BAILLARGEON FORD
BOBBY BAILLARGEON
Baillargeon Ford has long been known throughout the Dallas area for its excellent customer service, fair prices, and quality vehicles. But recently the dealership has become best recognized for its unique advertisements spotlighting the dealership’s namesake, Bobby Baillargeon. Through his childhood photographs, the public can tell he has enjoyed a lifelong love affair with automobiles. Dallas is quickly getting to know Bobby Baillargeon and what his dealership stands for-strong family values.
“The idea behind the ads is that we are a family business,” Baillargeon says. “We don’t run prices in our ads or talk about sales. We just talk about family and how this business was built on solid family values.”
The close-knit Baillargeon clan is what helps the dealership remain so successful amidst a recent series of small dealership buyouts by national chains. Bobby Bail-largeon’s father, Bob; mother, Margaret; and sisters, DeeAnn and Aimee all play a major role in the company. Few decisions are made without everyone’s input, and they all agree they won’t sell-out. The Baillargeons believe that putting their name on the dealership lets customers know they take pride in their business and want to personally know their customers. A national chain, they believe, can never offer such attentive and personal customer service.
“If you walk into a chain dealership and want to talk to the owner, all you’ll get is the appointed leader for the day, but if you walk into a family-owned dealership, you know the dealer has a personal stake in offering you the highest customer service,” Baillargeon says.
Bobby Baillargeon began his full-time career in the Ford dealership industry in 1986, five years after his parents purchased Baillargeon Ford. Outside of playing professional sports, he never considered another career, Baillargeon enjoys every aspect of the dealership business from accounting and inventory to sales and repair, but he quickly points out that meeting customers remains his favorite part of the job.
One thing that continues to make Bail-largeon Ford stand out among other dealerships is its philosophy to never allow money to be the primary driver. Most important is for customers to get the vehicle they want with the service they deserve and to have a positive experience in the process. Another unique feature at Baillargeon Ford is its owners’ strong Judeo-Christian work ethic-the foundation of the company’s business practices. As a leader, Baillargeon tries to set a positive example each day for employees in hopes that his work ethic will be contagious.
“We won’t ever see a finish line,” he says. “We’ll always strive to do better. This is why I make sure that every decision I make is a thoughtful one. Our main objective isn’t sales or money. It’s to be better people, and therefore, run a better business.”
GRAND HOMES
STEPHEN BROOKS
Stephen Brooks understands the home-building market in Dallas. His creativity is evident in all departments of Grand Homes. But, none more so than in Grand’s innovative, architectural designs. His creativity has paid off. In 1999 Grand Homes built a record 500 homes and generated $100 million in sales.
Those are some impressive figures for such a young company. Brooks launched Grand Homes in 1990. The growth has been phenomenal-3,500 percent in 10 years. Today Grand Homes is the largest privately held homebuilder operating exclusively in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.
“We love what we do,” Brooks says. “Building a home is a very emotional thing. It takes so much time and effort. You have to have a true passion for it and sawdust in your veins to set yourself apart from the rest”
Brooks’ creativity and passion are evident in the number of homes Grand sells, the architectural trends Grand sets, and the awards Grand wins. Grand Homes was the first new homebuilder in Dallas to offer some of the area’s most popular features such as front porches, stone exteriors, and second-floor verandahs.
Every year since 1991, Grand Homes sweeps the Dallas Home and Apartment Builder’s Association Awards for Architecture and Interior Design. In 1998, HOME magazine chose Grand Homes to build the “American House of the Year,” a show home for the National Homebuilder’s Convention.
In 1996 Brooks won the Lee Evans Award for Excellence in Business Management, and Grand Homes was named “Best Builder in America” out of 75,000 builders by the National Association of Home Builders.
Brooks has been in the home building business for 27 years, first as a homebuilder in Florida and Georgia and then as a custom homebuilder in the Park Cities in the late 1980s. During those years he honed his craft. He credits his success to a high level of customer service in every aspect of the business.
That is why Brooks sells his employees on the idea that they can be the best in their profession. To that end, Grand Homes conducts employee educational programs that address alt aspects of the building process from initial sale through warranty.
