On the Move: People & Companies

Labat

LEGAL

Germain D. Labat has joined Blank Rome LLP’s Los Angeles office….Read More

Gilbertson

FINANCE

Maxwell Gilbertson has joined J.P. Morgan Private….Read More

Segel

CONSTRUCTION

HBC welcomes Steve Segel to his new role as Senior Vice….Read More

Chicas

INFRASTRUCTURE

Robert Chicas, AIA, NCARB, LEED® AP, has joined….Read More

Chavira

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Veritas Public Affairs Inc. celebrates its three-year anniversary….Read More

Brennen

Izzo

ENGINEERING

The board of Syska Hennessy Group, the international engineering firm, has elevated Brennen to chairman and Izzo to president and CEO…Read More

Kapteyn

ADVISORY, AUDIT, & TAX SERVICES

Windes is pleased to announce Tracy Kapteyn as its new Chief Growth Officer….Read More

Silbergeld

LEGAL

Art Silbergeld has rejoined Thompson Coburn as a partner in the Firm’s Labor and Employment practice…Read More

Rarewala

ARCHITECTURE

AC Martin welcomes Bee Rarewala, Chief Strategy Officer…Read More

Shah

EDUCATION

L.A. Care is pleased to announce the promotion of Afzal Shah to Chief Financial
Officer (CFO)…Read More

Rae

EDUCATION

Rosemarie Rae will be the next executive vice president and chief operating officer…Read More

Charlie Herrera

Ernie Herrera

INTERIOR DEMOLITION & RECYCLING

Interior Removal Specialist, Inc. (IRS Demo), the leading Southern California company for eco-friendly interior demolition and recycling…Read More

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Expanding its California portfolio, San Diego-based Sunrise Management has taken over day-to-day management…Read More

Dowdall

LEGAL

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin strategically expands with the addition of…Read More

Jang-Busby

LEGAL

With extensive experience counseling clients on state and federal wage and hour law…Read More

DeLoach

ENGINEERING & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Max DeLoach has recently been promoted to Market Analyst for Willdan…Read More

Minassian

ACCOUNTING & CONSULTING

Johnny Minassian joins Withum as a Partner at the Firm’s Encino office…Read More

Bressler

LEGAL

Todd Bressler, ESQ has joined BBG Construction Law, as Partner to lead operations in California…Read More

Burgess

ENGINEERING & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Based in Los Angeles, Patrick Burgess leads client, market, and community development in Southern California…Read More

Ramirez

ENGINEERING & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

For 30+ years Armando G. Ramirez has collaborated with Los Angeles officials on major infrastructure initiatives…Read More

Wenzel

FINANCE

Tiffany Wenzel has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Pasadena as a Vice President and Banker…Read More

White

FINANCE

Erica White has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Pasadena as an Executive Director and Banker…Read More

Hacopian

FINANCE

Soseh Hacopian has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Westlake Village as a Vice President and Banker…Read More

Chu

FINANCE

Alice Chu has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Westlake Village as a Vice President and Banker…Read More

Balabanian

FINANCE

Hagop Balabanian has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Pasadena as a Vice President and Banker…Read More

Miranda

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT

LaTerra Development has named Bryan Miranda as Managing Director of LaTerra Storage…Read More

Hueter

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Fidelity National Financial is privileged to welcome aboard industry expert Kristen Hueter as…Read More

Rendon

FINANCE

Mar Diteos Rendon has been hired as the Chief Business Development Officer of Accessity…Read More

Aldaco

Majors

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Manuel Aldaco Lopez, PE, SE, has been promoted to…Read More

Rich

Watkins

Lopez

CONSTRUCTION

Snyder Langston, one of Southern California’s leading commercial and multi-family builders, now in its 64th year of operation…Read More

Casciani

NONPROFIT

Peter Casciani, CFO of North America for Ticketmaster, was recently elected to the…Read More

Bock

ARCHITECTURE

HKS announced Krisianna Bock as a Principal…Read More

Zaniboni

ENGINEERING & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

For 30+ years, Jim Zaniboni has held executive-level positions for billion-dollar global and national…Read More

Wu

ARCHITECTURE

Lamar Johnson Collaborative welcomes Audrey Wu, Principal…Read More

Ivie

LEGAL

Patrick Ivie, a legal administration expert with more than two decades of experience, joined Simpluris…Read More

Kirkpatrick

Toledo

Roy

NONPROFIT

The Food Bank completed its four-year comprehensive campaign in December 2022, raising $177 million to purchase and renovate…Read More

Richards

INSURANCE

Angie brings over 25 years of experience in the industry, as an expert and advocate for employee health and benefits…Read More

Bayle

INSURANCE

Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) has welcomed…Read More

Kelly

NON-PROFIT

Front Porch is a dynamic organization dedicated to empowering individuals to live connected…Read More

Potash

LEGAL

A member of the Environment, Land & Resources Practice, he focuses on environmental law with an emphasis…Read More

Marnitz

LEGAL

A member of the Environment, Land & Resources Practice, he focuses on environmental law with an emphasis…Read More

Mohebbi

LEGAL

A member of the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice…Read More

Brugger

Strohmer

Barton

Martinez

Carter

Rodriguez

ARCHITECTURE

HKS Architects, Inc., ranked third in the nation by Building Design + Construction’s 2022 Top 160 Architecture Firms list, recently promoted…Read More

Dr. Li

HEALTHCARE

L.A. Care is pleased to announce that it has appointed…Read More

Handler

LEGAL

Robert Handler has joined Blank Rome’s Corporate, M&A, and Securities practice group as…Read More

Gancman

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT

Damian Gancman was recently to promoted to…Read More

Lisauskas

ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING

RDC has appointed Robert Lisauskas, AIA, LEED AP, as Principal…Read More

Sutton

Pitt

ACCOUNTING

GHJ, a national advisory and accounting firm headquartered in Los Angeles, is excited to announce…Read More

NEW OFFICE LOCATION

After five years in the greater LA/OC community, BNBuilders is happy to announce the opening of…Read More

Neri

HOSPITALITY & INTERIORS

RDC is pleased to announce Gustavo (Gus) Neri as Director of Branding…Read More

Brown

Sanders

Swensson

LEGAL

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that…Read More

Johnson

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Recently live on CNN, Santa Monica based Windfall Advisors…Read More

Ballesteros

Solis

HEALTHCARE

L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, is pleased to announce…Read More

Spataro

CONTRUCTION

Vincent Spataro joins Schimenti as Senior Director, West Coast, to lead growth throughout the region…Read More

Waight

CONTRUCTION

Gearing up for rapid growth within the coming years, MATT Construction welcomes…Read More

Cameron

BANKING

City National Bank promoted David Cameron to…Read More

Gogus

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

A specialist in the seismic assessment and retrofit of existing buildings, seismic design of reinforced concrete and steel structures and performance-based seismic design…Read More

Wang

BANKING

City National Bank promoted JaHan Wang, former head of Entertainment Banking on the East Coast, to executive vice president of Entertainment Banking…Read More

Zhang

FINANCE

Crystal Zhang has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Pasadena as a Vice President and Banker…Read More

Johnson

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Recently live on CNN, Santa Monica based Windfall Advisors…Read More

Dennis

BANKING

Chris Dennis joins Capital One as the Market Credit Executive for Business Banking…Read More

Ashton

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Greg Ashton, AIA joins the LA office of architecture and design firm Gensler…Read More

Ungureanu

ARCHITECTURE

Cristina Ungureanu, AICP joins HOK as Principal and Regional Leader of Planning with a background…Read More

Goetz

ARCHITECTURE

Mike Goetz, AIA, ASID, IIDA, LEED AP has been named Director of Design, Interiors in HOK’s Los Angeles studio…Read More

Kwun

LEGAL

Jimmy Kwun, an intellectual property lawyer, focuses on U.S…Read More

Sudhakar

NON-PROFIT

The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all…Read More

Aronson

Cave

Dantona

Gaston

Reyes

Toth

Weiser

Yoshida

INSURANCE

As a Senior Vice President in Private Client Services…Read More

Farrell

Barry

Hergert

Lilly

Rothermund

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

The Los Angeles office of design and architecture firm Gensler announces…Read More

Wolin

LEGAL

Amanda R. Wolin has been named a…Read More

Lenahan

ENGINEERING

DCI Engineers (structural, civil) has promoted…Read More

Herrema

LEGAL

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce…Read More

Longyear

ARCHITECTURE

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce…Read More

Bishop

Hiscoe

CONSTRUCTION

Bishop is currently co-CEO of Kinetic Leaders, a firm specializing in strategy innovation and executive search…Read More

Gauss

ACCOUNTING

Christopher Gauss has been promoted to Partner, Tax Services, at RSM US LLP…Read More

McOsker

ADVOCACY

Nella McOsker is now president and chief executive officer of Central City Association of Los Angeles (CCA)…Read More

Hazzard

Simmons

SOCIAL & HEALTH CARE

Partners in Care Foundation Recruits Eric Hazzard to Lead Community Care Hub…Read More

Aloe

FINANCE

Dean Aloe Joins TMC Financing’s Southern California Team…Read More

MULTIFAMILY MANAGEMENT FIRM

New Reno, Nevada-based Multifamily Management Firm Launched…Read More

Hess

Dixon

INFRASTRUCTURE

Based in HNTB’s Orange County office, Hess will oversee business operations, contracting and delivery of infrastructure projects across the five-state West Division…Read More

Cheung

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) welcomes Stephen Cheung as president and chief executive officer….Read More

Kelly

Elkins

ACCOUNTING

Gursey | Schneider LLP, a full-service accounting firm specializing in litigation support, tax services, business management, business valuation, audit and accounting, and technology advisory services…Read More

Pinto

LEGAL

Ervin Cohen & Jessup welcomes Angela Pinto as Executive Director…Read More

Amin

HEALTH CARE

L.A. Care is pleased to announce that Sameer Amin, MD, is the health plan’s new Chief Medical Officer…Read More

Lee

Bedigian

Gershon

Lahana

Owens

LEGAL

Larson is pleased to announce the elevations of…Read More

Teshima

ARCHITECTURE

AC Martin welcomes Satoshi Teshima, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C, as Design Principal…Read More

Slater

ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING

Sean Slater, AIA, has been promoted to Senior Principal at RDC…Read More

Fedalizo

NON-PROFIT

Natures Hotline food bank est. in 1970 serves So. Central Los Angeles for 52 yrs…Read More

NON-PROFIT

Children’s Bureau of Southern California recently elected several corporate leaders to its roster of volunteer directors and trustees…Read More

Lim

BANKING

John Lim joins Capital One as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager of Business Banking…Read More

Calloway

BANKING

Treonna Calloway joins Capital One as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager of Business Banking…Read More

Overton

BANKING

Sam Overton joins Capital One as the Market Executive for Business Banking…Read More

Sosa

BANKING

Jorge Sosa joins Capital One as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager of Business Banking…Read More

Whang

BANKING

Stephen Whang joins Capital One as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager of Business Banking…Read More

Fukushima

BANKING

Jason T. Fukushima has joined Fifth Third Bank, N.A., as Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager with the Los Angeles Region team…Read More

Hadnett

CONSTRUCTION

Swinerton is pleased to announce the promotion of…Read More

Sanchez

Drake

Burleson

Law

Blair

CONSTRUCTION

Swinerton is pleased to announce the promotion of…Read More

Keller

LANDSCAPE & ARCHITECTURE

STUDIO ONE ELEVEN ELEVATES KIRK KELLER TO PRINCIPAL…Read More

Russell

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT

Michael Russell has been appointed as Executive Director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association (WVIA)….Read More

Thilenius

HOSPITALITY & INTERIORS

Jackson Thilenius, AIA, has been promoted to Senior Principal, Hospitality, and Interiors at RDC…Read More

Dippel

INFRASTRUCTURE

HNTB names Michelle Dippel president of Western Region…Read More

Rayner

NON-PROFIT

ECF Welcomes Lauren Rayner as Chief Development Officer…Read More

Babaknia

FINANCE

Sahar Babaknia has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Los Angeles as a Vice President and Banker…Read More

Kizer

FINANCE

Susan Kizer has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Los Angeles as a Vice President and Investment Specialist…Read More

Nishi

CONSTRUCTION

Clayco welcomes Kazu Nishi as Director of Project Development…Read More

Baker

REAL ESTATE

Oliver Baker recently joined Cityview, a premier multifamily investment management and development firm, as Director of Development and Construction…Read More

Holguin

CONSTRUCTION

Clayco welcomes Ileana Holguin as VP, Institutional…Read More

Tellers

BANKING

F&M Bank is pleased to welcome Jennifer Tellers as Vice President and Branch Manager at the Belmont Shore Branch Office…Read More

Montañez

BANKING

Vanessa Montañez, D.E.L (Doctorate of Executive Leadership), was named SVP and City National Bank’s first community lending national sales manager…Read More

DONATIONS

The PENTA Building Group Raises $90,000 for Local Nonprofits Through Charity Golf Tournament…Read More

Dr. Batra

NON-PROFIT

SCAN Health Plan’s Dr. Romilla Batra to chair American Heart Association’s initiative to improve women’s cardiovascular health…Read More

Popov

CONSTRUCTION

Clayco welcomes Emil Popov as Project Executive in the Culver City office…Read More

Featherston

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

HGA welcomes Fielding Featherston, AIA, LEED AP, as Principal and Practice Group Leader in LA’s Workplace Studio to expand its client base…Read More

Taubman

LEGAL

Tiffany Taubman has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in Century City…Read More

O’Brien

LEGAL

Caitlin O’Brien has been elected a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP in Century City…Read More

Whitaker

LEGAL

Nathan Whitaker has been elected a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP in downtown Los Angeles…Read More

McArthur

LEGAL

Alexandra Welch McArthur has been promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP in Century City…Read More

Berger

Seah

ARCHITECTURAL, DESIGN & PLANNING FIRM

MVE + Partners, a leading architectural, design and planning firm, announced earlier this month the promotion of Pieter Berger and Terrence Seah, NCARB, to Principal…Read More

Lefranc

BANKING

Roman Lefranc has joined Fifth Third Bank, N.A. in Los Angeles, as Managing Director, Investment Banking & Capital Market Strategy…Read More

CELEBRATIONS

OneLegacy CEO Prasad Garimella, along with Azusa Mayor Robert Gonzales, joined with city officials and the OneLegacy Board of Directors…Read More

Stamp

CONSTRUCTION

Clayco welcome Paula Stamp as Vice President, Economic Development…Read More

Manavian

CONSTRUCTION

Taylor Manavian has been promoted to Project Executive at Morley Builders…Read More

Edwards

HEALTH & WELLNESS

A global leader in health and wellness PR, Dunn Pellier Media announces the promotion of Melissa Edwards to Vice President of Publicity…Read More

Ceniceros

ONLINE LEARNING CENTER

Connect Media Launches World-Class Online Learning Center for CRE Accreditation…Read More

Conway

Madrid

Whitney

Zandi

ARCHITECTURE

Kevin Conway, Carlos Madrid III, Tannar Whitney, and Tahmores Zandi have been promoted to Senior Associate Principals…Read More

Long

Herman

ARCHITECTURE

Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill is proud to announce the promotions of several talented members of our LA Studio…Read More

Adams

INFRASTRUCTURE

Quincy Cass Associates, Inc. (QCA) welcomes Deanna M. Adams, CFA, as their new Chief Investment Officer…Read More

Bacura

Bott

Evers

Woods

FINANCE

Eric Bacura joins the Northern Trust Wealth Management group as Senior Banking Advisor…Read More

Oh

INFRASTRUCTURE

Kenneth Oh joined HNTB Corporation as construction services group director and associate vice president…Read More

McFarland

LEGAL

Raines Feldman Nabs MIT Engineer to Launch Environmental, Land Use and Natural Resources Practice in Los Angeles…Read More

Liang

FINANCE

Henry Liang joins Wilmington Trust as a Senior Wealth Advisor in the Los Angeles office, responsible for…Read More

Amirdelfan

ARCHITECTURE

Global design firm HKS has announced Kaveh Amirdelfan as Regional Director of Education…Read More

Atienza

EDUCATION

Johanna Atienza recently joined Options for Learning as the agency’s first chief growth and innovation officer…Read More

Walbuck

CONSTRUCTION

As Webcor’s new Sr. Director, Business Development, Brooke Walbuck is responsible for leading Los Angeles-area BD efforts…Read More

Chandran

INFRASTRUCTURE

LA METRO CELEBRATES OPENING OF HNTB-DESIGNED K LINE…Read More

Dutmer

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Local general contractor The PENTA Building Group announced the promotion of Paul Dutmer to Vice President of Southern California…Read More

LEGAL AID SERVICES

Thank you to Gold Sponsor, Arnold & Porter for their generous contribution to the LACBA Counsel for Justice Community Impact Reception…Read More

Synrod

FINANCE

BitcoinIRA Announces Rick Synrod as its New Chief Operations Officer, Formerly COO of Fidelity Digital Funds…Read More

Fujimoto

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Pam Fujimoto has joined GolinLA as executive creative director to lead the region’s creative team…Read More

Gonzalez

PR/COMMUNICATIONS FIRM

Marco Antonio Gonzalez, a seasoned corporate communications executive, officially launches MaGo! PR…Read More

LEGAL AID SERVICES

Thank you to Gold Sponsor, Latham & Watkins LLP for their generous contribution to the LACBA Counsel for Justice Community Impact Reception…Read More

Douglas

CONSTRUCTION

Suffolk has expanded its team of construction professionals in Los Angeles by hiring construction veteran Jim (James) P. Douglas II as…Read More

Fung

NEW MARKETPLACE

Airtasker launches in Los Angeles as demand for flexible work soars against backdrop of rising inflation…Read More

Soteropulos

CONSTRUCTION

Gust Soteropulos has joined Tutor Perini Corporation as executive vice president of Tutor Perini Building Corp…Read More

CELEBRATIONS

Popular television programs Chicago Med, Grey’s Anatomy and The Resident were among the productions honored at the 2022 DLH Inspire Awards, held recently in Hollywood…Read More

Lewis

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Blair Lewis recently joined Parkview Financial as an underwriter and is responsible for reviewing the investment risk for new loans…Read More

Oh

INFRASTRUCTURE

Kenneth Oh joined HNTB Corporation as construction services group director and associate vice president…Read More

Martin

EDUCATION

The University of West Los Angeles (UWLA) announced the appointment of Perry Martin Jr. as the university’s first Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Transformation…Read More

LEGAL AID SERVICES

Thank you to Gold Sponsor, Proskauer for your generous contribution to the LACBA Counsel for Justice Community Impact Reception…Read More

Friedrich

LEGAL

Matthew Friedrich has joined the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins as a partner in the Real Estate Practice…Read More

DeCarvalho

HOSPITALITY

The Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles welcomes Alex DeCarvalho as General Manager…Read More

Synrod

FINANCE

BitcoinIRA Announces Rick Synrod as its New Chief Operations Officer…Read More

Fathali

Falero

ENVIRONMENTAL, ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

EBI Consulting adds two seismic experts….Read More

Porter

Serrao

NONPROFIT

Easterseals Welcomes Becky Porter and Maria Serraro….Read More

Ali

ARCHITECTURE

AO, a leading full-service architecture firm with design expertise spanning …Read More

Helmers

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Lori Helmers has joined City National Bank as senior vice president and manager of Structured Trade Finance…Read More

Weedman

HEALTHCARE

Longtime Los Angeles Business Leader Jonathan Weedman has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate and Donor Relations for Via Care Community Health…Read More

Corley

PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY

Dreamday is a first-of-its-kind performance PR agency at the intersection of affiliate marketing and commerce PR…Read More

Maggiore

ARCHITECTURE

Virginia Maggiore, AIA, has been named Principal of RDC, a full-service, award-winning architecture firm…Read More

Roseberry

CONSTRUCTION

Erickson-Hall Construction Co. welcomes Andrew Roseberry as its Talent Acquisition Specialist…Read More

Raben

Russo

LEGAL

Entertainment Firm Ramo Law PC Elevates Two New Partners…Read More

Sorrentino, MD

BIOPHARMA & AI

GATC Health, a science and technology company revolutionizing drug discovery and disease prediction using AI…Read More

Winterson

FINANCE

Wells Fargo names Managing Director Phil Winterson as leader of the Private Wealth Business…Read More

Hreno

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

John Hreno has joined Hoerr Schaudt as an Associate Principal in the firm’s Los Angeles office…Read More

Zalduendo

LEGAL

Zweiback Fiset & Coleman, LLP Announces Name Change and New Partner…Read More

Botros

Baghdassarian

Galloway

Gray

Grigorians

Grover

Ko

Taber

Vinson

Yang

LEGAL

HANSON BRIDGETT LLP WELCOMES ATTORNEYS IN LA OFFICE…Read More

Taylor

Cole

AUCTION HOUSE

S.L. Leonard & Associates,a project and construction management firm is pleased to announce….Read More

Escalante

INFRASTRUCTURE

Gina Escalante has joined HNTB Corporation as transportation planning department manager, based in the firm’s downtown Los Angeles office…Read More

Hernandez Lastra

Turner

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

S.L. Leonard & Associates,a project and construction management firm is pleased to announce….Read More

Ganz

HEALTH CARE

Dr. Leonard Ganz joined Abbott as the Chief Medical Officer of its Cardiac Rhythm Management business…Read More

Brasfield

BOARD POSITION

Rand Corporation’s Center to Advance Racial Equity Policy (CAREP) Advisory Board announced new advisory board of directors and selects Dr. Giovanna Brasfield as interim Chairperson…Read More

Nelson

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Kyle Nelson recently joined Snappt as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships…Read More

Awai

ARCHITECTURE

Tom Awai joins Bora as an Associate and Director of Business Development…Read More

Robertson

FINANCE

WILMINGTON TRUST WELCOMES BELIN ROBERTSON…Read More

Bouchey

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Steinberg Hart, an international architecture and design firm, elevated Rob Barthelman to Partner…Read More

Kradjian

BANKING

EH Private Bank Welcomes Silvia Kradjian…Read More

Barthelman

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

EH Private Bank Welcomes Silvia Kradjian
…Read More

Kuohn

BANKING

Sandy Kuohn has joined City National Bank as executive vice president and chief colleague officer and will oversee the bank’s human resources strategy…Read More

Reynolds

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Wolcott Architecture is happy to announce that Jennifer Reynolds has been promoted to Principal…Read More

McClain

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Steinberg Hart, an international architecture and design firm, elevated Katia McClain to Partner…Read More

VETERAN SERVICES

Thank you to Gold Sponsors, DLA Piper for your generous contributions to the LACBA Counsel for Justice Veterans Legal Services Project…Read More

Sahota

BANKING

Banc of California has hired Jagdeep Singh Sahota as Chief Payments Officer…Read More

Walker

INFRASTRUCTURE

Del Walker, PE, has joined HNTB as senior program manager and vice president in the West….Read More

Weil

REAL ESTATE

Jessica Weil has been named regional vice president of CloudTen Residential, a newlyformed Nevada-based firm that manages and operates multifamily properties throughout the West….Read More

Kang

Connolly

CONSTRUCTION

Morley Builders is pleased to announce the following
promotions….Read More

Rocca

ARCHITECTURE

Rebekah Prince has joined Blank Rome’s Corporate, M&A, and Securities practice group as a partner in the Los Angeles Office…Read More

Smith

NON-PROFIT

Shelley I. Smith, Esq., Installed as Chair of Exceptional Children’s Foundation Board of Directors…Read More

LAW

Rebekah Prince has joined Blank Rome’s Corporate, M&A, and Securities practice group as a partner in the Los Angeles Office…Read More

LAW

David E. Parsly has joined Blank Rome’s Corporate, M&A, and Securities practice group as a partner in the Los Angles office…Read More

FINANCE

Mike Doniger of Moneylion joins as Chief Operating Officer…Read More

ACCOUNTING

Windes announces new partner…Read More

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

VMLY&R has expanded its West Coast footprint with the addition of a new executive lead, Jennifer DaSilva, promoted to executive director, VMLY&R West. DaSilva will oversee the agency’s client engagement, delivery operations, and new business in the Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles offices. In addition, she will continue serving as president at Berlin Cameron. In this new role, she will be based in LA and work alongside Seattle-based Executive Vice President Eric Baumgartner.

