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Sunday, May 31, 2026

PEOPLE



Compiled by Charla Batey

ARTS

Violinist Jessica Guideri and cellist L & #225;szl & #243; Mez & #246;-Arruda joined the Pacific Symphony orchestra for the 2008-09 season.

ARCHITECTURE

Irvine-based Gkkworks hired Rafael Alvarez as digital design manager, David Fernandez as senior project manager, Jay Helekar as senior estimator, Michael Kaesler as senior project manager, Jitendra Kashyap as senior project manager, Alan Keagy as senior project architect, William Reifsteck as director of integrated services and Blair Ripplinger as senior associate.

AUTOMOTIVE

Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp., the Cypress-based U.S. headquarters of Japan’s Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., promoted Steve Hutchinson to vice president of marketing.

BANKING

Shiva Yazdi joined the Costa Mesa office of Irwin Union Bank, part of Columbus, Ind.-based Irwin Financial Corp., as vice president and business adviser.

Carlos Ordonez was named manager of Wells Fargo & Co.’s Tustin Collins office in Orange.

CONSULTING

Resources Global Pro-fessionals, part of Costa Mesa-based Resources Connection Inc., promoted Jon Kuwahara to director of client services. Kuwahara previously was a project consultant.

EDUCATION

The Board of Trustees of the Laguna College of Art & Design named Jim McQueen board chair for the 2008-2009 school year. McQueen previously was vice chair.

Imran Currim was named associate dean of Master’s Programs for the University of California, Irvine Merage School of Business. Currim is a professor at the school who teaches courses on marketing management and strategy and marketing research. He received the American Marketing Association/Houghton Mifflin Award for distinguished teaching in marketing.

ENVIRONMENT

Irvine-based recycled packaging company Earthpack promoted Gary Scott to premier vice president. Scott previously was director of operations.

INSURANCE

The Newport beach office of San Mateo-based Edgewood Partners Insurance Center named Toni Erickson principal, Debbie Santistevan account executive, Jhoanna Fore senior account manager and Susan Garganera technical underwriter consultant.

MEDIA & MARKETING

Garden Grove-based Money Mailer LLC hired Todd Peets as director of national sales, food categories.

NONPROFIT

Betty Mach joined Goodwill of Orange County as a marketing coordinator.

The Orange County Human Relations Commission named Nadia Saad Bettendorf chair and C. William Wood vice chair.

Karen German joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County as a match support specialist.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley named Michael Crawford and Finlay Cumming to its board of regents.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Schubert Flint Public Affairs named Nancy Lim & #243;n account supervisor in the firm’s Irvine office. Lim & #243;n previously was a client services manager at Paine Public Relations in Irvine.

REAL ESTATE

Irvine-based LBA Realty promoted Mike Memoly to chief financial officer. Memoly previously was chief accounting officer.

Phil Bodem was named division president of the Southern California division of homebuilder Taylor Morrison, part of the United Kingdom’s Taylor Wimpey PLC. Bodem will be based in Irvine.

RETAIL

Buena Park-based Wildflower Linen, a linen design and rental firm, promoted Desiree Patterson to director of sales and marketing. Patterson previously was western regional account manager.

TECHNOLOGY

Aliso Viejo-based storage device maker SiliconSystems Inc. hired Robert Fan as vice president of marketing. Fan most recently was vice president of corporate marketing and business development at Austin, Texas-based Entorian Technologies Inc.

TRANSPORTATION

Sam Elters joined the Irvine-based Transportation Corridor Agencies, which manages Orange County’s 67-mile toll road system, as chief engineer. Elters previously served as the state engineer for the Arizona Department of Transportation.

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