Business Milestones

Jeff Regester, instructor of physics and astronomy in the Wanek School of Natural Sciences at High Point University, recently captured data in support of the NASA mission called Lucy. Regester worked with more than 100 other scientists to prepare for the Lucy flyby of the Polymele asteroid, which will happen in September 2027. Lucy is a probe that was launched in October 2021 to visit 10 asteroids in the outer solar system.

He traveled to Colorado to help staff at the Southwest Research Institute prepare equipment and train volunteer telescope observers, who operated 94 telescopes spanning 200 kilometers on the ground. The mission was to observe Polymele as it passed in front of a distant star; its shadow was predicted to cross the United States on Feb. 3. Regester says the mission was successful and they were able to collect data in Kansas, which had cloud-free skies on a crucial evening to watch Polymele’s shadow.

The Lucy asteroid mission will have its first flyby this November and the last in 2033.

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Attorney Dennis Toman, founding partner of The Elderlaw Firm, recently traveled to Tampa, Fla., to meet with 40 other leading elder law attorneys, financial advisors and key staff from across the nation.

Presentations focused on offering top quality planning services for clients, families and or caregivers of those with a dementia diagnosis.

Guest speakers included Julie Steinbacher, a leading elder law attorney across the United States, Dr. David Bernstein who has more than 40 years of experience in geriatric medicine, and Don Quante, a leading expert in effective long term care policies across the world.

Networking events and open feedback sessions were held for each attendee to have a chance to engage with the other leading professionals in attendance. Toman feels there is much to gain from professional networking events. According to Toman, “The information shared by the presenters and among the attendees was invaluable. We’ll put this knowledge to good use, to better serve our clients. At the end of the day, that is what we are striving to do: effectively and efficiently assist our clients in preparing them for their second half of life.”

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Ellis & Winters has recognized partner Andrew Chamberlin for his recognition in the Who’s Who Legal: Life Sciences 2023 report of the highest-ranking Life Sciences lawyers.

Chamberlin was named “Lawyer of the Year,” by The Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury Litigation Defense in the North Carolina Triad area for 2021 and 2022. He is the immediate past president and a current board member of the International Association of Defense Counsel.

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The Orange County Historical Museum has invited local author and historian C. Michael Briggs to give his program, “North Carolina Schools of Longrifles and Powder Horns” at 3 p.m. March 25. The program will be held at the Eagle Masonic Lodge Auditorium at 142 W. King Street in Hillsborough. The museum is charging $20 to attend and refreshments will be served.

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Wayne Drumheller and Mary Archer are the featured artists and photographers this month at the Burlington Artists League Gallery in the Holly Hill Mall.

They will have featured readings and discussions of their books and artworks at events throughout the month.

For information, visit www.burlingtonartistsleague.com.

Announcements

The High Point Public Library will host the Black Business Expo, a free event featuring local vendors with a variety of products and services, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 11 in the library’s first-floor lobby, 901 N. Main St.

After the expo, attendees are invited to an author discussion with Vanessa Miller at 3 p.m. in the Morgan Community Room, where she will talk about her book, ‘What We Found in Hallelujah.”

Attendees are encouraged to enter the Black Expo door-prize drawing by taking a ticket at the entrance.

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Downtown Gibsonville has welcomed its first Black woman owned bar to Main Street. Opened by LaVida Reaves-Burns, Zone 32 is a sports bar serving daiquiris, mixed drinks, beer and snacks.

Located at 124 W. Main St., Zone 32 is currently open Thursday-Sunday, with hours expanding in the near future.

For information, call 336-603-6106.

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Randolph Community College is holding an information session for individuals interested in becoming certified as a teacher for all grade levels.

The drop-in session is set for 4 to 6 p.m. March 21 in the Martha Luck Comer Foundation Conference Center on the Asheboro Campus.

For information, call 336-633-0265.

Awards

High Point University has been recognized with the 2022 Tree Campus Higher Education award, formerly known as Tree Campus USA. This is the 14th consecutive year the university has received this designation for its continued commitment to creating a healthy environment on campus full of natural beauty.

Tree Campus Higher Education, an Arbor Day Foundation program, honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.

The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens at HPU feature 3,700 different plants, including more than 700 varieties of trees. The arboretum and gardens feature several tree collections. These include 48 varieties of redbuds, 65 different varieties of dogwoods, 40 varieties of flowering cherries and 135 different varieties of magnolias.

The gardens are growing on HPU’s campus, with plans for a full-scale renovation and expansion of the Scarborough butterfly garden and the addition of hundreds of new plants throughout the campus gardens.

Join HPU for the Arbor Day Celebration on April 20 at 4 p.m. at the Cottrell Amphitheatre. The event is free and open to the public and will include tours of the Culp Planetarium and the Caine Conservatory. Representatives from the Arbor Day Foundation will also present campus leaders with the Tree Campus Higher Education Award during the event. For information, visit www.highpoint.edu/live/.

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Seven local United Way of Greater Greensboro annual campaign partners and one volunteer leader were recently honored with Spirit of North Carolina Awards, which celebrate organizations and individuals for their exemplary partnership demonstrated through fundraising, volunteering, outstanding leadership and creative team building.

The Spirit of North Carolina Award offers local United Ways an opportunity to nominate organizations and individuals whose annual campaign and leadership exemplify the “spirit” of their community.

Local campaign award winners include Brooks Pierce, City of Greensboro, Ecolab, Guilford County Schools, Hoffman and Hoffman, Publix, Syngenta, and volunteer Scott Baker, the president of TowneBank Triad.

United Way of North Carolina leads the award nomination and judging process and presents the awards annually. Between March 1-3, UWNC presented a total of 74 Spirit of NC Awards during three regional events representing 17 United Ways.

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Edmonds, Hunt & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services in Greensboro, has earned the Ameriprise Client Experience Award for 2022.

Award recipients earned an overall client satisfaction rating equal to or greater than 4.9 out of 5.0 and maintained stellar business results. The award represents an elite group of Ameriprise advisors recognized as leaders for their commitment to making a difference in the lives of their clients.

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The Diversity First Consortium has named Michelle Adamolekun, executive vice president and chief people and culture officer at Cone Health, as one of the Top 50 Healthcare Professionals.

The award is given to leaders who are recognized as changemakers in diversity and inclusion and who possess the highest commitment to growth and the advancement of an inclusive community. The recognition honors those who are advancing health care in meaningful and moving ways within society at large.

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Employees with the Greensboro Fire Department and Greensboro History Museum were honored March 7 as winners of the 2022 Employee Innovation Awards. The annual honors recognize City of Greensboro employees who have devised innovative and impactful solutions that improved how the city does business.

The winners received a $2,500 prize, to be split between recipients in the case of a joint project.

2022 Award Winners

Impact Award: Camp Spark, Brittany King, senior firefighter, Greensboro Fire Department. King advocated for, helped create, and run Camp Spark, a program designed to introduce high school girls to the fire-service industry.

Innovation Award: Pieces of Now – Digital Connections, Robert Harris, curator of exhibitions, and Glenn Perkins, curator of community history, Greensboro History Museum. The museum staff developed a 360-degree scan of its “Piece of Now” exhibit, creating a virtual tour.

On the Move

• Rockingham Community College’s vice president for student development, Bob Lowdermilk III, has retired from his position after 16 years.
• UNCG’s College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean bruce d. mcclung has announced the appointment of Jungho Kim as associate professor of conducting and director of orchestras in CVPA’s School of Music.
• Canterbury School has tapped Caroline Walker for a newly created role of chief strategy officer effective July 1. Walker has served as admissions director since 2019. The chief strategy officer will serve as a thought partner for the head of school and other members of the senior administration while also serving as a financial and operational leader.
• High Point native Elizabeth Yocum, an alum of Westchester Country School, has joined Stock + Grain Assembly Food Hall to lead their marketing, events and community engagement efforts.