To grow its small identity management software company, Symark International has turned to an industry veteran with experience doing just that. On Nov. 24, John Mutch began his official term as CEO, taking over from Bob Farber who had served Symark as COO for 14 years and was in the CEO seat for the past year. “Symark locally has been a very, very successful small software company and I think that Bob did a great job,” said Mutch. “The thinking at the board level was that in order to evolve the company from a small niche product provider into a medium-size integrated provider of product we needed to bring in a new generation of management that had that experience before.” With 25 years in the technology industry, Mutch fills the bill. “In the mid-’80s I spent eight years at Microsoft, addressing the challenges of growing their company,” said Mutch. He has also run two major Southern California software providers, HNC Software and Peregrine Systems and sits on the board of Calabasas-based Aspyra, Inc. “Peregrine was a little bit of a restructuring project and HNC was a small, rapidly growing company, facing the challenges of ‘how do we get to the next size, how do we get to the next scale’ in terms of delivering value to its customers,” Mutch said. The Peregrine restructuring resulted in the company being sold to Hewlett Packard for $425 million. “We’re thinking to execute that same roadmap here at Symark,” Mutch said not necessarily meaning that he’s planning on selling the company, but on making it so successful that others will want to buy it. Going public, however, may be in the cards for the company. “I think that’s a very real objective for the company within the mid- to long-term,” said Mutch when asked about the possibility of an IPO at some point. Growth is definitely in the forecast, he said, with Symark looking to hire in the marketing and development departments. With the company maxed out in its current space in Agoura Hills, there is also the potential for a new location at some point also. Mutch himself is relocating from his residence in Rancho Santa Fe to somewhere near the office. Symark was one of the Business Journal’s fastest growing private companies in the Valley for 2007, coming in at number 24 overall with 74 percent revenue growth over a three-year period. The company was ranked eighth in the bracket representing companies with revenues between $10 million and $50 million. Linda Coburn Banking Walter Duchanin, executive vice president and chief credit officer of First California Bank died unexpectedly Nov. 19 at the age of 55. Duchanin joined First California Bank just one year ago, bringing to the bank more than 20 years experience as a senior-level credit administrator. He began his career with Bank of America in 1978, moving up through positions of increasing responsibilities in lending and credit administration. Prior to joining First California, he served as executive vice president and chief credit officer of Preferred Bank in Los Angeles. Duchanin graduated from the University of Southern California in 1976 with a degree in finance. He is survived by his wife, Gayle; two daughters, April and Jessica; and son, Eric. Education California State University, Northridge has appointed interim vice president for administration and finance Tom McCarron to the position permanently. He has been serving in an interim capacity since January. McCarron joined CSUN in 1999 as the executive director and president of The University Corp. and the North Campus-University Park Development Corp. Previously, McCarron was CFO of the CSU Institute, an entrepreneurial auxiliary tasked with developing system-wide business opportunities and public/private partnerships for the CSU. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at CSUN and an MBA degree from Pepperdine University. Healthcare Woodland Hills-based accounting firm CNM, LLP announced it has hired former Amgen executive Carl Adams to head its Accounting & Transactions Advisory service line. Adams comes to CNM from director posts at Amgen’s SEC Reporting and Corporate Accounting areas. Prior to Amgen, Adams worked as an audit senior manager for Ernst & Young. He lives in Newbury Park and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is an alumnus of California State University, Northridge. Insurance Former state assemblyman Fabian Nunez has been appointed to the board of directors for Zenith National Insurance Corp. based in Woodland Hills. In addition to the Zenith directorship, Nunez also joined Mercury Public Affairs as a partner and co-chair in that company’s Sacramento office, effective Dec. 1. Manufacturing Pentadyne Power Corporation of Chatsworth has promoted co-founder Claude Kalev to chief technical officer. Previously, Kalev co-founded Quadradyne, a machinery testing company. He