 Natalie Best |
French/West/Vaughan has named Natalie Best as its first chief operating officer. Best has been with FWV since 2002, most recently as executive vice president and director of client services. She has been an agency principal since 2009. Before coming to the agency, she was assistant director of public relations for the Charlotte Hornets. Best also serves as secretary/treasurer for IPREX, the network of worldwide communication agencies, which includes FWV. As COO, she will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of FWV together with president David Gwyn, reporting to chairman & CEO Rick French.
 Gerard LaFond |
LEWIS has appointed Gerard LaFond as senior vice president of east coast digital and picked Megan Maguire to head up the agency’s new Chicago office. LaFond joins LEWIS from Weber Shandwick, where he was executive vice president, client experience digital. He was previously vice president of digital communications at Cone Communications and executive director, marketing and digital product at Wolters Kluwer Law & Business. At LEWIS, LaFond will work to strengthen the agency’s digital footprint across North America, as well as support client demand in social media marketing, paid search advertising, design and development. Maguire comes to LEWIS from MSLGROUP, where she served as vice president. She was previously director, influence lead at Leo Burnett.
 Joanna Horn |
MERGE Atlanta has brought on Joanna Horn as vice president. Horn comes to the agency from LEWIS, where she most recently served as vice president, managing the firm’s day-to-day operations and strategic relationships with global partners, as well as leading some of the agency’s top accounts. Previously, while with Davies Murphy Group (which was acquired by LEWIS in 2013), Horn opened its first European office in London. At MERGE, she will oversee client partnerships, help drive enhanced performances through strategic communications and work to build and manage client teams. Horn will work out of the agency’s Atlanta office. The agency also has Boston and Chicago offices.
 Rick Gomes |
Allied Global Marketing has named Rick Gomes to lead its New York national publicity department as vice president, national publicity, entertainment. Gomes most recently ran his own media relations consultancy. He previously was director, public relations & talent relations at Travel Channel, where he led publicity campaigns for such franchises as Andrew Zimmern’s “Bizarre Foods America.” Gates has also served as vice president at Sayles Winnikoff Communications, where his clients included ION Television, THIRTEEN/WNET and Bravo. In addition to leading Allied’s New York team, he will help manage PR efforts for the agency’s film, television, streaming and brand clients.
Stagwell brings on David Olesnevich as chief growth officer, owned media and Drew Schutte as chief revenue officer, owned media... Spectrum Science names Lisa Talbot president of Spectrum Science Communications. Talbot was most recently chief client officer at MSL, where she oversaw healthcare, consumer and corporate practices... IHS, a global information provider, names Stephanie Buscemi as SVP and CMO, a newly created role....Red Shoes Inc., a woman-owned, marketing firm in Appleton, WI, promotes Reagan Fritts, Mia Hermansen, Katie Much, Jennifer Thurlow and Carly Tiedt to new roles. 
Former deputy undersecretary of agriculture Darci Vetter joins berry producer Driscoll's as VP, public affairs.
The International Dairy Foods Association brings on 
INFINITE appoints Eric Wiedeke as head of talent, a newly created position intended to strengthen the firm’s people strategy and global growth ambitions... Anomaly promotes Kira Montgomery to executive strategy director, head of communications strategy, expanding her remit from the agency’s Toronto office to its full North American business... The Jackson Laboratory, which focuses on genetics and genomic medicine, appoints Steven Holstein as SVP of external affairs.
Global Counsel managing director Benedict Brogan is joining FTI Consulting as a senior managing director within its strategic communications segment.
