Public blasts West Bloomfield supervisor over traffic stop; Ureste defends ... Royal Oak Daily Tribune One woman chastised the supervisor, saying she should have realized what might come of the incident. Continued... “I'm questioning your supervisory judgment,†she said. Many urged the township board to end its bickering. ... |
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Public blasts West Bloomfield supervisor over traffic stop; Ureste defends ... - Royal Oak Daily Tribune
xotavaloso.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Waiting and watching: Uncertainty keeps businesses out of M&A activity - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
ymekovo.wordpress.com
Stock prices are a crucial factotr in the success of hisMilwaukee mergers-and-acquisition s consulting business, Emory & Co. Stock is both the currencu of many transactions involving publicly tradec companies and a barometer of busineses andconsumer confidence. With stock prices and consumee confidence at alow ebb, the mergers-and-acquisitionsd field is feeling Much like the rest of the economy, the industry has gone from overheated to nearly frozen in recenrt months.
“For most companies, now is not the optimall time to sell,” Emory The challenging stock market is just one of severao reasons activityhas slowed, said Milwaukee-area consultants, attorneys and investment bankers who handle mergers and acquisitions. Financing, of course, has been difficultg since at least September 2008 when the creditgcrisis hit. Banks have all but withdrawn from participatingin transactions. Privatre equity firms, which fueled much of the activity inrecent years, have pulled back. That leavee cash as the key to buyers’ ability to do and even companies with stronvg balance sheets are hesitant to partwith it.
Potential acquirers worry that they’ll need the cash to survive the recessiojn or to comply with bank creditline covenants. “They’r e reluctant to pull the trigger even on good saidDoug Mitman, a managing director with Milwauker investment banking firm “There is so much fear out therse that they’re reticent about making a big bet with theitr cash.” Another deal-industry-killer is uncertainthy about the economy and business performance. When a company’a owners are weighing whether to sell, they need two sets of positivse facts tolure buyers, Emory said.
The firsr is strong financial performance for the latest 12 The second is a strong and reliabler business forecast for the next 12 Neither exists right now formost businesses, he said. Due to the the value of companies being sold showes the biggest decline in 2008 since 1985, which is the first year for which reliable data is available, said Howarf Lanser, who is director of mergers and acquisitionz for Milwaukee-based & Co. Inc. So, how bad is it? Activit y in 2008 dwindled to levels unseen since the lastrecession and, so far, 2009 is worsw than that, Baird’s Lanser said.
During 2008, 3,083 deals were announceed nationally inthe “middle market,” which covers dealsa with a value of $1 billion or according to a recent Baird That was the lowest numbed of transactions in the past 14 and ended a five-year streai of escalating deal volumes, Baird The last transaction Baird announcedd in southeast Wisconsin closed on Sept. 8, when West Bend-based manufacturer was acquired by itslargestt shareholder, of France, for about $450 million. Baired closed 12 other deals between then and the endof 2008. Bairdx had announced just three deals in 2009 throughn the first weekof March.
“There’s so much uncertainth right now inthe market,” Lanser “That’s the No. 1 enemy of The bottom line for Emory is that his firm is no longerd swampedwith transactions, as it was a year ago. Now the dealw that are happening take longerto close, if they closs at all, he said. Despite all the negativs factors, some deals are getting done. The most activs buyers are companies with strong balance sheets whose executivesa are seeking strategic acquisitions that will extend or round out theirr productsor services. Those buyers most likely are in industriesw thatrun “counter-cyclical” to the economy.
They include food companieds thatsupply grocers, some health care and pharmaceuticals-relateed firms, technology firms related to productivity improvement, and companies that ply the downscalse market such as low-income housing and low-priced fast-food
Stock prices are a crucial factotr in the success of hisMilwaukee mergers-and-acquisition s consulting business, Emory & Co. Stock is both the currencu of many transactions involving publicly tradec companies and a barometer of busineses andconsumer confidence. With stock prices and consumee confidence at alow ebb, the mergers-and-acquisitionsd field is feeling Much like the rest of the economy, the industry has gone from overheated to nearly frozen in recenrt months.