DaSilva is a seasoned marketer with 20-plus years of experience working on Fortune 500 brands. As president of WPP creative agency Berlin Cameron, she spent the last 20 years managing key brands such as Coca-Cola, Heineken, Lexus and Capital One.

She is an influential thought leader who has been published in over 20 leading national media outlets and covered in three published books on her expertise in building community, gender empowerment, leadership, women in the metaverse, mental health, reframing motherhood, and more.

A vocal champion of female empowerment and entrepreneurship, DaSilva launched LLShe, a Berlin Cameron division that works with women-loved and women-led brands. With that same mission in mind, in 2019 she founded Connect4Women, an initiative designed to help women build powerful networks and find job opportunities, which has brought together thousands of women and counting.

VMLY&R’s west coast presence has seen substantial business growth, with 150 new employee hires and double revenue growth since 2019. The agency has welcomed a rapidly expanding client portfolio including technology leading brands like Intel, Microsoft, Meta, and T-Mobile, along with Lululemon, Mazda, and Driscoll’s. Supporting growth, VMLY&R opened its new office at the WPP campus in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, making it its first official hub in the LA market serving 60 employees.

BANKING

Julie Hayes has joined Truist Wealth in Beverly Hills as a Managing Director and Senior Wealth Advisor. She works with high-net-worth families managing their wealth. Hayes will be responsible for growing the Conejo Valley and Santa Barbara markets. Most recently, Hayes spent 19 years at Wells Fargo Private Bank.

CONSTRUCTION

Howard Building Corporation is excited to welcome Jenna Norys as General Counsel. With nearly a decade of experience in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry, Jenna will be overseeing legal functions across both the Los Angeles and Orange County offices. She joins the team from architecture firm Gehry Partners, LLP.

CELEBRATIONS

Nearly 500 healthcare leaders from throughout the greater Los Angeles area gathered at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for Partners in Care Foundation’s 22nd Annual Tribute Dinner honoring two dynamic leaders and the work they are doing to transform healthcare for all.

Seen here, Partners in Care CEO June Simmons congratulates honorees (l -r) Sachin H. Jain, MD, President & Chief Executive Officer of SCAN Group and SCAN Health Plan, and Arthur M. Southam, MD, Executive Vice President of Health Plan Operations and Chief Growth Officer for Kaiser Permanente.

A national leader in the development of social care models, Partners in Care works to align social care and healthcare outside the hospital setting to address social determinants of health as well as equity disparities affecting diverse, underserved and vulnerable populations.

ARCHITECTURE

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill welcomes Alan Lewis, AIA NCARB, and Jorge Colón, AIA IIDA LEED to the Los Angeles studio.

Alan Lewis, Design Principal, and Global City Landscape + Ecology Practice Leader, has relocated to Los Angeles after seven years in the San Francisco studio. With over 30 years of experience, Alan has led waterfront design projects on every continent except Antarctica. His work fuses architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture to improve the public realm and strengthen environmental resilience. As a skilled consensus builder, his expertise bonds client and community stakeholders.

Alan has provided leadership and expertise on numerous high-profile and award-winning projects, including the Baietan Urban Design Master Plan in Guangzhou, the Green Dragon Park in Nanjing, China’s Yellow River Ecological Landscape Forest Levee Park, and the San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant Master Plan.

Jorge Colón joins SOM as Head of the Los Angeles Interior Design Studio with over 25 years of experience delivering highly responsive and fully integrated interior environments. Working across academic, institutional, and commercial real estate settings, he has cultivated expertise in new building development, integrated adaptive reuse, and large-scale renovation projects. Jorge’s past clients include Arizona State University, LACMA, and the LA Times.

Professional organizations, awards programs, and industry publications have recognized Jorge for design excellence. He is an active participant in initiatives that advance design awareness, community engagement, and mentorship. He holds a B.S. from Georgia Tech, a Master of Architecture from Arizona State University, and a Master in Design Studies from Harvard University.

CELEBRATIONS

More than 5,000 people gathered recently at Azusa Pacific University for the 20th anniversary of OneLegacy’s Donate Life Run/Walk, the largest event of its kind in the nation.

With approximately 106,000 people waiting to receive a lifesaving heart, liver, lung, kidney or pancreas transplant, the Run/Walk celebrates the power of organ, eye and tissue donation and inspires more people to donate life.

NONPROFIT

David P. “Anderson,” MSSE is the new President & CEO of LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he is an energetic leader in the afterschool expanded learning field with two decades of experience. Anderson is a business mind woven in passion and care for positive change.

BANKING

Welcome Ed Hart as the Director of First Bank’s Center for Family-Owned Businesses

As part of the vision to help family-owned businesses thrive through the generations, First Bank continues to build up products and services to serve this vital segment of the economy. To further help drive this important endeavor, Ed Hart has joined First Bank as the Director of the Center for Family-Owned Businesses. A lifelong resident of Orange County, his position will be based out of this Southern California region.

Ed will work on building partnerships and driving initiatives that further support the growth and sustainability of family-owned businesses. In addition, Ed will spearhead client educational programs while serving as an ambassador for First Bank’s Center for Family-Owned Businesses.

Possessing an extensive background in leading family-owned businesses, Ed has helped hundreds of family businesses with his expertise and sound leadership. Most recently, Ed assisted a start-up financial services provider in their launch of an Institute for Entrepreneurship, focused on working with small-to- medium sized, minority-owned businesses around Southern California. Prior to that, Ed led the Cal State Fullerton Center for Family Business since 2011.

Contact Ed at (714) 458-3064 or via email at [email protected].

BANKING

Elsa R. Burton has joined Fifth Third Bank as the Regional Manager for Los Angeles. She has over 25 years of banking experience providing solutions for middle market companies. Previously, she was the Group Head for the commercial and industrial team with Leumi Bank. Read More..

FULL SERVICE ADVERTISING AGENCY

Quigley Hires Jerry Sommerville, as VP, Head of Activation.

Jerry Sommerville has joined Quigley, the largest WBENC-certified female-owned advertising agency in the country, as VP, Head of Activation. Sommerville will oversee Media Activation for Search, Social, and Programmatic buying across Quigley’s portfolio, focusing on the strategic integration of platforms to drive a cohesive approach fitting for today’s media landscape.

BANKING

Ramon Estrada Manzur was promoted at City National Bank to branch manager in Torrance. He is bilingual in Spanish. City National is a private and business bank based in Los Angeles with more than $90 billion in assets.

www.cnb.com
Branch: 3424 Carson Street, Torrance, 90503. Phone (310) 793-5722.

HEALTHCARE

L.A. Care is pleased to announce that Afzal Shah has been named Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the company. Shah brings more than 27 years of strategic healthcare experience with Medicaid and Medicare products. His work has focused on provider reimbursement, contracting strategy and value-based purchasing.

REAL ESTATE

CITYVIEW PROMOTES NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR OF INVESTOR RELATIONS

Cityview, a leading multifamily investment management and development firm, announced that Jennifer Halvas has been promoted to managing director of investor relations. Halvas is a 10-year veteran at Cityview and a partner and member of Cityview’s investment committee. She will continue to report to CEO Sean Burton and support the continued growth and evolution of the firm’s investment strategy and initiatives; enable new capital development opportunities; and continue to bolster the infrastructure for existing and future investors.

Halvas joined Cityview in 2011, and previously served as senior vice president of operations and associate general counsel. She was named a partner of the firm in 2020 and has successfully overseen fundraising for Cityview’s high net worth platform since 2019. Halvas has previously been responsible for the firm’s corporate operations including identifying best practices, implementing policies and procedures, and championing Cityview’s ESG strategic initiatives and its merit-based performance culture focused on innovation, transparency and inclusion.

Prior to joining Cityview, Halvas was counsel at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where she represented a variety of clients in real estate, project development, and finance transactions. She received her dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science, with honors, from the University of Southern California and her Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt Law School.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The SPARK LA partnership that started with HNTB and the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works wrapped up the program’s sixth year at L.A. Unified School District’s Girls Academic Leadership Academy: Dr. Michelle King School for STEM. This year, the program expanded to include Schurr High School in Montebello, CA.

“Our goal was to reach more students with this exciting educational program, and we were thrilled to add Schurr High School, a comprehensive four-year public high school,” said Lilly Acuña, HNTB environmental planner and SPARK LA program leader. “SPARK Eastside concluded its inaugural year with 29 students participating for four weeks in sessions led by technical experts in the fields of tunnel and bridge design, transit planning, and aviation. We welcome and appreciate the opportunity to inspire students for many years.”

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District said, “I’m thrilled that the Gold Line Eastside Extension Project was part of SPARK’s curriculum for this year’s cohort. Metro Los Angeles is working tirelessly to connect more people to more places with better transit and to that end, am so grateful for the support of these students in making our transit system more equitable. I can’t wait to see how successful they all become!”

HNTB collaborated with many volunteers to make the SPARK programs at GALA and Schurr High School a memorable, interactive experience for the students.

BANKING & DESIGN

Fifth Third Bank is excited to announce Joe Kernan has been hired as Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager for the Los Angeles Region. Joe will develop and maintain relationships with middle market companies, supporting them with working capital lines, real estate loans, cash flow loans, and treasury management services. Read More..

HEALTHCARE

Bryan Davis has joined as National Practice Leader at Nava Benefits, a modern healthcare benefits brokerage leveraging technology and benefits innovation to tackle the rising costs of healthcare. Bryan brings more than two decades of leadership experience in employee benefits, risk management, and client relations working for the world’s largest carriers, brokers, and consulting firms including Lockton Companies, Optum, Aon, and Mercer. At Nava, Bryan will be responsible for rapidly expanding the consulting team, bringing benefits innovation downstream to small and medium-sized employers, and driving overall client growth for the organization.

Bryan was most recently the Senior Vice President, Market Leader at Lockton Companies, where he led the Employee Benefits Practice for Northern California and Oregon. There, he oversaw a 300% growth in revenue and expanded the company’s customer footprint in several new geographies. “After twenty years in the traditional broker space, I’ve seen time and time again small and medium-sized businesses forced to play by a vastly limited set of rules when it comes to benefits innovation and cost savings,” said Davis. “Nava’s mission of making healthcare affordable, accessible and transparent for everyone immediately attracted me to the company. As I dug deeper, I realized how a powerful combination of people, technology and culture made this company stand out in an otherwise stagnant industry.” Nava is thrilled to welcome Bryan to the team and looks forward to leveraging his expertise as they rapidly scale their brokerage team and benefits offerings. Get in touch with Bryan at [email protected].

BANKING

Lin Nicholas, was promoted at City National Bank to branch manager in West Hollywood. Lin is bilingual and speaks Chinese. City National is a private and business bank based in Los Angeles with more than $90 billion in assets.

www.cnb.com
Branch: 9229 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, 90069. Phone (310) 888-6828.

NONPROFIT

The Exceptional Children’s Foundation (ECF) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Veronica Arteaga, LCSW as President and CEO.

Ms. Arteaga joined the organization June 1st, succeeding Scott D. Bowling as ECF’s third President and CEO in its 76 years of service. She is responsible for leadership of ECF’s 15 service sites throughout Los Angeles County, 375 employees, a 20 member board of directors, and the provision of service to more than 5,000 children and adults with special needs and their family members annually.

“We are delighted to welcome Veronica to ECF. She is a passionate, innovative leader with a collaborative approach and a track record of strategic success in organizational systems and service delivery. We look forward to the contributions of her leadership in the ongoing service and impact of our founding mission,” says ECF Board of Directors Chair Steven P. Beltran.

Ms. Arteaga brings more than 15 years of experience leading and providing social services, having previously served as Chief Program Officer for Wayfinder Family Services, and Vice President, Housing Programs for St. Anne’s Family Services in Los Angeles.

She is a licensed clinical social worker and is pupil personnel services credentialed (K-12 counseling), and is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Institute. She holds a Master of Social Work from University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

ACCOUNTING

Crowe LLP would like to announce the hiring of Chris Engels, CPA, as a partner in the firm’s SALT group where he specializes in sales and use taxation for clients in the west region. He received a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and is a member of the IPT.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

HGA welcomes Gail Bouvrie, AIA, DBIA, as Associate VP and Design Principal focused on arts, community, higher education and healthcare projects in the LA office. She brings over 35 years’ experience with clients including Cal Poly, Pasadena City College, UC Davis Medical Center and the California Department of General Services.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Marty Fifer, AIA, NCARB, DBIA, EDAC, joins HGA as Associate VP and Healthcare Principal, co-located in the firm’s LA and San Diego offices. With more than 28 years’ experience, he will focus on new business opportunities, client relations and team processes for the firm’s growing healthcare practice across Southern California.

VETERAN SERVICES

Proskauer supports free legal aid to veterans with a gold sponsorship for the LACBA Veterans Legal Services Project’s 2nd Annual Who Are You Remembering Campaign. This generous donation supports the delivery of pro bono services to help veterans clear records, resolve housing disputes, seek military discharge upgrades, and address family law and small business development needs.

Learn more: Lacba.org/veterans2022

BANKING

Art Bikidjian was promoted at City National Bank to Pacific Palisades branch manager. He is fluent in Armenian and Farsi. City National is a private and business bank based in Los Angeles with more than $90 billion in assets.

www.cnb.com
Branch: 15273 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, 90272. Phone (310) 873-5305.

LEGAL

Raines Feldman is pleased to welcome Rami S. Yanni and Bill Hochberg as partners in the firm’s Entertainment & Media Law Department. This dynamic duo brings decades of deep industry experience to benefit a wide variety of well-known music, entertainment, and media clients.

Rami and Bill counsel major social media companies, prominent entertainment companies and entertainment industry figures, and legendary musicians and other content creators on a wide variety of matters in connection with their contracts, business formation, joint ventures, partnership agreements, publishing, rights acquisition and clearance, licensing, litigation, and copyright and trademark protection.

“Rami and Bill will be a tremendous asset to the firm and our entertainment clients,” stated Jonathan Littrell, Raines Feldman’s Managing Partner. “We have deep roots in Hollywood stemming from our extensive entertainment litigation practice and we are excited to add a team of accomplished media and entertainment transactions partners to our growing roster of elite attorneys.”

NEW FUNDING/FINANCE

Suman Bannerjee CIO from Hedonova, an alternative assets hedge fund, is raising a strategic series A1 funding round of $18.4 million at a $330 million valuation from Chemie-Tech DMCC, a UAE based engineering and construction company.

We’re very excited! Last week we closed a funding round of $18.4 at a post money valuation of $330 million led by the UAE firm called Chemie Tech. The round also saw participation from some of our key employees including myself and also from 4 of our clients, to whom we are very grateful. There is no greater gift than having our customers as investors.

This round is still open. We are in the process of raising another $25 million from two large global conglomerates. We will announce it when the round is closed.

Why raise from corporates?
We spent a decade helping European tech startups raising VC funding. Venture capitalists have a 10-year time horizon because that’s the general longitivtiy of the fund. That is not long enough for us. Many of the investments we make and the systems we build will pay off over decades.

Venture capital funds typically make around 50 investments and hope that 2 or 3 of them turn out to be breakouts and provide a 1,000x return. The realigning are expected to fail and fall off their radar. They also find it difficult to raise follow on rounds.

The US technology space is experiencing a revert back to normal after 2 years of stupendous growth, and many VC funds themselves might find it hard to raise capital. We do not want to be mercy of someone else’s ability to raise capital.

Growth in great but growth at any cost makes us uncomfortable, especially since we manage money. We would rather be prudent with growth. Because of these, we have decided to raise capital from corporates only with whom we can have more synergies outside just money and who have no intention to sell their investment for a quick return.

CONSTRUCTION

January Wilson, Project Executive, Team Leader

Clune Construction has named January Wilson Vice President, Project Executive, Team Leader for Clune’s Los Angeles office. She has overseen a variety of build-outs, and is known in the industry for her ability to manage the most complex projects. Wilson is a graduate of California State University Dominguez Hills.

BANKING

Steve S. Lavaeddin was promoted at City National Bank to branch manager in Downtown Santa Monica. The branch opened last summer. City National is a private and business bank based in Los Angeles with more than $90 billion in assets.
www.cnb.com
Branch: 1315 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, 90401. Phone (310) 264-2941.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Respected West Coast public relations and advertising agency NINICO Communications named industry leader Sarah Farrant vice president of the company.

The appointment comes as the firm celebrates its eleventh anniversary and at a time of record growth. She will oversee messaging, campaigns, and strategy for clients and the agency across both San Jose and Los Angeles offices.

ARCHITECTURE

Wolcott Architecture, an innovative architectural and design firm that focuses on developing impactful environments, is proud to welcome Ed Melgar, CID, LEED AP, as Design Principal.

With almost twenty years of experience in commercial design, Ed will be responsible for the overall design and creative direction of projects. Ed’s ability to generate big-picture concepts and execute them through critical details has generated a broad range of design solutions for numerous commercial sectors.

Ed has completed a range of architectural and interior projects that have garnered him industry acclaim. Ed holds a Bachelor of Interior Design from the University of New Haven. He has previously sat on the board of the California Council for Interior Design Certification (CCIDC) as a Director.
Wolcott Architecture is thrilled to have Ed join the team and continue building on Wolcott’s legacy and growing momentum.

Partner Carlos Carrasquillo said, “We are excited to welcome Ed. His strong design prowess and leadership both in the studio and in the industry are great additions to our thriving practice. He will make us even better.”

EDUCATION

Loyola Marymount Names New SVP for Student Affairs, Dean of School of Film and Television

LMU welcomes two new accomplished leaders to its team: Kawanna Leggett, senior vice president for student affairs, and Joanne Moore, dean of the LMU School of Film and Television.

Leggett is an accomplished, nationally recognized justice-oriented student development leader, who brings to LMU a strong commitment to collaborating with academic colleagues as part of an integrated approach to delivering the student experience. Most recently, she served as associate vice chancellor of student affairs at Washington University in St. Louis, where she oversaw Residential Life and Housing, Conference Services, Student Transitions and Family Programs, and the Faculty Fellows in Residence Program.

Leggett previously served in residential life at UC Berkely and New York University. She earned her Ed.D. from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, her Master of Education at the University of Arkansas, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Clemson University.

Moore joins LMU from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she was chair of the Producing Department in the School of Filmmaking. She oversaw the department’s academic and administrative operations and taught numerous courses about production and development.

Moore is also an accomplished producer and film industry executive. As vice president of Yorktown Productions, the filmmaker Norman Jewison’s production company, she developed and oversaw production on several features, including the Academy Award-nominated “The Hurricane,” and the remakes of “The Thomas Crown Affair” and “Rollerball,” among others. She earned her J.D. from UCLA and bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Riverside.

REAL ESTATE

Shelton Wilder is a Top Luxury Real Estate Agent in Southern California and CEO of the Shelton Wilder Group. Achieving $300M in career sales, she is in the top 1.5% of realtors nationwide. Unwavering enthusiasm, relentless positivity and down to earth nature are the hallmarks of Wilder’s success.

“I like to wear a crown of patience,” Wilder says, “It’s my super power.”

Wilder prides herself on maintaining stellar relationships with not only clients, but also with fellow real estate agents.

“I’m an agent’s agent,” Wilder says, “It’s my goal to completely change the way real estate is done in Los Angeles. We can all accomplish so much more when we collaborate with kindness and positivity.”

Wilder hails from Charlotte, North Carolina but loves Los Angeles as only a native can. In her over fifteen years on the Westside, Shelton has developed a nuanced understanding of LA’s complex and often bewildering patchwork of neighborhoods, schools, and cultures.

While she specializes in luxury residential and commercial properties in Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Mar Vista, Venice and Beverly Hills, Shelton will travel anywhere her clients have interests.

“Buying a home is often the most important purchase–and investment–of a person’s life” Wilder notes, “It’s also one of the most intense experiences of a person’s life, particularly in the ever more competitive Los Angeles market.”

Shelton is committed to making the process as stress-free as possible. Her compassion, patience, exuberance, and gentleness distinguish her from many with comparably acute business sense and vigorous skills of negotiation. Whether working with a first-time buyer on a starter home or an experienced investor buying a third residence, Wilder is equally dedicated to helping her clients achieve their dreams.

Shelton Wilder DRE#: 01979656
Sotheby’s International Realty SIR Broker#: 00899496

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

HGA’s Haley Nelson, ASID, IIDA, LEED AP, WELL AP, has been named National Interior Design Expertise Leader for the firm’s newly formed National Interior Design Leadership Team. Working in partnership with two other national leaders focused on developing business and elevating the practice, the Los Angeles-based Senior Interior Designer will continue her role on projects to build a shared intention and level of craft within the practice, leveraging research to amplify the impact of interior environments.

