Fafard named boating manufacturing VP

NASHVILLE – Buck Pegg, founder of Chaparral Boats, recently announced the expanded role of Mike Fafard, currently Chaparral and Robalo’s senior vice president of engineering and design, to include senior vice president of manufacturing.

Pegg will continue as executive vice president of Chaparral and Robalo Boats with oversight responsibilities for all operations, company representatives said in a statement.

Fafard joined the company in 2005 as the head of engineering and design and has been instrumental in directing and leading a team that has consistently introduced innovative designs and brought award-winning products to market, company representatives said. 

“Chaparral and Robalo are market share leaders with a diverse product line,” they added. “Mike has a tenured career in the marine industry that has spanned more than 30 years.”

Fafard will lead the manufacturing operations with a team comprised of more than 700 employees.

“Mike has exhibited the talent, passion and strong work ethic to expand his role and further the critical integration of engineering and manufacturing,” Pegg said. “I am confident in his abilities to lead both teams. With his strong character, respect for the employees, exemplary work ethic and passion for the brands, I am confident in Mike’s ability to successfully lead Chaparral and Robalo well into the future.”

Fafard said, “I am humbled and honored for the opportunity to lead both the manufacturing and engineering teams at Chaparral and Robalo Boats. These iconic brands have an exceptional tradition of quality, innovation and product design and together, with our talented people, we will continue this clear and focused mission.”

SGMC names info security/tech director

VALDOSTA – South Georgia Medical Center has announced the promotion of Tony Harrell to director of information security and technology.

Harrell has been with SGMC for more than 25 years and has served in various IT security and leadership roles throughout the health system, including IT operations and support manager, information systems security manager and most recently as the interim director of information technology, hospital representatives said in a statement.

In his new role, Harrell will lead the health system’s information services department, consisting of applications, infrastructure, information security, operations and support teams.

Harrell holds a bachelor of arts degree from Valdosta State University alongside his master of science degree in cybersecurity & information assurance from Western Governors University. He is completing his master of business administration degree and will start in a doctoral cybersecurity program this fall.

Harrell is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association and the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

To learn more, visit sgmc.org.

Creole Sol cuts ribbon 

VALDOSTA – The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for catering business Creole Sol at the historic Barber House.

Established in March 2020, Creole Sol is a private catering business specializing in Haitian American Cuisine, chamber representatives said in a statement. The team is available for weddings, corporate events, baby showers and any event where people are gathered for a great time.

“I have always loved to cook; however, I never considered doing it professionally. In 2019, we relocated from NYC to Georgia to be closer to my three older children and we couldn’t find the food we love to eat down here. My wife suggested that I just start cooking, one thing led to another, and people seemed to love our food,” said Frederick Germain, owner.

Germain and his wife, Ambrosia, operate the catering business together. 

“We feel like food brings people together. Our motto is ‘Come Get Fed.’ We want everyone we encounter to leave feeling like family.”

As a father, Germain said he is interested in bringing kids together in the community. 

“We would like to begin cooking classes for kids interested in culinary arts,” he said. “We want to partner with people in the community and do a back-to-school fun day where the kids can come together, have fun and eat good food.”

For more information, contact Germain at (229) 223-2250, by email at creolesol8@icloud.com, or follow along on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Creole-Sol-106240161214954.