BUSINESS FOCUS Briefs United Way gives honors The United Way of Forsyth County recently held its annual meeting, electing 2008 officers and direc tors, and presenting two of its most prestigious awards. Edwin L. Welch Jr. was elected board chair. He was also honored with the 2008 Paul Fulton Tocqueville Leadership Award, which was presented by John Burress of J.W. Burress, Inc. B/E Aerospace was honored with the 2008 R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Community Service Award. Reynolds American chairman Susan Ivey presented the award. Former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise, the president of the Alliance for Excellence in Education, was the keynote speaker. THfe event was held in the Hearn Ballroom at the Marriott Hotel. Approximately 230 volunteers and partner agency staff attended. Denny's has new diversity chief SPARTANBURG, SC - As a continuation of its commitment to diversity, Denny's, Inc., has promot ed April Kelly-Qrummond to Director of Diversity Affairs. In her role, Kelly-Drummond serves as the key liaison with major civil rights organizations and builds relationships with local, regional and national minority organizations. Additionally, she oversees Denny's national sponsorship of various community service initiatives. Kelly-Drummond previously served as a Senior Manager in Denny's Diversity Affairs Department. She joined the company in 1994 and has held leader ship roles in community relations, public affairs and diversity. She has played an integral part of Denny's successful initiatives benefiting the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Civil Rights Museum, The King Center, National Urban League. Hispanic College Fund and The Salvation Army. Endeavors such as these, along with proactive efforts to attract a diverse and qualified workforce, franchisees and vendors, have earned Denny's recognition as a corporate leader in diversity by civil rights groups, community organizations and major media including 60 Minutes, "Black Enterprise," "Essence" and "Fortune" maga zines. In January 2008, she led the launch of a new ini tiative in partnership with The Tpm Joyner Foundation called "The Denny's Single Parent Student Scholarship," which is aimed at helping sin gle parent students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities meet the challenges of raising ? family while earning a post-secondary edu cation. Kelly-Drummond is a lifetime member of the NAACP, where she serves on the corporate board of the NAACP Florida State Conference Office. She also takes pride in her accomplishments outside 'bf Denny's as a devoted wife and mother and active member of her local church. Thomas Ingram named to High Point University's board Thomas E. Ingram of Clemmons, project manag er for Piedmont Triad Research Park, has been appointed to the High Point University Board of Trustees for a four-year term. Ingram has served in various leadership positions with the university, including two terms as chairman of the Board of Visitors. An employee of Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Ingram directs the research park's office and research facility construction, space customization and reno vation, and facility operation^ Ingram led the construction team Hiirintr the first nhase of the research park's expansion and is responsible for the planning and oversight of ongoing architectural design, and construction activities. Ingram earned a B.S. in business administration and economics from High Point University and a master of arts in liberal studies from Wake Forest University. He is very active in the community and has a spe cial interest in programs that serve youth and young adults. His civic activity includes the YMCA, Forsyth Technical Community College Foundation Board, Rotary Club of Clemmons, Arts Council of Winston-Salem, Sawtooth School for Visual Arts Board and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Local law firm to host visit by Swedish ambassador The law firm of Wall Esleeck Babcock will host a visit to Winston-Salem by Sweden's Ambassador to the United States, Jonas Hafstrom, in early May. Ambassador Hafstrom is scheduled to attend a num ber of business development and private functions, most of them in Winston-Salem. He will tour Volvo Trucks in Greensboro, have lunch with elected and business officials in Winston Salem, tour the Piedmont Triad Research Park, attend a private evening function hosted by Wall Esleeck Babcock and wilj conclude his visit with a tour of the campus of Wake Forest University. Linda McCarty, a native of Sweden and an attor ney at the firm, facilitated the Ambassador's visit. Wall Esleeck Babcock focuses on corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, healthcare law, taxation, mediation, commercial real estate and inter national law. Speed: Things looking up for N.C. Mutual SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company policyhold ers gathered in Durham recently for the company's 109th annual meeting. The company is the nation's oldest and largest insurance com pany with roots in the African- American community and offers a wide variety of insurance products, including life, accident and health, dental and disability through group plans for both large and small organizations and through individual nolieit*?; N C James Speed Mutual has more than $7.7 billion in force in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Policyholders at last month's meeting heard President and CEO, James H. Speed, Jr., describe how an aggressive sales force is setting pro ductivity records and helping the company recapture markets in the Southeast. He cited recent successes in Memphis, Tidewater, Va., and Charleston, S.C. He also talked about future marketing opportunities in Alabama. "We are taking advantage of the fact that African Americans in mar kets throughout the Southeast are underserved and that in many com munities there is goodwill and brand equity for North Carolina Mutual," Speed said. "Our new policyholders are younger, and they are buying larger policies. That is good news for the company." Speed also noted that the average net worth of an African American family is only about $8,000. "We not only are selling insurance policies, we are creating wealth in the African-America community," he said. "Just look at what a single $25,000 policy does to boost that net worth figure for a family ." North Carolina Mutual has an active financial literacy out reach program that partners with the faith community, fraternities and sororities, and social action organizations such "as the NAACP and the National Urban League. Speed said that there are always challenges and that currently the company is devoting energy to raising capital to support its dramatic increase in new individual policies that have a substan tial lead time before becoming profitable. He reported a surplus of almost $13 million. North Carolina Mutual has more than 300,000 policyholders across the nation. They elected current board ch