.

Nicholas thrived in the program’s non-traditional learning environments. The methodologies he learned in CPCC’s classrooms translated well to the many hands-on activities he performed at Blum’s training facility. At the end of the four-year apprenticeship, he had no debt, had earned an associate degree in manufacturing technology (today’s program graduates earn a degree in mechatronics) and was offered a position within the company as a manufacturing maintenance technician earning more than $34,000 a year.

“Looking back, the apprenticeship program was the smartest thing I have ever done in my life,” said Nicholas. “I had never planned on attending college after high school graduation because I didn’t enjoy

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s!"#$"%&&'''( ciousness

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by barbara fagan

[bizprofile]

»Business Wise Breaks Through to Identify Key Contacts for Prospecting Success

“The new sales professional needs to be creative, to provide solutions and ultimately save time or generate revenue for clients. To succeed you must be willing to get involved in a client’s business and the needs of their customers’ customers” ~Lee Martin Regional Manager

ou’ve done your homework. You’ve compiled a list of target companies for your product or service. You know they would be interested if only you could get to the right person, the key contact, the decision maker.

You may have the name of someone at the company, but you don’t know if they are the right person or even in the right department…or if they left the company six weeks ago.

This is where even the most carefully planned sales and marketing efforts stall.

What you need is the “face” of the business—a name, or better yet, several names of true key contacts.

And that’s exactly what Business Wise provides.

Lead Generation Key Business Wise, a business-to-business (B2B) sales and marketing database company, produces verified prospecting information and business intelligence. They understand, above all, that identifying that right person in the right company unlocks the door to an opportunity for new business.

Business Wise subscribers here in the Queen City gain secure Web access to an extensive database covering the Charlotte Metro area which includes over 49,000 firms and 98,000 key contacts. In addition to business, functional and personal titles, the BWise System presents company-specific demographic data, and links to news articles and the website LinkedIn. A search function allows subscribers to look up a prospect by what they know (even if it’s only an address or a first name) and uncover what they need to know to begin building a relationship.

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

Currently, non-profits and businesses in industries as diverse as telecommunications, health care, software, hospitality and higher education use Business Wise to gain access to the right people in their target markets.

Founders Debra Kline and her late husband began the business in Atlanta in 1980 as a B2B data provider with a strong local market focus. Their success in the Atlanta region led them to expand to Charlotte in 2001 and more recently to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The Charlotte office, located in the SouthPark area, focuses on the Charlotte Metro market and maintains strong relationships with the Chamber of Commerce as well as Charlotte networking groups and business publications.

Before becoming regional manager for Charlotte, Lee Martin had been a subscriber to the database in a former position. " When he topped $35,000 in additional

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!"#$%&"'(#"")'"#

...to identify future clients.

change in job title just two days earlier. He watched as the Business Wise database was accessed and, much to his surprise, the title change was indeed correctly reflected in the Chamber’s database profile. The company earned his trust.

“They’ve impressed me from Day One,” Crumbley says of Business Wise. They listen to us and give us exactly what we need.”

According to Kline, data quality falls under one of the core internal values she uses to guide the company: quality of data and quality of employees. Another core value is integrity, and that also applies to both data and employees. To maintain research quality, companies fall into 14 different research cycles ranging from every six to 11 months, Kline explains. Based upon size, type of business or market factors, certain businesses experience more change than others. Business Wise research reflects the reality of business market by market.

Researchers uncover “red flags” from information in periodicals, online sites and the client-directed “research-on-demand” button embedded in their system. Users click when they can’t find a listing or if they discover a piece of inaccurate data. Business Wise researches the issue, updates the database and contacts the client with the new information. This personal research is completed within 24 hours of the request and is free to subscribers.

“Our database is refreshed nightly,” Kline boasts.

Quality data is a theme echoed by Business Wise clients. “I’ve always found their data to be accurate,” says Fay Gibson of Hampton Inn & Suites, who works with heads of businesses, international

Drip marketing allows clients to link the power of their comprehensive database with ongoing direct marketing campaigns. Repetition is the key to building name recognition and trust with future clients. clients and celebrities. She uses Business Wise to prequalify her leads to ensure she’s targeting the correct people.

Trustworthy Tools A leaner sales department is the new reality for most companies in today’s economy; doing more with fewer staff is important. No one can afford to follow unproductive leads. Fortunately, for Business Wise, even with current belt-tightening, top line revenue generation spurs renewed loyalty from existing customers and new clients who recognize the impact of quality sales tools.

Martin explains that one of the most productive lead generating practices he’s found is analyzing your existing client base, determining the demographic and psychographic commonalities of your most profitable clients, and using Business Wise to find other companies like them in your market. Each Business Wise record contains demographic data on companies and their key personnel.

Martin also remarks about drip marketing, the practice of keeping in touch with your prospects constantly and consistently, similar to agricultural irrigation in which crops are watered continuously using small amounts of water over a long period of time.

Business Wise’s Drip Marketing mechanism allows clients to link

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Laser Local Focus For a database company, the quality of the data is of paramount importance. Many sales professionals can attest that quality and timely information isn’t always a given from data providers.

Personnel come and go, especially in today’s economic climate. National data providers cover a broad geography with Charlotte only one of many areas included. Exceptional data quality is a product of constant research and frequent database updating, difficult to do when concentrating on the entire county.

The laser local focus of Business Wise insures up-to-date accuracy coming from personal telephone-verified information. Local research associates constantly monitor changes in business information and revise the database accordingly.

Tony Crumbley of the Charlotte Chamber was interested in what the company could provide, but decided to put it to a test before he agreed to sign on. He knew of a Chamber associate that had a

Lee Martin Regional Manager Vicky Ray Director of Client Services Business Wise, Inc.

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commissions using Business Wise, he naturally became a fan and wondered why everyone wasn’t using this tool.

Meeting Kline in person when she made a presentation at his company proved momentous.

Martin was so impressed with the Business Wise founder that he called her that afternoon and told her that he wanted to come to work with her. He’s been with Business Wise for the last six and a half years, first in Atlanta and now in Charlotte.

He works alongside director of client services, Vicky Ray. Ray is responsible for client training, support and technical issues. Client Jenny Savage of Record Storage Systems, who works with Ray, says the company’s responsiveness and customer service are what keeps her loyal, in addition to providing the best lead generation data, tools, and ideas for new business development.

the power of their comprehensive database with ongoing direct marketing campaigns.

“I find it surprising that more people don’t take advantage of drip marketing,” says Kline.

“Most firms with email programs limit their reach to clients and ‘friends’ because they have no trustworthy access to email addresses of targeted prospects they have yet to meet. Repetition is the key to building name recognition and trust with future clients.”

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trust+strategy+integrity+planning+insight+experience

Metro Charlotte Research Coverage Area

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it all adds up!

We’re not your typical CPA firm. Instead, we go beyond traditional accounting services, adding valuable insight and guidance to your growth process.

