Ebo Magazine debut

Celebrating the African Diaspora
Ebo Magazine, making its debut next month, reflects natives around the world
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/BUSINESS/607250331/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
07/25/2006


Publisher Akinwale Ojomo and graphic designer
Angela S. Gatangi work on the debut issue of Ebo Magazine
in the publication's office in Glasgow.

Delaware has become the launch pad for the latest celebration of African culture. Five African natives are starting Ebo Magazine, an international publication celebrating the culture and achievements of the "African Diaspora," from an office in Glasgow.

"African Diaspora" refers to all native Africans living outside the continent, said Akinwale Ojomo, of Nigeria, co-founder of Ebo Magazine. "We felt a need to create a family magazine that presents the African Diaspora in a positive light to Africans."

Ebo is an African slang term, used mainly in Nigeria in the '70s, that means to celebrate, said Ojomo, an employee at Citigroup in Newark.

"It's time to celebrate the positive contributions of the African Diaspora," he said.

Ebo's co-founders are professionals who saw a void and decided to fill it. Patrick Owusi, 33, of Newark, came to America 10 years ago from Ghana; he soon realized there wasn't much in the way of press that described to Africans what their countrymen were accomplishing around the world.

"We wanted to communicate to the people back home how we are doing and show them there are good things coming out of what we are doing here," said Owusi, a surgical physician assistant at Christiana Hospital.

The other founders are Agnes Asere, a safety engineer in Newark, originally from Nigeria; Angela Gatangi, a graphic designer in Wilmington, from Kenya; and Tony Adeyemi, a contractor in Philadelphia, from Nigeria.

The 45-page family magazine will debut on newsstands and online (http://www.ebomag.com/) in August, and will cover African events in the United States, Canada, Europe and Africa. It will include coverage of sports, fashion and health, and will offer not only information for those still living in Africa, but insight for those who grew up outside their native lands.

"I'm sure there are many young people who have been born and bred without being aware of their culture. This magazine will show them the rich part of our culture," said Nme Nmobi, a plastic surgeon assistant in London and the subject of Ebo's first cover article.

Nmobi will be organizing the Nigerian Independence Day celebrations Sept. 30 in Philadelphia. Nigeria's Independence Day is Oct. 1.

Celebrations also will occur in Delaware on the first weekend in October, she said.

Ojomo said the magazine has "Ebo agents" in New York, Washington, Maryland, New Jersey, London, Ireland and Ottawa to cover the Diaspora culture, and the magazine also will be receiving articles from freelancers in Nigeria, Kenya and other parts of East Africa.

There are 4,238 African natives living in Delaware, according to 2004 Census figures, up from 2,250 the year before. There are 881,300 African natives nationally, who account for 0.03 percent of the U.S. population, according to the 2000 Census.

Robertha Asubonteng, co-owner of Ultimate Classic, an African clothing and accessory store in Bear, decided to advertise in Ebo because it's putting the African Diaspora in the limelight.

"It's going to be something different, something unique. There's so much that we do that people don't know about; the magazine is finally bringing us out," she said.

Thelma Aminu, founder and owner of Royal Quality Nursing Services, a home-care nursing agency in New Castle, is also an advertiser. She said she's extremely interested in what Ebo Magazine is trying to accomplish.

"I would like everyone to know that we support them," she said. "It's a great thing what they're doing."

Hurricane financial preparedness

Weathering the storm
Without preparation, hurricanes and other disasters can leave your financial house in disorder, too
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/BUSINESS/607240301/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
07/24/2006

With the height of the 2006 hurricane season looming, financial and weather experts warn that storm preparations should include your finances.

"Eighty-three percent of hurricane activity occurs between mid-August and about the third week in October," said Frank Lapore, National Hurricane Center spokesman. "Now is the time most should be finishing preparing their finances. Ideally, you should start well before the hurricane season, in May."

Experts suggest compiling all important personal, financial and medical records and storing them in a fireproof and waterproof safe at home and an off-site safety deposit box. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Operation HOPE provide an Emergency Financial First Aid Kit to help with gathering all the necessary information.

"It takes a while to put together but includes everything you'll need to rebuild your finances after you've been affected by a natural disaster," said Greg Hughes, FEMA spokesman. Hughes has been in Smyrna since July 10 helping with flood recovery.

The kit, which is described at http://www.operationhope.org/, includes four key points:
•Personal household information.
•Contacts for professional advisers and health care providers.
•Checklist of important legal documents and financial statements.
•Private security/access information.

This information should be updated at least once a year, Hughes said.

Multiple copies of everything should be made and kept in safe boxes outside of the home, said Jayne Abercrombie, Wilmington Trust certified financial planner.

"The most important thing is to have back-up information. What would you need if you walked out your front door and when you turned around your house was gone?" Abercrombie said. "A better solution is to put together a package of information and send it to your sister in Kansas, if you live in New York. Have that information somewhere geographically separate."

