New Program to Help Small Business
Governor Bev Perdue has announced a new JobsNOW small business lending initiative to help more small businesses get the loans they need to grow or stay in business.
“North Carolina’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, creating more than two-thirds of all new jobs,” Gov. Perdue said at a press conference last week in Winston-Salem. “Small businesses will power North Carolina’s economic recovery.” (more…)
Sh'ay Perez at Tri-Force jump rope gym. Photos by Hal Goodtree.
Morrisville, NC -Tucked behind some buildings off Dominion Road in Morrisville is a small gym that’s making a big impression across America. It’s Tri-Force Jump Rope, the home of Saltare.
In case you missed our previous coverage, Saltare is the first jump rope crew to compete on MTV’s hit show America’s Best Dance Crew.
How did a small gym in an industrial park leap onto the big stage? (more…)
Cary, NC – Do you need training or new skills to grow your existing business? The Women Business Owners Network of Cary (WBON – Cary), is seeking applications for $3,000 in scholarship money to be awarded in June 2010. (more…)
This week’s edition of the Cary Business Report has something interesting for job seekers, a charity fund raiser for women getting back into business and news of another high-tech leader coming to Cary. Plus, there’s our usual roundup from the Cary Chamber. (more…)
Bill Green (left), CEO of Accenture, and Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS, announce their intention to join forces on a major analytics solution project.
In this week’s Business Report, SAS teams up with Accenture, Adopt a Rescued Rabbit and It’s Not Too Late to Win a Car. Plus, have your say on the Town budget and nominate a small business in Cary for an award. (more…)
Cary, NC – It’s really our pleasure to bring you stories of the good things happening in Cary. And our advertisers make that coverage possible.
This week, we’re pleased to welcome Don Frantz for NC House and The Grove School. We’d also like to thank Rallypoint for their continuing support and congratulate The Cary Players on selling out their show.
This is the last week to take advantage of our 50% off sale on advertising and sponsorships. Not many spots left. Contact Lindsey for more info.
We’d also like to give a shout to a pair of advertisers rolling out campaigns over the next few weeks – the Carolina Railhawks and Friends of Page Walker.
Thanks to all of our very generous sponsors!
Gayla Bonke of Chatham Street Cafe and Jay Rowland of Finish Line. Photos by Brenda Larson for Cary Citizen.
Editor’s Note – Business in town is certainly simmering along. In this issue of the Cary Business Report, Brenda Larson writes about a sneaker store sending shoes to Haiti, Black Bottom Pie to die for, a chance to win a new hybrid Chevy Mailbu and lots of new business openings.
Finish Line boosts Haiti relief effort
Finish Line, an athletic apparel store at Cary Towne Center, is participating in a corporate venture to reach out to Haitian earthquake survivors and you can help.
Finish Line, the Finish Line Youth Foundation, company employees, customers and charitable partners are all mobilizing to lend support to the cause.
Finish Line began collecting monetary donations on Jan. 7 at its stores across the country and at http://www.finishline.com for Samaritan’s Feet, http://www.samaritansfeet.org/, a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to providing shoes for impoverished children around the world. Samaritan’s Feet is redirecting $50,000 from the current collection drive to help distribute shoes specifically for the people of Haiti.
The Finish Line Youth Foundation will, in turn, match monetary donations from customers up to the first $50,000 collected. These funds will be distributed to Action Against Hunger, http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/, a global humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger.
Finish Line will also collect donations from its more than 12,000 employees nationwide. The company will match the relief contributions of its associates up to the first $25,000.
Customers can also donate gently used pairs of shoes at any of the retail locations, including the one at Cary Towne Center. The donation of shoes is being coordinated with Soles4Souls, http://www.soles4souls.org/, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives around the world with the gift of shoes. The organization has pledged to collect one million pairs of new and used boots and shoes for Haitian earthquake survivors.
Jay Rowland, assistant manager at the Cary Towne Center Finish Line store, says the company raises funds every year for Samaritan’s Feet, but this year, the corporation made a conscious decision to direct relief efforts to the people of Haiti.
“People are bringing in shoes, they’re bringing in monetary donations. The monetary donations have been amazing. People are giving $30, $20, $10. It’s great,” Rowland said.
“It’s good for us to be here, right in the middle of it, making this happen. It makes us feel good, it makes our customers feel good. We’re making a difference,” Rowland said.
The Finish Line is located on the main level of the mall near Sears and JC Penney. Drop by any time to help put shoes on bare feet and food in empty tummies.
Chatham Street Café desserts tempt food writer
Congratulations to chef/owner Gayla Bonke of Chatham Street Café in downtown Cary on the great review from The News & Observer’s food writer Greg Cox.
In the review, Cox writes about the sorely tempting array of buttery almond cake, chocolate mousse pie and carrot cake calling to him to eat dessert first, just as you likely begged your own mom once or twice.
“And don’t think the temptation lets up once your food is brought to the table. Sure, the wild mushroom omelet or tarragon chicken salad wrap provides some savory distraction. But it’s only temporary. Before you know it, you’ll start hearing the seductive refrain again, at a first a whisper, then louder: blaaaack bottommm piiie, blaaaaack bottommm piiie…” Cox writes.
