New positions

Mid-Atlantic Country Magazine in Greenbelt named Laurin Talley Ensslin associate publisher/advertising director.

Spivey Associates, the Baltimore agency of Mutual of New York, a provider of insurance, pension and investment products, named John Little, Kenneth F. DeFelice, Richard B. Teitelman and Robert G. Savoyna members of the agency.

Life Insurance Company of Virginia named James F. Calcutt unit manager in Baltimore.

First National Bank of Maryland appointed Dennis E. Finnegan vice president and manager of the retail financial sales department of the Treasury and Securities Markets Division.

Legal and professional

Venable, Baetjer and Howard, a Baltimore-based law firm, named Robert M. Ercole partner in the business division.

Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander, a law firm in Baltimore, announced the following appointments: Matthew P. Mellin, partner in the Employment Law Department; M. Melinda Thompson, associate in the Real Estate Department; David E. Beller, associate, Litigation Department; and Melissa D. Dray, associate, Family Law Department.

Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, a Rockville-based law firm, named Michael V. Nakamura and Paul A. Bellegarde associates.

Health care

Sheppard Pratt Health System in Baltimore named Dr. Steven S. Sharfstein president and chief executive officer. Dr. Sharfstein will continue to serve as medical director of Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital.

Drs. Brager, Gaber & Associates, an internal medicine and endocrinology practice in Baltimore, named Dr. Jonathan Gitter to the practice.

North Arundel Hospital in Glen Burnie promoted James R. Walker to president-chief executive officer, and named Robin Reed-Romberger assistant director, Medical Records Department and Lillie Ragins-Walker Employee Assistance Program counselor.

Columbia Center for Counseling and Psychotherapy named Sara Yano associate.

Advertising and P.R.

Michael Blum Associates Inc., a Bel Air-based advertising and marketing agency, named Sandra Remley Gasper director of account services.

Porter/Novelli, a public relations agency in Washington, promoted Laura Tomasetti to senior account executive and Vince Powers and Shannon Beaudin to account executives.

Real estate

Ryland Building Co., a division of the Ryland Group Inc. in Columbia, promoted Timothy R. Doyle to president of the Midwest region, based in Cincinnati.