ARTS
South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa hired Soyia Ellison as public relations director. She will oversee the repertory’s digital and print publications and handle media relations. Ellison previously was an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter and editor and has worked at newspapers throughout the Southeast.
BANKING
City National Corp. named Jennifer Van Bergh senior vice president and regional commercial banking manager for Orange and San Diego counties. She will be based in Irvine. Van Bergh previously was senior vice president and regional director of Wachovia Corp.’s wealth management practice in Orange County. Wachovia now is part of Wells Fargo & Co.
CONSTRUCTION
Mission Viejo-based Advent Cos., a condominium, apartment and affordable housing contractor, promoted Brock Hatch from senior project manager to director of operations. Angel Westover was promoted to director of marketing.
EDUCATION
Enrique Perez was named assistant vice chancellor of educational services of the Rancho Santiago Community College District. He will oversee all district research, including the analysis of current and future education trends. He also will supervise district development of proposals for special programs and funding.
ENTERTAINMENT
Costa Mesa-based Tickets.com Inc., a unit of Major League Baseball, hired Karen LaVorgna as vice president of sales. She will be responsible for
developing and executing sales strategy and managing the company’s national sales force.
GOVERNMENT
Municipal Water District of Orange County named Jeffrey Thomas director of division six and will represent Tustin, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente and unincorporated areas of the county. Thomas is a former mayor and councilmember of Tustin.
HEALTHCARE
Keith Nelson, a former La Palma mayor, was elected vice chair of the board of Fountain Valley-based hospital operator MemorialCare Medical Centers. Nelson is a partner at Newell Curtis Nelson & Burnight in Long Beach. He also is an arbitrator in the Los Angeles Court Arbitration Program.
MARKETING
The Newport Beach office of WB Doner & Co. hired Kate MacArthur as senior vice president and brand content director. Prior, she was a freelance writer and reporter for Crain Communications Inc. and Advertising Age magazine. Brian Born and Chuck Meehan joined the company as creative directors. The two were former partners at Austin, Texas-based GSD&M Idea City. Sheldon Cohn was promoted to executive vice president and director of content innovation.
NONPROFIT
Robert Palmer was named chair of board development for the Orange County United Way. Palmer is a partner in the Irvine office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He has been named one of America’s top litigators by Daily Journal, Los Angeles Magazine and Best Lawyers in America. He also serves as chair of the Tocqueville Society, which grants membership to people who have given at least $10,000 annually to United Way.
REAL ESTATE
Professional Community Management in Lake Forest promoted Chuck Holland to chief information officer. He’ll oversee data centers, technical service centers, scheduled accounting functions, communications networks and software development.
Santa Ana-based First American Corp. added Matthew Botein to its board. Botein, who is chairman of Botein & Co., a private investment firm, has served as a managing director for Highfields Capital Management LP. At Highfields, he managed investments in the financial services industry.
RESTAURANTS
Santa Ana-based Wahoo’s Fish Taco named Tom Orbe vice president. Orbe is a Wahoo’s franchisee and operates the Temecula restaurant. Prior, he was vice president of sales, product development and marketing for Irvine-based Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA.
SERVICES
Posh Productions Inc. Events & Catering in Santa Ana hired Suzanne Akullian as senior event planner. Akullian has 20 years of event experience and has produced events locally and worldwide.
