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The Company

History
The Company began in September 1998 after acquiring $1.3 million of surplus inventory from Entergy Corporation. The inventory included 8,010 tons of high-efficiency rooftop air conditioning systems (Entegrity Units) and various lighting materials and supplies. From 1998-2000, the Company’s primary line of business was the liquidation of this inventory. In 2001, the company began its current lines of business in the building services industry.
Facilities
Corporate Office
Address: 1024 Executive Park Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806		 Central Warehouse
Address: 1126 Executive Park Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806		 Memphis Office
Address: 3095 Norbrook Drive
Memphis, TN 38116
Concept
SL Building Services provides commercial building maintenance and management services in the Southeastern U.S. Management’s general concept is to distinguish the Company with the strategic positioning, packaging and delivery of its diverse service offerings and by cultivating a recognizable brand image.

We cater specifically to multi-site commercial businesses. Our concept is driven by five significant market conditions existing in this segment of the market:
  1. Market fragmentation
    Commercial building maintenance services are delivered from a vast number of sources within our region. Services are generally obtained from different vendors in each geographic area and for each type of equipment.
  2. Typical providers offer a single service (unbundled services)
    Typically, building owners contract with multiple vendors to obtain repair and maintenance services. For example, a fast food restaurant normally has to contract with three or four different vendors to repair and maintain HVAC, lighting, electrical systems, signage and kitchen appliances.
  3. Existing providers have a narrow service region
    Service providers are usually small companies operating within a fifty-mile radius of their base of operations.
  4. Providers lack information systems/back-office infrastructure
    Ordinarily, these service providers are technically driven and lack the systems and back-office capability to deliver information reporting to customers.
  5. Nonexistent recognizable brand for bundled services
    In our region of operations, no firm has established a strong brand for bundled maintenance services.
The building maintenance market is currently very much like the home improvements market before Home Depot and Lowes entered the marketplace. Formerly, home improvement products and services originated from myriad and obscure sources. These two companies achieved phenomenal market share and revenue growth by bundling products and services, developing a unique delivery method and building a strong brand image. We have found that a similar opportunity exists within the building maintenance industry.

Specific positioning of the Company to meet the needs of multi-site commercial customers will result in a powerful and unique maintenance solution for this market segment. Listed below are the key elements of positioning we have identified for multi-site commercial customers:
  1. Bundled Services
    The ability to address all maintenance issues will greatly reduce the customer’s administrative workload. The customer’s workload is proportionate to the number of vendors required to provide the services. In many cases, we can replace multiple vendors that are currently required for these services. This equates to less effort necessary for placement of service requests and vendor management. Fewer invoices have to be reviewed, processed and paid.
  2. Broad service region
    This capability again limits the number of vendors required and promotes service consistency.
  3. Administrative and Systems Infrastructure
    Management will continue to develop the attributes that will enhance our ability to deliver a uniquely valuable service to these market segments. We will customize reporting and interface protocol to meet the needs of each multi-site customer. In addition, comprehensive service dispatching and follow-up to ongoing projects will be the main objective of our management systems infrastructure. This capability will enhance our service value and distinguish the Company.

    The Company now has a solid base of multi-site clients. Customer locations are concentrated around major metro areas in the region.
     
The second element of our concept expands on the initial element. As the company positions its service capability geographically to meet the needs of its expanding customer base, we will develop and expand selected local markets. As these local markets develop, branch offices will emerge. Over time, management intends to build a strong, consistent and recognizable brand in the region. The key concept elements are listed below in order of progression:
  1. Position for multi-site commercial organizations
  2. Develop a strong customer-base “footprint” in Southeast region
  3. Deploy service capability in strategic geographic areas
  4. Penetrate selected local markets
  5. Develop branch operations in these areas
  6. Build desired brand characteristics
Organization and People

Previous Team Experience
The core management team has been together for many years. In 1986, the Chief Manager and Chief Operating Officer founded Hospital Energy Services, Inc. (HES), a provider of energy management programs to hospitals and other large commercial energy consumers. The HES offering included the design, installation and maintenance of energy conservation projects and plant upgrades in customer facilities. Projects included computerized building automation, waste heat recovery, lighting efficiency upgrades and various mechanical modifications and enhancements to HVAC systems.

