Banking & Finance
Martin Paul Valencia has been named vice president of commercial finance lending at Union Bank of California. Valencia will serve as an asset-based lending officer in the bank’s Pasadena office. He previously was assistant vice president in the commercial finance division. Also, Howard M. Terada has been promoted to vice president in the emerging markets administration division. Terada will serve as the segment manager/liaison for Asian Pacific Markets in the bank’s Los Angeles office. He previously served as branch manager of the bank’s Laguna Niguel office.
Energy
Lee C. Tashjian has been named to the newly created position of vice president of communications at Los Angeles-based Atlantic Richfield Corp. Tashjian will oversee the company’s media relations, corporate advertising and executive and crisis communications. He previously was vice president of corporate relations for Fluor Corp.
Neal E. Schmale has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer at Los Angeles-based utility holding company Pacific Enterprises. Schmale will oversee the company’s finance and planning departments. He previously was chief financial officer at Unocal Corp.
Entertainment
Steven Schofield has been named head of marketing at Santa Monica-based Pop Studios. Schofield will be responsible for all marketing efforts. He previously served as executive producer at Encore Video.
Harry T. Smith has been named vice president at Ray-Art Studios in Woodland Hills. Smith will serve as general manager and oversee studio operations and administration of sound stages and other studio-support facilities. He previously was senior vice president of studio operations at Universal Studios Inc.
Hudson Hickman has been named vice president of post-production at Santa Monica-based MGM Worldwide Television Group. Hickman will oversee post-production for MGM’s television product. He previously was a consultant for the company’s post-production operations. Before that, he was a freelance television producer.
Government
Steven S. MacDonald has been appointed director of development services at the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. MacDonald will oversee development services in the city’s building and safety, fire, planning, public works and transportation departments. He most recently was director of L.A.’s Business Team.
Health Care
Southern California Healthcare Systems of Pasadena has promoted William Murin to vice president of human resources. He previously was corporate director of human resources for the company. In addition, Judy Pierson has been named vice president of planning and development. Pierson will be responsible for corporate strategic planning, business development, marketing and fund-development coordination. She previously headed her own consulting company, the Quadrant Group.
Richard Sellers has been named senior vice president of corporate branding for WellPoint Health Networks Inc. of Woodland Hills. Sellers will be responsible for establishing the company’s branding strategy and building an effective brand identity. He previously served as senior vice president of marketing and advertising for Service Merchandise Co.
High Tech
Stephen Cobb has been named director of research and education at Playa del Rey-based Miora Systems Consulting Inc. Cobb will head up the company’s Web-based Information Security Education program. He formerly was director of special projects at the National Computer Security Association.
Moty Ginsburg has been promoted to executive vice president at Chatsworth-based JMR Electronics Inc. Ginsburg will oversee the day-to-day business of the company. He previously was general manager at JMR Plastic Technology.
Larry Metz has been appointed director of sales for Simi Valley-based American Network Systems Inc. Metz will be responsible for building relationships with computer retailers, distributors, manufacturers and online services for the company’s hardware and software products. He previously served as senior vice president of sales and marketing at Emerson.
Steven Sunshine has been named vice president of research and business development at Pasadena-based Cyrano Sciences Inc. He previously was a principal scientist at Raychem Corp.
Calabasas-based Tekelec has announced the appointments of three executives. Cecil Boyd has been promoted to vice president from general manager of the intelligent network diagnostic division. John Kennedy has been promoted to vice president from general manager of the data network diagnostic division. Gordon Werner has been promoted to vice president from general manager of the network switching division.
Beth Ifcher has been named vice president of consumer marketing at North Hollywood-based Disney Online. Ifcher will oversee the company’s consumer marketing efforts, which include subscription and direct response, affiliate licensing and sales, and online marketing strategy. She previously was corporate consumer marketing director for Disney Magazine Publishing.
Human Resources
Bert C. Hensley has been named managing director at Beverly Hills-based executive search firm Morgan Samuels Co. Inc. Hensley will be responsible for expanding the focus of the company’s existing engineering and environmental practice. He previously was a vice president at Korn/Ferry International.
Media
Kevin Smith has been named editorial director of the Motorcycle & Bicycle Group at Los Angeles-based Petersen Publishing Co. Smith will oversee all editorial aspects of the magazine group’s seven motorcycle and bicycle titles. He previously served as senior editor at “Car and Driver” magazine.
Public Relations/Marketing
Don DeMesquita has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer at Los Angeles-based public relations and marketing agency the Lippin Group. In this newly created position, DeMesquita will work with corporate and entertainment clients, and will be responsible for operations of the company’s other offices. He previously was a partner at DeMesquita/Patrick Communications, which has since dissolved.
Dan Tarver has been named executive producer, West Coast, at Culver City-based Pittard Sullivan. Tarver will be responsible for coordinating the commercial production efforts of the company’s West Coast office with its East Coast office. He previously served as a producer at visual effects studio Metrolight.
Real Estate
David J. Contis has been promoted to chief operating officer at Santa Monica-based Macerich Co. Contis will be responsible for coordinating the activities of the company’s leasing, management, marketing and construction disciplines. He previously served as senior vice president and director of operations.
Tourism
Bob Wentworth has been named director of sales and marketing at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach hotel. Wentworth will manage the hotel’s sales force. He previously served as director of sales and marketing at Hyatt Regency Los Angeles.
