New Hires

Nicole Blaser, is the newest travel consultant for The Cruise Place. Previously, she was as assistant cruise director and party planner for Holland America Cruise Line.

Traci M. Smith joined Snell & Wilmer’s Tucson office, where her practice is concentrated in estate planning, elder law, estate and trust administration and asset protection.

Jacque Calkins joined Sunstreet Mortgage LLC as a senior loan officer focusing on residential home loans including FHA. Calkins has been in the lending industry for more than 34 years and was previously a manager for First Magnus and North American Mortgage.

Edward Ortelli joined Mark Irvin Commercial Real Estate Services LLC. Prior to joining the company he ran television stations sales departments in Toledo, OH, Raleigh, NC, Tampa, FL and Houston, TX and was General Sales Manager for KVOA-TV 4 in Tucson from2002 to 2005.

Awards, honors, and recognitions

Vincent Chiaminto won $2.7 million from The Pick and the Arizona Lottery. Chiaminto chose the cash option and walked away with nearly $1.1 million after taxes. He purchased his winning ticket at the Circle K at 4702 E. Speedway.

Laura Lohner, Debra Mollet, and Shana Garrett of Stantec received their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED accreditations from the U.S. Green Building Council. Successfully passing the LEED accreditation examination demonstrates a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles. Lohner has been with Stantec for eight years, Mollet joined Stantec in 1999 and Garrett has been with Stantec for two years.

Lewis and Roca LLP attorney Keri Silvyn was honored with the Meritorious Service Award by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona.

The Tucson Advertising Federation selected Donna Nordin, co-owner and executive chef of Café Terra Cotta as its recipient of the 2008 Phyllis Ehlinger Women of Excellence Award.

Realty Executives Southern Arizona Associate Broker, James J. Tsighis, was chosen to be a panelist at the 2008 Risk Management and License Law Forum in Washington DC.

Michael J. Blaker has returned as commercial account manager for First American Title after a year of service with the United States Air Force.

Elections

The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona added six new members to its Board of Trustees. The new board member inductees include Carrie Brennan, Megan Davis, Valerie Coleman Morris, Richard Mundinger, Roman Sandoval and William G. Valenzuela. This brings the board of trustees to 22 members.

The Board of Trustees of St. Luke’s in the Desert Inc. elected new officers for the board. Those elected are: L. Neel Hall, president; Frank Hamilton, vice-president; Tunis Parsons, treasurer; and Randy Ryan, secretary. Additional board members elected for 2008-2009 include: Larry Adamson, Betsy Bowen, Donna Brammer, Georgiann Carroll, Bob Caylor, Will Creamer, Anne-Eve Cunningham, Shirley Duncan, Carrie Durham, Rick Kennedy, Margaret Kordsiemon, Micky Krugman, William Lindamood, Albin Littell, Joanne Mayer, Dan Moore, Frances Moore, Rich Moret, Dave Perks, Paul Plunkett, Virginia Rezetko, Pam Ronstadt, Anne Via, and Paul Volpe .

Matt Brody, director of sales and marketing for JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa was elected for the second straight year, to serve on Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) International Board of Directors. MPI is the largest global community in the meeting industry.

Promotions

CB Richard Ellis Tucson LLC promoted Bruce A. Suppes to the position of vice president. Since joining the company in 2004, Suppes has focused his business practice on tenant and landlord representation within the office market, completing more than 190 transactions with consideration in excess of $42 million.