CSUN University News Clippings

Alum John Sibthorp has been appointed regional sale

(March 22, 2009)

ALBERT IDOLYANTES has been appointed manager of San Joaquin Bank’s new branch on Panama Lane. Idolyantes has 18 years of commercial / agricultural banking experience. He joined San Joaquin Bank in 1992, and became assistant vice president of the agribusiness department in 1997. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration / finance, and a master’s degree in business administration at Cal State Bakersfield.

ELLEN RENNER has been named executive director of Rosewood Retirement Community. Prior to joining Rosewood, Renner worked as administrator for Mariner Healthcare’s 119-bed Parkview Healthcare Center. Her health-care experience also includes serving as a consultant for California Armenian Home and Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, and Baby Signs Inc. in Vacaville. Renner also worked as director of Internet commerce for Rubbermaid Inc., in Ohio. She earned a nursing home administrator license in 2005, and a master’s degree in business administration at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks.

DAN MELLO has been appointed vice president of Bland Solar & Air Inc. in Bakersfield. Mello is an experienced sales team leader, having worked nearly 10 years in large-scale commercial, industrial and agricultural energy solutions in the Central Valley. He also helped develop a former competitor’s solar business into the nation’s 10th largest. Mello is an accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler.

JOHN SIBTHORP has been appointed regional sales manager at MetLife Auto & Home, overseeing growth around Bakersfield, Ventura County and east Los Angeles County. Sibthorp worked as a sales director for the Alliance of Insurance Agents & Brokers before joining MetLife. He also worked as business development manager for Infinity, and as a marketing sales manager with Great American Insurance Co. He graduated from Cal State Northridge.

LEE J. HAWKINS has been elected president of JTS Construction, a general building contractor in Bakersfield. Hawkins has worked with JTS as a project manager and vice president since 1993. In his new position, he is to oversee the company’s growth in public works construction projects in the Central Valley and eastern sierras. He succeeds Dene Hurlbert, who remains with the company as chairman.

ROBERT FRIESEN has been elected chairman of Safe 1 Credit Union. For 32 years Friesen has served as a volunteer for the credit union. He worked for the California Department of Water Resources for 33 years, and is now retired. Safe 1 has more than 41,000 members in Kern and Tulare counties.

CORAL HANSEN has been promoted to become director at CBIZ. Hansen served most recently as senior manager specializing in forensic accounting, litigation and valuation services. She has more than 18 years of accounting experience in the public and private sectors. In the public sector, her main focus was providing assurance and advisory services. In the private sector she worked in executive positions including chief financial officer, vice president of finance and corporate controller.

People in Business announces new hires, promotions, awards, professional achievements and other business “people news” in Kern County. Submissions can be mailed to The Bakersfield Californian, business editor, P.O. Bin 440, Bakersfield, CA 93302; faxed to 395-7519; or e-mailed to business@bakersfield.com. Sorry, photos that are submitted cannot be returned. For information, call 395-7345 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Publication: Bakersfield Californian