MediaPost Publications - People on the Move 04/08/2003

Horizon Media has hired BARBARA J. THOMPSON to the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Media Director. Thompson joins Horizon from Foote Cone & Belding, where she worked for the last six years as SVP, Media Director, and will be responsible for the overall leadership and guidance of Horizon's West Coast Planning Department. Prior to joining FCB,. Thompson was Vice President, Media Director at Poppe Tyson/Bozell Worldwide in Los Angeles supervising the Toshiba Computer Systems Division and Western Digital accounts.
Another hire at Horizon Media is GENEVIEVE BRIJLALL as account executive. Brijlall will be working on Horizon’s Earthlink business and joins the company from Grey Direct, where she served as media planner. Prior to joining Grey Direct, Brijlall was a senior planner at Wunderman/Y&R.
Initiative Media Worldwide announced that STACEY LYNN KOERNER has been promoted to executive vice president, director, global research integration. Koerner previously held the position of senior vice president, director, broadcast research. In her new role, Koerner will further leverage her knowledge of consumer media behavior and be a key member of the global research team charged with global integration of Initiative Media's leading research endeavors. Koerner joined Initiative Media in 2001, when TN Media merged with Initiative Media. Koerner started her career at Katz Communications as an analyst in programming and local market research before leaving to spend several years at the CBS television network.
Hispanic marketing agency La Agencia de Orcí & Asociados has promoted SOFIA ESCAMILLA to Media Director. In her new position, Escamilla will be responsible for overseeing all media strategy and planning and participating in new business development and agency management activities. In addition, she will continue her former duties, such as managing the department business plan, as well as staffing. Prior to joining La Agencia de Orcí & Asociados, Escamilla was a broadcast negotiator for Western Multicultural Group in Los Angeles, where she handled accounts such as Bloomingdales, Vons Supermarkets, ABC-TV, and Arco.
KIRK SOUDER has been named new creative chief at Hal Riney. Souder succeeds SCOTT MARSHALL, who now becomes CEO. Souder co-founded Ground Zero in 1994, and left the agency in 2001.
Adweek reported today that MITCH MOSALLEM who headed the print production department at Grey Worldwide, has pleaded guilty to 11 counts of anti-trust, conspiracy, mail fraud, bid rigging and tax evasion in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The charges stem from an ongoing investigation of the print and advertising industries by the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.
Hitchcock Fleming & Associates Inc. (HF&A), a full-service marketing communications firm has promoted TED PAYNTER and ELLEN MURRAY. Paynter is a new HF&A account manager and will share responsibility for managing the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Gemini and Just Tires accounts. Paynter joined the agency in January 1999. Murray has been promoted to broadcast traffic manager and joined the agency in January 1996. In her new position, Murray is responsible for managing broadcast-related functions including production, trafficking and handling agency talent arrangements.
Pohly & Partners, Inc. has hired LISE DAFONSECA as Marketing and Promotions Manager. DaFonseca will be responsible for executing marketing and promotions programs that will support Pohly & Partners’ advertising sales objectives and meet the needs of internal and external field sales executives. Most recently, DaFonseca worked at Army Times Publishing Company where she was the Advertising Promotions Manager.
Travelocity has announced that MICHELLE PELUSO has been named chief operating officer, and SCOTT DANIELSON has been named senior vice president of marketing. As chief operating officer, Peluso is responsible for all lines of business at Travelocity, including air, car, hotel, cruise, vacations, and packaging. Prior to joining Travelocity, Peluso served as chief executive officer of Site59, which was acquired by Travelocity in March 2002. Peluso replaces CHRIS VASILIOU, who has been elevated to senior vice president, international at Sabre Holdings. As senior vice president of marketing, Danielson will oversee brand and creative strategy, advertising, merchandising, customer experience and public relations. Most recently, Danielson was president of online travel consultancy Squeezoom.
CentrPort Inc., a provider of outsourced e-business marketing solutions to Fortune 500 companies, is expanding its North American Sales Organization. CHRISTOPHER SEEGER, JOHN GERAGHTY and RICHARD DEFRANCISCO will serve as regional vice presidents of sales for the Central, Eastern and Western regions, respectively. Seeger, Geraghty and DeFrancisco will be responsible for providing strategic guidance and services to customers and prospects, while continuing to build out their own regional sales and services organizations. Prior to joining CentrPort, Seeger held positions at Siebel Systems, Oracle and Broadbase, Geraghty held positions within Exchange Applications and Vantive, and DeFrancisco held positions with Teradata and PricewaterhouseCoopers' systems integration group.
BRUCE M. ALLAN, president and general manager of Harris Corporation's Broadcast Communications Division, has been selected by Broadcasting & Cable as a recipient of the prestigious 2003 Technology Leadership Award. The award recognizes industry leaders whose dedication to the development and use of technology advances the state of broadcasting. Allan will receive the award this evening during the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas.
Time Inc. has announced that Real Simple managing editor CARRIE TUHY has been replaced by Glamour executive editor KRISTIN VAN OGTROP. Tuhy will remain at the company and work on developing projects. BARBARA O'DAIR, Teen People's managing editor for the past two years, will move to Time Inc. Interactive, where she will work with to develop content for AOL's teen channel. Succeeding O'Dair is AMY DUBOIS BARNETT, who had been editor of Vanguarde Media's Honey since 2000. Another move at Time Inc. is ANGELO FIGUEROA, who leaves his post as managing editor of People en Espanol to become an editor at large for Time magazine. Figueroa will also work at AOL on developing Hispanic content. Succeeding Figueroa will be RICHARD PEREZ-FERIA, the editor in chief of 7x7.
The NPTA Alliance has hired JOE FRANK PURCELL as the new director of advertising. The NPTA Alliance is the publisher of Distribution Sales & Management magazine. Most recently, Purcell worked for Wynne Media Company as senior account manager for NYSE Magazine and had his own consulting business specializing in publishing and seminar sales. At DS&M, Purcell will be responsible for print advertising sales as well as ad sales for the Association’s electronic communications vehicles including the Weekly Alliance Report (its weekly electronic newsletter).
Samsung Electronics America (SEA) has promoted PETER WEEDFALD to Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing. Weedfald leads all strategic branding and marketing directions for all SEA operations and Samsung North American affiliates, and continues to build on Samsung’s successful North American e-Commerce and Interactive Media initiatives. Weedfald joined the company as Vice President of Marketing Communications and New Media in October of 2001.
CHRISTOPHER CUNNINGHAM has joined YaYa as vice president of strategy. In the post, Cunningham will help develop the company's business and product strategy and form partnerships with distribution and advertising partners. Cunningham comes to YaYa from Wink Communication, where he served as vice president of business development for two years. Prior to Wink, Cunningham spent two years as director of business development at Replay TV.
Runway Inc. has named CHARLIE MITCHELL as vice president of sales. Mitchell’s responsibilities include driving revenues within Runway’s rental client base and expanding opportunities for the company’s growing businesses of integration services and content management. Most recently, Mitchell was vice president of sales and marketing at Picture PipeLine. Prior to that, he served as vice president of sales for 3 Point Digital, where his responsibilities included developing partnerships with ISPs, telephone companies and hosting service providers.
SBI and Company has promoted DARIN BROWN to executive vice president of marketing solutions, creative and user experience. Brown, will work to integrate SBI disciplines such as website development, email and viral marketing, packaging, collateral and traditional advertising for clients such as Samsung, Adidas and Hotels.com. Most recently, Brown led the consumer business unit in the West Coast region of SBI, where he was in charge of activities for the company's consumer packaged-goods and retail clients. Brown joined the company in April 2001.