John P. Morrison recently joined the law offices of Eide, Gingras & Pate P.C. as an associate attorney. Morrison, a life-long Alaskan, will focus on civil litigation. Morrison received his bachelor's degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 1999 and graduated from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2001. While in law school, he clerked for San Francisco Superior Court Judge John E. Munter, the Office of the Public Defender, and Bay Area Legal Aid. Morrison was previously employed at the Alaska Public Defender Agency, first in Kenai and then in Anchorage, as a trial attorney. Morrison was lead counsel on more than 30 jury trials throughout Alaska.

Heather Gould has been hired by Bernholz & Graham as an account executive. Gould joins the public relations firm from HarperCollins Publishers in New York City where she was a senior publicist for the William Morrow imprint. Gould's duties include work on behalf of GCI, the Alaska Travel Industry Association, the Alaska Railroad, Tourism North, the Alaska Beverage Council and Spenard Builders Supply. Gould graduated from Western Washington University in 2000 with a combined bachelor's degree in English and journalism and completed the University of Denver Publishing Institute in 2001.

RIM Architects has hired Ryan Lawrence as a new intern architect at its Anchorage office. Lawrence has four years of architectural design experience and is completing his requirements for architectural registration. Lawrence will join RIM's design team for the new Anchorage Civic and Convention Center. He has experience in both public and private sector projects in Kenai and Portland, Ore., and received a bachelor's degree in architecture from Portland State University in 2001.

Doug Reynolds, professor of economics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks's school of management, is the recipient of the Harold T. Caven Professorship. The two-year professorship includes a $20,000 award that will allow Reynolds to carry out activities and projects designed to enhance the field of business and finance at the university. Some projects proposed include studying Alaska's energy future and creating a book that can explain energy issues and how they will affect Alaska. His study will also explain how possible alternative industries, such as petrochemical and construction, could be developed in Alaska. Reynolds received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Colorado State University and worked as an engineer in the defense industry. He earned his doctorate in oil and energy economics in 1994 from the University of New Mexico and spent two years in Khazakstan shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, where he taught and studied oil energy economics. Reynolds joined UAF 1997. The professorship was established in 1974 with a gift from Loretta Caven, widow of Harold T. Caven, a longtime Alaskan who served as a director and as a vice president of the First National Bank of Anchorage.

Karen Padgett, of Raymond James Financial Services in Anchorage, has been authorized by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to use the CFP, Certified Financial Planner and CFP certification marks in accordance with CFP board certification and renewal requirements. Padgett specializes in financial planning for engineers, scientists, health care and other professionals. The certifications identify those who have met certain experience and ethical requirements, have successfully completed financial planning coursework and have passed the CFP certification examination covering the areas of the financial planning process, risk management, investments, tax planning and management, retirement and employee benefits, and estate planning. CFP certificants must also agree to meet ongoing continuing education requirements and to uphold CFP board's code of ethics standards. The CFP board is a nonprofit regulatory organization that fosters professional standards in personal financial planning.

Arctic Information Technology has hired Bill Durham as its new customer service manager. A native of California, Durham came to Alaska in 1996 and brings a diverse history and experience of customer service and technology to AIT. The customer service manager position includes coordination of technical support requests for clients. Originally founded in 1998 as Mikunda Cottrell Information Technology, Arctic IT provides business solutions, consultation, installation and training for businesses throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Arctic IT is the first gold certified Microsoft partner in Alaska. The company employs 21 people.