FRANKLIN, TN—Nissan Americas has named Travis Parman as director of corporate communications. Parman will report to David Reuter, vice president, corporate communications, Nissan Americas, and will be responsible for aligning Nissan Americas' corporate communications efforts throughout North, Central and South America. Most recently, Parman was vice president, corporate communications at PulteGroup, where he was responsible for internal and external communications for the nation's largest residential home builder.

NEW YORK—Media industry veteran Mia Carbonell has been named senior vice president, corporate communications, for Forbes Media. Carbonell joins from HSN, where she served as vice president of corporate communications. Prior to that she was senior vice president of corporate communications for health and wellness publisher Rodale and worked with Time Warner and Vivendi.

CLEVELAND—Iris Cumberbatch (pictured) has been named vice president of public affairs at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, responsible for leadership of the public affairs function, including public information, strategic communications, web services, and executive outreach. She joins from Wells Fargo in Charlotte, where she served as senior vice president, corporate communications. Prior to that, she held communications and public relations positions with Wachovia, Bank of America, and Citibank.

MINNEAPOLIS—Pentair, a diversified industrial company, has hired Marybeth Thorsgaard as vice president, communications. Thorsgaard will oversee Pentair's internal and external communications, including media relations, employee communications, executive communications, and will work closely with the Pentair leadership on government affairs. Before joining Pentair, Thorsgaard spent over six years at Medtronic, most recently as the senior director of communications of the spine and biologics business unit.

LATROBE, PA—Advanced materials company Kennametal has appointed Lorrie Paul Crum as vice president, corporate relations, reporting to Kennametal chairman, president and chief executive Carlos Cardoso. Crum will ensure clear and consistent articulation of Kennametal business objectives leading the company's internal and external communication, with worldwide responsibility for corporate communication, government affairs, public relations and the Kennametal Foundation.
Crum previously worked with The Timken Company, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Newell Rubbermaid and TECO Energy.

NEW YORK—Swift Exchange, an innovator in the facilitation of global commerce, has appointed Martin Rodahl as manager, corporate communications, responsible for communications aimed at internal and external audiences as well as contributing to the overall marketing platform of the company. Prior to Swift Exchange, Rodahl was founder of 71 Degrees North, a Chicago-based production and concept development company.

SEAL BEACH, CA—Clean Energy Fuels Corp., a leading provider of natural gas fuel for transportation, has named Gary Foster as senior vice president, corporate communications. Foster comes to Clean Energy from the Walt Disney Company where he was senior vice president, corporate communications for Disney Consumer Products. Prior to joining Disney, he held senior communications positions with Anitgenics in New York and Enron in Houston and served in multiple capacities in the administration of President George H.W. Bush.

NEW YORK—BrightLine, a leading global provider of interactive television solutions for entertainment and advertising, has hired James Pearson as director of corporate communications. Pearson began his career in media working for Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios and John Hughes’ Hughes Entertainment. He also served as director of public relations for Internet pioneer Razorfish, vice president at Rubenstein Associates and as director of corporate communications at Audible.com.