The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 39

2X Monday, September 17, 2001 THE TENNESSEAN www.tennessean.com 1001 MU8IC CITY This year's Future 50 Adam Gibson Contractors LLC 3744 Old Hickory Blvd. Suite B-2 Nashville, TN 37209 (615) 353-7001 Web: www.adamgibson.com Chief decision-maker Adam Gibson, chief manager Major business: construction GIBSON Main productservice: high-end residential remodeling Annual revenue: not provided Biggest challenge: Keeping employees interested and enthusiastic about their participation in the company. FUTURE Advanced Protective Services Inc. P.O. Box 12012 Nashville, TN 37212 (615) 242-0900 Web: www.besafe247.com E-mail: djonesbesafe247.com JONES MATHENY Chief decision-maker Doug Jones, chief operating officer; Judd Matheny, president Major business: private protection, private investigations Main productservice: security and investigations Annual revenue: $1 .75 million Biggest challenge: Continuing education and retention of qualified employees we pay more than typical police departments and train our individuals in security law, public relations and medical care to provide the best possible security agents to clients.

I -sA CASEY DALEY STAFF Farsheed Ferdowsi, president and chief executive officer of PayMaxx Inc. AIM HealthCare Services Inc. 1021 Windcrass Court Franklin, TN 37067 (615)508-1000 Web: www.aimhealth.com E-mail: gbillingtonaimhealth.com Chief decision-maker James Sohr, president Major business: health-care services Main productservice: claims cost manage Hall of Famers share secrets SOHR ment Annual revenue: not provided Biggest challenge: Keeping people focused on long-term objectives, providing people with the tools, and identifying and removing obstacles, to obtain success in rapidly changing, high-growth environment. Ferdowsi pushes perseverance, Clydesdale encourages big dreams AIIMedia Design Group 209 10th Ave. Suite 205 Nashville, TN 37203 (615)255-1535 Web: www.allmediadg.com E-mail: scottallmediadg.com Chief decision-maker Scott Cameron, CAMERON By CANDY McCAMPBELL Stuff Writer The CEOs whose companies entered the Music City Future 50 Hall of Fame this year have businesses, management styles and operating philosophies as different as the distribution of Christian music, books, video and apparel, and computer-based human resources services.

Ed Clydesdale, president and chief executive officer of Christian Network International and Farsheed Ferdowsi, president and CEO of PayMaxx Inc. in Franklin, do have one thing in common: They built their businesses from within, growing with the addition of clients and services. They move into the Hall of Fame by virtue of having been selected for the Future 50 for five years. been sitting half-vacant for several years. The partnership among the three of us made for a good mesh of knowledge, financing and accountability.

Ferdowsi: Looking back, I can now see that the greatest challenge I faced was no different than the main challenge any entrepreneur faces starting out. That is to find a "proven concept" What is a proven concept? It is the optimum combination of industry, sector, product, competitive advantage and value proposition within the confines of available resources. I kept tinkering with the components of this equation for nearly 15 years until I found the magical mix in PayMaxx in 1994. Along the way 1 faced many other challenges in Please see FAME, 3X Major business: creative design agency Main productservice: all aspects of consultations, design, development and delivery. Annual revenue: $1 million Biggest challenge: Educating people about new media by educating clients through clear communication.

Here's how they did it. Why did you start your own business? Clydesdale: There were several factors at work when I decided to step out in faith and start my own business. Obviously my faith and call to ministry was an important part of my decisioa I would like to be able to say that the only other reason was because I felt called to help other talented music companies take their products to the world. However, that would only be partially true. The fact is, I had just been fired from my previous employer and was told that "you cannot run a distribution company and do not have the respect of your peers!" Ironically, God often has a strange way of motivating me, and somehow worked everything out in the end.

Ferdowsi: I was born and raised in a family of entrepreneurs. My father was an entrepreneur, my brothers are all entrepreneurs, and I wound up the same. I guess I was trained and nurtured to be in business from a young age. I have started several businesses and have never worked for anyone else. Ever! Besides this upbringing, by starting a business one can realize one's potential to its fullest What kinds of challenges did you face when you were starting up? Clydesdale Like most new business, finances were a large challenge, but that's where the true entrepreneur has to get creative.

