A Week In Business

Top Agents Announced

BERLIN - Sonia Zaffiris has been named top listing agent and Sharon Curtiss top sales agent for Hileman Real Estate for the month of December 2009.

Company Promotion

BERLIN - Carl M. Freeman Companies announces the promotion of Doug Brown to Vice President, Community Development, responsible for the development of the Company's residential land assets.

Most recently a Director of Development with Carl M. Freeman Companies, Brown has been a key contributor to the company's success of the Bayside resort community near Fenwick Island, Del. since its launch in 2004. He has a strong reputation in the industry for understanding regulatory and infrastructure requirements.

"Doug's personal leadership style and his ability to execute in a challenging and competitive environment make him a leader in the industry," commented Tom Aiello, President of the Carl M. Freeman Companies. "We believe this promotion will present great opportunities for Doug as well as the Company while we grow into new communities in the region."

Town Creates New Position

OCEAN CITY - Donna Abbott has been promoted to the newly created position of Communications Manager for the Town of Ocean City. 

Abbott, who joined the town in April 1997 as media services manager at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center and has served as the town's public relations director for the past several years, has relocated from the convention center to the city manager's office at City Hall.

'I am extremely excited to have Donna on board,' said City Manager Dennis Dare. 'She brings a wealth of experience to this position that I have long believed was needed to enhance and improve communications with our citizens and visitors.'

Abbott will oversee and coordinate the town's various communications efforts. She will work closely with all of the town's departments to promote town programs and services. She will also continue her responsibilities promoting Ocean City as a vacation destination, working closely with the Tourism Department and the town's advertising agency, MGH, in all public relations and social media campaigns.

'I look forward to working with Dennis and all the departments to help keep citizens and visitors informed,' Abbott said.

Prior to joining the town, Abbott was employed in corporate communications at Perdue Farms corporate headquarters in Salisbury. She also served as public information officer for the Ocean Pines Association. She was a news reporter and editor for local newspapers earlier in her career. Abbott holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Towson University.

Top Producer Named

WILLARDS - Laura Deeley Bren, president of Atlantic/Smith, Cropper & Deeley, presented Gary Waldych with the 2009 Top Producer Award at the company's annual meeting at the Princess Royale in Ocean City. He was also the recipient of the 2008 Top Producer Award.

New Director Announced

SALISBURY - Regina Kundell, MSN, CRNP, director of Women's and Children's Services at Peninsula Regional Medical Center, announced this week that Kimberly Iafolla, MD, has been named medical director of Peninsula Regional's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Iafolla has provided care in the Medical Center's NICU on a rotating basis for over nine years and has served as the senior administrator for its neonatal practice.  She has also served as the medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville for the past nine years.

In turn, James Rost, MD, who has served as medical director of Peninsula Regional's NICU since 2001, will take Iafolla's position of medical director of the NICU at Shady Grove. Rost will continue to rotate through Peninsula Regional's NICU and continue to be a patient safety resource and advocate.

Peninsula Regional Medical Center has the only locally staffed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on the Delmarva Peninsula.