* GTE California, a Thousand Oaks-based subsidiary...

* GTE California, a Thousand Oaks-based subsidiary of telecommunications giant GTE Corp., announced that Mike Crawford has been promoted to regional president for California.

Crawford’s management responsibilities will include customer operations, network construction and public affairs. His new position was one of three created to manage operations in California, the Northwest and Hawaii.

A 25-year veteran of the industry, Crawford joined GTE California in 1984 as director of revenue planning and regulatory matters. He has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s degree in business and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin.

* Larry Sparrow, formerly president of operations for a region that combined California, the Northwest and Hawaii, has assumed a presidency in telephone operations in Dallas, handling long-distance carrier relations.

Advanced Photonix Inc., a Camarillo-based maker of silicon photodetectors, said that Thomas T. Lewis has resigned as a director and chairman of the company’s board of directors to pursue interests in other new technologies.

Bernhardt Denmark, a former chairman of the board, will return to that position. Most recently, Denmark served as vice chairman.

In May, the company named James Ward president and chief executive, replacing Lewis, who then became chairman.

* Electro Rent Corp., a Van Nuys company specializing in the rental of personal computers and electronics, announced the promotion of two of its sales managers to vice president positions.

Dennis M. Clark, Western regional sales manager since 1992, was named vice president of that division. Thomas A. Curtin, formerly manager of the company’s five Eastern offices, was named vice president of Eastern region operations.