Friday, March 30, 2012

Griffin Home Health Care Expands to Kings Mountain

Griffin Home Health Care, Inc. (http://griffinhomehealthcare.com) has
expanded to Kings Mountain by acquiring Carolina Medical Supply.

Located at 1802 Shelby Road in Kings Mountain, the new Griffin Home
Health Care store features home medical equipment and supplies ranging
from urological, ostomy, and wound care supplies to wheel chairs, beds
and ambulatory aids. Customers needing more information can reach the
Kings Mountain location at 704-730-9500.

"We have been serving the region since 1983 and are excited about
being a part of Kings Mountain community and its surrounding
counties," says Richie Griffin, general manager of Griffin Home Health
Care, Inc. "We are very passionate about healthcare and committed to
staying in the community to ensure that patients and health care
providers have the very best medical supplies and equipment they need."

Griffin Home Health Care has additional locations in Charlotte and
Gastonia. More information can be found athttp://www.griffinhomehealthcare.com/
.

About Griffin Home Health Care, Inc.
Founded in 1983 by William H. (Bill) Griffin, Griffin Home Health
Care, Inc. is a full service health care equipment and supply company,
providing a wide range of home medical equipment and related supplies
for individual Medicare, Medicaid, and Private patients, physicians,
clinics, hospice organizations, assisted living centers, nursing
facilities and commercial accounts. Griffin Home Health Care serves
the 16-county region in and around Charlotte metro area with locations
at 4231 Monroe Road in Charlotte and at 2515 E Ozark Avenue in
Gastonia. Call 877-247-4181 or visit www.GriffinHomeHealthCare.com for
more information.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Jacob's Ladder Job Center Welcomes Holly Cummings as Executive Director

Jacob's Ladder Job Center, Inc. (JLJC) – the only non-profit
organization that provides a daily, month-long job readiness program
in the Charlotte community – has named Holly Cummings as its new
executive director.

"We're excited about welcoming Holly [Cummings] to Jacob's Ladder Job
Center," said Jeffrey D. Jones, chairperson of the JLJC Board of
Directors. "Her background and experience will definitely be an asset
in leading our organization and furthering our mission of helping the
unemployed and underemployed find and keep living wage jobs."

Cummings brings more than 13 years of experience in nonprofit and
education operations, program management, fund development, as well as
marketing and public relations to her new role. Before joining JLJC,
she served as a consultant and worked in leadership roles for a
variety of non-profits including the American Heart Association
(Columbia, S.C.); The Healing Species, the Midlands Education &
Business Alliance (MEBA), and both Claflin and SC State Universities.
She also served as a public and commercial radio announcer for WSSB
90.3 FM in Orangeburg, S.C. and WIIZ 97.9 FM in Barnwell, S.C.
Cummings earned a Master's in Mass Communication from the University
of South Carolina and a Bachelor's of Arts from SC State University.

"I am excited about the opportunity to be the impactful leader Jacob's
Ladder needs to drive its program and extension initiatives that will
ultimately help the unemployed and underemployed live a self-
sustainable lifestyle within the Charlotte community," said Cummings.

About Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder Job Center, Inc. (JLJC) is a registered 501(c)3 non-
profit, which helps unemployed and underemployed people find and keep
living wage jobs. A member of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, Jacob's
Ladder was founded in 1998 as a compassionate response to the Welfare-
to-Work movement and to chronic unemployment in Charlotte's low wealth
communities. For more information, visit www.jacobsladdercharlotte.org
or call 704-332-5822.

Follow Jacob's Ladder on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jacobsladdercharlotte
, Twitter @JacobsLadderCLT and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/jacobsladderjobs
.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Vahterus Americas opens in Matthews, eyes U.S. manufacturing

Finnish manufacturer Vahterus Oy has opened its first U.S. office on
Siskey Parkway in Matthews. Known as the inventor of plate-and-shell
heat exchanger technology, Vahterus remains the global leader in its
field and has installed over 32,000 heat exchangers around the world
since its inception in 1990.

North America accounts for 15 percent of Vahertus' installations to
date. The new U.S. subsidiary will focus on sales and technical
service but also expects within three years to set up manufacturing
operations in order to serve the Americas more efficiently. Vahterus
Americas currently employs two and plans to add two positions by the
end of the current year.

"Charlotte was the outstanding choice in establishing our U.S.-based
operations," says Vahterus Americas President Jonathan Pascoe. "The
city's excellent domestic and international airport hub as well as
highways make travel to anywhere in the Americas straightforward.
Align this with its vibrant business culture, good labor availability,
and competitive manufacturing cost base, and Charlotte is clearly a
location that will allow Vahterus to prosper and grow for many years
to come."

The Charlotte Chamber, with assistance from the North Carolina
Department of Commerce, supported Vahterus over the past several
months as the company evaluated its location options.

For more information on Vahterus, please visit www.vahterus.com. You
may also wish to contact one of the following:

CPCC's Institute for Entrepreneurship to host free seminars in April

The Institute for Entrepreneurship at Central Piedmont Community
College announces two free seminars for the week of April 2:

Tuesday, April 3 (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.) at Matthews, N.C.
Business Plan BasicsSBX-7805-503
Turn your business ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term
success. Attending this seminar will only be the start of a process
that will help commit your great ideas to paper. It will provide you
with agood general overview and basic understanding of the components
of a typical business plan, how marketing, operations and finance are
inter-related and more.

Wednesday, April 4 (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.) at Charlotte, N.C.
So, You're Thinking About Exporting?SBX-7881-501
Are you currently selling only in the United States? If so, you are
only reaching about five percent of the world's population. Learn how
to tap into today's global economy and increase your revenues and
profitability. You'll also gain a basic understanding of the role of
exporting, the steps involved in the export process, and how to
develop a strategy forgoing global.

To register, visit www.cpcc.edu/einstitute<http://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.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Local Purchase of Rosewood Condominiums Complete

Despite a weak real estate market and the uncertainty of bankruptcy,
picturesque Rosewood Condominiums have remained perhaps Charlotte's
most distinctive luxury residential property and reported healthy sales.

Charlotte-based real estate firms Vision Ventures and Mount Vernon
Asset Management, which bought the debt secured by the property from
Regions Bank in 2010, never lost faith in their investment as the
bankruptcy wound toward resolution and they took title to the unsold
condominium homes on February 15, 2012.

"We knew from the beginning that the acquisition process would be
complicated and take time, but we also were certain that Rosewood was
well worth the effort," said Doug Stephan, principal with Vision
Ventures. "Rosewood is unique in the city if not the country, in
terms of overall quality, craftsmanship and personality."

Setting a new local standard for luxury living, Rosewood Condominiums
opened in 2007 on a nine-acre tract at the corner of Providence and
Sharon Amity Roads. The property comprises three towers with 134
luxury condominium homes and penthouses, each built with rotunda
foyers, 10-foot ceilings, hardwood floors and natural stone tile with
two elevators per tower. There is also a two-story, 7,500 square foot
central tower featuring a fitness club, business center, conference
rooms, coffee bar, café and concierge services. Outdoor amenities
include private pool, tennis court and gardens.

The former owner, Rosewood at Providence, LLC, filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection in February 2010. Vision Ventures and Mount
Vernon Asset Management formed MV Rosewood, a limited liability
company, that bought Rosewood Condominiums' debt from Regions in June
of that year.

Since the bankruptcy filing, 19 units have sold or been brought under
contract – testament to the high quality and value that the property
represents, as well as the pent-up demand in the local high-end real
estate market, Stephan said.

Rosewood Charlotte Holdings, sponsored by MV Rosewood, is the entity
that purchased the remaining unsold homes at Rosewood Condominiums.
Stephan said all energies now will be channeled into a sophisticated
marketing campaign to reach qualified prospective buyers and sell 33
available units at market rate. The Littlejohn Group, a nationally
known real estate research and consulting firm, will lead the effort.
Arcadia Homes will be general contractor for all construction on site.
Both companies are based in the Charlotte area and have extensive
experience with luxury residential properties.

