Compiled by Kelly Ryan
APPAREL
Ed Kirnbauer was named vice president and corporate controller of Wet Seal Inc. in Foothill Ranch. Kirnbauer previously worked in Chicago for KPMG LLP, Bally Total Fitness and Encyclopedia Britannica. He moved to Southern California in 1999. He also worked as vice president and controller of MTI Technology Corp. in Irvine.
ARCHITECTURE
Benjamin M. Nicholas joined the Irvine office of Gettys Interior Design as senior project manager and studio director. He previously was senior project designer and worked at Gettys’ Chicago and Miami offices. Nicholas has worked with Gettys for 10 years. In his new role as director, he will oversee conceptual development, design development scheduling and contract documents.
BANKING
Comerica Bank named Tissar Chang as the new assistant vice president and banking center manager of its Cerritos branch. Chang is the former vice president and branch manager for Far East National Bank in Los Angeles and has more than 23 years of experience in the financial industry.
CONSULTING
Morpace Inc. in Irvine named Dale Wilson research director. Wilson has more than 15 years of experience in market research, product development and consumer segmentation. Before Morpace, she was research director at Lieberman Research Worldwide Inc. She also worked at Goldfarb Consultants and JD Powers.
HEALTHCARE
Millennium Dental Technologies Inc. named Michael Minailo president and chief executive. Minailo is a resident of Huntington Beach and has more than 20 years of experience in the medical device industry. He has held executive roles at Irvine-based Edwards Lifesciences Corp., St. Jude Medical and CardioThoracic Systems. He also taught at the University of Southern California’s School of Business.
INSURANCE
Julie Mangrello-Jennings joined Shorepoint Insurance Services in Costa Mesa as an account executive in the employee benefits division. Mangrello-Jennings has more than 11 years of experience in health and welfare plan insurance and human resource management. She was president of the Professionals in Human Resources Association for the Long Beach district for five years. Also, Kendall Kasper was named associate vice president at Shorepoint. Kasper has 15 years of sales experience in wholesale and manufacturing industries. He previously worked for Nestle Corp. and Fujikura Composites.
LAW
Cummins & White LLP in Newport Beach elected Siobhan M. Bishop and Robert J. Lamm to the partnership. Bishop represents insurance agencies in complex litigation and coverage issues. Lamm serves clients in areas of taxation, estate planning, real estate and trust administration. Both joined the firm in 2005.
NONPROFIT
Antoinette Balta, Yesenia Velez and Jesus Montoya were elected to the board of directors for OC Community Housing Corp./Stepping Up. Balta is a real estate lawyer at the office of Mona Farraj. Velez has an extensive background working with nonprofits in OC. Montoya works for the District of Capistrano as a district academic adviser and a bilingual liaison.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of OC named Lisa Wood chief development officer. She will expand the nonprofit’s fundraising programs. Wood has 16 years of fundraising experience, mostly in the healthcare industry. Most recently, she spent seven years with the Mission Hospital Foundation in Mission Viejo.
Karen Thoms was named director of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore Discount Home Improvement Centers in OC. Thoms previously volunteered several months to assist Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in Operation Home Delivery. She also spent 23 years with Weyerhaeuser as an area sales manager.
REAL ESTATE
Bernie Labowitz joined Present Value Properties Inc. in Orange as senior vice president. Labowitz worked for nine years at Santa Ana’s World Premier Investments Inc. as vice president of leasing. He will be responsible for obtaining additional clients for tenant representation, landlord leasing and consulting assignments.
Irvine’s Sperry Van Ness Asset Management & Leasing named Donald J. Keena vice president and regional manager. Keena will facilitate company growth in Irvine, Los Angeles and Inland Empire offices. Keena previously was a leased investment specialist for Sperry Van Ness Commercial Real Estate Advisors.
TECHNOLOGY
Ensynch Inc. in Irvine added Rick Winterich as chief financial officer. Winterich has more than 30 years of experience in financial management of companies in technology and financial sectors. He recently was chief financial officer for Horizon Services and Mobility Electronics Inc.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Irvine-based Boost Mobile LLC named Michael Lanzon vice president of sales and marketing. Lanzon helped launch the Boost brand in Australia in 2000 and New Zealand in 2001. He became vice president of sales for Boost Mobile in 2002.