Brooks’ role in his company sets Grand Homes apart from other home building companies. In addition to strategic planning and creative design, he makes it a point to walk through every Grand Home before the buyer moves in. At 500 homes a year, this makes Brooks a committed builder.
“I can’t be out there hammering every nail,” Brooks says. “But I do walk through every house we build to check for quality. Quality, luxury, and lasting value are what we put into our homes. Referrals are everything. Our homeowners sell our homes.”
Friendly Chevrolet Mark Eddins
It’s no secret The automobile dealership industry is often the source of much criticism, and Mark Eddins, president and general manager of Friendly Chevrolet readily admits this. However, he says, there is an exception to every rule, and Friendly Chevrolet is one of those exceptions. Since 1979, Eddins has made sure that Friendly Chevrolet stands out among other auto dealerships as one built on honesty, integrity, and customer service. It’s a business practice passed down to him from his father, Roy Eddins, the first Eddins to run the Friendly Chevrolet dealership in Dallas.
Mark Eddins fell in love with the automobile industry when he was 14. His father worked at a Dodge dealership in Tennessee, was transferred to Dallas in 1958, and eventually purchased Friendly Chevrolet In the summer of 1965, Mark Eddins began working in his father’s dealership. He worked there through college, learning every aspect of the business along the way.
He became general manager of Friendly Chevrolet in 1979, just nine years after his father purchased it and the dealer a year later. Eddins says he couldn’t resist being a part of the unique business of an automobile dealership in that it is actually several businesses in one. He enjoys being involved in every aspect from sales and repair to customer service.
Eddins says his deep involvement is what sets Friendly Chevrolet apart from other dealerships. Dealers are not usually general managers and typically work outside of the dealership, making occasional guest appearances, he says. Eddins is so addicted to the business that he usually arrives at his dealership at 7 am. and rarely leaves before dark. His favorite part of the dealership business is getting to know the customers whenever he gets a chance.
“This is my passion,” Eddins says. “I love staying involved in every aspect of the business, which is unusual for a dealer. People have tried several times to buy us, but I’m not interested in selling. It’s too fun for me”
With the new millennium approaching, Eddins continues to map out plans for yet another successful decade. Future plans include propelling the dealership to once again becoming one of the top Chevrolet auto dealerships in the nation as it was in the late ’70s and early ’80s. He also plans to make sure Friendly Chevrolet doesn’t get lost in the hype of purchasing a car online, even though he admits Friendly Chevrolet has one of the most sophisticated web sites in the auto industry,
“We’re going to continue to do what we’ve always done-take good care of our lifelong customers,” Eddins says.
SUIZA FOODS CORP.
GREGG ENGLES
With an education from Dartmouth and Yale Law School, one might assume that Gregg Engles has a serious interest in the field of law, Instead, it’s the dairy industry that caught his eye.
“Although I’m a lawyer, I never wanted to be a lawyer,” Engles, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Dallas-based Suiza Foods Corp,, says, “I thought it would be a good general training for the business world. My experience in law has helped me move the company forward.”
And forward is the best way to describe the progression of Suiza Foods Corp. Strategic acquisitions over the past three years have allowed the company to compile an impressive national network of dairy processors organized into regional businesses. The company has experienced such tremendous growth that it is projected to top $6 billion in sales in 2000.
Engles first became involved in the food business in 1988 when he and his partners purchased Reddy Ice. He later bought smaller ice companies that resulted in the tripling in size of Reddy Ice in the early 1990s. Engles began Suiza Foods Corp. shortly thereafter in 1993 when he purchased Suiza Dairy in Puerto Rico. Since then, the company has grown dramatically through dozens of strategic acquisitions. This year, Suiza Foods Corp. announced that it will merge with Southern Foods, unquestionably the company’s largest and most profitable move yet. Engles credits his family-in particular his carpenter grandfather, a schoolteacher grandmother, and a father who was a doctor-for instilling in him a strict and disciplined work ethic as a boy. An Oklahoma native, Engles says his family celebrated accomplishment, so success became a natural part of his life.
“I grew up with a great respect for work, education, and sense of possibility,” Engles, a recent winner of the Dairy Field Executive of the Year award, says.
Engles’ strong desire for success has rubbed off on his employees. He’s the first to admit that Suiza Foods Corp. is the product of much hard work by his employees over the past five years. Engles says he is most proud that his company is truly the product of people who share his same work ethic and dedication.
