SBWire

New product with enhanced security, CAN interface, MQTT protocol that can be used in a wide range of remote sensors monitoring, industrial automation projects

Blue Sky Services has closed the purchase of another tract of land, this time in Belville, NC. This prime location, adjacent to the Brunswick and Cape Fear Rivers stands at the Gateway to Wilmington, its deep water, container seaport and numerous destination beach communities. The transaction was initially contracted with The Pantry, Inc. of Cary, but was consummated by Circle K as a successor of The Pantry through their acquisition and merger earlier this year. Nikita Zhitov of Blue Sky Services Real Estate facilitated the transaction on behalf of Belville Funding, LLC, affiliate of Preston Development, with Beverly Keith of Avison Young, Raleigh Office, who represented Circle K interests.

Your Door & More has announced that owner and illustrator Brenda Priest has partnered with the Apex Historical Society to create note card illustrations of historic Apex homes. Priest donated the illustrations to assist the society with its fund-raising efforts. These note cards are available for sale at the Maynard-Pearson house, which is home to the Apex Historical Society and The Rusty Bucket in downtown Apex, in addition to various businesses throughout Apex. Additionally, the cards will be sold at various holiday events around Apex, including the Halle Cultural Arts Center Tuesday, Nov. 30, the pancake breakfast with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus at the Salem Street Fire Station Saturday, Dec. 4 and the Apex Historical Society home tour Sunday, Dec. 5.

The Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (TMLS) announced that the average sales price for a home re-sale in October for Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake counties was $230,500, an increase of 4 percent over the same period 12 months earlier. While the current sales figures are down housing affordability is at an all time high with the combination of prices and interest rates which continue at record lows.

MedPro Rx, Inc., a provider of specialty pharmacy services to clients with chronic illnesses who need clotting factor, IVIg and other medication, has announced that Nancy McFarlane, president of the pharmacy and Raleigh city councilor, will serve on the 2010 Women on Board steering committee in support of the NC Center for Women in Public Service (NCCWPS). The NCCWPS is a nonpartisan organization that prepares women for elected and appointed offices statewide. As a steering committee member, McFarlane will serve as an event ambassador for the NCCWPS second annual Women On Board event, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 30 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Rocky Top Catering, located at 1705 E. Millbrook Road in Raleigh. The event will bring together business and civic leaders to celebrate, recognize and encourage women’s participation on boards and commissions in North Carolina.

Team Daniel Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting North Carolinians with developmental disabilities, has rejuvenated its quarterly magazine, EMPOWERED.The only publication in the state written specifically for the developmental disabilities community, EMPOWERED tailors its content to inform, educate and be a resource for families and individuals with developmental disabilities.

CESI Debt Solutions CEO, Dr. Diane Chen, was one of twenty-five panelists at the first ever “Rally in Raleigh” event this past Saturday. The event was hosted by “The Get Out of Debt Guy,” Steve Rhode, and brought together leaders from the debt relief industry, including consumers and consumer advocates, to discuss how to make the industry a safer and better place for consumers.

Clean Design Inc. (www.cleandesign.com) has announced the design of a new logo for Connected Women of North Carolina. Launched by Cisco in 2008, Connected Women events are open to women from all companies and organizations. They provide a unique opportunity for cross-industry networking and are designed to empower and motivate attendees to take charge of their lives and careers. The new logo was unveiled on Oct. 8 at the Connected Women annual conference.

Crystal Suazo, partner at Vaco Raleigh, LLC (www.vaco.com), an executive placement and consulting firm, has announced that Troy Knight, managing director of Vaco’s design and media division, moderated a panel on the interactive entertainment industry for the Triangle chapter of the American Marketing Association during its monthly luncheon on Oct. 21. The panel discussed how marketing and gaming are intertwined, what the future holds for gaming, and how the Triangle ranks in the top five of U.S. gaming hubs and is now the No. 1 hub worldwide for gaming engines.

