Lori Clowers, public relations director for Raleigh-based Wake Technical Community College, announced:
• The college received the Thad Eure, Jr. Memorial Award from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau in recognition of its customer service training programs.
• Sheilla Arcangel, Meredith Brookover and Mo Kurtz, students in the Baking and Pastry Arts program, were awarded a gold medal in the American Culinary Federation Culinary Salon and Hot Food Competition under the direction of Caralyn House, the baking instructor.

Communities in Schools of North Carolina hosted the N.C. Graduation Summit at N.C. State University in Raleigh to develop strategies to increase high school graduation rates in the state, said Linda Harrill, president of the association.

Ruth Ella Brown, a pottery and sculpture student at Central Carolina Community College, won a Merit Award at the 21st annual Sculpture in the Garden Show at the N.C. Botanical Garden for her large ceramic sculpture “Circle of Life: Susan.” In addition, students Margo Bennett and Beverly Rouse showed sculptures at the event.

The Carolina Theatre, located in Durham, was awarded $10,000 from the N.C. Arts Council for its Pathways to Understanding Series, said Connie Campanaro, president and CEO of The Carolina Theatre. The funds will be used to educate the community about issues related to historical and cultural heritage, health and disease, and societal problems and solutions.

Helen Krauss and Anne Spafford, horticulturists at N.C. State University in Raleigh, wrote “Rain Gardening in the South: Ecologically Designed Gardens for Drought, Deluge and Everything in Between” which was published by Eno Publishers.

Four works by the Holly Springs artist Willie Green-Aldridge were purchased and placed in the newly opened branch of Capital Bank in Raleigh. The work of local artist Cathy Martin is also at the bank.

Barbi Dalton, a Chapel Hill artist, exhibited her oil paintings during the Orange County Artist Guild Open Studio Tour.

Raleigh author Alice Osborn took first place in the poetry competition at Irish Fest in Wake Forest.

Bearta Powell, Raleigh author of “Orphans of War,” was featured at a local author book presentation and signing event in Barnes & Noble at Triangle Towne Center in Raleigh.

Artist Marina Bosetti, owner of Bosetti Art Tile in Raleigh, exhibited more than 40 pieces, including a Divine Mothers series, at The Clayton Center Gallery.

Sheila Forte-Trammell, an IBM human resources consultant, and Diana Bing, a retired IBM executive, co-authored “Agile Career Development: Lessons and Approaches From IBM,” which offers tips on ways employees can take control of their careers as well as how organizations can develop and retain talent.

A book by Cary author Suzy Barile, “Undaunted Heart: The True Story of a Southern Belle & a Yankee General,” was published by Eno Publishers.

Vinita Jain, a Triangle artist, exhibited her soft pastels and acrylics at Chatham Street Café & Catering in downtown Cary.

Raleigh artist Marla Laubisch donated an oil painting, “Grove of Trees at the N.C. Museum of Art,” to the annual Works of Heart art auction against AIDS.

Elizabeth Edwards, the attorney, author and spouse of presidential and vice presidential candidate John Edwards, opened Red Window, a store in Chapel Hill that sells unique items such as folk art paintings, lighting fixtures, furnishings and accessories. It also features handmade sea-shelled-themed art designed by Edwards’ sister, Nancy Anania.

Raleigh’s Ragsdale Liggett announced that Melissa Dewey Brumback, partner at the firm, will be featured in the 2010 edition of The Woman’s Advantage Shared Wisdom Page-A-Day Calendar. Brumback’s calendar page will display this inspirational quote: “Communicate, communicate, communicate. More clients are lost for lack of communication than for anything else.”

Hairstylist Tammy Coleman opened Shear Design, an organic salon in Hillsborough.

MMI Public Relations, based in Raleigh, announced:
• The firm changed its name from MMI Associates and launched its new Web site.
• Patty Briguglio,president, spoke on a panel discussion at the 2009 N.C. Chamber Health Care Conference in Durham.

Carolyn Dianne Williams, a designer and instructor, remodeled a store in Raleigh into a new shop, Carolyn’s Bead Addiction.

Denise Whitley, interior designer for Interior Concepts in Raleigh, added GREENleader Accredited Professional to her certifications. 

Eileen Batson, of Raleigh’s Batson Group Marketing and PR,will represent author, actress, playwright and stage director Lee Kessler’s latest novel “White King Rising.”

Hughes Pittman & Gupton, the largest CPA firm headquartered in Research Triangle Park, welcomed Melinda Hager to its tax practice.

Sharon Hill, president of Sharon Hill International in Durham, spoke at the Kansas City Women’s Conference about professional etiquette. 

Greenroom Communications, a media coaching firm in Raleigh, launched its new branding and Web site, said Sharon Delaney McCloud, the managing partner. The firm was formerly known as Triangle Media Trainers. 

Tracy Phelan Lathan, senior account manager of The Catevo Group headquartered in Raleigh, earned the Accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America.

North Raleigh Florist, owned by Janice Cutler, collected food donations for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina in October.

The Stone Agency, a strategic communications firm in Raleigh, launched the Stone Builder & Developer Marketing Group, which is focused on marketing residential and commercial real estate, announced Jenny Martin.

Elaine Buxton, president of Confero, a national customer experience measurement firm, announced that Cary resident Katie Bean was named communications manager. 

Crescent State Bank sponsored the Women of Western Wake Luncheon at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary.

Owner Jessica Williams and stylists from North Raleigh’s Lather Hair Salon participated in PinkFest, an event supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure N.C. Triangle. The salon also sponsored the Habitat for Humanity of Wake County’s 2009 Homes Tour.

Cathy Rosebaugh-Jennings, president of Alterna Home Solutions in Raleigh, was named to the AARP Workforce Speaker’s Bureau.

Honeybeez & Co., a Garner gift boutique owned by Brook Brown, Denise Stewart and Sherry Mitchell, held its ribbon-cutting ceremony in October. Additionally, the store participated in the Fidelity Business Park Goes PINK event in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Deb McNaughton of Apex, founder of jewelry company Azuli Sky, was interviewed by Dr. Jane Greer on the Healthy Life Radio Network.

Cisco hosted the inaugural Connected Women “Virtual to Live” networking event at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, announced Kerri Patterson, co-president for the Cisco RTP Women’s Action Network. 

Laura A. Schoppe, president, and Jack Spain, senior consultant, of consulting firm Fuentek, in Raleigh, presented a hands-on distance learning event for tech transfer organizations titled “Best Practices for Marketing University and Federal Lab Technology.”

Women on Board, a program of the N.C. Center for Women in Public Service, a nonprofit that promotes the value of women in governance, announced the steering committee for the launch event held at Meredith College in Raleigh. Members include Andrea Bazan, president of Triangle Community Foundation; Patty Briguglio, president of MMI Public Relations; Maureen Hartford, president of Meredith College; Bertha Holt, former N.C. legislator; Robin Hudson, Supreme Court justice; Jeanette Hyde, former ambassador; Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, vice president of Progress Energy; Billie Redmond, president of Coldwell Banker Commercial Trademark Properties; Gwynn Swinson, former secretary of the N.C. Department of Administration; state Senator Katie Dorsett; Betty Ray McCain, former secretary of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources; Honorary Co-Chair Elaine Marshall, N.C. secretary of state; and Honorary Co-Chair Cynthia Marshall, president of AT&T North Carolina.

The 21st annual Thad and Alice Eure Walk for Hope and first Run for Hope, held in Raleigh, raised more than $400,000 for the Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness. The top fundraisers included Rebecca Brenner, Louise Fisher, Laura Walker, Jill Highsmith, Debbie Vick, Lynne Welsh and Liz Skvarla.

The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce announced:
• The participants in the 25th Leadership Raleigh class, the largest in history, include: Viki Baker of Meals on Wheels; Natalie Britt of DHIC; Ashley Britton of Todd Rivenbark and Puryear; Liz Broadway of Hughes Pittman & Gupton; Leah Burton of N.C. State University Centennial Campus; Erin Conigliaro of e design; Julie Hampton of Poyner Spruill; Mary King of Rex Healthcare; Elaine Leggett of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Andrea Mace of Wake Technical Community College; Annemarie Maiorano of Wake County Human Services; Christina McAlpin Taylor of Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers; Erica Meyers of Williams Mullen; Janice Mrkonjic of Savvy Event Designs; Lisa Prather of Fifth Third Bank; Vernessa Roberts of Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; Sabrina Rockoff of Kilpatrick Stockton; Kelly Smith of Wachovia Bank; Amy Starling of Duke Raleigh Hospital; Barbara Thompson of First Citizens Bank; Mary Ann Wilcox of WakeMed Health & Hospitals; and Meghan Wills of United Way of the Greater Triangle.
• The 2009-2010 executive committee includes Catharine Arrowood, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein; Patty Briguglio, MMI Public Relations; and Lynne Garrison, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of N.C.
• The 2009-2010 board of directors includes Sheila Ahler, Cherry, Bekaert & Holland; DeLisa Alexander, Red Hat; Phyllis Brookshire, Allen Tate Realtors; Leah Brown, Aten Solutions; and Cindy Anderson, RSM McGladrey.