HGA has formed the new leadership team to support the accelerated growth of the firm’s award-winning national interior design practice. “Guided by a collective and ambitious vision for interior design, this collaborative leadership team is designed to build on the momentum of an already powerful practice. Their deep expertise and leadership will help us foster the empathetic, research-based approach we work to deliver, and contribute to an even deeper understanding of our clients, resulting in distinctive design,” said Tim Carl, CEO of HGA.

LEGAL

Lewis Roca announced Brian G. Arnold has joined the firm as a Partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. Brian is an experienced intellectual property lawyer and focuses his practice on securing IP rights and resolving IP controversies for all clients, from individuals to small companies to multi-national corporations.

TRANSPORTATION

Cordoba Corporation promotes Augustine Chung, J.D. to Vice President

Cordoba Corporation, a nationally recognized engineering and PM/CM firm specializing in the education, energy, transportation and water sectors, is pleased to announce the promotion of Augustine Chung, J.D.
to Vice President, Transportation Infrastructure. He is responsible for managing statewide resources
and operations and working with clients and partners to deliver projects.

CONSTRUCTION

Corrina Chin
Chief Financial Officer
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/corrina-chin-4391a137
Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company is pleased to announce the promotion of Corrina Chin to Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Ms. Chin will assume the CFO role from Vice President, CFO Paul Dommes, who retired on December 31, 2021 after a twenty-year tenure with the company. Over the past seven years Corrina served as the Corporate Controller, starting with the company in 2001 as the Accounting Manager.Corrina was born in San Francisco, graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelors’ Degree in Accounting and earned her CPA.

Tara Delaney
Vice President
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tara-delaney-8656b5
Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company is pleased to announce the promotion of Tara Delaney to Vice President. Tara Delaney is an 18-year veteran in the industry and has been with Hathaway Dinwiddie for over 16 years. She is a San Francisco native and a University of California, Berkeley Graduate. Tara has continued to foster many relationships over the years having worked on over 2 million square feet of Life Science work and played a key part building the SFJAZZ Center, a San Francisco landmark.

Troy McKinley
Vice President
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/troy-mckinley-196b5bb
Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company is pleased to announce the promotion of Troy McKinley to Vice President. Troy McKinley has been with Hathaway Dinwiddie for over 19 years since graduating from University of the Pacific and is the third generation in his family to work for the company. Troy has been a key part of the success of our Special Projects Division performing Hospitality, Renovation, Tenant Improvement as well as new ground up construction projects.

BANKING

EH Private Bank Welcomes Nancy Russell

Facilitating a renewed focus on SBA 504 commercial real estate lending, Nancy Russell brings over 30 years of SBA 504 and 7a lending expertise to the EH Private Bank team. Nancy will develop SBA and conventional lending opportunities for EH throughout California.

HEALTHCARE COMMUNICATIONS

Seasoned healthcare IT leader Sarah Shillington joins WELL Health as SVP of Customer Experience. As SVP of Customer Experience, her deep expertise in HIT will prove invaluable as she guides the company’s CX organization into the next phase of growth. Previously, Sarah served as Chief Client Officer for healthcare communication platform TigerConnect.

CONSTRUCTION

SHAUN GUERTIN RETURNS TO W.E. O’NEIL CONSTRUCTION AS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Shaun Guertin leads the development of new projects and client relations in the California region with a focus on private work. Shaun’s extensive expertise is focused on the hospitality, multi-family, assisted living, gaming, and entertainment sectors.

HEALTHCARE IT

Procurement Partners, a leading provider of healthcare spend management and procure-to-pay technologies, welcomes Harmeet Singh as President & CEO. Leveraging his operational experience and track record for building customer-centric organizations, Singh will be leading the growth strategy for Procurement Partners and delivering value for the company, customers, and team members.

ANNIVERSARY

Veritas Public Affairs Inc. celebrates its two-year anniversary on May 1 as a leading Latina-owned firm specializing in advocacy, government relations and stakeholder engagement. With a concentration on LA City and County issues, Veritas provides high-quality public affairs assistance to clients seeking to influence and affect policy and regulatory outcomes. As a trusted voice in City Hall and the Hall of Administration, Veritas principal and founder, Tracey Chavira, continues to consistently grow the firm, successfully representing clients in prominent industries, such as energy, infrastructure, innovation, technology, real estate and housing.

FINANCE

Bryan Harada Named Regional Director for the North Los Angeles Region at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management has named Bryan Harada a Regional Director overseeing the North Los Angeles region. He leads Market Directors and financial advisors working with customers in over 160 Chase branches. Based in Irvine, Bryan reports to Nikki Hartung, Divisional Director, and has joined her West Division leadership team.

To better serve customers and be able to absorb rapid growth, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management has created new Regional Director roles in key regions while continuing to hire more branch-based advisors to help more customers. These advisors work in Chase branches and serve clients right in their local communities.

“The northern LA metro area is an important market for J.P. Morgan Wealth Management,” said Eric Tepper, CEO of Chase Wealth Management. “I’m confident that Bryan’s experience will make him an excellent Regional Director, helping us recruit top advisor talent and working with our first-in-class advisors to better serve our clients.”

Bryan joined JPMorgan Chase in 2016 and was previously a Market Director. He has earned CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) certifications. Bryan lives in Huntington Beach, where he was born and raised. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FIRM AND INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS AT FINRA BROKERCHECK.
https://brokercheck.finra.org/

INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE:
• NOT FDIC INSURED
• NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY
• NOT A DEPOSIT OR OTHER OBLIGATION OF, OR GUARANTEED BY, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES
• SUBJECT TO INVESTMENT
RISKS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE LOSS OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT INVESTED

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Investments & Wealth Institute® (the Institute) is the owner of the certification marks “CIMA,” and “Certified Investment Management Analyst.” Use of CIMA, and/or Certified Investment Management Analyst signifies that the user has successfully completed the Institute’s initial and ongoing credentialing requirements for investment management professionals.

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., which offers investment products and services through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS), a registered broker-dealer and investment advisor, member FINRA and SIPC. Annuities are made available through Chase Insurance Agency, Inc. (CIA), a licensed insurance agency, doing business as Chase Insurance Agency Services, Inc. in Florida. Certain custody and other services are provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JPMCB). JPMS, CIA and JPMCB are affiliated companies under the common control of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Products not available in all states.

FINANCE

Bangerter Financial Services, Inc. is pleased to welcome Kaana Smith, as a Financial Advisor specializing in securitized real estate and 1031 investments. Kaana will focus on cultivating new opportunities and relationships throughout Los Angeles, CA and surrounding areas. Kaana offers securities through Bangerter’s broker dealer, Concorde Investment Services, LLC.

Visit our website at bangerterfinancial.com or call us at 424-405-4519.

ARCHITECTURE

HKS Architects, Inc. , ranked third in the nation by Building Design + Construction in 2021, recently welcomed Nancy Martinez as Associate and Director of Business Development for the firm’s Education practice. Nancy brings more than 20 years of experience in the AEC industry, and most recently worked for DLR Group.

LEGAL

Raines Feldman is pleased to announce the selection and promotion of Leticia Kimble and Ayal Bainvoll to Partner. Ayal and Leticia have provided exemplary legal counsel and client service over the years, including throughout the global pandemic, and have demonstrated that they have the legal skills, client focus and business acumen necessary to succeed as partners at the firm. We are excited to see the significant contributions they will make in the years ahead for our clients and our firm.

Ayal’s real estate practice focuses on the representation of real estate investment companies and funds in transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, development, leasing and financing.

Leticia is an experienced litigator with a practice that focuses on complex business and intellectual property litigation, business and entertainment contract disputes, and all aspects of employment and labor law.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ayal and Leticia to the Raines Feldman partnership,” stated Managing Partner Jonathan Littrell. “I am incredibly proud of their success and dedication and look forward to all they will accomplish as our firm continues to grow.”

CREDIT UNIONS

SchoolsFirst FCU announced changes to the executive leadership structure, splitting the current president/CEO position in two and promoting Jose Lara to president. Bill Cheney will continue to serve the Credit Union as Chief Executive Officer. Lara has been with the Credit Union for nearly 30 years. He started as manager of the Placentia branch and most recently served as executive vice president, chief operating officer. Prior to SchoolsFirst FCU, Lara worked for a savings and loan, as the vice president and manager of one of their largest branches. This change in the leadership structure will help the Credit Union continue to serve the evolving needs of Members and teammembers.

Additionally, the Credit Union announced the promotion of three senior leaders who will report directly to Lara as executive vice presidents: Carol Rose, Member service operations; Kevin Martin, strategic integration and Member experience; and Jim Phillips, chief information officer.

“Jose’s commitment to the credit union movement, its principles and his passion for championing our mission of delivering WorldClass Personal Service and financial security will help lead our growing and thriving Credit Union. He is an extraordinary leader and his vision and enthusiasm for our Members and teammembers will position us well for the future,” said Bill Cheney, chief executive officer.

SchoolsFirst FCU is the fifth largest credit union in the country. Serving school employees and their families, the organization is dedicated to providing World-Class Personal Service and improving the financial lives of its Members. Today they serve more than 1.2 million Members with a full range of financial products and services – from savings and loans to investment, retirement and insurance products. SchoolsFirst FCU was founded in 1934, when 126 school employees pooled $1,200 and established a Member-owned cooperative to help improve each other’s lives. In 2021, the Credit Union reported nearly $27 billion in assets and remains the largest credit union in California.

For more information about SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, visit schoolsfirstfcu.org.

ARCHITECTURE

AC Martin welcomes Sami Khoury, AIA as Associate Principal and Project Director of commercial and multifamily projects in San Diego. Sami is a licensed architect with a Masters in Design Studies, Project Management and Real Estate Development from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California.

CONSTRUCTION

Shawmut Design and Construction, a leading $1.3 billion national construction management firm, appointed Daniel Dumke as its new senior director of major projects. As Shawmut’s West region positions itself for additional growth in Los Angeles and Orange County, Dan will leverage his extensive portfolio of large, complex projects throughout California to drive the firm’s market share in bigger and more sustainable projects across sectors. Bringing 37 years of construction industry experience to the role, Dan will create and lead strategies for Shawmut’s team of expert builders to pursue, win, and successfully execute major projects.

“As we grow our average project size and break into new sectors—including education, ground-up commercial, and life sciences—we need a very specific skillset including executional excellence, strong leadership, and business acumen,” said Greg Skalaski, executive vice president of Shawmut’s West region. “Dan’s portfolio of major projects for the top higher education institutions and leading advanced technology facilities, coupled with his experience leading divisions and operations, made him a natural fit for this role. On top of that, his commitment to cultivating talent made him a perfect cultural fit.”

With previous roles as vice president, general manager, and California district lead at major firms, Dan is fluent in preconstruction, design-build, and ground-up construction operations, bringing experienced best practices and discipline to all he does.

Dan is an active member of the Associated General Contractors of California, having served on the Orange County and Los Angeles Board of Directors, and is currently a member of the State Construction Education Foundation Board.

MARKETING, BRANDING, CONTENT

Veteran publicist, Tany Soussana, has channeled her PR/Marketing expertise into her 360 branding-influential company, epiContent, a fully-integrated service that turns fresh content into a marketing pipeline between businesses and their customers. Soussana formerly ran a department at the prestigious firm, Rogers & Cowan. Through her specialty marketing service, epiContent reflects a company’s information while leveraging their industry recognition. “Stand Out in the Digital World.”
Learn more at:
www.epiContent.com | [email protected]

FINANCE

Northmarq announces that Zalmi Klyne was promoted to managing director – debt & equity in our Los Angeles office due to his leadership and increased financing production. Klyne joined Northmarq in 2020, and since then has doubled his debt & equity production, leading to nearly $1 billion in transaction volume.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

CCA’S 26TH ANNUAL TREASURES OF LOS ANGELES ON MAY 19TH
RSVP and/or Sponsor: ccala.org/treasures

TECHNOLOGY

Michael Dobak has been named CasperLab’s first chief marketing officer. Dobak brings 25 years of successful brand and marketing experience to CasperLabs (Ogilvy, BLOCKv, DermTech). In his role at Casperlabs, Dobak will have worldwide responsibility for the brand’s visibility, reputation and growth, and will continue to accelerate business adoption of blockchain technology across the enterprise.

CONSTRUCTION

OLTMANS CONSTRUCTION CO. PROMOTES JOHN DANG TO ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

John Dang continues to be a resource to Oltmans’ clients, from the project development phase throughout completion. He brings to this role a background in engineering, project management, estimating, and pre-construction. John’s ability to communicate effectively with design teams is an asset in navigating the unique challenges of Oltmans’ projects.

LEGAL

Glaser Weil LLP, a Los Angeles-based premier law firm, is proud to announce that Marc L. Benezra, a 37-year veteran and highly-recognized lawyer, has joined the firm. Mr. Benezra is Of Counsel to the firm in its Real Estate Department and will work out of the firm’s Century City office.

“We are extremely proud to welcome Marc and his wealth of experience in the real estate arena to the firm. Marc’s unique abilities make him a tremendous fit and asset to the firm’s everlasting commitment to providing outstanding service to our clients,” said Managing Partner Peter M. Weil.

Accomplished in both real estate litigation and transactions, Mr. Benezra offers a wide range of capabilities, including extensive experience representing solvent guarantors, disgruntled partners, defrauded investors, joint venturers, buyers, sellers, borrowers, landlords and tenants.

Mr. Benezra has received many recognitions, including being named for 2021 among Southern California’s “Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators®,” as well as the Southern California Lawyers “Super Lawyers,” National Register’s “Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals,” and Madison’s “Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals.”

Additionally, Mr. Benezra has proven to be active in giving back to his community as a Board Member of the Ziman Center (UCLA), a founder of New West Charter High School, an Executive Board Member on the Los Angeles Jewish Community Relations Committee, a Board Member of the National Board of the UJC/JCPA Israel Advocacy Committee, a Board Member at the Exceptional Children’s Foundation, and Chair of the Israel & World Jewry Commission.

NONPROFIT

OneLegacy, the nonprofit organ procurement organization serving seven counties in Southern California, has announced the promotion of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer Prasad Garimella to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Concurrently, longtime CEO Tom Mone has assumed the role of Chief External Affairs Officer and Vice President of Foundation Operations, overseeing the OneLegacy Foundation and community investments as well as government, community and media outreach for OneLegacy. The transition and continued partnership at the helm of one of the nation’s leading OPOs is designed to build on the work Mone and Garimella have led to innovate, change, and improve the practice of organ, eye and tissue donation. OneLegacy.org

FINANCE

Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL), a leading independent investment bank and financial advisory firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan Bluth to Managing Director within its Healthcare & Life Sciences industry team.

Jonathan is based in Los Angeles and will help expand BGL’s reach to an even broader national network of clients across Healthcare Provider Services and Outsourcing & Healthcare Information Technology, focusing on physician practices, outpatient services, and outsourced services.

Jonathan has more than 22 years of professional experience in the healthcare industry, advising physician groups, revenue cycle companies, diagnostics businesses, and various other specialty service providers through a variety of strategic M&A and capital market transactions. He is a frequent speaker on healthcare M&A and was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a “Trusted Healthcare Advisor” in 2021 and an “Influential Investment Banker” in 2018.

Recent transactions that Jonathan has advised on include the sales of Los Angeles-based physician practice East West Eye Institute, Lake Forest-based pharma services company Mosaic Laboratories, El Dorado Hills-based Frontier Dental Lab, and Aliso Viejo-based diagnostics services provider Ambry Genetics.

Prior to joining BGL, Jonathan was the co-head of healthcare at Intrepid Investment Bankers LLC.

VETERAN SERVICES

Thank you to Gold Sponsors,Sheppard Mullin for your generous contributions to the LACBA Counsel for Justice Veterans Legal Services Project. Your $5,000 donation contributes to the delivery of free legal aid to the hundreds of veterans seeking Project services annually. Thank you for improving veterans’ access to housing, employment, education, and health.

Learn more: Lacba.org/veterans2022

NONPROFIT

JEFF HEUBUSCH JOINS POLK INSTITUTE FOUNDATION AS CMO

Los Angeles, CA..Jeff Heubusch has accepted the post of CMO at the Polk Institute, www.polkinstitute.org. His background is B2N, B2C,B2B, and B2G markets, consistently driving turnkey solutions via fully integrated expertise in strategic, management, marketing, communications, and business development, within diverse and demanding national and international verticals. He’s known as a change agent delivering sustainable ROI, new market opportunities, profitable programs, products and services, streamlined systems, branding, and high energy, team-maximizing leadership.

Previously, Heubusch served the American Immigration Lawyers Association as Associate Director of Business Development and Meeting Operations, Director of Member Experience and Business Development, and Director of Marketing and Member Experience.

He was also Senior Manager of Marketing for the ASCD, formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Prior to that, Jeff served as the Director of Marketing, Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Off-Campus Programs for the George Washington University.

Heubusch has an MBA from The George Washington University and a BBA from Marymount University in Management/Marketing.

Learn more about The Polk Institute Foundation at www.polkinstitute.org.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Steven J. Chen, PE, has joined HNTB Corporation as project director in the firm’s Los Angeles office. He is responsible for assisting the transportation group’s delivery of roadway design for the City of Los Angeles and other local agencies.

“Steven has an impressive background in both engineering and management,” said Wayne Feuerborn, HNTB West Division president. “With his familiarity of Southern California and extensive experience with everything from public works to airport projects, he will be an invaluable asset to HNTB and our clients.”

Chen has more than 30 years of experience as a civil engineer working with the public sector. Most recently, he was principal civil engineer and division manager for the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering and worked in both stormwater and streets programs. He also spent time with Los Angeles World Airports managing large-scale construction projects at multiple airports.

Chen received a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from The University of Washington and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School. He is a registered professional civil engineer in the state of California.

CONSTRUCTION

Oltmans Construction Co. Promotes Tony Perez and Gerald Singh to Senior Management

Tony Perez has been named Senior Vice President. He celebrates 39 years with the company and has invaluable expertise and keen awareness of current market conditions which have been a tremendous asset since 1983. He is contacted by developers regarding current market trends such as cost escalation, shortages, or other issues which might impact a project. This experience continues to strengthen Oltmans’ relations in our key marketplaces throughout the Southwest. Tony is credited with building many of the firm’s longest-standing relationships and feels very fortunate and honored to work with the best business partners and team members. He also oversees the company’s EPC/Renewable Energy programs. Tony is active with charitable and community organizations and is a board member at Oltmans, NAIOP IE, and CSULB.

Gerald Singh has been named Senior Vice President, celebrating 28 years with the company. Gerald’s career at Oltmans began in 1994 after building significant relations in the real estate community which have proven to be instrumental to Oltmans’ business development and client relations. He remains entrusted with some of the company’s most defining relationships and provides executive oversight assisting major clients on their projects. Being involved in the process from start to finish is why he is well known and respected across the industry for garnering time-tested relationships and merging business interest into noteworthy developments. Gerald is an Oltmans board member and is actively involved in various industry organizations such as SIOR, NAIOP, and ULI.

ACCOUNTING

David Cho
RSM US LLP, the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, is pleased to announce David Cho has returned to the Los Angeles office as a consulting partner. He will be focused on accounting and financial reporting services to businesses in the consumer products, retail and restaurant sectors. David rejoined RSM after serving 5 years as a CFO of a health and wellness pet care brand. During his time as a CFO, David led a high-growth company through key business and financial milestones including capital raises, NetSuite ERP implementation, business acquisition and integration, profitability enhancement, and internalizing finance & accounting function.

David has over 10 years of experience as a strategic advisor to private equity and strategic buyers on over 200 M&A transactions. In this role, David leveraged complex financial analysis and technical accounting guidance in evaluating key deal issues to senior client executives in alignment with their goals and objectives. David has extensive industry experience and has held leadership positions in the Consumer Products, Retail, and Restaurant sectors, which include food & beverage, beauty, apparel, and health & wellness.

Jeff Tom
RSM US LLP, the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, is pleased to announce Jeff Tom joins as a consulting principal for RSM’s enterprise account leader (EAL) program. Jeff will be focused on the industrials and technology industry sectors as appropriate. Jeff has over 30 years of consulting and technology audit experience and spent the last 27 years working for a Big Four firm and has extensive experience in the sales and delivery of risk advisory, management consulting and deal advisory services. Jeff also served as global and national account leader for key automotive and technology clients. Jeff received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and information systems and his Master of Business Administration from California State University in Los Angeles.

ARCHITECTURE

KAA Design Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the leadership promotion of Michael McGowan and Todd Paolillo (top to bottom) to Senior Associate. In their cumulative 31 years with the firm, they have helped advance KAA Design Group’s integrated architecture and landscape architecture design platform.

These dedicated individuals continue to play a vital role in the firm’s commitment to design excellence and firm management for both the KAA Design and Evens Architects studios. We are excited to acknowledge their continued success and watch their leadership grow.

To learn more about this talented group, please visit our website at
www.kaadesigngroup.com.

ACCOUNTING

Prager Metis, a leading international advisory and accounting firm, appoints Jerry Eitel as Chief Metaverse Officer (CMVO) to oversee the firm’s Metaverse strategy and operations. In his role as the Chief Metaverse Officer, Eitel manages Prager Metis’ Metaverse-related projects as well as the firm’s office in Decentraland.

As Chief Metaverse Officer, Eitel oversees the expansion and planning for Prager Metis’ Metaverse clients. His responsibilities include managing the organization of strategic partnerships for companies and individuals looking to scale a brand while also establishing the partnership ecosystem and management. In addition, he serves as the liaison between individuals and businesses connected to Metaverse-related projects, collaborations, and more.

LEGAL

Mayer Brown welcomes Dominique Shelton Leipzig as a partner in the Cybersecurity & Data Privacy practice in Los Angeles. Ms. Shelton Leipzig will serve as the lead for Global Data Innovation and Ad Tech Privacy & Data Management. She has extensive experience advising on data privacy and security issues.

ARCHITECTURE

STUDIOS Architecture has promoted Ben Kracke to Managing Principal of the Los Angeles studio. In his new role, Ben will drive practice management, design innovation, and professional development. He will continue to lead significant planning and design efforts for the firm.

