Times Mirror Names Zimbalist to Head Magazines

Times Mirror Co. said Wednesday that Efrem Zimbalist III has been named president and chief executive of Times Mirror Magazines, which publishes leisure-oriented, special-interest magazines.

Francis P. Pandolfi, 52, who has served as president and chief executive of the magazine unit, will become its chairman and report to Zimbalist. Zimbalist, 48, who has been Times Mirror’s vice president for strategic development, will work with Pandolfi and other managers to boost magazine profits and revenues, Los Angeles-based Times Mirror said.

Pandolfi, 52, will focus on the magazines’ marketing efforts and also work with Times Mirror President and Chief Executive Mark H. Willes on aggressive marketing approaches throughout Times Mirror companies, the company said.

Times Mirror magazines include Field & Stream, Home Mechanix, Golf Magazine, Outdoor Life, Popular Science and The Sporting News. Times Mirror also publishes newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, Newsday, The Baltimore Sun and The Hartford Courant.

* Vermont Teddy Bear Co. said it named R. Patrick Burns, the former chief executive of Walt Disney Co.’s direct-marketing operations, president and chief executive.

Burns will take over from founder John Sortino, who left the stuffed-toys company earlier this year.

Before heading Disney Direct Marketing, Burns was vice president of merchandising and product development at Freeport, Me.-based L.L. Bean Inc.