VALLEY PEOPLE

* Universal Pictures, Universal City, announced the appointments of Claudia Gray as executive vice president and Paul Hardart as senior vice president of the company’s new in-house specialty film division. They will report to co-chairmen of Universal Pictures Brian Mulligan and Stacey Snider. Gray will oversee all marketing services and Hardart will be in charge of all business and operations.

The new division will focus on the marketing of niche-oriented productions and acquisitions including Working Title films and Universal Pictures classic films.

* Felix Mussenden has been promoted to president and chief operating officer, Universal Studios Escape. He had served as vice president, attractions, Universal Studios Escape in Orlando, Fla.

Universal Pictures and Universal Escape are part of Universal Studios, a unit of the Seagram Co., a global entertainment and beverage company.

* Thomas E. Hill has been named vice president of human resources at Litton Industries, Woodland Hills, reporting to Chairman Michael R. Brown, the company said. He replaces Nancy L. Gaymon, who is retiring. He will be responsible for employee relations, training, recruiting, benefits and related duties.

Hill comes to Litton from Dade Behring Inc., Deerfield, Ill., where he had been senior vice president of human resources since 1995.

Litton designs and develops advanced electronic, defense and information systems, and designs, builds and modernizes ships for military and commercial customers.

* WMC Mortgage Corp., Woodland Hills, announced the appointment of five senior executives. Frank J. Nese becomes senior vice president, electronic commerce. He will oversee the company’s expansion into Internet mortgage services. Dianne M. Senechal has been named senior vice president, national operations manager. Catherine Carrillo has been appointed senior vice president of human resources. She will direct the areas of recruitment, benefits and employee relations. Joseph A. Smith has been named senior vice president of secondary marketing and securitization. He will manage secondary market activities, including sales of mortgage pools. David Trzcinski has been promoted to chief financial officer. He will oversee the accounting and treasury departments.

WMC, a subprime mortgage lender, is an investment property of Apollo Advisors L.P.

* Warren Tetz has been named chief financial officer at Glendale Adventist Medical Center, the hospital said. Tetz had served as vice president for finance at Simi Valley Hospital & Health Care Services, a member of the Adventist Health system. He replaces Clif Patten, who has accepted the position of vice president for finance at Simi Valley Hospital & Health Care Services.

* Clark Hardesty has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing worldwide for 3D Systems Corp., Valencia. Hardesty had owned a manufacturing company serving the aerospace industry. He replaces Charles Wilson, who left the company in March.

3D Systems provides solid imaging design products using stereolithography and three-dimensional printing technology capable of fabricating prototypes from digital input.

* Eugene R. Schutt, has been appointed chief executive of CD1 Financial.com, a full-service Internet automotive lending and leasing company, a joint venture between CarsDirect.com of Sherman Oaks and Bank One of Chicago, a major automotive lender. The new company provides online vehicle buyers with a full line of loans, leases and insurance.

CarsDirect.com is an Internet company that allows consumers to research, price, design, order and finance a new car or truck over the Web, selecting from among 2,500 makes and models by every major manufacturer.