JACOB (JAKE) DOWKER has been promoted to creative director at Paige Marketing Communications Group, Inc. (The Paige Group) in Utica. Dowker joined The Paige Group in 2014 and has most recently served as creative director — new media design. Over the past eight years, he has contributed across the spectrum of agency creative services, including concept and design, brand development, 3-D animation, motion graphics, and video production. As creative director, Dowker will play a lead role in defining the creative vision for client brands, products, and services. He will also continue to spearhead the expansion of the agency’s creative-service capabilities into new realms, which in recent years have included 3-D animation and product modeling.

Clark Equipment Rental and Sales has named JON WHIPPLE operations manager  of its forklift division. A native of Central New York, he recently joined the Clark Equipment team after a successful career with Tri-Lift. With more than three decades of experience in material handling, management, and sales, Whipple brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new position. A graduate of SUNY Fredonia, Whipple has continued his industrial-psychology education with studies in industrial-labor relations through Cornell University and sales marketing through Sandler Sales Institute. 

ROB THORPE, partner in the Syracuse office of Barclay Damon, has been appointed to serve as hiring partner of laterals. He counsels and represents employers in all types of labor and employment matters, including issues concerning workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; hiring and termination strategies; employee-benefit programs; and wage-and-hour matters. Thorpe earned his law degree from Tulane University and bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College.

JEFF KOEHNE has been appointed chief operating officer, from his prior title of executive director. A certified public accountant (CPA) and former investment banker and CFO, Koehne, who works in Barclay Damon’s Syracuse office, oversees all administrative departments of the law firm. That includes accounting; facilities, procurement, and records; human resources, information resources; information technology, and marketing. He is also involved in strategic planning, lateral recruitment, administrative-policy review, feasibility analyses of new markets, and developing organizational and business goals. Koehne received his MBA from New York University and bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College.

HEATHER SUNSER, a partner in Barclay Damon’s Syracuse office, has been named to serve as the leader of the firm’s tax credits team. She is a member of the real estate and financial institutions & lending practice areas and telecommunications, energy, cannabis, and hotels, hospitality & food service teams and financial services practice group leader. Sunser earned her law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law, master’s degree from SUNY Oswego, and bachelor’s degree from the University at Albany.

JOHN COOK, also a partner in the firm’s Syracuse location, has been named to serve as the intellectual property litigation practice area co-chair. He is a member of Barclay Damon’s intellectual property litigation and trademarks, copyrights & IP transactions practice areas, and communications & networking technology team. Cook received his law degree from Villanova University and bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College.