Frank P. Darr, BA ’79, was elected to membership in the law firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, where he practices with its Columbus, Ohio-based Energy, Communications and Utility group. Darr also was selected to serve on the Executive Committee of The University of Akron Honors College Alumni Board. He will assist the committee as an at-large member during the 2014-15 academic year.

Jeffrey T. Heintz, JD ’75, received The University of Akron School of Law Outstanding Alumni Award during the annual alumni awards and class reunion dinner in May. The award is presented by the Law Alumni Association to graduates who have made important contributions or provided extraordinary services.

Marcus L. Neiman, BS ’70, has been honored with the 2014 Excellence in Education Leadership award from Leadership Medina County. Neiman is assistance professor of music education at Kent State University School of Music and conductor of the Medina Community Band. The award, which recognizes those who advance and promote education in Medina County, will be presented to Neiman at a ceremony in December.

Timothy A. Bryon, BA ’85, recently was named vice president for university marketing and communication at Malone University in Canton, Ohio.

Taryn L. Heath, JD ’82, a common pleas judge in Stark County since 2007, was sworn in as president of the 780-member Stark County Bar Association.

Raymond C. Hexamer, BS ’88, was named executive director of the Massillon Development Foundation. Hexamer will be responsible for the operations of the foundation.

Theodore J. Lesiak, JD ’89, made partner at Roderick Linton Belfance, where he handles matters from corporate and commercial law and civil litigation to municipal and government law, real estate and development, personal injury, and domestic relations. Since 2003, Lesiak has been the law director in the village of Seville, Ohio.

A. Trisa Long Paschal, MS ’87, ‘BS ’82, AAS ’79, recently was named vice president for institutional advancement and university relations at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta. Paschal began her career in fundraising with The University of Akron, where she served in the late 1980s as director of the annual fund.

Paula M. Mastroianni, BFA ’82, joined Westfield Group as integrated marketing services leader in April. In this role, she is responsible for translating brand campaigns and creating integrated go-to market initiatives to support marketing communication strategies and brand management.

Robert A. McComas, BA ’81, has been named a state administrator for the Pennsylvania State Council of Lions Clubs. McComas served the past 14 years as sports information director at Slippery Rock University.

Paul U. Perozeni, BS ’89, was named vice president and general manager at WJW Channel 8, the Cleveland Fox affiliate, in June.

Melissa Barranger-Mathys, BS ’90, earned a PhD in chemistry from the University of Virginia in 1995 and has taught at the college level for nearly 20 years. For the last two summers, she has traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo.; Washington, D.C.; and Moscow as a mentor for U.S. students participating in the International Chemistry Olympiad, an academic contest for high school students from around the globe. In late July, she will head to Hanoi, Vietnam, for the 2014 competition.

Jeffrey R. Breese, PhD ’93, was named vice president and dean for academic affairs at Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind. He begins his new leadership role on August 1.

Keith J. Busch, BS ’93, has been named partner/client development at Hitchcock Fleming & Associates Inc., where he has provided his marketing expertise for more than 15 years. As partner, Busch joins executives on a leadership team who have been tasked with running the marketing communications agency.

Craig S. Holcomb, BS ’92, was promoted to vice president of operations support services by the Davey Tree Expert Company.

Lisa S. Kelsay, BS ’95, co-edited the recently released book “Working with Students in Community Colleges: Contemporary Strategies for Bridging Theory, Research, and Practice.” Kelsay, who earned her PhD in higher education from Loyola University, Chicago, also co-authored two chapters in the book “Junior Grows Up: A Brief History of Community Colleges.”

Scott T. Read, BA ’91, has been named to the board of directors of United Disability Services (UDS), with a term through 2016. Read is president of Dunholt Medical LLC and an active community volunteer. He co-founded Akron Torchbearers in 2003 to encourage community service among young leaders in the Akron area, has volunteered with Greenleaf Family Center and Mobile Meals in Akron, and is a graduate of Leadership Akron. UDS works to meet the social, vocational, community living, low-vision, recreational, and transportation needs of people with disabilities in the Akron area and surrounding communities. PHOTO

Bill J. Short, BSBA ’90, was promoted May 1 to chief operating officer at HempTechRx, a newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary of FutureWorld Energy Inc.

Deanne R. Simmons-Sparr, BSME ’93, has been named vice president at simpleQuE Inc.

Steven R. Smith, MA ’98, BD ’88, AAS ’85, who took early retirement from teaching high school English, recently released his first two novels: “King of Methamphetamine Valley,” loosely based on an investigation he conducted as an ATF agent in California in 1990, and “The Accidental Girlfriend,” a romantic comedy that includes scenes from Canton, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Amish country. Smith and his wife, Lisa A., BS ’93, who reside in Fairlawn, Ohio, are the parents of UA graduate, Olivia A., BA ’11. Smith’s novels are available on Amazon under his full name, Steven Richard Smith.

