Irvine Co. promotes McKee to CEO

Michael McKee, a longtime executive for the Irvine Co., has been promoted to chief executive officer, making him the first company official to hold the title in more than 30 years.

In a memo to employees Wednesday, Irvine Co. Chairman Donald Bren announced that McKee, previously the chief operating officer, would take over the company’s day-to-day operations. McKee, 61, will retain his other position as vice chairman of the company’s board of directors.

“As the company has grown more complex and geographically dispersed — and facing ambitious goals — our Board of Directors and I consulted and concluded we should adjust our management structure to continue to be effective and efficient,” Bren wrote in the memo.

He later added about McKee, “He is wise, strategic and a leader who is well prepared to oversee the day-to-day executive operations of our company.”

McKee joined the Irvine Co. in 1994 as chief legal officer, then moved up to chief financial officer in 1996, vice chairman of the board in 1999 and chief operating officer in 2001. He was previously the managing partner of Latham & Watkins, an international law firm based in Orange County.

In another move announced by the Irvine Co. on Wednesday, Arte Nathan, a veteran of the resort industry, was appointed to lead the human resources team for the company’s upcoming resort in Newport Coast.

Nathan, who previously served as vice president of human resources for Wynn Resorts, will oversee job recruitment this summer for The Resort at Pelican Hill, a luxury resort scheduled to open in fall 2008. The new Pelican Hill Golf Club, which is part of the resort, is set to open this fall.

This week, the Irvine Co. announced that Ralph Grippo, who previously served as area manager for Ritz-Carlton hotels in China, had stepped in as president of its resort division.

Nathan, 56, has overseen staffing for Wynn Resorts worldwide as well as the opening of Wynn Las Vegas in 2005.

“This is a rare opportunity to be part of a truly remarkable resort,” he said in a release. “I look forward to building a team of people who are passionate about excellent service.”