Bayer CropScience (www.bayercropscience.com), one of the world’s most innovative companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and traits, has announced that members of its staff will prepare and serve lunch at The Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen, located at the Church of the Good Shepherd on 121 Hillsborough St. in downtown Raleigh, on Thursday, Dec. 9. In addition to serving and preparing the meal, the company will present The Shepherd’s Table with an annual donation, this year totaling $7,500. Bayer CropScience staff participates in four workdays at The Shepherd’s Table each year and Dr. Jack Boyne, director of communications, has served on the board of directors at the soup kitchen for many years.

Longistics, a full-service provider of global logistics solutions (http://www.longistics.com), has announced that Duane Long, chairman, has been elected vice chairman for the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Currently chair of ATA’s Insurance Task Force, Long received the position after having served as ATA’s vice president at large and state vice president, as well as a member of multiple committees for the organization, for more than 15 years. He was selected during the 2010 ATA Management Conference held at Phoenix in October.

ABC 11 Eyewitness News has announced that news anchor Frances Scott will serve as master of ceremonies for Triangle Family Services’ Eighth Annual Gingerbread Benefit at the Umstead Hotel in Cary. The event will take place on Thursday, Dec. 2 and features two unique events. The children’s “Tea With Santa” will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Evening Benefit Event for adults only will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available online and are $65 for adults. Scott will help present the event’s numerous activities that include Christmas tales, visits with Santa, a silent auction and a live auction. Professional and amateur chefs will create exquisite themed gingerbread houses which will be on display and up for auction.

Bill Horne, CEO of Laser Spine Institute, the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery, has announced that the company celebrated its one-year anniversary in the Philadelphia market this month. Since its grand opening in November of 2009, the surgical center has experienced tremendous growth and success, and achieved accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) in June.

Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.P. (CB&H) has announced the addition of Gregory T. Bryant as a domestic and international tax partner with the firm. Bryant is a Certified Public Accountant and an attorney with more than 25 years of experience in federal and international tax. As a tax partner with CB&H, he assists closely held, mid-market and large businesses manage the tax risk, after-tax cash flow, and tax accounting concerns related to domestic and international tax issues.

Doyle & Doyle, PA - a team of divorce and family law attorneys with offices in Raleigh and Knightdale - has recently re-launched their new WordPress website with online video and blog.

J&L Risk Management Consultants, Inc. is proud to introduce their newly developed CompScreen Safety Program. Because it is now more important than ever for businesses to reduce their Workers Compensation premiums, it is prime time for J&L to offer this new service. Their CompScreen will enable businesses, through time proven practices, to effectively reduce insurance cost.

TRIANGLE, N.C. – Winkie La Force, executive director of Leadership Triangle (www.leadershiptriangle.com), has announced the December graduation of the Leadership Development class of 2010. The program works to help participants develop leadership skills by matching them with leaders in the Triangle, as well as nationally recognized leadership coaches. Each participant works in small, highly customized group settings with leadership coaches to gain expertise on a particular focus. Graduates will join the 500 plus alumni family of “Goodmon Fellows.”

RALEIGH, N.C. – Nancy McFarlane, president of MedPro Rx, Inc. (www.medprorx.com), a provider of specialty pharmacy services to clients with chronic illnesses who need clotting factor, IVIg and other medications, has announced that the pharmacy was ranked number 16 on Triangle Business Journal’s 2010 Fast 50 Award ranking. This is the third consecutive year that MedPro Rx has made the Fast 50 list. Evaluated by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, the award recognizes the fastest-growing privately held companies in the Triangle area, as well as their contributions to the growth and success of the community. The pharmacy was honored at an awards dinner and ceremony at the Sheraton Imperial on Nov. 5.

Congratulations to Splash Pools who was recently named the Authorized Dealer for Viking Fiberglass Pools in Raleigh and central North Carolina. Viking Fiberglass Pools is the largest manufacturer of fiberglass pools in north america and after careful consideration has selected Splash Pools to represent them in the North Carolina market.

