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Monday, Apr 13, 2026

PEOPLE

PEOPLE

ARCHITECTURE

Danielian Associates Inc. appointed Norman Soto as its director of business development. He will integrate technological applications to enhance the firm’s marketing.

David Smith was appointed partner and director of design at Thomas P. Cox Architects Inc. of Irvine. Smith will create and oversee design concepts on a variety of high-density apartment projects, university housing and urban infill planning projects.

ELECTRONICS

Permlight Products of Tustin named Lawrence Webster vice president of sales. Webster was western area sales manager for Microsemi Corp. for three years. Webster has 15 years experience as a design engineer, senior field applications engineer and sales manager.

ENGINEERING

Sonace Engineers of San Clemente hired Todd Humora as electrical engineer. Ryan Gordon has been appointed mechanical engineer. Humora will be responsible for product design and development, circuit design, mechanical design and metalwork layout for several products. Gordon is developing a water rescue device for government and commercial users.

FINANCE

First American Trust appointed Bernard E. Schneider to its board of directors. Schneider has been a partner at McDermott, Will & Emery in Irvine. He is a former president and chief executive of PNB Financial Group Inc. and also served as chairman of Pacific National Bank.

HEALTHCARE

Carson Kolb Healthcare Group Inc., a physician search firm, hired Nancy Collins as associate search consultant. She will be involved with both recruitment and business development

HOSPITALITY

Montage Hotels & Resorts of Laguna Beach hired Jeff Johnson as vice president of marketing and Bob Frear as vice president of sales. Johnson was vice president of sales and marketing for Destination Hotels & Resorts. Frear served as national sales manager for The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel. The Montage also named Marguarite Clark corporate director of public relations and Janet Kato White director of leisure sales.

LAW

Todd Green, Peter Afrasiabi, Chris Arledge and George Turner formed Turner Green Afrasiabi & Arledge LLP in Costa Mesa. Green is a litigator who specializes in insurance and intellectual property cases. Afrasiabi is an adjunct professor at Chapman University School of Law. Arledge has served as special prosecutor for city of Redondo Beach. Turner worked for O’Melveny & Myers.

MEDICAL

Children’s Hospital of Orange appointed Dr. Mark S. Bleiweis medical director of CHOC Heart Institute. Bleiweis’ expertise includes operative and perioperative management of neonates, treatment of ventricle and valvular problems. He was assistant professor for surgery at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

NONPROFIT

The Orange County Red Cross elected its new board of directors and officers. New board members are: board chair Joe McCarthy of Villa Park, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Trojan Battery Co.; legal counsel Catherine Patton, an attorney for Paul Hastings, Janofsky & Walker; Steve Ball, vice president for First American Title; Kevin Campbell , chief operating officer for Exult Inc.; Mike Carona, sheriff; Mike Corcoran, president of Workthreat Group; Jasdeep Singh Mann, manager of information systems for iBaset; Ajay Myer, manager of research and development for 3M Unitek; and Shyla Raghav, youth representative.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Barbara J. Kimler, a community relations manager at the Orange County Register, started a public relations consulting business for nonprofit organizations and special event organizers. Her business will be based in Mission Viejo and will serve Orange County clients.

REAL ESTATE

Aaron Weiner joined Newport Real Estate Services to provide real estate advice and asset management services. Newport Real Estate is expanding its services beyond development and construction management services.

Voit Development Co. hired James Camp as senior vice president of development and acquisitions. Working in Voit’s Newport Beach office, Camp will be responsible for locating development and acquisitions in Orange County, Inland Empire and the Los Angeles area. Prior to joining Voit, Camp was vice president of Lowe Enterprises where he was responsible for new business development.

Sares-Regis Group appointed George C. McNee vice president in the multifamily investment division. He will be responsible for apartment acquisitions in California and the West. His role will focus on finding investment opportunities, underwriting and closing transactions.

RESTAURANT

El Pollo Loco Inc. appointed Marcelino “Marcy” Contreras director of franchise sales and development for the restaurant chain. He will lead the search for franchise partners as well as create and execute business plans for targeted markets.

TECHNOLOGY

HiEnery Technologies Inc. of Irvine appointed Thomas R. Pascoe president and chief executive. Pascoe recently was a consultant and served as interim chief executive for RFID Technologies. HiEnergy plans to raise capital, manage growing companies, increase work in aviation security and commercialize its technology.

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