Dr. Ameen Habash has joined Renaissance Cosmetic Surgery Center of El Paseo as director of plastic surgery. Habash recently completed a six-year integrated residency in plastic surgery at the University of Kentucky School of Medicine. In addition to specializing in all aspects of cosmetic surgery, Habash is also a reconstructive surgeon for victims of breast cancer.
Robert Binkele has been appointed to the board of directors of Spare Backup Inc. of Palm Desert. Binkele will replace Richard Galterio, who is resigning from the board to focus on other business obligations. Binkele is the Indian Wells wealth manager for J.P. Turner & Co., a national full-service registered broker dealer.
ABR Mortgage Inc. has opened a new branch office at 3001 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 201, in Palm Springs.
The family-owned and -operated company is a full-service mortgage broker specializing in all types of real estate financing, including FHA, VA and conventional loans. Leading the Palm Springs office is sales director Joe Fillippelli, broker affiliate George Kouri and broker affiliate Cary Hampton. Information: 318-7300
The Maric College campus in Palm Springs is one of 11 California-based Maric College campuses that changed its name to Kaplan College. Kaplan College, at 2475 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, celebrated the name change on Sept. 26 at a grand opening attended by campus Executive Director Kevin Quirk and Kaplan Higher Education Vice President of General Counsel Janice Block. Kaplan Inc. is a global provider of education services offering accredited bachelor's and associate's degrees or diploma and certificate programs in health care, business, computers, legal, and professional trades.
Rancho Elementary School received a $10,000 check from Executive Women International on Sept. 18. While the women's group was attending a “Reading Rally” as part of its leadership conference at Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, they visited Sue Patterson's second-grade classroom. The next day, they presented the check as well as a new iMAC computer. School Principal Marsha Boring said the donation would go toward reading materials and technology equipment for the school.
Two Bunch Palms Resort and Spa in Desert Hot Springs has been named among the top 10 best spas in the world in the Best for Mineral Springs category by the SpaFinder's 2008 Readers' Choice Awards. This is the second consecutive year the retreat resort has been recognized with this prestigious honor.
Two Bunch Palms is known for its natural, hot mineral spring waters that flow freely throughout the fertile 56-acre property and cascade into a grotto and two adjoining mineral spring pools.
Palm Springs Women in Film and Television has announced the recipients of its first Broken Glass Awards to honor extraordinary achievements by women in the Coachella Valley. Presentation of the awards will take place on Nov. 7 at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Indian Wells.
The winners are:
Jennifer and Suzanne Todd, producers of the “Austin Powers” films, and whose production company, Team Todd, produced “Across the Universe” and “The Accidental Husband,” will receive the Broken Glass Award.
Donna Mills, award-winning actress and star of “Knots Landing” and many other performances, will receive the Gena Award.
Rozene Supple, philanthropist, co-owner of the Camelot Theatres and R & R Broadcasting and founder of the Palm Springs Cultural Center, will receive the Jackie Lee Humanitarian Award.
Pattie Daly Caruso, actress, producer, TV talk-show host and entertainment reporter for KPSP-TV, will receive the Desert Diva Award.
Billy Steinberg, Grammy award-winning songwriter, will be honored with the 313th Gold Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars at 2 p.m. Oct. 18. Steinberg, who grew up in Palm Springs, pursued a career after college as a recording artist and songwriter while working at his family's table grape business.
In his mid-20s, he formed the group Billy Thermal — Thermal was the location of the family's vineyard business. Over the past two decades, he has had five No. 1 singles on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, six other Top 10 U.S. hits and won the Grammy Award for the hit recording of “Falling Into You.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert has received its organization's 2008 Gold Standard Award.
Winners of the award represent the top 5 percent of the nearly 400 agencies across the country in numbers and quality of children served, high match support, low closure rates and increases in revenue to sustain the professionally supported mentoring relationships.
Do you have information for Your Business, Your News?: E-mail Nina.Ronda@thedesertsun.com, call 778-4639 or fax 778-4654. Send announcements to the following address: Nina Ronda, The Desert Sun, 750 N. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, Calif. 92262.
