Nancy Paterson

From new hires and promotions to industry awards, here's a roundup of achievements by businesses and individuals in the greater Ann Arbor area:

• Nancy Paterson has joined the Ann Arbor office of Edward Surovell Realtors as a sales associate.

• Community College Week ranked Washtenaw Community College ninth out of the top 50 colleges across the country in the number of associate degrees awarded to students in engineering technologies and engineering-related fields. WCC also ranked eighth in the number of one-year certificates granted in all categories. The distinctions are based on 2011 data.

• The American Red Cross has signed agreements with University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University that provide a framework for using campus facilities in the event of a disaster. The universities will assist the Red Cross by expanding its ability to “shelter in place” in the event of a local, state or national disaster for residents of Washtenaw and Lenawee counties.

• Co-founder and Chairman of Service Brands International David McKinnon recently launched Dream Career Podcast. This business-focused series aims to provide support to anyone going through a career transition or having a difficult time earning income in a down economy. Service Brands International, headquartered in Ann Arbor, is the parent company of leading home-services brands Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman, ProTect Painters, and 1-800-DryClean.

• Ann Arbor-based Everist Genomics, a privately held personalized medicine company, announced July 10 that it will open a new lab at Johnson and Johnson's Janssen Labs, a new life science innovation center, based in San Diego.

• Tecumseh Products Co., based in Ann Arbor, and Torad Engineering, based in Alpharetta, Ga., announced July 10 they have entered into a joint development and licensing agreement to begin utilizing Torad’s patented spool compressor technology in commercial refrigeration applications. The multi-year partnering agreement has been signed by both parties, and initial development work has already begun.

• Ann Arbor-based Denison Consulting has appointed Lindsey Kotrba as president of the business consulting firm.

• KPMG, the audit, tax and advisory firm, recently released its second Infrastructure 100: World Cities Edition, a report showcasing 100 of the world's most innovative urban infrastructure projects. The Infrastructure 100 includes 14 projects in the U.S., including C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor.

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