Rick Schroeder, a veteran Southern California home builder, was named president of the San Diego division of Ryland Homes, replacing Jon Werner, who is retiring after three decades. Schroeder joined the San Diego division in May 2002 as v.p.-land acquisition and was promoted to v.p./division manager in July 2004. Since 1993 he has held management positions with major Southern California builders.

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CityMark Development appointed Jason Ballow as v.p. of finance. Ballow’s previous position was director of finance for D.R. Horton in Carlsbad.

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National University named Sharon P. Smith as provost and v.p. for academic affairs. She will be responsible for leadership of academics for National’s six schools, the library and the divisions of student services and extended learning beginning April 1, 2006. She most recently was Fordham University’s dean of the schools of business and business faculty.

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The High-Tech Alliance elected Shlomi Ron as its new president, replacing Tonnia Strand, retiring president. Ron is director of marketing strategy for Linspire. Other board members are Mike Nottoli, Jeff Torpey, Todd Backus, Tonnia Strand, Virginia Beneke, Maureen Flynn, Morgana Kayser, Anca Micurescu, Genevieve Ruiz, Mark Faggiano and Tisha DeRaimo.

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Steve Seeger

Veteran real estate broker Steve Seeger was named general manager of Santaluz Realty, a sales agency for resale homes, custom estate homes and custom homesites at Santaluz and neighboring communities in north San Diego. He has nearly two decades of experience in the residential real estate industry, most recently as v.p. of sales for Centex Homes in Houston.

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Rich DeBolt, president of San Diego Van and Storage, received the Mayflower Joyce Derrick Award, which recognizes an individual who has shown particular dedication to the moving industry. The award is named in honor of the late Joyce Derrick, who served as v.p. of operations for a California Mayflower agency for 20 years and was known for her commitment to fellow employees and van operators. San Diego Van and Storage is an agent for Mayflower.

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Artes Medical Inc. appointed Karla R. Kelly as v.p. of legal affairs and general counsel. She has provided legal services to the company since 1999. She has more than 20 years of legal experience, some of it in her own law firm. She formerly practiced as special counsel with the San Diego law firms of Gray, Cary, Ware & Fredenrich and Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps.

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Joaquin Luken was hired as business development representative for the South Bay Expressway, a 9.3-mile toll road that will run from SR 54 in Spring Valley to SR 905 near the Otay Mesa International Border Crossing. Luken most recently served as associate director of the Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce.

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Michael Soto joined Case Group Architects as an associate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and design from Kean University in New Jersey, and is pursuing a master’s in architecture at The NewSchool in Downtown San Diego.

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John D. Masson was named president of Masson & Associates Inc., a civil engineering firm. He also assumed majority ownership of the company, for which he has worked almost 25 years. Also promoted from within were Michael D. Schweitzer and Edilberto (Bo) Sousa, both to v.p.s

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Veteran banker Karen Vold joined Landmark National Bank as v.p. and commercial loan officer. She has 31 years of banking experience, including her most recent position as v.p. and commercial loan officer.

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Miguel Vasquez was named manager of the Union Bank of California branch in City Heights. He formerly managed the National City branch of the bank.

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Michelle Edelman was named v.p., director of strategic planning at NYCA, a San Diego advertising agency. She formerly worked for Ogilvy & Mather in Chicago.

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Jenn Jones was named director of development for the San Diego LGBT Community Center, replacing Shawn Ingram, who held the position for five years. Jones has more than 10 years of experience in fund-raising.

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McGraw/Baldwin Architects hired two project leaders, two job captains and three draftspersons. Jim van Order and Axel Probst are project leaders, Michele Puentespina and Ed DeBlieck, job captains, and Emily Schauermann, Morgan Greenseth and Crystal Castillo new draftspersons. The addition of two administrative assistants, Luda Mironova and Lynda Storm completed the hiring.

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BKM HealthWorks, an office and health care furnishings provider, appointed Diana M. Tracy as v.p. She will be responsible for developing BKM HealthWorks, a new division that will serve San Diego County’s hospitals and health care facilities. Tracy spent 21 years with Scripps Health.

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Pacific Coast National Bank added Vignette Matthews as v.p. and manager of its Encinitas office. Having worked previously with Union Bank of California, Matthews has more than 18 years of experience in bank management, sales, lending, and business development.

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Betty Dehoney, v.p., was named area manager for HDR’s environmental and resource management practice in Southern California. Before the promotion, she was area manager for the environmental sciences business class within the E&RM Group.

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VR Business Brokers, brokers of small and mid-sized companies, named Gary Zolnierek as a senior associate. His background includes business ownership, from startup through successful management of a business. He also has worked in the corporate world.

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The Sullivan Group Real Estate Advisors, added four new analysts in its San Diego office. They are Elizabeth Korczynski, formerly a Realtor with McMillin Realty; Jonathan Taylor, formerly with the U.S. Department of Labor; Josh Panknin, who recently received his master’s degree at SDSU; and Michael Schulz, formerly in the same position in a Newport Beach firm.

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Stewart Title of California, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stewart Title Guaranty Co. and Stewart Information Services Corp., named industry veteran Kerry E. Stebbins director of business development for InterCity Escrow Services/Stewart Vacation Ownership. Stebbins began her career in the timeshare industry in,1978. Most recently, she was executive director of Resort Business Development with International Cruise & Excursions Inc.

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IDEA Health & Fitness Association named Mike Bannan as its new COO. In addition to operations and information technology experience, Bannan’s fitness pursuits, which include rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, cycling, running, surfing and yoga, will be served well at IDEA.

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Security Business Bank v.p. Brian J. Smith was elected president of the Risk Management Association’s San Diego chapter. RMA is a nonprofit, member-driven professional association to advance the use of sound risk principles in the financial services industry. The San Diego chapter has 50 members representing 20 banks in San Diego County and 12 affinity organizations. Smith also will be responsible for managing the bank’s third office, to open in Carlsbad in the first quarter of 2006. He has more than 15 years of experience.

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San Diego-based Torre Lazur McCann West appointed Randy Morris as creative director of the agency. Morris, who has worked for many California agencies, has nearly 20 years of pharmaceutical advertising experience.

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Sharp Credit Union CEO Joann Gibson was selected by the San Diego/Imperial Valley chapter of the California/Nevada Credit Union League to receive the 2005 Chapter Award of Excellence. She was honored for her services to the chapter and to the Credit Union Chief Executives Association and the Political Action Committee for San Diego Credit Unions.

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Cytori Therapeutics Inc. appointed John Ransom to v.p. of research, regenerative cell technology. He will direct the company’s adipose stem and regenerative cell therapy discovery efforts. He has more than 17 years of drug discovery management experience.

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Crossflo Systems Inc. was joined by Roger Hawkes, as v.p. of federal solutions. He has 22 years of experience in security for the military, law enforcement and public safety, most recently as v.p. of Homeland Security specialist for Tetra Tech Inc.

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Ekaterina Kohlwes joined BPA Architecture Planning Interiors. Kohlwes has 10 years of architectural experience including international recognition for environmental sensitivity in design competition.

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Formula, a public relations firm, hired Amanda Wheatcroft and Alex Anzalone, account handlers, in its San Diego office. Wheatcroft, an account supervisor, formerly was with Berkman Communications. Anzalone, assistant account executive, formerly worked in Los Angeles.

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Nine Systems, a provider of streaming media, appointed Steve Christian as v.p. of marketing. Christian has 25 years of experience in the digital media and Internet technology. He formerly had his own technology marketing business.

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San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union named Joseph Schroeder president and CEO. He joined the credit union in February 2005. His 25-plus years of previous management experience include positions in several credit unions and his own consulting firm.

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Landscape architect Glen Schmidt was inducted as a fellow in the American Society of Landscape Architects. He is principle of the Schmidt Design Group Inc., founded in 1983 with offices in San Diego and Sacramento.

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Dan Montgomery rejoined the San Diego-based CPA firm Lavine, Lofgren, Lofgren, Morris & Engleberg. He will work with the firm’s tax practice in large corporations and multi-state operations.

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Sharon Burns opened a new art consulting business, ART CONSULTANTS + DESIGN to provide, plan, budget and install art for corporate, hospitality, healthcare and residential projects. The firm represents artists from all over the United States and abroad within every price range. Burns has more than 25 years in the interior design field.

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Attorney and banker Robert Richley was named president of Douglas Wilson Cos. In addition, he will continue as COO and general counsel. He joined the companies in 2001 as senior v.p. for client services. Before that, he was an attorney with Duckor Spradling & Metzger. Wilson Cos. also appointed Kim Cody as director of a recently opened regional office in Atlanta, which provides the San Diego-based real estate firm, with a presence in the Southeastern region of the country. Cody previously had his own firm.

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Berkman Communications public relations firm promoted Alison Phillips to senior account executive and hired Kristin Faulstich as associate account executive. Phillips joined the company in 2003 as an intern. Faulstich was a public relations associate with R&R Partners, Las Vegas, for the last two years.

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Gary Kline was promoted to senior v.p. at Evanco Realty Advisors Inc., and Salvador Correa was promoted to g.m. of the construction/maintenance division of Evanco. Kline has been in commercial real estate for more than 25 years. Correa has more than 15 years of experience in commercial construction. Joanne Rizza Williams was promoted to first v.p., accounting. She has more than 30 years in the business and joined Evanco two years ago.

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After 13 years as Centre City Development Corp.’s v.p. of real estate operations, Janice Weinrick will take a new job as head of the Olson Co.’s Community Development Division. For the past 30 years, Weinrick has worked in the public sector including for San Diego County and the city of Spring Valley.

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The Gemological Institute of America’s board elected Helene Fortunoff as its new chair. Principal of Fortunoff, she has been on the Institute’s board since November 1999, and replaces former board chairman Ralph Destino, who was recently appointed chairman of GIA.

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Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, a trial practice law firms, was joined by associates Jason M. Santana, Clarice A. Estrada, Christopher L. Ludmer, Nicholas S. Barnhorst, Chad M. Harris, Cynthia Morgan, Michael B. Lees, Justine Phillips and Hope N. Chau. Santana’s specialty is general civil litigation; Estrada focuses on family law and was with Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps previously. Ludmer practices civil litigation. Formerly, he was in the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Barnhorst’s practice emphasizes general civil litigation, and Harris focuses on business and real estate law. He formerly was with the environmental litigation department of the law firm of Daley & Heft, LLP, in San Diego. Morgan’s specialty is in land use and real estate, and she was an associate with the San Diego office of Ross, Dixon & Bell and was a deputy city attorney in the Oceanside unit of the San Diego City Attorney Office. Lees has an emphasis in general business and corporate transactions, taxation and real estate law and formerly was with Blanchard, Krasner & French in La Jolla. Phillips specializes in general civil litigation, and Chau practices business law with an emphasis in general business and corporate transactions and estate planning.