On the move: 5/13/11

Awards

Dennis H. Smith, director of the Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, recently received the American College of Healthcare Executives’ VA Regent Award for the Senior Healthcare Executive Award category. Smith has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, an MBA from Loyola University Maryland, and a master’s degree in hospital administration from George Washington University. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Bernie Dancel, CEO and chairman of Ascend One Corp., has been named one of the “25 CEOs You Need to Know” by The Gazette of Politics and Business. Ascend One is a debt-management company based in Columbia, whose businesses includes CareOne Services Inc., Amerix Corp. and 3Ci.

Cathy Purple Cherry, of Purple Cherry Architects, of Annapolis, has been named an honorable mention in the 2011 Governor’s Service Awards for her support and advocacy of the special needs community in Maryland. Her design firm specializes in custom waterfront homes, commercial buildings and restaurants, and facilities for individuals with special needs.

Carlos Riveros-Sabogal, a student at the Applications and Research Laboratory in Ellicott City, was among Maryland students recognized at a national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., for his achievement in the National Financial Capability Challenge. The federal program helps high school students learn about saving, budgeting, investing, and other skills critical to building a secure financial future.

Banks

Neil R. Hoffman has been promoted to corporate senior vice president and manager of the commercial lending division of Northwest Savings Bank. Hoffman joined the bank in 1996; in 2004 he was promoted to vice president, regional manager for the commercial lending department, and to senior vice president in 2006. He is treasurer and a prior board president of Elcam, secretary and trustee of Ridgway Industrial Development Corp., treasurer of the Elk County Redevelopment Authority, and board member and past chairman of Elk Regional Health System.

Boards

Blind Industries and Services of Maryland recently added three members to its board of trustees: Dr. Peter L. Gehlbach is associate professor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University and associate professor of biomedical engineering at the Whitaker Biomedical Engineering Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Carolyn Hess Johnson is a professor of forensic studies in the master’s program at Stevenson University who has worked as a senior assistant prosecutor for the State Prosecutor of Maryland, as an assistant state’s attorney for Baltimore City, and in civil practice. Michael L. Gosse is a consultant and the chief engineer of the Newsline and Jobline blind accessible systems for the National Federation of the Blind. He is on two governor-appointed committees. Blind Industries and Services of Maryland offers rehabilitation and employment opportunities for blind and low-vision people of all ages.

The National Aquarium of Baltimore has appointed three women to leadership roles of the National Aquarium Boards: Jennifer Reynolds is now chair of the National Aquarium Institute Board, which consists of all five Aquarium affiliate boards. She is partner and director of Ward Properties, a commercial real estate business. Reynolds previously was president of Allied Investment Advisors and vice chair and chief investment officer for the Legg Mason Trust. She is also chair of the Dickinson College Board of Trustees and of the Investment Committee for the Sheppard Pratt Board of Trustees. Tamika Tremaglio has been named chair of the National Aquarium, Washington, D.C. She is a principal at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services in Washington and vice chair for the National Bar Institute. Anna Smith will lead the National Aquarium Foundation Board. She is a group vice president with the M&T Investment Group. Smith is a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Maryland Mentoring Partnership, a trustee of Stevenson University, a member of the Investment Committee of the Maryland Historical Society, and a member of the board for Maryland Life magazine.

The Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber has elected members to serve three-year terms on its board of directors. Serving their first term: Michael G. Gibbs, vice president for advancement and chief advancement officer at Capitol College; Kirk J. Halpin, founder and managing partner of The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates; Cathy A. Martin, acquisition director for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission; Patricia Schiavone, founder and managing partner of The Artemis Group; and William Stone, president of Mobern Lighting Co. Elected to their second three-year terms were: Ed Aaron, Precision Toner Systems; Barney Hughes, M&T Bank; Steve Kolbe, All Covered; Anthony Nelson, Bowie State University; Joe Palermo, The Michael Companies; Sharon Pinder, The Pinder Group; Leonard Raley, University Systems of Maryland Foundation; Deb Rivkin, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; and Josie Thompson, Thompson Design. Rhonda Tomlinson, RJ Tomlinson & Associates, was elected to her third three-year term.

Jeffrey Grip recently was elected chairman of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Grip runs the East Coast office in Owings Mills for Witmer & Associates, a talent management and development company, where he consults with businesses on organizational leadership, career development, and team building. He previously was president and CEO of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established as a cultural and educational institution by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Development

Enterprise, of Columbia, has named three executives: Ginger McCallum has been promoted to vice president of human resources. Before joining the firm in 2002, she served as regional human resources manager and corporate business consultant for Zurich North America. McCallum, who received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, is a certified senior professional in human resources and an instructor at Howard Community College. Elaine Martin is now vice president of the New Markets Tax Credit program for Enterprise Community Investment. She is a Certified Public Accountant. Ed Manekin is now vice president and chief audit executive. Before joining Enterprise, Manekin was corporate audit manager for PHH Corp. in Baltimore, and principal auditor for the ARINC Corp., in Annapolis. He received a bachelor’s degree from Towson University and is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and past president of the Maryland Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners. Enterprise provides development capital and expertise for creating affordable homes and rebuilding communities.

Education

Maryland Institute College of Art, of Baltimore, has hired two staff members: Sara Benninghoff Warren is now director of corporate, foundation and government relations. Warren previously was director of development for Baltimore Clayworks. Before that, she was director of annual giving for Mount St. Mary’s University. Warren has a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Maryland, College Park. Mahnoor Ahmed is the new assistant director for diversity and intercultural development. She has worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration and as a financial aid counselor at McDaniel College in Westminster. She has a master’s degree from Towson University.

