United Talent Agency (UTA), a Hollywood talent and literary agency, has hired JONATHAN EPSTEIN, a leading figure in the video gaming and interactive media worlds, to open a San Francisco office for UTA. The agency hopes to expand its current video game and interactive operations into new areas representing the convergence of gaming, filmed entertainment, and the marketing and advertising worlds. Epstein was founding president and CEO of GameSpot.com and president of GameSpy.

SFGT, Philadelphia, has hired PATRICK DENTON as strategic planner, on all accounts. Denton's most recent position was account supervisor at The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., where he handled Nickelodeon, Intuit, and Timberland.

JAYNE COOPERMAN has been named vice president of planning for PARADE Publications. Cooperman comes to PARADE from Mediacom, where she was vice president/associate media director, responsible for all aspects of media planning, including consumer targeting and strategic planning.

CMD has hired JASON M. RIDGE as an account director in the account service department. Ridge will manage several of CMD’s technology accounts and will assist clients in achieving their marketing goals. Most recently, Ridge was employed as a senior account manager for Via Training, where he managed all aspects of Web-based retail training programs for several key accounts.

GUTHRIE DOLIN has joined Organic's San Francisco office to lead the creative direction for West Coast clients. CHRISTIAN HAAS, who served as creative director in San Francisco for three years, was also promoted to group creative director and will lead the creative online advertising initiatives across the Organic network. The agency also named TED BOYD as vice president and managing director of Organic's Toronto office. Boyd will be responsible for managing all Canadian client relationships and business development efforts, focusing on the financial services, consumer and packaged goods, and communications sectors. Most recently, Boyd served as the president and general …

GE Commercial Finance Corporate Financial Services has named DAVID F. WENTE managing director, business development. Wente returns to GE after four years with Bank of America/Fleet Boston Financial.

Reuters has named ASTRID ZWEYNERT as its UK online editor. She will lead news coverage for the Reuters UK Web site. Zweynert has been with Reuters since 1994, and has worked in a number of senior roles at Reuters covering world and financial news, most recently serving as chief reporter/sub-editor for the UK online desk.

Moxie Interactive has named CHRIS BUETTNER, client services account supervisor; JUSTIN TENISCI senior project manager; and PETER STAFFORD client services group coordinator. OLIVIA MCKINSEY has been promoted to senior media planner and BETSEY HOWARD moves up to junior media planner. In addition, JULIE AGUIS has been promoted to a senior account executive, STEFANIE HENDERSON was named account executive, and LAURA SPAUGH moves to account supervisor.

NORMAN BLASHKA has joined Trafficmac as chief financial officer.

EyeWonder has named VANESSA BEATRIZ SOTO as account manager in its New York office. She was previously manager of industry initiatives for the Interactive Advertising Bureau.