METROPOLITAN MOVERS
Congratulations and Condolences

Sara Isgur, a longtime San Diego development consultant, is managing partner for a newly opened San Diego office of Kosmont & Associates, a Los Angeles full-service real estate advisory firm. Isgur's 20-plus years of experience include six years as redevelopment project manager for the city of Vista, during which she created a revitalization plan for Vista's downtown. Before that she was a project manager with San Diego’s Redevelopment Agency and earlier was with the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.     In the early 1980s, she worked as a consultant to secure federal funds for restoration of the U.S. Grant and Horton Grand hotels. Among Kosmont's projects was to assist in finding funding for the Downtown redevelopment project under way at the site of the former Walker Scott store.     Veteran newswoman Kathy Gazda was hired by San Diego KSWB 5/69 television as the station's first news director. She will create the station's first newscast to debut in the fourth quarter of this year. KSWB began broadcasting in 1984 as KTTY channel 69 out of Chula Vista. In September, 1996, it became KSWB 5/69, a subsidiary of the Tribune Broadcasting Co. Isgur     Last September the station moved to a new facility in Kearny Mesa, where Gazda will oversee the development of a news department. A 17-year news veteran, Gazda has developed newscasts for two stations.     Heritage HomeBuilders Inc. named Allison Britton as forward planning manager and Sharon Richey as director of purchasing. Britton was a consultant for Ashbrook Communities for 16 years, and Richey, with 25 years in the building industry, was one of the first female purchasing agents for Broadmoor Homes in Orange County.     Fred Von Borstel was named executive v.p. at the Newschool of Architecture in San Diego. He has been a professor there for five years. He taught at Ibero Americana Universidad and the University of Baja California.     In a new position as v.p./manager of the Rancho San Diego office of California Bank & Trust is Maxine Reimann. Reimann has been with Home Savings of America and Household Bank.     Betsy Mongrain was promoted to senior v.p./director of marketing and mortgage at Neighbor-hood National Bank, where she has been since the bank opened in 1997. Named business development representative was Michael Wilson, formerly a council representative for Fourth District San Diego City Councilman George Stevens.     Charles B. Buck was named president of Buck Knives, bringing the company into its fourth generation of family leadership. Charles T. Buck, his father, continues as chairman of the board and CEO. Mongrain     Psychologist and United States International University professor Robert Epstein was named editor-in-chief of Psychology Today. Epstein will run the magazine from the West Coast via video technology while he continues to teach. He is a nationally known speaker on creativity, author of several publications and a radio talk show host.     American Specialty Health Networks appointed Michael Close senior v.p. of sales and marketing. Close's experience in managed care was at Health Net, where he was senior v.p., sales and marketing, and at Maxicare/HealthAmerica.     The Arrowhead Group of Companies appointed Nick Poschl to president of ArrowComp, Arrowhead's newly formed workers compensation facility. Steve Boyd joined the Workers Compensation Division of the group as senior underwriter. Boyd was with Golden Eagle Insurance Company of San Diego.     Roel Consulting Group hired Steve Grimes as director of client services. He formerly worked for Nelson and Sloan. The Roel General Construction Group hired Keith Whaley as concrete superintendent. He is working on the Bridgeworks Ð Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.     Leap Wireless International announced the appointment of Mark Kelley as v.p. and chief technology officer. Kelley has more than 18 years of communication systems planning and analysis experience, most recently as v.p. of wireless system design for Qualcomm. Grimes     Veterinarian Dena Mangiamele began her job as Director of Animal Services for San Diego County. She was the chief veterinarian for the city of Los Angeles.     Kaveh Haghighi, an engineer, joined the Latitude 33 staff of engineers and planners. He has spent 16 years in civil engineering design and land development.     Debra Hamerdinger, Greg Wilfahrt and Michelle Harris joined Santel Federal Credit Union. Hamerdinger, formerly with Sunbelt National Mortgage and Chase Manhattan Mortgage, is real estate supervisor; Wilfahrt is business development supervisor; and Harris is indirect lending supervisor.     Les Sundquist was honored as the 1998 top producing loan officer in originations and fundings for all General Mortgage offices, having funded 287 loans, or more than one per business day. Sundquist specializes on no-cost loans for first-time buyers and refinances.     