Starting in the Washington DC studio and later joining the Los Angeles team in 2014, Ben has been with the firm for 14 years. In addition to his thorough technical knowledge and expertise, Ben is a natural team builder, working closely with clients, contractors, consultants, and the STUDIOS team to ensure clear communication and to deliver successful projects.

Ben heads up a variety of project types from interiors and major renovations to new construction for academic and commercial clients, with an emphasis on workplace design for media, entertainment, and gaming companies. Recent clients include Paramount+, Riot Games, Scopley, IGN Entertainment, and Nickelodeon, among others. Ben also works with building owners to make strategic enhancements to existing structures, such as the iconic Watt Plaza in Century City.

In addition to his practice management and project responsibilities, Ben serves as Chair on STUDIOS’ Sustainability Council and is a member of the DEIB Council. Ben is a licensed architect in California and Washington, DC. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the International Interior Design Association, and a LEED-accredited professional. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University.

BANKING

Vishal Sabharwal has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in South Bay as a Vice President and Banker. He takes a holistic approach to ensure that the assets his clients have worked hard to accumulate are sustained for their lifetimes and generations to come. Vishal joins the firm from Citi Bank.

BANKING

Kenneth (Kenny) Morgan has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Los Angeles as a Vice President and Investment Specialist. Kenny draws on his background in capital markets to deliver guidance and innovative opportunities to his affluent client base. Most recently, Kenny joins the firm from Dimensional Fund Advisors.

EDUCATION

OPTIONS FOR LEARNING HIRES FIRST CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Tracy Lynch named to this newly created position with the agency

Options for Learning is pleased to announce that after a statewide search, Tracy Lynch has been named as the new chief program officer (CPO) for Options for Learning. Having joined Options for Learning more than 17 years ago, Lynch has most recently served as the director of the agency’s Enrichment Program, where, for nearly eight years, she has effectively managed before- and after-school programs for school-aged children throughout the San Gabriel Valley.

BANKING

Imran Faruqui has joined J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Los Angeles as a Vice President and Banker. Imran delivers elevated advisory experience to a diverse range of high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients including entrepreneurs, families and members of the entertainment and sports communities. He joins the firm from Wells Fargo.

FINANCE

Vijay Chandran joined Wilmington Trust as Senior Private Banker, Managing Director, Western Region with 35 years of experience in financial services. Vijay is responsible for meeting the complex financial needs of clients throughout the West Coast region. He provides strategic advice, highly personalized service, and tailored credit and banking solutions.

FINANCE

Thomas Mayer joined Wilmington Trust as a Senior Wealth Fiduciary Advisor, responsible for managing the ongoing fiduciary needs of significant personal trust clients throughout the Southern California region. Previously, he served clients at City National Bank in Beverly Hills where he was the trust team lead for the Beverly Trust office.

FINANCE

John Bradarich joined Wilmington Trust as a Senior Investment Advisor with over 15 years of financial services experience. John holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He is a CFA® charterholder and holds his FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities licenses.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Gensler promotes Demetra Thornton to the leadership team of Gensler Los Angeles. She joins Michael White and Jill Wittnebelas co-Managing Director. In a collaborative partnership, they lead a team of 500+ architects, designers, urban planners and strategists to make a measurable impact in our city.

Demetra, Michael and Jill make a dynamic team by driving design innovation, delivering client value, and inspiring Gensler’s talent. An employee-owned company, Gensler has continually been ranked as the one most admired companies and best places to work. Gensler Los Angeles’ unique studio structure allows for teams to provide bespoke design service to public, private and pro-bono clients backed by research and the cross-practice expertise of a borderless design firm.

Demetra Thornton, AIA, NCARB is a Principal in the Los Angeles office and Studio Director in the Sports practice and is sought after as an expert in the design of professional venues and sports-anchored mixed-use developments. Demetra will continue her leadership with a focus on the office’s design and delivery of projects and business operations pushing the boundaries of impact, resilience, and experience. Demetra holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Hampton University and a Master of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson School of Management. She serves as a board member for the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber (GLAAACC) and is an advocate for the firm’s DEI initiatives.

DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

Webcor and Reaume Richardson Form Strategic Alliance to Expand General Contracting Services in Southern California and Beyond

Webcor and Reaume Richardson are pleased to announce a strategic alliance to provide general contracting and construction management services for a variety of projects across the Southern California area.

The strategic alliance combines Reaume Richardson’s long-standing history and client relationships in the Los Angeles adaptive reuse market with the large-scale resources of Webcor. This alliance will allow Reaume Richardson to serve their clients with ground-up projects in the $100M+ range and for Webcor to leverage the historic, adaptive reuse acumen of the Reaume Richardson team.

“We have amazing client relationships built from 20+ years of work in downtown LA and beyond,” says Bryson Reaume, founder and CEO of Reaume Richardson. “We are excited to collaborate with Webcor, an industry leader with a great reputation, as our company and projects continue to grow. The respective strengths of both companies can only improve as we work together to take on projects of all sizes.”

“We are thrilled with our newly developed relationship with Reaume Richardson,” says Gust Soteropulos, senior vice president and general manager of Webcor’s Los Angeles operations. “The unique energy and innovation of both companies are sure to disrupt the construction industry in short order.”

Webcor.com • Reaumerichardson.com

DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

Mike Goetz has returned to HOK’s Los Angeles studio as Principal and Senior Project Designer. Mike leads design teams in creating and developing unique and efficient environments. With extensive experience in the workplace, hospitality and education sectors, Mike coordinates the design process from gathering and analyzing data for workplace standards to detailed design development and project completion.

INSURANCE

Michael R. Szot joined Lockton Insurance Brokers as Executive Vice President, Managing Director of its Construction Practice, leveraging his 40+ year experience to focus on general contractors, large sub-contractors, commercial & residential developers, engineering firms, environmental remediation, and large project development opportunities.

DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

Suzanne Schwab joins HOK as Principal and Regional Leader of Planning with a diverse background ranging from conceptual planning to development standards and design guidelines. She has led planning efforts for many impactful campus developments, including the 282-acre Beach Boulevard Specific Plan and 418-acre Mt. San Antonio College Education and Facilities Master Plan.

DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

David Oh, an industry leader in lab planning and design, has joined HOK as Principal and Regional Leader of Science & Technology for Architecture. His experience predominantly covers advanced technology, biotech, biomedical, telecommunications, and data centers, with his portfolio including the UCR Plant Growth facility and UC Davis Health Aggie Square.

DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

Meng Gong has joined HOK as Sustainable Design Leader with expertise in sustainable design, lighting design and performance services. She has extensive experience in net zero energy and building life-cycle assessments, as well as LEED, WELL and Fitwel certifications. She regularly collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on complex projects in several markets.

CONSTRUCTION

C.W. Driver Companies, a premier builder, hired Nicole Sanchez as director of project development serving Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire. With more than 10 years of experience, Sanchez will strategically lead business development efforts for Driver’s Special Projects Group by being a champion of the firm’s services.

HEALTHCARE

L.A. Care Health Plan welcomes John Raffoul, DPA, FACHE, to its 13-member stakeholder Board of Governors. Raffoul is the President of Adventist Health White Memorial, a not-for-profit teaching hospital near downtown Los Angeles. He will represent Disproportionate Share Hospitals on the board.

LEGAL

STRUCTURAL FOCUS ANNOUNCES FOUR PROMOTIONS IN THE NEW YEAR.

The new year is moving ahead with positive changes for Structural Focus that will reinforce our commitment to great service and excellent design. These changes include four key promotions:

Russell Kehl has been named our new President. He will provide day-to-day leadership for the firm, while continuing to fill the role of project manager on his projects. Russell has demonstrated excellent judgment, consistency, and strong leadership abilities since he started with David in 1998.

Wayne Chang, who also joined David in 1998, is our new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He will continue to manage select projects on which his depth of structural engineering expertise will add value for our clients.

Sam Mengelkoch has been named Principal. Since 2004, Sam has managed some of our most significant projects with great success. He will now have a direct role in setting the firm’s future aims.

David Cocke now serves as Chairman of the Board. He will continue to play an integral role by managing key client projects and relationships, assisting with business development and attracting talent, and guiding the firm on strategic initiatives.

More than ever, Structural Focus is focused on the future with the strength of a leadership team who will continue to promote excellence and innovation in all we do. We will continue to guide our staff with respect and recognize their talents and dedication are the keys to our success, and we hope this will enable us to grow our relationships with our clients and partners for many years to come!

Structural Focus is currently hiring. To learn more about open technical and administrative positions, please visit our website at structuralfocus.com.

EDUCATION

LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program is honored to announce that Jenna Binder, Sarah Sheehy and Alisa Sommer have joined the LA’s BEST Board of Directors. They join a dedicated team of professionals serving to ensure that each LA’s BEST student is safe, healthy, engaged, supported, and challenged after school – at no cost to their families. LA’s BEST staff are trained to support students’ holistic development through academic support, sports and enriching activities like robotics, nutrition, arts and opportunities usually only afforded by their more affluent peers. Jenna, Sarah and Alisa, with the Board of Directors, guide LA’s BEST so that children from under-resourced communities receive the tools they need to navigate life – now and as they grow.

Jenna Binder previously served on the LA’s BEST Friends Board and has been instrumental in fundraising and organizing volunteer activities with students. Jenna has worked in the real estate industry for over twenty years and is the managing member of the private real estate fund JT HOMES, LLC, which she founded in 2010. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and received her Doctorate in Psychology at The Chicago School.

Sarah Sheehy is eager to dedicate her time and resources to provide leadership to the Board and support students and working families who wouldn’t be able to afford an afterschool program full of enriching activities. Sarah joined KB Home in 2020 as the Vice President of Government Affairs. Key responsibilities include federal advocacy, multi-state advocacy, political contributions, and public affairs. Sarah has worked with both non-profit and corporate clients developing grassroots strategy, campaign plans, and strategic messaging and communications.

Alisa Sommer champions issues affecting marginalized communities and now extends her focus to supporting LA’s BEST students from under-resourced neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. Alisa is the Head of Global EdTech Partnerships at Google, where she focuses on driving strategic partnerships with EdTech companies to create solutions that improve education for students, teachers, administrators and parents. She graduated from the JD/MBA program at UCLA where she wrote her thesis on education policy in the digital age.

LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program
lasbest.org

CONSTRUCTION

Shawmut Design and Construction Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Firm Sets Sights on Aggressive Ten-Year Growth Plan with Focus on Large Project Work

Shawmut, a leading $1.3 billion construction management firm, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Founded in 1982 as a small carpentry contractor with a handful of employees, Shawmut built its reputation on a willingness to take on the most complex and challenging projects. Now, with 11 offices nationwide—including Los Angeles, Irvine, and Las Vegas—and 1,100+ employees, the firm stays true to its heritage by providing an unparalleled building experience that delivers technically sophisticated projects with the highest level of craft expertise.

“When we take on a project, it’s more than a structure—we are creating part of the fabric of the city it’s built in,” said Les Hiscoe, CEO, Shawmut Design and Construction. “Every project represents an investment in the community, an opportunity to build a better tomorrow through superior structures and enhanced and engaged communities. It’s that holistic approach and reverence for the work we do that has allowed us to be a leader in the industry for 40 years.”

In recent years, the firm has taken deliberate steps to prepare for an aggressive growth trajectory driven by an exponential increase in market share of large projects. This ten-year growth plan includes assembling a team of skilled large-project builders and adding expertise in the commercial, education, healthcare, and life science sectors.

The firm’s growth is attributed to its 100% employee-owned, people-first culture and the belief that when people bring their best selves to work, they deliver the best construction experience for clients. Marianne Monte, who has recently been promoted to the newly created position of Chief Administration and People Officer, joins Hiscoe and Executive Vice President Greg Skalaski in their commitment to driving an innovative and talent-driven culture to fuel future growth. Since its inception, the firm has remained dedicated to the holistic health, safety and wellbeing of every employee.

“I am so proud of the commitment Shawmut has made to foster an environment where anyone from any background can thrive and do their best work,” said Monte. “This is not just a surface effort to address a hot topic; it’s a sustained effort and ethos woven into our company culture over the last 40 years.”

LEGAL

Mayer Brown is pleased to welcome Andrew Demko as a partner in the Commercial Litigation and Consumer Litigation & Class Actions practices in the Los Angeles office. Mr. Demko brings substantial experience in defending consumer class actions especially for financial services providers. He joins from Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.

BANKING

Banc of California has hired Matthew Grimes as SVP, Asset Based Lending Leader in the firm’s downtown LA office. In this position, Grimes, who has over 25 years’ experience, will be responsible for leading the bank’s ABL efforts as it continues to expand its portfolio, serving small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing, distribution, business services and retail.

ENGINEERING

Gina Rowe joined Psomas in 2014 and was recently promoted to the role of Associate. As Deputy Director of Pursuits, Gina provides oversight to develop strategy and ensure quality delivery of all client proposals. Gina is based out of the Los Angeles office and manages the team of Regional Pursuit Managers.

ENGINEERING

Ion Cretu has been promoted to Associate in Psomas‘ Los Angeles office, which he joined in 2007. With 26 years experience, he is currently a Project Manager for the Engineering group in Los Angeles. Ion works on transportation and public works projects for clients in the region.

REAL ESTATE

CITYVIEW PROMOTES ADAM PERRY AND DEVANG SHAH TO FIRM PARTNERSHIP

Cityview, a premier multifamily investment management and development firm, today announced the promotion of Adam Perry, senior vice president, development and construction management, and Devang Shah, managing director, acquisitions, to partner. In their expanded roles, they will help shape the strategic vision of the firm and ensure Cityview remains a leader in sustainable workforce and attainable housing throughout the Western U.S.

“We are excited to welcome Adam and Devang as Cityview’s newest partners,” said Sean Burton, CEO of Cityview. “Their collective initiative, strategic counsel and expertise have been invaluable to Cityview, and their new roles will further enable them to deliver value for our investors, our communities and our residents.”

With more than 14 years of real estate development experience, Perry manages all aspects of Cityview’s development and construction management process for ground-up projects including due diligence and entitlement processing, design, sustainability analysis, budgeting, contracting, construction management, closeout and turnover. During his time at Cityview, Perry has overseen development and construction management across assets in Cityview’s five prior funds.

Perry joined Cityview in 2016 after working at CIM Group as an associate vice president of development, overseeing ground-up retail, office and mixed-use developments. He previously worked at Alonzo Construction as a project manager overseeing commercial and residential construction projects.

With more than 24 years of experience, Shah is a leader in the value-add space, bringing his extensive market knowledge, design and construction expertise, and ability to effectively execute to each investment. Shah is responsible for Cityview’s multifamily value-add acquisition and value-add asset management platforms and has overseen the acquisition, development, design, construction and asset management of over 40 Cityview projects.

Prior to joining Cityview, Shah held roles including principle of an independent project management firm, serving as an owner’s representative to national institutional investment firms, builders and developers, and as vice president at RCLCo, LLC, a national independent real estate consulting firm.

Founded in 2003, Cityview is a vertically integrated real estate investment management and development firm focused on workforce and attainable housing in high-growth markets in the Western US. Specializing in developing, acquiring, and operating value-add multifamily and mixed-use projects, Cityview creates sustainable housing options in transforming areas, changing cities into communities, people into neighbors and houses into homes. Cityview investments have generated nearly $5 billion in urban investment across more than 120 projects. For more information, visit cityview.com.

CONSULTING

Lukasa, a Business and Technology Consulting Firm, Launches in LA Region

An all-in-one consulting and execution firm, Lukasa fills an essential need in the fast-paced L.A. business community—offering a clear path and scalable solution for companies to gain the modern edge required to compete and thrive in a rapidly-evolving data-driven economy.

Founded by a veteran team of forward-thinking business and technology experts with deep experience across a wide range of industries, Lukasa was built for companies in need of process analysis and improvement, innovative technologies, and business transformation—key features of modernization.

Lukasa takes a partnership approach to every project, working side-by-side with client teams to gain a three-dimensional view of what each company needs to maximize efficiency and competitiveness.

“Over the years, Mark Bishay, CTO and I have been on the inside. We understand the pain points of companies in diverse sectors, and the typical roadblocks to modernization,” says CEO, Dan O’Toole. “The great news is that we know how to fix it. When you have the right team, transforming your business doesn’t have to be daunting or prohibitively expensive. It’s thrilling to help companies streamline to meet their goals. Highly efficient companies create engaged employee culture and deliver enhanced customer experience, resulting in growth and profitability.”

“We have the flexibility to scale a team to fit each company and project’s unique needs. We develop and implement innovative, integrated, custom solutions to optimize your organization,” says Bishay.

Modernization matters. Lukasa’s Los Angeles team reimagines business—designing a future-focused path to strategic growth. www.lukasa.com

LEGAL

Carlton Fields Welcomes 8 Attorneys to its Los Angeles Office

The national law firm Carlton Fields is pleased to announce its Los Angeles office recently added
eight lawyers.

This growth demonstrates the firm’s continuing efforts to attract top legal talent. Carlton Fields is focused on growing key practices and industries that are important to its clients. These new lawyers are natural complements to the firm’s national practices.

Jan Dodd is a nationally recognized trial lawyer known for her courtroom representation of clients in high-stakes product liability, mass torts, and toxic exposure cases. Ranked by Chambers USA for more than a decade, her advocacy skills also have been recognized repeatedly by the The National Law Journal and The American Lawyer. Her clients describe her as “a talented trial lawyer,” “efficient and effective,” and a “star products liability defense lawyer.”

Robert P. Friedman is a real estate and business law attorney with more than 40 years of transactional experience. He primarily advises commercial developers, property owners, and tenants in a variety of transactional matters. His clients also include wealthy individuals, families, trusts, and small and midsize businesses. He serves as president of the board of trustees of Turning Point School in Culver City, California.

Ellyn S. Garofalo is a litigator who handles a wide range of complex civil litigation as well as criminal defense and regulatory matters. In her three decades of courtroom experience, she has tried a wide variety of cases in state and federal courts across the country. Her complex civil litigation practice includes breach of contract claims, partnership disputes, securities and investor fraud claims, real estate litigation, and other business disputes.

Justin E. Garratt focuses his practice on products liability, mass tort, and business litigation. He serves on national and local trial counsel teams for clients in a variety of industries, including aviation, vertical transportation, HVAC, and raw minerals. He handles all aspects of the litigation process, from pre-suit evaluation through discovery, law and motion, trial, and appeal, in state and federal court proceedings.

Austin L. Jackson focuses his practice on complex securities litigation, white collar criminal defense, and enforcement actions prompted by federal and state regulators. He has represented domestic and foreign companies, executive officers, and directors in connection with alleged violations of the securities laws, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, anti-money laundering, and antitrust laws. He has also handled matters involving the SEC, CFTC, and DOJ.

Amir Kaltgrad is an experienced trial attorney who represents businesses and individuals in a variety of commercial litigation matters, including shareholder and partnership disputes, professional malpractice, complex business torts, real estate, and contract disputes. He also has experience defending individuals and corporations in a range of criminal and regulatory matters, including securities and health care fraud.

Scott D. Page is a real estate lawyer who handles commercial real estate transactions, including development, purchase and sales, joint ventures, financing, leasing, and other matters involving office, hotel, retail, industrial, and multitenant residential projects. He advises clients on partnership agreements, operating agreements, and tenancy in common agreements. He is a former certified public accountant.

Kim S. Zeldin is a litigator with extensive experience defending and prosecuting complex civil matters in federal and state trial and appellate courts in California and nationally, including class actions, breach of contract claims, business torts, defamation, real estate, intellectual property, mass tort, employment, ERISA, breach of fiduciary duty, and other complex litigation on behalf of businesses, government entities, and individuals in a variety of industries.

Carlton Fields has more than 330 attorneys and government and financial services consultants serving clients from 11 offices nationwide. Its West Coast attorneys provide a range of litigation, advisory, and transactional services, including class action defense, mass tort and product liability litigation, insurance coverage defense and regulatory advice, tax planning, labor and employment advice and litigation, media and entertainment law representation, intellectual property protection, cybersecurity and data privacy counseling and breach response, fund formation and representation, corporate and real estate transactions, commercial litigation, and antitrust counseling and representation.

MARKETING AGENCY & CONSULTING COMPANY

The Sasha Group announced today Jared Nixon will be leading the West office as SVP and Head of Sasha West. Nixon has 20+ years of experience in marketing and branding, most recently at The Shark Group. He’ll be in charge of the company’s portfolio of clients and growing the business.

SOFTWARE

Orange County-based Arym Diamond has joined Bid Ops, the pioneer in predictive procurement orchestration, as Chief Revenue Officer. In this role, Arym will be responsible for creating and executing Bid Ops’ go-to market strategy and maximizing revenue generation for various groups within this fast-growth organization.

HEALTHCARE

Kaiser Permanente Announces High-Level Executive Appointment for the Southern California and Hawaii Market

Michelle Gaskill-Hames has been appointed as Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy, Growth and Experience Officer for Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Hawaii.

Gaskill-Hames oversees eight medical service areas in Southern California, including the following locations: Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Downey, Baldwin Park, South Bay, Panorama City/Antelope Valley and Woodland Hills/Ventura.

She will also lead Kaiser Permanente’s growth strategy and effort to improve the consumer experience and bring high-quality and affordable health care to more people in Southern California and Hawaii. Additionally, Gaskill-Hames will have oversight of the Member Services Department, ensuring the excellence in care.

“Michelle, among others, will partner with the Permanente physicians and local teams to ensure our health care delivery systems continue to provide excellent service and quality care,” said Julie Miller-Phipps, President, Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Hawaii, Health Plan and Hospitals. “I am confident she is the ideal leader for this challenging moment in history and well beyond.”

Gaskill-Hames began her career as a neonatal intensive care registered nurse and quickly rose through the ranks of several of the most respected health care organizations in the nation. She has delivered “leadership vision,” driven cultural transformation, and executed successful outcomes through her work at Advocate Healthcare, Huron Consulting, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. She joined Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California Region in 2016.

Gaskill-Hames holds a Master of Health Services Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan. She also holds a Project Management Certification from the Harvard School of Public Health.

HEALTHCARE

City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S., named Vince Jensen as its chief clinical operating officer. Jensen will lead clinical operations on City of Hope’s main campus in Los Angeles and throughout its Southern California network of more than 35 care locations.

