Company Town : Thomas, McCallister Form Joint PR Venture

Allison Thomas Associates and Rachel McCallister & Associates have formed a joint venture, KillerApp Communications, to handle public relations and promotion exclusively for interactive multimedia companies and products.

Thomas’ Los Angeles-based firm has specialized in the high-tech arena for a decade, and McCallister’s agency, with offices in New York and Los Angeles, serves primarily entertainment clients. Each firm will continue to operate separately from the new venture.

KillerApp clients include daVinci Time & Space, Missing Link Communications and a project for U.S. West.

* Gilberte de Turenne has been promoted to senior vice president for Europe for MGM/UA Telecommunications Group, and William G. Wells has been named senior vice president for Asia and the Pacific.

* Stephen Plum has been named vice president of business affairs for the motion picture group of Paramount Pictures.

* Lorna Sheard has joined New World Entertainment as senior vice president for business affairs.

* Fine Line Features has named Kate Threshie a director of creative services.

* Steve Hewitt has been named executive vice president of Showtime Entertainment Group.

* ITC Entertainment Group has named Lisa Auerbach director of domestic marketing.

* Stephen A. Unger has been elected a senior director of SpencerStuart, the highest partnership level within the executive recruiting firm. Unger is managing director of the worldwide entertainment and communications practice at the company.

* Brian K. Watson is the new director of consumer marketing for Time Warner Cable’s Full Service Network in Orlando, Fla.

* Virgin Records has named Jennifer Matthews director of national alternative marketing.

* Atlantic Films Ltd. has hired Don Reynolds as vice president of international co-productions. He will be responsible for coordinating all international TV co-productions outside North America. James Nadler has also joined Atlantic’s Toronto office as an executive producer.

* Phil and Michelle Baron have joined the creative team at Just Your Pal Inc.

* Joanna Colbert has been named director of feature casting at Universal Pictures.