Centex Homes promoted Patrick Higgins to regional sales manager of the western United States. Joni Krohto and Sherry Kirkpatrick were promoted to head the sales and marketing department. Higgins will oversee the sales departments of 10 Centex divisions in the western region. Krohto is the new sales manager and Kirkpatrick oversees the marketing of six new-home neighborhoods in San Diego County.     William Sharp, v.p. of estimating for Douglas E. Barnhart Inc., was selected to serve on the board for the Downtown San Diego Partnership.     Superior Court judges voted Stephen Thunberg as new executive officer of the San Diego trial courts. A 30-year county employee, Thunberg has been acting executive officer on loan to the courts since February from his former position as director of public works.     Rancho Santa Fe Technology hired Ruth Merchey as director of marketing. She moved to the company when Space Electronics Inc., where she worked, merged with Maxwell Technologies.     Joining Children's Hospital and Health Center as director of communications is Larry Nuffer, a former executive with the public relations firm of Nuffer, Smith, Tucker Inc. and the son of that firm's founder, David Nuffer.     Craig Blower fills the newly created COO position for the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. Blower was g.m. for three offices of Express Computer Supply.     New in the office of Baker & McKenzie are associates Christina Giorgio, employment law practice group, and Andrew Serwin, litigation practice group.     Kevin Cahill joined the law firm Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps as a partner in the San Diego office and co-chair of the technology law/intellectual property practice group. Cahill was most recently a partner with Sullivan Wertz McDade & Wallace.     Two employees of Henry's Marketplace Inc. who have been promoted are Kevin Easler, director of sales and marketing, and Scott Wing, director of operations. Easler has been with Henry's for 10 years, Wing for 16 years.     CB Richard Ellis named Jeb Bakke and Bret Gossett, as team first v.p.s of the group's central office. Together, Bakke and Gossett have more than 24 years of commercial real estate experience.     Steve Whitworth, new president and COO of Sorrento Electronics Inc., an affiliate of General Atomics, previously was managing director of the Asian Operations Center for Vickers Inc.     Doris Payne joined Marketscape Research & Consulting as a senior consultant. Payne previously was executive director for the San Diego County Apartment Association and for Financial Women International in Chicago.     National University announced the appointments of Douglas Slawson as registrar and Susan Harris as director of planning and institutional research. Slawson, with more than 20 years of experience in education, joined the university in 1996. Harris previously served on the faculty at the University of Nevada at Reno.     Stoorza, Ziegaus & Metzger Inc. appointed Amy Meehan account executive and James Key account supervisor. Meehan was previously with Nuffer, Smith, Tucker Inc. Key was most recently director of communications at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.     Ernie Torgeson was named product line manager for managed programs at Golden Eagle Insurance Corp. For 15 years he was with John Burnham and Co. where he most recently was v.p.     Signature Funding, a mortgage loan originator, appointed Raymond Chavez as mortgage loan specialist for its Chula Vista office. Chavez previously held positions with National Pacific and Prime Time Mortgage.     After eight years with PostalAnnex+, Sean Hilly was promoted to v.p. of franchise services. He began as manager of the Del Mar franchise after leaving the Canadian racing team, Cyclepath, with whom he was a professional cyclist.     The founder in 1984 and president of Doctor Design Inc., Martin Caniff, was promoted to president of Integrated Systems Design Center Inc., a subsidiary of Integrated Systems Inc. He also will be chief technology officer at Integrated Systems. He was the company’s general manager. Chavez     The National Dispatch Center Inc. promoted Regina Robinson to national accounts representative. Robinson was recognized with NDC's Presidential Award of Excellence in 1996 for her work as an accounts field trainer.     The former manager of McMillin Realty's Scripps Ranch office, Mike Marmion, was named manager of the firm's Carlsbad branch. Marmion was instrumental in starting the firm's Scripps Ranch location last March. Candice Matthews was named assistant manager of McMillin's Carmel Mountain Ranch office. Matthews has been a San Diego County realtor for almost seven years.     San Diego Travel Group added Patricia Granger as manager of group development. Granger previously was with Leisure Cruises and Royal Cruise Lines.     Kennerson, Schwartz, Semerdjian & Haile added two associates: John Grant, who specializes in business, employment, real estate, wills and trusts; and James Ballard, a litigation specialist in real property, contracts and commercial disputes.

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