NONPROFIT

SHELLEY M. JOHNSON SIGNS ON AS CMO AT POLK INSTITUTE FOUNDATION

As a consultant, Shelley has handled branding and technical information for Fortune 500 firms in North America and Asia. Her clients have included Adobe, CompuCom, Ford Motor, Dell, Dow Corning, Hyundai, International, Intel, Jack Morton, NWN, Pharmacia, Poly, PulseSecure, Samsung, the State of Louisiana, Schering-Plough, Tyson Foods, VMware, Whirlpool and many others.

Johnson’s diverse background includes marketing/advertising, journalism, PR, broadcasting, B2B, business writing, eBooks, eLearning, SEO/SEM, content marketing, landing pages, Web content creation, content development, marketing collateral, copy editing, multimedia production, branding, technical writing, and other specialties.

About the Polk Institute: The Polk Institute Foundation, http://polk-ise.com, a 501 (c) (3) is an innovative online enterprise offering a tuition-free Master Practitioner Training Accelerator and Capital Funding program with the focus of graduating fundable CEOS.

CONSTRUCTION

ESPLANADE BUILDERS WELCOME MIKE RENNA

Esplanade Builders is excited to announce and welcome Mike Renna to our team. Mike is a highly respected leader in our Industry, and we are thrilled to have a person of his caliber join our Senior Management.

Mike has over 28 years of industry leading Construction Management experience. His diverse resume of projects ranges from mid to large scale Tenant Improvements, medical office construction, retail stores and ground up construction. He brings invaluable leadership, strong depth of industry knowledge and solid relationships with clients and subcontractor alike.

Esplanade’s continued growth reflects the core values of Teamwork and Customer Service which in turn are upheld by the employees. Mike embodies these core values completely and will be a key contributor to building upon them within Esplanade.

ACCOUNTING

Prager Metis Welcomes Maren Stenseth as Principal

Noted Expert in Entertainment Industry Joins the Firm’s Business Management Group

Prager Metis, a leading accounting and advisory firm with offices in North America, Europe and Asia, welcomes Maren Stenseth, CPA, CFP® as a Principal. Maren joins Prager Metis’ Business Management Group and is based out of Prager Metis’ Los Angeles, CA office.

“Maren has earned an impressive reputation among her colleagues and clients, and her addition to our team will help us strengthen our reputation as the “go-to” experts in the Entertainment Industry,” said Lori A. Roth, Global Managing Partner. “Her experience in Business Management enhances the services we provide to our clients, and she is a strong internal asset with relation to the firm’s future growth.”

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Crescent Bay Advisors Names Alicia Byrnes COO

Crescent Bay Advisors, Inc. (CBA) is pleased to announce that Alicia Byrnes has been elevated to Chief Operating Officer. Alicia brings 9 years of industry experience to the role.

“Alicia is smart, determined, and ethical, and we are thrilled to empower her to take on additional meaningful responsibilities,” said Larry Abrahams, President and founder. CBA is a multifamily office advising ultra-high-net-worth families across the country.

Alicia originally joined CBA as an intern in 2012 and returned as a financial analyst in 2017 after 5 years at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. Prior to that, she attended Harvard University where she played soccer and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a secondary degree in Psychology. Alicia currently serves on the Business Advisory Board for Coaches Across Continents, an independent development organization that uses education outside the classroom and purposeful play to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

REAL ESTATE

Global real estate brokerage, The Agency is pleased to announce that Ricardo Beer has been promoted to Vice President of Franchise Sales West. Ricardo has held several positions within The Agency for the past nine years, and most recently served as Director of Franchise Operations. In his new role, he will work closely with the franchise team in growing the firm’s network of partners around the world. The Agency has continued its robust expansion with the launch of several new franchise locations this year including in Oakville, Canada, Calgary, Canada, Vancouver, Canada, New Canaan, Connecticut, North Shore-New York, and Boston, Massachusetts, in addition to new corporate office locations in Studio City, California and Pacific Palisades, California. The Agency will open franchise offices in Montréal, Canada and Las Vegas, Nevada by the close of 2021 with more international destinations scheduled to launch toward the end of the year and early next year.

HEALTH CARE

City of Hope, a world-renowned cancer and diabetes research and treatment center, today announced the hiring of Sam Lau, most recently with Blue Shield of California, as vice president of marketing. Lau will oversee service line and clinical marketing, market intelligence, and precision digital marketing to patients and physicians.

CONSTRUCTION

Oltmans Construction Co. Promotes Anjana Bhowmik and Brad Kollar

Anjana Bhowmik has been named Senior Director of Production at Oltmans Construction Co. In this role, Anjana provides oversight and support to the company’s core group of project managers, project engineers, and assistant project managers on all building types, from healthcare and education to industrial and commercial. Having managed award-winning projects, Anjana continues to innovate Oltmans’ client experience, providing office and field teams with the tools to run more efficient, cost-effective projects. Anjana joined Oltmans in 2015 as project manager and has over 16 years of experience in engineering, project management, and architecture. She was recognized by the LA Business Journal as an Outstanding Woman in Construction and Design in 2019.

Brad Kollar has been named Senior Director of Oltmans’ Amazon Services and Strategic Markets Group. Brad’s promotion from preconstruction director further focuses his expertise in delivering design-assist, preconstruction, and estimating services to clients in various markets, including e-commerce, commercial, healthcare, and education. Brad has been integral to the development of the Amazon Services Group which has exponentially evolved from a single project, finished in 2018, to 28 projects completed and underway. Brad joined Oltmans in 2013 as estimator and project manager where he continued to complete hundreds of commercial tenant improvement projects. From 1996 to 2011, he owned KWGC, Inc. and acted as president. The firm specialized in tenant improvements in the entertainment sector.

CONSTRUCTION

Snyder Langston Names Lee Watkins COO

Snyder Langston, a leading Southern California builder, has named Lee Watkins to Chief Operating Officer, where he will oversee outstanding client service and workforce training. Watkins, a partner at the company, was previously vice president, healthcare, building an exceptional reputation in the healthcare community.

HEALTH CARE

City of Hope, a world-renowned cancer and diabetes research and treatment center, today announced the hiring of Natalia Torres, most recently with leading aerospace company Boeing, as vice president of brand management. Torres will oversee the many critical elements of building, sustaining and enhancing City of Hope’s brand.

APX: AESTHETIC MEDICINE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE GROWTH & TRAINING PLATFORM

APX by Terri Ross names Izhak Musli as new Co-Chief Executive Officer. The aesthetic industry business intelligence pioneer and software technology expert joins APX to help spearhead the company’s future vision, strategy and global expansion as well as maintain APX’s mission to increase the profitability and productivity of aesthetic practices.

CONSTRUCTION

Robert Quamina – Senior Project Manager BNBuilders is happy to announce the arrival of Robert Quamina as a Senior Project Manager. Robert brings a decade of construction industry experience with a BS in Civil Engineering from San Diego State University. Throughout his career, Robert has overseen the construction of a variety of aviation, power substation, water treatment and amusement park projects.

His diverse background and unique project history gave him a unique viewpoint on construction challenges. Robert will be joining BNB’s LA/OC office, leading complex projects from preconstruction through construction.

Lalo Jimenez – Senior Superintendent BNBuilders welcomes Lalo Jimenez as a Senior Superintendent in our LA/OC office. Lalo brings over two decades of construction industry experience and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology, Construction Management from California State University Long Beach. Lalo has a diverse portfolio of commercial construction experience including higher education, healthcare, aviation, high-rise residential, office, as well as sports, and entertainment facilities. Lalo will support preconstruction efforts and lead onsite construction, applying his extensive experience to drive project success.

ANIMAL WELFARE

Former Palm Springs Animal Shelter Executive Director, Gabrielle Amster, is the new Director of Wallis Annenberg PetSpace. Amster brings over 15 years experience in animal welfare leadership. Annenberg PetSpace is an innovative educational space and pet adoption center in Los Angeles focused on the human-animal bond, with a renowned Leadership Institute.

ACCOUNTING

In January 2022, after more than 33 years in the profession, Scott Sachs, Office Managing Partner of CohnReznick, will be retiring. CohnReznick is excited to announce that Kash Hussain has succeeded Scott and is the new Managing Partner for our Los Angeles offices.

Scott spent the last 19 years at CohnReznick (and its predecessors), 13 of those serving as the Office Managing Partner of the Los Angeles offices. Scott also served terms as Regional Managing Partner for the West and on the Firm’s Executive Board. The Los Angeles offices achieved substantial growth and success during this time that would not have been possible without his vision and leadership.

Scott plans to spend additional time with his family, explore some post-covid travel, and pursue new opportunities and board positions in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. We at CohnReznick send our best wishes to Scott and thank him for his dedication to our team, our office, and our firm.

Kash has more than 20 years of diverse experience providing audit and consulting services to privately-held and public companies. Most recently, he led the Los Angeles offices’ assurance practice, enhancing its operational capabilities and footprint. He also leads our Technology and Media industry practice in Los Angeles and has also served clients in the real estate, manufacturing and distribution, and consumer products industries. We congratulate Kash on his new role at the firm and are confident he will lead our Los Angeles team to reach new milestones and ongoing success.

ARCHITECTURE

Adaeze Cadet, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED BD+C, has been named Design Principal for HOK in LA. Cadet has experience working in all phases of architecture on innovative projects throughout the West Coast. Recent projects include Robertson Lane and The EDITION hotel in West Hollywood, Jasper tower in San Francisco and Two Lincoln Tower in Bellevue, Washington.& McDonnell, a 100% employee-owned engineering, architecture and construction firm, hires Chamberlain Duru as the diverse business manager for the firm’s California offices. In this role, he will help advance a diverse supplier base, develop key client relationships, assist with proposal development and support project execution with a focus on growth and delivering client success.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Wayne Feuerborn, HNTB West Division president, was named to the board of directors and Chamber executive committee for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. He joins a diverse board of distinguished corporate executives and small business leaders who are the principal governing body of the organization.

As a member of the board of directors, Feuerborn works with the board chair and Chamber CEO to set the agenda for public policy and advocacy, entrepreneurship and innovation, global engagement, workforce development, and infrastructure projects and investments with local impact to the Greater Los Angeles region.

“Wayne’s leadership in one of the oldest and most influential business associations in southern California highlights our firm’s long-standing commitment to the region where we live and work,” said Yoga Chandran, PE, HNTB Los Angeles office leader and vice president. “Working collectively, we have the power to advance opportunities and develop innovative solutions to further promote our prosperous regional economy and enhance the quality of life for all Angelenos.”

HNTB has been actively involved as a Diamond Level Chamber member and has participated on Chamber committees for many years.

An employee-owned infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors with 107 years of service in the U.S, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients’ most complex technical, financial, and operational challenges.

BANKING

Farmers & Merchants Bank has named Heather D. Sanchez Senior Vice President and Business Banking Group Manager, focusing on Commercial & Industrial Lending. She brings two decades of banking experience.

Sanchez is responsible for strategically building F&M’s business banking portfolio by attracting top clients and relationship managers throughout Southern California.

CONSTRUCTION

McCarthy Southern California Reinforces Los Angeles Leadership Team with Strategic Promotions of Matt Lawson and Erik Chessmore

McCarthy has elevated veteran team member Matt Lawson to Vice President of Preconstruction within its new Los Angeles office, serving Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Matt brings more than 24 years of construction, estimating and preconstruction experience to his new role, and his exceptional client focus and extensive estimating expertise help to ensure excellent client satisfaction across all projects he touches. Known for setting the highest standards for himself and his teams, Matt is a key mentor of new and senior estimators, with a focus on lean technologies and practices. He has held a number of preconstruction leadership roles within McCarthy, including Senior Preconstruction Director, and Chief Estimator of McCarthy’s San Diego office, prior to his current position. Matt is a member of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) and holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Auburn University.

In addition, McCarthy is proud to announce Erik Chessmore as Vice President of Operations in Los Angeles. With more than 17 years of experience, Erik has led the charge on some of the Southern California region’s largest and most challenging healthcare projects, including St. John’s Tower, Torrance Memorial Tower and the recently completed Loma Linda University Medical Center project. Erik ensures success for clients and project stakeholders through his intense focus on exceptional client experiences, passion for building high-performing teams and perseverance in the face of challenges. He has held a number of field and leadership positions, including serving as a project executive prior to his current role. Erik earned his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Loyola Marymount University and currently resides in Palos Verdes.

BUSINESS SERVICES

BIZFED TRAILBLAZER RETURNS FOR NEW PRESIDENT ROLE

Seasoned nonprofit executive and public policy advocate David Englin has returned to the Los Angeles County Business Federation “BizFed” to fill a newly created role leading the organization’s core entity: BizFed President.

Englin previously served as BizFed’s Director of Advocacy and Executive Vice President, and helped lead the grassroots business alliance to victories in water, housing, transportation, and air quality policy that support regional economic prosperity.

“Bringing David on board will accelerate our team’s impact and support my ability to stay in front of strategic intelligence, creating more opportunities to leverage powerful public-private solutions for strong economic outcomes,” said BizFed’s Founding CEO Tracy Hernandez.

Establishing the President role is a key step toward fulfilling the five-year strategic plan created by BizFed leaders in 2018. The enhanced leadership structure will equip the massive and ever-growing network of 215 member organizations representing 410,000 employers and 5 million employees to shore up fighting power and advocate more efficiently on behalf of its diverse and civically active business members.

The creation of the new position is also a reflection of BizFed’s commitment to fostering and investing in dynamic leadership to oversee its various entities. Englin’s hire follows the promotions of BizFed Institute’s Kevin Harbour and BizFed Political Action Committee’s De’Andre Valencia to President roles in recent years, and Sarah Wiltfong’s promotion to Senior Policy Manager this July.

Englin’s 25 years of leadership experience includes growing and transforming organizations, delivering multibillion-dollar public policy wins, and serving three full terms in the Virginia state legislature. Englin is a former United States Air Force officer and proud graduate of both the United States Air Force Academy and the Harvard Kennedy School.

“California is the world’s fifth largest economy and Los Angeles County has a larger population than all but nine states, so working with this team to navigate and shape an increasingly complex legislative, regulatory, and public policy environment for the benefit of our business community will be an awesome challenge,” said Englin. “Getting it right will mean more opportunities, a better quality of life, and an even brighter future for individuals and families across Southern California and beyond.”

LEGAL

Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce that Mhare Mouradian has joined the firm’s Real Estate, Development & Construction industry group as a partner. Mouradian brings to the firm a wealth of litigation experience where his clients range from Fortune 500 companies to startups. He joins Husch Blackwell’s Los Angeles office from Fox Rothschild.

ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION

Burns & McDonnell, a 100% employee-owned engineering, architecture and construction firm, hires Chamberlain Duru as the diverse business manager for the firm’s California offices. In this role, he will help advance a diverse supplier base, develop key client relationships, assist with proposal development and support project execution with a focus on growth and delivering client success.

ACCOUNTING

Marcum LLP Welcomes Salman Ali to Lead Private Equity Practice for the West

Salman Ali is an assurance partner in the Los Angeles office of Marcum LLP responsible for leading the private equity practice for the western region. He has over 12 years of experience in the financial services industry in the U.S. and the Cayman Islands. Salman’s audit experience encompasses private equity, venture capital, hedge funds and Fintech companies. He is responsible for managing a portfolio of clients comprised primarily of investment funds with a wide variety of strategies, sizes and structures. Salman has served clients with various types of fund structures including onshore and offshore investment vehicles. Previously with another national accounting firm, he brings his vast experience in dealing with complex investment valuations to Marcum.

Salman sits on the board of Growth Konnect and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA). He holds a Master of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting, both from the University of Karachi.

About Marcum LLP Marcum LLP is a top-ranked national accounting and advisory services firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurial, middle-market companies and high net worth individuals achieve their goals. For more information please visit: marcumllp.com.

Please contact Salman at (310) 432-7495 or [email protected]

FINANCE

Sharp accelerates growth with new Managing Director, Colin Campbell. Expands presence on the west coast.

Sharp Capital Advisors today announced Colin Campbell has joined the firm as Managing Director. An established investment banker, Colin will lead the firm’s client relationships and new business origination on the west coast.

Before Sharp Capital Advisors, Colin worked at Sharp affiliate, Livingstone Partners, for four years, demonstrating remarkable commitment to clients on M&A, debt advisory, and special situations transactions. The exploding growth within the U.S. cannabis sector necessitated hiring additional banking talent to tackle the nearly insatiable need for experienced advisory services.

“Sharp has built an impressive platform serving the cannabis sector. I am excited to expand the firm’s coverage on the west coast while providing clients with honest and grounded advice on how best to capitalize and monetize their cannabis assets,” stated Colin Campbell.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Salim Khalil, CCM, joined HNTB Corporation’s Southern California team as project director, based in the firm’s Ontario office. His duties include leading the I-10 Express Lanes PCM team which is delivering the county’s first express lanes facility for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority.

Khalil has more than 30 years of experience leading construction quality management on design-build programs with toll and express lanes and other facilities, including the SR-22, SR-91, I-405 and I-15 projects. He previously served as technical and construction manager on I-15 Express Lanes and connector projects, and SR-91 retrofit and improvements.

“Salim has valuable experience working in Southern California on major transportation projects with various public agencies,” said Wayne Feuerborn, HNTB West Division president. “His exceptional leadership, technical excellence, and team building skills inspire others and promote project delivery on time and on budget.”

Khalil received his BSc degree in physics and MSc degree in terrestrial solar radiation measurements and applications, both from University of Tripoli. He is a certified construction manager in the state of California.

CONSTRUCTION

McCarthy Southern California adds talent and focus to its new Los Angeles Office with veteran team members Tuyet Le and Michael H. Kim.

McCarthy has relocated Tuyet Le, Vice President of Business Development to its new Los Angeles office which serves Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. Tuyet joined McCarthy San Francisco in 2017 to focus client development on healthcare, science and technology, and transportation market sectors. She has been building and expanding business for the past 25 years and has secured successful multi-million-dollar projects while directing overall development of strategic relationships with clients and analyzing market assessments across California. She is an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a CIDCI Board Member, and a dynamic industry mentor focused on bringing forward the best in both colleagues and clients. Tuyet was raised in Southern California and recently relocated from the Bay Area with her husband and their two children.

Additionally, McCarthy has elevated Michael H. Kim to Vice President of Integrated Design. He has more than 30 years of experience in the design and construction industry and oversees the total integration of design phase services and construction execution. Michael provides strategic thinking and guidance throughout the design effort, focusing on the client experience. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts in studio arts from Wesleyan University and a Master of Architecture from UCLA. Additionally, he is a California state registered architect, a certified member of the American College of Healthcare Architects, a LEED AP accredited professional, a certified DBIA Professional, a member of AIA and the American Society for Healthcare Engineers.

CONSTRUCTION

Esplanade Builders Promotes Will LaRoque

Esplanade Builders is proud to announce that Will LaRoque has been promoted to Project Manager in the Torrance Office. A graduate from California State University-Dominguez Hills he has been an integral part of Esplanade’s growth for the past 7 years. We look forward to his continued growth and success.

VETERANS SERVICES

VLSP RECORD CLEARING PROGRAM SPONSOR

LACBA’s Veterans Legal Services Project thanks DLA Piper for their Gold Sponsorship of the VLSP’s Record Clearing Program for Veterans.This supports VLSP’s delivery of free legal aid to hundreds of current and former military members, annually, to improve access to employment, housing, education, and healthcare.

Learn more: lacba.org/veterans

NEW LOCATION

OneLegacy’s Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donor Recovery Center Taking Shape at “Topping Out” Ceremony

Azusa Location to Serve as “Critical Connector” for Southern California’s Regional Healthcare System and Help Save and Heal Lives Through Donation

Surrounded by local officials, transplant recipients, donor families and healthcare professionals, OneLegacy has held a “topping out” ceremony for its new state-of-the-art headquarters in Azusa that will serve as a critical connector for Southern California’s regional healthcare system.

The Azusa Donor Recovery Center will triple OneLegacy’s recovery capacity and by doing so enable OneLegacy to serve even better all 215 hospitals and 10 transplant centers in its seven-county region as well as transplant surgeons from around the country. When opened next year, the Center will also provide a new home for critical research that will improve donation and transplantation for all.

ARCHITECTURE

Richey Madison joins SmithGroup’s Los Angeles office as a Principal and Higher Education Studio Leader. With more than 25 years of experience in campus planning, higher education and science & technology design projects across the country, Richey will work to diversify SmithGroup’s strong higher education portfolio in Southern California.

INSURANCE

Diana Granillo promoted to Chief Operating Officer at SullivanCurtisMonroe.

Bringing her depth of insurance knowledge and over 30 years of industry experience to the COO position, Diana will help the agency reach its growth goals. Moreover, she plays a vital role in SCM’s relentless pursuit of exceeding client expectations.

CONSTRUCTION

McCarthy Southern California Elevates Paul Erb to Executive Vice President and Los Angeles Office Leader and Appoints Dan Stafford to Senior Vice President of Operations

McCarthy is proud to announce Paul Erb has been appointed to Executive Vice President and Office Leader for the firm’s Southern California region and will oversee all company services across Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. Having joined McCarthy in 2004 and holding integral roles including vice president of San Jose operations and San Jose Office Leader, Paul brings more than two decades of experience in the building industry to this position. Paul has overseen the construction of some of Northern California’s marquee projects and worked with a variety of clients including Stanford University, Apple, and the University of California, Berkeley, among others. In his new role under regional president Mike Myers, Paul will spearhead a leadership team dedicated to growing and supporting the communities of the greater Los Angeles area. Known for his skill as a consensus builder focused on forming strong project teams, he is active in several industry and community organizations and holds a LEED AP BD+C designation from the United States Green Building Council.

An exciting new member of Paul’s leadership team, Dan Stafford brings over three decades of experience in commercial, higher education, seismic renovations, core and shell development, tenant improvement, and other markets to McCarthy’s clients in the greater Los Angeles area. As Senior Vice President of Operations, Dan will oversee team assignments, staff development, and project oversight for McCarthy. Dan’s experience leading aspects of operations and preconstruction focused on client goals, and experience building high-performing teams will ensure exceptional outcomes for all project stakeholders across the Los Angeles service area.

CONSULTING

Cause Communications Welcomes Three Senior Team Leaders

Cause Communications welcomes three new team members: Kristen Caloca as Vice President of Accounts, Christopher de Haan as Director of Marketing, and Jane Murcia as Senior Manager of Media Relations. Cause, the only purpose-driven nonprofit communications firm of its kind, is expanding its LA-based consulting practice.

