Around the house

The Canadian-Australian coal miner Coalspur Mines is losing its General Counsel, Xenia Kritsos. Ms Kritsos also acted as joint company secretary - but her colleague in that role, Simon Robertson, is continuing in his post. 

The University of Hawaii is to consider appointing Carrie Okinaga, formerly Honolulu’s chief attorney, as its General Counsel tomorrow. A recommendation to hire Ms Okinaga has been made by David Lassner, president of the university. If the appointment goes ahead, she will start in late June on an annual salary of US$235,008 with the title of vice president for legal affairs and GC. At the moment Ms Okinaga is GC at First Hawaiian Bank and a board member of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. 

Eric Loumeau, formerly VP of legal affairs at the Medicine Company, has joined Otonomy, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company specialising in the ear and based in San Diego. He becomes GC and chief compliance officer. He used to be chief finance officer and chief compliance officer at Rempex Pharmaceuticals.

The new General Counsel and Legislative Director of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs is to be Thomas Saadi. Mr Saadi has for the last 15 years been Assistant Attorney General and Special Prosecutor with the Office of the Connecticut Attorney General.He is also a major in the Army Reserve serving with the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion Danbury.

Difficult events at the top of the Louisville Water Company have now prompted the departure of GC Barbara Dickens, just six weeks after the VP of finance also left. Ms Dickens had been in the post for 11 years. In a resignation letter, she wrote: 'Despite efforts to continue my service, the actions and omissions of the Company's leadership over the past fifteen months have prevented me from performing the job for which I was hired and took an oath. As a result, I have no choice but to resign my position, which also includes the designated position of Official Custodian of the Records, effective immediately.'