February experienced some of the new year flow of last month with companies selecting new top lawyers at a higher rate.

Health care giant Centene Corp. named a new general counsel in the wake of its $17 billion acquisition of WellCare Health Plans Inc., which tapped a new top lawyer last month as its former one headed to Eli Lilly Co. In bankruptcy mode, Pier 1 Imports Inc. quietly gave the general counsel title to one of its veteran in-house lawyers after the previous general counsel suddenly passed away last month. Amusement park company Six Flags Entertainment Corp. announced it will say goodbye to its general counsel as he heads into retirement while naming his successor. United Talent Agency elevated its associate general counsel to the top legal role, spinning out that role formerly held by the chief operating officer.

Some general counsel who vacated their positions took a different route rather than retirement. The U.S. National Security Agency general counsel went to a D.C. think tank, while the former general counsel of Godiva Chocolatier Inc. and Ralph Lauren Corp. headed to a legal recruiting firm in New York.

Below are other notable moves across multiple industries.

AUTOMOTIVE

Genuine Parts Co., the global Atlanta-based distributor of automotive replacement parts, promoted Christopher Galla to vice president and general counsel.

Galla, who's worked at Genuine Parts for 15 years, most recently served as vice president and assistant general counsel for the last five years, the company announced along with several other appointments.

He earned his law degree at Wake Forest University School of Law.

AVIATION

Jessica Garascia. (Courtesy photo)

AAR Corp., an independent provider of aviation services to commercial and government customers, named Jessica Garascia as general counsel. She succeeds Robert Regan.

Garascia joins the Wood Dale, Illinois-based AAR from USG Corp., where she served as deputy general counsel.

"I am thrilled to join AAR, a dynamic company with an exciting future in an important, global industry," she said in a statement. "I look forward to being part of the Company's culture of Doing It Right."

Garascia began her career as an attorney at Jenner & Block. She holds a juris doctor from Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

ENERGY

Oil and gas supplier Flotek Industries Inc. named Nick Bigney as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary.

Bigney joins Flotek in Houston from Oiltanking North America, where he served as vice president, general counsel and secretary. Prior to Oiltanking, Bigney spent eight years in the legal department at Nabors Industries Ltd.

Bigney began his career in New York at Milbank in its project, energy and infrastructure finance group. He then moved to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and worked in its energy and infrastructure projects group in Houston.

"I am honored to join the experienced and dedicated leadership team at Flotek," said Bigney in the announcement. "Prior to joining Flotek, I saw a critical need for technology solutions that could deliver long-term value to the upstream E&P sector, and Flotek's advanced and unique chemistry solutions are poised to address the complex challenges facing them. I am excited to partner with John and the executive team to write Flotek's next chapter of success."

He received his juris doctor from Columbia Law School.

ENTERTAINMENT

Matthew Erramouspe was appointed to be the new chief legal officer and executive vice president at Legendary Pictures Productions LLC in Burbank, California.

Erramouspe is the co-chair of O'Melveny & Myers' entertainment, sports and media transactional practice based in Los Angeles.

"I feel very fortunate to be joining Legendary and its exceptional management team led by [CEO] Josh [Grode]," Erramouspe told multiple media outlets. "I couldn't be more enthusiastic or optimistic about the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for this well-positioned company. And while I will miss my O'Melveny family of more than twenty years, I look forward to continue working with them as their client."

He earned his law degree from the University of California Los Angeles.

FINANCE

CAN Capital Inc., which specializes in alternative small business finance, welcomed Edward Dietz as chief compliance officer and general counsel.

Before joining the Kennesaw, Georgia-based CAN Capital, Dietz served for nine years as senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer of New Jersey-based Marlin Business Services Corp. CAN Capital said in its press release Dietz will be based in New Jersey.

"I could not be more excited to join a company and a team that believes so deeply that its people and its culture are the keys to harnessing the company's growth potential," said Dietz in the release. "We're fortunate to be able to build upon CAN Capital's experience, brand recognition, data and partner relationships as we work to expand our product offerings, our team and, ultimately, CAN's value."

Dietz earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

EagleTree Capital, an independent private equity and investment firm in New York, named Stephanie McCavitt general counsel.

Spending 20 years with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, McCavitt last served as counsel and advised EagleTree on complex legal matters.

"I'm delighted to be joining the EagleTree team," said McCavitt in a statement. "I've had the pleasure of working closely with EagleTree's senior partners for more than a decade, and I am thrilled to be joining such a prominent firm at this time of tremendous momentum."

She received her juris doctor from New York Law School and a master of laws degree in taxation from New York University School of Law.

Idea Financial, a leading small business lending platform,  named Gregory Sandler as chief operating officer and general counsel.

Most recently, Sandler was general counsel and corporate secretary at Beyond Finance and Spruce Finance. Earlier in his career, Sandler served as vice president and corporate counsel at Bayview Asset Management LLC and as a senior associate at Clifford Chance. He also held in-house counsel roles at Camulos Capital LP and Bear Stearns & Co. Inc.

"Idea Financial is experiencing accelerated growth with the company's in-demand products that perfectly align with the needs of small businesses," Sandler said in a statement. "I look forward to working with this extremely smart and committed team as we continue to fuel the engine of the American economy."

He is a graduate of Fordham University School of Law.

FOOD

Rebecca Bortolotti. (Courtesy photo)

Benson Hill Inc., a crop improvement company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants, named Rebecca Bortolotti as general counsel and corporate secretary.

"Innovation in the food industry is moving well beyond reformulation or expanding a brand. Innovation today is expanding the capabilities across the value chain to deliver the health and sustainability benefits consumers are looking for," said Bortolotti in the media release. "Benson Hill is on the leading edge of this evolution, leveraging the diversity within crops and ingredients to empower real product differentiation in the industry. The opportunity to be part of this evolution, along with joining a stellar team, is really exciting to me."

Prior to joining the St. Louis-based Benson Hill, Bortolotti was a partner at Advent, a law firm focused on innovation and technology development in Omaha, Nebraska. Before Advent, she spent nearly 10 years at ConAgra Brands Inc., more recently as chief technology counsel. Benson Hill added in its statement Bortolotti will work from its St. Louis headquarters.

Bortolotti received her juris doctor at Creighton University School of Law.

Syracuse, New York-based Carrols Restaurant Group Inc. appointed Markus Hartmann as vice president and general counsel. The restaurant franchisee that currently operates 1,100 restaurants announced in a statement that Hartmann will succeed Bill Myers, who worked at Carrols for 19 years and served as general counsel since 2012.

Hartmann most recently was the vice president for technical compliance at Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America Inc. He previously served as the North American general counsel for Sandoz Inc., as well as the European and North American general counsel for Reckitt Benckiser while working in the Netherlands.

Earlier in his career, Hartmann flew CH-46 helicopters as a Marine Corps pilot during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He also was designated a judge advocate in the Marine Corps Reserve and served as the staff judge advocate to the commander of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa in Djibouti in 2005. He retired from the Marine Corps Reserve at the rank of colonel in 2014.

He holds a juris doctor from Harvard Law School and an MBA from Le Moyne College.

Sovos Brands, a Berkeley, California, food company, hired Isobel Jones as chief legal officer and general counsel.

Jones most recently served as the first in-house general counsel and corporate secretary at Sun Basket Inc., an e-commerce startup. Prior to Sun Basket, she was general counsel at several food and beverage companies including Diamond Foods LLC, Annie's Homegrown, and Peet's Coffee Inc. She also served as associate general counsel of Del Monte Foods Co.

"I'm delighted to be joining the talented team at Sovos Brands, and I look forward to contributing to the company's continued growth," said Jones in the announcement.

Jones is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

HEALTH

Advanced Medical Pricing Solutions in Atlanta appointed Laura Conte to general counsel.

Previously, Conte served as general counsel and chief claims officer for health care technology company Advanced Medical Strategies. Prior to that, she served as general counsel for INTEICO Inc. and as vice president and chief compliance officer for TRU Services Inc.

"I am delighted to join such a talented team of professionals that is committed to reducing healthcare costs while maintaining high-quality care," Conte said in the press release. "Over my 25-plus years in this industry, I have watched AMPS grow and succeed in an ever-changing market. The team's corporate values in leadership and dedication to true cost containment align with my values as an attorney."

Conte is a graduate of Massachusetts School of Law.

CooperCompanies Inc. promoted Mark Drury to vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Drury succeeds Randal Golden, who will serve in a legal advisory role until his February 2021 retirement, according to the announcement.

Joining CooperCompanies in 2011, Drury was the deputy general counsel. He formerly worked as an attorney with Latham & Watkins.

He earned his MBA and juris doctor from the University of California Berkeley.

Trevena Inc., a biopharmaceutical company in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, focused on the development of novel medicines for patients with central nervous system disorders, named Scott Applebaum chief legal and compliance officer and senior vice president of regulatory affairs.

Most recently, Applebaum served as president of Context Therapeutics LLC, a privately held biopharma company dedicated to discovering novel compounds for the treatment of hormone-responsive cancers. Earlier, he was general counsel and corporate secretary of Vitae Pharmaceuticals, where he played a key role in the company's sale to Allergan plc. He also had been chief legal officer at Medgenics Inc. and served in multiple senior vice president roles at Shire Pharmaceuticals, managing legal, global regulatory affairs and quality assurance, and the Global Neuroscience Business Unit. He began his in-house biopharmaceutical career at Bristol-Myers Squibb.

