Sloan appointed to Teachers Retirement System board

William G. Sloan Jr. of Gainesville has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia.

Sloan has been the executive director of the Georgia Retired Educators Association since 2005. He retired in 2005 after serving as principal of East Hall High School for more than 17 years.

He was named state High School Principal of the Year in 2004 by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals. He previously served on the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Board of Directors and the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals Board of Directors.

Sloan holds an undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern College, two degrees from the University of Georgia and a doctorate in educational administration from NOVA Southeastern University.

He and his wife, Janice, have two children and two grandchildren.

ZF promotes Umberson to VP

ZF Group North American Operations has promoted Elizabeth Umberson from chief materials officer of Wind Power Technology to vice president, head of Materials Management, for the North America region.

The change was effective Oct. 1. Umberson will continue to be based in Gainesville, and Carolin Wolfsdorfer will maintain her position as plant manager at ZF Wind Power Gainesville.

“We are honored to have Elizabeth as part of our organization. She has made significant achievements in our Wind Power business and to the local Gainesville community,” said Julio Caspari, president, ZF Group North American Operations. “We anticipate she will be equally as successful in driving change and efficiency on a regional level as ZF’s new head of Materials Management for North America.”

ZF is a worldwide automotive supplier for driveline and chassis technology with 121 production companies in 27 countries.

Brenau names Fountain as assistant director of development

Pam Fountain of Tallulah Falls has joined the staff of Brenau University as the assistant director of development based on the Gainesville campus.

Fountain will promote philanthropy at the university through annual scholarship fund development, oversee special giving campaigns and phone-a-thons conducted by current students, and assist with special events.

“I am excited about the new challenges and opportunities here at Brenau,” Fountain said.

“I look forward to partnering with current and new donors as we work to meet the goals of our annual scholarship fund as well as other initiatives.”

She brings extensive experience in fundraising, communications, public relations, event planning and writing to the position.

In her most recent position as the director of development at Tallulah Falls School, she was recognized by the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program for her management of the program at the school in 2010 and was named to GOAL’s advisory board in 2012. She previously served as director of advancement services for Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and as east district communications specialist for UPS Supply Chain Solutions in Alpharetta.

Fountain earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations from the University of Georgia. She and her husband, Joey, reside in Tallulah Falls with their two sons.