Litigator leads Charlotte Chamber to be ‘outrageously ambitious’

by Angela Lindsay

photos by Greg Briley

Frank E. Emory, Jr., is highly effective at navigating complex commercial litigation. Now, the veteran attorney is using his skills and experience to steer the City of Charlotte toward economic development and global business as the 2012 chairman of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

“The Chamber, in my mind, is the lead choice for business in Charlotte and the region, so the opportunity to be the chief volunteer for such an organization, and to have a hand in shaping our economy, struck me as a real opportunity and a chance to serve,” he says.

Emory, 54, is a partner at Hunton & Williams, L.L.P., Hunton & Williams Latest from The Business Journals Law: The cost of bad judgmentCBJ Seen: Charlotte Chamber 2011 annual meetingFrank Emory: A brief look at Charlotte Chamber’s 2012 agenda Follow this company where he is head of the law firm’s dispute resolution practice. While the firm has been a member of the chamber for some time, Emory, a longtime public servant who is a recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, has been involved as a volunteer for about 10 years. He was approached in 2010 by the chamber’s succession committee to become second vice chair. From there, he moved up in the leadership succession process to first vice chair before assuming his current role at the chamber’s annual meeting on Nov. 29, 2011, succeeding construction executive Pat Rodgers.

After completing a one-year term, Emory passes the gavel for 2013 to current first vice chair Brett Carter, who is president of Duke Energy North Carolina. Emory is only the second African American to serve as chair of the chamber, and Carter will be the third. Both leaders follow in the footsteps of former banking executive Ed Dolby, who holds the distinction of being the first in 2001.

‘Infectious’ energy and enthusiasm

A native of Wilson, N.C., Emory has lived in Charlotte since 1983. He completed his undergraduate degree at Duke University and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, where he was a Morehead Fellow.

After graduation from law school, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Charles L. Becton of the N.C. Court of Appeals. During his nearly 30-year legal career, Emory has served as former president of the Mecklenburg County Bar and is listed in North Carolina Super Lawyers (2009-2012) and The Best Lawyers in America (commercial litigation, 2008-2012).

Emory says his responsibilities as chair of the chamber are three-fold. Administratively, his obligations include presiding over board meetings, signing official contracts and leading volunteer efforts. The chairman also serves as the face of the organization — a broad duty that involves speaking engagements, chamber event appearances, meeting prospects to be courted for membership, and working closely with the chamber’s “dedicated and professional” 43-person executive staff to ensure the chamber accomplishes its “work plan.” Emory says this can include public policy issues, financial goals and recruiting goals. It is a plan Bob Morgan, president of the Chamber of Commerce, already can see is taking shape.

“Frank’s energy and enthusiasm for the work of the Charlotte Chamber is infectious. He has made a very successful career in Charlotte for himself and is motivated to leave this city even better for future generations,” Morgan says. “As a leader, he is aggressive in challenging our entire organization to be outrageously ambitious in what we can get done in 2012.”

Emory and the chamber are tasked this year with helping to make the Democratic National Convention successful and a positive experience for the entire city. While it isn’t the chamber’s responsibility to run the event, Emory says the organization “feels a real responsibility to ensure the business community has the information it needs, and people get to do business not only as a result of (the DNC) but (also) through and after the event is over.”

Welcoming small, big and global

Even after his year leading the chamber has expired, the results of Emory’s vision will have lasting effects. “I’m very interested in the connection between education and workforce development on the one hand,” says Emory, “and the ability to create more entrepreneurs and successful businesses on the other.”

Emory explains he wants Charlotte to be a place that is attractive to talented people all over the globe who will want come here to start or grow their businesses, thereby creating wealth and jobs in the community. His strategy includes developing a strong workforce, much of which he would like to be “homegrown.”  Another prong of his objective is to encourage growth of the thriving business atmosphere that already exists here.

“The second thing is, I’m very interested in supporting all the initiatives that help expand our business community through entrepreneurs, and that includes women- and minority-owned businesses, to really make it so folks can thrive — so those in smaller businesses can strive thrive,” he says.

Emory says he feels it is imperative to dispel the notion that if a business is not a Fortune 50 company it not welcome at the Chamber of Commerce. Instead, he wants to give people the opportunity to create new businesses, as well as help current businesses experience healthy growth. This way, chamber membership can grow “organically,” by making sure these successful businesses can participate.

Like any good leader, he also is focused on continuing to enhance the chamber’s financial footing. “We’re in good shape now, and I want to make sure that when I leave and hand over the gavel to Brett Carter, I leave him with a very strong balance sheet and the ability to play off of that and to take on some initiatives for the community,” Emory says.

For a city that “plays well above its weight in every competition,” Emory says he would like to see better name recognition for Charlotte, much like most people are familiar with cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. It only makes sense with the competitive atmosphere in Charlotte becoming “a global one,” he says. No longer is it just about pulling in business from Columbia, S.C., Greensboro, or Raleigh. Charlotte is in a competition with cities like London, Istanbul and San Paulo, Brazil, he maintains.

Companies are searching the globe for talent, and, with the help of the Chamber of Commerce, Emory wants the Queen City to be on the map. “I want us to truly be a place where folks really understand we are seriously open for business.”

Employers, entrepreneurs seize opportunities in Charlotte

by Jarvis Holliday

The crowd is impressive and filled with business owners, executives with master’s degrees and even recent graduates. The Belk Action Center inside the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce office is filled to capacity. It’s a Thursday evening in March, and more than 150 African-American professionals are eager to hear from a distinguished panel of business leaders during the Recruiting Roundtable.

After mingling over hors d’oeuvres, the attendees take their seats. The theme for the evening —“A candid conversation exploring the world of recruiting and talent selection in 2012” — has sparked a lot of interest and drawn a lot of talent.

The Recruiting Roundtable is an annual event put on by the Charlotte chapters of the National Black MBA Association and the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources. This is the sixth year, and the organizers also partnered with the Charlotte chapters of the National Association of Black Accountants, Black Data Processing Association, National Society of Black Engineers, Urban League Young Professionals and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting.

Joe Randolph, president of the NBMBAA Charlotte Chapter, says his organization continues to see great turnouts at its networking and professional development events, even during the economic recession. He says people recognize the importance of these resources. Randolph adds that he believes the Charlotte market is fairly strong in hiring African-American talent.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for us,” Randolph says. “But a couple of things: First, it’s about identifying where the opportunities are and networking; and also being prepared and ready for those opportunities.”

