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Business
Smoky Mountain News
Net zero home built in Haywood County
Bootiful Babies Benefit
In an effort to raise proceeds for a new birthing center, Smoky Mountain OB/GYN Associates hosted the Bootiful Babies Benefit outside their Sylva office. The benefit was a family-geared event that included a daddy derby for men and trick-or-treating for children. The New Generations Birthing Center is a $3 million renovation project on the third floor of the MedWest-Harris hospital.
A “net zero home” constructed in Haywood County will have an open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 3 and 10. Located in Beaverdam Valley, the structure strikes an elusive balance between work and play. It produces all the power it needs on site to operate and in the future will produce much of the food — meat, eggs, vegetables and fruits — its occupants will need to thrive. It also sports a brass firepole and a hidden room for a kid’s getaway. The 2,000-square-foot home of Val Lamberti and Mark Bondurant was completed in July 2012 by Rare Earth Builders Inc. The metal standing seam roof supports a 4.8-kilowatt solar array and will also be used to gather rain water for irrigation. A groundbased high efficiency heat pump heats and cools the passive solar home. Wall and roof cavities are insulated with sprayed open cell foam. An energy recovery ventilator brings
Business notes Caesar’s Entertainment recently donated $2 million dollars for the purchase and continued maintenance of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine to the Cherokee Hospital. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Oct. 24. ••• Russell Hawkins, a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments, recently opened an office at 141 Iotla Street, Suite 141, in Franklin. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 828.349.5184. ••• The Macon County Board of Commissioners recently honored Nathan B. “Nat” Henry and Thomas M. McNish, who were among the longest serving prisoners of the Vietnam War. The ceremony was held at the gazebo on the square in downtown Franklin. ••• James Zhang is now dean of Western Carolina University’s Kimmel School of Construction Management and Technology. Zhang had served as interim dean since August 2011.
fresh, filtered air into the house. Bondurant and Lamberti are gradually installing the elements of a permaculture site plan that includes a large vegetable garden, tilled and fertilized by free range chickens, a greenhouse, a fish pond, honey bee hives and fruit and nut trees. The driving principle for the home’s interior was lots of curves, brilliant color and finely crafted trim and built-
ins from local hardwoods. All of the trim wood — cherry, birch and poplar — was cut by the Rare Earth Builders crew, three miles away, then kiln dried and milled locally. From Beaverdam Road, turn right on
••• 21st Annual Golf and Gala Charitable Classic was held Aug. 28-29 at Haywood County golf courses to benefit MedWest-Haywood through the HRMC Foundation. The golf tournaments and gala, held at Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa, raised more $140,000. ••• A workshop to discuss changes that have been made to the federal contracting registration process will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Macon Cecil L. Groves Center Room 107 at Southwestern Community College. 828.306.7019 or t_dennison@southwesterncc.edu. ••• A health fair and phone bank manned by community volunteers raised funds for the Outpatient Medicine and Chemotherapy Treatment expansion at Angel Medical Center in Franklin. Local radio stations 96.7 WNCC-FM and 1050 WFSC-AM broadcasted the event. More than $25,000 was raised. ••• Princeton Review has listed Western Carolina University’s College of Business among the nation’s best schools at which to earn a master’s degree in business administration. The education services company included WCU in the 2013 edition of its guidebook, “The Best 296 Business Schools.”
James Zhang
••• Paxton Myers is the new vice president of Casino Marketing for Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Hotel. Myers is a graduate of Western Carolina University and was previously at Harrah’s Cherokee in the Cherokee Development Program and later as Casino Marketing Manager.
••• Western Carolina University has received a $100,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for a new balance and fall prevention clinic under development in the university’s recently opened Health and Human Sciences Building. ••• Ladsen Gaddy-Dubac, MD, has recently started practicing at the new Angel Ob/Gyn & Family Practice in Franklin. Gaddy-Dubac is a graduate of the University of Georgia in Athens and attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.
Smathers Cove Road. Cross bridge, turn left onto first gravel road (house will be visible on left after crossing bridge on Smathers Cove Road).
“Partners in Leadership” launches mentoring program The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce Women in Business and the Young Professionals of Haywood have launched the “Partners in Leadership” mentoring program. “Partners in Leadership” is designed to prepare Haywood County Young Professional Women (YPW) to become future business leaders by connecting them with seasoned Women in Business (WIB) professionals (Leadership Coaches) in their field. Through a formal mentor-mentee relationship, Leadership Coaches (WIB) will guide Young Professional Women (YPW) through the process of developing professional/career goals, helping them gain the skills necessary to achieve them. 828.456.3021 or kgould@haywoodnc.com or www.yphaywood.com. •••
Wild Thyme Gourmet in Highlands has opened a new location at Town Square. The new 343 Main Street location will offer many of the same favorites but with almost double the space, including a full bar and patio. www.wildthymegourmet.com or 828.526.4035. ••• Jolene Sneed, a school social worker at Smokey Mountain Elementary School in Whittier, was recently presented with Subway®Restaurants School Health Champion award. She received $500 to help promote and advance her school’s health-related efforts. ••• The Evergreen Foundation has given a $10,000 grant to Webster Enterprises of Sylva to renovate its sewing machine operation. The grant will help add seven sewing and additional training positions. Webster offers sewing positions as employment opportunities to people with disabilities. ••• Donna Tipton-Rogers has recently joined the board of directors of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. Tipton-Rogers has been the President of Tri-County Community College in Murphy since 2007. ••• Brian Boyd, a Waynesville landscape designer and irrigation specialist, has received his certification from the North Carolina Irrigation Contractors’ Licensing Board. Boyd works with WNC Landscaping and Nursery.