NEWSMAKERS
Love and Money Making Tappin Happy in New Position
Todd Tappin, recently named chief executive of online dating giant MatchNet Plc., says the goal is true love.
“Now that I’m here, I have tremendous satisfaction that our product is benefiting people’s lives,” Tappin said.
Helping people hook up is also lucrative. U.S. consumers spent $1.3 billion on paid online content in 2002, according to the Online Publishers Association, and personals and dating were the top categories. MatchNet generates its revenues by charging members $16 to $30 a month, depending on the length of subscription.
The 12 million singles populating MatchNet’s online dating networks in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia and Israel had revenues of $10.6 million for fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, a 13 percent increase over the like period a year earlier.
After graduating from University of Colorado at Boulder with a bachelor’s in business in 1984, the New Jersey native worked as a financial analyst for Deloitte Haskins and Sells, and director of finance for the home entertainment group at Universal and Fox Entertainment’s 20th Century Fox unit. In 1998, Tappin became chief financial officer of Overture Services, what was then a startup that had patented a system of selling online advertisers spots in lists of sponsored links that appear during a search.
He helped raise $35 million in private equity, and led the company through a $94 million initial public offering in June 1999. Overture was profitable by 2001 and was purchased by Yahoo Inc. last year for $1.8 billion.
Overture is suing Google for patent infringement, claiming that Google’s AdWords sponsored results listings infringes Overture’s patent. Tappin liked the battle. “It was sort of the normal course of business,” he said. “I enjoy the sparring.”
Tappin, 42, lives in Malibu with his daughter and wife, who is expecting another child.
Matt Myerhoff
Advertising
Adlink has named Jeff Weiss director of account planning. In this position, he will oversee sales and marketing initiatives. Previously, Weiss served as sales manager for the Telemundo affiliate WNJU in New York.
Apparel
Bluetorch Inc., an extreme sports apparel company, hired Fred Godshall as production manager for its Unboxed Distribution Inc. and Total Sports Distribution Inc. subsidiaries. Godshall was recently head of manufacturing for Kristesse Inc.
Architecture
KKE Architects Inc. has hired Gene Naval as senior project architect in its Pasadena office. Naval previously worked with MCG Architecture.
RBB Architects has promoted Carlos Amato to director of medical planning. Amato joined RBB in 1991 and most recently was a senior medical planner.
Banking & Finance
David J. Enzer has joined Roth Capital Partners as managing director of corporate finance in the Los Angeles office. Most recently, Enzer was managing member of Century Capital, a boutique advisory firm focused on technology transactions.
Wells Fargo & Co. has named Thomas Booker head of its Los Angeles metro business banking division. Booker most recently served as senior credit officer in the company’s California business banking credit administration group.
U.S. Bank’s SBA Division has named Michelle Coberly vice president and business development officer. Before joining the SBA Division, Coberly was U.S. Bank’s business banking officer in Santa Fe Springs.
Education
Management scholar and dean of the University of Washington business school Yash Gupta has been named new dean of the USC Marshall School of Business. Gupta succeeds Randolph W. Westerfield, who led the USC Marshall School for 11 years and is returning to teaching and scholarship.
Entertainment
Tribune Broadcasting, a division of Tribune Co., has promoted Vinnie Malcolm to vice president and general manager at KTLA-TV. Malcolm has served as KTLA’s station manager since January 2002.
Health Care
Gail L. Margolis has been named vice president, government and public policy at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Most recently, Margolis was president and chief executive of the Scleroderma Research Foundation in Santa Barbara.
Davina Lane has rejoined Sinaiko Healthcare Consulting as an executive consultant. Lane previously was president and chief executive of Healthcare USA in St. Louis.
Chad Therapeutics has named Earl L. Yager chief executive, in addition to his role as president. Yager was previously chief operating officer, chief financial officer and a director of the Chatsworth company, which makes respiratory care devices.
Hotels
Luxe Worldwide Hotels has named RaShon Smith executive chef of the Caf & #233; Rodeo and Bar 360 at the Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive. Previously, Smith served as executive chef for Blue on Blue at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Insurance
John A. Hamby was named entertainment and media practice leader for Marsh’s Los Angeles office. Prior to joining Marsh, Hamby held various positions with Aon/Albert G. Ruben, most recently as senior vice president.
United Agencies Inc. has selected Judith A. Houver as general manager for its Pasadena headquarters. Houver began her career in 1973 as an Allstate Insurance agent and has held positions in sales, marketing and management within retail agencies.
Law
The international firm of Greenberg Traurig LLP appointed Dawn Weekes Glenn as shareholder and Zeke Lopez as associate. Previously, Glenn was a partner at Arnold & Porter, where Lopez was an associate.
Sheiva Taban has joined Percher Nichols & Meeks, a national real estate law firm, as an associate. Previously, Taban worked as a summer associate at Bingham McCutchen.
Media
Boating magazine has named Amy Ray marketing director. Ray, who will be based in Los Angeles, previously was an independent marketing and public relations consultant.
Nancy Leichter has joined Los Angeles-based radio operator Mapleton Communications as market manager for San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria-Lompoc. Leichter, who started as local sales manager for Los Angeles rock station KMET-FM (94.7), will manage seven stations in the area. Most recently, she was national sales manager for Clear Channel’s operations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria-Lompoc.
Non-Profit
John Sabourin has joined the board of Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters. Sabourin is the corporate managing director in Studley’s downtown Los Angeles office.
Sharon Hills, real estate agent and broker with Prudential California Realty’s John Aaore division, has been appointed to the board of Friends of Golf.
Consumer Credit Counselors of Los Angeles appointed Toby J. Rothchild to its board. The organization was formed at the beginning of this year through the merger of four regional credit counseling services, including Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Los Angeles, where Rothchild was a board member for the past seven years. Rothchild is general counsel of Legal Aid of Los Angeles.
Real Estate
KB Home named Ben Hirst as its executive vice president and chief legal officer, and named Leslie Moonves and Melissa Lora to its board. Previously, Hirst was executive vice president and general counsel of Burger King Corp. Moonves is chairman and chief executive of the CBS television network and Lora is chief financial officer for Taco Bell.
Technology
Amgen Inc. has appointed Rodger Currie vice president, government affairs. Currie joins Amgen from Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, where he was senior vice president for federal affairs and law.
Glovia International has promoted Yuji Nakasu to president and chief executive. Most recently, Nakasu was executive vice president of North America and Japan/Asia operations. Nakasu also sits on the board of Glovia, a subsidiary of Fujitsu Ltd.
Sue Main has joined Teledyne Technologies Inc. as vice president and controller. Prior to joining Teledyne, Main served as vice president-controller of Water Pik Technologies Inc.
Parsons has promoted retired Maj. Gen. Earnest O. Robbins II to senior vice president and international division manager for its infrastructure and technology group. Robbins joined Parsons as a vice president in September 2003, after serving in the Air Force for 34 years.
Tariq Rana has joined the scientific advisory board of CytRx Corp. and its subsidiary, Araios Inc. Rana is a professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Storeactive Inc. named James P. Chappell to its board of advisors. Chappell most recently was senior vice president of business process and development for Legato Software, a division of EMC Corp.
Telecommunications
Boingo Wireless has hired Tracy Allard as director of European carrier sales. Most recently, Allard served with Openwave Systems Inc., managing accounts for several major carriers.
