EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Banking

Lauren Bailey has been promoted to assistant vice president and Summerville branch manager of South Carolina Bank and Trust. Bailey began her career with SCBT in 2004 as a mortgage processor. She is a 2002 graduate of the College of Charleston where she earned her bachelor's in international business.

Bartering

Betsy Wattie of Mount Pleasant has joined Barter Brokers International as an account executive. She has worked with the Chicago Board of Trade, Wall Street foreign exchange trading desks, Benefitfocus and other organizations. She serves on the board of the local Mount Pleasant MOMS Club as well as Carolina Consigns organization.

Chamber of commerce

Robert W. Pearce Jr. of Nelson Mullins Law Firm is the new chairman of the board of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. He will serve a one-year term that expires on June 30, 2011.

Dermatology

Dr. Joseph W. McGowan IV has joined Dr. Marianne W. Rosen's dermatology practice at 776 Daniel Ellis Drive on James Island. McGowan is fellowship trained in Mohs surgery and cosmetic dermatology. Originally from Laurens, McGowan attended the University of South Carolina, the USC School of Medicine, performed his residency at the Medical University of South Carolina and attended a fellowship at Dayton Skin Surgery Center with Heidi Donnelly as director in Ohio.

Law

South Carolina Chief Justice Jean Toal has appointed Nexsen Pruet attorney Brad Waring to the S.C. Judicial Council. The Judicial Council is made up of judges, attorneys and lawmakers. Waring is past president of the S.C. Bar. The Judicial Council is tasked with several duties: to study and survey how justice is administered in South Carolina; to receive and consider criticism and suggestions about the state's legal system; to monitor the workings of South Carolina courts; and to make recommendations about ways to improve the administration of justice. The term expires on June 30, 2014. Waring's law practice is concentrated primarily on civil litigation in state and federal courts, with an emphasis on complex commercial litigation. Waring is honorary consul for North and South Carolina for the Kingdom of Denmark and serves on the board of the Historic Charleston Foundation.

Kenn Kopf has joined Nexsen Pruet as special counsel based in the firm's Charleston office. He will practice in the corporate group. Kopf has 30 years of experience, including six years with the U.S. government and 24 years as a corporate general counsel. He was a licensed psychologist and has worked as a Russian linguist. He has a bachelor's degree in political science, education and Russian language studies and a master's degree in counseling psychology, both from the University of South Florida. He has a law degree from Hamline University School of Law.

Nonprofit

Jessica Hobbs, Bob Mullen and Kelley Snowa have joined Family Services Inc. and Laura Jeffers has been promoted at the North Charleston-based nonprofit organization.

Hobbs and Mullen have joined foreclosure prevention services. Hobbs is a mortgage default processor. Previously, she was with Wachovia Bank. She has an associate's degree in business and a bachelor's degree in organizational management. Mullen is a foreclosure counselor. Previously, he was in real estate banking and business development. He has a bachelor's degree in business from Charleston Southern University.

Snowa has joined Family Services' conservatorship program as a conservator counselor. Previously, she was treasury manager at Motley Rice LLC. She has a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Jeffers has been named office manager. Previously, she was administrative assistant.

Delilah Jackson, originally of Charleston and now with Wingate University, was recently elected to the board of directors of the Palmetto Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She will serve a two-year term.

Paint

Gerry Blanton and, his son, Andy Blanton have joined Lord & Evans Paints on Morrison Drive in Charleston. The Blantons owned and operated Charleston Paint Co. on King Street for several decades before it closed earlier this month. Both have extensive experience in the retail paint business. Lord & Evans Paints is a family-owned Charleston company that was established in 1865. It operates seven locations in the South Carolina Lowcountry.