AIRLINES
• Michael Witcher has been appointed as managing director of customer services for American Airlines in Miami. He has 23 years of experience in various posts within American Airlines. For the last two years, he has been the manager of ramp services at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.
Also at American Airlines, Alina Menendez has been appointed business development manager for Florida. She has been with the company since 1989.
BANKING
• Patricia A. Glass has been hired as senior vice president of marketing and sales for American National Bank, headquartered in Oakland Park.
Previously, she was director of marketing and sales for Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale.
• Sherri Heino has been named vice president and market manager for the Fort Lauderdale office of First Southern Bank. She joined the bank in 2007 as its business development officer.
• Armando A. Blanco has been hired at BankPremier as vice president of special projects in the credit administration department. Previously, he was vice president and collections manager at BankUnited.
Also at BankPremier, Queen E. Dean has been promoted to assistant vice president and Surfside branch manager. She was previously a senior customer service representative at the bank.
BEVERAGE
• Marc de Grandpre, former managing director of New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, has been hired as vice president of marketing for Purple Beverage Company in Fort Lauderdale. Before working with the soccer team, he directed East Coast marketing for Red Bull North America.
CONSULTING
• Peter McDougal has formed the McDougal Consulting Group, a firm in Coral Gables specializing in community-development finance. He is president of the firm. He previously co-founded the South Florida SBA Lenders Group.
EDUCATION
• Lydia M. Acosta has been hired at Nova Southeastern University as vice president for information services and university librarian. Previously, she directed the East Baton Rouge Parish Library in Louisiana.
• José Szapocznik has been named chairman of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He also serves as associate dean for community development and director of the Center for Family Studies at the Miller School.
He replaces Clyde McCoy, who served as department chair for more than 12 years.
HEALTHCARE
• Dr. Joel Frankel has been appointed as chief of staff at Florida Medical Center. He will serve a two-year term. He previously served as the vice chief of staff and director of the Cardiopulmonary Department at the Fort Lauderdale hospital. He is also a member of the hospital's Board of Trustees.
• Aristides Pallin Jr. has been hired as chief operating officer of Leon Medical Centers. Previously, he was chief information officer for Miami Children's Hospital.
• Dr. Justo M. Garcia has been appointed medical director of Preferred Care Partners. He is responsible for overseeing all clinical matters relating to Preferred Care Partners.
HOSPITALITY
• Robert Todak has been hired as vice president and managing director of Acqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles Beach. Previously, he was general manager of the new Hard Rock Hotel San Diego.
LAW
• Gregg Rasor, Todd Stone and Matt Weissing have been hired as partners at the Fort Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler.
• Brett M. Amron, formerly a partner with the law firm Genovese Joblove & Battista, has opened the law firm of Brett M. Amron, located at 19 W. Flagler St., Suite 406 in Miami. He concentrates in the litigation and trial of commercial, bankruptcy and insolvency matters.
MARINE
• Bill Leonard has been hired as vice president of shipyard sales for Merrill-Stevens. Most recently, he was vice president of Azimut Benetti, USA.
• Michael Shanley has been hired as vice president of marina management at Aqua Marine Partners, an integrated marina investment company in Aventura.
NONPROFIT
• Nathaniel O. Wilkins has been hired as the executive director of The Haitian Cultural Art Alliance.
REAL ESTATE
• Miles Glascock has been hired by Cushman & Wakefield as its senior managing director for strategic planning and business development for Latin America. He is based in Miami office of the commercial real estate services firm.
Most recently he was the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for real estate company Hudson Capital.
RESTAURANTS
• Gladys DeClouet has been hired as senior vice president of North America company operations for Burger King Corp. She is the former vice president of operations for Jack in the Box.
This column lists high-level appointments and promotions in South Florida.
Send announcements -- including title of new position, responsibilities, a phone number and previous position held, along with color jpeg photos -- to movers@MiamiHerald.com.
