PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

By Cindy Kent

South Florida Sun Sentinel

Community

Cancer Alliance of Help & Hope announced that Virginia Gildea and Max McNamara joined its board of directors.

Oakland Park-based Light of the World Clinic announced that Alexis Machate, executive team lead — human resources at Target, and Siddiqa Zikiya Ali, realtor with BEX Realty, were elected to the clinic’s board of directors. Since 1989, The Light of the World Clinic provides healthcare to uninsured and disadvantaged residents of Broward County.

United Way of Broward County announced that Cicely Strickland-Ruiz joined as its new chief strategy officer. She most recently was chief operating officer at United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes.

Hanley Foundation announced that Turner Benoit was promoted to Chief Philanthropy Officer.

Cultural

The SYMPHONIA, South Florida’s chamber orchestra, announced that Bryan Drowos joined its board of directors. Drowos is a private wealth financial adviser and managing director of investments at Drowos Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors.

Armory Art Center announced the appointment of new board members and new staff. New board members are: Deborah Aronson, with an extensive career as a board member in governmental, health, social services, religious, environmental, arts, and education organizations; Brittany Cobb, member of Jones Foster’s corporate and tax and private wealth, trusts and estate practice groups; Guy Degiacinto, a Realtor with SimpliHOM South Florida; Patricia Leonard, partner in the West Palm Beach office of Shutts & Bowen LLP; Joe Polsinelli, founder of Empire State Asset Management; Sandra Stella, vice president of business development at Stella Art Conservation in West Palm Beach; and Tamara Watkins, a principal at Multiple Tech Startups. New staff at the organization include: Patti Azoto joined as registrar and office manager. She started with the organization as a volunteer. Patti is a native New Yorker who has lived in southeast Florida for the past 13 years. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from SUNY New Paltz and studied papermaking in Urbino, Italy. Starting as a volunteer at the Armory, Patti is studying ceramics and enjoys hand painting silk scarves, making hand-made greeting cards and block printing in her free time. Danielle Bartolotta joined as graphic designer and Brittney DeJesus as registrar. Miranda Lewis joined as exhibition and event coordinator. Lewis has worked with the Walt Disney Co. and managed a themed attraction at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise. Nathalie Pulido is accounting assistant. She first joined the Armory as night registrar in 2018.

ArtServe named Jennifer Gettinger to partnership manager, She also will continue to identify, secure and execute on grant opportunities from government and non-government agencies, private foundations, and public foundations among other sources.

Broadcast

PBS President and Chief Executive Officer Paula Kerger announced the results of the PBS Board elections: Jorge A. Plasencia, co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Republica Havas, was elected to the board of directors.

Hospitality

Performance Hospitality Management, a hotel and resort management company, announced the appointment of Mark Anderson as chief operations officer.

Law

Duane Morris LLP appointed Kevin Vance as managing partner of its Boca Raton office. Vance succeeds Harvey W. Gurland, who has served in that role since 2011. Gurland will continue to serve Duane Morris as the managing partner of its Miami office.

Steven D. Reardon joined FordHarrison as a senior associate in Miami.

Philip G. Thompson of MediationWorks earned the distinction of Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator. This certification allows Thompson to offer arbitration services throughout Florida. Thompson is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator.

Kelley Kronenberg announced that Kayla Riera-Gomez joined the firm’s Justice for Kids division as a partner. Also, Michael Bryan and Hunter Scharf ,in West Palm Beach, and Monica Offredi, in Fort Lauderdale, have joined the firm as associates.

Akerman LLP expanded its litigation practice group with former Supervisory Assistant Federal Public Defender Sowmya Bharathi as a partner in Fort Lauderdale.

Peckar & Abramson P.C. announced promotions in its Miami office. Freddy X. Muñoz was named partner from senior counsel. Charles E. Fombrun was promoted to senior counsel from senior associate. Brett J. Moritz, Anne-Solenne Rolland and Stefanie A. Salomon were promoted from associates to senior associates.

Gunter announced the addition of Thomas R. Sawyer, in Stuart and West Palm Beach, as an of counsel attorney and Timothy Stapleton to its Tallahassee and West Palm Beach offices as a government affairs consultant.

Six Litigation Associates joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in its Coral Gables and Fort Lauderdale offices. Joining the Coral Gables office are Vicente Cortesi, Tim Odzer and Harrison St. Germain. Joining the Fort Lauderdale office are Christian Kohlsaat, Justin D. Paul and Jessica Turner.

Manufacturing

South Florida Manufacturers Association named Roberto Plazola as its new president. He was most recently director, post sales and head of customer success and service Americas for Telefónica.

Finance

Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors + CPAs has promoted three firm members to director: Angie Adames, Joshua P. Heberling and Karen A. Lake.

BankUnited announced the addition of James M. Keenan as vice president, SBA business development officer for Palm Beach, Treasure Coast, Tampa and Orlando. Most recently, Keenan was chief operating officer for Charles Brooks Holding Co. in Vero Beach. In the past, Keenan worked for BankUnited as vice president, regional manager for the North Treasure Coast and vice president, banking center manager in Vero Beach.

Automotive

The American International Automobile Dealers Association announced that West Palm Beach auto dealer, Michael E. Maroone, is the recipient of the 2022 David F. Mungenast Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to an industry leader who possesses a similar community spirit and devotion to the auto industry as its namesake. Maroone got his start in auto retailing in 1975, where he joined his father, Al Maroone, with the New York and Florida-based Maroone Auto Group. In 1997 Maroone began an 18-year career

as president, chief operating officer, and director of AutoNation Inc. In 2017 he returned to auto retailing, founding Maroone USA, where he is currently chief executive officer, operating automotive franchises in West Palm Beach, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Longmont, Colo.

Retail

Tamarac-based City Furniture

appointed Andrew Koenig as chief executive officer. Koenig began his career with the retailer in January 2006 in the operations department. He was named president in 2019.

Medical, wellness

Surabhi Ranjan, MD, was named section leader in Neuro-Oncology at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital. Previously, Ranjan was a neuro-oncologist at Orlando Health Cancer Institute in Orlando. Also, David Snipelisky, MD, was appointed as a cardiologist at Cleveland

Clinic Florida’s Weston Hospital. Snipelisky was previously clinical faculty director of Cardiomyopathy at WellStar Kennestone Hospital. Also, Sophia Bampoh, MD, was appointed as a vascular medicine specialist with the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Weston Hospital. Prior to joining, Bampoh completed a fellowship in vascular medicine at Vanderbilt University.

Jason R. Ouellette, MD, FACP was appointed as the chief medical officer of Palms West Hospital. He joined HCA in March, as the assistant chief medical officer for JFK Medical Center and JFK Medical Center North Campus.

Real estate

Native Realty promoted two brokers who have been with the firm since shortly after its 2017 launch. Sara Dorfman and Dan Ross are now senior associates.

Illustrated Properties, a member of The Keyes Family of Companies, announced new firm president, Daniel Dennis. Previously, Dennis was chief executive officer at Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate Roberts Brothers Inc.

BBX Industrial, a division of BBX Capital Real Estate, announced the appointment of Brent Albertson as its senior vice president of development. Most recently, Albertson was the vice president of development at The Viera Co., and led the land development team at the Viera Master Planned Community.

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