PEOPLE
Compiled by Kristyn von Rotz
ARCHITECTURE
Richard Racicot, senior architect in the Orange County facilities unit of the Costa Mesa office of Carter & Burgess Inc., was elected to associate. Racicot has more than 20 years of experience in architectural design, project management and construction administration.
CONSTRUCTION
The Home Builder’s Council, a division of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, named Holly Sandler to the board. Sandler is senior project manager at Santa Ana-based J.L. Hare Associates.
ENGINEERING
Abraham Blunda and Mark Van Gaale were named project managers for Vandorpe Chou Associated Inc. in Orange. Blunda has been with the company for more than eight years and Gaale for more than seven.
FINANCE
Jill Kessler Yamamoto was named vice president, banking officer for Citizens Business Bank’s Katella Business Financial Center in Orange. She has more than 25 years of banking experience. Prior to Citizens, she was vice president relationship manager at First Bank & Trust.
HEALTHCARE
The Ambulance Association of Orange County elected Jim Ignacio as board president. He formerly served as secretary. Other new board members include: Eric Saline, vice president; Chad Druten, secretary; Rick Richardson, treasurer; and Greg Pate, director-at-large.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Steve Keyzers was appointed senior consultant at HR Alternatives Inc. in Newport Beach. Prior to joining the company, Keyzers was manager of human resources for Textron Inc.’s fastening systems unit in Santa Ana.
INSURANCE
Tutton Insurance Services Inc. in Santa Ana promoted Niall Armstrong to senior vice president.
LAW
Costa Mesa-based Rutan & Tucker LLP added George J. Wall as a partner in its corporate practice. He comes to Rutan & Tucker from the firm of Palmieri, Tyler, Wiener, Wilhelm & Waldron, where he had been a partner since 1990. His practice includes venture capital transactions, securities, healthcare, tax planning, real estate acquisition and exchanges, preparation of loan documentation for lenders, franchising registration and corporate acquisitions, sales and reorganizations.
The Irvine office of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue named James L. Poth as partner. He is a member of the litigation group and the general litigation practice. He has been with the company since 1996.
MARKETING
Nidia Day joined Foothill Ranch-based Mob Media Inc. as account manager. Prior to joining Mob, Day worked for Adopt-A-Highway in sales and public relations. Bob Brunson was promoted to Mob’s director of business development and communications.
Hobbs/Herder Advertising in Newport Beach appointed John Surge as president. Surge previously served as the company’s creative director and has been with the company since 1990. He succeeds Janet Herder, who is retiring after serving as president since 1988.
REAL ESTATE
Eric Oxford was promoted to director of central operations for Newport Beach-based Fieldstone Communities Inc. He will oversee the estimating, purchasing, scheduling and construction groups for the Orange County and San Diego divisions. He has been with the company since 2002.
First American Corp. named Dennis J. Gilmore executive vice president. Gilmore began his career at First American in 1988. In addition to his new role, Gilmore will continue to lead First American’s Property Information Segment, comprised of First American RES, Data Trace, Data Tree LLC, eAppraiseIT, LLC and SourceOne Services Corp.
RETAIL
Foothill Ranch-based The Wet Seal Inc. named Elayne Masterson chief merchandising manager of the retailer’s Wet Seal division. She previously worked as vice president of merchandise process planning for the company. She has more than 20 years of retail merchandising experience and previously worked for The Disney Store and The Limited. Roy Schiefner was named vice president, merchandise sourcing for the Wet Seal division. Schiefner previously worked for Levi Strauss & Co., Calvin Klein Inc. and his own consulting company. Laura Nicholas was promoted to vice president of store operations for Wet Seal’s Arden B. stores. Nicholas previously oversaw store operations at Bisou Bisou and Bebe.
