EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Architecture

Brian Boone and Stuart Barber have been promoted to associates at Charleston-based Goff D'Antonio Associates. They both are registered architects and have master's degrees in architecture fromClemson University.

Banking

Richard A. Arthur has joined First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Charleston as executive vice president and chief retail banking officer. He has more than 14 years of management experience in the financial services industry. His responsibilities at First Federal include leadership of all retail operations, including retail branch offices, mortgage banking, marine lending, consumer lending, manufactured housing, credit cards and contact centers. Previously, he was senior vice president on the Merrill Lynch integration team at Bank of America in Charlotte. He has a bachelor's degree from Clemson University.

Ryan M. Werking has been promoted to senior credit analyst and vice president at Harbor National Bank. He has 11 years of experience in the financial and banking industry. He joined Harbor in 2005 after serving as a commercial account manager and credit analyst with SouthTrust Bank

and Wachovia in Charleston. Previously, he was a surety bond underwriter with Chubb Insurance. He has a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston.

Peter Insabella has joined Community FirstBank as a mortgage specialist based at the Charleston-based bank's James Island branch. He has more than six years of experience in the mortgage and real estate industries. Previously, he was with GMAC Mortgage LLC. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of South Carolina.

Defense

Randy Hutcherson has been named chief operating officer at Force Protection Inc., having assumed the day-to-day operations duties at the Ladson-based company on Feb. 18. He joined Force Protection as executive vice president for programs, global sales and business development in April. Previously, he was a vice president at EADS North America. He served 26 years in the

U.S. Marine Corps and retired as a colonel in the Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs. He has a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master's degrees in systems management and national security strategies from Troy State University and the National War College, respectively.

Government

Pano Kordonis has joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Charleston District, as a project engineer in the Lowcountry Resident Office. Previously he was with the public works department of the Naval Weapons Station Charleston. He has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from

The Citadel and a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of South Carolina.

Law

Allison Van Nostrand has joined the Law Firm of Cynthia Ann O'Dell PC as an attorney. Her practice focuses on estate and special-needs planning and elder law. Previously, she operated Et Cetera Gourmet Food Shoppe on Daniel Island. She has a bachelor's degree from Fordham University and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Brady R. Thomas has joined the Mount Pleasant-based law firm of Richardson Patrick Westbrook & Brickman LLC as an associate attorney. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from

Florida State University and a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Receivables

Chuck Hobbs and Chris Williams have joined North Charleston-based CAB Receivables Management. Hobbs is executive director of business development. He has a bachelor's degree in management from Georgia Southern University and has more than 30 years of experience in the cash flow and recovery industry. Williams is chief operating officer. He recently was director of patient finance for Novant Healthcare.

Marketing

Melissa Di Maggio and Leslie Bogstad have been named account managers and Laura Angermeier has been promoted to trainer and project manager at Mount Pleasant-based Step Ahead Inc. Di Maggio and Bogstad will be overseeing client accounts and serving as the primary client liaisons. Previously, Di Maggio was director of marketing for Charming Inns of Charleston for seven years. Bogstad previously owned Mostly Graphics, a design and promotional marketing company. Angermeier manages social media tools. She has been with the firm for two years.

Lauren Curler has joined Slant Media as head of marketing intelligence. She has a bachelor's degree in speech and communications from Clemson University. Previously, she was a relationship and brand management account supervisor at Charleston-based Rawle Murdy.

Real estate

Gray Moore has joined The Southern Shores Real Estate Group of Charleston, specializing in vacation rentals. The newly formed Southern Shores Vacation Rentals division is an spin-off-of the company's property management group.

Technology

Nicholas Pearson, Lindsay Sakran and Matt Diegel have joined Benefitfocus in the software company's Charleston office. Pearson is a configuration manager. Sakran is project coordinator. Diegel is a benefits administrator.

Veterinary

Dr. Laura E. Gerbec has joined Hanahan Veterinary Clinic as a veterinarian. She has a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Minnesota.