Newspaper Page Text
CTTTi flfl 3H*mu! if
GLhe stnxxtml
* TUESDAY,
FEBRUARY 24, 2004
Chris Kinnas
Investment Advice
Take steps to
prevent identity theft
If you lose your cell
phone, it’s an inconven
ience. If you lose your keys,
it’s a problem. But if you
lose your identity, it can be a
disaster.
And, over the past five
years, one in eight adults
has suffered some type of
identity loss, according to
the Federal Trade
Commission. Victims of
identity theft may have
their credit cards used ille
gally, or they may have cred
it information stolen and
used to make costly pur
chases. In 2002, identity
theft cost U.S. businesses
and consumers about SSO
billion.
Identity thieves act in a
variety of ways, from steal
ing your mail (especially
those “pre-approved” credit
card offers) to calling a cred
it bureau and, under the
pretense of being a landlord
or prospective employer,
asking for your credit infor
mation. And, of course,
computer-smart thieves can
get your private informa
tion from the Internet.
How can you protect
yourself from identity theft?
Here are a few tips:
• Don’t share your Social
Security number - Unless
it’s truly necessary, as when
you’re filing official papers,
don’t give out your Social
Security number. Smart
crooks can use your number
in a variety of ways - and
none of them are good for
you.
• Shred those documents
- If you’re getting rid of old
tax returns, investment
statements and bank docu
ments, use a shredder. And,
as long as you’ve got the
shredder out, use it on pre
approved credit card offers.
At the very least, when you
receive those pre-approved
envelopes, rip them up
before throwing them away.
• Get your credit report
annually - To request a copy
of your credit report, you
can call the three main
credit bureaus: Equifax (1-
800-685-1111), Experian (1-
888-397-3742) and Trans
Union (1-800-888-4213).
Check your report closely
for “surprises” or unac
counted activity.
• Update accounts to
reflect changes in your life -
You’ll want to revise the
official ownership designa
tions of your financial
accounts - loans, credit
cards, etc. - to accommodate
changes in your life, such as
divorce. Otherwise, you
might find that, on a credit
report, your ex-spouse’s
problems are now also
yours.
• Opt out of credit card
offers - To get fewer pre
approved credit card offers,
call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT and
follow the prompts. Also,
when you receive a phone
call from a credit card com
pany, or any other type of
solicitor, you can request to
be placed on the company’s
"do not call” list.
Be Alert
Identity theft has been
going on ever since someone
learned how to forge some
one else’s signature.
Unfortunately, the problem
has been exacerbated by our
modem age, with its mass
mailings, Internet access
and impersonal transac
tions.
5m KINNAS, paga 7 A
Perry First Franklin Financial office honoped
From staff reports
PERRY - At its annual
management meeting this
month in Braselton, the
Perry loan office of First
Franklin Financial was
named to the company’s
Circle of Diamonds.
The Circle of Diamonds
honors the company’s 25
most outstanding loan
offices.
This award is given annu
ally in recognition of those
offices whose superior per
formance in all aspects of
branch operation has made
a significant contribution to
the company as a whole.
Branch Manager is Ford
Wilson; Regional Operations
Director is Michelle Rentz
and Vice President
Operations is Dianne
Moore.
“We are proud of our
Perry staff and honored by
the confidence that has been
placed in us by members of
the Perry community,” said
Ben F. Cheek 111, chairman.
First Franklin Financial
has a new location at 1040 A
Macon Road.
mi , t— it aLa-i
VERN YIP and LAURA INGALLS GUNN
Designer attends Yip seminar
BONAIRE - Laura Ingalls
Gunn, owner of Design for a
Dime, recently attended a
seminar in Atlanta featur
ing Vern Yip, the well
known designer regularly
featured on TLC’s “Trading
Spaces.”
The seminar was entitled
“How to Achieve Chic on
Cheap.” Yip presented sev
eral design tips as well as
behind-the-scenes tales of
the hugely popular show.
Gunn’s company special
izes in one-day decorating -
room arrangement using
clients’ existing furnishings
and accessories and placing
them in perfect balance and
function to crate new and
exciting interiors.
Tabor invited to
Issues Forum
ATLANTA - Elizabeth A.
Tabor, the managing part
ner of the Atlanta practice
of Cherry, Bekaert &
Holland,
L.L . P .
(CB&H) was
recently
selected to
participate
in the 2004
American
Issues
Forum pro
gram of
Leadership
fw
W
TABOR
America.
