Exec Shuffle

By VARIETY STAFF

Susan Lewis has been named senior VP for communications at the Recording Industry Assn. of America. She will oversee media and public relations efforts with regard to technology initiatives, First Amendment challenges and legislative actions.

Prior to joining the RIAA Lewis was VP for corporate communications at Comsat. She has also served stints as the deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Dept. of Treasury and as director of public affairs for the FCC.

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Scott Martin has been upped to senior VP of intellectual property and associate general counsel for Paramount Pictures.

Martin will oversee all intellectual property matters for the studio, including clearances, protection, enforcement and legislative issues. He reports to Rebecca Prentice, senior VP and general counsel.

Martin joined Par in 1992 as a senior attorney for the Motion Picture Group. Before that, he was an attorney with the intellectual property-entertainment law group of Richards & O'Neil in New York. He has also served in a similar capacity at Zavin, Sinnreich & Wasserman, beginning in 1986.

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Irwin Jacobson has been upped from controller to VP, controller, studio operations at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

He will continue to direct all accounting, budgeting, financial planning and forecasting for SPE's studio operations division. He will also oversee the credit, collections and billings activities for both studio operations and the Digital Studio division.

Jacobson joined SPE in 1990 as an assistant manager of special projects for SPE motion picture group's accounting department.

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Fox Family Worldwide has expanded the duties of Beth Cleary in her new position as senior VP, human resources and administration.

Cleary will now oversee all areas of human resources, benefits and administration for the company's Los Angeles headquarters, and expand her responsibilities to include Fox Family Worldwide's offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Detroit.

Before joining Saban in 1996, Cleary was senior VP of human resources and administration at Carolco Pictures.

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Craig Smith has been upped from executive director of special event projects to VP of special events for Columbia TriStar Television Distribution.

Smith will now oversee all special event projects for CTTD as well as for network, international, ad sales and interactive divisions and projects for the Game Show Network and Telemundo.

Additionally, he will continue to oversee the company's participation in industry conventions including NATPE, Promax, NAB, NCTA, Mip, Mipcom as well as LA Intl. Screenings and receptions.

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Arista Records has announced the appointment of Donna Clower to associate director, special markets.

Clower will be responsible for working day-to-day with record clubs to maximize artist and catalog opportunities in their various programs. She will also coordinate the administrative process behind specific third party manufactured projects.

Clower joins Arista from Capitol Records, where she served as an independent consultant regarding the financial and promotional aspects of tour marketing for various artists.

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LMNO Prods. has announced two key personnel changes. George Crosby has been hired as senior producer on "Kids Say the Darndest Things." Crosby has held several producing jobs, including co-exec producer of the "Cosby Mysteries."

Steve Ireland has been tapped director of research. Ireland will work on several projects, including the Fox series "Guinness World Records: Primetime" and the CBS special "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!" Ireland joins LMNO from "Real TV."

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The Jim Henson Co. has upped May Chin to account manager in the consumer products division.

Chin will be responsible for product management pertaining to development for the MGM Studios Store at Muppet Vision 3D in Disney World Florida. She will also handle the properties "Go to Bed Fred," "Peek-a-Boo Lizzy Lou," "Classic Muppets" and "Bear in the Big Blue House."

Chin joined the company in 1993 as an assistant in consumer products and most recently worked with the senior account manager on product development.

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Iwerks Entertainment has tapped Marianne Cheyne VP of entertainment and retail sales.

Cheyne will be responsible for increasing Iwerks' presence in new and emerging markets, including the retail and gaming industries, as part of the company's overall sales strategy. She reports to Jack Shishido, senior VP of worldwide sales and marketing.

Prior to joining Iwerks, Cheyne served as VP, marketing and sales, for Spectra Entertainment.