A scene captured from New London Theatre's performance of "Children of Eden."

Welcome to the neighborhood! Margins Charity Thrift and Variety Mall has yet to officially open, but this new Snellville retailer has already has the distinct honor of saving a beloved community theatre.

Dawn Berlo, board chair for New London Theatre, believes in second chances. Due to financial hardship, this troupe was poised draw its final curtain at the end of March. However, when new Snellville retailer Margins Charity Thrift and Variety Mall learned the theatre was in trouble, this friend and patron offered the local non-profit rent free space – 6,000 s.f. doubling the theatre’s current space!

“Margins Charity Thrift and Variety Mall is donating the space for us to continue our mission to bring you high quality, family friendly shows,” explains Berlo. “New London Theatre will open its new doors Mar. 30, 2012 with the scheduled show Nunsense 2: The Second Coming at our new location inside Margins Charity Thrift and Variety Mall.”

Margins Charity Thrift and Variety Mall bills itself as a luxurious thrift and antique mall designed as a hybrid for one stop shopping. The store is located in the former American Furniture Gallery building at 2338 Henry Clower Boulevard SW. Per information posted on its Facebook page, the store plans to hire 26 employees and will begin the interview process Feb. 22. The store also began renting consignment booths in mid-February with many spaces already reserved.

“We are thrilled that we were able to collect such a large amount of food and that so many individuals, non profits and businesses participated,” said Suzanne Holtkamp, vice president of marketing and operations. “We started the CAN Challenge to help raise awareness about our community’s crucial food needs. Our food banks struggle to stay stocked all year because people tend to think about donating during the holidays and forget food is needed year round.”

The Holtkamp Family Foundation awarded a grant to each 501(c)3 that conducted a food drive. Hundreds of individuals and groups participated in the 2011 CAN Challenge. Details are now available for the 2012 drive.

Boy Scout Troop 509, started collecting food last April. Becky Knake, troop committee member, had organized food drives before and encouraged the troop of more than 20 boys to participate in the CAN Challenge.

“Getting the community involved through the CAN Challenge is a wonderful thing and I’m glad we were involved,” Knake said. “We had so many donate food, including Crider Poultry in Stillmore, Ga., who gave us more than 5,200 cans of meat.”

In addition to the donations from many non-profits, Holtkamp also set up donation barrels in at least 12 different locations, which individuals filled up quickly. Local high schools even got involved and staged football challenges.

“The last two games of the 2011 season, Parkview High versus Brookwood High and Peachtree Ridge High versus Mill Creek High, resulted in almost two tons of donations. They also raised the equivalent of 4.5 tons of food in monetary donations!” said Theresa Stewart, CAN Challenge organizer. “All four of these high schools really pushed it to the next level. I can’t wait to see what they will do next year. The challenge is definitely on!”

“Our grant program really inspired non-profit groups to raise their game. We had churches, girl scout and boy scout troops, and so many more donating,” Stewart said.

“We’re not done.  We’re just getting started.  We’re looking to 2012 [food donations] when Gwinnett will once again rise to the Challenge and help address local hunger,” says Holtkamp.

The 2012 Gwinnett CAN Challenge is underway and hopes to collect 20 tons of food. Will you accept the CAN Challenge?  To learn more, visit www.HoltkampHVAC.com/canchallenge.

The department will host a job fair Sat., Feb. 18, 2012, at the Gwinnett County Police Training Center located at 854 Winder Hwy. in Lawrenceville.

Visit www.gwinnettcounty.com for details and to download the job fair brochure.

Mike Anderson, director of manufacturing, EV Chargers, Efacec USA, Inc.

Norcross manufacturer Efacec USA, Inc. builds fast chargers for electric vehicles that yield a plug-and-go time frame of 30 minutes. Its patented AC/DC power conversion technology eclipses the day-long power boost home-based plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) chargers require.

Efacec USA, Inc. is on the fast track introducing its PEV technology to U.S. markets at a blistering pace. In the past six months, this electric vehicle charger manufacturer and Smart Grid solutions provider has ramped up production of its PEV Level 3 QC50 DC Fast Chargers (QC50) at the company’s Norcross facility. This marks the first time these units have been built in the U.S.

The company is currently delivering QC50s to 350Green, LLC, an electric vehicle charging networks developer. In August, 350Green placed an order for 900 units, representing a three-year manufacturing contract. Group Efacec, the parent company of Efacec USA, has been marketing its EV fast chargers for years in Europe. From a production and cost efficiency standpoint, the company decided to produce the units for this order in Georgia versus importing from its Maia, Portugal factory.