Penny Lauricella, executive director of Pretty in Pink Foundation, a Raleigh nonprofit that provides financial assistance to uninsured and under-insured North Carolinians with breast cancer, announced:
• Its inaugural Hike for Hope, held in September in Cary, raised nearly $12,000, almost 20 percent more than the fundraising goal, and had 268 participants.
• The organization surpassed the 1,000 Facebook fans mark.
• Proceeds from LM Restaurants’ sales of the exclusive Ta Ta Tini in the Triangle during October were donated to the organization.

Graduates of the state’s Alcohol Law Enforcement Basic School included Samantha McNeill, who has been assigned as an agent in Raleigh and Meredith Price, who has been assigned as an agent in Fayetteville.

Jane Preyer of Chapel Hill was elected vice chair of the statewide board of directors of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits.

The Durham Crisis Response Center relocated its thrift store, Pennies for Change, to a new larger, location, said thrift store manager Terry Pannick.

Maria Kingery, of Raleigh’s Southern Energy Management, and Kim Beer, an international health care consultant in Chapel Hill, were elected to the board of directors of the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association.

The Chi Rho Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in Knightdale partnered with Rex Senior Health Center to help with the 12th annual prostate cancer screening, said Nadine Vargas Stewart. This year marked the fifth anniversary of the partnership.

Durham attorney Kerry Sutton was re-elected the vice president of membership for N.C. Advocates for Justice, an organization of more than 4,000 legal professionals dedicated to protecting people’s rights. Also, she was appointed to the Governor’s Crime Commission by Gov. Bev Perdue.

Beverly B. Thompson, director of Durham’s Office of Public Affairs, announced that the city was recognized with a SAVVY Award for its water conservation campaign at the annual conference of the City-County Communications and Marketing Association.

The new board of the nonprofit Assistance League of Raleigh includes: Brenda Griffin, president; Janice Lipson, vice president of membership; Matilda McBurney, vice president of philanthropic programs; Mary Amundsen, vice president of resource development; Mary Jo Cowan, secretary; Virginia King, treasurer; Jan Sheppard, public relations chairman; Dorothy Lipson, education chairman.

Apex’s Gina Soceanu and Wanda Fowler, Raleigh’s Amanda Kowski, Zebulon’s Stephanie Jenkins, and Cary’s Nicole Burke presented during the annual conference of the N.C. Association for the Education of Young Children.

The 2009-2010 leadership team for the Wake County Asthma Coalition includes Jackie Choman, Rex Healthcare; Debbie Credle, WakeMed Children’s Asthma Program; Lisa Feierstein, Active Healthcare; Tami Hilton, Community Care of Wake and Johnston County; Sarah Lineberry, WakeMed Children’s Asthma Program; and Michelle Sever, NIEHS/NIH.

The N.C. Commerce Department’s Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development won a 2009 Mercury Award for its campaign to promote in-state leisure travel, said Lynn Minges, commerce assistant secretary for tourism, marketing, and global branding.

Gail Orrin was named director of Granite Falls Swim and Athletic Club in Rolesville.

Allen Tate Realtors announced:
• Phyllis York Brookshire, regional vice president–Triangle region, was named to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.
• Lee Crawford was awarded the Green Designation of the National Association of Realtors.
• Realtor Lynn W. Stellings joined the company’s Glenwood office.
• Stella Killian joined the Wake Forest-Rolesville office.
• Suzi R. Johnson joined the Brier Creek office.

Fonville Morisey & Barefoot was selected as the sales and marketing company for Renaissance at Regency in Cary and Glenlake South in Raleigh, said Caroline Plummer. Jill Kirby is the on-site sales associate at Glenlake South.

