MANUFACTURERSSuzanne Grogan has been promoted from associate manager to manager, corporate planning and communications at Eisai. Grogan joined Eisai in 1997 and has held several positions in sales training and communications. She earned a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Grogan is a member of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, International Association of Business Communicators and the Junior League of Morristown, NJ. Ann Hida has been promoted from associate director to director, medical communications at Eisai. In her new role, Hida will work closely with the medical services and medical affairs product support teams to optimize product information to meet the needs of Eisai’s internal and external customers. Hida earned a bachelor’s in biology/chemistry from Valparaiso University and a doctorate of pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois – Chicago. Prior to joining Eisai in 1999, Hida worked at Merck Medco Managed Care. John Jackimiec has been promoted from regional account manager to strategic account manager. In this role, he oversees key managed care accounts in the Southwest Region. Prior to Eisai, Jackimiec served as Director of Managed Care Pharmacy at Scott and White Health System in Temple, TX. He holds bachelor’s degrees in pharmacy and microbiology from Oregon State University and an MBA from the University of Houston Victoria. Gail Smith has been promoted from medical sales representative to senior manager, corporate planning and communications. Smith joined Eisai in 1997 and has held several positions in sales administration. Most recently, she completed a year-long rotation as a member of the sales force. Smith holds a bachelor’s in English from the University of Illinois – Chicago. She was a member of the Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA) Board for eight years and is currently a member of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA).MEDIAAscend Media announced a number of promotions in its medical education group including the promotion of five members of the unit’s senior management team. The Ascend Media Medical Communications Group, a division of Ascend Media, is headquartered in Califon, NJ. Peter Rizzuto and Michael Paulik will share responsibility as group presidents of the corporate medical communications group, which has specialized in developing high quality educational programs in a wide variety of disease/therapeutic areas since 1984. Rizzuto joined the company in 1997 with prior experience at Genentech, Bayer, and Searle. Paulik joined the company in 1999, having worked at Johnson & Johnson. Keith Hofbeck has been appointed to managing director of IMED Communications, a division that provides a full spectrum of professional medical education and communication services such as web-based learning programs, webcasts, journal articles, newsletters, white papers and monographs, as well as live events such as advisory boards, roundtable meetings, symposia, in a variety of disease/therapeutic areas. Hofbeck has been with the company since 2000. The group has also announced the appointment of Otto Ratz to managing director of SynerMed Communications, which focuses on developing a variety of educational programs that include web-based learning programs, Webcasts, symposia, advisory boards, newsletters, monographs and other highly educational programs for physicians, allied healthcare professionals, and patients. Ratz has been with the company since 1997. Robert Schneider has been appointed corporate VP, professional relations and healthcare compliance. He joined the company in 1990.AlphaMed Press, publisher of Stem Cells and The Oncologist, has appointed George Kendall to the post of director of new operations and business development.