Fwd: Chobani Locates Sales Headquarters in Charlotte

Chobani Greek Yogurt, America's #1 yogurt brand, announced at the
Charlotte Chamber Board of Advisors meeting that it will locate its
sales headquarters in Charlotte. The 5,200 square foot office will be
located in the Charlotte Plaza building in Uptown Charlotte.

The company was born with an SBA loan, and in less than five years has
grown into a $700 million business. The company, headquartered in New
York's Chenango County, was founded in 2005 by 40-year old Hamdi
Ulukaya, who was born and raised in Turkey. He launched Chobani in
2007 with the vice president of sales, Kyle O'Brien. The pair decided
on the name Chobani after a three-hour, snowy drive to buy a piece of
production equipment. Chobani means shepherd, a symbol of safety and
good, in several Mediterranean languages. It now tops the booming
Greek yogurt segment, which grew 200 percent last year, along with the
larger yogurt category.

"Chobani's decision to locate its sales headquarters in Charlotte is
proof positive that businesses from all industries see the competitive
advantage our city provides," said Bob Morgan, Charlotte Chamber
president. "We expect great things to come from Chobani, and applaud
them for their rapid rise to one of the country's most lucrative
yogurt brands."

Chobani currently has 17 employees in Charlotte. With the new sales
headquarters and room to grow, the company anticipates accelerated
hiring and to potentially reach 60 employees in Charlotte by the end
of 2013. The average salary for the new positions is $70,000.

Window Nation Expands in Huntersville to New Showroom

Window Nation, one of the nation's top remodelers based on national
rankings, is expanding its showroom in Huntersville.

The new 2,500-square-foot showroom, at 15905 Brookway Drive, Suite
4104 in Huntersville, features name-brand vinyl, fiberglass and wood
windows in settings that simulate the interior and exterior walls of a
home, so buyers can see how the windows look once installed. The
company offers thousands of options for replacement windows to ensure
all customers can find windows that meet their needs.

"In the midst of a tough economy, we're finding Charlotte-area
homeowners are still paying attention to their homes' upkeep and
value," says Window Nation President Harley Magden. "Windows that
improve energy efficiency have been especially good sellers in this
market."

For customers who prefer in-home demonstrations, Window Nation
specialists bring samples directly to the home, giving customers a
realistic view of how the windows will appear in their own setting.
The company also carries an impressive variety of siding and doors. To
request a free estimate, customers can visit http://
www.windownation.com.

Ninety-one percent of customers who have completed Window Nation's
post-installation survey have said they would refer the company to
friends and family. Window Nation ranks 20th on Replacement
Contractor's Replacement 100 List of the 100 largest companies in the
home improvement industry, and 28th on Qualified Remodeler's Top 500
list of the nation's top 500 remodelers ranked by revenue.

Window Nation, headquartered in Baltimore, was founded by brothers
Harley and Aaron Magden after working for years in their father's
window business. The company operates in North Carolina, South
Carolina, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and is a
member of the Charlotte Better Business Bureau. Learn more at www.windownation.com
or call 704-816-1720.

Greg Hahn Named CEO of Toll Solutions, Division of InChem Corp., Rock Hill

Greg Hahn, former CEO of Synthetech, Inc., has been named CEO of Toll
Solutions, LLC, a division of InChem Corp. of Rock Hill, S.C.,
effective immediately.

Hahn served five years as President, CEO and Director of Synthetech,
Inc., based in Albany, OR., a publicly traded (NZYM.OB), fine
chemicals producer. The company was acquired by W.R. Grace & Co. in
2010. Previously Hahn was:

• Organics Global Business Director for FMC in Charlotte NC, a leading
manufacturer of specialty organic chemistry, 1999-2006
• Vice President, Sales, for SAFC, specialty chemical manufacturer in
St Louis MO.
• Marketing and Development Manager for Koch Industries in Corpus
Christie TX, developing and marketing innovative chemicals based on
petroleum sources

He earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from University of California,
Davis, in 1984, and did post-doctoral studies at the University of
Colorado in Boulder in 1984-85.

"Greg has outstanding credentials to lead and develop our growing toll
manufacturing business in Duncan," said Steve Crownshaw, President and
CEO of InChem Corp. "We have secured contracts with some of the
world's leading chemical companies to process chemical products for
them at our Duncan facility, and having someone with Greg's experience
and expertise to oversee and expand that business will be vital for us."

InChem Corporation of Rock Hill, S.C., provides custom, contract and
toll manufacturing of specialty chemicals to many of the world's
leading chemical companies. InChem is also a leading global supplier
of Phenoxy resins, which are high-value-added products used in such
demanding technologies as composites, adhesives and coatings for
aerospace, automotive, electronics, engineered plastics, packaging and
consumer goods applications. Learn more at http://www.inchemcorp.com

Toll Solutions LLC is a division of InChem Corp., specializing in toll
and custom dispersion, emulsion and blending services for a wide range
of chemical and industrial companies. Toll Solutions' modern
facilities include diverse reactors, blending vessels, dispersion and
emulsion vessels, solids handling, drum flaking and mixing equipment,
adaptable to a wide range of chemical processing needs.

