Van Coley, an agent with Century 21 Sweyer & Associates, has earned the national Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation. The certification means that a real estate professional has an understanding of complex issues in the turbulent real estate industry and a knowledge of foreclosure avoidance options, such as short sales, available to homeowners.

Front Street Brewery earned a handful of medals at this year’s Carolina Championship of Beers at Hickory Hops in Hickory, N.C. Brewmaster Kevin Kozak accepted a gold medal for the company’s Spring Brew, a silver medal for Absurdity Belgian Ale, one bronze medal for Coastal Kolsch, and a second bronze for Henry’s Helles Bock.

Magnolia Greens Golf has appointed two individuals to its senior management team.

Nicole Stone has been appointed to the position of director, sales and marketing.  A Virginia native and a graduate of Radford University, Nicole has held sales and leadership positions in the telecommunications and advertising industries. In her new role, Stone will be responsible for all facets of the organization’s sales and marketing programs. Logan Wilber has been appointed director, food and beverage. A graduate of UNCW with a master’s degree from Winthrop University, Wilber has held culinary positions in several area restaurants, including the Country Club of Landfall, before joining the Magnolia Greens culinary staff last November.

Magnolia Greens is a 27-hole public golf facility in Leland.  Developed in 1998, it has has hosted the PGA Qualifying school and numerous USGA and CGA events.

Alan Paull, owner of the Novus Glass auto glass franchise in Wilmington, has received the company’s 2012 Gold Franchisee of the Year award. He was chosen from a network of 236 Novus franchise owners in the U.S. In the three years since he established it, Paull’s franchise has distinguished itself through customer service and business performance. Paull also received a 2012 President’s Club Award, which is given to the top Novus sales performers.

Leslie Simmons, a third-grade teacher at Winter Park Elementary School in Wilmington, has been selected as one of 44 Kenan Fellows for the Class of 2013 by North Carolina State University.  The 18-month Kenan Fellows Program for Curriculum and Leadership Development is a competitive fellowship offered to accomplished North Carolina public school teachers.  During the program, Kenan fellows interact with teachers, policy and business leaders and research scientists to build strong instructional and leadership skills. Simmons first joined NHCS in August 2001, after receiving a B.S. in 1988 from Towson State University.

Steve Salzman has been named general manager of the Country Club of Landfall. He comes to the position from Eagle Golf, where he was general manager of Arrowhead Country Club in Glendale, Ariz. and regional manager for five other Eagle Golf-managed properties. A native of Houston, Tex., Salzman has more than 20 years of experience in the private club industry.

Salzman holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University in hotel, restaurant and institutional management.  

At the annual shareholders meeting May 1, Lee Williams was elected vice chairman of Live Oak Bancshares and Live Oak Banking Company. Williams was one of the founders of the bank, which was formed in 2006. Since then, he has managed customer portfolios and focused on business development. Prior to starting Live Oak Bank, Williams spent nineteen years in corporate banking at Wachovia and worked fourteen years at Vine Street Financial doing SBA lending. In 1973, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration.