Appointed

Development Petrie Ross Ventures LLC announced that James C. "Chip" DiPaula Jr. joined the Annapolis-based retail and mixed-use property development firm as a partner, senior vice president and chief operating officer. He most recently was chief of staff for former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. and before that was a senior vice president for MacKenzie and Associates Inc. Advertising MGH added Kristen Windle, account executive;Melanie Welsh, online media buyer/planner; and Natalie Van Buskirk, as account manager to the staff of the Owings Mills-based marketing communications agency.

Advertising The Artemis Group announced that Sandra Schrader was named a senior consultant and Kelly Terrill an associate at the Annapolis-based public affairs, communications and business consulting firm. Banking and finance Provident Bank appointed Mark G. Dorney as president and program manager of its subsidiary, the Provident Investment Co. He will manage the sales staff in the purchase and sales of investments and insurance. Education The Johns Hopkins University named Kristina M. Johnson provost and senior vice president of academic affairs.

Advertising WebAdvantage.net announced that Stacy Smith joined the Havre de Grace-based Internet marketing and advertising agency as an online media campaign manager. Banking & finance SunTrust Bank, Maryland appointed Robin Tignor as a bank officer. Tignor is manager of the bank's West 36th Street branch office in Hampden. Health care Brightview Senior Living appointed Tricia Ourand regional marketing and sales manager for the Mid-Atlantic area. Legal & insurance Hodes, Pessin & Katz PA appointed Chrysovalantis P. Kefalas an associate in the Towson law firm's litigation department.

Advertising Warschawski appointed Michele Tomlinson as a director for the Baltimore-based public relations and branding firm. She is responsible for supervising strategic marketing communications activities and will also assist with new business development. On the board Constellation Energy Partners LLC appointed Richard H. Bachmann, Richard S. Langdon and John N. Seitz as independent directors and as members of the audit committee. Organizations Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, Maryland, Washington and Northern Virginia chapter, elected Hayes Merkert as president, Jim Lighthizer, vice president, Julio Purcell, secretary, and Abby Glassberg, treasurer.

The Miller Group has appointed Reid Miller as president and executive creative director of the Baltimore agency. Weber Shandwick Worldwide appointed Ryan Goff, an account executive, and Eric Helgesen, a Web developer, to the staff of the Locust Point-based global communications firm. MGH, the Owings Mills-based marketing communications agency, added Jim Hesch, media planner/buyer, Katie Mazzarella, a media assistant, and Joe Wilson, senior interactive developer, to its staff. Concept Foundry announced that Scott Allison joined the Bethesda firm as its art director.

Advertising Carton Donofrio Partners announced that Carrie Gardner and Ryan Mach have joined the staff of the Baltimore-based Mid-Atlantic regional marketing communications agency as account leaders. Vertis Communications appointed James G. Foley as senior vice president of human resources for the Baltimore-based agency. Banking and finance M&T Bank announced the administrative vice president appointments of Janice L. Biennas, regional manager for Baltimore and Chesapeake Private Client Services, and Michael A. Cihak, area sales manager.

Michael M. Galloway became Carroll's newest Circuit Court judge yesterday in a 70-minute public ceremony at the historic Westminster courthouse, where judges have taken the same oath since Andrew Jackson was president 162 years ago.Speaking firmly as more than 300 state and local officials, family and friends looked on, Galloway faced Larry R. Shipley, the county's clerk of court, and promised to uphold the U.S. Constitution, be faithful to the state of...

Until now, everyone expected that the two City Council members who had been appointed to their seats last year would be forced to get voter approval in November under a new law that allows the city to hold special elections.But council members Bernard C. "Jack" Young of East Baltimore and Rita R. Church of Northeast Baltimore might not have to face voters until the next citywide election next year because of a legal complication.The state attorney general's office has told the city's chief lawyer that the city needs the state's approval to hold a special election before next year.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening has appointed a Columbia attorney to Howard County's District Court bench, prompting renewed rancor over the issue of diversity in judicial appointments in the county.After Glendening announced the appointment Friday of Neil Edward Axel, 47, who is white, leaders of the county's largest African-American group vowed to press for an African-American to be appointed to a second vacancy on the court.The Rev. Robert A. F. Turner, president of the county's African American Coalition, which represents about 50 black organizations in Howard, said he was not surprised by the appointment of Axel -- long considered a front-runner for a District Court seat -- and thinks Axel will do a good job.But Turner said he expected Glendening to choose Assistant Attorney General Pamila Junette Brown, the only black person recommended to the governor on a list submitted in September by the county's judicial nominating commission for the first District Court vacancy.

