SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, will present a work shop for new business owners March 20 at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. The program runs from 9 a.m. to noon, and includes such topics as marketing, money and finance, SBA loans and risk management as well as web management. The cost is $25 and includes a tool kit. Information: The Lake Norman Chamber at 704-892-1922 or lakenormanchamber@gmail.com
New lease in Perimeter Woods
Feb. 3: Trinity Partners announced today that it has signed a new tenant, Shapiro & Ingle LLP, at The Linville Building near the NorthLake Mall. The law firm will occupy 12,319 square feet on the fourth floor. Perimeter Woods is a 760,000-square-foot master planned mixed-use development located near the intersections of I-77, I-485 and Harris Boulevard. The first phase of the development is The Linville Building, which is a 125,000 square foot, five-story, Class A office building. Shapiro & Ingle LLP operates statewide providing legal assistance for mortgage lenders and servicers. The Shapiro & Ingle lease was one of three new tenant leases to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2009 at The Linville Building.
“Radio” characters are keynote at Pfeiffer
The pair who inspired the 2003 movie “Radio,” which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris, will visit Pfeiffer University as part of its 13th annual Servant Leadership Week. Coach Harold Jones and James “Radio” Kennedy will keynote a lecture 7 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Merner Gymnasium on the Misenheimer campus. Free, open to the public. Details: 704-463-3123.
Clubhouse earns
LEED certification
Jan. 27: Concord – Crescent Resources Multifamily Development Group earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the Circle at Concord Mills clubhouse, the first LEED-certified structure in Cabarrus County.
The apartment community is also the first multifamily garden community, with open space, landscaped grounds and low-rise buildings, in North Carolina with a LEED-certified facility.
Circle at Concord Mills’ clubhouse features low-energy doors and windows, low-emissions carpet and paint, native landscaping, water-efficient plumbing fixtures, energy efficient mechanical systems, ENERGY STAR kitchen appliances and recycled building materials. The building also offers preferred parking for hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles.
The 312-unit project opened in April 2009. Other Circle communities include Circle at South End, which opened in May 2009 in Charlotte’s historic South End neighborhood.
Chery Kane shares concepts for boosting success by identifying meaningful measurements aimed at important sales targets and critical sales-support processes.
This month Sherre shows you the most effective business owners are also great managers of their destiny. Make more effective decisions and take more effective action when choices need to be made.
Chery Kane teaches you that when business activity resumes to normal you will be well-positioned to care for your customers who will stay loyal and dependent on you
New officers at the Lake Norman Executive board were recently installed by Bill Russell, president of the Lake Norman Chamber, far left. The officers are Ned Flemming, of Boomtown Advertising; Susan Paron, of Global Payments; John Hettwer, of Payroll Plus; Randy Cameron, of Keller Williams; Gail Williams, Morris Visitor Publications; and the new president of the Executive Board, Denis Bilodeau, of Aquesta Insurance Services.
Feb. 5 — Cornelius: Aquesta Bank reported unaudited net operating income of $342,000 in the fourth quarter of last year, compared to net income of $194,000 for the fourth quarter of 2008.
Jim Engel, CEO and president, said the bank has done "relatively well in a very difficult economic environment. We did not apply for or accept TARP funds so we are unencumbered from the obligation to repay such funds and the related stringent and restrictive regulations." The bank was required to pay a one-time FDIC special industrywide insurance premium of $82,000 during the year, which negatively affected earnings. "Consequently, we enter 2010 with a sense of cautious optimism,” Engel said.
During last year's fourth quarter, Aquesta Bank also incurred a non-operating charge of $60,000 (net of tax benefit) for acquisition costs relating to its acquisition of OTC of North Carolina. Including this non-operating cost, Aquesta Bank had net income for the quarter of $282,000. Net income for the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2009 (including the aforementioned acquisition costs) was $718,000 compared to a net loss of $839,000 for the 2008 operating period.
Charlotte Regional Partnership recognizes role of community colleges
In terms of regional economic development, community colleges play a big role in helping recruit new companies to the area as well as supporting the expansion efforts of existing local employers, says Ronnie Bryan, president and CEO of the Charlotte Regional Partnership. “Our regional community and technical colleges give us a competitive advantage as we meet and talk with advisors and corporations that are making decisions about where to expand, consolidate or relocate their companies,” Bryant said. “When we explain how the colleges not only offer workplace-related courses but will customize programs for individual companies within our 16 counties, these decision makers are very, very interested.” There are 10 community and technical colleges in the 16 counties surrounding Charlotte. The Charlotte Regional Partnership is honoring 10 community colleges, including Central Piedmont Community College and Rowan Cabarrus Community College, with Jerry Awards at its annual awardsluncheon May 25. It will be held at the Charlotte Convention Center. For event or sponsorship information, contact Clay Andrews, candrews@charlotteusa.com or 704-347-8026.
