Executive Spotlight: Brian Verhoeven
Hawthorne Cat, an authorized Caterpillar dealer, has promoted Brian Verhoeven to chief financial officer of the Hawthorne enterprise. For the last two and a half years, Verhoeven has been senior controller in charge of accounting and financial reporting, which helped drive the company’s efficiency and productivity gains. As CFO, he will be responsible for accounting, financial reporting, credit, information technology and corporate banking relationships. Verhoeven received his Bachelor of Science in accountancy at Calvin College and his Master of Science in business taxation at Grand Valley State University, both in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Health Care and Biotech
California Healthcare Institute Inc. has hired two new members to its board of directors, C.L. Max Nikias, Ph.D., and Katie Szyman. Nikias is the executive vice president and provost at the University of Southern California and has served as the school’s second-ranking officer since 2005. He has been responsible for accelerating the academic momentum that the university has experienced in recent years, and oversees a vast academic community. Nikias is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and fellow of both the IEEE and AAAS. Szyman is the senior vice president and president of Medtronic Diabetes, where she oversees research, development, operations, sales and marketing for the company’s insulin infusion pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems. Szyman graduated magna cum laude from the University of St. Thomas in 1988, and received her master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School in 1997.
Clement Clarke International Ltd. has named Stuart Novitz as vice president of sales and marketing for North America. Clement Clarke is a 92-year-old British medical products manufacturer known globally for its respiratory care products. Novitz brings company-based sales management experience to Clement Clarke’s marketing expansion effort. He is known in the industry as a strong organization builder, skilled at training and leading an effective, professional sales and marketing team.
Hospitality
Christine Cooper will join La Costa Resort and Spa as the director of sales. In her new position, she will oversee all group sales efforts for the resort and lead a sales staff of 12 people. Previous to this position, Cooper held a 13-year sales career with Fairmont Hotels, and was most recently the director of group sales for the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. Cooper graduated from UC Davis and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.
Insurance
Leavitt Insurance Agency of San Diego has named Thomas A. James and Andrew James president and broker, respectively. Thomas James, most recently with the Willis Group, brings more than 30 years of insurance brokerage and agency management experience. He specializes in construction, real estate development, property management, nonprofits and production of event services. Andrew James joins the company with eight years of experience in the insurance industry, most recently with the Willis Group. He is a graduate of the Mason School of Business at the College of William and Mary, and the University of San Diego School of Law. His focus is in real estate, property management, life sciences, technology and professional liability exposures.
Law
Randy Kay has joined international law firm Jones Day as partner. Kay’s previous position was at the San Diego office of DLA Piper, where he focused his practice on intellectual property and business litigation. In 2008, he was named in the prestigious “Top 50 Under 45” list published by the IP Law & Business, and in the San Diego Daily Transcript’s list of San Diego Top Attorneys in Intellectual Property Litigation in 2008 and 2009.
Foley & Lardner LLP appointed Amar Thakur as partner in the company’s San Diego and Del Mar offices, where he will be working with the Intellectual Property Department in the IP Litigation Practice Group. Previously, Thakur was the co-chair of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. His practice is devoted to intellectual property litigation and technology transaction matters.
California business and real estate law firm, Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP will induct David Osias as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. The American College of Bankruptcy is recognized for its professional excellence in and exceptional contributions to the fields of bankruptcy and insolvency law. Osias is a chair of the firm’s bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice and a partner in Allen Matkins’ San Diego office. He is widely recognized for his authority on creditor and debtor rights in out-of-court workouts and restructurings, federal and state-court receiverships, and reorganization and liquidation bankruptcy proceedings. Osias’ induction will be held at the Great Hall of the Supreme Court of the United States on March 12, 2010.