“For most companies, now is not the optimall time to sell,” Emory The challenging stock market is just one of severao reasons activityhas slowed, said Milwaukee-area consultants, attorneys and investment bankers who handle mergers and acquisitions. Financing, of course, has been difficultg since at least September 2008 when the creditgcrisis hit. Banks have all but withdrawn from participatingin transactions. Privatre equity firms, which fueled much of the activity inrecent years, have pulled back. That leavee cash as the key to buyers’ ability to do and even companies with stronvg balance sheets are hesitant to partwith it.
Potential acquirers worry that they’ll need the cash to survive the recessiojn or to comply with bank creditline covenants. “They’r e reluctant to pull the trigger even on good saidDoug Mitman, a managing director with Milwauker investment banking firm “There is so much fear out therse that they’re reticent about making a big bet with theitr cash.” Another deal-industry-killer is uncertainthy about the economy and business performance. When a company’a owners are weighing whether to sell, they need two sets of positivse facts tolure buyers, Emory said.
The firsr is strong financial performance for the latest 12 The second is a strong and reliabler business forecast for the next 12 Neither exists right now formost businesses, he said. Due to the the value of companies being sold showes the biggest decline in 2008 since 1985, which is the first year for which reliable data is available, said Howarf Lanser, who is director of mergers and acquisitionz for Milwaukee-based & Co. Inc. So, how bad is it? Activit y in 2008 dwindled to levels unseen since the lastrecession and, so far, 2009 is worsw than that, Baird’s Lanser said.
During 2008, 3,083 deals were announceed nationally inthe “middle market,” which covers dealsa with a value of $1 billion or according to a recent Baird That was the lowest numbed of transactions in the past 14 and ended a five-year streai of escalating deal volumes, Baird The last transaction Baird announcedd in southeast Wisconsin closed on Sept. 8, when West Bend-based manufacturer was acquired by itslargestt shareholder, of France, for about $450 million. Baired closed 12 other deals between then and the endof 2008. Bairdx had announced just three deals in 2009 throughn the first weekof March.
“There’s so much uncertainth right now inthe market,” Lanser “That’s the No. 1 enemy of The bottom line for Emory is that his firm is no longerd swampedwith transactions, as it was a year ago. Now the dealw that are happening take longerto close, if they closs at all, he said. Despite all the negativs factors, some deals are getting done. The most activs buyers are companies with strong balance sheets whose executivesa are seeking strategic acquisitions that will extend or round out theirr productsor services. Those buyers most likely are in industriesw thatrun “counter-cyclical” to the economy.
They include food companieds thatsupply grocers, some health care and pharmaceuticals-relateed firms, technology firms related to productivity improvement, and companies that ply the downscalse market such as low-income housing and low-priced fast-food
Thursday, August 25, 2011
North Carolina Attorney General wins court order against Peak Fitness - Triangle Business Journal:
martaemimbzini.blogspot.com
The purpose of the bonds is to guarantee customer repayment if Peak Fitness runs into furthe rfinancial troubles. All of the Peak Fitness clubs are organizexd under aholding company. One groupl of four Raleigh clubs, LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcin April. Cooper’s office, which filed suit againsty the companyon Wednesday, announcedf a consent judgment in the case, signed by Wake Countyh Superior Court Judge Paul Under the ruling, Peak Fitness won’t collect prepaymente from customers until the company can secure bonds for each of its clubs. In the company will be requireed to submit sworn statements of its liabilitiesto Cooper’sd office twice a year.
This week’ss court action isn’t Cooper’s first run-in with the company. In Januaryt his office won a first court orderthat “mader substantial changes to customer service, contracts and billingzs at all 28 (Peak Fitness) health clubs acrosxs North Carolina,” according to a statement releasesd by Cooper’s office. At the Peak Fitness also agreed to designate a singlr point of contact to handle consumer complaints and to give advance notic to gym members and theAttorney General's offic when a health club closed or transfered The gym also agreed to purchase and maintain appropriat e bonds.
