VALLEY NEWSMAKERS

FEATURED NEWSMAKER Helping make shopping centers successful is Beth Harris’s personal passion. As the new director of field marketing for General Growth Properties – owner and manager of more than 200 regional shopping malls in 43 states – Harris will direct marketing efforts to boost shopping centers in Southern California. Among the list of shopping centers under her purview are Glendale Galleria, Northridge Fashion Center, Fallbrook Center, and Valley Plaza. “Even in today’s retail climate, the important thing to remember is that shopping centers are still strong community gathering destinations,” Harris said. “Humans are social beings, we still want to interact with people, we still want to feel the fabric, smell the perfume, taste the food, and take part in the sensory level experience, no matter what’s going on in the world.” The successful management of shopping centers is now the sole focus of General Growth Properties, who recently exited the largest U.S. real estate bankruptcy having spun off its commercial and land development business in the reorganization. “Marketing has increasingly become more and more critical for any business,” said Harris, who, in her new role, will analyze market research to target consumers in key areas and help brand shopping centers. In her position she will help put together strategic business plans that incorporate advertising and multi media marketing efforts, among other things. “Social media is a huge new marketing tool that we’re very interested in using today,” she said. Harris and her team will rely on a host of tools including Facebook and Twitter accounts in a growing social media marketing push, in order to create a dialogue with customers and build affinity with the community, she said. “You really have to look at brand identity and marketplace, you have to look at the community demographics, carve out a niche and figure out what is the best brand for any particular shopping center,” she said, adding that all marketing efforts will be amped up leading up to the holiday season. In her new role, Harris will also oversee construction projects to update and refresh some of the properties and their signage. Harris who started her career working with shopping centers right out of college, helped market the grand opening of Hollywood & Highland shopping center and has served as director of marketing for the Academy Awards. She has held positions as executive director, marketing business development/digital media at Disney ABC Television Group, and CB Richard Ellis, among others. – Andrea Alegria Associations Tim Burkhart, general manager at Six Flags Magic Mountain, has been named the Valley Industry Association’s incoming chairman of the board of directors for 2011. Burkhart will replace VIA’s current Chairman of the Board Randy Moberg of LBW Insurance and Financial Services, who has served in that capacity for the past two years. Burkhart also serves as vice chair of the city of Santa Clarita Planning Commission and is past president of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. Installation for the 2011 board members will take place during VIA’s December 21, 2010 business luncheon. Awards Emergency department physicians at Glendale Adventist Medical Center Evelyn Wong and Cheryl M. Lee received the Hospital Hero Award from the National Health Foundation. Wong, Lee and a team of physicians and nurses recently returned from Haiti where they helped more than 500 people treating wounds, dehydration, and infectious disease caused by disaster and tropical conditions. The team saved three lives, and delivered four babies. The awards were presented during the 5th Annual Hospital Hero Awards Luncheon hosted by the Hospital Association of Southern California. Education The Moorpark College Foundation has added Allan C. Mann of Troop Real Estate and Kathleen Percival of Simi Valley Hospital to its Board of Directors. Mann is a 42-year resident of Simi Valley, a top Realtor and property manager with Troop Real Estate and a community volunteer. Percival, a 40-year Simi Valley resident, is director of quality management and education services at Simi Valley Hospital and is a registered nurse. Entertainment Entertainment and education company Zula International appointed Dana Garies as Vice President of Educational Sales. Garies, who has over 20 years of experience in the education market, will be responsible for building and managing the company’s national sales team and key channel distributors, as well as for growing Zula’s revenue from its Pre-K and early elementary science programs. Garies joins Zula from Award Publishing Company (formerly Sunshine Books), where she served as a regional vice president. Prior to that, Garies served as a Western District Manager at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company for nearly nine years. She began her career as an educator specializing in curriculum development before transitioning into a sales career as a Sales Representative for International Learning Systems. Financial Services Informa Research Services, Inc. has added Paul Needels, a veteran banking executive most recently with Bank of America, as senior vice president, Lending Products Division. Needels began his banking career in 1980 with United Banks of Colorado as part of their commercial lending team. He has also worked with Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty, Home Savings of America where he ran their consumer lending group, and Washington Mutual Bank as SVP in their lending production division. In 