The first thing I did was to partner with a good friend of mine who happened to be a former CPA from a major accounting firm which doesn't hurt your credibility with any bank and men immediately partnered with another colleague who owned a large warehouse that had American Endoscopy Services Inc. 2000 Glen Echo Road, Suite 100 Nashville, TN 37215-2857 (615)385-4225 Web: www.aesendo.com E-mail: menryaesendo.com Chief decision-maker Robert E. Henry, president and chief executive officer HENRY Major business: health care Main productservice: reusable medical equipment; service and technical support. Annual revenue: not provided Biggest challenge: To serve and reach an ever-widening client audience, while keeping flexibility to meet customers' changing needs. Who is eligible for Future 50 consideration? American Fabricators Inc.

200 1 banquet scheduled for Sept. 25 canfabricators.com Chief decision-maker Milton R. Grief, president and owner Major business: manufacturing Main productservice: precision sheet metal fabrication Annual revenue: $51 million 570 Metroplex Drive Nashville, TN 37211 (615)834-8700 Web: www.americanfabrica-tors.com E-mail: Milton.griefQameri- ARx 720 Cool Springs Suite 550 Franklin, TN 37067 (615)236-4000 Web: www.arxllc.com E-mail: infoarxllc.com Chief decision-makers: Jeff Accounting firm Price Wa-terhouseCoopers LLC analyzes the nominations and compiles the list of winners. The top 50 are ranked alphabetically. Companies may nominate themselves, or they may be nominated by customers, suppliers or others.

There is a form that must be completed and returned for companies to be considered. Nominations for the 2002 Music City Future 50 will be solicited next summer. Winners are recognized each year in this special section of The Tennessean and at a public dinner. The dinner this year will be Sept. 25 at Opryland Hotel Sponsors of the Future 50 event this year are the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Council, Pinnacle Financial Partners and The Tennessean.

White, chief executive officer; Don Bivacca, chief operating officer Major business: health care Main productservice: healthcare accounts receivable management Annual revenue: $4.5 million By CANDY McCAMPBELL Stuff Writer The 2001 Music City Future 50 companies are contributors to the economic growth of Middle Tennessee now and in the future. A business's projected revenue and employment growth of 10 or more for the next three years is a criterion for selection to the Future 50, the annual listing of the fastest-growing privately held businesses in Middle Tennessee. But it's not the only one. A Future 50 business also must: Be privately owned. Have its headquarters in Middle Tennessee.

Have 10 or more employees or annual revenue of at least $500,000. The selection process also looks at past revenue and job growth numbers. in Opryland Hotel's Delta Ballroom, will begin with a reception at 530 p.m Dinner will be from 630 until 9 p.m. Tickets are $55 each or $490 for a table of 10 and are available from Erin Hin-ton at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce (743-3040, The deadline is Thursday. Sponsors, of the 10th annual Future 50 recognition program are the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Council Pinnacle Financial Partners and The Tennessean.

-CANDY MCCAMPBELL A Music City Future 50 Hall of Fame winner last year will share key strategies for success at the dinner next week honoring the 2001 Music City Future 50. John Rose, who entered the Hall of Fame last year, is former president of Transcender Corp, a provider of information technology certification products that was sold in October for $60 million to Information Holdings Inc. of Stamford, Conn. The Sept. 25 dinner, at Opryland Hotel, marks a decade of the annual recognition of the top up-and-comers in Middle Tennessee.

