On Wednesday the 29th at 9:00 pm the Phillip Morris plant  in Concord closed. Many would say that it is a great victory for the general health of people everywhere, and more than anything else a sign of the times with North Carolina’s new restaurant smoking ban on its way in.  I think one of the groups that is going to be hit hardest by this (aside for the employees and their families obviously) is Charlotte Non-profits. Now we all know that at the end of the day Phillip Morris is just buying a little good will. Lets face it 16 million dollars since 2000, is a lot of good will. While some organizations will see these funds dissolve from sponsorship budgets, many local nonprofits will feel the impact as their participants fundraising totals are missing that all important company match.

Say what you will about their intentions and the obvious short comings of  the industry as a whole, at least some of that money was being used to fuel research and help people in need. It ‘s going to be increasingly difficult for charitable organizations in the Queen City to bridge the gap especially in a year when everyone has also seen a decline in funding from the banks.

John Fuller is the President of Phoenixfire Solutions and a professional with more than ten years experience in IT, seven years in non-profit, and four years in design.  Taking his love for all things technological and all things artistic,Phoenixfire Solutions came into being.  John’s expertise offers a unique perspective from someone who has been both the client and the vendor.  After experiencing years both the good and bad of outsourcing solutions, John has made it his mission to bridge that gap for companies and non-profits that have fallen prey too many times. Connect with John on Twitter: @phoenixfire8383 & LinkedIn.