The board of directors at Rowan Regional Medical Center welcomed three new members in January as others completed their service.

The new members are Luke Fisher, president of Carrol Fisher Construction Co. & Fisher Realty Inc., Phillip Kirk Jr., vice president for external relations at Catawba College, and Dr. Kathleen Russo, a pediatrician with Salisbury Pediatric Associates and president-elect of the medical staff.

They replace David Jordan, who served as chairman of the board, Shirley Ritchie and Dr. Gayle Singleton-Yatawara.

Fisher, a Salisbury native, has served as president of Carrol Fisher Construction Co. and Fisher Realty Inc. for more than 20 years. He is a graduate of Salisbury High School and North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering operations. He serves on the board of directors for the Rowan Jobs Initiative and is a former board member of the Salisbury/Rowan Association of Realtors Inc., the Country Club of Salisbury and the Salisbury Parks and Recreation Foundation.

Rowan native Kirk, who now works for his alma mater Catawba College, previously was president and chief executive officer of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry and publisher of North Carolina magazine. Elected to the N.C. State Senate in 1970, he later served as chief of staff for N.C. Govs. Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin and U.S. Sen. Jim Broyhill. He retired in 2003 as chairman of the North Carolina Board of Education after 5ć years of service. He serves on or has been on more than 40 boards and committees, including Catawba College, Meredith College, N.C. Baptist Hospital, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Foundation and UNC-TV board of directors.

Russo is a board-certified pediatrician with Salisbury Pediatric Associates in Salisbury. A native of Long Island, N.Y., she received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology from the University of Colorado in Denver and her medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She is certified in advanced neonatal life support and pediatric advanced life support and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the North Carolina chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association.

Attorney Glenn Ketner Jr. is the board’s new chairman, Dan Williams is the new vice chairman/treasurer and Janet Smith is secretary.

The Rowan Regional Medical Center board of directors is a 15-member group of Rowan-area residents and medical professionals who serve as a link between the medical center and the communities it serves. Each trustee serves without financial compensation.

Home Health honored

Home Health Professionals has been named to the 2006 HomeCare Elite, the inaugural compilation of the most successful home care providers.

This review names the Medicare-certified agencies whose performance measures in quality, improvement and financial performance are among the top 25 percent of providers nationwide. Also, it indicates those providers ranked in the Top 100 and Top 500 of providers nationwide.

JoAnn Kepley, Home Health Professionals administrator, said the ranking is a credit to her staff’s “commitment to provide quality care in a cost-effective manner, continually seeking ways to improve the care we deliver to our patients and providing ongoing education and our staff’s willingness to adapt to health care changes.”

The 2006 HomeCare Elite is the first performance recognition of its kind in the home health industry. The list was compiled by OCS Inc., the leading provider of health care informatics, and DecisionHealth, publisher of home care’s independent newsletter Home Health Line. The data used for this analysis was complied from publicly available information.

The entire list of the 2006 HomeCare Elite agencies can be viewed at www.ocsys.com.

Home Health Professionals is a Medicare/Medicaid certified home health agency, and it is accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Program, which means it has met certain standards of excellence in providing health care.

The company was formed in Mecklenburg County in 1978 and was purchased from its founders in 1983. The company has expanded its operational base to include a 26-county service area in the Piedmont, including a location in Suites 102-103, 1910 W. Jake Alexander Blvd.

Medical instructor

Dr. Robert Whitaker was an instructor at a medical course in Charlotte on Jan. 13.

Whitaker is an ear, nose and throat specialist whose office is at 330 Jake Alexander Blvd., Suite 101. He is also on the staff at Rowan Regional Medical Center and NorthEast Medical Center in Concord.

The course was sponsored by Medtronic/Xomed, a supplier of esophageal and laryngeal scopes for otolaryngologists. It was attended by 45 ear, nose and throat specialists from the Carolinas and Georgia.

Whitaker spoke on in-office transnasal esophagoscopy, an endoscopic procedure performed to evaluate the esophagus. The procedure in which he specializes is used to evaluate patients with swallowing difficulty and foreign body sensation. Participants were also instructed in office laryngeal biopsy and sensation testing for evaluation of aspiration.

Financial workshops

Mary Moose, RFC/Financial Planner and president of Victory Wealth Management Inc., plans to conduct a series of educational workshops geared toward baby boomers and seniors.

Topics include estate planning, retirement income strategies for retirees and long-term care planning. The sessions will be held at Rufty-Holmes Senior Center starting Feb. 15.

Local professionals who are experts in their field will be available to provide the most current information.

Moose is a member of the Rufty-Holmes board and a senior advocate. She is the designated financial professional for center participants, offering her services for free.

For a workshop schedule or more information, call 704-857-4924 or visit www.Victory WMI.com.

Volunteer award

Eric Brady, a financial consultant, and the Piedmont Regional Team of Salisbury have been recognized with the 2006 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Southeast Region Volunteer Excellence Award in the Financial Representative category.

Brady and the Piedmont Regional Team are advisers of the East Rowan, Southwest Rowan and Davidson-Randolph chapters, which serve areas in Rowan, Cabarrus, Davidson and Randolph counties. Brady received a $1,000 award and is donating it to the charities of his choice.

“The Piedmont Regional Team exemplifies the part of Thrivent Financial’s mission of caring for others through service to church and community,” said Ed Blanton, managing partner of the Southeast RFO. “It is active in Godstock, Relay for Life, the Victory Junction Gang Camp and various church activities.”

“Thrivent Financial representatives such as Eric and the team are an inspiration,” said Jim Thomsen, Thrivent Financial senior vice president of Field Distribution. “In 2006, thousands of Thrivent Financial volunteers, including financial representatives, contributed more than 19 million volunteer hours to communities throughout the country.”

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit Fortune 500 financial services organization helping 2.8 million members achieve their financial goals.

Bridal fair party

SPENCER — Grand Central Emporium, 460 S. Salisbury Ave., will host a complimentary Bridal Fair Party from 1-6 p.m. Feb. 10.

Door prizes, including a $1,000 Bahamas cruise package, will be tucked into floral bouquets and tossed to participants.

Businesses participating include Enjoy Life Travel, Heritage Room, Tommy’s Photography, Favorites, Joyce’s Whistle Stop Hair Salon, Jac-Lyn Flowers and Gifts, Blossoms and Blooms, Allison’s Catering, Subway, Veils by Vickie, Rhonda’s Wedding Accessories and Pampered Chef.

For more information, contact Daniel Almazon at 704-633-5599 or Anne Simpkins at 704-855-2741.

Linda Braswell compiles the Rowan Roundup of companies, organizations and individuals. You can submit information about new businesses, honors and management promotions to her at the Salisbury Post, P.O. Box 4639, Salisbury, NC 28145-4639; fax it to 704-639-0003; or e-mail lbraswell@ salisburypost.com.