EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Banking

Blaise B. Bettendorf has been named executive vice president and chief accounting officer at First Financial Holdings Inc., the parent company of First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Charleston. She has more than 25 years of public accounting and banking experience. Most recently, she was senior vice president and chief financial officer at Carolina Commerce Bank in Gastonia, N.C. Previously she held the same titles at Greenville-based Summit Financial Corp. and its subsidiary Summit National Bank from 1990 until the company's sale in 2005. She is licensed as a certified public accountant in South Carolina and North Carolina.

Finance

Mario Nardone has joined Morris Financial Concepts Inc. in Mount Pleasant as an investment analyst. Previously, he was with Vanguard in Valley Forge, Pa., where he was an analyst in the company's institutional client advisory business and most recently worked with clients nationwide as a manager on the Vanguard ETF Product Management unit. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Health care

Dr. Marc Rucquoi has joined Roper St. Francis Healthcare's Hospitalist Service as a physician. He is board-certified in family medicine. He has a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed residencies in family medicine at Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood and in endoscopy at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' department of surgery at John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital. Most recently, he practiced at Chocowinity Family Care in Chocowinity, N.C.

Government

Laurie Cordell and Wesley Wilson have joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Charleston district.

Cordell is a contract specialist. Previously, she worked as a contract specialist at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic and at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. She has a bachelor's degree in music education and master's degree in music performance, both from Winthrop University.

Wilson is a project controls specialist. Previously, he was a project controller for a government contractor in North Charleston. He has a bachelor's degree in management from Clemson University.

Higher education

D.R. Wolter has been named faculty coordinator at Webster University's Charleston metro campus. He is an independent human resources consultant and an adjunct professor of human resource management, leadership and organizational development with Webster and the College of Charleston. He has a bachelor's degree in occupational education from Southern Illinois University and a master's degree in management and supervision from Central Michigan University.

Law

Barrett Brewer, G.P. Diminich, Andy Santaniello and Peggy Urbanic have been elected members of the Charleston-based law firm of Clawson & Staubes.

Brewer practices in civil litigation group in Charleston. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina and a law degree from Wake Forest University.

Diminich practices with the business, taxation, and estate planning group. He has a bachelor's degree from Davidson College, a master's degree in international business and a law degree from the University of South Carolina, and a Master of Laws degree in taxation from the New York University School of Law.

Santaniello practices with the civil litigation group. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina and a law degree from Wake Forest University.

Urbanic practices with civil litigation group. She has a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston and a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Christy Ford Allen has been named a partner in the Charleston law firm of Wills & Massalon LLC, which was renamed Wills Massalon & Allen LLC as of Feb. 1. She focuses her practice in commercial and real estate litigation, professional business liability and litigation, construction litigation and negligence. She has a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Pharmacy

Chuck Felkel has been named pharmacist in charge of Delta Pharmacy & Medical Supply's Eutawville location. Previously, he was with Chuck's Pharmacy in Holly Hill. He has more than 20 years of industry experience.

Printing

George Walton has been promoted to general manager of Knight Printing and Graphics, formerly Knight Press. Previously, he was a senior member of the company's sales and management division.

Vehicle repair

Nick Parler and Michael Archer have joined Glasspro as technicians.