Having accounts in brokerage money markets or money in an emergency account at a non-local back are also good precautions, she said.

Cash should be withdrawn from an emergency account and put in the safe with all important documents, which should be packed and ready to go once a hurricane watch is issued, said Dennis Feltgen, meteorologist and spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"You need at least a week's worth of cash to make sure you can survive, because more than likely the electricity will be out in the area and there won't be access to an ATM," Feltgen said.
A home inventory could determine how much of your property is replaced after a hurricane or other natural disaster, said Matt Denn, Insurance Commissioner of Delaware.

"Insurance companies aren't going to just give you a check after a natural disaster," Denn said. "The most important thing to have is the contact information of your [insurance] carrier and the inventory list, because that's what you're going to need to make a claim and get reimbursed quickly."

The recent flooding in Delaware hit many residents hard because they had no flood insurance.
"In Delaware, most homeowner's insurance policies cover wind damage caused by hurricanes, but they do not cover flood damage. A separate plan must be purchased," Denn said.

Experts suggest those who want to add coverage do so well before hurricane season because it takes 30 days for most policy changes to take effect.

"The National Flood Insurance Program is the best bet, but there's usually a waiting period," Abercrombie said.

Insurance companies may also change their coverage policies for new clients once hurricane season begins.

"During a hurricane season it's hard to get any insurance company to do what you want," said Dennis Barba, president of Insurance Associates Inc. of Newark. "We're getting requests for more insurance coverage every day."

Flood coverage isn't required in Delaware but is something that should be seriously considered, Denn said. "You should at least go to the FEMA Web site (http://www.fema.org/) and put in your address to see the likelihood of flooding in your area."

Lapore, of the National Hurricane Center, said: "We can expect to see active hurricane seasons for the next 10 to 20 years. It behooves you, especially coastal states, to go through this process of thinking, because the issue isn't going away anytime soon."

Greg Hughes, spokesman for the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, said the
agency's Emergency Financial First Aid Kit
"includes everything you'll need to rebuild
your finances."

COVERING YOUR ASSETS

• Make sure your direct deposits are coming through from your employer. Establish other electronic payments for bills so you're not missing payments if you have to evacuate.
• Make sure your insurance fully covers you in case of any disaster. Typical homeowners insurance doesn't cover flood damage.
• Take pictures of the contents of your home and make a complete inventory. Insurance payouts after a natural disaster are made based on an itemized list of what was destroyed. Get home inventory forms by calling (800) 282-8611 or go to www.state.de.us/inscom/home/Home InventoryForm.pdf.
• Create an emergency account with enough money to last three months. Take out a week's worth and put it in a safe right before hurricane season.
• Complete FEMA's Emergency Financial First Aid Kit and keep one copy at your home in a fireproof/waterproof box and another at an off-site safety deposit box.
• Increase the credit limit of major credit cards before hurricane season for back-up if emergency cash is depleted.
• Fill up gas tank and begin preparing to take legal and medical documents and financial statements when a hurricane watch is issued. Doing so once a hurricane warning is in effect might be too late.

ACTIVE HURRICANE PERIOD

• Hurricane seasons have been active since 1995, causing catastrophic damage along the Atlantic coast. Delaware was hit hard by the remnants of Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Henri in 2003.
• In 2005, there were a record 28 tropical storms in the Atlantic region, 15 of them hurricanes. Seven were Category 3 or higher. Four of those hit the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• NOAA predicts another active hurricane season this year -- as many as 10 hurricanes in the north Atlantic, four to six of which could be Category 3 or higher.

New Starbucks

Wake up Middletown -- here comes Starbucks
Coffee chain to open state's first stand-alone store
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060721/BUSINESS/607210335/1003

By LULADEY B. TADESSE and DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
07/21/2006

Middletown residents soon will be sipping a different cup of Joe: Starbucks.

The national coffee shop chain plans to break into the Middletown market for the first time in October on the new pad being constructed in Middletown Crossing Shopping Center off Del. 299.

The first stand-alone Starbucks in Delaware, it will have seating and a drive-thru.

"The owners are excited about Starbucks coming to Middletown and picking our center," said Marvin Sachs, president of Bellevue Realty Co. in Wilmington, which signed a long-term lease with the coffee chain. "It's good for our center because it attracts a crowd."

The 1,800-square-foot Starbucks will be the anchor store on the part of the strip mall across the parking lot from Acme Market. Next to it will be a 14,000-square-foot upscale center that will include a paint shop and a golf store. A yet-to-be leased 130,000-square-foot space large enough for a big-box store also is nearby.

Starbucks is one of a string of new retailers jumping onto the scene in hopes of cashing in on the area's booming population.

"Anything that gets more people to this area or town is going to help," said Bill Shields, owner of Middletown Electronics and Hobbies in another shopping center adjacent to Starbucks.

