Concept Manager Named to Panda Inn
* Panda Management Co., a South Pasadena-based operator of 320 restaurants, has promoted Luther Kwok to concept manager for its Panda Inn restaurant unit. He will oversee operations for the six Panda Inn restaurants in Southern California.
* City National Bank has named Thomas Miller executive vice president and director of marketing. As head of the Marketing Department, he will be responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies for the Los Angeles-based bank. Miller is a former executive and general manager of the Los Angeles office of the advertising firm Foote, Cone & Belding.
* Sabrina Ironside has been promoted to president, worldwide promotions, for 20th Century Fox’s licensing and merchandising unit. She will be responsible for licensed third-party promotions for commercial feature film and television productions from Fox Filmed Entertainment.
* Hot Topic Inc., the Industry-based teen specialty retailer, has promoted company president Elizabeth “Betsy” McLaughlin to chief executive and president. The appointment formalizes a board decision announced in February. McLaughlin succeeds Orval Madden, the company’s founder and former CEO, who is retiring but will remain a director.
* Robert M. Menar has resigned as chief operating officer of Strouds Inc., a linen and home textile retailer based in Industry. He will rejoin R.M. Menar & Associates Inc., a firm he founded. No reason was given for his departure.
* DES, a media technology solutions company based in Los Angeles, has appointed Paul Schiada vice president and general counsel. He previously was senior corporate counsel for Chicago-based Divine InterVentures Inc.
* Need2Buy.com, a Westlake Village-based online marketplace for the electronic components industry, has named veteran technology professional Leo Yu its chief information officer. Yu will direct Need2Buy’s information technology strategy and expansion of the company’s online marketplace, and oversee development of an international technology platform and key technology partnerships.
