Message from Doug

We Were Attacked!

We are in the process of hiring an additional estimator. Last month, while opening what we thought was a resume attached to a potential hire’s email, ransomware was unleashed on our company.

It completely disabled the computer of the person that opened the attachment. It also locked and removed files located on our company server.

When we realized what was happening, we immediately contacted our IT company. They quickly shut down the server remotely to prevent it from spreading to other computers in our office.

Our IT company dispatched people to our office and they arrived within an hour of the attack. They went to work right away to determine the threat. They worked late into the day to isolate and remove the malware. Then, they restored our server and workstations one by one.

Since we automatically backup our server daily, the IT guys were able to restore the entire system from the previous day’s system backup file. However, we lost all information and files that were created on the day of the attack.

Some of the main areas that were affected the most:

• Our Senior CAD Operator lost some drawings of foundations that he had recently completed.
• Payroll items entered by our Office Manager were lost and had to be redone.
• Our Administrative Assistant lost many files that were stored in an area that was not included in the daily backups.
• I lost a pre-application video that I created to show potential new hires what type of work we do. That video took me 5 ½ hours to create, and then in an instant the saved file was gone. Fortunately, it only took me 4 ½ hours to create it again the next day.

 All things considered, we came out of the crisis pretty well. It could have been disastrous. Had we lost all of the files and information that is on our servers, we would have lost the ability to operate. The interruption to our operations, or the time and cost to create all new files, systems and information could have put us out of business.

Fortunately, our preparedness and our IT company’s great service allowed us to come into the office the next morning and get back to work.

Lessons Learned :

1. Have a good backup system. Create a process that automatically backs up your server or computers at night.

2. Backup your entire company daily. A lot can happen in a day; be sure to back it up.

3. Take the weekly backup off-site. While this didn’t apply to our situation, most backups are stored next to the server. If a fire burns your building down, the backup would be destroyed as well.

4. Have a relationship with a good IT company. We use Southeastern Computer Associates in Kennesaw, www.SCA-ATL.com, and they do a fantastic job for us.

5. You are never completely protected. Bad guys are constantly finding new ways to get around anti-virus and firewall software. You can only hope to minimize the damages caused by an attack if it happens.

6. Store all information in areas that get backed up. Files that were stored on a user’s desktop were not backed up, and were lost forever. Be sure that all files are stored where they are backed up.

If you don’t have a daily backup system for your electronic files, I strongly urge you to put that at the top of your “To Do” list.

To Your Success,

Recent Referrals

Whew… It’s been mighty hot out there lately! Even though the kids have gone back to school, summer is definitely not over, the temperature just keeps going up! One fun summer fact...The frequency of a cricket's chirps fluctuates with the temperature. If you count a cricket's chirps for 14 seconds and add 40, you will have the approximate outdoor temperature (in Fahrenheit). Pretty cool huh? Speaking of pretty cool, we would like to thank some very cool people for referring our company to their friends and associates. Thanks guys. You’re the BEST!!!

Carson Allen, Fortified Fence Group – Fence Contractor www.FortifiedFence.com

Ryan Bloch, Southern Choice Construction –Commercial Contractor www.SouthernChoiceCnst.com

Gary Koblasz, Skywark Engineering – Structural Engineer www.SkywarkEngineering.com  

Client Spotlight: Bonner Buchanan Custom Homes

Rhett Bonner of Bonner  Buchanan Custom Homes is certainly no stranger to new home construction. In fact, he is a third generation homebuilder that has built some of the most prestigious houses in Atlanta.

Coming from a background steeped in homebuilding, you would think Rhett would have been an automatic shoe-in to become the next builder in his family. However, that’s not what he initially planned for himself. Rhett decided to try his hand in med school and studied to become a doctor. It wasn’t until he came home from college after taking his MCAT that he rediscovered his love for homebuilding. His father, Jerry Bonner, owner of Bonner Custom Homes, has taught his son everything he knows.

Wes Buchanan has been with Bonner Custom Homes for over 10 years. He is a graduate of Georgia Tech and holds a degree in Building Construction. A mutual acquaintance and former real estate professor at Georgia Tech introduced Wes to Jerry, and over the last 10 years, Wes has become an integral part of the Bonner team. So much so, that over the next couple of years Bonner Custom Homes will be transitioning to Bonner Buchanan Custom Homes with Rhett and Wes taking the reins.

We were able to sit down recently and speak with Rhett and Wes about some of their thoughts regarding this change and what they envision for the future of Bonner Buchanan Custom Homes.

Herbert Const. Co.: What makes Bonner Buchanan Homes different than other homes in the same price range?

Rhett: It is our ability to suit the needs of each one of our clients. We have a reputation for walking our clients through the whole building process. Sort of like a Quarterback that leads the whole team. This is a service industry and we are good at making their dreams a reality.

