Moving Up: Hirings, Promotions

Axa Advisors LLC in New York has promoted Susan M. Cooper, 40, to president of its Northeastern region, comprising all of New England and upstate New York. Ms. Cooper was executive vice president and branch manager for the company in Tampa, Fla.

Standish Ayer & Wood Inc. in Boston has named Thomas P. Sorbo, 39, managing director and chief operating officer, a new position at the firm. Mr. Sorbo, who joined Standish in 1997, previously was director of marketing and sales. He was director of institutional marketing at Stein Roe & Farnham in Chicago.

PNC Advisors in Pittsburgh has promoted Donald G. Berdine, 53, to executive vice president, from chief investment officer. Mr. Berdine is a 27-year veteran of the money management business and is responsible for all money management activities within PNC Advisors. He also serves as the chairman of the investment policy committee.

Evergreen Funds in Boston has appointed Martyn Greene, 50, senior vice president and chief information officer, responsible for all technology activities in the $86 billion asset fund complex. Mr. Greene was president of Citco Technology Management Inc. in Boston.

Scudder Kemper Investments in New York has named Melinda A. Sherman Swift, 53, sales consultant for Scudder Private Investment Counsel. Ms. Swift was a vice president in Chicago with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., responsible for sales and service for rich clients, endowments, foundations and profit-sharing plans.

Manufacturers Bank Los Angeles has appointed Dorcas W. Shaktman, 56, vice president and group product manager of marketing and product development. She will be responsible for overseeing the development and marketing of commercial banking deposit products, including the sales management of traditional and online cash management services. Ms. Shaktman was senior vice president and manager of cash management sales and services with City National Bank in Los Angeles. Also, the bank has named Laree E. Lopez, 58, assistant vice president and branch manager of the Newport Beach office. Mr. Lopez worked for three years as manager of cash vault services for National Cash Processors Inc. in Los Angeles.

Innovest Strategic Value Advisors in New York has appointed Peter Wilkes, 50, managing director of business development. Mr. Wilkes will be responsible for relationships with asset managers, public funds, foundations and endowments. He was in charge of Dean Witter Reynolds’ Baltimore-based regional branch institutional sales effort.

Hartz Group in Secaucus, N.J., has named Hunt Taylor, 47, director of investments. He will assist with investment and allocation decisions, with a primary focus on alternative-investment strategies. Mr. Taylor was senior vice president of global marketing and sales with Tremont Advisers in Rye, N.Y.

State Street Research and Management Co. in Boston has appointed Kenneth “Pete” Shaw regional sales vice president of the private-client group. Mr. Shaw, 46, a former defensive back for the San Diego Chargers and the New York Giants, will be based in California. He will be responsible for providing investment education and presenting State Street Research’s investment management capabilities to athletes and affluent investors nationwide. Mr. Shaw was the co-founder, executive vice president and director of football operations of Pro-West Sports Management Group in Los Angeles. He was responsible for managing the careers and post-career planning of professional athletes.

Jones Lang LaSalle in Chicago has appointed Guy Hollis managing director of Jones Lang LaSalle Asia Pacific. Mr. Hollis will work in the firm’s Bangkok office. He was the chief executive of operations of Insignia Richard Ellis in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Market Compass LLC, an investor education firm in San Francisco, has appointed Kitric Kerns, 31, chief operating officer. He was with Listen.com, where he was responsible for partnership development, business strategy and online content syndication in Los Angeles.