People

Phyllis Ehrlich.

Cartoon Network has promoted Phyllis Ehrlich from vice president of marketing, licensed promotions to vice president of promotions marketing. Ehrlich will manage operations of the entire Cartoon Network Sales & Marketing promotions department. Ehrlich came to Cartoon Network Sales and Marketing in 1997 from The Walt Disney Company where she was editorial director of Disney's Kids' Magazines.. . . Nickelodeon has promoted Laura Hunter from vice president programming to vice president current series, west coast. . . Walt Disney International Europe and Buena Vista Internet Group (BVIG) have promoted Andrew Barron to executive vice president of new media and business development for Walt Disney International Europe; and Chafic Najia to senior vice president and managing director of Buena Vista Internet Group Europe. Barron joined WDTV-I in 1995 as director of business development. Since then he has been responsible for identifying and negotiating several Disney Channel agreements, as well as equity investments in HBO Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, and other new-media ventures. Prior to joining Disney, Barron worked for international management consultants McKinsey & Co. in London and Lisbon, Portugal, focusing on telecommunications strategy and mergers and acquisition activities. Najia joined Disney Online in 1996, a month before the launch of Disney.com, Disney's first Internet offering. In 1998, Najia moved to the United Kingdom as vice president and managing director of BVIG Europe to open its London office. Prior to joining Disney, Najia held various business development, strategy and finance positions with companies such as SunAmerica Inc., McKinsey & Co. and Goldman, Sachs & Co. . . Marvel Enterprises has hired Peter Cuneo as president and CEO. Cuneo was CEO of Remington Products, president of the security hardware group of Black and Decker, and president of Clairol's personal care division. Former CEO Eric Ellenborgen resigned to head a media investment concern. . . Fox Family Channels has hired Tracy Lawrence as senior vice president and general manager, boyzChannel and girlzChannel. Lawrence will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the new digital television networks, working with Fox Family's affiliate sales, marketing, on-air, programming and on-line departments in building the brands and new networks, which launch October 31, 1999. Most recently Lawrence was vice president of affiliate marketing for Nickelodeon, Nick at Night, and TV Land. . . Toronto-based Nelvana has hired Cathy Laughton as managing director of its London-based operations. Laughton will be responsible for the overall management of the UK office. Her responsibilities include the acquisition of new properties for production/licensing development, sales to the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, and Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemborg), and securing co-production opportunities. Laughton joins Nelvana from the Jim Henson Company where she served as director of international television distribution. . . Time Warner Inc. has named Warner Bros. current chief operating officer Barry Meyer as the new chairman and chief executive of the film studio, and Castle Rock Entertainment Chairman Alan Horn as its president and chief operating officer. The new team, which takes over October 4, replaces Warner Bros. co-chairmen Robert Daly and Terry Semel, who announced last month that they would step down from the studio they have run together for nearly twenty years. Meyer joined Warner in 1971 as a director of business affairs, and became executive vice president in 1984, taking charge of all the studio's television operations. He assumed the additional post of chief operating officer in 1994. Horn was the co-founder of Castle Rock Entertainment, which produced the hit TV comedy Seinfeld, as well as such films as When Harry Met Sally and In The Line Of Fire. Castle Rock was acquired in 1993 by Turner Broadcasting prior to its merger with Warner Bros. parent company, Time Warner. . .

Alex Seiden of Cyclotron@PostPerfect.

New York City-based Cyclotron@Post Perfect has signed Alex Seiden as Creative Director. Seiden will direct commercial projects. Seiden comes from ILM where he was a Director & Visual Effects Supervisor on such films as Jurassic Park, Dragonheart, and Star Wars: The Special Edition. He also directed a PSA for the American Psychiatric Association, and numerous live-action second unit and special effects shoots. . . Mark Lasoff has joined Stan Lee Media Inc. as executive vice president to oversee production of the Web-based company's upcoming super hero projects. Prior to this, Lasoff created visuals for Disney's upcoming CGI feature Dinosaurs, which will mix live-action backgrounds with animated characters, and was part of the visual effects team for Titanic. . . Culver City, California-based advertising consultants Random/Order Information And Entertainment has hired Robert Abel to oversee several aspects of its consulting services, as well as to develop new content and programming. CGI-pioneer Abel has created many landmark titles, including commercials for Apple Computer, IBM, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Mayo Clinic. His many technical innovations include: the first "motion control" camera system, "streak photography," and the first algorithms for computer animated human movement. . . Gold Coast, Australia-based EA Australia, a subsidiary of Redwood City, California-based Electronic Arts, has hired Steve Dauterman to head a new development studio located in Australia. Dauterman, formerly Director of Development for LucasArts, had been with the Lucas group for ten years, initially as Financial Analyst for Lucasfilm before moving across to LucasArts in 1992. Since working at LucasArts he has overseen the development of such worldwide interactive titles as "Rebel Assault," "Dark Forces/Jedi Knight," and the newly completed PC and console versions of the latest Lucasfilm blockbuster Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. Dauterman will relocate to the Gold Coast in Australia in mid-September to manage the formation of EA's newest studio, named Studio Asia-Pacific, which will focus on developing games for the Australian, Asian and world markets. . .

