NEWSMAKERS//jbb/1st jc/mark2nd

Aerospace

John N. Feren has been named vice president and program manager for the MD-17 program at McDonnell Douglas’ Military Transport Aircraft division in Long Beach. Feren, 41, moves to the position from Douglas Aircraft Co., where he was vice president in charge of airline/operator programs. In his new job, Feren will be responsible for the business, technical and production operations of the MD-17.

Banking/Finance

Malcolm Reeve has been named chief operating officer of worldwide operations for Los Angeles-based Dennis Davidson Associates. Reeve will be responsible for overseeing all financial, business and administrative affairs for the company. Previously, Reeve worked at his own firm where he provided financial advice for such clients as Interactive Cinema Entertainment Inc., Jackson McHenry Entertainment, Village Roadshow Productions, Inc., and Matinee Entertainment Inc.

Marathon Bancorp announced that Craig D. Collette will take over as president and chief operating officer. Collette will also hold the same title for Marathon National Bank, a subsidiary of the Los Angeles-based Marathon Bancorp. He most recently held the position of president and chief operating officer at TransWorld Bank, and before that Landmark Bank.

John S. Greer has been named managing director of the Los Angeles office of Mellon Ventures Inc., a subsidiary of Mellon Bank Corp. Greer will now be responsible for identifying, analyzing and executing equity investment opportunities for Mellon Ventures. Greer was formerly a senior vice president of Security Pacific Capital Corp.

William A. Shroeder has been appointed as senior vice president for the Bank of Granada Hills. Shroeder was previously with Granite State Bank in Monrovia. In his new position, Shroeder will focus on credit administration.

Quarterdeck Equity Partners Inc. announced that General John T. Chain, Jr. USAF (Ret.) has joined the company as president. Chain held a number of high ranking positions culminating as the Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Air Command before his move into the private sector. Chain joins Quarterdeck after working as an executive vice president for Burlington Northern Railroad.

The company is the equity investment arm of Los Angeles-based Quarterdeck Investment Partners, which was formed to take advantage of the investment opportunities presented by the consolidation in the aerospace and defense industries.

Construction

Randy Workman has been promoted to project manager at Turelk Inc. of Long Beach. He has been a field superintendent since joining Turelk in 1988. He is currently involved in the construction of MAI Systems in Irvine. Turelk was established in 1978 specializing in tenant improvement construction services, interior renovation and seismic retrofit.

Entertainment/Media

David L. Simon, former production and broadcasting executive with Walt Disney Television International, has joined DreamWorks SKG’s television animation division in Universal City. Simon will serve as the operating head of the division, working in conjunction with Gary Krisel, overall head of Dream Works TV Animation. While at Disney, Simon was responsible for creating the international television product for Buena Vista Productions International.

Michael Taylor has been promoted to senior vice president of operations for Universal Studios Hollywood. Taylor began as a park attendant at the theme park in 1973 and has risen through the ranks to attain his current position. Taylor previously served as vice president of operations for the same division. He will continue to supervise ride and show operations, guest services, general administrative services, wardrobe and guide training.

In addition, Universal also announced that Lori Froeling has been appointed to vice president of business & legal affairs. Froeling will be responsible for negotiating and drafting agreements in the areas of recording, label and joint ventures. She previously worked as a lawyer at Riordan and McKinzie, and also stints at Universal Music Group and Capitol Records.

Los Angeles-based Times Mirror announced that Bonnie Guiton Hill has been elected a vice president, also becoming president and chief executive officer of the Times Mirror Foundation.

Hill most recently served as dean and professor of commerce at McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia. She has also served from 1991-1992 as secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency.

Health Care

Gary W. Archibald and Cheryl A. Western have been named division presidents of Torrance-based Innovative Care Systems, a third party claims administrator specializing in workers’ compensation services in the commercial and municipal markets. The creation of the two positions was brought about with the acquisition of ICS by Torrance-based Keenan & Associations from UniCARE Insurance Co.

Archibald will direct and manage on-site and regional workers’ compensation operations and the company’s new, 24-hour care product. Western will manage the company’s operations.

Korn/Ferry International announced that Carole J. Gilbert has been named vice president in the firm’s worldwide Health Care Specialty Practice based in Los Angeles. Korn/Ferry is an executive search firm with 63 office worldwide specializing in senior level searches throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Prior to joining Korn/Ferry, Gilbert was with Whittaker Health Services where she was responsible for recruitment. In her new position, she will be responsible for job placement in the health care industry.

Real Estate

Insignia Commercial Group Inc. has named John Ollen as regional director for its Los Angeles Region. In his new position, Ollen will be responsible for all leasing, management and construction activities for 46 properties totaling over six million square feet of office and industrial assets valued at more than $750 million. Insignia a subsidiary of Insignia Financial Group Inc. specializes in multifamily residential properties throughout the nation.

As part of its strategic business planning and expansion, Kennedy-Wilson International of Santa Monica announced the appointment of Mark Douglas Held as senior vice president in charge of business development. Held joins Kennedy-Wilson with more than 20 years of real estate-related involvement with pension funds, financial institutions, foreign funds, and tax-exempt bonds. Most recently, he was president of Building Industry Advisors, a financial consulting company created to work with the Building Industry Trade Association.