Artist rendering of $136.7 million science building being built on the N.C. State University campus.
N.C. State University picked multinational contractor Skanska to build the $136.7 million Integrative Sciences Building, marking one of the biggest UNC system projects of the year.
The 164,947-square foot building will be used to promote STEM teaching and research as part of the university’s efforts to expand science education. It will include classrooms, teaching and research labs, faculty spaces and a cafe.
Departments using the building will include chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology research.
The buildingwill “revitalize the marquee Brickyard, one of the nine hallowed places on the north campus,” said Mark Balling, Skanska’s executive vice president for North Carolina and Virginia building operations, in a release. Richmond, Virginia-based Moseley Architects is the building designer.
The project is expected to be completed in September 2026.
Skanska, which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, has previously built several N.C. State structures, including Fitts-Woolard Hall; the Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center; the James B. Hunt Jr. Library; and Engineering Building III at N.C. State.
“Nathan is a talented and passionate leader who will continue UNC Health Appalachian’s efforts to improve the health and well-being of all patients in northwest North Carolina and beyond,” said Jim Deal, chair of UNC Health Appalachian’s board of trustees, in a release. “Nathan is committed to our community and this organization.”
Nathan Nipper
“Nathan knows how to build strong relationships among teammates and physicians and recognizes the value of UNC Health Appalachian’s culture,” said Tammy Scarborough, UNC Health’s chief administrative officer and president Statewide Region, Affiliations and Integration, in a release. “He is passionate about serving the community and providing the highest quality care in the region.”
Nipper, 53, will assume the role of president and CEO on Jan 1. He will oversee a system with more than 1,500 employees anchored by Watauga Medical Center in Boone, Charles A. Cannon Jr. Memorial Hospital in Linville, and other facilities and clinics. Watauga Medical Center was recently recognized with another top “A” grade for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group, and as a top hospital for maternity care by U.S. News & World Report.
Cannon also consistently receives high marks for safety and patient satisfaction.
“I’m proud of the incredible care that UNC Health Appalachian teammates provide every day to our patients,” Nipper said. “I look forward to leading this outstanding organization and exploring new ways to serve our region.”
Nipper joined UNC Health Appalachian in December 2022, and has worked as a health leader for nearly three decades. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, and an MBA and master of health administration degree from Georgia State University. Nipper also completed an administrative residency at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia.
In May 2022, UNC Health said it approved a10-year management services agreement with Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, the main hospital system serving the Boone and High Country area. Financial details weren’t disclosed. Appalachian considered eight potential partners before selecting UNC Health, officials said at the time.
UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the UNC system, comprised of nearly 20 hospitals and more than 900 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine.
Ahold Delhaize USA has named Food Lion executive Greg Finchum as the grocery chain’s new president. Finchum joined Flood Lion in 1989 and had been its vice president of retail operations for more than a decade. He will assume his new role in May.
He will succeed Meg Mam, who has been president of Food Lion since 2014 and will retire in the spring.
Finchum has a track record of delivering sales growth and building strong brand, while creating emotional connections between associates and the brand, according to a release.
Greg Finchum
“We are excited to have Greg, a talented retail operator at heart, step into this role,” said JJ Fleeman, CEO, Ahold Delhaize USA, in a release. “Greg has held a variety of roles throughout the organization, including having served as head of strategy and head of retail services. He leads with a strategic discipline and focus that delivers strong results and solid performance at Food Lion. I look forward to working with him more closely in his new role next year as the leader for the brand.”
A resident of Salisbury, Finchum added: “I’m humbled to take on this new position in May. I want to thank JJ and Meg for being great mentors and for their confidence in me. Throughout my career at Food Lion, I’ve had the opportunity to work across many functions, in addition to retail operations, that have given me a depth of experience and knowledge about the Food Lion business that will serve me well as I prepare to transition to this new role.”
Salisbury-based Food Lion operates more than 1,100 stores and has more than 82,000 employees throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. The company was founded in Salisbury in 1957 and was first known as Food Town. It was independently operated until it was acquired by Belgium-based conglomerate Delhaize Group in 1974. The company changed its branding to Food Lion in 1983. Delhaize and Netherlands-based Royal Ahold merged in 2015.
Ahold Delhaize USA is a division of Ahold Delhaize. It is part of the U.S. family of brands that also includes Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. When considered together, the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA comprise the largest grocery retail group on the East Coast and the fourth largest grocery retail group in the nation.
It’s been an eventful week in Chapel Hill. Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was hired as the head coach of UNC’s football program.
Since the announcement, the hashtag #ChapelBill has flooded platforms like X and Instagram. A video announcement posted by @UNCFootball on Instagram amassed more than 600,000 views and carried a simple caption — “Chapel Bill 😎.”
However, as the UNC community prepares to capitalize on this major talent score, it appears that a UNC graduate is attempting to take the use of “Chapel Bill” off the market.
