Western Initiative Lays Off 25 Employees

In an effort to cut costs and streamline its operations, Los Angeles media buying firm Western Initiative Media Worldwide laid off 25 employees. They include Emil Iannaccone, marketing director; David Bryman, accounts senior vice president; and Terry DeVoto, managing director of the firm’s San Francisco office. The bulk of the pink slips went to computer workers hired to ready the 3,300-employee company for the year 2000, President and Chief Executive Michael Kassan said. Kassan said the cuts reflect a realignment of its account services operations that began last year, not a decision, as had been rumored, to shift more focus to New York, where parent company Interpublic Group is based.