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Bank of America to hold homeowners assistance event

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Bank of America will be holding a Homeowner Assistance Event in Duluth for their local customers on Thursday. 

BOA customers will receive face-to-face assistance from specialists who can help evaluate their financial situation and provide them with personally tailored assistance. 

The event will be held at the Gwinnett Center, which is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. 

Those interested in attending the event can register online at Bank of America: Homeowner Event --- or they can call 1-855-201-7426. 

The event is being held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Appointments are available between 8 a.m. until 6:30 p.m .

Coke partners with Firehouse Subs for national contest

Coke partners with Firehouse Subs for national contest

ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola and Firehouse Subs are partnering for a national sweepstakes centered on stock car racing.

Coca-Cola is sponsoring the Coca-Cola Photo Finish sweepstakes at Firehouse Subs locations through Apr. 21.

During the contest, life-size cutouts of participating Coca-Cola Racing Family members will be placed in FIrehouse Subs locations. Firehouse Subs guests can snap a photo with the cutout and submit it to win. Guests can submit photos via text to cocacolaphotofinish.com, or entries can be mailed.

Participating drivers include Joey Logano, representing the Georgia and Gulf region; Greg Biffle, representing the West and Central region; Danica Patrick, representing the Florida region; Denny Hamlin, representing the South region; and Tony Stewart, representing the Mid-Atlantic region.

Credit union supports Gwinnett scholarship program

Credit union supports Gwinnett scholarship program

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Peach State Federal Credit Union has given $10,000 to the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation scholarship fund.

The money will go to four scholarships awarded to exceptional Gwinnett high school seniors.

"I applaud Peach State Federal Credit Union for this effort," GCPS Foundation President David Seago said in a statement. "Gwinnett depends on the quality of the workforce, and it is a smart investment to help students achieve post-secondary success."

The GCPS Foundation is a non-profit that helps Gwinnett County students succeed in both school and life. Learn more at gcps-foundation.org.

Formerly Gwinnett Federal Credit Union, Peach State Federal Credit Union now serves Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Jackson, Oconee and Walton counties. It awarded nearly $100,000 in scholarship money and educational grants in 2012.

Fast growth earns recognition for 12 Gwinnett businesses

Fast growth earns recognition for 12 Gwinnett businesses

GWINNETT COUNTY -- Partnership Gwinnett and the Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development recognized twelve local companies who made the UGA Alumni Association's 2013 Bulldog 100 on Friday. 

UGA recognizes 100 of the fastest-growing businesses across the nation that are either owner or run by UGA alumni. 

"With more than 700 nominations for the 2013 Bulldog 100, businesses included on the list have proven to be highly competitive, successful companies," Stan Jackson, Director of Communications for the UGA Alumni Association. 

The twelve companies to make the list include Sovereign Systems (#3), Asa Carlton, Inc. (#22), The Service Team of Re/Max Legends (#29), RIA Solutions (#39), i9 Sports of NW Gwinnett & Hall Counties (#42), NovoLogic, Inc. (#49), Square 1 Art (#55), FineLine Technologies (#64), Innovative Outdoors, LLC (#65), Evans, Simpson & Associates, Inc. (#80), LAN Systems (#84) and Direct Technologies, Inc. (#98). 

Bank of America adds 35 small biz bankers in Atlanta

Bank of America adds 35 small biz bankers in Atlanta

ATLANTA -- Bank of America Corp. reported Wednesday it hit its target of hiring more that 1,000 small business bankers in 2012, including 35 in Metro Atlanta.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based bank said it extended $280.2 million in credit to Georgia small businesses and $8.7 billion nationally last year. The $8.7 billion was an increase of 28 percent over 2011.

It recently reported net income of $2.8 billion for 2012. It also saw its head count shrink by about 5,000 employees to 267,190 in the fourth quarter, evidence that BofA is still trimming staff levels as it works to lower its expenses. Branches also continued to close, with BofA reporting 5,478 banking centers across its U.S. franchise at the end of the year, down from 5,702 centers a year earlier. 

Bank of America is the third-largest bank in metro Atlanta with 145 local branches and $20.4 billion in area deposits for a market share of 17 percent. 

LittlePINKBook.com holds 8th Annual Fall Empowerment event

LittlePINKBook.com holds 8th Annual Fall Empowerment event

LittlePINKBook.com, the digital platform for career women, hosted its 8th Annual Fall Empowerment Event on November 13. More than 300 professional women attended the luncheon event, at the Atlanta History Center, along with more than 550 unique viewers joining via live stream. Some viewers planned gatherings of 50 or more women and leveraged the event to enhance their own business and networking meetings in cities across the globe.

The executives on the panel candidly answered questions related to their career paths to the C-Suite. Glenda Umaña, anchor at CNN en Español, was the event’s moderator. Read LittlePINKBook.com’s “Top 10 Takeaways” for favorite thoughts shared by the three panelists:

·        Teri List-Stoll, SVP and Treasurer, Procter & Gamble

Higher pay for DeKalb school administrators draws fire

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- Just a few months ago, DeKalb County's School Board was cutting millions from its budget and eliminating jobs.

Now some are wondering how they can approve raises for 4 top school administrators, especially with very little public notice.

"We didn't even have a full board to even vote on the decision to give those particular people raises," DeKalb County parent Cheryl Miller told 11Alive News.

The community school activist accuses the school system of pulling a fast one.

They only gave a few hours notice that the salary hikes would be on the agenda for a Monday meeting attended by only five of nine board members.

At the request of new Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson, the board voted 3-to-2 to give higher salaries to four of her top administrators, ranging from $3,400 to $4,000 a year more.