John P. McGrail, president and chief executive officer of Lion’s Share Federal Credit Union, won re-election to the North Carolina Credit Union League board of directors.
McGrail will represent the Northwest Chapter of credit unions for a second three-year term. The chapter is made up of 12 credit unions concentrated in the Piedmont Triad area.
McGrail is a 19-year veteran of the credit union movement and has been president of the Salisbury-based Lion’s Share Credit Union for nine years. Previously, he served as vice president of member services at Winston-Salem City Employees’ Credit Union.
In his time at LSFCU, McGrail has overseen the credit union’s steady growth and transformation into a full-service financial institution. In 2008, the credit union opened a new headquarters location adjacent to the Food Lion headquarters.
LSFCU serves employees and family members of the companies of the Delhaize America Corporation, including Salisbury-based Food Lion.
McGrail received the Northwest Chapter Career Person of the Year Award in 2003 for his contributions to the chapter and to the credit union movement. He has served on a variety of volunteer committees in order to advance the “people helping people” philosophy of credit unions.
McGrail and his family live in Salisbury and attend First Baptist Church.
NAPA award
ROCKWELL ó Rockwell Auto & Tractor Parts, owned by Kevin Jewell and his father, Jim, has achieved the NAPA Five Star Excellence recognition for the first time.
Their success is part of having followed NAPA’s Five Star program, which helps NAPA Auto Parts store owners stay on track for business growth.
Customers will recognize Five Star winners by the Five Star window decal, floor mat and plaque displayed at each winner’s location.
Jim Jewell opened the business 36 years ago, and Kevin later joined his father in the business, becoming co-owner for the past five years.
Kevin Jewell has a degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and he also spent two years at Rhema Bible Training Center.
In the summer of 2008, the Jewells relocated their store and utilized the NAPA Store concept. With the relocation and upgrade of the store, along with the commitment of the employees, they earned NAPA Five Star Excellence status.
NAPA is the largest automotive after-market provider and serves more than 5,700 stores across the nation.
Charlotte Partnership officers
The Charlotte Regional Partnership’s Economic Development Advisory Committee has elected officers for the 2009-2010 fiscal year that begins July 1.
Scott Millar, president of Catawba County Economic Development Corporation, will be chair; Ryan McDaniels, vice president of economic development at the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation, is vice chair; and Chris Plate, director of Monroe Economic Development, is secretary.
Robert Van Geons, executive director of the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission, will remain part of the leadership as immediate past chair.
A nonprofit, public/private economic development organization, the Charlotte Regional Partnership allocates and leverages regional economic development resources to sustain and enhance the economic growth, vitality and global competitiveness of the Charlotte region.
The 16-county region encompasses Alexander, Anson, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties in North Carolina and Chester, Chesterfield, Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina.
Lost-job workshop
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will offer a three-part seminar series for people coping with job loss and down-sizing.
The “Who Moved My Job: Guidelines for Job-Loss Grief Recovery” series is scheduled for consecutive days, July 22-24, at RCCC’s Cabarrus Business & Technology Center in Concord.
The series is designed for individuals who are experiencing the emotional impact of widespread layoffs.
Michael E. Hall, a board-certified career management fellow and a charter member of the grief/bereavement section of the American Counseling Association, will lead each seminar session.
Seminar 1 will focus on executives and managers ó people with decision-making authority. These individuals must make difficult personnel decisions, while dealing their own “survivor guilt.” They often are moving their departments or organizations forward through workforce reductions.
This seminar will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon July 22. The cost is $110.
Seminar 2 is for released or displaced employees who are struggling with feelings of betrayal.
Participants will learn coping techniques for recovery of occupational mental health and maintenance of a balanced life after unexpected job loss.
Participants will be referred to RCCC’s R3 Center to help them assess their re-employment options and plans. This seminar will be offered from 1-4 p.m. July 23. There is no charge for Seminar 2.
Seminar 3 will concentrate on employees who remain after layoffs.
These so-called “survivors” commonly display similar reactions as released employees. They also have the task of coping with “survivor-guilt,” while carrying the burden of heavier workloads. This seminar is scheduled for 9 a.m.-noon July 24. The cost is $110.
For more information, contact DeAnn Basden, RCCC’s director of corporate and professional development, at 704-216-3530.
RCCC’s Cabarrus Business & Technology Center is located at 660 Concord Parkway North.
Career workshops
KANNAPOLIS ó The R3 Center is offering numerous career development workshops and resume clinics in July for adults in Cabarrus and Rowan counties.
All of the programs are free. The center has expanded its workshop schedule to include class locations in both counties.
Located at 164 Dale Earnhardt Blvd. in Kannapolis, the R3 Center is a career development center established by Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to assist workers who are unemployed or under-employed.
Due to the popularity of its free workshops, the R3 Center strongly encourages clients to call the center in advance at 704-216-7201 and reserve a seat. Call also for specific workshop locations.
The center’s July schedule of workshops includes the following Cabarrus County sessions:
– New Client Launch ó 9-10 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays; and 2-3 p.m. Thursdays. New Client Launch is an orientation program for persons who have never attended an R3 Center workshop or taken advantage of its other services.