Fire protection

Robert Wakes has been named regional suppression sales manager of the special hazards and suppression group of the Fireline Corp., a Baltimore-based fire protection equipment contractor, distributor and service company. Wakes most recently was sales manager of Statewide Fire Protection. Before that, he was regional sales manager with United Technologies Fire & Security Division.

Government

Cynthia H. Jones has been hired as assistant commissioner of enforcement and consumer services with Maryland’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation. She had spent the past 15 years in the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, including the past five as deputy state’s attorney; her responsibilities included managing the investigative divisions.

Grants

The Verizon Foundation has given a $10,000 grant to the Maryland Humanities Council to use in promoting literacy through its One Maryland One Book program, bringing reading and discussion programs to communities across the state. The yearlong project culminates with two months of public programs, using literature to spur conversations on issues critical to Marylanders.

In April, 100 volunteers planted 1,000 native trees on a former farm along the Chesapeake Bay as part of efforts funded by Washington Gas Energy Services and Sterling Planet. About 1,300 trees were planted in late March. The trees will absorb carbon dioxide from the air and filter nitrogen from runoff from roadways and fertilized agricultural fields. Contributions totaling $150,000 were made by WGES and Sterling Planet to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-managed Carbon Reduction Fund. J.B. Hunt Transport Services assisted the effort.

Health Care

Cliff Hughes has begun work as a development associate in the Howard County office of Gilchrist Hospice Care, a subsidiary of GBMC HealthCare. Hughes is responsible for development and marketing within Howard County, and the planning and coordinating of Gilchrist’s annual fundraiser, Taste & Auction of Howard County. He is a former board member of Hospice Services of Howard County, which merged with Gilchrist in 1997, and has been a volunteer member of the steering committee for Taste & Auction since 1987. Hughes most recently was general manager of the Crab Shanty in Ellicott City. He and his wife, Kathy, own Studio K Salon & Spa in Marriottsville, where he is responsible for marketing and business functions.

Bon Secours Hospital, of Baltimore, has won a Partners for Change with Distinction Award from Practice GreenHealth, a national membership organization for health care facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations. The hospital is part of the not-for-profit Bon Secours Health System, headquartered in Marriottsville.

Norma C. Hunter has joined Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States as its new linguistic services and cultural competence manager. As part Kaiser Permanente’s new initiative in diversity programs, Hunter will serve as the mid-Atlantic expert for language-related services. She has experience in program management as an organizational development professional.

Dr. Abhilash Desai has been hired as medical director of memory care and psychiatric consultant for the special care unit of Keswick Multi-Care Center, in Baltimore. Dr. Desai also is the director of the memory clinic in the neuropsychiatry program and medical director of geriatric psychiatry at Sheppard Pratt Health Systems, and an associate professor at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.

Management

Meghan Brady has been hired as assistant director of communications and marketing by the Joseph E. Shaner Co., of Baltimore. She is a graduate of Notre Dame Preparatory School and Virginia Tech. The company provides association management services to more than a dozen nonprofit trade and professional associations.

Marketing

Thomas Neuberger has been promoted to creative director of Warschawski. He has been with the Baltimore-based firm for five years. Neuberger will have increased responsibility for the overall creative direction of client campaigns and oversee the creative staff, including designers, interactive programmers and copywriters.

Nonprofits

Kaye Gibson has been hired as coordinator of the Watt Watchers of Maryland program by the Fuel Fund of Maryland. The energy conservation education and financial literacy program is sponsored by the Fuel Fund and Citi Financial. Gibson will work with the Fuel Fund staff to expand the Watt Watchers program further into Prince George’s, Montgomery, Carroll and Washington counties, with statewide reach the goal. She previously was executive director of the Harford County Local Management Board. Gibson holds two bachelor’s degrees from Goucher College, a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Loyola University Maryland, and a master’s in nonprofit management from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

Paper

Arnold Silverberg has been hired as a new account manager by Acme Paper & Supply Co., of Savage, for its restaurant equipment and supply division. Silverberg previously was a senior sales executive for Adams-Burch. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland. Silverberg will focus on the foodservice equipment and smallwares markets in the Washington, D.C., area.

Philanthropy

Diana Morris, director of Open Society Institute-Baltimore, on May 1 also became acting executive director for U.S. Programs for the Open Society Foundations in New York while the grant-providing network of international foundations searches for a new executive director. Morris will retain her position in Baltimore, assisted by Monique Dixon, director of juvenile and criminal justice at OSI-Baltimore, who will serve as deputy director of programs in the city. OSI-Baltimore focuses on the root causes of drug addiction, incarceration and obstacles that impede youth in succeeding inside and out of the classroom. It also supports social entrepreneurs committed to underserved populations in Baltimore.

Public Relations

Amy Bowman has joined the Baltimore office of Stanton Communications as an account manager. Bowman previously was a senior account executive at IMRE, and before that an account coordinator at MGH.

Real Estate

Ben Dabrowski has joined the staff of Mid-Atlantic Properties as a property manager. Dabrowski most recently was a project manager for American Management, where he focused on rehabilitating residential properties in Charles Village and surrounding Baltimore neighborhoods. Previously, Dabrowski was a property manager for Hearn Burkley, where he managed office and industrial/flex buildings throughout Maryland. The Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors member has a bachelor’s degree from Towson University.