Compiled by Talene Yotnotsian and Purnima Mudnal
ACCOUNTING
Kushner, Smith, Joanou and Gregson LLP promoted Lisa Johnson, Ken Johnson, John Saleman and Nathan Young. Lisa Johnson was promoted to tax partner. Ken Johnson, Saleman and Young were promoted to audit managers.
ARCHITECTURE
Thomas P. Cox: Architects Inc. promoted four people at its Irvine headquarters. Dan Schmid, Irwin Yau, Christiane Ganss-Johnson and Kevin Mukbel were promoted to associates. Yau and Ganss-Johnson were promoted for their design talents. Mukbel was promoted for developing and implementing Autodesk Inc.’s AutoCAD software to produce architectural drawings.
Cynthia Mabus joined the Irvine office of EwingCole as senior designer. Mabus, currently president of the Orange County chapter for the American Institute of Architects, has 25 years of design experience. She is set to focus on healthcare, science and technology projects at EwingCole.
Irvine-based KTGY Group Inc. named five principals: Robin Paolino DeLotell, principal of business development and marketing; Albert Croft and Greg Lyon, principals of the retail studio; Jeff Mayer, principal of the communities studio; and Wil Wong, principal of the San Diego studio.
Ware Malcomb hired Lyle Hutson as director of the Irvine auto group. Hutson is responsible for client development and management of the group. Ware Malcomb also promoted Melinda Veregge to studio manager in the Irvine commercial group. She is set to manage the staff, clients and the group’s development.
BANKING
IndyMac Bank, a Pasadena-based thrift whose mortgage division is in Irvine, promoted Gavin Brady to chief executive of Web and direct mail lending at the Irvine operation.
Anaheim businessman John Pham was named senior executive vice chairman of Duluth, Ga.-based World Financial Group Inc.
South County Bank named Gloria Astarabadi as branch manager of its newly opened Irvine office. Astarabadi brings more than 40 years of banking experience to the position.
CONSULTING
RBF Consulting promoted eight people at its Irvine office to senior associates: Tom Bonigut, Susan Jackson-Harden, Jeff Langdon, Bill Madigan, Kelly McCann, John Pfeifer, Faye Stroud and Rhonda Tijerina.
Christine Woods was hired as business development manager for Irvine-based Excelerate Inc., which offers consulting and strategic coaching services for business owners and executives.
EDUCATION
Aliso Viejo’s Soka University elected Jack W. Peltason to its board. Peltason is president emeritus of the University of California, chancellor emeritus of the University of California, Irvine, and chancellor emeritus of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Soka University is a 4-year-old liberal arts college.
Coastline Community College, with campuses in Garden Grove, Westminster and Costa Mesa, appointed two vice presidents. Cheryl Babler is set to lead the office of instruction. Vangie Meneses is set to lead the office of student services.
HOTELS
Andrew W. Gross was named senior vice president-general counsel of San Clemente-based Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. Prior to joining Sunstone, Gross was a partner at Irell & Manella LLP. He has 16 years of experience in securities regulation, corporate finance, public companies representation and other corporate transactions and general corporate representations.
Hospitality executive Tom Wolf was hired as general manager of the Hyatt Regency Irvine by the hotel’s owner, The Irvine Company. Wolf previously served as hotel manager of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta He replaces Peter Rice, who moved to the top position at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara.
LAW
Raymond L. Veldman was named partner at the Irvine office of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP. Veldman practices corporate law, focusing on securities, mergers and acquisitions, and general business law.
Los Angeles-based law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP added two attorneys at its Costa Mesa office. Business litigation and trial attorney Alan J. Kessel joined the firm as a partner. Litigation and trial attorney Keli N. Osaki was named counsel.
Santa Ana law firm Hart, King & Coldren promoted Robert G. Williamson Jr. to partner. Williamson is a litigator who specializes in representing property owners in dealing with issues of land use and rent control regulations.
Daniel A. Sasse, member of the antitrust practice group, has been elected partner in the Irvine office of Washington, D.C.-based Crowell & Moring LLP.
REAL ESTATE
Newport Beach-based Impac Mortgage Hold-ings Inc. promoted Gregory P. Davis to senior vice president and director of national sales. Elaine Batlis was appointed president of Impac warehouse lending group Inc. Steve Curry was promoted to senior vice president of sales for Impac lending group.
Irvine-based homebuilder JD Pierce Co. has promoted the following executives: Mary Ellen Worth, Gary Schrader and Ross Gorgone. Worth has been named vice president of sales and marketing. Schrader has been promoted to vice president of finance. Gorgone has been named vice president of operations.
The Tenant in Common Association elected Santa Ana-based Triple Net Properties LLC’s NNN President Louis Rogers to a second term on its board. The association is focused on the tenant in common industry, where investors pool together to buy real estate. The group has more than 400 members. Rogers is the founding director of the trade group.
SPORTS
Next Level Fitness Inc. in Irvine added former college football athlete Jaiya Figueras as a personal trainer and co-creator of the Next Level Fitness Pro Team Training Program.
TECHNOLOGY
Interchange Corp., which links advertisers to searches done on the Web, appointed Vickie Young to vice president, product management. Young is set to lead the product management for Local.com, the company’s advertising for local searches.
Santa Ana-based SRS Labs Inc. promoted Sarah Yang as vice president of software engineering. Yang previously was senior director of engineering. SRS Labs licenses audio and voice technology that improves the sound of home stereos, DVD players, car stereos, computers and other electronics.
Newport Beach software company CyberianSoft named Brenda Calvillo director of sales and marketing. Calvillo joins CyberianSoft from MCI, where she was a senior account executive.
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