Business doings

Insurer's foundation helping free clinics

Free health-care clinics in North Carolina will receive $10 million starting in 2009 from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.

The foundation announced the five-year grant Wednesday. It is the second such grant from the foundation under a partnership with the N.C. Association of Free Clinics; the foundation gave a five-year, $10 million grant in 2004.

"Free clinics do an incredible job of helping to address the health-care needs of North Carolina's underserved and uninsured," Bob Greczyn, president of Blue Cross and chairman of the foundation, said in a news release. "We are very proud of the success of our initial five-year collaboration, and we believe strongly in continuing to support the work that they do."

Currently, 74 private, nonprofit clinics provide services to individuals and families in 79 North Carolina counties. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization established by the state's largest health insurer.

Deals

French/West/Vaughan has been named agency of record for Divi Hotels Marketing of Chapel Hill, which operates resorts throughout the Caribbean.

B3bio joined the Hamner Accelerator for Translational Bioscience, which provides access to resources at the Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences while partnering on research projects and grant funding.

The N.C. Department of Parks & Recreation has started construction of the Merchants Mill Pond State Park Visitors Center in Gatesville. Raleigh architect Frank Harmon designed the project, which is the N.C. Parks & Recreation's first "green" visitor center.

ArtCo Surf, a Raleigh company that makes limited edition surfboards and has its own apparel line, has introduced www.artcosurf.com to allow customers to order from the company online.

Thrifty Car Rental opened at 2147 Ten Ten Road in Apex. James Lawson is owner of the franchise. Gift shop Blue Tiger opened at 219 N. Salem St. Lynn Ward is the owner. Common Grounds Coffeehouse & Desserts also opened at 219 Salem St. Mark Porcelli and Julie Diaz are owners.

Kidsca$h, published by Maureen Dolan Rosen of Chapel Hill, was featured in the March 2008 issue of Southern Living Magazine in the Carolina Living section.

The Center for Chiropractic & Wellness in North Raleigh, is offering an acupuncture clinic every Saturday. Treatments will be held in a group setting at a discounted rate.

Hummingbird Creative Group moved its headquarters to 160 N.E. Maynard Road, Suite 205, in Cary. The new location will expand the company's office space by 50 percent.

Shamrock Environmental Corp. is opening an office in New Bern. The new office will provide industrial cleaning services and emergency response.

Eyecarecenter is open for business at 121 Fayetteville St. in Raleigh. Dr. Weitz and Dr. Kim Hoyle are accepting patients by appointment and on a walk-in basis.

EbenConcepts of Fayetteville and Benchmark Life Strategies of Greensboro have merged their employee-benefits divisions. The company will operate under the name EbenConcepts Co.

Howard, Merrell & Partners was named agency of record for international franchiser Foot Solutions.

Allstate Insurance Agency opened a new agency at 2144 Page Road, Suite 105, in Durham. Marcus Leazer is the owner.

Pioneer Strategies of Raleigh introduced a new Web site for the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce. Justin Williams, owner of Carolina Marketing Co. of Leland, assisted with graphics for the new site.