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Business Notebook for Oct. 9

A roundup of business news in Fayetteville and Cumberland County

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Geddie promoted to president of Coldwell Banker Advantage’s Sandhills region

Lisa Kennedy Geddie has been promoted to president of Coldwell Banker Advantage’s Sandhills region, according to a news release.

Ralph Huff, the chief executive officer who also has served as company president, announced Geddie’s new role during a sales meeting of agents and support staff on Wednesday, the release said.

“I’m delighted to promote Lisa to the position of president of the Sandhills Division of Coldwell Banker Advantage,” Huff said in the release. “Her dedication to our company for nearly 17 years is beyond reproach, and her character sets an example for us all to follow.”

The Sandhills region includes offices in Fayetteville, Southern Pines/Pinehurst, Cameron and Sanford.

Geddie began her real estate career in 2006 as an agent with Coldwell Banker Advantage’s Fayetteville office, the release said. She steadily rose through the ranks to leadership positions within the company, most recently serving as senior vice president.

“I consider myself a servant leader, working closely with every agent, manager and employee in this company to best serve our home buyers and sellers,” she said.

She added that she has learned from the example set by the company’s ownership partners, Huff and Suzanne Pennink, and the standards set by Coldwell Banker corporate and their parent company Anywhere Real Estate Inc., formerly Realogy, the release said.

Geddie is a past president of the Longleaf Pine Realtors Inc., has served on that association’s board of directors and is a member of the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville. She also has served on the board of directors for the Greater Fayetteville Chamber and is active on the board of directors for the Fayetteville Police Foundation, the release said.

She and her husband, David, live in the Eastover community.

Red Hat to be at FTCC to discuss job opportunities, training options 

Experts from Red Hat, the world’s leading open-source software company, will be at Fayetteville Technical Community College on Thursday to discuss job opportunities and training options in the information technology sector, the school said in a release. 

The event is free and open to the public. It will be held from noon to 3 p.m. in Room 108 of FTCC’s General Classroom Building at 2817 Fort Bragg Road. 

People can attend up to four sessions about how learning and being well-versed in Linux and other Linux-based technologies can help propel IT careers, FTCC said in the release. Attendees will be able to ask questions, network with representatives from Red Hat and learn about Red Hat training opportunities offered at FTCC. 

The sessions and times are:

Session 1: 12-12:45 p.m., Who is Red Hat & What is Open Source

Session 2: 12:55- 1:40 p.m., Why Linux skills are critical & The value of Red Hat training and certification

Session 3: 1:50-2:40 p.m., What jobs does the Red Hat Academy/Workforce Development Program prepare you for? A day in the life of a consultant

Session 4: 2:40-3 p.m., Red Hat Academy at FTCC, Red Hat with Transition Tech

FTCC has two Red Hat programs: 

  • Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) involves short-term non-credit courses that prepare students to take the RHCSA exam. Students who pass the exam are positioned for jobs in the IT field and are better qualified for positions surrounding Linux, system administration and the cloud. RHCSA is ideal for veterans and transitioning members of the military who may be eligible to take the course for free through FTCC’s Transition Tech program, the release said.
     
  • Red Hat Academy is a college-level curriculum program that enables students to use Red Hat resources and take certification exams at discounted prices. The program enables students to progress quickly toward employment in the field of open-source software solutions, the release said. 

Methodist earns ‘Best for Vets’ ranking

Military Times recently listed Methodist University on its 2022 “Best for Vets” colleges list, the university announced.

“Being listed as one of the top schools for veterans is an acknowledgment of our efforts to serve the community with programs, faculty, and facilities that best meet their needs,” Randy Smith, director of Veteran Services at Methodist University, said in a release. “It is a privilege to serve those who have served.”

The ranking heavily relies on student-success metrics such as completion, retention, persistence, GPA followed by other factors such as the range of military-specific resources, the level of financial assistance offered, admissions and registration policies, and human resources, the release said.

In March, Methodist also earned a “Gold-Level” ranking while being designated as a Military Friendly University for the 2022-23 school year. 

Cooperative Extension to conduct Master Gardener volunteer training

North Carolina Cooperative Extension will hold two informational meetings for people who are interested in becoming certified Extension Master Gardener volunteers.

Master Gardener volunteers are educators who share their knowledge and skills with the public to promote science-based, sustainable gardening practices, a news release said.

The meetings are scheduled for Oct. 18 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and Oct. 20 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Both meetings will be at the N.C. Cooperative Extension office at 301 East Mountain Drive.

Applications for the training will be available during the meetings. The 2023 volunteer training will begin in January.

People who are interested in attending either meeting should contact Extension agent Allen West at 910-321-6870 or wawest@ncsu.edu or Susan Johnson at 910-321-6405 or susan_johnson@ncsu.edu.

  

Business Notebook, Coldwell Banker Advantage’s Sandhills region, Red Hat, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Methodist University, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Master Gardener

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