I am a Thalhimers alumni. I got my start in the computer industry at the regional retail giant back in 1988 when Mr. Lee Roberts, VP-IT (CTO) asked me to work as a computer operator with no prior training (previously I had been a stock boy and ‘relay’ assistant manager since joining in 1986). What a lucky break for me! From the computer operations department I got a rare look across so many of the company’s internal functions and I met so many people who would teach me so much about business, computing, and professional networking. At the time I had no idea that my recently discovered affinity for computers would lead to a long-term career.

Finding Thalhimers is a new book written by a modern descendant of the Thalhimer family. Thalhimers was a regional chain of 26 large scale department stores located throughout four Southern states, and headquartered in Richmond, Va. The store was founded in 1842 and and grew steadily until about 1990 but ultimately lost its identity when management and operations were dissolved while several locations were folded into another department store chain by a new owner in 1992. As a result, Downtown Richmond, Va., location of the original flagship store which endured until 1992, has never been the same without the large scale retail that had existed at Thalhimers and its long-time rival Miller & Rhoads, which went bankrupt in 1990. Many folks in the region still fondly remember the legendary customer service, enjoyable shopping experiences, and sweets from the bakery, all found at Thalhimers.

The Finding Thalhimers book describes the family behind the store from an insider’s point of view. It is a compelling read for anyone who remembers the magic the stores offered year ’round, particularly during the holidays. I enjoyed reading the book which provide many previously little-known family stories and abundant background information about the store’s development since 1842 and incredible growth during the first 90 or so years of the 20th century.

Social Networking (SN) is rapidly becoming an accepted practice in the business world. Branding and brand protection are some of the main reasons businesses are using SN sites. A great way to find a name or ‘handle’ for your business which can be the same across all or many SN sites is to use namechk in much the same way as finding a valid domain name to register.

Any publicity is good publicity, right?

Almost.

Some ‘publicity’ can be bad. Now, compliments of blogs and social networking sites, it is easier than ever for employees to get a jab at employers and clients even if they don’t mean to. Some companies have used this as excuse to ban employee email usage and worse; but others, such as IBM, have chosen to develop a set of employee guidelines to set tone for employees and to embrace rather than negate these new venues.

Nice. Now the rest of us have a model to follow. Leave it to ‘stodgy’, ‘old’ IBM to address this emerging issue with style.