Starting a new job? Winning recognition? Earning a degree? Send announcements to Washington Ave., Towson, MD 21204 or to jeffersonian@patuxent.com.

High-resolution, head-and-shoulders photos are welcome.

Banking

> Hamilton Federal Bank, with branches in Towson and Cockeysville, named Robert A. DeAlmeida of Jarettsville as president, replacing James Ritter.

education

> McDonald's Family Restaurants of Greater Baltimore honored 50 high school seniors throughout the Greater Baltimore area, including two McDonald's crew members, with McDonald's Best of Baltimore scholarships worth $1,000 each. Honorees from Baltimore County were:

*Kara Chaprnka, Dulaney High School

*Adina Dachs, Michele Durso, Susan Katz, Bais Yaakov School for Girls

*Michelle Drzewiecki, Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts

*Leigh Ann Goedeke, Baltimore Lutheran

*Lauren Holden, Catonsville High School

*Debra Lyon, Kenwood High School

*Raienier Means, Kasey Mikula, Jessica Young, Dundalk High School

*Aderonke Olaleye, McDonogh School

*Shannon Paige, Towson Catholic High School

*Max Shichtman, Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community High School

*Carly Tegeler, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School

*Justin Thaler, Pikesville High School

Financial Consulting

> Joseph Grimm III of Towson joined Butler Capital Corp. in Hunt Valley as a sales associate in franchise funding.

Health Care

> Dr. Arnall Patz of Pikesville, an ophthalmologist, earned the Lester S. Levy Humanitarian Award, granted every two years to a person who exemplifies the ideals of pursuing justice and improving the human condition. Patz is credited with the discovery of the connection between incubators and blindness in babies. He also is known for his work with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel on argon lasers used in the treatment of diabetic eye disease and other retinal disorders.

Home Repair

> Kenneth Dunn, owner of Mr. Handyman of Northern Baltimore County in Timonium, was invited by ESPN to contribute gift bags for the 2005 Espy awards.

Law

> Michael C. Hodes, managing director of Hodes, Ulman, Pessin and Katz, in Towson, will serve as chairman of the new collegewide foundation for The Community College of Baltimore County.

> Robert C. Kellner of Monkton, chairman of Gordon, Feinblatt's litigation practice group, was listed in the 2005 edition of "Chambers USA: A Guide to America's Leading Business Lawyers."

Nonprofits

> The Baltimore Community Foundation, which raises, manages and distributes funds for charitable purposes in the Baltimore region, elected Harry S. Johnson of Cockeysville, a partner of Whiteford, Taylor and Preston, and Marc B. Terrill of Owings Mills, president of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, to its board of trustees.

Politics

> Del. James Malone Jr., who represents Catonsville and Arbutus, was appointed to Gov. Robert Ehrlich's Work Group on Young Drivers.

- Compiled by Judi Laser