Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
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BALLANTYNE | faces BYRON NICKENS Birthplace: Washington, D.C. Job: Claim representative for 27 years with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. What do you like most about your job? Helping customers recover from the unexpected. What's your guilty pleasure? Andre Hairston's Cardio Craze class at Sports & Fitness on Ardrey Kell Road. I am addicted! Do you live in Ballantyne? Yes, nine years this September at the Kenilworth/ Amberleigh subdivision off Providence Road West. What is your favorite Ballantyne-area restaurant? Jade in Ballantyne Village. It has the best sushi in town. What is your favorite outdoor activity? A round of golf with my buds. I love the Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge course. Describe your dream vacation. My wife and I lounging on the white-sand beaches of South Africa with a safari thrown in for good measure. What would your theme song be for walking into a room? The theme from "Shaft" with the names changed to protect the innocent. What is your favorite news source? The Washington Post. I learned to read with a newspaper as a child and have not stopped the morning ritual. I would be rather caught dead than wear _____. A matching outfit with my wife. What charitable organizations are you involved with? Why? The Men's Shelter of Charlotte. We are all a few missed mortgage payments from being homeless. The Bible teaches us to love our neighbors as we would ourselves. Everyone needs a hand at some point in life. What is your biggest pet peeve? Leaving drawers slightly open with clothes sticking out. What is a hidden gem in Ballantyne? The FIT-TRAIL in Ballantyne Corporate Park. It's a great workout that takes only 30 minutes, and works every muscle in your body. The trail is totally shaded, and best of all, free. Share something that someone would never guess about you. I was visited by Muhammad Ali after he defeated George Foreman in 1974 at my home in D.C. He was dating my mom's friend, and she arranged a surprise visit. 30 BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE FALL 2012