Earlier this month, the town opened its first hotel chain, Hampton Inn. Its first bowling alley is scheduled to open in September. And its first big movie theater, with 10 screens, is in the design stage.

All around Middletown, developers are searching for businesses that can fill existing retail spaces and new ones that can cater to the town's 12,000 residents.

Middletown is one of the state's fastest-growing communities, having doubled in population since 2001. An explosion in housing construction and annexations has helped it grow and planners are expecting a population as high as 33,000 by 2020.

Only the beginning

The town already has attracted many new businesses in recent years, including big chains like Acme, Super G, Lowe's, Applebee's and Dunkin' Donuts. Efforts are under way to bring Wal-Mart into town.

But it is far from offering residents enough entertainment and shopping venues.

"The closest bowling areas are in Dover, Newark or north Wilmington," said Gary Seale, manager of Mid-County Lanes, the soon-to-be-completed 32-lane bowling alley in the Middletown Square Shopping Center on North Broad Street.

Many people also find themselves traveling out of town to shop.

"I'd like to see more little stores," said Bill Tigani, a waiter and ReMax real estate agent from Middletown. "If you want socks and underwear, you've got to drive to Bear."

Town manager Morris Deputy agrees.

"We keep getting asked when are more restaurants coming and when is retail coming," Deputy said.

Competition has pros and cons

Still, some businesses said, many eateries already have opened up and are adding to competition.

"Since last year, there have been about six different restaurants opened," said Tony Causi, owner of two eateries, Caruso's and La Piazza, in Middletown. "The new businesses that have opened up have taken away a little bit of the pie."

With Starbucks opening, there is bound to be more competition for Dunkin' Donuts, which is about 500 feet away, and other places that sell coffee, including Wawa and local bagel shops.

"Competition is good for that business and it's also good for the public," said Sachs of Bellevue Realty, who leases space for Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks.

Businesswomen and golf networking

Good golf game linked to success
'Porky' Oliver clinic lets businesswomen into exclusive club
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060716/BUSINESS/607160309/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
07/16/2006

Jane Bartsch gets some pointers
from Darius Smith, head golf pro
at Ed "Porky" Oliver Golf Course
in Greenville.

Working on their putting skills are
(from left) Jane Bartsch, Carol Arnott and
Vincent M. White. Their instructor is
Rebecca Dengler (back to camera).

Just 20 years ago, women were a rarity at some golf clubs. Today, professional female golfers share the spotlight with their male counterparts and Ladies Professional Golfers Association tournaments draw legions of fans.

But the sweeping changes that put women into the professional golfing limelight have not made their way to corporate America.

"Outside the professional arena, the game has tended to be played by white male execs in exclusive clubs. Some private clubs still don't have women," said Rebecca Dengler, PGA/LPGA member and director of instruction at Ed "Porky" Oliver Golf Club in Greenville.

As a result, businesswomen can find themselves on the outside looking in while deals are struck on the links.

"A lot of women executives or business owners are missing out of deals and gaining clients because they don't know how to play," said Alicia Sheerin, National Association for Women Business Owners Delaware president. "It's a real void in my business strategy because I don't know how to play, and I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way."

The organization, along with MegaBiz Fest, an annual two-day event for business networking in October, is hoping to change this by organizing a professional golf clinic July 25 where beginners can learn the game and veterans can sharpen their skills. Registration for the clinic is $50 with no registration deadline.

"A lot of women know how to play golf, but don't get out there because they don't think of it as a way to do business. But I think the mind-set is rapidly changing ... women are starting to understand," said Loraine Watson, MegaBiz Fest Committee chairwoman.

Carol Arnott, who runs a financial-planning practice affiliated with Greenville Financial Group, hasn't used golf for networking but is participating in the clinic because she feels golf has become an asset in business that she can no longer avoid.

"Very often, there are a lot of business decisions on the golf course and lots of women are excluded because they do not participate," Arnott said. "I want to be able to speak that language and feel comfortable in that environment."

The instructors plan to give a crash course in how to play the game and how to behave on the course.

"We're going to start with showing them a lot of the basics, like putting, chipping," said Darius Smith, PGA apprentice and Ed Oliver's head golf professional. "Then we'll show them a few long iron shots and some drivers before we take them out to the course."

Instructors usually spend considerable time teaching students the basics before taking them out on an 18-hole course, Dengler said.

"What we're doing for this clinic is rarely done but the way I think it should be done because many beginners spend too much time on swinging and never learn how to put, which is 60 percent of the game," she said.

A crash course in golf is just what Jane Bartsch needs. "I would just like to be able to learn the basic stand and basic swings so I don't look like a jerk on the golf course; a kind of golf 101," she said.

Bartsch, vice president of radio station WJBR/99.5 FM in Wilmington, said she's tried to learn how to play golf in the past but was unsuccessful. She's hoping the clinic will help to get her foot in the business door.

"I've noticed, even when I was a secretary, that an extension of the workplace was the golf course, I think it's time that I tapped into that," she said.

Women have started taking their education and training into their own hands. The Executive Women's Golf Association Delaware chapter has provided golf networking functions for women for five years locally and 15 nationally, said chapter president Anastasia Bove.

"Part of our mission is having a safe environment for women to learn and play golf," she said. "There hasn't really been an open forum."

Bove said golf allows for more time to get to know a client or employer, making it easier to do business off the field.

"You play for four or five hours and people like to do business with people they know," she said.

Other avenues

Kay Keenan, owner of Growth Consulting Inc., explains in her book, "Conversation on Networking: Finding, Developing, and Maintaining Relationships for Business and Life" that golf is an important networking tool but one doesn't need to know how to play to be involved.

"Golf events always need volunteers, whether it be to check people in, or make food," she said. "I knew a lawyer who met a law firm executive while flipping hamburgers; now he's a partner at that law firm."

Vincent White, owner of ProVest Realty and MegaBiz Fest Committee member, said 30 percent to 40 percent of his networking is done through golfing. He initiated the idea for the clinic and is heading its production.

"Golfing translates into a business environment," he said. "You must be gracious, yet aggressive, in both."

Archer Group takes marketing honors

Archer Group takes marketing honors
City firm inspired by the real ideals of a distant exec
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060707/BUSINESS/607070328/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
07/07/2006

Lee Mikles (from left), Bart Hook,
Patrick Callahan, Brett Johnston and
Todd Miller are real, unlike Bob Archer.

Bob Archer, 50, of Wilmington, is head of an award-winning marketing firm. He travels all over the world, schmoozes with celebrities, and provides the inspiration and drive for an entire company.

This bubbly, graying veteran marketer knows the business and offers regular advice to the group's clients on how to "spice things up." However, this great man of technological vision and charisma has one problem: He doesn't exist.

Bob, the imaginary friend of Lee Mikles and Patrick Callahan, co-founders of the Archer Group, was discovered at the onset of the company's creation in 2003 and is the "man" responsible for their success.

Though a figment of the firm's imagination, Bob Archer's ideals, talents and work ethic come to life in the efforts of Mikles, Callahan and the 13 employees who produce award-winning work at the Archer Group every day.

The Internet marketing group took home six awards this year at the ninth annual Philly Gold Awards ceremony in June. The awards are a regional recognition of creative excellence, open to all individuals, companies and organizations that create commercial designs for the communications industry, said Gold Awards founder and President Sheldon Schorr.

"They are a very talented group of people," Schorr said. "Todd Miller, he's a genius. His Wizard of Oz Web site is spectacular. I'm not a judge, but I thought all their entries were spectacular."

Their achievements for their Web sites included Best Business to Consumer, Best Educational/Non-Profit and Best Pharmaceutical/Medical Online Campaign. Their creative director, Todd Miller, won Best Flash-Based Web site and Best of Interactive, the highest honor in the interactive category.

There were approximately 1,200 entries from 200 companies. Seven judges evaluated the interactive category.

"We were up against some steep competition, which has catapulted us to the top of the list," Callahan said.

The Archer Group works with companies to perfect its marketing techniques: creating Web sites, fliers, business cards, billboards and promotional videos.

"We do anything to help better market the company's overall goals," Mikles said. "Our job is to get their name out there. We create programs that make their business successful in the long run so our clients can get value out of them."

The group also won several honors from the Horizon Interactive Awards in May, a worldwide contest that recognizes excellence in interactive media productions. The awards saw submissions from 70 countries across the globe.

LLuminari, which provides health information to consumers through its Web site, has worked with the Archer Group since the group's creation.

"They're our digital Internet marketing arm," said Lisa Romanelli, senior partnership manager. "They created a newsletter for 6,000 subscribers, a women's health Web site." This newsletter was the entry used to win the Best Pharmaceutical/Medical Online Campaign honor at the Philly Gold Awards.

LLuminari also toured with talk show host Oprah Winfrey, and advertised many of their services. The Archer Group created the promotional video they used during this campaign, Romanelli said.

Mikles and Callahan said they started the group from their homes three years ago because of their commitment to Delaware.

"We both worked at firms that were pulling us away from Wilmington," Mikles said. "I wanted to have a business where you go into a grocery store and can see your clients."

Backyard putting greens

Putt away -- in your own backyard
Smyrna landscaper inspired by increase in golf communities
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060706/BUSINESS/607060333/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
07/06/2006

Jon Workman's company provides the patios, walkways and planting beds one might expect from a landscaping company. But later this summer he'll be offering something else -- the "19th hole experience."

That's when his company, Workman Landscape Co., will be installing putting greens in the backyards of Delaware homes.

"There are a lot of little golf course communities popping up in Delaware, so we're providing the 19th hole experience," said Workman, 32, owner of the Smyrna company. "It's a new service that nobody is really offering in Delaware."

Workman said the rise of golf course communities gave him the idea of offering putting greens to customers.

"More people are starting to turn their backyards into personal vacation spots," Workman said. "We're a full-service landscaping company that creates that personal paradise."

This "one-stop landscape shopping" technique is becoming a common national trend, according to the Professional Landcare Network.

"A whole new sector called design/build has come into being because more people are putting money into their backyards and don't want to have to hire different contractors," said spokeswoman Vickie Bendure. "A lot more people are adding things like outdoor kitchens and trendier lawn furniture."

Workman went to Atlanta in March and became trained and certified in the installation of putting greens, which Workman said he'll be offering for $10-$18 per square foot.

The company already has begun advertising but does not plan to begin installing the greens until after they've completed their spring contracts. That hasn't stoped their customers from talking about taking advantage of the new service.

"I have two sons who have been constantly asking me about getting one," said John Rowley, who is having $17,000 in landscaping done by Workman at his Dover home. "They've done some great work to my house, and I'll definitely be bringing them back to do more."

Workman also offers a plethora of other services, from patio and walkway installation to outdoor lighting to regular lawn renovations and forest clearing.

He's also seen a steady increase in revenue since starting the company nearly 15 years ago. Annual sales increased from $290,000 in 2005 to $350,000 so far this year. Workman said he predicts the company will be at $600,000 by next year.

This recent growth is not uncommon for landscaping companies, Bendure said. There are approximately 75,000 professional landscaping companies in the country, according to the Professional Landcare Network, which recorded the industry size at $41.6 billion in 2004, up from $37.9 billion in 2003.

Landscaping industry sales grew 31 percent in 2003, with the design/build segment pulling in $13.4 billion alone.

"Interest rates have been low, so more people are refinancing their homes, or simply buying new ones," Bendure said.

Bendure also said the aging baby boomers are hiring other people to perform services for them.
Workman mostly services the central Delaware area, including Middletown, Odessa, Townsend, Smyrna and Dover, but said his crews will be traveling to most of the mid-Atlantic once the "19th hole experience" campaign gets under way.

Delaware business flood recovery

Seaford-area businesses returning to normal
For many, flood cleanup continues
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/BUSINESS/606300334/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
06/30/2006

Floodwaters from the Nanticoke River
threatened the Lifecare at Lofland health care
facility Sunday after storms dumped several
inches of rain in the Seaford area.

In Seaford, business is slowly returning to normal.

The scope of flood-related destruction that took place this week is scattered. But businesses along the U.S. 13 corridor near the Wal-Mart shopping center were hit particularly hard.

Some businesses, such as Grotto Pizza, didn't experience any interior damage, yet resorted to pulling customers from the flooded parking lot into the restaurant on inflatable rafts.

Others fared worse. Dari Adrion, manager of Shoe Show, was speechless about the destruction at her small shoe store.

"We had a foot of standing water inside the store," Adrion said. "I can't even begin to guesstimate as to how much damage we've had. We have 10 tables covered with damaged shoes and Wal-Mart carts filled with them."

Adrion said the shoe store has been cleaning all week. But like most businesses in the area, her store was closed on Sunday and Monday when nine inches of rain fell.

"The phone service just came back today," she said. "We'll hopefully be fully back to normal by early next week. We don't have flood insurance. I don't know what the company's going to do."
Friedman's Jewelers and Advance Auto Parts also saw a great deal of damage. Both stores are closed while cleanup crews renovate the building.

Advance Auto Parts has dried out and plans to reopen as soon as possible, said spokeswoman Laurie Stacy. Friedman's plans to reopen by Thursday at the latest. Managers at the branch could not be reached because the phone lines had not been restored.

Many are considering themselves lucky. Shari Cannon, owner of Ledo Pizza and Pasta said they only had to mop the lobby area after the flood because large trucks pushed water up onto the sidewalk.

"The only problems we had were with delivery trucks that couldn't get here until today because of the closed roads," Cannon said.

Dollar Tree lost several thousand dollars' worth of products, but manager Joel Walla,said the store fared much better than its neighbors.

"We were hit pretty hard, but Advance Auto Parts was definitely the worst," Walla said. "We had standing water for about 24 hours and had to shut down the store on Sunday."

Upon opening Monday, Walla said, business was extremely slow because Wal-Mart had closed its parking lot.

"We lost 50 percent of our business at the onset, but we're almost back to normal now," he said.
Some companies weren't affected directly by the flooding but their business has been difficult or decreased dramatically.

"We had a lot of trouble getting into Seaford so we could fix our power lines," said Matt Likovich, Delmarva Power spokesman. "We had to wait for clearance from the county's Office of Emergency Management."

Delmarva sent out about a dozen employees because power had been disrupted for 250 customers in Seaford. Power was out for many from noon Sunday to 9:15 p.m. Monday Likovich said.

Richard Williams, owner of R&L Irrigation, said he went out into the community and pumped residents' basements for free Monday.

"A lot of our clients don't have insurance, so when something like this happens they have no way of recovering," he said. "There were three of us who went and did mostly volunteer work."

Kaye Construction on Coverdale Road has lost a significant amount of business because of flooding at the nearby Lowe's that is under construction. Kaye supplies fill for the construction job.

"We haven't had too many deliveries because it takes a while for dirt to dry and we have trucks that are 730,000 pounds that we know would get stuck," said Barbara Wier, a Kaye Construction secretary.

Wier said Kaye has practically shut down and she doesn't think things will return to normal for at least a month. The owners are having trouble finding work for their 29 employees.

"Luckily, there's a development that we're building that didn't get too much water," she said.

Ed Weingartner, CEO of Dynamic Restoration, a full-service catastrophic response company in West Chester, Pa., said the most important thing for businesses to do right after a flood is to dry the water as quickly as possible.

"Floodwater ... brings a lot of bacterial issues, so it's important to move as quickly as you can toward restoration," he said. "You want to get the drying done within 48 to 72 hours."

Packaging tape Co.'s 100th Anniversery

Family business stands test of time
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060629/BUSINESS/606290327/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
06/29/2006

The Adelmans -- Herb (foreground), Joan
and Bob -- own and operate the Crowell Corp.
in Newport.

Herb Adelman's father bought him a company when he was only 24. Today it's the oldest and one of the most successful businesses in its industry.

For a century, the Crowell Corp., based in Christiana, has been supplying some of the world's largest companies with gummed packaging tape. For 85 years, its products have come out of Delaware.

Adelman, 78, of Hockessin, has been head of the corporation since 1952. As the company celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, Adelman looks back and realizes he's responsible for more than half of the Crowell legacy.

Herb Adelman's father bought the company when it was on the verge of closing in 1952 from Charles Crowell, who was 92.

"My father bought it basically for me," Herb said. "We hired back all the people that used to work there and started to make a business out of it again."

In Crowell's 105,000-square-foot factory, filled with heavy machinery, paper, glue and dye, Herb describes one of America's best-kept manufacturing secrets.

"Our tape has reinforced fiber strength that makes it stronger than regular packaging tape," Adelman said, pointing at a machine weaving white fibers into the tape at 1,000 feet per minute. "The machines are constantly running. While one roll of tape is finishing, another is starting."
It's a complex process that produces 5,000 cases of tape a day, he said.

Gummed tape -- made of paper, fiber and sometimes foam -- is very difficult to tear and is typically used for shipping, Adelman said.

Crowell supplies packaging tape to Fortune 500 companies and major brand-name merchandisers such as Victoria's Secret, IBM, Ford, General Motors, Old Navy, Lane Bryant and Suzuki.

Crowell also offers Cro-nell, a patented paper and foam self-adhesive used for shipping and packaging. It debuted in the mid-1970s.

"Cro-nell was really revolutionary when it came out. ... It had a huge impact on the packaging industry," Herb Adelman said.

Herb Adelman's son, Crowell Vice President Bob Adelman, 52, of Corner Ketch, has been working with his father for 34 years. He started in 1972, while in high school. A year later, Herb Adelman's daughter Joan, 49, of Pike Creek, joined the business. She's now the chief operating officer.

"We produce basically 10 different types of tape, but in all different shapes, colors and sizes," Bob Adelman said. "The largest part of our business comes from our carton sealing tape. Most companies are only taping boxes across the top because boxes are being produced that are already attached on the sides."

Bob and Herb Adelman said they supply companies all over the world, including in the Dominican Republic, Singapore, Canada and Mexico.

Ray Hajek, vice president of sales, said Crowell mostly serves large industrial distributors.
Crowell's 85 employees produce, package and ship nearly one-third of the world's packaging tape. Many of the workers have been with the company for a long time and have no intentions of leaving.

Crowell veteran of 31 years Herbert Hunsucker, of Delaware City, said he likes the company's relaxed hierarchy.

"They are extremely approachable. If you have a problem or need to be away from work, they're really understanding," said Hunsucker, a shipper and receiver who said he's worked on almost every piece of machinery the company operates. "The Adelmans are some really good people."

Hajek said he came to Crowell seven years ago after retiring as vice president from a Fortune 500 company. He wanted to help the company with its marketing strategy.

"I've known Herb for many, many years, even before coming here. There's no place I'd rather be," he said.

After giving all but six years of his adult life to cultivating Crowell's success, Herb Adelman still goes in to the office every day, never once thinking of retirement.

"I don't intend to retire, if I can avoid it," he said.

Mobile car wash profile

Get your car washed, wherever you are
Entrepreneur finds niche with mobile service
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/BUSINESS/606280352/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
06/28/2006

Young and impressionable, Ricardo Bennett watched as his uncle put the finishing touches on a detailing job at his car wash in Douglass, Ga. Little did he know, he'd be doing the same thing nearly 20 years later.