As the company’s leader, Engles is credited by his peers with boosting the value of independent dairy companies and thus the overall industry by offering exit strategies to owners faced with estate planning issues, such as the case of Suiza’s acquisition of Southern Foods,
Engles’ future plans for the business include consolidating the dairy industry, and he wants to generate growth and value through product and marketing innovation and by maximizing plant efficiencies.
FEIZY RUGS
JOHN FEIZY
For four generations, the Feizy family has made their livelihood center around the Oriental rug trade. John Feizy is the first member of his family to bring this tradition to the United States, and in doing so has created one of the largest and most highly regarded companies in the trade by designing, manufacturing, and importing Oriental rugs from around the world,
In 1973, Mr. Feizy began Feizy Import &. Export as a small retail store in North Dallas. By 1977, the company had outgrown its confines. To cater to his growing customer base of designers and architects, as well as the regional trade community, Mr. Feizy took a showroom in the Dallas World Trade Center.
The company has grown immensely in just 26 years. Feizy Rugs was one of the first companies to develop and catalog program rugs, house a full-time design staff, and use computers to speed up the design and manufacturing process. While always on the cutting-edge of home fashion, the centuries-old traditions of the art of weaving are never ignored. Feizy builds on these age-old traditions while integrating modern trends in color and texture, all the while producing only the highest quality goods.
Feizy maintains factories in many of the world’s major weaving centers, allowing the company to ensure both quality and delivery. Presently, the worldwide headquarters of Feizy Import & Export is an eight-story building called Feizy Center, located next to the Dallas Market and Design Centers.They have recently purchased the 90,000-square-foot building behind Feizy Center, which is being converted into a state-of-the-art shipping and receiving center.
With over 25 years of commitment to excellence in quality and design, John Feizy and Feizy Rugs continue to create a lasting impression in today’s marketplace. With innovative designs, rich textures, and relentless attention to detail, it is easy to imagine that Feizy’s standard of excellence will continue for at least another 25 years.
M.B. FISHER AND ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.
BRIAN FISHER
Brian Fisher is used to doing things his way. As a sophomore at Baylor University in Waco, he didn’t even try to get the jobs his peers were going after- waiters, retail clerks, and student assistants. Even as a college student he knew he wanted to be his own boss. His strong entrepreneurial spirit led him to launch his own local landscaping company, even though he didn’t own any landscaping equipment. And, he started the company in November when there wasn’t a big demand for lawn care. Even so, this didn’t stop him.
“I bought a big, expensive lawnmower in November, and it just sat there while I paid for it,” Fisher says. “But by March of the next year, I had several employees working for me and some steady customers. It turned out to be one of the most reputable landscape companies in Waco.”
Fisher graduated from Baylor University with a degree in economics just over three years ago and moved to Dallas to work for a national consulting company. Soon after, he was yearning for the days of self-employment. Fisher realized he was a born entrepreneur, and he knew he could run a consulting firm better than his employer could.
In December of 1998 he founded M.B. Fisher &. Associates, L.L.C., a nationwide executive search and consulting firm. To set his business apart from the rest, Fisher decided his company’s specialty would be placing employees in a variety of fields such as accounting, finance, IT, sales, and marketing. Also, unlike many large consulting firms, his company never sends an entire resource database for clients to sift through. Instead, Fisher & Associates uses its unique team approach to carefully match an employee with a client one at a time to ensure complete satisfaction. Just one month after he opened for business, Fisher made his first placement. Since then, the company has increased sales more than 250 percent.
“Unlike other larger consulting firms, we don’t let a fee stand in our way of a placement,” Fisher says. “Our goal is to make the perfect match between a client and an employee. My business philosophy is that if you do the right thing, people will come back to you. “
This philosophy has worked well for Fisher & Associates. Its placement rate is 92 percent, and the company expects to generate over $2 million next year. Fisher is most proud that 75 percent of his business comes from referral. He measures his success by the many thank-you cards and letters he receives as well as the immense trust clients have in his business,
“It’s nice to know that we’ve built up such a good reputation that we don’t have to send a resume every time before we send a potential employee to a client,” he says. “Our clients know we only send qualified people. At Fisher & Associates, we all feel a tremendous satisfaction in helping peopleand making that perfect match.”
