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Wilmington Attorney Named To Fill District Court Judgeship

By Staff Reports, posted Sep 2, 2011
Heading the new LLC: Jonathan Rowe tackles his to-do list as the EC takes shape in the community.

Former family law attorney Robin Wicks Robinson was recently appointed to fill the Fifth Judicial District judge’s seat left vacant by the death of Judge John Carroll.

Gov. Bev Perdue appointed Robinson, 50, August 17 to the seat, which covers New Hanover and Pender counties.

“Robin will be a great asset to the citizens of the Fifth District on the District Court bench,” Perdue said in a news release. “The depth of her legal experience and her strong commitment to the rule of law uniquely qualify her to serve in this position.”

Robinson, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Fifth Judicial District bench in the fall of 2010, is currently in private practice in Wilmington where she handles cases in a variety of areas, including civil and criminal law. She is also a board-certified specialist in the area of family law and an experienced mediator and arbitrator. She has served on numerous bar committees and is active in the community.

A native of Roanoke Rapids, Robinson obtained her law degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1985.
Robinson and her husband, James “Chip Robinson, Jr., have a son, James, and a daughter, Wallace.

Law firm expands real estate practice

Wilmington law firm Smith Moore Leatherwood has expanded its real estate practice group with the addition of Edward T. “Ted” Shipley.

Shipley’s practice focuses on commercial real estate transactions and real estate finance. He represents lenders in commercial loan transactions and works with banks and other financial institutions on distressed assets, according to a news release from the law firm. He also represents clients before the state Public Service Commission and has advised clients on procuring water and electric utilities.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Wake Forest University School of Law, Shipley comes to Wilmington from Winston-Salem, where he previously served on the executive board of the Forsyth County Bar Association and president of the county Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division.

“We are excited to bring Ted to Wilmington and to the Smith Moore Leatherwood real estate team,” said Michael Lee, partner in charge of the firm’s Wilmington office. “He built a strong practice in Winston-Salem and we know he will earn great regard here in Wilmington.”

TD Bank branch announces new manager

The TD Bank at 3512 Oleander Drive has a new manager, Jennifer A. Merritt.

Merritt, an assistant vice president, is responsible for new business development, consumer and business lending and overseeing the day-to-day operations at the bank.

Before joining TD Bank, Merritt served as a loan documentation specialist at Wells Fargo in Wilmington and a branch sales manager for Beneficial Finance/HSBC in Wilmington and Spring Lake, N.C.

She is a 1999 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and volunteers with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Local accountant wins environmental, social certification

Wilmington-based Certified Public Accountant Adam Shay’s firm Adam Shay CPA, PLLC recently earned Certified B Corporation standing, enlisting his firm in a coalition of North American companies committed to solving social and environmental problems.
Shay’s company is one of only three CPA practices nationwide to have earned this certification, according to a news release from his office.

“My mom’s parents provided a great example of giving back their time and money when they retired,” Shay said in the news release.

“I don’t want to wait that long. The environment is near and dear to my heart because I love the outdoors. And the natural environment – along with the historic district – is what makes Wilmington such a special place.”

With his B Corporation certification, Shay joins a federation of 439 companies in the U.S. and Canada that together generate revenues of more than $2.18 billion and span 54 industries.

According to Shay, B Corporation qualification involves a rigorous assessment, changes in a firm’s legal structure and the signing of a Term Sheet and Declaration of Interdependence.

“It was a matter of redesigning my business to tackle basic community and conservation issues,” he said. “As a Certified B Corporation, we also will encourage our business and personal clients to take advantage of green tax credits, which saves on taxes and operating costs, all the while helping the green technology and building industries continue to grow.”

Shay also signed onto the 1 percent for the Planet Program, which entails embracing new technologies, reducing  paper use and donating 1 percent of sales to local environmental non-profits.

“I am realistic – I am only one business owner and I’m not perfect,” Shay said. "The bigger picture? Rather than focusing solely on my direct impact, I see my end goal to influence other business owners for the better as to how they view and use their business. I want to raise awareness and encourage other businesses to take similar paths.”

Shay currently sits on the board of the Cape Fear Economic Development Council and is involved in the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance.

NHRMC names top employees for July, August

Cristen Weaver and Chen Li were recently named New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s employee of excellence for the months of July and August, respectively.

Weaver is a technologist in the hospital’s Noninvasive Cardiology Lab and Li is a grounds technician.

The Employee of Excellence program at NHRMC is a way for the hospital to acknowledge outstanding contributions of its employees. Employees are nominated and chosen for high performance in four areas: communication, compassion,teamwork and ownership.

UNCW announces new board members, officers

The University of North Carolina Wlmington’s Board of Trustees announced three new board members last week and elected new officers for the 2011-12 academic year.

The new board members sworn in August 25 were Carlton Fisher, of Wilmington, Kimberly Hayden of Raleigh, and Ronald “Ronnie” McNeill of Whiteville.

Fisher, 50, a 1983 UNCW graduate, is owner/manager of Coastal Realty, a commercial real estate firm in Wilmington. He is a former chairman of the UNCW Foundation Board.

Hayden, 30, a 2003 UNCW graduate, is owner/manager of Hayden Rentals and senior associate with Hayden, Blanton & Associates, a political campaign fundraising firm based in Raleigh. She was director of staff and logistics for Gov. Bev Perdue’s gubernatorial campaign and worked for Perdue in several capacities during her tenure as lieutenant governor and governor. She recently founded the Hayden Urban Farm Foundation.

McNeill, 60, is director and chief operating officer of Liberty Healthcare Services. In February, McNeill, his brother John “Sandy” McNeill and their spouses gave the largest gift in UNCW’s history to support the School of Nursing and the Cameron School of Business. To recognize the gift, UNCW renamed the School of Nursing building McNeill Hall. Ronnie McNeill has served on the Cameron Executive Advisory Board. He and his wife, Cyndi, are members of UNCW’s Campaign Cabinet.

Fisher and McNeill were appointed to four-year terms ending in 2015. Hayden was appointed to serve out an unexpired term, which ends in 2013.

The board also elected newofficers. George Teague of Raleigh was named chairman; Linda Pearce of Wilmington was named vice-chairman; and Wendy Murphy of Wallace was named secretary. All have served on the board since 2005.

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