Vendare Media has appointed ROBERT KAVNER as non-executive chairman of the board of directors. He currently serves as board chairman for EarthLink, and will provide counsel to management on an ongoing basis. 

RICHARD ALCOTT has joined the Los Angeles office of Initiative as executive vice president, managing director. Alcott will lead the day-to-day operation of Initiative's West Coast business, with an emphasis on the group's strategic media planning offering. Most recently, Alcott served as executive vice president of marketing for AudioAudit, a company that provides Web-based platforms that automates the tracking process of advertising campaigns for ad agencies, media buyers, and broadcasters.

Jumpstart Digital Marketing has named CHOON CHOI as director of marketing. He will be responsible for corporate brand development and marketing Jumpstart’s products and services focusing on profitable marketing solutions for automotive advertisers and Web site publishers. 

PHIL REYNOLDS has joined LIFE magazine as its Midwest manager. He joins LIFE from National Geographic Magazine where he worked for more than 20 years, working his way up from a sales representative to the Midwest manager.

Compete has promoted T.J. MAHONY from senior associate to managing director of the company’s wireless practice. Mahony is responsible for the growth of the practice, overseeing Compete's wireless team and managing relationships with wireless businesses.

Draft Chicago executive vice president JOHN MINNEC is joining a new management line-up at Draft London. Minnec, who becomes managing director, will work alongside SEZ MAXTED on the new line-up. Most recently Minnec was responsible for guiding the United States Postal Service account, overseeing the agency team and developing client business strategy. As the group's director of global initiatives, Minnec was responsible for consolidating and applying best practices across the business and identifying opportunities in the postal category in such markets as Sweden, Germany, and Italy.

ANDY FLETCHER, president and chief executive officer of Fletcher Martin, will serve for the next four years as a director representative from the southern region on the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) board of directors.

Captivate Network has named DAVID DRUCKER as the director of sales for Captivate’s New York office. Drucker joins Captivate from Metro Networks/Westwood One Company, a subsidiary of Viacom, where he was director of sales.

Discovery Channel has appointed JULIAN P. HOBBS executive producer for the network.

TACODA has named MATT ARKIN as senior vice president, advertising sales. Arkin, who until recently was vice president advertising sales for MarketWatch Inc., will direct ad sales operation for TACODA Audience Networks.

MICHAEL BECKNER has joined RAZOR Magazine as vice president-online operations.

Meridian Consulting Group has added JAMES DOUCETTE as an executive consultant to the company. Prior to joining Meridian, Doucette was a principal at CSC Consulting in New York, leading client projects for the firm’s CRM practice. 

GRACE BRISCOE has joined OnMilwaukee.com from the Milwaukee office of ESW/Blue Horse where she was a media planner/buyer since 2003.

SALLY THOUN was named national account manager with Clear Channel Radio Sales Traffic division in Los Angeles. Thoun will be responsible for developing business for Clear Channel's National Traffic network.

24/7 Real Media has named JOHN N. PICCONE vice president sales for the U.S. search division. He most recently served as vice president technology sales USA and has been with Real Media for almost a decade.

Scholastic announced that BARBARA MARCUS, president of Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution and executive vice president of Scholastic Inc., has decided to leave the company following the July release of“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” During Marcus’s 22 years at Scholastic, she supervised the publication and release of all five previous Harry Potter books as well as other bestselling titles. She will be succeeded by LISA HOLTON, senior vice president, publisher, Global Disney Children’s Books.

Range Online Media has named J.B. BROKAW as director and East Coast general manager. Brokaw will lead the company’s New York office, which is responsible for managing and cultivating a number of Range’s marquee client relationships. Most recently, Brokaw worked at CNET Networks, where he served in the position of national sales manager. While there, Brokaw was responsible for leading and growing some of the company’s online advertising accounts, including CDW, Nokia, Motorola, Garmin, Circuit City, and Office Depot.

The New York Times has named MARK W. HERLYN vice president, advertising. In his new position, Herlyn will be responsible for managing The Times' advertising sales in the technology, telecom, corporate, financial services, banks, financial/B2B, education, and mass market retail categories. He will also manage The Times' advertising sales offices in suburban New York. Herlyn has been a group director since 1999, most recently overseeing technology, telecom, corporate, and media advertising categories.

SABRINA KAHLER has joined Bader Rutter & Associates as a media buyer/planner in the agency's media group. Prior to joining the agency, she worked as a media analyst for Kohl's Department Stores.

Ethnic Print Media Group has named JUAN CARLOS BALAREZO as an account executive on its advertising sales team. Balarezo will focus his efforts on the Hispanic market.

DIC Entertainment (DIC), a children's entertainment company, has promoted JEDD GOLD to vice president of marketing. Gold will oversee all marketing and promotional initiatives for DIC, including marketing strategies for "Strawberry Shortcake" and the upcoming release of "Trollz." He will be responsible for creating and executing multi-layered retail and consumer campaigns, including advertising, promotions, and publicity. Gold joined DIC in 2000 and previously held the position of director of marketing.

I/PRO has named MICHAEL CROSSON as senior vice president of sales and business development. Crosson is responsible for all sales of I/PRO's Web site measurement and auditing solution set, ramping up the sales department, and forging strategic alliances.