People news from the San Francisco North Bay: Week of May 11, 2015
Banking & Finance
Petaluma resident and former Union Bank vice president and San Rafael branch manager Lia Economopoulos was hired by Bank of San Francisco as vice president and relationship manager. As a veteran banker with strong ties in the North Bay, Economopoulos knows the business and family banking needs of the North Bay’s most successful people. She attended Sonoma State University and is a member of the Elks Club of San Rafael and the Marin Builders Association. Established in 2005, Bank of San Francisco provides comprehensive business banking solutions to Bay Area companies and nonprofits, as well as personal banking solutions for individuals and families looking for personalized, high-touch service
Emortgages.com hired Yosef Shapiro as the newest loan officer in its Petaluma office. He joins broker-owner Jehoshua Shapiro and loan officer Theresa Baldini-Figone. Previously, Yosef Shapiro was a commercial real estate asset manager at several global real estate private equity firms in New York City and San Francisco. He will be responsible for originating mortgage financing for purchase and refinance.
Health care
Direct Flow Medical, Inc., a transcatheter heart valve innovator focused on improving patient outcomes, appointed Randolph Chitwood, M.D., director of surgeon relations. Chitwood has more than 30 years of experience in cardiac surgery, with an expertise in complex valvular surgery, including aortic valve, mitral repair, cardiac rhythm and robotic heart procedures. He was most recently emeritus chairman, department of surgery at the East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, where he earlier served as director of the East Carolina Heart Institute and founded the institution’s cardiac surgery program and Robotic Surgical Center.
Andrea Schultz, president and CEO of Greenbrae Management Inc., joined the Marin General Hospital board of directors. Schultz’ nomination to the hospital’s operating board was approved by the Marin Healthcare District Board at its March regular meeting. Currently the chair of the Marin General Hospital Foundation board of directors, Schultz is also chair and president of the Schultz Foundation, which seeks to enrich the community through philanthropy and local events.
EMPLOYMENT
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors appointed Christina Cramer human resources director. Cramer has been in the human resources field for about 20 years. She has been working for the county human resources department for the past 10 years, starting as an analyst, then advancing within the organization to her most recent position as interim director. Prior to joining the county, Cramer held professional and management level HR positions in Sonoma County and the Bay Area working for private sector organizations.
Insurance
George Petersen Insurance Agency named industry veteran Roland Galli as sales manager to lead the agency’s growth initiatives across its eight Northern California offices. Galli will lead George Petersen’s team of 36 commercial insurance agents. With nearly 25 years of experience in insurance marketing, sales, and claims, he will be stationed out of the agency’s Santa Rosa office. Galli spent the last 10 years as a field sales specialist at CNA Insurance Companies, where he was responsible for sales growth across its Northern California territories.
Zachary Levi Bressick, born and raised in Santa Rosa, joined the Northern California general office of New York Life as an agent. He is the third generation of the Bressick family to join New York Life and will focus on working with small-business owners, new families and young professionals. Bressick received an associate’s degree from Santa Rosa Junior College and belongs to its alumni association.
Marketing
Lisa Max, founder of GoSolarMarin, was named director of community initiatives for Tobin & Associates. In her newly-created position, Max will monitor community programs and manage Tobin’s activities with nonprofits, nongoverment organizations and businesses in Northern California. Founded in 1995, Tobin currently has clients in Marin, Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Max founded GoSolarMarin in 2007 and turned it into arguably the largest community solar project in California history over the following three years. As a result of her efforts, nearly 200 homes and businesses adopted solar power for their energy needs. She created a competitive bidding process that cut system costs by up to 35 percent.
Nonprofits
Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County appointed Misty Bastoni chief operating officer. She most recently was volunteer coordinator at YWCA Sonoma County. She has been a licensed real estate agent since 2003 and has been active throughout Sonoma County during a career which includes retail management, banking, human resources, marketing and program management. She has also served a variety of professional and community organizations including the Sonoma County Economic Wellness Committee, Economic Wellness Housing Task Group, EKS/VITA Coalition, Collaborative Legal and Social Services Program, Teen Health Advocacy Coalition, Volunteer Managers Roundtable and Windsor Co-Op Preschool.
The board of directors of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties named Danny Grossman chief executive officer. A native of San Francisco, he is a successful business owner and entrepreneur and a current member of the federation’s board. He has decades of experience as a volunteer and leader in the Bay Area’s Jewish and civic communities, and many years of business and public sector leadership.
Wine
Laura Paul was named Northeast regional manager for Hess Family Wine Estates. Based in Brooklyn, Paul will focus on metro and upstate New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, working with Northeast division head Josh Ratner. In other news, Brian Stephenson was named strategic account manager, overseeing from the East several important accounts nationally. Stephenson will report to Chris Ireland, vice president for strategic accounts, and work from Georgia.