AMERICAN FOODSERVICE
JOE P. LABARBA
LUCIAN M. LABARBA
CARL M. LABARBA
James La Barba immigrated to Dallas from Sicily in 1917 and founded American FoodService. What started out as a small business venture has now become a thriving family company and a leading distributor of perishable products to the foodservice and retail segments in the Dallas/Fort Worth area,
For more than 82 years the LaBarba family name has been associated with quality among foodservice businesses in North Texas. James LaBarba’s sons, Sherman, Ernest, Carlo, and Jo Jo, passed the company’s reins on to their sons, Carl, Joe, and Lucian, who is now the president and CEO. Each family member has worked in the business since childhood-from sweeping the docks to managing it.
American FoodService offers a complete line of fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meats, cheeses, and frozen and canned products. The company has grown tremendously during the past 82 years reaching annual sales of $65 million and employing 180 people. It is now a subsidiary of FreshPoint Inc., the largest fresh produce distributor to the food-service segment in the U.S. with combined sales of over $750 million.
American FoodService’s clients include casual and formal restaurants, ethnic restaurants, caterers, chain accounts, hotels, hospitals, schools, country clubs, and grocery stores. Whether distributing imported produce items, fresh herbs, or exotic vegetables, the company has always strived to meet its motto-to deliver the Total Quality Foodservice Experience. With so many restaurants opening in the Dallas area, the LaBarbas must continually emphasize this motto and their unique product line to make sure their company remains the foodservice distributor of choice. Once the LaBarbas attract new clients-they keep them. Some of their clients have used American FoodService for more than 40 years.
“I think our clients remain with us for so long because they appreciate our strong family values,” Lucian M. LaBarba says. “Our family has trained us how to run this business since childhood. We manage it full-circle meaning that everyone at the company is equal. We don’t have employees. We have associates. The LaBarbas are a big family, and everyone in the company feels part of it,”
While the company’s product offering is plentiful and the leaders’ experience great, it still faces challenges. Lucian M. LaBarba understands that in a competitive market like the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, keeping up with the growth of the restaurant industry can prove difficult. However, this is a challenge his company can handle because of its rich heritage and expertise, he says.
“Delivering the Total Quality Foodservice Experience takes much planning and execution,” Lucian M. LaBarba reiterates. “We work hard to learn our customers needs and meet their expectations. Only a business like ours with so much experience and resources can handle the job.”
GEORGE LEWIS CUSTOM HOMES
GEORGE LEWIS
George Lewis is one of a new breed of home building executives who have built their success on education, work experience, a targeted focus for their firms, and community service.
After an education at Princeton and Harvard Business School, Lewis took an assignment as a contracting officer in the U.S. Air Force working on the first Star Wars studies. Lewis became involved with home building in the Park Cities in 1970 when he was recruited as a project manager in land development and new home construction by a Dallas developer. Three years later he established his own home building firm, George Lewis Custom Homes.
Today, George Lewis is one of the most respected home builders in the Metroplex. With over 300 projects to his credit, George Lewis Custom Homes can be viewed throughout the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, Greenway Park, Turtle Creek, and Oak Lawn sections of Dallas.
The company includes a professional staff of long-time employees who are skilled in managing multiple projects. Specializing in architecturally authentic, high-end custom homes, the company also remodels older homes and builds new additions to existing homes.
Client service is a major part of the company’s focus. Service is carried one step further by providing home maintenance care after the project is completed. Lewis has built his company’s reputation and performance on three equally important attributes:
■ The ability to attract a talented staff and dedicated crews who have worked together for years to achieve team solutions and shared goals of excellence.
■ The capacity to promote a stable work environment which encourages systematic growth and knowledge throughout the entire organization.
■ A focus on providing a building experience for the home owner that is enjoyable and rewarding.
Lewis is also strongly committed to community and industry service. He has worked with youth sports, mentored disadvantaged youth in the “I Have a Dream” Program, and participated in community development with the Voice of Hope, West Dallas Ministry. He is also active in the Preston Center Rotary Club and its focus charity, Equest, which provides riding therapy for neurologi-cally disabled young people.
