Executive Appointment

Santa Clara – October 13, 2026 -- Smarter Balanced has appointed Dr. Karen Barton as Deputy Executive Director, effective October 13, 2026, adding a leader with more than two decades of assessment and learning experience to its senior team.

Barton to oversee major operational portfolios under Executive Director Tony Alpert

Barton will work closely with Executive Director Tony Alpert. Her remit covers major operational portfolios, coordination across teams, and the alignment of resources with the Consortium's strategic priorities and member needs.

Interview panels including member agency representatives backed her unanimously

Alpert said Barton earned unanimous support from the Consortium's multidisciplinary interview panels. The panels included representatives from member education agencies. He said she combines a student-centered focus with the skills needed to lead complex operations.

New York – October 13, 2026 -- B. Riley Securities, Inc. has hired Michael Masiuk, a banker with more than 25 years of experience, as Managing Director in its New York Investment Banking team to expand growth capital, M&A advisory and proprietary deal origination coverage.

Masiuk deepens coverage of sports, media and technology sponsors

Masiuk will cover corporate and financial sponsor clients in the sports, media, and technology sectors. His remit expands the firm's growth and private capital, M&A advisory, and proprietary deal origination capabilities.

His experience spans investment banking, hedge funds, and the entertainment industry. He has originated and executed transactions across public and private capital markets, including growth equity, crossover rounds, and buyouts.

San Diego – October 13, 2026 -- Robles BioCeutics, a regenerative dermatology company built on stem cell and senolytic technologies, has appointed trial attorney Mark Skeels to its Advisory Board, adding more than 25 years of litigation, government and business-negotiation experience as it targets international expansion.

Skeels brings prosecutorial and city-government leadership experience to the board

Skeels is the founder of Skeels Law Group, APC. He previously served as a Deputy District Attorney in the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. He later held senior leadership roles in the San Diego City Attorney's Office, including Senior Chief Deputy City Attorney. He studied at Harvard University, Stanford University and the University of San Diego School of Law, where he also served as adjunct faculty.

Austin, Minn. – October 13, 2026 -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) has rehired Holly LaVallie as vice president of marketing excellence, giving her responsibility for enterprise marketing capabilities across its Retail, Foodservice and International businesses.

LaVallie takes charge of six marketing functions at Hormel Foods

LaVallie will lead the development and execution of capabilities meant to support brand growth across the three business segments. Her remit covers brand strategy and experience, design and content, media and agency management, marketing technology, marketing training and marketing effectiveness.

New York – October 13, 2026 -- Canyon Partners, a $30 billion global alternative investment manager, has appointed Chris Hansen as Partner and Chief Information Officer, tasking him with integrating artificial intelligence and alternative data across its investment platform.

Hansen takes charge of technology strategy and infrastructure from New York

Hansen oversees the firm's technology strategy and infrastructure. His remit covers information technology, business technology, engineering, data architecture, and the integration of AI and alternative data.

He will work with Canyon's investment and operating teams to embed technology and data in investment research, underwriting, portfolio management, and firmwide operations.

Reston – October 13, 2026 -- General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) has elected Danny Deep, 56, to its board of directors. Deep has served as the company's president since December 2025.

Deep brings more than 20 years of General Dynamics operating experience to the board

Before becoming president, Deep held several senior operating roles at the aerospace and defense contractor. He served as executive vice president for Global Operations, executive vice president for Combat Systems, and president of General Dynamics Land Systems.

His career runs through the company's land combat business, which sits alongside business aviation, ship construction and repair, weapon systems and munitions, and technology products and services.

Seoul – October 12, 2026 -- CLASSYS Inc. (KOSDAQ: 214150) has created the post of Chief Commercial Officer and appointed former Bain & Company partner Jung-hee Bae to it, tasking her with a push toward a $1 billion revenue target ahead of 2030. Bae, who also becomes Vice President, will head the company's newly formed Go-to-Market (GTM) Center.

CLASSYS merges three sales and marketing divisions into one GTM Center

The appointment follows a restructuring that began after Jun-oh Yoon became CEO in July. The Marketing, Domestic Sales and Overseas Sales Divisions now sit under the GTM Center, which Bae will lead. The company said the aim is a stronger focus on markets and customers.

CLASSYS has spent 20 years entering international markets and launching products region by region. Since Yoon took office, it has been overhauling operations to standardize branding, products, positioning and global launches.

Suwanee – October 12, 2026 -- Hisense will appoint James Fishler, a consumer electronics executive with more than 30 years of experience, as Chief Commercial Officer effective January 1, 2026, as the company expands its U.S. business.

Fishler brings Samsung, Beats, LG and Sony leadership experience to Hisense

Fishler previously served as chief executive over the TV, audio and memory business at Samsung Electronics America, where he led all sales and marketing across those categories. At Beats Electronics, later acquired by Apple, he oversaw worldwide go-to-market and channel marketing. He has also held leadership positions at LG and Sony Electronics.

His background spans B2C, B2B and D2C segments. According to Hisense, he has built cross-functional teams and retailer and distributor partnerships, and has worked on business planning, channel dynamics and new revenue streams in competitive categories.

Henderson – October 12, 2026 -- YMX Logistics has hired Adam Buttgenbach, a fleet executive who previously oversaw more than 110,000 assets globally, as Vice President of Fleet Strategy & Loss Prevention.

The appointment comes as the Henderson, Nevada-based yard logistics provider expands nationwide, according to Chief Operating Officer Erin Mitchell. She said fleet strategy and asset performance are critical to delivering safer, more efficient and more sustainable operations for enterprise customers.

Buttgenbach brings 20-plus years across logistics, procurement and maintenance

Buttgenbach has more than 20 years of leadership experience in logistics, procurement, maintenance and operational transformation. He has led large-scale fleet and equipment organizations with billion-dollar capital investment portfolios.

San Carlos, Calif. – October 12, 2026 -- Noah Medical has created a Chief Pulmonary Advisor role and filled it with Krish Bhadra, MD, an interventional pulmonologist at Stanford Medicine who has performed more than 2,300 robotic-assisted bronchoscopy procedures.

Bhadra to steer clinical education, evidence strategy and product development

In the newly created position, Bhadra will guide Noah Medical's clinical education, evidence strategy and product development. The medical robotics company said the aim is to expand access to advanced robotic bronchoscopy for the millions of patients at risk for lung cancer.

Noah Medical CEO Jian Zhang said the company is scaling the impact of its Galaxy System and called Bhadra "exactly the partner we need" for that effort.