Smoky Mountain News

Western Carolina University’s College of Business announces a new interim dean, Louis E. Buck Jr., the Wesley Elingburg Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation and director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Buck will be leading the College of Business while a national search is conducted for a permanent dean to fill a vacancy created by the departure of Ronald Johnson, who took another position on campus as WCU’s first BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism.

Haywood County Health Department Dental Clinic has selected Dr. Calvin K. Grant, to be Director of the program. Grant comes to Haywood County from the Cherokee Indian Hospital in Cherokee. 828.452.6701.

Dalton’s Christian Bookstore in Franklin receives the Spirit of Excellence Award in innovation from The Christian Bookseller’s Association.828.369.6464 or visit www.daltonschristianbooks.com

The Cherokee Chamber of Commerce announces The Fly Rod Chronicles fly fishing show and its executive producer, Curtis Fleming, as new members. “Mr. Fleming has the opportunity to fish all over the United States and he ranks Cherokee at the top of his list, so there must be something special about it here,” said Matthew Pegg, executive director of the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce.

828.497.6700 or visit CherokeeSmokies.com.  

The Angel Medical Center Foundation in Franklin names Don Capaforte as their new executive director. Capaforte previously was with the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home for 17 years as the Regional Ministries Coordinator raising funds for children’s home programs. He is from Franklin originally and went to WCU.

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority has welcomed Becky Harper and Steve Duginske to their team. Harper, who will be the Visitor Services/Office Manager, has seven years experience in the tourism industry working for Lake Junaluska Conference Center, the Maggie Valley Inn & Conference Center and the Maggie Valley Club.

Duginske is the new Interactive Media and Communications Specialist. In the changing face of marketing and communications, Duginskes’ role will be to help utilize new tools such as social and interactive media to promote the area to potential visitors. “It’s an exciting time,” said Duginske. “New technology and tools are allowing us to reach larger audiences and engage with them like never before.”

800.334.9036 or visit www.visitncsmokies.com

Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company has expanded from Cashiers and has opened a new location in downtown Sylva at 553 West Main Street. The restaurants has more than 100 beers and wines, Belgiums and growlers. Entertainment several nights a week. Open daily beginning at 11 a.m. 828.587.0220 or www.sapphirebrewingcompany.com

The Waynesville Inn has joined the hospitality management company, Charlestowne Hotel Group of Charleston, S.C. The Charlestowne Hotels portfolio currently includes 25 top-rated properties in the Southeast.

“We feel that this relationship allies The Waynesville Inn with a group of properties that are similar to us in their quest for excellence, and with a group of extremely professional and knowledgeable individuals who recognize the rapidly changing hospitality market,” says Sammy Carver, one of the inn’s owners.

The Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation and The Porsche Club of America teamed up for the “Porsche in den Bergen” of Western North Carolina last month at The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. $2,500 was raised to support the foundation. 828.246.905 or www.SargeAndFriends.org

The Alzheimer’s Association is partnering with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians to open the first office and counseling center in the nation to be located on a tribal boundary or Indian reservation. “We can now reach more people with information that will help them and their families better manage the disease,” said Director Kristy Dotson. The facility is housed in the Tribe’s Health and Medical Division Building. 828.497.7469 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Greater Haywood County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for Select Homes, property Management Company, at 4 p.m. on Sept. 30. An open house will also take place directly following. Select Homes is located on 56 Montgomery Street Waynesville. www.selecthomeswnc.com.

Dr. Brooke Ellen Budde will be joining WNC Pediatric and Adolescent Care in Sylva as a general physician on Oct.1. “I look forward to joining this beautiful, warm, and welcoming community,” said Budde, who cited the quality of life, outdoor recreation and scenic beauty of the region as a top draw. She has practiced medicine from rural clinics in South Africa to homeless children shelters in Detroit. 828.586.9642.

Haywood Animal Welfare Association has named Penny Wallace, former board president, to be their new executive director. This move was made possible by a generous donation from a local philanthropist whose gift will cover Ms. Wallace’s salary through 2011. The donation allows HAWA time to raise sufficient funds to maintain the cost of an executive director.  

