People & Achievements in the greater Ann Arbor area
• Joseph Henderson joined Ann Arbor-based Vintage Financial Services as senior financial planner.
• Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm recently announced several appointments and reappointments to state boards and commissions. The list of appointees includes two Ann Arbor residents: Tack-Yong Kim, publisher of the Michigan Korean Weekly, was reappointed to the Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, term expiring November 30, 2013, and John C. Austin, senior fellow for Brookings Institution and member and vice president of the Michigan State Board of Education, was appointed to the Education Commission of the States, term expiring at the pleasure of the governor.
• The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association recently released a request for proposals for business development assistance. GLREA, in partnership with the US DOE, Solar Cities America Program and the City of Ann Arbor, will conduct two three-hour seminars in Ann Arbor focused on assisting solar energy businesses growth under best business practices scenarios in Michigan. Key points that should be addressed in the RFP and highlighted in the delivered seminars are: success stories in the solar industry, solar growth trends, marketing strategies and opportunities for financing projects. The deadline for proposals is 5 p.m. tomorrow. To request a copy of the request for proposals, e-mail samantha.keeney@glrea.org.
• Hyperfit USA hosted Fight Gone Bad IV at its Ann Arbor facility Sept. 25. The fourth annual Fight Gone Bad fundraiser benefited two causes: The Wounded Warrior Project , which helps provide assistance and care to America's injured soldiers returning from overseas and Athletes For A Cure, an initiative developed by the Prostate Cancer Foundation to help fund research to find a cure for prostate cancer.
• The residential team of real estate investment firm McKinley received several awards from The Washtenaw Area Apartment Association of Michigan during the 2009 Nova Awards Sept. 17. Terri Leirstein at Golfside Lake won The Manager of the Year award. Clint Hall, Evergeen, was awarded the Outstanding Maintenance Supervisor award. The Outstanding Grounds Keeper award was given to Derrick McDougald at Golfside Lake. Michelle Miranda, Medical Center Court, received the Outstanding Leasing Person award. Ken Gronda of Villas at Golfside Lake was given the Outstanding Maintenance Person award.
• Law firm Miller Canfield announced that 111 of its lawyers were named to The Best Lawyers in America, a legal referral guide. Miller Canfield attorneys from the Ann Arbor area who made the guide were: Mark T. Boonstra, Paul R. Dimond, Bettye S. Elkins, Joseph M. Fazio, Robert E. Gilbert, Linda O. Goldberg, Marta A. Manildi, Sonal Hope Mithani, Thomas C. O’Brien, Stephen G. Palms, Roselyn R. Parmenter, Erik H. Serr and Timothy D. Sochocki.
• The Thomas M. Cooley Law School will host a brief dedication ceremony to commemorate the opening of its new Ann Arbor campus at 4 p.m. today. Tours of the 84,500-square-foot structure will be held immediately following the event. Cooley's Ann Arbor campus is at 3475 Plymouth Road.
• Ann Arbor-based ICON Creative Technologies Group recently added two new employees to its international team of 27. Laurel Stroud and Brad Nevin joined ICON in September as project managers.
• Steven L. Oberholtzer, Eric J. Sosenko and Lawrence G. Almeda, shareholders in the Ann Arbor office of law firm Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, were named Michigan Super Lawyers for 2009 in the practice area of intellectual property law. Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas.
• Compendia Bioscience Inc., based in Ann Arbor, recently announced the release of Oncomine Research Edition version 4.2. The new version of the Oncomine database features a redesigned user interface, improved search and filter capabilities and several other new features designed to make gene discovery and validation simpler and more efficient.
• Ann Arbor-based advertising and graphic design firm Hile Design LLC was selected to redesign the Web site for Guardian Tree Experts LLC of Ann Arbor.
• Accounting and financial consulting firm Renaissance Financial Group of Ann Arbor has formed an affiliation with George Johnson & Company CPA of Detroit. The two firms will provide assurance services to their respective clients under the name of George Johnson & Company.
• Southeast Michigan technology business association Automation Alley celebrated its 10th anniversary and announced the winners of its ninth annual Awards Gala in Detroit Sept. 25. Among the winners was Bill Wagner, vice president and co-founder of SRT Solutions in Ann Arbor, who was named Emerging Leader of the Year:
• Ann Arbor-based Motawi Tileworks was honored by the Detroit Regional Chamber and Michigan Economic Development Corp. for "exemplary workplace practices," which include flex time, World Cafe strategic planning and Toyota-style lean manufacturing.
• Ann Arbor architectural firm Hobbs+Black Associates Inc. was selected by Monroe County Community College to design a proposed career technology center. The new facility would house programs aimed at retraining participants for regional job placement.
• The Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest has been selected as the destination for the 2010 ORGPRO Conference. ORGPRO, an annual conference held as a combined effort of the Michigan Society of Association Executives, the Michigan Chapter of Meeting Planners International and several other industry organizations, is an educational and networking event for organization professionals in the not-for-profit sector.
Email items for People, Achievements and Paparazzi to business@annarbor.com.