Business briefs

Evans becomes certified public manager
Without strong leadership, few organizations are successful. This rule certainly holds true for North Carolina state and local government organizations.
For the past 16 months, select managers from across North Carolina state and local government organizations have worked to improve their skills and become better leaders through participation in the Certified Public Manager Program (CPM).
Timothy D. Evans of Ash, son of Catherine Stanly Gates of Shallotte, and Wendell Ray Evans of Ash, graduated as a CPM on Oct. 1 at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh.
A planning and inspections director with the town of Holden Beach, Evans works with local contractors, developers, community organizations, citizens and outside regulatory agencies in enforcement of rules and regulations’ pertaining to land use activities within the corporate limits of the town.
The Certified Public Manager Program is intended to increase the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity of North Carolina state and local government organizations by improving the leadership abilities of employees in management positions. Improving the skills of managers will carry through to all employees and help government organizations better serve our clients and citizens across North Carolina.
Evans completed 300 hours of course work and a service delivery improvement project within his own organization.
This is the 34th class to complete the program since it began in 1981. The CPM designation is granted by authority of the National Certified Public Manager Consortium, which has reviewed and accredited the N.C. Certified Public Manager Program.

Williams speaks at Chamber seminar
Frank Williams, president and founder of Brunswick County-based Pioneer Strategies Inc., was the featured speaker at the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce’s first Power Hour seminar in Shallotte on Wednesday, Sept. 19. The presentation, “Small Business PR 101,” provided small business owners with tools and strategies they can put to work to promote and build their businesses.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our nation’s economy, and I want to see our local small business community grow and prosper,” Williams said. “During our 11 years in business, I have observed that many small business owners want to do a better job of promoting their businesses, but they either lack the time or the marketing expertise to do so. My goal for this seminar was to provide attendees with a big-picture view of small business PR and introduce them to some specific tools and tactics they can use to more effectively spread the word about their small businesses.”
Williams is a native of Brunswick County, a 1988 graduate of NBHS and earned a B.A. in communication from N.C. State University in 1993. He serves on the board of directors of Communities in Schools of Brunswick County Inc., has served as a board member and economic development chair for the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and as president of the Leland Area Rotary Club. In 2006, he received the N.C. State University Department of Communication’s Outstanding Alumni Award.

Massage Therapy has a new location
Massage Therapy in Sunset Beach is celebrating its grand opening at its new location at 1790-5 Queen Anne St. in Sunset Village, off of Sunset Blvd. N.
Owner Sandra Hales, LMBT, opened her massage practice, Sandra Hales Massage Therapy, in Ocean Isle Beach in 2011.
A licensed massage therapist in North and South Carolina and Florida, Hales received her massage certification from Body Therapy Institute in 1993. She received Reiki training in 1986 and pre-natal training in 1993 She is also a certified specialist in Bellanina Facelift Massage. Other services available include hot stone massage, reflexology and aromatherapy.
Call (910) 880-5230 for more information Visit www.sandrahalesmassagetherapy.com for services, fees, a map and directions.