Social Venture Partners Charlotte Selects 10 Finalists from SEED20 Class of 2012 and Announces Judges Panel for March 6 Event

SEED20, the nonprofit social entrepreneur competition launched by
Social Venture Partners Charlotte, has just announced the ten
finalists from the inaugural SEED20 Class of 2012 to pitch their
innovative ideas for building social value in our community live
atSEED20Unleashed! on March 6 at 5:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte's new
Center City Building. The finalists include:

· Charlotte Community ToolBank
· Charlotte Teachers Institute
· Circle de Luz
· Friendship Gardens
· Inspire the Fire
· Grub to Grub
· The Relatives
· Second Helping of Charlotte
· Silent Images
· Sow Much Good

The ten finalists will make three-minute "pitches" to a panel of five
judges, as well as an audience of business, academic and nonprofit
leaders, foundation executives, the media and others engaged in the
growth of social value in our region. Over 250 individuals have
already signed up for the event, which promises to be a great evening
of socializing, learning and celebrating the great social innovations
going on in the Charlotte Region. Tickets are on sale at
seed20.eventbrite.com.

The 2012 SEED20 judging panel includes:
• Molly Barker, Founder, Girls on the Run,
• Mike Elliott, Managing Partner, Noro-Moseley Partners,
• Beth Hardin, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs UNC Charlotte,
• Dewey Norwood, Community Affairs Officer, Wells Fargo and
• Mark Peres, Founder and President, Charlotte Viewpoint.

Four grants totaling $30,000 will be awarded as follows:
• Judging Panel First and Second Place Awards of $15,000 and $7,500,
respectively;
• Coaches Award of $5,000; and
• People's Choice award of $2,500.

The ten finalists were selected after six weeks of rigorous coaching
sessions where the Class of 2012 honed the content and delivery of
their messages.

"This group of entrepreneurs brings a broad array of innovative and
powerful ideas to help all of us work toward an ever stronger and
healthier community," said Susan Daniel, Executive Director of SVP
Charlotte. "I look forward to hearing our 10 finalists share with a
broader audience on March 6th at SEED20Unleashed!"

SEED stands for Social Entrepreneurs Empowered, and the competition
aligns with SVP Charlotte's mission by helping to grow the region's
social entrepreneur community. SEED20 (www.seed20.org) is made
possible with investors Wells Fargo, Knight Foundation, and UNC
Charlotte as well as strategic marketing partner, Topics Education.
The competition was open to any individual or nonprofit organization
from Mecklenburg or bordering counties with a great idea and a
passionate commitment to seeing it impact social change.

About Social Venture Partners Charlotte
Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP Charlotte) is a diverse network
of engaged individuals who are addressing community needs through a
new model of giving – Venture Philanthropy. SVP Charlotte brings the
collective expertise, creativity, time and money of our members and
their networks to develop and support promising social initiatives and
nonprofits. In addition, SVP Charlotte strives to foster a community
of socially-conscious and well-informed donors through engagement with
Investees, collaboration with other SVP partners, and participation in
educational events. To learn more, please visit www.svpcharlotte.org.

Free, Lifetime Web Conferencing and Collaboration Tools Offered by BigMarker.com

BigMarker.com (www.bigmarker.com), the social network for Communities,
is having a giveaway of lifetime proportions.Anyone who creates a
Private Community on BigMarker before March 1st, 2012 will retain that
Community for life, free of charge. Whether members wish to use a
Private Community now or later, anyone who upgrades before March 1st
will keep the Private Community, free of charge, forever.

"[BigMarker's] real secret is not in its affordability or its video-
conferencing platform, but in its uncanny ability to help us manage
our team's progress in between Conferences," said Tracey Patterson,
President and COO of Powered by Action (www.poweredbyaction.org),
"BigMarker has become a collaboration tool that makes the day-to-day
easy, so we can focus more on our mission."

BigMarker is ideal for Communities attempting to make a difference on
a budget:
· Meet anytime in the Virtual Conference Room
· Meet face-to-face, one-on-one, one-on-many, or many-on-many
• Streamline project management by creating, assigning, and
prioritizing tasks
· Share files
· Touch base regularly, outside of a Conference, with the
Community Bulletin
· Chart progress with the Task Timeline and Community Calendar
· Send Community newsletters with updates and announcements
· Send Kudos to encourage and thank fellow members

"We strongly believe in the power of Communities, and have made it our
mission to provide Communities everywhere with the tools to make a
difference," said Joe Yeoman, BigMarker's Outreach Coordinator. "And
because we believe in this mission so strongly, we wanted to give
everyone a chance to benefit from a free, lifetime Private Community."

Anyone who creates a Private Community on BigMarker before March 1st,
2012 will retain that Community for life, free of charge. Private
Communities created after March 1st, 2012 will cost $19.95 a month.
BigMarker believes in open and accessible collaboration, and for this
reason has committed to always offering free Public Communities with
unlimited web conferencing and collaboration tools. To create a
Community, first sign up at BigMarker.com (http://www.bigmarker.com/signup
).

