RALEIGH, N.C. – Bayer CropScience (http://www.bayercropscience.com), one of the world’s top innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and traits, has announced that “Sustainability in Agriculture: A Bayer Executive Course” will be held Monday, March 19 to Wednesday, March 21 at The Umstead Hotel & Spa located at 100 Woodland Pond Drive in Cary, N.C. The course, presented in partnership with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Poole College of Management at North Carolina State University, will focus on developing thought leadership in the emerging science of sustainable agriculture, as well as emphasize growing sustainable businesses and reducing the world’s agricultural footprint while meeting the social, environmental and economic needs of present and future generations. A panel of speakers, including various NC State professors and Bayer CropScience executives, will address attendees on agricultural innovation, technology and best business practices.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Kristin Buie, communications manager of North Carolina Theatre (http://www.nctheatre.com), has announced that the organization has added two new members to its board of directors for 2012. Rick Gurlinger, president of Bourke Services, LLC, and Su Shearin, a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation board member, will lend their passion for NC Theatre’s mission to ensure the organization’s continued success.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Chip Mims, CEO of Mims Distributing Company (http://www.mimsdist.com), a beer distributor that services a nine-county area in and around the Triangle, has announced that the company partnered with Baker Renewable Energy to install one of the largest private solar rooftop systems in Wake County. The roof, which features a photovoltaic rooftop net metering system, will allow the company to collect and utilize solar power onsite and reduce its lifetime commercial power grid consumption, ultimately saving Mims up to 400 MWhrs, or 400,000 kWhrs, of energy per year. This will offset approximately 20 percent of the building’s energy needs.

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Jenkins MBA program in the NC State Poole College of Management (http://mgt.ncsu.edu/mba/) has announced that program alumni, in collaboration with the NC State Alumni Association and the Gregg Museum of Art & Design at NC State University, will host a 5k run honoring the late Dr. Lynn Ennis, former Jenkins MBA professor and associate director and curator of the Gregg Museum on Saturday, March 3. The event begins at 10 a.m. at the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center, located at 2450 Alumni Drive on NC State’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh, N.C. Dr. Ennis, who died on July 26, 2011, taught a popular Jenkins MBA course on creativity in management, inspiring students with her creative approach to management, product development and scientific research. Proceeds from the race go to the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. To register for the MBA Wolfpack Run, visit http://mbawolfpackrun.weebly.com/

RALEIGH, N.C. – Dean Ogan, owner of Rocky Top Hospitality (http://www.rockytophospitality.com), has announced that its downtown Raleigh restaurant, Draft Carolina Burgers & Beers, donated $500 of its proceeds of sales raised on Feb. 11 to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®, the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. Focused on curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, the goal is to improve the overall quality of life for patients and their families.

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Dune Dogs (http://www.thedunedogs.com), which consists of area executives playing “country-fried swamp ‘n’ roll music,” will perform at the upcoming Americana Night on Friday, Feb. 24 at The Pour House (http://www.the-pour-house.com), located at 224 S. Blount St. The Dune Dogs will take the stage at 9 p.m., followed by local favorites The Thompson-Howell Band and Jonny Folsom 4. Special guest Sunshine Riot, one of Boston’s most celebrated rock acts, will perform at midnight. There will be an $8 cover charge for the show. For more information, visit http://www.the-pour-house.com/events.php.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Patty Briguglio, president of MMI Public Relations (http://www.mmipublicrelations.com), a Raleigh-based, full-service public relations firm, has announced that Anjelica Cummings has been promoted to account executive. In her new position, Cummings will be responsible for high to mid-level client accounts including the development and implementation of public relations campaigns, management of client events, and supervision of internal client related projects. Cummings began working at MMI in December 2009 as a traffic coordinator and has served as an assistant account executive since March 2011.

RALEIGH, N.C. – William Peace University (http://www.peace.edu), a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, has announced that the Board of Trustees and faculty have voted to expand the university’s curriculum to include a simulation and game design major. This major will be available to students beginning in the fall 2012 semester. The simulation and game design major has been developed to prepare university graduates for careers in the industry of advanced learning technologies and gaming, which has become a growing industry across the United States, including in the Raleigh-Durham market. Wake County Economic Development (WCED), a program of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the primary economic development organization for Wake County and its 12 municipalities, has recently placed significant interest on enhancing the local emphasis on the gaming industry, which will inevitably lead to increased job growth in the military, healthcare, academic and private industries. The development of William Peace University’s simulation and game design major will assist the WCED efforts of improving workforce development and training needed for this growing industry.

RALEIGH, N.C. – David Finch, president and CEO of ATCOM Business Technology Solutions (http://www.atcombts.com), has announced that the communications solutions provider has installed a Mitel Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system for Regional Dermatology of Durham, LCC (formerly Durham Dermatology), which consults with and treats patient with medical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology and skin cancer issues. The new digital communications system, with state-of-the-art Mitel 3300 VoIP telephones, allows for flexibility and ease of use for the local health center. The new system will also provide Regional Dermatology of Durham with a reliable and expandable IP system that can accommodate the communications needs of its health providers, support staff and customers.

APEX, N.C. – Laura A. Schoppe, president of Fuentek, LLC (http://www.fuentek.com/), a local consulting firm that provides intellectual property (IP) and technology transfer services, has announced that Danielle McCulloch, a senior technology transfer consultant, will speak on a panel titled, “Frequently Asked Questions about Intern Programs,” on Saturday, March 17 at the Association of University Technology Managers®  (AUTM) 2012 Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif.  Interns can be a valuable asset for a technology transfer office, but success requires proper structuring and a significant investment in training and mentoring.  The panel will explore intern programs in the technology transfer field and will consider how these programs meet goals set by the organizations that offer them.