2005, he joined Countrywide as EVP of their lending production division and remained with Bank of America since their acquisition of Countrywide. Informa Research Services provides an array of market research and decision-support information to the financial services industry. Healthcare Michael Hunn, chief executive of Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, was recently named senior vice president and chief executive of Providence Health & Services’ California region. He replaces Arnold Schaffer, who was promoted earlier this year to senior vice president of regional operations for the Providence system. Hunn is a 20-year veteran of the health care industry and has been with Providence for more than four years. He previously held top administrator positions with several major health care systems, including Tenet Healthcare Corp. and Kindred Healthcare. In his new role, Hunn will oversee the five Providence medical centers in the Greater Los Angeles area, which include Providence Holy Cross, Providence Saint Joseph and Providence Tarzana medical centers. He will also oversee the organization’s outpatient centers, long-term care facilities, physician organizations and a high school. Precision Dynamics Corporation has appointed Cecil Kost, a longtime healthcare executive, to president and chief executive officer. Kost will take over for Gary Hutchinson, who will continue to serve as a board member and executive advisor to PDC. Kost most recently served as president and CEO of MedManage Systems, Inc. Previously, he was president of e-commerce for SciQuest, Inc., a company specializing in software, information and services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. He was also a senior executive with Curtin Matheson Scientific. Founded in 1956, Precision Dynamics Corporation produces a range of wristband and labeling systems used in hospitals worldwide. Non-Profit Organizations Burbank Arts For All Education Foundation has selected Kenton Haleem as the first full-time executive director of the non-profit organization. Haleem recently served as director of education and development for the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. Previously, he served as director of arts learning at the Arts Council for the City of Long Beach. He spent nine years as an educator in Long Beach. The Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County, has added Donald (Don) Toussaint to its board of directors. Toussaint, who has 33 years’ experience in the banking industry, is president of Rabobank, N.A’s South Central Coast Region. In his current position he oversees delivery of all bank services and strategic growth strategies in Ventura and southern Santa Barbara counties. Formerly, he was executive vice president and division manager of Pacific Capital Bank’s commercial banking and wealth management group, and also served as executive vice president and senior regional president for Fleet National Bank’s commercial banking group. Real Estate Real estate investment trust MPG announced that it has accepted the resignation of its president and chief executive officer Nelson C. Rising, effective November 15. MPG Chairman of the Board, Paul M. Watson, will serve as interim Chief Executive Officer. Watson is the retired Vice Chairman of Wells Fargo Bank. Rising succeeded the company’s founder, Robert Maguire III, in 2008. Retail The Glendale Galleria has hired Shoshana Puccia as senior marketing manager. Puccia officially took on her role Oct. 11. In her new role Puccia will promote Glendale Galleria’s upscale retailers such as Michael Kors, Coach and Nordstrom, increase mall traffic as well as continue community outreach in the City of Glendale. Her background includes marketing Beverly Center, Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida, The Getty Museum and Child S.H.A.R.E., Puccia has served on the Board of Directors for Los Angeles’ Latino Heritage Month, as chairperson of the City of Covina Arts Commission and as chairperson of the Board of Directors for BookEnds, a non-profit literacy program. The Glendale Galleria is owned and managed by General Growth Properties. Van Nuys-based brand management company and licensor Cherokee Inc. has hired Mark DiSiena as chief financial officer beginning Dec. 17. DiSiena was most recently a strategy and finance consultant. He previously served as chief financial officer of 4Medica, a privately-held software company, and held key management roles at KineticTide, which he co-founded, and Lucent Technologies. He started his career as an auditor at public accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand. Technology Online sampling company uSamp has added John Woolard as chief financial officer. Woolard has held positions as CFO, VP of Finance and controllership at companies ranging in size from emerging growth through the Fortune 500. uSamp also promoted Dave Gaston from senior director to regional vice president of survey solutions. He will be assuming responsibilities for assisting revenue growth in a regional capacity. Prior to joining uSamp in 2009, Gaston held positions at Greenfield Online, Yankelovich Partners, and NFO. In another move, uSamp promoted Melanie Courtright from vice president to senior vice president of client services. Her responsibilities include quality initiatives and employee training, with an emphasis on developing new relationships and ensuring the satisfaction of existing clients. uSamp also has doubled the number of sales directors working in its offices throughout the United States.