Women make up 25 percent of Maryland's 250 sitting judges, compared with 5 percent of 204 judgeships in 1981, recent court figures show.Women advocacy groups give credit for the increase to Gov. Parris N. Glendening, who campaigned on a promise of a more diverse judiciary."

As Maryland's slots selection commission takes shape, one newly appointed member wants the panel to go beyond awarding potentially lucrative gambling licenses to consider advising the legislature on adjustments for the just-approved gambling plan. "I think some of the first work of the commission is to study the legislation in the reality of the current economy," said D. Bruce Poole, a Hagerstown attorney and former lawmaker, and determine whether the plan approved by voters last month will yield "viable" bidders.

Smith fills commission, board posts A prosecutor, a former county land appraiser and an engineering consultant are among those recently appointed by Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. to boards and commissions. Stephanie Porter, a county prosecutor, was appointed to the Child Protection Panel. William Monk, an engineering and architectural consultant, and John Dimenna, an architect, were appointed to the Design Review Panel. Donald Gabriel, a former appraiser for the county Bureau of Land Acquisition, was appointed to the Commission on Aging.

Advertising *Crosby Marketing Communications announced the appointments of Matthew Kilmurry as interactive project manager and Fred Jorgensen as vice president of interactive services for the Annapolis-based regional firm. *Cleo Communications promoted Renee Libby to public relations account executive for the Baltimore agency. She formerly was with Costa DeVault. *gkv appointed Jen Katz and Kerry Flanagan as senior account executives and named Melissa Schantz as an assistant account executive and Brandy Albracht as a traffic supervisor.

Education * The College of Notre Dame of Maryland appointed Marc A. Siedband as director of facilities management for the North Baltimore Catholic women's college. He is a former commanding officer of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division. Most recently, he served as a contractor for operations management for several Department of Defense facilities. * Investors United School of Real Estate appointed Alexis Malatino as director of marketing. Health care * HealthExtras Inc. named Darren Sivertsen executive vice president of the Rockville-based pharmacy benefit management company.

Advertising H&D Branding named Christine Smith and Laurie Kaplan as account managers, Kira Harrell as senior print production manager and Lena Rapoport as senior art director for the Sparks-based agency. Weber Shandwick appointed Joshua Goldberg as senior developer of certain interactive Web media, Taylor Goff as a designer and Jason Dobrzykowski as traffic coordinator in the international communications firm's Baltimore office. MGH appointed Ashlea Stipek, interactive media assistant, Kimberly Ritchie, word-of-mouth account coordinator, and Seth Lueck as a traffic coordinator for the Owings Mills-based marketing communications agency.

Banking and finance Bank of America appointed Cindy Flanders as its global commercial banking executive at its Rockville-based Mid-Atlantic region. She will supervise commercial banking activity from New Jersey through Virginia. Merrill Lynch & Co. appointed Gregory Franks as director of its Mid-Atlantic division based in Baltimore. Education Villa Julie College announced that Christopher K. Hanlon joined the Stevenson-based college as assistant vice president for enrollment management and director of financial aid. He formerly was director of financial aid for Franklin and Marshall College.

Advertising Warschawski announced that Angie Martin joined the public relations and marketing agency as a junior associate. She is responsible for client media relations and account servicing activities. Bonnie Heneson Communications named Andre Vaseghi as creative director for the Owings Mills-based communications and marketing firm overseeing all graphic design work. He formerly was with White Lotus Inc. Banking and finance Provident Bank appointed Nancy Alperstein as senior vice president/division head in the marketing division.

Advertising MGH announced the appointments of Rachel Skelley as a senior media buyer/planner, Nick Kelly as public relations account executive and Nicole Joyce as account coordinator for the Owings Mills-based marketing communications agency. Banking and finance Northwestern Mutual Financial Network appointed James Jones as a financial representative. He formerly was sales director for American Limousines. Education The Gilman School announced that John E. Schmick was named headmaster of the private Roland Park boys' school.

Advertising Trahan Burden Charles has appointed Brent Burkhardt as executive vice president and managing director of public relations for the Baltimore-based regional advertising agency. Vertis Communications appointed Charles Miotke as president of the Baltimore-based direct marketing unit of the national print advertising and direct marketing solutions provider. Banking and finance Northwestern Mutual Financial Network named Kelly Whitson as a financial representative in its Baltimore office.

Advertising MGH announced that Kent Doyle, an account supervisor, Meghan Norville, a public relations account manager, and Lindsay Wowk, an account coordinator, have joined the staff of the Owings Mills-based marketing communications agency. Education The Maryland Institute College of Art appointed Mikhael Mei Williams as director of media relations for the visual arts school. She will assist in forming and implementing strategies to increase national awareness of the school. Hospitality and tourism The Doubletree Inn at the Colonnade named Amy O'Connell director of sales for the Baltimore hotel.