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New Member Orientation
If you joined NARI Charlotte within the past 6 months, you
are requested to attend the New Member Orientation Class Thursday, August 27, 4:30pm - 5:30pm at the Crowne Plaza Charlotte prior to the April Dinner meeting. Please RSVP to the NARI Office: 704.365.6274 or email director@naricharlotte.com |
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2009 NARI Charlotte Executive Board and Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board: Rob Miller, Worth Supply
President: Reid Harkey,
Harkey Tile & Stone, LLC
1st Vice President :Teresa Sanders, Miller Tile & Marble
2nd VP: Tony Folino (Chair, Membership), Fresh Air
Technologies
Treasurer: Vicki Westmoreland,
New Dominion Bank
Secretary: Peter Dineen,
First Restoration Services
Board of Directors:
Suzanne Conway - Trade Shows, Chair (Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting)
Dale Dalton -Education, Chair (Andrew Roby, Inc.)
Thomas Faulk, PA - Bylaws,Ethics & Legal, Chair (Attorney)
Trent Haston - Past Presidents, Chair (Andrew Roby Inc.) Allan Rhew - At Large (Lowe's)
Steve Stephens - Golf, Chair
(Sherwin Williams)
Ron Weatherly - PR, Chair
(Dry Pro Basement Systems)
Grant Winrich - CotY/Awards, Chair (Instyle Charlotte, Inc.)
NARI OFFICE*:
Charlene Smith
Executive Director
T.704.365.6274
F. 704.554.5002
* NARI Charlotte is managed by Smith Group Management
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Advertise in the Monthly Newsletter !
Rate Card
1/8 page-$30 1/4 page-$40 1/2 page-$60 1 full page-$120 Deadline: Last working day
of the month. Must be
camera ready artwork!
Call the NARI office for
more details 704.365.6274
Also, don't forget
to edit your NARI Directory Information. Call the NARI
Office if you forgot your
USERNAME/PASSWORD.
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2009 NARI
Calendar At-A-Glance
April 23 Executive Committee Meeting
April 30 Board of Directors Meeting (4pm - 5:30 pm)
New Members Orientation (4:30pm - 5:30 pm)
Monthly Dinner Meeting @Crowne Plaza 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Networking; 6:30 pm - 8pm Dinner
May 28 Board of Directors Meeting
Monthly Dinner Meeting, Crowne Plaza, sponsored by Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery
June 20 NARI Charlotte
Home Improvement Surplus Sale, NARI Office Parking Deck (set up Fri June 19)
June 25 No Dinner Meeting Happy summer!
July 30 U.S. National White Water Center Adventure
August 27 Board of Directors Meeting
Monthly Dinner Meeting, Crowne Plaza
September 24 Board of Directors Meeting
Monthly Dinner Meeting, Table Top Night @
Victory Lane Karting
October NARI Golf Team Challenge - TBA
October 29 Board of Directors Meeting
Monthly Dinner Meeting, Crowne Plaza Hotel
November 13 CotY Awards @ Crowne Plaza
December TBA
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GOLF COMMITTEE NEWS
Coming this
OCTOBER
For Sponsorship Information
Call
Steve Stephens,
Golf Chairman
704.507.7361
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MEMBER CORNER
Committee Volunteers
Needed...
Being on a Committee is a great way to meet new mwmbers, network, play significant role in the association's growth, and help NARI Charlotte maintain its success. One way to increase the value of your membership is to participate in one of the NARI committees to become more involved in the chapter. If you would like to volunteer please contact the Committee Chair of your choice:
--Membership
--Education
--Trade Shows
--Public Relations
--Golf
--CotY Awards
--Home Improvement
Surplus Sale
NARI Charlotte also needs a Volunteer Pool. Contact the NARI Office to place your name in the Volunteer Pool!
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Tuffin' It Out ...
Visit www.nari.org
a series of articles providing Survival Tactics for NARI Members including quick links for...
