People in the News

Karly Watson was hired as sales manager, responsible for the social, multicultural, educational, religious and fraternal markets, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia. She had been an event manager for SMG at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in California.

Daniel J. Rader, a recognized international leader in the human genetics of lipoprotein biology and cardiovascular disease, was named chair of the Department of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been a faculty member at Penn for 20 years and is chief of the Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics.

JetPay Corp., a Berwyn provider of card acceptance, processing, payroll, payroll tax filing and other financial transactions, hired Michael J. McGovern as executive vice president and chief operating officer. He founded MDR Services and is its president. He is a past executive vice president of domestic and international operations at CoreStates Bank.

Noble Health Alliance, a collaborative organization of local health-care systems, named Patrick R. Young executive chairman of the board. Young had been president of Aetna's Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia markets.

The CECON Group, a Wilmington provider of science and engineering consultants and expert witnesses, hired Kevin O'Neill as program and market manager for its life sciences markets. He had been vice president at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in the vaccines division.

Trico Lift, a Mickleton aerial lift specialist, added the following to its senior management team: John Bennett, northeast regional sales manager, had been area business sales director for LoJack; Joe Macrone, director of human resources had been senior HR manager with Mars Inc.; and Jeff Walker, safety manager, had been senior field safety coordinator at Nooter Construction Co.

Peter W. Hennessey was hired as of counsel at Ballard Spahr L.L.P., Philadelphia. Hennessey will be a member of the Business and Finance Department and the Mergers and Acquisitions/Private Equity, Securities, and Life Sciences and Technology Groups. He represents public and private companies and venture capital firms in a range of capital markets transactions. He joins the firm from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he was an associate in its Palo Alto, Calif., office.

National Penn Bancshares Inc., Allentown, hired Christy Glass as senior vice president and human resources manager. She had been human resources manager for VIST Bank.

SCA, a Philadelphia maker of hygiene and personal care products, appointed Svein Ryan as vice president, marketing and business development for the company's personal care business in North America. He had been vice president, sales and marketing - retail Europe, for the Incontinence Europe business unit based in Mannheim, Germany.

Comcast Cable announced that the following vice presidents have been promoted: Eileen Diskin to senior vice president, marketing communications, sales and marketing; Kavita Vazirani to senior vice president, media strategy and sciences; Sarah Gitchell to senior vice president, deputy general counsel and chief counsel, content acquisition; Jeff Smith to senior vice president, deputy general counsel, general operations; Adrian O'Leary to senior vice president, test and quality assurance; Jason Press to senior vice president, software engineering and operations; John Gibbs to senior vice president, government affairs; Jeur Abeln to senior vice president, procurement; and Jennifer Yohe Wagner to senior vice president, procurement.

TD Bank has hired Jacqueline M. Fahey as vice president, senior commercial lender in Bensalem. She had been relationship manager at Citibank North America in Doylestown.

Also, Ryan M. Pryslak has been hired as as assistant vice president, sales representative in TD Merchant Services in Wilmington. He had been a regional account manager in Merchant Services for the Southern New Jersey and Main Line regions for Susquehanna Bank.

Mitrabarun Sarkar, a professor in the Department of Strategic Management and founding academic director of the Global Immersion Program at the Fox School of Business at Temple University, was named the H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest Professorship in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the university.

Praveen Chopra was hired as executive vice president and chief information officer at Thomas Jefferson University and the TJUH System, Philadelphia. He had been vice president, chief information officer and chief supply chain officer for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Spadea, Lanard & Lignana L.L.C., Philadelphia, hired Lynn G. Zeitlin and Sheena R. Townsend as partners. Zeitlin will concentrate on franchising, real estate, lending and commercial transactions, and Townsend will concentrate on franchising and business law. Zeitlin was senior counsel with Starfield & Smith P.C. Townsend was managing partner of Empowerment Legal, a virtual business law firm.

Ron Schey was appointed associate director of the Gastrointestinal Motility and Esophageal Program at Temple University Hospital, and associate professor of medicine at Temple University School of Medicine. He was director of the Neurogastroenterology and GI Motility Unit at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Mark Villanueva was promoted to partner from associate in the Philadelphia officer of McCarter & English.

NMS Labs, a Willow Grove independent provider of professional forensic and clinical laboratory services, has promoted William S. Hough Jr. to vice president of human resources from director of human resources. Ron Fazio has been promoted to vice president of integrated forensic solutions, business development and general manager of its Integrated Forensic Laboratories subsidiary from general manager.

PrimePay, a West Chester payroll processor, hired Employee Retirement Income Security Act attorney Mitchell Geiger as director, regulatory compliance, benefits. He comes to the company from the Department of Labor in the Office of Policy and Research, where he provided legislative and regulatory analysis and assisted in the implementation of the ACA. - Mike Zebe