By November, Efacec USA had reached a significant manufacturing milestone for the QC50. The equipment is now ETL certified as Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment for both public and commercial use. Efacec USA is one of only a few U.S. electric vehicle charger manufacturers to achieve this certification from Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety solutions for a wide range of industries around the world. The QC50 is also CHAdeMO and CE certified.

Some 90 days later, approximately 30 units per month are rolling off the company’s Norcross assembly line, requiring up to 40 man hours per unit to manufacture. Each QC50 has two parts: the user-friendly PEV charging kiosk and a standalone power panel. According to Mike Anderson, director of manufacturing for Efacec USA’s EV Chargers, build out of the 15,000 s.f. facility to accommodate production was seamless.

“Our team is doing a fantastic job and we are all thrilled with the aesthetic engineering of the QC50,” says Anderson. “The greatest challenge has been locating domestic suppliers for U.S.-made components that meet the ETL certification requirements.”

The QC50 DC Fast Chargers support PEV charging station networks in major U.S. cities and around the world. For example, 350Green partners with retail hosts at selected, high-traffic shopping centers and other locations to create an expansive and convenient charging infrastructure. PEV drivers pull up and plug in their Nissan Leaf, or other CHAdeMO charging standard compliant electric vehicle, to receive a full battery charge in the time it takes to shop or conduct a business transaction.

Recent predictions for the electric vehicle industry cite that by 2017 more than 5 million PEVs will be sold worldwide and over 7 million EV supply equipment sales will support those vehicles. Related predictions anticipate there will be over 500,000 PEVs operating in the U.S. by 2015, with the U.S. becoming the largest market for PEV sales by 2017.

The commercial market for Efacec USA’s fast chargers is utility companies. Efacec enjoys a solid reputation for high quality, advanced technology and integrated Smart Grid solutions. This alliance blends advanced charging station technology, grid optimization and the application of distributed energy resources to actually improve grid performance.

Portugal-based Group Efacec has been serving U.S. markets since 1998 and chose Norcross for its U.S. operations headquarters in 2007. Its U.S. operations cover five different activities via its Georgia companies; Efacec USA, Inc. and Efacec-Advanced Control Systems in Norcross and Efacec Power Transformers, Inc. in Rincon.

Rob Friedman, co-founder and executive vice president of Digital Element

What do Facebook, REI, Microsoft, CNN and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) have in common? These are among many companies worldwide that deploy IP Intelligence solutions from Gwinnett-based Digital Element.

Evolving from a little-known Norcross start-up that launched in 1999, Digital Element is now the definitive global leader and industry pioneer of IP geolocation technology that brings local relevance to web user experiences. It provides coverage for 99.9999 percent of the Internet and collects accurate data down to a postal code. Clients find it valuable for geo-targeted online advertising, content localization, content rights management or IP Intelligence for analytics all the while maintaining user anonymity and end-user privacy.

Rob Friedman, co-founder and executive vice president of Digital Element, says, “We recently found the fastest growing part of our business was taking place overseas.”

Digital Element expanded operations to the United Kingdom in 2010 and now, experiencing unprecedented growth, the company extends hyperlocal targeting capabilities across all of Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. In November, Digital Element further expanded its global operations in Europe and has its sights set on China.

Friedman admits, “The cool part of our technology is how people use what we created, beyond the scope of what we originally intended.”

He gives the example of how the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre is able to track earthquake activity based on Internet traffic. The logic is that when an earthquake occurs, people affected by it use the Internet to see if there is news or information. The IP Intelligence targets data originating from geographic points, based on clusters of visitors to web sites, revealing even more relevant data for analysis specific to the human experience.

Digital Element’s parent company Digital Envoy is part of Dominion Enterprises, a leading media and information services company. Freidman attributes much of the company’s success to sound fiscal management and staying true to its founding principles and mission.

Perhaps as amazing as its innovative technology is the fact that many of the original employees are still with this international company of 50, the majority of whom work locally.

(L-R) Michael Mayers, operations manager, Bob Broaddus, laboratory manager and Michael Forgeron, president of Analysts, Inc.

According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, there are 579 ‘internationally based businesses’ in Gwinnett County that employee a total of 26,597 people.

Of these, 147 are involved in manufacturing. Together, they employ 10,959 people and account for approximately half of Gwinnett’s manufacturing jobs. Among this group, 29 companies in the Global Fortune 500 have a significant presence in Gwinnett.

“The Partnership Gwinnett community and economic development strategy and its investors have facilitated the creation high-wage jobs – more than 10,000 in the last five years,” said Nick Masino, senior vice president of Economic Development & Partnership Gwinnett. “That is why it is now more crucial than ever that we continue expanding our economic development initiatives internationally.”

In the past 12 months a number of global businesses have expanded operations or relocated their U.S. operations to Gwinnett, including these companies.

Analysts, Inc. expands to Suwanee
Michael Forgeron, president of Analysts, Inc., says this oil analysis firm that has operated in Gwinnett since 1984 chose to stay for three reasons when faced with growing its operations.

“Gwinnett offers a very favorable business climate which, in spite of current economic woes, is very hard to find these days,” explains Forgeron. “The City of Suwanee runs its operations like a business, not as a traditional, bureaucratic entity. This was very refreshing and appealing to us as we searched for a larger facility.”

He adds, “Being approximately seven miles from our original laboratory in Norcross, we are able to make the move while maintaining employment for our current workers. As we expand and add to our ranks, the area offers a pool of qualified candidates from the local collegiate community.” With a move in date scheduled for mid-March, Analyst plans to add to its workforce in coming months.

Analysts, Inc. testing results allow equipment owners to see and understand the physical properties of any lubricated component. The company currently operates five regional laboratories in the U.S., in addition to labs in Japan and Mexico.

New division headquarters for Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating (Mitsubishi Electric) will expand its operations in Gwinnett by moving to a new facility in Suwanee for its business headquarters, training and distribution center.

“In the 20 years we have operated in Gwinnett County, we have outgrown two spaces, and we’re excited to be moving to a new location that will facilitate even more growth and expansion,” says Bill Rau, senior vice president and general manager, Mitsubishi Electric.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal attended the recent groundbreaking ceremonies and said, “Mitsubishi Electric plays a significant role in the strength of Georgia’s existing industry base. This expansion and the creation of new jobs for Georgians sends an important message that the resources and assets we provide for our companies allow them to remain competitive here at home and in markets around the world.”

A division of a U.S. subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating is a leading marketer of Variable Refrigerant Flow and split-ductless air-conditioning and heating systems for both commercial and residential use. The company employs approximately 200 people.

NanoLumens relocates world headquarters
NanoLumens recently moved its world headquarters to a new office center in Norcross, the same city it has called home since its founding in 2006. The rapidly growing manufacturer and marketer of flexible and non-flexible digital displays plans to create 175 jobs over the next two years.

“Georgia’s presence as a technology hub coupled with our global logistics infrastructure provides NanoLumens with a level of access to markets here in the U.S. and around the world that cannot be found in many other places,” said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Nanolumens is a very important contributor to the technology sector in Georgia. We are glad to see this company expand here in our state.”

Since its founding in 2006, NanoLumens has built a portfolio of more than 20 international families of issued and filed patents on its flexible display technology.

Primerica’s new global headquarters ready in 2013
Last November, John Addison, chairman of Primerica Distribution and co-CEO said, “This groundbreaking marks a new day for Primerica.”

Primerica is currently the fourth largest private employer in Gwinnett with approximately 1,800 employees and has operated in the county since 1985. The new Duluth facility will consolidate all of Primerica’s numerous facilities and operations into one three-story building.

Jim Maran, Gwinnett Chamber president and CEO says, “Primerica’s commitment to the Gwinnett business community exemplifies the value and essence of what it means to be a true corporate citizen.”

“Our new location is at the hub of the Gwinnett County business, sports and entertainment community,” added Addision. “The thoughtfully designed building will be a centerpiece for our company and our employees and a showcase for our more than 90,000 representatives across North America.”

Ricoh expands production site in Lawrenceville
Ricoh Electronics, Inc. will complete construction in June on an expansion to its thermal media coating facility in Lawrenceville, making this Ricoh’s second direct thermal paper coating facility in the U.S. and Ricoh’s sixth facility around the world. Ricoh expects to hire about 70 local employees in operations, maintenance, and quality control positions.

Jeff Briwick, president of Ricoh Electronics, Inc. says, “We look for this facility to play a key role in meeting the needs of the North American market and expanding into new markets.”

Ricoh Electronics utilized the services of Georgia Quick Start, a program that has proved to be among the state’s key assets for supporting new and expanding industries. Jackie Rohosky, Technical College System of Georgia assistant commissioner of economic development programs, and head of Quick Start comments, “We are proud to be partners with the company in their growth and the job creation that they are bringing to Gwinnett and Georgia.”

Global technology company relocates to Gwinnett
Q-Matic Corporation will relocate its U.S. corporate headquarters to Gwinnett County from N.C. bringing with it 20 new jobs. Q-Matic, the world’s leading customer flow management solution provider, is moving to Duluth to provide the company easy access to Interstate 85.

