He has an affinity for the control key.

• Position: People - Clarence Briggs of Advanced Internet Technologies Inc. - Brief Article

Clarence Briggs calls his employees troops and his executives officers. He promises to return your call at 1530 hours. That's military talk for 3:30 p.m. And he swears he doesn't force new hires to go through boot camp, though they do have to endure an intensive, two-week training program. Nearly two-thirds wash out in the first two months. A former high-school wrestler, Briggs even goes one-on-one with employees in his on-site gym. "It builds a tough, competitive spirit," he says.

Yes, sir. Briggs is chairman and CEO of Fayetteville-based Advanced Internet Technologies Inc., which creates and maintains Web sites for clients. He's a former Army major on his way to becoming a captain of Internet industry, with his company, which he says is profitable, hauling in $20 million in 2001 revenue. He expects sales to rise to $30 million this year. He owns 96% of the company.

Briggs swears he's not obsessed with the military, though he spent 13 years in it. "It's not like we are wearing crewcuts and having formations every morning. It's just: Make it happen, get it done, produce results."

Perhaps. But he's even created a fortress to house ATT. The 90,000square-foot building in downtown Fayetteville has razor-wire fences, surveillance cameras, motion detectors and 24-hour guards armed with shotguns and 9 mm Beretta pistols. Visitors are surveyed by a former Air Force One security chief. Asked if all that security is necessary to protect servers for Web sites, Briggs responds, "Before anything happens, it's never necessary. I'd rather prevent than recover."

Briggs, 41, made his leap from the military to industry after he injured his knee in 1996 jumping...