Bennett, 28, of North East, Md., followed in his uncle's footsteps, opening Barachel Car Wash in March 2005. Working at it part time, he pulled in $10,000 in the first year, he said.
Bennett's oldest brother owns a car wash down the street from his uncle, suggesting car washing may be in the gene pool, he said.

But unlike the car washes run by Bennett's family in the south, Barachel offers a unique service; this car wash comes to you.

"Yeah, that's our motto," Bennett said. "Most people go to work 9 to 5 and don't have time to get to it. My service is mainly used by people who work, so they don't have to worry about washing their cars on the weekend."

Barachel offers a variety of car wash options, from simple exterior cleaning to waxing and shampooing to full detailing. Prices range from $10 to $135.

"I'll wash any car," Bennett said. "I have contracts with companies around the area, and I mostly wash their cars. But I also do house calls."

The mobile car wash industry isn't very prevalent in Delaware or anywhere else in the country, said David DuGoff, vice president of the Mid-Atlantic Car Wash Association, which represents mostly automatic and self-serve car washes in Delaware, Washington, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

"It exists, but it's not really a growing phenomenon," DuGoff said. "It's mostly seen with guys who wash truck fleets for companies like Pepsi."

Bennett said he's only done work in Delaware, mainly western New Castle County.
His company contracts include Nationwide Insurance offices in Newark, Clark Properties in Middletown, and Integrity Mortgage and UPS in Bear. Bennett is employed at UPS as a collections specialist.

"I work full time at UPS, but when someone calls and makes an appointment I take the day off to wash their car," Bennett said. "I usually go to large companies and set up and wash their cars. I also work with lawyers' and doctors' offices."

Barachel is mostly a one-man show, but Bennett said he does hire high school students and members of his church to help him with bigger jobs.

"I have a lot of customers at my church and basically started washing their cars and then started my business shortly after. It all happened pretty fast." he said.

Barachel's clientele is beginning to shift from house calls to corporations. He said he washes nearly 20 cars a week, most of them on the weekends.

Bennett's pastor, the Rev. Elmer Collins of Christ Gospel in Elkton, Md., is a regular customer.
"I have him wash my car when he gets a chance, but he's been so busy," Collins said. "His business is really doing well."

Collins said Barachel's mobile service is convenient and has created a niche in an industry that needs a more personal approach.

"I've gotten washes from him a number of times," Collins said. "You call him or e-mail him and he'll put you on his list and will come out when you need him. You can't beat that kind of service."

When it comes to competition, Bennett doesn't see many others running car washes the way he does.

"There's another guy who goes around washing cars, but he only washes the outside," he said.
The name Barachel is a biblical term that means "God has blessed," a saying Bennett said defines his situation.

"It's like it was meant to be," he said. "I'm not in any debt, so I completely own my business and I have a steady flow of regulars. God is the reason why I'm making it."

Small business competition

Small businesses compete for big break
Contest offers exposure, networking opportunities
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060622/BUSINESS/606220325/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
06/22/2006

Finishing second in the Business Plan
Competition in 2003 helped Crystal
Baynard-Norman's hair care and
body products take off.

The natural hair care and body products Crystal Baynard-Norman began selling five years ago under the All God's Children label was popular among friends but didn't take off in Delaware's retail market initially.

Until 2003, when she won second place in the Business Plan Competition for small businesses sponsored by the city of Wilmington's Micro Enterprise Program. She was awarded $1,000 and a plethora of business resources that led to a host of opportunities she never thought possible.

"I was able to make contacts that led to being able to showcase my products at an expo in Las Vegas and larger corporations have approached me about mass-production," Baynard-Norman, 50, of Wilmington, said.

The annual Business Plan Competition that helped Baynard-Norman further her dreams kicked off again earlier this month. It will be accepting applications until July 9.

The competition, now sponsored by the Micro Enterprise Program, city of Wilmington and the Mega BizFest Committee, awards a total of $15,000, up from $5,000 when Baynard-Norman participated, to finalists whose business plans pass through four rounds of critique. The money will be awarded at a ceremony at the annual Mega BizFest on October 18.

The competition began as a part of the city's Micro Loan Program, which offers seminars and resources to help small businesses refine their plans and begin selling their products or services.
Baynard-Norman went through the program and said it helped All God's Children become "more like a business."

"They teach you everything there is to know about business, from marketing to advertising to promotion," she said. After years of keeping the competition within the program, the directors decided to branch out to the state.

"The competition was created to help small business in Delaware get off their feet or make it to the next level," said Loraine Watson, competition coordinator and head of the Mega BizFest Committee. "It allows them to refine their business plans and approach, which makes their business more effective."

