Category Archives: Member Spotlight

CyrusOne Inc. Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Cyrus One logoCyrusOne Inc. (NASDAQ:CONE) has closed its previously announced initial public offering of its common stock. CyrusOne sold 18,975,000 shares of its common stock in total in the offering, which included 2,475,000 shares of common stock sold pursuant to the option granted to the underwriters by CyrusOne, which was exercised in full prior to the closing. CyrusOne’s common stock began trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on January 18, 2013 under the symbol “CONE.”

Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank Securities and Barclays acted as joint-bookrunners for the offering. Citigroup, KeyBanc Capital Markets, RBS and UBS Investment Bank acted as co-managers.

A registration statement relating to the securities sold in the offering has been declared effective by the SEC. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the final prospectus relating to these securities has been filed with the SEC and may be obtained by contacting Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014, by telephone at +1 (866) 718-1649 or by email at prospectus@morganstanley.com; BofA Merrill Lynch, Attention: Prospectus Department, 222 Broadway, New York, New York 10038 or by email at dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com; Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Attention: Prospectus Group, 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005-2836, by telephone at +1 (800) 503-4611 or by email at prospectus.cpdg@db.com; or Barclays, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, by telephone at +1 (888) 603-5847 or by email at barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About CyrusOne
CyrusOne Inc. (NASDAQ:CONE) specializes in highly reliable enterprise-class, carrier-neutral data center properties. The company provides mission-critical data center facilities that protect and ensure the continued operation of IT infrastructure for approximately 500 customers, including more than nine of the Fortune 20 and over 100 of the Fortune 1000 companies.

CyrusOne’s data center offerings provide the flexibility, reliability and security that enterprise customers require and are delivered through a tailored, customer service-focused platform designed to foster long-term relationships. CyrusOne is committed to full transparency in communication, management and service delivery throughout its 24 data centers worldwide.

Educating Lincoln in the 21st Century

By North SA Chamber Editor
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ThomasMengler_finalBy Thomas M. Mengler, J.D., president of St. Mary’s University

The brilliance of Steven Spielberg’s movie “Lincoln” is its nuanced portrayal of Abraham Lincoln’s wisdom, craftiness and compassion. As a university educator, I left the movie theater over Thanksgiving wondering what kind of education is necessary today to educate a magnificent leader like Lincoln, who most historians rank as our finest president.

Lincoln’s education derived significantly, though not solely, from the breadth and depth of his reading. One of young Lincoln’s contemporaries unflatteringly characterized him as a “very lazy man” because he was “always reading – scribbling – writing – ciphering – writing Poetry.” Lincoln himself credited the source of his wisdom and knowledge to expansive reading: “All I have learned, I learned from books.” Lincoln was drawn to math, especially Euclid’s works on geometry. In an important scene in Spielberg’s movie, President Lincoln advocates for equality among all people by quoting Euclid’s principle that things equal to the same thing are also equal to one another.

Lincoln also studied theology, especially the Bible, and his most important speeches contain frequent references to scripture. He loved poetry and was particularly fond of several of Shakespeare’s plays, including Richard III, King Lear and Macbeth, which he could recite by heart. And Lincoln the lawyer had read the most significant law texts of his time, including Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England.

Lincoln, as we know, was self-taught, reading and studying by himself. Even Lincoln’s study of the law was solitary and thus atypical, since most lawyers in 19th century America learned the law under the apprenticeship of an experienced senior lawyer. One might be tempted to conclude, therefore, that an education like the one Lincoln received can occur in solitude, in your pajamas, in front of a computer screen.

Lincoln’s education, however, would suggest otherwise. As a lawyer in rural Illinois in the 1840s and 1850s, Lincoln continued his transformation from backwoods youth to moral leader while “riding the circuit.” During that period, lawyers and judges in rural America would ride from town to town, trying local cases. Most towns in central Illinois, where Lincoln rode the circuit, were too sparsely populated to have a judge or even a lawyer. At the end of every day after the court session, the circuit judge and lawyers would swap stories, discuss the most vital moral and political issues of the times, and build friendships. They grew as men around a campfire through discussion and reflection.

The modern equivalent to Lincoln’s education, I would argue, is the kind of education – a values-based liberal arts education on a residential campus – St. Mary’s University and many other fine liberal arts institutions have provided for a long time. It is an education where students read broadly and deeply, think critically, and learn to write and speak effectively, though a nurturing community where faculty and staff facilitate the shaping of students’ hearts as well as minds. It is not a drive-thru, discount model of education. No, the lesson of Lincoln’s education is that the transformative education of young adults into ethical leaders is hard work, collaborative and multidimensional.