About BigMarker:
BigMarker.com is the social network for Communities. Based on the
belief that anyone can make a difference, BigMarker's mission is to
equip Communities around the world with unlimited web conferencing and
collaboration tools, empowering anyone to make a visible and lasting
impact.
BigMarker launched in March 2011 and has been connecting people face-
to-face, across the globe, ever since. To join an existing Community
or create your own, please visit http://www.bigmarker.com.

INTECH Fire & Security, Serving Concord and Charlotte, Changes Name To Vialarm Security To Reflect Expansion

INTECH Fire & Security, a growing commercial and residential security
systems provider serving greater Charlotte and the Southeast from its
base in Concord, N.C., has changed its name to Vialarm Security as it
expands it services and markets.

"The name change is due to the significant expansion of our product
offerings, which include Managed Services, Private Data Portals and
the anticipated growth of IP (Internet Protocol) related services,"
said Mark Jones, CEO. "The new name and Vialarm.com website will
offer us the ability to deliver more information to all of our
customers, while improving our marketing ability. There will be no
change in management or ownership.

"The name change should also be perceived as a commitment from
management to continue the growth, stability and attention to detail
our customers have come to expect from our company over our nearly two
decades in business," Jones added, "making the Vialarm name the
cornerstone of our branding across our multi-state Southeastern market
area."

"The company will continue to operate in its current structure, and
our contracts and commitments will remain unchanged," Jones added.
"Web traffic to our existing domain www.intechnc.com is now being
forwarded automatically to the new Vialarm.com website. We hired a
professional firm to redesign the home page, navigation system and
other components, although the basic site contents remain the same."

Jones also unveiled a new company logo, featuring a classic shield to
symbolize security, and typography based on heraldic letterforms (see
photo).

The company was founded in 1989 by Mark Jones after serving seven
years in the U.S. Navy. It serves a number of leading banks and credit
unions throughout the Southeast, as well as numerous commercial and
residential customers. Vialarm currently has offices in Concord
(serving the greater Charlotte area), Raleigh, Atlanta and Orlando.
For more information visit http://www.vialarm.com

Dots Brings Early Spring Fashion to Charlotte

Local Charlotte fashionistas will have another option for trendy and
affordable styles with the grand opening of the newest Dots store. The
popular retailer, known to offer affordable women's apparel and
accessories, is now open at University Pointe Shopping Center, 5700
University Pointe Boulevard.

The University Pointe location is the fifth Dots store in the
expanding Charlotte market. The new store is a direct result of a
growing demand for fast-fashion at an affordable price. In total, the
nearly 5,000 sq. ft. store will employ 23 full- and part-time
positions in the community.

Shoppers can expect to find a premiere of the new Early Spring
collection and fashion trends for the upcoming season. Whether it's
colored denim, bright color blocking or a mix of animal prints, Dots
has the styles to prepare shoppers for the rise in temperature in
sizes 0-24.

"Spring is one of the most exciting seasons in the fashion industry
and we want to help women look and feel their best," said Jennifer
Marrara, marketing manager for Dots. "The new University Pointe store
will give us the opportunity to spread our fashion knowledge while
providing the opportunity for even more fashion-forward women to have
access to the trends they want at an affordable price."

Dots is the best kept secret among trend-savvy, price-conscious women
for career, casual and club apparel and accessories. Currently, Dots
has over 400 stores in 28 states. To find out more about the
University Pointe location and download coupons from the grand
opening, visit http://www.dots.com/GO/CharlotteNC/.

The New York Butcher Shoppe To Close; Owner Jed Kampe To Open New Concept in Bigger Location

The New York Butcher Shoppe, located at 2904 Selwyn Avenue, will close
its doors this weekend, as owner Jed Kampe prepares to open a new
concept in a larger location in May.

The yet-to-be-named restaurant will include a butcher counter,
prepared foods and a dine-in menu featuring hamburgers where all the
beef will be ground on-site throughout the day.

Kampe says, "There will be a lot of changes mostly in the dine-in
aspect, but nothing will change with regards to only using the highest
quality beef, chicken, pork and lamb. Once our ground beef became so
popular, I knew we had a unique opportunity to create an incredible
burger. Everything will be done under one roof and we will continue to
create the ground beef from all the various cuts we carry."

"I can't thank everyone enough who have supported our current
location, but in order to take this to a new level, I simply need more
space with a true kitchen. We look forward to announcing the location
as soon as we finalize the lease, but it won't be far away. I
definitely want to remain in the immediate area," he adds. "I
apologize for our brief down time, but the new location will allow us
to do so much more without losing site of quality and most certainly
the relationships we've had with our faithful customers."

All outstanding gift certificates will be honored in the new location.

The new location is being designed by Brent Baronofsky and brokered by
Adam Williams of Legacy Real Estate Advisors.

Commercial Cleaning Company Announces Charlotte as Hub For Expansion in 2012

Of the countless businesses slowed or crippled by the recent
recession, the commercial cleaning segment is one of the few to emerge
mostly unharmed, says Adam Povlitz, Vice President of Operations for
Anago Cleaning Systems. Facilities always need cleaning regardless of
the economy, and he says many veteran white-collar workers downsized
throughout North Carolina during the period are now viewing the
industry for its franchising and profit potential, as opposed to the
"less than glamorous" work perceived as involved.

