Accounting & Consulting
David Roberts has joined Roth Bookstein & Zaslow LLP as partner in charge of the firm’s law-firm services group. His duties will include handling traditional accounting and tax matters, along with providing a variety of financial and management consulting services. Roberts comes to the firm as a result of merging his company, Holland, Roberts & Wong, with RBZ.
Architecture
David Lennon has been promoted to vice president of studio operations at Selbert Perkins Design. He will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the firm and will continue to direct projects, focusing primarily on branding and identity programs. Lennon has been with the firm for six years, most recently as studio manager.
Banking & Finance
Stanley Chesed has been named president of the Beverly Hills-based U.S. affiliate of Interglobe Asset Protection. His responsibilities include the design and structure of tax-advantaged offshore vehicles and investment portfolios. Chesed had previously been based in Johannesburg serving as Interglobe’s worldwide director of offshore operations.
Jeffrey Francis has joined Pacific Crest Bank as assistant vice president to originate SBA and commercial real estate loans. He will serve the small-business financing needs of customers in the Los Angeles area and is based in the company’s Agoura Hills corporate office.
Steven Leib has joined International Film Guarantors as counsel of business and legal affairs. He will work closely with producers and banks to provide completion guarantees for independent and studio feature films. Prior to joining, Leib was general counsel for Stone Canyon Productions.
James L. Nova has joined Kann Capital Ltd., as vice president of corporate finance. Most recently, Nova served as president of MMAPS Inc.
Steve Klein has joined Wilshire Associates Inc. as vice president of the Wilshire Asset Management division. He will be responsible for marketing its four mutual funds to retail and institutional investors. Previously, Klein served as vice president of compliance for Associated Securities Corp.
Entertainment
Michael J. Connor has been promoted to executive vice president of Universal Studios’ operations group. He will extend his day-to-day involvement in the group’s operational activities, which include post-production, administration, technical services and distribution, facilities, production services and customer relations. Prior to joining Universal, Connor was vice president and controller at Twentieth Century Fox.
Mary Douris has been named director of marketing at Another Large Production. She will be responsible for developing new business opportunities in the domestic and international cable, Internet and direct-to-home television arenas. Most recently, Douris was director of marketing and promotion for Celebrity Service International.
Susie Norris-Epstein has been named vice president of original series at the Disney Channel. She will be responsible for supervising the development and production of all original series. Most recently, Norris-Epstein was executive director of current series for the West Coast division of Nickelodeon.
Chris Pulla has been named president of movie marketing at Walt Disney Co. Previously, he was head of marketing for New Line Cinema.
Health Care
George S. Goldstein has been appointed president of Molina Medical Centers. Previously, he served as chief executive of United Healthcare Corp.
High Tech
Richard Leach has been appointed vice president of PSI. He will be responsible for overseeing environmental and facilities operations in the California region. Prior to joining, Leach worked as chief engineer for Law/Crandall, a division of Law Engineering Environmental Services.
Michael Papale Jr. has joined SEI Information Technology as business development manager. He will be responsible for marketing, new business development and managing existing clients. Previously, Papale was in new business development with Bowne Business Solutions.
Hospitality
Dorothy J. Porter has been named senior vice president of diversity for Hilton Hotels Corp. She will have oversight responsibility for all diversity efforts for the corporation, including insuring that the company culture is receptive to diversity initiatives. Most recently, Porter served as director of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Cleveland.
Samantha Pedersen has been named director of sales for California Beach Restaurants Inc. She will be responsible for managing the banquet, beach party and catering business for Gladstone’s Malibu and RJ’s Beverly Hills.
Law
Dennis M. Devitt has joined Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliot LLP as partner. He has extensive litigation experience in eminent domain and inverse condemnation law. Devitt is a former principal deputy county counsel for L.A. County.
Joshua S. Force, Vipal J. Patel and Victoria Pynchon have been named partners at Hancock Rothert & Bunshoft LLP. Force is a member of the firm’s marine, energy and transportation practice, handling maritime and non-marine personal injury, commercial and insurance matters. Patel is a member of the firm’s litigation practice, handling insurance, commercial, class action and labor and employment matters. Pynchon is a member of the firm’s insurance coverage practice, handling matters involving environmental coverage issues.
James Heczko has been promoted to managing director at the Los Angeles office of Duff & Phelps LLC. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions and his responsibilities include representing business owners who are merging or selling their company and advising corporations regarding business valuation issues. Also, Casey Sakamoto has been promoted to vice president. He specializes in advising on corporate valuation matters and representing business owners in the sale of their companies.
Penny Pittman Cobey has been appointed associate general counsel for the J. Paul Getty Trust. She will have primary responsibility for business contracting and real estate-related matters. Previously, Cobey was a partner with Hill & Barlow.
Personnel
Cathy Griffin has been appointed a principal at Korn/Ferry International. She will be responsible for senior-level searches in the entertainment, sports and media sectors. Prior to joining, Griffin was a consultant at another search firm.
Soowan Scheuermann has joined OfficeTeam as a staffing manager. His responsibilities will include client consultation and candidate recruitment and placement. Scheuermann is the former manager of Absolutely Italian in Glendora.
Planning
Patricia Hughes has joined EIP Associates as administrative and marketing manager for the Los Angeles office. She will handle the marketing and administrative operations for EIP’s Southern California office. Previously, Hughes was marketing manager for Michael Brandman Associates.
Public Relations
Debra Lieberman-Martucci has been appointed senior vice president and media director at Palisades Media Group Inc. She will head the firm’s new PMG division and will direct media activities for the entire firm. Previously, Lieberman was senior vice president and media director at Media That Works.
Sharon Mullings has joined Media That Works as vice president and local media director. She will manage media buying at the firm’s Los Angeles regional office. Most recently, Mullings was client services supervisor at McCann Erickson.
Real Estate
Thomas Kirby has joined Health Care Property Investors Inc. as vice president of acquisitions and valuations. He will evaluate the company’s existing portfolio of health care properties and investigate new acquisition opportunities and investment strategies. Kirby was formerly senior vice president at Valuation Counselors Group Inc.
Security
Sally R. Phillips has been promoted to corporate vice president of human resources at Westlake Village-based Pinkerton’s Inc. She will manage the company’s worldwide human resource function and its partnership with Pinkerton’s business divisions. Prior to joining, Phillips was an employment attorney with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky and Walker.
Mitch Reitman has been appointed regional dealer director for Protection One. He will oversee the California market for the company. Prior to joining, Reitman was manager of the Western region for Financial Security Services. Also, Terry Williams and Bob Hendrickson have been named national account managers.
