Compiled by Kelly Ryan
Adelman Named Sales, Marketing VP for Pelican Hill
Ellen Adelman this month joined The Irvine Company’s resort properties unit as vice president of sales and marketing for The Resort at Pelican Hill, which is under construction in Newport Beach.
Adelman previously was vice president of marketing and sales for Beverly Hills-based Edward Thomas Co., where she oversaw Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica and Hotel Andalucia in Santa Barbara. Before that, she was national director of sales for Dallas-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.
Adelman said she came to Orange County because of the “extraordinary” scope of the Pelican Hill project and the county’s strong hotel market.
For now, Adelman said she is focused on learning who to target for the resort and is working to create partnerships to reach them. She also is hiring staff.
The Pelican Hill Golf Club is set to reopen this fall with 36 holes of Tom Fazio-designed golf and a signature restaurant. The hotel is set to open in late 2008.
“My mission,and the challenge of the job,is to educate the right audiences, especially the travel industry, on the benefit and uniqueness (of the resort),” she said.
Adelman has two sons, one a senior at the University of San Francisco and one a freshman at the University of Arizona who started there last week.
“Then we’ll be 100% in Orange County,” she said.
Adelman is an avid hiker who walked three miles to work in Santa Monica every day. She also loves antiques. Until now, she hasn’t been much of a golfer but said she’s going to learn.
“I feel the pressure to do that,” she said.
,Sandi Cain
AUTOMOTIVE
Autobytel Inc. hired David Armitage as vice president of advertising. He most recently was senior vice president of advertising sales for Revver.com. Previously, he was executive director of advertising and sales for Edmunds.com. Armitage focuses on sales and new advertising programs.
EDUCATION
Orange County High School of the Arts named Jerry E. Mandel chairman of its foundation board. Mandel was president of the Orange County Performing Arts Center from 1996 to 2006. He also has worked as vice chancellor of university advancement at the University of California, Irvine, and as dean of the arts at San Diego State University.
ENGINEERING
Irvine-based Hall & Foreman Inc. promoted Georgann Brannon to director of human resources. She will manage employee relations, recruitment and employee compensation and benefit programs. Brannon joined the company in 2003 and is pursuing professional certification as a certified employee benefit specialist.
FINANCE
Countrywide Financial Corp.’s Countrywide Home Loans unit promoted Kevin Reskey to senior vice president and regional manager in the consumer markets division. Reskey will manage production and operational functions for Countrywide’s retail branches in Los Angeles and OC from a Tustin office.
MetroPacific Bank added Colleen Brady as assistant vice president, senior commercial banking officer. She was formerly assistant vice president and deposit relationship manager at Irwin Union Bank in Costa Mesa.
LAW
Newmeyer & Dillon LLP hired Michael J. Studenka as a litigation associate at its Newport Beach headquarters. Previously, Studenka was a judge advocate general in the Marine Corps, where he earned the Marine Corps Defense Counsel of the Year Award 2005-06. Also, Studenka earned the Navy and Marine Cops Commendation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
George C. Rudolph and John C. Murphy joined Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps LLP as partners in the Irvine office. Rudolph specializes in business, real estate, corporate structures and intellectual property. He was previously a senior attorney at Theodora Oringher Miller & Richman PC. Murphy specializes in eminent domain, land use and zoning and was previously a partner at Nossaman Guthner Knox & Elliot LLP.
NONPROFIT
Cal Winslow was promoted to chief executive of Santa Ana-based Orangewood Children’s Foundation. He recently spent four years at Orangewood as chief development officer and has more than three decades of fundraising and public service experience. Winslow was vice president of major gifts for eight years at Volunteers of America. He served four terms as a Montana state representative.
REAL ESTATE
Keystone Pacific Property Management Inc. promoted Shelley Grover from regional manager to director of new project development. Grover is a certified community association manager and earned a professional community association manager designation through Community Associations Institute. She is based in the Irvine headquarters.