In 1994, the founders sold HES to a wholly owned subsidiary of Entergy Corporation and managed the newly formed division until 1998. At that time, the founders purchased the HES division from Entergy and sold it to Texas Utilities, based in Dallas, Texas. RLJ, L.L.C. was formed in 1998 to facilitate the purchase and resale of the HES division.

Executive Management
The executive management team currently consists of the Chief Manager, Rick L. Jackson and the Chief Operations Manager, Robert A. Cornelius. Both persons are LLC Members and stockholders. These two individuals have worked together since 1988 and represent over 35 years of business management experience. The primary management functions of the Company are divided as follows:
Team Member Function

Rick L. Jackson

 Chief Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Finance and Accounting, P&L Responsibility and Team Building, Administrative Personnel
Robert A. Cornelius Field Operations, Training, Inventory Control, Warehousing and Distribution, Fleet Management, IT Systems, Field Personnel
The highlights of business accomplishments attained by these individuals are listed below. These items relate to projects where one or both of these individuals had direct lead responsibility:
  • Founded Hospital Energy Services, Inc.-1986
  • Built portfolio of 50 + hospitals under long-term (10 year) management service agreements
  • Raised over $7 million in project financing from private and traditional lenders
  • Memorial Hospital Southwest, Houston TX- $4.5 million central HVAC plant renovation- Participation: developed initial concept; completed operational projections; presented and sold project to Hospital Management; assisted management with project financing; led in-house design team to complete construction documents; managed project construction; developed operational protocol; provided ongoing operational support and documented energy conservation results. Received Association of Energy Engineers project award.
  • Mercy Hospital, Miami, FL- $6.8 million construction on new central plant- Participation: developed initial concept; completed operational projections; presented and sold project to Hospital Management; secured innovative tax-exempt/off- balance sheet financing via municipal bonds; led in-house design team to complete construction documents; managed project construction; developed operational protocol; provided ongoing operational support and documented energy conservation results.
  • Sale to Entergy Corporation- negotiated and completed $8 million sale- managed division 1994-1997
  • Structured and completed a management buyout of the HES Division. Structured the sale of the HES Division to Texas Utilities- 1998
Field Operations Team
The Field Operations Team has extensive experience in commercial building systems. Our experience covers virtually every aspect of building maintenance and operations. The team is led by Robert A. Cornelius, Chief Operations Manager. Mr. Cornelius has over 30 years experience in the commercial building services industry (see Team Profile in this section). Three individuals assist the Operations Manager and comprise the core of our Field Operations Team:
Robert A. Cornelius, CEM Operations Manager
Charles A. Hanks Memphis Branch Manager
Mark Johnson Service Coordinator
The chart below presents the relevant cumulative technical experience on the team.
Relevant Experience Cumulative Years
HVAC Plant Operations 72
EMS Design and Installation 56
Temperature Controls And EMS Operation 56
HVAC Design and Operation 15
Construction and project management 55
Team Member Profiles
Robert A. Cornelius, CEM, Operations Manager
  • Certified Energy Manager (CEM)-Association of Energy Engineers
  • Valedictorian- International Union of Operating Engineers training curriculum- Washington D.C.
  • Licenses: First Class Stationary Engineering Houston, North Miami Beach; Electrical and Mechanical Contracting for Louisiana and Tennessee
  • 30 years experience in physical plant operations
  • 15 years experience in energy analysis and energy management program implementation
  • 15 years experience in HVAC design and project management
  • 15 years experience in design and implementation of Building Automation Systems
Ann Rockwell Goodspeed, Marketing & Major Accounts Manager
  • 9 years experience in energy management and building services marketing
  • 9 years experience in website development
  • 9 years experience in prospect database development and fax broadcasting
  • 6 years experience in multi-site account management
Rick L. Jackson, President
  • 29 years experience in commercial HVAC and temperature controls
  • 25 years experience in design and implementation of Building Automation Systems
  • 23 years experience as business owner in commercial building services
Dennis J. Leger, Energy Analyst
  • 17 years experience in analysis of facility energy use
  • 17 years experience in utility bill and utility rate analysis
  • 9 years experience in sales of energy management retrofits and building services
Charlie A. Williams, BSME, Energy Consultant/Account Manager
  • 30 years experience in sales of energy management retrofits and building services
  • 11 years experience in project management

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