Career moves

Mechanics and Farmers gains board members

Three new members have been named to the board of directors of Mechanics and Farmers Bank, the wholly owned subsidiary of M&F Bancorp, including two former directors of Mutual Community Savings Bank.

M&F acquired Mutual Community this year. The deal combined two Durham banks that were among the nation's oldest black-owned financial institutions.

The new directors are:

* Bill Bell, the mayor of Durham and former chairman of the board of Mutual Community.

* George W. Brooks, senior pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Greensboro, also a former Mutual Community director.

* Lenny F. Springs, president and CEO of The S-Group, a Charlotte management consulting firm, and president of Queen City Venture Partners, a minority-owned investment firm.

(David Ranii)

In other moves ...

Pat Brown is retiring as president and CEO of Triangle Brick Co. and will be replaced by the Durham company's vice president and chief financial officer, Scott Mollenkopf. Brown has been with the company for 40 years and has been CEO since 1996. He will become chairman of the company's board. Under his leadership, Triangle Brick added four brick manufacturing plants. The company has sales distribution in 37 states and provinces in Canada.

Sean O'Leary joined TapRoot Systems' executive team as vice president of business development and marketing for Carrier Technologies. The Research Triangle Park company provides software products and services for the mobile device marketplace.

Emmanuel Arrington joined the FWA Group in Durham as project designer. The firm specializes in sustainable design of education and research facilities.

Billy Nicholson was promoted to director of safety and security for Eno River Media Production in Durham.

Anthony Williams was hired as vice president of the Eastern region at World Travel Service, a travel management company. Williams will be based in the Cary office.

Jim Boegel has been hired as superintendent of Atreus Homes & Communities' Ellerbee Creek Preserve community in North Durham. Chet Raybon has been hired as superintendent of the company's Carpenter Woods community, also in Durham. Jonathan Hayward was hired as vice president of sales and marketing for the Raleigh division.

Carrie Gray has been named director of donor engagement at the N.C. Community Foundation, a community development organization that supports charitable needs.

Richard Brown was appointed to the technology and venture lending specialty banking team at RBC Bank. He will be based in Research Triangle Park.

Thomas "Tom" Hayes joined TriSure, a Raleigh insurance brokerage and consulting firm. For 10 years, Hayes was bureau chief of compliance for the state Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Division's Eastern region.

Tawnie Gainer, a commercial real estate broker and office manager with Rich Commercial Realty, was appointed vice president of education for High Noon Toastmasters in Raleigh.

Lori Coates joined BJAC as senior interior designer. BJAC is a design firm with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte.

Silvia Rodriguez joined Digital Switching Systems as a project engineer. The Raleigh company provides electronic and mechanical switching solutions to the marine and transportation industries.

Mary Stevenson joined The John Rex Endowment as an accountant. The John Rex Endowment invests in the development and support of activities, programs and organizations that improve the health of underserved and uninsured people in Wake County and surrounding counties.

Marie Duncan has been hired as an account executive at Strategic Insights, a Raleigh branding and marketing firm.

Fred Barone moved from the Long Island, N.Y, office of New York Life Insurance Co. to the Raleigh office.

Tonya Mason was hired as maintenance sales consultant in the Raleigh office of Piedmont Air Conditioning.

On the boards ...

David Gronewoller, owner of Platinum Corral, was named chairman of the board of the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association.

Gary Harris of the N.C. Petroleum and Convenience Marketers Association was named president of Association Executives of North Carolina for 2008-2009. Bruce Clarke of Capital Associated Industries is president-elect, Joan Elliott of Southern Building Material Association is treasurer, Tina Gordon of the N.C. Nurses Association is secretary, and Mike Borden of the N.C. Academy of Physician Assistants is immediate past president.

Triangle United Way has new members on its board of directors: Caren Anders of Progress Energy, Mark Ascolese of Ascolese Enterprises, Denise Smith Cline of Smith Moore, David Flores of Nuestro Banco, Robert "Bob" Greenberg of IBM, Randy Kabrick of ENSR Engineering, Edward S. Komoski of Eaton and J.R. Shearin of Deloitte.