Wednesday, July 23, 2008

WBTV Talks About Pilot TV Show With David Golden of Robot Johnson

CHARLOTTE – David Golden, writer and performer with comedy troupe
Robot Johnson (www.robotjohnson.com), appeared on WBTV News at Noon
recently and gave an interview with John Carter. Golden discussed the
group's current run at the Duke Energy Theatre, during which Robot
Johnson will film a half-hour long pilot for national television. The
interview segment also featured the television debut of two of the
troupe's Youtube videos, "Hemmons Discount Store Fixtures" and "Live at
5."

"We strive to be the best and funniest thing in Charlotte," says
Golden. "We want to make sure that our show is entertaining before you
spend your dollar on it."

Robot Johnson is Charlotte's premier sketch comedy troupe, giving the
Queen City good humor by bad people. Shows are Friday and Saturday
nights at 8:00 and 10:00 pm, running July 11th through August 2nd at
the Duke Energy Theatre, part of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
at Spirit Square. For more information, please visit
www.robotjohnson.com or call 704-640-ROJO (7656).

Monday, July 14, 2008

Whiting-Turner Selected As Construction Manager For The Village At Lake Norman

Whiting-Turner Selected As Construction Manager
For The $516-Million Village At Lake Norman

CORNELIUS, N.C. – The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company has been
selected as construction manager for the $516-million Village At Lake
Norman, a mixed-use development in Cornelius, N.C., north of Charlotte.

"Although Whiting-Turner advised us in the early stages of project
planning, we felt a full review of our options was important before
awarding the construction management responsibility," said Josh Rector,
senior vice president of Cornelius Bromont, LLC, the project developer.
"After considerable due diligence, we feel confident our selection of
Whiting-Turner is the best choice for meeting our needs, and look
forward to working with the company on this substantial project."

Founded in 1909 in Baltimore, Whiting-Turner, with offices across the
U.S. including Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C., is ranked fourth in the
nation by Engineering News Record in domestic general building
construction. The firm is recognized as one of the nation's leading
mixed-use community builders, including such landmark projects as
CityPlace in Florida, Crocker Park in Ohio, and Rockville Town Square
in Maryland.

Whiting-Turner's Charlotte office, managed by Tim Stevens, has served
as the construction manager of such high-visibility projects as:
• Concord Mills, one of the Carolinas' largest shopping malls,
including the simultaneous realignment of Speedway Boulevard around the
project
• The new Dell manufacturing facility in Kernersville, in excess of $50
million, built in six months
• The current renovation of Monroe Mall in Monroe, N.C.

"Whiting-Turner has superior capabilities to build both our mixed-use
Village and several miles of I-77 widening, as well as a new Exit 27
intersection, simultaneously," Rector said. "Our goal is to complete
construction in three years, starting in the fall of 2009, which will
be quite a challenge. But we are making plans and getting approvals so
that work can begin as intended."

The 2.2-million-square-foot Village At Lake Norman will be located on
104 acres south of Westmoreland Road in Cornelius, bounded by U.S. 21
on the east and I-77 on the west. It will include approximately 810,000
square feet of Class A corporate office, 655,000 square feet of
high-quality retail/restaurant space, two hotels totaling 350 rooms,
and 400 luxury residences. Online at http://www.corneliusbromont.com.

Whiting-Turner maintains a 5A-1 Dun & Bradstreet rating and a bonding
capacity of $4 billion. The firm is financially independent and
without debt. Details at http://www.whiting-turner.com.

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Media Contact: Buck Lawrimore, Lawrimore Inc., 704-332-4344,

http://www.lciweb.com

FlowCon Brings Balancing Valves To U.S. & Canada Via New Charlotte NC Headquarters

FlowCon Brings Dynamic Balancing Valves
To U.S. & Canada Via New Charlotte NC Headquarters

For Immediate Release July 14, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FlowCon International, a leading European
manufacturer-distributor of flow control valves for commercial heating
and air conditioning systems, has launched its line of AB automatic
balancing valves from new headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., serving the
United States and Canada.

The new North American operations, known as FlowCon Americas, LLC, is
led by Howard Rozendal, an experienced veteran of the HVAC (heating,
ventilation, air conditioning) industry. The new headquarters is
located at 10430-K Harris Oaks Blvd. in Charlotte.

"Our automatic balancing valve is unique because it is externally
adjustable," Rozendal said. "Unlike other balancing valves which have a
fixed GPM (gallons per minute) and have to be removed from a shut-down
system if a change is needed, ours can be changed externally to one of
40 different flow rates by simply turning a control valve with a
special key.

