Dr. Harrison Latimer, an orthopaedic surgery specialist, has joined the staff of RoMedical Care and Presbyterian Novant Medical Group in Salisbury.
Latimer got his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also completed his orthopaedic surgery residency. He completed a fellowship in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. Before joining RoMedical, he practiced at Salisbury Orthopaedic Associates.
Besides general orthopaedic care, his emphasis is on sports related injuries to the shoulder and lower extremities. He joins a team of six orthopaedic physicians at RoMedical Care.
Farm Credit changes
STATESVILLE ó After 38 years with the Farm Credit system, Larry Shoffner, CEO of Carolina Farm Credit, retired Jan. 1.
Mike Morton, who has more than 29 years of experience with Farm Credit, has been appointed to succeed him.
Carolina Farm Credit has more than 220 employees, a 20-member board of directors and more than $1.3 billion in loan volume. It has 37 branch offices, including one in Salisbury.
It was formed in 1999 when three Farm Credit associations that serve the western half of North Carolina consolidated. Shoff-ner was a vice president with AgFirst Farm Credit Bank in Columbia, S.C., when he was named Carolina Farm Credit CEO.
Since joining Carolina Farm Credit, Shoffner has served on the board of the N.C. Agribusiness Council, the N.C. A&T University School of Agriculture & Environmental Science Corporate Advisory Board and as chairman of the state Cooperative Council Board.
During his time at Carolina, loan volume has grown from $872 million to more than $1.2 billion.
Shoffner and wife Polly have two married sons and are living in Myrtle Beach in retirement.
Morton held the position of chief lending officer after the consolidation and was promoted last year to chief operating officer. He previously was chief operations manager.
Morton was vice president in credit supervision for Piedmont Farm Credit and a branch manager in Mocksville and Waynesville. He began his career in Asheville. He and wife Melody live in Advance and have a son and a married daughter.
Tax Center to open
David Bailey held a grand opening Saturday at the new Roni Deutch Tax Center, 1951 W. Jake Alexander Blvd., that opened last month.
Roni Deutch is the largest tax resolution law firm in the United States.
“We are thrilled to bring the Roni Deutch Tax Center location to Salisbury and become ingrained in the community as the go-to for tax preparation and support,” said Deutch. “David Bailey exemplifies exactly what we want in a franchise partner, not only as a Tax Center owner/operator, but also as a genuine person who has made a commitment to the community.”
After helping tens of thousands of people save $5,000 to $4 million in IRS debt over the past 16 years through her California-based tax resolution law firm, Deutch is on a double-pronged mission to eliminate the need for tax resolution by providing Americans with competent, professional tax return preparation and to provide a recession-proof business opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking a piece of the booming tax preparation industry.
According to the IRS, 229 million tax returns were filed last year, and 62 percent of Americans hire a tax professional to prepare their return. The IRS is projecting an increase in returns filed to almost 250 million by the year 2012.
“Over the past 16 years I have seen the devastating effect and hardships that sloppy, unprofessional and inaccurate tax return preparation can have on people’s lives,” Deutch said. “I’ve helped people with their IRS tax problems, but now I want to prevent them from getting into trouble in the first place. Roni Deutch Tax Centers will help millions of people avoid costly mistakes they would otherwise have to spend years paying for. I’m calling it preventive medicine for tax liability.”
The first Roni Deutch Tax Center, opened by Deutch herself in June 2006 in Fair Oaks, Calif., prepared more than 6,000 tax returns in its first year of business.
“I look forward to opening a Roni Deutch Tax Center because this business already has a built in customer base of millions,” said Bailey. “Every year, the number of individual tax returns increases so there is a demand for tax preparation, and I want to provide the community with the best service available”
For more information, visit www.rdtc.com or call 866-738-2289.
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.