A weekly roundup of business awards, promotions and recognitions.
Steven M. Shermetta Steven M. Shermetta joined the Lehigh Valley Financial Group in Upper Saucon Township as a financial services professional. He will serve as a specialist in life and disability income insurance programs, employee fringe benefits, business insurance, and estate and retirement planning.
Shermetta earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Penn State University and is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration from Moravian College.
Shermetta serves as a football coach at Saucon Valley School District Junior High School and is active in the Penn State University Alumni Association.
Lehigh Valley Financial Group is an agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.
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Douglas Panzer joined law firm Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba P.C. in Upper Saucon Township. He will provide intellectual property services to clients and support the firm’s transactional and litigation groups.
Douglas Panzer Panzer specializes in technology transactions and intellectual property strategy and litigation, with a focus on the areas of computer software, e-commerce and the Internet. He previously worked at the intellectual property law firm of Caesar, Rivise, Bernstein, Cohen & Pokotilow Ltd. in Philadelphia and as corporate counsel for The Neat Co.
Panzer earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and computer science from Washington & Lee University and a law degree from American University, Washington College of Law.
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Nicholas T. Mares, vice president of marketing at Asbury Graphite Mills Inc. in Asbury, was awarded the Distinguished Service to Powder Metallurgy award from the Metal Powder Industries Federation during the International Conference on Powder Metallurgy & Particulate Materials held in Chicago.
Established in 1968, the award recognizes professionals who have devoted a major part of their careers to one or more segments of the powder metallurgy industry and whose contributions and achievements deserve special recognition.
Powder metallurgy is an automated metalworking process that forms metal powders into precision components used in applications such as auto engines and transmissions, hardware, industrial machinery, sporting goods, defense and firearms. More than 800 million pounds of powder metallurgy parts are produced annually in North America.
Mares has worked for Asbury Graphite Mills for 33 years. He is an active member of the Metal Powder Industries Federation, where he serves as a director of the Metal Powder Producers Association and is a member of the technical board.
Mares earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Detroit, Mercy. He is a member of the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and serves as a referee with the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Athletic Association and has been a soccer coach for 20 years.