"What this means for the building owner or contractor is that when the
needs of building tenants change, the cost and ease of changing the
flow rate is extremely low compared to other flow control products," he
explained.

Other features of the FlowCon adjustable valves include:
• Automatic balancing so the desired flow rate is achieved automatically
• Dynamic balancing, meaning the flow rate is maintained as each valve
compensates for pressure fluctuations in the system
• Field adjustable – flow rate can be changed instantly using a special
secure key
• Reduction of branch or "partner" valves so fewer valves are needed
per system
• Accuracy to plus or minus 2 percent
• Pressure and/or temperature measurement plugs are available for
verifying conditions of the heating/cooling water in the system
• Multiple connections are available for different system configurations

"Initial discussions with several leading U.S. and Canadian
manufacturers and distributors have been very promising," Rozendal
said. "We believe that the unique qualities which made FlowCon the
preferred balancing valves Internationally will soon also make them the
preferred choice in North America.

FlowCon was founded in 1987 with headquarters in Denmark. It also has
offices today in Singapore and Dubai. The company is 100 percent
focused on dynamic flow regulation and pressure independent temperature
control. Details at http://international.flowcon.com. FlowCon Americas
is available at 704-599-4700.

--###--

(Media Contact: Buck Lawrimore, Lawrimore Communications Inc.,
704-332-4344, http://www.lciweb.com/ High-res product photos of the
attached image are available upon request.)

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Forum to look at regional business opportunities in defense/security industry

Robert Walker, former acting secretary of the Army, will
discuss business trends and opportunities in the defense industry at
the Charlotte Regional Partnership's July 16 Investors Forum, "Defense
and Security Sector: Implications and Opportunities for the Charlotte
Region." The forum will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Central Piedmont
Community College Harris Conference Center.
 
"As we focus on our core strengths in manufacturing, headquarters/back
office, distribution/logistics and technology operations, the
defense/security sector is emerging as being ever-more critical to our
future economic well-being," said Ronnie Bryant, president and CEO of
the Charlotte Regional Partnership.
 
Bryant said that the global aerospace and defense market is forecast
to increase 12.5 percent by 2012, with the defense segment being the
most lucrative. It accounts for 75 percent of the market by value, and
the Americas share of that is more than 53 percent of the global
market by value. Charlotte-based Goodrich and French-based engine
maker Turbomeca both have regional facilities that supply systems and
services to the defense industry.
 
Following Walker's remarks, there will be a panel discussion on
the competitive challenges and advantages of the defense/security
sector for the Charlotte region.

Lisa Owen, vice president and general manager, of BAE Systems-Tensylon
High Performance Materials, and James Thagard, application
manager-life protection at DSM Dyneema Group, will serve as panelists.
 
Future CRP forums will analyze the healthcare/life sciences and
energy/environment sectors, the two other areas the Partnership is
targeting in its business development efforts.
 
A nonprofit, public/private economic development organization, the
Charlotte Regional Partnership markets the 16-county, two-state
Charlotte region. The CRP creates opportunity for job growth and
investment, connects regional resources and people with businesses
considering Charlotte USA, and supports its regional partners.
Additional information is at www.charlotteusa.com.
  

Robot Johnson to Film National Pilot at July 26th Performance

CHARLOTTE – The Robot Johnson Show (www.robotjohnson.com), Charlotte's
premier sketch comedy troupe, will film its Saturday, July 26th
performances at the Duke Energy Theatre in Spirit Square for a national
pilot. If picked up, the pilot would be the first national television
show ever produced in the Queen City.

"I suppose that it's the hip young thing to downplay success for comic
effect, but in all actuality this is pretty huge," says David Golden,
writer/performer with Robot Johnson. "An opportunity like this is what
we've been working towards for a year with this troupe, and for more
than a decade with this group of people."

The July 26th performances are part of Robot Johnson's "Audience
Favorites" weekend, comprised of audience-selected sketches from
McGlohon Theatre and the troupe's first run at Duke Energy. Both the
8:00 and 10:00 pm performances will be recorded, with the best material
and crowd reactions edited together to form a single half hour-long
pilot. Chuck Bludsworth, local filmmaker, writer, and longtime friend
of Robot Johnson, will be directing the pilot.

Robot Johnson is Charlotte's premier sketch comedy troupe, giving the
Queen City good humor by bad people. Shows are Friday and Saturday
nights at 8:00 and 10:00 pm, running July 11th through August 2nd at
the Duke Energy Theatre, part of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
at Spirit Square. For more information, please visit

www.robotjohnson.com or call 704-640-ROJO (7656).