The dividend will be paid May 3 to shareholders of record as of April 16.

The five-year compound growth rate for BB&T’s quarterly dividend payment is 12.8 percent. BB&T has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1920. The corporation has increased its quarterly cash dividend payments for 32 consecutive years.

Winston-Salem-based BB&T Corporation and its subsidiaries offer full-service commercial and retail banking and additional financial services such as insurance, investments, retail brokerage, corporate finance, international banking, leasing and trust.

BB&T operates more than 1,350 banking offices in the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Indiana and Washington, D.C.

On Dec. 31, BB&T had $90.5 billion in assets and was the nation’s 13th largest financial holding company.

Deese Relocates

Leah King Deese recently relocated to Southern Pines from Cary to join Fix & Flex, Inc., a sport-specific and post-rehab specialty company located inside Gold’s Gym in Southern Pines.

Deese, a graduate of Sandhills Community College, is using her nursing and physical therapy background as a basis for her wellness and fitness programs.

“I enjoy seeing the results that a sound fitness program can have on my clients,” Deese said. “Many people, especially seniors, are enjoying more strength and increased flexibility after only a few weeks of training.”

Conference Participants

Carolina Eye Associates surgeons Drs. Neil Griffin, Robert Gale Martin, Daniel Messner and Gregory Mincey presented updates about eye treatments and surgery at the Carolina Eye Associates 18th annual Ocular Disorders Symposium.

It was held at the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club on Feb. 7. Local optometrists who attended the event included Drs. Scott Athans, Kenny Bumgarner, Carson Cox., III, Eric Fogleman, Ralph Hendrix, Glenn Middleton, John Miller and David Throneburg.

This continuing medical education program benefited more than 350 optometrists and their technicians from North and South Carolina who attended the lectures, which featured topics about a wide variety of eye disorders, complications and the newest surgical techniques.

They learned about the latest techniques in caring for these eye problems, and heard about the national research projects involving Carolina Eye Associates doctors.

The ophthalmology update was presented by five Carolina Eye doctors. Presenters included Dr. Thomas Barowsky, Griffin, Martin, Mincey and Messner.

Martin established Carolina Eye Associates in 1977. His vision of offering high-quality surgical eye care at a low cost to patients culminated in one of the first freestanding outpatient eye surgical centers in the United States to be approved by Medicare.

Over the past 27 years, Carolina Eye Associates has become one of the largest privately owned ophthalmology practices in the United States, with its doctors training hundreds of other doctors throughout the world.

More than 250,000 patients have entrusted their vision to Carolina Eye and patients have traveled from over 14 foreign countries for services.

Scotia Reaccredited

Scotia Village was recently reaccredited by the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission.

The reaccreditation comes following an intensive yearlong self-study with site visits and in-depth financial scrutiny by teams of evaluators from CCAC, an independent entity.

CCAC was sponsored by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging until January 2003, when it merged with the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Services, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1966.

The continuing care retirement community in Laurinburg joins about 10 percent of communities nationwide that have voluntarily undertaken this strenuous process resulting in a national “seal of approval” for retirement living. In North Carolina 16 communities are accredited, and Scotia Village is the only retirement community in southeastern North Carolina to earn this designation.

“Having been reaccredited for another five years is an honor. Being granted reaccreditation is a validation of the great services we provide on a daily basis across our campus,” said Sean Huyett, executive director of Scotia Village.

Many thanks go to our staff, residents and board members who participated in this year long process.”