Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
Issue link: https://ballantynemagazine.epubxp.com/i/79319
faces | BALLANTYNE JESSICA KLOMPARENS Birthplace: Akron, Ohio. Job: Assistant to the CEO, Babcock & Wilcox Co. What do you like most about your job? This position has provided more experiences and opportunities than I could have imagined. I also work with an amazing group of people. What's your guilty pleasure? Red wine, jalapeno pimento cheese and dark chocolate-covered pretzel thins from Trader Joe's. Not necessarily all at the same time. Do you live in Ballantyne? Yes, currently in a townhome, but my husband and I are looking for a home in Ballantyne to settle down and start a family. We are often teased because we rarely venture outside of the Ballantyne area. We both work in the Bal- lantyne Corporate Park and feel like everything we need is right here. We even got married here — why leave? What is your favorite Ballantyne-area restaurant? Cantina 1511. It's where my husband and I had our first date, not to mention the table-side guacamole is to die for! Describe your dream vacation. An over-water bungalow in Bora Bora. It just can't get much better than that. What would your theme song be for walking into a room? The Ohio State fight song. I'm a huge Buckeye fan. What charitable organizations are you involved with? Why? I head the United Way campaign at Babcock & Wilcox and am involved with Young Executives for Success, a volun- teer branch of Dress for Success. I realize I am very fortunate to be where I am today; however, there are no guaran- tees that where I am today is where I will be tomorrow. What is your biggest pet peeve? People who constantly focus on the negative. What is a hidden gem in Ballantyne? Zeitouni Grill. My family is Lebanese, so I grew up eat- ing some pretty amazing Middle Eastern food. Zeitouni is the best I've found in all of Charlotte. Share something that someone would never guess about you. When Dan Dierdorf was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I was the person who got to escort him across the field at the hall of fame game and across the stage at the enshrinement dinner. It was my 15 minutes of fame. FALL 2012 BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE 31