Sonoma’s Nelson changes leadership; other North Bay professionals news
The North Bay Business Journal
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Employment
Sonoma-based Nelson, one of the largest independent staffing companies in the United States, has announced changes in its leadership team to address the unique hiring challenges faced by California organizations, including Fortune 500 companies. Joining the ranks of Nelson executives are Joe Prusko as chief financial officer with more than 35 years of financial management experience in both public and private companies such as Goldrush Stores, Accountants International (now Randstad Finance & Accounting), and Management Solutions, Inc.; Crissy Russo as vice president of marketing with a wealth of experience in consumer, product and enterprise marketing,and strategic initiatives. She was most recently with RiseSmart (recently acquired by Randstad) and Rachel MacNeill as vice president of business solutions. Promoted from within the Nelson organization, she will utilize her proven organizational skills and big-picture approach in leading the technology team to create innovative solutions that solve employment and job search challenges.
Accounting
Ryan Fitzsimons, CPA, was promoted to senior manager at Santa Rosa public accounting firm of Dal Poggetto & Company LLP. Fitzsimmons has nine years of experience in providing income tax services to privately held companies in the manufacturing, real estate, food and wine industries. Gino Scurini, CPA, has also been promoted to senior manager. He has 11 years of experience in providing assurance and income tax services to wineries and vineyards, manufacturing companies and employee benefit plans. In addition, Sher Meng has been promoted to senior accountant. She has two years of experience in providing accounting and income tax services to privately-held companies and high wealth individuals.
Banking
Comerica Bank has announced that Michael A. Silva has been named regional market president for the San Francisco and North Bay regions. Silva will continue in his role as an executive vice president responsible for managing all middle market teams in Northern California. As regional market president, Silva's new responsibilities will include supporting the bank's customer initiatives and overall business and community development efforts across its business bank, retail bank and wealth management businesses.
Robert Armstrong joined Luther Burbank Savings as senior vice president of its online banking division. In this newly created role, Armstrong is charged with expanding the bank's offerings and creating greater access to its products and services. Bringing over two decades of experience leading profitable growth in new markets, Armstrong's background includes senior positions with Bank of America, U.S. Bank, San Diego Private Bank and Bank of Internet.
Retail
Osmosis Day Spa in Freestone named Thor Holm general manager. A spa industry leader for 26 years, Holm has managed some of the most celebrated spa resort destinations in Florida. Previously was a certified personal trainer and aerobics instructor and attended the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, majoring in Adult Fitness.
Education
The San Rafael Chamber of Commerce Education Committee selected Luanne Linnard-Palmer as one of the recipients of the chamber's Excellence in Education Awards for 2015-2016. Linnard-Palmer is a pediatric nursing educator at Dominican University of California. She has assumed a leadership role in the development of educational experiences that focus on providing undergraduate nursing students with opportunities to connect with the real world problems experienced by many at-risk children to promote the health and well-being of children living in San Rafael
Santa Rosa Junior College media studies instructor and interdisciplinary scholar Tony Kashani has written a new book titled Movies Change Lives: Pedagogy of Constructive Humanistic Transformation Through Cinema (Minding the Media). The book is an interdisciplinary examination of cinema as a vehicle for personal and social transformation. The book is now available for purchase directly from Peter Lang Publishing Group or through Amazon.
Hospitality
Bardessono Hotel & Spa, the LEED platinum certified wine country retreat in Napa Valley, hired Nate Lindsay as executive chef. Lindsay will oversee all aspects of the culinary experience at Bardessono and for Lucy Restaurant & Bar, the hotel's award-winning, signature restaurant presenting innovative, garden-inspired cuisine.