Career Moves

John Elmo is the new CEO of Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina, a Durham-based company that helps biotechnology and microelectronics companies buy the chemicals they need to make their products.

Elmo, 58, co-founded the company in 1986 with Tom Merrick, who is retiring as CEO but will remain on the board. The company also named John Hollenbach as vice president and general manager.

Under Elmo's leadership, the company plans to continue expanding, including opening a California office early next year. The company has 59 workers, including 36 in Durham, with offices in Richmond, Va.; Jessup, Md.; and Tampa, Fla.

In other moves ...

Shannon Tippette joined Alta Oakridge in Raleigh as director of sales and marketing. The independent living community is under construction and phase one is scheduled to open in March.

Ronald G. Wagoner was hired as senior project manager at Skanska USA Building. He will oversee the company's Durham bundled projects. Alan Lambert was hired as assistant superintendent for the Carilion Clinic project.

Tyrel DeShong was hired as an environmental scientist at Highlands Environmental Solutions in Raleigh. Jim De Hamer was hired as marketing representative. Highlands services include groundwater and soil remediation, emergency and disaster response, site assessment, litigation and forensic services, land acquisition, and mining services.

John High, above, was hired as senior director on the brokerage services team at GVA Advantis, a commercial real estate firm in Durham. His focus will be the Durham and Chapel Hill markets.

Bobby McDonald, above, joined MMI Associates in Raleigh as a social media specialist. McDonald will assess, plan and implement online public relation strategies for clients with an emphasis on social media applications.

Sharvin Whitted, above, was hired as interactive art director at Howard, Merrell & Partners in Raleigh. Whitted will develop interactive branding strategies and design interactive communications elements such as Web sites, microsites and e-mail campaigns.

On the boards ...

William "Bill" Buckner, president and chief executive officer of Bayer CropScience, was appointed vice chairman of the board of directors at CropLife America. Martin Petersen from Cheminova and William Lewis, president and chief executive officer of Arysta LifeScience North America, have been elected to the board of directors at CropLife America.

Patricia Weigant, associate professor and coordinator of the biology program at Peace College, was appointed to the board of directors for Galapagos Ice Organization, a nonprofit that focuses on improving humanitarian conditions and promoting sustainable development in the Galapagos Islands.

Rita Robbins, a Chapel Hill real estate agent, was elected to the board of directors of the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation, which focuses on reducing infant death and illness and improving the health of women and young children in North Carolina.

Shane Bull, above, a real estate adviser and broker with Richards Commercial Properties, was appointed to the 2009 Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors board of directors. Bull will serve on the board for three years.

The John Rex Endowment, which invests in the development and support of programs that improve the health of underserved people in Wake and surrounding counties, has three new members on its board of directors: Tom McGuire, a partner with Armstrong McGuire Philanthropic Advisory Group; Virginia Parker, business development officer with Paragon Commercial Bank; and Ramon Rojano, director of Wake County Human Services. New officers were also elected: Leah Devlin, state health director, was elected vice chairwoman; Dr. Richard Myers has been elected treasurer; Orage Quarles III, publisher of The News & Observer, was elected secretary; and Ben Bradsher, vice president and account manager of Gregory Poole Equipment Co., will continue in his role as chairman.

The Raleigh-Triangle chapter of Executive Women's Golf Association, announced its 2009 board of directors: Connie Tench of MetLife Home Loans is president, Janice Mrkonjic of Savvy Events Design is vice president, Joyce Whitehead of Robert Half International Account Temps is secretary, Lissa Dailey of MacGregor Downs Country Club is treasurer. Additional board members include Kay Murphy, Diane Cox, Cathy Burr, Andrea Seger, Ronda Powell, Donna Samper, Karen Crisp, Judy Byrd and Holly Tallon.