Craig A. Sowers, BS ’96, was presented with the certification of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach at the 2014 National Conference of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association in Salt Lake City in May. The certificate is the highest honor that can be achieved in the coaching profession of Strength and Conditioning, representing professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise, and longevity in the field. Currently, only 135 individuals in the nation hold this level of certification and corresponding title of distinction.

Shon M. Christy, MSED ’09, BSBA ’00, has been named to the board of directors of United Disability Services (UDS), with a term through 2016. Christy is vice president of social media for Proximity Marketing. He also serves on the boards of Stand Up for Downs and the Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs. In 2014 he received the SMEI Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award and in 2011 was featured in Inside Business Magazine as “One to Watch.” UDS works to meet the social, vocational, community living, low-vision, recreational, and transportation needs of people with disabilities in the Akron area and surrounding communities.

Cody R. Grimm, BS ’07, a captain in the U.S. Army, received the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award during a Washington, D.C., ceremony in May.

Aaron M. Kurchev, MBA ’07, BS ’02, has been named to the board of directors of United Disability Services (UDS), with a term through 2016. Kurchev is product manager of dispensing systems at GOJO Industries and is a member of Torchbearers Akron Class of 2013. UDS works to meet the social, vocational, community living, low-vision, recreational, and transportation needs of people with disabilities in the Akron area and surrounding communities.

Matthew S. Lautzenheiser, MA ’02, was chosen as executive director of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula by the Museum Board of Trustees.

Amanda M. Leffler, JD ’02, has been named to the board of directors of United Disability Services (UDS), with a term through 2016. An attorney with Brouse McDowell, Leffler focuses on insurance recovery actions for policyholders and formerly was an adjunct professor with The University of Akron, instructing first-year law students in legal research and writing. She is a member of Torchbearers and also serves on the boards of the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit & Medina Counties and Child Guidance & Family Solutions. A member of the Akron, Ohio, and American bar associations, Leffler was selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a “2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Insurance Law.” UDS works to meet the social, vocational, community living, low-vision, recreational, and transportation needs of people with disabilities in the Akron area and surrounding communities.

Brant A. Luther, JD ’02, was named a 2014 ‘Twenty Under 40!’ award winner, which recognizes Stark County, Ohio, professionals who have demonstrated dynamic leadership and social responsibility. Luther is an administrator for the three Stark County commissioners.

Edmond J. Mack, JD ’07, BA ’04, a five-time ‘super lawyer’ and member of the Canton City Council, was named a 2014 ‘Twenty Under 40!’ award winner, which recognizes Stark County, Ohio, professionals who have demonstrated dynamic leadership and social responsibility.

Diane R. Wilkinson, MA ’07, BA ’04, (center) is deputy director of federal affairs for public health with the March of Dimes in Washington, D.C. – and skates as ‘Maiden Sm’Akron’ for the DC Rollergirls, the official flat-track women’s roller derby team in the D.C. area. Cheering her on are Susan M. Louscher, BA ’89, (left), project director of UA’s Corrosion Engineering and Reliability Engineering Program; and Anne C. Hanson, MA ’05, manager of continuing education and outreach in UA’s College of Engineering.

Meagan D. Deitering, BA ’11, received the H.F. Group Preservation Award from Kent State University's School of Library and Information Science. The award is presented to graduates who, as students, demonstrated outstanding scholarship and an interest in the area of library preservation. Deitering earned her master of library and information science degree, with a specialization in museum studies, from KSU in 2013. She currently works as a metadata specialist at OverDrive in Cleveland.

Ian N. MacEwen, MS ’12, BS ’11, joined BCG & Company, an Akron-area accounting, wealth-management, and information technology, as a senior associate in assurance services.

Tammi A. Mackey-Schrum, MA ’11, began her new position as director of the Dover Historical Society in June.

Tricia M. Ostertag, MA ’11, BA ’03, community arts manager for ArtsinStark, was named a 2014 ‘Twenty Under 40!’ award winner, which recognizes Stark County, Ohio, professionals who have demonstrated dynamic leadership and social responsibility. Previously, Ostertag was named one of the 50 most-influential people in the Canton Arts District.

Gretchen E. Pleuss, BA ’13, who has been pursuing songwriting and performing full time since her graduation, was a finalist at the Indie Week Festival in Ireland in April. Pleuss was the only act from the United States and competed against 44 other performers from throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Locally, Pleuss performs the first Wednesday of every month at The Winery at Wolf Creek in Norton and the third Saturday of every month at Montavino Wine Market in Wooster. Visit www.gretchenpleuss.com for more information.