Charles L. Starr on Preparing Your Boat for the New Season

A graduate of Brown University and former corporate executive, Charles L. Starr enjoys gardening, fishing, and boating in his free time. In the 1950s, Charles L. Starr served the United States during the Korean War.

Depending on where you live, you may need to store your boat during the winter months. Before taking your first excursion of the spring, you should clean up and prepare the vessel for use. Some steps depend on the size of the boat. The following tips apply across vessels of all sizes.

1. Cleanse hatches and windows. You want good visibility.

2. Scrub the deck, hull, and topsides. Be sure to use a mild detergent.

3. Verify your registration. Make sure it remains valid, and store the document onboard.

4. Polish metal pieces. Before taking this step, you should clean the items.

5. Check for spare parts. Ensure the extra parts remain in good condition and you retain the necessary tools in working order.

Charles L. Starr on The Home Depot Grant for VFW Posts

Charles L. Starr, a veteran of the Korean War, supports the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans as well as the United Way. Now retired, Charles L. Starr held a number of executive management positions during his career following the military.

Until mid-August 2012, The Home Depot is awarding Community Impact Grants of up to $5,000. The national office of the Veterans of Foreign Wars encourages local posts to apply so they can receive some funds to renovate their buildings. The Home Depot will distribute the funds in the form of gift cards for redemption at local stores. Recipients have six months to complete the remodeling projects and must submit reports to The Home Depot afterwards. The national office reminds individuals they must recruit volunteers to perform the labor as the grants only provide supplies.

The VFW national office has created a sample application for use by local posts. It provides relevant information that assists in the application process. To learn more, send an e-mail to foundation@vfw.org.

Use the Internet to Grow Your Small Business, By Charles L. Starr

A small business owner has so many other things to do in a day’s work that even taking the time to establish an online presence involves a major effort. But in today’s hyper-competitive networked world, you really can’t afford not to invest some effort into establishing a unique Web brand and using the full potential of the Internet to learn best business practices.

Make social media an integral part of your marketing effort: Develop a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other online gathering places. Post regular updates, giving useful information about your business to existing and potential customers. While you don’t want to spam your audience with multiple messages in a day, frequent updates keep the connection strong. And make sure you cross-promote across several of these platforms to reach the widest group of potential customers possible. If you don’t feel confident about your own media savvy, hire or create a volunteer position for an intern with the skills you need.

Take advantage of resources such as the Wall Street Journal’s Small Business section in its online edition. The WSJ and other business media feature frequent articles giving up-to-the-minute advice. The United States government’s Small Business Administration offers free online courses, tips, and marketing plan templates just for small business owners. Visit http://www.sba.gov to find out more.

About the Author:

Charles L. Starr has more than four decades of experience as a marketing executive for high-profile companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Nestle S.A. He also headed two start-up companies that achieved national presence within a few years of their founding.

Focus areas of United Way

In addition to his work as a sales representative and executive with a variety of successful companies, Charles L. Starr contributes to United Way Worldwide. A non-profit organization that provides fundraising and support services to charitable organizations, United Way works with a large number of charities and focuses on a wide variety of issues. Here is a brief overview of the issues addressed by United Way charities. Education – One of the pillars of a stable and prosperous community, education is one of the many sectors United Way assists. More than one million American children drop out of school every year, resulting in a loss of more than $300 billion in possible income over the course of their lives. By encouraging the development of supportive communities that place a high value on education, United Way hopes to drastically reduce the number of high school dropouts by 2018. Instead of focusing only on high school students, United Way concentrates on all phases of education, from early childhood to high school graduation. Financial assistance for those in need – In many American families, wage earners do not earn enough money to cover the ever-increasing costs of housing, education, and healthcare. These families are often unable to save money for college or retirement, which only adds to the stress caused by their financial situations. By 2018, United Way hopes to slash the number of low-income families by nearly 2 million. To accomplish this goal, United Way established the Financial Stability Partnership, which helps families gain steady employment, purchase affordable housing, and put away money in savings accounts. Health – According to its mission statement, United Way seeks to make affordable health care available to all Americans. According to a 10-year plan initiated in 2008, United Way is working to make dramatic increases in the number of Americans who live healthy lifestyles. To accomplish this goal, United Way works closely with families, health care providers, and legislators to advance policies that promote healthy living. Disaster relief – In the wake of tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, local communities find themselves in desperate need of assistance. When disaster strikes, United Way partners with local communities to drive relief efforts and help advance the common good.

World’s Best Gardens

Charles L. Starr, an accomplished sales representative and business executive with more than 40 years of experience, enjoys gardening in his free time. Although the term “gardening” usually conjures up images of backyard plots of land filled with flowers, there are many gardens around the world that span acres and require a professional staff to maintain. Here is a brief list of some of the best gardens the world has to offer.

 

Chateau de Versailles, Versailles, France – Designed by Andre Le Notre for King Louis XIV, the garden at Versailles is widely recognized as one of the most famous gardens in the world. The Orangerie, located south of the chateau, was designed to protect orange trees from the harsh winter conditions. The garden also houses a number of fountains, which draw upon the same hydraulic mechanisms used during the 1600s.

 

Butchart Gardens, British Columbia – Located on Vancouver Island in Canada, the Butchart Gardens contain some of the most diverse and colorful floral displays in the world. Complete with waterfalls and multi-level walkways, the Butchart Gardens offer breathtaking views of the natural beauty of Western Canada. Taking advantage of the rainy Pacific Northwest climate, the Butchart Gardens remain open all year.

 

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Scotland – Created by Charles Jencks, the Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a natural garden adorned with sculptures inspired by mathematics and science. The garden contains a number of fascinating sculptures, representing such diverse concepts as fractals, black holes, and strands of DNA. Although the Garden of Cosmic Speculation primarily focuses on sculptures rather than horticultural displays, the interplay of the natural and the artificial makes it one of the most unique destinations on the planet.

Charles L. Starr

An accomplished entrepreneur, Charles L. Starr built two separate start-ups into successful national companies over the course of his career. After serving for 20 years as Vice President of Marketing at H. P. Hood & Sons, the New England dairy product manufacturer, Charles L. Starr became President of both USA Blinds Factory and USA Video Entertainment, Inc. At USA Blinds Factory, Charles L. Starr guided the company from a nascent firm into a national competitor in the window and door coverings industry in less than a decade. Simultaneously, Charles L. Starr supervised the growth of USA Video Entertainment, Inc., which distributed video games throughout Massachusetts. In 1995, Charles L. Starr sold USA Video Entertainment, Inc. to a national firm. In addition to his executive background, Charles L. Starr drew on his extensive experience in sales and marketing to ensure the success of USA Blinds Factory and USA Video Entertainment, Inc. At H.P. Hood & Sons, now HP Hood LLC, Charles L. Starr launched numerous new products in the dairy market, including one- and two-percent milk products as well as yogurt and fruit combination products. Charles L. Starr also worked in the sales and marketing divisions of some of the largest consumer goods and food companies in the United States; formerly a manager of marketing at Nestlé S.A., where he brought the $100,000 Bar to market and increased sales every year, Charles L. Starr also held sales roles at Helene Curtis Industries, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. Charles L. Starr graduated with honors from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business. A veteran of the Korean War, serving there with the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1954, Charles L. Starr actively contributes to several veterans’ organizations, including The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and Disabled American Veterans. Charles L. Starr enjoys boating, fishing, and gardening, and counts War and Peace among his favorite books.

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