Maryland Association

When temperatures in the classrooms of Ridgely Middle School reached the high 90s, Julie Sugar and other parents invited Baltimore County school board members to check out the problem. The board members didn't come — but local lawmakers did. "That's when we realized that our school board was not responsive or accountable to the public," said Sugar, who once headed the middle school's PTA and is now president of the Loch Raven High School PTA. "And it made us realize that they did not have to be responsive or accountable to the public because the public didn't put them on the school board.

The Maryland Bankers Association announced its 2011 Financial Education Award winners and, for the first time, The Columbia Bank placed in all three categories. The bank won first place in the Adults and Seniors category, and second place in both the Young Adults and School-Age Children categories. This past year marked the eighth year where members of the Maryland Bankers Association could showcase their banks' efforts by participating in Maryland Bankers Association's Financial Education Awards Program.

Mayors and county executives gave Gov. Martin O'Malley a standing ovation this week when he told them he did not plan to shore up state finances by passing millions of dollars in teacher retirement expenses on to local governments. But on Friday, the local leaders got a reality check: There's still plenty of pain headed their way. As state lawmakers prepare for the 2011 legislative session, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch are warning that it will likely be impossible to balance the state's $13 billion operating budget without squeezing local aid. "Let's all work together to solve the problem," Busch told local leaders Friday at the winter conference of the Maryland Association of Counties.

Regarding the Aug. 29 article on hospital CEO compensation ("Hospital CEO pay is sweet"): Famed management expert Peter Drucker said that health care is the most difficult, chaotic, and complex industry to manage today, and that the hospital is "altogether the most complex human organization ever devised. " Indeed, hospitals are not your typical business. Hospitals are places where lives are saved. They ease pain and suffering. Hospitals are open every minute of every day, driven by a mission of caring and rooted in their communities.

Thomas Leroy Woods, former executive director of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants, died Thursday of cancer at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. He was 73. Mr. Woods was born and raised in Pittsburgh, where he graduated in 1956 from Carrick High School. After serving in the Army from 1956 to 1958, he earned a bachelor's degree in 1962 in journalism from the University of Florida. Mr. Woods worked as a reporter for the Miami Herald before beginning his career in association management with the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

For nearly a quarter century, the same man has guided the legislative agenda and business interests of area retailers including Macy's, Target and Walmart as head of the Maryland Retailers Association. Now Tom Saquella, a familiar fixture in Annapolis, is ready to retire and will pass the reins in July to Patrick Donoho, also a veteran lobbyist who has done extensive work with retailers. Donoho, 58, takes the helm of the trade group as retailers are starting to recover from one of the worst economic times in decades.

She sees herself as lucky to be part of a seminal moment in her field's history. But environmental educator Bronwyn Mitchell helped make that moment happen. Nine months ago, when she became executive director of the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, Mitchell knew the influential nonprofit organization would be celebrating 25 years of existence in 2010. She also knew Americans have generally come around to realizing that a passion for the environment need not be the sole preserve of a few neo-hippie types.

State must spend the stimulus money Maryland is reportedly the wealthiest state in the nation. But underneath the politics and pronouncements that emerge from Annapolis, the public seldom hears that we underfund the well-documented needs of children, seniors, people with disabilities and others ("O'Malley poised to spend $350 million of stimulus on transportation projects," Feb. 18). Public functions are understaffed, from processing unemployment benefits and food stamp applications to child welfare agencies to correctional institutions.

Awards * Bonnie K. Heneson, president of Heneson Communications of Owings Mills, was awarded a Bravo! Women Business Achievement award by Baltimore SmartCEO's. Mergers * Kahn, Berman, Solomon, Taibel & Mogol PA, based in Timonium, announced that it has merged with Larrabee & Associates PA. The newly enlarged firm will operate from offices at 9515 Deereco Road as KBST&M CPA's Organizations * J. MacGregor Tisdale, a senior vice president with SunTrust Bank, was named president of the Maryland chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth.

On July 13, 2008, GEORGE E. SINGER, at home, Silver Spring, MD remembered by Thelma (nee Henry) Singer, his wife of 64 years, daughters Linda, Justina, son-in-law Joe. He was the grandfather of Stephanie and Chad. Also survived by granddaughter-in- law Meridith, great-grandchildren, Ryan, Hadley, Greyson and a large loving family. Attended Maryland School for the Deaf and Galludet, 38 year career with the Washington Post. 64 Year member of Columbia Typographical Union. Member of Washington Post E-Streeters, National and Maryland Association for the Deaf, Frederick School Alumni, National Deaf Fraternity, Masons Lodge and Lions Club.