Comcast, one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services, today announced that Mary McLaughlin has been named Senior Vice President for the company’s Western New England Region. In this role, McLaughlin is the top executive responsible for operations, performance and customer service for the region, which encompasses 300 communities in Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, New York and Vermont.

Katie L. Rich, NP recently joined Barre Internal Medicine, a member of the Central Vermont Medical Group. “CVMC is delighted to welcome this talented woman back to central Vermont and back to CVMC where she was born,” noted President and CEO Judy Tarr.

At a gala event last Wednesday evening at the T.W. Wood Gallery and Art Center in Montpelier, 140 people applauded as Gus Seelig, Executive Director of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), was presented with Smart Growth Vermont’s 2010 Arthur Gibb Award for Individual Leadership. Senators Sanders and Leahy, and Representative Welch all sent their greetings.

Judy Tarr, Central Vermont Medical Center President and CEO announced that Rima Carlson, MD recently joined Montpelier Integrative Family Health, formerly Montpelier Health Center. Dr. Carlson received her BA in Biology, concentrating in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in Mathematics at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She graduated Cum Laude with distinction in her major. Additionally, she was the Peter Letterman Biological Scholar and earned the Cross Country Running Coaches Award.

Bruce Lisman of Shelburne, Barbara Wessel of Essex Junction, and Victoria Young of Proctor were elected to the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s Governing Board of Directors during the VSO Association’s Annual Meeting Wednesday night (September 15, 2010) at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe.

Lisman recently retired from a career in global equities management at JP Morgan Chase and, later, Bear Stearns. He serves on the boards of Merchants Bancshares, National Life Group, and Shelburne Museum, and was previously chairman of the University of Vermont Board.

The Board of the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care (VPQHC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sharon Williams as executive director.

The board conducted a national search, with a focus on finding executive level experience and the skill set to respond to evolving expectations for VPQHC in this era of health care reform. In Sharon, we found an Executive Director who brings a broad and varied background in health care, as well as an inspirational leadership style.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas today awarded Laura Zuchowski the 2010 Heritage Award for her distinguished contribution to USCIS and its mission. Zuchowski is chief of contracting support at the USCIS Vermont Field Service Center.

The Heritage Award is the highest individual award of more than 20 presented during the annual ceremony at USCIS headquarters in Washington, D.C.