Listen to NARI's new podcast program that will address a wide variety of remodeling business topics.
Participate in live webinars, or watch on-demand from NARI's growing library. Home Depot is a proud sponsor of NARI webinars.
Participate in NARI's new Remodeler Connection fast-track-to-success teleconference program and learn how to nail down the secret to blockbuster profitability.
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From Executive
Director's Desk, Charlene Smith...
I am very excited about about our upcoming first Home Improvement Surplus Sale to be held at the NARI Office parking deck Saturday, June 20 8:00 - 3:00!
The response has been great and now we need your donations to make the sale a success. We anticipate having items such as appliances, tiles, cabinets. lumber, hardscaping materials, decking, trim, window, doors, furniture, lighting, sinks, insulation, toilets, flooring, shingles,and more!
We will be promoting via newspaper, flyers, radio,Twitter, Craigs List, website and snail mail. (any other ideas?) Word of mouth is always the best way to promote our events, so start talking !
As you go through your warehouses, offices attics and garages in search of your donations, think about identifying your products with your contact information (sticker, sharpee, etc). You never know, Mrs. Jones just might need 10 more windows just like the one she bought at the NARI Surplus Sale.
This sale is a way to bring together NARI members, strengthen old relationships and make new friends. Justin Mann (Worth Supply) and Suzanne Conway (Ferguson) are already hard at work to put this event on the NARI map !
Please call the NARI office to schedule your surplus donation. Sport your NARI face for our fine community by coming out and enjoying the day and talking home improvement !.Weare VERY proud to be the finest remodeilng professionals in the industry and NARI IS the only National Trade Associaion in our industry.
Charlotte is a geat place to live and we look forward to an event that will introduce our members to our neighbors !
The sale is a GREEN EVENT, one that supports efforts to reduce the construction and demolition (C&D) materials that are filling landfills,while also assisting NARI Charlotte's efforts to provide financial and educational support to its members. Your donations
Happy Memorial Day!
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| News from NARI - April 2009
naricharlotte.com |
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President's Message Reid Harkey
Hi NARI Members,
I hope the spring is showing signs of recovery in your
businesses - most of those I've talked to feel the phone is ringing a little
more over the last few weeks. Hang in
there and do the right thing, and we should be fine in the long run.
I want to thank all 137 of you for attending the April
dinner meeting - yes I said 137? Great
speaker and networking! If you're not
attending regularly, you're really missing some good opportunities. Thanks to Home Depot and Oldcastle for
sponsoring our speaker Steve Klitch, who taught us some great marketing ideas
for those of us on a limited budget.
May's program will include Tim Taylor from the Building Standards Dept -
he will update us on the latest code changes affecting our industry, which I understand
are significant.
Please be on the lookout for emails and phone calls about
our NARI Charlotte Home Improvement Surplus Sale, on Saturday June 20th,
right around the corner. We need your
overruns and stuff you have that's taking up space. We'll promote this sale to the public as a
"Green" event - "Keep it out of our landfills"., and 10% of the proceeds will
go directly to our charitable arm, The Jim Harkey Memorial Fund, which will
make its way into our community through charitable gifts. This is also a great way to promote the NARI brand, as we continue to
build the NARI name in our area. We need
your time too, so come on out and help us sell our brand and raise some money
while we're at it.
I'd like to recognize just a few of the people for their
"behind the scenes" time and effort that they've contributed to our fine
organization. Thanks to Tony Folino for
developing our New Member Orientation class, which by the way had 23 people
attend in our first class, to Trent Haston for his work as Chairman of the LLS
(Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) and our Past Presidents committee, to Ron
Weatherly for his constant diligence in growing our name as our PR chairman,
and last but not least to Charlene Smith who always has the details
covered. Thanks to all of you, as well
as all of you that spend your time helping NARI!
