PEOPLE
Compiled by Kristyn von Rotz
ADVERTISING
Strata-Media Inc. in Orange appointed Dan Notti senior strategist and director of creative services. Notti will be responsible for developing client marketing strategies, directing the creative services team and building and growing Strata’s creative department. Before joining Strata-Media, Notti was a principal and partner of AMR Advertising, an agency he founded in 1976 while attending engineering school at California Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Irvine-based Open Minds hired five employees for its new local store marketing group to support client Cold Stone Creamery. The new hires include: Natalie Comerford, who previously interned for Ogilvy Worldwide Public Relations; Valerie Schneider, who previously worked for Vitrorobertson LLC in San Diego; Kelli Grimshaw, who has worked on DaimlerChrysler and Arthritis Foundation accounts; Melanie Michaud, who has spent the past four years working as a brand specialist at Macy’s; and Laura Holshouser, who was a marketing manager for several Cold Stone stores in the Inland Empire in the past few years.
FINANCE
Jeanette Bailey joined Sunbelt Business Brokers in Irvine as a business transfer specialist. Bailey has more than 15 years of experience as chief financial officer with residential and commercial real estate developers.
INSURANCE
Santa Ana’s Yates & Associates Insurance Services Inc. appointed Michael Tahan underwriter and broker in its property and casualty division. He will establish new business relationships and work with existing agents and brokers. He previously worked for a brokerage in Los Angeles.
LAW
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP named L. Bruce Fischer partner in the Irvine office. He has more than 20 years of experience in real estate representations, including experience with institutional lenders and borrowers in connection with construction loans, permanent loans and credit enhancement involving commercial projects, multiphase residential projects and low-income housing projects. Fischer previously worked as an attorney in Los Angeles.
Declues & Burkett LLP appointed Jeffrey A. Smith partner. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has extensive trial experience. Smith practices personal injury, insurance and product liability defense, representing both public and private companies and individuals.
MEDIA
Freedom Orange County Information, publisher of the Orange County Register, appointed Debbie Holzkamp senior vice president of sales and marketing. Holzkamp will lead advertising sales efforts, marketing programs, promotional partnerships, product development, research and creative services. Holzkamp previously was head of sales and senior vice president of sales and customer relationship management for Freedom’s Metro Information division. Freedom Orange County Information is a unit of Irvine-based Freedom Communications Inc.
NONPROFIT
Project Tomorrow, a nonprofit targeting K-12 science education improvement in Orange County, appointed 10 board members. They are Marian Bergeson, Marc Blythe, Julie Evans, Eric Frazier, Paul Garza, Jack Hawkins, Dr. Juan Lara, Dr. Kevin Rafferty, Tara Saraye and Scott Smith.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Hayes Martin Associates Inc. in Newport Beach promoted Michele Morris to account supervisor. She previously served as senior account executive and has been with the company since 2000.
REAL ESTATE
Karen Priesman joined the Newport Beach office of Hager Pacific Properties. She will be responsible for asset management of a 2 million-square-foot portfolio of industrial and office properties from the San Fernando Valley to Orange County and the Inland Empire. Prior to working at Hager, Priesman was a vice president with Prudential Real Estate Investors in San Francisco.
Mission Viejo-based Merit Property Manage-ment Inc. promoted George Skrbin to vice president. Skrbin previously was an assistant vice president at Merit. He joined the company in 1991.
Beazer Homes USA Inc. promoted Vicki Mata to director of entitlements for its Southern California operations in Orange. She will be responsible for managing the entitlement process, land planning and tentative maps for land acquisitions. Mata previously held the title of project manager at Beazer, where she has worked since 1991.