Leadership America is the
longest-running national
women’s leadership organi
zation, recognizing and con
necting accomplished
women leaders from busi
ness, government, education
and non-profit arenas. Over
the past 17 years, more than
1,500 women leaders have
participated in Leadership
America’s flagship program,
the American Issues Forum,
to increase their individual
and collective impacts local
ly, nationally and globally.
The American Issues
Forum (AIF) annually
selects a diverse group of up
to 100 women leaders from
across the nation for a yeur
long, three-city program.
AIF provides opportunities
for rigorous discussions and
Business
W JiH
i
- I ; .
M
HHJ Emily Johnstone
Linda Mcßae and Kathy Wilkerson hold the coveted
Circle of Diamonds award recently presented to the
Perry First Franklin Financial office. Back row: Nequeva
Gaston, Ford Wilson and Demetrius Lawson.
BUSINESSPEOPLE
in-depth analysis of the crit
ical national and interna
tional issues of the day.
Through contact with
national leaders operating
at the forefront of America’s
political, social, and econom
ic areas, program partici
pants develop a deepened
understanding of how the
leading issues of the day
impact their respective
organizations, communities
and lives. AIF alumnae
include chief corporate exec
utives and presidents and
senior-level administrators
at private and public schools
and universities, govern
mental agencies, elected
office positions and within
non-profit organizations
nationwide.
Tabor was one of 75 appli
cants selected from a diverse
cross-section of women from
public, private and volun
teer sectors of leadership
across the nation. Tabor is a
2001 graduate of Leadership
Atlanta and is actively
involved in key leadership
programs throughout the
Atlanta community.
“I am honored to have
been selected for the
Leadership America pro
gram. I am looking forward
to gaining an increased
knowledge and in-depth
understanding of the lead
ing issues we are facing in
America today and an
opportunity to give to others
in a way that will contribute
to their making a positive
impact as women leaders
within their organization
and their community,”
Tabor said.
As a pioneer of women
being admitted into partner
ship in the accounting pro
fession, she serves as a men
tor and role model for a
number of women at Cherry,
Bekaert & Holland. She was
the first woman partner of
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland,
a lurge Southeastern region
al accounting firm. She
served on the firm’s
Executive Board for six
years und chaired the
Compensation, Quality
Control, Communication
and Life/Work Balance
Committees. She currently
serves as a member of the
Professional Ethics
Executive Committee of the
American Institute of
CPA’s, which is the highest
behavioral and technical dis
ciplinary body in the nation
for the accounting profes
sion. In the early 1980 s she
was selected as the first
recipient of the Outstanding
Business Woman of the Year
for greater Augusta. She
practiced in the Augusta
area from 1973 to 1993
before moving to Atlanta.
Tabor is a certified public
accountant with over 20
years experience in public
accounting focusing her
practice on not-for-profit,
local government and
employee benefit plan
groups. She currently man
ages CB&H’s Atlanta office
practice, one of the fastest
growing practice areas for
the firm. Tabor is responsi
ble for hiring and retaining
exceptional talent, leading
partner and management
groups, assuring excellent
client service and overall
management of the Atlanta
office.
Tabor is a 1968 graduate
of Perry High School, and
the University of Georgia.
Cherry, Bekaert &
Holland is a leading regional
CPA and consulting firm in
the Southeast and is among
the largest independent
accounting firms in the
country, currently ranked
23rd by the Public
Accounting Report.
CB&H serves thousands
of growing, mid-market
businesses and successful
individuals regionally across
seven states and nationally
and internationally through
an alliance with Baker Tilly
International, a group of
more than 100 independent
CPA firms in 60+ countries.
Audiologist earns
sixth award
WARNER ROBINS -
Annette Rhoda Peppard,
Au.D. of Hearing Associates
Inc. recently was awarded
her sixth award for
Continuing Education from
the Continuing Education
board of the American
Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA). Dr.
Peppard joins a select group
of individuals who have
made a concerted, personal
effort to continue profes
sional learning beyond an
academic degree.
Peppard has been the
owner of Hearing Associates
Inc. Bince 2001. She is a
member of ASHA, an associ
ation of audiologists and
speech/language patholo
gists and a member of the
American Academy of
Audiology, a worldwide pro
fessional organization of
audiologists. She is also a
member of the American
Hearing Aid Associates.
