FORT MILL — The boards of trustees for York Place in York and Thompson Child & Family Focus in Charlotte have signed an agreement, paving the way for a potential merger of the two groups in the next 60 days.

Informal talks between the agencies have been underway since summer 2012. Both agencies share parallel Episcopal faith-based legacies, missions of treatment and care, and quality service histories.

The boards have agreed that York Place will serve as the South Carolina regional office for programming; retaining its name and operating as York Place, a division of Thompson Child & Family Focus. The new, combined agency will be headquartered in Charlotte and operate under the name, Thompson Child & Family Focus.

“This potential collaboration honors our faith-based beginnings and mutual goals, while greatly expanding throughout the Carolinas our united ministry that calls us to heal children, restore families and rebuild trust in a Christian context,” said Catherine Jones, chair of York Place board of trustees.

York Place and Thompson share a mutual mission to help heal children of trauma. Both agencies were established as orphanages by Episcopal Dioceses; York Place in 1850 by the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, and Thompson in 1886 by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Each has evolved to meet the increasingly complex needs of traumatized children and at-risk families.

Business News

•  Daniel Rogers of Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Rock Hill has earned his residential building license from the S.C. Residential Builders Commission.

According to Rod Hicks, owner of Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling, the license provides the company with increased expertise in restoration, repairs, and remodeling work for property owners and insurance professionals.

Rogers has been employed by the Paul Davis franchise office since 2011. He is also certified by The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) in water damage restoration, Applied Structural Drying (ASD), fire and smoke restoration, and as an Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT). Rogers is from Fort Mill and graduated from Winthrop University in Rock Hill.

•  Pat-A-Cakes bakery is moving Marc 1. to 1502 Ebenezer Road. The phone number is 803-327-3278.

•  The Charlotte Knights, Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and Carolinas HealthCare System are providing three $1,000 college scholarships to local high school seniors.

“The Charlotte Knights will continue to make education a primary focus for many of our community initiatives,” said Chris Semmens, Vice President of Sales, Charlotte Knights. “The Knights are excited to work with our long time partner Carolinas HealthCare System, along with local high school administrators, teachers, parents and students in providing these annual scholarships.”

The 2013 Charlotte Knights Healthcare Scholarship Program is open to any high school senior enrolled in one of the following North or South Carolina counties: Cabarrus, Catawba, Chester, Gaston, Iredell, Lancaster, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Union, or York County. Applicants must be attending an accredited institution of higher education in the fall of 2013, and will be judged on academic performance; volunteer and community involvement; and sports and extracurricular activities.

Applications for the Charlotte Knights Healthcare Scholarship Program presented by Carolinas HealthCare System, are available at charlotteknights.com, and must be postmarked by April 30, 2013.

•  Linda Murfin, owner of Above the Crowds Travel and Meeting Planning of Fort Mill has been named a Travel Impression Ambassador and will be an “brand advocate” for the Hard Rock Resorts.

• Gov. Nikki Haley received the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association’s inaugural State Leadership Award at the Drive Automotive facility in Piedmont. A MEMA affiliate member nominated the Haley for her assistance to the motor vehicle supplier industry.

In South Carolina, motor vehicle parts manufacturers directly employ 24,569 people. Since January 2011, South Carolina has recruited more than $5 billion in capital investment and more than 8,000 jobs in the automotive-related sector, according to MEMA.

• J enks Inc. Realty has added Jeff Parker as an agent in its land and timber division. Parker’s territory will be counties along the I-77 corridor between Charlotte and Columbia. Parker, a resident of Great Falls, will focus on land sales for recreation/hunting, development, residential, and timber investment.

Parker has an associate’s degree in fish and wildlife management from Haywood Technical College and went on to work for the Great Falls division of Crescent Resources in forestry, land, and hunt lease management. Since 1997, he has owned and operated Parker's Land Management Services, LLC, providing erosion control, road construction and maintenance, and prescribed burning on forest lands and private recreational estates.

•  Kenny Brazzell and Julie Lumpkin have joined the staff of Carolinas Insurance & Investment Group.

Brazzell has spent the last nine years with the Farm Bureau in Rock Hill writing medical, life, long-term care and property & casualty. Lumpkin will assist with all personal lines to include homes, autos, recreational vehicles and watercraft, as well as all types of commercial insurance for businesses in York and surrounding counties.

Brazzell can be reached at 803-980-2479 or email kenny@cignetwork.com. Lumpkin can be reached at 803-980-2451 or email julie@cignetwork.com.

Calendar

THURSDAY – The York County Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a Business After Hours event from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at David Weekley Homes’ Massey development,1171 Kings Bottom Drive in Fort Mill..  

The event will also be a welcoming reception for Fort Mill’s newly named Town Manager, Dennis Pieper.

THURSDAY – The Charlotte Knights and Ovations Food Services are holding a job fair Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. to fill jobs for the upcoming season at the stadium. Participants need to complete an application and can do so in advance by downloading a copy from www.charlotteknights.com. Employees are also subject to a criminal background check.