Irvine-Based Mazda Motor of America Inc. Appoints President

Yoji Toyama has been appointed president of Mazda Motor of America Inc. in Irvine. He succeeds Kazuo Sonoguchi, who returns to the parent company, Mazda Motor Corp. in Hiroshima, Japan. Toyama, a 30-year Mazda veteran, was previously president of Mazda North America Inc. in Flat Rock, Mich., as well as Mazda Systems Services of North America Inc. Yutaka Hirose, president of Mazda Research & Development of North America Inc. in Irvine, will assume those additional responsibilities and relocate to Michigan. In addition, George McCabe has been appointed senior vice president and general manager for Mazda Motor of America. McCabe was formerly in charge of the company’s Northeast region in Piscataway, N.J.

* Thomas A. Fuentes has joined Tait & Associates Inc., an Orange environmental, engineering and consulting services firm, as senior vice president. He was formerly senior vice president of Robert Bein, William Frost & Associates in Irvine. Fuentes is also the chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County.

* Gary A. Pulford has been appointed vice president and investment portfolio manager for First American Trust Co. in Newport Beach. Before joining the company, Pulford was president of Pinnacle Asset Management and, before that, a senior investment officer with the Orange County office of Van Deventer & Hoch, an investment subsidiary of Chemical Banking Corp.

* T.D. Shepherd and Robert R. Lind, vice presidents of Rockwell International Corp. in Seal Beach, have been elected officers of the corporation. Lind, who joined Rockwell in December, is vice president for corporate development. Before joining the company, he served as managing director at Lehman Brothers in Los Angeles. Shepherd, 53, who joined Rockwell in 1964 as a telecommunications engineer, is currently vice president, international, based in Rockwell’s Washington office.

Neal R. Lyons has joined Vans Inc., an Orange casual footwear company, as vice president of retail sales. He succeeds E.H. Bulen, who recently resigned. Lyons was previously director of retail stores for Reebok International.

* Dennis E. Chenoweth has been appointed senior vice president and general manager of InVitro International’s customized technology services division. Previously, Chenoweth was president and chief operating officer of Genetic Sciences Inc. in Menlo Park. InVitro International in Irvine is a developer of test kits to evaluate potential allergic reactions to products.

* Brenda Moeller has joined Townsend & O’Leary Inc., a Laguna Hills advertising agency, as vice president and media director. She was previously the media director at Noble & Asociados. * Lynne Sperling has joined Clothestime Stores, a division of Clothestime Inc. in Anaheim, as vice president and general merchandise manager. She will be responsible for overseeing the buying of apparel and accessories for the company. Sperling has previously been senior vice president and general merchandise manager for sportswear at Carter Hawley Hale, Robinson’s and Kaufman’s department stores.