ANNOUNCEMENTS
VDOT/Transurban win national award for Pocahontas Parkway

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban, LLC have been recognized as having one of this year's four best public-private venture transportation projects, the Pocahontas Parkway. VDOT and Transurban were honored during the American Road & Transportation Builders Association's 18th Annual Conference on Public Private Ventures. The parkway was chosen because an agreement signed earlier this year allows VDOT and Transurban to pursue innovative refinancing practices to build a connector highway from I-895 to the Richmond International Airport. The Pocahontas Parkway was the first VDOT project built under the Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) of 1995. It was completed in 2002.

Kevin S. Sheppard has been named the vice president of operations for St. Francis Medical Center. In this position, Sheppard will provide administrative leadership to the departments of Health Information Management Services (HIMS), Imaging, St. Francis Family Medicine Center, Rehabilitation, Diabetes Treatment Center, as well as other ancillary and support departments. Sheppard has served as the vice president of finance for the Bon Secours Richmond Health System for the past three years.

Cathy A. McCormick, PHR, has been named recruitment manager for the Virginia Credit Union. The Chesterfield resident has 14 years experience in human resources with Virginia Credit Union and is a member of the Richmond Human Resource Management Association. The credit union has 450 employees.

Midlothian Minuteman Press has named Dave Garriques as press operator to oversee print production, bindery and assembly. Previously, Garriques was a lithographer for Cadmus Communications in Richmond.

Virginia State University's Board of Visitors elected Dr. Harold T. Green Jr. as rector. Green serves as chief executive officer of Green Medical Center and is a licensed physician specializing in internal medicine. Green was appointed to the Virginia State University's Board of Visitors in November 2000 and was re-appointed in July 2004. He and his wife Alfreda have three children and reside in Midlothian.

Salisbury Presbyterian Church has appointed Reverend Dr. Lawrence R. Chottiner as senior pastor. He had been senior pastor at Highland Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, Pa. since 1994. He graduated from Waynesburg College, earned a Master of Divinity degree from Pittsburg Theological Seminary, and completed his doctoral studies at McCormick Theological Seminary.

Defense Supply Center Richmond recently adopted 94 local students through the Angel Tree program. The students were from the center's four partnership schools - Bensley, Bellwood and G.H. Reid elementary schools and Meadowbrook High School. Gifts for the children were delivered to the schools on Dec. 1. Older and younger siblings were added to the program so that all children in each home would receive gifts this holiday season.

Midlothian High School continues its dominance in cross country by recently running away from the competition to claim the girls and boys state championships at the Group AAA meet. The girls' team placed three runners among the top eight finishers, beating its closest competitor by 41 points. The boys' team had three runners among the top 10 race finishers, beating the runner-up by 41 points as well. This is the second consecutive state championship for the girls' team and the second title in four years for the boys.

In the girls' race, Kathleen Lautzenheiser (third place), M.C. Miller (sixth place), Samantha Dow (eighth place) and Paige Johnston (13th place) earned All-Group AAA recognition by finishing in the top 15 on the 5K course. Other team members include Leia Lautzenheiser, Christine Selander, Erin Stehle, Anne Tenser, Tierney Willard and Amy Witt. In the boys race, Jason Witt (second place), Jonathan Mellis (eighth place) and Mark Merritt (10th place) earned All-Group AAA recognition by finishing among the top 15. Other team members include Thomas Cole, Michael Hammond, Britt Hockenberry, Tommy Reese, Hunter Sparks, Mike Waite, and Bray Wilkins. Head coach Stan Morgan was assisted by Paul Terrell along with support from Principal Christine Wilson and Activities Director Dick Overton.

Fifteen-year-old Ben Bone has released his newest print "Whitetail Buck Series 1" in limited numbers. In addition to his artistic talents, the Meadowbrook High School sophomore is in marching band and jazz band and two church bands besides practicing Jow Ga Kung Fu and trying out for the school team again this spring. Two years ago, he landed a landscaping contract with a nearby restaurant.

Tim Beavers, a senior at Clover Hill High School, recently played with blues band Canaan Gage during a trip to Memphis, Tenn. Beavers is also a member of The Highway Bluesmen, a band made up of Chesterfield high school students who play locally at coffee shops and private functions.

The Chesterfield County Chamber of Commerce has elected four new members to its board of directors.

Mark Campanale (Village Bank), Terry Gooding (E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company, Spruance Plant), Daryl Jenkins (Daryl Jenkins Financial Coaching) and Greg Pearson (Chesterfield Observer) will serve three-year terms starting next month. The officers of the board are President Sam Kaufman (CowanOwen PC), President-Elect Neal Lappe (WSI Webstrategies, Inc.), Chairman Art Heinz (Heinz Nationwide Insurance), Treasurer Holly Flores (UBS), Secretary Vicki Parks (Medallion Swimming Pools) and Parliamentarian Pearson.