Metro Mayor Bill Purcell will welcome the honorees and guests. Special recognition will be given to Ed Clydesdale, president and CEO of Christian Network International and to Farsheed Ferdowsi, president and CEO of PayMaxx in Franklin, who entered the Music City Future 50 Hall of Fame this year after being named to the list for five years. Individual recognition will go to the president or CEO of each of the Future 50 businesses those companies selected as the fastest-growing privately held businesses in Middle Tennessee. The banquet, to be held Atiba Software and Consulting LLC 95 White Bridge Road, Suite 201 Nashville, TN 37205 (615)353-1921 Web: www.atiba.com E-mail: jjrosenatiba.com Chief decision-maker J.J. Rosen, chief executive officer ROSEN Major business: computer consulting Main productservice: Web development, custom software and programming, networking, Web site hosting, computer system design and consulting Annual revenue: not provided Biggest challenge: Keeping up with the rapid pace of technological change.

Who: This year's winners reflect the Midstate's shifting economy 3 lion, or an average of $85 million, continuing the steady rise in recent years. Average revenue for the 2000 Future 50 was $6.7 million and the average for the 1999 Future 50 businesses was $5.6 millioa "A company has to have a vision and a plan to sustain growth," Alexander said. The businesses also need Shifts in the economy also show up in the Future 50 list, with the virtual disappearance of advertising- and entertainment-related firms. "The soft economy has a direct effect on those industries," Alexander said. Annual revenue for the 2001 Music City Future 50 companies is about $423 mil to be in industries where they can grow with the market or can outperform the competition by gaining market share.

The 2001 Music City Future 50 companies are still youngsters, 35 of them having been formed since 1996. Six were around a decade ago. Half of them are repeat winners, meaning they have made the cut at least once. To make the cut, a business must be privately owned, have headquarters in Middle Tennessee, have at least 10 employees or annual revenues of at least $500,000, and project revenue and employment growth of 10 or more annually over the next three years. I Automated License Systems LLC 3055 Lebanon Road, Suite 2301, Building II Nashville, TN 37214 (615)263-4257, Ext.

402 Web: www.als-xtn.com E-mail: sarah.Wilsonals-xtn.com Chief decision-maker. Sarah Wilson, chief executive officer is good." Like the automotive industry that attracted suppliers to this area to support manufacturers, leaders in the healthcare industry such as HCA Inc. have spun off other businesses or attracted the startups, he said. WILSON Inside Music City Future 50 Major business: telecommunications and transaction processing Main productservice: Provides automated hunting and fishing licenses for Tennessee and other states by point-of-sale terminals, telephone and Internet. Provides for instant background checks during firearm purchases.

Annual revenue: not provided Biggest challenge: Cash flow. Future 50 Staff How manufacturers have benefited from the Mid-state's strong immigrant work force. 3 More from Future 50 Hall of Famers Farsheed Ferdowsi and Ed Clydesdale. 5 Nashville's health-care sector has remained strong. "It doesn't matter what the economy is doing.

People still need health care," says Robert E. Henry, president and CEO of American Endoscopy Services Inc. Future 50 winners offer their strategies for succeeding in slow economic times. Banc Card of America Inc. 7135 Charlotte Pike, Suite 200 Nashville, TN 37209 (615)352-6956 Web: www.banccard.com E-mail: banccardbanccard.com Chief decision-maker.

Mark Barrett, president Major business: finance, real estate, insurance Main productservice: Provide credit card processing for small to medium-size businesses Annual revenue: $1 million to $2 million Jennifer Goode Future 50 Coordinator, Designer, Copy Editor Drew White Cover illustration Marilyn Patton Production Cleveland, Jessica Harris Data entry Derby Jones Craig Moon Publisher and President Frank Sutherland Senior Vice PresidentNews and Editor Leslie Giallombardo Senior Vice PresidentMarketing Bill Choyke Business Editor Kevin Paulk Future 50 Editor BARRETT 8 Some of Nashville's technology companies are faring better than their Silicon Valley 6 AIIMedia Design Group executives credit some of their success to the resources they found through the Nashville Business Incubation Center. Several area programs are available to assist budding entrepreneurs. 7 Some Future 50 winners have an easier time recruiting employees than others. Tech workers are easy to find, while nurses and construction workers are in short supply. 4- Please see 50, 3X Advertising Coordinator.