Compiled by Talene Yotnotsian
ACCOUNTING
Enrique Rayon joined Grant Thornton LLP’s Irvine office as director of transfer pricing for the West region. Grant Thornton is the U.S. unit of Grant Thornton International.
ASSOCIATIONS
Ben Bolisay was elected president of the Anaheim Breakfast Toastmasters Club. Other officers elected were: Margaret Chu, vice president of education; Betty Tramison, vice president of membership and sergeant-at-arms; Martha Miser, secretary; Don Aitchison, treasurer; and Ede D’Angelo, vice president of public relations.
AUTOMOTIVE
Irvine-based Mazda North American Operations named David Klan director of marketing. Klan was previously general manager, global brand marketing for Mazda Motor Corp. in Hiroshima, Japan.
BANKING
Commerce National Bank, a community business bank in Fullerton, promoted Terry Hipwell to senior vice president. Hipwell is a former vice president of the Placentia Chamber of Commerce. He was president of the Placentia Little League.
Farmers & Merchants Bank named Orest John Gause III manager and vice president of its San Juan Capistrano office. Gause has more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry. He was transferred from Farmers & Merchants Bank’s Lake Forest office.
CONSULTING
Morpace International Inc., a market research and consulting organization, appointed Jeffrey Kaufman as research director in its Irvine office. Prior to joining Morpace, Kaufman was a research manager for Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods Inc.’s Irvine operations.
EDUCATION
Pam Wheeler, senior vice president of Kimco Staffing Services Inc. in Irvine, was elected to serve on the board of trustees of Concordia University. Wheeler is a member of the Irvine university’s School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board. Kimco is a charter member of the school’s business partner’s program.
Rancho Santiago Community College District named Laurie Weidner as executive director of public affairs, public information and governmental relations.
HEALTHCARE
Mission Hospital appointed Dennis Haghighat to the newly created position of vice president of medical affairs. Dr. Haghighat is a board-certified internist and has been a member of the medical staff at the Mission Viejo hospital since 1994.
LAW
Costa Mesa-based Rutan & Tucker LLP hired Mei Tsang as an associate attorney in its intellectual property and technology group. Prior to joining Rutan & Tucker, Tsang served at Sonnenschein, Nath and Rosenthall LLP in Chicago as an associate in the intellectual property and China practice group.
REAL ESTATE
HomeView Lending Inc., a mortgage lender based in Lake Forest, appointed Serene Rosenberg as chief operating officer. Rosenberg is a former senior vice president of Irvine-based New Century Mortgage Corp.
Wells Fargo & Co.’s home mortgage unit named Lilia Villasenor as regional emerging markets manager for Orange County. Villasenor has been in the mortgage banking industry for 20 years. She serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals of Orange County and is a member of the Asian Real Estate Association of America.
Aliso Viejo-based Merit Property Management Inc. promoted George Skrbin to chief operating officer. Skirbin joined Merit, which manages apartment complexes among other properties, in 1990 in its San Diego office. Skirbin has 16 years of community association management experience.
Fifield Realty, a national real estate developer focused on the creation of new urban infill high-rise buildings, added Carla Romero to the company’s Irvine office as the project director for the West Coast. Romero has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry.
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