See ya'll the last Thursday of the month,
Reid
J. Reid Harkey, Jr. |
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Details about the upcoming Surplus Sale at the end of the May Newsletter |
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MAY 28 - Dinner Meeting
NARI Presents TIM TAYLOR
"Residential Technical Services Manager"
Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
Land Use & Environmental Services Agency
Tim manages the Multi-trade Inspection Team, the Residential Technical Answer Center (RTAC), and Residential Drawing Submittal. Prior to his 12 years with Mecklenburg County Tim wroked as a remodeling contractor for 20 years !
As a fellow NARI member Tim is always anxious to share his knowledge with our members. His presentation will provide you with the lates fee changes and any code or department changes that are pertilnent to our industry!
This is a meeting you will not want to miss. Start thinking of a list of questions to bring to the meeting for our expert to answer!
bonus : great for CEU credit
Dinner meeting sponsored by:
THURSDAY, May 28
@ CROWNE PLAZA CHARLOTTE
5:30 pm - 6:30pm - Networking
6:30pm - 8pm - Dinner & Special Feature
$35 PER PERSON
Cash, Check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, Amex
Make your reservations thru the NARI Office.
Deadline is Tuesday, May 26, Noon |
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ON SALE @NARI OFFICE!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13
2009 Evening of Excellence
Crowne Plaza Charlotte
Don't miss out on this opportunity to have one or more of our projects receive the distringuished honor of a NARI Contractor of the Year Award. Someone will win in that category, why not your company? Watch your emails for an upcoming 60 minute CotY 101 to help you navigate the guidelines and get tips from the pros! Learn how to put you project entry together and gain a competitive edge!
For 2009 Sponsorship Opportunities,
Call Grant Winrich 704.576.4976 |
 Past Presidents Committee
Chair : Trent Haston, Andrew Roby, Inc.
704-334-5477 or trent.haston@nadrewroby.com
Trent Haston has been busy as the Corporate Walk Chair for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk, working tirelessly to encourage the corporate community in Charlotte to come together to find a cure for blood cancers. Trent and Andrew Roby got involved with Light The Night in 2008 after an associate was diagnosed with a blood cancer. Through their first annual "Pitching Corn for a Cure" cornhole tournament, Andrew Roby became the top fundraising team in the state of North Carolina! Many of you have heard Trent speak about Andrew Roby's commitment to LLS. This year NARI has agreed to partner with Trent and LLS by encouraging our members to place donation boxes in their place of business to help raise funds and awareness. Some of you may already have your donation box, but if you don't, you can either pick one up at the next dinner meeting or an LLS representative can put one in the mail for you. We are looking for 100 member companies to join us in this effort. If each of those 100 companies raises a minimum of $200 between now and the end of October, we will reach our goal of $20,000! | |
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 Membership Committee
Chair: Tony Folino, Fresh Air Technologies 704.622.7877 or tfolino@thefreshaircompanies.com
ATTENTION ALL NEW MEMBERS... THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WILL BE HOSTING A NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION CLASS THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM, CROWNE PLAZA PRIOR TO THE APRIL DINNER MEETING. ANYONE WHO BECAME A NEW MEMBER WITHIN THE PAST 6 MONTHS IS ASKED TO ATTEND. PLEASE RSVP THRU THE NARI OFFICE - 704.365.6274 - or - director@naricharlotte.com
Welcome New Members:
CNT Plumbing, Inc.
Fully licensed plumbing contractor with emphasis on new, remodel, commercial and residential.
P. O. Box 2513
Huntersville, NC 28070
Representative: Carl Travis
T. 704.875.0917
M. 704.309.7479
F. 704.875.0917
Marble & Stone Shop, Inc.
Stone fabrication
2211 W. Morehead St.
Charlotte, NC 28208
Representative: Bill Standish
T. 704.376.2254
F. 704.376.6716
Luna Stone
Fabricate and install stone design for customers and commercial applications.
PO Box 6540
Concord, NC 28027
661 Old Charlotte Rd. SW
Concord, NC 28027
Representative: Karen Codespoti
T. 704.721.5862
M. 704.273.6131
F. 704.721.5866
C-Square Builders
Specialize in additions, kitchens, baths, and repairs.
