Pilot International hires director of communications, health district accredited

Pilot International announces new director of communications

Michael Lopez has joined Pilot International in its Macon headquarters as director of communications.

Michael was previously senior marketing analyst with KaMin of Macon. He holds an MBA from Mercer University.

Pilot International is a community-based volunteer service organization founded in 1921 in Macon on the principles of friendship and service. The name “Pilot” was inspired by the mighty riverboat pilots of that day who represented leadership and guidance.

With more than 7,200 members in some 300 Pilot Clubs, Pilots can be found across the U.S., the Bahamas, Japan and South Africa. Pilots carry out their mission to “Do More, Care More and Be More” by providing financial and hands-on support for national and local initiatives in keeping with its causes of youth development and leadership, brain safety and fitness, and caring for families in times of need. Also, there are more than 7,500 school-level Anchor Club members worldwide.

North Central Health District receives national accreditation

The North Central Health District and each of its 13 county health departments have achieved national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board.

The national accreditation program works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of public health departments. The Macon-based health district is one of fewer than 200 health departments that have achieved accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board since the organization launched in 2011.

To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures.

North Central Health District is dedicated to preventing disease, promoting health and protecting Middle Georgia communities against health threats through education, service, advocacy and collaboration. It serves people of all classes and economic status within Baldwin, Crawford, Hancock, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Macon-Bibb, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Washington and Wilkinson counties.

Robins Financial Credit Union Announces New Managers

Two new managers have been hired at Warner Robins-based Robins Financial Credit Union.

John McMath has been hired as a branch manager and James Schoepf II has been hired as the information technology manager.

McMath has worked in the banking industry for the past 13 years. He is a Texas native but has lived in Middle Georgia for the past 25 years. McMath has a Bachelor in Business Administration from Georgia Southwestern.

Schoepf has worked in the information technology field for the past five years. He is originally from Jones County, and has a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Macon State College.

Robins Financial Credit Union is a non-profit financial cooperative with 20 branches in Middle Georgia. It provides financial services to more than 185,000 members with assets exceeding $2.4 billion.

Local official earns finance certification

Sheryl Bowman, who works in the Bibb County Superior Court clerk’s office, earned the Local Finance Officer Certification through the Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s financial management training program.

Bowman was recognized with Level I certification for pursuing professional development in governmental finance, accounting and budgeting.

Level I certification requires finance officers to participate in 108 hours of instruction about the intricacies of government budgeting, purchasing, accounting and other public finance topics.

Since the program’s inception in 1972, more than 1,600 local finance officers and others have graduated with certificates and nearly 3,800 have received training. The institute also works with state financial officers through the state financial management program.

This story was originally published December 1, 2017 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Pilot International hires director of communications, health district accredited."