durham inc.
BIZBRIEFS Compiled by Meredith Alling
NEW ON THE SCENE
PHOTO COURTESY OF DURHAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Apple announced in late April it will invest more than $1 billion in North Carolina, a move expected to create at least 3,000 new jobs. Apple plans to construct a campus in Research Triangle Park and establish a $100 million fund to support school and community initiatives in “the greater Raleigh-Durham area” and the state as a whole. Apple will also contribute more than $110 million from state income taxes paid by its new employees into an infrastructure fund that will support 80 rural counties. Once in effect, Apple’s investments are predicted to generate more than $1.5 billion in annual economic benefits for the state.
Salon on April 14. Owner Michelle Ghassemi officially opened the salon’s second location in mid-November 2020 at 8128 Renaissance Pkwy, Ste. 102. Meraki Durham provides haircuts, color, extensions and makeup services using eco-friendly products and practices, and currently has six stylists on staff.
Grau Building Company named Jennifer Hutton as its design and selections manager in May. Hutton is from Buffalo, New York, and has worked as a kitchen and bath designer since 2013. She was one of the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s 30 under 30 outstanding young professionals in 2020 and received the top designer award from Kemper Cabinetry in 2015. The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, alongside Mayor Steve Schewel, held a ribboncutting ceremony for Meraki
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ON THE MOVE
Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business professor Aaron “Ronnie” Chatterji
J u n e / J u ly 2 0 2 1
was appointed to a senior role in President Joe Biden’s administration to work on policies related to competitiveness, innovation, trade and economic growth. Chatterji will serve as chief economist of the United States Department of Commerce, acting as the principal economic adviser to the secretary of commerce. He previously worked in President Obama’s administration as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. “I am passionate about creating policy that unlocks the best in American innovation and entrepreneurship,” Chatterji said in a press release. “I am grateful for the opportunity to put my research at Duke to work by crafting policies that strengthen our economy and businesses. I hope my academic and policy work can contribute to U.S. economic growth and expanding opportunities for all Americans.” Dr. Alan List was appointed as Precision BioSciences’ chief medical officer on April 15. The world-renowned hematologist has extensive experience in the development of hematology and oncology products. Before
Precision, Dr. List worked at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, for 16 years and was its president and CEO from 2012 to 2019. He succeeds Dr. Chris Heery. Rob Shields will leave his position as executive director of ReCity Network on July 1 after almost seven years with the coworking space. Shields joined its team in 2014 after a decade in nonprofit management. “ReCity is what it is because Rob is who he is,” said Board Chairman KJ Hill. “We will always be grateful for the example and leadership Rob has provided in the first leg of this race, and I am confident in ReCity’s future because of the foundation Rob has set.” Shields will stay on to assist Kevin McLeod in his transition to interim director and to produce ReCity’s “JUST” podcast, “a platform to tell the stories of the people working to build thriving communities rooted in justice.”
PARTNERSHIPS, ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
Biopharmaceutical contract development manufacturing organization KBI Biopharma, which provides accelerated drug development and biomanufacturing services to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies