Career Almanac
On the Move
Stephen Toth was named Gallery Restaurant manager at The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge.
Attorney Paige Taylor joined the Public Defender's Office.
Samantha (Sam) Kirby was hired as an account manager for Pivot PR, where she develops strategic public relations plans and handles general communications tasks and event promotion.
Johnston, Allison & Hord, P.A., hired Attorney Heather Cox as an associate. She practices in the firm’s estate planning and administration group.
Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo LLP promoted the following attorneys in the firm’s Charlotte office: Becca Zoller, whose practice focuses on workers’ compensation and employment law, was promoted to partner. Joe Delfino, who focuses on civil litigation and workers’ compensation, and Andy Stein, who focuses on long-term care litigation, trucking and transportation issues and product liability, advanced from associate to special counsel.
Matthews Chamber Executive Director Tina Whitley starts a new career as a residential real estate broker with Allen Tate Realty in Matthews.
Allen Tate Company named Sara Spencer vice president of operations.
Northwestern Mutual hired Stan Banks and Joe Wheeler as financial representatives.
Notable Items
The Humane Society of Charlotte partnered with Petco and the Petco Foundation to open an adoption center at Petco, 10017 Biddick Lane, Huntersville. All pets from the Humane Society adopted through the center will first be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and given a microchip identification implant.
Church Watson Law, with offices in Charlotte and Cornelius, was named to U.S. News’ Best Law Firms list for 2016 in the area of family law, the third year the firm has received this honor for Tier 2 firms in Charlotte. The firm was founded in 2013 by attorneys Rush Watson and Kary Church Watson.
Business North Carolina magazine named Essex Richards partner Rob Blair as the top family law attorney in North Carolina on its 2016 list of “Legal Elite.” He was selected for the honor by other attorneys in the state.
Shareholder Jeremy Stephenson of the McNair Law Firm was appointed chair of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Business and Workplace Topics Committee.
This week
Tuesday
Learn about Medicare, insurance changes:
The Charlotte Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees holds its brunch meeting. Important changes regarding Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield and legislative changes will be discussed. 11 a.m. at Golden Corral Restaurant, 11025 Independence Blvd., Matthews. Meeting is free; meal is $8. Details: 704-846-1945.
Feb. 9
Women Worth More Business Summit:
Women entrepreneurs and business owners are invited to attend a free business summit sponsored by Women’s Inter-Cultural Exchange and Worth Financial Advisory Group. 9-11 a.m. at Harris Conference Center, 3216 CPCC Harris Campus Drive, Charlotte. Registration required by Feb. 5 at www.women-worth-more.eventbrite.com; fee is $25 with no RSVP. For more information, email info@worthadvisors.com.
Feb. 23
Krispy Kreme exec to speak:
James Morgan of Cornelius, chairman of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc., will deliver the spring MBA lecture at Winthrop University, Rock Hill. Morgan has served on the board since 2000. A reception from 6-6:45 p.m. in Macfeat House preceeds the 7 p.m. lecture in Whitton Auditorium, located in Vivian M. Carroll Hall. Free and open to the regional business community. For details, contact Winthrop’s M.B.A. office at 803-323-2409 or via e-mail at mbaoffice@winthrop.edu.
March 15
The Greater Matthews Business Expo 2016:
Connect with the public and other business owners at this annual trade show for Matthews Chamber member businesses. 4-7 p.m. at Carmel Baptist Church, 1145 Pineville-Matthews Road. For vendor information and fees, go to matthewschamber.org.
Send us your news
Email information about management promotions, honors, area business developments or changes in operations to the Business news department: obsbiz@charlotteobserver.com. Photos of individuals will be published only if submitted as JPEG attachments. Include your identifying information, with a phone number, in the body of the email. Emails that only include an attachment will not be opened. Limit submissions to 100 words. Deadline: Items must be submitted by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication the following Sunday.
This story was originally published January 23, 2016 at 2:00 AM with the headline "Career Almanac."