EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Banking

John Noble Golding has joined First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Charleston as executive vice president of commercial banking. In his new role, he manages commercial banking and real estate, as well as the credit products group, the treasury services group and the commercial loan services group. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Previously, he was a senior vice president in the regional commercial banking group of Wells Fargo's Wachovia Bank subsidiary. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Laura Wells has been named branch manager of The Bank of South Carolina's Summerville office. She has been with the Charleston-based bank for five years and has worked as a personal banker, administrative assistant and assistant branch manager. Previously, she was with First Citizens Bank for twelve years.

Consulting

Dan Edwards has been promoted to president of Evidence-Based Associates. Previously, he was chief operating officer of the Summerville-based firm, which works with government agencies nationwide to identify and implement programs for at-risk youth. He has a master's degree in education from Harvard University and a doctorate in clinical and health psychology from the University of Florida. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and previously was affiliated with the Medical University of South Carolina and MST Services in Mount Pleasant.

Hospitality

Jessica Cruz has been named event sales and marketing manager at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Previously, she was an events coordinator at Charleston Place Hotel. She has a bachelor's degree in communications from James Madison University.

Laura Isbell Zuniga has joined Folly Beach Holiday Inn Oceanfront as and electronic-commerce manager. She has more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She studied hospitality management at Pellissippi State Community College.

Marketing

John Kautz and Erin Watson have been promoted at Charleston-based Rawle Murdy. Kautz has been named director of brand management. He has been with the firm for 11 years and has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Georgia.

Watson was named senior account director. She has a bachelor's degree from Clemson University and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Georgia.

Elizabeth Hiers has joined Aio Design as director of sales based in the graphic and Web design firm's Charleston office. Previously, she served in new business development positions for fashion design firm NOLA Couture and at software developer Blackbaud Inc.

Mortgage

Kelley Poe and Jeff Doss have joined Bank of America Home Loans as mortgage loan officers for the Charleston area, based out of the lender's office in Seasides Farm in Mount Pleasant. Poe has nearly 10 years of home finance industry experience. Doss has more than 10 years of home finance industry experience.

Nonprofit

Gloria Fretz has joined the Association for the Blind in Charleston as an office manager. Previously, she was controller at Harrison Western Construction Co. in Lakewood, Colo. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Real estate

Melissa Autrey Letson has joined Charleston-based Twin Rivers Capital LLC as a leasing, sales and development associate specializing in retail projects throughout the Southeast. Letson worked with AIG Baker Shopping Center Properties LLC as a retail leasing agent in Birmingham, Ala., and more recently with WRS Inc. She has a bachelor's degree in marketing from Auburn University.

E. Cuyler Applegate II has joined the office of William Means Real Estate as an agent. Previously, he was with Wm. Iselin Real Estate and has also worked as a recovery auditor. He has a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston and an master's degree from The Citadel.

Nancy O'Neil, Marie Furlano, Billy Vaile and Charles Riley have joined Beach Residential, the residential brokerage division of The Beach Co., as agents.

O'Neil has a bachelor's degree from James Madison University and specializes in the sale of Daniel Island and Mount Pleasant properties. Previously, she worked in sales with WCI Development in Naples, Fla.

Furlano has more than 16 years of real estate sales experience. Previously, she was a sales associate for Century 21 Properties Plus and Weichert Realtors.

Vaile has a bachelor's degree from The Citadel and specializes in the sale of homes in need of repair. Previously, he worked in residential construction industry and was an agent with Coldwell Banker United.

Riley specializes in sales on Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms and Mount Pleasant, as well as investment properties. He has a bachelor's degree from Charleston Southern University.

Barbara McCullough and Donald "Bud" Sutherland have joined RE/MAX Pro Realty as agents. Previously, they were with Cornerstone Properties. McCullough has been in the real estate industry since 1997. Sutherland has been licensed since 2003.