Mary Gundling has joined the staff of Collins Group Realty as a team support specialist in the company’s Hilton Head Island office.

A former high school teacher of 17 years in New Jersey, Gundling brings with her a high level of knowledge, caring and attention to detail that will help her excel in her support of the Group’s in-house Closing’s Department and Marketing Department.

After living along the coast of New Jersey for the past 16 years, Gundling and her husband, Greg, relocated to Hilton Head in 2018 to live closer to their family. A long-time visitor to the island, she was eager to pursue her passion for real estate.

Gundling first came to the company as a client, giving her insight into the process and level of service provided.

Gundling attended Haverford College in Pennsylvania, where she graduated with honors. For the past 10 years, she has taught AP and Honors level courses at Christian Brothers Academy as a tenured history teacher.

For more information, contact Ashley Smith 843-837-6700 or Ashley@CollinsGroupRealty.com

Mark Ventrillo has joined Peacock Automotive as its new fixed operations director.

Ventrillo’s new responsibilities include the development of all of Peacock Automotive’s parts and service departments along with increasing the company’s revenue and productivity.

Ventrillo most recently served as the service director and general sales manager for Hendrick Automotive in Greensboro, N.C., and brings 25 years of experience in automotive industry sales, service and dealer development to the position.

He has a degree in optical engineering from Rutgers Institute of Technology.

Ventrillo, a native of Rochester, N.Y., relocated with his wife to the Lowcountry from North Carolina. They have three grown children and two grandchildren.

For more information about Peacock Automotive, visit peacockautomotive.com.

Robert “Bob” Durst II has joined Kennedy & Blackshire, LLC as a legal assistant.

Durst is a retired family law attorney, having practiced for 43 years in New Jersey. He brings extensive experience to the firm as a former member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a Diplomat of the American College of Family Law Trial Attorneys.

Durst has a wealth of experience and recognition in the field of Family Law, having been a lecturer at various state and national legal organizations. Recognized as a leader in his field, he has been named in Woodward & White’s “Best Lawyers in America” for 10 consecutive years and recognized in New Jersey Monthly Magazine’s “Top Divorce Lawyers” for 15 consecutive years.

Durst brings a comprehensive knowledge of Family Law through his management of a highly successful law practice for several decades. After retirement to the Hilton Head area, he longed to return to his love of working in a law firm. He will assist the team at Kennedy & Blackshire, LLC with client communication, case strategy, legal research, case file management and trial preparation.

  • The Greater Bluffton Chamber Young Professionals will hold a Networking at Nite event, Taco Thursday, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at Old Town Dispensary, 15 Captain’s Cove, off Calhoun Street in Old Town.

The monthly event is open to young professionals who live or work in the Bluffton and surrounding areas, and are between 21 and 40 years old.

Nicole Myers, president of Beaufort County Young Professionals (BCYP), and committee member Marcus Walsh represented BCYP at the annual Lead S.C. Young Professional Summit in Columbia. They will be sharing their top takeaways from the summit, which hosted speakers such as Gov. Henry McMaster and Tori West, president and CEO of Talent Impact Strategies, LLC.

Guests are advised to arrive early, in order to have plenty of time to mingle, share thoughts, and swap business cards.

For more information, contact Leo Evangelista at lfevangelista@bbandt.com or 843-815-4150.

  • Sharon Sutton and Patricia Hatcher have joined the accounting department at J. Banks Design Group to assist residential and commercial clients with billing and overall accounting support.

Sutton most recently worked for Graphic Packaging, formerly International Paper, in Augusta, Ga., as a budget analyst for more than 15 years.

She previously worked in both accounts receivable and accounts payable for the NutraSweet Company in Augusta.

Hatcher has more than 10 years’ experience in accounting and office administration, most recently working for The Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce in Batesville, Ind., as office coordinator.

Prior to that she was the business manager for a medical office in Greensburg, Ind.

J. Banks Design is a full scale residential and hospitality interior design firm. For more information, visit jbanks design.com.