The top sales leaders for Cary-based ERA Pacesetters Realty for September were Nancy Guenther, Mallika Perera, Lisa Ligouri, Courtney Mills, Gwen Hager, Terri McCall and Connie Austin.

Pam Marshall, a Cary Realtor for the Fonville Morisey Preston office, was awarded the Certified Residential Specialist Designation by the Council of Residential Specialists. Angela French, of Fonville’s Lochmere office, was awarded the National Association of Realtors’ Green Designation.

Michelle D’Antonoli was appointed client care manager of Nicole James Real Estate Group in Durham.

Coldwell Banker Howard Perry & Walston welcomed Realtor Sharon Lewis to the Cary West office.

Louise Doing and Jodi Villers joined the Coldwell Banker Advantage Raleigh office.

Marie Abbe was named community sales manager for Coldwell Banker Advantage New Homes, said Gaye Orr, president.

Agent Stephanie Kerr joined Linda Craft and Team, Realtors, located in Raleigh.

Dr. Anna Abernethy, Dr. Jill Sonner and Dr. Anita Wells, partners of the Renaissance Dental Center, in conjunction with the orthodontists of Hart and Wells Orthodontics, announced the grand opening of their practices at a combined location in Raleigh. 

Dayna Rossi, a nurse practitioner, joined BodyLase Skin Spa, located in Cary and Raleigh, said Karen Albright, owner.

Cynthia Gregg, M.D., of Cary, is now using the DOT CO2 Laser at her practice for skin tightening. Dr. Gregg is the only physician in eastern North Carolina to have this new laser. Sculptra Aesthetic is also being offered at the practice, said Nena Clark-Christoff, RN, skin care consultant. Dr. Gregg is one of only two certified trainers for the Sculptra product in North Carolina.

Nina Milano, owner of La Therapie Day Spa in Cary, participated in the nationally sponsored Spa Week in October and celebrated the grand opening of her newly expanded spa and Aveda Hair Salon at Preston Corners.

Wake Radiology expanded its pediatric radiology services with the opening of the Wake Radiology Pediatric Imaging Center in Raleigh. Margaret Douglas, M.D., director of Pediatric Imaging at Wake Radiology Diagnostic Imaging, leads the team of pediatric radiologists at the practice.

Raleigh-based WakeMed Health & Hospitals announced:
• Deborah Friberg, chief operating officer and executive vice president, received the first Healthcare Administrator Award, presented by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
• Jeanene Martin, senior vice president of human resources, received the 2009 Outstanding Leadership and Service Award from the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration.
• The medical institution received approval to expand its neonatal Intensive Care Nursery by 12 additional beds, said Elizabeth Rice, director of women’s and children’s services.

Thearadise Beaver, Jennifer Hassett and Jessica Martin, staff members of Blue Water Spa in Raleigh, contributed in donating more than $2,000 to this year’s Red Sword Guild Raleigh Round Up benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Karie Wik, a licensed massage and bodywork therapist, is now at Gin Brunssen’s Ayurvedic Bodywork Center in Raleigh.

Duke Raleigh Hospital received the N.C. Prevention Partners’ Red Apple designation following the renovation of Duke Raleigh Café for its commitment to providing a healthy food environment and choices to its patients, visitors and employees, said Carla Hollis, chief marketing and business development officer.

The following women were recognized at the N.C. School Nurse Association annual meeting:
• Nancy McMillan, RN, APRN, who works with schools in Southeast Raleigh, was inducted into the N.C. Great 100.
• Linda R. Rogers, RN, MSN, NCSN, who works with schools in central Raleigh, was named the N.C. School Nurse of the Year.
• Claudia Vepraskas, RN, BSN, NCSN, nursing supervisor of the School Health Program, was named N.C. School Nurse Administrator of the Year.
• Victoria K. Orto, MS, RN, NEA-BC, was appointed chief nursing officer of Durham Regional Hospital.

Tannishtha Reya, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham and the co-director of the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Program at the Duke University School of Medicine, won a Director’s Pioneer Award from the National Institutes of Health to pursue innovative research.

Kim Nowosad, L.Ac., joined the Cary office of the Center for Chiropractic & Wellness as a licensed acupuncturist.

Debbie Penny, Jenny Bullock and Anna Wolford, staff members of Michael Law, M.D. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Raleigh, contributed in donating more than $2,000 to the Works of Heart art auction, benefiting The Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina.