newsmakers.people/d.taub/mike1st/mark2nd

Jan. 27

Advertising/Public Relations

William J.P. Smith Jr. has been appointed senior vice president and director of public relations at Ahlman & Associates. Smith, who most recently spent three years as a professor at Emerson College in Boston and Los Angeles, will be responsible for strategic planning and program execution for the firm’s public relations clients.

Grey Advertising Inc. has promoted Steve Blamer to the newly created position of executive vice president and managing director of the firm’s Los Angeles office. Blamer, who joined Grey in 1989 as director of new business, was most recently executive vice president and director of client services.

Banking & Finance

Ed Lund has been promoted to vice president and bank manager of Foothill Independent Bank’s Irwindale office. Lund, who was previously vice president and business banking officer out of Foothill’s Irwindale and Walnut branches, will continue to meet with customers and prospective customers to design individual banking programs.

Imperial Bank has named Daniel R. Mathis president and chief operating officer and has hired H.W. “Duke” Chenoweth as executive vice president of the bank’s California and Arizona commercial banking entities. Mathis, who previously served as an executive vice president with the bank, will directly oversee Imperial’s commercial banking operation, credit administration, specialized deposit divison and international trade finance. Chenoweth was most recently a senior vice president at Union Bank of California.

Karen L. Sisson has been named chief financial officer for the Los Angeles Department of Airports. Sisson, who was most recently vice president of Public Resources Advisory Group, Los Angeles, will be responsible for calculating landing fees, overseeing and preparing the department’s budget, revenue forecasting, developing a formal capital budget and directing debt issuance and debt management.

Union Bank of California has promoted Robert M. Stebbins to senior vice president. Stebbins, who has been with Union Bank since 1990 and works in its international banking group at the bank’s Los Angeles office, has previously worked at banks in Chicago, Sydney, Frankfurt, Milan and Manila.

Consulting

MacKenzie Partners Inc. has hired John K. Kelly as a senior vice president to head its new office in Century City. Kelly, most recently a consultant for Johnnie D. Johnson & Co. Inc., spent more than 20 years as an executive vice president at D.F. King & Co. Inc.

David M. Shade has been named president and chief executive officer of Marshall & Stevens Inc. Shade, who frequently lectures to professional groups and associations throughout the country, has taught at Indiana, Northwestern and Roosevelt universities.

Entertainment/Media

AMC Entertainment Inc. has appointed Susan Keene to the position of vice president of international real estate transactions. Keene, who will be based out of AMC’s Los Angeles office, will be responsible for closing and assisting in the negotiation of the company’s real estate transactions in Europe and Asia.

Jon Stephen Holman has been appointed senior vice president and corporate group publisher at Metropolis Inc. Holman, who has worked at KQED in San Francisco and who has owned and published Entertaining magazine, will oversee the publishing of Men’s Perspective, Digital Diner, GameFan and MegaFan magazines at Metropolis.

Brent Hahn has been named vice president and creative director of World Wide Wadio. Hahn, who has been with World Wide since 1994 as senior writer and producer, will head the company’s team of producers, writers and sound designers.

Health Care

Alpha Therapeutic Corp. has promoted Carolyn Siegal to vice president of business development. Siegal, who has been with Alpha since 1991, most recently as director of business development and planning, will be responsible for developing and licensing new products, as well as new product marketing and planning.

John E. Smithhisler has been named chief executive officer of Centinela Hospital Medical Center. Smithhisler was most recently chief executive officer of Columbia East Houston Medical Center in Houston.

High-Tech/Aerospace

Charles C. Maynard has been appointed chief executive officer of Cybernetic Services Inc. Maynard was most recently chief executive officer of Progressive World Messaging. Prior to that, he was president of Cincinnati Bell Messaging Services Inc.

Law

Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP has made John T. Vangel a partner at the firm’s Los Angeles office. Vangel is a member of the firm’s corporate, securities and technologies group.

Rebecca R. Weinreich has been made a partner at Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold’s Los Angeles office. Weinreich practices in the areas of product liability, business litigation and professional malpractice.

Personnel

Don Butler has announced his retirement after serving 17 years as president and chief executive officer of The Employers Group. Butler has been named president emeritus of the association and will become an honorary board director for life. Prior to joining the association, Butler was president and chief executive officer of SSP Industries.

Real Estate

Martha M. Belcher has been named vice president and regional counsel for the Fannie Mae Western Regional Office. Belcher, who was previously a partner at the Los Angeles office of Arnold & Porter, will have overall responsibility for legal activities within Fannie Mae’s western region, as well as serving as general counsel for the office.

Prentiss Properties has promoted Richard “Ric” Ross to vice president and national director of corporate development. Ross, who has been with Prentiss for more than two years, overseeing corporate communications, will be responsible for promoting third-party management, leasing, construction management and fee development programs.

Retail

Peter K. Dang has been named executive vice president of worldwide merchandising, licensing and consumer products for Sony Signatures’ film and television divisions. Dang, who was most recently president of Saban Children’s Entertainment Group, will be responsible for Sony’s merchandising and branding opportunities.

Tourism

Peter O’Colmain has been appointed vice president and general manager of the Regent Beverly Wilshire. O’Colmain, who has more than 20 years of experience in the hotel industry across the United States and Canada, was most recently regional vice president and general manager of the Regent Bangkok.