Career moves

Energy group names 1st executive director

The one-year-old Research Triangle Energy Consortium has named its first executive director: Vikran Rao, a materials scientist and engineer who worked more than three decades for Halliburton, the multinational military contractor.

Rao, 64, started this month at the research consortium, an organization created last year to attract more federal grants by collaborating in energy research at Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University. Rao plans to focus on research in electric cars and "smart" power grids, assessing the pros and cons of biofuels, and burial of carbon dioxide gas emitted from coal-burning power plants.

He believes that electric transportation holds great potential. "It's the single most viable route to the reduction of imported oil," Rao said.

Rao spent 34 years at Halliburton and its predecessors, becoming senior vice president and chief technology officer. He took early retirement in March and moved from Houston to Chapel Hill when his wife was hired as a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill's medical school.

Rao, a native of India, is still associated with Halliburton in a one-year consulting contract. He also does consulting work for an Indian oil company, and he sits on four boards of directors.

In other moves ...

Ame Coats rejoined the law firm of Bashyam Spiro & Edgerton of Raleigh as senior counsel. She will concentrate her practice in employment and family-based immigration as well as naturalization and asylum.

Cecil Cross has joined engineering-environmental management (e2M), as deputy business area manager for the compliance business unit. Cross is responsible for managing e2M's offices in Apex and Virginia Beach, Va., and for promoting environmental compliance services on the East Coast. E2M provides environmental science and engineering services.

Lynn Dufrene and Angie Roberts have been named associates at architectural firm The Roberts Group+Fanning Howey in Raleigh.

Elizabeth Jones has been hired as development coordinator-Walk MS for the National MS Society, Eastern NC chapter. She will lead planning, and work with fundraising teams for the spring event.

Jeana Sanner joined ASAP Office Supply of Raleigh as a sales consultant.

Ed Stone, principal of Edward W. Stone Associates in Raleigh, is joining the sales team of AuditHead, a national telecom and utility audit firm in Tryon.

Jenne Dobard joined John Hancock Mid Atlantic Agency of Raleigh as a financial representative.

Christy L. Phillips has been promoted to portfolio manager at Oak Value Capital Management in Durham.

On the boards ...

The Urban Land Institute Triangle District Council has selected Chris Estes, executive director of the N.C. Housing Coalition, to serve on its executive committee as the urban community adviser. The advisers' program provides an opportunity for the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to share expertise on urban development matters.

Edward L. Erickson, a board member, adviser and consultant to several life science companies and venture capital firms, was named to the board of directors of Metabolon, a Research Triangle Park biotechnology company that uses biomarkers for disease diagnosis and drug-safety testing.

Julie Hans, program manager of renewable energy with Progress Energy Carolinas, has been elected to her first term as chairwoman of the Methodist Home for Children's board of directors. Bill Stewart, a pediatrician from Southern Pines and Brien White, a portfolio manager with Franklin Street Partners, were both named to the board.

North Carolina native Robert Thompson was appointed senior vice president for development at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Tom Larrichio, senior director of the enterprise data council at Quintiles, was named to the board of directors at Frankie Lemmon Foundation, which provides financial support to the Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center, a pre-school for children with special education needs.

James A. "Jay" Hendrickson, president and chief executive officer of Hendrickson Mechanical Services in Raleigh, has been elected to the Elon University board of trustees.

Robert J. Ramseur Jr., a partner at Ragsdale Liggett, has been named 2008-2009 president-elect of the Rotary Club of the Capital City.

Bill Joyner, advance planning funeral director with Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Wake Forest, has been elected to the board of trustees of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice.

The WakeMed Foundation announces five new board members: Virginia Anthony, chairwoman of the board of Cary Visual Art; Tim Carroll, vice president, global operations, for IBM's integrated supply chain; Sheldon Fox, partner and investment manager with KDI Capital Partners; Jeff Stocks, managing partner, president and chief executive officer of the Greenwood Group; and Shrin Rajagopalan, director of pathology services and chairman of the pathology department at WakeMed Cary Hospital.

Moyer "Moe" Smith, former president and vice president of the Educational Foundation at UNC-Chapel Hill, joined the board of directors of Cornucopia House Cancer Support Center.