EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Advisory

Michele Abraham has been named state director of the Frank L. Roddy S.C. Small Business Development Center, effective Jan. 25. She also is chief executive for the South Carolina SBDC, a statewide network of 16 offices with 35 full-time employees that provides low-cost help to entrepreneurs and small-business owners. Previously, she was state director of Ohio's SBDC. She has a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University. She succeeded John Lenti, who retired.

Architecture

Luda Sobchuk has been named design principal for SGA Architecture LLC. She joined the firm in 2002 and is based in the Charleston office. She has 36 years of experience in architectural design. She has a master's degree in architecture from the Lviv Polytechnical Institute in Lviv, Ukraine.

Banking

Helen C. Pratt-Thomas has been promoted to senior vice president at Wells Fargo Private Bank in its downtown Charleston office. She has been with the company since 2001 and previously was a commercial banker at Bank of America. She has a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston.

Government

Nancy Jenkins, Hugh Odom and Effie Meletis have joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Charleston District.

Jenkins is an architect. She was formerly a senior architect with Lindbergh and Associates in Charleston. She has a bachelor's degree in design and a master's degree in architecture, both from Clemson University.

Odom is an engineer. Previously, he was with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic as a project engineer. He has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Clemson University.

Meletis is a project manager. Previously, she worked in public works for the Naval Weapons Station Charleston. She has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Clemson University.

Health care

Catherine Owen and Michelle Arroyo have joined Driftwood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in North Charleston.

Owen is a speech language pathologist. She has a master's degree from Eastern Kentucky University. Arroyo is a case management and assessment nurse. She has an associate's degree in nursing from Trident Technical College.

Tammy Tyner has been named director of cardiovascular services at Trident Health System. Previously, she was the North Charleston hospital's cardiovascular manager and before that was a registered nurse. She has a bachelor's degree in nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina.

Higher education

Randy Carver has been named director of housing facilities in the College of Charleston's Department of Residence Life and Housing. Previously, he was the facilities and maintenance manager for General Electric Healthcare in Florence.

Also, Marla Cochran has been promoted to student employment coordinator in the college's Career Center. Previously, she was job location and development coordinator.

Law

John Sowards has been elected chairman of the board at the law firm of Nexsen Pruet, succeeding Leighton Lord. Sowards has a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee and a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. His practice is focused on the areas of real estate, corporate and finance law.

Tourism

Leigh Scott and Casey Freed have joined Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

Scott is house manager. She has a bachelor's degree in historic preservation and community planning from the College of Charleston and a master's degree in historic preservation from Goucher College.

Freed is assistant house manager. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee. Previously, she worked with the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism and the Charleston Museum.

Technology

Debbie Watson, Jana Bocook and Carlos De Matos have joined Charleston-based software firm Benefitfocus. Watson is an architect; Bocook is a software engineer. De Matos is a senior enterprise architect.

Transportation

Brenda Campbell has joined Lanport Inc. as a sales representative in the Savannah-based intermodal equipment company's Mount Pleasant office. She has about 30 years of sales experience.