At a time when the economy is forcing many business people to re-assess their lives and values, finance executive Maryann Bruce had the opportunity thrust on her in the middle of the Hudson River.
A protracted case that started with a U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) investigation has resulted in an administrative law judge’s recommended ruling that Bank of America discriminated against African-American job applicants for entry level positions in Charlotte in 1993 and from 2002 to 2005.
“The Labor Department is committed to ensuring that all workers — including African Americans — are treated fairly by federal contractors in decisions concerning hiring, promotion and compensation,” said OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu.
Administrative Law Judge Linda Chapman now will hold a hearing to determine what remedies should be provided by the bank. After the Administrative Law Judge issues a recommended decision on a remedy, the case will proceed to the department’s Administrative Review Board for a final agency decision.
Clyde Higgs describes growth at the N.C. Research Campus as phenomenal, despite the challenges everyone in business continues to face during what can only be described as difficult economic times.
Three buildings are complete, along with a parking deck and central energy plant, and more than 250 people are working on the campus daily.
A California entrepreneur and real estate equity firm plans to spend about $2 million to renovate the long-vacant Palace Theater in Cornelius into an arts center.
The theater on Copely Drive in Kenton Place, the mixed-used development in the northeast corner of Sam Furr Road / Hwy. 73 and West Catawba Avenue, just west of Birkdale Village is owned by Levy Affiliated Holdings, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based firm that has acquired more than five dozen properties valued in excess of $550 million.
Jan. 29 — Kannapolis: Monsanto Co. will open an R&D lab in the 350-acre North Carolina Research Campus, establishing a strategic alliance with the David H. Murdock Research Institute.
Monsanto has signed a long-term lease for about 10,000 square feet of space to establish research facilities focused on the taste and nutritional composition of vegetables, as well as enhanced nutrition in food-focused row crops such as soybeans. Teamwork and third-party alliances are a central part of Monsanto's R&D efforts.
"Monsanto's presence on the NCRC constitutes yet another critical piece in ensuring the success of the campus," Murdock said. "I am proud to have a company with the outstanding reputation of Monsanto, a leader in the field of agricultural biotechnology, as our newest partner. I look forward to great collaboration and scientific breakthroughs between Monsanto and our other academic and industry partners on the campus."
Jan. 28: Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has more spring semester students than ever before – almost 7,000. RCCC’s overall enrollment for the 2010 spring semester stands at 6,977, an increase of 16.1 percent over spring 2009, and 18.2 percent over the 2008 spring semester.
Approximately 2,874 students at RCCC are taking a full-time course load this spring. That compares to 2,359 in spring 2009, an increase of 21.8 percent.
RCCC attributes its continued enrollment surge to the scores of unemployed individuals in both counties who are coming to the college for training in a new career field and increased numbers of traditional age students who are starting their college studies at RCCC.
RCCC’s spring enrollment could increase slightly as students start “JobsNOW” certificate programs, which begin in February and March. JobsNOW is a statewide community college initiative to train workers quickly to re-enter the job market in fields that are in demand locally.
A new design and antique center, inspired by the Blacklion multi-merchant home décor chain, is opening in the renovated Gibson Mill in Concord. Managing partner Gary Pigg said he has taken the concept a step further by adding concrete stain, flooring and granite purveyors to the mix of decorators, antique dealers and furniture shops.
The Golden Crescent is one of Charlotte’s big sub-markets, stretching from Concord and Kannapolis across Highway 3 and Highway 73 to Lake Norman. Business in the motorsports region boomed during the last 10 years, just like a lot of other places around the country.
But will we recover about the same or even faster than the rest of the country as the economy improves in 2010?
Library system opens Job Help Center for small business, unemployed
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has opened a new JobHelpCenter, stepping into a role that has often been filled by libraries. “Every day, people come to the Library to search for jobs, update resumes, and prepare themselves for new opportunities in the workforce. The Library’s JobHelpCenter provides these customers more access to the Internet and other resources every job seeker needs in today’s market,” says Frank Blair, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Director of Research, Innovation & Strategy. The NC Employment Security Commission reports that the most recent unemployment rate for the greater Charlotte area is 11.8%.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library also will provide resources for job seekers at all 24 locations, and via its website www.cmlibrary.org, by offering the online resource Gale Career Transitions. Transitions walks job seekers through the process of finding employment by creating a user account, doing a personal assessment, exploring careers, creating a resume, seeking training and resources, and searching for a job.
The audience for this new library initiative includes the newly and chronically unemployed, and first-time job market entrants, as well as small businesses in need of support. Details: www.cmlibrary.org.
Funding for the JobHelpCenter has been provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Mecklenburg County ABC Board, Phillip L. Van Every Foundation and The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation.
Gandy Communities is trying to make some Heritage Green lots more attractive to those who want to have a rental property.
The move has some neighbors in the Cornelius subdivision upset, and lawyers for the HOA and the developer in a dispute over whether rentals violate covenants.
Cornelius Town Commissioner Jim Bensman, left, and Bill Russell, president of the chamber, attended the installation of Robert McIntosh as 2010 chamber chairman. Former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory was the keynote speaker, urging small business owners to speak out against anti-business taxes and regulations that make North Carolina less competitive than neighboring states like South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Net in-migration bodes well for North Carolina labor pool
North Carolina is still a magnet for people from other states, seeking a better job climate, and when there isn’t a cold wave, warmer weather. The 2009 Atlas Van Lines migration survey shows 2,280 moves out of North Carolina, vs. 2,956 moving into the state. It’s an impressive ratio, one of only eight states with significantly more inbound moves than out-of-state moves. In New Jersey, 1,480 moves were inbound, while 2,356 were outbound.
It all means gains in North Carolina’s population, often driven by people seeking jobs. Texas was the big winner, with 6,833 in bound moves, vs. 4,773 outbound. North Carolina has been a destination for years, while states like New Jersey have seen more househoulds moving out than moving in for well over a decade. South Carolina had about the same number of in-bound moves and out-bound moves, 1,368 moves into the state as opposed to 1,337 outbound.
People are moving away from states with high unemployment. Rust Belt states like Ohio and Pennsylvania see large numbers of outbound moves, as steel and manufacturing industry jobs decline. And while historically the nation has moved westward, heavy job losses, particularly in construction, manufacturing and tourism in California, Nevada and Oregon, have made these states less popular destinations than in years past.
The net in-migration in North Carolina means there is an attractive talent pool for relocating companies seeking new employees. Electrolux and Husqvarna have recently announced major business expansions in the north Charlotte area. The expansions have not come soon enough for some retailers. A number of merchants have closed their doors in recent days, including long-established operations like Saeed’s in Cornelius, as well as newer businesses in higher-cost locations, such as Lollipop Décor in the new Davidson Commons project near I-77 in Davidson.
“The retail closings are going to weigh heavily on landlords in 2010,” said one real estate observer who forecast a growing number of foreclosures in the retail marketplace.
As the economy cooled in 2009, so did household moves industry-wide, according to the study. Atlas' total interstate and cross-border moves were down nearly 16 percent from 2008, when Atlas moved 84,447 households. The total for 2009 was 71,301. However, a higher-than-average jump in relocation activity during the summer months may be a sign that the economy may have turned for the better.
The Lake Norman Regional Economic Development Corp. is planning a major capital campaign to help boost recruitment efforts at the non-profit agency.
Supported by businesses and the three towns of North Mecklenburg, the development corporation has helped bring companies like Prairie Packaging to North Mecklenburg since its inception in 2003.
It’s time for New Year’s resolutions, even in the business world. Tradition calls for a critical assessment of one’s mistakes andshortcomings as well as resolving to make appropriate improvements. (If you’re still in business right now as we start to exit the worst recession in decades, you did good and we offer hearty congratulations.)
With membership in The Cabarrus Regional Chamber down 119 members in the past 10 months, one of Sam Leder’s top priorities as the 2010 chairman is to win them back.
“The economy has had a significant impact on local businesses in our community and our decline in membership is a direct indication of how tough this year has been for many business owners,” said Leder, a partner in the Concord office of Potter and Co., one of the larger Charlotte based regional accounting firm.
Bank loans are still going to be hard to come by for many small businesses despite the fact that the economy seems to be on the mend.Commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. reported aggregate net income of $2.8 billion in the third quarter of 2009, but loan balances declined by the largest percentage since quarterly reporting began in 1984.
4G is not just an enhanced version of 3G networks; it’s a whole new technology. Where 3G networks currently employ circuit switched technologies to move data, 4G is true IP telephony, using packet switched technologies. In effect, it’s like WiFi on steroids, covering a much broader geographic area than previously possible.
Imagine being 16 and the world is your oyster, except the government ships you off to the countryside where you labor in the fields for eight solid years.
If not now, when? If you’re not already a “servant leader,” it’s time to start.
If you approach it like a diet, with the goal of losing a few pounds, it won’t work long term. It’s a way of life, like eating healthy, cutting back on sweets and exercising.
Retail sales increased 1.3 percent in November over October; the labor market is starting to stabilize; and the stock market brought smiles in late December. Is the housing market poised to improve in 2010?
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