Board Of Directors

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. announced yesterday that Putnam Investments had more than doubled its stake in the men's clothing chain to a little more than 10 percent, making it the company's largest institutional investor. The announcement came a few days after the board of directors at the Hampstead-based clothier adopted a new "stockholder rights plan," making it more difficult for a company to launch a hostile takeover. Company executives said the change was not a so-called "poison pill," which sometimes is put in place when executives fear another firm is collecting shares to gain corporate control.

. As executive director of HC DrugFree, Laura Smit reaches out to teenagers and parents on a personal level. "She understands the concerns that many parents have, as well as being aware of the issues that teens are dealing with," said Tina Owens, vice chairwoman of the board of directors. HC DrugFree, which aims to help Howard County residents raise drug-free teenagers, has grown under Smit, the mother of a freshman and a senior at Long Reach High School. Her approachability as the face of HC DrugFree has prompted parents to call her directly in a crisis.

Warschawski named Erin Bradin an associate at the Baltimore-based public relations and marketing agency. WebAdvantage.net, headquartered in Havre de Grace, appointed David Cease as director of agency operations for the online advertising agency. Banking and finance Butler Capital Corp. named Brett Butler vice president. The Clemson University graduate is responsible for customer service and collection operations for the Hunt Valley-based business lender. Syncom Venture Partners appointed Amiel C. Brent, Robert L. Greene and Stanley T. Smith as principals of the Silver Spring-based venture capital firm.

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.

The Columbia Association board of directors gave its approval last week to buy new dehumidifying equipment for the Supreme Sports Club in Owen Brown and to swap land with the county school system to make room for a new parking lot at Running Brook Elementary School. At its monthly meeting Thursday night, the board also agreed to release more detailed information about compensation for Columbia Association officers in response to a nearly five-month campaign by the watchdog group Alliance for a Better Columbia.

Jim Petosa, who shepherded a troupe of actors from a summer theater to a regional company with a $5.2 million budget, has announced that he will step down as artistic director of the Olney Theatre Center. But he's not leaving until December 2008 and, even then, will remain on the board of directors. For years, Petosa has divided his responsibilities between Olney and Boston University, where he heads the theater program. "My life in Boston has been getting more and more complicated," Petosa said yesterday.