Western Carolina University will hold a seminar and lunch with Allen Lomax geared toward building individual and community wealth by using local resources from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, in Room 134 of Cordelia Camp building. Tickets $25 and includes lunch. www.learn.wcu.edu or call Bobby Hensley at 828.227.7397.

Haywood Community College Small Business Center is offering the following workshops during the month of October to be held in the student center on the main HCC campus.

• Tax Implications for Starting a Business 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6. Learn about NC tax laws, questions answered by NC Dept. of Revenue representative.

• Market your business to success, by establishing yourself as an expert 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12.

• Getting a Handle on Bookkeeping 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21.

• Turning Your Hobby into a Business 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26.

To register, 828.627.4512.

The grand opening of Overbay Insurance Services was held last month. The family business was originally started in 1984 by Don Overbay and his wife, Stacy, who were affiliated with State Farm. Their son, Jon, returned to Haywood County to join the family business earlier this year, but shortly afterward, Don Overbay passed away. Jon and his mother are carrying on the business with a new venture as Independent Agents. 828.452.4699.

The KARE House in Waynesville was painted last month as part of the United Way, United Day of Caring by The Haywood County Board of Realtors’ Community Service Committee comprised of realtors and allied members. 828.452.5096 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Wells Funeral Homes, Inc. & Cremation Services of Canton and Waynesville earned the honor of Haywood County Business of the Month for July. The award is given monthly by the Economic and Business Development Committee of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. The award is to recognize community businesses who contribute to our communities through charity, good customer service, job creation, and making Haywood Co. a better place to live.

The Literacy Council of Highlands hired a new executive director, Tonya Hensley. Hensley graduated from Western Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s in human resource management. Some of Hensley’s past work experience includes managing the Old Creek Lodge in Highlands and being a teacher at Summit Charter School. 828.526.0925 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Haywood Community College is offering a new program, Healthcare Business Informatics. Curriculum to prepare individuals for employment as specialists in installation, data management, data archiving/retrieval, system design and support, and computer training, for medical information systems.

The 19th annual Charitable Classic Golf & Gala, sponsored by the Haywood Regional Medical Center Foundation, raised $148,000. Three-hundred sixty men and women participated in the two-day golf tournaments, held at Waynesville Inn Golf Resort, Laurel Ridge Country Club and, first time, Maggie Valley Club. This year’s proceeds will go toward the new hospice inpatient center and an unrestricted endowment fund. Funds are being targeted to enhance current women’s services at HRMC and mini-grants.

Mission Hospital in Asheville has added photos to the identification badges given to visitors who are in the hospital between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Visitors must either provide a photo ID to be scanned or have their photo taken.

Dr. Allan Zacher, medical director of Mountain Radiance Medical Spa, announced he is now participating in the Brilliant Distinctions cosmetics loyalty program which allows you to earn points each time you receive a Botox® Cosmetics or Juvederm® XC treatment from a participating physician.828.627.2711.

Haywood Regional Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Department now offers The Biodex Balance System, a piece of equipment that provides fast, accurate fall risk assessment, as well as evaluation and training for athletes. The Haywood Regional Medical Center Auxiliary purchased the machine for the Rehabilitation Department. 828.452.8070.

The Duke Endowment donated $150,000 toward The Homestead inpatient hospice facility at Haywood Regional Medical Center. The new facility will serve the inpatient care needs of approximately 200 hospice patients each year..828.452.8811 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

William M. “Bill” Ralston, MAJ, DO is the sixth surgeon to join Sylva Orthopedic Associates. Ralston previously served as a staff orthopedic surgeon at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg and at the 86th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq.

828.586.5531

Mountain BizWorks will offer Foundations, an eight-week business planning course, starting October 12 at Mountain BizWorks in Sylva. During the course, students study how to craft a solid business plan: Developing a mission statement, estimating start-up and overhead costs, setting profit goals, cash flow, marketing, licensing, and record keeping. Participants get supportive feedback on their business plans. Held eight consecutive Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. 828.631.0292 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register.