Retail news

Statewide honor: John Cherry, president of John Cherry State Farm Insurance and founder of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest honor, at the chamber’s 2013 Annual Awards Meeting on Jan. 24.

“As a resident of North Mecklenburg and the Lake Norman region myself, we are all indebted to the men and women who have served on the Board of Directors of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce for the past 25 years.,” N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Cornelius said in a letter read at the meeting. “We deeply appreciate their commitment to our community and in particular John Cherry, the founder, whose vision and leadership has left a lasting legacy for our region.”

New Chamber chairman: Wendy Moran, vice president and business center manager for Peoples Bank in Denver, was installed as the 2013 Chairman of the Board of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce at the Annual Meeting in Cornelius on Jan. 24.

Executive Women of Lake Norman: The Board of Directors of the Executive Women of Lake Norman recently announced the association’s board of directors and officers for fiscal 2013: president, Cristen Morgan, Lake Norman Financial Group; vice president, Kathy Holden, Home Helpers & Direct Link; secretary, Tricia Sisson, The Range of Lake Norman; treasurer, Lisa Squatriglia, Summit Insurance Group Inc.; programs/education, Starr Miller, Starr Miller Design; membership, Diana Howard, LKN Savings; membership, Patricia Rickard, Freedom Group Inc.; past president, Erika Erlenbach, McIntosh Law Firm.

Executive Women of Lake Norman meets at 8 a.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month in the Randy Marion Conference Room on the second floor of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. Details: 704-516-9363; www.executivewomenoflkn.com.

China Grove Family Medicine: The Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Centers Inc. held a grand opening on Feb. 9 for its new China Grove Family Medicine clinic, 308 E. Centerview St., China Grove. Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Centers is a federally qualified health center providing health care to adults and children who are uninsured and those who have insurance. Individuals without insurance are eligible for services based on a sliding fee scale. Appointments: 704-855-5200.

Insight Security: Home security professional Esbith Andaya, a former sales representative and technician with ADT Security and Vector Security, recently opened home security company Insight Security LLC at 18805 W. Catawba Ave., Suite 207, Cornelius. The company serves Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and Mooresville. Details: 704-778-8626; www.insightsecurityllc.com.

$1 million sale: Cornelius business broker Joe Vagnone of Carolina Business Associates announced the sale recently of Carolina Crane Repair Inc. of Richfield for $1 million, including assets and inventory. The buyer was Bill Adeline of Charlotte, a former commercial real estate manager. CCRI is one of the Southeast’s largest dealers of new and used cranes and parts. Vagnone said the listing took 19 months to sell, “a little longer than pre-recession times.” Carolina Business Associates is at 20462 Chartwell Center Drive, Suite C. Details: 704-895-4274; jvagnone@carolinabusinessassociates.com; www.jvagnone.com.

Spirit Award: The accounting firm of Boatsman Gillmore Wagner PLLC received the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce’s first Sprit of Entrepreneurship Award at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting Jan. 24 at the Havana Banquet and Ballroom in Cornelius.

Wagner Noble & Co. recently merged with Boatsman Gillmore PLLC to combine their accounting, tax and advisory practices into one firm with offices in Charlotte and Huntersville. The combined firm is one of the largest locally owned accounting firms in the Charlotte region with 40 accounting and business professionals and revenues of about $5 million.

McIntosh Law Firm: The law firm, in the Historic Davidson Cotton Mill, received the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award at the chamber’s annual meeting on Jan. 24. Many of the firm’s lawyers sit on nonprofit or town government boards and staff volunteer at various other organizations.

Award winners: The Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce recognized these award winners during its Annual Meeting and Celebration Luncheon on Jan. 25:

•  Chamber Ambassador of the Year: Miss “B,” Bernice Scott.

•  Duke Energy Service Award: Mooresville Graded School District Superintendent Mark Edwards.

•  Willis Barnette Entrepreneurial Award: Michal Bay, owner of Merinos Home Furnishings.

•  Sara Haire Tice Women in Leadership Award: Lisa Qualls.

•  2012 Citizen of the Year Award: Pastor Tom McCrea of The Bridge Church.

•  Randy Marion Automotive Group Business Person of the Year: Howard Kosofsky, Old Downtown LLC.

Lake Norman Regional Medical Center: The Mooresville hospital recently recognized these employees:

•  Lori Brolsma, director of physician practice management, Leader of the Year award.

•  Rhonda Douthit, a registered nurse in surgical services, 4th Quarter Nurse and Nurse of the Year awards.

•  Terri Cowan, Support Associate of the Year award for her ortho neuro spine work. Compiled by Joe Marusak