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Area may see talent drain with NCR's exit

Departure could cost Dayton managerial, technical expertise.

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By Ben Sutherly, Staff Writer Updated 10:27 PM Thursday, June 4, 2009

DAYTON — NCR Corp.’s decision to move its world headquarters to Georgia may siphon away more than high-paying jobs and taxes.

“In addition to jobs and taxes, I think the biggest thing is the talent drain, both management talent and technical abilities,” said Steve Herbert, chairman of Dayton law firm Coolidge Wall Co. “That’s what really hurts.”

NCR has a talented in-house legal department, with strengths in areas such as technology, patents and software, Herbert said.

“If that moves, you kind of lose that expertise that’s there,” Herbert said. “A company like that, they tend to bring in talented people with lots of abilities. It’s a shame to not have them bring in those people to the community any more.”

Coolidge Wall has done real-estate work for NCR in recent years. “That probably will continue, but we don’t know for sure,” Herbert said.

NCR traditionally has done a lot of its legal work in-house, but has sought legal help on specialized matters and to handle litigation, said Jeff Ireland, a founding partner of Faruki Ireland & Cox PLL.

He said his firm is currently defending Teradata, which split off from NCR in September 2007. NCR remains a party in that case, he said.

The loss of a large company that deals with litigation issues represents a loss of potential for area law firms, Ireland said.

“You sort of feel the ripple,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7457 or bsutherly@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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