Anago Master Franchise Owners are not in the cleaning business – they
are in the sales and marketing business. The Anago Master Owner has
the exclusive developmental rights to sell Janitorial or Unit
Franchises in a defined territory. Simultaneously, the Master sells
cleaning contracts, business to business and assigns them to those who
purchased a Unit Franchise.

Sheldon Mellon and Houston Harris are entrepreneurs who decided to go
into business for themselves, while not by themselves.

"I explored many franchise opportunities and landed on Anago for a
wealth of reasons," said Sheldon Mellon, co-owner of Anago of
Charlotte. "Anago had availability in my target area, it is in a
recession resistant industry, and it offers great scalability."

"With Anago, the business is owned and operated by real people who
actually do care about each of their franchisors and franchisees. It's
not just lip service with Anago; they mean what they say and say what
they mean," said Houston Harrison, co-owner of the Anago of Charlotte.
"We had a six month courtship and were won over to become the master
franchise of the Charlotte territory."

Prior to joining Anago as master franchise, Harris worked in the
advertising industry for several years and Mellon worked extensively
in the telecom industry. Both have started and bought companies in
their careers, and together, they've become business partners in
several ventures, such as advertising, marketing, graphic design,
mosquito control, real estate, and now commercial cleaning.

"We are thrilled to have Mr. Mellon and Mr. Harris join the Anago
family," Povlitz said. "Their strong experience in business
development and passion for success are qualities we look for in every
Master Owner who joins our system."

With over 30 locations and 2,200 Unit Franchises, Anago has somehow
remained under the radar. This has been a critical piece to the
brand's success. One prime example of the under-the-radar growth has
been in South Florida, where the brand has over 180 Unit Franchisees,
and in cities like Nashville, where the Master Franchisor awarded over
50 Unit Franchises in 2011.

"We plan on experiencing the same level of growth in Charlotte," said
Judy Walker, Vice President of Marketing. "We plan on making
Charlotte's offices cleaner, while adding more jobs and business
ownership opportunities."

According to Walker, only about 2 percent of all commercial cleaning
businesses are franchised operations, while the rest are "mom and pop"
firms lacking efficient systems, experienced management, and support
for field teams—if they even become that large. And while few small
cleaning firms see the benefit to switching to a franchised brand,
Facility Managers are eager to have insured professional crews that do
the work well on a consistent timely basis.

ABOUT ANAGO
Anago Cleaning Systems is a commercial cleaning franchise system
supporting over 30 Master Franchises and over 2,200 Unit Franchisees
in the U.S. and internationally. After years of refining procedures
and creating duplicable systems created in his conventional commercial
cleaning service, David Povlitz founded Anago in 1989 to help other
entrepreneurs open their cleaning businesses. Today, its program sets
the standard in U.S. commercial cleaning. Anago was ranked the fifth
fastest-growing franchise by Entrepreneur magazine in 2010 and 2011,
and ranked by Franchise Business Review as one of the best franchises
in franchisee satisfaction. Inc. Magazine has also listed Anago as one
of the top privately-held companies in the U.S. For further
information, visit itswebsite.
###

Taylor Burke Home Furniture Available in Charlotte beginning March 6

Taylor Burke Home has announced that their rare and vintage-inspired
furniture and home accessories will be sold at Post & Gray, located in
Historic South End, beginning March 6th.

Owned by Interior Designer and Charlotte native Julianne Taylor,
Taylor Burke Home is the culmination of years of travel, cultural
experiences and a passion for all things beautiful. Taylor's exposure
to materials and architectural details used around the globe gives her
insight into picking the right furniture and accessories for your space.

Inspired by Taylor's extensive travels in Asia and Europe, the
collection includes Asian hand-painted furniture and accessories,
vintage industrial inspired furniture made of metal and wood, and
contemporary pieces in sleek leather and chrome. Additionally, an
exclusive line of upholstered chairs and ottomans designed by Julianne
Taylor will be coming later this summer.

"Taylor Burke Home is thrilled to be part of Post & Gray and looks
forward to bringing these worldly pieces back to Charlotte," Taylor
said, "Whether we are negotiating on the streets of Shanghai or the
back alleys of Paris, we continue to search the globe for the very
best to offer you."

"We are so excited to welcome Taylor Burke Home to Post & Gray. Their
pieces offer a fresh new look and coincide with the mission and
character of the business," said John Vieregg, owner of Post & Gray.

About Taylor Burke Home

Taylor Burke Home sells reasonably priced, rare, special and vintage
inspired furniture and home décor collected from travels, exotic
locations and years of cultural experiences. Each hand-picked item
offers a unique history and exceptional quality. Taylor Burke Home
believes beautiful furniture and home décor should not cost a fortune
and they continue to travel the world looking for the best, most
affordable pieces for you.

