People
Education
New chair of TCUÂ’s Department of Communication, Sciences and Disorders named
His position: Christo-pher Watts is the new chair of TCUÂ’s Depart-ment of Communica-tion, Sciences and Disorders in the Harris College of Nurs-ing & Health Sciences. In addition to overseeing the academic arm of the COSD, Watts also will be responsible for the Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic.
His background: He joins TCU from James Madison University in Virginia, where he was a tenured associate professor in communication sciences and disorders since 2004. He held previous academic posts at University of South Alabama, where he earned his both his Bachelor of Science and Ph.D., and University of Central Florida.
Watts is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and a lifetime member of Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society. He is a frequent published contributor to peer-reviewed journals and presenter to scientific and professional organizations. He has expertise in vocal physiology, voice disorders and motor speech disorders.
– Staff reports
Arts & Culture
Tracy Greene has been named public information officer at the Amon Carter Museum.
Banking & Finance
Tod Miller has joined Southwest Bank as executive vice president-manager of trust services.
Frost Bank-Tarrant County Region has appointed the following: Kacey Cornelius to relationship banking officer, corporate banking in the downtown Fort Worth location; Angy Pipes to personal banking officer in the South Hulen Financial Center; Casey L. Tibbets to relationship banking officer, corporate banking in the Matlock Financial Center; Maren Trowbridge to personal banking officer in the North Hulen Financial Center.
Ron Schneider has joined Sterling Bank as market CEO for the Fort Worth area.
Danny Coleman will retire from his position as senior vice president and division manager at Wells Fargo & Co.
Jennifer Baggs has joined PlainsCapital Bank Fort Worth as senior vice president of commercial lending.
Shelly Mathis has joined Texas Capital Bank as senior vice president.
Boards & Organizations
The Rotary Club of Arlington recently announced its 2008-2009 Club Officers. They are: Tom Hoskins, president; Jim Fulgham, president elect; Joyce Stanton, secretary; Kim Crawford, treasurer; Dan Blumberg, community service; Scott Hendricks, international service; Hugh Ross, rotary foundation; Don Proctor, membership; Theron Ice, sergeant at arms; Sal Capuli, past president; Derrick Kinney, public relations; Jim Fulgham, scholarships; Steve Wurm, community service – Webb Elementary; Jack Adolph, vocational service; Sally Baskey, club activities; Brett Hall, special adviser; and Miles Welch, special adviser.
David DuBois, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, has been named to three key industry executive boards, including the Destination Marketing Association International board of directors, the Meeting Professionals International Foundation board of trustees and the Texas Society of Association Executives board of directors.
Education
Thaddeus B. Bird, head of school of All SaintsÂ’ Episcopal School, received a Doctor of Ministry in educational leadership degree from Virginia Theological Seminary,
Glenn H. Dillon has been named vice president for research at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
Robert Magnusson has been appointed to the Texas Instruments Distinguished University Chair in Nanoelectronics, a $5 million endowed chair for The University of Texas at Arlington.
Melanie C. Barron and Beth Ann Valashinas, both rheumatologists in the Department of Internal Medicine and are assistant professors by the University of North Texas Health Science Center, have joined UNT Health.
Mary Dulle has been appointed director of internships for the TCU Schieffer School of Journalism.
Engineering
Business technology professional Gary T. Soward has joined Freese and Nichols Inc. as the chief information officer.
Health Care
Gary Wallace has been appointed director of the emergency department, nursing operations/outcomes and
nursing quality at Harris Methodist Southwest Hospital.
Honored
Granbury Town Lake in Granbury has been named a finalist in the Best Public Improvement category for the 2008 Texas Downtown Association Presidents Awards Program.
Whitley Penn has been recognized as one of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas for 2008 by Texas Monthly.
The Arlington Tennis Center was named the 2008 Outstanding Facility of the Year by the United States Tennis Association.
The Careity Foundation has honored chef Jon Bonnell with the 2008 Mary Branch Humanitarian Award and singer Lynn Anderson with the 2008 Careity Foundation Legend Award.
W. A. “Tex” Moncrief Jr., an independent oil and gas producer, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Texas Exes.
AT&T has been awarded the 2008 RadioShack ChairmanÂ’s Award.
Historic Fort Worth has announced its 2008-2009 Preservation Honor Awards. The award recipients include XTO Energy Corp. for rehabilitating the Petroleum Building Downtown, Linda McHale of Hattie May Inn for rehabilitating the Maxwell-Liston House and Larry Oaks the executive director of the Texas Historical Commission and the state historic preservation officer.
Lorena “Renie” Ferguson Steves, a 1958 graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, has been awarded the 2008 Alumnae Achievement Award in recognition for her contributions as a food and wine journalist, cooking school entrepreneur, restaurant critic and food stylist.
Computers Made Easy has received the 2008 Small Employer of the Year Award by the Texas GovernorÂ’s committee on People with Disabilities.
Hospitality
Arlington resident John Luyt has been appointed general manager of the new Olive Garden Italian Restaurant at 315 E. Interstate 20 in Weatherford.
Law
David F. Johnson, a shareholder in Winstead's Fort Worth office, has been selected as one of 20 members of the 2008-2009 class of LeadershipSBOT. This program of the State Bar of Texas and Texas Young Lawyers Association is designed to help attorneys achieve leadership roles within our community and State Bar of Texas.
Brandy Manning has joined Haynes and Boone LLP in its litigation practice group in the Fort Worth office. Her primary focus is on oil and gas litigation and appeals.
Other
Kelsey de la Torre was promoted to vice president of Open Channels Group.
Johnathan W. Gray has been named the first executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Foundation.
Nonprofit
Melissa Oden was named the new vice president of program development at Girls Inc. of Tarrant County.
Sharon G. Bailey has been named executive director at The Learning Center of North Texas in Fort Worth.
Cindy Stanley has been named executive director of the U.S. Green Building Council North Texas Chapter.
Real Estate
Austin Reilly has joined Burdine Realty as an associate.
Cathy Wallis has joined RE/MAX Achievers as a sales associate.
Wallis H. Bryce has joined IDEA Construction as vice-president business development.
Mark T. Joeckel has been named director of brokerage services at SCM Real Estate Services.
Retail
Michael R. Benkel has joined Pier 1 Imports as senior vice president – planning and allocations.
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