Doing Business in Fast-Growing Africa Conference, Friday, April 27 at UNCC

For the first time and as part of Charlotte Africa Business Week 2012,
Charlotte is host to a major conference on doing business in Africa.
Doing Business in Fast-Growing Africa: A Focus on Regional Markets and
Economic Hubs is organized by the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte, Afribiz, Global Business Roundtable, and Pan African
Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is being held on Friday, April
27, 2012 at the UNC Charlotte Center City Campus at 320 E. 9th Street
from 9 am to 5pm.

Charlotte's competitive strengths in Banking, Finance, and Investment,
Energy, Healthcare, Education, Technology, as well as the State of
North Carolina's additional strengths in these areas and agriculture,
match many of the needs of the fast growing African continent with a
population over 1 billion and annual GDP of over $1 trillion. In
several countries in Africa, the middle class is growing faster and
has greater purchasing power than the middle class in China or India.
Also, seven of the fastest growing economies (Ethiopia, Mozambique,
Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo) in the world for the next
five years are in Africa, according to The Economist. The Economist
expects the Africa region to overtake the Asia region in growth within
five years.

Albert Essien, Deputy CEO of Ecobank (the largest Pan-African bank by
geography on the continent and assets of $17.2 Billion), is the
opening keynote speaker. He is joined by other notable business
leaders - Sipho Mseleku, President of the Pan African Chamber of
Commerce and Industry and Chairman of the Global Business Roundtable
and Zemedeneh Negatu, Managing Partner of Ethiopia and Head of
Transaction Advisory Services Eastern Africa for Ernst and Young.
Also, local Charlotte, African American author of "Redefining Business
in the New Africa and Going Global on a Dime," Lauri Elliott, will
also be speaking.

Speaker biographies are available on request. Speakers are also
available for on-air interviews on Thursday, April 26, 2012.

The one-day program is divided into panels covering West & Central
Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa, as well as general and
special focus sessions. Expert panelists share insights and tips for
doing business in Africa covering franchising, banking,
entrepreneurship, impact and social investing, agriculture, energy,
ICT, economic zones, infrastructure, consumer markets, etc.

Media are invited to attend and cover the conference all day. A
special time between 10 am and noon has been set aside for individual
media interviews with speakers and VIPs. (Interviews can also be done
at other times during the day.)

For further information on event, go to http://doingbusinessafrica.eventbrite.com

About Conference Schedule

9:00 am – 10:30 am
The New Africa (welcome, keynote speaker, and opening session speakers)
10:30 am – 10:45 am
Break
10:45 am – 11:15 am
Special Focus: Business and Opportunities in DR Congo
11:15 am – 11:45 am
Special Focus: Business and Opportunities in Nigeria (proposed)
11:45 am – 12:15 pm
Special Focus: Business and Opportunities in Ethiopia
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Focus on Fast-Growing East Africa (Panel)
2:15 pm – 2:30 pm
Break
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Focus on Fast-Growing West & Central Africa (Panel)
3:30 pm – 3:45 pm
Break
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
Focus on Fast-Growing Southern Africa (Panel)
4:45 pm – 5:00 pm
Closing
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Networking and Open Dialogue

Confirmed Speakers

• Daniel Anagho, President of African Investment Corporation,
speaking on opportunities and nuances of doing business in Cameroon &
Central Africa, as well as his role with OPIC
• Chief Tunde Adetunji, Founder of Africa Heritage Foundation,
serving as an opening session speaker on the topic, "Why Africa
Matters to the Global Economy"
• General Roger Blunt, CEO of Essex Construction and a board member
of Corporate Council on Africa, serving as an opening session speaker
on the topic, "Why Africa Matters to American Business"
• William Carter, Africa Diamond Leader at Ashoka, speaking on social
entrepreneurship in East Africa and how to leverage these networks to
do business on the continent
• Lauri Elliott, CEO of Conceptualee, Inc. and Director of Afribiz,
serving as Mistress of Ceremonies and discussing ICT across sectors in
East Africa
• Albert Essien, Deputy CEO of Ecobank, serving as keynote speaker
and discussing banking, finance, and investment in West Africa
• Claude Ibalanky, CEO of Bantu Investments, speaking on developing
retail products for informal consumer markets in Southern Africa
• Sipho Mseleku, Chairman of Global Business Roundtable and President
of the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, discussing
business landscape and opportunities in Southern Africa and as
luncheon keynote speaker
• Kabala Mselemu, Deputy Manager of Ministry of Mines in the
Democratic Republic of Congo, leading a special focus session on
business opportunities in the DRC
• Zemedeneh Negatu, Managing Partner at Ernst & Young Ethiopia and
Head of Transaction Advisory Services of Eastern Africa, leading a
special focus session on doing business in Ethiopia
• Troy Pelshak, CEO of Amana Global Services and former NFL player,
speaking on preparing for dynamics of doing business in West Africa
• Richard Schroeder, CEO of First Step Special Economic Zone,
speaking on using economic zones in West Africa to do business in Africa
• Hartmut Sieper, CEO of Trans Africa Invest, speaking on the key
capital markets in East Africa
• Rob Smith, Founder and Director of Earthwise Ventures, speaking on
infrastructure in East Africa
• Carol Tappenden, CEO of Nexii, speaking on innovative impact and
social enterprise investment options in Southern Africa
• Kendal Tyre, Partner at the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP, and
Chair/Founder of Lex Noir, speaking on franchising in Southern Africa

