Advertising
Strahan Advertising Inc., Santa Ana, named Carrie Carter public relations coordinator and Abe Avila account coordinator. Strahan specializes in advertising for the food-service industry.
Strata-Media Inc., Orange, hired Michael Hamaker and Tricia Smakula as account executives.
Architecture
Kaufman Meeks + Partners Inc., Newport Beach, appointed Paul Zaleski director of design. Zaleski is responsible for overseeing the firm’s multifamily and commercial design.
Ware & Malcomb Architects Inc. of Irvine promoted John Thomas to principal and hired Kristina R. Castro as accounting manager. Thomas has been director of design since 1990, and Castro previously was controller for The Spa of Costa Mesa.
Automotive
Caliber Collision Centers appointed John Walcher director of corporate development to manage acquisitions for the Irvine-based operator of collision repair facilities.
Banking/Finance
The First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, named John W. Long president of CIC Inc., First American’s pre-employment screening company. First American also named John N. Casbon executive vice president of First American Title Insurance Company.
City National Bank, Irvine, promoted Sheri Grady to senior vice president and manager of the bank’s Orange County private banking team. City National also promoted Dallas Haun to executive vice president.
Pirouz Hendi, Irvine, joined the independent brokerage firm Brookstreet Securities Corp.
Eldorado Bank, Laguna Hills, appointed David L. Copp to regional vice president of the bank’s equipment leasing program. Copp will be based in Eldorado’s Tustin office.
Joseph Briganti joined Edison Capital as an acquisitions director for its affordable housing subsidiary, Edison Capital Housing Investments.
South County Bank, Rancho Santa Margarita, appointed Dan Dencker vice president and business development manager.
Business Services
Don W. Dahl, an Irvine-based partner in Arthur Andersen, was named partner-in-charge of the firm’s high-tech business incubator practice.
David M. Carlson, president and CEO of Sagence Systems Inc., Newport Beach, was elected chairman of the Orange County Audit Oversight Committee. Carlson has been on the committee for three years.
Education
Irvine attorney Sarah L. Catz joined the faculty of Western State University College of Law, Fullerton, as the assistant dean of career services and alumni relations. Catz, who was previously acting deputy secretary of transportation for the state of California, also will teach a course on state and local government.
Officials from the Orange County High School of the Arts Foundation appointed James “Walkie” Ray to a two-year term as chairman of the foundation’s board of directors.
Engineering
Tait & Associates added Brian Harmon to the maintenance and compliance staff of its Santa Ana corporate headquarters. Harmon brings 17 years of experience to Tait, a civil engineering, planning and surveying company that specializes in commercial development. The firm also appointed 20-year industry veteran Michael Simon survey manager of its corporate headquarters in Santa Ana.
76 Lubricants Co., Costa Mesa, promoted Lou Burke to senior vice president of sales, Mark Williams to vice president of marketing and product strategy and Tom LaRocque to international and direct sales manager.
Hall & Foreman Inc., Santa Ana, appointed Gerald J. Baril product manager and Eric Kirstein senior project engineer. Hall & Foreman is a civil engineering and land-surveying firm.
Entertainment
Pacific Chorale, Santa Ana, appointed Eric Whitacre composer-in-residence. Whitacre’s appointment is a three-year residency during which he will compose three works for Pacific Chorale and will participate in several of Pacific Chorale’s educational programs.
Telecommunications
Dba Telecom Corp., North Vancouver, B.C., Canada appointed Joni Jaffe market development manager for the PC PBX market. Jaffe, who has experience developing public pay phone programs, wireless programs and ATM systems, will be based in Orange County.
, Compiled by Sabine Herndon