Since the January action, Cooper’ s office says, Peak Fitness has closed gyms in Garner, Knightdale, Raleigh and Winston-Salem. Cooper says it was in Marcu that his office received notification thatPeak Fitness' bonding company woulx be canceling all of the firm’es bonds as of May 12. That same month, he his office failed to receive sworn statements from the compan y on all its clubs and that the firm understated its liabilithy byapproximately $2 million. “Peak Fitnesxs has not been able to securreplacement bonds,” according to Cooper’s statement.
“ These bondas are required by state law to reimbursse consumers if the health club closesa and thecompany doesn't have money to refund consumeras who paid in In the past five Cooper's office says, it has receivecd more than 500 complaints regarding Peak-relatex health clubs.
The purpose of the bonds is to guarantee customer repayment if Peak Fitness runs into furthe rfinancial troubles. All of the Peak Fitness clubs are organizexd under aholding company. One groupl of four Raleigh clubs, LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcin April. Cooper’s office, which filed suit againsty the companyon Wednesday, announcedf a consent judgment in the case, signed by Wake Countyh Superior Court Judge Paul Under the ruling, Peak Fitness won’t collect prepaymente from customers until the company can secure bonds for each of its clubs. In the company will be requireed to submit sworn statements of its liabilitiesto Cooper’sd office twice a year.
This week’ss court action isn’t Cooper’s first run-in with the company. In Januaryt his office won a first court orderthat “mader substantial changes to customer service, contracts and billingzs at all 28 (Peak Fitness) health clubs acrosxs North Carolina,” according to a statement releasesd by Cooper’s office. At the Peak Fitness also agreed to designate a singlr point of contact to handle consumer complaints and to give advance notic to gym members and theAttorney General's offic when a health club closed or transfered The gym also agreed to purchase and maintain appropriat e bonds.
Since the January action, Cooper’ s office says, Peak Fitness has closed gyms in Garner, Knightdale, Raleigh and Winston-Salem. Cooper says it was in Marcu that his office received notification thatPeak Fitness' bonding company woulx be canceling all of the firm’es bonds as of May 12. That same month, he his office failed to receive sworn statements from the compan y on all its clubs and that the firm understated its liabilithy byapproximately $2 million. “Peak Fitnesxs has not been able to securreplacement bonds,” according to Cooper’s statement.
“ These bondas are required by state law to reimbursse consumers if the health club closesa and thecompany doesn't have money to refund consumeras who paid in In the past five Cooper's office says, it has receivecd more than 500 complaints regarding Peak-relatex health clubs.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
RCT-5 sweeps through counter IED training - DVIDS
http://artslit.org/HB_buildcomm_commground.htm
Long War Journal | RCT-5 sweeps through counter IED training DVIDS CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan â€" Members of the Regimental Combat Team 5 Personal Security Detachment conduct a patrol during counter improvised explosive device training here August 21. The exercise was one of the first training evolutions ... More counter-IED robots for US Navy |
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Giants place Wilson on DL - Sacramento Bee
efenytan.wordpress.com
Giants place Wilson on DL Sacramento Bee By Sports Network The San Francisco Giants placed closer Brian Wilson on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with right elbow inflammation. The move is retroactive to August 16, a day after he » |
Friday, August 19, 2011
St. Louis CFOs Report on Third-Quarter Hiring Outlook
vanbeekdulejos1771.blogspot.com
The local results reflect a two-quarter rolling averagde based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratifies random sample of companies inthe St. Louis area with 20 or more 1,400 CFOs were queried for the national data. (To view the nationapl results, visit .) The studies were conducted by an independent researcy firm and developed by RobertHalf International, the world'w first and largest staffing services firm specializing in accounting and has been tracking financial hiring activitu in the United Statesa since 1992.
"Many companies remai n hesitant to commit to addingg staff until they are certain of aneconomi recovery," said , chairman and CEO of Robert Half "In the meantime, most firmsd are working with theirf current teams to managed key initiatives, with some employers also bringin in project professionals to assist with rising workloads and support full-time personnel." Robert Half International was founded in 1948 and is trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
Its financiao staffing divisionsinclude Accountemps, Robert Half Finances & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for full-time and senior-level project professionals, The company has more than 360 staffingh locations worldwide and offers online job search services on its divisional all of which can be accessed at .