About Post & Gray

Post & Gray is a fresh new concept housing over 35 merchants in 7,000
sf. of unique warehouse space. Opened in March 2009, it is filled with
finds of all kinds for the home and garden. John and Kelley Vieregg,
owners of Interiors Marketplace, saw a need for a retail outlet where
individuals could sell their personal collections or collected
inventories and provide customers an opportunity to access the finds
made available. Post & Gray is located at 2139 South Tryon Street,
Charlotte, NC.

www.postandgray.com

Free Workshop for Charlotte-area Business Owners: Top Five Strategies for Improving Profitibility in 2012

Progressive business owners looking for new ideas to boost
profitability have a free opportunity to learn from a master business
strategist – and from each other. "Top Five Strategies for Improving
Profitability in 2012" will give business owners fresh insights on how
to build their profits even in a recovering economy. The program
features Tom Jackson, president of Renaissance Executive Forums in
Charlotte. Jackson is a master business strategist with more than 30
years of experience in starting, running, purchasing, selling and
valuing businesses. Participants will also have the chance to share
ideas with their peers in a powerful roundtable discussion format.

The free program, which includes breakfast, will take place on Friday,
March 2, 8:30 to noon at The Duke Mansion, 400 Hermitage Road in
Charlotte. Reservations are required at 704/367-0011 or tjackson@executiveforums.com
.

Jackson advises small businesses on business strategy, business
planning, market positioning, financial analysis, business modeling,
and business financing. He has held senior-level positions with three
Fortune 500 companies, including GTE Corporation and Air Products &
Chemicals, Inc., where he was actively involved in strategic planning
and corporate development; and First Union National Bank, where he
served as director of mergers and acquisitions within the Investment
Banking Group.

Jackson also founded and managed his own independent merger and
acquisition firm for many years, closing 125 business sale
transactions and providing corporate finance advisory services to a
wide range of Southeastern companies.

Since 1995, Renaissance Executive Forums in Charlotte (www.executiveforumscharlotte.com
) has brought together top executives from non-competing companies of
similar size into advisory boards that meet each month. Participants
talk candidly about their business challenges and get advice they can
use immediately. They come from a wide variety of industries,
including manufacturing, health care, hospitality, insurance, and many
others.

ReVenture Park Expands To Include Future "Eco-District"

The developer of ReVenture Park announced today that they now control
an additional 578 acres of residential land that wraps the primary
ReVenture site. This brings the total project size to 1, 245 acres
that will include a proposed mix of residential, retail, office and
industrial spaces. The vision for the new housing component is a
community where sustainability is ingrained into people's lifestyles
and is woven through the fabric of the community.

Forsite has engaged UNC Charlotte's Urban Design program to help mold
the initial vision and design principles that will be incorporated
throughout the project. "This is a unique and interesting project,"
said Professor David Walters, Director of UNC-Charlotte's Urban Design
program, who is working on the project with his colleague, Dr. Jose
Gamez. "It has great potential for creating a national model for a
sustainable community in the face of future uncertainties about
climate change and energy supplies. The graduate Urban Design Program
and its research arm, the Design+Society Research Center, are ideally
placed to explore community design solutions that go beyond current
thinking yet are financially feasible in a recovering property market".

Key planning principles will include renewable energy, energy
efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, natural area protection,
community gardens, extensive trail connections, water conservation,
and recycling. Tom McKittrick of Forsite Development says, "It's rare
to have a property this large with so many diverse attributes. We have
a truly unique opportunity to rethink traditional models and create
the next level of sustainable development."

There will be a heavy focus on open space that ensures the homes are
connected to the protected natural environment. Forsite plans to
significantly expand the conservation easement and greenway areas that
will be connected with trails. The site's proximity to the US National
White Water Center will also offer great appeal to outdoor-minded
homebuyers.

About ReVenture Park™
ReVenture Park™ is an ambitious plan to transform a former 667 acre
Superfund Site along the Catawba River in Charlotte, NC into the
region's first Eco-Industrial Park. This project will create one of
the most dynamic and multi-faceted renewable energy developments in
the United States. Featuring multiple clean-energy projects, ReVenture
Park will advance the Charlotte, NC region's environmental goals and
economic growth by attracting a myriad of renewable energy and
alternative fuel projects. For more information: http://www.reventurepark.com

Southeast Pain Care Opens New Location in Hickory

Southeast Pain Care (SEPC), a division of the national medical group
American Anesthesiology, and Blue Ridge HealthCare have opened a new
pain center in Hickory at 2134 14th Ave. Circle NW. The new location
is already accepting new patients.

Founded in Charlotte in 1997, Southeast Pain Care treats a wide
variety of patients' pain needs, from back pain to diabetic
neuropathy, using interventional pain techniques. The goal is to
provide patients with non-surgical options, while simultaneously
decreasing and/or eliminating the amount of pain medication necessary
to control their pain. Some examples of interventional pain techniques
include: injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency and spinal cord
stimulators.

The Hickory location is SEPC's 13th pain center in the Southeast.