The Chef’s Academy (www.thechefsacademy.com), the Culinary Division of Harrison College, a 108-year-old, nationally accredited institution that offers more than 30 degree programs in five schools of study, has announced the release of a podcast on the Triangle area restaurant scene. In this podcast, Jayson M. Boyers, regional president of The Chef’s Academy, discusses the diversity of flavors and styles of local restaurants. The Chef’s Academy has been shooting videos at several local restaurants and in the podcast, Boyers shares some of his findings. He emphasizes the importance of passionate chef owners who care about where their food comes from and the experiences and tastes it brings to people of the Triangle. This podcast is available for download at www.mmipublicrelations.com/podcasts/entry/triangle-restaurant-scene.

Exhibit Resources (www.exhibitresources.com), a full-service exhibit design agency, has announced that Lana Calloway, president of the agency, was selected from among hundreds of candidates to be featured in the 2011 Woman’s Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar. The calendar features daily advice from successful women business owners across the United States and Canada on topics such as strategy, teambuilding, marketing and finance. The 2011 Woman’s Advantage Shared Wisdom Page-A-Day Calendar is available for $17.95 plus shipping and handling, and can be purchased at www.womansadvantage.biz/.

Allscripts (www.allscripts.com), a leading provider of innovative software for healthcare organizations and physicians, received the 2010 Excellence Award: Fastest Growing Company by the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA). The award was presented at the NCTA 21 Awards Gala held on November 10 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham. Competitors in the category were goodmortage.com, iContact and Varrow.

Dean Ogan, owner of Rocky Top Hospitality (www.rockytophospitality.com), has announced that Rocky Top Hospitality restaurants Bogart’s American Grill and Michael Dean’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar will open for Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday, Nov. 25. Bogart’s menu includes starters, salads, sides, desserts, and a carving station with fried turkey, roast beef and roasted ham. Michael Dean’s will offer a seafood display, hot buffet items, cold buffet items, desserts, and a carving station with fried turkey, roasted turkey breast and traditional spiral ham.

Bruce Clarke, president and CEO of CAI, Inc. (www.capital.org), a human resource management firm that helps organizations maximize employee engagement while minimizing employer liability, has announced that the firm opened its sixth annual N.C. Healthcare Benefits and Cost Survey on Nov. 15, which will run through Friday, Dec. 17. Co-developed by CAI and Hill, Chesson & Woody Employee Benefit Services, the survey is open to all North Carolina employers and can be accessed at bit.ly/cai10survey. All survey participants receive a free electronic report and an invitation to participate in an in-depth debriefing of the results, which will provide employers with the information that is most critical in managing their employee benefits plan, allowing for a comparison of plan designs, premiums and cost-sharing arrangements with other N.C. companies.

Lou Jurkowski, FAIA and CEO at BJAC, pa (www.bjac.com), an architectural firm offering professional services for specialized, complex institutional projects, has announced a highly successful four-day opening for the North Carolina History Center. Situated in the historic downtown of New Bern, the History Center is located at 529 South Front St., sited beautifully on the Trent River.

Pool Professionals, a North Carolina-based pool management company, is announcing the opening of its third office, through expansion into Charlotte, NC.

Carol Daley, owner of at Ease boutiques in Raleigh and Cary, has announced that at Ease will provide clothing for a fashion show being held by the Cary Area Chapter of Hadassah on Thursday, Nov. 18 at Prestonwood Country Club, located at 300 Prestonwood Parkway. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with a buffet dinner followed by the fashion show. Tickets cost $36, and at Ease will offer ticketholders a 20 percent, one-day discount at the boutique. “Models for Charity,” a group of professional women and men who model for charitable organizations in the Triangle area, as well as two Hadassah members, will walk in the fashion show. All money raised at the event will go to the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel.