From new hires and promotions to industry awards, here's a roundup of achievements by businesses and individuals in the greater Ann Arbor area:

• The Michigan Venture Capital Association recently named Emily Heintz as its new associate director. In this role, Heintz will work to create connections between venture capitalists and promote the state’s entrepreneurial and investment communities. The MVCA is a nonprofit trade organization headquartered in Ann Arbor and designed to bring together venture capital industry participants in the state of Michigan.

• Aastrom Biosciences Inc. a developer of patient-specific, expanded multicellular therapies for the treatment of severe, chronic cardiovascular diseases, recently announced that Heidi Hagen has joined the Aastrom Board of Directors. Hagen is global chief operating officer at Sotio LLC, a biotechnology company.

• SmithGroupJJR, one of the nation’s leading architecture, engineering and planning firms, has named six to join its Board of Directors, including one from the Ann Arbor office: Thomas Mroz Jr., the office director at the SmithGroupJJR location in Ann Arbor.

• Justin Bennett of Ann Arbor has joined Farm Bureau Insurance as a new agent serving the greater Ann Arbor area from an office at 505 E. Huron Street, Suite 206, Ann Arbor.

• Invisible Fence brand recently announced the Perfect Start Plus Training certification of the local Invisible Fence of Ann Arbor dealership. Invisible Fence is an electronic pet containment system; local dealers who Perfect Start Plus training and custom installation.

• Saline First Assembly of God, 300 Old Creek Drive in Saline, has hired two new leaders to expand its programs for Ann Arbor-area children, teenagers and college students. Kyle Wentzel, originally from Southgate, will serve as the new pastor of student ministries. The church has also hired Ypsilanti Township resident Jeremy DeVee to serve as its new children’s ministries director, marking the first time in Saline First Assembly of God’s 57-year history that the church has had a paid children’s minister. Mike Johnson, the church’s previous student ministries pastor, will become pastor of technology, outreach and special events.

• Connections Counseling and Consulting Sept. 6 will hold an open house from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., with a 6 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, at their new office, 52 E. Main St. Suite 1-A, in Milan.

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are partnering with the University of Michigan to launch The Michigan Football Experience Sweepstakes, a fan contest with a message about early detection of cancer through regular visits to the doctor. The program launched Aug. 26 and will culminate at the Michigan Wolverines' Nov. 30 game against Ohio State. One winner will receive a trip for two to attend the Michigan Wolverines' next bowl game. Four additional winners will receive other prizes.

• Con-way Inc. recently awarded nearly $200,000 in educational grants to children of its employees through the Con-way Scholarship Program. Under this year's program, educational grants were awarded to 166 new and continuing students. Con-way Inc. is a freight transportation and logistics services company headquartered in Ann Arbor.

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