A big disclaimer from me… I eat breakfast with a large group of community volunteers at Chatham Street Café once a month, every month, and what we appreciate is how they serve our group a hot, tasty, comforting breakfast and get us in and out in less than an hour, something we all appreciate. Thanks from our team!
Bonke grew up on a farm outside of Rochester, NY, where she learned to appreciate delicious, homegrown, high-quality food. A life-long foodie, she became sole proprietor of Chatham Street Café in May 2008. Visit the website at http://www.chathamstreetcafe.com/home for more information about their hours and menu.
Cary Chamber Business Events
BUILDING BUZZ WITH DEIDRE HUGHEY: I hope you have Thursday, Feb. 18 marked in your calendar for the monthly Business of Women luncheon at Prestonwood Country Club at noon. Guest speaker is Deidre Hughey from The Buzz Builder, LLC, http://thebuzzbuilder.com/, who will be talking about staying motivated, a great subject for these times. Deidre is a marketing maven, who knows how to help businesses build buzz through a variety of tools, including social media. She is also president of the Women Business Owner’s Network, a trustee for inSide919.com, on the board of the Knowledgeable Network of Women in Morrisville and a veteran speaker. It’s $15 with advance registration, www.carychamber.com, or $20 at the door.
WIN A 2010 CHEVY MAILBU HYBRID: Well, you could, if you’re one of the 500 people who buy a ticket in the chamber’s reverse raffle. Only 500 tickets, $100 each, will be sold on the car, donated by Hendrick Cary Auto Mall, so the odds are great. The ticket also provides entry for two people to the raffle and auction event Feb. 25 at Prestonwood Country Club, 5:30 pm. For more info, visit the chamber site, www.carychamber.com.Cary Chamber New Members
Hey, just so you know … CaryCitizen, your local online newspaper, was the very first new member of 2010! We’re excited to be a Chamber member and look forward to working with our new partners in business. Now, here are the other businesses that joined the Chamber in January:
Creative Audio Imaging, Steve Gorick, 3704 Satinleaf Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27616, 888-548-7656, provides on-hold messages that really work for companies everywhere, reducing hangups and educating callers in the process.
Gordon Munro, 204 Valenta Ct., Cary, NC, 27513, (919) 650-1563, a talented photographer specializing in fashion, beauty, celebrities, horses and dogs, whose work has appeared in major publications around the world.
Four Points by Sheraton Raleigh Cary, Trevor Walden, 500 Caitboo Ave., Cary, NC, 27518, 919-900-8840, providing comfortable, 100 percent non-smoking, clean, fresh accommodations for travelers, with great access to transportation, entertainment, dining and educational institutions.
Copiers Plus Inc., Keith Woedy, 130 Penmarc Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27603, 919-270-9498, bringing the most up-to-date technology and office solutions to customers and their businesses.
Oswald Company Inc., Judson Oswald, 3737 Glenwood Ave., Suite 100, Raleigh, NC, 27612, 919-573-6116, provides development, design-build and construction services to a wide range of clients.
Sanctuary Senior Care, Donna Rasmussen, 1135 Kildaire Farm Rd, Suite 200, Cary, NC, 27511, 919-415-2355, provides at-home non-medical caregiving for senior individuals and families.
1750 Ordinary, David Needham, 6490 Tryon Rd., Cary, NC, 27518, 919-851-5300, a restaurant/tavern with a fresh approach to classic fare, something for every palate.
Gurkin Construction Design Build, Julie Pounds, 1312 Kirkland Rd., Suite 117, Raleigh, NC, 27607, 919-834-1196, general contracting and construction management with more than 60 years of collective experience in a wide variety of building projects.
AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex, Mark England, 102 Sherringham Ct., Cary, NC, 27519, 919-434-7249, 919-454-7776, providing residential and commercial air duct cleaning, emergency water removal, mold removal, making every home a healthy home.
CaryCitizen, Hal Goodtree, Cary, NC, 27513, an online local newspaper serving Cary citizens and businesses. All local, all the time.
Kidz Korner, Manjeet Kaur, 1867 Lake Pine Dr., Cary, NC 27511, 919-460-3103, provides drop-in child care. Tour the facilities, meet the staff.
NextCare Urgent Care, Kim Dahl-Dewitt, 1110 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary, NC, 27511, 614-477-3446, provides urgent care when feeling great can’t wait.
Get in Touch
Thanks for reading! If you have business news, email me at Brenda.Larson@carycitizen.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Cary, NC – CaryCitizen is pleased to announce the debut of a new column: The Cary Business Report.
Written by Brenda Larson, the column will cover news and information about Cary businesses of all sizes and types. From the Cary Chamber to the neighborhood restaurant, we’ll report on new openings, significant developments and special events.
“Cary is one of the most vibrant business communities in America,” said Larson. “With CaryCitizen, there’s a unique opportunity for telling that story.”
Brenda Larson is former publisher of The Cary News. She now runs her own independent communications business.
“We’re thrilled to have a reporter of Brenda’s experience and talent as a contributor to our paper,” said CaryCitizen publisher Hal Goodtree. “This column will further strengthen the business community in town.”
The Cary Business Report will launch Tuesday, February 16th. Email Brenda if you have information you’d like to share.
Cary, N. C. – Mayor Harold Weinbrecht delivered an optimistic and forward-thinking State of the Town Address to a packed house at the Cary Chamber “Eye Opener Breakfast” this morning at Prestonwood Country Club.
After introductions of the Cary Town Council and government officials in attendance, the Mayor began by talking about Cary as a great place to live and do business and proceeded to run off the many awards and accolades that Cary has received over the years.
Even in the throes of this recession, Cary is surviving, one might say on the verge of thriving. Cary’s unemployment rate “peaked” at 6.9% in July, Weinbrecht explained, and is now at 6.2% (versus North Carolina at 11%). He pointed out, as a sign of things to come, the division of Deutsche Bank’ AG’s move to Cary (approved in August 2009) bringing more than 300 jobs with an average salary of $88,000/year. This, the mayor said, “says a lot”.
Growth
Mayor Weinbrecht stated that Cary’s population today is 139,000 - “within the 3% we planned for.” He believes that growth will moderate over the years and go to 35% growth in 20 years. “Today we are close to build-out”, he commented. He went on to explain that buildings, including homes, are getting smaller. He touched on Cary’s new diversity and commented on the Asian population growth that is at 12.4% today. The Mayor dismissed the discussions about a Morrisville-Cary merger as simply an off-hand conversation.
He made a plea for all citizens to complete the census being executed in March of this year as funding to the town will be based on this.
Events as a Source of Town Revenue
The Mayor talked about the new sources of Cary revenue coming from NCAA and other sporting events, which are part of the “plan”. He mentioned Cary’s Tennis Park and the USTA events held there, the USA National Baseball Training Complex and focused on the $3m in revenue Cary received from the NCAA Soccer Championship games held here.
The Short-term Future
Harold Weinbrecht boasted about Cary’s deserved reputation as one of the safest places to live and that we had a 16% drop in violent crime from 2008 to 2009. Continuing the effort, the Mayor mentioned bringing in more police officers , geo-policing and surveillance technologies. He went on to speak about transportation and the increased mobility of our nation, Caryites included.
“In a few years, we will see increased buses, and the advent of light rail.”
But this alone, he added will not solve our congestion problems.
He touched on the desire to use new social media techniques and the use of on-line surveys to involve the community in Cary’s future. Also, the Town is beginning to deploy virtual planning tools to allow for easier and more efficient preparation for the future. The automation of utilities will continue with Aquastar electronic meter reading which will save us $2-$4m/year.
Green Cary
Mayor Weinbrecht spent some time talking about Cary’s “Green” Projects and the advisory boards formed to make progress in this area. Our new recycling process now allows for 20% more materials being recycled versus the old system. Cary’s Chamber and Cary participate in Green Plus which connects small employers with online green assessment tools. The Town sponsors ”Spruce” – a volunteer-based program designed to connect citizens to beautification, litter reduction, and environmental service projects in our community. He cited our Green MacDonald’s and our implementation plans for solar power.
Hard Choices
Over 380 capital projects are in the Town’s plans. Nearly $90m worth have been delayed or postponed in the spirit of fiscal conservatism. The town will focus on “priority projects“, the Mayor said. There is still $413m on the table to be dedicated to parks, roads and quality of life, he reported.
“We are in great shape regarding our debt, and there is no need to raise taxes in the next few years.”
The Mayor went on to say that despite this “…we remain as the the town with the lowest tax rate in Wake County.”
The Future Will Continue to be Bright
The message was promising. He explained to the crowd that we are ”in great shape to continue to lead the region in this long, slow economic recovery”. The Mayor said “how blessed we are” to live in Cary with such a high quality of life, and that he has been gifted with a great staff. He closed by mentioning how honored he is to serve such a community.
The Mayor is known for his unassuming and genuine style. This address was not an exception to that reputation.
CARY, N.C. – Leah Brown, President and CEO of A10 Clinical Solutions, Inc. has been named one of the nation’s most successful minority women business leaders by MEA Magazine, a publication of the Minority Enterprise Executive Council (MEEC).
MEA Magazine will host a prestigious luncheon on March 10, 2010 to recognize the “50 Powerful Minority Women in Business.” The event will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Ritz Carlton Hotel, located at1150 22nd Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037. The event will honor 50 of the most successful women business leaders from across the United States. A10 is located on Regency Parkway in Cary.
A10 specializes eco-friendly clinical research and on-site preventative care for large pharmaceutical, government agencies, hospital systems and corporate entities.
Leah Brown serves as the strategic leader of A10, bringing more than 17 years of hands-on operational experience in health care, resource management and compliance. Brown holds a law degree and has served as area vice president for several global health care consulting firms.
“I am honored to be recognized as a winner of MEA Magazine’s ‘50 Powerful Minority Women in Business’,” said Brown. “I could not have achieved this honor without the dedication of my outstanding staff and the support of the local North Carolina community.”
