BUSINESS SERVICES
Fred Ameri, senior vice president at Irvine-based RBF Consulting, was appointed by Gov. Gray Davis to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana region.
CONSTRUCTION
R.D. Olson Construction hired Donald Schmidt as project manager. Schmidt’s first assignment is managing the construction of the 264-room Holiday Inn and 143-room Staybridge Suites near the Disneyland Resort area. Schmidt has been in construction since 1977.
EDUCATION
Larry Stein, professor of pharmacology at UC Irvine’s College of Medicine, was named chief scientific officer for corporate affairs and initiatives. Previously, Stein was chair of the pharmacology department, a position he held for more than 20 years. In the new position, Stein will work to create alliances between university researchers and pharmaceutical and other medical technology firms.
Dr. Kristian Miccio, a domestic violence law expert and member of the faculty at Western State University College of Law, was appointed to the Battered Mothers Testimony Project of the Women’s Rights Network at Wellesley College’s Center for Research on Women.
ENGINEERING
John Lohman was appointed regional manager for Kleinfelder Inc.’s Los Angeles region, which encompasses Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Lohman, a senior associate at Kleinfelder, is a public works specialist whose current projects include work for the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Port of Long Beach.
HEALTHCARE
SK & A;, an Irvine-based provider of healthcare databases, promoted Ramiro Tavares to director of accounting and Lian Hu to accountant. Tavares has been with the company since 1992; Hu is a graduate of Hangzhou Institute in China.
HOSPITALITY
Bill O’Connell, managing partner of four Best Western Hotels in Anaheim, was elected treasurer of the California Lodging Industry Association for 2001. The association is the largest independent state lodging association in the United States.
LAW
Crowell and Moring LLP named Steven Rice a partner and Deborah Colaner and Stuart Einbinder of counsel. All three attorneys are based in the Irvine office. Rice joined the firm in 1996; Colaner and Einbinder have been with the firm since 1993.
Steven L. Krongold was named a senior counsel in the Irvine office of Arter & Hadden LLP. Krongold, who has spent 14 years in private practice, will practice in the firm’s intellectual property practice group.
MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Shafer, a technology-focused marketing firm in Irvine, added Erika Price as management supervisor for its public relations department. Price comes to Shafer from Leavitt/Bell Group in Pasadena where she was an account supervisor. She earned her degree in communications from California State University, Fullerton.
Curt Pringle & Associates hired Lysa Ray as an associate in the public relations department. Ray was previously with the county of Orange, where she was an executive assistant for supervisor Cynthia Coad, managing policy issues and media relations.
NONPROFITS
Laura’s House, a domestic violence shelter with facilities throughout Orange County, named Manny Tau, general manager of San Clemente-based Presenting Solutions, to its board of directors for a two-year term.
ORGANIZATIONS
Edward B. Merino was elected chairman of the Forum for Corporate Directors for 2001. Merino is the chief executive officer of Office of the President, an Orange County consulting firm. for companies on issues relating to their board of directors. Additional board members elected were: Bruce Stomp of Ernst & Young, treasurer; Ben A. Frydman of Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth, secretary; and Glenn von dem Bussche of Meredith Executive Management, membership director.
REAL ESTATE
The Building Industry Association of Southern California, Orange County chapter, recently announced its 2001 executive committee: Steve Cameron of Fieldstone Communities Inc., president; LJ Edgcomb of John Laing Homes, first vice president; Eric Wittenberg of the Wittenberg Companies, second vice president; Gordon Craig of Taylor Woodrow Homes, treasurer; Scott Stowell of Standard Pacific Homes, secretary; Laer Pearce of Laer Pearce & Associates, associate vice president; and Dave Colgan of Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliot LLP, member-at-large. The trade contractors alliance of the executive committee includes Thomas Steele of Hardwood Creations, vice president; Jeff Prostor of Brookfield Homes, immediate past president; and Christine Diemer Iger, chief executive officer.
Shea Properties of Aliso Viejo announced the promotion of four executives to vice president. Robert Bunyon, vice president of development, is responsible for leasing office space and business land sales for the company’s Vantis project. Eugene Spindler, vice president/Southern California commercial division, will manage the company’s Baker Ranch project in Lake Forest. Lisa Whitney, vice president of property management, will be responsible for the management and leasing of retail, office and industrial real estate. James Yoder, vice president/Southern California commercial division, will oversee development for the company’s retail, office and commercial projects.
Mike Slinger was appointed vice president of corporate accounts for the Southern California division of Chicago Title. Slinger previously held a similar position with the Los Angeles office of Old Republic Title. The division encompasses 300 employees throughout Los Angeles, orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.
Granite Homes, Irvine, named Jeff Clemens senior project manager. He most recently held a similar position with the Valencia Co.
RETAIL
Chuck Johnson was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing at Van Koevering Company in Anaheim, a provider of computer-enhanced musical instruments. Johnson joined Van Koevering in September 1999.
Fountain Valley-based JMG Security Systems hired Ted Willie as operations manager. Willie previously was vice president of operations for Post Alarm.
TECHNOLOGY
Ingram Micro Inc. promoted Michael J. Granger to president and chief operating officer of its worldwide operations. Previously, Granger was executive vice president and chief financial officer. The company’s five regional presidents will report to Granger, who will report to chairman and chief executive Kent B. Foster. Prior to joining Ingram Industries, Granger was chief financial officer of Coble Systems.
ExpatSpouse Inc. named Michael Schell chief executive officer. The Internet-based company provides human resources services from its Newport Beach headquarters and an office in New York. Prior to joining ExpatSpouse, Schell was chief executive officer of Windham International and president of Morgan, Stahl & Boyer.