According to a recent trademark filing, the wordmark “Chapel Bill” is under trademark review by owner Anthony Proscia of New Jersey. This pending filing applies to all clothing and apparel reproduction, attempting to prohibit companies that distribute UNC merchandise from capitalizing on this talent acquisition.
Anthony Proscia
Proscia is a legal partner at Kaufman Dolowich in New York and an alum of UNC. His practice specializes in defending professional liability claims, such as attorney malpractice and errors and omissions against real estate and insurance agents.
When contacted by Business North Carolina, Proscia said his reasoning for filing a trademark claim over “Chapel Bill” is to “keep it out of the hands of someone from Duke or NC State as a rival, or, frankly, the SEC.”
Proscia said it is important to him that the usage of “Chapel Bill” stays within the UNC Chapel Hill community. He said he does not yet have plans for any business or brand involving this trademark.
However, the Dec. 11 filing seeks to apply this trademark to clothing and apparel, “including, but not limited to, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hooded shirts, sleeveless shirts, sleeveless sweatshirts, baseball caps and hats.”
While copyright protects creative works like books, music, or art, short phrases like “Chapel Bill” generally aren’t eligible for copyright protection. Trademark law, however, focuses on protecting words, phrases, or designs used in branding that identify the source of goods or services, says Dustin Marlan, an assistant professor at UNC School of Law and director of the Intellectual Property Clinic.
Marlan saw other obstacles in Proscia’s efforts to trademark the phrase.
“In this case, I think the application will face significant challenges at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and is likely to be denied registration. To succeed, Proscia would need to show that “Chapel Bill” functions as a trademark — meaning it is used in commerce to identify the source of the clothing and not merely as a decorative or ornamental design. For example, if the phrase is displayed on the front of a T-shirt, the USPTO might refuse the application for failure to function as a trademark. This is a common issue when consumers see the phrase as a slogan or design rather than as a brand,” Marlan wrote in an email response.
“Another potential issue that is federal trademark law prohibits registering marks that falsely suggest a connection with a person, institution, or entity without their consent. This concern could be particularly relevant here, as “Chapel Bill” is referencing Bill Belichick. Without his authorization, the application could be barred under this doctrine, especially given the recent Supreme Court decision in Vidal, v. Elster, which highlights this issue and holds that barring trademarks under this “names clause” is constitutional and the law does not violate the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause,” Marlan added.
Proscia say he will pursue the trademark.
“I feel like I’m in good shape, obviously, with the applicability of the retroactive effect of the trademark to yesterday of Dec. 11,” Proscia said. “And I believe that I’m still evaluating this situation, but obviously, to protect my interest, the interests of the trademark, the interests of the Carolina Community. I will probably start to at least put out notices and letters to put people on notice if they have not done their due diligence of the pending trademark registration.”
As for now, only time will tell if this slogan is officially off the market.
Editor’s note: Proscia is seeking a trademark on the phrase “Chapel Bill” not a copyright.
Bill Belichick will receive a five-year, $50 million contract for his new role as North Carolina’s football coach. Each year, Belichick is due to earn a $1 million base salary and $9 million in supplemental income. The first three years of Belichick’s contract are guaranteed. Belichick can earn up to $3.5 million per year in bonuses.
Hurricane Helene has taken a devastating toll on Western North Carolina’s economy, with Buncombe County’s unemployment rate soaring — from the state’s lowest to its highest in October. The North Carolina Department of Commerce announced some relief: an extension to Jan. 7 to apply for disaster unemployment assistance. Experts say recovery is more complicated at 8.8% unemployment.
Gaston County is in the mix for an economic development project that could bring hundreds of jobs to the Charlotte region. The Gaston County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 10 approved an incentives grant for Project Jasmine. County documents state the project calls for a $35 million investment and the creation of 346 jobs.
In one of North Carolina Republicans’ final acts with unchecked power in the state legislature, GOP lawmakers ushered into law legislation that strips power from the governor, attorney general and state superintendent. The move will help Republicans tighten their grip on the state, despite the party’s losses in some key races in the November election.
Tanger has expanded its shopping center reach in the Southeast by paying $73 million for The Promenade at Chenal in Little Rock, Ark. It is the first Arkansas shopping center presence for the Greensboro outlet and open-air shopping center operator. The Little Rock open-air shopping center contains 270,000 square feet.
Big changes could be coming to south Charlotte after city council approved redevelopment plans for Providence Square. The plans include new residential units, affordable homes, retail space, recreational space, and about 105 acres of land near Providence Road, Old Providence Road, and Sardis Lane. Developers say the goal is to revitalize that part of south Charlotte.
Businesses in low-to-moderate income areas in Fayetteville could be eligible to receive up to $750,000 under a new city loan program designed to grow small businesses in economically disadvantaged areas. The “Can Do Grant Program” is supported with $2.5 million of Fayetteville’s American Rescue Plan Act funds and $2.5 million in state funding.
