The Marine Group of San Diego announced two additions. Fred Larsson is director of superyacht operations and Bill Waite is director of business development. Larsson brings more than 20 years of yachting industry experience. Waite has been a sailboat racer for 30 years, and was director of hospitality for the Stars & Stripes when it won the America’s Cup in 1986.

***

Romik Kesian

C.W. Clark Inc. appointed Romik Kesian COO. Romik brings more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, construction management and finance. Most recently, he was regional director for special projects with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

***

Armorpoint appointed Gary Shields chair and CEO. Shields brings more than 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, board member and investment banker. Previously, he was managing partner of Avtech Ventures.

***

Ileana Ovalle

Ileana Ovalle was named government and community relations manager for Cox Communications. She previously was director of government and public affairs at Public Solutions.

***

Master Development Corp. hired Charles “CJ” Stos as senior executive responsible for new business in San Diego. Previously, Stos was a senior associate for CB Richard Ellis in Anaheim.

***

Wertz McDade Wallace Moot & Brower appointed Fred J. Mahady Jr. administrator. Mahady has more than 30 years of financial, business and human resources management experience, including 14 years as a law firm administrator.

***

Five Point Capital named Jim Burke CFO. Burke has more than 30 years of experience in finance and accounting, most recently as CFO at Capital Partners Group.

***

Toni Robin, a long-time public relations representative for San Diego’s arts community, has opened her own agency, TR PR. She will continue to promote area arts and non-profit groups.

***

Oster and Associates welcomed Todd Little as account manager. He brings 20 years of marketing, management and promotions experience, most recently as executive director of the March of Dimes.

***

Foley & Lardner added Victor A. Vilaplana to its litigation department. He joined Foley from Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek. Previously, he served as managing partner of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton.

***

Ryan Egli

CB Richard Ellis welcomed Ryan Egli as an associate in the San Diego Central office. Prior to joining CBRE, Ryan was a commercial real estate broker with Colliers International.

***

Carl Valente joined SVN Equities as v.p. of acquisitions. A 20-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry, he most recently owned and operated Valente Properties in Oceanside.

***

Bill Klansnic was appointed construction services manager for KBM Building Services. Previously, Klansnic worked for McKowski’s Maintenance Systems and Nordstrom.

***

Bailey Gardiner Inc. added Heather Assof as advertising account executive and Lizzie Delaney as public relations account coordinator, and promoted Carrie Shields to public relations manager and Lauren Clapperton to public relations account executive. Assof joined BGI from New York-based Kaplan Thaler Group, while Delaney was hired after completing an internship with BGI. Shields joined BGI in April; Clapperton in September 2004.

***

Elisa Henry was named v.p. of business development for NextLevel Internet Inc. She has been a partner with NextLevel since 2000.

***

American Medical Response hired Katie Keach as manager of government affairs. Keach most recently served as director of communications for the San Diego City Firefighters.

***

Z57 Inc. named Angela Knoll director of client experience. Before joining Z57, Knoll was v.p. and telesales director for MBNA America.

***

The California Center for the Arts, Escondido elected new officers to its board. Kathy Rubesha will serve as chair, while outgoing chair, Elizabeth Pinter, will be immediate past chair. JoAnn Kilty and John Gleason were elected to second terms as board secretary and treasurer respectively. Each trustee will serve a one-year term. Cynthia Murray of Escondido, Mary Bradley of Rancho Santa Fe and Lawrence Henry of San Elijo Hills were named board trustees.

***

David Neault Associates Inc. welcomed David Rondina as landscape designer. He will provide design support for the Temecula Water Park and several master planned communities.

***

Epiphany Marketing welcomed Katie Williams as public relations manager. Williams joined Epiphany from a New York public relations firm.

***

Rachel Murray joined Sunrise Management as human resources director. Prior to joining Sunrise, Murray was human resources director at Monarch Group Management.

***

NTDStichler Architecture promoted Bruce Thomas to associate principal and Buddy Gessel to associate. Thomas is a 33-year veteran of the architectural industry. Gessel recently won honorable mention for Young Architect of the Year at the 2006 AIA San Diego Design Awards.

***

Latino Sports & Entertainment Marketing hired Isela Aguirre as account supervisor. Prior to joining LSE, Aguirre held various positions within the public relations and marketing industries.

***

Rick L. Frimmer joined Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps as a partner. He has more than 30 years of experience as corporate and tax counsel. Prior to joining Luce Forward, Frimmer was with Greenberg Taurig, both in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Philadelphia.

***

The American Society of Interior Designers’ San Diego chapter elected Nina Closser as president for the 2006-07 term. Closser, owner of Nina Closser Interior Design, has been in business in San Diego for 12 years.

***

Fitness Together in Rancho Bernardo added four trainers: Matthew Garcia, Monica Gertz, Ashley Preciado and Ryan Pratt. Existing trainer Katie Hogan was promoted to head trainer.

***

Stacy Mackey-Winkler was named v.p. at XL Staffing & Security. Mackey-Winkler joined the firm in 2002 as payroll manager.

***

ResortCom International named Jada Jackson marketing manager of its Suite Getaways division. She joined the company from Interval International.

***

European Natural Stone Company Inc. hired Craig Broderick as director of business development and Mercedes Scalzitti as retail development sales representative. Broderick, a general contractor, has been in the construction industry since 1980. Scalzitti has more than 14 years of experience in the San Diego homebuilding industry.

***

MJE Marketing Services Inc. hired Leslie K. Bruce as public affairs manager. Bruce has more than 25 years of experience in communication, government and community relations. Prior to joining MJE, she directed government and community relations for the health sciences at UCSD.

***

Brian Nordman recently won “Dry Cleaner of the Year” from the California Cleaners Association. He owns Martinizing Dry Cleaning stores in El Centro and Brawley.

***

Dudek welcomed Carey Fernandes as senior project manager. She joins Dudek with more than 10 years of project management experience, most recently as a branch manager at an environmental firm.

***

Curt Edwards, a Psomas v.p., received the Said Khoury Award from the World Federation of Engineering Organizations. He is chairman of the American Society of Civil Engineers Earthquake Investigations Committee and has participated in more than 10 post-earthquake investigations.

***

David Lowe and Nina Kjellson were appointed to the board of directors at NovaCardia. Lowe is a partner at Skyline Ventures, while Kjellson is a partner at InterWest Partners.

***

Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear added Cynthia M. Arko, Jeremy R. Pierce, and Ali S. Razai as associates. All three had careers in other fields before becoming attorneys: Arko as an engineer for Goodrich Corporation, Pierce as a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Razai as a researcher in infectious diseases at UCSF and UCLA.