Stewart Title of Alaska has promoted Brenda Staats to president. Staats has more than 30 years of experience in the title insurance and escrow industry. She has worked for Stewart Title of Alaska since 1983 and is licensed by the state of Alaska to transact title insurance business. Stewart Title of Alaska is a locally owned and operated title insurance and escrow company with offices in Anchorage and Eagle River.
Jeffrey Lipscomb has been named a member of Texas A&M University's Department of Mechanical Engineering Development and Advisory Council. Lipscomb is the owner of JWL Engineering and the treasurer of Chugach Electric Association.
Taka Tsukada is the new business banking manager for Wells Fargo Alaska's Wasilla branch. Tsukada has worked for the bank for more than 13 years in a wide range of positions. Most recently, he was district manager for the midtown branch in Anchorage. Wells Fargo and its affiliates serve customers throughout Alaska.
Photographer Randy Harris is the 2004 grand prize winner of Nature's Best Magazine international photo competition. Harris is a contributing photographer for Anchorage-based Alaska Stock Images. His winning photo is an image of a grizzly bear shaking water off while fishing for salmon in Katmai National Park's Brooks River. Two other photographers with Alaska Stock Images were recognized in the photo competition. Contributing photographer Calvin Hall won first place in the people in nature category and was also awarded the distinction of highly honored in the landscapes category with images of Hawaii. Photographer Larry Anderson was awarded the distinction of highly honored in the backyard habitat category with an image of a moose covered in snow standing next to the American flag in an Anchorage front yard. The photographs will be included in a special exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., from mid-December through April. Alaska Stock Images' contributing photographer Daisy Gilardini is the first-place winner in Travel Photographer of the Year 2004's living planet category. She also received the second-best score in the overall competition and fifth-place in the spirit of adventure category. Anchorage-based Alaska Stock Images represents more than 120 photographers and markets their images to professional photo buyers worldwide for use in advertisements, magazine articles, corporate publications and retail products.
Marsh USA Inc. has hired Michael C. Padden, as a client executive and senior vice president in its Anchorage office. Padden is responsible for new business production and for serving marine construction and Alaska Native corporation clientele. He has more than 30 years of insurance and brokerage experience and has been in Alaska since 1982.
The Anchorage Homebuilders Association has announced its 2004 member awards, recognizing five of its members for service and volunteerism. Evan Rowland of Alaska Homes Inc. was named Builder of the Year. Associate of the Year was Amy Vukasin of One of a Kind Design. Diamond Heating Comfort Systems Inc. was named Specialty Contractor of the Year. Outstanding Associate of the Year was given to Jean Graham of Northrim Bank. Sue Wolfe of The Petersen Group was named Outstanding Builder Volunteer of the Year. The AHBA is a nonprofit trade association representing more than 350 members in the Anchorage and Eagle River areas.
