To submit items for "Names in the News," please send materials to Scott Judy, editor, Southeast Construction, 4901 Vineland Road, Suite 310, Orlando, FL 32811; FAX (407) 226-2207; or email scott_judy@mcgraw-hill.com.

Richard Kent Long has been promoted to senior vice president of preconstruction for Centex Rooney Construction Co., Plantation, Fla. Long joined Centex in 1988 as a senior estimator and most recently served as vice president of estimating. In his new role, his responsibilities will include corporate oversight of all preconstruction-related activities as it relates to operations, business development and estimating.

Steve Smilie of Bovis Lend Lease was recently installed as chairman of the board of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia. Other 2004 ABC officers include: chairman-elect - Scott Unger, Constructware; immediate past chairman - David Barrett, Dudley Barrett Construction Co.; vice chairman - Bill Davis, Garrard Construction Group; treasurer, John Beilsmith - Large & Gilbert, CPA; and Bill Anderson, president.

Joel Brockmann has been promoted to development director at Atlanta-based Lane Investment & Development Corp., a subsidiary of Lane Co. He will oversee the Atlanta-area development managers, as well as Lane Company's student housing developments.

The company also named Amy Verner condominium development operations manager. Also, Grant Kornman has joined Lane Investment & Development Corp. as its Florida development partner.

Clancy & Theys Construction Co.'s Orlando-based Florida division recently hired David Farrar as project manager, and Mike Farrar as assistant project manager. The company also hired Sandy Hagar as manager of communications, and Jim Thomas as senior estimator.

Gate Precast Co. of Jacksonville has named Hagen Lambert to serve as president of operations and Dean Gwin to serve as president of sales and marketing. Lambert is responsible for all operational and administrative issues for Gate Precast and Gwin will manage sales and marketing efforts at all six architectural precast plants.

Jonathan R. Toppe, formerly executive vice president and a 25-year veteran of the firm, recently announced his retirement from Harvard Jolly Clees Toppe Architects, St. Petersburg.

Toppe was personally involved in creating some of the Bay area's most notable landmarks including Dali Museum, Largo Central Park and Cultural Center and the Caples Fine Arts Center at USF-Sarasota.

The Stellar Group of Jacksonville, Fla., recently announced the following promotions:

• Aaron Kaczorowski was promoted to division manager for the parts and service division, where he will be responsible for executing contracting projects and for supervising all project personnel.
• Paul Saville was promoted to division manager - design for the power and utilities division.
• Neil Horn was promoted to division manager - design for the refrigeration division.
• Paul Allen was promoted to senior project manager for the power and utilities division. His responsibilities include the management of project activities for combustion turbine inlet air chilling projects.
• Joe Mark is now senior project manager for the commercial division, and Elmo Aquino was named project manager for the commercial division. John Kitchens was promoted project manager for the process division, and Carlos Lopez was promoted to project manager for the international division in Puerto Rico.
• John Southerland was named safety manager for the safety and human resources department, and Johnna Jones was promoted to Controller.
  

Dave A. Dabria has joined Boca Raton-based Garcia Brenner Stromberg Architecture as senior project manager. Dabria has more than 30 years of experience, with an emphasis on hotel, resort and theme park design and development.

The firm also appointed Melina S. Crabtree marketing manager. Crabtree will be responsible for overseeing the company's marketing, advertising and public relations efforts.

Robert M. Swedroe Architects & Planners, Miami Beach, recently appointed Robert Schneckenberg and Marvin Estrada as partners. Both men joined the firm in 1997.

Chris Hassall has been promoted to vice president at PSA Constructors, Orlando. Hassall, who joined the firm in 2001, most recently served as program manager for PSA redevelopment plan project for the city of Riviera Beach, Fla.

Mike Moore has been named project manager/estimator at Roepnack Corp., a commercial construction firm based in Pompano Beach, Fla.

P.J. Goodwin has been promoted to the position of vice president and central operations manager at Coastal Mechanical Services of Melbourne, Fla. Goodwin has been with Coastal Mechanical Services since 1998 and most recently served as senior project manager.

Ken Box was recently named sales engineer for Cummins South Power Generation, Atlanta. He will focus on the needs of Atlanta-area electrical engineers and contractors.

Randy Bass has joined Schnabel Engineering's Alpharetta, Ga., office as a senior associate. Bass has over 25 years of experience in dam design and construction.

Elton G. Smith, formerly transportation manager for the City of Tampa, has joined WilsonMiller to manage transportation services activities in the firm's Tampa office. Smith's duties will include a variety of transportation planning and traffic engineering projects for private sector clients

Smith had served as Tampa's department of public works transportation division manager since 1989, overseeing responsibility for Tampa's roadways, rights-of-way, traffic control systems, transportation planning and engineering.

Bill Thompson, president and CEO of Thompson Pump, Port Orange, Fla., was recently appointed chairman of the Contractor Pump Bureau, a product-specific industry group within the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The CPB is comprised of leading contractor pump suppliers. This is Thompson's second time leading the group.

Jim Nash was recently named vice president of operations for William R. Nash Inc., a mechanical contracting firm based in Miami.

Eric Eaton was named national training manager for Thompson Pump, Port Orange, Fla. In the newly created position, Eaton will be responsible for directing nationwide training of Thompson personnel and customers in pumping applications and provide consultation to the company's sales staff.

Nadim F. Fuleihan has been named senior vice president at Ardaman & Associates, a geotechnical engineering firm headquartered in Orlando.

Aziz Soliman was recently named vice president of estimating at Maleta Construction Co., Fort Lauderdale.