Notable Locals
Get to Know Your Neighbors
Photos by Ray Sepesy
Faces introduces you to people who make Ballantyne lively and interesting. In this edition, meet Claudette Parham, Todd Paris and Sean Strain.
Sean Strain
Hometown: Kirksville, Missouri
Job: Business and Systems Consultant; District 6 Representative, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board
Do you live in Ballantyne?
Nearby, in Providence Plantation.
Where did you grow up?
An Army brat, I lived in Missouri, Virginia, Germany and Pennsylvania before attending high school and college in Virginia.
As a kid, what did you want to be?
A firefighter, then an astronaut. I wanted to pilot the Space Shuttle. Cessnas and Pipers were as close as I got.
Claudette Parham
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Job: Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer, LendingTree
Do you live in Ballantyne?
I have lived in Weddington for the last year or so.
How do you stay organized?
I spend a small fortune on Post-it Notes. Writing things down and reviewing the lists daily at least gives me a shot at getting most of it done.
Do you have pets?
We have a bichon frise puppy, “Biggie,” and saltwater fish.
Todd Paris
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, in Upper Peninsula (“Yoopers”)
Job: Financial Services Representative, MassMutual Carolinas
What do you like most about your work?
I enjoy helping my clients meet their financial goals.
Do you live in Ballantyne?
Yes, our family has lived here 15 years, within 10 minutes of the corporate park.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Classic George Costanza answer: architect.