The following is a list of achievements by businesses and individuals in the Ann Arbor area:

• Two attorneys with the law firm Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione were recognized by their peers as leading lawyers in their field by The Best Lawyers in America for 2010.Steven L. Oberholtzer is the managing partner of the firm's Ann Arbor office and has served on the firm’s board of directors. He focuses his practice on patent and trademark counseling, corporate intellectual property policy development and related areas.

Eric J. Sosenko is a shareholder in the firm. His intellectual property law practice at Brinks focuses on the procurement, enforcement and

Intellectual P

licensing of patents and trademarks in all industrial fields, including the mechanical, electro-mechanical, medical and material arts. Best Lawyers has also ranked Brinks #1 in the Intellectual Property Law category in Chicago, the state of Illinois, Ann Arbor and in Morrisville/Raleigh, N.C.

• CreateMyTee.com, an e-commerce custom T-shirt site, was the official race T-shirt company for the First annual Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce's Ypsilanti 5k Run at EMU's Rynearson Stadium Sept. 5.

• Margie Harris has joined Edward Surovell Realtors as a sales associate in the Jackson office. Surovell Realtors is based in Ann Arbor.

• A historic home recently expanded and remodeled by Homeowner Services of America Inc., a Saline-based remodeling firm, was selected as one of seven stops on the upcoming 37th annual Old West Side Home Tour in Ann Arbor. HSA worked from designs by Kelly-Tinker Architects of Ann Arbor. The Old West Side Home Tour is from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 27.

• A grand reopening was held for the McDonald's restaurant location at 4775 Washtenaw Ave. in Ann Arbor Sept. 3. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The owner-operator, Monique Vann, made a donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor in honor of the reopening. The restaurant now features a café style atmosphere with hi-top seating, bistro tables, Wi-Fi Internet access and a dual sided fireplace surrounded by leather bucket seats. Additionally, the restaurant has a SEED (Seeking Excellence in Eco-Conscious Design) Certified dining area consisting of environmentally friendly design choices incluidng bamboo chairs with steel comprised of 30 percent post-consumer recycled content, PVC free seat vinyls, counter tops made from manufacturing and industrial scraps, wall tile made from recycled glass and waste receptacles made from recycled corrugated cardboard.

• Staff from Ann Arbor-based Carlisle/Wortman Associates will serve as the interim director for the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority and as the part-time building official and code enforcement officer for the City of Howell, according to company President Richard Carlisle. The new engagements reflect CWA’s expansion beyond traditional planning into a broader range of municipal services for cities, village and townships, including managing building, code enforcement and economic development departments. In May, for example, the city of Riverview hired CWA to manage all its community development functions, including planning, the building department and code enforcement. CWA also announced that it will serve as the planner for Argentine Township, prepare an energy plan for thecCity of Waterford and will help the city of Troy develop a joint transit station for Troy and Birmingham.

• Sally Camper, of the University of Michigan recently accepted an invitation to serve on the Van Andel Institute Graduate School Board of Directors. Camper is the James V. Neel Collegiate Professor and Chair of the Department of Human Genetics in the University of Michigan Medical School. She is also the Director of the Center for Genetics in Health and Medicine at University of Michigan. Camper will begin her responsibilities at the VAI Graduate School Board meeting on Sept. 28.

• The Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce has formed a Visioning Committee to formulate a series of recommendations to the board of directors. The mission of the committee will be to create a framework for the future direction of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce. This includes identifying opportunities to increase the relevancy and effectiveness of the organization and developing a timeline for hiring the next head of the chamber. The co-chairs of the committee are John Petz, director of government & community relations, Domino's Farms Corporation; and Debra Power, president of Power Marketing and Research. Additional committee members include: Newcombe Clark, Bluestone Realty Advisors; Paul Ganz, DTE Energy; Linda Girard, Pure Visibility; Jim Kosteva, University of Michigan, Bill Milliken, Milliken Realty Company; Tim Neiman, Dynamic Edge; and Marisa Smith, The Whole Brain Group.

• The Arbor Hospice Foundation received a $5,000 grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund and Ford Volunteer Corps. The grant will be used to construct a play structure in the Caregiver’s Garden, located behind Arbor Hospice in Ann Arbor. Ford will also supply 30 volunteers to build the play structure on the first annual National Day of Service and Remembrance, Sept. 11.

• The Ecumenical Center and International Residence, based in Ann Arbor, recently appointed Bruce D. Martin as director. Martin most recently served as director and campus minister of the United Campus Ministry and taught at the International Consortium for Indigenous Knowledge at Pennsylvania State University. He succeeds Roger Pohl, who served as ECIR's executive director for nine years before retiring in May.

