Advertising
Robin Burns was promoted to management supervisor at DDB Los Angeles. She will be responsible for senior-level development and day-to-day management of client advertising objectives and strategy. Burns was most recently an account supervisor.
Banking & Finance
Jack Kasakian has been promoted to first vice president and group manager for Comerica Bank-California at its Long Beach branch. He will be responsible for managing mid-sized corporate clients in the Long Beach and South Bay areas. Kasakian was previously alternative manager for the Long Beach middle market group.
Louis Sulpizio has joined Heller Commercial Services in Glendale as senior vice president. He will focus on developing client relationships and new business opportunities in the Western United States. Sulpizio previously was with Congress Talcott Corp.
Entertainment
Rick Ramirez has been named to the new post of vice president of Phil Roman Entertainment Co. in Studio City. His responsibilities will include overseeing all areas of business affairs, financing and development as well as general management responsibilities. Ramirez was most recently a producer for Galavisi & #243;n.
Health Care
Kita Curry was appointed executive director of Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center in Culver City. She was most recently associate executive director of the center. Curry is also president of the California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies
Jorge Dominicis has been named vice president of the individual and small business group for HealthNet in Woodland Hills. He is responsible for development and management of sales and administration. Dominicis was most recently director of small group and individual business for Prudential HealthCare. Also, Ria Marie Carlson has been named an associate vice president. She will supervise day-to-day operations for the public relations department as well as coordinate strategic internal and external communications. Carlson was previously vice president of public and investor relations at Sierra Health Services in Las Vegas.
David Forney has been appointed director of quality assurance management systems for Western Dental Services Inc. in Garden Grove. He will be responsible for managing the staff and day-to-day activities of the division. Forney was most recently with USC.
High Tech
Rob Hummel has been appointed executive vice president of digital technologies development for Technicolor. He will focus on exploring all possibilities for integrating innovative digital imaging technologies into the company’s global operations. Hummel was most recently head of production operations for DreamWorks SKG.
Interior Design
Jessie Robertson will head up the new Los Angeles office for Interior Systems Inc. She will be in charge of new business development and specialty project management for the entertainment division.
Manufacturing
James Cooney was named chief executive of Thomason Mechanical Corp. and Bender Machine Services in Los Angeles, and Bender Machine Services in Great Britain. He will focus on growth opportunities while overseeing products, services and organization. Cooney was most recently senior vice president for Dresser-Rand in Corning, N.Y.
Media
Christine Oldenbrook has been appointed vice president of circulation for 101 Communications LLC in Los Angeles. She will be charged with building the circulation and database departments of the publishing company. Oldenbrook previously was vice president of circulation and database marketing for Bobit Publishing of Torrance.
New Media
Joshua Benegal Marks was appointed president and chief operating officer of Virtualis Systems Inc. in Studio City. He will oversee strategic development and e-commerce software. Marks was previously a director with the firm.
Scott Darling was appointed vice president of business development and professional services for Sandpiper in Thousand Oaks. His responsibilities will include managing the new professional services group. Darling previously worked at MCI/Systemhouse as a managing director.
Mary Nelson Garrett has been promoted to director of investor relations at THQ Inc. in Calabasas. She was most recently director of finance.
Non-Profits
Wanda Kuenzli has been appointed executive vice president of Big Sisters of Los Angeles. She will develop and implement plans for expansion of the agency. Most recently Kuenzli was executive vice president and chief executive of the Los Angeles affiliate of the American Heart Association.
Real Estate
Joey Albert has joined Fred Sands Realtors in Los Angeles as vice president of information technology. He is currently developing new technology systems.
Robert Evans has been named vice president and senior appraiser for Gribin, Kapadia & Associates in Woodland Hills. He will focus on health care, high-tech and corporate consulting, and real property valuations. Evans has appraised property in Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Colorado.
George Garvin has been promoted to associate vice president of Grubb & Ellis Co. in Los Angeles. He specializes in Southern California retail investment properties. Garvin has been an investment specialist with the firm since 1993.
John Gebhardt was named senior vice president of J.H. Snyder Co. in Los Angeles. He will be involved in new development projects. Gebhardt was previously managing director of CB Richard Ellis in West Los Angeles.
Robert Gene Caudill has joined Douglas-Mile High Properties in Los Angeles as regional director of leasing services. He will develop an asset services group to provide leasing and acquisition services. Caudill was previously senior vice president and director of leasing for Jones Lang Wootton.
David Nelson has been promoted to the new post of senior vice president of strategic planning for Playa Vista. He will direct overall planning and approval efforts for Phase II of the development. Nelson had been vice president of commercial land development.
The appraisal team of Charles Reinagel, Andrew Harper and Alex Saunders has joined Cushman & Wakefield Inc. in downtown Los Angeles. They will specialize in commercial properties and litigation support. Reinagel, Harper and Saunders were previously with CB Richard Ellis.
James Suhr has joined Valencia Commercial Properties in Valencia as vice president. Suhr will be responsible for office marketing, development, leasing and land sale programs. Suhr was previously director of asset strategy at Walt Disney Imagineering.
Retail
Ted Jackson was named director of information systems and chief information officer for Sport Chalet in Los Angeles. Jackson was most recently director of retail solutions support for Walker Interactive Systems.
Telecommunications
Richard Grimes has been appointed director of network realization for the California and Hawaii regions of AT & T; Wireless Services, based in Cerritos. He will be responsible for system expansion and development involving real estate, entitlements, construction, materials publishing and management. Grimes previously directed network and corporate real estate operations for L.A. Cellular.
