Accounting
Joseph Mazza has been promoted to executive managing director of RSM McGladrey’s Southern California practice. Mazza was most recently managing director of the accounting, tax and business consulting firm.
Advertising
Carol Lombard has joined DavidandGoliath, a Los Angeles-based advertising agency, as executive producer and managing director. Prior to joining the agency, Lombard was senior vice president at Young & Rubicam Brands.
Automotive
Denso Sales California Inc., an automotive components sales and distribution company in Long Beach, has promoted Gene Stark to senior manager. Stark was a manager with the company.
Banking & Finance
JPMorgan Private Bank has named Molly M. Morgan as a senior private banker in Los Angeles. Morgan was previously a banker at JPMorgan’s corporate bank in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Pablo Ramirez has been named vice president of GrupoMac, the new Hispanic wholesale division at IndyMac Bank, a Pasadena loan and mortgage lender. Ramirez was most recently vice president of the consumer markets division at Countrywide Homes Loans.
Richard J. Tribiano has joined U.S. Trust as head of the Los Angeles office. Tribiano was previously senior vice president and national sales manager for the private wealth division of City National Bank.
Education
Southwestern Law School has appointed H. Nyree Gray as its first director of diversity affairs. Gray practiced law for seven years and has been a member of the school’s adjunct faculty since 2006.
The Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University has hired Barbara A. Moore as corporate accounts executive for M.B.A. programs at the West Los Angeles graduate campus. Moore was most recently assistant director of outreach and recruitment at Western State University College of Law in Fullerton.
Engineering
Roy Schepens has joined Parsons, a Pasadena engineering and construction company, as vice president and executive technical director of the Energy, Systems and Security division. Schepens most recently managed the U.S. Department of Energy Office of River Protection in Richland, Wash.
Health Care
Molina Healthcare Inc. has appointed Dr. James W. Howatt as chief medical officer. Howatt has served as the chief medical officer of the company’s health plan subsidiary in Washington since 2006.
Hospitals
Debbie Walsh has been named chief executive of USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. Walsh, a registered nurse, was most recently the hospitals’ interim chief executive.
Hospitality
Li Vega has been hired as the bar manager for Celadon, a Euro-Asian restaurant in Los Angeles. Vega was previously the bar manager at Chakra, an Indian restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Law
Hon. Jon M. Mayeda has joined Jams, the Resolution Experts, a private provider of alternative dispute resolution services, as a mediator and arbitrator in Southern California. Mayeda is a retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge.
Loeb & Loeb LLP has named Michael Rosner as senior counsel and Gregory Shamo as an associate in the corporate department of the firm’s Los Angeles office. Rosner was previously vice president and corporate counsel at Finova Capital Corp., a commercial finance company. Shamo was formerly an associate at Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP.
Manufacturing
Marc Cormier has been named vice president of sales for Bentley Prince Street, a City of Industry-based manufacturer of floor coverings for commercial, institutional and residential interiors. Cormier was previously vice president of sales for the western region of J & J;/Invision, a commercial carpet manufacturer.
Jakks Pacific Inc., a children’s toy manufacturer, has promoted Genna Rosenberg to senior vice president of corporate communications and investor relations. She was most recently vice president of corporate communications with the company.
Marketing
Kathy Biss-Barbera has been named sales and account manager at Campos Creative Works, a company specializing in the production of corporate and consumer events. Barbera most recently served as director of sales at Bloomfield Park, a construction company based in Bloomfield, Mich.
Carat Fusion, a digital marketing agency, has promoted Brian Mathena to the position of media director for the agency’s Los Angeles office. Mathena was most recently associate media director with the company.
Eric Miller has been hired by Blattel Communications, a public relations and marketing agency, as managing director in its Los Angeles office. Miller was formerly senior director of communications at law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pitman LLP.
Media
Tony Paruszewski has been hired by Access 360 Media, an in-store entertainment network, as vice president of network sales. Paruszewski was formerly director of regional sales at Premier Retail Networks, a television network.
The Los Angeles Times Media Group has named Scott Sullivan as chief technology officer for latimes.com. Sullivan was most recently chief information officer for Edmunds.com, an online buying guide for new and used cars with reviews, advice and pricing comparisons.
Non-Profit
LA Inc., the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau, has appointed Vicki Higgins as senior director of business development. Higgins was formerly director of marketing and sponsorships for ATA Airlines.
Real Estate
Beatrice Hsi has been promoted to director of property management of the Ratkovich Co., a Los Angeles-based development company specializing in urban infill and rehabilitation projects. Hsi was formerly senior property manager with the company.
Patrick Roberts has joined California Landmark, a Westwood-based company developing and financing commercial and residential real estate, as project manager. Roberts was most recently development manager at RAD Development, a live/work condominium developer.
Technology
Innovative Card Technologies Inc., developers of the ICT DisplayCard for e-banking, e-commerce and data access authentication, has appointed Sandra Peres as vice president of sales for Latin America. Peres was previously executive superintendent of research and innovations at Banco Bradesco, a payment card issuer in South America.
Telecommunications
Xero Mobile, a Los Angeles-based cell phone service designed for college students, has named Bill Barhydt and Christine Peters to the board. Barhydt is founder and chief executive of Sennari, an integrated mobile marketing and entertainment services company. Peters is chief executive of CFP Productions.
Yoo Mi Chin
Kudos
The American Heart Association named USC assistant professor of clinical cardiothoracic surgery Ismael N. Nu & #324;o, M.D, the recipient of its Louis B. Russell Jr. Memorial award for outstanding service to minority and underserved populations. Nu & #324;o currently practices at Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center and has been a board member at Board of Directors for the Western States Affiliate of the American Heart Association since 1999.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored four women at its 14th “Women of Distinction” Awards’ Luncheon in May for their work in creating social, educational and business services for the underserved residents of Hollywood. Those honored include Gay Blackstone, president of the Academy of Magical Arts; Gail Koretz, government and community relations manager for the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center; Christi van Cleve, co-founder and principal of Roschen Van Cleve Architects, and Renee Weitzer, chief of staff and director of planning for Los Angeles Council District 4.
Local Pasadena coffee house Perry’s Joint was named 44th Assembly District small business of the year. Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena) also recognized owner Perry Bennet’s various contributions to the community, including the establishment of Perry’s College, a program designed to supplement the cost of higher education.
Warner Bros.’ Chief Financial Officer Ed Romano, screenwriter and director Susannah Grant, NBC’s “Today” and Lifetime Television all received honors at the Literacy in Media Awards hosted by the Literacy Network of Greater Los Angeles. Romano was granted the Spirit of Literacy Award for his efforts to battle low literacy and Grant received the Spotlight on Literacy Award for her screenplay “In Her Shoes,” which depicts a person’s victory over dyslexia. “Today” and Lifetime were granted the Literacy Awareness Award and Literacy Achievement Award for Film & TV, respectively, for “Today’s” multi-part series Read for the Record and Lifetime’s depiction of American Idol Fantasia Barrino’s battle with low literacy.
International Interior Design Association granted its Lifetime Achievement Award to the chief executive of HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates Michael Bedner. Bedner began the firm in 1964 with a focus on hospitality design and has completed over 900 projects since. He also hosts hospitality design classes through UCLA and has given lectures across America and Asia.
In its May 2007 issue, Chain Store Age Magazine named CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. the fastest growing property manager of 2006. The survey measures domestic and international third-party management contacts obtained or renewed during the preceding calendar year and CB Richard Ellis had 32 million square feet of retail properties under management.
Legalzoom.com, an online legal document service, was named winner of Entretech/PricewaterhouseCoopers’ fourth annual Entrepreneurship Award. The award is given to growing, leading-edge companies in high-tech industries. The company, founded in 2001 by Brian Liu and Robert Shapiro, makes it possible to take care of legal matters online without an attorney.
The Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence: The Americas was given to Santa Monica based Rand Corp. The award recognizes outstanding land use practice and winners are selected based on the basis of the development process undertaken to complete their projects.
Marie Wotkyns from John B. Monlux Math, Science and Technology Magnet Elementary School in North Hollywood received the 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Wotkyns, along with other finalists, were invited to the White House as part of the celebration.
The California Chamber of Commerce gave its annual Small Business Advocate of the Year award to five supporters of small businesses. Blake Christian, CPA of Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt; Jamil Dada, vice president of Provident Bank; Timothy L. Fowler, owner of Betterton Mason and Wyatt; Greg Lippe, managing partner of Lippe Hellie Hoffer & Allison LLP; and retired banker and attorney Jim Schmidt all received honors.
Carlos Valderrama, director of Latin American Operations for Carlsmith Ball LLP, was granted the the Stanley T. Olafson Award by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. The award is given to those who have made large contributions to the trade community and Valderrama is recognized for developing strategic alliances and business relationships between U.S. and Latin American firms.
The Honorary Port Pilot Award, the Port of Long Beach’s highest honor, was granted to chairman of BP America Bob Malone. BP is the first Long Beach port customer to voluntarily agree to use environmentally friendly shore-side electricity at its port terminal.
Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles honored Mark Tobin with the Anita and Stanley Hirsch award for his achievements as chairman of JFS’ endowment campaign. The award is given annually to an individual or organization that has made an ongoing contribution to JFS. Tobin is vice president of the Beverly Hills office of A.G Edwards & Sons Inc.
Senior vice president of Union Bank of California Bruce Corbin was honored at UCLA Center for Aging’s Icon Awards Gala for his ongoing contributions to society and exemplifying the motto “living better longer.”
Sean Chalk
