The Florida Division of American Lawyer Media, Inc., a legal journalism and information company, today announced that LES HABER will join the division as the Display/Law Firm Marketing Sales Manager. In his new position, Haber will be responsible for developing strong relationships with advertisers and increasing the current advertising client base. He will report directly to the President of the Division, Chris Mobley. Haber has 30 years of advertising sales and management experience, most recently at Clear Channel Communications where he was the general sales manager in Miami.

A top Verizon Communications executive for brand management and marketing is leaving her post with the telecommunications company to join financial services firm Charles Schwab as is chief marketing officer. JODY BILNEY, senior vice president for brand management and marketing communications at Verizon, will join Schwab in mid-July and will direct strategy for all of the company's brand, marketing and corporate communications activities.

MARIAN MCEVOY, editor in chief of Hearst Magazines' House Beautiful, has stepped down after two years at the shelter monthly. McEvoy will be replaced by Mark Mayfield, who will leave his post as editor in chief of Meredith Corp.'s Traditional Home. Mayfield will join House Beautiful on July 15. Previously, Mayfield worked at Time Inc.'s Southern Progress Corp. for six years, moving up the ranks to become editor and vice president from 1997-2001.

PHYLLIS GRANN is leaving her position as vice chairwoman of Random House after six months, complaining of boredom with her job. Her departure follows her resignation last fall as chief executive of Penguin Putnam and extends a drama that has captivated publishing as Grann seeks a fitting role to extend her illustrious career. Grann, who is over 60, may continue to work for Random House, a unit of Bertelsmann, as a consultant, but her friends said they expected her work for the company to be minimal after her unhappy tenure there. Grann is expected to move into an office in …

UNreal Marketing Solutions, Inc. just hired KIRSTEN THOMPSON as Media Manager. Thompson previously worked at AutoTrader.com as an Internet Consultant and as a Senior Media Planner Buyer at Earle Palmer Brown.

KIM WOODS has been appointed director/Western region ad sales for AMC Networks, where she will oversee the west coast office for national sales for AMC and Women's Entertainment. Woods will report to Liz Koman, svp/AMC Networks.

GREG HAMMAREN has been tapped to run Fox Sports Net Detroit as vice president and general manager. Hammaren has spent the last twelve years in sales at Fox Sports Net South in Atlanta. He will replace interim general manager HUNTER NICKELL, who stays on board as senior VP of Fox Sports Net.

ED MORRIS has been hired as the first CFO for interactive marketing agency Sharpe Partners. Morris is a veteran of a number of financial and advertising firms, including Citicorp, Young & Rubicam, and Castor Advertising, where he was vice president and CFO until 2000. He is the 21st hire for the New York-based Sharpe Partners.

MGM Distribution Co. said it has appointed PETER ADEE as president of worldwide marketing, following the resignation of Bob Levin. Adee was most recently president of worldwide marketing for Vivendi Universal's Universal Pictures. He left the company in May after Adam Fogelson moved into that job.

KEVIN COYNE, EVP and Director of Media and New Technologies at Bates, has left the agency after eight years. Coyne's departure comes as Bates Media is folded into Optimedia. That process, which began during the upfront market when Bates Media teamed up with Optimedia, is expected to be complete by late fourth quarter or early 2003.