Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh announced:

• Dr. Gayle Greene was named associate vice president of the Northern Wake Campus of Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh.

• Benita Budd, an instructor at Wake Tech, was appointed a GlaxoSmithKline faculty fellow at the Institute for Emerging Issues at N.C. State University in Raleigh. She will help faculty at North Carolina's colleges and universities develop statewide public policy issues.

• Eno Publishers released “Undaunted Heart, the True Story of a Southern Belle & a Yankee General,” a post-Civil War love story by Suzy Barile, an English instructor at Wake Tech.

Melissa Ockert, who served as the director of the Clinical Trials Research Associate program at Durham Technical Community College, was named the college’s dean of Health Technologies

Sarah Hicks debuted as the associate conductor of the N.C. Symphony in Raleigh. Hicks was featured in a New York Times article about “a new wave of female conductors in their late 20s through early 40s.”

Durham County novelist Zelda Lockhart, author of “Fifth Born” and “Cold Running Creek,” was named the 2010 Piedmont Laureate. Lockhart will promote literature and writing in the community. The program brings residents together to celebrate the art of writing.

Irregardless Café and Catering in Raleigh, co-owned by Anya Gordon, received the Business Support of the Arts Award, in the small business category, from the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

Nancy McClure, co-owner of ArtSource Fine Art Gallery in Raleigh, announced that the Five Points gallery will close and the North Hills location will nearly double in size.

A painting by Raleigh artist Vinita Jain, who specializes in acrylics and pastels, was displayed in the North to South Juried Competition in Charlotte. Another painting by Jain was shown at the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh.

Brenda Priest was selected as the artist-in-residence at New Hope Valley Railway and Railroad Museum in New Hill.

A painting by Holly Springs artist Willie Green-Aldridge was displayed at the Meredith College Alumnae Art Exhibition.

Olalah Njenga, CEO of YellowWood Group in Raleigh, released “37 What Were They Thinking Moments in Marketing,” a lighthearted account of her career missteps.

Elise Okrend, a Raleigh-based pastel artist, moved paintings from her Glenwood South studio for a two-month exhibit at Duke Raleigh Hospital.

Connie Campanaro, president of the Carolina Theatre in Durham, announced that the nonprofit received a grant from the Fox Family Foundation to support performances for school children.

The Woman’s Club of Raleigh announced the following winners in its Arts Festival:
• Pat Davis — bead craft
• Lesley Gray — crewel
• Grace Krishnamurty — embroidery, fabric paint, drama and literature
• Karen Haire, Joanne Moffett — knitting
• Eleanor Miles — literature
• Katalin Bajor, Gennie Pearce, Lois Nixon, Carol Cato — photography
• Karen Lane, Mary Barham, Carole Stephens — visual arts.

Raleigh artist Susanna Pantas launched a Web site to showcase her figurative and still life paintings. Pantas’ canvases are on display at ArtSource Fine Art at North Hills in Raleigh.

Raleigh’s Angus Barn steakhouse, owned by Van Eure, was named to a list of All-American Icon restaurants by Nation’s Restaurant News.

Ragsdale Liggett, a Raleigh law firm, announced that Mary Hulett was named to Law & Politics magazine’s 2010 Super Lawyers list, which recognizes a high level of peer recognition and professional achievement. Carrie Barbee and Ashley Huffstetler Campbell were named to the magazine’s 2010 Rising Stars list, which recognizes the top attorneys in the state who are 40 or younger or have been practicing for 10 years or fewer.

The law firm of Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham in Raleigh announced that Tamara R. Nance was named to the 2010 North Carolina edition of Super Lawyers. Melissa R. Cleary, Tracey L. Jones and Carrie Meigs were named “Rising Stars.”

Nancy Piepho, owner of Expedite Group in the Triangle, competed in the Make Mine a Million $ Business Program track of the American Express OPEN Women's Business Summit in Houston. The program offers female entrepreneurs the resources to own high-income enterprises.

Laura A. Schoppe, president of Fuentek, an intellectual property and technology management service in Cary, announced that NASA’s Johnson Space Center selected Fuentek to find licensees for the intellectual property rights to the High Altitude Hydration System, a technology that improves on existing systems.

Carol Fountain Nix, president of NIXdesign, a marketing and interactive media firm in Raleigh, announced that the company was selected as the agency of record for Keep North Carolina Beautiful, which is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s largest volunteer community outreach organization.

Catherine Kerrigone was promoted to chief operating officer of All-Points Personal Transportation, a ground transportation provider in Raleigh.

Laura McAliley was promoted to account supervisor in the public relations department of Howard, Merrell & Partners, an ad agency in Raleigh.

Carrie Hartley was promoted to partner at the Raleigh law firm DLA Piper in its Finance and Projects practice.

Michelle McNutt, of BJAC, an architectural firm in Raleigh, received her architectural registration.

Sally Webb, president of The Special Event Company in Durham, announced that the business is a finalist for the 2010 Events Solutions Spotlight Award, which honors the industry’s top professionals.

Jessica Williams, owner and senior stylist at Lather Hair Salon in Raleigh, spent a day at Duke Children’s Hospital giving free haircuts to the caregivers of patients in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant unit.

Diane Kuehn, president and CEO of VisionPoint Marketing in Raleigh, announced that the firm is redesigning the Web site of Campbell University in Buies Creek.

Lana Calloway, president of Exhibit Resources, an exhibit design agency in Raleigh, announced that the firm hosted an event for the Triangle chapter of the American Marketing Association that highlighted innovative green technologies and their applications in today’s business environment. 

Capt. Tamala Wilson is the first woman to be promoted to battalion chief of the Durham Fire Department.

Gov. Bev Perdue appointed Nancy Creamer of Apex to the Sustainable Local Food Advisory, which helps build a local food economy.

Maggie O’Neill, executive director of the Wake Forest Downtown Revitalization Corp., announced that it offers volunteer activities through the Disney “Give a Day. Get a Day” program.

Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall was interviewed on TV’s “Good Morning America” about her efforts to stop the sale of counterfeit products in North Carolina.

Nancy McFarlane, Raleigh city councilwoman, spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Market at Colonnade shopping center, the site of a new Whole Foods.

Robin Diehl of Cary was elected to the board of directors of the American Diabetes Association, the nation’s largest voluntary organization in the fight against diabetes.

Elaine Buxton, owner of Confero, a customer experience firm in Cary, was elected president of the board of directors of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, an organization that improves the quality of service in the retail industry.

The Executive Service Corps of the Triangle, a consultant for nonprofit organizations, announced: Joan Lipsitz, a senior fellow at MDC and program director at Lilly Endowment, was re-elected chair; Beth Maxwell was elected vice chair; the Rev. Laura Benson, executive director of Triangle Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas, was elected a director; and Gracie Johnson-Lopez, senior vice president of administration/human resources at N.C. Mutual Life Insurance in Durham, was elected
a director.

Susan Perry-Manning, an early care and education expert in Raleigh, was named senior director of policy and programs for the N.C. Partnership for Children, the nonprofit that leads Smart Start across the state.

Kim Croon, director of the Raleigh-based Pet Foster Network, announced that the animal welfare and rescue shelter assistance group is expanding to serve all 100 counties of North Carolina.

The N.C. chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, based in Raleigh, announced:
• Sarah Lamm, of the UNC General Alumni Association, was elected president elect and seminar chair.
• Gena Renfrow, of Reach Communications, was elected vice president and membership chair.
• Meredith Blalock, of RBC Centura, was elected secretary.
• Tracy Lathan, of IMRE, who is accredited in public relations, was named the accreditation chair.
• Eva Hornak was named the awards co-chair.
• Steffi Kinton, of the UNC General Alumni Association, was named the Public Relations Student Society of America chair.
• Meghan Woodlief, of Capstrat, was named the programs co-chair.
• Kelly Lloyd, of Gibbs & Soell, was named the Web site/database/job bank chair.
• Katherine Smart was named the assembly delegate.

Paige Bagwell, director of operations and communications for The Salvation Army of Wake County, announced that more than 10,000 coats were collected in this year’s Coats for Children campaign.

Lisa Valentino, executive director of the Raleigh-based Me Fine Foundation, which provides financial assistance to the families of patients at Duke and UNC Children’s Hospitals, announced sponsors for the Purse Gala, an annual benefit.

The Durham chapter of Jack and Jill of America, a national mothers and children organization, presented shoes collected from the chapter drive to Operation Shoes-
4-Souls in Haiti.

The Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties announced:
• Michele Myers, of M Squared Builders & Designers, was named second vice president.
• Faye Libby, of Hunter Oil & Propane, was named associate vice president.
• Britney Wallace, of B. Wallace Design & Construction, was named builder director.
• The following were named associate directors: Kara Hart, of Terra Nova Global Properties; Julia Woods, of Academy Mortgage; and Jodi Sauerbier, of New Homes & Ideas Magazine.
• Diane Oxley, of Abodesign, received the 2009 Associate of the Year award.
• Faye Libby, of Hunter Oil & Propane, received the 2009 Presidential Service Award.

Rebecca Newsome, owner of Constructive Marketing, was installed as the 2010 chair of the Triangle Sales and Marketing Council, an organization of the Home Builders Associations of Durham, Orange, Chatham and Raleigh-Wake County.

Theresa Clark, of Fonville Morisey Realty in Cary, was elected the 2010 president of the Raleigh Regional Board of Realtors.

Carolyn Kasdorf, manager of Fonville Morisey Realty’s Lochmere office in Cary, was named Realtor of the Year by the Raleigh Regional Board of Realtors.

Colleen Whiteaker of Raleigh was selected as the builder representative for North Farm Cottages at Flowers Plantation in Clayton.

ERA Pacesetters Realty of Cary announced the following sales leaders for January:
Courtney Mills, Lisa Ligouri, Nancy Guenther, Terri McCall, Carol Ochs, Pat McElroy, Nikki Belsito and Rossitza Todorova.

Jenn Nowalk of Raleigh returned to Heritage Wake Forest as its newest builder representative.

The Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors announced the members of the 2010 board of directors. Linda Trevor is the vice president, and Stacey Anfindsen is the president elect. Other board members include: Steina DeAndrade, Harriette Doggett, Laurie Donofrio, Carol McCormick, Mollie Owen, Phyllis Brookshire, Asa Fleming, Julie Garrison, Becky Harper, Melanie Osborne, Teresa Pitt, Elizabeth Allardice and Mary Edna Williams.

Tara Byrd Cage joined Allen Tate Realtors at the Falls of Neuse office in Raleigh.

Holley Maycher obtained her broker’s license and became a Realtor. She joined Keller Williams Realty in the Cary office.

Linda Craft, of Linda Craft & Team Realtors in Raleigh, launched a Web site designed to offer homeowners alternatives to foreclosure.

Leslie H. Boyce, MD, joined Raleigh Neurology Associates as a physician in the department of child neurology.

Karen Albright, president of BodyLase Skin Spa in Cary, announced:
• The firm was awarded eight Best of Citysearch titles in the 2009 Raleigh Spa and Beauty contest.
• The spa offers the Thermage NXT treatment, which is FDA approved for the noninvasive treatment of wrinkles and rhytids.
• Cindy Kier Croney, an aesthetician at BodyLase, completed the two-day Xtreme Lashes® Eyelash Extension training and certification program.