Ledger

Recognition

Mike Beasley, broker of ERA Beasley Realty in Woodstock, was recently recognized as one of the top 200 ERA brokers.

Beasley was given the award by global real estate company ERA Franchise Systems, LLC at the 2012 ERA President's Circle Business Forum held Oct. 15-18 in Florham Park, N.J.

Skyline Team Real Estate recently announced that Wendy Conner was the top listing agent, the top selling agent and the top producer for October.

Skyline Team agents are short sale and foreclosure specialists who serve Frederick, Shenandoah and Warren counties. Skyline Team Real Estate can be reached by calling 465-2800, or visit the website at www.skylineteamrealestate.com.

New employee

First National Corporation announced Monday that Jim Youngblood has been named executive vice president and senior lending officer of First Bank.

Youngblood will lead the development, management and control of all loan origination activities, and credit extension activities of commercial, mortgage and consumer loan departments.

Youngblood has been a local community banker since 1988 and has served as a senior lender, regional market president and chief executive officer of an independent bank.

Israel Schossev has been hired as the new lead piano technician for Shenandoah Conservatory.

Schossev will be responsible for performing maintenance, voicing, regulation and repair on concert and premier Steinway instruments. He will oversee apprentice student and part-time tuning staff to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of all regular and practice instruments.

Schossev has 25 years of experience as a master piano technician and has been the proprietor of Woodstock Piano Company, which provides piano services to musicians and institutions in New York City. He previously served as a technician for Steinway & Sons.

Land trust

The Land Trust Alliance, a national organization that supports private land trusts, announced that it has selected the Valley Conservation Council as one of 15 land trusts in the southeastern United States to participate in its new Excellence Enhancement Program.

The program will help the VCC:
• Strengthen its performance in program operations and leadership
• Strive to achieve and maintain accreditation in demonstration of VCC's conformance with LTA's national code of land trust operational standards and practices
• Increase the pace and accomplishment of efforts to protect, restore and defend important land, ecological and water resources.
• Assure long-term sustainability by securing necessary financing and public support
• Gain greater community support and respect sufficient to maintain and sustain conservation programs

The VCC is a private, nonprofit, member-supported land trust promoting land use that sustains the farms, forests, open spaces and cultural heritage of the Shenandoah Valley. For more information on the VCC, visit www.valleyconservation.org.

New ownership

Shenandoah Presbytery recently transferred ownership of the former Stone's Chapel Presbyterian Church and adjacent cemetery to the Stone's Chapel Memorial Association, Inc.

Stone's Chapel is a former Presbyterian church located on Crums Church Road near Berryville. The building was constructed in 1848 and served as an active church until 2000.