The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) board of directors has elected Ronald DeFeo as AEM chairman. Charles Stamp has been elected first vice chairman and Gerald Shaheen has been elected as second vice chairman. The Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA) has named Lisa C. Nicholas of Harrisburg as its director of government relations. Nicholas has nearly 14 years experience as a lobbyist and key legislative staffer, having most recently worked with former Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel at the lobbying firm Public Affairs Management LLC. The American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) awarded Dr. Bonnie Lee Appleton, professor of Horticulture and Extension Nursery/Landscape Management at Virginia Tech's Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Beach, Va., its prestigious Nursery Extension Award. Les Gehrels was elected president of the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association for 2003. Gehrels is a native of Minnesota and graduated from South Dakota State University in 1972 he graduated with a BS in horticulture business. The ANLA awarded Dr. Donald Joseph Eakes, professor of horticulture at Auburn University, Ala., its prestigious L.C. Chadwick Educator's award. Eakes has spent the last 16 years devoting his time and sharing his knowledge and experience with landscape students at Auburn University. Dwight Hughes, Jr., owner of Dwight Hughes Nursery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was elected as the Region III director on the ANLA Board of Directors. As director of the Midwest Region, Hughes will serve ANLA members in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian Provinces of Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. John Schwartz, an Amarillo irrigation contractor, was elected as the new Texas Turf Irrigation Association for 2003. Gretchen Beasley is the new Brick Industry Association executive manager in the administration division. She is responsible for the database and meetings arrangements and eventually will oversee the BIA website. The ANLA awarded Dr. Donald Joseph Eakes, professor of horticulture at Auburn University, Ala., its prestigious L.C. Chadwick Educator?EUR??,,????'???s award. Eakes has spent the last 16 years devoting his time and sharing his knowledge and experience with landscape students at Auburn University. Dwight Hughes, Jr., owner of Dwight Hughes Nursery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was elected as the Region III director on the ANLA Board of Directors. As director of the Midwest Region, Hughes will serve ANLA members in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian Provinces of Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Wayne Water Systems has announced that Terry Atwater has been named president of the company. He succeeds Gary Heeman, who served for five years and is now president of Wayne?EUR??,,????'???s sister company, Campbell Hausfeld. Atwater comes to Wayne Water systems from General Electric, where he most recently served as business leader in the commercial and industrial motors division in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Astrup Company has appointed four new account representatives: Eric Albert and Peter Herbert in the company?EUR??,,????'???s Chicago distribution center; Skyler Burreson at the Seattle distribution center; and James Reeser at the Hayward, Calif. distribution center. Robinson Brick Company has announced the promotion of three new vice presidents: Tony Fabrizio, vice president of manufacturing; Lesa Rickert, vice president of information technology and human resources; and Ric Myers, vice president of mining and clay resources. Dan Driscoll will succeed the retiring Emil Gram as managing director of Flowtronex PSI, Inc. Driscoll is an industry veteran with more than 25 years experience at Goulds Pumps. The Care of Trees has announced that Scott Jamieson, president of the nationwide tree care company for the last five years, has been promoted to chief executive officer/president. FINN Corporation has appointed Mark Grady manager of its Northern California/Northern Nevada territory. In the new position, Grady will be responsible for direct sales for the entire line of FINN products. Timothy Shaffer, customer service manager for ALLscape, a division of JJI Lighting Group, Inc., has been promoted to national sales manager. Futura Coatings, Inc., has announced the addition of Tony Puello as Southwest regional sales representative for California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah for all of Futura?EUR??,,????'???s product lines. Skinner Nurseries of Jacksonville, Fla., has promoted Philip Goodwin and Joey Waters from branch managers to regional managers. Goodwin is now responsible for all operations in Texas and Oklahoma, while Waters will oversee Skinner?EUR??,,????'???s central and south Florida territories.