"Rosewood Condominiums was conceived as a unique community, and it
meets or exceeds every expectation. There are superior construction
and finishes, luxury amenities, and an ideal location – all packaged
in a spectacular setting," said Emma Littlejohn, principal of The
Littlejohn Group. "The residents here could not be more pleased with
their homes. They are also impressed with the expertise and resources
of the new ownership group and plans for the building-out of the
project. We're looking forward to sharing Rosewood Condominiums and
all that it has to offer with discerning homebuyers."

For more information:
Rosewood Condominiums
www.rosewoodcondos.com

Tire Intelligence opens Charlotte office, will create 30 jobs

Tire Intelligence LLC, a market-based services firm, has established
an office in Charlotte. The firm recently leased 7,000 sq. ft. at 1910
South Boulevard and expects to hire 30 professionals before the end of
the year.

Tire Intelligence LLC is a software start-up firm that supports tire
manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers and dealers with real time
information on the pricing and product offerings of their respective
competitors. The company updates such information on a daily basis
throughout the country using proprietary software technology.

The company chose Charlotte based on several factors: proximity to key
customers (tire professionals), quality of family and business life
and an active design community.

"I worked for Apple and Hewlett Packard for two decades," says Eric
Chaniot, CEO of Tire Intelligence. "During this time, I traveled
extensively around the U.S. and the world. Charlotte is a great place
to hire talented people. It is centrally located on the east coast,
and I really like the city's vibrant atmosphere. It is a great place
to innovate."

Chase Monroe and Jim Thorp of Jones Lang LaSalle represented Tire
Intelligence with site selection and lease negotiations. Rhea Greene
of Trinity Partners represented the landlord.

For job information and additional background on Tire Intelligence,
please go to http://tire-intelligence.com.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Windstream Annouces New 'Merge' Channel

Windstream has announced the launch of Merge, the company's new high-
speed Internet and streaming entertainment service.

Merge allows consumers to customize their entertainment experience
with high-speed access to their specific programming choices from the
Internet directly to their television.

"With the explosive growth of streaming content, the 'information
superhighway' has become outdated," said David Redmond, Windstream's
vice president of consumer marketing. "We created Merge to give our
customers access to something better: what we call the 'entertainment
superhighway.' From movies to first-run and classic television shows,
gaming to social networking and more, our customers will use Merge to
experience their favorite content on the biggest screens in their
homes…their TVs."

Merge is available in all Windstream residential service areas and
includes:
> • High-speed Internet connection with Wi-Fi
> • Roku™ streaming box
> • Unlimited nationwide calling
> • 24/7 U.S.-based customer support
A six-month contract may apply.

Customers who sign-up for Merge through June also will receive:
> • Free six month membership to Hulu Plus™
> • First month free Merge service
> • Free installation

A new website, www.mergenow.com, is at the center of Windstream's
integrated marketing campaign to support Merge. In addition to new
television spots, print advertising and alternative media like digital
and social advertising, the website gives customers the opportunity to:

> • Explore: Merge innovative features and choices
> • Experience: Merge streaming entertainment choices, control and
> personalization
> • Shop: Browse Merge packages and sign-up for service

"Merge by Windstream adds to the growing conversation about the
changes in traditional television viewing habits," according to
Redmond. "Merge speaks to the desires of our customers for more
personalized entertainment options backed by a strong network. Merge
is the new web-enabled path to entertainment."

To experience Merge visit www.mergenow.com. The photo above shows
Windstream employees forming the word "merge" on the field.

About Windstream
Windstream Corp. (Nasdaq: WIN) is a leading provider of advanced
network communications, including cloud computing and managed
services, to businesses nationwide. The company also offers
broadband, phone and digital TV services to consumers primarily in
rural areas. Windstream has more than $6 billion in annual revenues
and is listed on the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit www.windstream.com
.