Kristen Caloca has joined Cause Communications as Vice President of Accounts. In this role, Kristen provides strategic communications counsel to exceed client expectations and to offer internal leadership and mentorship for Cause’s staff. Kristen’s expertise spans public affairs, crisis communications, branding, messaging, strategic communications planning, capacity building, integrated marketing and public relations, social media, and events. She has nearly two decades of experience crafting and implementing communications strategies for cross-sector clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to government, nonprofits, foundations, and startup organizations on issues including energy and the environment, family and child welfare, public health, education, mental health, affordable housing, homelessness, and more.

Christopher de Haan joins as Marketing Director for Cause Communications. As a senior member of the team, he applies marketing best practices and drives bold new ideas in helping to lead marketing initiatives on behalf of Cause’s roster of clients, as well as Cause’s own marketing activities. Chris also supports the firm’s field-building work which helps other nonprofits strengthen their own marketing capacity to enhance organizational awareness, credibility, and impact. He has more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and corporate sectors leading successful philanthropic and social impact programs, fundraising campaigns, leadership and crisis communications, strategic planning initiatives, influencer relations, social media and digital marketing efforts, multimedia productions, and more.

Jane Murcia is Senior Manager of Media Relations for Cause Communications and is responsible for developing and supporting client communications strategies that harness the power of media relations. From insightful analysis to compelling storytelling, her role encompasses a variety of strategic marketing and communications activities. Jane also draws on her strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, as well as sharp, results-oriented approaches to help clients achieve their organizational goals for social impact.

NONPROFIT

Exceptional Children’s Foundation (ECF.net) is pleased to welcome Paige Newbold and Sonhui Robilotta to the ECF executive leadership team.

Paige Newbold has been promoted to Chief Administrative Officer. As CAO, she will be responsible for the oversight of facilities management, information technology, and human resources.

Paige has more than 26 years of senior human resources management experience within the fields of individual & family healthcare, senior home care and entertainment. She has notable performance in strategic human resource planning, performance management, staffing, federal and state law compliance, employee relations, employee benefits, compensation and payroll, training and development and coaching.

Paige is a Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional (CWCP) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management (BSM) from Pepperdine University and an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration (EMBA) from Loyola Marymount University.

Sonhui “Sunny” Robilotta returns to ECF as Chief Financial Officer. She served as ECF’s Vice President of Finance and Director of Finance & Controller from 2004 to 2012, and assisted in successfully executing the organization’s merger with the Kayne Eras Center in 2006. Sunny has more than 27 years of financial management and accounting leadership experience in for-profit and nonprofit education, health and social service organizations.

She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from California State University Monterey Bay and Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Business Administration from College of Charleston, South Carolina. Sunny earned the Los Angeles Business Journal’s CFO of the Year Award (2009).

ARCHITECTURE

GGA+ WELCOMES NEW PARTNER AND DESIGN PRINCIPAL

Los Angeles-based architecture firm GGA+ is proud to announce an expansion to its leadership team with the appointment of Greg Kochanowski, AIA, ASLA as the firm’s newest partner and Design Principal. He will play an instrumental role in shaping the design culture of the firm.

“Building on our studio’s long legacy of community centered design, we are delighted to welcome Greg to our team, and proud to have him as a partner,” says Managing Principal Ali Barar. “Greg is an innovative designer and a consummate mentor whose expertise reinforces our studio culture. As we work to provide equitable design solutions to critical issues, such as climate and housing; Greg’s leadership will amplify our work and our impact in the community.”

With over 25 years of experience as an award-winning architect, landscape architect, educator, and author, Kochanowski brings a wealth of knowledge and a holistic design philosophy to the practice. He currently serves as the Co-President of the Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design, and is an active researcher focusing on resilient environments that create synergies between natural systems, culture, architecture, and development. His unique perspective at the intersection of urban design, landscape, and architecture has been instrumental in a variety of projects reshaping the cultural and environmental fabric of Los Angeles.

Greg holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Structural Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology, a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Temple University, and Master’s of Architecture degree from UCLA.

“I am excited to be working with an organization so passionate about making a difference in the world,” says Kochanowski. “By harnessing the firm’s diversity and creating an environment of empowerment, agency, growth, and collaboration, I hope to reinforce GGA+’s mission of doing good with great design.”

ABOUT GGA+
GGA+ is widely recognized as a leader in design for public spaces throughout Southern California. Established in 1980 with a mission of enriching public life through design, GGA+ has been creating built environments that reinforce social engagement and support the advancement of our shared civic institutions.

NEW OFFICE LOCATION

McCarthy is proud to announce the much anticipated opening of its office in Downtown Los Angeles. With more than 35 years serving Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, it made sense for McCarthy’s Southern California division to establish a presence in the Los Angeles region to reemphasize its commitment to being a part of the communities we build in. Some of the firm’s notable project work in this market includes Sunset Bronson Studios ICON Office Tower, LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal and the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center and Cal State LA Student Housing East.

Overseen by Mike Myers, President of McCarthy Southern California, the Los Angeles office will be headed up by EVP and Office Leader, Paul Erb. Accompanying him will be the newly appointed SVP of Operations Dan Stafford, along with seasoned veterans, VP of Operations Erik Chessmore, VP of Preconstruction Matt Lawson, VP of Integrated Design Michael Kim, VP of Business Development Tuyet Le, VP of Mapping Fermin Glasper and VP of Parking Structures Ileana Holguin. The leadership team is committed to delivering upon client project goals, supporting local communities, and identifying innovative solutions for efficiency across Los Angeles.

Designed by Gensler, the Los Angeles workplace will accommodate 70 full-time employees supporting over 150 FTE’s and 150 craft workers in the market. With flexible and open workspaces, the office includes a large multipurpose room, a variety of collaboration spaces and an outdoor meeting terrace that opens up to expand the adjoining space and provide natural light and air circulation. McCarthy Southern California looks forward to serving long-established clients and is excited to form new partnerships across Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara for years to come.

FINANCE

Managing Director, Risk Advisory at Grant Thornton LLP

Grant Thornton LLP has promoted Max Geier to the role of Managing Director within Risk Advisory Services in Los Angeles. For the past 12+ years, Max has served a variety of clients across nearly all industry verticals, including both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. He delivers class-leading service helping companies deploy governance functions and leads improvement initiatives in accounting, IT, and operations. Max focuses on pre-IPO and SPAC clients, and he is a leader in Grant Thornton’s national practice for SOX readiness and adoption. His clients recognize him as a driven and dynamic leader with a unique ability to bring an otherwise dull subject matter to life. Max lives in Los Angeles and serves as a board member for an LA-based non-profit organization focused on preserving Los Angeles’ natural ecosystem through thoughtful residential development. Education: University of California Irvine, University of Nevada Las Vegas.

HEALTHCARE

Pipeline Health Taps New VP, Marketing and Communications

Jane Brust joined Pipeline Health, LLC, this month as Vice President for Marketing and Communications. The announcement was made by Pipeline CEO Andrei Soran, who said Brust will be challenged to build a cohesive, centralized staffing structure that assures a high level of quality work product to support the strategic goals of the growing Pipeline system as a whole and its hospitals.

With corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, Pipeline has seven hospitals located in Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. Brust assumes responsibility for leading a robust portfolio of programs undertaken by marketing staff as well as outside firms. “Jane brings deep experience in hospital system marketing and communications, including brand development, media relations and crisis communications, social media strategy, website development and community engagement, among other program areas. I was privileged to work with Jane at Verity Health System where she served as Vice President for Marketing and Communications,” Soran said.

NONPROFIT-WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Toni has been appointed Chair of the Board of Directors for TransCanWork in Los Angeles. Toni is currently the current Interim Executive Director/President at LYRIC Center for LGBTQQ Youth & former Executive Director of St. James Infirmary in San Francisco. She is the author of I Rise-The Transformation of Toni Newman, a 2011 memoir about her gender transition which was nominated for multiple Lambda Literary Awards and became the basis for a short film, Heart of a Woman. Toni is a graduate of Wake Forest University and candidate for the Juris of Doctorate degree.

TECHNOLOGY

Raghu Makonahalli is joining Genies after spending the past four years as the Head of Finance for Snap Inc., managing funds for content strategy, partnerships, and user growth. Before switching to content and growth, Makonahalli was head of the Sales, Monetization GTM, and Augmented reality (AR) finance divisions. Before Snap Inc, Makonahalli worked for Amazon in the finance department, with a focus on advertising, monetization, pricing, and business development, and was at Cisco prior. His knowledge in GTM Monetization strategies, AR, and user growth will benefit him as VP of Finance for Genies.

Genies is culture’s most popular avatar technology company. The company has set the foundation for swift, widespread adaptation of avatars in society and culture, allowing individuals to truly express themselves.

ARCHITECTURE

Jake Henry, AIA, has been promoted to Principal in HGA’s LA office. Reinforcing HGA’s expertise in workplace design, he will direct new business opportunities and expand client networks for the firm’s growing corporate practice throughout Southern California. His work includes projects for Apple, Disney, Dolby Laboratories, Amgen, Vizio, Hollywood Arts Collective and Venice Arts.

BANKING

EH Private Bank® welcomes two new members to its management team: As a noteworthy leader in human resources, Kathleen Wiesinger joins EH as Senior Vice President, Director of Human Resources. Prior to joining EH, Kathleen served as Director of Human Resources at Golden State Bank, Pacific Mercantile Bank, and Independence Bank. Kathleen brings a wealth of HR management experience and leadership to EH as the bank experiences new organizational growth and success.

Nikki Almazan has joined EH as First Vice President, Director of Information Technology. Prior to joining the EH team, Nikki served on management teams at Golden State Bank and Reliable IT, a services provider specializing in financial services information technology. Serving on various executive committees that have allowed her to be a catalyst for strategic growth, Nikki has a track record of successfully developing strategic IT roadmaps and aligning an organization’s digital initiatives with business-wide objectives. She looks forward to translating this experience to those objectives at EH Private Bank.
With total assets of $332.5 million, EH Private Bank (a tradename of EH National Bank) is a privately held, full-service institution that specializes in comprehensive commercial deposit and lending relationships. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, EH has served Southern California businesses and individuals for over 16 years. www.ehprivate.bank
Member FDIC

ARCHITECTURE

Woods Bagot promotes Matt Ducharme to Principal Ducharme, West Coast Design Leader for Woods Bagot, has been promoted to Principal. His design thinking emerges from a multi-disciplinary perspective and emphasizes experience and context. Significant projects include 447 Collins Street (The Arch), Australia’s first true mixed-use tower, and 111 West 57th Street in New York.

FINANCE

MGO LLP is pleased to announce that Christina Guan and Juline Cohen have been promoted to partner. Christina brings a strong background in both assurance and advisory and applies a holistic approach to value-added businesses. Her assurance experience is focused on audits of middle market, public, and privately held companies, and her advisory capabilities include fraud and forensic accounting, audit readiness, transition advisory, and construction audit. Christina’s talents have served the cannabis, construction, technology, real estate, aerospace, and defense industries. She contributes to MGO-Asia business development and is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.
Juline Cohen has helped pave the way for growth and success for the firm in Southern California, where she specializes in tax, consulting, and operations. In addition, she performs federal and multi-state tax compliance for numerous high-networth individuals and closely held businesses. She is instrumental in both MGO’s cannabis practice and entertainment, sports, and music practice and represents MGO at industry events in the California market and beyond.

REAL ESTATE

Gemdale USA has added Gus Villalba as Managing Director in its Pasadena Headquarters to aid in its acquisition efforts after spending over 25 years with Texas-based JPI and reporting to James Steman, Executive Vice President, who is responsible for leading Gemdale USA’s Los Angeles office.

ARCHITECTURE&DESIGN

Enrique Ceniceros, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, has joined Taylor Design as Science and Technology Studio Director. Throughout his 28-year career, Enrique has established himself as an expert in the adaptive reuse of commercial and historic structures into state-of-the-art research and manufacturing facilities.
His work encompasses a broad range of projects, including higher education research and learning environments, bio-pharmaceutical facilities, biomedical R&D laboratories, commercial R&D facilities, manufacturing facilities and engineering laboratories. Enrique earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from California Polytechnic University, Pomona. Previously the Regional Leader for Science and Technology for HOK in Los Angeles, he can be reached at [email protected].

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING

Environmental Science Associates (ESA), a leading environmental consulting, engineering, and planning firm, welcomes Tamseel Mir as Community Development Business Group Director for its Southern California region. With more than 20 years of experience leading the environmental review process for large-scale planning and development projects across an array of industries, Mir takes the helm of the region’s largest group.

CONSTRUCTION

Blair Jones – Project Executive BNBuilders has welcomed Blair Jones to its team as a Project Executive serving the Los Angeles, Orange County, and Inland Empire markets. A highly skilled and ambitious leader, Mr. Jones returns to BNBuilders after a nearly six-year hiatus. He brings more than 15 years of experience directing projects for various sectors, including: prominent technology, K-12, higher education, hospitality, and large construction projects. He earned his degree in construction management from the University of Southern California. Mr. Jones’ first project with BNBuilders is a major redevelopment in Southern California worth hundreds of millions of dollars, for a tech client he previously served while working at BNBuilders.

Thomas Van Aken – Senior Estimator Thomas Van Aken has joined BNBuilders’ LA/OC office as a Senior Estimator. Thomas has been working in the construction industry for nearly a decade and has a Bachelor’s in Construction Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona. His project history is comprised of commercial building and infrastructure, specifically mixed-use/retail, industrial, higher education and design-build projects. At BNBuilders, Thomas will lead the preconstruction effort on a range of BNB projects including upcoming build-outs for local tech companies.

HEALTHCARE COMMUNICATIONS

Marissa Morrison joined WELL Health as VP of People. Morrison will build upon the company’s strong culture to create even more opportunity for employee development and inclusion, help shape the future of work, and lead efforts to recruit top talent. Morrison had prior roles at Foursquare, Factual, LinkedIn, and PwC.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Abel Montañez has joined City National Bank as executive vice president and head of Private Banking. He is also a member of City National’s Executive Committee and reports to Garrett D’Alessandro, CEO of City National Rochdale and head of Wealth Management at City National Bank. Montañez is an outstanding leader with more than 20 years of experience in the wealth management industry, most recently at Wells Fargo Private Bank, and before that at Citi Private Bank. Based in Los Angeles, City National has $83.4 billion in assets and more than 70 offices. The company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $93.2 billion in client investment assets.

ENGINEERING,ARCHITECTURE&CONSTRUCTION

Burns & McDonnell, a 100% employee-owned engineering, architecture and construction firm, promoted John Hofman, PE, to distribution modernization section manager.

John has experience in electrical distribution planning and design, engineering, underground secondary networks and application of grid technologies. He will lead a team, providing communities with reliable power infrastructure.

LEGAL

FRANKFURT KURNIT LAW FIRM ADDS ENTERTAINMENT AND COMMERCIAL LITIGATION PARTNER RYAN LAPINE IN LOS ANGELES

June 17, 2021 Los Angeles, CA – Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC has added Ryan Lapine as a partner in the firm’s Litigation Group. Mr. Lapine joined the firm on June 16th. He will be based in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Ryan Lapine is joining us,” said Frankfurt Kurnit Litigation Group co-Chair Tricia Legittino. “Ryan is an entertainment and commercial litigation powerhouse who is a terrific addition to our litigation department and our growing Los Angeles office.”

Mr. Lapine represents celebrities, high net worth individuals, and corporate clients in insurance recovery, intellectual property, trust and estate, and complex business disputes. He has intimate familiarity with entertainment, cryptocurrency, and cannabis industry issues.

Mr. Lapine’s client list includes Barry Manilow, Stiletto Entertainment, Inc.,TrueCar, Inc., Emerald Family Farms, and many others.

“Joining Frankfurt Kurnit is a professional accomplishment I treasure – a light at the end of the long tunnel that this last year has been for a lot of us,” said Mr. Lapine. “I am thrilled to join such a talented team of attorneys and look forward to working with them in the years to come.”

About Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC
Long recognized as a leading media, entertainment, and advertising law firm, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz, PC, provides the highest quality legal services to clients in a wide range of industries and disciplines. With nearly 100 lawyers, the firm now represents a diverse group of clients, from Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, charitable organizations, and law firms to celebrities, artists, and individuals working in many fields. In addition to working with clients on transactional and litigation-related entertainment, advertising, and intellectual property matters, Frankfurt Kurnit has leading practices in commercial litigation, employment law, white collar criminal defense, corporate and tax law, charitable organizations, trusts and estates, privacy and data security, legal ethics, and real estate. By combining deep industry knowledge across a diverse group of lawyers and practice groups, Frankfurt Kurnit brings a unique, client-focused approach to helping clients achieve their goals, whether resolving a dispute, getting the deal done, or just planning for the future.

BANKING

CommerceWest Bank Welcomes Craig Hirson

As Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer of the Commercial Banking Division, Mr. Craig Hirson will lead the organization’s Portfolio Management Group, Corporate Lending Group and Specialty Banking Group. Craig will focus on expanding our existing client relationships and the continued market share growth of new clients in California.

To learn more, visit www.cwbk.com.

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) has promoted Timothy Schmidt to Vice President. Schmidt has 37 years of experience in the rail and transit industry. He is especially sought after by clients for his expertise in the Construction Management/ General Contractor (CM/GC) delivery method.

INFRASTRUCTURE CONSULTING FIRM

Donna Clandening has joined AECOM’s Buildings + Places practice in Southern California as vice president and managing principal, responsible for driving growth, design excellence, and innova-tion for the group.

A leader and mentor in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, Ms. Clandening brings a holistic and collaborative approach to her work. Her diverse professional background and deep interest in creating strong, interdisciplinary teams allow her to effectively deliver connected strategies to her clients and community.

She has held various leadership roles with the College of Architectural and Environmental Design at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; the Los Angeles Chapter of the ACE Mentor Program; the Foundation for Interdisciplinary Studies; the Santa Monica Unified School District; the Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Marketing Professional Services; and the Asian American Architects/Engineers Association in Southern California.

Ms. Clandening holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. In 2020, Ms. Clandening was recognized as an Honored Alumna from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, College of Architecture and Environmental Design. She is also the 2018 Leonardo Award recipient from the Los Angeles Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

FINANCE

RSM welcomes Ken Kilroy

RSM US LLP – the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax, and consulting services to the middle market welcomes Senior Director, Ken Kilroy, to their Family Office Services practice.

Previously, Ken provided family office services to ultra-high net worth families across the US. He was a partner at Brightstar Capital Partners and also worked with Marvin Davis, serving as the President of Davis Companies and Head of the Davis family office. Ken’s 25 years of family office tax and direct investing experience includes: Twentieth Century Fox, Davis Petroleum, Davis Entertainment, the Sports Club/LA, WebTV, Fox Plaza, Aspen Skiing Company, the Pebble Beach Company, and the Beverly Hills Hotel. He was a Co-founder and CEO of Unity Investment Partners, a boutique financial advisory firm, serving closely held and family-owned operating businesses. Ken also founded Trailhead Advisors, a provider of customized consulting services for ultra-high net worth family offices.

Ken began his career as a lawyer, CPA and also served as Director of Taxes for Occidental Petroleum. He received a J.D. from the University of Akron Law School and a B.S. from the University of Akron. He is actively involved with global non-profit organizations, including World Vision and The Carter Center.

Ken comes to RSM to focus on Family Offices and will provide guidance on various growth and talent initiatives for the practice.

About RSM US LLP
RSM’s purpose is to deliver the power of being understood to our clients, colleagues and communities through world-class audit, tax, and consulting services focused on middle market businesses. Learn more at rsmus.com. Please contact Ken at (213) 929 2751 or [email protected].

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT

RETS Associates, a leading national real estate recruiting firm, is continuing to expand in the Southern California region to serve growing demand for real estate talent from new and existing clients. Christa Brillhart recently joined RETS as a Director of its Los Angeles office, bringing several years of experience in the recruitment field with an emphasis on the real estate and financial industries. She established her CRE career in real estate asset management at The Carlyle Group where she served as an Associate/Senior Associate for more than five years. Brillhart resides in the LA area with her son and daughter.

INSURANCE

Poms hired one of the country’s foremost experts in workers compensation claims at a time when workers compensation is becoming increasingly complex.

Poms and Associates announces the vital growth of its workers compensation, claims and property and casualty group by adding April Moore to a newly-created executive position as vice president.
Moore has spent the last 30 years of her career as advocate to employers, guiding claims management teams on industry best practices while also mentoring a team of adjusters. Most recently, she received a ‘You Make a Difference Award’ for her commitment to excellence for clients and her willingness to go the extra mile. Early in her career, she gained experience in workers compensation as a claims adjuster for several carriers and third-party administrators.
“Our goal at Poms is to reduce claims, educate clients and help our clients with insurance cost savings. As companies seek to develop or update workers’ compensation policies, many companies are seeking counsel to develop these policies,” said David Poms, president of Poms & Associates. “To keep up with industry trends and federal legislative requirements, we’ve strategically decided to grow the worker’s compensation, claims and property and casualty group, and that growth starts by adding April Moore to our senior leadership team.”

LEGAL

Latham & Watkins Expands Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions Practices in Los Angeles

Tana Ryan has joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Corporate Department and member of the Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions Practices. Ms. Ryan represents private equity funds and public and private companies in a variety of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, take private transactions, distressed acquisitions, SPAC and deSPAC transactions, minority investments, recapitalizations, and other complex corporate transactions.

NONPROFIT

American Heart Association honors healthcare executive John Baackes and cardiologist Dr. Richard Allen Williams for championing equitable health for all

The American Heart Association has honored John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care Health Plan, and Richard Allen Williams, MD, Founder of the Association of Black Cardiologists, with the Heart of Los Angeles Award for outstanding contributions to advancing health equity. The recognition was presented at a digital celebration, sponsored by Keck Medicine of USC, American Medical Association Foundation, Dignity Health Northridge, UCLA Health and more, on June 12, 2021.

Leader, Innovator, Changemaker
As the leader of the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, Baackes is recognized for fostering innovation and partnerships to advance access to quality health care for the more than 2.4 million people L.A. Care serves in Los Angeles County through a variety of health coverage programs, including Medi-Cal and L.A. Care Covered.
His many accomplishments include launching “Elevating the Safety Net,” a five-year, $155 million initiative to increase the number of primary care doctors who provide health care to L.A.’s under-resourced communities. The initiative includes grants for provider recruitment, loan repayments for physicians who commit to serving in the safety net and scholarships for medical students, most of whom are students of color. Baackes also gained board approval to fund an In-Home Supportive Services Training Program, which has trained nearly 3,500 caregivers on how to better deliver care to patients in their homes. Under Baackes’ leadership, L.A. Care established an equity council that is committed to advancing health equity for members and their communities.