"I am excited to join the Trevena team," said Applebaum in a statement. "I look forward to helping the company grow and continue in its mission of 'Innovating for Patients' and developing and commercializing important new therapeutic options for patients in need."

He received his law degree from Stanford Law School.

INSURANCE

Amerisure Mutual Insurance Co. promoted Shannon Anderson Alt to vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. The company says Alt succeeds Kurt Gallinger, current vice president and general counsel, who is retiring after 14 years.

Alt served as vice president and deputy general counsel for Farmington Hills, Michigan-based Amerisure. In 2017, she served as assistant vice president and corporate counsel at Jackson National Life Insurance Company. She has also held positions as vice president and U.S. corporate counsel at Swiss Re and as an associate in the insurance practice group at Dykema Gossett.

She received her juris doctor from Wayne State University Law School.

MANUFACTURING

Koppers Holdings Inc., a Pittsburgh-based integrated global provider of treated wood products, wood treatment chemicals and carbon compounds, promoted Stephanie Apostolou to general counsel and secretary. She succeeds Steven Lacy, who will transition to a new role as assistant to the president of Koppers Inc. beginning March 1 and retire after 20 years with the company on Dec. 31.

Apostolou most recently was deputy general counsel and assistant secretary at Koppers since January 2019. She joined Koppers in 2011 as corporate counsel. Prior to Koppers, she worked in the corporate and securities practice group of Reed Smith.

"It's an honor to take on greater leadership responsibilities at Koppers," Apostolou said in the announcement. "I am very grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me. Steve has been an invaluable mentor and role model for me throughout my career and has built an excellent, dedicated legal team within Koppers. I look forward to applying my best efforts to carry that legacy forward in support of our Company's employees as well as our other stakeholders."

She received her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Lacy has served as chief administrative officer, general counsel and secretary since January 2018. He joined Koppers in 2001 as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, and over the years gained added responsibility for human resources, corporate purchasing and information technology.

"The time is right to transition into an advisory role preceding my retirement. Koppers will be in great hands with Stephanie as its new General Counsel, and I hope to bring several important pending projects to a successful conclusion before my departure," Lacy said of his impending retirement. "It has been my privilege to serve Koppers these many years and, while I will definitely miss the many fine people at Koppers with whom I work, I look forward to spending more time with my family."

TECHNOLOGY

OwnBackup Inc., a pioneering cloud-to-cloud backup and recovery vendor, appointed John Moss to general counsel.

Moss comes to OwnBackup from FinancialForce, where he was chief legal officer. He also previously served as senior vice president and general counsel of commercial at Salesforce.com Inc. Before Salesforce, he held legal roles at various software companies, including Oracle Corp.

"I'm thrilled to join the OwnBackup team and help them achieve their mission to ensure no company operating in the cloud ever loses data," said Moss in the press release. "I look forward to leveraging my legal expertise within the software industry to help OwnBackup accelerate on its path to success."

He earned his law degree from Stanford Law School.

Lotame Solutions Inc., a data solutions company based in Columbia, Maryland, appointed Amy Yeung to general counsel and chief privacy officer.

Yeung joins Lotame from Comscore, where she served as deputy general counsel. Prior to Comscore, Yeung was vice president of legal at artificial intelligence platform Dataminr. Before Dataminr, she was assistant general counsel for global video game publisher ZeniMax Media Inc.

"Lotame has always emphasized honesty, openness and doing the right thing," said Yeung in the company update. "Their track record of growth, innovation, leading-edge tech and impressive efforts to help brands and publishers succeed with data makes it an exciting place to be. I look forward to working with all stakeholders across business functions during this critical time in the industry to advance the company's mission."

Earlier in her career, Yeung practiced at Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr and clerked on the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Yeung earned a juris doctor from Duke University School of Law.

Barnes Group Inc., a global provider of highly engineered products and industrial technologies, promoted James Pelletier as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. He will start April 1 and succeed Peter Gutermann, who will retire at the end of March, the company said in a statement.

Pelletier joined Barnes Group in 2015 and most recently held the positions of deputy general counsel at Barnes Group and segment general counsel for Barnes Aerospace. Prior to Barnes, he held a variety of positions with Pratt & Whitney and GE Aviation. Prior to that, Pelletier worked in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Commerce as an attorney-adviser within the Bureau of Industry and Security. He began his career as an associate with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.

