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Companies
Trex Co. Inc. is introducing a high-quality, versatile deck design program for contractors, designers and landscape architects. DeckWorks operates as a plug-in for the popular Vectorworks Inc. platform, allowing professionals to produce and output photo-realistic 3-D renderings of outdoor living spaces for their customers. For more information, visit www.trex.com.

DuPont Community Credit Union's Woodstock Office, which opened in 2008, recently collected 215 new and gently-used coats for elementary school age children in Shenandoah County. This is the first year of what is hoped to be an annual holiday project for the local branch office.

For the 21st consecutive year, The Chandler Law Group offered its free Safe Ride Home during the holiday season. From Dec. 17 through Jan. 1, anyone who had been drinking alcohol and was in need of a safe ride home could call Taxi USA in Winchester or Elwood Cab in Front Royal, and The Chandler Law Group paid the cab fare within a 10 mile-radius. The program, which began in 1990, provided a total of 180 safe rides home locally last month.

The Shenandoah County Soccer League has received more than $1,650 in funds and equipment from Buettner Tire Distributors and Uniroyal Tire in Woodstock. The national program, currently in its 11th year, continues to be a major supporter of youth soccer, donating nearly $13 million, including over 1 million soccer balls, since 2000 through the Uniroyal Soccer Program.

Cub Cadet, a commercial and residential outdoor power equipment manufacturer in Cleveland, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary at the National Dealer Meeting in Orlando, Fla. Cub Cadet's celebration included the presentation of the prestigious "First Cut Partners Award" to Shade Equipment Co. Inc. of Winchester, recognizing Shade as a continuous full service Cub Cadet dealer since the brand's inception. Sales Manager C. Kelly Lockhart received the award on behalf of Shade Equipment.

Personnel
The following area Edward Jones representatives have accepted invitations to become limited partners or increase their limited partner holdings in The Jones Financial Cos., the holding company for the St. Louis-based financial services firm: Bret Hrbek and Tina Maddox in Front Royal; Tracy P. Miller and Kathy Hines in Edinburg; and Janet Davidson in Stephens City.

Aaron Tweedie, a Realtor and builder, has joined the Skyline Real Estate team of real estate professionals in Strasburg. He can be reached at 622-7702 or 465-2800.

Catherine "Kittie" C. Abell has been named Randolph-Macon Academy's vice president for development. Abell comes to R-MA with a strong background in institutional development and fundraising, including as director of advancement at the Epstein School, near Atlanta. She previously served at the University of Georgia Law School, the Schenck School and the Shepherd Hospital Center.

Thomas W. Ashton, of Richmond, has joined the law firm of Marilyn Ann Solomon in Winchester. Ashton is an experienced attorney specializing in family law, personal injury law and contract law.

Bill Wiley has re-joined the ERA OakCrest family in Winchester as an associate broker with OakCrest Commercial Real Estate. As a broker in Virginia with 10 years of real estate industry experience, his background includes acquisition-development of land, design-build solutions of commercial construction and tax credit opportunities.

Appointments
Shenandoah County cattle and grain producer Peter A. Truban, of Woodstock, has been re-elected to a three-year term on the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation board of directors. Truban previously served the remainder of a three-year term held by John R. Zirkle Sr., of New Market, who died in April 2009. He will represent Farm Bureau producer members in Clarke, Frederick, Loudoun, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren counties.

The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber voted in three new members to its board of directors during its December meeting: Jason Aikens, vice president, Aikens Group; Jim McCarty, executive vice president and chief accounting officer, Bank of Clarke County; and Sharon Farinholt, owner, Crown Trophy. Re-elected to the board for an additional term was Patricia Taylor, superintendent of Frederick County Public Schools.

Steve Cluss, Dr. Sherif Kaiser, Diane Kearns and Jim Stutzman have joined Winchester Medical Center's board of trustees.
Cluss recently retired after a 32-year career as an executive in the lumber industry. He was chief operations officer for O.C. Cluss Lumber Co. in Uniontown, Pa., before moving to Winchester to become president of Valley Lumber & Building Materials. Kaiser, a board-certified family practitioner, is owner of Berryville Medical Associates, PLC, and medical weight loss consultant to WMC's bariatric program. Kearns, a Winchester native, is an orchardist and president of Fruit Hill Orchard Inc., and Virginia Apple Storage Inc. Stutzman has been President and CEO of Jim Stutzman Chevrolet-Cadillac-Buick in Winchester since 1995, a position he earned after 15 years of steady promotion with the dealership.

