LIMELIGHT | Awards, achievements

CANFIELD -- Carol Combs, owner of Photography by Carol in Canfield, has been awarded a Craftsman Degree in Photography by the Professional Photographers of America. The designation is awarded to photographers who have received blue ribbons in photo competition and have taught other professional photographers. Combs opened her studio in 1984 and is secretary of the Society of Professional Photographers of Northern Ohio.
CANFIELD -- GF Office Furniture's Gallatin, Tenn., manufacturing facility was presented an award for its implementation of a new, environmentally friendly paint line by the Environmental Protection Agency's Design For the Environment division.
Carl Zemenick, GF president and chief executive, said the office furniture maker has launched a program to reduce the impact its operations have on the environment. To date, the initiative has resulted in reductions of 96 percent in solid waste and 54 percent in air emissions.
AUSTINTOWN -- Elizabeth L. Rouse, an insurance and financial services representative at the Thomas Insurance Agency in Austintown, has completed specialization training with State Farm Insurance to qualify as a health insurance representative. Rouse joined the agency in 1998 as an office manager and has earned her property/casualty and life/health licenses. She lives in Austintown.
CANFIELD -- Jeffrey J. Ameen of UBS Financial Services on Boardman-Canfield Road has completed the firm's training and examinations to qualify as a registered financial adviser, licensed to sell stocks, bonds, tax-advantaged investments and insurance products. He came to the Canfield office from Weehawken, N.J., where he was an associate with UBS Paine Webber's Information Services division at the company's headquarters. Ameen has a bachelor's degree in management information services from Miami University of Ohio. He lives in Canfield.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Robert B. Gardner, a certified public accountant and a financial adviser at Butler, Wick & amp; Co.'s Canfield office, has been elected to the board of trustees of the Industrial Institute for Education. The institute focuses on public economic education by working with local schools to provide career guidance and developing economic literacy programs. Gardner has a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and a master's degree from Youngstown State University. A Youngstown resident, he came to Butler Wick from Commercial Intertech, Youngstown.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Joseph M. Mersol, an agent for New York Life Insurance Co. in Youngstown, has been designated a Chartered Financial Consultant by the American College at Bryn Mawr, Pa. Mersol completed a 10-course curriculum and a series of examinations to qualify for the ChFC designation. A New Middletown resident, Mersol graduated from Poland High School and earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from John Carroll University. He retired from the U.S. Army as a major.
AUSTINTOWN -- Drive Thru News & amp; Lottery on South Raccoon Road in Austintown was the Ohio Lottery Commission's Retailer-of-the-Week for the week of July 28 and was acknowledged on the lottery's Cash Explosion Double Play television show Saturday. Doug and Sherry Estok have owned the business for 18 months. It averages weekly lottery ticket sales of $32,441.