DAMON A. TOHTZ, M.D., a psychiatrist, has joined Oswego Health in its Behavioral Health Services Department. He has extensive experience working with adult and geriatric patients in both outpatient and inpatient settings including spending 10 years at the Syracuse VA and most recently he was a staff psychiatrist at Helio Health System. Tohtz completed his fellowship in forensic psychiatry and his residency in psychiatry, both at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine.

Smith Sovik Kendrick & Sugnet, PC has elected VICTOR L. PRIAL a partner at the firm. He is a trial lawyer who concentrates his practice in personal injury and civil litigation. Prial handles all types of lawsuits including products liability, professional malpractice, contract disputes, premises liability, labor law, personal injury, construction matters, and employment law.

Harris Beach PLLC has elected JULIAN B. MODESTI a partner of the firm. He is a commercial litigator whose practice encompasses shareholder disputes, leases, land-use matters, finance agreements, unfair competition, trade secrets and business torts. Modesti is also the firm’s head litigator for trust and estate disputes in surrogate’s courts. He handles appeals in state and federal courts on a wide variety of civil law issues and is frequently retained as a mediator. Modesti earned his law degree from Vermont Law School in 1994.

CALEB C. SLATER has joined BellCornerstone Commercial Real Estate as a business development associate and co-producer for “The Faces of Syracuse.” He has experience in both video production and business development. Slater has an undergraduate degree in television-radio production from the Park School of Communications at Ithaca College and more than five years of video-production experience. In addition to content creation, he has experience in sales and public relations from his time working in campaign politics and his previous employment as an automotive sales consultant at Fox Honda.

DANIEL LYNCH has joined the firm as a business development associate. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College’s Madden School of Business where he double majored in finance and business analytics. Lynch is currently pursuing an MBA from Le Moyne College while he works. Prior to his current position at BellCornerstone, he was a full-time student-athlete as a member of the men’s lacrosse team at Le Moyne.

KARA HILLER has joined the firm as an attorney and business development executive. She is a licensed attorney and real-estate broker. Hiller has a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from the University of Rochester and a juris doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law. She has a diverse legal background that includes both law firm practice and legal publishing experience.

SARAH LAURO has joined the firm as a business development executive. She is a licensed real -state salesperson. Trained in public relations and marketing, she has a more than 10-year background in communications, elegant leadership, strategic planning, and business development. Prior to her current position at Bell Cornerstone, Lauro managed dental practices for more than nine years and opened her own baking business in 2013.