The 2011 list of DiversityInc Top 50 Companies (with at least 1,000 employees) includes many firms with operations and/or headquarters in Charlotte, including accounting firms, banks and telecommunications companies. Kaiser Permanente is No. 1 on the list, AT&T is No. 4 (but No. 1 for black employees), Ernst & Young is No. 5, and IBM is No. 7. While Coca-Cola is No. 12 on the list, it is ranked No. 10 for black employees.

Participation in the national survey increased dramatically last year, up 19 percent to 535 companies.

Entrepreneurs boost employment

D’Anthony Tillery, director of talent acquisition at Snyder’s-Lance, spoke at the March roundtable event from personal experience. “You gotta get out of the box,” he says, explaining most African-American professionals’ networks include church members, classmates and fraternity brothers or sorority sisters. “But what I’ve learned through this environment, through this economy, is that’s how people have struggled to find the next opportunity. They didn’t know anyone outside their box who could help them find their way.” Tillery was one of five panelists with experience in corporate recruiting and hiring who spoke at the event. Other firms represented were VisionCor, Fifth Third Bank, Executive Insight and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

Many savvy African-American professionals have been finding their way to advancing their careers — often changing careers or starting their own businesses — in the face of high unemployment. The national unemployment rate for March was 8.2 percent, but for blacks it was 14 percent. In North Carolina, unemployment data is available annually by race, and for 2011 it was 19 percent for blacks, as compared to 8 percent for whites.

Some professionals are turning the tables with their skills. Taking advantage of the current global atmosphere of innovation and joining the entrepreneurial boom, they are becoming employers themselves. New statistics from a 2012 joint study by the Charlotte Chamber and Pride Magazine reveal there are about 21,500 black-owned companies in the Charlotte metro area, with nearly 13,900 in Mecklenburg County. About 700 of the black-owned businesses in Mecklenburg County have workers on the payroll (about five employees is the average), employing just under 6,100 people.

The study also reveals the motivation for starting a business is gaining control of personal freedom and financial independence. Once established with a strong safety net for turbulent economic cycles, business ownership provides economic and social upward mobility for African-American professionals.

Compass Group grows with diversity

Unemployment figures are improving, albeit slowly, and many Charlotte companies continue to grow and thrive, emphasizing a diverse workforce is vital to success. Charlotte’s hospital systems, utility giant Duke Energy and other top employers have strong, and active, diversity and inclusion councils.

“Fortunately, despite the economic downturn, Compass Group has been able to remain very successful and actually has grown significantly over the past few years,” says Tameka Green, diversity generalist for Compass Group North America, headquartered in Charlotte and the largest foodservice company in the country.

Green is responsible for the firm’s internal and external communications related to diversity and inclusion. Compass Group employs more than 180,000 people in the United States and Canada, including 3,000 in Charlotte. The company has a commitment to diversity and inclusion through its Diversity Action Councils, which comprise employees — from hourly to senior management — throughout the company’s various business sectors that provide food service, including education (schools), health care (hospitals), and sports and entertainment (Charlotte Motor Speedway), among others.

In addition, through its resource network, the company has partnerships for recruitment with colleges and universities, such as Johnson C. Smith and N.C. Central, as well as professional organizations like the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality.

“We’ve been able to recruit and hire African Americans and other students of color into the organization into management training programs and various other types of roles,” Green says. “We have been partnering with several organizations and schools for many years, and we have been very happy with the talent.”

Green adds that employee feedback about Compass’ diversity and inclusion initiatives remains positive. “Our internal customer survey scores continue to increase year over year, which is a really good gauge and provides us with a barometer to let us know that what we’re doing in terms of diversity and inclusion are the right things to do,” she says. “We need to continue forging forward to make sure we are continuing to expand those initiatives to be more inclusive.”

Siemens finds success with technical workforce

Global energy giant Siemens also is banking on Charlotte’s diverse workforce. The company expanded its energy division here when it added a gas turbine facility last November on the site of its plant that already produced generators and steam turbines. Billed as Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub, the expansion was greeted with great fanfare , as it added an immediate boost to the energy sector that Charlotte business and government leaders have been cultivating over the last several years.

In January, Siemens Charlotte drew national attention when President Barack Obama name-dropped the company several times during his State of the Union address. He praised Siemens’ partnership with Central Piedmont Community College to train and retrain workers for its Charlotte plant. Siemens has doubled its workforce in Charlotte — to more than 1,400 employees — since announcing its expansion in 2010.

Before it could hire hundreds of new employees, Siemens needed to sift through all the job applications first. Pam Howze, director of training at Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub, said her company began partnering with CPCC in the fall of 2010 to administer pre-employment testing.

Passing four job skills assessment tests at silver level or higher — math, reading, applied technology and blueprint reading — some 3,200 people have made it into the company’s pool of qualified candidates. Testing takes place each month for new applicants.

The very first external hire the company made in the machining area for the gas turbine expansion was an African-American male. “He’s a rock star,” says Howze. The company also recently hired a black female machinist, who previously worked at Caterpillar.

Howze says diversity is important. “It’s really a cultural thing for us here,” she explains, noting Siemens Charlotte recently came up with a “Better Together” motto, with three product lines coming together. “One of the core values our leadership team designated was diversity, and how we’re going to embrace cultures and appreciate differences on our campus.”

This spring, the Siemens Corporate Diversity Council is introducing a pilot diversity training course that eventually will become a mandatory four-hour workshop for every supervisor. “We’re a global operation, and we have people from many countries who work right here in Charlotte,” Howze says.

While hiring is going well, she adds, regardless of race the company has experienced a slight challenge in hiring more skilled machinists. Siemens Charlotte is addressing those needs through their various initiatives, such as the apprenticeship training program through CPCC. Fortunately, Howze says there are six people in the pipeline to be hired as machinists through the program.

Graduates gain experience

In addition to veteran professionals, young African-American graduates — both high school and college — are finding that having the right skills and the right connections can pay off.

The 2011 “Pathways to Prosperity” report released by Harvard sparked a significant look into the growing need for a technically educated workforce. And, enrollment at both community colleges and technical schools are continuing to rise. This is good news for Charlotte teens, who don’t have the grades/SAT scores or finances for four years of college, as well as for the increasing number of companies who establish operations here and need to hire machinists, technicians and other skilled labor.

College graduates, like Nicole Jenkins (JCSU ’11), are making the most of the opportunities presented to them. For Jenkins, internships were the key. A business administration and marketing major, she interned at the city manager’s office, Duke Energy and the Department of Transportation. As Jenkins approached graduation last year, she was offered an internship at Nationwide Insurance.