Healer, Mentor, Medical Pioneer
A renowned cardiologist, medical pioneer and leading expert in healthcare disparities, Dr. Williams, clinical professor of medicine at UCLA, has kept health justice and equity at the heart of his decades-long work. The author of numerous books and publications, his seminal 1975 Textbook of Black-Related Diseases, which highlights the need for a culturally competent approach to health care for African Americans and other people of color, and his latest work, Blacks in Medicine, a 5,000-year history of the Black experience in medicine and healthcare, have been accepted into the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
He founded the Association of Black Cardiologists and the Minority Health Institute, which promote deeper understanding of the impact of cardiovascular disease on African Americans, address health care disparities and foster diversity in the health care workforce. ,br> Williams has broken many barriers, paving the way for generations of Black men and women in medicine. As the first Black postgraduate trainee at Harvard Medical School, he brought attention to the lack of diversity in its medical programs and spearheaded recruitment efforts that led to an increase in Black medical students, interns and residents at Harvard.

MEDIA

Exverus, a strategic media consultancy, has hired two new vice presidents to expand the agency’s media capabilities even further. Tasha Day joins as VP, Media Director, and Oscar Braun joins as VP, Performance Solutions. Both are newly-created positions, adding to the award-winning agency’s already impressive roster of talent. They will report to Talia Arnold, Co-Founder and Head of Strategy.

ADVERTISING

Patty Mertes, Vice President of Media at Ad Results Media Ad Results Media, a leader in branded audio advertising, announced the hiring of Patty Mertes as their Vice President of Media. In her role, Patty will identify business opportunities across a range of enterprises and customer segments to drive both top line growth and bottom-line results.

ARCHITECTURE

Lisa Hsiao has joined experience consultancy ERA-co as VP of User Strategy for North America. She brings over 20 years of expertise in creating human-centered strategies that push the boundaries of exploration. As a sister company to Woods Bagot, ERA-co offers services in User Strategy, Brand Experience, and Urban Systems.

HEALTH CARE

Philip Han and Elisa Rodriguez have been elected to the board of trustees of Orthopaedic Institute for Children. Han currently serves as chief investment officer of Saban Capital Group, a multi-billion-dollar private investment firm. Rodriguez is a senior manager of financial planning and analysis for Orum, a technology company focused on creating frictionless payment infrastructure. Both hold MBAs from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

OIC is the largest pediatric orthopaedic facility on the west coast focused solely on musculoskeletal conditions in children.

ADVERTISING

DeShá Runnels, Vice President of Media at Ad Results Media

Ad Results Media, a trailblazer leading the audio media industry in branded audio advertising, announced the hiring of DeShá Runnels as their new Vice President of Media. In his new role, DeShá will specialize in generating revenue and consumer engagement via creative partnerships and content creation.

MEDIA

Lisa Buckley is the new Managing Director of VaynerMedia Los Angeles. She will shape the direction and growth of the West Coast office with a focus on deploying the agency’s unique integrated offering to drive relevance and growth for clients. Lisa was previously EVP of Client Services in New York.

HEALTHCARE

Marcel Ocampo has joined the Partner team at Nava, a new kind of healthcare benefits brokerage leveraging technology and benefits innovation to tackle the rising costs of healthcare. Throughout his over 18-year career in healthcare, Marcel has been consistently recognized as one of the top benefits brokers in CA and the US (#1 producer in SD in 2020).

Nava could not be more thrilled to have Marcel join the team and our mission to provide high-quality, affordable access to healthcare to all Americans.

MEDIA

Exverus, a strategic media consultancy, has hired two new vice presidents to expand the agency’s media capabilities even further. Tasha Day joins as VP, Media Director, and Oscar Braun joins as VP, Performance Solutions. Both are newly-created positions, adding to the award-winning agency’s already impressive roster of talent. They will report to Talia Arnold, Co-Founder and Head of Strategy.

ADVERTISING

Patty Mertes, Vice President of Media at Ad Results Media

Ad Results Media, a leader in branded audio advertising, announced the hiring of Patty Mertes as their Vice President of Media. In her role, Patty will identify business opportunities across a range of enterprises and customer segments to drive both top line growth and bottom-line results.

ARCHITECTURE

Lisa Hsiao has joined experience consultancy ERA-co as VP of User Strategy for North America. She brings over 20 years of expertise in creating human-centered strategies that push the boundaries of exploration. As a sister company to Woods Bagot, ERA-co offers services in User Strategy, Brand Experience, and Urban Systems.

CONSTRUCTION CONSULTING

Pavitra Rammohan, P.E, MBA. ENV-SP has been named Vice President of Business Development at KDG Construction Consulting . She brings over 15 years of strong business acumen coupled with technical leadership in infrastructure development, deep expertise in stakeholder coordination, multi-agency partnerships and best management practices implementation. She will be responsible for leading strategic growth initiatives, advancing market sector growth, business processes development, and enhancing client services across the nation.

“I am excited to welcome Pavitra to KDG. Pavitra brings to KDG an outstanding set of academic and professional credentials matched with deep industry expertise. She will be a key leader within our company as we grow our existing business development platform into new geographies and market sectors and as we develop new partnerships with our industry peers” said Lydia Kennard, President and CEO of KDG.

Ms. Rammohan, an ardent USC Trojan, has led multiple complex water supply, water reclamation, transportation and renewable energy projects throughout California. She was the lead consultant driving Stormwater Integration as part of the City of Los Angeles One Water Los Angeles 2040 Plan aimed at developing fiscally responsible water planning solutions. She also serves as the Founding Member on the Los Angeles Metro Sustainability Council. She collaborates with SoCalGas with increased focus on renewable natural gas production, storage, and transmission and opportunities for integration within existing infrastructure.

“I am thrilled to be joining hands and meeting minds with KDG in providing extraordinary value to our clients. By embracing the diversity of our people, we can harness the extraordinary value that different perspectives, experiences, and talent bring to the work we provide to our clients.” said Ms. Rammohan.

LEGAL

Latham Grows Insurance Litigation Team in Los Angeles

Kirsten Jackson has joined Latham & Watkins in the firm’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Litigation & Trial Department and as a member of the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice. Jackson brings significant experience litigating a variety of business and contractual disputes, with a focus on insurance matters including business interruption, directors’ and officers’ liability, cyber liability, professional liability, and property insurance, as well as captive insurance and reinsurance.

MEDIA

Von Raees , founder and CEO of Beacon Media , HLR Media , and now Hey Media , intends to bring seismic change to the way you engage with local news through the launch of HeySoCal.com . Built on 25 years of experience in community coverage, the publication carries its years well, informing game-changing editorial efforts with the trained eye of a newsroom that’s been here the whole time. We are passionate, we are loud and ready to bring excellent and accessible hyperlocal news to the Southland.

Los Angeles has a community coverage void. The specialized days of dedicated bureaus and a masthead for each and every neighborhood have passed, but the demand for local stories remains. Millions of Angelenos are left with cookie-cutter, master of none coverage with a pensive presentation. HeySoCal steps into that gap. HeySoCal provides community journalism at true face value, without hesitation and outside the constraints of traditional local news coverage.

HeySoCal marries modern heartbeat news strategy with legacy feature content that aims to rewire what people expect from the coverage in their own backyard. HeySoCal is fresh, new, seasoned, and, in turn, oxymoronic.

Simultaneously, Hey Media will be expanding its current multimedia consulting services. Hey Media’s team aims to empower local businesses through the democratization of marketing, media production, and strategy consultation resources traditionally reserved for national and international enterprises.

Now, more than ever, local communities deserve equal coverage and an equal opportunity to bolster their businesses. Hey Media is here to help bring that change.

ARCHITECTURE

Design Workshop , an international landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm, is pleased to announce Ben Roush has been promoted to principal in its LA studio. He is a landscape architect who leads highly complex, precisely detailed site design projects at the highest level helping clients achieve their goals. designworkshop.com </strong

VLSP MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH SPONSOR

LACBA’s Veterans Legal Services Project thanks Proskauer for their Gold Sponsorship of the Who Are You Remembering Campaign . Proskauer is proud to honor Arthur Joseph Lynch .

This effort supports VLSP’s delivery of free legal aid to hundreds of current and former military members, annually, to improve access to employment, housing, education, and healthcare.

Learn more: Lacba.org/veterans

ARCHITECTURE

Design Workshop , an international landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm, is pleased to announce Jason Ficht has been promoted to principal in its LA studio. A community planner and urban designer, Ficht leads master planning projects around the world, focusing on making places more inclusive, sustainable and beautiful.
designworkshop.com

LAW ANNIVERSARY

JPettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz & Dolin PC is both humbled and proud to recognize its 15-year anniversary in 2021. This special milestone would not be possible without the loyal, unwavering, and continued support of our valued clients, colleagues, teammates, and friends. We cherish the long-lasting relationships that we have developed over the years, and we remain eternally grateful for the opportunity to be of service to each of our clients throughout Southern California and Arizona. Each member of the Pettit Kohn team remains deeply committed to providing outstanding legal service and delivering the best possible result for each client, on each case, day in, and day out. We look forward to a promising future, and we thank you for your continued trust, support, and confidence in our team.

Pettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz & Dolin PC is a leading AV-rated, full-service trial firm with expertise in litigating and resolving civil matters in both state and federal courts. The firm represents clients in the areas of Appellate, Business Litigation, Community Association Litigation, Employment & Labor, Personal Injury, Product Liability, Professional Liability, Real Estate Litigation, Restaurant & Hospitality, Retail, Transactional & Business Services, Transportation, and Trial & Civil Litigation. Clients include large and mid-sized corporations, privately held businesses, institutions, and individuals.

REAL ESTATE

Alex Spilger has been named Head of ESG at global real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson (NYSE: KW) . In the newly created role, Alex will oversee the expansion of U.S. environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and advance a coordinated, global approach to sustainability.

FINANCE

E.J. Kahn with the Los Angeles Market of Wells Fargo Advisors promoted to Managing Director-Investments

The Los Angeles Market of Wells Fargo Advisors is proud to announce the promotion of E.J. Kahn of The Strauss/Lewis/Kahn Private Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors to Managing Director – Investments. Kahn, who holds a master’s degree in investor relations, focuses on customized wealth management solutions and asset management for his clients, specifically families with next generation implications of wealth transition. Glen Strauss, Managing Director- Investments, a former corporate lawyer (not currently practicing), and Jonathan Lewis, Managing Director- Investments, MBA, a former CPA, (not currently practicing) have mentored E.J. extensively and their team model, targeting business owners. Kahn’s team has 150+ years of tenure in the investment business, and a five person investment team with its own research and internal portfolio management. Their 11-person team is one of the largest in personnel for the Southern California Market at Wells Fargo Advisors. Los Angeles Market Manager Paul Vannuki added, “E.J’s commitment to clients and passion around his advice model has been central to his growth during his first four years in the industry.” Kahn brings a great deal of innovation and entrepreneurship to the practice and takes great pride in mentoring others, including university students, on financial health and career decisions. As a former Division I golfer, he cares about building the strongest foundation possible to help make for lasting long-term success for his team and clients.

Kahn has an unrelenting care for efficiency within his career, and over the long-term would like to use his skills to help make a material impact on fostering a healthier community. The team is currently available to be contacted directly and has resources available to select families seeking a holistic advisor for the long-term.

About Wells Fargo Advisors With $1.86 trillion in client assets as of March 31, 2021, Wells Fargo Advisors provides advice and guidance to help clients maximize all aspects of their financial lives. Our vast network of financial advisors, one of the nation’s largest, serves investors through locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Wells Fargo Advisors is a part of Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management (WIM), a division within Wells Fargo & Company and one of the largest wealth managers in the U.S. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC, separate registered broker-dealers and non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. All data includes Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, as of March 31, 2021. www.wellsfargoadvisors.com

About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets and proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of all middle market companies and small businesses in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2020 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health and a low-carbon economy. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo.

Investment and Insurance Products:

Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a separate registered broker dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2020 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

Contact Information
Edward J. Kahn
Managing Director- Investments
(310) 443-7584
[email protected]

NEW OFFICE LOCATION

Merchant & Gould, a national innovation and technology law firm with locations across the U.S., opened an office in Los Angeles (611 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1109) to support the firm’s growth into the fashion, furniture, commercial and consumer products industries. The firm continues to expand its IP work, geographic reach, industry scope and access to new clients on the West Coast.
www.merchantgould.com

BANKING

Jim Kordas Senior vice president and middle market healthcare executive at Fifth Third Bank

EDUCATION: The University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science in Business

Jim Kordas has been named senior vice president and middle market healthcare executive at Fifth Third Bank, N.A. In this role, Jim will be responsible for serving middle market healthcare and not-for-profit healthcare clients in the California market by identifying solutions and services to help clients achieve their business objectives.

ARCHITECTURE

Mark Tagawa, AIA, NCARB, NCIDQ, LEED AP has joined HOK as a Principal and design leader. His portfolio includes the $500m Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, the Administration & Health Sciences Building at the University of Hawaii, and UCLA Health Training Facility for the Los Angeles Lakers in El Segundo.

MILESTONES IN DRONE OPERATIONS

WPG Receives FAA Drone Waiver for 14 CFR § 107.51(c)—Visibility and 14 CFR § 107.51(d) —Cloud Clearance and added six new FAA Remote Pilots

The World Protection Group (WPG) , a full-service security firm specializing in international executive protection and executive protection drone operations, has just recruited six more FAA certified remote pilots to the team. This marks another milestone for the Executive Protection leader which has also received its fourth FAA waiver.

The World Protection Group is the only Executive Protection firm in the United States to acquire four of the most difficult-to-obtain FAA drone waivers- night operations, fly over people, beyond visual line of sight and visibility operating limitations.

WPG also has airspace authorizations covering all the major airports in the Los Angeles County and Las Vegas areas.

In addition, WPG CEO Kent Moyer has recently traveled to Austin, Texas, to complete the training required to earn the Top Level 2 Remote Pilot Certification from the Associate for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. WPG employs only the best FAA remote drone pilots operating its extensive fleet of drones. This grant of waivers by the FAA will allow its pilots to conduct wide-ranging aerial sweeps, investigations, mapping, and patrols of properties and cities. In addition, air patrols working under the waivers will have greater surveillance and counter-surveillance abilities and far-reaching search and rescue capabilities, disaster response, and risk/vulnerability assessments.

LEGAL

Scott Shaw joined Merchant & Gould as managing partner of its new Los Angeles office, adding his IP litigation practice and focus on fashion business to the firm’s national platform. He specializes in the fashion, retail, technology, sports and footwear, action sports, food and beverage, appliances, and consumer products industries. www.merchantgould.com

VETERANS SERVICES

VLSP MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH SPONSOR LACBA ’s Veterans Legal Services Project thanks Clyde & Co for their Gold Sponsorship of the Who Are You Remembering Campaign . Clyde & Co is proud to honor David Lee West . This effort supports VLSP’s delivery of free legal aid to hundreds of current and former military members, annually, to improve access to employment, housing, education, and healthcare.

Learn more: Lacba.org/veterans

ADVERTISING

Quigley-Simpson announced today the appointment of Jared Vail as Vice President of Analytics.

Vail will lead the agency’s data and analytics practice to evolve the data infrastructure and launch new strategic services that create bespoke, nimble solutions to drive brand growth and bottom-line results. He will be working in close collaboration with agency leadership to identify opportunities for deeper consumer engagement across a significant portfolio of clients in CPG, finance, D2C, healthcare and not-for-profit. Among Vail’s priorities are to further develop Quigley-Simpson’s TV-to-web and offline attribution modeling, develop automated data streams and feeds to expediate media investment decisioning, and advance the agency’s performance forecasting tools. Vail will report to Scott Marsden, EVP of Media & Analytics. Vail’s last role was Director, Analytics & Marketing Science at VideoAmp, where he spearheaded the creation of a new Marketing & Science department.

Quigley-Simpson blends creativity and performance with a highly measurable and effective methodology that delivers an outsized ROI to its roster of blue-chip clients. The hallmarks of the firm’s success are based on its performance and accountability mindset, as well as its ability to develop and employ creative that moves consumers to action.

“With Jared at the helm, we are poised to go from data-informed to data-led. He has tremendous vision and a proven mastery of bringing data inhouse, so we can now trade on our institutional media knowledge, marketplace insights and the latest data technology in order to offer clients a deeply customized solution,” says Carl Fremont, CEO of Quigley-Simpson.

CONSTRUCTION

Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company Announces Promotion and Succession Advancement of Key Team Members

John Cowles Named Chief Operating Officer Arthur Kozinski Promoted to Executive VP & Regional Manager SoCal

Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction (www.hathawaydinwiddie.com), celebrating 110 years of industry leadership and quality construction, today announced strategic transitions within its senior ranks. John Cowles has been named Chief Operating Officer and Arthur Kozinski has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Regional Manager of Southern California. David Lee, current COO, will continue his leadership with the Company’s Board of Directors working on long term financial strategies. Steve Smith, Southern California Regional Manager for the last 23 years, will shift into more substantive support of ongoing major projects.

“Hathaway Dinwiddie has a culture of promoting from within, and fostering opportunity throughout the Company,” said Greg Cosko, President & CEO of Hathaway Dinwiddie ,” and these promotions are good examples of that.”

“Hathaway Dinwiddie has always been like a family,” said Kozinski and Cowles in a statement. “Having seasoned veterans like Steve Smith and David Lee as mentors, during the transition of responsibilities, is key to how our company builds and fosters generational wisdom.”

John Cowles career with Hathaway Dinwiddie started nearly 35 years ago when he started work part time in the field while attending college. Throughout his career John has been a leader in the planning, development, and implementation of many of the company’s most complex projects and is an avid believer of using technology to increase the productivity, quality and safety of our Projects. Cowles is also an adjunct professor at USC having taught there for over a decade. It is currently contemplated that Cowles will conduct his duties from Los Angeles, with regular trips to the Bay Area.

Arthur Kozinski has been with Hathaway Dinwiddie for over 35 years. He has overseen, led and supported the growth of the office and many significant projects including the Getty Center, 2000 Ave of the Stars, Tishman Speyer’s work in Playa Vista, and more recently the USC Village , the Coliseum , Vermont Corridor and Lumen West , to name a few.

Hathaway Dinwiddie celebrates its 110th year of business in California in 2021. The company focuses on the California market and is known for constructing many of the state’s iconic buildings. Consistently ranked in the ENR Top 100 General Contractors in the United States, Hathaway Dinwiddie provides General Contracting, Project Planning and Management services in California’s most dynamic markets. The company has helped the nation’s premier companies and institutions develop landmark structures and quality interior spaces throughout Southern California, San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

INSURANCE

Private equity specialist Dane Lupe joined Lockton’s LA office as Senior Vice President, Producer to provide strategic guidance to private equity and commercial real estate firms, and to proactively mitigate, transfer and insure their risk. He brings deep relationships in the PE community and 13 years experience in risk management consulting, coverage review and insurance program structuring.

NONPROFIT

Nonprofit LAEDC has named Melissa Kham as Vice President of Strategic Relations, to engage leaders in business, education and government who wish to support equitable economic recovery, shoulder to shoulder with the region’s largest employers and most visible champions for an equitable, sustainable and resilient economy. Most recently, Kham worked as Senior Director of Giving and Strategy for PATH where she led multi-million-dollar investments through philanthropy and public funds.

BOARD POSITION

Think Together , a statewide nonprofit that partners with schools to change the odds for kids, welcomes Quincy Allen to its Board of Directors. Quincy is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Arc Capital Partners, a real estate development and investment firm. He holds a BS in Finance from Wayne State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

ARCHITECTURE

Kelly Kennedy has joined STUDIOS Architecture as Director of Business Development , bringing over a decade of experience in client and brand development. She leads the firm’s West Coast business development efforts across multiple sectors and markets in support of the Los Angeles and San Francisco studios.

FINANCE

Senior CRE Finance Professional Trevor Damyan Joins Slatt Capital

Slatt Capital is pleased to announce that Trevor Damyan is joining their Los Angeles office as Senior Vice President. He has extensive commercial finance experience serving the middle-market private client space in both development and stabilized properties throughout California and Nationwide.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please join Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services for our inaugural Mental Health Is Health experience honoring Selena Gomez and Rare Beauty , Bebe Rexha and Headspace with our 2021 Mental Health Is Health Ambassador Awards.

The event will highlight the inseparable mind-body connection and provide an unforgettable experience of entertainment, wellbeing tips, advocacy strategy and inspiring stories. A renowned leader in whole-person mental health care and suicide prevention, Didi Hirsch serves 160,000 children and adults from 10 locations and 120 schools each year.

This mind-body experience streams Wednesday, May 26 at 6:30 PM PDT . Attendance is free with registration at didihirsch.org/2021 .

INSURANCE

Private equity expert Daniel Denham joined Lockton’s LA office as Senior Vice President, Producer to take a lead role in expanding its strong PE and M&A presence on the West Coast. Drawing on 10+ years in the industry, he will work with PE firms providing insurance/benefits due diligence, R&W insurance, strategic risk management advice and transactional resources.

FINANCE

Reynolds Advisory Partners announces hiring new Managing Director

Reynolds Advisory Partners is pleased to announce the addition of Pete Boukouzis as Managing Director. Based in our Los Angeles office, Mr. Boukouzis will focus on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the Industrial and Energy sectors.

Mr. Boukouzis is a prominent career investment banker with over 20 years of investment banking experience. Pete previously retired as the Managing Director and Head of U.S. Energy M&A at Bank of Montreal Capital Markets (“BMO”) based in Houston, Texas. At BMO, Mr. Boukouzis also served as a member of the firm’s Fairness Committee. Prior to BMO, Mr. Boukouzis worked in New York City as a Director at Rothschild, Inc. in the Merger & Acquisitions Group and an Associate Director at UBS.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Boukouzis has completed dozens of M&A transactions, equity and debt capital raises, recapitalizations, and fairness opinions for public and private companies in the U.S. and abroad in various industries, including Industrial Products and Services, Refining and Marketing, and Upstream Energy. To date, Mr. Boukouzis has completed approximately 50 public and private investment banking transactions worth over $36 billion.

