ARCHITECTURE
American Institute of Architects Michigan announced the election of new board members, including two from the AIA Grand Valley chapter: Robert W. Daverman, AIA, LEED AP, Grand Rapids, and Wayne L. Norlin, AIA, of TowerPinkster, Grand Rapids.

Zokas

Progressive AE announced the addition of Jeff Zokas, AIA, a senior client account manager. He was previously a principal at Harley Ellis Devereaux in the Detroit area.

ASSOCIATIONS
Ron Dahlin, superintendent at the Meadows Golf Club at Grand Valley State University, was named president of the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association.

AWARDS
Metro Health Allendale received the New Business of the Year award from the Allendale Area Chamber of Commerce. Metro Health Allendale opened its doors June 1, 2009, the 12th in a network of neighborhood outpatient centers.

Spectrum Health Grand Rapids has received the 2010 HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for clinical excellence, placing its clinical quality in the top 5 percent of U.S. hospitals. Also, Spectrum Health has been named a Top 100 Integrated Health Care Network, which recognizes health care systems that have not only mastered the fundamentals of integration but also shown success in connecting the systems with technology to improve clinical outcomes.

Macatawa Bank announced it has been awarded the American Bankers Association 2010 Community Bank Award, which recognizes community banks’ charitable commitments. Macatawa was honored in the category of improving financial literacy for the bank’s innovative partnership with Dave Ramsey.

Porterfield

BANKING AND FINANCE
Comerica Inc. announced that John C. Porterfield will become president of its Grand Rapids/Holland region. Porterfield had been serving as group manager for Comerica’s West Michigan-South Middle Market team. He now will oversee all of Comerica’s West Michigan Middle Market lending efforts, which include Grand Rapids, Holland, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Muskegon.

BENEFITS
McGraw Wentworth announced that it has been chosen by Hospice of Michigan of Detroit to provide benefits strategy, compliance and communications assistance and manage a comprehensive benefits program for its 400 employees. McGraw Wentworth has offices in Grand Rapids and Troy.

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION
Tubelite Inc. has hired Steve Wilkening as an engineering manager to help expand its architectural aluminum products nationwide. Wilkening reports to company president Ken Webowy and manages the engineering and product development staff.

BUSINESS SERVICES
The Charter Group announced it has expanded to Northern Indiana with a new office in South Bend as part of its growth in merger and acquisition activity in the Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana markets. Vice president Andrew Williams will lead the office.

The Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce has hired Anastasia Green as its information specialist. Green’s position includes updating the membership database, assembling member benefit packages, compiling reference materials, answering a multi-line phone and greeting walk-in traffic.

Scott Patchin, owner and founder of TrU Group, received certification of the Birkman Method and is now one of 16 consultants with this certification in Michigan. The TrU Group offers services in all areas of people development and strategy.

FINANCIAL SERVICES
Waddell & Reed announced that Kyle D. Rhodes has joined the firm as a personal financial adviser in the Grand Rapids area.

FURNITURE
Interphase Interiors, the exclusive Haworth dealer in West and Northern Michigan, announced two new team leaders for its West Michigan operations. Mike Coppola has been named sales team leader, and Becky DeWitt has been named design team leader.

HEALTH
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services announced that Roxanne DeWeerd, Charlie Selmon Jr., Joe Sweeney and Jon Swets are new board members. DeWeerd retired as superintendent of Hudsonville Public Schools. Selmon is senior pastor of Community Bible Baptist Church. Sweeney serves as counsel to Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. Swets is senior vice president and CFO of Macatawa Bank Corp.

North Ottawa Community Health System announced that Jennifer LaChapell, M.D., has joined its internal medicine practice. She will practice internal medicine and pediatrics in the Dunewood Medical Office building, 1310 Wisconsin St., Grand Haven.

Saper

LEGAL
Vernon P. Saper, a partner with Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, has been appointed to the advisory board of Executive’s Tax & Management Report, published by CCH. Saper will contribute to the monthly publication, which is targeted toward small and mid-sized companies and covers tax law changes and tips to protect business capital.

NONPROFITS
Tammy Kingma has joined the staff of the American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids as chief development officer. She will lead development efforts for local Red Cross programs and services, as well as oversee events.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
Lambert, Edwards & Associates announced the appointment of Kenneth J. Zak as managing director and head of the firm’s financial communications practice. Zak joins LE&A following a 25-year career with Fortune 500 Companies.

PUBLIC SERVICE
John T. Sperla, a member of Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones PLC, was recently voted to serve as vice chair of the Cascade Township Board Planning Commission.

REAL ESTATE
Jamie Opperman-Johnson has joined the Cascade office of Coldwell Banker AJS-Schmidt. A West Michigan native, Opperman-Johnson obtained her real estate license while living and working on the eastern side of the state.

Mishler

Mary Mishler, owner of MLM Property LLC, has been honored by the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors as winner of the 2009 Pinnacle Award Pride of Ownership/Rehab. She and her son, Michael Mishler, who is project manager for MLM, have rehabilitated six Grand Rapids homes.

RETAIL
Entrepreneur magazine has ranked Mr. Appliance Corp. No. 211 on its 2010 Franchise 500 list. This is the 10th year the company has made the list. Mr. Appliance of Grand Rapids is one of more than 150 Mr. Appliance franchises in the U.S. and Canada.

TECHNOLOGY
Next IT, a business technology company with offices in Grand Rapids and Muskegon, announced the addition of Apple Tech Services. Joining Next IT is John Voorhies, an experienced Apple technician with an extensive background in Apple business environments.

Internet technology company A.J. Boggs & Co. announced the addition of Joseph Dickson as a senior network administrator. A.J. Boggs is a management consulting and systems integration firm headquartered in East Lansing, with offices in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids.

Service Express Inc., a computer hardware maintenance provider, has hired Blake Simon, printer technician. The company is headquartered in Grand Rapids and has regional offices in Detroit and Flint, as well as in the Chicago area, and in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
BBTelsys, a VoIP telecommunications company located in Grand Rapids, has hired Gary Ball as reseller development manager.