LAWRENCE KIMBROUGH
CEO, First Charter Bank

     “What does art have to do with Business?” was Lawrence Kimbrough’s topic today at Rotary.  Kimbrough, a Davidson graduate with community interests in the Ben Craig Center, Cabarrus County Community Forum, The Pines and Cannon School, had been in the Trust Department of Piedmont Bank and Trust before it was merged into First Charter, where he is now CEO.

     The bank’s earlier headquarter was originally a movie theatre, whose only interior natural light came through small windows in the restrooms.  The only art previously had been Civil War memorabilia, primarily “The Last Meeting.”  By contrast, the new headquarter in University Research Park is flooded with light and needed the humanizing touch of art.

     First Charter did not set out to build a “corporate art collection: after the style of the “big banks.”  Its objective was to make headquarters a pleasant place to work, a place to which employees would enjoy coming.  Working with Hodges Taylor Gallery, pieces by North and South Carolina artists now accent the building.   Maud Gatewood and Herb Jackson are there along with works of lesser known Carolinians.  Oils seem to do better in the strong light than watercolor or pastels.  And then there is “sculpture”, or junk art as it might be called.

     Art in the workplace is a quality of life issue.  Just as name tags humanize personal encounters, art makes for a better environment at work than many employees enjoy at home.  In business, being nice to other people begins with being nice to employees.  And in modern buildings, art is an integral part of good architecture and interior design.  It can inspire employees, personalize the company, and give it distinctive character.

     Along the way, Kimbrough provided a jolly good time as he skewered everyone within sight.   Why, for example, did artists make the arms of civil war generals so short?  And why was Jim Kizer looking at his watch when he is retired and has no place to go, and was going to get out of Rotary early anyway.

     In response to questions about the banking business, Kimbrough allowed that times are tough for banks when they are tough for banks’ clients.  Low interest rates are a proxy for a poor economy.  But Charlotte is a “pulsating heart” which gives life to surrounding counties.  As for the First Charter art, he promises a catalog will be done covering details.

     Head table: David Anderson, Katie Tyler, John Stedman, Leland Park, Catherine Browning, Christie Taylor; Song: David Erdman.

     Visitors & Guests: Jeff Triplette; Invocation Darrel Stephens; Health & Happiness: Bill Underwood.

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INTERESTING MEMBERSHIP FACTS

• Membership status - 258 active,  51 active-non mandatory, 17 honorary, and 6 on leave of absence.   

• Breakdown by age - 22 in their 30s; 62 in their 40s; 94 in their 50s; 68 in their 60s; 35 in their 70s; 23 in their 80s; and 4 in their 90s.

• Average age - 58  

• Resignations effective June 30^th: Henry Allison, Jamie Armstrong, Julian Aldridge, Hal Bouton, Bobby Cockerham, Winn Maddrey.  

• Applications approved and waiting for introduction: 8

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New Member

Mark J. Pierman (Mark)

 

Classification: Social Service, Family

United Family Services

601 E. 5^th Street, Ste 400 (28202)

704-367-2701

Fax 704-373-1604

mpierman@ufsclt.org

     Mark Pierman is the President/CEO of United Family Services, one of the largest local non-profit human service agencies, serving families from nine different locations in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union and South Iredell counties.  A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Mark received his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Boston College and his Masters in Social Work from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.

     Prior to coming to Charlotte in June 2000, Mark was the Executive Director of Family Service Association in Dayton, Ohio for seven years.  He spent the previous ten years in the Catholic Social Services system in Michigan as the Executive Director of three different agencies.  He spent eight years in Portland, Oregon in different capacities for non-profit agencies.  Mark’s other interests include music, golf and gardening.  He also collects old Cleveland Indians baseball cards, in addition to a burgeoning collection of plastic snow globes from various cities and tourist traps across the country and world.  Mark and his wife Mea have two children, Joe and Marie.

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Did You Know...

z 4^th Quarter Invoices must be paid immediately in order to close out the 2002-2003 Rotary year.

z Bob Johnston has been named the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for the 26^th Judicial District following the retirement of Judge Shirley Fulton.

z Mac McCarley will serve as the 2003 Mecklenburg County Campaign Chair for United Way of Central Carolinas.

z Tyler II Construction Company President, Katie Tyler, has announced a “frisky” new logo. Tyler II Construction will become Tyler 2 Construction, with a new company logo that incorporates a rendering of a guide dog.  Katie trains puppies for Southeastern Guide Dogs Inc., and says the new look reflects her volunteer work with her company’s attributes – trustworthiness, loyalty and dogged commitment to quality and service.

z  Powell and Dot Majors – 70 Years and Counting!  Heartfelt congratulations on your wedding anniversary, and such a handsome couple!

z Welcome new members Bob Landers and Tim Hunt.

z Mark Norman was recognized for achieving Paul Harris Fellow status.  Dick Klingman, Neil Burkhead, and Larry Sagehorn have progressed to the next level.

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