The Top of Virginia Building Association has named its slate of officers for 2011: Danny McKee, Kee Construction Services, president; Bob Wells, Elite Insulation, president-elect; Mike Whitty, Ferguson Enterprises, vice president; Lori Fountain, Fountain Homes, immediate past president; Tracy Jewell, Alcova Mortgage, secretary; Scott Moore, Bank of Clarke County, treasurer. 

Joe Waltz, director of energy resource management for the Front Royal electric department, was recognized for completing a term on the American Municipal Power Inc. board of trustees at the group's annual conference held Oct. 25-28 in Columbus, Ohio. During the meeting the town of Front Royal was elected to a new term on the board.

J. Michael Aulgur, manager of external affairs for Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, has been appointed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to the Virginia Universities Clean Energy Development and Economic Stimulus Foundation.

Awards
Long & Foster/Webber & Associates' Winchester office was recognized by The Blue Ridge Association of Realtors with the Volunteer Office of the Year Award for its participation and support of the BRAR and its affiliates charitable efforts, including the annual Toys for Tots campaign, build days for Habitat for Humanity and a food drive as well as public service seminars to educate the community on foreclosures an short sales. In addition, Kathye Stratton was awarded the Community Service Award for her efforts in these endeavors.

John T. Tilelli, of Stephens City, director of global operations support for Westcon Group North America, has been selected as an honored member of the Biltmore Who's Who Executive and Professional Registry. The selection recognizes Tilelli's commitment to excellence in networking and distribution. Some of his major accounts include Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, British Telecom, Proctor & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson.

Ralph's Home Store in New Market was recently recognized as a Bronze-level mattress dealer by Therapedic International and Kathy Ireland Home.

Winchester resident Dorothy LaFollette has been named Caregiver of the Year by the local Home Instead Senior Care franchise office for her outstanding dedication and service to older adults. Home Instead Senior Care is the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care services for seniors.

Dennis Boyd was the top lister and Katrina Smith was top salesperson and top producer in the Winchester office of Long & Foster/Webber & Associates last month.

Ten attorneys with Lenhart Obenshain PC in Harrisonburg were recognized in the 2010 "Legal Elite" survey conducted annually by Virginia Business magazine. They are: Brian K. Brake (construction); John W. Flora (taxes/estates/trusts/elder law), Lisa Anne Hawkins (real estate/land use), Jeffrey G. Lenhart (business law), Mark D. Obenshain (civil litigation), Nancy R. Schlichting (alternative dispute resolution), Jennifer E. Shirkey (young lawyer), Bill Shmidheiser (family/domestic relations), Lynn K. Suter (legislative/regulatory/administrative), and Cathleen P. Welsh (labor/employment).

Mr. Appliance Corp., which has a local franchise in Strasburg, ranked No. 200 on Entrepreneur magazine's 2011 Franchise 500 list. This is the 11th consecutive year the company has made the list. The magazine also listed Mr. Appliance No. 158 on its Top Global Franchises list and No. 58 on its Top Home Based Franchise list.

Certifications
Marie DiLorenzo, associate broker at OakCrest Commercial Real Estate in Winchester, has been awarded the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation by the CCIM Institute, one of the leading commercial real estate associations in the world.

Teresa Sullivan, practice manager at Warren County Veterinary Clinic, has earned the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager designation by successfully passing the certification exam offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association on Sept. 27 in Savannah, Ga. The designation is VHMA's highest professional distinction.

Conferences
Dick Davies and Eric Estep, both of Frederick Block, Brick & Stone, recently attended the Allied Stone Industry Study Tour in Scranton, Pa. The event included tours of a coal mine and of Endless Mountain's block and bluestone quarries, fabrication plant and stone yard.

Seminars
Amerisist Assisted Living will host an educational workshop on Veterans Affairs benefits on Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. at 106 Westminster Drive, Front Royal. The VA Aid and Attendance Pension benefit offers eligible veterans or their surviving spouses a significant monthly pension, ranging from $1,056 to $1,949 per month, tax-free. To be eligible, veterans must have served 90 consecutive days or more with at least one day during a wartime period and meet a few medical and financial eligibility criteria.
The workshop is free and open to the public. Call 631-0505 to register, or visit www.veteransfinancial.com for more information about the benefit.

Financial
United Bankshares Inc. paid out a fourth-quarter dividend of 30 cents per share on Monday to shareholders of record as of Dec. 10. Dividends per share of $1.20 for 2010 represent a 3 percent increase over the $1.17 per share paid for 2009.

-- Daily Staff Reports