A Registered Professional Builder and Certified Graduate Builder, Lewis has also served as a Director of the Dallas, the Texas, and the National Home Builders Associations, and as Chairman of the Custom Builders and Remodelers Council for the Greater Dallas Home Builders Association.
REEF EXPLORATION, INC.
MICHAEL MAUCELI
Reef Exploration’s CEO, Michael Mauceli, is a high-energy guy in an energy hungry world. A knowledgeable 23-year veteran of the petroleum industry who spends his lunchtime pumping iron, this CEO is equally committed to keeping the company he founded in 1987 similarly strong and fit Driven by Mauceli and a skilled, experienced management team unburdened by layers of corporate bureaucracy, Reef is recognized today as one of America’s more successful independent oil and gas companies. In fact its remarkable 12-year growth is especially impressive considering it was achieved during a period of tumultuous restructuring of the petroleum industry.
Mauceli is justifiably proud of his streamlined, fast-moving organization. “The downward spiral of oil prices in the ’80s and ’90s caused many marginal, overleveraged oil companies to disappear, while year after year we aggressively established an impressive continuity of domestic and international oil and gas reserve growth,” he says. “We’re convinced our innovative operational expertise and sound financial base enable us to make the right decisions at the right time. Large or small, if a project makes good economic sense to us, we prefer to move quickly and decisively which, time and time again, has resulted in significant oil and gas discoveries and a swift return on investment dollars.”
The primary reach of Reef’s domestic exploration is in the oil-rich drilling areas of South Texas and southern Louisiana where together with America’s largest independent oil and gas company, Burlington Resources Inc., it is drilling one of its deepest domestic wells. Internationally, Reef is rapidly expanding its interests through a number of worldwide joint ventures with major oil companies such as BP Amoco and Mobil Oil. The company also recently completed one of South America’s deepest and largest gas wells in northern Argentina.
“These projects reflect the kind of quality global drilling and production programs Reef makes available to its investors which now includes our new Energy Investment Fund that, due to its broad scope, offers smaller investors interesting profit potential with minimal risk,” Mauceli says.
From Reef’s Richardson-based headquarters, Mauceli views with confidence his company’s place in today’s and tomorrow’s competitive global marketplace. “We believe the new millennium promises to be a time of extraordinary growth and profitability for our industry, especially for strong, aggressive independent oil and gas companies like Reef,” he says.
MOHR PARTNERS
ROBERT A. MOHR
Now that the commercial real estate business is back, remember those you knew back in the early 1980s when it wasn’t so pretty. Well, some of those same folks are gone, but Bob Mohr isn’t In fact, his business has thrived.
After receiving his MBA, he became a partner with a Dallas real estate development company, Mohr gained the experience necessary to venture out on his own and has been there ever since. He launched Mohr Partners in 1986, which is now one of the most successful corporate service firms in the country with 12 national offices. Mohr’s services include facilities management and GIS mapping software, national site selection, market research, project management architectural services, along with full-service commercial brokerage and real estate portfolio management.
While initially representing companies of various sizes in the Dallas area, Mohr has excelled in representing the corporate user throughout the country. Today, Mohr’s strategy has evolved into one that fulfills the needs of emerging companies as well as Fortune 500 companies. Mohr and his contemporaries have made an art of creatively representing its clients with the help of the latest technology and Mohr’s property software. Mohr believes his firm’s unique delivery system shies away from the “age-old” commission-driven approach to commercial real estate, This makes for a better partnership and seems to be well received by his clients, Tammie Dirks, Director of Real Estate for Great West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, one of Mohr’s national clients, commented, “Mohr Partners has saved us approximately $1.25 million in the first 10 months of representation. Needless to say, Mohr’s one-team approach and Facility Management System has helped streamline the process between our corporate office and senior management in the field.”
“We enjoy being a corporate accounts advocate,” Mohr says. “We truly partner with our clients. We assist them with an array of project management services from overseeing their portfolios to helping design their new space and selecting office furniture. Seldom are these services provided by the same company in our industry.”
Creative ideas such as these are what have helped Mohr Partners grow from a one-man operation into one of the three largest corporate service firms in the country employing more than 100 individuals. His involvement as a member of the Board of Directors for the North Texas Association of Commercial Realtors, along with his involvement with the National Association of Corporate Real Estate Executives and the International Development Research Council helps Mohr stay abreast of industry trends. This has obviously kept Mohr Partners ahead of the technology curve and in the spotlight where commercial real estate is concerned.
