Irvine Co. Consolidates Communications Units

In the final step in consolidating communications and public relations functions at the Irvine Co., the department that handles product publicity has merged with the corporate communications division.

All 19 of the Irvine Co.’s communications and public relations personnel--including those in the community issues, community relations and corporate communications offices and on the staff of the Irvine World News weekly newspaper--now report to Frank Smith, 42.

Smith, who previously has served as vice president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, executive director of the Orange County Economic Development Corp. and president of the Orange County Centennial, joined the Irvine Co. in March as vice president of community affairs.