The Tibetan and Himalayan Gift Shop opened in November at 746-B E. Chatham St. in Cary. The store sells gift merchandise from Tibet and the Himalayan region.

CAREERS

Sokal Media Group in Cary launched an expansion plan designed to work with more automotive dealerships and retail clients in the Charlotte market. Account executive Bryan Fisher will be leading this team.

Railinc Corp. in Cary has promoted Susan Kennedy to human resources generalist and Josh Meder to quality assurance engineer.

Railinc Corp. in Cary has hired Megan Rowe as senior payroll and procurement specialist.

Wendy Price has joined Financial Directions Group in Cary as a benefits consultant. Price will provide employee benefits services for Financial Directions' corporate clients.

KUDOS

MMI Public Relations in Cary has received a Gold Pixie Award from the American Pixel Academy, which honors outstanding work in animation, effects and motion graphics. MMI Public Relations won in the category of logo effects for Lloyd Yates' "Wake County: A Great Place To Live and Work," a video produced for Wake County Economic Development.

Organic skin care company Skin Care for Athletes by Morning Indigo, based in Fuquay-Varina, has achieved Champion status in the Environmental Working Group's report, "Market Shift: The Story of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and the Growth in Demand for Safe Cosmetics."

Glenn Gillen, account manager at S&A Cherokee in Cary, has successfully completed the examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling him to use the APR professional designation.

PHILANTHROPY

Triangle-area luxury spa, Blue Water Spa, has donated more than $106,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs in Wake County. Blue Water Spa is offering December specials to customers who donate.