EMP-58

Snap-on Inc. recently announced that Thomas J. Ward has been named senior vice president and president of Snap-on Tools Co. LLC. Ward is now responsible for the worldwide Tools Group, including the franchisee network and manufacturing and distribution operations.

Mike Samson has been working hard for the past 16 months on an Internet startup of which he is co-founder. CrowdSPRING, an online marketplace that intends to transform the experience of purchasing creative services, is set to launch later this year. There, buyers will post their graphic design, photography, copywriting and Web design projects and, instead of submitting bids or proposals, providers from around the world will submit actual work, done on spec. By allowing graphic designers, whether established professionals or talented newcomers, to compete based only on their creativity and the quality of their ideas, crowdSPRING aims to level the competitive playing field for providers. Take a look at crowdspring.com.

Steve Hester's EMP-58 son, Rowan Daniel Hester, was bornSept. 21.

Eric Lochner has been promoted to managing partner, EMEA for Kenexa, and has moved to London. He says its been an incredible opportunity and he is really enjoying the work and the city. He also gets quite a bit of travel in visiting offices and customers. The locations in some great cities: Amsterdam, Dubai, Munich, Melbourne. Eric welcomes all visitors. His contact information remains eric.lochner@kenexa.com.

Steve Hester reports the fourth addition to his family, Rowan Daniel Hester, was born Sept. 21. According to Steve, he is always smiling and just amazing.

In November John Teeple accepted a promotion with Deere & Company to move to world headquarters in Moline, Ill., as manager of corporate strategy. He relocated with the family to the Quad Cities recently.

Teresa Sanders and Donna Cote have become business partners in earnest. They became strategic partners on a transaction Donna initiated last fall, which was the $70 million acquisition of 21,000-plus acres of land from International Paper. If anyone would like pine cones for their next holiday craft project, they're the ones to see. They also have a pipeline of potential hotel developments, including one in suburban Chicago, and hope to secure agreements, financing and get construction going by the latter half of 2008.

Alice Popescu-Gatlan has accepted a new position leading the advanced R&D efforts for the construction and forestry division at John Deere. She and Dan moved to Dubuque, Iowa, for the job, which began Feb 1. About half of her team is located in Tampere, Finland.

Paul "Mitch" Mitchell has accepted the position of project finance manager for Eastman Developing Businesses. He will lead the project finance and risk management efforts for Eastman's new business development.