Thursday, September 26, 2019 THE BILTMORE BEACON6B

MURPHY FLETCHER

Murphy Fletcher is an attorney with McGuire, Wood & Bissette, P.A. As an employment and commercial litigation attorney, she helps businesses with state and federal regulatory issues. She advises employers on human resource issues, drafts employment policies and agreements and represents businesses before government agencies and in state and federal court. In addition to human resources issues, Fletcher assists employers with state and federal tax issues, including representation before the Internal Revenue Service and North Carolina Department of Revenue. Last year, she graduated from the North Carolina Bar Association

Leadership Academy. She was also named to Business North Carolina Legal Elite. In the office, she is chairman of the firm’s business development committee and serves on its innovation and community engagement committees. Fletcher grew up in Emporia, Virginia. She studied biology and business at Sweet Briar College prior to entering Wake Forest School of Law. When her husband, Milton, accepted a position as assistant district attorney in Asheville, the couple relocated here. Fletcher is active in the community through the Asheville Humane Society. She began as a volunteer on its human resources committee and is now chairman-elect of its board of directors. Fletcher plans to continue deepening her knowledge in her field and writing, presenting and advising. In addition to her legal work and volunteer activities, Fletcher is learning English-style horseback riding and enjoys gardening, especially creating pollinator gardens. She and Milton have two dogs and two cats.

ANNA FRANK

Anna Frank is the store manager of Talloni, a Shoe Salon, in Biltmore Park. A West Henderson High graduate, she began working at the salon seven years ago while attending Blue Ridge Community College. At the time, the local economy was weak, especially for retail. From Talloni’s owner, Connie Bergman, Frank learned that a conservative approach to inventory and strong customer relationships were key to success. After five years and two promotions, Frank began managing the entire business, including shoes, jewelry, handbags, scarves, hair accessories and leather goods. She says managing the boutique can be complicated

and involves tight budgeting and financial management, marketing and social media skills, inventory control, customer relationship development and event management for semi-annual promotions that support local nonprofits. It also requires a strong sense of fashion and design, and Frank uses hers to continuously create new merchandise displays. For the past four years, Frank has accompanied Bergman on buying trips to New York City, Las Vegas and Atlanta. She now manages all vendor relationships, sets appointments, researches products and arranges travel. Frank has developed close working relationships with high-end designers and may ‘tweak’ a shoe design to make it more suitable to Talloni’s clientele. Frank supports local charities including Meals on Wheels, MANNAFood Bank, Helpmate, Flat Rock Playhouse, Brother Wolf and ABCCM. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Brandon, watching the Carolina Panthers, hiking and playing with their two dogs, Kimber and Kuechly.

DANA FRANKEL

Dana Frankel is the downtown specialist for the city of Asheville. An Asheville native and graduate of Asheville High, she studied community and regional planning at Appalachian State and completed her graduate studies in urban planning at Hunter College in New York City. Frankel serves as a point of contact and coordinator for downtown projects and initiatives. She seeks to ensure Asheville’s downtown grows effectively, not just for tourists, but for local citizens and business owners. Her work ranges from helping to address parking concerns to promoting street performer guidelines. Frankel says the

position affords her a chance to meet and work with many different people and organizations. Recently, she was instrumental in getting a new mural installed on the public stairwell connecting Battery Park and Wall Street. The mural is a pilot project for a program that would allow private investments in creative projects on public property. Prior to assuming her current position, Frankel worked in New York City for nearly 10 years in commercial district management, real estate, economic development and community relations. She lived and worked across neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens before returning to Asheville three years ago to start the position of downtown specialist for the city. Frankel says that she enjoys working in her hometown, being an ambassador for downtown and riding a bike to work. With her free time, Frankel enjoys stand-up paddle boarding, cake decorating and spending time with her fiancé, Matt and dog, Luna.

KARLA FURNARI

Karla Furnari is the greenways planner and Special Olympics local coordinator for Buncombe County Recreation Services. A Miami native, she left Florida Atlantic University and moved to the area to complete her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Western Carolina University. As a greenways planner, she was instrumental in creating a funding model that generated $20 million for greenway design and construction, with less than $4 million coming from local sources. In her role as Special Olympics coordinator, Furnari built a program that now serves more than 100 year-round athletes and 500 school-

aged athletes competing in a dozen different sports. She oversees 25 year-round and 100 special-event volunteers who help at local and regional competitions. Furnari has worked as a volunteer with special needs individuals since middle school. She says success to her is helping people realize their true potential. Her Special Olympics efforts and commitment extend well beyond her job. Working with a local CrossFit gym, Special Olympics athletes now receive free programming that caters to their needs and abilities. She also coaches the local Special Olympics soccer team. Other volunteer work includes serving as commissioner of the Asheville Chapter of Stonewall Sports and community and government relations representative on the Asheville Buncombe Adult Soccer Association. She serves on the Beer City Cup committee, the nation’s largest adult sanctioned soccer tournament with over 100 teams. Outside of work and volunteer efforts, Furnari competes in CrossFit, travels, and spends time with her adopted cats and dogs.

COLLIN GEORGE

Collin George is part owner of Talent Matters, a full-service talent management company. Using the Harrison Assessment, George establishes customized hiring, development, and retention solutions for companies. He is also a battalion executive officer in the U.S. Army Reserves, having served two tours to Afghanistan and two tours to Thailand. He holds an undergraduate degree in business from Carson-Newman University and is pursuing an MBA from Syracuse University. George grew up in Haw Creek and graduated from Asheville Christian Academy. He attended Carson-Newman on an ROTC scholarship. George

says the program gave him a sense of a greater purpose and launched him in the right direction. He was commissioned in 2007. At age 22, George was a platoon leader responsible for 24 paratroopers preparing for global deployment. He served as an airborne fire support officer, responsible for 40 soldiers and $1 million in equipment, safely executing more than 1,000 fire missions in support of ground forces. In 2011, he was selected to attend the Psychological Operations Qualification Course at the U.S. Army Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The Psychological Operations branch of the Army attempts to influence foreign targets through information rather than lethal means. George served seven years and nine months on active duty and was awarded numerous medals and citations. George and his wife, Melissa, co-own Mountainside Family Farms, raising grass-fed cattle on their 56 acre property in Swannanoa where they are also raising four children.

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