Experience

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  Gum Swamp Publishing

  • Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

  • Publisher | Author

    • Jul 2016 - Present
    • Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

    Publisher of children's books. The book, The Secrets of Gum Swamp is a story about a ten year old boy who sets out on an a quest of conquering Gum Swamp, by walking through it, but along the way, he is swallowed by a tree which lands him in a strange new world. In this new world, Henry finds that the numbers he has dreamed about are real. (Because he was initially scared of math, he began to dream about numbers {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9} and in his dreams they came to life and became his friends.) Now his friends, the numbers, need Henry to help them drive an evil force, Hem, from their woods. They show Henry he acquired special powers when he was swallowed by a tree which will help him defeat Hem and the dark forces. Along with several friendly animals Henry finds at the number’s village, the numbers and Henry plan their attack and set out to rid Gum Swamp of Hem and his dark forces. Hem has already convinced Sus, the leader of the wild boars, and Red, the leader of the wolf pack to come over to his side. Henry and the numbers will have to fight these animals before they take on Hem. Henry learns he can use his math skills to defeat not only Sus and Red but also Hem and his dark forces.The Secrets of Gum Swamp is the first of three books about Henry and the numbers.

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  Prime 1 Builders

  • Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

  • Owner

    • Jul 1999 - Present
    • Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

    Retired from banking in 1998 and being involved in the design and building of branches while in banking, it was natural for me to get my North Carolina general contractor's license. Prime 1 Builders is a design build commercial contractor.

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  Triangle Bank

  • Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

  • Director and Executive Vice President

    • Mar 1995 - Oct 1998
    • Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

    Joined Triangle Bank through a merger of Unity Bank into Triangle Bank and serviced as a Director and Executive Vice President of the Bank in charge of Marketing, Operations, Personnel, and Branches.

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  Unity Bank & Trust Company

  • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

  • CEO, President, Director

    • Oct 1989 - Jun 1995
    • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

    Founder, Director, President, and CEO of Unity Bank, Rocky Mount, NC. Grew from a new start-up bank to over $180 million community bank with ten branches.

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  Ballance & Associates

  • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

  • Owner

    • Apr 1983 - Sep 1989
    • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

    Formed a bank consulting company, working with banks and savings & loan institutions in areas of accounting, asset management, profitability, and bank branch construction.

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  Peoples Bank and Trust Company

  • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

  • Management Trainee to Senior Vice President

    • Apr 1972 - May 1983
    • Rocky Mount, North Carolina Area

    Joined Peoples Bank as a Management Trainee and was Senior Vice President when I left the bank to start my own company, Ballance and Associates, a bank and saving and loan consulting company. Started in the lending area of the bank and worked in the comptroller's department before being promoted to Branch Administrator, in charge of the Bank's branches responsible for the profitability and growth of the branch network. Responsible for construction of new branches and remodeling of the existing branches.

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  US Army

  • Savannah, Georgia Area

  • Captain

    • Jul 1968 - Jan 1972
    • Savannah, Georgia Area

    Entered the Army as a 1st Lieutenant in the Artillery Branch, then went to rotary flight school and graduated in July 1969, finished 2nd in the flight class and was chosen along with another lieutenant to train in the first flight school for firing wire guided missiles from helicopters. Went to Vietnam and flew the OH-6A, or Loch for the Americal Division in I Corp. Promoted to Captain and trained Vietnamese student in flight school in Savannah Georgia at Fort Stewart.