Banking & Finance
First Bank has hired Fadi El-Rabaa as vice president of the Beverly Hills Commercial Banking Group. El-Rabaa was previously vice president of Pacific Mercantile Bank.
Government
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced the following appointments: John Amerman of Palos Verdes Estates to the California Horse Racing Board; Mike Poulos of Chino Hills as warden for the California Institution for Men; and Dan Secord of Santa Barbara as alternate member to the California Coastal Commission. Amerman previously served on the executive committee for the National Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; Poulos has been acting warden for the California Institution for Men since 2005 and previously served as chief deputy administrator and correctional administrator for California State Prison, Corcoran; and Secord previously served on the Santa Barbara City Council.
Hospitality
Blair Salisbury has been elected as vice president of the Los Angeles chapter of the California Restaurant Association. Salisbury is currently the owner of El Cholo, Ambiente, Dona Rosa Bakery & Taqueria and Barn Burner.
Law
Frandzel Robins Bloom & Csato LC has added Lawrence S. Grosberg as a shareholder, and Donna S. Packer and Brad R. Becker as of counsel. Grosberg, Packer, and Becker were previously with Grosberg & Associates.
Marketing
TPN, a promotional agency, has appointed Sarah O’Leary as chief creative officer. O’Leary was recently president and chief strategist of Los Angeles-based Methods & Madness, which has joined TPN.
Media
ReelzChannel, a media network featuring original programming about movies, has appointed Ian Valentine as senior vice president, Michelle Holt as vice president of production, and Paul Haddad as director of development & acquisitions. Prior to joining the company, Valentine was senior vice president of programming for GSN; Holt was executive in charge of production at E! Entertainment; and Haddad was executive producer of new media at E! Entertainment.
Post Logic Studios, a Hollywood-based post-production facility, has rehired Larry Birstock as chief executive. Birstock was recently vice president and general manager at Technicolor Creative Services.
FremantleMedia North America, a Santa Monica-based production company, has promoted Julie Uribe to senior vice president of development. The company also appointed James Sunderland as executive producer. Uribe was previously vice president of development at FremantleMedia and Sunderland was executive producer of entertainment at Granada.
Tom Eslinger has been promoted to worldwide interactive creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi L.A. in Torrance. Eslinger was previously creative director.
Music
Harvey G. Knell has been elected president of the board of the Pasadena Pops Orchestra. Knell is currently president of KCB Management, an asset management firm based in Pasadena.
Non-Profit
United Way of Greater Los Angeles has made the following board appointments: Kevin J. Rochford, Adele H. Berwanger, and Ahmed Rubaie. Rochford is chairman and chief executive of Northern Trust Bank of California; Berwanger is managing director of Canterbury Consulting; and Rubaie is vice president of internal audit and tax for Avery Dennison.
The Valley Economic Development Center has appointed Carrie Nebens, Keith E. Weaver, and Don St. Clair to the board. Nebens is branch manager for Robert Half International; Weaver serves as senior vice president of government affairs for Sony Pictures Entertainment; and St. Clair is vice president of enrollment management and marketing at Woodbury University in Burbank.
John Sabourin has been appointed president of the Los Angeles chapter of Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, a non-profit organization that advocates for children in the foster care system. Sabourin is senior managing director of Studley.
