Taylor named sales representative for Southern Craft Dental Lab
Allen Taylor has joined Southern Craft Dental Lab as a sales representative.

A former partner in another dental lab, Taylor comes to Southern Craft with three years of experience in dental appliance marketing and sales.

In addition to his duties at SCDL, Taylor pastors Journey Church in Buford. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pastoral Ministry from Covenant Life Seminary.

Taylor and his wife, Melena, have two children and reside in Buford.

"We are very pleased to have such a talented, knowledgeable and skilled person as Allen Taylor on our team," Bates said.

Rutherford named CEO of Avita Health Partners
Joe Rutherford has been named the CEO of Avita Community Health Partners.

Rutherford will assume his new role May 1. He takes over for Carol Perkins, Avita's current CEO, who is retiring after 34 years of service in the behavioral health and developmental disabilities fields.

"We are very fortunate to have a candidate of Joe's caliber to assume the CEO position," said Desiree Reddick-Head, chairman of Avita's board of directors. "We are confident he will continue the excellent leadership we are accustomed to while offering a fresh perspective to new challenges and ongoing organizational management."

With more than 26 years of managerial and clinical experience in the behavioral health care field, Rutherford comes to Avita from Tampa, Fla., where he most recently served as associate director for Northside Mental Health Center.

Prior to his tenure at Northside, Rutherford held positions with Behavioral Management Solutions in Johnston City, Tenn., the Center for Human Services in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Helen Ross McNabb Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

Rutherford received his undergraduate degree in psychology from the Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tenn., where he also earned his master's in psychology. Later, he earned his Masters in Business Administration from NOVA University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"I look forward to working together with the Avita team in continuing to serve our consumers and furthering the mission and vision of Avita," Rutherford said

Avita Community Partners was formed by the 1993 Georgia General Assembly as Georgia Mountains Community Services and serves a 13-county area of Northeast Georgia.

Sprayberry named deputy of the year in Forsyth County
Forsyth County deputy sheriff Timothy Sprayberry has been selected as the 2008 Deputy of the Year for the Sheriff's Office North Precinct.

The announcement was made recently by Captain Mark Flowers, Commander of the North Precinct.

Sprayberry was selected for this honor in part because of his involvement in the capture of the "Blue Jean Bandits" in June 2008.Sprayberry was selected as Deputy of the Month on two different occasions in 2008, Flowers said.

Fockele Garden honored by Georgia green industry
The Fockele Garden Co. recently won five awards from the Georgia Green Industry Association at the group's 2009 Awards Program.

The company won a Grand Award for Landscape Maintenance-Commercial for Lanier Village Estates.

The company also won a Silver Award for Landscape Maintenance-Residential for the Hughs' residence and a Silver Award for Design Installation-Commercial for Peach State Bank. The Fockele Garden Co. earned a Merit Award, for Design Installation-Recreational for the American Freedom Garden, and a Merit Award for Design Installation-Residential for the Hughs' residence.