THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 17, 1996 TAG: 9605170649
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
The Southern Insurance Agency was named Friday as the 1996 winner of the Outer Banks Small Business of the Year award.
And the crowd at the annual awards luncheon at Penquin Isle Restaurant was not surprised when the president of the winning company failed to make it to the ceremony.
The 106-year-old company which has operated in Kitty Hawk for 21 years was cited by the sponsors of the award for its wide-ranging contributions to the community.
And Southern President Robert E. Wells was on jury duty when the award was handed out.
Wells, 41, spends much of his time in civic and community affairs, and so do many of his 19 employees.
The company was praised for those efforts, and also singled out for its staying power, and its treatment of employees.
The award is sponsored by Hutchins Allen and Company, public accountants and consultants, and the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.
Other finalist for the award included Browning Art Works Inc., of Hatteras Island; Conner's' Supermarket of Hatteras; Falcon Cable TV of Kill Devil Hills; and Linda Sharp CPA of Kill Devil Hills.
Wells said in an interview after the jury was dismissed that he operates on the theory that ``the community has given a lot to us, so we should give a lot to the community. We have employees who like to get involved in the community, and we encourage them.
``We have employees involved in all kinds of activities.''
Wells himself is past president of the chamber, heads the board for the Dare County Youth Center and is involved with a multitude of organizations including the Community Foundation, Nags Head Woods and recreational groups.
At the recent ``Walk for Life'' 24-hour fund-raiser to fight cancer, Wells walked with a company team from 1 to 3 a.m.
His firm, which was founded in Elizabeth City and still has an office there, provides profit sharing for employees.
Such incentives, said luncheon speaker Elizabeth Duke of Virginia Beach, help provide a staff concerned about customers.
``Employees want to be well treated,'' Duke said, ``and if they are they will stay with you.
``In too many businesses now, a veteran employee is one who comes back after lunch.''
Duke, president and chief executive of the Bank of Tidewater, urged small businesses to offer quality, value and personalized care to keep customers from turning to bigger companies that often can provide cheaper prices because of volume.
``People are looking for value and are willing to pay for it,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by DREW C. WILSON, The Virginian-Pilot
Accepting the award was Southern Vice President Larry Barker and
behind him, from left, Pamela Powers, Janice Presgraves and Melody
LePage. Fred Hutchins and Sandra Allen presented it.
by CNB