News Briefs

CATAPULT MARKETING: has named Kevin Hopper as VP of the company's new Retail Merchandising Solutions discipline. Hopper most recently was director-sales promotion, P-O-S at Pepperidge Farm, Inc. in Norwalk, CT. Hopper will oversee the company's new division which "will give clients access to talent from wherever it needs to be drawn across the agency to ensure that its promotional concepts and brand platforms are seamlessly converted into powerful in-store merchandising applications," the company said. Westport, CT-based Catapult ranked No. 24 in the 2006 PROMO 100 with estimated net revenues of $13.21 million for 2005.

USM&P: the event management and retail activation agency of The Marketing Arm network, has promoted Alison Brinkman to account director from account manager. She will lead USM&P's Frito Lay account team from Dallas. Brinkman joined USM&P in 2003. She previously worked in marketing for Dole Food Co.