Advertising/Public Relations

Los Angeles-based marketing and public relations company Durazo Communications has promoted Dan Durazo to executive vice president from vice president and Joanne Gonzalez Forster to vice president from account supervisor. Durazo will oversee all day-to-day office management, and will be responsible for new client presentations and proposals. Gonzalez will manage day-to-day activities for client accounts.

Direct marketing agency Ogily Adams & Rinehart has named Kathleen Kennedy director of loyalty marketing. Kennedy will oversee efforts geared toward maintaining customer brand loyalty. She previously was head of marketing at Egghead Software. In addition, Hugh Allspaugh and David Shrager have been named account directors. Allspaugh previously served as client services director at KLP in London. Shrager previously was assciate marketing director at Bronner Slosbert Humphrey in Boston. In their new positions, they will all be based in Los Angeles.

Banking & Finance

Bill Dunn has been promoted to vice president of sales at AppleOne Payroll & Tax Filing Services in Torrance. Dunn will oversee all payroll expansion and strategic planning. He previously was director of sales at the company.

John J. Beale has been named executive vice president, chief information officer and a member of the executive committee of City National Bank in Beverly Hills. Beal will be responsible for the company’s information technology. Prior to this, he served as acting chief financial officer. Before that, he worked at CAST Management Consultants and was responsible for its information technology practice.

Robert R. Evans has joined Trust Company of the West as managing director. Evans will be a member of all of the company’s investment committees and will be a member of its asset allocation team. Prior to joining the company, he ran Evans Associates, a consulting firm to endowments. He will be based in Los Angeles.

Construction

Jim Surdyk has been named project executive at W.E. O’Neil Construction in Los Angeles. Surdyk will oversee the design/construction of the Candlewood Hotel chains. Prior to joining the company, he worked at Dinwiddie Construction as project superintendent.

Consulting

Julie Buchalter has been named project manager at PMLA Inc., a project management consulting firm in Los Angeles. Buchalter will oversee all aspects of major assignments in project management. She previously was project manager at architectural firm Gensler.

Entertainment

Dan Taylor has been named to the newly created position of executive vice president of corporate finances at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. in Santa Monica. Taylor will develop and implement financial strategies, as well as oversee the treasury, internal audit and corporate tax departments. He previously served as a corporate executive at Tracinda Corp. In addition, Yalda Tehranian has been named vice president of production at MGM Pictures. Tehranian will be responsible for finding and developing properties for feature film consideration. She previously was senior vice president at Live Entertainment. Also, Mary Anderson has been promoted to director of creative affairs at MGM-owned United Artists Pictures, where she will oversee administrative aspects of story development. She was previously a story analyst at United Artists.

Amelia Bryant has been promoted to senior director of marketing for urban music at Universal Music & Video Distribution. Bryant will be based in Universal City and will coordinate marketing strategies between the labels and Universal’s artist development representatives. She previously served as product development manager for the company.

Universal City-based Trident Entertainment Inc. has promoted Antonio B. Rego to vice president of production and Jeff Richardson to director of production. Rego will oversee film, video and television production efforts. He previously was director of operations at the company. Richardson will direct and oversee productions. He previously headed the company’s graphics department.

Burbank-based Disney Interactive has named Jan Smith senior vice president and Steve Finney vice president and chief financial officer. Smith will be responsible for the division’s domestic and international businesses some of which include product development and marketing. She previously served as vice president and group publisher of Disney Publishing for Children. Finney will hold worldwide responsibilities for finance, operations and strategic planning, accounting and administration. He previously was vice president at Walt Disney Records.

Neil Topham has been named vice president and chief financial officer of Dove Entertainment Inc. in Los Angeles, after serving as acting chief financial officer. In his new position, he will oversee the finances of the company, which publishes audio and printed books, produces and distributes television programming, and distributes feature films. Prior to joining the company, he was chief financial officer at book publisher Harper Collins.

Bill Humphrey has been promoted to executive vice president of the Digital Studios Division of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Humphrey will plan and oversee integrated strategies for the division. He previously was senior vice president of corporate operations. Also, Tim Sarnoff has joined the company as executive vice president and general manager of Sony Pictures Imageworks, the company’s in-house visual effects division. In his new role, Sarnoff will oversee digital production. Prior to joining the company, he headed Warner Digital Studios. Both Humphrey and Sarnoff will be based in Culver City.

High-Tech

Los Angeles-based Hughes Electronics Corp. has named Roxanne S. Austin chief financial officer. Austin will serve on the company’s executive committee and be a member of the office of the chairman. In addition to her new responsibilities of overseeing companywide financial activities, she will maintain her role as senior vice president, treasurer and controller for the company.

Human Resources

Mark Halacy has been named vice president of human resources development at Universal Studios in Universal City. Halacy will coordinate and implement human resources initiatives, lead work force planning and organize development efforts companywide. He joins the company from Blockbuster Entertainment Group, where he served as senior vice president, worldwide human resources.

Law

The law firm of Appel & Associates has named Alan J. Kheel of counsel. Kheel will specialize in environmental contamination issues. He previously was partner at the law firm of Reznik & Reznik. He will be based in Los Angeles.

Real Estate

Michael Rago has joined Cushman & Wakefield in Los Angeles as the Pacific Southwest area manager of research services. Rago will be responsible for providing research data, analyses and services to clients. Prior to joining the company, he was director of market research at real estate information services company Teleres for that firm’s western region.

Gerald Seibel has joined L.A. Mart as executive vice president of leasing. Seibel will oversee leasing efforts for the mart’s 13-floor building in Los Angeles, which houses and sells wholesale goods to retailers. He previously served as vice president of gifts and decorative accessories leasing at Chicago Merchandise Mart.

Richard P. Zaremba has joined Capital Commercial/New America Network’s West Los Angeles office as senior associate. Zaremba will specialize in the sale of investment properties throughout Southern California. Prior to joining the company, he was president of Gamson & Associates Finance Division.

Tourism

Omni Los Angeles Hotel & Centre has named Clifton J. DesHotel director of marketing. DesHotel will manage the downtown hotel’s marketing, advertising and public relations programs. Prior to joining the Omni, DesHotel served as general manager of London-based hotel PIPT/Hocaps.