The local results reflect a two-quarter rolling averagde based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratifies random sample of companies inthe St. Louis area with 20 or more 1,400 CFOs were queried for the national data. (To view the nationapl results, visit .) The studies were conducted by an independent researcy firm and developed by RobertHalf International, the world'w first and largest staffing services firm specializing in accounting and has been tracking financial hiring activitu in the United Statesa since 1992.
"Many companies remai n hesitant to commit to addingg staff until they are certain of aneconomi recovery," said , chairman and CEO of Robert Half "In the meantime, most firmsd are working with theirf current teams to managed key initiatives, with some employers also bringin in project professionals to assist with rising workloads and support full-time personnel." Robert Half International was founded in 1948 and is trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
Its financiao staffing divisionsinclude Accountemps, Robert Half Finances & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for full-time and senior-level project professionals, The company has more than 360 staffingh locations worldwide and offers online job search services on its divisional all of which can be accessed at .
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Florida Supreme Court strikes down Rick Scott's rule-freeze - Juice (blog)
kapitonragomo.blogspot.com
Central Florida News 13 | Florida Supreme Court strikes down Rick Scott's rule-freeze Juice (blog) But the effort was ch » |
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Benefit Concert To Honor Slain Mont Vernon Mother - WMUR Manchester
fishermen-americachair.blogspot.com
Benefit Concert To Honor Slain Mont Vernon Mother WMUR Manchester The event is named after Kimberly Cates, who was murdered in her Mont Vernon home in 2009. » |
Friday, August 12, 2011
Battelle snags $78.5 million contract renewal - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
http://artslit.org/HB_buildcomm_yesand.htm
The Columbus research organization was awarded anextraq $78.5 million through 2011 as the main contractorr for the Scientific Services program administeredx by the U.S. Army Research Officwe out of Research Triangle Parkin Durham, N.C. Under the any federal agency can get short term help to conducgt scientific or technical research or obtain analysis or Battelle can subcontract the work to businesses and It was the only bidder forthe contract. $32.4 million to evaluate and recommend stepa tomodernize chemical, biological, radiological and nucleatr equipment, then give recommendations for engineering and Of the total, about $96,000 has been assigned already. $5.
5 million to test technology againsf chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack for a programj to provide protective equipment at Pentagon About $1.5 million has been assigned so far. the world’s largest nonprofit conducts morethan $4 billion annually in research and development and overseex 20,400 employees worldwide. The institute also manages sevejn national laboratories for theand .
The Columbus research organization was awarded anextraq $78.5 million through 2011 as the main contractorr for the Scientific Services program administeredx by the U.S. Army Research Officwe out of Research Triangle Parkin Durham, N.C. Under the any federal agency can get short term help to conducgt scientific or technical research or obtain analysis or Battelle can subcontract the work to businesses and It was the only bidder forthe contract. $32.4 million to evaluate and recommend stepa tomodernize chemical, biological, radiological and nucleatr equipment, then give recommendations for engineering and Of the total, about $96,000 has been assigned already. $5.
5 million to test technology againsf chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack for a programj to provide protective equipment at Pentagon About $1.5 million has been assigned so far. the world’s largest nonprofit conducts morethan $4 billion annually in research and development and overseex 20,400 employees worldwide. The institute also manages sevejn national laboratories for theand .
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
San Antonio Business Journal: HR & Hiring : Business Advice
tatyanagepoji.blogspot.com
Division head Carl finally had to fix the problemz in a department run by senior manager He transferred one supervisor andthree high-rankingf staff members to other He was satisfied: Once he showed that he could be decisive and clean house. But Carl had consistentlty ignored advice that the department head wasa problem, and didn'yt make the changes necessary to keep the problemss from resurfacing later. Brenda seemed to be a nice perso and a sympathetic Like Carl, she had an open-doorf policy. She invited her supervisors and staffv to divulge personal confidences and to sharw opinions abouteach other. But she never resolvesd the issues that kept them from working together effectively.