He holds a juris doctor and master of laws degree from Duke University School of Law.

Accurate Background, an Irvine, California-based automated workforce screening solutions provider, appointed David Wheeler as chief legal counsel.

Wheeler joined Accurate from Latham & Watkins, where he worked as Accurate's outside corporate legal counsel for the past four years. He spent the last 13 years in the firm's corporate department, focused primarily on mergers and acquisitions, corporate and securities law and general company representation. Prior to Latham, he served as executive vice president and general counsel at Fuse Mobile Inc., a venture-backed retail wireless company.

"The team at Accurate is reshaping the employment screening market with its highly innovative, comprehensive service offerings," said Wheeler in a press release. "As the company continues to grow, I look forward to partnering with Accurate's senior leaders and supporting their efforts with my legal experience and background."

He is a graduate of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

Inseego Corp., a San Diego-based 5G and intelligent internet of things device-to-cloud solutions, appointed Kurt Scheuermann as senior vice president and general counsel.

Scheuerman joined Inseego from Lantronix Inc., an internet of things networking company, where he served as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, according to Inseego's announcement. Prior to Lantronix, Scheuerman served as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at manufacturer DDi Corp. Before DDi, he was a corporate lawyer in private practice for 10 years.

Scheuerman graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law.

Bitstamp Ltd., the New York-based cryptocurrency exchange, hired Mary Beth Buchanan as chief legal officer.

Buchanan joins Bitstamp from Kraken, another bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange, where she was general counsel. She has continuously held senior roles in the U.S. Justice Department, most recently as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania between 2001 and 2009. During her time in the private sector, she was a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, until 2018, when she joined Kraken.

"This is an exciting time to join Bitstamp—the legal landscape around digital assets is progressing, and Bitstamp has proven its commitment to promoting effective regulation that supports further innovation," said Buchanan in the media release. "I look forward to joining the executive team and helping Bitstamp continue to build the most trusted, transparent and secure trading venue for cryptocurrency."

She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Merrill Corp., a global software provider for participants in the mergers and acquisitions lifecycle, announced Patricia Elias was appointed vice president, general counsel and secretary.

Most recently, Elias served as general counsel for International Decision Systems, a provider of software and services to the global asset finance industry. Before that, she was associate general counsel for Infor Inc., a global software provider for midmarket companies. She has also served in several senior legal roles at SoftBrands Inc., Lawson Software before it was acquired by Infor, Abaton.com Inc., and Health Systems Integration.

Elias holds a juris doctor from the William Mitchell College of Law.

TRANSPORTATION

U.S. Xpress Enterprises Inc. in Chattanooga, Tennessee, added Nathan Harwell as executive vice president and chief legal officer. He joined the company in early January.

Harwell joined truckload carrier U.S. Xpress, most recently serving as general counsel and corporate secretary at Rinnai America Corp., the leading brand of commercial and home tankless water heaters. He has over 16 years of experience in commercial litigation, business development, labor and employment, intellectual property and strategic planning.

"It is an honor to join U.S. Xpress, and I look forward to being a part of a world-class team of professionals moving the company, and the industry forward," said Harwell in the news release.

He is a graduate of Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced that Philip Sunderland, senior vice president and general counsel, plans to retire. Deputy general counsel Johnna Spera was tapped to serve as acting general counsel.

Spera is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law

Sunderland joined the Airports Authority in 2007 as secretary and counsel to the board of directors and was named general counsel in 2008. Prior to joining the Airports Authority, he served as chief of staff for U.S. Rep. James Moran of Virginia. Earlier, he spent five years as city manager and 14 years as city attorney for the city of Alexandria, Virginia.

"In my 12 years at the Airports Authority, I have seen remarkable progress, which I attribute to the strong leadership of [president and CEO] Jack Potter, a work force that is thoroughly committed to making the place function and perform better every day, and to an active, perceptive and supportive board of directors," Sunderland said in a statement. "It's been a personal and professional pleasure to be part of this team, and I wish all of them the very best."

The Kansas City Southern in Missouri promoted Adam Godderz from general counsel and corporate secretary to senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. In his expanded role, Godderz oversees the legal departments in both the U.S. and Mexico, according to the transportation holding company's statement.

Joining the company in 2007 as associate general counsel, Godderz held his most recent title as general counsel and corporate secretary since January 2019. From 2015 to 2018, he was vice president labor relations. From 2013 to 2015, he was associate general counsel and corporate secretary.

Prior to KCS, he worked for Embarq Corp., where he served as a procurement attorney for the commercial law department. Prior to Embarq, he was an associate at Stinson Morrison Hecker.

He holds a juris doctor and an MBA from the University of Kansas.