Banking-The Florida Bankers Association (FBA) named Alejandro "Alex" M. Sanchez, 40, executive vice president. He succeeds John Milstead, who died in November. Sanchez, a lawyer, has been senior vice president of government relations since joining FBA in 1993. Previously, he was senior corporate counsel for GTE Information Services in Tampa and held posts at the Florida Department of Commerce, Consolidated Bank in Miami and the Miami law firm of Sinclair, Louis, Siegel, Heath, Nussbaum & Zavertnick.
Northern Trust Bank of Florida promoted Stephen A. Lynch III, 56, to chief trust officer, with statewide responsibility for oversight of all trust administrative and business development activities. He also will remain as general counsel for the bank. Lynch succeeds Paul Williams, who retired after 41 years with Northern Trust. Lynch practiced law in Miami before joining Northern Trust 12 years ago.
U.S. Trust Company of Florida named Judith A. Golembiewski and Halsey Smith as vice presidents of the Palm Beach-based investment and private banking company. Both Golembiewski, 60, and Smith, 48, move from Harris Trust's West Palm Beach office.
Engineering-Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan, the Miami-based global engineering and design firm, promoted John B. Zumwalt III to be COO. He replaces Mike Dye, who remains as president. Zumwalt, 46, joined Post, Buckley in 1973 and was most recently district director for Florida west coast operations. Two other professionals, James M. Killough Jr., 58, and Thomas D. Pellarin, 45, were named executive vice presidents.
Leila Nodarse, 38, was appointed chairman of the Florida State Board of Professional Engineers, the regulatory body that oversees the engineering profession. She is president of Nodarse & Associates, a seven-year-old Winter Park-based geotechnical, environmental and materials-testing engineering firm.
Law-Pamela M. Burke, 41, was named managing partner of Parker, Burke, Landerman & Parker, an Orlando firm that specializes in representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases. Burke, a graduate of Florida State University's College of Law, replaces Alan J. Landerman.
Investments-Donna L. Terry, 48, president and chief investment officer of Barnett Capital Advisors until the NationsBank-Barnett Banks merger, has formed a new Jacksonville money management firm, Verity Investment Management Group. Prior to joining Barnett in 1996, Terry managed assets at the Boston Company Asset Management Inc. Another Barnett investment analyst, David W. Price, also has joined Verity.
Mining-The Florida Phosphate Council elected Stanley A. Riemann chairman of the trade association, which represents the state's seven phosphate companies in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Riemann is a vice president at Kansas City, Mo.-based Farmland Industries and Farmland Hydro L.P., a limited partnership between Farmland Industries and Norsk Hydro.
Real Estate-St. Joe Corp. promoted Charles A. Ledsinger Jr. to be president and COO of the Jacksonville-based real estate development, timber and railroad company. Peter S. Rummell remains as chairman and CEO. Ledsinger, 48, joined St. Joe in April 1997 as senior vice president and chief financial officer.
Atlanta-based Weeks Corp., one of the nation's largest real estate investment trusts (REITs), named Julia S. Bennett to run its new Tampa office. Bennett, 30, has been active in marketing and leasing commercial real estate in Tampa since 1992, most recently as a vice president for Liberty Property Trust. Weeks and Jacksonville's St. Joe Corp. recently acquired one-third interests each in the Codina Group, run by prominent Miami business leader Armando Codina.
Retail-Claire's Stores, the Pembroke Pines-based chain of stores that sell accessories designed for teen-age girls, named Mark Hoffman, 49, president and COO of Claire's Boutiques, a subsidiary. He replaces Les Dunavant, 53, who retired in January. Dunavant spent 11 years with Claire's, including three as president and COO. Hoffman joined Claire's in 1994 after stints with Accessory Place and Ann Taylor.