“I was just trying to get experience everywhere, because internships really do help,” she says. “A lot of students don’t realize that until it’s time to graduate.”

Real-world experience counts. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, college grads who participate in internships do far better in the job market than their classmates who do not. In 2008, employers extended job offers to nearly 70 percent of their interns, up from 57 percent in 2001.

After interning at Nationwide last summer, Jenkins was offered a full-time position in October at the regional office in Raleigh. She was beaming with pride when she returned to Charlotte in late February to attend Nationwide-sponsored events during the CIAA Tournament.

Kim Lambert, manager of talent acquisition for Nationwide, says attending such events and holding career fairs gives the company the opportunity to recruit talented people from around the country at one location. “When our recruiters are partnering with hiring managers to look for candidates, we tell them that when we come to you with our slate of candidates, we will have a diverse slate for you to select from,” Lambert says. “So that’s definitely helped our diversity numbers across the board. … Our ultimate goal is to get the best person into the role, but at the same time we are very cognizant of those numbers.”

Small Business Administration help entrepreneurs thrive

by Zacch Estrada-Petersen

When you think of industry giants such as Bank of America, Lowe’s and Walgreens, “small” is less than likely the first word that comes to mind. Yes, it’s the one thing both companies had in common — at least initially.

Bank of America was founded by an Italian immigrant to San Francisco, who, after the 1906 earthquake, used a makeshift desk out of planks laid over two barrels to lend money to residents hoping to rebuild. Lowe’s was a family-owned hardware store that didn’t even expand for the first time until 28 years after its inception. And Walgreens was nothing more than a nondescript drug store on a Chicago street corner.

With combined annual revenues of more than $236 billion, these monolithic examples of American free enterprise started out with the generally accepted definition as “small businesses.”

Access to capital

The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration defines a small business as one with fewer than 500 employees, and estimates the resounding majority of U.S. businesses — to the tune of 99.9 percent — can be classified as such. The SBA is designed specifically to target and cater to the millions of small enterprises and start-ups that represent the lifeblood of the American economy, including programs tailored for minority- and women-owned businesses.

Yet, despite myriad resources available for budding entrepreneurs, starting a business, most people find, requires a great deal of hard work, time, dedication, capital and planning. “The biggest challenge people have is doing the in-depth planning necessary to plan out those first three-five years,” says Renae Sanders, chairman of the board for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce. “A lot of people start businesses because they have a great idea, and then they have to backtrack.” Sanders, a Charlotte business owner herself, runs management consulting firm KRS.

The “great idea” she speaks of often is the crucial foundation needed for fledging proprietors to take the next step. “The first thing really is discovering the answer to the question, ‘What is your passion?’” says Cassius Butts, southeast regional administrator for the SBA. “Find out things you’re passionate about, and put it in a business plan. Once you have that, come to the SBA and talk to us about what it takes to grow your business.”

The SBA offers free counseling, contracting opportunities and, perhaps most important, access to capital. Technically though, the SBA doesn’t directly lend money to business owners. Instead it provides a guarantee on loans administered by approved financial lending institutions — a valuable commodity in an economy where credit is at a premium and lenders increasingly are selective of who they approve for funding.

In the current financial market, the majority of commercial loans end up going to businesses that are well-established not just starting out, representing a need the SBA strives to address.

“Forty percent of our lending actually has gone to start-up businesses that are two years old or younger,” says Lynn Douthett, director of SBA’s N.C. District Office. “Our program is really designed to help people get started, and generally that is a gap in the market for financing.”

Urban redevlopment

Although business ownership can be rewarding, some find that minority entrepreneurs still face unique challenges not often experienced by their non-minority counterparts.

“The researcher rhetoric shows us that African-American business owners have less access to capital and less networking contacts,” says Sanders, which is a gap her organization works to bridge. “We try to make sure our clients have access to important information sooner rather than later.”

Despite the challenges, however, Charlotte is poised to be a hotbed for small business inception, innovation and growth. “In 2010, there was a very intentional collaboration to see how Charlotte would be a great place to start a small business,” says Gail Whitcomb, business liaison for the Neighborhood & Business Services Department of the City of Charlotte.

Her department is one of the 15 partners of the Small Business Resource Providers Consortium, which also includes the SBA, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council and the Central Piedmont Community College Institute for Entrepreneurship. The group collectively disseminates information through www.charlottebusinessresources.com.

In addition to the consortium, a business advisory committee, comprising minority-oriented organizations, gives guidance and direction to City of Charlotte staff. The advisory organizations include the Black, Latin-American, Asian and Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, as well as the National Organizations of Women Business Owners, among others.

“As for the City of Charlotte,” adds Whitcomb, “the things we do are really per directives from the Mayor and City Council through policies and programs they have approved as elected officials. We have targeted geographic areas which include the more urban business districts.” These areas, which include businesses along Eastway Drive, Wilkinson Boulevard, North Davidson Street and others, often face challenges that other parts of the city do not regularly face.

“We provide financial tools to help businesses approve the appearance of their property,” says Whitcomb. “It’s all about removing blight and promoting the economic vitality of the area.”

With new businesses being born every day and major events, such as CIAA basketball tournament and the 2012 Democratic National Convention, bringing millions of dollars to Charlotte, it seems that now is as good a time as any to get in on the economic upswing.

“In fiscal year 2011, almost $500 million went to small businesses right here in North Carolina,” says Butts, who is based in Atlanta. “Eleven percent of those loans went to minority businesses, and we’re looking to have that number increase and grow.”

For more information on the Small Business Administration, visit www.sba.gov.

Local women get creative

by Angela Lindsay

Women are turning innovative ideas into profits all across the country, and Charlotte entrepreneurs Emma Merisier and Tracey Stafford are no different. Their talents have found them doing what brings them joy, as well as serving unique needs within the community.

Sweets on the street

The bright-pink truck rumbling around Charlotte is hard to miss. Inside are hard-to-resist treats, courtesy of Southern Cake Queen. Emma Merisier’s company is a home-based bakery, creating made-to-order custom cakes and cupcakes, gourmet cookies, brownies and pies.

