Names & notes

Friday, May 9, 2008

Melinda Floyd of Country Florist in Waldorf recently completed Sympathy Expressions, a class hosted by Teleflora at its education center in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Floral designers from all over North America attended the seminar to learn the latest trends and techniques in flowers to express sympathy, according to a company press release.

Floyd participated in four days of hands-on design sessions, mastering the latest designs in casket sprays, vase arrangements and set pieces. The class also learned new ways to cooperate with funeral professionals.

The class was taught by Bert Ford and focused on discovering new ways to celebrate a life in flowers. Each student was taught how to personalize the floral settings and incorporate the latest techniques, materials and flower varieties in their designs. Students completed a series of projects during the class.

Floyd received a certificate of completion from the Teleflora Education Center, now in its 24th year of providing advanced floral education.

Loiederman nationally recognized

Loiederman Soltesz Associates Inc., a civil engineering firm specializing in land development, who has an office in Waldorf, was recently ranked by Engineering News-Record among the top 500 design firms in the nation, according to a company press release.

The firm was ranked number 324 and was one of only a handful of Washington, D.C., area engineering firms to make the list. ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms are determined through a survey of companies from around the world and results are based on revenue for services performed in 2007. The rankings were published in the periodical’s April 21 issue.

Vector Marketingopens office in Waldorf

Vector Marketing has opened a new sales office in Waldorf, run by Vector District Manager Danielle Stratford.

The ‘‘South Maryland” office, located at 85 High St., Suite 8, will be used for the recruitment and training of new sales representatives as well as for team meetings where additional training and mentorship is provided, according to a press release.

Sales representatives market Vector’s product, CUTCO Cutlery through in-home presentations and use the sales office as ‘‘home base.”

As independent contractors, Vector district managers own their Vector sales offices. Being a Vector manager allows Stratford to be an entrepreneur while having guidance and support from corporate headquarters, according to the press release.

Stratford has received several recognitions for her performance with the company and plans to graduate from Towson University this month.

‘‘Two of the most valuable aspects of my Vector experience have been the personal growth and relationship building,” Stratford said in the release.

Hancock joins businessnetworking group

Andrew Hancock, doctor of chiropractic, has joined the Southern Maryland Business Network.

Hancock has an office in White Plains with a staff of eight. He offers traditional chiropractic in an integrated model, and is experienced in treating children, pregnant women, athletes and senior citizens, according to an SMBN press release.

He previously treated veterans at Buffalo Niagara VA Hospital.

Hancock is board certified in Maryland, Virginia and New York. He also holds certification in applied kinesiology.

Prior to his two year-career as a chiropractor, he had a 10-year career in theater. He will support the Charles County DARE program through Kids Day America on May 17.

SMBN is an independent, nonprofit, self-directed organization. Meetings are held weekly from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Southwinds Adult Active Community off Billingsley Road on Southwinds Place.Ê

For more information, go to www.smbn.org.

Achievements of minority businesses to be recognized

The Calvert County Minority Business Alliance, the Charles County Minority Business Advisory Council, the Embassy Business Complex and the St. Mary’s County Minority Business Alliance have announced the availability of applications for the 2008 Minority Business Awards.

Nominations are due May 9.

Nomination categories include: Heritage Business of the Year, Emerging Business of the Year, and County Business of the Year (one award per county). Self-nominations are encouraged. The awards ceremony will be held May 29 during lunch at the Southern Maryland Regional Purchasing and Small Business Procurement Expo at the College of Southern Maryland’s La Plata campus.

Nomination forms and additional details are available at www.calvertcountymba.org, www.mbaccc.com or www.mbasmc.org. For questions regarding the award application, call Ellen Flowers-Fields at 301-274-1922 or e-mail EFlowers-Fields@ tccsmd.org.

Siemens chosento provide Mirant scrubbers

The Shaw Group Inc. has selected Siemens Water Technologies to provide a system to treat wastewater from flue gas desulfurization scrubbers being constructed at Mirant Mid-Atlantic LLC’s Dickerson and Morgantown Power Plants and Mirant Chalk Point LLC’s Chalk Point Power Plant. The system will remove suspended solids, heavy metals and organics from the scrubber waste stream so that the water can be safely discharged, according to a press release. The wastewater projects are scheduled to begin operation in 2010.

Scrubbers are used in U.S. power plants to meet emissions standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. New regulatory programs call for further reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants. Flue gas systems frequently use limestone-forced-oxidation scrubbers to convert sulfur dioxide in the flue gas to gypsum, which can be sold for wallboard manufacturing, as a cement additive or for agricultural applications, thus turning a waste stream into a usable resource.

McGrath startsnew career in photography

Loretta McGrath of Port Republic will be graduating from the Hallmark Institute of Photography in June after a 10-month program where she learned new technical aspects of the photography industry.

McGrath will open a photography business that will feature on-location and lifestyle portraiture and commercial photography.

During the program, McGrath had work published in the Shelburne Falls, Mass., newspaper, the Independent, as the result of a lines and colors assignment. The image was one of 11 chosen from more than 1,700 images in the assignment.

‘‘I have done accounting work for almost 25 years,” McGrath said in a press release, ‘‘and it was time for me to do something different, something that I am passionate about. My goal is to capture who people are. I want to be able to show the world what people are all about in the hopes that they will be able to see how unique and special each individual is.”

Lia Sophia honors Thomas

Lia sophia recently announced top honors for its Excellent Beginnings Program Achievers for their sales accomplishments and professionalism.

Having just joined the fashion jewelry business, Bonita Thomas of La Plata has earned the accomplishment in her first 15 weeks by attaining certain sales levels and by sharing lia sophia with other new advisers, according to a company press release.

‘‘This immediate success is a result of Bonita’s hard work and dedication. Lia sophia is fortunate to have her as part of our team and we look forward to celebrating her future successes,” said Bonni Davis, vice president of lia Sophia, in the release.