Clare Kitson.

The Surrey Institute Of Art & Design has awarded an honorary fellowship to Clare Kitson, Channel 4's animation commissioner, for her contribution to British Animation. Films commissioned by Kitson at Channel 4 include Alison Snowden and David Fine's Bob's Birthday, and Achilles by Barry Purves. . . North East Calgary, Canada-based Chromacolour International Limited, an international leader in the manufacture and sale of traditional and digital animation materials, software, and equipment, has promoted John Munro to the position of Vice-President of Marketing and Sales. "Since joining Chromacolour, John has made great strides towards developing and implementing a strong marketing and sales strategy for the Company's core animation business. John has introduced a number of programs and systems which have improved Chromacolour's effectiveness at securing new business while retaining existing accounts. In the months ahead, John will be getting more involved in the marketing of Chromacolour's artist paint product line. I am confident that John's strong customer service orientation and relationship marketing skills will help ensure a bright future for Chromacolour," says John Prudence, President. . . David McFarland has been named to the newly created position of vice president of Affiliate Sales for Fox Family Channels. McFarland will oversee all aspects of affiliate advertising sales and play an integral role in developing strategic direction for Fox Family Channels' distribution efforts. McFarland joins Fox from Comedy Central where he served as director of Affiliate Advertising Sales. Previously he served as regional sales manager for Cox Communications where he was responsible for selling cable advertising. . .


Skipper Kirsch.	Pola Chagnon.

Skipper Kirsch has joined the client services department of Washington, D.C.-based computer animation and special effects house Interface Media Group. Kirsch comes to Interface from Austin, Texas-based 501 Post where he was operations manager. . . New York City-based commercial production company Shelter Films has signed director Todd Factor. Factor has directed spots for Coca-Cola, Budweiser, and Nice Skate Shoes. . . Cartoon Network Online has promoted Pola Changnon to executive producer. Changnon will manage the Atlanta, Georgia-based team of producers, writers, and technical staff of CartoonNetwork.com, as well as New York-based developers Funny Garbage, and other developers. Changnon came to Cartoon Network Online from San Francisco-based Colossal Pictures where she was a producer. Prior to that she was a creative executive for Nickelodeon Movies. . .

Lawrence Wyatt.

Santa Monica, California-based production company Steam has signed Lawrence Wyatt as motion designer/director. Wyatt recently directed "Innerlevel," a theatrical commercial for Los Angeles-based KCRW, a National Public Radio affiliate. . . Pamela Ferris has been named director of product development and licensing at New York City-based Good Times Entertainment. Ferris will develop and exploit Good Times' property, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ferris comes from Enchante Accessories Inc. where she was director of licensing/key account manager. . . Donna Teggart has joined Alias|Wavefront as manager of the global marketing team. Her primary responsibilities will be to act as the company spokesperson and to manage the industry and public perception of Alias|Wavefront and its brands. Teggart was formerly in the publicity department at Side-Effects Software. . .


Andy Hendrickson.	Dan McNamara.

Industrial Light & Magic has hired Andy Hendrickson as director of systems development, and promoted Dan McNamara to director of film and editorial services. Hendrickson returns to ILM after two years, following a stint as the Director of Computer Systems at San Francisco-based Advanced Pathology Systems. In his new role, Hendrickson will be working with the architecture of existing digital infrastructure systems at ILM, as well as shaping the future innovations in this area. In addition, he will be primarily responsible for structuring and maintaining relationships with ILM's hardware vendors. Hendrickson originally joined Lucas Digital's Skywalker Sound in 1990, shortly after graduating from U.C. Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in physics. Dan McNamara has a long history with ILM, beginning in 1991 when he joined the company as an editor in the commercial productions division. McNamara began his career at One Pass Video, as a colorist and telecine technical supervisor. In his role as Director of Film and Editorial Services, McNamara oversees all film scanning, recording and editorial needs for feature and commercial projects. In addition, he is responsible for assessing new product and editorial vendor relationships. . . Steve Blevins has joined New York-based TIS/Magnet as senior designer/animator. Blevins' duties include designing and creating (primarily 2D) animation for broadcast and the web, art direction, creative development, and research. Besides free-lancing for Magnet, Blevins has done traditional 2D and 3D CGI art and animation for companies such as San Francisco-based Wild Brain, New York-based Blue Sky, and Connecticut-based, Ball&Chain. . . Universal Studios has appointed William A. Sutman as senior vice president and chief financial officer. Sutman will be responsible for overseeing all worldwide financial activities for the Universal Studios Group. Sutman most recently served as chief financial officer for Universal Pictures. Sutman joined Universal in January 1997 from Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, where he served for three years as vice president of auditing.