After you see Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” ask yourselves, what kind of education produces a leader who, as the bloodiest war in our history ended, exhorted the American people:

With malice toward none;
with charity for all;
with firmness in the right,
as God gives us to see the right,
let us strive on to finish the work we are in.

The moral of Lincoln’s story may be that some things – like the value of a liberal arts education – don’t change. The good and the true should endure.

Jefferson Bank Continues Online Security Measures in the New Year

By North SA Chamber Editor
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JeffersonBank Logo With All Service Lines - LINEART centered 2cThe modern equivalent of sifting through mail in the mailbox: you scan your email columns (from, subject, date sent) and decide which mail to open and read immediately, which messages to defer to another time and which to delete unopened. Over the past decade, your email has become your primary mailbox, where memos from the boss and notes from the kids arrive alongside ads or junk mail from sites you forgot you subscribed to.

At one time, the prospect of confidential banking information sitting in your inbox would have sent the cautious person into a panic. Even if email is the most immediate way to send information to you, financials swirling through the global network between you and your bank could be intimidating. We have all heard about the potential for hacking, stolen identity and other criminal activity.

Your neighbors at Jefferson Bank have studied this problem in depth. As e-commerce proliferates, they have kept up with the latest precautionary measures and share that information in customer communications and on their website. Additionally, critical information that the bank sends to its customers is securely encrypted. Encryption obscures information until it is “decoded” by the user – the bank customer receiving the email.

“Our email encryption system scrambles the information in the email. If an unauthorized party intercepts the email, the information is useless to them because it is unreadable. When the email is securely received, the customer authorizes it, and it delivers the information,” Betsy Baker, Jefferson Bank’s Vice President of Marketing, said.

Jefferson’s encrypted email system also makes sure you know who the email is coming from. By now, most computer users know email asking for login, password or other sensitive information is highly suspicious.

“There is no doubt that the email is from Jefferson Bank and includes important information that is encrypted to be secure,” Baker said. “Any other email asking sensitive questions about your banking business should be immediately discarded or reported.”

Encrypted email is not new – the online business community has been working with encryption algorithms for more than a decade. Everyone wants to be able to use the mobile, fluid convenience of online communications without worrying about electronic eavesdropping or criminal malfeasance. Jefferson Bank was careful to adopt proven technologies in order to provide their customers with as much convenience and security as possible.

Encryption and online security in general, requires active participation by the receiver as well as the sender. Jefferson Bank has provided a thorough guide to online and email security on their website. You don’t need to be a Jefferson Bank customer to review your personal systems and practices.

“Our customers are our top priority,” said Baker “and this is just another way that we have continually tried to provide the most personalized service possible for them.”

Amegy Bank’s Treasury Management Services Are Smart Strategies That Can Help Your Business

By North SA Chamber Editor
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AmegyBankofTexas_RGB_rIn today’s hectic business environment, many business owners and managers are often so focused on the day to day operations that they don’t have the time to concentrate on enhancing their overall business plans.  Amegy Bank believes that beginning of the New Year is an excellent time for companies to evaluate their internal processes, including their financial strategies.

One way that businesses of all sizes are improving their money management is to utilize treasury management through their banks.  By incorporating just a few treasury management services into your company’s cash management strategy, you can drive efficiency, save money, enhance security and position your business to increase its overall revenue.  Amegy offers a wide range of treasury management solutions that can benefit your business, including:

Remote Deposits
Amegy’s remote deposit service gives clients the ability to scan and electronically submit checks for deposit using a basic PC with Internet connectivity and a certified scanner available through the bank.  This improves the efficiency of your business as it allows you to make check deposits electronically without having to physically transport checks to the bank.  Cash flow is improved since funds are available much faster and deposits can be made after typical branch closing times.

Lockbox
Lockbox helps your business reduce collection float, accelerate remittance procedures and simplify accounts receivables processing.  You can reduce your processing costs by outsourcing your accounts receivable processing to the bank and increase the speed of cash flow.

Merchant Services
Merchant Services is the treasury management capability that lets you accept credit and debit cards for goods and services sold to your customers.  Amegy can provide you with the proper tools, software and security measures to process payments and receive credit directly into your account.  Merchant services will not only benefit your business, but will also provide a convenience to your customers, as they have the option to use other payment methods besides cash and checks.

