Quick Takes

BUSINESS DEAN: Loren Wenzel has been named dean of the college of business administration at West Liberty University.

Wenzel, who holds a doctorate in business administration from the University of Memphis, comes to West Liberty from Marshall University, where he was a professor and division head for accountancy and legal environment. He succeeds Elizabeth Robinson, who retired from West Liberty June 30.

Wenzel was noted for his leadership in the successful effort of Marshall's accounting programs being accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

"I am very excited to be at West Liberty University during a time where there are a number of opportunities to take the university to places it's never been before," said Wenzel. "To differentiate the College of Business from other programs across our state and in our region will require the development of curricula and unique graduate level programs through cooperative effort with the faculty and our administration."

Wenzel received several honors while at Marshall, including the Outstanding Educator Award and Marquis Who's Who in the World 2000. He was nominated for the AICPA Lifetime Achievement in Accounting Education in 2005.

B-H HONORED: The Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning and Development Council received an award at the 2009 FOCUS WV Brownfields Showcase for its Weirton Rail Yard Project. The award was presented at an event Aug. 4 at the Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown.

OHIO INNOVATES: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Ohio ranked 10th in the nation in inventors receiving patents in 2007. According to the report, State Fact Sheets by the U.S. chamber's Global Intellectual Property Center, Ohio inventors received 3.062 patents in 2007.

The report, which details the role of innovation and creativity in the economy, also noted that film production in the state contributed $500 million to the economy in 2007.

BERNABEI SCHOLARS: The West Virginia University School of Pharmacy awarded five local students scholarships this past spring through the Bernabei Independent Pharmacy Scholarships. Christopher Gianni and Michelle Gianni of Brooke County and Brandy Hukill, Stacy Means and Lindsay Zatezalo of Hancock County received their scholarships at the Scholarships and Awards Convocation held this past April. Mr. and Mrs J.J. Bernabei of Weirton are contributors to the scholarship fund.

CERTIFIED: Nikolas Kamarados, a financial planner in Prudential Financial Inc.'s Follansbee office, 929 Main St., has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to use the Certified Financial Planner certification mark.

Kamarados has worked for Prudential since 1998 and services clients throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Arizona and Nevada. He has qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table for the last five consecutive years and has been a financial planner with Prudential Financial Planning Services for seven years.

He is a graduate of West Virginia University and holds a Chartered Mutual Fund Consultant industry designation. Kamarados may be reached by calling (304) 748-3156 or by e-mail at nikolas.kamarados@prudential.com.