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Monday, Apr 13, 2026

PEOPLE

PEOPLE

Compiled by Samantha Lee

ADVERTISING

Newport Beach-based Lawrence & Ponder Ideaworks has hired account executive Gina Utria and account coordinator Alicia Rivera to expand its Latino marketing capabilities. Utria previously worked for Irvine-based 3DSP Corp. as a public relations and marketing manager. Rivera was an account coordinator at Newport Beach’s Mendoza, Dillon & Asociados, where she worked on Hispanic market advertising.

BUSINESS SERVICES

Hugh MacLennan has been hired as vice president of business operations by Instructional Design Associates, a Fountain Valley-based instructional design training and technical writing agency. MacLennan has more than 30 years experience in information technology and business management. He will be responsible for the company’s new markets and day-to-day management of sales and delivery.

Irvine-based career services company Lee Hecht Harrison has promoted Stanton Dumin to vice president of business development. Dumin will be responsible for sales, marketing and relationship management with the corporate community.

CONSTRUCTION

April Kemp has rejoined McCarthy Building Cos. as marketing coordinator at the company’s Southern California division office, in Newport Beach. Kemp will be responsible for coordination and preparation of all res-ponses to requests for proposals and qualifications and supervising the design of presentation materials for projects in Southern California.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Christoper J. Holyoak has rejoined Irvine-based Johnson Capital in its Salt Lake City office as senior vice president. Holyoak will originate loans on all types of commercial real estate through capital market sources, with an emphasis on manufactured homes, parks, retail, industrial and office.

HEALTHCARE

Rich Roge has been promoted senior vice president of commercial sales, marketing and product development for Santa Ana-based PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. He will be responsible for sales and marketing in PacifiCare’s commercial business segment in eight Western states and Guam. Roge joined the company in 2000.

Hero Nutritional Products, San Clemente, named Michael Weiss CEO and vice president of sales. Weiss will be responsible for overseeing sales, marketing, financial and operational functions. Additionally, the company appointed Julie Schneider director of marketing. Schneider will oversee marketing, advertising, public relations and branding.

Micro Therapeutics Inc., Irvine, has named James M. Corbett chairman of the board. Corbett is a medical device industry veteran with more than 20 years experience. He is president of ex3 International, the distributor of MTI’s products in Europe.

Children’s Hospital of Orange County has elected Cynthia Harriss and Donald Gause to the CHOC Hospital Board. Harriss is president of the Disneyland Resort, and Gause is senior vice president of the residential development group Shea Properties, Aliso Viejo.

LAW

Kring & Brown LLP added three attorneys to its Irvine office. Yasmin B. Anwar joins the business department after serving as in-house corporate counsel for Centura Software Corp. in Redwood Shores for two years. Joanna L. Darvish, a graduate of the California Western School of Law, will be handling business litigation matters. In addition, Deborah L. Elliott joins the firm from San Diego-based Horton & Ryan. Previously, Elliott litigated child-support cases for the San Diego district attorney.

Irvine resident David Perry, a partner with the law firm of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP, has been named to the National Cancer Institute’s Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities network. Perry will represent cancer patients and their families.

PUBLISHING

Melissa Fisher has been named advertising director for Village Voice Media’s OC Weekly. Fisher was previously the publisher of the Sun Newspaper in Seal Beach, where she also worked as an account executive. She will oversee advertising for the OC Weekly, including new categories, special events and community involvement.

RESTAURANT

Fred LeFranc was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of Newport Beach-based Ruby Restaurant Group, operator of Ruby’s diners. LeFranc previously worked for Louise’s Trattoria and El Torito. He will be responsible for the overall growth of the chain, including menu changes and marketing. Additionally, the company hired Madison Jobe as vice president of franchise development. Jobe will be responsible for the development of new markets and new franchisees. He also has worked for Fatburger Corp. and Shakey’s Inc.

TECHNOLOGY

Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., Irvine, has named Michael E. Durance vice president and general manager of its telecommunications system division. Durance will oversee product management, marketing and sales and support of Toshiba’s products and services through its network of dealers. Prior to joining Toshiba, Durance was corporate vice president of Integrated Solutions Group Business Development for ADC Telecommunications Inc.

David Wegman has joined Vision Solutions Inc., Irvine, as executive vice president of marketing and business development. Previously he worked for Lakeview Technology as vice president of worldwide marketing and business development.

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