Building awareness
In leaders 1
A few weeks ago, I
wrote a column entitled
“Conscious Competent
Leaders.” I described a
model that? trainers use to
illustrate four states of
knowledge or skill.
I did not know the
source of this model, so I
asked some colleagues to
whom I send a copy of my
column each week. They
suggested I check with the
Wilson Learning
Corporation. I looked this
company up on the
Internet, learning they
are a global leader in per
formance improvement. I
sent an e-mail to their
“contact us” link.
Within a few hours, I
received a response from
Dr. Michael Leimbach,
their vice president for
Global Research and
Design. He confirmed
that Wilson Learning has
been using this model for
over 30 years, but attrib
uted the earliest concepts
to Confucius.
Dr. Leimbach provided a
paraphrase from that
ancient Chinese academi
cian that corresponds to
the four knowledge states
I had cited in my column:
• unconscious incompe
tent—“ There are those
who don’t know, and don’t
know they don’t know.
Ignore them, for they are
not worth your time. ”
• conscious incompe
tent—“ There are those
who don’t know, hut know
they don’t know. Teach
them, for they are ready to
learn. ”
• unconscious compe
tent—“ There are those
who know, but don’t know
that they know. Lead
them, for they are ready
for direction. ”
• conscious compe
tent — “Finally, there are
those who know, and
know they know. Follow
them, for they know the
way. ”
“Follow them, for they
know the way.” Isn’t that
what leadership is sup
posed to be about? We
want leaders who are both
competent and know how
to use their capabilities to
serve their constituents.
Dr. Leimbach wrote:
“Thus, for us, the highest
order of knowledge are
the conscious competent,
the people who are knowl
edgeable and are aware of
their knowledge.”
In my column of several
weeks ago, I argued that
conscious competent lead
ers make better mentors
than unconscious compe
tent leaders. Why? They
are better able to explain
to a prot6g£ why they
choose as they do and how
to execute appropriate
behaviors.
Aged Hand-cut
Steaks
msM&.
1-TlliN <N*MT-W7T
Serving the Lord
•and His peopie
with gladness.
F. Dennis Hooper
i J7S> OKH-IH V 7
I'rtfcnt ih*wn for people who have used
WELDING RODS
Scientists report that elevated manganese exposure front
welding m<l fumes has been assoc latetl with Parkinsonism (like
Parkinson's disease) and manganlam. Symplons Inelude
sltaklness. distorted racial expression, loss of equilibrium,
decreased hand agility, difficulty walking, joint pain, loss
of short term memory, slurred/slow speech, stiffness In
muscles and tremors. If you have ex|»erlenced any of these
problems, call us today mil free at I -Itoo-THB-RAULB for a free
consultation to evaluate ytnir imtcmlal claim. We practice law
only In Arizona, lint associate with lawyers throughout the I'.S. .
m °° l p
j j
Dennis Hooper
.. . even greater things .. .
dhooper2@juno.com
My expertise is leader
ship development. I’ve
worked for years helping
individuals build compe
tencies in the many skills
required of leaders. The
dialogue with Dr.
Leimbach, however,
caused me to see in a new
way how expanding a
leader’s awareness is dif
ferent from building
competency, yet very
beneficial for the leader
and his or her con
stituents.
Individuals in positions
of authority usually pro
vide both training and
coaching to their direct
reports. When they train,
they build competency.
When they coach, they
build awareness.
Aha! What a great
insight! Though the dif
ference is subtle, the dis
tinction is worth noting.
Training usually
involves a trainer, a
planned agenda, and the
passage of time (some
times hours, sometimes
years of apprenticeship).
Increased awareness,
however, can occur in an
instant. All that is needed
is the right information at
the right time. An experi
enced coach helps an indi
vidual see behaviors and
situations with new
insight.
Good bosses are excel
lent coaches. They
respond when asked for
mentoring help. They
willingly share experi
ences to help their direct
reports consider other
possible ways to succeed.
Next week, I’ll describe
three specific steps to
guide bosses in serving as
better coaches for their
direct reports.
***
Each morning on my
“Building Leaders Break ”
program on WCOP-99.9
FM radio (just after the 9
a.m. news), I describe a
different leadership skill.
Listen to become more
aware of how you might
build your own competen
cies, as well as those of
developing leaders in your
organization.
Subscribe
today
Call 987-1823
Persona] Coach and Collaborator
Consulting in the areas of
personal and leadership development.
Hooper and Friends, Inc.
PAGE 6A