On the weekends, she drives through town in her truck, selling six standard flavors of cupcakes, including crimson and crème (classic red velvet cake with cream cheese icing, topped with red velvet cake crumbles), willow (banana cake with vanilla buttercream icing, drizzled with caramel and topped with a banana chip) and SouthernCakeQueen signature strawberry (strawberry cake baked with fresh strawberries inside, topped with hot-pink vanilla buttercream icing and hot-pink sanding sugar). She also sells brown sugar bars with toasted pecans, called Charleston Chewies — a bit of nod to her hometown of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

Merisier moved to Charlotte 11 years ago to work in the financial industry, where she is still employed full time. Driven by encouragement from friends and family, for whom she often baked, coupled with the announcement that the CIAA tournament would remain in Charlotte for several more years, Merisier decided to turn her passion into payments.

“I was just thinking of an idea of how I could participate in CIAA, and the food-truck craze was just starting (to get) really big in the larger cities. So, I just decided to bring it to Charlotte,” she explains.

Merisier’s mobile cupcakery is the first of its kind in the city. She began brainstorming the idea in November 2010 and officially launched four months later, after plenty of research and getting her 1988 truck decaled and painted pink.

Why pink? “Because I wanted to be noticed … and who could miss a big pink UPS truck!” she affirms.

Merisier baked as a child with the iconic Easy Bake Oven and, upon moving to Charlotte as an adult, decided to take her passion to the next level by enrolling in three cake decorating classes at a local craft store. Working in a local bakery on the weekends for six years afforded her lots of hands-on training, as well as watching online demonstrations. She connected with a cupcake vendor in Atlanta for even more knowledge.

This guru of sweets admits the process was trial and “lots of error,” but eventually, she turned her hobby into a business, forming its name by combining the title of the cookbook “Southern Cakes” with “the fact that (she’s) a queen.”

Now, the 35-year-old spends a few hours selling from her truck on weekends, which she initially parked at Price’s Chicken Coop. Events like local food truck rallies, grand openings and company events keep her business on the move, so there is no set route or location. She says she hopes to be stationed at a farmers market this month.

Many of Merisier’s sweet creations come from family recipes, while others were formulated with practice. But all have a special ingredient that she says makes SouthernCakeQueen’s confections stand out. “All my cupcakes are made with love, and you can taste the love in each cupcake.”

Fit for a princess

The website explains it well: “Glamour isn’t just for the grown.” But that’s just one premise behind the creation of Shug-A-Bug Kids Spa. Owner Tracey Stafford also wanted to create a place that would encourage young girls to be not only beautiful, but also smart and healthy.

After working for a financial company in Charlotte for many years, the Philadelphia native began thinking about the possibility of running her own business. But, it was not until she read a post on Facebook about a kids-only spa in Atlanta, that she began looking for a similar business in Charlotte. Finding none, she set out to create the first one.

Open since last June in the Steele Creek area, Shug-A-Bug Kids Spa offers full-service pampering fit for a wee diva, such as a 45-minute signature Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure. This delight comes with a milk-bath and chocolate-sauce soak, a hand-and-foot massage with warming chocolate lotion, and polish with a design on one finger. The spa does not use any harsh chemicals and incorporates all-natural products in its services, like facials made in-house with real cocoa and honey. Shug-A-Bugs hosts birthday parties and special events for girls, too.

The mother of two named her company after a nickname she gave her 2-year-old daughter, Kayden, and the character Shug Avery from her favorite movie “The Color Purple.”

While business has been steady with the use of advertising vehicles like Groupon and Living Social, it also has been demanding for this entrepreneur. However, she encourages other mothers who want to open businesses that it is possible with the proper balance.

“It’s really challenging, because you have to put things in priority. Of course, your children come first, but you have this big obligation,” Stafford explains. “So, you’re always trying to balance things every single day.”

The spa, run by a six-person staff, is open Thursday through Sunday during the school year. Help from family members, including a cousin who moved from Philadelphia to attend Johnson C. Smith University, has been a blessing for Stafford, who says she never expected to be a business owner.

“It’s funny how it got a hold of me, and I just ran with it!” she exclaims. Stafford admits owning a business is high risk, but adds there is only one way to find out if a dream can become a reality. As she continues on the journey, she says she’s learning not to measure success strictly by the money that comes in, but by her enjoyment in doing something she loves to do and having control over her time. That is where the true value lies.

“Life is too short,” she says. “If you want to go out and do, just go out and do! You have to get out of the way of your own self.”

She passes these lessons on to her young clients. Shug-A-Bug has a rewards program for good grades and good lifestyle choices. For its Book-of-the-Month program, all employees read a selected book and talk to the girls about it during their spa sessions. In addition, the Nail Biting program discourages the germy practice by explaining to girls the health risks involved and rewarding those who refrain from nail biting for three weeks with a free manicure.

“Our main mission is making the girls happy, smart and beautiful,” she says.

Transit CEO journeys to the 7 Wonders

by Angela Lindsay

Travel is just another day at the office for Carolyn Flowers. She’s the chief executive officer of Charlotte Area Transit System and the public transit director for the city of Charlotte, presiding over the largest transit system between Atlanta and Washington, D.C.  Flowers manages bus, rail and para-transit operations, as well as planning and development for new transit projects.

“Transit/transportation provides options to the community — it is the ability to provide mobility to people every day. Better transportation is a need. We want to expand the infrastructure and provide access to jobs, education and entertainment,” says Flowers, who came to Charlotte two years ago after departing as chief operating officer of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

While her career has been about ground transportation, her personal pursuits have taken her skyward. Boarding flights to Brazil, China, Peru and more, Flowers has embarked on a journey to visit the Seven Wonders of the World. So far, she’s been to six.

Up close and personal

Seeing these majestic sites, however, was not her initial intention. Flowers began her travels with a trip to Europe and then started looking for other interesting places to visit. It was while she was on a tour to Machu Picchu in Peru when another female tourist indicated she was on a quest to see all the Wonders of the World that Flowers realized she already had visited more than half of them herself.

“I was always interested in history, and it was one of my majors in college. I also loved to travel. I would prefer to see things in person, not on television or in books,” she says. “The perceptions are different when you are standing there in the environment and in the moment.”

Though most people may be aware of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a list of “new” Wonders was generated in 2007, via global polling organized by the New7Wonders Foundation. Flowers has seen The Colosseum in Rome, the Brazil’s Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu in Peru, The Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal in India. She’s also traveled to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, which is the only remaining Ancient Wonder of the World.

“My last trip before moving to Charlotte, was to Cancun, Mexico, to see the pyramid at Chichen Itza,” says Flowers. “Now, the only remaining one is the City of Petra in Jordan, and that trip is dependent on the political situation in that part of the world. Jordan seems to be stable, so I may make that trip in the next year and half.”

