Clift Commercial has announced the hiring of a new team member, Trudy Engebretson, as manager of operations.

Susan Clift Brown, owner of Clift Commercial, says Engebretson's background in marketing and sales of senior housing developments, as well as her experience in radio and television broadcasting, offers a well-rounded resum for the needs of the growing commercial real estate company.

Engebretson holds a bachelor's degree in special and elementary education from the University of North Dakota. She has taught within the public school system and has served as a school board member in Bloomington, Minn., where she and her family resided prior to becoming North Carolinians.

Listeners to local radio may have heard the voice of Trudy Ford providing news for Muirfield Broadcasting in the recent past. Ford is Engebretson.

She will assist Clift Commercial in staff management, advertising, marketing and special projects.

Her husband, Dean, is pastor of Christ Community Church in Southern Pines. The couple have two adult sons.

Whitaker Certified

Jason Whitaker, IT director for the village of Pinehurst, has successfully graduated from the 2006 Chief Information Officers Certification Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The CIO Certification Program is the first local government-specific program for CIOs in the nation.

The program is designed for local government information technology directors and chief information officers whose responsibilities require a broad understanding of management, leadership, and enterprise topics.

The 240-hour course covers enterprise issues, strategic technology planning, communication, project management, emerging trends, risk assessment and management, acquisition management, change management, leadership, security, grantsmanship and financial trends.

Whitaker was one of 28 public sector technology professionals who graduated from the course in this year and have received the national designation of certified government chief information officers (CGCIO).

McElreath Named Charter Member

The National Society of Agents for Consumer Education (NSACE) has named Southern Pines insurance professional Jimmy McElreath as a charter member.

The appointment recognized McElreath's commitment to providing quality insurance education to his clients and potential clients.

McElreath, president of First Pioneer Insurance Agency Inc., focuses many of his community efforts on providing useful consumer tips, information and analysis to business owners and individuals in the areas of life and property/casualty insurance.

"Jimmy McElreath is truly committed to educating his clients and other consumers on aspects of insurance that every policyholder should know," said Michael Jans, executive vice president of the NSACE. "It's no wonder that he gets many of his new clients because of his educational efforts. His endeavors have helped build credibility and trust for the insurance industry."

The National Society of Agents for Consumer Education is an organization of insurance professionals committed to centering their marketing and customer service initiatives around providing "common language" and useable insurance information to consumers and clients.

Antique Open House

Harmer's Antique Mall at 131-133 Main St. in Vass, will hold an open house today and Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"Come join us for Christmas music, good eats and good deals," said a spokesman.