Towel City Tire accepting nominations for deserving person to receive free tires

This holiday season, Towel City Tire is asking: “Do you know someone who could benefit from a new set of tires but cannot afford them?”

The company is hoping to find a deserving recipient for a donation of a new set of Hercules Tires and installation, up to $500 in value.

Towel City Tire said that nominations can be for “anyone you feel would be a deserving recipient.”

Nominations will be accepted through Jan. 5 and can be submitted online at www.towelcityracingtires.com. You can also find more information on the Towel City Tire Facebook page.

Towel City Tire is a fourth-generation, family-owned-and-operated business.

“Please help us spread the word about ‘New Tires for a New Year’ this Christmas season so that a deserving person can get a great start to the new year,” the company said in a release. “We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at Towel City Tire!”

EnergyUnited announces new chief operating officer

STATESVILLE – EnergyUnited has named John McMurray as its chief operating officer, effective Dec. 11.

McMurray is now responsible for the day-to-day leadership, management and strategic implementation to achieve EnergyUnited’s vision of transitioning to a leading energy services cooperative.

Additionally, John is in charge of ensuring that the company has the proper growth strategies, operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and the people and systems in place to effectively achieve the strategic direction of the cooperative.

John’s career spans more than 30 years in the cooperative, investor-owned and municipal energy area. He has expertise and experience in cooperative planning and development, technology innovation, strategy, engineering, operations, customer service and power supply.  He also brings a skillset of leadership and influence, impactful communication, member service mindset, executive relationship building, team building and succession planning experience.

John’s most recent accomplishments have been the innovation of the “Safety Sphere of Influence” and six points of vision that envelopes safety, reliability, technology, financial accountability, employee development and member service.

John most recently held an assistant general manager role with Lakeland Electric in Florida.  Prior to this role, he was the manager of engineering services and system planning at Sumter Electric Cooperative.

He has also held positions at Florida Power and Light as distribution planning supervisor, construction engineering, training supervisor and customer service market research analyst.

“John demonstrates strong leadership abilities and is very goal- and customer- focused,” said Wayne Wilkins, CEO of EnergyUnited. “His vision and experience will help EnergyUnited achieve its vision of transitioning to a leading energy services cooperative.”

Carolina Antique Power Association, Inc. receives grant

STATESVILLE – Carolina Antique Power Association Inc. was recently awarded a grant through Carolina Farm Credit’s Corporate Mission Fund. The grant will be used to complete the interior of the Country Life Museum at Sloan Park and to purchase interior and exterior signage for the museum.

“Our Corporate Mission Fund is another way that Carolina Farm Credit strives to enhance agriculture and the rural communities in North Carolina,” said Carolina Farm Credit CEO Vance Dalton. “These grants help provide funding for many great organizations across our territory.”

For the third year, Carolina Farm Credit distributed grants from its Corporate Mission Fund.  $143,000 was awarded to 26 local organizations and 8 college students in 2017. Since it started in 2015, the fund has awarded $387,000 in grants and scholarships.

For a complete list of 2017 Corporate Mission Fund recipients, visit carolinafarmcredit.com

Carolina Farm Credit is a stockholder-owned cooperative providing financing to full and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses and also provides financing for the construction and purchase of homes in 54 counties through 32 branch offices. Other financial services available are credit life insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.

For 100 years, Farm Credit has been supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.

Carolina Farm Credit serves over 10,000 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.4 billion.  The association’s territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with branch offices located in 32 towns and cities.