Norwood joins state panel

RALEIGH -- Gov. Bev Perdue has appointed Keith Norwood of Orange County to the N.C. Commission on Workforce Development.

Norwood is the director of Human Resources North America for Armacell LLC. He is president of N.C. Association of Workforce Development Boards, past chairman of the Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board, and a member of the Society for Human Resources Management. Norwood received the Outstanding Leadership award from the Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board in 2008 and the Meritorious Service to N.C. Apprenticeship Award in 1995 from the N.C. Department of Labor. He received his bachelor's degree in journalism from UNC.

The board duties are to enhance and develop strategies that produce a skilled and competitive work force through various powers and duties. The commission has 38 members, each serving a four-year term. The governor appoints all members.

New art gallery opens at Station

HILLSBOROUGH -- The West End of Hillsborough is undergoing a revitalization that includes a new restaurant and retail space. The Hillsborough Station is where the former West Hill Depot once stood with a bustling commercial district in the early 1900s. The anchor of "The Station" is the 3,500-square-foot Depot.

Owners Matt Fox and Scott Pasley say this flexible art gallery, with a schedule of rotating artists, is available for meetings, wedding receptions, corporate parties and more. Fourteen-foot ceilings have the original tin work in much of the space and an original brick wall adds character to the venue. There is also a 900-square-foot oak dance floor. Alcohol is permitted. There is ample free parking.

The Depot at Hillsborough Station is located at 246 S. Nash St. For information about the space, call (919) 358-3932 or (919) 522-7993. The Web site www.hillsboroughdepot.com should be live in the coming days.

Program offered on life cycle

CHAPEL HILL -- The Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) will host the second offering of its Life Cycle Executive Leadership Program (LCELP) to be held Dec. 6-11 on the campus of Duke University in Durham. The institute partnered with the Schools of Industrial and Systems Engineering at N.C. State University and North Carolina A&T State University to develop this course focused on the business aspects of managing product and system life cycles. This week-long course is designed to educate military and industry leaders about the business aspects of life cycle management.

The agency is a nonprofit research and education institute formed in 1997 by UNC and the state of North Carolina. It offers a series of educational programs for the military, government, non-governmental agencies, and private industry, in the areas of logistics, operations, life cycle management, organizational change and economic stabilization.

Contact either Theresa Esposto, director of industry relations for private sector interest, at (919) 969-8008 or esposto@idb.org, or April McGill, military and industry outreach associate for military interest, at (919) 969-8008 or mcgill@idb.org.

Hotel rates good for the holidays

CHAPEL HILL -- As the song goes "it's the most wonderful time of the year." And it's a very special time to visit Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough. The streets are bustling, the area has many extra events and activities and the spirit of the holidays is everywhere. And there is an extensive variety of hotel packages, starting as low as $69 a night. See all that's happening and learn more about the holiday rates at Visit Chapel Hill.

Enjoy seasonal menus, historic holiday tours, holiday shopping deals, gingerbread house displays, special concerts and Tar Heel basketball (tickets are available for games in November and December).

The East 54 gets new tenants

CHAPEL HILL -- Each day new retail stores and restaurants begin to open at The East 54 development off N.C. 54, close to UNC Finley Golf Course. In the coming weeks, Kerr Drug, Deluxe Cleaners, Citrine Salon and Charles Schwab will be welcoming customers, said Lee Perry, East West Partners Management Company Project Manager. The East 54 development, which will also include a hotel, offices and condominiums, is a self-proclaimed urban village offering ground-level retail, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and bicycle amenities.

Residents have begun moving into the condominiums. In addition, Perry said up to 15 new businesses will open by the end of the year as part of the development's first phase. These businesses will include two women's clothing stores, Neo Nails and Chickadees Children's Store. Additional retail, including a Thai restaurant, a coffee shop, a paper copy store and a furniture store, are expected among the businesses coming in phase two, which should be completed by June 2010, Perry said. Eileen Nixon, co-owner of Citrine Salon, said she chose to move her hair salon and spa to East 54 because of its commitment to environmental responsibility. Construction was started from scratch, and they used renewable materials.

"We wanted to show the world that you could be green, but you don't have to do without," Nixon said. Saffron, an Indian restaurant, is waiting on a permit from the town to be able to start business at East 54 by December, manager Raj Rai said.

Do you have business news you would like to share with the community? Send your items to Editor Dan E. Way at dway@heraldsun.com, or call 918-1035.