People on the Move

Accounting
Alpern Rosenthal hired Sylvia Bell as senior tax manager, tax department.

Profile of the week

Sandy Thompson Job: Community affairs representative, United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 23. Age: 50 Ambition: Building a stronger relationship between the union and the community. First job: Worked as a waitress for $1 an hour. Hardest job/why?: A machine operator at Dan Dee potato chip factory. I was the first and only women to do a so-called man's job and I constantly had to prove myself. Biggest work challenge ever: Organizing, helping those who need our help but are too afraid. Dream vacation: I would love to go to Australia with my family. If I won the Lottery: If I won millions I'd retire to a sunny location, put my two kids through college, help my family and friends and donate some of my winnings to needy families in the area.

Architecture
Raymond F. McCaughey joined WTW Architects in Pittsburgh.

Associations
Stanley J. Parker, shareholder, Buchanan Ingersoll, was named chair-elect of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Civil Litigation Section. He will hold the position for one year and will assume the position next spring.

Banking, Finance
Sky Financial Group Inc. promoted Donald A. Chilcot to vice president of commercial lending.

MetLife Financial Services appointed Sharon L. Speerhas financial services representative.

Communications
The Pittsburgh office of Euro RSCG Magnet hired Jennifer McCloskey as an account coordinator.

Consulting
Yanni Partners, Inc. hired James E. Gnecco as senior consultant.

Lizzette Lima joined PCI Human Resource Consulting Inc. as a senior consultant.

Education
The Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) hired Margaret Goodlin as an evaluation systems specialist, educational services and support division.

Energy
Consol Energy Inc. named Gary J. Bench, vice president, tax; John M. Reilly, vice president and treasurer; Lorraine L. Ritter, vice president and controller; and William J. Lyons, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Health/Assisted Living
Comfort Keepers through the Community at Holy Family Manor Inc. and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth appointed Bill Backa, marketing and sales specialist.

Law
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP announces the addition of H. Russell Frisby, Jr. as a partner in its telecommunications practice, Washington office.

Manufacturing
Industrial Scientific Corp. appointed Justin McElhattan to the newly created position of director, global operations.

Innovative Designs Inc. hired Gregory Domian as vice president of sales.

MSA promoted Karl Vent to director of strategic initiatives, MSA North America, and Paul Uhler to director, HR transformation and global manufacturing, and elected Douglas K. McClaine and Stephen C. Plut vice presidents.

Marketing
Pam Machinist joined Kolbrener as bookkeeper/office manager.

Nonprofit
Auberle named Lauri Fink chief development officer.

David Iwinski Jr., president and chief executive officer, Acusis LLC, was named chairman of Friends of Propel.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust elected Alfred W. Wishart Jr., former president of the Pittsburgh Foundation, as a lifetime trustee, and elected new members to its board of trustees: Charles E. Bunch, president and chief operating officer, PPG Industries; Glen T. Meakem, managing general partner, Meakem Ventures; and Kenneth R. Melani, president and chief executive officer, Highmark. Dr. William E. Trueheart was named president and chief executive officer of The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Professional Services
Christopher H. Lake joined SRI Quality System Registrar as vice president, marketing and sales.

MarketPlace Direct hired Dennis Costabile and Judy Cornwall as account managers.

Retail
84 Lumber Co. hired Kim Rocco as coordinating manager.

Making a Difference/Doing Good
Sky Bank, a member of the Sky Financial Group, is making a four-year, $450,000 contribution to Economics Pennsylvania, the largest not-for-profit economic education organization in the state serving K-12 pupils. Sky Bank funds will be used to help underwrite classroom program costs throughout the Greater Pittsburgh community, including workshops and seminars for teachers; activities for students and parents; and materials and the creation and development of new curricula.

Awards/Honors
D. David Guthrie of Guthrie's Gallery achieved top honors and recognition in two professional competitions held in April. He was awarded five Blue Ribbons and two achievement and recognition awards for his work submitted to the Mid-East States Competition and The Professional Photographers of Pennsylvania Competition. His winning portraits will be judged in an International Competition held in Las Vegas in June.

Graciano Corp. received a 2004 Lucy G. Moses Award for its restoration work on the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Bestowed annually by the New York Landmarks Conservancy to recognize excellence in historic preservation, the award honors the legacy of Lucy Moses, a New York resident who committed substantial resources to the preservation of New York City Landmarks. Graciano supervised completion of the exterior restoration of the 93-year-old BAM building in November.

State Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, also a shareholder at Grogan Graffam, received the 2005 Pennsylvania Legal Services Excellence Award. The Older and Wiser initiative, for which Costa was particularly honored, is a public service partnership between legal services and legislators to sponsor free seminars to educate seniors and their families about legal issues of particular importance to senior citizens.

Donald B. Trone, co-founder, Center for Fiduciary Studies, was named to Investment Advisor Magazine's 25 most influential people in and around the financial planning industry.

The Western Pennsylvania Optometric Society, at its annual awards ceremony at the Grand Priory, North Side, named Dr. Susan Csonka 2005 "Optometrist of the Year" for outstanding professionalism and public service in promoting optometry. Csonka, trustee of education for the society, is in a private primary eye care practice, Csonka Optometric, with her husband, Dr. David Csonka.

