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the community, the question remained: Where would these events be held? With several brewers in and surrounding the Fayetteville region and the love for craft beer, it all just made sense.

“Thus far, the patrons really enjoyed it and the breweries we’ve gotten great feedback from with everyone just enjoying having the music there and people that it brings in,” added Meyer.

In the beginning, to get venues there was a lot of outreach to the breweries and restaurants to see who had expressed interest. Since then they have been able to add different locations to their list of appearances.

There have even been several locations that have requested to be included as a location choice. The series is hoping to expand more next season with an event to be held at James Creek Cider House in Cameron.

So far, the Symphony on Tap series has been hosted at Gaston Brewing Company - the restaurant and tap room, Dirtbag Ales and Dirty Whiskey, Heckler, District House of Taps, and Bright Light Brewing Company.

When an event is scheduled, typically the Orchestra sends small ensembles to perform. These ensembles could be a duo, trio, quartet or quintet and range from jazz, violin, brass, and piano.

Even though the musicians are playing at breweries, the performances are completely different than what one would expect.

“These performances are pretty different with the structure and atmosphere of where the musicians are playing. Our traditional concerts we do at either local churches, Methodist University, or the big concert hall,” Meyer said. “The environment at these breweries are much more casual than our larger concerts.”

Typically, normal concerts for the Orchestra feature around 60 musicians and traditional symphony programming, whereas, for the series the musicians play pop covers or jazz music.

With different music and locations comes with a different type of crowd, with attendance varying depending on the venue.

Certain venues draw bigger crowds.

“Heckler has a pretty big following in terms of loyal support and has patrons that don’t normally come to the concert hall,” Meyer stated. “There is definitely a different crossover, I see people that I recognize from concerts but I have also seen younger people and even families coming out more to the tap events.”

As the events are open to the public, if patrons visit a venue that the Symphony is at, it then is a great way to reach new people.

Anyone is welcome to attend the events and have no cost of entrance. However, food and drinks are not included and must be purchased separately through the establishment the event is happening at.

For those that have never been to a Symphony on Tap event, the layout for the night usually goes as follows. The musicians will get there about a half hour before to set up, a table of information is set up and then for 90 minutes music is played before wrapping up for the evening.

With the 2021-2022 season now at an end, patrons that are looking to attend one of the events can attend the first event of the 2022-2023 season in August at Gaston Brewing in their tap room.

“Our season typically runs from September through may and take a break during the summer for our concerts, but now we’ve expanded. This year we ran from August to June and are taking July off and that will be happening again this upcoming season,” added Meyer.

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra also has great sponsorship opportunities for next season’s Symphony on Tap events. Anyone who is interested in sponsoring will become like a co-host of the event and will have their logo and business associated with that particular event,

“We really want to see people at these events, they are a lot of fun and super low-key and casual. So if you want to stop by for thirty minutes and hear a couple of tunes, have a beer and go home then that’s great.”

Events like these are important to have in the community to bring music to different spaces and bring people together to make connections with one another. “It’s an important way for us to engage with our community and hopefully bring people together through music and beer.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAYETTEVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The 2022 season of Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra on Tap recently wrapped up and will kick off for a new season in August.

Season Kickoff Party @ Gaston Taproom: Friday, August 19, 2022 | 7 p.m. Bright Light Brewing Co: Sunday, August 28, 2022 | 5:30 p.m. Dirtbag Ales: Friday, September 16, 2022 | 7p.m. Gaston Restaurant: Thursday, September 22, 2022 | 6 p.m. Halloween Party @ Heckler: Thursday, October 27, 2022 | 7 p.m. Brunch @ District House of Taps: Sunday, November 13, 2022 | Noon Holiday Music @ Dirty Whiskey: Friday, December 16, 2022 | 7 p.m. Date Night @ Dirty Whiskey: Friday, February 10, 2023 | 7 p.m. Mardi Gras @ Heckler: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 | 7 p.m. Bright Light Brewing Co: Sunday, March 5, 2023 | 5:30 p.m. Dirtbag Ales: Friday, March 24, 2023 | 7 p.m. Gaston Restaurant: Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 6 p.m. Brunch @ District House of Taps: Sunday, April 23, 2023 | Noon May the Fourth @ Heckler: Thursday, May 4, 2023 | 7 p.m. Gaston Taproom: Friday, June 9, 2023 | 7 p.m.

NCEDA recognizes Porter as NCEDA member emeritus

PHOTO BY NCEDA

Nelms (right) presents the designation to Porter (left)

Fayetteville resident DON PORTER was recognized at the NCEDA annual meeting with a designation of NCEDA member emeritus.

The designation was presented by the president of the organization, John Nelms.

“The NCEDA Member Emeritus program honors longtime NCEDA members, career economic developers and proven servants of the public trust,” said Nelms.

Porter served as the economic development director for Hoke COunty and Town of Raeford from the years 1999 to 2019.

“His success there helped bring jobs and investment during a period of transformation in Hoke County. Porter’s distinguished military record included service as an officer in the US Army for 30 years. He currently serves on the board of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. Governor Cooper appointed him to the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission earlier this year. Porter was nominated by Steve Yost, president and CEO of North Carolina’s Southeast, the regional economic development partnership,” the press release said.

UNCP welcomes new members to board of visitors

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke announced five new members of its Board of Visitors.

Appointed by Chancellor Robin Gray Cummings, the five new members are TREY ALLEN, FALINE LOCKLEAR DIAL, DON HALL, DR. KENNEDI HENRY, and RAMÓN ZEPEDA. The board of 26 is composed of alumni and non-alumni members from across the state and assists in communicating the university’s message.

Most members are major stakeholders in education, legal, health services, industry, and public sectors.

Allen serves as the Coatees Distinguished Term Associate Professor of Public Law and Government at UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Government. He is a graduate of UNCP and UNC School of Law and served as a judge advocate in the United States Marine Corps.

Currently, Allen is on leave at UNC Chapel Hill as he serves as general counsel for the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts.

Dail is the owner of Speech N Progress Inc. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill and her Master’s degree from East Carolina University. She currently serves on the Robeson County Board of Commissioners and the Robeson County Community College board of trustees.

Dail has also held leadership positions with the Pembroke Area Chamber of Commerce, UNCP Foundation Board, and more. In 2017, she was presented with the Dr. Collie Coleman Spirit of Unity during UNCP’s 20th annual Business Visions Awards Banquet.

Hall is the current chairman of the Pender County Board of Education and works in regional farming.

As a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Hall has served his community as the chair of the Pender ABC Board, chair of Coastal Care, Trillium Health Resource board member and more. Henry obtained a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UNCP and a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from East Carolina’s School of Dental Medicine. She recently completed her residency at ECU and will be working as an associate at a general family dentist in Hamlet, N.C.

Zepeda is from a small farming town in Jalisco, Mexico, where he participated in Student Action with Farmworkers Levante program in high school and the Into the Fields program at UNCP. Currently, Zepeda directs the Levante Leadership Institute and is co-director of the Hacia los Campos summer theater group.

What are you and your peers achieving? Have you reached a new goal? Have you acquired another business? Maybe your business has a new hire you would like to highlight. Greater Fayetteville Business Journal wants to hear from you and your business to shine a spotlight on your accomplishments.

To nominate someone for GFBJ’s Achievers section, email editor@bizfayetteville.com with the subject line “Achiever.”

Allen Dial Hall Henry Zepeda

FTCC names Jeffries as honorary trustee

Fayetteville Technical Community College has named DR. MARYE J. JEFFRIES as an honorary trustee of the school.

“The designation of Honorary Trustee recognizes an individual for exceptional service and support of FTCC through the years,” a press release from the school said. Jeffries served on the Board of Trustees for 26 years. For four of those years, she served as the board chair.

Jeffries served on FTCC’s Board of Trustees from 1992 until 2018. She served as Board Secretary from 1993 to 2004 and as Board Chair from 2004 through 2008. Jeffries played a key role in the installation of the College’s two most recent presidents,

Dr. Larry B. Norris in 1997 and Dr. J. Larry Keen in 2007. “I became a real advocate of community college serving here and seeing what it could do and the impact it could have on students,” Jeffries said. “Community college is just a wonderful, wonderful option for students and Fayetteville Tech has always been a leader.” Aside from her work with FTCC, Jeffries has exhibited her advocacy for education throughout her life. She began her teaching career in Tacoma Washington before moving to Fayetteville in 1963. THen, she taught elementary school. She was the first African American teacher at Vanstory Hills Elementary School in Fayetteville and earned her Master’s degree in Education while working at Vanstory. In the 70s, Jeffries became an associate professor of education at Fayetteville State University. After earning her Doctorate in Education Administration and Supervision from UNC-Chapel Hill and and holding multiple positions at FSU, Jeffries was appointed in 1995 as Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. She was the first African American female to hold that position. Dr. Jeffries retired from FSU in 1998 but remained extremely active in her community. Jeffries community involvement speaks to her love of the area. She has chaired the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the Cumberland County Auditorium/ Arena Commission (now the Civic Center Commission); served as a member of the Fayetteville Chapter of The Links, Inc., an international women’s service, as well as on the Executive Council and as its president; and she has been the recipient of prestigious honors such as the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and the Old North State Award. In 2011, she was honored by Fayetteville State as an Outstanding Black Woman in American Culture and History. FTCC President Dr. Larry Keen praised Jeffries for her dedication and leadership at the school and in the community. “She has done such a remarkable job in so many ways,” he said. “We have all benefited and Jeffries learned so much because of her.” The designation is close to the heart of Jeffries, as the school named the very first of its honorary trustees during her service on the board. “To join that illustrious group is a great honor for me and my family,” she said. “I’ll always have a place in my heart for Fayetteville Tech. I love the