Camels and llamas

The “naturally curious and very independent” Flowers has not limited her travels to just the Seven Wonders. In fact, she’s also taken a cruise in Scandinavia and Russia, and has visited Kenya and Senegal. While she says all her trips are memorable, she recalls her best moments seem to center around experiences with animals.

“In Egypt, my brother and I paid a camel driver to sit on his camel for pictures in front of the pyramid. He thought we wanted a ride. We galloped all around the pyramid. We were holding on and laughing all the way!” she shares. “In Machu Picchu, I sat on the grass for a snack, and a llama came right up to me to check out what I was eating. In China, I was able to go into the pen

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and feed a baby Panda. They like green apples! In India, I was able to ride an elephant up to the yellow fortress.”

Flowers says she is in awe of all the Wonders, as “they have survived the test of time, and the feat to build them was tremendous.” However, she singles out Machu Picchu as the one she enjoyed the most.

“It was so peaceful sitting atop the mountain in the Andes,” she muses, reflecting on her curious encounter with the llama.

And, as with most things, experiencing once-in-a-lifetime events are always best when shared with someone special. Flowers has had a combination of family and friends accompany her on her journeys over the years.

“Travel is generally tedious and difficult,” says Flowers. “The test is to be with someone you are comfortable with and trust. … My sister has been my companion on three of the trips. My brother, sister and I traveled to Egypt together … and the other trips have been with close friends.”

Flowers says she has learned “acceptance, tolerance and flexibility” — disciplines that she applies to her role at CATS, as well. “Travel changes your perspective and exposes you to many possibilities. Traveling takes you out of your comfort zone, tests your adaptability and expands your knowledge. It is about learning different cultures and learning about one’s self at the same time.”

3 local men are make their dreams come true

by Angela Lindsay

Photos by Jon Strayhorn

Success rarely comes easily or by following a straight line. It can be recognized by venturing to unrecognizable places and sometimes by taking a leap of faith. Yet, it almost always involves commitment, focus and hard work.

The following stories are a reminder of the value of pursuing a passion, the satisfaction of developing a dream and the reward of having the courage to make a change.

From street crime to whipping up success

For most cons, getting a 17-year prison sentence marked the end of a long road. But for Parris Friday, it was just the beginning. Sent to prison at the age of 21 as a result of poor decisions made by “hanging with the wrong crowd” and “carrying guns and selling drugs,” Friday did not lose hope while incarcerated. Rather, he began to make plans to change his life.

Released in March 2010, Friday entered a halfway house and began looking for jobs. “Everywhere I’d go, they would say, ‘No, I’m not hiring,’ and each time I’d get discouraged,” says Friday. “It was frustrating, because I believed I had changed, but no one wanted to give me a chance to show them I had changed and to prove I would be a good worker. …”

When Friday told his case manager, she told him about Goodwill of the Southern Piedmont. At the organization’s Career Development Center on Freedom Drive, Friday received the help of career counselors and enrolled in a construction skills training class. He, of course, excelled.

“It was my chance to prove I wanted to be there — I wanted to do the right thing and graduate,” he says.

Friday not only graduated, but he also was selected to be the class speaker at the Goodwill Occupational Skills Training graduation ceremony in September 2010. While still attending classes at Goodwill, he landed a job washing dishes at Ranch House Restaurant.

“It gave me a chance,” he shares. “Even though it was just washing dishes, it was still an income, and I needed income at the time. That gave me hope to keep doing what I was doing and continue looking for another job.”

Soon, he landed the front-line cook position at Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy, where he’s still employed today. Friday, 40, credits the support of others who believed in him and “looked past his record,” helping him believe in himself. About a year ago, Friday received the Goodwill Good Works! Award, which is presented annually at the organization’s Cornerstone Celebration.

Friday now is enrolled in classes at Central Piedmont Community College, hoping to become a counselor to help others the way so many helped him.

“I’m in debt with them for life — everyone who’s helped me,” he asserts. “It’s like I’m reborn again.”

Becoming the boss, creating a family legacy

It’s neither coincidence nor luck that landed George Forrest, 56, the owner of five successful McDonald’s franchises in Charlotte. He worked for it.

During a summer break from college as a political science student at UNC Chapel Hill, Forrest began working at McDonald’s as a crew member. He progressed through the ranks and retired as regional vice president of the Atlanta region after 32 years with the corporation.

Forrest says he originally planned to be a lawyer or attend graduate school and “had no intention of staying at McDonald’s all these years.” But, constant persuasion from a supervisor finally convinced him to take on a managerial role while still in college, and he never left.

After being on the operations side of the company throughout different parts of the country, Forrest concluded he had gotten “as far as he felt (he) was going to go” and decided to explore a different aspect of the business.

“I asked McDonald’s to allow me to buy some restaurants and go out and practice what I’d been teaching people to do all those years,” he says.

He bought his first two franchises in July 2009, followed by three more in December 2010. Forrest discloses only that “business is good,” with the five restaurants each servicing about 1,500 customers daily. He chose the Charlotte market because he felt it would be agreeable for him and his family, being close to his native Virginia, and because he felt it was a growing business area.

“I kind of look at this as my second career,” he shares. “I really thought I would miss the corporate life … but I am truly enjoying doing what I’m doing now. It is a lot of freedom. … I wake up every morning excited about doing it, and it’s not as stressful.”

Though he bears a lot of responsibility as an owner, Forrest is motivated by being his own boss and the ability to make his own schedule. He was inspired by his hard-working, blue-collar father, who worked in a shipyard, yet always provided for the family. Forrest says he didn’t even know his family was poor.

Now, this entrepreneur is imparting that same work ethic on his own children. “This has also given me the opportunity to bring my sons into the business. In corporate life, you can have a 30-year successful career, but when you’re done, there’s nothing to pass on, there’s nothing to leave to your kids,” he explains, adding the current state of the economy makes securing a lengthy corporate career unreliable.

Forrest adds, “What I like about what I’m doing now is that I’m in control of my own destiny, and I get to involve my family if they desire to join me.”

Education and initiative, bring 1-cent success

Though he was once headed down a dark path, a bright idea put Marquis Broadie back on the right road. The 23-year-old Charlotte native admits to making “wrong choices” and being loyal to the wrong people, even winding up at Right Choices alternative school.

But, Broadie eventually finished his high school education at CPCC, earned a degree in computer science and networking from ECPI, and completed a national certification in fiber optics at the Urban League of the Central Carolinas.

