The Academy for the Performing Arts and Karate International Apex will officially open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, Feb. 1, at their new complex off Perry Road in Apex.

Penn Station East Coast Subs has opened at 1013 Market Centre Drive in the Park West Village Center in Morrisville.

CAREERS

Rankin McKenzie, a financial executive management firm in Cary, added two financial experts to its team, Tracy Jackson and Jaye McDermotte.

Dr. Ekta Patel has joined Cary Family Healthcare, 115 Crescent Commons Drive, Suite 100.

Annie Pilz and Jamie Powless of Mulkey Engineers & Consultants in Apex have recently passed the Professional Engineering exam.

KUDOS

HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab was ranked No. 99 on Entrepreneur Magazine's "Franchise 500" list. The company was also ranked first on the "Health Services" list for the fourth year in a row, 48th on the "Fastest-Growing Franchises" list and 82nd on the "America's Top Global Franchises" list. HealthSource has 22 offices in North Carolina.

Jami Lewter, a former employee of Four Oaks Bank in Holly Springs, recently won the bank's 100th Anniversary Slogan Contest. Chris Partin, a customer of the Fuquay-Varina branch, placed in the contest's top ten.

Mark Peavey, OneMain Financial district manager for the Fayetteville district, received the OneMain Financial Leadership Award at the company's annual kickoff meeting in January. Peavey's office is in Cary.

Shutterbooth in Apex has been selected to receive the 2012 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award for Unique Services.

PHILANTHROPY

The CORRAL Riding Academy, a local nonprofit committed to improving the lives of at-risk teen girls and rescued horses, was one of 14 organizations to receive funding from the Triangle Community Foundation in their 2012 Community Grantmaking Cycle. TCF awarded $14,400 to support CORRAL's Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine-Assisted Learning programs.