Berndt

Filling his most prominent transition team posts, Democratic mayoral nominee Martin O'Malley has appointed a politically connected lawyer and a prominent banker as chairmen of his support staff.Richard O. Berndt, 56, a managing partner with Gallagher, Evelius and Jones, and Joseph J. Haskins Jr., 51, president of Harbor Bank of Maryland, will lead the O'Malley transition team if he wins Tuesday's general election against Republican David F. Tufaro, O'Malley said yesterday.While Tufaro criticized the appointments because he said they placed too much of "an emphasis on downtown," he continued building his transition team, largely from the staffs of Democratic mayoral candidates who lost in September's primary.

Valli Berndt Edelmann, a homemaker who excelled at sports throughout her life, died of congestive heart failure Friday at Oak Crest Village. The former Towson resident was 92. She was born Valli Berndt in Copenhagen, Denmark, the daughter of parents who had moved to Denmark from Germany when her father worked at the Bing & Grondahl porcelain company. He came to the United States in 1925 to start a B&G branch. She and other family members sailed aboard the passenger liner Frederik VIII and moved to Schenley Road, then remained in Baltimore after plans for the porcelain factory fell through.

Just after Martin O'Malley announced his long-shot campaign for mayor of Baltimore in June 1999, a half-dozen influential bankers and business leaders pressured the young city councilman to drop out of the race. His back against the wall, O'Malley dropped a name that was his only ace. But playing that one card changed the whole game, as it has time and time again for some of the state's most powerful public figures. "They laid out some polling material and said I didn't have a snowball's chance in hell," recalled O'Malley.

On February 10, 2003, FRANCIS X. (Frank) MERCALDO; beloved husband of Susan T. Mercaldo (nee Timmons); devoted father of Patricia A. Mercaldo; devoted son of Clement R. Mercaldo, his wife Maria and Joy B. Ward; son-in-law of Dorothy T. Brown; beloved brother of Melanie M. Berndt, her husband Bill, Rob Mercaldo and his wife Kimberly; step-brother of Gloria Mori and Julia Kim; dear nephew of Tina Martin; dear uncle of Will and Tara Berndt; dear cousin of...

A law firm run by Mayor Martin O'Malley's top campaign adviser, Richard O. Berndt, has become one of the top recipients of money from the city for legal work. This year, the O'Malley administration has paid Berndt's firm, Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, the second most of any outside counsel, $296,335. The firm of Cooper & Tuerk has been paid $315,988 this year for continuing work on a complex asbestos removal case that stretches back to 1984. O'Malley said Berndt's key role in the 1999 mayoral campaign had nothing to do with City Solicitor Thurman Zollicoffer's decision to hire Berndt's firm to defend the city in new employment and environmental lawsuits.

On February 10, 2003, FRANCIS X. (Frank) MERCALDO; beloved husband of Susan T. Mercaldo (nee Timmons); devoted father of Patricia A. Mercaldo; devoted son of Clement R. Mercaldo, his wife Maria and Joy B. Ward; son-in-law of Dorothy T. Brown; beloved brother of Melanie M. Berndt, her husband Bill, Rob Mercaldo and his wife Kimberly; step-brother of Gloria Mori and Julia Kim; dear nephew of Tina Martin; dear uncle of Will and Tara Berndt; dear cousin of...

A high-powered lobbying effort is under way to persuade Baltimore foundations to underwrite a possible job in the basketball program at Coppin State College for the boyfriend of city schools chief Carmen V. Russo. In a letter sent last week, influential lawyer Richard O. Berndt asked four foundations to contribute $110,000 a year for three years on behalf of James D. Apicella, Russo's boyfriend in Florida. The letter said Russo travels to Florida "almost every weekend" and that the travel "reduces the time she can spend in Baltimore City on school matters."

Sue Pakulla appointed sales office managerSue Pakulla of Ellicott City has been appointed sales office manager in Eldersburg for O'Conor, Piper & Flynn.Ms. Pakulla is certified in real estate brokerage management and as a career development specialist. She is a member of the Carroll County Board of Realtors.Bob Berndt joins Saval FoodsBob Berndt has joined Saval Foods in Dorsey to coordinate its expansion from deli to full-line food service distribution.He spent more than 5 years as the vice president and owner/partner in General Foods.

Members of the Country Club of Maryland are at a crossroad.According to a letter distributed to the membership, management is asking financial increases in most categories of the operation. Members have until December to accept or reject the changes.Since 1945 the club had operated under the control of Charles Cover, who owned the property along with the three Amrhein brothers. Since Cover's death two months ago, the overall administrational duties at the club have been under the guidance of his daughter, Pat McTague.

