NEWSMAKERS
Crystal Cruises Executive Gets Back on Board
Crystal Cruises Inc. has 1,300 employees but Thomas Mazloum is the only one who was recruited on the Austrian Alps.
The man who hired him shortly after that ski vacation 12 years ago, Dietmar Wertanzl, is the person Mazloum will replace July 8 when he becomes vice president of hotel operations for the Century City-based operation.
“He was the one who inspired me to work on a cruise ship,” said Mazloum. “Frankly until that time, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would. I always wanted to travel but I thought my future would be in land-based hotels. I was extremely intrigued.”
Wertanzl, who was a senior vice president at Crystal Cruises, has left to join Celebrity Cruises as its senior vice president of fleet operations.
It’s Mazloum’s second stint at Crystal Cruises, where he moved up the ranks during his previous stint between 1990 and 1999. In 1995, at age 29, he became the line’s youngest-ever hotel director.
In his current role, Mazloum, now 35, will oversee food and beverage, entertainment, land programs, service training and on-board guest services for the line’s two ships: Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony.
He also will be involved in the launching of the new ship, Crystal Serenity, now under construction in St. Nazaire, France and scheduled for delivery in July 2003.
Mazloum was lured from Crystal Cruises by Disney Cruise Line in 1999, serving as hotel director for the Disney Wonder ship before being promoted to general manager in charge of food and beverages for Epcot Center at Walt Disney World.
Mazloum earned a degree in hotel management and administration from Berufschule Innsbruck, a government run school in Austria in 1985. He also received continuing education at Cornell University, the Hotel School of Lausanne in Switzerland and the Hotel School of Salzburg in Austria.
He and his wife plan to move from Orlando, Fla. to the L.A. area next month.
David Greenberg
Architecture
William Brintnall has joined Widom Wein Cohen O’Leary Terasawa (WWCOT) Architecture & Interiors as a senior associate and director of health care. Brintnall will be responsible for 65 projects, representing more than 1 million square feet of health care design across the nation. Brintnall was previously associated with Lee Burkhart, Liu Inc.
Ignatius Chau and Timothy Lambert have both been promoted from associate to principal at Rossetti, an architectural firm with offices in El Segundo. The firm’s projects include the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center expansion and university campus project underway for CSU San Marcos and UC Riverside.
Consulting
Stephanie Wilson has been promoted to managing account supervisor at Young Communications Group Inc. and will handle overall administration of the agency’s social marketing accounts. Prior to joining Young Communications she was director of development and public relations for Catholic Big Brothers.
Brian Ellerman has been promoted to vice president of strategic relationships at Mullin Consulting Inc. and will oversee development and management of strategic joint venture relationships. He was previously responsible for consulting with companies on executive benefit issues and advanced funding and securitization techniques.
Entertainment
Steven Miller has been named executive vice president of creative advertising for MGM Distribution Co., a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Miller will be responsible for the creation and implementation of audio-visual and print advertising for theatrical releases from both MGM Pictures and United Artists. Miller rejoins MGM from New Line Cinema, where he spent three years as vice president of creative advertising.
Finance
Al Reano has been hired as vice president and relationship manager at Community Bank’s Glendale Business Banking Center, where he will be developing and acquiring new business. He previously was vice president of business development at U.S. Bank.
Cheryl Miller has been promoted to assistant vice president of First Banc Home Mortgage Inc. and will be responsible for general office management. First Banc Home Mortgage Inc. is a subsidiary of First Banks Inc.
Deborah Gaisser has been appointed vice president of global business development, relocation and corporate services for Countrywide Home Loans Inc. Gaisser had been director of corporate relations for ReloAction and was responsible for business development, marketing and account management.
Paul Richey has been named president of Janas Associates. As president, Richey will direct services for investment banking clients. Previously, Richey was managing partner at KPMG’s San Diego, Rochester and New York offices.
Government
John Holden has been appointed plant manager at the U.S. Postal Service’s Worldway Air Mail Center, southern California’s major air mail center. In this position, Holden will supervise 1,200 employees and is responsible for processing millions of pieces of mail daily. He was a manager of distribution operations at Worldway.
Health Care
Ismael Nuno, a cardiac surgeon at County-USC Medical Center, has been named president-elect of the American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate.
Law
Debbie Miede, formerly a partner at Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly, has joined Buchalter Nemer Fields & Younger. A litigator and trial attorney, Miede’s clients consists of major international banks and Fortune 500 companies.
Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley has promoted Bradley Boyer, Gerald Malanga and Maureen O’Hara from associates to partners in the law firm’s Los Angeles office.
Marketing & P.R.
Steve Spurgeon has joined The Blaze Company as vice president. His responsibilities include providing strategic counsel, creative direction and account management for the agency’s clients.
Ted Robertson has been named director of marketing at Staedtler Inc., a producer of art and writing instruments. Robertson will oversee the company’s creative team and product managers. Most recently, Robertson was the retail channel marketing manager for Boone International, a division of Acco Office Products Group.
Brad Booth has joined Colby & Partners as senior vice president/account director. Booth will be responsible for managing the agency’s American Suzuki Automotive businesses and joins the agency from Bates USA West where he handled the Hyundai Motor America business
Shawn Fongemie and Janet McCorkle have joined the promotional products division of The Regan Group, a marketing and promotional agency. Previously, Fongemie managed new business development and strategy solutions for 360 Youth Inc., a division of MarketSource Corporation. McCorkle had worked in the marketing and new series departments at Universal Studios.
Daniel Yang has been promoted to branch manager of the Santa Clarita office of Vector Marketing, a marketer of kitchen cutlery. Yang has been field sales manager at the company.
Real Estate
Dale Eleniak has been appointed executive vice president and general manager of RE/MAX’s 13-office Los Angeles franchise. In addition to serving as the company’s legal counsel and broker, Eleniak will manage agent relations and new business partnerships.
Tracy Stier is the new director of leasing for the California Market Center (CMC). She was previously a regional sales manager at Hoyt Publishing, and will now handle the home accessories category at CMC.
Amy McNamara and Jim Wynne have joined the Diamond Bar office of Insignia/ESG as managing director and director, respectively. The pair, who join Insignia/ESG from Grubb & Ellis, will specialize in the leasing and sales of office and investment properties in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley.
CRESA Partners has named Allen Trowbridge executive vice president. He was previously managing director of the tenant representation group at Jones Lang LaSalle, where he managed the 3.4 million square foot portfolio of Wellpoint Health Networks.
Michael Zoob has been named vice president of real estate for Katz & Associates’ Western region. In his new position, Zoob will provide representation for selected Katz & Associates’ national clients throughout the western region. Previously, he was vice president at Northwest Atlantic Real Estate Services and worked as director of its Southern California region.
Nadia Gilmore has been named director of retail leasing/sales at Coreland Companies’ Los Angeles brokerage office. Prior to joining the commercial real estate service company, Gilmore was a senior leasing director at Developers Diversified Realty Corporation.
Security
Carrie Lange has been named vice president of sales and operations of Command Guard Service, a security company based in Hawthorne. Lange will be responsible for overseeing trailer guard and contract security operations, as well as developing and maintaining client relations.
Technology
James Clarke has been appointed to chief operating officer at YaYa, a creator of customized games and entertainment for brands and advertisers, and will be responsible for managing the company’s day-to-day operations. He joins YaYa from Employer Benefit Services, a Web-based platform for broker-supported benefits procurement and delivery company he co-founded.
