ABC-TV President Mandala Announces Retirement

Mark Mandala said he will retire as president of the ABC Television Network effective May 1.

Mandala became president in January, 1986, as part of a restructuring by parent Capital Cities/ABC.

In a statement, Mandala, 56, said, “The timing was right, financially and functionally, to leave Capital Cities/ABC after nearly 32 years.”

In his job Mandala was in charge of such areas as affiliate relations, sales and network operations. He previously worked in such posts as president of the ABC-owned television stations division and ABC International Television.

* Warner Bros. named Mary Murphy director of worldwide promotions. She previously was manager of domestic promotions.

* Alessandro Camon joined the Edward R. Pressman Film Co. as president of production.

* Josh Goldstine has been named Columbia Pictures’ vice president of creative advertising.

* Republic Pictures Home Entertainment Group named Dena Wholey vice president of marketing.

Veteran Hollywood executive Lindsley Parsons Jr. was named president of International Film Guarantors, one of the few companies left in the dwindling business of insuring film productions.

Parsons most recently was president and chief executive of filmmaker George Lucas’ Lucas Digital Ltd. and is a former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executive. IFG is a joint venture of Fireman’s Fund and Near North National Group.

* Largo Entertainment named former Odyssey Distributors President Peter Elson as an executive vice president.