Article on Berndt ignore his long record of fine public service Richard O. Berndt, one of Baltimore's most respected citizens who is constantly working to make this a better city, took time to assist others in their efforts to relocate the fiance of an executive recently recruited to Baltimore -- something that is done all of the time. Unfortunately, that executive is a high-profile public employee, the CEO of the city school system, and Mr. Berndt's efforts surprisingly ended up on the front page ("Job sought for schools chief's friend," April 25)

A law firm run by Mayor Martin O'Malley's top campaign adviser, Richard O. Berndt, has become one of the top recipients of money from the city for legal work. This year, the O'Malley administration has paid Berndt's firm, Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, the second most of any outside counsel, $296,335. The firm of Cooper & Tuerk has been paid $315,988 this year for continuing work on a complex asbestos removal case that stretches back to 1984. O'Malley said Berndt's key role in the 1999 mayoral campaign had nothing to do with City Solicitor Thurman Zollicoffer's decision to hire Berndt's firm to defend the city in new employment and environmental lawsuits.

Just after Martin O'Malley announced his long-shot campaign for mayor of Baltimore in June 1999, a half-dozen influential bankers and business leaders pressured the young city councilman to drop out of the race. His back against the wall, O'Malley dropped a name that was his only ace. But playing that one card changed the whole game, as it has time and again for some of the state's most powerful public figures. "They laid out some polling material and said I didn't have a snowball's chance in hell," recalled O'Malley.

Article on Berndt ignore his long record of fine public service Richard O. Berndt, one of Baltimore's most respected citizens who is constantly working to make this a better city, took time to assist others in their efforts to relocate the fiance of an executive recently recruited to Baltimore -- something that is done all of the time. Unfortunately, that executive is a high-profile public employee, the CEO of the city school system, and Mr. Berndt's efforts surprisingly ended up on the front page ("Job sought for schools chief's friend," April 25)

A high-powered lobbying effort is under way to persuade Baltimore foundations to underwrite a possible job in the basketball program at Coppin State College for the boyfriend of city schools chief Carmen V. Russo. In a letter sent last week, influential lawyer Richard O. Berndt asked four foundations to contribute $110,000 a year for three years on behalf of James D. Apicella, Russo's boyfriend in Florida. The letter said Russo travels to Florida "almost every weekend" and that the travel "reduces the time she can spend in Baltimore City on school matters."

Filling his most prominent transition team posts, Democratic mayoral nominee Martin O'Malley has appointed a politically connected lawyer and a prominent banker as chairmen of his support staff.Richard O. Berndt, 56, a managing partner with Gallagher, Evelius and Jones, and Joseph J. Haskins Jr., 51, president of Harbor Bank of Maryland, will lead the O'Malley transition team if he wins Tuesday's general election against Republican David F. Tufaro, O'Malley said yesterday.While Tufaro criticized the appointments because he said they placed too much of "an emphasis on downtown," he continued building his transition team, largely from the staffs of Democratic mayoral candidates who lost in September's primary.

Six months ago, Martin O'Malley was just another city councilman -- absent from almost every list of possible mayoral contenders. Now, as the Democratic nominee in this largely Democratic city and state, everyone wants his ear.More than 200 people attended a $1,000-a-plate breakfast for the mayoral hopeful Wednesday. He's had to hire an assistant to travel with him almost everywhere he goes to record meetings and telephone numbers and take business cards. And he's handed over the pager he once kept at his side to another campaign staff member, who fields calls.

Valli Berndt Edelmann, a homemaker who excelled at sports throughout her life, died of congestive heart failure Friday at Oak Crest Village. The former Towson resident was 92. She was born Valli Berndt in Copenhagen, Denmark, the daughter of parents who had moved to Denmark from Germany when her father worked at the Bing & Grondahl porcelain company. He came to the United States in 1925 to start a B&G branch. She and other family members sailed aboard the passenger liner Frederik VIII and moved to Schenley Road, then remained in Baltimore after plans for the porcelain factory fell through.

Sue Pakulla appointed sales office managerSue Pakulla of Ellicott City has been appointed sales office manager in Eldersburg for O'Conor, Piper & Flynn.Ms. Pakulla is certified in real estate brokerage management and as a career development specialist. She is a member of the Carroll County Board of Realtors.Bob Berndt joins Saval FoodsBob Berndt has joined Saval Foods in Dorsey to coordinate its expansion from deli to full-line food service distribution.He spent more than 5 years as the vice president and owner/partner in General Foods.