Movers and shakers

Carlos S. Arevalo has become a partner at the Crystal Lake law firm of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood and McArdle. Arevalo, the city attorney for Marengo and Harvard and counsel for the Woodstock Plan Commission, concentrates his practice in municipal and local government law and labor and employment law. He also serves as secretary in the Illinois State Bar Association Local Government Law Section Council.

Arturo Benitez of Skokie joined Dahlquist & Lutzow Architects Ltd. as a job captain to work on a variety of projects including a field house addition and an interior renovation of Ridgewood High School in Norridge School District 234.

Jeffrey D. Ayers joined Hoffman Estates-based Career Education Corp. as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary.

The Public Relations Society of America's Chicago chapter elected the following new officers: Michael McGrath of FD-Ashton Partners, president; Rebecca Theim of Tipitina Communications, president-elect; Stephanie Krol of SKPR, vice president; and Scott Farrell of Golin Harris, treasurer.

Naperville resident John Leinen was named director of sales and marketing at the Sheraton Chicago Northwest in Arlington Heights.

Peter J. Soltesz joined Merrill Lynch, Chicago, as vice president, regional associate director for the Illinois/Wisconsin region.

St. Charles resident John M. Power was promoted to partner at Cogan & McNabola P.C., a Chicago personal injury law firm.

Clifton Gunderson in Milwaukee named St. Charles native Jennifer Dirks firmwide communication leader, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the firm's external and internal communications.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture honored Paula Neal of Gurnee for her 25 years of service.

Lake Forest-based Green Courte Partners LLC, a private real estate investment firm, promoted David B. Lentz to managing director and Kian H. Wagner to vice president.

Steve Madland

Certified Public Accountant Steve Madland of Naperville joined Hawthorne Credit Union, Naperville, as accounting manager. Madland has had previous experience as a controller for leading local corporations.

Lisle-based Claymore Securities Inc. and Claymore Advisors LLC hired Thomas Futrell as senior managing director and chief investment officer. Futrell previously served as director of research for Nuveen Asset Management.

Charles W. Connors Jr. was promoted to president and chief operating officer at Addison-based Magneco/Metrel Inc., a developer and manufacturer of nanoparticulate refractory for the glass, aluminum, copper, ceramic, iron and steel industries.

Streamwood resident Jeff Leesman, an electrical engineer at KJWW Engineering Consultants, Naperville, achieved the status of licensed professional engineer in Illinois.

The board of directors for the Employee Services Management Association, Elmhurst, elected Paulette Bondi as its 2008 president.