Name Changes

The law firm of Paul A. Beck & Associates will operate as Beck & Thomas. The firm's concentration is intellectual property law. Partners Paul A. Beck and John C. Thomas III made the change to recognize Thomas' role. Visit the Web site, www.beckthomas.com.

New Business/New Offices

Patrick T. Mangus, a veteran in public relations, opened a consultancy, Forge Communications, 2275 Swallow Hill Road, Building 900, Suite 5, Pittsburgh 15220. The focus is reputation management, litigation support and crisis/issues management for corporations, health-care institutions, educational facilities and professional service firms, as well as media relations, event planning, Web design and collateral development. Visit the Web site, www.forgepr.com.

The law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott expanded its Philadelphia office and moved to Two Liberty Place, a high-rise building in Center City.

Contracts

Carnegie Learning Inc. said Kentucky's Green River Regional Educational Cooperative has purchased its Bridge to Algebra curriculum for seventh-graders in seven districts. The $300,000 purchase includes subsequent plans to implement other Carnegie Learning math programs for these students over five years.

Ripple Effects Interactive has these new clients: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; Washington, D.C., Convention and Tourism Corp., Williamsburg Area Destination Marketing Committee, Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Pennsylvania Wilds Tourism Marketing Corp.

The Richmond, Va., office of American Bridge Co. was awarded a $68.7 million contract from the Virginia Department of Transportation for construction of new approaches and bridge over Black Narrows, Chincoteague and Lewis Creek navigational channels. Construction begins this month and ends by late 2009.

Grants/loans

Pressley Ridge received a $186,000 grant from The Grable Foundation in support of a pilot project at its Ohiopyle Therapeutic Wilderness Camp. The 12-month pilot project seeks to test a new model of care for the treatment of traumatized children. The goal is to develop a best practice model in keeping with Pressley Ridge's Re-Education philosophy: developing trusting relationships and assuring a competent and supported direct care staff is the best way to bring change in behavior.

Tickets for Kids Foundation landed a $2,500 grant from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to include more than 1,200 deserving children and families in two holiday performances of Black Nativity at the University of Pittsburgh's Alumni Hall. The grant facilitates arts and cultural, educational, and family entertainment events that participants would otherwise not be able to attend.

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