– Is it Time for More Training? ó 10 a.m.-noon July 6;
– Looking for Work with a Criminal Record ó 2-4 p.m. July 6;
– Identifying Your Career Options ó 6-8 p.m. July 7, and 10 a.m.-noon July 21;
– Interview Techniques ó 10 a.m.-noon July 8;
– Looking for Work at 50+ ó 6-8 p.m. July 8;
– On-line Job Hunting ó 10 a.m.-noon July 9;
– Stand Out From the Competition ó 6-8 p.m. July 9;
– The ABCs of Computer Usage ó 10 a.m.-noon July 10;
– N.C. Research Campus Careers 101 ó 9-11 a.m. July 18;
– JobsNOW 12-in-6 Program ó 10-noon July 22;
– Layoff Survival Tips ó 10 a.m.-noon July 23;
– It’s Not About Who You Know, It’s Who You Meet ó 6-8 p.m. July 23; and
– Back to School 101 ó 10 a.m.-noon July 24.
The center’s July schedule of workshops also includes the following Rowan County sessions:
– N.C. Research Campus Careers 101 ó 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 14;
– Identifying Your Career Options ó 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 15;
– Looking for Work at 50-plus ó 6-8 p.m. July 15;
– Is it Time for More Training? ó 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 16;
– JobsNOW 12-in6 Program ó 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 28;
– Interview Techniques ó 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 29th; and
– Stand Out From the Competition ó 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 30.
The R3 Center will offer two resume clinics to help job searchers improve their current resume or create a new one from start to finish.
Clinics are scheduled for 9-11 a.m. July 11; and 6-8 p.m. July 22.
Elder care management
Navigating the terrain of elder care services can often be difficult. That’s why Lutheran Services for the Aging (LSA), one of the largest not-for-profit providers of services to seniors in North Carolina, has established a program to provide geriatric care management.
“The number of elders requesting or requiring assistance to remain safely at home or to transition into a residential setting is growing at an astonishing rate,” said LSA President Ted W. Goins, Jr.
“Geriatric care management is a tool LSA can now offer to elders or to caregivers who need help during that process.”
LSA, ranked 64th among the 100 largest not-for-profit providers of aging services in the United States, now operates nursing homes in Salisbury, Albemarle, Winston-Salem and Hickory; an assisted living residence in Clemmons; retirement communities in Arden and Salisbury; and an adult day services program in Salisbury.
Through an affiliation with Caregiving Corner, the Salisbury-based healthcare organization will now provide geriatric care management services in Mecklenburg, Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln, Iredell, Cabarrus, Union, Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Stanly, Forsyth and Rowan Counties.
Services will become available in Davie, Guilford, and Buncombe Counties over the next few weeks.
“Ultimately, the goal is to expand LSA’s services throughout North Carolina,” Goins said. “This endeavor will allow LSA to extend its ministry beyond the walls of its buildings into the greater community. It will provide us with an opportunity to serve elders in parts of the state that until now have been largely beyond our reach.”
Established in 2005, Caregiving Corner offers geriatric care management services to older adults and/or their caregivers.
According to Jennifer Szakaly, gerontologist and principal owner, “Sorting through eldercare services can be overwhelming. A geriatric care manager is familiar with community resources, what services are available, which programs work, who to trust and how to get things done.”
Services typically provided include assessing the individual and their situation, developing a plan of care, arranging for services, and providing oversight of those services.
Though any senior or caregiver can benefit from the advice of a geriatric care manager, the service is especially useful to adult children living at a distance from an aging parent.
Fees are paid for privately, though some long-term care policies will cover the cost.
“Often,” Szakaly added, “the GCM fees are small when compared to the emotional and financial cost of letting unknown or challenging situations turn into larger problems.”
To learn more about LSA’s care management initiative, visit the LSA website at www.lsanc.net.
Human Resource Association
The Rowan County Human Resource Association meets the third Thursday of each month from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 632 Park Ave., Salisbury.
Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.
There will not be a monthly meeting in July, however.
Monthly reminders are sent to all members.
The cost of the meal is included in the annual membership fee.
Non-members and guests may attend for a nominal charge for the meal.
The association conducts several half-day and whole-day workshops featuring local expertise during the year. These are announced via the organization’s communication links and in local media.
The association will conduct a Lean and Green Leadership Workshop from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s Teaching Auditorium, 1333 Jake Alexander Blvd. South.
In this program, fundamental issues will be addressed regarding “going green”, going beyond diversity, becoming an employer of choice and regulatory compliance with a Legislative Update.
Recertification credits are in the process of being approved by SHRM.
For more information go to http://rchra.shrm.org, or email rchra1@yahoo.com.
Charlotte board
The Charlotte Regional Partnership board of directors announced its officers for the 2009-2010 fiscal year that begins July 1.
H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, chairman of The Wheeler Company, will be board chair.
Landon Wyatt, industrial partner at Childress Klein Properties, will be first vice chairman; and Pete Acker, president and CEO of Carolinas Medical Center-Lincoln, treasurer.
Tony Almeida, vice president of large business customers at Duke Energy, is immediate past chair.
“We must use creative thinking to meet the challenges of this new economy that we are in,” Wheeler said.
“We must be a step ahead in our creativity and vision to see what lies beyond the current business horizon because one thing we know: It will be an entirely different world, and I believe that the Charlotte USA area will become an even greater economic magnet.”