Increased exposure from the competition had a snowball effect on All God's Children. Baynard-Norman's products are now offered at Serene Quest in Kennett Square, Pa.. She has even launched a new line of products, TeaShea, a body cream that is made from shea butter and organic tea.

The competition hosts several workshops that revitalize and improve the business plans before they reach the judges, said Sher Valenzuela, co-founder of Grow USA, a business designed to help small businesses land government contracts.

"They really help to prepare you for the competition by providing you with the basics," Valenzuela said. "The competition forces you to focus your plan more so that you can actually enter the market and run the business."

Valenzuela, also co-founder of First State Manufacturing, an industrial upholstery provider, won the first place prize of $5,000 in last year's competition for her plan for Grow USA. Both her businesses have grown substantially, leading Valenzuela to put Grow USA up for sale.

"I am unable to run both," Valenzuela said. "First State Manufacturing has doubled its revenues each year since it started; now making it a $3.3 million company and Grow USA is starting to grow just as fast."

The judges table will mostly consist of representatives from financial institutions but will also include the president of the Micro Enterprise Program and representatives from the Micro Loan Program.

"Our main goal is to match the owners with financiers that will provide them with more funds after the competition so they can continue to further their business," Watson said.
Watson also said the business plan competition is just one way to help more small businesses receive the "seed money" they need to get off the ground.

"I don't think there is enough seed money available to small business," Watson said. "It's a lot harder for small businesses to get loans and if you have maxed out all your credit cards just to get started, the chances of getting another loan is nil."

"Seed money" can be good or bad, depending on the way it's allocated, said James O'Neill, Department of Economics director at the University of Delaware.

"In economics, incentives are critically important. However, if the recipient doesn't follow through, it can lead to a misallocation of resources," O'Neill said. "If the process of allocation is more political than analytical, then it can be a negative."

The competition has been broken down into four categories: emerging, existing, established, and youth businesses. Each applicant will receive an evaluation from the judges detailing their business plan's strengths and weaknesses. The judges also will decide the amount of the $15,000 each finalist will receive.

The money, however, isn't what did it for All God's Children or Grow USA, their owners said.
"Networking is what's important. Great things definitely come out of it," Baynard-Norman said.

Lowe's expands presence in Delaware

Lowe's expands presence in Delaware
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060615/BUSINESS/606150325/1003

By DWAYNE STEWARD
The News Journal
06/15/2006

Another Lowe's will open its doors in Delaware by the end of the year, giving northern New Castle County nine home improvement stores within a short drive of one other.

Contractors broke ground in May on what will be Delaware's seventh Lowe's, located on Du Pont Highway (U.S. 13) near the I-495 interchange, within 15 miles of five Home Depot stores and three other Lowe's.

The 116,000-square-foot store, which will include a 31,000-square-foot garden center and cost $18.5 million to build, will bring 175 new jobs to the area, said Jennifer Smith, a Lowe's spokeswoman.

Lowe's, which opened its first Delaware location in 1964 in Dover, recently bought land where it will build two more stores in coming months.

"We have ... finalized construction contracts to have branches built in Seaford and Newark," Smith said. "Whenever we are looking to build we do a tremendous amount of research beforehand."

The Seaford and Newark stores also are expected to open by the end of the year.

Lowe's, which employs 4,500 in Delaware and approximately 175,000 nationwide, has stores in Bear, Camden, Dover, Lewes, Middletown and Wilmington.

The decision to locate the new store in the same vicinity as two other home improvement stores is strictly based on the health of the market, Smith said.

She also said it is not uncommon for the company to build stores so close together. "There are nearly 400-some factors we look at when choosing a location for a new branch in the same market," Smith said.

When deciding to build new stores, Lowe's uses a formula that is specific to each area. Smith could not provide data for the Wilmington market.

Building so close to a Home Depot was also a factor in choosing the location. Approximately one-quarter of Lowe's stores are built within a 10-mile radius of its largest competitor.

"When there's competition, it's the customer that ultimately wins," Smith said.

Lowe's reported net sales for 2005 of $43.2 billion, and served nearly 11 million customers a week at more than 1,200 stores in 49 states. They saw an 18.6 percent increase in sales from 2004.

The Home Depot reported net sales of $81.5 billion in 2005. They serve 22 million customers a week at 2,070 stores internationally. They saw a sales increase of 11.5 percent from 2004.

The home improvement market, currently worth $291.3 billion yearly, grew by 7.5 percent in the past year, in part because of rebuilding caused by Hurricane Katrina, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute. Market analysts predict an increase of 4.6 percent in 2006 and a market of $369.9 billion annually by 2010.

Don Harrison, a Home Depot spokesman, said the company considers Lowe's to be its strongest competitor, but doesn't see the opening of another Lowe's in the Wilmington market as any sort of a threat. He believes the worst thing you can do in retail is focus too much on the competition.

"When you start looking over your shoulder, you take attention away from the customer and you'll start losing momentum in regard to customer service," he said.