Vol. 34 No. 4, April - April 2014
Index
- Still a stroke back: a Charlottean broke the PGA Tour's color barrier but didn't change its hue.
- Behind the music: NPR theme songs are made possible by the generous contributions of this guy.
- Buyers markets.
- Investment grade.
- Verbatim.
- Life after Tiger: the Cliffs looks to shine without its biggest star.
- Vital signs.
- Alternate formula: the biotechnology industry needs workforce development, research partnerships and entrepreneurs to continue its powerful contributions to the state economy.
- Hello, goodbye: Tar Heel employers turn to temps to keep costs down during a tepid recovery.
- These little piggies are getting sick.
- Elizabeth City--Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Healthcare entered a long-term lease agreement with Albemarle Health March 1 and named Kenneth Wood interim president of the 182-bed hospital.
- Fayetteville--Combat Medical Systems won a Department of Defense contract to supply up to $36 million worth of medical supplies to the military and federal agencies.
- Fayetteville--Fayetteville Technical Community College had a $530.3 million impact on Cumberland County's economy in the 2012-13 fiscal year, according to a report by Moscow, Idaho-based Economic Modeling Specialists and commissioned by the school.
- Wilmington--CBS Television began filming the second season of Under the Dome in March.
- Wilmington--Henderson, Nev.-based U-Swirl bought Fuzzy Peach Franchising, a chain of 17 frozen-yogurt shops started by three UNC Wilmington graduates, for $481,000 plus up to $349,000 more based on royalty income in the next 12 months.
- Wilson--Brentwood, Tenn.-based Duke LifePoint Healthcare paid $56 million for 80% ownership of Wilson Medical Center and will invest $96 million toward $120 million of capital improvements to the 294-bed hospital.
- B-schools post better returns.
- Cary--New York-based private-equity firm Warburg Pincus will invest up to $100 million in Dude Solutions, which will hire up to 100 sales, marketing and technology workers by year-end.
- Durham--PurThread Technologies is partnering with Rochester, N.Y.-based Eastman Kodak to make antimicrobial products for the health-care industry and the military.
- Durham--Quintiles Transnational posted quarterly revenue of $1 billion for the first time in the fourth quarter.
- First Bancorp.
- Morrisville--Herndon, Va.-based ePlus opened a 12,000-square-foot service center next to its office here and will hire as many as 50 people to staff it.
- Raleigh--Norris Tolson, 74, will retire June 30 from the state-funded North Carolina Biotechnology Center, where he has been president and CEO since 2007.
- High Point--BuzziSpace, a Belgian manufacturer of office furniture, will open its North American headquarters here, investing more than $1.7 million and creating 113 jobs over five years.
- Lewisville--Westbend Vineyards and Brewhouse closed to the public March 2.
- Re-enlisted for regeneration.
- Winston Salem--John Allison, former chief executive of BB&T, will retire from the board April 29.
- Winston-Salem--More than 900 Walmart stores nationwide began selling Krispy Kreme ready-to-drink iced-coffee beverages Feb. 10.
- Charlotte--Charlotte Douglas International Airport canceled plans for a 53-megawatt solar project (Regional Report, January) that would have been one of the largest in the state.
- Charlotte--FJS Thermal Transfer Ribbon USA will expand its operations here, creating up to 30 jobs over the next three years.
- Charlotte--Irongate Home Finance will establish its headquarters here and create 125 jobs over 18 months.
- Charlotte--Kellogg Co. will close its local snack plant by year-end, idling about 200.
- Charlotte--UNC Charlotte opened a $35 million, 96,000-square-foot business hub on its technology-research campus here.
- Lowes Foods and Merchants Distributors.
- NTE hopes to get ahead by steam.
- A lifestyle resort is reborn.
- Asheville--Extended Care Physicians acquired the clinical assets of Spartanburg, S.C.-based Network Geriatric Services, giving the geriatric-physician network 65 doctors and nurse practitioners at more than 100 nursing homes, assisted living centers and retirement communities in North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.
- Black Mountain--Kearfott Corp. will invest $11.8 million and add 75 to the 336 jobs here in a plant expansion.
- Forest City--Fontana, Calif.-based Team Air Inc. will create 70 jobs and invest $4.2 million over the next three years in a manufacturing plant here.
- Lenoir--Bernhardt Furniture will expand operations at one of its plants here because of increased demand for two of its product lines.
- Not enough ventured: and not enough will be gained until the state does more encourage entrepreneurs to create jobs at the rate they have in past recoveries.
- A second opinion: the governor soothes irritated health-care providers by backing away from a plan for managed-care companies to run Medicaid.
- A shell of a place: its cultivation may be moving south, but in Bertie County, where Powells have peddled peanuts for decades, the legume still rules.
- Heart of coal: ashes of what made Duke Energy so powerful now smudge its reputation.
- Skins game: Harold Varner takes aim at becoming one of the rarest things in golf--a black pro.
- Business with pleasure: the governor calls on the state's best courses to help him court commerce.
- Closing at the opens: companies are pining for the chance to bolster business at Pinehurst No. 2.
- Live Oak Bank, Wilmington.