REGIONALREPORT Charlotte
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority named Tom Murray CEO, replacing Tim Newman. Murray has 30 years of hospitality experience and has served as the chief operating officer of the Americas for London-based InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, the world’s largest hotel chain. Most recently, he was the CEO of a cruise company. During the seven-year tenure of Newman — since demoted to a job overseeing sales and marketing — the CRVA came under fire several times (Regional Report, July). Murray will make $275,000 plus an $8,000 car allowance; Newman made $245,000 in salary but received about $300,000 in 2010 due to bonuses.
“Hippies elected Nixon. Occupy Wall Street will beat Obama.”
— Conservative activist Grover Norquist’s prediction if protestors disrupt the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, a national banking hub.
Source: Rolling Stone
815
Tar Heel employees of Charlotte-based Duke Energy Corp. and Raleigh-based Progress Energy Inc. who applied for buyouts as part of the companies’ proposed merger. They got 1,153 applications from the five states in which the utilities operate. The new company would cut 1,860 positions over three years.
Briefs
CHARLOTTE— Sweden-based appliance maker Electrolux, which has its North American headquarters here, will shutter plants and cut its global workforce to save an estimated $770 million annually. It didn’t specify which or how many plants will close.
GASTONIA— CaroMont Health named Randall L. Kelley CEO. He replaces Valinda Rutledge, who left in July. Kelley was CEO of a hospital in Virginia.
HICKORY— Cincinnati-based Convergys will add 88 workers to its call center here, which alreadyemploys more than 600, this month. The hires will provide customer service and sales support for a telecommunications client.
CHARLOTTE— Carlisle Cos., which produces products for the roofing, agriculture and energy industries among others, willacquire Tri-Star Electronics International for an estimated $285 million this month. El Segundo, Calif.-based Tri-Star sells electronic components to aerospace, industrial and defense companies.
CONCORD— PreGel America is expanding its headquarters here over three years. The dessert-ingredients manufacturer will increase its workforce from 80 to 128 and invest $11.4 million in new warehouse and office space. The average annual wage will be about $8,052 higher than Cabarrus County’s average of $32,448.
CHARLOTTE— Bank of America expects about a $1.8 billion profit from selling most of its remaining shares, approximately 10.4 billion, of China Construction Bank. It still holds a 1% stake in the bank.
CHARLOTTE— Siemens Energy will add about 400 employees over the next three years to the 1,400 that service its newly opened gas-turbine production plant here. The German company makes components for the energy sector.