Spin Master Hired Hackner for Films
Spin Master, Ltd. announced that Will Hackner joins the team in the newly created role of creative director, feature film development and boys’ entertainment for Spin Master Entertainment in the Los Angeles Office.
Hackner joins the company from DC Entertainment where he worked on feature films, including Green Lantern, Watchmen, and Dark Knight, as well as TV series that include Human Target, Young Justice, and Batman: Brave and the Bold.
Reporting to executive producers, Matt Wexler and Jennifer Dodge, Hackner’s duties will include fostering the development of Spin Master’s feature film slate, which further highlights Spin Master’s commitment to creating franchises and brands that will exist across multiple platforms. On the TV side, he is charged with overseeing all creative elements of boys’ action properties as they move from development through production.
Guerra Joins Wild Planet
Wild Planet Entertainment, Inc., announced the hiring of Jon Guerra as the company’s first senior vice-president of product development. In this new role, he will lead the development, creation, and launch of new categories, brands, and products for Wild Planet. Guerra will manage the company’s internal product development/design team and oversee external inventor relations.
Guerra joins Wild Planet most recently from Disney Consumer Products. Prior to joining Disney, he held creative and design director positions at frogdesign, ASTROstudios, and Fitch+.
New Hires for Electrolux Global Brand Licensing
Electrolux Global Brand Licensing announced the hiring of four executives. They will be focusing on growing markets such as the U.S. and India.
Susan Hemingway joins the global brand licensing team as a licensing facility auditor. She has 21 years of experience with companies such as Dresser Rand, John Deere, and Cummins Engines. She had held various positions including that of quality manager for more than 15 years.
Therese Granath, based in Stockholm, has joined the global brand licensing team as a business development manager. She was previously employed as the sales and product manager for Peugeot Sweden and has worked internationally within the automotive industry for several years. She will take over the responsibility for some existing accounts as well as work with new business opportunities.
Michael Evans has joined the team as a financial support analyst, a new position within the group. He was previously employed as a securities specialist in Bank of America’s loan operations group.
Michael Hart joins the team as a licensing facility auditor. He has 15 years of experience in program management and quality control with Lear Corp, and most recently held the position of Insourcing Program Manager.
Simmons Joins DC Entertainment
Courtney Simmons has been named senior vice-president of publicity for DC Entertainment at Warner Bros. She will manage media relations and internal communications for DC Entertainment (DCE) and its executives and be responsible for developing and leading the PR strategy for DC Comics‚ portfolio of characters across all media platforms. In addition, she will oversee the New York-based DC Entertainment publicity team.
Prior to joining DCE, Simmons was vice-president of communications for Disney Interactive Media. She also served as a communications executive for Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) where she was part of the original PR team that announced the new DC Universe Online video game.