301 S. McDowell St., Ste. 502, Charlotte, NC 28204 704.371.5000 www.danielratliff.com

H'-.$"4,I44,J,!#0$/+ “They’ve impressed me from Day One. They listen to us and give us exactly what we need.”

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~Tony Crumbley V.P. of Research, Charlotte Chamber

Business Wise offers an Email Marketing package that allows clients to send up to 12 personalized marketing messages to a target market within a 12-month period. The timing is determined by each company. Messages can be sent at regular intervals or timed to coordinate with special events.

The best messages give a “one-to-one” feel and avoid capture in spam filters. To use them most effectively, messages contain links to " different landing pages on a client’s website.

!"#$%&"'(#"")'"# ...to plant seeds of opportunity.

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!704.319.5700 www.hamptonsouthpark.com

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Any “click-thru” generated directly from the message hyperlink will be tracked with the recipient’s name and phone number included.

Drip marketing is a perfect tool to develop “green bananas” (a term Business Wise borrowed to refer to companies not yet ready or ripe enough to make a buying decision). The constant contact keeps the client’s company top-of-mind for these potential buyers.

Beyond the Facts Drip marketing isn’t the only value-added service Business Wise offers. They also realize that a tool is only as good as the client’s ability to use it. To optimize the effectiveness of their products for their clients, Business Wise provides extensive training and support.

“Just as different companies perform sales and marketing differently, learning is individual too.”

Ray explains. She is in charge of Help Desk and technical support, a webinar facilitator and internal sales support. New Business Wise customers are encouraged to watch an overview webinar and can follow up with classroom instruction and video tutorials on specific topics.

“Support and training is ongoing and can be customized to a client’s current needs,” explains Ray. She is also quick to point out that each

CANON BUSINESS SOLUTIONS TERECK Inc.

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...to grow business.

Business Wise client may schedule “Best Practices” session as needed or at least twice yearly where a Business Wise employee visits the client on-site to see what’s working and what could be improved.

These reviews allow Business Wise associates to act in a consulting role and share their knowledge and creativity with customers. “We’re lifelong learners,” Martin adds. “We want to share what we are constantly learning about new business development opportunities and market analysis. We want to partner with our clients for mutual success.”

“Salespeople can’t just act as walking brochures anymore. Gone are the days of sales calls where you simply leave behind information about your product. Companies can get that information online now. The new sales professional needs to be creative, to provide solutions and ultimately save time or generate revenue for clients. To succeed you must be willing to get involved in a client’s business and the needs of their customers’ customers” continues Martin.

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The role of salespeople isn’t the only thing that’s changed over the years. Kline remembers when hardbound directories published yearly were their main product. “Hot” technology included computer-generated 3x5 cards or lists on green-bar paper. Neither offered much flexibility or continuous updating, but was the best available at the time.

Both Kline and Martin both emphasize that accurate information is what’s needed now and the quicker, the better. And Business Wise does just that. In addition to access online, subscribers may use their smart phones or tablets for in-thefield access.

Martin pushes a few buttons on his phone and pulls up a business profile from their database. A couple more buttons and he displays a listing of all the companies located in the office building down the street. Martin explains that a salesperson could literally stand in the lobby of an office building and check business profiles to see if any of the companies in the building fit in their company’s target market.

Kline expects continued change in the sales and marketing profession. For Business Wise, she foresees additional value-added services and expansion into other markets. One thing will remain a constant, though, and that is their mission. She says with conviction, “Business Wise will continue to break through barriers to reach and identify the key contacts marketing and sales professionals need to gain new clients.” biz Barbara Fagan is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

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Business Wise, Inc. 6100 Fairview Rd., Ste. 330 Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: 704-554-4112 Principals: Debra Kline, Founder and President; Lee Martin, Regional Manager; Vicky Ray, Director of Client Services Offices: Atlanta, Ga.; Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas-Fort Worth, Tex. Founded: 1980; in Charlotte since 2001 Employees: 48 total; 5 in Charlotte Established: 1980 (presence in Charlotte since 2001) Memberships: Charlotte Chamber Board of Advisors, Hood Hargett Breakfast Club Business: Provides extensive and verified prospecting information and business intelligence on firms in the Metro Charlotte, Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex, Metro Atlanta and Georgia Statewide markets. www.businesswise.com

$$=7$7*%&,-*/ >"50:-&,$3)&)?-:-&, 9066+%-/$)&8$3-8%)

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by heather head

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!"#$#%& Presbyterian Healthcare– A Remarkable, Multi-dimensional Approach

AMERICANS

spend more on healthcare than any other developed nation in the world, even as costs for individuals, businesses and healthcare facilities continue to rise at an alarming rate.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 has increased regulation without any corresponding increases in funding available to hospitals, and further government involvement continues to be debated.

Meanwhile, amid the economic turmoil of the past few years, states are cutting programs and insurers are cutting payments. The healthcare industry has never before faced such furor and upheaval.

But, in a first-floor office at Presbyterian Hospital on Hawthorne Lane, President and CEO Mark Billings has a calming air as he answers questions about the future of his organization, the second largest healthcare provider in the Charlotte metropolitan area.

An Elkin, N.C.-native, son of a truck driver, Billings retired from a 20-year career in the Navy as a lieutenant commander in 2004. His bluecollar origins and strong work ethic that led to advancement through the ranks of the Navy, combined with military-style calm-in-the-lineof-fire training, also prepared him uniquely to lead Presbyterian Hospital through the largest healthcare crisis the nation has ever faced.

So, how is he addressing the future of healthcare and his organization? Simple, he says: “If all of our activities center on the patient, the rest will take care of itself.”

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(l to r) Mark Billings President and CEO Dr. Barry Chan Chair, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Dr. Akinyele Aluko Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Presbyterian Healthcare

It sounds simplistic, but it’s a strategic and long-term policy that has served the organization well for over a century. In 2004, Billings’ predecessor Carl Armato formalized the tradition with a campaign to develop Presbyterian into a national leader in patient-centered care, starting with a focus on physicians. He was quoted as saying, “By staying connected with our physicians, we hear loud and clear what the patients want, and what the patients need.”

From turn-down service every evening, to room-service dining when the patients want it, Armato’s focus set the stage for Billings to take over in 2008, when Armato moved into the role of COO for parent company Novant Health.

Billings has continued the practice of focusing on physicians in order to serve the patients better. He says that every decision, at every level of the organization, includes physicians in the decision making. Further, the organization’s strategic counsel consists of physicians tapped to guide fundamental operations and strategic decisions for the organization.

Not only are physicians and patients a central focus, every staff member, every visitor,

“By staying connected with our physicians, we hear loud and clear what the patients want, and what the patients need.” ~Mark Billings President and CEO

every nurse, and every patient has a voice. From hosts who greet visitors in the lobby and escort them to their destination, to helpers who assist every discharged patient to their vehicle and ensure they have a safe transition to the next stage of care, Presbyterian Healthcare relies on an enormous staff to maintain its patient focus, and every one of the staff is treated with integrity and given a voice in the organization.