His next goal? To create Mr. Penny vending machines. “I want to get everybody involved with spending pennies,” he says. “I believe pennies have monetary value a lot of people just ignore. … My life was similar to a penny — I felt like I wasn’t of enough value, I wasn’t useable in society.” He adds, “From there, I came up with the name Penny Brotherz.”

Mr. Penny is a part of Broadie’s Penny Brotherz vending machine company — one of eight subsidiaries of his parent company, The Broadie Group Corporation. Drawing from spiritual teachings, he explains he spells Brotherz with a “z” on the end because he believes “the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”

The idea for the penny vending machine came to him in September 2010, when he was moving furniture, and people felt pennies were useless. He currently is in the patent process for a vending machine box which will accept, in addition to pennies, all other change, as well as paper money, debit and credit cards, and even food-stamp cards. Broadie plans to sell licensing agreements for the use of the box to existing vending machine companies and manufacturers, while creating his own signature Mr. Penny vending machine.

The machines will be placed near bus stops throughout the city and vend everything from snacks and shoestrings to condoms, toothpaste and tampons Items will vary in price, but nothing will cost more than $1. Pricing will be set in odd numbers, encouraging patrons to spend their pennies.

Broadie began selling the vending machine boxes last October and hopes to have the free-standing vending machines out early this year. Immediate success, Broadie says, would be “to be able to drive up the street and see a Mr. Penny beside a bus stop.” The Mr. Penny vending machines initially will launch in Charlotte and Las Vegas. Though his idea is still in the beginning stages, he has a very clear vision for its future.

“Once I sew up many areas across the United States, I really want to open a franchise,” he says.

Eventually, Broadie wants to have an online convenience store, Penny Mart.

While Broadie says he has encountered many obstacles and rejection from investors, his advice to others navigating the complicated entrepreneurial journey is simple: “Push … and you have to be ready for the challenge.”

New junk removal business helps homeowners and the environment

by Angela Lindsay

A new year, and a new opportunity to accumulate a whole lot of trash. Or is it?

The United States is the No. 1 trash-producing country in the world, at 1,609 pounds per person per year, according to the U.S. Renewable Energy Association. In fact, Americans throw away enough aluminum, for example, to rebuild the entire commercial air fleet.

With this in mind, last summer Terendius David and Anthony Love embarked upon a two-fold, bold business endeavor: to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams and help preserve the planet. David, 47, and Love, 44, became just the 23rd owners to buy into the Junk King franchise last June. A junk removal and hauling service, the company clears homes and businesses of unwanted clutter — from furniture to scrap metal — while demonstrating a commitment to the environment by recycling at least 60 percent of what’s collected. And the Junk King truck is fueled by biodiesel.

Taking a chance on trash

David and Love, who met while serving as Boy Scout leaders at their church, The Park Ministries, often discussed being their own bosses one day. However, it wasn’t until they both got laid off from their IT positions that the idea began to take shape.

“I always had an idea for a business venture, but never pursued it …” says Love, adding he felt he always had to have another job for financial security.

The business partners began by tapping into local resources, such as the small business center at Central Piedmont Community College and attending seminars given by organizations like the Small Business Administration to build upon their knowledge of business ownership. While conducting research, an online franchise consultant developed a profile for them based on their personal preferences, interests, goals and abilities to help them narrow down their search. Eventually, the men were matched with Junk King. The idea made sense to David, who owns several rental properties in Charlotte and began to notice the amount of stuff people often left behind after moving out. Within just three months of launching Junk King in Charlotte, the partners already were averaging about two clients a day, roughly $1000-$4000 a week.

“We always preach to our Cub Scouts about taking a risk and getting out of the box, and so this was an opportunity for us to get out of the box,” says David. “The Bible says you have to go out on faith, so how were we going to tell this to our scouts … and not be willing to take the chance and go out on faith?”

Another lesson David and Love impress upon the boys is the motto “leave no trace.”

Love explains, “We do a lot of conservation projects and teach them about the environment — giving back to the environment and making it better than how they found, so it will be sustainable for their kids and kids after them to also enjoy the things they’ve enjoyed.”

De-cluttering and recycling

While giving homeowners back their garage space by clearing out all the clutter, this socially conscious approach helps the environment by “keeping a lot of stuff out of landfills,” says David. Junk King’s environmental services include recycling metal, grinding trees into mulch at recycling centers, and providing concrete to a yard waste management company. Some 60 percent of everything hauled away is recycled, and the partners have recycled more than 4 tons of metal so far.

Much of the furniture and other re-useable household items they collect are donated to the National Kidney Foundation. David says doing so “allows other people to get back on their feet.”

Since June, Junk King has donated more than 2 tons of household items. They also make a point to assist the elderly and single mothers, who may not be able to move heavier items in and out of their homes on their own.

Having a relatively “recession-resistant” enterprise in this economy allows David and Love to make solid plans for the company’s future. Currently serving the greater Charlotte market, Junk King often partners with moving companies to remove the unwanted items of those customers and also is building on relationships with real estate companies, property management companies and furniture companies, as well as expanding to commercial moving. Love says he eventually wants to provide employment opportunities for others and to continue to increase their donations to the community.

“I think the most rewarding part of our success is going to be when we are able to go back into our communities,” adds David, “and talk to young black men or women and let them know there are other ways to make money than just doing the negative stuff.”

For more information, visit http://blog.junk-king.com/charlotte or call 800-995-JUNK.

North Davidson Street apartments are an economic boost for Charlotte

by Lee McCracken

Photos courtesy of McCreesh Place

As a member of the Board of Directors for McCreesh Place, Henderson Hill carries his briefcase every month into the Community Room of Charlotte’s first single-room occupancy (SRO) apartment community for formerly homeless, disasbled men. Rather than gathering in an uptown board room, the members meet right where the residents are living and working to put their lives back together.

“We’re talking with the guys who are hanging around in the lobby — linking arms and listening to them. We hear their stories and their struggles, and we also hear their successes,” says Hill, a Charlotte attorney and the executive director of the Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina, Inc. Hill boasts about how many of McCreesh Place’s residents volunteer their time and productively partner with the Villa Heights neighborhood.

“I’m proud to serve on this Board, because this is an investment in Charlotte’s future,” adds Hill. “These men are turning their lives around, and they want to be contributing members of the community.”

Helpful neighbors

Getting involved with McCreesh Place, the namesake of the late Rev. Gene McCreesh, was a no-brainer for Hill, who had known and worked with the former priest from St. Peter’s Catholic Church — a man who had a “saintly” passion and dedication to help men and women in need.