2501 Laburman Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28205
Representative: Scott Cruse
T. 704.719.1530
M. 704.361.4476
Prospective Members
- National Financial Services Group
- Safeguard
- Sunbelt Rentals
- Home Services Report.org
- Coventry Builders
Note: NARI Members are invited to supply the NARI Executive Director with any information regarding the suitability of any applicant for membership in NARI. Comments may be submitted anonymously. |
Legal Corner 
By: Thomas Faulk, PA
Survive The Recession! Tips For Contractors And Remodelers.
Listed below are tips on how contractors and remodelers can survive the recession. The obvious tips to get more business, increase revenues, and give better service are not listed here!
1. Marketing Mix Shift.Shift marketing efforts more towards immediate sales response activity, and less towards long term name recognition or branding activity.
2. Financing Source Shift. Shift financing from bank loans to increased down-payments, in-advance progress payments, shorter progress payment periods, supplier financing, etc.
3. Compensation Shift. Shift employee compensation from straight salaries towards hourly wages. Decreasing employee wages and introducing profit-sharing or commission pay systems can be helpful in matching expenses to revenues. Explore shifting from using employees, and towards using independent contractors, who only have to be paid when a paying job exists.
4. Cut Discretionary Expenses.Take the obvious step of cutting discretionary expenses. Calendar the task of cutting one discretionary expense per month or week.
5. Explore Vendor Or Supplier Financing. Vendors and suppliers are hurting in the recession, and may offer financing terms on supplies and materials that is cheaper than bank financing.
6. Improve Communications. In a tight economy, tensions and stress between contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers can run hot, especially if payments are slow and cash is scarce. Improving communications with the parties with whom you contract often goes a very long way at avoiding or minimizing mechanics liens, lawsuits, antagonism, stress, etc.
7. Avoid Growth For The Sake Of Growth. Many business owners subconsciously try to expand their company, assuming that growth is good. Assuming anything in business increases risk. Unplanned growth increases risk. Successfully increasing the durability and survivability of a company has great appeal in a recession.
8. Review Your Business Focus. Some companies are best served by retreating or streamlining back down to their core business focus, which is what they do best. Some companies are best served at expanding into new markets that are easily entered which are related to the company's current business focus. Perhaps an unprofitable sideline activity being built up for future success can be minimized. Review your business focus.
9. Network! Increase and emphasize networking with suppliers and other contractors in the building trades, even competitors. Networking is valuable in so many ways. Some contractors expressly offer commissions to other tradesmen who refer business to them.
10. Investigate "Partnering." Some contractor, subcontractor, and supplier companies are "partnering" not in the legal sense but in the business cooperation sense. Often they will agree to use each other exclusively for their respective skills in exchange for high discounts or lenient contract terms. They are in effect hunkering down together hoping to better survive as a team, rather than going it alone. Partnering is like networking carried to the next higher level. Partnering does not mean actually establishing a general partnership.
11. Guerrilla Marketing. There is an excellent book called Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson, which offers alternatives to traditional expensive advertising options often used by contractors, such as the Yellow Pages, newspaper advertising, and radio advertising.
12. Review Your Supplier Strategy. Some contractors advocate concentrating their purchases of supplies from fewer suppliers, to increase their value and leverage with those fewer suppliers, but this increases risk if a key supplier folds. Some contractors advocate recruiting duplicate suppliers, to avoid a supply stoppage if one supplier folds, but this decreases the contractor's leverage with individual suppliers. Review your own supplier strategy.
13. Increase Fee Income. Increase fee income. Example: charge a fee for processing a change order. Extra pay for extra work. Example: charge a fee for late payments from customers. Extra income and it serves as a deterrent. These fees are reasonable and customers are unlikely to object to such fees when signing a contract.
14. Minimize Excessive Reliance On One Customer. While getting a large contract or series of contracts is good, avoid excessive reliance on just a few customers. If their company folds, your company may fold like a domino.
Starting a Business - The Essential Checklist, by Thomas Faulk, Jr.,is an excellent book for starting a business or professionalizing an existing business. Order your copy today at www.clermontbookpublishing.com.
Thomas Faulk, Jr., is a Director and Legal Counsel to the National Association of The Remodeling Industry of Greater Charlotte. Mr. Faulk serves many contractors, remodelers, and small businesses in Charlotte. Mr. Faulk authored several books for small business, available at www.clermontbookpublishing.com. Call Mr. Faulk at (704)540-7556 for a free consultation |
 Education Committee
Dale Dalton, Andrew Roby, Inc.
704.334.5477 - cell 704.506.7773
dale.dalton@andrewroby.com
Congratulations!
NARI Scholarship Recipients
Colin & Preston Gray
NARI offers a wide variety of educational and certification opportunities for remodelers...
Each year the NARI of Greater Charlotte Past Presidents Committee awards two derserving students college scholarships. The awards go to siblings Colin Gray and Preston Gray for their hard work and dedication in their pursuit of higher learning. Congratulations ! Colin has been accepted to Georgia Tech and Preston has been admitted to Belmont University as a new freshman Audio Engineering Technology major.
Colin and Preston, thanks for this letter dated 5.05.09:
exerpt:
" We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your generosity for awarding us the Jim Harkey Memorial Fund Scholarship. We are honored to be the recipients of this award.
Receiving this scholarship will help provide an excellent education at our respective universities and enable us to make a difference in society. We look forward to being able to give back to the community once we begin our careers. We thank you for yur confidence and willingness to help us achieve our goals.
Sincerely,
Colin & Preston Gray"
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AND.....
CONGRATULATIONS!
Roger Ketchum, CR, GCP
Advanced Renovations
He is now a Certified Green Professional !
A remodeler who has completed NARI's Green Remodeling Course will have gained an in-dapth, through knowledge of all aspects of Green Remodeling processes. It gives the contractor a compettive edge in this increasing popular segment of remodeling. Taking NARI's Green Remodeling Course will allow you as a professional to bring clients specific expertise in energy efficiency, improved air quality, resource conservation, re-used and recycled products, and more... Join a study group today, info at NARI.org or call 1.800.611.NARI
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SIGN UP NOW FOR A NARI NATIONAL WEBINAR:
Due to the popularity of NARI's Green Remodeling Course, we've added more! The class will meet once a week for 2 hours via teleconference/webinar platform. The course will run for 12 consecutive weeks.
The next three courses are:
June 8, 2009 @ 7PM Central Time
August 20, 2009 @ 4PM Central Time
September 15, 2009 @ 4PM Central Time
Mark Your Calendars. Space Limited
The class consists of 16 topics related to green and sustainable remodeling including:
Basic Building Science
Indoor Environmental Quality
Deconstruction vs. Demolition Foundation
Framing
Roofing
Insulation HVAC
Electrical
Renewable Energy
Appliances
Plumbing
Exterior Finishes
Interior Materials and Finishes
Landscaping
Green Marketing
The course is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in Green Remodeling and allow you to start practicing today.
The primary texts will be included as part of the course materials along with a CD-ROM that contains links to additional references and resource materials as well as links to green product suppliers.
The cost of this program will be $495 for NARI Members and $695 for Non-Members. Course size will be limited to 20 to enable active participation by all attendees. At the end of the course you will receive a certificate stating you have completed the Green Remodeling Course of 24 hours or 2.4 CEU credits.
Just a reminder, this is a NARI Education Course, not a NARI Certification Program.
These classes fill up quickly, enroll today!
Questions? Call us anytime at 800-611-NARI [6274] or e-mail info@nari.org.
