Newsmakers.

Accounting & Consulting

Doug Beach and Jeff Ong-Siong were named partners at RBZ in Los Angeles. Beach focuses on the manufacturing, high technology, real estate and construction industries. Ong-Siong specializes in the hospitality, manufacturing and distribution industries. Both were previously principals at the firm.

James Watson was named vice president of business development at the California Manufacturing Technology Center, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit corporation that provides consulting services to small and mid-sized manufacturers. He will oversee marketing, public relations and sales support. Watson was most recently general manager at Anchor Audio Inc.'s European distribution center.

Architecture & Engineering

Jocelyn Topolski was named associate vice president and director of commercial marketing at RTKL, an international architecture, planning and engineering firm in Los Angeles. She will oversee and coordinate business development and marketing activities. Topolski was previously west region business development director at Bovis Lend Lease.

Fernando Vasquez has been named principal at HNTB in Los Angeles. He will be responsible for numerous projects including airports, sports facilities and transportation developments. Vasquez was most recently a principal at Ellerbe Becket.

Banking & Finance

Karen Abajian was named chief financial officer at Hawthorne Financial Corp. in El Segundo. She will be responsible for strategic planning and analysis, shareholder reporting and accounting operations. Abajian was most recently senior vice president and controller at Imperial Bank in Inglewood.

Steven C. Canup was appointed senior vice president of investor relations and strategic planning at East West Bancorp Inc. in San Marino. He will oversee contact with institutional investors, research analysts and brokers. Canup was previously outside investor relations counsel at the Financial Relations Board.

Glen Dizon has been named vice president of investment banking at Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles. He will oversee the organization of new developments, the addition of research analysts and expansion of the investment banking department. Dizon was most recently manager of corporate finance at Atlantic Richfield Co.

Pete Jaminola has been named senior vice president of international banking and trade finance at First Bank & Trust in Lakewood. He will oversee growth and development. Jaminola was previously with Century Bank in the international banking department.

Entertainment

Ron Broitman has been promoted to vice president of film and television music at BMG in Los Angeles. He will represent BMG's song catalog for commercials, films, trailers, television programs and multimedia uses. Broitman was most recently director of the department.

Randy Higgison has been appointed vice president of manufacturing and engineering at Deluxe Digital Services, a division of Deluxe Video Services in Los Angeles. He will oversee disc manufacturing and engineering functions for the DVD facility in Carson. Higgison was most recently manager of plant operations at Technicolor's Camarillo facility.

Richard Schoenberg has been named chief executive at eClips, a reseller of professional video products in Hollywood. He will oversee day-to-day operations. Schoenberg was previously president at Steadi Systems.

Health Care

Kerry L. Carmody and Caroline G. Esparza have been promoted to clinical operations administrators at Providence Health System's San Fernando Valley Service Area in Burbank. Carmody will oversee day-to-day operations at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, as well as surgical services and radiation oncology. Esparza will manage daily operations at Saint Joseph Medical Center, as well as surgical services. Both were previously division directors of clinical services.

High Tech

Stephen A. Kalish was promoted to president at Computer Sciences Corp., an El Segundo company that provides information technology to civil agencies. He will be responsible for all business-related activities in support of federal agencies. Kalish was previously vice president of CSC's transportation systems center, civil group.

Media

Robert J. Evanko has been named regional vice president of affiliate sales and marketing at Fox Cable Networks. He will oversee all distribution and marketing efforts in the southwest region. Evanko is the co-founder and was previously president at NewMedium Communications, a telesales and database management service provider in Dallas.

New Media

Rahim Esmailzadeh has been named chief operating officer at Pasadena-based Codexa Corp., an Internet information supplier for financial professionals. He will oversee systems support, applications development and data quality and product management. Esmailzadeh was most recently managing director/head of quantitative strategies at Deutsche Bank.

John Grotting was appointed executive creative director for the southwest region at marchFIRST Inc., a global professional services company in Los Angeles. He will be responsible for strategic direction and building the broadband offering. Grotting was most recently vice president and executive creative director at Sapient.

Michael Reznick has been named executive director of advertising sponsorship sales at Soundbreak.com, an interactive online music destination based in West Hollywood. He will oversee day-to-day management of advertising and sponsor partnerships. Reznick was previously sales manger at KFWB-AM 980, part of the Infinity Broadcasting Corp.

Richard Shapiro has been appointed chief financial officer, senior vice president, treasurer and secretary at Sonicport.com Inc., an Internet marketing and technology company in Santa Monica. He will oversee all day-today operations. Shapiro was most recently chief financial officer and director of human resources at Allstate Communications Inc.

Real Estate

Michael McGee has been promoted to president and chief executive at Pardee Homes in Los Angeles. Also, Hal Struck has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer. They will both oversee day-to-day operations in Southern California and southern Nevada. Both McGee and Struck were previously senior vice presidents.

Robert D. Morgan was appointed vice president/accounting and administration at Thomas Properties Group, a real estate investment, development and asset management firm in Los Angeles. He will oversee all real estate partnerships and institutional investor reporting. Morgan was most recently senior manager in the real estate services group at Arthur Andersen.

Telecommunications

Gary J. Ahwah has been named chief technology officer at Zyan Communications Inc., a broadband communications services provider in Los Angeles. He will oversee the development and expansion of advanced communications services.

Lombard Elected President of L.A. Utility Commission

HOLDING two top executive positions may seem intimidating, but Kenneth T. Lombard sees his work in the private sector as a major asset in his new role as president of the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

The newly elected head of the agency also serves as president of Johnson Development Corp./Magic Johnson Theatres. In that role, he directs daily operations of the company and its theaters while developing financial partnerships and negotiating acquisitions. Those business skills will be more important than ever for the DWP as it transitions in the years ahead.

"I am looking forward to using my business skills and experiences to help prepare the (DWP) to compete in a deregulated electricity marketplace," Lombard said.

However, the decision to deregulate will be quite controversial and could be delayed or even scrapped depending on market conditions.

The commission is responsible for administrative oversight of the utility along with providing policy direction to top managers and approving budgets and expenditures.

As head of the panel, Lombard intends to build morale within the department, which recently underwent a period of downsizing in preparation for deregulation over the next three years.

"We have experienced a difficult turnaround," said Lombard. "It is important that we show each and every member of this department that they are important. Once we prove ourselves to our employees, I believe the DWP will continue in its success."

Lombard replaces developer Rick J. Caruso as president of the commission. Prior to his election to the top post, Lombard served as vice president of the commission. He was appointed to the panel by Mayor Richard Riordan in 1997.

Lombard previously served as regional director for Grubb & Ellis Co., where he developed and executed creative investment programs, as well as structured private real estate limited partnerships.