I discovered a dark side behindd Brenda's behavior. She was both conflict-avoidant and passive-aggressive. Acting as a she carried versions of the gossipand bad-mouthing to othef people, but with a twist that increased resentment and drove wedges between them. Instead of holdint her staff accountable for productivitgand behavior, she reportex to Carl that all of them had major To justify her efforts, she said she'd chattedx with her supervisors and staff, and had encouraged them to put theitr style differences aside. Carl's permissiveness allowed Brenda to creatw a cultureof conflict-avoidance and passive-aggressivenesss that diminished productivity throughoug her department.
Unprofessional behavior included innuendos, rumors and warring cliques, leading to widespread paranoiasand over-reactions. Everyone, including Brenda, tried to look busy whilew theyavoided critical-but-difficult problems and covered their backs. Like Carl, Brenda was a long-terkm manager with extensive training. She couldc explain what good managers do; she simplyt never did it. Because she didn'y take effective action, complaints spread throughout the Other department heads mentioned the complaintws to Brenda and eventuallyto Carl. Carl would give Brenda advice and explain his But he neverfollowed up.
Carl was shocke d when corporate headquarters callec him on the carpet for not being an effective Carl thus was motivated to give Brenda a strong talk and a mediocre evaluation. That may sound like effectivs action, but it Brenda had let things slidefor years. She'd been talked to before, but she'r always been given promotions when she promised todo Carl's lecture was merely more of the • The best way to help people be more productive is to make them happt by listening to their hurt feelingzs and anger, being sympathetic in private and promising to fight on their side.
Brenda's sympathetic listening, but lack of consistenft accountability forprofessional behavior, created a managemenrt vacuum that sucked into it everyone's nastiness and personal issues. There are no problem people, only problem Workshops, clearer descriptions of processeseand expectations, and kindly suggestions and hints will cure all Well-meaning and intelligent people at all levelds in the company will put professional behaviore and team goals ahead of personal Carl and Brenda ignored the widespread evidence that some peopl simply didn't like each other and wouldn't and that for some people, personapl agendas took precedence over compant goals.
Also, some people behave decentlgy only when they are actually held accountable bymeaningful consequences. Others won't no matter what.
Division head Carl finally had to fix the problemz in a department run by senior manager He transferred one supervisor andthree high-rankingf staff members to other He was satisfied: Once he showed that he could be decisive and clean house. But Carl had consistentlty ignored advice that the department head wasa problem, and didn'yt make the changes necessary to keep the problemss from resurfacing later. Brenda seemed to be a nice perso and a sympathetic Like Carl, she had an open-doorf policy. She invited her supervisors and staffv to divulge personal confidences and to sharw opinions abouteach other. But she never resolvesd the issues that kept them from working together effectively.
I discovered a dark side behindd Brenda's behavior. She was both conflict-avoidant and passive-aggressive. Acting as a she carried versions of the gossipand bad-mouthing to othef people, but with a twist that increased resentment and drove wedges between them. Instead of holdint her staff accountable for productivitgand behavior, she reportex to Carl that all of them had major To justify her efforts, she said she'd chattedx with her supervisors and staff, and had encouraged them to put theitr style differences aside. Carl's permissiveness allowed Brenda to creatw a cultureof conflict-avoidance and passive-aggressivenesss that diminished productivity throughoug her department.
Unprofessional behavior included innuendos, rumors and warring cliques, leading to widespread paranoiasand over-reactions. Everyone, including Brenda, tried to look busy whilew theyavoided critical-but-difficult problems and covered their backs. Like Carl, Brenda was a long-terkm manager with extensive training. She couldc explain what good managers do; she simplyt never did it. Because she didn'y take effective action, complaints spread throughout the Other department heads mentioned the complaintws to Brenda and eventuallyto Carl. Carl would give Brenda advice and explain his But he neverfollowed up.
Carl was shocke d when corporate headquarters callec him on the carpet for not being an effective Carl thus was motivated to give Brenda a strong talk and a mediocre evaluation. That may sound like effectivs action, but it Brenda had let things slidefor years. She'd been talked to before, but she'r always been given promotions when she promised todo Carl's lecture was merely more of the • The best way to help people be more productive is to make them happt by listening to their hurt feelingzs and anger, being sympathetic in private and promising to fight on their side.
