Crains New York - January 14, 2013 - (Page 8)

PEOPLE BUSINESS BATTLE-TESTED: Alex Peña made it back to New York from Iraq and builds bicycle computers at Flywheel Sports. LISTEN to a discussion at CrainsNewYork.com/podcasts of U.S. law firms plan to cut 11 to 20 partners this year, up from 1.2% in 2012 5% Source: American Lawyer EXECUTIVE MOVES Music & Arts: Steve Zapf, 46, joined the band and orchestra instrument and lesson retailer as president.He was previously executive vice president of multichannel management for Guitar Center. Birthright Israel Foundation: Jennifer L. Goldstone, 39, joined the nonprofit as chief operating officer. She was previously co-executive partner at SeaChange Capital Partners. TuneCore: Art Shaw, 53, was appointed board member of the music distribution company. He continues his role as chief executive at RepairPal. Akerman Senterfitt: Beth Zafonte, 53, was appointed board member at the law firm. She continues in her role as director of economic development services. American Diabetes Association: Kevin Shippy, 57, joined the nonprofit as executive director. He was previously executive director at the March of Dimes. The Sound Research:Harjot Bassra, 32, was promoted to partner at the advertising and marketing company. She was previously vice president, global projects. DMCG Holding Corp.: Bruce Guzowski, 59, joined the medical education marketing and communication company as chief executive.He was previously president and chief executive GOTHAM GIGS From bombs to bikes A former soldier puts the pieces back together Alex Peña disarmed more than 400 roadside bombs at the height of the Iraqi insurgency in 2006.The question the former Army combat engineer gets now from co-workers at Flywheel Sports in the Flatiron district or neighbors in Washington Heights is whether war movies like The Hurt Locker bear any resemblance to his experience.The answer is no.He did not wear a spaceman’s outfit of puffy body armor. “The size of the bombs we were dealing with would have torn that little suit apart,” he said.¶ While deployed, the soft-spoken native of the Dominican Republic slept during the day inside a U.S. base. Under the cover of night, he’d climb into the Buffalo, a six-wheeled armored vehicle with a 30-foot mechanical claw.The 54th Engineer Battalion’s mission: find, dig and detonate improvised explosive devices from the roads of downtown Ramadi.“I remember being The combat engineer detected hundreds of enemy explosives. Some hit their target anyway 8 | Crain’s New York Business | January 14, 2013 scared the first time we went out of the wire,” said Mr.Peña, 27. “The enemy buried IEDs everywhere.” ¶ Insurgents learned from Mr. Peña’s success. About 40 times, undetected bombs blasted into Mr.Peña’s Buffalo.Once, the 23,000-pound vehicle jumped six feet into the air. “You don’t hear anything,”Mr.Peña recalled. “You’re very disoriented.You start patting yourself and looking for signals.” Comrades died, but Mr.Peña made it back to New York. It was “an adjusting mission,” he said. “People looked at me different. I looked at them different, too.”¶ Growing up in New Jersey, he’d take apart toys to see how they worked.Then he’d solder them back together.At Flywheel Sports, he builds computers for indoor bikes that help cyclers track their workouts. “Things coming together, and things coming apart,” he said. “That’s something I’ve always been interested in.” at HCPro Inc. Metropolis: Suzanne Tron, 50, joined the magazine as executive publisher. She was previously chief revenue officer at Architizer. Sagin: Mary Olson-Menzel, 43, joined the management consulting firm as managing partner. She was previously managing partner at Ascend Executive Search. Deloitte: James Kroeker, 43, joined the accounting firm as deputy managing partner in its professional practice, a newly created position.He was previously chief accountant at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Bluefin Labs: Scott Grunther, 42, joined the social-TV-analytics company as senior vice president and general manager of Bluefin Labs Media Products, a newly created position.He was previously senior vice president at Nielsen IAG. Optimedia: Jason Hoffman, 37, joined the advertising and marketing firm as senior vice president, digital.He was previously head of U.S. digital media and strategy at OMD. New York Lawyers for the Public Interest: McGregor Smyth, 38, joined the nonprofit as executive director. He was previously managing attorney of the civil action practice and director of Re-entry Net at the Bronx Defenders. —jeremy smerd Richter + Ratner:Nancy Erardi, 36, See EXECUTIVE MOVES on Page 10 buck ennis http://www.CrainsNewYork.com/podcasts

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - January 14, 2013

Crains New York - January 14, 2013
In the Boroughs
In the Markets
The Insider
Business People
Opinion
Greg David
Small Business
Report: Real Estate
The List
Classifieds
New York, New York
Source Breakfast
Out and About
Snaps

Crains New York - January 14, 2013