ED LAWSON
New job title:
Chief executive officer
Company:
The Blood Alliance
Related Work Experience:
Lawson has been the organization’s chief operating officer since March 2013 and succeeds Valerie Collins, who passed away, as CEO.
TABITHA MCFEE
New job title:
Lead designer
Company:
Floor & Decor
Duties:
McFee will lead the Floor & Decor Savannah design team in assisting shoppers with decisions about their purchases.
Related Work Experience:
She has more than 15 years experience in the flooring industry.
AMANDA HOLLOWELL
New job title:
Board member
Company: Girls on the Run of Coastal Ga.
Duties: She will work with the board and staff to increase awareness of Girls on the Run, develop community relationships, increase fundraising, update strategic planning and expand the footprint of the programs.
Related Work Experience:
Hollowell was a coordinator with the American Diabetes Association and the owner of Savannah Events & Weddings. She is an educational specialist with LIfeLink of Georgia, training volunteers, developing events, creating community relationships and managing budgets.
Education: She has a B.A. in American studies with an emphasis in business communication and consumer society from University of California at Berkeley.
TERRY DAVIS
New job title:
General manager of Robert Trent Jones golf course
Company: Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
Duties:
Related Work Experience:
Davis has worked in golf at a variety of country clubs for more than 15 years.
Education:
He is a graduate of Methodist University.
BRIAN OBERMEYER
New job title:
Sous chef
Company: Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
Related Work Experience:
He served as a chef in Atlanta, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and on Hilton Head. Obermeyer owned Pastis Restaurant in Roswell, Ga., for six years and was executive sous chef at Red Fish restaurant on Hilton Head for two years.
Education:
Obermeyer was trained at Johnson & Wales in Charleston and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
OLIVIER PLANTADIS
New job title:
Catering manager
Company:
Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
Related Work Experience:
Plantadis is co-owner of Midnight Bakery in Bluffton and spent time working for Chick-fil-A, Tubby’s Tankhouse and Sonic Drive In.
ALEC B. METZGER
New job title:
Branch manager
Company: EMC Engineering Services, Inc.
Related Work Experience:
Metzger joined the staff of EMC’s corporate office in Savannah as a design engineer. His experience includes work on various residential, commercial, industrial and municipal projects.
Education:
He graduated from the University of Georgia and holds dual registration in Georgia and South Carolina.
THOMAS W. HURLEY
New job title:
Survey manager
Company:
EMC Engineering Services, Inc.
Related Work Experience:
Hurley has held positions including project manager, district surveyor, and right of way and mapping director for various firms in Atlanta. He is the past president and current director of the Surveying and Mapping Society of Georgia.
Education:
Hurley graduated from the University of Georgia in 1980 with a degree in forest resources and timber management.
SCOTT D. MCPHEE
New job title:
Dean of the College of Health Professions
Company:
South University
Related Work Experience:
McPhee brings extensive academic and military leadership experience to his position and serves on the editorial board of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy and Journal of Family & Community Health.
Education: McPhee received his doctor of public health degree from the University of Texas, his master of public administration from Western Kentucky University, his master of science in hand management from the Medical College of Virginia, a bachelor of science from the University of Puget Sound and a bachelor of arts from the University of Washington.
AMY ARIANO
New job title:
Vice president, human resources
Company:
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.
Duties:
Ariano will lead Gulfstream’s human resources organization with responsibility for all aspects of the employment, recruitment, development, engagement and retention of Gulfstream’s workforce.
Related Work Experience: Ariano was vice president, human resources – private brands and commercial foods, for ConAgra Foods Inc., in Omaha, Neb., where she led human resources for two business segments with a combination of domestic and international employees.
Education:
Ariano earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Michigan in Flint and a master’s degree in training and organizational development from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.
DINO PAPADOPOULOS
New job title: Executive director, owner
Company:
Sylvan Learning of Savannah
Duties: Papadopoulos will oversee the operations of Sylvan Learning of Savannah. He will also run the Prometric Test Center and plans to open a Sylvan satellite center in Pooler.
Related Work Experience: He has been with Sylvan since 2010 as center director.
Education:
Papadopoulos earned a master’s degree in Secondary Education and soon went on to create his own tutoring and educational consulting business.
Neighborhood group elects new board
The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Savannah, elected a new board of directors on May 12.
The following directors were appointed to DNA’s board: Melinda Allen, president; Gale Steves, vice president; Meredith Dulany, secretary; Michael Rundbaken, treasurer; Amy Brock, communications director; Staci Donegan, membership chair; Bill Durrence, neighborhood outreach; Bary Gale, public safety chair; Matthew Hallett, ward captain chair; Nicholas Henry, historic review board liaison; Roger Moss, Jr., Downtown Business Association liaison; Susan Myers, local government liaison/tour of homes director; Custis L. “Bud” Rosser, Beach neighborhood liaison; Erika Snayd, events director.
The board also appointed the following ex-officio members: Katharine Alphin, Reed Dulany, David Jones, Lawrence B. Lee, Bill Lovett, Bob Maas, Bob McAlister, Hank Reed, Bill Stuebe, Kenneth Zapp.
Wells Fargo Advisors honor Kinney
Wells Fargo Advisors, for the fifth consecutive year, designated Alan Kinney, managing director-investments, as a member of the firm’s Premier Advisors Program, a distinction that reflects Kinney’s achievement of meeting or exceeding Wells Fargo Advisors’ standards as measured by one or more of the firm’s criteria for revenue generation, educational attainment and client-service best practices.
Manly elected to state board of governors
John Manly, an associate at Bouhan Falligant whose practice focuses on the areas of admiralty and maritime, transportation litigation, and medical malpractice defense, was recently elected to the State Bar of Georgia’s Board of Governors as the representative for the Eastern Circuit (post 4).
Brown named to Brevard Achievement Center board
Ellen Brown, a Savannah native and project manager with Aerodyne Industries LLC, was named to the board of the Brevard Achievement Center, a non-profit organization that provides innovative services and opportunities to assist people with disabilities achieve personal success.
BBB honors Mowry
John Mowry, CEO and co-founder for Homes of Integrity, received the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Business Integrity.
Reese named top producer
United Community Bank recognized Gaye Reese at top producer in customer derivatives.
Vet receives acupuncture certification
Dr. Betsy von Trapp is now certified in Companion Animal Acupuncture. She joined Case Veterinary Hospital in October 2013, and acupuncture will complement her medical cases in general practice and in surgery.