"I'm excited to be a part of the team opening this center in Hickory
with Blue Ridge HealthCare," said Dr. Martin Evans, medical director
of the new facility. "This endeavor will build on our already highly
successful working relationship to enhance the quality of pain care
for patients in Hickory and the surrounding region."

All Southeast Pain care physicians are fellowship trained in pain
management as well as double board certified/eligible in
anesthesiology/neurology and pain management. Southeast Pain Care
accepts self-referrals for patients suffering from the following types
of pain: neck, back arm, leg, sciatica; nerve, headaches, migraines;
CRPS (or RSD); arthritis, post-surgical, failed back surgery;
fibromyalgia and shingles. Patients suffering from other conditions
must be referred by a physician. To learn more, call (828) 580-2280
or visit www.sepaincare.com.

ABOUT SOUTHEAST PAIN CARE
Southeast Pain Care treats patients with a wide range of pain
conditions, including acute pain from back injury, headaches and pain
resulting from accidents, injuries or disease processes, such as
diabetes. Physicians and staff at Southeast Pain Care provide
patients with custom, multi-faceted treatment plans for addressing
pain. www.sepaincare.com.

ABOUT AMERICAN ANESTHESIOLOGY
American Anesthesiology has more than 650 anesthesia providers,
including more than 300 physicians and 350 CRNAs and anesthesia
assistants practicing in five metropolitan areas in the Carolinas,
Virginia and Georgia, with administrative offices in Raleigh, NC, and
Sunrise, FL.

ABOUT BLUE RIDGE HEALTHCARE
Blue Ridge HealthCare (www.blueridgehealth.org) is a not-for-profit
community healthcare system, providing advanced healthcare and
wellness services from more than 35 locations across a three-county
region of Western North Carolina. BRHC's family of services includes
hospitals, skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, a wellness
center, home health care, and a continuing care retirement community.
The primary care physicians, physician specialists and extenders in
the Blue Ridge Medical Group combine with other physicians on the
Medical Staff to serve patients across the region. In partnership with
area physicians and the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine,
BRHC's two hospitals provide graduate medical education programs for
medical school graduates and students. Blue Ridge HealthCare is
affiliated with Carolinas HealthCare System
(www.carolinashealthcare.org), one of the nation's leading and most
innovative healthcare organizations, providing area residents with
ready access to more specialized care when needed.

Wish Boutique Opens in Harrisburg

A new locally-owned shop offering unique gifts and home décor has
opened its doors for business in Harrisburg. Wish Gift Boutique will
offer a wide variety of specialty items, including clothing, shoes,
accessories, bracelets, jewelry, lip gloss and purses. In addition to
clothing and accessories, Wish Gift Boutique will carry an array of
home décor, including handmade wall art, frames, lighting and
decorations, plus gift ideas, greeting cards, candles and more.

Select items sold at Wish are customizable, as the shop also offers
full-service personalized embroidery on-site. Wish Gift Boutique is
located at 5226 Highway 49 S in Harrisburg.

"We take pride in offering unique, homemade and hard-to-find items for
any occasion," said Amy Hammock, owner of Wish Gift Boutique. "I like
to say Wish as acronym for women, infants, shabby-chic and husbands,
since we hope to offer a little something for everyone and to bring
something new and fun to the Harrisburg community."

Wish Gift Boutique is a locally-owned and operated shop offering
unique gifts and handmade home décor. Located on Highway 49 in
Harrisburg, Wish carries everything from clothing and accessories to
one-of-a-kind lighting, gift ideas and artwork. Plus, Wish offers
personalized embroidery on-site, making customization a cinch.

facebook.com/TheWishBoutique

Jennifer DeCurtins Joins Metro Fitness Club Team as General Manager

Metro Fitness Club has appointed Jennifer DeCurtins as general
manager. In her role, DeCurtins will oversee all day-to-day operations
of Metro Fitness Club including member and community relations,
fitness programming, and staff development.

DeCurtins is an NASM certified personal trainer, certified group
fitness instructor, 200-hour registered yoga instructor and healthy
living blogger. A lifelong fitness enthusiast, DeCurtins loves
sharing her passion for healthy living with daily updates about
workouts, meals, running, yoga and general fitness and nutrition
topics on her blog, Peanut Butter Runner.

A graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in public
relations, DeCurtins recently left a six-year career in advertising to
live her passion as a full time fitness professional. She is an
ambassador for lululemon and a respected leader in the Charlotte
fitness community.

Metro Fitness Club co-owner Dar Malecki shared, 'We are thrilled to
add Jennifer to our team at Metro. Her professional background and
expertise in the fitness community will expand upon our success and
ensure we are providing an exceptional experience for our clients.'
Co-owner Denise Abood adds, 'Jennifer's enthusiasm for fitness and
community adds a great energy to the atmosphere at Metro. We are
thrilled about the tremendous leadership and creativity she brings to
our team.'

About Metro Fitness Club:

Metro Fitness Club, which will open its second location in April,
offers Charlotte a unique fitness experience in an upscale setting.
The club specializes in custom designed, results-driven personal and
small group training programs as well as a variety of CrossFit
programming. Metro Fitness Club caters to all fitness levels and is
determined to support members in achieving their fitness goals. The
club offers state-of-the-art equipment and classes where members
receive innovative, personalized training led by professionally
trained staff. Visit www.metrofitnessclub.com or call (704) 365-6555
for more information.

L.A. Management Company Produces Two Videos for CPCC Foundation

L.A. Management Company, a strategic marketing firm specializing in
website development, online marketing, social media management and
video production, has produced a video recognizing Central Piedmont
Community College's president Dr. Tony Zeiss' 20 years of service and
accomplishments, as well as a fundraising video for the CPCC
Foundation's 50-year Legacy of Success campaign.

Dr. Zeiss was honored at a special Foundation event in January where
both videos were debuted.

View videos: http://lamanagementco.com/cpcc-videos/

About Central Piedmont Community College
Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in
North Carolina, offering close to 300 degree and certification
programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing
education, and special interest classes. CPCC is academically,
financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of
Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named
CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the
workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers
through innovative educational and training strategies.

About L.A. Management Company
L.A. Management Company specializes in online marketing, video
production, multimedia production, website development and
optimization and social marketing. The company has won numerous awards
for their marketing work and video productions. For more information,
visit lamanagementco.com or call (704) 560-6274. Join L.A. Management
Company on Facebook at facebook.com/lamanagement.

Noratel chooses Charlotte for U.S. headquarters

Noratel North America Inc, a Europe-based transformer manufacturer,
has located its U.S. headquarters in Charlotte. The new location will
be at 2015 Ayrsley Town Boulevard, Suite 202.

For more than 86 years, Noratel has been producing transformers in one
form or another. What began as a local manufacturer of radios and
loudspeaker systems is today an international group of 16 companies in
12 countries with more than 2,300 employees. Noratel is a global
supplier for transformers and reactors, has worldwide sales of
approximately $140 million and offices located in Europe, Asia and now
North America.

The firm's products include 1-phase transformers and reactors (water
and fan cooled); 3-phase transformers and reactors (water and fan
cooled); Toroidal transformers and chokes (water and fan cooled); HF
transformers, medical power supplies, DC power supplies, current
transformers, aeronautical ground lighting series transformers and
unit assembly services. You may click the following link for product
details: http://en.noratel.ezpublish.no/

Noratel expanded to Charlotte because of good infrastructure with an
international airport, an attractive business environment, a
convenient time zone to Europe, reasonable living costs and proximity
to many of their customers' headquarters.

Noratel's Charlotte office will provide sales and technical support
services with the possibility of local stocking. In the next phase,
the company will consider production within the U.S.

The Charlotte Chamber and North Carolina Department of Commerce
assisted Noratel with expansion planning.

Charlotte Radiology Brings Specialized Liver Cancer Treatment to CMC-NorthEast

Charlotte Radiology has announced it is making available a new
treatment for patients with metastatic liver cancer at CMC-Northeast
in Concord. SIR-Spheres® microspheres, manufactured by Sirtex, is the
only fully FDA-approved radiation microspheres for treating colorectal
cancer that has metastasized to the liver.

"As a physician, I want every tool at my disposal to help patients as
they battle cancer," said Dr. Jason Swenson, Interventional
Radiologist with Charlotte Radiology. "This technology allows an
additional opportunity to extend life."

At least 60 percent of the nearly 150,000 Americans diagnosed with
colorectal cancer every year will see their cancer spread to the
liver. And most liver tumors cannot be surgically resected. Metastatic
liver cancer is almost always fatal, with up to 90 percent of patients
dying from liver failure. Microspheres therapy has emerged as an
effective treatment option.

"SIR-Spheres microspheres is a powerful weapon against one of the
deadliest forms of cancer," said Dr. Eric A. Wang, Chief of Vascular &
Interventional Specialists at Charlotte Radiology. "SIR-Spheres
microspheres are proven to extend patients' lives and, just as
importantly, allow patients to maintain a good quality of life."

SIR-Spheres microspheres are microscopic radioactive spheres that can
be delivered by the millions directly to the tumor. Microspheres
contain the radioactive isotope yttrium-90, which delivers beta
radiation to the tumor. Microspheres selectively target liver tumors
with a dose of internal radiation up to 40 times higher than
conventional radiotherapy - while sparing healthy tissue. Recent
studies in chemo-refractory patients with colorectal liver metastases
reported a median survival range of 10.5-to-13 months, compared with
three-and-a-half months for untreated patients. Many of these patients
had stopped responding to standard chemotherapy regimens or were
unable to tolerate them any longer.

"Since 2006, we have been providing a wealth of interventional
oncology treatments and we are excited to have SIR-Spheres available
to patients at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord," Wang
said.

Ongoing research medical research and peer-reviewed published papers
indicate yttrium-90 microspheres may also be effective in treating
other forms of liver tumors. These include tumors from hepatocellular
carcinoma and liver metastases from other primary sources such as
breast cancer. Treatment for these types of tumors with SIR-Spheres
microspheres is still under study by the medical community and has not
yet received FDA approval.

SIR-Spheres microspheres therapy is minimally invasive and is
performed on an outpatient basis with minor side effects. For more
information visit www.charlotteradiology.com or www.sirtex.com.

About Charlotte Radiology:
Since 1967, Charlotte Radiology has been considered the
area's imaging experts and is one of the largest and most progressive
radiology groups in the country. The practice consists of over 90
board certified radiologists with training in a range of specialties
including Body Imaging, Emergency Radiology, Interventional Radiology,
Mammography, Musculoskeletal, Neuroradiology, Nuclear Medicine,
Pediatrics and Teleradiology/Nighthawk Imaging. The practice owns and/
or operates 12 breast imaging centers, 2 Vein & Vascular Centers, 7
freestanding outpatient imaging centers and provides radiologist
coverage to several hospitals in NC including numerous Carolinas
Healthcare System facilities.

7-Eleven Acquires Sam’s Mart Stores, Will Hire 120 in Charlotte Area

7-Eleven, Inc. has announced that it has commenced closing on the
acquisition of 55 Sam's Mart stores from Sam's Mart LLC. The company
has begun hiring to fill 120 store positions, many in the Charlotte
area. 7-Eleven has made job offers to personnel working at the stores
the company is acquiring. Pay and benefits will be comparable with
what they had at Sam's Mart.

"We want to provide continuity for the 350 store employees coming to
us from Sam's Mart," said Doug Doyle, North Carolina native and the
new market manager for 7-Eleven's operation in the greater Charlotte
area. "We also are seeking quality employees to support our stores'
food-service programs that will be offered in the future." Job
applicants may go to the Careers section of 7-Eleven's website to find
a link for "Find North Carolina Jobs."

7-Eleven plans to convert the 55 Sam's Mart stores to 7-Eleven branded
stores by the end of 2012. 7-Eleven will first re-brand and remodel
two sites to serve as store training locations. Several former Sam's
Mart stores are planned for rebranding and renovation starting in March.

This acquisition is part of the convenience retailer's accelerated
growth plan. The company is committed to growing in the Charlotte area
and looking for new locations nearby.

Sam's Mart LLC will continue to operate 91 stores in the Charlotte and
Atlanta metro areas and retain its office personnel, with the
exception of several operations management staffers that 7-Eleven is
hiring.

CPCC's Institute for Entrepreneurship to host free seminars the week of 2/27

The Institute for Entrepreneurship at Central Piedmont Community
College announces two free seminars for the week of February 27:

Tuesday, February 28 (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.) at Charlotte, NC

Pricing Your Product or Service SBX-7887-501
The price you charge for your product or service is one of the most
important business decisions you make. Determining the "right price"
is a difficult task and involves customer, competitive and company
factors. Discover how to use these elements to establish a price that
will ensure profitability!

Thursday, March 1 (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.) at Charlotte, NC

Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets: What Business
Owners Need to Know SBX-7843-501
What Business Owners Need to Know Coming up with new ideas to make
your business unique is all part of the entrepreneurship process. But
protecting those ideas has been taken to a whole new level because of
the ease of technology. Find out some of the common intellectual
property issues small business owners encounter. What steps should you
take to protect your ideas and stay out of infringement trouble

To register, visit www.cpcc.edu/einstitute and/or call 704.330.4223.

The Institute for Entrepreneurship at CPCC is a member of the Small
Business Center Network (SBCN) comprised of 58 Centers throughout
North Carolina. The objective of the SBCN is to increase the success
rate and the number of viable small businesses in North Carolina by
providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective
and existing small business owners and their employees.

Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in
North Carolina, offering close to 300 degree and certification
programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing
education, and special interest classes. CPCC is academically,
financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of
Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named
CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the
workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers
through innovative educational and training strategies.

Hendrick Automotive Group Acquires its First Charlotte-Area Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealership

Hendrick Automotive Group finalized its acquisition of Tim Marburger
Dodge Chrysler Jeep this week. The dealership, located at 287 Concord
Parkway, has been renamed Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Concord.

The store will be Hendrick Automotive Group's first Chrysler Jeep
Dodge Ram location serving its home market of Charlotte.

"We're thrilled to now offer Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram to the
Charlotte area," said Tom Blocker, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of Hendrick Automotive Group. "We saw sales of these
brands grow more than 25 percent last year alone. They're excellent
products, and we're excited to have them available to our customers
here."

Wes Watkins will serve as the dealership's Executive Manager and
offers 23 years of experience with Hendrick Automotive Group. He also
will serve as General Manager at Honda of Concord, a position he's
held since 2001.

"Our focus will continue to be on offering the best possible
experience to every person who walks in the door, whether it's in
sales or service," Watkins said. "We hope all Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep
and Ram customers in the region will visit the dealership and
experience the Hendrick commitment to its customers and community. We
want to earn their business."

Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Concord will offer more than $4
million in new inventory and an expanded product selection, all
available immediately. In addition, the 40,000-square-foot dealership
will offer its customers oil changes starting at $9.95, full service
on Saturdays, shuttle service, a parts boutique and access to free Wi-
Fi.