Wes: It is our job to make the whole process as easy on our clients as possible. It is really important that they don’t become stressed over things. We honestly want them to enjoy the process and cherish the experience. There is no room for regret when building a home and we want each of them to know that.

HCC: What is your number one source of leads right now and why is it working?

Rhett: Most of our client’s come in either from our architect partners or simply through word of mouth. We really don’t advertise; word of mouth alone is very powerful.

Wes: We work with our client’s from the beginning of each project and through completion. Afterwards, we follow up to make sure they are still happy. We stick with these homeowners and they continuously refer us. Word of mouth is the most important thing in any economy.

HCC: What products and features are your customers asking for in their homes?

Rhett: It varies, but some of the big things right now are foam insulation in the attic, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances. Also, geothermal HVAC in the bigger houses, which is a “greener” way to heat and cool your home.

Wes: There is a lot of interest right now in white marble countertops for kitchens and bathrooms, it goes well with the white/grey color trend that is popular at the moment. There has also been a lot of recent interest in implementing wood on the walls and ceilings.

HCC: In what areas do you primarily build?

Rhett: Right now a lot of our work is in Buckhead, Virginia Highlands and inside the perimeter. We have had several projects in the Lake Rabun and Lake Burton areas as well. And, of course, Marietta since we live there. We will build were our clients want to be and right now 90 percent of them want to be in Buckhead.

HCC: As you gradually make the transition from Bonner Custom Homes to Bonner Buchanan Custom homes, do you anticipate any differences in your building style or a change in your philosophy towards building?

Rhett: I don’t see where any changes should be made in either of those areas. My Dad and his uncle have always had the philosophy that quality and reputation are the building blocks of good business. For the last 30 years that philosophy has worked really well. We work hard to create and maintain good relationships with our clients. My dad has always been a good example of how to treat people and do things right and I don’t want to see that change.

Wes: Bonner Custom homes has always had a reputation for quality. We don’t cut corners, we use higher quality subcontractors and we walk each client through the whole process to make sure that they have an exceptional experience. We want to change the idea that they have to “watch out for contractors.” That’s the way the Bonner’s have always been and I wouldn’t change any of it.

HCC: What is your favorite thing about homebuilding?

Rhett: I get a lot of satisfaction when the home is complete and our clients are happy. This project is something that they have spent a lot of time thinking about and a lot of money to make it become a reality. It’s just really rewarding to watch them see it all come together and be completed.

Wes: Giving the homeowner the ability to let us worry about all the stress that goes into homebuilding so that they can enjoy watching their house become a real thing with their family. I have a servant’s heart and it really does make me happy when they are satisfied with what we helped them create.

HCC: How does your company benefit from using Herbert Construction?

Rhett: The foundation stage is so critical, and it is so important that it goes in correctly for the subs that will be coming in after it is poured. You guys care about that and I am always impressed with the quality of your work. Other subcontractors really benefit from a good start in the foundation.

Wes: You guys are extremely professional. I’ve worked with a lot of foundation companies and you guys have been different. I wasn’t expecting that level of expertise from a subcontractor and was really surprised.

HCC: Thank you both, Rhett and Wes, for your time. We really hope that your transition from Bonner Custom Homes to Bonner Buchanan Custom Homes goes as smoothly as possible. We certainly look forward to helping you with many more foundations in the future.

Who Knew?

The largest employer in the world is the United States Department of Defense with a little over 3.2 million employees. Next up is The People’s Republic of China with 2.3 million employees, Then Walmart with 2.1 million.

Bubble Wrap was originally invented in 1957, but not to be used as a packaging material. Rather, for use as wallpaper.  Needless to say, it didn’t sell well. Nor did their next idea to use it as greenhouse insulation.  Finally, in 1959 its creators got the idea that it could be used to protect the IBM 1401 during shipments. That one worked out and the rest is history.

Nintendo’s name comes from the Japanese “Nintendou.” Roughly translated “Nin” means “entrusted” and “tendou” means “heaven,” so basically “leave luck to heaven.” If this seems a strange name/slogan for Nintendo, perhaps it is important to note that it started out as a playing card company in 1889.

It wouldn’t be until 15 years after basketball was invented before someone got the bright idea of putting a hole in the bottom of the basket to allow the ball to pass through it, so it wouldn’t have to be manually retrieved every time someone made a shot.

The Lone Ranger’s sidekick’s name, Tonto, means “moron/fool/stupid” in Spanish. As a result, in the dubbed Spanish version, the character’s name is change to “Toro,” meaning “bull.”

All clownfish are born male. If the female of a group dies, the dominant male will then begin to gain weight and will become the female of the group. After he becomes a she, she selects a breeding partner from the available males, which is almost always the largest male available.