Join NARI on LinkedIn |
 Public Relations Committee
Chair: Ron Weatherly, Dry Pro Systems
704.523.9111 or weatherly@dryprosystems.com
Maximize Exposure for Your Company on the Website
Be sure that your company has maximum exposure on the NARI website! Did you know that you can place your company logo
or whatever image will fit (file type must be .gif, .jpg or
.png. maximum size: 300 X 300) in your listing. If you do
not know your user name and password to get into your listing
content on the NARI website call or email the NARI office.
Contact me if you are interested in advertising on the
NARI website!
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Another way to Maximize the Integrity of your Company
We encourage all members to display the NARI logo on all of
your company print & digital material. This is a great way
to inform the public/customer of your professionalism and
integrity. We will be happy to email you the NARI logo in
black & white or color (camera ready). Simply contact the
office via email to request.
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Promote your company in all the print and media advertising
that NARI produces for the following events:
NARI Sponsorship Opportunities:
· 2009 White Water Center Rafting Adventure July 30
· 2009 Table Top/Victory Lane Karting in September
· 2009 NARI Golf Team Challenge · 2009 NARI CotY AWARDS
Contact the office for further information. T704.365.6274 or director@naricharlotte.com . Make sure you are taking advantage of having your logo/promo on the NARI website directory listing. Log into the NARI website, add your logo, and this will be a link to your web site.
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 Trade Shows Committee
Suzanne Conway - Ferguson Enterprises
704.597.4820 or suzanne.conway@ferguson.com
THANKS TO ALL VOLUNTEERS FOR HELPING DISTRIBUTE
2009 NARI SPRING DIRECTORIES
During the recent...
Southern Spring Home & Garden Show
March 4-8 Charlotte Merchandise Mart
and
Charlotte Construction Expo
March 4-5 Charlotte Convention Center | |
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EVENT: NARI of Greater Charlotte
Home Improvement Surplus Sale
DATE : SATURDAY JUNE 20, 2009
TIME : 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
PLACE: NARI OFFICE PARKING DECK
5950 Fairview Rd. Clt, NC 28210
South Park area on the corner of Park South
Drive and Fairview Road behind Panera Bread
Donations will be received on Friday June 19, 8:30-3:00 |
Scene & Heard
The April 2009 Dinner Meeting sponsored by
HOME DEPOT
was a great success! Thanks to Home Depot for providing our speaker, Steve Klitsch and to OldCastle for the informative exhibit!
There were over 130 members & guests at the April Dinner Meeting. Please make every effort to come out to the next meeting, it will be fabulous!
Eddie DeRhodes, DeRhodes Construction; Trent Haston, Andrew Roby, Inc.;
Rob Miller and Justin Mann, Worth Supply
Duane Johns, Advanced Renovations; Melanie Cruse, C Square Builders;
Joe Benkovich, Fireside Hearth & Home; and Neil Dixon, Fresh Air Technologies
David Brown, Craftsmen Construction; David McGuire, Andrew Roby, Inc.;
Nancy Travis, Volvo GMC Truck Center of Carolinas; Tom Sturm, Kohler;
Carl Travis, CNT Plumbing; and Suzanne Conway, Ferguson Enterprises
Steven Licina, Contractor Sales Manager; Mark Ortiz, District Manager; and
Dawn Keller, South Boulevard Store Manager
THE HOME DEPOT
Thank you Home Depot for Sponsoring our April Dinner Meeting
Speaker, Steve Klitsch (Creative Concepts Remodeling) was incredible!
Ron & Marshall Helms with Helms Electrical
Steve Stephens, Sherwin Williams; Nancy Brandau, Renovators Construction;
and Brent Haston, Roby Electric
Heather Greenwell, Filters Fast; Chris Churchill, Money Mailer;
and Katie Gabriel, Filters Fast | |
Office:
5950 Fairview Road, Suite 702
Charlotte, NC 28210
Mailing Address:
NARI Charlotte
P.O. Box 12445
Charlotte, NC 28220
Website:
naricharlotte.com
Phone:
704.365.NARI (6274)
Fax:
704.554.5002
Email:
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CotY/Awards Committee 
