newsmakers.people/d.taub/1stjc/mark2nd
Jan. 20
Advertising/Public Relations
John Giurni has been promoted to vice president of The Blaze Co. Giurni, who was previously a senior account supervisor at the company, will continue to supervise consumer product and service accounts, including accounts for the Beverly Center, The Gym, Rokenbok and Sam’s-U-Rent, as well as develop new business for the agency.
GCI Group has promoted Michelle Jordan to president of its Los Angeles office, which has also changed its name to GCI Los Angeles. Jordan joined GCI in May 1996 as executive vice president and general manager of its Los Angeles office.
Banking & Finance
Douglas P. Krause has been appointed senior vice president and general counsel at East West Bank. Krause, who was previously corporate senior vice president and general counsel for Metrobank, will be responsible for all legal matters including operations, regulatory compliance, negotiations and documentation of loans at East West.
Imperial Bank has named Karen Paz vice president of marketing and public relations. Paz was most recently vice president of marketing for Metrobank in Long Beach. Prior to that, she held the position of vice president of strategic planning and marketing for National Bank in Long Beach.
Union Bank of California has named two new vice presidents in its Los Angeles office. Trevor M. Lewis, a senior trust administrator for the L.A. office’s business trust and investments department, has been promoted to vice president. Linda Parker Horowitz, director of marketing communications for trust and financial services group at the L.A. office, has also been promoted to vice president.
Consulting
Arthur M. Geoffrion has been named president of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, an international professional society with 12,000 members. Geoffrion is a professor of management science at UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management and a founding director of Insight Inc.
Entertainment/Media
Noreen Halpern has been promoted to vice president of creative affairs at Alliance Communications Corp.
Buzz Enterprises has named Jenny Isaacson vice president of marketing. Isaacson, who was previously marketing director for Buzz magazine, will assume responsibility for all marketing and publicity efforts for Buzz Enterprises, as well as continue her involvement in marketing strategies for Buzz magazine.
Al Kasha has been appointed to the newly created position of president of MTM Entertainment Inc.’s music division. Kasha, who joined MTM as a consultant a year ago, has created soundtracks for NBC’s “The Pretender,” UPN’s “Sparks” and the syndicated drama “The Cape” during his time with the company.
Lou Bortone has been named vice president of marketing services for Saban Entertainment Inc. Bortone, who has been with Saban since September 1994 as director of marketing services, will be responsible for overseeing the company’s television marketing activities, network and affiliate relations, advertising, media planning, markets and special events.
Unitel Video-Hollywood has promoted Mike Kichaven to the position of vice president of sales and marketing. Kichaven, who joined the company as an account executive in 1994, has previously held executive positions at NBC, the National Parenting Center, J-Nex Satellite News and Foote, Cone & Belding/Telecom.
Jon Gumpert has been appointed executive vice president of Universal Pictures. Gumpert, who has served as executive vice president of legal and business affairs for Universal since 1994, will be responsible for planning and coordinating business operations, including talent negotiations and third-party financing.
Health Care
W. June Simmons has been appointed president and chief executive officer of the Visiting Nurse Association of Los Angeles. Simmons, formerly an associate hospital administrator at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, has been with the association since 1993 and has served on its board of directors.
Law
Sheldon Eisenberg has been named a partner at the law firm of Bryan Cave LLP. Eisenberg, formerly a partner at Irell & Manella, will continue his commercial litigation practice at Bryan Cave LLP.
The law firm of Lewis, D’Amato, Brisbois & Bisgaard LLP has named Gregory P. Martin as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Martin joined the firm in 1989, and his areas of expertise are environmental law and occupational health and safety law.
Diane Paul has joined Loeb & Loeb LLP as a partner in the firm’s litigation department. Paul, formerly a partner with Cox, Castle & Nicholson, practices in the areas of general business litigation, entertainment and securities fraud and real estate finance litigation.
Real Estate
Thomas W. McCaslin has been promoted to executive vice president at Tishman Construction Corp. of California. McCaslin, who joined Tishman in 1982 and who was most recently senior vice president, will be responsible for administering all of the firm’s western regional operations.
Tourism
The Automobile Club of Southern California has named nine new vice presidents. The appointments were: Robert M. Wright, vice president and general counsel; G. Lane Barnett, vice president of marketing and development; Stephen E. Lenzi, vice president of public affairs and publishing, Sharon E. Supple, vice president of emergency road service; Larry L. Adamson, vice president of administration and automotve services; James Gilmartin, vice president of insurance claims for the interinsurance exchange; John H. Hazelrigg, vice president of life insurance products; J.R. “Rich” Suit Jr., vice president of insurance underwriting; and Randall L. Fouse, vice president of sales.
Ken Gross has been appointed director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. Gross, who has served as a contributing editor at Automobile Magazine, the Robb Report, Automobile Quarterly, Playboy and other publications, will be responsible for the museum’s day-to-day operations.
