Mark Carlos

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Chris Heidrick

ValleyCrest Design Group in Irvine, Calif., promoted Mark Carlos to senior principal and Chris Heidrick to principal. Carlos has spent his 18-year career with the firm, implementing highly successful design strategies for several award-winning master planned communities, as well as large-scale urban design, mixed-use, and multi-family projects. Heidrick's career in landscape architecture spans 27 years, with experience in theme park design, luxury estate residences, resorts, university housing, medical campuses, mixed-use, retail, and complex multifamily properties.

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Shane Pliska

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Eric Westerduin

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Amber Mufale

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Toni Fitch

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Tim Konig

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Plantscape Institute of America elected four new members to the board of directors. New members include: vice chair Shane Pliska, president of Planterra Corp.; secretary-treasurer Eric Westerduin, partner and finance director of Suite Plants; social media chair and legal counsel Amber Mufale, director and the head of legal and media also of Suite Plants; membership chair Toni Fitch, concierge for Ambius-Dallas. "PIA's new leadership team is reflects and reflects the geographic diversity of PIA's membership," said PIA chairman Tim Konig. The board's significant activities this year include recommitting PIA to its original mission as an educational organization beginning with rebranding PIA as the Plantscape Institute of America, accompanied by the launch of a new website designed to enhance the plantscaping community's access to PIA's education and networking tools.

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Spencer Nickel

WHPacific announced that Spencer Nickel has joined the firm's landscape architecture studio. Based in the firm's Denver, Colorado office, Nickel leads the expansion of the studio's services to Colorado with a focus on campus master planning and the design of outdoor environments. With more than 27 years of professional practice, Spencer has focused on significant outdoor campus and higher education environments.

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Gregg Borchelt

Brick Industry Association has ushered in a year of change, appointing new board officers and staff leadership. Appointments follow the retirement of outgoing president and CEO Gregg Borchelt, celebrated with top industry honors.


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Ray Leonhard

"Our board and council members continually demonstrate a strong commitment to BIA and the American clay brick industry," said Ray Leonhard. He's the association's new president and CEO, promoted from chief financial officer and vice president of administration. Leonhard will lead BIA in its strategic direction, effectively using the association's resources to implement programs and services that maximize member value. Praised for his outstanding 40 years of industry wide service, Borchelt retired with honors, including: 2014 C. DeWitt Brown Leadman Award by Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) and also received BIA's 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Tom Hanson

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Rob Astorga

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David O'Halloran

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Roman Fountains announced news for 2014. Tom Hanson, an Atlanta-based sales vice-president and Rob Astorga, an Albuquerque-based operations manager, will be expanding their leadership roles with the company. Hanson will be assuming nationwide responsibility for customer relations and systems engineering teams. Astorga will become site leader in Albuquerque and have full responsibility for operations, systems quality and validation, systems shipping, and service parts fulfillment. David O'Halloran, president of Manufacturing Futures, will become president of Roman Fountains, its new subsidiary.

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Lifescapes International recently made promotions within its landscape architectural design firm. Top row: Michael Meyers, Nick Patel, Marianne Mastroianni, Ala Amador, Micahel Calderon. Bottom row: Diego Alessi, Don Brinkerhoff FASLA, Matthew Geiss. Not pictured, Peter Yen.

Lifescapes International, a landscape architectural design firm, has promoted two associates to principals, six principals to senior principals and four senior principals to executive senior principals. "We are fortunate to have such a strong and talented group of professionals that have been with us for many years. We know this is rare in today's ever changing world, especially for a boutique firm." said Don Brinkerhoff, CEO and founder of the 55-year old company. Promoted to principals are Matthew Geiss, project manager and Marianne Mastroianni, project manager. Promoted to senior principals are Diego Alessi, landscape architect/designer; Al Amador, landscape architect/designer; Michael Calderon, IT director; Michael Meyers, project director; Nick Patel, project director and Peter Yen, director of Asia projects.