BUSINESS PEOPLE

Real estate

Frederick Erb III, Lorraine Spock, Nancy VanLandingham, Vicki Wedlerand Jerry Wettstone have been awarded membership in the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors 2008 PAR Excellence Club.

All are members of the Centre County Association of Realtors. The PAR Excellence Award honored 31 Realtors across the state. Eligibility is based on the number of successful transactions, continuing education, participation within the Realtor organization and community service.

Sales

Colleen Williams,co-owner of the Valpak of Lion Country franchise, has been recognized for her achievements through membership to Valpak Direct Marketing Systems Inc. Achievement Club.

Williams made the company’s dean’s list for increasing sales, growing accounts and maintaining a high sales performance from March 2008 to March 2009.

She is a Penn State graduate and a member of a number of business organizations including TIPS, Patton Township Business Association and the CBICC Ambassador Committee. Kathleen and Colleen Williams acquired the Valpak of Lion Country franchise in 2007.

Organizations

Charlie Faris,of Dix Honda, recently received the Patton Township Business Association’s annual Excellence Award from association President David Panko.

Faris was recognized for his years of service as chairman of the association’s annual Christmas Clothing Drive, which benefits the Burrowes Street Youth Haven for homeless teens. Faris organized volunteers and collection sites as well as personally delivered vans full of collected clothing to Burrowes Street weekly.

The Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association recently ratified a number of officer and director positions. They included: James Purdum,Penn State Hospitality Services, as chairman, andBert Van Hoof,of Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management as a director.

The association is a private, nonprofit, member-ship- based association that exists to advocate, support, promote and enhance the tourism and lodging industry in Pennsylvania.

Marianne Hazelwas elected to serve a three-year term on the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Education Board of Directors.

PAC-TE is an advocate for teacher education within Pennsylvania, promotes quality teacher education programs and offers professional development for teacher educators.

Hazel is the associate dean at Lock Haven University and serves as president of the Penn State Graduate School Alumni Society board of directors and is a member of the Penn State Alumni Council. She is also a member of the Pennsylvania Centre Stage board of directors. Hazel resides in Bellefonte.

Ophthalmology

Dr. Herbert John Ingraham,

director of ophthalmology at Geisinger Medical Center, is a recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Achievement Award.

The achievement award program recognizes members who have been active participants with the organization. Ingraham serves as an author on the academy’s Basic and Clinical Science Book Series and has made scientific paper and poster presentations at its annual national meeting.

A board-certified ophthalmologist, Ingraham practices at Nittany Eye Associates in State College, Geisinger Medical Center, Geisinger-Selinsgrove and in Lewisburg.

Architecture

ArchitectAnna Childeand landscape architectRobert Lingenfelter,of Weber Murphy Fox, passed the LEEDNC Accreditation Exam to become LEED accredited professionals.

Accredited professionals have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System.

With the addition of Childe and Lingenfelter, Weber Murphy Fox has a total of eight LEED accredited professionals on staff.

Weber Murphy Fox is a full-service regional architecture, interiors and construction firm with offices in State College, Erie, Cleveland and Charlotte, N.C.

Finance

First National Bank, a subsidiary of FNB Corp., has announced the hiring of C. Eric Sherman,as assistant vice president, business development officer for Centre, Mifflin and Juniata counties.

Sherman will be responsible for creating new relationships and solidifying current relationships for the bank.

Sherman has been in banking for nine years and joins First National Bank from Citizens Bank. His experience has been primarily in the branch setting where he has generated both consumer and business loans. He resides in Milroy, with his wife, Dana.

Energy

M. Carol Foxhas been named president of Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Columbia Gas of Maryland. The companies serve approximately 446,000 natural gas customers in 29 counties throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Fox, whose new role takes effect immediately, comes to Columbia after serving in a variety of senior executive positions at NiSource, most recently as senior vice president of customer engagement, where she was responsible for all customer-facing functions for NiSource’s gas distribution companies in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Ohio and Virginia.