Nominations are being accepted for the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” program, which recognizes outstanding young business leaders on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Forty individuals will be recognized in the class of 2012 for the contributions they have made within their fields.

To be eligible, all of the following requirements must be met. read more »

Amina Kocer-Bowman, the 9-year-old girl who was critically injured in an accidental shooting in her third-grade classroom, will be the civilian grand marshal for the annual Armed Forces Day Parade on Saturday in Bremerton.

The girl, who was released from the hospital April 3, will ride with her family on a car in the parade, Bremerton Chamber of Commerce executive director Mike Strube confirmed.

Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent said that what the youngster has gone through in her ongoing recovery from the shooting is “almost like being a veteran.” read more »

Kitsap Mental Health Services is among the first organizations receiving federal Health Care Innovation awards. Made possible by the health care reform law — the Affordable Care Act — the awards will support 26 innovative projects nationwide that will save money, deliver high-quality medical care and enhance the health care workforce. The preliminary recipients of awards totaling $122.6 million expect to reduce health spending by $254 million over the next three years.

“We can’t wait to support innovative projects that will save money and make our health care system stronger,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “It’s yet another way we are supporting local communities now in their efforts to provide better care and lower cost.” read more »

The bank he’s retiring from is a whole lot bigger than it was when Jim Carmichael came to Port Orchard 35 years ago, joining the executive management of Kitsap County Bank in 1977 when it had $47 million in assets and four offices.

Carmichael will retire as president and CEO at the end of June, having shepherded Kitsap Bank’s steady growth into an institution that has more than $900 million in assets and operates 21 locations across five counties in Western Washington.

“I have experienced both triumphs and great challenges during my tenure,” Carmichael said in a news release announcing his retirement. “We have achieved record growth, numerous mergers and acquisitions, assumed a failed bank, raised capital for the first time in over 50 years, and successfully navigated through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. read more »

Gateway Fellowship Church has hired Mark W. Costa, president and CEO of the North Mason Chamber of Commerce, to be director of communications and development for the expanded Gateway Christian Schools.

Costa will oversee internal and external marketing, communications, community relations and strategic devel-opment for the Gateway Christian School, which the church has operated in Poulsbo since 1974, and Crosspoint Academy in Bremerton, which Gateway recently acquired from Seattle-based Crista Ministries.

Costa, who helped increase membership in the North Mason Chamber during his year-and-a-half tenure there, will focus on increasing enrollment at the Gateway Christian Schools. read more »

Gig Harbor made Smithsonian magazine’s list of 20 best small towns in America. The list, published in April at smithsonianmag.com, included towns from across the country whose culture and lifestyle make them the best for visiting, according to the magazine.

The publication worked with a geographic information systems company to identify towns with populations under 25,000 that had a high concentration of museums, art galleries, historic sites, botanic gardens and other cultural attractions. read more »

Doña Keating, president and CEO of Professional Options, has been named to the 2012 SMB 150, representing the top 150 influencers within the worldwide Small & Medium Business IT channel.

“This year’s SMB 150 has been an energizing experience, so it’s exciting to be able to finally share the results,” said Harry Brelsford, founder and chairman of SMB Nation. “What struck me the most about this year’s list is its inclusion of channel members from all over the world; it’s a real reflection of the diversity and strength of our worldwide community.” read more »

AmericanWest Bank has hired Linda Lincoln as Bainbridge Island Branch Manager.

Lincoln has more than 35 years of banking and financial services experience, including previous experience as a branch manager. She is currently a member of the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce and is an active community volunteer.

The Bainbridge Island branch of American West Bank is at 921 Hildebrand Lane, and Lincoln can be reached at (206) 842-6929. read more »

Veteran-owned Olympic Printer Resources, Inc. of Kingston welcomes Mark Witherell to its staff. Witherell, a retired Navy Master Chief Electronics Technician, will head the company’s printer repair services department. He served in the Submarine Force and recently retired from the staff of Commander, Naval Forces Africa.

Company president Jeff Petersen, a 1974 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a former nuclear submarine officer during the Cold War, likes to hire veterans. “Over three-fourths of our staff members have served our country in the armed forces,” Petersen said. read more »