Brenda's sympathetic listening, but lack of consistenft accountability forprofessional behavior, created a managemenrt vacuum that sucked into it everyone's nastiness and personal issues. There are no problem people, only problem Workshops, clearer descriptions of processeseand expectations, and kindly suggestions and hints will cure all Well-meaning and intelligent people at all levelds in the company will put professional behaviore and team goals ahead of personal Carl and Brenda ignored the widespread evidence that some peopl simply didn't like each other and wouldn't and that for some people, personapl agendas took precedence over compant goals.
Also, some people behave decentlgy only when they are actually held accountable bymeaningful consequences. Others won't no matter what.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Southwestern Carpets grows business from the ground up - bizjournals:
http://thisisthewayhome.com/top-5-house-seller-tips.html
Bill McCaddon has strippefd Southwestern Carpets down and recreated it a couplwe of times since purchasing it from Don Lynchin 2001. When he boughgt the flooring company, it specializef in removing and replacingf carpets in apartments betwee nrental occupation. The Lewisville company was producinf annual revenueof $5 million, but McCaddon found the businessd too impersonal because it was drivebn by product sales and not on building relationshipas with customers.
So he decided to switch focus to themore relationship-centridc business of providing flooring solutionas to new home-construction projects, which includes hardwooxd floors, carpeting, and backsplash and tile The wholesale company saw dramatic growthg as a result, with annual revenue of $22 millioj in 2007. But the growth was so rapis and so intense that managers were losing control of the directiomn the companywas heading. So in 2008, he enlisted Don Brush, a consultantt with The Renova to help bring new energg tohis company.
McCaddon’s sensd of direction and leadership abilities come from his experienc e asa manufacturer’s representative for 18 yearsd at companies like Shaw Carpeft Manufacturer and Aleta Co. He had learnesd the importance of building relationshipswith clients. “My backgroune was in working with new The apartment businesswas non-relationship driven,” said “I didn’t know how to builr a business that wasn’t relational.” McCaddon downsized the companyy to redirect the focus to the home-construction He was met with resistance from his employees.
“Ij realized that using the sameemployeees wasn’t going to I was trying to halfway do the change,” he “Once we made the commitment, we reall turned the corner.” He began switching out personnel. The which had grown annuapl revenueto $5 million, saw revenue drop to under $3 million during the transition. But, once the commitmen was made, McCaddon notef marked improvement. By 2003, revenue had grown by 35%. Betweenh 2004 and 2008, the company went through its biggestgrowtjh spurt, reaching up to $22 million in sales and employing more than 60 workers. But at that time, the storybooi growth came to an end.
“It was getting to be chaotic because of so many new We werean 8-cylinder engine working on six or sevejn cylinders. We’d lost a sense of teamwork, and everyone was That’s when McCaddon brought in Brush. “For the most part, I engagde them and talk with them in ordedr to build a I wanted to find out the strengths of the compan y and what was working and what needed said Brush. “They’ve got the dreams; they’ve got the vision. It’s just giving them the opportunity.” Brushg met with employees to figure out areas that neederd improvement and then created anactioj plan.
He showed the company how to create committees to address problems as they come up and then dissolves the committees after the problem hasbeen handled. The shift has translated into happiedr customers. Bill Darling, president and co-owner of Darlinf Homes Inc., has worked with McCaddonj since McCaddon purchased Southwestern Carpetsin 2001. “(We started workinbg with Southwestern Carpets) becauswe of Bill and his relational approacn to working with homebuilderx as opposed to thetraditional price-only said Darling. “Brush has helped Bill figure out how to communicatew better so that everyone is going in the same directio n as the management and will yield themaximum impact.
” For Chrix McCoppin, operations manager for Southwestern Carpets, the change in the corporatew culture has been noticeable. “Sometimes you don’t realizse that when one department changes thei r policiesand procedures, it affects others. Now everyone talks to each McCoppin said. “We’ve empowered them to make We gave them the powed to runthe business. They feel With this new senseof empowerment, as well as an improvec use of digitizing software called Measure, Southwestern Carpets has seen a marked improvemengt on the accuracy of the 3,000 work orders entere each month — 95% accuracy, up from 77% accuracgy — and has saved abou $160,000 in unnecessary costs for having to fix incorrect work orders.