Although Mohr spends much of his time concentrating on business, he is heavily involved in the community-a commitment he believes adds balance to his life. In addition to being an active member of the Christ the King Catholic Church, he also enjoys volunteering his time coaching his children’s basketball teams, serving as head Chief of his daughter’s local Indian Princesses Group, and supporting the Chuck Norris Kick Drugs Out of America campaign.
COLUMBIA/HCA HEALTHCARE NORTH TEXAS DIVISION
WILLIAM D. POTEET, III
Although Bill Poteet, president of Columbia/HCA Healthcare North Texas Division, was instrumental in shifting the company’s focus from rapid growth to being a quality leader, he remains complimentary of the improvements that resulted from its strong growth period a few years ago. New hospitals have replaced antiquated county hospitals in McKinney and Denton, and capital invested in the new Las Colinas and North Richland Hills facilities has resulted in beautiful buildings that house cutting-edge medical technology. A $96 million expansion of Medical Center of Piano, investments made in area hospitals such as Medical City Dallas, and the impressive 25 percent growth in admissions at North Texas Hospital for Children at Medical City Dallas are truly pushing the Columbia/HCA Healthcare North Texas Division to the forefront of area healthcare.
These improvements, combined with the rapid growth of the Dallas area, mean an even higher standard of care for the residents of North Texas.
“The Columbia/HCA North Texas Hospitals are dedicated to the quality of care for area residents,” Poteet says. “Through quality measures, patient satisfaction, and the latest technology, we continue to strive to meet the needs of our growing communities.”
A native of Fort Worth, Poteet brings more than 30 years of hospital leadership experience to his post at Columbia/HCA Healthcare North Texas Division. Before joining Columbia/HCA, Poteet was the president and chief executive officer of the Lubbock Methodist Hospital System from 1985 to 1996. There, he was instrumental in developing affiliations with hospitals and rural health clinics throughout west Texas and eastern New Mexico.
Poteet believes his role as a healthcare leader extends far beyond his daily work duties. He makes it a point to stay active and involved in other leadership roles in the healthcare industry to keep Columbia/HCA Healthcare North Texas Division’s impressive 14-hospital network in the forefront of the healthcare industry. A fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, he has served as chairman of the Texas Hospital Association and on the governing board of the Texas Department of Health. A continuing commitment to post-graduate education makes Poteet stand out among his industry peers. He has served as a preceptor for both Trinity University and as an adjunct professor in the Health Organization Management Department of Graduate Healthcare Administration at Texas Tech University.
With the arrival of the new century, Poteet anticipates further additions and improvements to Columbia/HCA North Texas Hospitals. He looks forward to watching the progress and seeing his vision for Columbia/HCA North Texas Hospitals completed, which is to become the hospital network of choice among the residents of North Texas.
Builders FirstSource John D. Roach
In just under two years, a team led by John D. Roach has assembled the nation’s fastest-growing supplier of building materials to builders and contractors, with annualized pro forma revenues of approximately $1.5 billion.
Since its founding in March 1998, Builders FirstSource has acquired 10 companies with 80 distribution centers and 56 manufacturing operations in 12 states, with more slated as the company continues its targeted acquisition program. Already it is the market leader in two-thirds of the locations where it operates. And if Roach has his way, the company will shortly become the supplier of choice for the nation’s largest builders.
“In the past, the largest builders like Pulte and Centex have largely been served by small, local companies,” Roach notes from his 49th floor downtown office, which commands a breathtaking view of Dallas sprawled below. “Until now, these leading builders did not have access to the service, product depth, and competitive pricing of a nationwide supplier of building materials.
Our goal is to be that supplier-the first source of materials and services for very large builders and contractors.”
In reaching for his objectives, Roach stands on firm ground. As chairman, president, and CEO of Fibreboard Corporation, Roach grew revenues from $250 million to $800 million and drove the stock price from $1.50 to $55 cash per share paid when Owens Corning acquired the company in July 1997.
