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Spotlight on People - Appointments and promotions

David Preuss has joined Richmond, Calif.-based Palecek as executive vice president. In this newly created position, Preuss will implement the company's long-term strategic planning initiatives and oversee corporate sales and marketing, as well as focus on improving efficiency throughout the organization. He will report to Allan Palecek, founder and president.
     Previously, Preuss served as the executive vice president for Sagus International and spent eight years as executive vp/sales & marketing of Good Companies. In addition, he was employed at Procter & Gamble, Nestle USA, and Hewlett-Packard.
     Emissary Trading, stationed in Atlanta, has named Mary- Lamont Roberts as national sales manager. Formerly the accessories buyer for Lane Home Furnishings, she reports to Peter Nealing.
     Thomas Lighting, located in Louisville, Ky., has appointed John Dost to manager/West Coast new business development. He brings seven years of experience as a builder account manager with Ingersoll-Rand's Architectural Hardware division. Most recently, Dost worked for Wayne-Dalton Corp. as the builder sales manager.
     Los Angeles-based California Market Center has named Daniel G. Martin as director/leasing for gifts/lifestyle and Donna Maria Duarte as market editor.
     Martin is responsible for identifying and developing lifestyle categories, which encompasses contemporary, design-oriented products. His professional background includes a four-year post as account executive for national luxury residential and commercial developers at Roddan Paolucci Advertising and Public Relations.
     Duarte is in charge of identifying new and outstanding gift and home products. She will work closely with the retail services department, marketing team, fashion office, and trade show divisions, as well as prominent retailers. She has acted as fashion editor for Real Simple, Marie Claire Spain, and Lifetime magazines.
     World Market Center, headquartered in Las Vegas, has promoted Babs Blair to director/leasing and Julie Schwartz to leasing manager.
     Schwartz will share responsibility for leasing Phase Two of the project, which will total 1.6 million square feet on 15 floors. She worked at Dallas Market Center (DMC) for 14 years and served as vp/leasing for hard goods.
     Blair's duties include overseeing the leasing team, contributing to strategic design, and planning for future buildings and markets. Prior to her new position, Blair was leasing manager. She has served as director/leasing at the Showplace facility in High Point, co-leasing director for DMC, and general manager and leasing director for the Tupelo Furniture Market.
     Northbrook, Ill.-based Con-Tech lighting has promoted Patty Beck to manager/quotations and technical support, Alice Werner to customer service manager, and Steve Schafraneck to national accounts customer service manager. The company has also hired Mickey Scherer and Dan Hama to the quotations and technical support department.
     Beck will present pricing and lighting fixture applications, as well as verify code and design accuracy. She will report to Tim Brennan, vp/sales. Previously, Beck worked as a product quotations specialist.
     As an employee of Con-Tech for many years, Werner will oversee customer service. She is responsible for organizing order entry, inventory review, and general customer service tasks. Werner reports to Rick Bersano, controller.
     Schafraneck will manage order entry and customer service while focusing on national accounts. Formerly customer service manager, he reports to Tim Brennan.
     Both Hama and Scherer will perform day-to-day operations of quoting projects and jobs, offer application assistance, and provide rail system layout and design. They will report to Patty Beck.