NEWSMAKERS
Accounting
NSBN LLP, a Beverly Hills accounting and business consulting firm, has hired Tayiika Dennis as manager in its non-profit services department. Also, the firm promoted Eric Smetana to manager in the accounting and auditing department and promoted Kevin Wada to manager in the real estate tax department. Previously, Dennis was an audit manager for Harrington Group Certified Public Accountants LLP, a San Marino-based accounting firm. Smetana and Wada were senior accountants with NSBN.
Architecture
Mark Griffith has joined the Los Angeles office of Perkins + Will, an Atlanta-based design firm, as senior associate. Griffith was previously managing principal in the Las Vegas office of architectural firm Leo A Daly.
Communications
The Los Angeles office of the Abernathy MacGregor Group Inc., a New York-based financial communications firm, has hired David Olson as senior counselor. Olson was previously vice president of investor and public relations for Health Systems International Inc., an Indianapolis-based outsourcing company.
Consulting
Warnick + Co., a Phoenix-based strategic advisory firm in the lodging and recreational real estate industries, has named Wayne Williams partner in its Los Angeles office. Previously, Williams was founder of Williams & Associates, a hospitality consulting firm.
Education
Brenda A. Parker has been appointed to the board of Vistamar School, a private high school in South Bay. Parker previously served as head of Westside Neighborhood School in Los Angeles.
Entertainment
Music production company 615 Music has hired Shelly Walker as director of licensing in its Los Angeles office’s TV network division. Walker was previously division manager of broadcast network and affiliate licensing at Megratrax Production Music Library in North Hollywood.
Hospitality
Sandy Murphy has been appointed general manager of the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Murphy previously served as area vice president in Southern California for Hilton Hotels Corp.
Law
David D. Johnson has joined L.A. firm Jeffer Mangels Butler & Marmaro LLP as counsel. Johnson was previously an associate at Hooper Lundy & Bookman Inc., a Los Angeles law firm.
Non-Profit
Villa Esperanza Services, a Pasadena non-profit organization devoted to the care and education of disabled children, has hired Nikki Cavalier as vice president of quality, training and outcome management. The organization also promoted Vicky Castillo to chief financial officer, Michael Greene to director of employment services and Ed Volk to vice president of adult programs. Previously, Cavalier was an independent health care consultant. Castillo was senior vice president of human resources and finance with the organization. Greene was assistant director of employment services. Volk was vice president of training for excellence.
Ashley Jones has been appointed to the board of Open Paths Counseling Center, a non-profit organization providing outpatient mental health counseling services in Los Angeles. Jones is a marketing associate with Green Hasson & Janks LLP, a Los Angeles-based accounting firm.
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation, a Phoenix-based non-profit charity, has appointed Paulette Pasciuti president. Pasciuti was previously senior development director for City of Hope in Duarte.
Real Estate
CB Richard Ellis Investors has hired Cathy Arreguin as director in its global investor services team in Los Angeles. Arreguin was previously director of forward planning for Olson Co., a Seal Beach-based homebuilder.
Douglas G. Baily has joined the Los Angeles office of Transwestern, a commercial real estate and development firm, as vice president in the tenant advisory services group. Previously, Baily served as executive vice president at South Park Group, a Los Angeles-based real estate brokerage firm.
Retail
Cindy Liggett has been named natural food sales director in the Los Angeles office of Popchips Inc., a San Francisco-based company that produces all-natural potato chips. Liggett was previously national sales manager at Kettle Foods, a Salem, Ore., maker of snack food products.
McDonald’s Corp. has named Steve Norby vice president and general manager of Southern California, at the company’s Long Beach office. Norby was previously vice president and general manager of McDonald’s Indianapolis region.
Technology
Sometrics, a Los Angeles social network analytics firm, has hired Jennifer Bartlett and Michael Maher as business development managers. Previously, Bartlett served as production manager for One Eighteen Advertising, a Los Angeles advertising, branding and communications agency. Maher was vice president of business development and strategy for eMedical Lending, a Chatsworth technology company that specializes in health care finance, and pharmaceutical and medical sales.
Knowledge Adventure, a Torrance-based technology company that creates virtual worlds for children, has named David Lord president. Lord was previously president of RazorGator Interactive Group, a Santa Monica-based event planning company for sports and entertainment events.
Chris Porch has joined Zag, a Santa Monica online automobile retail site, as president and chief operating officer. Porch was previously chief executive of Between Markets Inc., a software company in Austin, Texas.
Kudos
American Honda Motor Co. Inc. has presented a Premier Partner Award to Data Linkage Software Inc., a Torrance technology firm. Data Linkage provided American Honda with a paperless system for managing dealership information, checking performance, and tracking and correcting deficiencies.
