NEWSMAKERS
Architecture
ValleyCrest DesignGroup in Calabasas has appointed Paul Comstock head of Comstock Studio, its new landscape architecture division. Comstock was previously the director of landscape design for Walt Disney Imagineering.
Bob Gilley has joined RNL as associate principal and director of operations for the Los Angeles Office; Katie Carley has joined the firm as business development manager. Gilley was previously director of operations at F+A Architects. Carley was previously business development manager at Arquitectonica.
Georgiy Levashov has joined the Long Beach office of Heery International as an architectural designer. Laura Lara has joined the company as a senior technical analyst. Levashov previously owned his own firm in Chula Vista. Lara was a CAD specialist for Schlemmer + Algaze Associates in Costa Mesa.
Banking & Finance
Janice Liu has joined B. Riley & Co., Inc. as general counsel. Liu was formerly an associate in the transactional corporate practice department of Latham & Watkins LLP.
Comerica Bank has appointed the following business development officers: David Gonzales in Sherman Oaks; Miguel A. Juarez in downtown Los Angles; and Gamaliel Padilla in Long Beach. Previously, Gonzales was a business development officer for Business Partners LLC; Juarez was a business development officer at the Bank of Las Vegas in Glendale; and Padilla was a small business officer for California Bear Credit Union.
Salem Partners, a Los Angeles-based investment bank specializing in media, entertainment and technology, has promoted Brendan Houlihan to vice president. Houlihan was previously an associate with the firm.
Consulting
MullinTBG has appointed Nancy McGinnis, and Nancy Hickey as executive vice presidents. Both were formerly with TBG Financial: McGinnis was senior vice president and Hickey was chief financial officer.
Alix Partners, an international corporate and financial advisory firm, has appointed Duane Selby and Chris Simons as directors of the Los Angeles office. Selby was previously the regional vice president of DuPont Safety Resources in Los Angeles. Simons was previously senior manager with Ernst & Young’s claims practice in Los Angeles.
Government
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has made the following appointments: Efrain Aceves of Whittier has been appointed special assistant inspector general of the Bureau of Independent Review in the Office of the Inspector General. He was previously a deputy district attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Ricardo Azziz of Beverly Hills has been appointed to the Independent Citizen’s Oversight Committee. Azziz is a professor in the obstetrician-gynecology and medicine departments at the UCLA Medical Center. Patrick McGinn of Glendora has been appointed to the California Apprenticeship Council. McGinn is director of the Southwest Carpenters Training Fund. Ricardo Sarmiento of Valencia has been appointed to the State Assistance Fund for the Enterprise Board. Sarmiento is the chief executive of the Ultimate Partnership, a management consulting firm. Curtis Shepard of Beverly Hills has been appointed to the California Council for the Humanities. Shepard is director of government relations for the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.
Health Care
Terry Belmont has been appointed chief executive of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children’s Hospital. Belmont was formerly senior vice president at Kaiser Permanente for the Inland Empire region.
Marketing
Weston/Mason Marketing has promoted Jessica Speer to senior account executive. She was an account executive. Megan McDonnell was promoted to account executive. She was an associate account executive.
Exhibit Works in Foothill Ranch has promoted Jerry Kern to vice president of global sales. Kern was previously vice president of international business development.
Media
Barbara Genicoff has joined Zoic Studios, a visual effects and computer-generated animation company, as visual effects producer for commercials. Genicoff was previously a freelance producer working in New York and Los Angeles.
The American Film Institute has appointed Suzanne Stefanac director of AFI’s Digital Content Lab, which matches entertainment companies with design and technology innovators. Before joining AFI, Stefanac was working on her book, “Dispatches From Blogistan.”
Joy Lissandrello has been appointed executive producer of the new electronic press kit department at Trailer Park, a marketing service company specializing in the entertainment industry. Lissandrello was previously a freelance writer, director and producer.
Non-Profit
The Jewish National Fund has hired Donna De La Paz as zone director for Los Angeles. De La Paz was previously associate director of development in Florida for the Anti-Defamation League.
Real Estate
Kelly Ann Brennan has joined Cushman & Wakefield as director of research for Southern California. Brennan was previously the research manager for greater Los Angeles at CB Richard Ellis.
KUDOS
Bill Wenger, regional vice president of Charles Dunn Co.’s Real Estate Management Services, has been appointed to president of the greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management.
Richard J. Riordan and Nancy Daly Riordan were honored at the Third Annual Alfred Mann Foundation’s “An Evening of Innovation & Inspiration Gala” with the Alfred Mann Foundation Innovation and Vision Award for their exceptional philanthropic contribution to the community. Dr. Jane Burridge and Dr. Ross Davis were also awarded the Alfred Mann Foundation Scientific Achievement Award for their advancements in the development of medical products that help the public. The event raised $1.4 million.
The National Republican Congressional Committee’s Business Advisory Council has named Chita Henning of Culver City the 2006 Republican of the Year from California. The award is given to an individual who promotes the free enterprise system and who supports the ideas of smaller government, lower taxes and less regulation. Henning is the co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Culver City.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Vice Chairwoman and President Jamie McCourt will be honored with the Woman of the Year award on Oct. 21 at the annual luncheon for Friendly House, a women’s alcohol and drug addiction recovery program. McCourt will receive the award for her advocacy and support of organizations that empower women. McCourt is on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the board of directors of the Los Angeles Business Council. She is also currently a visiting professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has honored Bruce Corwin, chairman of Metropolitan Theaters and supporter of multiple sclerosis research, with the Dorothy Corwin Spirit of Life award. The award was named after Corwin’s mother, who was also a long-time supporter of multiple sclerosis research. The award is given each year to an individual living with multiple sclerosis. Michael Lynton, chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment, was also honored at the society’s 32nd annual dinner of champions on Sept 21.
Leslie Jones
