From new hires and promotions to industry awards, read on to learn about achievements by businesses and individuals in the greater Ann Arbor area:

• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor has appointed Bodman PLC attorney Alan N. Harris president of its board of directors. The organization operates two Ronald McDonald House facilities in Ann Arbor, including a 12-bedroom facility inside the new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan. Ronald McDonald House provides temporary accommodations to families of children experiencing serious illness or injuries requiring hospitalization. Harris served previously as vice president of the board and chaired a 2010-2011 capital campaign that raised $1 million.

• Lycera Corp., a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Ann Arbor that focuses on treatments for autoimmune diseases, named Steven Gillis chairman of the board. Gillis, a managing director of ARCH Venture Partners, replaces Jeffrey Leiden of Clarus Ventures, who has stepped down from the board. The company also announced that Michael Steinmetz, managing director of Clarus Ventures, has joined the board.

• Pizza House in Ann Arbor hosted the second annual Pizza for Pets fundraiser in January to benefit the Humane Society of Huron Valley, and this year’s event raised $2,759, an increase of more than $400 above last year’s total. Pizza House donated all of the proceeds from patrons and guests who ate from a pizza buffet, and the money raised helps HSHV's spay/neuter program.

• United Way of Washtenaw County recently awarded a $25,000 grant to Ypsilanti-based SOS Community Services to provide eviction prevention assistance to local individuals and families. Eviction prevention is part of SOS Community Services’ Housing Access for Washtenaw County program. SOS, along with a team of eight other agencies, has developed a new housing access service model that streamlines the process of support. Washtenaw County residents experiencing housing instability or homelessness call just one phone number where they will receive an assessment of their needs and a direct connection to available resources.

• On Feb. 11, Ryde On! Cycling Studio in Saline hosted its first annual Ryde-a-thon. In five hours, 120 volunteers and seven local sponsors raised more than $4,000 for Programs to Educate All Cyclists. PEAC is a local charity dedicated to helping people with disabilities enjoy the benefits of cycling.

• James Mallon has been promoted to the new position of executive vice president of Ann Arbor-based Humantech, a company comprised of board-certified professional ergonomists. Mallon previously served as vice president.

• Real Estate One held its county-wide awards event on Feb. 15 to honor the top producing agents of 2011. Matt Dejanovich was honored as the top individual selling agent in the state of Michigan from any company. Several agents were awarded the Real Estate One Diamond Award, for sales exceeding $5 million. From Ann Arbor, Diamond Awards went to Dejanovich, Wayne and Debra Esch, Eric Pointer, Vance Shutes and Tom Stachler. Debbie Bourdon, Cindy Glahn and Michelle Vedder from the Dexter office and Cheryl Clossick and Danielle Grostick from the Saline/Milan office also received Diamond Awards. Real Estate One has four offices in Washtenaw County.

• Eight Ann Arbor area companies and one from Holland, Mich. have received a combined total of more than $478,000 through the Michigan Microloan Fund Program. The companies received the funding to support commercialization of their core products. Michigan Microloan Fund Program awardees based in Ann Arbor were Buycentives, which is commercializing an online management system for automobile incentives; CareCheq, an company commercializing an online portal to connect care consumers and care providers; Freestride Therapeutics, which is commercializing therapeutic products aimed at those with bone-related conditions; Ix Innovations, which is commercializing a line of picoammeters, electrical test and measurement instrumentation systems; My Repair Facts Inc., a company that is commercializing an online portal for buyers and sellers of used cars to access a vehicle's history; OpenWorld Energy, a company that is commercializing solid state lighting systems for commercial and industrial applications; Reveal Design Automation Inc., which is commercializing faster and more effective Integrated Circuit (IC) design quality control software; and Therapy Charts, which is commercializing its patient information management software as a service (SaaS) platform for therapists who are independent practitioners. The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Local Development Financing Authority (LDFA) provided all of the funding for these microloan awards to Ann Arbor businesses.

• Jeremy Sell has joined the creative team at re:group as associate creative director. re:group is a marketing firm based in Ann Arbor.

• Ann Arbor real estate broker Charles Reinhart Co,, Realtors recently added five real estate agents. Joining Reinhart are >Jim Carey, Tai Chou, Jeff Hartlep, Bill Johnson and Jan Medford-Hoffman. Carey and Hartlep will work out of the Ann Arbor South office and Chou will work out of the Ann Arbor North office. Johnson will work out of the Ann Arbor East office, while Medford-Hoffman will work out of the Saline office.

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