Reynolds Advisory Partners LLC is a middle market investment bank specializing in M&A and capital raising transactions on behalf of private companies in a variety of industries including: Technology, Industrial, Consumer, Financial and Business Services. see www.reynoldsap.com Questions or inquiries should be directed to Douglas Reynolds at (626) 316-6090 or to [email protected]

BOARD POSITION

Troy Jenkins , principal real estate and investment manager at Avison Young, has been appointed to Orthopaedic Institute for Children ’s Board of Trustees. Jenkins currently serves on the Governing Board of the Robert Toigo Foundation and is Chairman Emeritus of the City Club Los Angeles. OIC is the largest pediatric orthopaedic facility on the west coast focused solely on musculoskeletal conditions in children.

REAL ESTATE

Cityview , a vertically integrated real estate investment management firm focused on multifamily and mixed-use real estate, today announced that Denise Katz has joined the team as director of asset management. Katz will leverage over 12 years of experience in asset management, operations, ground-up development and value-add to maximize the operational and financial performance of Cityview’s assets.

CONSTRUCTION

GCX is excited to welcome Melissa Horvat as its new Director of Business Development. Melissa is experienced in all aspects of the built environment. She brings a renewed energy to the client experience and will be leading GCX efforts in Los Angeles.

CONSTRUCTION

Morley Builders is proud to announce these promotions:

Juan Olivera – Vice President, Chief Estimator Juan joined the Morley family in 1996, and leads the preconstruction estimating efforts for the company. Working on many of Morley’s iconic projects, his client-focused service and attention to detail have been invaluable in delivering accurate budgets and providing innovative solutions to meet clients’ needs. Juan earned his Bachelor of Science, Construction Engineering Technology from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona.

Jeremy Dominik, Vice President, Project Executive Jeremy brings the value of more than 27 years of experience for Morley, providing leadership in the planning, pricing, and procurement of projects. Overseeing concrete operations, he has been involved in managing almost $2B of total construction, demonstrating operational leadership, and a dedication to providing superior client service. Jeremy has a Bachelor of Science, Construction Management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and an MBA from California State University, Long Beach.

“As we build toward the future, mindsets that strive for new approaches, efficiencies, and best-in-class execution are always a top priority.” —Charles Muttillo, President, Morley Builders

About Morley Builders
Since 1947, Morley Builders has provided quality, innovative construction services to Southern California, contracting its services through two-wholly owned subsidiaries, Morley Construction Company and Benchmark Contractors, Inc. As one of the largest Southern California-based general contractors, Morley specializes in the construction of entertainment, civic, educational, sustainable, commercial, retail, medical, multi-family residential, and parking structures.

Please visit our website at www.morleybuilders.com

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Elizabeth Brink, LEED® AP BD+C, EDAC has been promoted to Regional Managing Principal of Gensler ’s Southwest Region. In her new role she joins John Adams as part of the firm’s collaborative leadership model. As a global workplace strategist, Brink is an expert in developing high-performance, people-focused workplaces bringing a multidisciplinary background in architecture, communications, and research.

CONSTRUCTION

Nhan Nguyen has been promoted to Senior Vice President at Clune Construction . He has 22 years of construction industry experience and a record of leading successful projects throughout Southern California. Nhan is a key member of the West Region Operations and is a strong mentor to Clune employees.

ANNIVERSARY

Veritas Public Affairs Inc. celebrates its one year anniversary on May 1 as a leading woman-owned firm specializing in advocacy, government relations and community engagement. With a concentration on LA City and County issues, Veritas provides high-quality public affairs assistance to clients seeking to influence and affect policy and regulatory outcomes. Veritas principal and founder, Tracey Chavira , attributes the firm’s success to focus, discipline, consistency and above all, passion for the work.

CONSTRUCTION

Clune Construction has named Denise DeSisto Vice President, Project Executive for Clune’s Los Angeles office. Denise has 32 years of experience in the construction industry, with a diverse portfolio of successful projects. Throughout her career, DeSisto has been recognized for executing complex project on tight schedules while maintaining strong relationships.

ARCHITECTURE

New Leadership Team for AC Martin following integration of Togawa Smith Martin Residential and ATI Architects.

AC Martin is proud to announce a new leadership team and the expansion of the AC Martin family following the integration of two firms – Togawa Smith Martin and ATI Architects.

Adding to AC Martin’s 115 years of transformational and inspiring design and unmatched technical excellence, Togawa Smith Martin and ATI Architects bring expanded expertise and dynamic energy to AC Martin. This wholly integrated company will harness the power of these talented organizations into one vibrant business, focused on enhanced delivery of core services across a broad spectrum of specialty areas. Combined, the new AC Martin will continue to demonstrate a commitment to high-quality design, technical expertise and innovation with a seamless delivery of services tailored to clients’ needs. In a rapidly changing world, AC Martin brings the best of these three venerable businesses together as one agent of change with a passion to inspire and delight clients and enrich the built environment.

LEADERSHIP TEAM
Chris Martin, Chairman – Martin will transition firm wide management responsibilities to Tom Hsieh and remain Chairman of the newly integrated AC Martin firm. Martin will continue to provide professional and civic leadership on behalf of the firm through his involvement on community and educational boards and his regular contributions to thought leadership on a wide array of issues in the architectural and engineering fields.

Tom Hsieh, CEO and President, AIA, LEED AP – Leading the firm’s executive management team, Hsieh provides high level leadership to AC Martin’s planning, architecture, and interiors practice. In this role, Hsieh guides the firm’s workforce of design professionals, drives long-range strategy, and builds new markets and capabilities. Hsieh has more than 20 years of experience in architecture and has designed major projects in a wide variety of market sectors. His clients include some of the most established organizations and institutions nationwide. Hsieh is passionate about finding innovative architectural solutions to issues challenging the world today.

Jim Dixon, Vice President and Managing Principal, AIA, LEED AP – Dixon steps in to helm the firm’s Private Sector Practice overseeing Residential, Hospitality and Commercial/Industrial design studios. Formerly President of renowned residential architecture firm Togawa Smith Martin, Dixon is passionate about one of the greatest needs of our time, affordable and accessible housing. Dixon has completed more than 12,000 new and renovated housing units across the spectrum of housing types throughout his career. Leading a team of professionals with outstanding diversity of experience in the needs of private sector clients, Jim is knowledgeable about all aspects of project development – from conceptual design through construction administration – and has worked in all facets of the design and construction field in his 37-year career.

Deborah Lesnefska, Managing Principal, AIA – Lesnefska leads the firm’s Public Sector Practice focusing on the K-14 Education and Civic, Institutional, and Government design studios. Coming to AC Martin from her role as Managing Partner at ATI Architects, Lesnefska brings over 25 years of experience and is a widely respected expert whose design skills, technical expertise, and thought leadership are sought-after in her field. She is committed to sustainable design and the principle of including environmental education concepts for students within the built environment. Lesnefska’s vast experience working with public agencies gives her insight to the unique needs of public sector clients, and enables her to effectively lead teams committed to the creation of engaging civic spaces.

Susan O’Connell, Managing Principal, AIA, DBIA, LEED AP BD+C – O’Connell brings over 35 years of experience leading architectural firms in design and management of academic and institutional projects to her role as the leader of the Higher Education, Aviation, Planning and Research, and Special Services design studios. O’Connell brings a consensus-building approach to her clients – beginning with a focus on listening and discerning key issues of vital importance to the project and the stakeholders, she identifies common ground that leads to the creation of innovative design solutions. As the leader of teams in both the Public and Private sectors, she uses these considerable skills in solving the complex challenges facing her clients in today’s rapidly changing world.

VLSP RECORD CLEARING PROGRAM SPONSOR

LACBA’s Veterans Legal Serices Project thanks Sheppard Mullin for their Gold Sponsorship of VLSP’s Record Clearing Program for Veterans. This supports VLSP’s delivery of free legal aid to hundreds of current and former military members, annually, to improve access to employment, housing, education, and healthcare.

Learn more: Lacba.org/veterans

BANKING

J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking has hired two key executives to its growing Innovation Economy team in Los Angeles within its Middle Market Banking and Specialized Industries (MMBSI) group. The appointments mark another significant milestone in the firm’s commitment to building a full ecosystem around the fast-growing innovation economy, as J.P. Morgan continues to expand its capabilities catering to the unique needs of early-stage companies and investors.

J.P. Morgan’s Innovation Economy team encompasses dedicated Venture Capital (VC), Technology & Disruptive Commerce (TDC), and Life Sciences teams. The group also partners with J.P. Morgan’s other lines of business to deliver the full breadth and depth of the firm’s capabilities to its clients, across Investment Banking, Private Banking and Asset Management.

Sarah Peluso joins J.P. Morgan as an Executive Director within its TDC team. Peluso will be based in Los Angeles, and brings nine years of experience developing banking solutions and debt financing for venture-backed fintech and consumer companies.

Navid Shahrestani  joins the firm as an Executive Director in the VC team in Los Angeles, and will be responsible for deepening relationships and delivering the global resources of J.P. Morgan to the VC community. Shahrestani has 10 years of experience serving the VC industry, connecting founders and investors with the venture ecosystem.

Both Peluso and Shahrestani join the firm from Silicon Valley Bank.

On the new hires, Melissa Smith, Head of Specialized Industries for MMBSI at J.P. Morgan says, “J.P. Morgan is accelerating its commitment to delivering the expertise, solutions and connectivity that early-stage companies need to unlock their full potential at every stage of growth. Our new team members bring decades of experience in advising leading entrepreneurs, investors and VCs across the globe and will be a tremendous asset to our clients.”

CONSTRUCTION

Rider Levett Bucknall Names Aled Jenkins New Leader of Los Angeles Office.

Aled has worked with numerous top international firms—among them Ritz Carlton, Time Inc, British Airways, WeWork, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, Google, Nike, and Wanda. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Quantity Surveying from the University of Reading.

MARKETING

InMobi has appointed Krista Thomas as SVP and Global Head of Marketing for InMobi Marketing Cloud. As the company builds toward its next phase of growth, Thomas, a proven ad tech veteran, will play a key role in expanding InMobi’s global awareness and influence. Previously, Thomas was SVP Marketing for Amobee.

ENTERTAINMENT

Kripa Koshy Named Senior Content Director at Holiday Channel

Holiday Channel, announced the promotion of Kripa Susan Koshy, from Content Director to Senior Content Director. In this role, Kripa will direct social and digital content development, strategy, programming, operations and distribution across all digital channels. Additionally, Kripa will play a crucial role in the Holiday Channel management team that spearheads the country’s first and only International Holiday-themed Film Festival, “Holidays 365 International Film Festival.” “Kripa has been a key part of Holiday Channel’s success since our launch and we are thrilled to promote her. With her extensive experience in multi-platform content creation for international brands, we are confident that Kripa will set new milestones for our film, digital and social content divisions,” said Romell Foster-Owens, Chief Content Officer of Holiday Channel. With more than 12 years of global experience developing and producing multi-platform content, Kripa has led creative and production teams for premium news, factual entertainment, food, lifestyle TV and digital networks such as History TV 18 (A+E Networks), CNBC-TV18 , Times Now (JV Reuters), Food Food, Ping Network. Kripa’s narrative short films have won numerous awards and have been official selections at Canadian Screen Award and Academy Award Qualifying Festivals. Kripa is also an MBA-MFA graduate in Film and TV Producing from Chapman University. Kripa shares that she is honored to be on the leadership team of a company that promotes cultural diversity and positivity through its inclusive and uplifting Holiday-themed content. “It’s that daily reminder of what’s good and worth celebrating in the world around us. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to help grow the brand and all it stands for,” says Kripa Koshy. Founded to inspire, celebrate, and unite people through holidays, Holiday Channel is comprised of a team of passionate thinkers, dreamers and leaders who are paving the path to the future of a cross-platform network for all things holiday, all in one place, all year round.

ENTERTAINMENT

Priscilla Morgan recently joined Kaleidescape’s board of directors . She brings strategic and tactical leadership across finance, sales, and field operations as well as success in elevating customer experience across early-stage, mid-size, and global enterprise companies. She currently serves as chief revenue officer at Alliance Consumer Group. Previously, Priscilla oversaw worldwide sales and business operations and new business design and implementation in vice president roles at Dolby (NYSE:DLB). As vice president of Business Operations and Development at Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), she led cross-functional teams to refine business practices, operations, and opportunity management for on demand and support services. She also served as the CFO at TuVox and conducted client engagements at KPMG. Priscilla holds a bachelor of arts in English with an emphasis in accounting from the University of California, Berkeley. She was selected as one of the Most Influential Women in Business by The San Francisco Business Times.

Tayloe Stansbury joined Kaleidescape as CEO in November. He brings a wealth of experience building scalable technology platforms and organizations across several leading companies. Prior to Kaleidescape, Tayloe served as interim CEO of Watermark Insights. Before that, he was executive vice president and chief technology officer at Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU), where he was responsible for all product engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and information technology. Tayloe also previously served as executive vice president of Ariba, where he led product management, engineering, hosting, and customer support. Tayloe currently serves on the boards of Coupa (NASDAQ:COUP), TCV Acquisition Corp, Watermark Insights, and Trelly; previously he served on the boards of Shutterfly, BlueJeans Network, and Harvey Mudd College. Tayloe graduated with honors in applied mathematics from Harvard University.

Norma Garcia-Muro joined Kaleidescape in November as VP of Marketing . She is an entertainment industry innovator with a background in motion picture, home entertainment, and premium cinema technology. Prior to joining Kaleidescape, Norma was integral to the launch of Dolby Cinema worldwide and premium cinema experience at THX. Her previous posts include head of international marketing at Lucasfilm, where she oversaw strategy and positioning for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, and director at Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment. Norma received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She was recently named one of the Top 50 Women in Global Cinema and serves as a mentor for UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Program.

ARCHITECTURE

Kirstyn Bonneau, RA, NCARB, LEED AP was named partner at PBWS Architects , Pasadena. Joining PBWS in 2006, she is the first woman to hold the position of partner in the firm’s 64-year history. Bonneau focuses on design that enhances the human experience while addressing the realities of sustainability and practicality. pbws.com

CONSULTNG

Chad Pinarija joins 1898 & Co. , part of Burns & McDonnell , as a technology consultant, assisting utility, aviation, municipality and construction clients in risk management for infrastructure projects as well as asset management, capital planning, cybersecurity, data analytics, system integration and software development. From regulatory compliance to integrating new technologies, Chad has experience in delivering innovative solutions.

ENGINEERING

DCI ANNOUNCES NEW ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL

DCI Engineers, a civil and structural engineering firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of the following staff member two her new role.

Suzanne Clemmer has been promoted to Associate Principal in the Los Angeles office. Since joining the firm in 2003, Suzanne has established herself as a knowledgeable and approachable business development manager. Originally based in DCI’s San Diego office, she moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to set up the firm’s new office there. She currently manages the business development efforts for all four of DCI’s California offices. An advocate for building more affordable, transitional and workforce housing in California, she is optimistic about modular construction as a potential solution to address the problem. Suzanne has been on the board of the San Diego Architectural Foundation for 10 years and is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the Society for College and University Planning, the Los Angeles Headquarters Association, and the Society for Marketing Professional Services.

REAL ESTATE

Cityview, a vertically integrated real estate investment management firm focused on multifamily and mixed-use real estate, today announced the promotion of Chris Brown to director of capital raising and investor relations. Leveraging his extensive real estate investment and capital raising experience, Brown will help Cityview enhance its investment strategy, support its strategic growth and expand its investor base.

HEALTH CARE

Amar A. Desai, MD, MPH President and CEO, Optum Pacific West

Dr. Amar Desai has been named President and CEO of Optum Pacific West, leading Optum’s care delivery organizations throughout California, Oregon, and Washington. Dr. Desai will continue leading Optum California while expanding his role to oversee Optum Pacific Northwest. Collectively, these organizations are comprised of more than 20,000 physicians and serve nearly 2.5 million patients across the region.

Optum Pacific West’s vision is to be the most trusted partner in health, providing the highest quality care through compassionate, convenient and consistent experiences. Dr. Desai is known for developing innovative, value-based delivery models that improve clinical outcomes across the care continuum, increase affordability, and transform the experience of being a health care consumer – positioning Optum for accelerated growth in the Pacific West.

Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune 10 company, and is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone.

HEALTH CARE

L.A. Care Health Plan welcomes Holly J. Mitchell, L.A. County Supervisor for the Second District, to its 13-member stakeholder Board of Governors. Prior to her election to the Board of Supervisors last November, Mitchell served in the California Legislature, where she authored bills to expand healthcare access and address systemic racism.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Diana Mendes, AICP, has been named HNTB ‘s corporate president of infrastructure and mobility equity, a new position responsible for shaping transportation and mobility equity policy through collaboration with federal, state and local agency leaders.

“Diana’s background, experience and passion for inclusion, diversity and equity, combined with her strong relationships and stature within the industry, make her the clear choice to lead our firm in these important areas,” said Rob Slimp, PE, chief executive officer of HNTB Corporation.

With more than 35 years in the industry, including five years with HNTB, Mendes has held significant leadership positions. An HNTB Fellow, she most recently served as the firm’s Mid-Atlantic Division president overseeing the growth, operations and client service in six states and the District of Columbia. Prior to that position, Mendes served as HNTB’s transit and rail market sector leader.

Mendes has a long history of commitment to social justice and equity issues associated with infrastructure investment. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Mount Holyoke College, and a master’s in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She will receive a Certificate of Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University in April 2021.

For several years, Mendes has been an adjunct professor at Rutgers University, teaching the National Transit Institute’s Advanced Environmental Justice seminar. She advocates changing the conversation around diversity and inclusion from a requirement to a competitive advantage, emphasizing the linkages between diversity and innovation.

STAFFING SERVICES

Kimco Staffing Services is proud to announce and welcome Naomi Hinzo as the Branch Manager of the LA Market office. Naomi will be responsible for delivering quality service to our customers, driving new sales, and working with a fantastic team of Recruiters. Throughout Naomi’s staffing experience, she worked with various companies across many industries allowing her to be well-versed with a unique understanding of how to develop, implement, and deliver customized staffing solutions. We are excited to have Naomi lead our Santa Fe Springs team and expand on their success. She and her team are focused on achieving results and providing the Kimco experience to clients and our associates. Prior to joining Kimco, Naomi was the top producer in her role as Business Development Manager and was honored to be a Social Media Ambassador with Volt Staffing Solutions. What she enjoys most is building relationships with clients and is committed to making a difference! Naomi is a South Bay/Southern California native with a love for sun and surf.

SOFTWARE

SAAS AND ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE VETERAN JOINS BLACKLINE AS CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER

Lisa Schreiber to lead all customer-facing teams at modern accounting SaaS leader known for award-winning customer satisfaction and industry-leading retention rates

BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq: BL) announced today that SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and enterprise software veteran Lisa Schreiber joined the company as chief customer officer. In her new role, Ms. Schreiber oversees the company’s Implementation, Strategic Innovation, Customer Success, Support and Training teams as the accounting automation software leader continues to transform the way Finance and Accounting departments work.

ARCHITECTURE

Jennifer “Jenna” Knudsen, AIA, was named Managing Principal at CO Architects. She is the youngest architect and first woman to hold the position at the 35-year-old architecture and interiors firm. Knudsen has been recognized with multiple industry awards and is an enduring advocate for diversity in the profession. coarchitects.com

AVIATION

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) welcomes Senior Airports Planner Jean-Christophe (JC) Dick to the firm’s Airports practice. JC possesses over 15 years of experience as a multidisciplinary airport consultant and will work with ESA’s aviation professionals throughout the West Coast and across the country to deliver integrated planning and environmental solutions for clients. JC is well-versed in leading airport planning projects, including those involving airfield and aircraft movement planning, terminal planning, and safety studies. He has worked on projects for several major airports, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). [email protected]

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Wells Fargo Advisors, Los Angeles welcomes Rosenfeld

ARCHITECTURE

HGA welcomes David Rosenfeld, LEED AP, as Associate Vice President leading Business Development for the Southern California market. With 20 years’ experience in the architecture/engineering/construction industry, he will focus on client relations and new opportunities throughout the region for HGA’s Healthcare and Science & Technology groups.

EDUCATION

The Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles is pleased to announce that Doug Cooper has been named Executive Director. A native of Southern California, Doug is a product of Los Angeles Catholic Schools, graduating from St. Paul the Apostle School and Loyola High School. He received a B.A. in Government and International Studies with a minor in Theology from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School. Doug has been active in a variety of organizations throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles including the Loyola High School Alumni Association, the St. James Inn and the Marymount High School Father’s Club. He has served as Co-Chair of the Cardinal’s Awards and Recognition Committee for Archbishop José H. Gomez and was previously honored as a Knight of The Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Benedict XVI.

The Catholic Education Foundation’s mission is to provide tuition assistance to the most financially deserving students attending Catholic elementary and high schools within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Its purpose is to make a quality Catholic education accessible to students in need because it lays the foundation for academic achievement and develops values of faith, family, community and service. In 2020, The Catholic Education Foundation provided in excess of $13,000,000 in tuition assistance for more than 10,000 underserved students. For more information, please visit www.cefdn.org.

CONSTRUCTION

Raymond Esparza Jr., Education Sector Leader at Skanska

Skanska, a leading global construction company, has hired industry veteran Raymond Esparza Jr. to join the leadership team for USA Building in Southern California. In this role, Esparza Jr. will be responsible for leading Skanska’s Southern California education projects, managing construction and developing key client relationships.

ARCHITECTURE

Clay Pendergrast has joined SmithGroup ’s Los Angeles office as a Workplace Design Leader focusing on augmenting the firm’s workplace design culture. An award-winning architect with more than 20 years of experience, Clay has authored innovative designs for a range of high-profile clients to help them artfully achieve their business goals.

ARCHITECTURAL, INTERIOR DESIGN & DESIGN STRATEGY FIRM

Taylor Design, an employee-owned architectural, interior design and design strategy firm, named John Gresko, AIA, LEED AP, Principal and Southern California Regional Director. As Regional Director, John oversees work in healthcare and science + technology markets across Southern California. Additionally, Taylor named Project Director Dan Ortega, AIA, the Los Angeles Office Leader, and added industry-leading architectural designer Michael Levendusky to both regional and firmwide design leadership.

A strategy-based design firm with expertise in Architectural Design, Interior Design and Design Strategy, with five California offices, Taylor Design has built a national reputation in healthcare, science & technology, education and senior living since 1979.