• Amy M. Perry, of Ann Arbor was reappointed to the Michigan Board of Nursing by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Perry is director of nursing information systems for University of Michigan Hospitals Health Centers. She was reappointed to represent registered professional nurses with a baccalaureate degree engaged in nursing practice or nursing administration for a term expiring June 30, 2013.

• Ann Arbor-based companies Your Search Advisor and 3.7 DESIGNS have developed a strategic partnership. 3.7 DESIGNS is a Web design and web strategy company that builds conversion focused websites that achieve specific objectives. Your Search Advisor is a holistic and integrated search engine ptimization (SEO) consulting firm that provides opportunities to generate quality traffic to Web sites. The firms have partnered on a handful of projects including the redesign and relaunch of the YourSearchAdvisor.com Web site and a new website for Atlanta-based public relations firm TheLedlieGroup.com.

Upcoming business events: • Sept. 14: PUSH! Systems Thinking for the Home-Based Business. Ann Arbor Community Center, 625 N. Main St. 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. In this highly interactive session, we'll create visual models that represent your vision and business structure, examine where your system is out of alignment and help you determine where you need to take action. The PUSH series is designed to uncover smart, creative and fearless innovations while building a powerful network of support. $35. Call 662-3128 to reserve your space. www.annarbor-communitycenter.org.

• Sept. 15: A Taste of Clarity: Living and Working with Lights-On Energy with Laura Shope Ann Arbor Community Center, 625 N. Main St. 6:30 - 9 p.m. Learn to read the clues that ignite and renew your passion and focus for life and business while you are introduced to proven energy tools which empower you to go for your dreams and create more of what you want. $39. Call 662-3128 to reserve your space. www.annarbor-communitycenter.org.

• Sept. 16: PUSH! Systems Thinking for the Home-Based Business. Ann Arbor Community Center, 625 N. Main St. Noon - 1:30 p.m. Un this highly interactive session, we'll create visual models that represent your vision and business structure, examine where your system is out of alignment and help you determine where you need to take action. The PUSH series is designed to uncover smart, creative and fearless innovations while building a powerful network of support. $35. Call 662-3128 to reserve your space. www.annarbor-communitycenter.org.

• Sept. 18: Women's Exchange of Washtenaw "You Goal Girl" goal-setting event. Eagle Crest Marriott, Ypsilanti. 7:30 - 10 a.m. $30. For more information, see the Women's Exchange of Washtenaw Web site.

• Sept. 18: Entrepalooza. University of Michigan Ross School of Business. 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Inspirational business success stories from Fortune 100 executives and venture capital leaders, as well as unique insight into emerging trends such as social entrepreneurship and alternative financing. For more information or to register to attend the event, please go to http://www.epalooza.bus.umich.edu/.

• Sept. 21: Oliver/Hatcher Construction 10th Annual Charity Golf Outing. Benefits C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital Child and Family Life Department. Meadowbrook Country Club, 40941 Eight Mile Road in Northville. Registration for 18-hole scramble begins at 10:30 a.m. with a noon shotgun start. Individual golfer: $250. Dinner only: $75. Sponsorships: start at $250. Registration: Contact Joanne Sweetman at (248) 374-1100 or jsweetman@oliverhatcher.com. For more information, see the Oliver/Hatcher Web site. Registration deadline is Sept. 14.

• Oct. 10: "Pink Party” Jam, a benefit for the American Cancer Society's “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer”. MidWest Financial Credit Union headquarters at 2400 Green Road, just North of Plymouth Road, in Ann Arbor.7 - 9 p.m. On-site massage, music accompanied by live drumming, and information sharing from the American Cancer Society and other local wellness organizations. Please wear pink (if you have it) and make it comfortable for movement. Light bites and refreshments will be provided. A $15 donation at the door is suggested, with profits donated to the American Cancer Society. RSVP to Jennifer Desiderio at inner_dancer@yahoo.com or (734) 340-6850.

• Oct. 23: Dine & Dash benefit for Arbor Hospice. 6:30 p.m., Travis Pointe Country Club in Ann Arbor. $350 per couple. Sponsorship information and tickets are available online at the Arbor Hospice Web site or by calling (734) 794-5152.

• Email items for People, Achievements and Paparazzi to Business(at)annarbor (dot) com.

Photos: Steven L. Oberholtzer and Eric J. Sosenko