Insteaf of pursuing potential clients merel y for the sake ofnew business, McCaddoj and his staff focus on getting to know potential researching them as much as possible and understandinv their needs before they even “We’ll only do business with people who will sit down and have a relationshipl with us. Someone is always goingf to come inlower (priced) than said McCaddon. “We were always chasing people who were focused on Ifthey say, fax us (a pricee sheet), we say sorry, we can’t work with you. We stay togethe as a result. If you have the value relationship, they don’t leave.
”
Bill McCaddon has strippefd Southwestern Carpets down and recreated it a couplwe of times since purchasing it from Don Lynchin 2001. When he boughgt the flooring company, it specializef in removing and replacingf carpets in apartments betwee nrental occupation. The Lewisville company was producinf annual revenueof $5 million, but McCaddon found the businessd too impersonal because it was drivebn by product sales and not on building relationshipas with customers.
So he decided to switch focus to themore relationship-centridc business of providing flooring solutionas to new home-construction projects, which includes hardwooxd floors, carpeting, and backsplash and tile The wholesale company saw dramatic growthg as a result, with annual revenue of $22 millioj in 2007. But the growth was so rapis and so intense that managers were losing control of the directiomn the companywas heading. So in 2008, he enlisted Don Brush, a consultantt with The Renova to help bring new energg tohis company.
McCaddon’s sensd of direction and leadership abilities come from his experienc e asa manufacturer’s representative for 18 yearsd at companies like Shaw Carpeft Manufacturer and Aleta Co. He had learnesd the importance of building relationshipswith clients. “My backgroune was in working with new The apartment businesswas non-relationship driven,” said “I didn’t know how to builr a business that wasn’t relational.” McCaddon downsized the companyy to redirect the focus to the home-construction He was met with resistance from his employees.
“Ij realized that using the sameemployeees wasn’t going to I was trying to halfway do the change,” he “Once we made the commitment, we reall turned the corner.” He began switching out personnel. The which had grown annuapl revenueto $5 million, saw revenue drop to under $3 million during the transition. But, once the commitmen was made, McCaddon notef marked improvement. By 2003, revenue had grown by 35%. Betweenh 2004 and 2008, the company went through its biggestgrowtjh spurt, reaching up to $22 million in sales and employing more than 60 workers. But at that time, the storybooi growth came to an end.
“It was getting to be chaotic because of so many new We werean 8-cylinder engine working on six or sevejn cylinders. We’d lost a sense of teamwork, and everyone was That’s when McCaddon brought in Brush. “For the most part, I engagde them and talk with them in ordedr to build a I wanted to find out the strengths of the compan y and what was working and what needed said Brush. “They’ve got the dreams; they’ve got the vision. It’s just giving them the opportunity.” Brushg met with employees to figure out areas that neederd improvement and then created anactioj plan.
He showed the company how to create committees to address problems as they come up and then dissolves the committees after the problem hasbeen handled. The shift has translated into happiedr customers. Bill Darling, president and co-owner of Darlinf Homes Inc., has worked with McCaddonj since McCaddon purchased Southwestern Carpetsin 2001. “(We started workinbg with Southwestern Carpets) becauswe of Bill and his relational approacn to working with homebuilderx as opposed to thetraditional price-only said Darling. “Brush has helped Bill figure out how to communicatew better so that everyone is going in the same directio n as the management and will yield themaximum impact.
” For Chrix McCoppin, operations manager for Southwestern Carpets, the change in the corporatew culture has been noticeable. “Sometimes you don’t realizse that when one department changes thei r policiesand procedures, it affects others. Now everyone talks to each McCoppin said. “We’ve empowered them to make We gave them the powed to runthe business. They feel With this new senseof empowerment, as well as an improvec use of digitizing software called Measure, Southwestern Carpets has seen a marked improvemengt on the accuracy of the 3,000 work orders entere each month — 95% accuracy, up from 77% accuracgy — and has saved abou $160,000 in unnecessary costs for having to fix incorrect work orders.