Charlotte's Toni L. Freeman to Be Named President of The Association of Junior Leagues International

The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., has announced
that Toni L. Freeman of Charlotte will be named in June as AJLI
President for a two-year term as head of one of the largest, most
effective women's volunteer organizations in the world. Ms. Freeman, a
former President and VP of Finance of the Junior League of Charlotte,
has also taken active leadership positions at many Charlotte-area
nonprofits. She is currently Chief Operating Officer of The Mint
Museum, the oldest art museum in North Carolina and home of one of the
largest art collections in the Southeast.

"Toni is a strong leader with a clear point of view about the value of
voluntarism in creating lasting community impact," said Susan Danish,
AJLI's Executive Director. "Through her leadership roles at the Junior
League of Charlotte as well as through her earlier role as Treasurer
of AJLI, Toni has a strong understanding of League dynamics and will
work closely with AJLI's Board and staff in delivering comprehensive
support services to our 293 independent Junior Leagues."

Ms. Freeman said, "The Junior League today has a great opportunity to
expand on our 111-year-old legacy. Cutbacks at all levels and a tough
fundraising environment have left many of the nonprofit organizations
and community partners our Leagues work with scrambling for resources.
By acting as community leaders and catalysts for change, our members
fill a real void in civic life."

A member of the Junior League of Charlotte since 1993, she is a
founding board member and past chair of the Charlotte Women's Impact
Fund. She served as chair of Women Executives for Community Services,
which manages a scholarship program for nontraditional college
students, and serves as a Trustee for the YWCA of the Central Carolinas.

Ms. Freeman was a board director of Hospice of Charlotte Region and
Lincoln County,
NPower Charlotte Region, Teen Health Connection, and Habitat for
Humanity. She has also worked as the Director of Donor Relations at
MeckEd, Charlotte's local education fund, and was the Director of
Project Research and Evaluation at The Duke Endowment. Earlier, Ms.
Freeman served as Senior VP of Finance and Membership at the Charlotte
Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Corporate Associate VP at SunHealth
(Premier).

About The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc.

Founded in 1901 by New Yorker and social activism pioneer, Mary
Harriman, the Junior Leagues are charitable nonprofit organizations of
women, developed as civic leaders, creating demonstrable community
impact.

Today, The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) is
comprised of more than 155,000 women in 293 Junior Leagues throughout
Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.Together,
they constituteone of the largest, most effective volunteer
organizations in the world.

LKQ Corporation invests in Charlotte

Chicago-based LKQ Corporation, the largest nationwide provider of
aftermarket and recycled collision replacement parts for automobiles
and trucks, has established a major distribution center in Charlotte.

LKQ recently leased the former FedEx facility at 1001 Carrier Drive
off I-85 in north Charlotte. The 156,000 sq. ft. complex consists of
shop, office and terminal buildings on 52 acres and will serve as the
company's base of operations for the Carolinas. Bill Mowry of Prime
Equities represented LKQ during lease negotiations. Lester Osborn of
Piedmont Properties represented the landlord.

LKQ's Charlotte operation continues the publicly traded company's
expansion throughout North and Central America. Including its
operations in the United Kingdom, LKQ operates over 440 facilities and
expects to hire locally in line with the Charlotte center's growth.

"We are very excited about our recent expansion in the Charlotte
market with the addition of our new warehouse," says Joe Boutross,
LKQ's Director of Investor Relations. "This new facility will allow us
to increase our product offerings to our customers in the Charlotte
metropolitan area while simultaneously expanding our team of employees
to support our growth strategy. It's a win-win for LKQ, Charlotte and
our customers."

The Charlotte Chamber worked with LKQ Corporation in the fall of 2011
as the company evaluated Charlotte.

For more information on LKQ Corporation, please visit www.lkqcorp.com.

FedEx Ground Honors Local Employee with Prestigious Recognition

Jeff Gates, service manager at FedEx Ground in Charlotte, N.C., was
recently honored by the company as a Purple Promise Award winner. Of
the more than 59,000 employees in the FedEx Ground and FedEx SmartPost
network, Jeff was among 21 recognized for far exceeding the
expectations of their job responsibilities to ensure an outstanding
customer experience.

"With admiration and respect, we're proud to recognize the outstanding
efforts and compassionate acts of our employees," said Dave Rebholz,
president & CEO, FedEx Ground. "Employees who understand the
importance of each and every customer experience not only ensure our
company's continued success but truly represent the foundation from
which it was built."