valley forum/d.taub/1stjc/mark2nd Los Angeles city officials are seeking proposals for a new building complex to replace the earthquake-damaged Van Nuys “City Hall.” The complex would house offices for city employees as well as feature shops, outdoor dining/entertainment areas and a 450-space parking complex. The project, however, falls short of a proposal by Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude to do a complete makeover on Van Nuys Civic Center which would have included the addition of a civic auditorium, movie theaters, offices and retail development . Those more elaborate plans were shelved by the City Council. The San Fernando Valley Business Journal asks: Does the San Fernando Valley need a new civic center in Van Nuys? Stan Thomas Business development specialist Mid-Valley Chamber of Commerce “Yes, because the way the city is set up, the area needs a lot of revitalization. You already have that as a central hub because the police and the city offices are centered there. It would revitalize the civic center that’s already there. Wal-Mart is coming in a lot of different things are happening up and down Van Nuys Boulevard. There’s a lot happening on the boulevard, and that would just propel the area bringing it back to the status it once had.” Sandor Winger President Sandor L. Winger and Associates land use consulting “The answer to the question is yes, but it has to coincide with the Valley being totally independent with its own civic center. Van Nuys would be a good start. The Valley does need a government center, but more importantly the government center would be for the use of an independent city.” Jerry Katell Katell Properties “I think a revitalization and the addition of the kind of new projects contemplated by Marvin Braude would be a welcome addition to Van Nuys. The area could use a revitalization. Retail in particular could use a revitalization, and I think it’s a very central location.” Rick Voorhis President Van Nuys Flight Center “If they just fixed up the government buildings and put in a new auditorium, it probably wouldn’t attract more people to it. If there were attractions to go there and you brought in classy office buildings, restaurants, shops, theaters, then it would be nice. It’s pretty obvious that Van Nuys Boulevard is in disfavor right now in terms of people shopping.” Dan Selleck Principal Selleck Properties “I think it’s a good idea, It’s probably long overdue. However, the private sector is also in the process of revitalizing the Valley. And I think our project (at the old General Motors Plant) in particular will go a long way to revitalizing the Van Nuys Boulevard corridor. The private sector is going to maybe start the ball rolling, and the success of these projects will encourage other property owners to do the same, and it will be kind of a snowball effect at least we hope it will be.” Marvin Braude Los Angeles City Councilman 11th District “I consider it the most important and badly needed project in the San Fernando Valley. It is the essence the heart of the Valley. It is the distribution place for serving the Valley. It is the symbolic center of the Valley. This is the place where, if the Valley were a separate city, it would be the most obvious place for the City Hall.”

Don’t jump ship What subway? The SFVBJ opines that we in the Valley should forget the subway (“Forget Valley subway” January). Some of the Valley’s business leaders appear to be against the subway, but upon further reading, they advocate building exactly that. This problem with semantics is fostered by an incompetent press that refuses to educate itself on what the MTA proposes for the Valley’s east-west line. Webster’s defines the term “subway” as “an underground metropolitan electric railway or the tunnel through which this runs.” Thus, anything underground, whether it be “deep-bore” or “cut-and-cover,” is a subway. Approximately one-third of the first phase of the proposed east-west line from North Hollywood to the Sepulveda Basin is not in a subway, but is in an aerial configuration. The line is proposed to be at-grade through the Sepulveda Basin, and is therefore, not a subway. The current studies being done by MTA consultants include efforts to find alternatives to deep-bore tunneling, such as constructing the line in a deep trench which will both save costs and make the view for the transit rider far more pleasant than looking at the dark walls of a subway. So, if you want to kill the Valley “subway,” understand it is not a subway you are seeking to kill, but a heavy rail that uses subway construction on certain portions of the line. Proponents of Valley rail have consistently advocated cost-effective construction using a subway only where it is required. That includes Valley Industry and Commerce Association. It is this proposal that continues to warrant the support of Valley citizens who recognize that transportation improvements are needed here. The Valley deserves its fair share of the tax dollars going to build Metro Rail. Now is no time to jump ship. The elected officials who serve on the MTA Board have created far more difficulties than any of the MTA’s contractors. But as troublesome as this conduct has been, we are still making great progress in constructing a rail system for which we will all be proud. ROGER L. STANARD Stanard, Blender & Schwartz Woodland Hills

newsmakers.people/SFV/d.taub/mike1st/mark2nd February Banking & Finance R. Hank Miller has been hired as an assistant vice president and business development officer at the Bank of Granada Hills. Miller was previously a commercial loan officer and assistant vice president at the Bank of Hollywood. Benjamin S. Wong has been named chairman of the board of SGV Bancorp Inc. and its subsidiary, First Federal Savings and Loan Association of San Gabriel Valley. Wong, a West Covina city councilman, replaces Royce A. Stutzman, who will remain with SGV Bancorp as director. Entertainment/Media Noreen Halpern has been promoted to vice president of creative affairs at Alliance Communications Corp. Halpern will be involved with new material, material follow-through, pitches and network meetings. Digital Theater Systems has named Rory Kaplan executive in charge of artist relations for the recently formed DTS Entertainment Division. Kaplan, who has worked with Jeff Beck, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Natalie Cole and Joe Cocker, will act as a liaison to the music industry, as well as solicit musicians to re-release or record new material using DTS Entertainment technology. The Motion Picture & Television Fund has named Johanna K. Lieblein vice president and chief information officer. Lieblein, who has 18 years experience in information systems in the health care industry, will be responsible for information systems planning, development and implementation. Al Kasha has been appointed to the newly created position of president of MTM Entertainment Inc.’s music division. Kasha, who joined MTM as a consultant a year ago, has created soundtracks for NBC’s “The Pretender,” UPN’s “Sparks” and the syndicated drama “The Cape” during his time with the company. Universal Music & Video Distribution has appointed Joyce Castagnola to the position of senior vice president of sales and distribution. Castagnola, who was previously at Virgin Records for 10 years, most recently as senior vice president of sales, will be responsible for overseeing sales operations at Universal Music & Video. Jon Gumpert has been appointed executive vice president of Universal Pictures. Gumpert, who has served as executive vice president of legal and business affairs for Universal since 1994, will be responsible for planning and coordinating business operations, including talent negotiations and third-party financing. High-Tech Charles C. Maynard has been appointed chief executive officer of Cybernetic Services Inc. Maynard was most recently chief executive officer of Progressive World Messaging. Prior to that, he was president of Cincinnati Bell Messaging Services Inc. Insurance Curt L. Biersch has been named executive vice president and branch manager of the Woodland Hills office of Sherwood Insurance Services. Biersch began his career with Sherwood 10 years ago as a property producer. Public Relations William J.P. Smith Jr. has been appointed senior vice president and director of public relations at Ahlman & Associates. Smith, who most recently spent three years as a professor at Emerson College in Boston and Los Angeles, will be responsible for strategic planning and program execution for the firm’s public relations clients. Real Estate Countrywide Home Loans Inc. has promoted Keith McLaughlin to the position of managing director of finance. McLaughlin, who has been with Countrywide for 10 years, will be responsible for Countrywide’s work in the areas of corporate accounting, corporate tax and financial reporting. Martha M. Belcher has been named vice president and regional counsel for the Fannie Mae Western Regional Office. Belcher, who was previously a partner at the Los Angeles office of Arnold & Porter, will have overall responsibility for legal activities within Fannie Mae’s western region, as well as serving as general counsel for the office. Retail Peter Boutros has been promoted to vice president of international marketing for Disney Consumer Products. Boutros, who has been with Disney since 1993, was previously director of international marketing. Security Pinkerton’s Inc. has appointed Jim R. Mellor to its board of directors. Mellor is currently chairman and chief executive officer of General Dynamics and previously served as president and chief operating officer of AM International Inc. Tourism Lana Dubovik was named “Young Hotelier of the Year” for 1996 by the International Hotel Association and Hotels magazine. Dubovik, a recent & #233;migr & #233; to the United States from the Ukraine, is director of sales at the Radisson Valley Center Hotel in Sherman Oaks.