- Breaking News: Cockeysville, Md.-based broadcasting company Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. announced that CFO Patrick Talamantes will resign his position in mid-March. He will become CFO of The McClatchy Co., a newspaper publisher in Sacramento, Calif. Former Sinclair CFO and executive VP David Amy will assume Talamantes’ duties. Talamantes has been the CFO of Sinclair since September 1999. Before that, he served as treasurer. Amy joined Sinclair in 1984. In 1999, Talamantes received $201,041 in salary and $19,734 in all other compensation. Amy took home $300,000 in salary, $75,000 in bonus and $9,145 in all other compensation.
- A Great Catch: Hampton, N.H.-based Fisher Scientific International Inc., a worldwide supplier of laboratory equipment, announced that Kevin P. Clark will replace Paul M. Meister as VP and CFO. Before joining Fisher Scientific, Clark was treasurer of Detroit, Mich.-based auto-component maker Federal-Mogul Corp. and held various financial executive positions with Chrysler Corp. Meister will continue with the company as executive VP and vice chairman. In 1999, Meister took home $460,000 in salary, $460,000 in bonus and $74,712 in all other compensation.
- Good Chemistry: Also leaving Fisher Scientific is VP of finance and treasurer Robert J. Gagalis, who was named VP and CFO of General Chemical Group Inc., a Hampton, N.H.-based maker of soda ash.
- The Magic Touch: Touchpoint Inc., an Emeryville, Calif.- based Web-enabled technology company, announced that VP of finance and administration Brian Depolo has been promoted to the position of CFO.
- Not The Singer: James Taylor, certified public accountant to Irving, Tex.-based professional services firm Thomas Group Inc., has been named CFO, effective immediately. Taylor replaces Leland Grubb, who will stay on as president of the company’s automotive practice. Taylor most recently worked with management consulting firm Chancellor Group Inc. in Dallas, Tex., as VP, where he worked with clients on initial public offerings and acquisitions. In 1999, Grubb took home $300,000 in salary and $9,700 in all other compensation.
- Heading in the Right Direction: Northwestern Corp., a Sioux Falls, S. Dak.-based communications and energy company, named Kipp Orme, VP of finance, to the post of CFO. The company also named Daniel Newell to the post of CEO at its NorthWestern Growth unit. Newell has been managing director of the unit since 1998.
- Running Away: Hibbett Sporting Goods Inc. said that CFO Susan Fitzgibbon will resign as of April 2. A search is underway for a successor, said the Birmingham, Ala.-based sporting goods operator. In 2000, Fitzgibbon took home $130,000 in salary, $138,850 in exercised options and $62,225 in all other compensation.
- CFO Steps Down: Plug Power Inc., a Latham, N.Y.- based manufacturer of electricity generation systems, announced that William Largent has stepped down for family health reasons from his position as CFO. This decision will enable Largent to remain with his family in Ohio, his home state. Largent will remain in a consultant role to the company on an on-going basis. David Neumann, Plug Power’s corporate controller has been appointed as acting CFO until the position is filled. The company is currently conducting a comprehensive search for a new CFO. In 1999, Largent earned $96,923 in salary, $12,500 in bonus and $12,500 in restricted stock awards.
- Making The Right Connection: eDevice, a company that embeds technology for connecting non-PC equipment and appliances to the Internet, announced the appointment of Geoff Allan as CFO. Allan was most recently CFO of the holding company Group G7.
- Bankers’ Hours: San Francisco-based mortgage banker Transnational Financial Network Inc. named Stephen W. Haley executive VP and CFO. Most recently, Haley was CFO for WorldCash Technologies Inc. and United PanAm Mortgage Corp., both subsidiaries of United PanAm Financial Corp., based in Orange County, Calif.