NEWSMAKERS

Banking & Finance

Raffi Khelghatian has been named assistant vice president and banking center manager of Comerica Bank’s Sherman Oaks branch. Khelghatian was previously vice president of national sales with Hilltop Industry, an outdoor sporting and apparel company.

City National Bank has named Patrick Mautner vice president and manager in its City of Commerce banking office. Mautner previously served as manager at the bank’s Rancho Park branch.

Nichole Collins Curtis has been installed as president of the California Association of Mortgage Brokers, San Gabriel chapter. Curtis is senior mortgage adviser at Platinum Home Mortgage in San Dimas.

Consulting

The Los Angeles office of Tatum LLC, an executive services staffing and consulting firm, has hired James Hickey as regional practice leader for the firm’s private equity practice. Hickey was previously senior vice president at Merrill Corp., a printing company headquartered in St. Paul, Minn.

Education

Ibrahim Abe Helou has been named

dean of the College of Business & Public Management at the University of La Verne. Helou previously served as associate dean of the school.

Entertainment

Evolution Media, a Burbank-based production company, has named Lisa Lettunich vice president of production and Susan Seide vice president of current series. Previously, Lettunich was producer for “Yo Momma,” the company’s MTV talk show. Seide was a freelance producer.

The MGM Motion Picture Group has hired Luke Ryan as vice president of theatrical production and Pam Silverstein as director of development. Ryan was previously vice president of MTV Films. Silverstein served as manager of creative affairs in the film-TV department at Scholastic Media in New York.

Hospitality

Dtox Day Spa Inc., a Los Angeles-based spa, has hired Kat Podmolik as director of operations. Podmolik was previously director of operations at Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts, a Los Angeles skin clinic.

Human Resources

Lisa Knupp has been promoted to director of recruitment services of Equis Financial Staffing, a Calabasas staffing agency. Knupp was previously recruiting manager with the firm.

Law

Lisa Gilford has been appointed president of the National Association of Women Lawyers. Gilford is a partner with Weston Benshoof Rochefort Rubalcava and MacCuish LLP, a Los Angeles-based law firm.

The Los Angeles office of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Marmaro LLP, a California-based law firm, has hired Chris D. Nguyen as associate. Nguyen was previously an associate with O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

Non-Profit

Samuel Bettencourt has been appointed vice president of development of the Los Angeles Mission, a non-profit organization serving the homeless living on Skid Row. Bettencourt was previously a consultant and partner in the Downey office of Hispanic Strategies Inc., a marketing company.

Junior Achievement of Southern California, a Los Angeles non-profit organization providing financial education and entrepreneur training to students in Southern California, has elected Tom McCarthy as its chairman. McCarthy is co-founder of McCarthy Cook & Co., a real estate investment firm in Denver.

Public Relations

The Los Angeles office of Rogers & Cowan, an international entertainment public relations and marketing agency, has hired Vanessa Kromer as account director. The agency also promoted Heather Krug to executive vice president and Glenn Lehrman to account director. Kromer was previously director of publicity with Nederlander Concerts, a Los Angeles-based company that promotes and produces live entertainment. Krug was senior vice president at Rogers & Cowan. Lehrman was group manager.

Real Estate

Earle J. Hyman has been named senior vice president of investments in the Encino office of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services. Hyman was previously a senior investment associate with the company.