TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, has promoted Jessica T. Brookes to Assistant Vice President, Store Manager II of the location at 215 Main St. in Brattleboro, Vt. She is responsible for new business development, consumer and business lending, managing personnel and overseeing the day-to-day operations at the store serving customers throughout the area.

“Tech & Learning Magazine”, the leading publication in the education technology market, has named Mindplay’s Teacher Companion product as a recipient of the Tech & Learning Award of Excellence in the category of New Products. The Teacher Companion is co-authored by Dr. Nancy Mather, professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Education, Dr. Blanche Podhajski, president of the Stern Center for Language and Learning in Williston, Vermont, Marilyn Varracchio, founder of Portals to Learning, and Dr. Janice Sammons, psychologist and adjunct professor at University of Arizona.

The Vermont Educational Opportunity Programs (VEOP) recently awarded Tony Blueter, director of Upward Bound at Johnson State College, with the Jack Anderson Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes professionals who have demonstrated years of dedicated service to TRIO and similar educational opportunity programs (EOP) and have served as mentors for other TRIO and EOP professionals.

Blueter received the award at VEOP’s annual conference on Oct. 13 at Vermont Technical College in Randolph.

Rutland Regional Medical Center, the second-largest healthcare facility in Vermont, has announced that Gerianne Smart has been named the Manager of Marketing and Public Relations. Smart brings extensive experience and expertise in marketing and public relations, as well as strategic planning, process improvement and collaboration.

University of Vermont (UVM) College of Medicine Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Russell Tracy, Ph.D., was awarded the Distinguished Scientist designation by the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) during the Opening Session at the AHA 2015 Scientific Sessions in November 2015 in Orlando, Fla.

Lyndon State College President Joe Bertolino has been appointed to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Board of Directors for a three-year term. The appointment took place at the association’s annual meeting on October 27, 2015.

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, two local businesses organized fundraising activities for the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Oncology Department and Comprehensive Breast Care Program.