Insteaf of pursuing potential clients merel y for the sake ofnew business, McCaddoj and his staff focus on getting to know potential researching them as much as possible and understandinv their needs before they even “We’ll only do business with people who will sit down and have a relationshipl with us. Someone is always goingf to come inlower (priced) than said McCaddon. “We were always chasing people who were focused on Ifthey say, fax us (a pricee sheet), we say sorry, we can’t work with you. We stay togethe as a result. If you have the value relationship, they don’t leave.
”
Friday, August 5, 2011
Study: Kansas City-area hotel revenue will fall in 2009 - Dallas Business Journal:
http://www.antonellasilipigni.com/cultura/cultura06.html
percent decrease in revenue per available room in 2009 compared with 2008, according to a studyy by . The projected revenue decrease comparexs with anestimated 17.5 percent decrease in revenur per available room nationallyg in 2009, PKF Hospitality Research said in a Tuesday release. The uses data from , which reporta “very consistent numbers with PKF,” Jill Van vice president of marketing/communications for the association, said Wednesday.
“Kansazs City is doing better than thenational average, and we’re on par with our competitived set,” Van Houweling “Mid-sized value destinations are doing better than big Our May is very What we’re seeing is that, even though it’s not great news, the effect on Kansas City is moderated becausw of value pricing.” Van Houweling said the associationh attributes the lower revenue mainlg to decreased business travel. The average expenditure per overnighf businesstraveler $260 a day, compared with $120 for a leisurs traveler, she said.Area hotels are projected to have 52 perceny occupancy in 2009, down from 58.
4 percen in 2008, PKF staffer Randy McCaslin said in the Because of increased competition in the local market, the averagw daily room rate is expected to fall to $84.687 in 2009, down 5.4 percent from $89.52 last PKF attributed the projectedx lower average occupancy rate to a 7.9 percent decreasr in demand for lodging and a 3.4 percentg increase in the supply of new hotel rooms. PKF’d forecasting model finds that locakl income and employment figures are good predictors of hotel room therelease said. Moody’s Economy.com, the sourcew of PKF’s June 2009 Hotel Horizons forecast report forKansax City, predicts that Kansas City-are a employment will fall 3.
4 percen in 2009 from 2008. PKF’sd study projects that area revenue per availablreroom won’t achieve sustained growth until the fourtu quarter of 2010. “Until then, marke conditions are favorablefor travelers, but troublesome for owners and operators,” PKF said in the Atlanta-based PKF Hospitality Research is the research affiliate of
percent decrease in revenue per available room in 2009 compared with 2008, according to a studyy by . The projected revenue decrease comparexs with anestimated 17.5 percent decrease in revenur per available room nationallyg in 2009, PKF Hospitality Research said in a Tuesday release. The uses data from , which reporta “very consistent numbers with PKF,” Jill Van vice president of marketing/communications for the association, said Wednesday.
“Kansazs City is doing better than thenational average, and we’re on par with our competitived set,” Van Houweling “Mid-sized value destinations are doing better than big Our May is very What we’re seeing is that, even though it’s not great news, the effect on Kansas City is moderated becausw of value pricing.” Van Houweling said the associationh attributes the lower revenue mainlg to decreased business travel. The average expenditure per overnighf businesstraveler $260 a day, compared with $120 for a leisurs traveler, she said.Area hotels are projected to have 52 perceny occupancy in 2009, down from 58.
4 percen in 2008, PKF staffer Randy McCaslin said in the Because of increased competition in the local market, the averagw daily room rate is expected to fall to $84.687 in 2009, down 5.4 percent from $89.52 last PKF attributed the projectedx lower average occupancy rate to a 7.9 percent decreasr in demand for lodging and a 3.4 percentg increase in the supply of new hotel rooms. PKF’d forecasting model finds that locakl income and employment figures are good predictors of hotel room therelease said. Moody’s Economy.com, the sourcew of PKF’s June 2009 Hotel Horizons forecast report forKansax City, predicts that Kansas City-are a employment will fall 3.
4 percen in 2009 from 2008. PKF’sd study projects that area revenue per availablreroom won’t achieve sustained growth until the fourtu quarter of 2010. “Until then, marke conditions are favorablefor travelers, but troublesome for owners and operators,” PKF said in the Atlanta-based PKF Hospitality Research is the research affiliate of
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