has been in engineering management positions with Infrared Industries, Inc., Capstone Turbine Corp. and Rosen Motors. Kalev is a member of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Tau Beta Pi, and Golden Key Honor Society. He earned his undergraduate degree in Electronic Engineering from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Organizations The Valley Industrial Association announced that six incumbents were re-elected to three-year terms in the organization’s November board of directors election. The incumbents who will be sworn in on Dec. 16 are: Julie Weith, Custom Human Resource Solutions; Stella Pilarksi, “I DO” Parties; Andy Pattantyus, Strategic Modularity; Calvin Hedman, Hedman Partners; Dr. Bruce Getzan, College of the Canyons; Anna Frutos-Sanchez, Southern California Edison. Real Estate Former Lee & Associates principal Brian Hennessey has rejoined the firm after five years. He was most recently the president of Westridge Realty Partners, a company he founded in 2006. Previously, Hennessey was senior vice president of acquisitions and dispositions for a regional real estate investment and management company. His previous term with Lee & Associates-LA North/Ventura spanned six years, from 1993 to 1999. He is the office’s 25th shareholder. Lee & Associates also announced that a new associate has joined the Sherman Oaks office. Stephanie Skrbin joins the retail team, bringing with her leasing experience gained at General Growth Properties, Inc., and brokerage experience from Staubach Retail in Newport Beach and CB Richard Ellis in Torrance. She was named National Broker of the Year by Panera Bread Co. for her work on their behalf in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The California Association of Community Managers’ has awarded the “Certified Community Association Manager” designation to three local residents: Melissa Hoff, Paradigm Association Management Group in Thousand Oaks; Rita Tinoco, Community Property Management in Camarillo; and Janice Eisenberg, LB Property Management Inc. in Sherman Oaks. The CCAM designation is awarded to professionals who have completed the statewide association’s in-depth educational curriculum program and fulfilled a minimum requirement of work experience in the field of community association management. Public Storage has appointed Tamara Hughes Gustavson to its board of trustees, effective Nov. 25, bringing the Glendale company’s total number of trustees to 11. Gustavson, 47, was employed by Public Storage from 1978 to 2003, most recently in the role of vice president, administration. She is the beneficial holder of approximately 13.1 percent of Public Storage’s outstanding common shares. Gustavson, daughter of the chairman of the board, B. Wayne Hughes, also serves on the Board of Directors of the USC-CHLA Institute for Pediatric Clinical Research. Technology Software developer FatTail Inc. has hired Ali Bohra, to be vice president of product management. He joins the company from IAC where Bohra served as director of operations. Previously, Bohra was director of client strategy and planning for United Online. Woodland Hills-based FatTail develops online advertising optimization software products. United Online, Inc. made two personnel announcements. Robert J. Taragan, 52, has been promoted to president of the company’s communications segment, a new position, and Matthew J. Wisk, 49, has been promoted to president of the company’s MyPoints.com entity. Both appointments are effective Dec, 1. Taragan has been with United Online since 2000, most recently serving as executive vice president of operations for the communications segment’s functions in the U.S. and India. He previously worked for 21 years at Nielsen Media Research in key management roles. Taragan earned a B.A. in Economics from Colgate University. Wisk joined United Online in 2005 as executive vice president and chief marketing officer responsible for marketing in the communications segment. He also has been responsible for that segment’s broadband and Web hosting product lines. Wisk takes over the position held by John Fullmer, who is retiring. Wisk previously served in executive positions at TiVo, Herbalife International, and Nokia. He earned a B.A. in Marketing and an M.B.A. from Michigan State University. Inphi Corporation of Westlake Village has added Dr. Tsugio Makimoto to the company’s advisor roster in Japan. Dr. Makimoto received his MSEE from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo, going on to have a long career with Hitachi Ltd. in the field of semiconductors. He was nominated as an IEEE fellow in 1997 and authored several books including “Living with the Chip” and “Digital Nomad.” Please send announcements for Newsmakers to [email protected] . Color, high-resolution photographs are appreciated