Electronic Payments
Many businesses utilize Automated Clearing House (ACH), an electronic payment network that businesses use to transfer funds from one account to another.  It can be used to automate payroll and for making business to business payments, thus eliminating the need to print and mail paper checks.  This option also reduces the room for error and is less expensive than wire transfers.

Fraud Prevention Services
Check fraud in the United States has increased to billion-dollar levels. Technology has made it easy for fraudsters to create fraudulent checks and present them as real checks.   There are treasury management tools that can help protect you protect your business from unauthorized transactions.

For example, as electronic payments are becoming more widely used, ACH fraud has increased as well.  Amegy offers a web-based system called ACH Positive Pay, which is a web based system that allows businesses to establish a list of ACH filters and view and approve ACH transactions.  There is also a Positive Pay with Payee Match solution where the business sends the bank a file every time checks are issued.  The bank will then match the checks the company issued against checks presented for payment, and any exceptions are reported to the company for a “pay” or “no pay” decision.

Commercial Cards
The Commercial Card (also known as Purchase Card) allows a business to simplify and enhance all aspects of the purchasing processes, including transaction monitoring, reporting, online expense management tools, vendor negotiations, security and payment.  A Commercial Card program allows a company to bring their business expenses back into tight control along with efficient management.

Additionally, Amegy’s online accounts receivable collections tools can give you the ability to debit your customers for a one-time payment, a recurring payment or a payment plan, via ACH or credit card.  This makes it easier for customers to make payments at their convenience.

These are just a few examples of the many treasury management resources available to businesses; there is no one-size-fits-all approach.  Amegy Bank offers a variety of treasury management products and services and can work with you to find the best solution to meet your needs.  If you would like to talk to an Amegy banker about treasury management options for your business, please contact our treasury management team at (210) 343-4421 or visit us at www.amegybank.com.

SpawGlass iPad app brings real-time mobile technology to construction estimating process

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Much of the mobile technology in the construction industry is designed to speed up internal processes, improve productivity and communication, or track work on the jobsite. One company looking to expand this reach is Texas-based SpawGlass. The company has designed an innovative mobile solution for its team that takes the back-end estimating process and puts it out in front of clients.

“With this new platform, we not only save time and improve efficiency, we bring our clients a transparent process that helps them make better decisions”

Designed with the end user in mind, the SpawGlass Targeted Estimating Database (TED) is an Apple® iPad® mobile app that helps with the development of a realistic budget for commercial construction projects by offering real-time, cost-per-square-foot pricing using the average historical costs of past projects. These estimations are kept current based on a published construction cost index.

With it, estimates for each of 49 pre-defined divisions can be referenced to similar projects for comparison. This makes brainstorming and modifying a project easy. Simply selecting the appropriate estimate for each division allows TED to do the math. Each comparison generates detailed descriptions and color photos to assist the user in visualizing a future facility. This robust technology creates an information-intensive project portfolio with a personalized estimate, as well as links to SpawGlass services and regional contacts, giving the client a platform from which real results can be built.

SpawGlass commissioned Austin-based Brilliant Solutions, Inc. to design the app to its specifications. “We’re already using tablet PCs to streamline project site management,” said Joel Stone, chief executive officer of SpawGlass. “One of our senior project managers, Bryan Kent, was convinced there was a way to harness the technology and take it a step further to improve our forward-facing operations.”

Kent took his ideas, which began with a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, and propelled them into the app arena. “With this new platform, we not only save time and improve efficiency, we bring our clients a transparent process that helps them make better decisions,” Stone added.

Although TED is the company’s first iPad app, SpawGlass is no stranger to cutting edge technology. For several years, the company has utilized Building Information Modeling (BIM) to resolve issues before they hit the jobsite by detecting design conflicts and visualizing the virtual construction of facilities through multi-dimensional models. A second tool, Virtual To Field™ (V2F), allows field personnel to obtain the same accurate layout readings on a tablet PC equipped with a total robotic station.

To download the app, visit the Apple iTunes store at http://bit.ly/SpawGlassTED.

About SpawGlass

SpawGlass is a Texas-based general contractor, construction manager, design/builder and civil contractor with offices in Austin, Houston, North Texas, San Antonio and South Texas. Founded in 1953 by Louis Spaw and Frank Glass, the company has a lasting commitment to provide the highest standards of quality and service to clients, a safe and enriching work environment to employees, and support and involvement in the community. With more than 475 employees statewide, SpawGlass is 100 percent employee-owned. For more information, visit: http://www.spawglass.com/