Hot Topic Taps Executive to Succeed Its CEO

* Elizabeth McLaughlin has been tapped to one day succeed Orv Madden as chief executive of Hot Topic Inc., a mall-based teen apparel retailer with more than 200 stores. In the meantime, McLaughlin, who had been senior vice president and general merchandise manager, will serve as president of the Industry-based company. Madden did not say when he would give up his post. McLaughlin joined Hot Topic in 1993.

* Douglas Waggoner has been named president of Daylight Transport, a Los Angeles-based long-haul trucking service that is a division of InterBreen Co. He had been executive vice president.

* Woodland Hills-based Spatializer Audio Laboratories Inc. has appointed Henry Mandell chief executive. He has served as interim CEO since September 1998.

* Russell Doll has been promoted to senior vice president of Bell Industries Inc., an El Segundo-based computer systems provider. Doll, who had been vice president and chief financial officer, will assume additional responsibilities for corporate administration and business expansion. He will retain the title of chief financial officer.

* ECompanies, a Santa Monica-based provider of services for Internet start-ups, has named Peter Gumbel editor in chief of its Business.com Internet service. Gumbel is the former Los Angeles bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal.