Johnson Price Sprinkle PA (“JPS”) and DMJ & Co., PLLC (“DMJ”) announced today that their professional accounting and advisory firms will become DMJPS PLLC effective June 1. This merger combines the skills and expertise of two North Carolina powerhouses: DMJ in the east and JPS in the west. The dynamic union extends the firm’s footprint from North Carolina’s mountains to the coast. The firm will offer business advisory, tax, and assurance services to businesses, their owners, and high-wealth individuals. By combining teams and expanding services, strong client relationships, uncompromising commitment to service quality, and niche expertise are solidified statewide. Expanded services will include valuations, mergers and acquisitions, succession and exit planning, and healthcare practice consulting. The firm’s expanded industries will include professional services, real estate, manufacturing, agriculture, and hospitality. DMJPS will employ over 135 professionals, including 13 partners, and have 7 statewide office locations – Greensboro, Durham, Sanford, Wilmington, Asheville, Marion, and Boone. Benjamin Hamrick, JPS Chief Executive Officer, and Michael Gillis, DMJ Managing Partner, will serve in the role of Co-CEO. As a merged firm, DMJPS is projected to be a U.S. Top 200 accounting firm with a revenue of $24 million. Learn more.
Accomplishment:
For the 12th consecutive survey period, AdventHealth Hendersonville has earned an “A” grade in The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. This latest “A” grade follows AdventHealth Hendersonville being the only health system in Western North Carolina to earn The Leapfrog Group’s Top Hospital Honor for 2021. Learn more.
Happenings:
Asheville Outlets will host the Canterbury Classical School 5K Fundraiser on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Race proceeds will support both the Grammar School and Logic/Rhetoric Schools’ playgrounds. Packet pickup is Friday, May 13 at Asheville Outlets from 4 to 6 p.m. near Sportsman’s Warehouse. Race Day events include the Little Sprinters Run at 8 a.m. The 5K race begins at 8:30 a.m., and the 1K race commences at 9:00 a.m. Little Sprinters Run is free; 5K registration is $35, 1K run is $20, and a virtual run is $40. A tee shirt is included in each registration package. Register atShopAshevilleOutlets.com.
The Heiress, a provocative period drama by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, is scheduled for three matinee performances by The Autumn Players (TAP) of Asheville Community Theatre (ACT): Thursday and Friday, May 19 & 20 on the Mainstage at ACT at 1 pm; Sunday, May 22, in the Mannheimer Room at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center at 2:30 pm. The Heiress is directed by Anita Chapman, and in presented in partnership with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNC Asheville. All tickets are $8.00 and are available online here, by phone at 828-254-1320 or in person at the Asheville Community Theatre box office through Friday, May 20. Any remaining tickets will be sold by cash only at the door beginning 30 minutes prior to each performance.
Mars Hill University‘s spring commencement ceremony will honor not only nearly 175 bachelor’s and master’s level graduates, but also the university’s first African American student. Oralene Simmons, who broke the color barrier in the early 1960s, will be presented an honorary doctorate. The commencement speaker will be Preston Blakely, mayor of Fletcher, North Carolina, and Simmons’s grandson. The class of 1972 also will be recognized for the 50-year anniversary of its graduation. Commencement will take place in Moore Auditorium on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. Learn more.
On Sunday, May 22 from 1 to 3 p.m., the League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County will celebrate the installation of a Pomeroy Foundation Heritage marker honoring Helen Morris Lewis at the Patton Parker House, at 95 Charlotte Street, Asheville. The public is invited to attend. Helen Morris Lewis, a pioneer in the woman suffrage movement, organized in Asheville the first woman’s rights association in the state of North Carolina in 1894. A brief ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the marker dedication. Jo Nicholas, President of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina, will provide greetings and Katherine Calhoun Cutshall, Pack Memorial Library Collections Manager of the Buncombe County Special Collections, will highlight some of Helen’s accomplishments. Helen’s great-grandnephew and great-grandniece will attend along with other family members. Learn more.
Nemesis Theatre Company and The Magnetic Theatre present the world premiere of Midsummer For Haters, an original adaptation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, created and directed by Melon Wedick running June 3rd-18th, 2022. Shakespeare’s beloved classic comedy gets a new treatment by artists who can’t stand the original: resulting in a kidnapped Amazon Queen, misled Mortals, sadistic Fairies, and Mechanicals gone … stuffed? Will any of them survive four nights in the magic forest? To make things even wilder and weirder, the cast is creating two versions of this show, which will run in rep, exploring sadistic Oberon vs compassionate Oberon; malicious Puck vs. innocent Puck; with an unexpected final surprise in both versions. The actors will not know which version they’re presenting until the first scene of the play begins! Learn more.
Hire:
AdventHealth is excited to welcome Mark Starr as the new Director of Food and Nutrition Services for AdventHealth Hendersonville. Starr has more than 30 years of culinary management experience. He brings his knowledge, managerial and organizational skills to his new role at AdventHealth Hendersonville. Starr earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Furman University in Greenville, SC. He went on to attend the New England Culinary Institute, where he earned his associates degree in Culinary Arts. He began his culinary management career running a kitchen at a bed and breakfast in Lake Lure, NC. He later ran his own catering business in Hendersonville, NC for a little more than 7 years. Learn more.
Opening:
Merrell, a global leader in outdoor active footwear, has opened its doors at Asheville Outlets. For over 40 years, Merrell has been on the forefront of innovative footwear with icons such as the Moab hiking boot and Jungle Moc. Today, Merrell is focused on merging performance, styling, and comfort to empower all people to confidently explore the outdoors. Learn more.
Buncombe County Recreation Services opens its five outdoor swimming pools on Saturday, May 28. Pools are open Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday from 1-6 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, pools may close for a short period of time or the entire day. Follow individual pools on Facebook for the latest information on closings. Cost to swim is $3.00 per day. Visitors are welcome to bring their own chairs and lounging towels. Learn more.