With 91 units, McCreesh Place provides safe, supportive affordable housing for men with physical disabilities and/or mental illness, including individuals and war veterans who’ve struggled with substance abuse. St. Peter’s Homes, Inc., owns and operates the apartment community, which is financed with city, county and federal government (HUD) funds, as well as faith community support, foundations and individual donations.

“We believe we have both a moral and an economic imperative to provide safe housing for those who are homeless,” says Pam Jefsen, executive director at St. Peter’s Homes, Inc. “It costs the City of Charlotte so much more to have them in jail or on the street.” (See box for actual cost figures.)

Jefsen reports Charlotte has some 6,500 homeless. “That’s a conservative number, but it represents the men, women and children who are in the shelters on any given night.” There are about 800 chronically homeless, she adds, explaining these are people who’ve been on the street one or more years, or who’ve had at least four episodes of homelessness in three years.

“We know success for people who have been homeless requires more than putting a roof and four walls around them. McCreesh Place empowers residents to work toward their own personal goals and to participate in the life of the community,” says Jefsen.

It’s more than a handout, she explains. Residents sign a lease agreement and pay monthly rent equal to 30 percent of their income. They work toward personal goals, which may mean getting their GED or a technical degree.

“About 65 percent of the men are living with two or more disabilities. Most of our residents are receiving Social Security disability benefits and are not able to work, but they may be volunteering, going to the gym every day and shopping for groceries — generally doing what the average retired person does.” There are 40-50 activities/events every month, including Bible study, Coffee Talk, Cooking Club and choir rehearsal. The Tuned In Singers, directed by Dr. Thomas Moore, are popular and well-known performers in the community.

Michael Gellar, the former president of the Villa Heights Community Organization, says he has enjoyed getting to know the residents of McCreesh Place over the last five years. “Ever since we revitalized our organization in 2007, McCreesh has been a great partner. The residents have participated in several of our community events — from cleaning Cordelia Park and helping with the Butterfly Garden Festivals to planting the community garden and working with the neighbors to get child ID kits created.”

In addition, VHCO uses the meeting space at McCreesh Place monthly for organization meetings. “We also have had neighbors attend events McCreesh has put on for the general public (Bingo nights and art shows),” adds Gellar. “I’m glad we have them as neighbors — we welcome the men helping our neighborhood become a better place.”

Counseling and support

The initial 64-unit McCreesh Place apartment building opened in 2003. These 110-square-foot rooms include a bed, dresser, closet, desk, sink and refrigerator. Four units share a bathroom, and eight units share a kitchen. In October, the community celebrated the grand opening of 27 additional units, which are 250-square-foot single-room occupancy efficiency units with both a bathroom and a small kitchen.

It’s the supportive services, however, that make McCreesh Place a success. “We know that, last year, 91 percent our residents with substance abuse issues did not relapse,” says Jefsen, noting that signing a lease at McCreesh means agreeing to an alcohol- and drug-free environment (sustained by mandatory alcohol and drug testing), no overnight guests and pitching in with chores/cleaning around the campus.

Case managers are on site at McCreesh Place seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and there’s nightly security. Services include counseling and monitoring residents’ progress toward achieving goals, referring them to community resources and health care providers, monitoring their mental health and assessing vocational needs. Groups of residents meet to support one another in efforts to stop smoking or how to live with grief and loss.

“This isn’t just a recovery program or transitional housing,” Jefsen says, explaining the difference between McCreesh Place and Charlotte Rescue Mission. “This is permanent, supportive housing — it isn’t failure if people stay here, because we’re not trying to kick anyone out. Success is having people in stable housing.”

‘Spirit’ of community

Building on that success, the Board of Directors of McCreesh Place endeavors to build three additional apartment complexes for the formerly homeless in five years near uptown Charlotte, where there’s access to transportation, retail, houses of worship and other community resources.

“Three in five — it’s ambitious, but Charlotte’s needs are so much greater than the 80-90 people we are serving right now,” says Hill.

One of the communities may be for women and children, according to Jefsen, but no specific plans are in place.

“We have identified a model that works,” says Hill, emphasizing the supportive services McCreesh residents receive “makes them great neighbors.” He also hopes business owners would consider tapping into what is an able and willing workforce, citing employment at The King’s Kitchen.

“That’s a prime example of what Charlotte can do,” says Hill. “It’s the spirit we need.”

Hill encourages African-American businessmen and leaders to support McCreesh Place financially and/or volunteer as role models for the residents. “This is an opportunity to engage with our less-fortunate brothers — to join with the community and help break down the sense of fear that exists.”

For more information about McCreesh Place, visit www.stpetershomesinc.org.

Economics of homelessness

Pam Jefsen, executive director of St. Peter’s Homes, Inc., says, “The economic imperative (of providing affordable, safe housing to alleviate homelessness and human suffering) comes from the savings that result.” It costs about $30 per night to house a person in single-room occupancy housing with supportive services. This compares to:

* $110 per night in the county jail

* $119 in county detox

* $583 in the state psychiatric hospital

* $1,029 for one emergency room visit

Friendraising Luncheon

A free event to kick off 2012 for McCreesh Place. Hear resident testimonials, Tuned In Singers choir and more information about safe, supportive housing for the homeless and disabled.

Participants will be asked to make a charitable donation.

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012

11:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m.

Charlotte Convention Center,

501 S. College St.

Contact: Sherry Waters-Wilson, development officer,

704-335-9380, ext. 31

HIV/AIDS in Mecklenburg County

by Bea Quirk

One person every day. That’s the number, on average, of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in Mecklenburg County, with some 300-400 new cases reported annually.

Although survival rates are improving, HIV/AIDS remains a serious public health issue nationally, statewide and here in Charlotte. In addition, the African-American community has yet to feel the benefits of better medicine and extensive education efforts.

“Because of high poverty rates among African Americans, many lack access to care, treatment and medicines, which is very expensive,” says Terry Ellington, executive director of Carolinas CARE.

More black patients

The Carolinas CARE Partnership (formerly the Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium) estimates about 5,300-5,600 people are living with the disease in the Queen City. The Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) estimates half of them are not receiving medical care, and about 28 percent of people with HIV don’t know they have it.

What initially was known as “the gay man’s disease” has spread, and not just into the straight community and to women. Most new cases are among African Americans. In 2010, 76 people of the 312 new cases in the county were black residents. Five years, ago, in 2006, African Americans accounted for 69 percent of the 390 newly reported cases.  Carolinas CARE says African-American men in prison are six times more likely than the general population to acquire HIV.

