NEWSMAKERS

Accounting

The Los Angeles office of Ernst & Young LLP has promoted Greg Feng, Carlos Gutierrez Jr., Kim Harrington, Saburo Ito and Michael J. Mendoza to partners. They were previously senior managers at the L.A. office. Troy Jones, Michael Tully and Steven Wlodychack were promoted to principals; they were also previously senior managers; Sean C. Kanaley, Heidi Massari, Nir Shtolzberg and Peter M. Smith were promoted to executive directors; they were also previously senior managers.

Banking & Finance

Comerica Bank has hired Robert N. Biggs III as assistant vice president and banking center manager in its El Segundo banking center. Previously, Biggs served as a banking center manager for Bank of America.

Shelly Crawford has been named account executive of Vault Street, a Santa Monica-based company that provides online financial record-keeping services. Crawford was previously account manager at Fiserv, a technology company that specializes in credit unions.

City National Bank has appointed James R. Daley executive vice president of treasury services division at the downtown office. Daley was previously executive vice president and chief product officer at Mellon First Business Bank.

James M. McWalters has been hired as general manager in the Los Angeles office of Singapore bank DBS Bank Ltd. Previously, McWalters was business development director at Farmers and Merchants Bank in Long Beach.

Century City-based Private Bank of California has named Kathleen Chapman and Jack McLemore vice presidents and relationship managers. Chapman was previously general manager at startup SK Movement Inc. McLemore was vice president and senior commercial underwriter at City National Bank.

Entertainment

Nathan Hubbard has been promoted to chief executive of Live Nation’s ticketing unit. Hubbard was previously president of ticketing with the company.

Hospitality

Philip Dailey has been appointed general manager of SLS Hotel, a Beverly Hills hotel scheduled to open this fall. Dailey previously served as general manager of Shangri-La Hotel Chiang Mai in Thailand.

Interstate Hotels & Resorts has named Robert Cioffi general manager, and Kathleen Cook director of sales and marketing for its new Hollywood Heights Hotel, formerly the Holiday Inn Hollywood-Walk of Fame. Cioffi was previously general manager of the Wyndham Bourbon Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. Cook was director of sales and marketing for the Nathan Hale Inn & Conference Center in Connecticut.

Law

The Los Angeles office of Greenberg Traurig LLP has appointed Michael H. Goldstein shareholder. Goldstein was previously a senior partner at Stutman Treister & Glatt, a Los Angeles-based bankruptcy law firm.

Michael McCauley has joined the Los Angeles office of Jones Day as partner in the trial practice. McCauley was previously a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, an international commercial law firm.

Melissa Rawlins has been promoted to counsel in the Los Angeles office of Bryan Cave LLP. Rawlins was previously an associate with the firm.

The L.A. office of McGuire Woods LLP has named Michael M. Salem associate in its product and consumer litigation department. Salem was previously an associate with Nelsen Thompson Pegue & Thornton, a Santa Monica-based firm.

Manufacturing

Pelican Products, a Torrance-based company that designs and manufactures lighting systems, has hired Mitra Giles as managing director of West Coast sales operations. Previously, Giles was a worldwide account manager with FedEx Corp.

Marketing

Santa Monica-based online marketing agency eForce Media has named Jeffrey Schwartz president and director. Schwartz was previously president of Autobytel, an automotive media and marketing services company.

Christopher Salling has been promoted to creative director of Roddan Paolucci Roddan, a marketing firm. Salling was previously associate creative director with the firm.

Non-Profit

Para Los Ni & #324;os, an organization providing assistance for children and families, has appointed Julia Gaskill vice president of development. Gaskill was previously assistant vice president at AltaMed Health Services Corp.

Lise L. Luttgens has been named chief executive of Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. Luttgens previously served as interim chief executive of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California.

First 5 LA, a non-profit child advocacy organization, has named Sharon Woodson-Bryant media manager in its public affairs department. Woodson-Bryant was previously vice president and news bureau manager in corporate communications for Union Bank of California.

Real Estate

Dan Wakumoto has joined Ramsey-Shilling Co., a real estate brokerage firm, as senior vice president of real estate services. Wakumoto was previously senior investment adviser at Sperry Van Ness, a commercial real estate firm.

Donations

Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, a West Los Angeles-based organization providing treatment for children with mental health, emotional, social or behavior problems, has received a $1.5 million donation from real estate executive Henry Baron and his wife, Marcia. The donation will benefit the organization’s Julia Ann Singer Center and its program for children with autism.

Kudos

Goldline Research has named the following as Most Dependable Insurance Professionals of the Western United States: B.W. Baker Insurance Services Inc. in Encino; Corporate Strategies Inc. in Encino; and DC Insurance Services Inc. in Malibu. Goldline, based in Novato, is an independent firm specializing in evaluating professional services firm.

Yoo Mi Chin