Giant stores to offer DVD kiosks

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006

Giant Food stores throughout the mid-Atlantic region will offer automated DVD rental kiosks, with each kiosk able to hold more than 500 DVDs, from Redbox of Oak Brook, Ill., starting in March.

Plans call for kiosks in about 80 percent of Giant’s 187 supermarkets in the region by the end of June, according to company information. The agreement follows a 12-month test in Giant’s Baltimore locations.

‘‘We are thrilled with the continued success of Redbox and the opportunity to build our reach in Giant stores,” Gregg Kaplan, Redbox CEO, said in a statement. Redbox, a subsidiary of fast-food giant McDonald’s, reported its best month in December, with more than 1.1 million DVD rentals in more than 800 locations.

Names and faces

Charles E. Weller has been appointed president and chief executive officer of OBA Bank. He replaces Warren N. Low, who retired. Low remains a director of OBA Bank. Prior to joining OBA Bank, Weller was with BB&T in Howard County. OBA Bank is headquartered in Germantown.

Synthetic Genomics Inc. of Rockville named Aristides Patrinos president. Previously, Patrinos was associate director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research.

IBM promoted John Nyland to managing partner of its public sector business consulting services unit in Bethesda. Previously, Nyland, who joined IMB 28 years ago, was general manager of Public Sector, IBM Global Services. Nyland is board chairman of the Tech Council of Maryland.

Lockheed Martin Corp. of Bethesda named Mary Margaret VanDeWeghe senior vice president of finance. Previously, VanDeWeghe was CEO of Forte Consulting and executive-in-residence and finance professor at the graduate school of business at the University of Maryland. She was also managing director with J.P. Morgan.

Binary Consulting of Bethesda named William Johnston director of client relations. Previously, Johnston was executive vice president for client relations and corporate security officer with Constella Group and CEO and president of United Information Systems before its acquisition by Constella. He is a retired Navy captain.

Hanger Orthopedic Group Inc. of Bethesda promoted Jeff Martin to president of its subsidiary Innovative Neurotronics Inc. Previously, Martin was vice president and managing director. Martin joined Hanger in 1995 as vice president of its managed care network.

Montgomery Hospice of Rockville named Henrietta Bertelsman as CFO. Previously, Bertelsman worked for United Church Retirement Homes Inc. and St. Andrew’s Management Services Inc.

DecisionPath Consulting of Gaithersburg named Hartley Jones to lead the its federal systems practice. Previously, Jones was assistant CFO for systems with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Labor, Mellon Bank, the U.S. Treasury and Booz, Allen and Hamilton.

The Opus Group named Thomas Walker senior director of Opus Government Programs of Rockville, working in its Atlanta office. Previously, Walker, a registered engineer, worked for the U.S. General Services Administration.

The city of Rockville named David Levy of Bethesda its first chief of redevelopment in its Department of Community Planning and Development Services. Previously, Levy was a commissioner at the Department of Housing and Community Development in Baltimore.

Schnabel Engineering Inc. named Qamar Kazmi a senior associate in its Gaithersburg office.

Bid4Assets Inc. of Silver Spring named Laura A. Reimers, formerly a vice president with Discovery Communications Inc., vice president, marketing and communications. Bid4Assets also promoted Scott T. Smurthwaite from senior director of Web development to chief technology officer.

Building company’slicense suspended

The state Attorney General’s Office has suspended the license of Dujon Home Concepts , a Silver Spring home building company, for allegedly not completing homes that were promised to customers. The state also is seeking restitution for customers from the company’s owner.

The office alleges that the company, operated by Sharon C. Dujon, entered into contracts to build homes in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, but never completed them. In addition, Dujon failed to maintain customers’ deposits in an escrow account as required by law and did not provide officials with a surety bond or letter of credit. A hearing is scheduled March 15 in Hunt Valley.

Items for Business Notes can be sent to Tammy Murphy at tmurphy@gazette.net, faxed to 301-670-7183 or mailed to 1200 Quince Orchard Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878.