“There is still a stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, so people don’t want to talk about it or even find out if they have it. They are afraid of being ostracized, afraid their families will kick them out,” Ellington says. “There is still a lot of misconceptions about the disease. We really need more outreach and prevention efforts in the black community.”

While diagnoses climb, deaths are declining … but not in the African-American community. Nationally, the death rate dropped by 17 percent between 2007 and 2009 (44 percent in Mecklenburg County between 2002 and 2009). Yet, between 2005 and 2009, the national death rate from HIV for African Americans was 11 times higher than the rate for whites.

To address these disparities, two of Mecklenburg’s largest agencies that provide prevention programs and support for HIV patients recently have begun outreach efforts that focus exclusively on people of color.

Last February, Carolinas CARE introduced the Heroes (HIV Education and Resource Opportunities) Program for men of color. Heroes is an HIV prevention intervention, funded by a five-year grant — $250,000 annually — from the Centers for Disease Control. The program currently is in its second year.

RAIN introduced the Trinity Project, a church-related program for black and Latino women. It is funded by the federal Office on Women’s Health. Female clergy and church leaders are trained to facilitate small groups of women and girls in their congregations where they increase awareness of HIV and how to prevent it. There are about 20 churches participating in the Charlotte program, and RAIN is striving to double that number.

Free testing, education

Carolinas CARE, working in tandem with agencies such as the Urban Ministry and Charlotte Rescue Mission, as well as with faith-based institutions, encourages men at-risk for HIV to be tested and then attend two one-on-one education/counseling sessions. Both the testing and the sessions are free of charge. Men are educated about the causes of HIV and encouraged to stop risky behaviors by practicing safe sex, abstaining from sex and/or getting off drugs.

To reach the Latino community, one of the Heroes counselors is bilingual and bicultural, and there is a concerted effort to be culturally sensitive.

“We meet people where they are and help people who test negative to stay negative,” says Shannon Warren, program director for Carolinas CARE.

Through the end of September, 500 men had been tested for HIV through Heroes, and 240 had attended the sessions. Some 2,000 people are tested annually and about 1 percent test positive for HIV.

Both Carolinas CARE and RAIN, provide an array of other educational and prevention programs, as well as support services for people who are HIV positive.

“We are fighting hard each and every day to help stop the spread of HIV, reduce the stigma surrounding it and help those affected and impacted by the disease,” Ellington comments. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

* Sources: Mecklenburg County Health Department’s Epidemiology program; N.C. Department of Health and Human Services; and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information, visit www.carolinascare.org and www.carolinarain.org.

Mary Curtis carries forward her mother’s legacy of love

by Angela Lindsay

Photos by Jon Strayhorn

When she isn’t busy appearing weekly on TV’s “Fox News Rising” or writing a column for Creative Loafing on the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, local award-winning multimedia journalist Mary C. Curtis finds comfort in cooking.

“I find cooking is incredible relaxation for me, because I do it, and it’s creative, just like writing, but I finish, and then people eat it and enjoy it,” says Curtis. “It sort of has a finality that journalism doesn’t, because there’s always the next story, the next deadline. … With cooking, it’s creative, but it uses a different energy. I find it really incredibly relaxing and satisfying.”

Secret recipes

She grew up in a large family with four siblings. Curtis is the youngest, and she remembers the kitchen as the place where everyone from extended family to friends to neighbors routinely gathered. It was the cornerstone of their lives, and her mother, Evelyn, was in charge.

“She was an amazing cook, and she didn’t cook a lot from recipes,” Curtis recalls, adding she never saw her mother measure anything. “She did a lot on her own, and when we would ask her ‘How did you do this?’ she would say, ‘Put in a little of this or a little of that.’ I think sometimes she didn’t want to give away all her secrets!”

A Baltimore, M.D., native, Curtis’ food memories mostly are of seafood, but the family also enjoyed their mother’s homemade biscuits, her “amazing” turkey stuffing, and her rice pudding. Curtis recalls a lot of cooking at the holidays, and, growing up Catholic, says the food was as much about religion as it was a social event. There were sugar and ginger cookies at Christmas with sausage and rolls after the midnight Mass service, and, at Thanksgiving, her mother took leftovers and made an “incredible” turkey noodle soup. Curtis also remembers her mother beginning several days in advance to prepare hors d’ oeuvres, like cod fish balls, crab cakes and chicken salad on crackers for the dances at their church.

Her parents made their home “very welcoming,” and she says the experience wasn’t just about the cooking, it was “the feeling put into it.” It was that intangible ingredient that made the food so special. Though her mother passed away suddenly many years ago, Curtis says her mother died at peace, doing what she loved — making a sweet potato pie and watching her “stories” (soap operas).

“There were a lot of good memories around food,” she reflects. “There also were a lot of great smells in the house.”

Fresh ingredients

From those memories, Curtis shares her mother’s recipes for waffles, made light and fluffy with whipped egg whites, and shrimp Creole, which she adapted by adding more vegetables and tomatoes and using brown rice instead of white rice. She also shares one of her husband’s favorites, a sweet potato pie recipe she originally found in Essence magazine and then altered to make it lower in fat and calories.

She also gets ideas on mixing flavors and taste combinations from TV shows, like Bravo’s “Top Chef.” One of her secrets to making tasty dishes, Curtis says, is in the ingredients. Though she loved the richness of her mother’s table, Curtis deliberately is more health-conscious, using olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, Omega-3 eggs, and natural chicken devoid of antibiotics.

“I think everything starts with the ingredients,” says Curtis. “You need great ingredients, fresh ingredients. … I’m really particular about the ingredients I use.”

Holiday recipes from Mary’s kitchen

Sunday Waffles

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tablespoon melted butter

Mix together in a bowl flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Separate the eggs. Add the egg yolks and the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix well to form a smooth batter. Stir in the melted butter. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. At the last moment, stir the beaten egg whites into the batter. Bake in a hot waffle iron (if the waffle iron is not non-stick, spray with vegetable or canola oil.) Add syrup, fruit or other toppings. “But these are great with nothing at all!” says Curtis.

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped green or red bell pepper

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground (cayenne) red pepper, or a little more if you like heat

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons fresh parsley

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion and celery. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, and cook until beginning to soften. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered, so flavors can blend. Add shrimp. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp), or until shrimp are cooked. Garnish with parsley and spoon over brown rice.