Rich Ross has been named to the newly created post of president, entertainment, Disney Channel, a division of the ABC Cable Networks Group. In his new position, Ross oversees all creative development, programming and production for Disney Channel including the programming, production, advertising and promotion departments. Ross also oversees the new kids' programming block on ABC Family. The fourteen-hour a week programming block premieres Saturday, March 2. Ross was most recently general manager and executive vice president, programming and production, Disney Channel.

Digital artist/designer Ben Orisich has joined New York-based design, production and VFX company Cyclotron. The 25 year-old Orisich comes to Cyclotron from four years at Click 3X in Atlanta where he was senior Inferno artist. Prior to joining Click 3X, he was a freelance artist specializing in compositing, digital effects and editing. Orisich began his career as an intern at WHOA! Films, pursuing interests in compositing, animation and editing. Orisich’s work has won numerous awards, including the Gold BDA International Design Award (2000), an Emmy (1998) and an Addy Gold Award.

New York-based director and designer Jeremy Hollister has signed with London-based creative agency Skunk for worldwide representation. Hollister’s recent projects include creating a show package for the 2001 MTV Movie Awards, idents for MTV2 and ESPN and commissioned work for companies in Hong Kong and Japan. Jeremy has also been recently appointed creative director at design and visual effects house R!OT Design in New York.

Distribution company Salsa Entertainment, a division of TV-Loonland, has moved the headquarters of its distribution operation to its Miami location and made several key promotions including Jerry Diaz to the position of evp. In his new capacity, Diaz becomes the overall manager of Salsa Entertainment, while maintaining his previous responsibilities as head of sales and overseeing all sales, merchandising and distribution of the Salsa catalogue throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Diaz continues to report to president Lisa Hryniewicz. Diaz joined Salsa Entertainment in October 1999.

Gullane Entertainment has promoted Christina Miller to vice president, licensing for the Americas. In her new position, Miller will be responsible for the licensing activity for all Gullane brands in North and South America, including the continuation of her work on THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE. Miller served as head of brand and licensing development at Gullane Entertainment from 1997 to 2001, overseeing product development for THOMAS & FRIENDS in the U.S.

Cartoon Network UK has appointed Richard Kilgarriff as channel manager and vice president of Cartoon Network UK. Richard Kilgarriff is an award-winning producer with experience in television, film and radio production, marketing and program sales. Previously, he held the position of director of programs for Rapture TV, launched an Internet TV channel, made and sold a variety of television and radio shows and was digital consultant to Microsoft and Channel 5.

Game publisher NewKidCo International Inc. and Canadian production company CinéGroupe have entered into a long-term strategic alliance to develop titles for Game Boy Advance. The companies plan to launch a minimum of three games per year for three years. While the initial titles will be produced for the Game Boy Advance platform, CinéGroupe president and COO Pierre Bernatchez said the companies expect to expand into developing games for GameCube, PlayStation2 and Xbox.

Benita Raphan has joined creative agency Blah! Blah! Blah! as a sales representative. Until recently, Benita Raphan was an Inferno artist at New York-based visual effects company Quiet Man. Also a filmmaker, her most recent short film 2+2, co-directed with Clayton Hemmert of New York-based editing house Crew Cuts, will screen at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Her award-winning animation work is also being featured in an episode of the Independent Film Channel Canada's INDIE NATION. Previously, Raphan was an agency creative specializing in animation, special FX and design. Blah! Blah!

As part of Cinar’s restructuring program and in an effort to regain shareholder confidence, the company has appointed Louis Fournier as head of distribution. Cinar had previously employed Fournier for a period of eight years as vice president, sales & co-productions before he joined TVA-International in March 2000 as president of the youth and animation unit. Fournier will assume his new position on January 14, 2002. Fournier brings with him over eighteen years of expertise in the field of children's entertainment in the television and movie industry.

Laurie Goldberg has been promoted from vice president to senior vice president of public relations for Cartoon Network. In addition to overseeing all publicity and public relations activity on behalf of Cartoon Network and sister-channel Boomerang, Goldberg will supervise the national media relations campaign launching the network's first feature film release, THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, scheduled to premiere across the country on July 3, 2002.