Before his stint with Fibreboard, Roach held multiple senior positions at Manville Corporation, including executive vice president of operations and CFO. He was also a senior officer of several strategic management consulting companies including The Boston Consulting Group and Booz Allen Hamilton. Roach graduated from M.I.T. and received a masters degree in business from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife Betty Lou Phillips, an accomplished professional writer and interior designer.
Builders FirstSource is still a private company, but Roach acknowledges that an IPO is a distinct possibility as the company continues its dramatic growth. Meanwhile, Roach has his vision of a nationwide supplier to professional builders clearly in sight. And from his vantage point on the 49th floor, John Roach can see a long, long way.
DR. JOHN B. TEBBETTS
AUTHOR OF “THE BEST BREAST: THE ULTIMATE, DISCRIMINATING WOMAN’S GUIDE TO BREAST AUGMENTATION.”
After reading an overload of confusing misinformation about breast augmentation and hearing too many frightening myths about it, Dr. John B.Tebbetts and his wife and practice partner, Terrye, decided to take action. They believed patients deserved quality and accurate information about breast augmentation-a surgery that could affect a woman’s life forever. With this in mind, the couple wrote a book, “The Best Breast: The Ultimate, Discriminating Woman’s Guide to Breast Augmentation.” They co-authored the book with the hope that raising the level of awareness among both patients and surgeons about breast augmentation would result in a much-needed higher standard of care.
“Whether the patient is in Dallas or Miami, this book arms her with the knowledge she needs about every aspect of the operation so that she is better prepared to find and consult a qualified surgeon, gather information, and make an evaluation based on objective criteria rather than fluff,” Dr. Tebbetts says.
After practicing cosmetic and plastic surgery for more than 20 years, Dr. Tebbetts was ready to bring what he had learned and experienced to the public. Dr. Tebbetts has experience using virtually every type of breast implant, incision location, and surgical technique, and he has also designed new breast implant innovations and surgical techniques to help patients achieve the best and safest results. Although not a physician, Terrye Tebbetts has become one of the most knowledgeable women in the U.S. regarding breast augmentation. With 11 years of experience managing her husband’s successful practice, she has followed more than 1,500 patients through every step of the process. They combined their knowledge and experience and created a book that lets women know they have the right to make informed decisions and deserve a wide range of choices.
“In our own practice, we saw that women were crying out for more information,” Terrye Tebbetts says. “There is so much misinformation about this procedure. We used to send a patient about 23 pages of information on breast augmentation. Now, with the book, we can send them more than 400 pages of useful, accurate, and practical information.”
Because of the Internet’s heavy influence on patient’s medical care, the couple launched their own web site for the book, www.thebestbreast.com
SPAR
PERFORMANCE
GROUP
MARK WHITNEY
“Quality is never an accident,” says Mark Whitney, President and CEO of SPAR Performance Group.
The travel and performance improvement company, founded in 1978, is a trendsetter in the nation’s $26 billion marketing services sector. The Dallas headquarters and eight regional sales offices handle incentives, meetings, and convention campaigns for clients like Lexus, Nortel, Bell Atlantic, Lucent, and Frito Lay.
After almost two decades of helping businesses get their employees fired up and on target, Whitney’s personal formula for success is well-honed.
“Quality is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution,” he says.
Whitney grew up in the hotel business, as did his look-alike brother David-the current president and CEO of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau. At 21, Whitney was running the Horseshoe Hotel in Las Vegas and was the city’s youngest general manager.
Currently pondering acquisitions that could add another $40 million to SPAR’s bottom line, Whitney is kept busy with web and database technology initiatives. A new “E-wards” online catalogue lets participants keep close tabs on awards they qualify for as they meet or exceed employer goals. A powerful new SPAR database is currently tracking Chevrolet’s sales force members as they participate in a General Motor’s incentive program.
“Travel incentives are about 65 percent of our business,” says Whitney. “We really enjoy providing dreams to people who might not have access to these destinations without these programs. We have learned how to communicate fun and excitement very effectively, and it’s amazing how hard people will work on corporate goals in order to win the trips.”
How does Whitney keep his blue-chip clients happy and his own team focused, especially now that SPAR has a retail merchandising arm helping WalMart and Blockbuster stay stocked and ready to rock?
“Quality-particularly quality service- is everything,” Whitney says. “It represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”