Betty Glevicky, of Allison Park, and Joni Ann Roethlein, of Gibsonia, were recipients of Alicia Photography Scholarships, awarded April 21, as part of the Northern Allegheny County Chamber of Commerce's annual Awards Luncheon.

Shari Beres, R.N., clinical manager, Reproductive Health Specialists Inc., is one of four international winners of the Serono Symposia International Prize Abstract Award. She has been invited to present her winning abstract, which explains the benefits of RHS' Balance Within relaxation program, at the 18th International Conference for Nurses and Support Personal in Reproductive Medicine, set for May 19-21 in New Orleans.

President George W. Bush selected a McKeesport native, Vince Chaverini Sr., to receive the 2004 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Executive. Chaverini currently is a deputy assistant secretary at the state department. Gregory and Barbara DeVore, owners of Mr. Handyman of McMurray, received the President's Circle Award at Mr. Handyman's national convention held February 24-26 in Miami at the Marriott Biscayne Bay. Mr. Handyman is a national chain of service professionals who cater to a potential market of 100 million U.S. homeowners and commercial customers requiring property maintenance and repairs. Mr. Handyman is the sister company to Molly Maid Inc.

Bohdan Durkacz was named outstanding fundraising executive of the year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Western Pennsylvania. Durkacz is executive director of resource development, Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden.

Alan Meisel, University of Pittsburgh professor of law and psychiatry and the Dickie McCamey & Chilcote professor of bioethics, received the Pellegrino Medal "for contributions to American healthcare ethics and law in the selfless spirit of Edmund D. Pellegrino," from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. Samford established the Pellegrino Medal in 2001 to honor Pellegrino, noted Georgetown University bioethicist who has been called the father of the American bioethics movement, and to recognize individuals known nationally as leaders for their contributions to health-care ethics.

Buchanan Ingersoll and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law announced that Bethany Miller is the 2005 recipient of the Buchanan Ingersoll/Pitt Diversity Scholarship. Bethany is from Pittsburgh, and attended Penn State University where she graduated with honors with a bachelor of arts degree in crime, law and justice. The scholarship -- which is granted to one eligible candidate each academic year -- was created in 2002 to attract outstanding students to Pitt's School of Law and to help build and enhance diversity in Pittsburgh's legal community.

Radio Information Service honored Judy Kimblin with the 2005 Charles T. Campbell Award. Named for the husband of Estelle Campbell, a well-known Pittsburgh philanthropist and longtime supporter of RIS, the Charles T. Campbell Award recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to the organization.

Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation has won a 2005 Trade Association Environmental Leadership Award for Environmental Partnership from the Environmental Protection Agency. The award recognizes exemplary performance and leadership by a trade association in working with legislative bodies, governments, or other entities to create environmental programs that are functional in their particular industry sector.

Dollar Bank said John A. Webster, executive mortgage representative, was the top monthly producer for April, based on highest dollar amount and highest unit count of loans closed.

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. was named one of the top 500 design firms in the United States. The list is compiled annually by Engineering News-Record magazine based on the revenue earned by engineering and architectural firms from design services performed in the preceding year.

Mullen Pittsburgh was honored during the Web Marketing Association's 2005 Internet Advertising Competition Web- Awards. Mullen received recognition in the category of Outstanding Interactive Application. The WebAwards is an annual competition designed to honor excellence in the online advertising category, recognize the individuals and organizations responsible, and showcase the award-winning Internet advertising.

Houston Harbaugh was selected as the 2005 recipient of the Promotion of Women Award from the Women in the Profession Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. The award was established in 2002 to honor a Pennsylvania law firm that has aggressively promoted its women lawyers to leadership positions.

For the fourth year, California University of Pennsylvania's Government Agency Coordination Office (GACO) was the recipient of a Champion of Veterans Enterprise Award presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Veterans Enterprise, Washington, D.C., the award recognizes GACO's efforts in assisting veteran-owned businesses throughout Western Pennsylvania with federal government contracting and subcontracting. GACO received the award at a national conference for government marketing assistance specialists in Nashville, Tennessee.

Mona Moyes, a registered nurse with the gastrointestinal (GI) lab at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, was recently honored by her fellow nurses and the doctors in the GI lab at Presbyterian Hospital with the GI Nurse of the Year Award. Moyes has worked in the UPMC GI lab since March of 2004, where she specializes in endoscopic ultrasound.

The 4 Kids Early Learning Network in Braddock was accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. 4 Kids has also been awarded four stars (the maximum) by Keystone STARS, for the highest quality in teacher qualifications, professional development, and classroom environments and curricula.

Business Notes
R. L. Miller, Inc., a fluid power distributor, relocated its office and warehouse to 705 Mansfield Ave., Green Tree, effective May 23.

The Western Pennsylvania chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals is accepting nominations for individuals, youth, corporations, foundations, development professionals and others for its 17th annual National Philanthropy Day celebration held in November. The purpose of the event is to honor leaders of philanthropy in Western Pennsylvania and to celebrate their special contributions to our society through voluntary giving of time, talent and resources. Volunteer and donor nominees will be selected in the following categories: Outstanding Philanthropist, Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, Outstanding Philanthropic Organization, Outstanding Foundation, Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy, Outstanding Fundraising Executive. Nomination deadline is June 1. For more information or to receive a nomination form contact George Omiros, AFP Awards Committee Chair, c/o The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Two Gateway Center, 13 North, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or call 412-395-2870.

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