* Great Western Bank has named Dennis...
* Great Western Bank has named Dennis Alan Shirley as senior vice president and marketing director.
Shirley, 37, is a former senior vice president and advertising director for First Interstate Bancorp. He is one of several former banking executives hired recently by the Chatsworth-based thrift as it expands into more traditional banking products and services.
* A yacht design by Ventura naval architect Jeffrey L. Blume is featured in the June issue of “Yachting Magazine.” The magazine has featured two of Blume’s designs in the past 18 months.
Earlier this year, the California Engineers’ Council awarded Blume the 1996 Distinguished Engineering Achievement award for his contribution to the field of small craft naval architecture and marine engineering.
* M. Elizabeth Borozan has joined Stan Whisenhunt Public Relations as an associate specializing in developing and implementing publicity and marketing strategies.
She comes to the Ventura firm from the Tri-Counties office of Grubb & Ellis Co., where she was research and marketing director.
A native of Tucson, Borozan has a degree in business administration from the University of Arizona and lives in Ventura.
* Louis J. Pezzullo of Agoura Hills has been named legal administrator for Nordman, Cormany, Hair & Compton, a law firm with offices in Oxnard and Westlake Village. Pezzullo’s responsibilities will include management of the administrative, operational, technical and human resource support functions.
The firm has 28 attorneys and a support staff of nearly 50 people.
* Wendy C. Lascher has been certified as a specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She is a partner in the Ventura law firm Lascher & Lascher.
Attorneys are certified through a process that includes attendance at approved educational programs, completion of tasks in the specialty area, a written exam and peer review.
Certification is for five years, during which time specialists must continue to meet education and peer review requirements similar to those used for certification.
* Alan E. Emslie has joined Ventura-based Essence Engineering as a project manager. Emslie, an engineer, was previously employed for 12 years as a construction manager with Exxon Corp.
Based in Ventura, Essence Engineering provides engineering and environmental services to manufacturing firms, utilities, municipalities and the oil and gas industries.
* John J. Heffernan has joined Capital Commercial Real Estate’s Conejo Valley office as a sales and leasing associate. Heffernan, who recently moved to Westlake Village, was formerly with Sevell & Duncan in Palm Beach, Fla.
At Capital Commercial, Heffernan will focus on the sale and leasing of commercial and retail properties throughout the Conejo Valley.
* Rick Wilson has been named director of development at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. He is the former director of development for Curtis School in Los Angeles.
Wilson has managed and directed fund development operations for more than 20 years, working primarily in the nonprofit arena since graduating from college.
* Marie Lakin of Ventura has joined Stan Whisenhunt Public Relations as an associate graphic artist.
Editor for eight years of the Ventura County Star’s former Sunday magazine “Vista,” she has more than a decade of graphic design and writing experience.
Lakin, who with her husband owns Telecommerce Inc., will offer World Wide Web services to her public relations clients as well as provide market support in the graphic design and production of promotional materials.
* Lockheed Martin Finance Corp. in Burbank has named Geoffrey A. Finch as chief administrative officer.
Finch, 45, has been with Lockheed since 1979, and helped to automate the company’s databases and communication systems.
* Art Repola was named senior vice president of visual effects and production for the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group in Burbank.
Previously, Repola was a film producer and vice president of film and video production for MCA Recreation Services. He also has worked as vice president of post production for Hollywood Pictures at Walt Disney Studios.
* Wendy Aylsworth has been promoted to vice president of technology and facilities at Warner Bros. Feature Animation in Glendale.
Previously, Aylsworth was director of technology for the division and, prior to that, director of engineering at Walt Disney Feature Animation.
* Arthur Lipper resigned as chairman of the board of directors of BAT International at the request of company President Joseph LaStella following disagreements over the company’s direction, LaStella said.
BAT is seeking his replacement.
The Burbank-based company makes electric cars.
