People: Week of Sept. 24, 2012

Business Journal Staff Report
Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:00:42 +0000
Business Register, Construction, Health Care and Senior Living, Industry News, Napa Report, North Bay News, People, Sonoma Report, Technology, Wine Industry, Dalla Terra Winery Direct, Grgich Hills Estate, North Bay Business Journal 9-24-2012, Parallel Napa Valley, Redwood Credit Union, Sanovas, Stellar Energy

Banking & Finance

RCU Services Group, the wholly owned subsidiary of Redwood Credit Union, named Lisa Wittke Schaffner as a board member for a one-year term. Ms. Wittke Schaffner is president of the John Jordan Foundation, a nonprofit that provides programs for disadvantaged youth with tools to succeed educationally and professionally. Previously, she was CEO of the Sonoma County Alliance for seven years and has held several local government offices, including two non-consecutive terms as Healdsburg mayor.
Business Services

Santa Rosa-based office furniture dealer Trope Group hired Ellen Navarro as account executive for Solano County. The last 12 of her 20 years in the furniture industry were in design and sales of laboratory casework and furniture for Northern California health care, biotechnology and higher education facilities. She is a member of the Solano Chamber of Commerce.
Energy
Stellar Energy added two solar industry veterans to its operations team: Michael Mittleman, senior vice president of operations, and Wayne Williford, operations and maintenance manager. Mr. Mittleman has more than three decades of experience in commercial construction, with extensive background in design-build projects. Mr. Mittleman will oversee all engineering, procurement and construction operations, including purchasing, estimating, design and project management. Mr. Williford also is a solar industry veteran with extensive experience in the areas of solar power-plant performance and system monitoring. Previously, he managed a more than 70 megawatts of clients' solar assets.
Health Care
Sanovas, Inc. hired three industry veterans for its executive team: Mike Humason, vice president of clinical affairs and physician education, Carlos Gonzalez joins as vice president of regulatory affairs and quality assurance, and Robert E. Farrell, chief financial officer. Most recently, Mr. Humason led the startup efforts for Given Imaging, Inc. Mr. Gonzalez is an industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience in engineering, operations, regulatory affairs, quality assurance and corporate compliance. Prior to Sanovas, Mr. Gonzalez was vice president of regulatory affairs, quality assurance and corporate compliance for Stryker Endoscopy, a division of Stryker Corp. Before Sanovas, Mr. Farrell was president, CEO and CFO of Titan Pharmaceuticals and Corporate Group vice president and CFO at Fresenius USA.
Wine

Tash Bunge joined Grgich Hills Estate as Northern California area sales manager, handling Napa, Sonoma and Sacramento counties. He has more than 30 years of experience in wine, finance and technology sales. Prior to Grgich Hills, he led the trade education desk for Diageo with a focus on hospitality, events and wine education for Beaulieu Vineyard, Sterling Vineyards, Provenance and Chalone Vineyard. Previously, he led wine sales for Russian River Wine Company.
Parallel Napa Valley hired its first employee, Lindsay Faith Weinhold, as manager of business development. She is responsible for the creation and execution of all hospitality experiences as well as direct-to-trade accounts nationally. She formerly was the director of hospitality and marketing for Von Strasser Winery
Dalla Terra Winery Direct hired Brooklyn-based Amelia Di Marco as New York and New Jersey district sales manager. She previously held positions as key account sales representative for VINTUS, wine educator and public relations coordinator for Winebow, wine sales representative at Domenico Valentino and wine tour coordinator at Altesino in Montalcino.

Banking & Finance

Lisa Wittke Schaffner

RCU Services Group, the wholly owned subsidiary of Redwood Credit Union, named Lisa Wittke Schaffner as a board member for a one-year term. Ms. Wittke Schaffner is president of the John Jordan Foundation, a nonprofit that provides programs for disadvantaged youth with tools to succeed educationally and professionally. Previously, she was CEO of the Sonoma County Alliance for seven years and has held several local government offices, including two non-consecutive terms as Healdsburg mayor.

Business Services

Ellen Navarro

Santa Rosa-based office furniture dealer Trope Group hired Ellen Navarro as account executive for Solano County. The last 12 of her 20 years in the furniture industry were in design and sales of laboratory casework and furniture for Northern California health care, biotechnology and higher education facilities. She is a member of the Solano Chamber of Commerce.

Energy

Stellar Energy added two solar industry veterans to its operations team: Michael Mittleman, senior vice president of operations, and Wayne Williford, operations and maintenance manager. Mr. Mittleman has more than three decades of experience in commercial construction, with extensive background in design-build projects. Mr. Mittleman will oversee all engineering, procurement and construction operations, including purchasing, estimating, design and project management. Mr. Williford also is a solar industry veteran with extensive experience in the areas of solar power-plant performance and system monitoring. Previously, he managed a more than 70 megawatts of clients’ solar assets.

Health Care

Sanovas, Inc. hired three industry veterans for its executive team: Mike Humason, vice president of clinical affairs and physician education, Carlos Gonzalez joins as vice president of regulatory affairs and quality assurance, and Robert E. Farrell, chief financial officer. Most recently, Mr. Humason led the startup efforts for Given Imaging, Inc. Mr. Gonzalez is an industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience in engineering, operations, regulatory affairs, quality assurance and corporate compliance. Prior to Sanovas, Mr. Gonzalez was vice president of regulatory affairs, quality assurance and corporate compliance for Stryker Endoscopy, a division of Stryker Corp. Before Sanovas, Mr. Farrell was president, CEO and CFO of Titan Pharmaceuticals and Corporate Group vice president and CFO at Fresenius USA.

Wine

Tash Bunge

Tash Bunge joined Grgich Hills Estate as Northern California area sales manager, handling Napa, Sonoma and Sacramento counties. He has more than 30 years of experience in wine, finance and technology sales. Prior to Grgich Hills, he led the trade education desk for Diageo with a focus on hospitality, events and wine education for Beaulieu Vineyard, Sterling Vineyards, Provenance and Chalone Vineyard. Previously, he led wine sales for Russian River Wine Company.

Parallel Napa Valley hired its first employee, Lindsay Faith Weinhold, as manager of business development. She is responsible for the creation and execution of all hospitality experiences as well as direct-to-trade accounts nationally. She formerly was the director of hospitality and marketing for Von Strasser Winery

Dalla Terra Winery Direct hired Brooklyn-based Amelia Di Marco as New York and New Jersey district sales manager. She previously held positions as key account sales representative for VINTUS, wine educator and public relations coordinator for Winebow, wine sales representative at Domenico Valentino and wine tour coordinator at Altesino in Montalcino.