Information on future Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Concord
career opportunities will be available at www.HendrickCareers.com.

About Hendrick Automotive Group
Encompassing more than 100 franchises from the Carolinas to
California, Hendrick Automotive Group is one of the largest automotive
retail organizations in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., the company employs more than 7,000 people across 12 states.

For more information, please visit www.HendrickAuto.com. Follow the
dealership on Facebook at Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Concord, or
on Twitter at @HendrickCDJ.

Bank of America Announces 2012 Museums on Us Program

Bank of America today announces the 2012 Museums on Us® roster

featuring many of the most renowned arts, culture and educational

institutions across the United States, from Miami, Fla., to Anchorage,

Alaska. Museums on Us offers Bank of America and Merrill Lynch debit

and credit cardholders free admission to more than 150 of the nation's

most exciting cultural venues across 91 cities on the first full

weekend of every month.

"We invest in the arts because we believe fostering cultural

understanding and respect enables local economies and communities to

thrive," said Rena DeSisto,Bank of America global arts and culture

executive. "Our Museums on Us program is a distinctive advantage of

doing business with us, and we are proud to share the benefit of this

program with our customers across the United States."

Bank of America partners with an array of institutions including

museums, science centers, botanical gardens and aquariums. New

institutional partners include Brooklyn Children's Museum in N.Y.,

Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Ill., Minnesota History Center in Saint

Paul, Minn., and Laguna Art Museum in Orange County, Calif. (full list

below). Notable institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art in

New York, N.Y., Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Calif.,

The Art Institute of Chicago in Ill., and the Houston Zoo in Texas

continue to participate in the program.

2012 Museum Roster Members in Charlotte include:

Mint Museum Uptown

Mint Museum Randolph

Levine Museum of the New South

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Harvey B. Gantt Museum of African-American Arts+Culture

Museum visitors must present a photo ID and a valid Bank of America/

Merrill Lynch credit or debit card to be eligible. One free general

admission is limited to the cardholder at the participating

institution, excluding fundraising events, special exhibitions and

ticketed shows (not to be combined with other offers). For more

information about Museums on Us and to view a full list of

institutions, visit http://museums.bankofamerica.com.

Bank of America and the Arts

As one of the world's largest financial institutions and a major

supporter of arts and culture, Bank of America has a vested interest

and plays a meaningful role in the international dialogue on cultural

understanding. As a global company, Bank of America demonstrates its

commitment to the arts by supporting such efforts as after-school arts

programs, programs to conserve artistic heritage as well as a campaign

to encourage museum attendance. Bank of America offers customers free

access to more than 150 of the nation's finest cultural institutions

through its acclaimed Museums on Us® program, while Art in our

Communities® shares exhibits from the company's corporate collection

with communities across the globe through local museum partners. The

Bank of America Charitable Foundationalso provides philanthropic

support to museums, theaters and other arts-related nonprofits to

expand their services and offerings to schools and communities. Bank

of America partners with more than five thousand arts institutions

worldwide.

Charlotte Entrepreneur Bill Griffin to Run for Mecklenburg County Commission District 5 Seat

Longtime Charlotte business owner William "Bill" Griffin has announced
that he will run for the Mecklenburg County Commission District 5 Seat.

"I would like to join the Mecklenburg County Commission to bring
stability to the Board," said Griffin who owns Griffin Home Health
Care. "I am deeply committed to the citizens of Mecklenburg County and
I want to assure that we are taking care of all our citizens and
everyone's freedom to achieve success. I pledge to make Mecklenburg
County a vibrant and fiscally strong community once again.

"Commissioner Neil Cooksey has certainly set a high standard
representing the district and I certainly wish him well in all his
future endeavors. I plan to maintain the same type of honest and
common sense values he's displayed on the board representing District
5."

Griffin, a native of Charlotte and his wife Tamara live in Charlotte
and have four children and two grandchildren. He has been very active
in state and national affairs for many years. He is a strong advocate
for the protection of individuals and their health care needs and
supported efforts for North Carolina to become the first state to
license durable medical equipment suppliers. In conjunction with the
North Carolina Attorney General, Griffin assisted to provide
regulations governing the public for safety in the durable medical
equipment industry.

In addition, he has worked with members of the United States Congress
to help clarify the mission of the durable medical equipment industry
and testified before a Congressional Subcommittee for small business
in 2009.

Griffin has served in various capacities in the Charlotte community.
He is currently the President of Arthritis Services and has served on
the Board of Directors for over 20 years. He is the Chair of the
North Carolina Board of Pharmacy DME Sub-Committee. Griffin served as
President of the North Carolina Association for Medical Equipment
Services and as treasurer for the Continuity of Care Association. He
is immediate past Chairman of the Diaconate at Providence Baptist
Church, where he also sings in The Sanctuary Choir.

As a result of his founding and establishment of Griffin Home Health
Care 29 years ago, a successful provider of health care products and
services, he has provided employment for a number of citizens in the
community. The Charlotte and Gastonia locations serve the general
public in a 16-county region in and around Mecklenburg County.