Doing the Right Thing For Billings, the attention to front-line staff is easy because he has, quite literally, been on the front lines himself. Born to a working

c o n s t r u c t i ve c a t a ly s t fo r c re a t i ve c o n s c i o u s n e s s

family, Billings left high school and enlisted directly in the Navy as a sailor. During his 20 years in the force, he earned a bachelor’s degree, a commission, the rank of lieutenant commander, several medals, and a master’s in healthcare administration.

The year of his retirement, 2004, Billings signed on with Novant Health. Much like his military career, he moved quickly through the ranks, taking the reins as president of Presbyterian Hospital in Matthews in 2005, then expanding into growth and development officer for Presbyterian Healthcare. In 2008, he took over as president of Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte and CEO for Presbyterian Healthcare, which includes Presbyterian Hospital, Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville, and Presbyterian Hospital Matthews.

He says his humble beginnings help him identify with the front-line employees at Presbyterian. “People often joke that if I go to the cafeterias for lunch I spend the first 20 minutes talking to people and my food gets cold by " the time I sit down,” he says. “I connect

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23

Photo: Wayne Morris

“We have to do a better job to make sure we do the right thing for the right patient at the right time every time.” ~Mark Billings President and CEO

with those folks. Until last year, my father was an on-the-road truck driver. The only time he stepped foot on a college campus is when I graduated and when my sister graduated.”

Billings has continued the culture and many of the initiatives cultivated by Armato, but he has also brought his own flavor and initiatives into the mix. For instance, while the Hippocratic Oath’s first promise, “Do no harm,” has always been a foundational principle at Presbyterian, Billings has brought it to a new level with safety practices borrowed from the airline industry.

“If you look at the airline industry,” Billings explains, “they handle thousands of planes a day. If even one of those goes down in a day, that’s unacceptable. They have to have tremendous attention to detail.”

24

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On the other hand, people are harmed in hospitals every day. Consider, for instance, what a surgeon sees right before beginning a procedure—often, it’s just a small patch of prepped skin. It is absolutely imperative that the processes leading up to that moment ensure it is always exactly the right patient, exactly the right location, and exactly the right procedure.

“We have to do a better job to make sure we do the right thing for the right patient at the right time every time,” Billings says. Presbyterian Healthcare has always had a good safety rating, but since they brought in principles from the airline industry, their safety record has become one of the best in the country.

Setting Standards Even as Presbyterian continues to improve on their standards-setting patient care and safety ratings, the economy continues to be sluggish and healthcare debates continue to rage. Baby boomers are entering retirement and needing more medical attention, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements are declining, and state incentives are in many cases disappearing. In such an environment, it would be easy to believe that healthcare quality would, by necessity, decline.

But Billings not only believes it’s possible to continue to offer the highest level of care to all comers—Medicare, Medicaid, private, and charity cases alike—he believes it’s necessary and that his organization can do it.

“We have to take a look at our cost structure and break-even rates, and we’re going to have to gain some efficiencies,” he admits. “But with some very deliberate, intentional business modeling, we think there are millions of dollars that can be taken out of our cost without changing our care delivery.”

To show how they are going to do that, Billings chooses the example of an appendectomy. The cost to the organization to perform the procedure in Matthews is $1,200, versus $1,000 in Thomasville.

There is no difference in the level of care provided, only the cost to the hospital based on specific equipment, supplies and practices involved.

By discovering the best practices employed in Thomasville and applying them across the board at all 13 Presbyterian-affiliated hospitals, the organization can provide the same level of care at a savings of $200 per procedure. Apply the same process to every single diagnosis, and the organization can deliver the same care at an efficiency that yields millions of dollars per year.

Billings is confident Presbyterian will thrive in the new healthcare economy, whatever it may be, and he has good news for business owners: Presbyterian can help you brave and conquer rising healthcare costs, too.

“I would encourage every business owner in our community to have our network development folks come to their site,” he says. “It doesn’t cost anything and it helps employees get linked in to a healthier lifestyle and better healthcare options.”

Presbyterian’s Corporate Health program offers a range of employee wellness services including onsite screenings and health risk assessments, onsite health clinics, lifestyle modification programs, stress management and weight loss, and occupational medicine services. A network development

w w w. g re a t e rc h a r l o t t e b i z . c o m

representative can help a company and its employees access the services they need to stay healthy and minimize healthcare costs.

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Presbyterian Healthcare has always had a good safety rating, but since they brought in principles from the airline industry, their safety record has become one of the best in the country.

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Dimensional Healthcare After more than a century of serving the Charlotte communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health needs, Presbyterian Healthcare is not about to rest on its laurels. Presbyterian Cancer Center opened a 100,000-square-foot, four-story vertical expansion this spring, including a safety/emergency management office, 5,000 square feet of edu" cational classroom space, 90 new patient

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25

rooms, and a 20-bed cardiac triage unit.

Later this year, Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville will undergo an expansion to add 15 beds, and next year Presbyterian Hospital Matthews will add 20 beds. The system is awaiting approval from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, but expects to be adding a new facility in Fort Mill soon also.

But don’t think that expansion will change the organization’s commitment to patient care.

In fact, of the six dimensions of Presbyterian Healthcare’s 2015 Strategic Plan, three refer specifically to patient experience. First, every patient will be greeted, escorted as necessary, and made to feel at home in the hospital. At each entry point, a greeter meets patients and visitors. No one is left to navigate the halls alone.

The second two dimensions are “voice” and “choice.” They mean that patients have the right to choose the medical care that is right for them, to get second opinions, and to request care at a facility convenient to themselves or from a different care provider.

The fourth dimension of the plan revolves around patient outcomes, starting with how the organization reports on them. All hospitals are required to report outcomes to the government, but Presbyterian Healthcare goes a step further

“We have to take a look at our cost structure and break-even rates, and we’re going to have to gain some efficiencies. But with some very deliberate, intentional business modeling, we think there are millions of dollars that can be taken out of our cost without changing our care delivery.” ~Mark Billings President and CEO and reports the data on their website.

“In some areas, we absolutely lead the country,” says Billings. “Our orthopaedic hospital has

been the top orthopaedic hospital every month for years now for surgical infection rate. Over 80 percent of our publicly reported measures are in the 90th percentile.”

The fifth dimension centers on patient safety, including patient education. The “Ask Me Three” program ensures that every patient has three key questions answered at regular bedside shift reports: “What’s going on with me?” “What do I need to do?” and “How will this impact me?”

Finally, the last dimension relates to affordability. In addition to measures already cited for streamlining and standardizing cost paradigms, Presbyterian Healthcare maintains an absolute commitment to providing care regardless of ability to pay. The hospital focuses on identifying patients who may qualify for Medicaid and other government programs, and helping them get enrolled.

Regardless of insurance eligibility, no patient is ever turned away from Presbyterian. The N.C. Justice report recognized Presbyterian Healthcare in February 2010 as having the best charity care program in the state.

Charity care may not sound like a cornerstone for navigating a large organization through tough economic times, but Billings believes it’s crucial. After all: “If all our activities center on the patient, the rest will take care of itself.” And that’s a healthy approach we can all celebrate. biz Heather Head is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

S T R E A M L I N I N G S O LU T I O N S

AUDIT & ATTEST SERVICES ACCOUNTING SERVICES GOVERNMENTAL & A-133 AUDITS MERGER & ACQUISITION PLANNING TAX COMPLIANCE & PLANNING MULTI-STATE TAX PLANNING ESTATE & TRUST TAX PLANNING REAL ESTATE CONSULTING SERVICES

10815 Sikes Place, Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28277 704-841-9800 (fax) 704-841-9802 www.bbwpllc.com

Presbyterian Healthcare 200 Hawthorne Lane Charlotte, N.C. 28204 Phone: 704-384-4000 Principal: Mark Billings, President and CEO Employees: Over 9,000 highly skilled healthcare professionals, plus administrative and support staff In Business: 108 years Parent: Novant Health, Inc. Recognition: Top 50 Hospitals—Becker’s Hospital Review; 2008 American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet designation; Top 10 percent heart care in the nation; Top 5 percent in nation in surgical care measures; 2010 Gold Seal of Approval for healthcare quality at Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital; Society of Thoracic Surgeons three-star rating for cardiac surgery; Top 90th percentile in the nation, in most categories, on safety ratings Business: Private, non-profit healthcare provider for the residents of the southern piedmont region of North Carolina. www.presbyterian.org

Accountants First, Advisors Foremost 26

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THE EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION

The Employers Association

Trusted HR Advice, Tools & Training

[employersbiz]

Legislative and Regulatory Highlights for Area Employers

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hether or not it is acceptable to take employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; photos seems is a topic of increasing interest. The answer typically depends on why the photos are being taken.

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Can Employees See Their Personnel Files?

o your current or former employees ever ask to see their personnel files?

In North and South Carolina, employees have no right to see their personnel records or files. Personnel files are company property.

While there are a few documents that the employee must be allowed to see (i.e. access to OSHA medical records), the exceptions are limited. Employers should be aware that this is an issue that varies by state. There are numerous states that have laws that require employers to give employees access to their records.

Many employers choose to promote good employee relations by allowing current employees to review their own personnel records under controlled conditions, even if not required to do so by law. For example, employees may make an appointment with the human resource department to come and review their file in the presence of a human resource staff member.

If employees are not allowed to see their files, it may raise more questions than necessary as to what is in the file. Some companies allow the employees to make a copy of any document while others say that it is company property and copies are not allowed. Most companies do not provide access to former employees. Employers should review the content of the personnel files and decide in advance what their policy will be for access.

elaws: OSHA Recordkeeping Advisor Helps Employers

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the Department of Labor has developed a new tool, the elaws Advisor at www.dol.gov/elaws/osharecordkeeping.htm, to help employers understand and address the federal requirement to report and record work-related injuries and illnesses. The OSHA Recordkeeping Advisor is intended to help determine: # Whether an injury or illness (or related event) is work-related; #$Whether an event or exposure at home or on travel is work-related; #$Whether an exception applies to the injury or illness; #$Whether a work-related injury or illness needs to be recorded; and #$Which provisions of the regulations apply when recording a work-related case. (cchonline)

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+Red Cross is Needed Now More Than Ever â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mother nature will do what she will do. What happened in Eastern North Carolina could happen here. We have to be prepared.â&#x20AC;? ~Angela Broome Regional CEO

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by zenda douglas

[bizprofile]

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ngela Broome came on board with the American Red Cross as chief executive officer of the Carolina Piedmont Region in March of this year, just two days after the 8.9 earthquake and 23-foot tsunami in Japan killed hundreds of people and wreaked massive destruction including the partial meltdown of three nuclear reactors.

“I was immediately in the throes of what the Red Cross does and why it is so needed,” says Broome.

She also didn’t have to wait long to feel the gratification of being involved with a disaster response organization. Days after the Japanese disaster, Broome was called downstairs to greet a woman and her three children. Each child was holding a small mason jar filled with coins for the children of Japan.

“Right there, I thought, ‘I’m in the right place.’ I left that day knowing that we make a difference to someone—every day,” says Broome with satisfaction.

At the Ready The American Red Cross is well known as a vital disaster relief organization. It also helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergency situations. In the last few months alone, the Red Cross has responded to 42 large disasters across 28 states following this spring’s devastating wildfires, flooding and tornadoes.

Bringing life-saving services, the Red Cross has opened more than 270 shelters and provided 31,000 overnight stays; deployed more than 12,000 trained disaster relief workers from all around the country; served more than 3 million meals and snacks; provided more than 68,000 health consultations; and handed out more than 1.3 million relief items such as toothbrushes, shampoo, tarps, coolers, rakes and other clean-up supplies.

Nationally, $378 million is needed annually to respond to an average of 70,000 disasters. The major disasters that have occurred over the past few weeks have added $51 million to this amount.

The American Red Cross Carolina Piedmont Region (ARC CPR) serves more than 2 million people in 14 southwest North Carolina counties. There are 10 Red Cross chapters operating across these counties including the Greater Carolinas Chapter, here in Charlotte.

While the news media puts large-scale disasters—like those in Joplin, Missouri, Alabama and Montana—in the spotlight as they occur, the Red Cross responds to a variety of local disasters and emergencies daily. The ARC CPR responds to an average of 700 home fires per year. It responded to " the recent train derailment in Mineral Springs and also to hazmat calls.

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Angela Broome Regional CEO American Red Cross Carolina Piedmont Region

“We’re great stewards of our donors’ dollars.

Ninety-one percent of money collected goes out to provide services. We’ve always been good; now there’s an opportunity to be better.” ~Angela Broome Regional CEO

Any time there is displacement and evacuation, the Red Cross steps in to provide shelter, food, cots, blankets, clean-up supplies and basic toiletry items. “As people are running away from disaster areas, the Red Cross is running to them,” says Broome. “Volunteers, sometimes by the hundreds, show up to help people who are left without a place to call home.”

Often referred to as the “second responders,” the Red Cross closely follows fire trucks and emergency personnel. It swiftly addresses critical needs within the first 72 hours and then works to connect disaster victims to more long-term assistance. They also provide canteen assistance and first aid to the first responders.

Healthy Choices In her position as senior vice president, commercial banker and relationship manager for First Citizens Bank and Trust Company in Charlotte, Broome was happy and hadn’t a thought of leaving her clients and friends. However,

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the bank, which places a lot of emphasis on supporting the community, introduced her to another type of service: community nonprofit leadership.

She served on the Board of Directors of the YWCA of Central Carolinas, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, the Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra and LifeSpan, and also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and several other service organizations. She began to attract the attention of nonprofit leadership recruiters in the area.

“The American Red Cross was actually the third nonprofit that contacted me,” remembers Broome. “I kept hearing the knock on the door and started to think, ‘Maybe I should listen.’” A few months later she jumped ship.

“I’m glad the Red Cross found me and I’m so impressed with the staff and volunteers that work in this organization,” says Broome. “I’m amazed everyday that they give all that they do—roll out of bed at 3 a.m. to respond to a fire or deploy for three weeks over Easter holiday; come home for two days and deploy again to Alabama, for example.”

Bringing 20 years of financial and management experience to bear, Broome intends to take the leadership and analytical skills learned in banking and apply them to the ARC CPR. “In this economic environment, we need to make decisions that the for-profit community has been making for a while so that we can stay in business and continue to provide the services,” says Broome referring to keeping expenses low, downsizing if need be, and looking at economies of scale.

Broome’s change management goals are the next steps following a major reorganization of the ARC CPR. “We’re looking at every single process in our operation for our employees, volunteers and community partners,” says Broome. Already, the ARC CPR has brought its 10 independent chapters in the 14 counties together as one group under the regional CEO, eliminating the duplication of CEOs in every chapter in favor of cluster executives that manage three or more chapters.

“Now all 10 chapters can support each other instead of each standing alone, whether we’re talking about money, supplies or vehicles,” says Broome.

The ARC CPR is also consolidating efforts such as communications and IT support. This type of reorganization is trending nationally, says Broome.

As a result of the reorganization, the ARC CPR realized an immediate savings of over $200,000 but expects further cost savings to manifest over the course of the year. The fundraising goal for the upcoming year is $6 million for the entire region. Expenses are a bit harder to predict.

“Mother nature will do what she will do,” observes Broome. “What happened in Eastern North Carolina could happen here. We have to be prepared.”

Budgets are calculated using historic information and other statistics.

Responsible Stewards Each time a major disaster presents itself, as Hurricane Katrina did, the American Red Cross immediately begins an additional fundraising campaign reaching out to corporations, foundations and individuals. The American Red Cross is not a government organization and receives no government funding.

“We’re great stewards of our donors’ dollars,” says Broome. “Ninety-one percent of money collected goes out to provide services. We’ve always been good; now there’s an opportunity to be better.”

The American Red Cross suffered criticism in the weeks following Hurricane Katrina over the sharing of funds with other areas. “We’re clearer with donors now,” states Broome. “If a donor says these dollars go to this particular disaster, then we respect their wishes. If there is more donated than needed, then we share resources.”

Broome adds that more donors are asking what their money is being used for: “We should always be able to answer that question.”

This spring the ARC CPR overcame its $1 million budget deficit thanks

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to three big checks from Charlotte donors: Family Dollar CEO Howard Levine pledged a $250,000 challenge grant, which was met by both Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and former Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis.

An anonymous donor’s $125,000 challenge grant matched by 150 individuals and companies filled the bill. Of the donor, Broome says, “I’d really like to know who it is, just so I could say ‘thank you.’”

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The Carolina Piedmont Region of the American Red Cross comprises 10 chapters that cover 14 counties in North Carolina. The concept of the region is for the chapters to pool mutual aid and resources to better provide services. This creates a network that uses a team effort to tackle challenges—such as disasters— that may be more than just one chapter can handle by itself.

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The money will be used for local programs and services. “The generosity of Charlotte has been solidified for me and I’m so grateful for that,” says Broome. “We are thrilled at the way our community has shown its support for the Red Cross mission.”

“Donors and volunteers are the key partners in the community,” continues Broome. “The amazing generosity and support of these two groups are what allow us to exist.”

Community Resources “Anybody who’s out there looking for something caring to do, we can offer them something to do,” says Broome. Currently, there are 34 vol" unteers for every one staff member.

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704-540-2255

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There are people answering phones, stocking shelves and providing logistic or backroom support. Others with higher training may teach, become case workers, go out to shelters or feed people. Volunteers come from all walks of life.

Many are retired or are homemakers; others are employed but have arrangements with their employers to be away to serve. Part-time employees often drive residents to medical appointments.

Many people teach at night or on the weekends.

There are 54 full-time and part-time staff members throughout the Carolina Piedmont Region. Twenty more workers are on call that teach or work in health and safety services. Every large-scale disaster is rated on levels one through six. Staff members must train to achieve those levels and are deployed accordingly.

Stationed in Charlotte is an emergency communications response vehicle equipped with satellite technology; one of the twelve in the country. “We can take this vehicle out to a disaster site, raise up the disc and have national communication—even when there is nothing left there but destruction,” says Broome.

A large part of Broome’s job is to tell the Red Cross story and let people know about the vital services that the organization provides.

In Mecklenburg and South Iredell counties, the Red Cross provides transportation to medical

“Donors and volunteers are the key partners in the community. The amazing generosity and support of these two groups are what allow us to exist.” ~Angela Broome Regional CEO appointments, often critical ones such as kidney dialysis sessions. Through its Health and Safety Program, the Red Cross teaches life-saving skills like

SPECIALISTS IN VOICE NETWORKS FOR 32 YEARS.

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first aid, CPR, swimming and babysitting. Close to 85,000 people in the ARC CPR empowered themselves last year by taking one of these courses.

Important to the men and women in the military and their families, the Red Cross helps to create a bridge for emergency communication. Acting on a mandate from the federal government, the Red Cross verifies emergency information and reports back to the government.

“We’re that neutral partner; trusted by both sides,” says Broome.

A North Carolina native, Broome was raised in Monroe and still has family members scattered around the counties in the Carolina Piedmont Region. She now lives in South Charlotte with her two sons, ages twelve and eight, both boy scouts.

After attending Western Carolina University, Broome went on to earn an M.B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

She first went to work with a finance company which was a division of the Ford Corporation, and then was hired by First Citizens Bank where she stayed for 14 years. While there, she attended Queens University and completed coursework for the Certified Financial Planners Program.

“My father was a Red Cross board member and volunteer and I remember him putting on his Red Cross jacket and going out to help in the community,” says Broome. “I thought he was a hero.”

Broome has also had relatives who were flooded out of their home and witnessed the helping hand of the Red Cross. “The more I made those personal connections from my past, the more I realized this was the place I was supposed to be.” biz Zenda Douglas is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

American Red Cross Carolina Piedmont Region 2425 Park Road Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Phone: 704-376-1661 Principal: Angela A. Broome, Regional CEO Region: 10 chapters covering 14 southwestern N.C. counties Employees: 54 Volunteers: More than 4,400 Fundraising Goal: $6 million (2011-2012) Business: Non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies by providing onsite disaster assistance; 72-hour shelter, food and medical; life-saving classes; transportation and communications. www.redcrosshelps.org www.carolinapiedmontregion.org

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“Our goal…is to increase awareness of the effects of sleep deprivation.

We want to educate the patients and health care professionals that while diet and fitness may be pillars of wellness, sleep is also a significant contributor.” ~Alan Campbell CEO

by casey jacobus

[bizprofile]

lthough sleep is a vital part of a healthy life, it is estimated that over 100 million Americans do not get the rest they need due to a sleep disorder. Although sleep medicine was officially recognized as a specialty by the American Medical Association in 1996, interest in sleep goes back centuries.

In ancient Egypt, opium was a widely offered treatment for insomnia. In 400 B.C., Hippocrates outlined his theory of sleep in Corpus Hippocraticum. In 1836, Charles Dickens authored a character suffering from obstructive sleep apnea depicted by an excessively sleepy, overweight boy named Joe who snored in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.

Today, United Sleep Medicine, L.L.C. seeks to answer the needs of this patient population, which is still widely under-served and undiagnosed.

The Business of Sleep Over the last decade, the information gained from sleep studies has become an increasingly important part of medical research and patient treatment. Dr. Hemanth Rao has watched the rapid growth of the sleep medicine industry over the past 13 years. His company, United Sleep Medicine, has grown from one of the first independent sleep medicine practices in the Carolinas to a leader in the industry.

“When United Sleep Medicine was founded in 1998, sleep medicine was gaining recognition as a field, and by 2002 there were 1,500 sleep programs in the United States,” Rao reports. “In 2006 that number had quadrupled to more than 6,000.”

Putting a focus on patient care, United Sleep Medicine (USM) provides diagnostic and treatment services to patients suffering from a wide array of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, as well as pediatric sleep disorders. It has grown from a single sleep lab to a provider of sleep and neurophysiology services with a national presence. USM currently owns and/ or operates sleep centers throughout the southeastern and southwestern U.S. The Sleep Lab Management Services provides numerous hospitals and physician groups the startup and development expertise and support

necessary for implementing their own sleep centers. USM is also an accredited member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Shared Vision Dr. Rao grew up in southeast India, receiving his M.D. from Madras Medical College in 1988. He came to the United States to complete post-graduate work in internal medicine and neurophysiology.

He completed his internship at Elmhurst Medical Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; his residency, epilepsy and sleep training at Long Island Jewish Medical center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he also served as chief resident of the residency program; and a fellowship in EMG Neuromuscular Diseases from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. From St. Louis, Rao relocated south to Charlotte, in large part because of “the friendliness of the people” and “the green, beautiful, scenic city.” Rao began focusing on the need for a holistic approach to treating people with sleep disorders that was not being met.

“Too many centers provide testing and diagnosis,” says Rao, “but don’t follow up on why it is important to use the recommended equipment.

“Often the patient receives a machine in the mail and is simply told to make sure to use "

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(l to r) T. Hemanth Rao, M.D. President Alan Campbell CEO United Sleep Medicine, L.L.C.

“USM has created sleep centers where patients are educated on the application and use of their therapy under the direction of a caring, professional staff.

Patient involvement is the key to compliance.” ~T. Hemanth Rao, M.D. President

it. USM has created sleep centers where patients are educated on the application and use of their therapy under the direction of a caring, professional staff. Patient involvement is the key to compliance, so we encourage our patients to ask questions and to follow up with any problems that may arise at home.”

Two and a half years ago, Rao met Alan Campbell, who has an extensive background in emerging health care platforms, working most recently with an innovative company providing outpatient therapeutic care for stroke and brain injury patients. The two shared a common philosophy for creating patient care centers in which patients would receive the treatment and oversight they needed from an empathetic team

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in a homelike atmosphere.

Based on their shared vision of offering value to patients in a company built on integrity and compassion, Campbell soon joined USM as chief executive officer. Campbell has raised the level of sophistication and maturity of the company, striving to set new standards in the highly fragmented sleep industry.

“Our goal as a company is to increase awareness of the effects of sleep deprivation,” says Campbell. “We want to educate the patients and health care professionals that while diet and fitness may be pillars of wellness, sleep is also a significant contributor.”

Campbell refers to the latest research information indicating that by treating patients with sleep disorders, they can become less burdensome to the health care system. “Once a person is diagnosed and treated, medical costs such as medications and hospital stays can be reduced by an estimated $1,300 a year,” reports Campbell.

Knowing the Symptoms Most Americans suffering from a sleep disorder are not diagnosed because they are not aware of the signs and symptoms. The effects of sleep deprivation can be both short and longterm and may include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, depression, headaches, anxiety, personality changes, and/or excessive daytime sleepiness.

The most common sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea. This is a medical condition characterized by collapse of the upper airway musculature leading to snoring and breathing cessation or significantly reduced airflow. The

American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that 80 percent of people with sleep apnea are unaware they have the disorder.

“Over 30 percent of people in the U.S. have a sleep disorder. Of that group, 5 percent of them, at a minimum, suffer from obstructive sleep apnea,” asserts Rao. The first step to diagnosis and treatment is recognizing the signs and symptoms of a sleep disorder. In recent years, the mass media has helped publicize the warning signs, which include frequent loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep, uncontrollable daytime sleepiness, excessive sweating during sleep, fatigue, frequent trips to the bathroom to urinate at night, morning headaches, sleep walking or talking, and/or involuntary limb movements during sleep.

A patient suffering from one or more of these symptoms may seek help from a primary physician and then be referred to USM or may seek treatment directly.

On the first visit to USM, the patient receives an extensive evaluation with a sleep specialist and may be scheduled for one or two nights at the center for testing. The overnight test, called a polysomnogram or PSG, is conducted in a private, very comfortable and homelike room, equipped with specialized equipment to monitor heart and breathing rates, brain waves, leg movements and eye movements.

After the sleep test, the patient has a followup appointment to review the test results and to develop a customized treatment plan. Treatment options can include weight-loss programs, mouthpiece devices, surgery or CPAP (continuous "

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Most Americans suffering from a sleep disorder are not diagnosed because they are not aware of the signs and symptoms. The effects of sleep deprivation can be both short and long-term and may include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, depression, headaches, anxiety, personality changes, and/or excessive daytime sleepiness. positive airway pressure) therapy. Many patients with obstructive sleep apnea are prescribed the use of a CPAP facemask, which keeps the airways open with a gentle stream of air, facilitating better breathing during sleep.

Susan Kincaid was referred to USM by her doctor who recognized her hypertension might be a symptom of a sleep disorder. Kincaid was tired all the time and couldn’t seem to get enough sleep.

Her social life was nonexistent. At the end of a

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typical day, it was all she could do to eat dinner and crawl into bed.

After testing, the USM staff recommended Kincaid use a CPAP device. At first she was apprehensive of the facemask, afraid of disconnecting the machine or crimping the tubing during the night. But she quickly adjusted to it.

With nightly use of the CPAP, Kincaid’s irritability and need for naps during the day has ceased. She is sleeping through the night, has more energy during the day, feels like exercising and has regained an interest in social activities. And, her blood pressure has stabilized with no change in her medicines.

“At USM, the test is an extension of the clinical exam,” reports Rao. “Our treatment is tied to our post-test diagnosis. That is why we have a 91 percent compliance versus an industry average of 51 percent.”

Whether child or adult, USM staff is totally focused on finding the specific etiology or reason the patient is having difficulty sleeping and then designing an individualized treatment plan. Their goal is to help the patient get the treatment needed for restful sleep and a healthier life.

“We want patients to feel they have become a patient for life—a part of the USM family,” says Campbell. “We want them to know they have access to other programs here, such as weight management, nutrition management, and insomnia treatment and encourage them to call us whenever they have a concern with their sleep treatment or to just give us an update on how they are feeling.”

Rao adds that patients who are better educated about sleep disorders, interface more often with their primary care and other physicians.

“Once they feel healthier by getting the benefits of restful sleep,” he says, “they seek out ways to solve other medical problems. They are motivated to lead healthier lives.”

Better Sleep for All When USM began in 1998, it staked out its role of providing a high level of service in a field that lacked recognition and industry regulation. New research and technology have broadened interest in the field and hospitals and doctors, some facing legal action from post-surgical complications related to sleep apnea, have become more aware of the importance of sleep medicine. Campbell and Rao believe USM is well positioned to provide leadership to this growing industry.

“We have the platform in place to partner with hospitals and other physician groups,” asserts Campbell. “Because of our highly trained, elite group of technicians, cutting edge technology and operational efficiency, we are considered a strong regional provider.”

USM created their Sleep Lab Management

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services to provide medical expertise and technical know-how to hospitals and physician groups interested in adding sleep medicine to their practices without the capital expenses and overhead of starting their own sleep center. With its professional model, USM can provide a quick start-up for these groups with a business plan, market analysis, equipment and space design. Using registered and certified technicians and AASM-approved protocols and procedures, USM can also provide accreditation assistance to its new partners.

“While our initial focus was in establishing a practice for sleep medicine,” explains Rao, “our interest has expanded to include forming partnerships with hospitals and physician teams in an area stretching from Texas to Virginia. We have both the clinical and technological expertise to help design, staff and service their own sleep centers, and we manage the center for them.”

In Austin, Tex., USM helped Dr. Said Soubra expand his practice, Williamson Pulmonary, to include the treatment of sleep disorders. Soubra wanted to include sleep medicine in his practice, but didn’t want the burden and headache of managing a business plan, designing lab space, hiring staff and training them.

“I chose United Sleep Medicine because they had the know-how and expertise we wanted,” says Soubra. “The two most important aspects I wanted were quality and reliability. USM allows me to treat and care for my patients within a best practice model to achieve optimum outcomes.” biz Casey Jacobus is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

United Sleep Medicine, L.L.C. 5821 Fairview Rd., Ste. 409 Charlotte, N.C. 28209 Phone: 704-377-5337 Principals: Alan Campbell, CEO; T. Hemanth Rao, M.D., President Founded: 1998 Local Offices: Charlotte, Concord, Monroe, Albemarle and Fayetteville, N.C. Accreditation: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; ASTEP Accredited Sleep School for Polysomnography Technicians Business: Sleep medicine centers providing diagnostic and treatment services to patients suffering from a wide array of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, as well as pediatric sleep disorders; Sleep Lab Management Services launches and manages sleep centers in hospitals and physician practices throughout the southeast and Southwest. www.unitedsleepmedicine.com www.getmorezzz.com

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[bizprofile]

by carol gifford

Potter & Company Helps Clients Reach Their Goals robably few accountants can be found scaling the heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro or hiking across the tundra in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge with their clients, something that Bucky Glover, CPA, CVA, a partner at Potter & Company, P.A., a local certified public accounting firm headquartered in Monroe, has done more than once.

Our firm does not concentrate on being successful, but rather on being significant to our clients and communities.

Success will follow. If generosity plays out in our daily lives, our professionalism will surely shine through. ~Bucky W. Glover Partner

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Glover likes the sense of adventure. He is drawn by the sense of learning or seeing something new. He is friends with his clients. Over the years he’s engaged in numerous adventures alongside his clients—taught scuba diving, taken extended backpacking trips and ridden bicycles to the beach.

He’s an accountant that enjoys being with his clients.

“Spending time, doing fun things with my friends, who happen to be clients, is where I truly learn their life’s goals,” says Glover. “You spend time with and listen; you can see what motivates your client.

“My job as a professional is to help that client achieve their goal. My clients are my friends; I care about their success on a personal as well as a professional level. Knowing your client well can help you think or anticipate for them.”

Fresh Impression Glover understands that people may not think accounting is a very glamorous profession, but he thinks it’s just a case of misunderstanding.

“We accountants aren’t dull people,” says Glover. “We just get excited about dull things like tax law. It’s is a good day when someone tells me, ‘You are not a typical accountant!’”

Glover and his partners at Potter & Company are working to change that first impression.

The company of 30-plus accountants has been serving clients in the Charlotte metro area for more than 40 years.

The firm’s partners include: Jan M. Glover, partner and Bucky’s wife; Samuel M. Leder, partner; John W. Kapelar, managing director; Robert W. Taylor, partner, and Donna S. Taylor, partner and Robert’s wife.

With a long history of working for accounting giants such as Arthur Andersen and KPMG, as well as companies in various industries, the partners are experienced in a wide range of business operations and practices.

Bucky and Jan Glover have the longest tenure at the firm, arriving in 1979, to join founder Lee " Potter. Potter had started the firm during the 1960s after working for Deloitte.

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!"#$%#&'( )*+(,*#'-./( 012(3-*#2( !"#*&./ â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like to go places, knowing what I want to accomplish, and find my way there. Developing a pathway to reach the destination is the fun part of business.â&#x20AC;? ~Bucky W. Glover Partner

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Bucky W. Glover Partner Potter & Company, P.A. The opportunity to make a meaningful difference for a client was what attracted Bucky and Jan to Potter & Company.

They both valued their prior experience at larger firms with large and capable staffs. But, as Jan Glover states, “At Potter we have more opportunities to work directly with the business owner to help them achieve their financial goals. It is not just about providing audit and tax services; it is about business improvement planning and developing pathways to reach your goals.”

The Glovers recruited other partners who were holistically dedicated to achieving business success for clients. They recruited Kapelar in 1993, who joined the firm as a college intern and then came on full-time after graduation. He now serves as the managing director of the firm.

Partner Sam Leder joined the firm in 1995 after having started his career working in the manufacturing industry. Sam has worked his way up to become the leading partner in the Concord office.

The Glovers also recruited friends Robert and Donna Taylor, who joined Potter & Company in 2003 when the Mooresville office was opened.

Professional accounting, business consulting and tax are all core services of Potter & Company.

Some other services routinely offered include: business improvement implementation teams, internal control systems, wealth creation strategies, asset protection, management services for contractors, litigation support, expert witness service and employee benefit plans, along with a full component of financial and accounting services.

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“Accounting is not the end product, but the language we use to converse with our clients. We bring a business approach to our clients, a set of problem-solving skills to help them improve their business operations. Clients want you to anticipate the unexpected and to help them plan ahead.” ~Bucky W. Glover Partner “What we bring to the table is all the specialized accounting services—and more,” says Glover. “Accounting is not the end product, but the language we use to converse with our clients.”

“We bring a business approach to our clients,” he says, “a set of problem-solving skills to help them improve their business operations.

Accounting is historical information. Clients want you to anticipate the unexpected and to help them plan ahead.”

Glover cites one situation when a Potter & Company was referred a construction company that was experiencing financial issues. They were able to bring in experts to manage a company “overhaul.”

“We found a professional experienced in construction management to lead the turnaround and we worked together with the company for almost three years,” explains Glover. “The client was able to get its jobs done quicker, bring costs down, and

complete projects more efficiently, all leading to a more profitable bottom line.”

Another time, continues Glover, a client wanted to get his business ready to sell. When he contacted Potter & Company, the firm was able to work with him and guide his operations, significantly increasing the value of the company when it was sold. Potter & Company also helped negotiate and structure the sale to maximize benefits for their client.

“The client was a friend—we understood his family’s goals and, in some measure, we helped him achieve a very successful sale,” states Glover.

Relating the work to his outside interests, Glover says, “I like to go places, knowing what I want to accomplish, and find my way there.

Developing a pathway to reach the destination is the fun part of business.”

Solid Footing MOORESVILLE “In addition to the tax statements, audits and the trade side of services, we offer service to make businesses more productive and improve the over- CONCOR all profitability,” Glover says.

Potter & Company has found its business CHARLOTTE consulting work is growing, especially in these turbulent economic times, because companies need assistance in improving business operations and profitability more than ever.

MONRO “You can cut costs, but you cannot save your way to a profit. You have to look at methods to increase productivity and revenue,” he says, revealing his accountant nature.

In addition to its Monroe headquarters, Potter & Company has three other offices in the metro area—Charlotte, Concord and Mooresville—to

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serve clientele. Clients, says Glover, range from one-person shops to 250- to 300-employee businesses. Most clients are located in the Charlotte metropolitan area.

It’s a big change from when Glover started with the firm.

“My clients are my friends; I care about their success on a personal as well as a professional level. Knowing your client well can help you think or anticipate for them.”

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~Bucky W. Glover Partner “When I came to work for Mr. Potter in 1979, we had five employees. We worked on developing business knowledge of the unique issues facing the privately or family owned business to grow our client base.

Today, he says, the firm’s four major industry groups are manufacturing and distributing, construction and real estate, public entities, and professional services. In addition, the firm serves dealerships, employee benefit plans, trade associations, agribusiness, and governmental entities.

Strategic planning is the key to growing its business, says Glover, and the firm holds regular planning meetings to set annual goals for Potter & Company’s business operations, just like it does for any other business client.

The firm has made a conscious effort to diversify over the past few years and growing its client base helped. Potter & Company opened its Charlotte office two years ago, and has been networking to become a business partner in the area.

“It just made sense to add a new office so that we could better serve our clients in that geographic base,” says Glover.

With regard to the recent challenging economic times, Glover says, “Some of our clients have suffered with the economy, but we did pretty well weathering the storm. It is painful to see friends struggle with the economy but we will continue to help our clients make their way through it successfully.”

Solid Values Involvement in local communities is a company priority. Partners and employees get involved with local groups and actively participate in the community.

“We serve the community that we live in,” says Glover. “We believe in giving without the expectation of any return. We offer our expertise " and advice to community groups and strive

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Accountants for Arts & Apples is one of Potter & Company’s annual events that showcases children’s artwork from regional schools.

Fourth-graders participate in an art contest for scholarships. Each winning entry is then showcased on holiday cards and firm literature. Participation opens up children’s worlds and minds, and offers them the skills they need for a bright future.

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to be leaders in the community, participating in Rotary Clubs, Chambers of Commerce and community organizations.”

One of the firm’s initiatives, Accountants for Arts & Apples, is another way the company helps out, to “add a little color to the black and white world we live in,” says Glover. Each year for the past 12, fourth-graders submit pictures to be judged in a contest for scholarships. Each winning entry is then showcased on holiday cards and firm literature.

The thing Glover likes most about the contest is that company clients have been so intrigued by the idea that they have implemented their own artwork contests.

Another way that Potter & Company gives back is in its participation in improving the profession. Glover is a member of the North Carolina licensing board for accountants, a role that allows him to help shape the practice and find out about new techniques and values. He was appointed to the three-year position by Gov. Bev Perdue.

Glover was also nominated to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Association of State Boards of Accounting.

Additionally, Glover and his wife Jan, along with Bob and Donna Taylor, have served or are currently serving on the Peer Review Committee for the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Taylor serves as chairman of the Long-Range Planning Committee for the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants (NCACPA) and John Kapelar served on the NCACPA Young CPA Cabinet. Both Bucky Glover and Robert Taylor have served as President of the NCACPA.

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Forward Thinking A “Visionary”—that’s the honor recently bestowed upon Glover by the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants this spring. The Visionary Award is recognition of his professional foresight when he served as president of the organization.

While serving as president-elect in 2001, Glover remembers looking around the room at one of the larger meetings and noticing that the leadership of the association was very “middleaged.” Says Glover, “I thought, ‘We’re not doing the things we need to do to attract the young professional to the business of the Association and this profession in North Carolina.’”

“It seemed like a perfect time to implement a business plan to get younger colleagues involved and to train them as future leaders of our organization. So, we started the Young CPA Cabinet.”

A decade later, Glover says, things have changed. Young professionals are involved and the Young CPA Cabinet provides a lot of energy and leaders for the NCACPA. At the award banquet, Young CPAs were asked to stand.

When nearly half the room stood up, Glover couldn’t hide his satisfaction.

“It’s nice to know you had a good idea and something came out of it,” remembers Glover. “It was a great feeling of satisfaction and reward.”

He relates the experience to the larger picture: “Our firm does not concentrate on being successful, but rather on being significant to our clients and communities. Success will follow. If generosity plays out in our daily lives, our professionalism will surely shine through.” biz

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Carol Gifford is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.

Potter & Company, P.A. 114 N. Church Street Monroe, N.C. 28112 Phone: 704-283-8189 Principals: Bucky W. Glover, CPA, CVA, Partner; Jan M. Glover, CPA, Partner; Samuel M. Leder, CPA, Partner; John W. Kapelar, CPA, CVA, Managing Director; Robert W. Taylor, CPA, PFS, Partner; Donna S. Taylor, CPA, CVA, Partner Employees: 40 Established: 1970 Offices: Monroe (headquarters), Charlotte, Concord and Mooresville Business: One of the largest locally-based certified public accounting firms in the region offering core services of professional accounting, business consulting, and financial analysis. www.gotopotter.com

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