“With our recent growth in the U.S. and Canada, we needed a bigger and more accessible place to better serve our clients and call our home,” says Thomas Sareyko, CEO of Q-Matic Corporation.

Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development says, “In addition to our position as a global logistics hub, Q-Matic will also benefit from the strength of our workforce, business climate and other competitive advantages as the company grows here in Georgia and in markets around the world.”

HCEA moves headquarters to Norcross
Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas, Inc. (HCEA) Norcross facility now serves as the HCEA’s headquarters and warehouse, as well as housing offices for the company’s finance, sales, remanufacturing and service operations for both the Construction Equipment and Forklift Product Lines.

“Our decision to move to Gwinnett and to Georgia an easy one: we needed a facility that was strategically located not only for access to markets in the Southeastern U.S., but to the rest of North America and to South and Central America as well.” said John Lim, HCEA president.

HCEA’s relocation from Illinois is expected to create approximately 100 jobs over five years and generate more than a $10 million investment in the community. Hyundai also revealed plans to build a major manufacturing facility in Georgia in the next three to four years.

For some, it’s the jolt that gets us moving in the morning. Others have an entire ritual based on that first cup of the day or their mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Whatever your preference, java is one business that helps makes the world turn.

More than 120 coffee houses operate throughout Gwinnett County. These range from retail chains that offer ambiance and Wi-Fi along with a drive through option, to boutique eateries where coffee is the main event, but other goodies on the menu run a close second. The selection is as varied as the many ways we ‘fix’ our brew.

“I drink good coffee because I enjoy it and crappy institutional coffee for the caffeine,” explains Ron Baker, web services manager at Tillman Allen Greer. “Ninety percent of the coffee I drink is at work. This I do for the stimulant effect. But there’s something to be said for the ritual itself.”

Coffee has its own special following and culture. There are the connoisseurs who demand a certain bean, roast, grinding or brewing technique. They are willing to go to the time and effort at home, and have no qualms about spending money to purchase a quality cup from a local coffee house. Conversely, there is an entire population that enjoys their coffee, but who don’t feel strongly about the finer points.

According to the International Coffee Association, world coffee exports amounted to 9.14 million bags in December 2011. With a pound of coffee making on average 32 eight-ounce cups, depending on whether you make it weak or strong, that translates into roughly 292.5 million servings.

There are many surprising facts about the coffee we drink. The National Coffee Association of U.S.A., Inc., through its web site, www.coffeescience.org, has compiled reports from scientists around the world. For example, did you know that coffee has more fiber than orange juice? It also contains antioxidants that help keep us spry. You can also drink coffee to keep your mouth moist or to improve your handwriting!

Do you limit your intake throughout the day? Experts from Harvard Medical School recommend that if your goal is to stay alert when sleep deprived or if facing a long drive, you should drink small amounts of coffee throughout the day. Contrary to popular belief, coffee doesn’t make you shaky. And the one fact we coffee lovers already know, this incredible substance just makes you feel good.

Did your grandparents give you your first sip of coffee mixed with a lot of milk and sugar, but made you promise not to tell your parents? It’s a good bet that you can remember exactly when you fell in love with the taste.

And finally, there is one debate that will never find a compromise: what’s the point of decaf? Now that your senses are stimulated and your mouth is watering, seek out your favorite Gwinnett coffee house and order up!

Have you reached the pinnacle? Are you newly promoted? Taking on a different role or changing companies?

Send your brief People on the Move announcement details and a photo to newsroom@gbj.com and we’ll help spread the word.

February 2012: People on the Move in Gwinnett

Cherise Ball

Cherise Ball is the newly named executive director at Life Care Center of Lawrenceville. “This is my second family,” said Ball. “I grew up in the business and grew up to love working with the elderly and enjoying all the knowledge and fun they bring.”

William Bishop

William Bishop is the newly named principal of Norcross High. An educator since 1991, he has been in the Gwinnett County Public School system since 2005 and was most recently assistant principal at Duluth High.

Chris Browning

Chris Browning, a vice president with McKim & Creed overseeing its water division technology business unit, has earned national pipeline assessment and documentation certifications from the National Association of Sewer Service Companies.

Juanita Daunoy

Juanita Daunoy is the newly named principal of Meadowcreek Elementary. An educator since 2000, she began teaching in the Gwinnett County Public School system in 2008 and most recently was assistant principal at Jenkins Elementary.

