Rubén Flores-Marzán has been named planning and urban development director in the city of Providence Department of Planning and Development, in which he will focus on the city’s medium- and long-range development strategies. more

Paul Zinno has founded JP Diversified Asset Management and he will serve as president and CEO. Zinno has worked for UBS Financial Services, Bank of America Investment Services/Merrill Lynch, and most recently US Trust, Private Portfolio Services. more

Paula Reynolds Jacobson has been appointed executive director of the Kent County YMCA after previously serving as interim executive director. more

William J. Murray has been appointed president at Teknor Apex Co. more

Jason C. Martiesian has been named a lobbyist at Robinson and Cole LLP, where he will be engaging in legislative and administrative lobbying on issues including health care, the environment, labor, energy and economic development. more

Jim Soucy has been named a Medicare supplemental insurance adviser at Cornerstone Group, where he will educate clients on the Medicare system and assist them in choosing supplemental plans. more

Kirk Lusk has been named chief financial officer of Narragansett Bay Insurance Co. more

Grant Livingston has been hired as a senior retirement plan adviser at Cornerstone Group, where he will be responsible for helping the firm’s small-business clients manage their retirement plans. more

Anny Whetzel, a Cranston resident, was recently named a Rhode Island Community Hero by Cox Communications in honor of her volunteer efforts. Whetzel is a production support tech at Cox, where she has worked for more than 13 years. During the past year, she has spent her Saturday afternoons at Knight Memorial Library, a branch of the Providence Community Library, teaching adults English as a Second Language. In recognition of Whetzel’s efforts, Cox will award the library a $3,000 Cox Charities Grant to further support its work in the community. more

Unemployed Rhode Islanders will be able to continue collecting unemployment insurance while they develop a plan to launch their own business with the assistance of a federal grant for the Self Employment Assistance Program, Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee announced Wednesday afternoon. more