Maryanne Grimes

Maryanne Grimes is the newly named principal of Central Gwinnett High. An educator since 1981, she has been in the Gwinnett County Public School system since 1986 and was most recently principal at GIVE Center West.

Mary Hester

Mary Hester, CEO of LAN Systems has been selected to the Leadership North Fulton Class of 2012, a program that develops leadership skills by promoting community awareness, instilling civic responsibility and building relationships.

Suong Ho

Allstate agency owner Suong Ho received the Agency Hands in the Community Award for outstanding volunteerism along with a $1,000 Allstate Foundation grant for the Norcross-based GA-For-Vietnamese Americans Community of Georgia, Inc.

Syd Libsack

Syd Libsack is the newly named vice president of commercial and syndicated loans for Delta Community Credit Union. He is also presenting faculty for the CUNA Lending Council and a member of Credit Unions Executive Society.

Eric Parker

Eric Parker, Ph.D., is the newly named principal of Shiloh High. An educator since 2000, he has taught has nearly 10 years in the Gwinnett County Public School system and was most recently the principal at Shiloh Middle.

Julie Peyton

Julie Peyton is the newly named principal of Ferguson Elementary. An educator in the Gwinnett County Public School system since 1988, she most recently was assistant principal at Alford Elementary.

Wade Walthall

Wade Walthall, new artistic director for Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, is a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Holland, National Ballet of Spain and Pacific Northwest Ballet, and served 14 years as artistic director for a Seattle ballet company.

Warren Summers

New Norcross Chief of Police Warren Summers credits the “unique blend of small town charm and metro appeal,” as the position’s lure. His new role coincides with managing the annexation of nearly 5,000 new citizens into the city Jan. 1, 2012.

Click here to meet January’s People on the Move in Gwinnett.

Although many companies and individuals fully embrace environmental sustainability, critical mass is a future target if, as predicted, the cleantech movement is to usher in the next industrial revolution.

The investment climate for clean tech, both domestically and overseas, is cooling somewhat in 2012 due to global economic concerns. Nevertheless, 10 trends are emerging as ones to watch in the near term.

1. An increased demand for retrofit energy-efficient products will continue to counter a slowing trend for new green construction.
2. Growth in the number of U.S.-based biorefineries will turn cellulosic biomass products like wood and agricultural waste into fuels, plastics, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.
3. Enhanced recycling incentives will extend sustainability efforts by sectors such as big box, telecom, tire and asphalt.
4. Electric vehicles hitting the market will spur expansion of the national car-charging infrastructure.
5. Utility companies will ramp up smart meter deployment to help customers manage their energy usage.
6. Propulsion of offshore wind energy to other eastern seaboard sites hinges on New Jersey’s successful implementation of its programs that are fueled by federal incentives.
7. Watch these segmented solar initiatives – balance of system costs, distributed solar in small to mid-sized commercial uses and third party ownership of solar systems via power purchase agreements – and how companies will change strategies to be competitive with other energy sources.
8. Gas-to-liquids technologies will become more mainstream and perhaps even more instrumental in meeting U.S. energy demand for diesel and gasoline.
9. Expect a retreat from energy storage investments that led 2011 funding for the cleantech sector.
10. Marine energy will begin to come of age as more private and corporate entities explore wave, tidal and ocean thermal energy conversion-based power as a future cost-competitor with coal.

by Mark Lackey

The boss tells you they are transferring you to another city. Then the reality sets in; you’ll have to sell your home to take the new position. What if the stories you hear about home values being down are true and you won’t be able to sell? What should you do?

First consult with a realtor actually selling homes, not just listing them. They can tell you what your home will sell for and the net proceeds to cover the existing mortgage after concessions and commissions. Should you sell your home for an amount that will cover your mortgage, then good for you.

If not, join the ranks of those with little or no equity in their homes. At this point, your alternatives are then somewhat limited. There is a good chance you can lease the home out for enough to cover the mortgage and then move the family together to the new job.

Should you decide to lease, or rent as it is also called, then consider hiring a property manager to watch over your home when you are a few states away. Hiring a professional property manager will give you peace of mind and cost as little as 10 percent of the rental amount. This small fee to covers the invoicing, collections, repair calls and arranging for those repairs to be professionally made.

The property manager will also do a market analysis to determine the rental amount.  Rental rates are not set by the amount of your monthly mortgage amount and I have seen many a new landlord ‘under price’ the rent charged simply because “it covered my mortgage payment.”

Mark Lackey is an Associate Broker, EcoBroker with Atlanta Housing Source at Solid Source Realty and may be reached at 404.886.8789 or by email, Mark@AtlantaHousingSource.com.