Russell Austin Gates has joined the Houston office of commercial office building access control system provider Datawatch Systems as regional sales manager.

Cathy Baker has been elected as chairman of the board of the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas.

Janice Stooksberry has joined Cadence Bank as senior vice president, senior private banker in the bank's wealth services office in downtown Houston.

Lutheran Social Services has named Eric Vandigriff as executive chef for The Village at Gleannloch Farms, the Lutheran-sponsored community for active adults ages 62 and up.

David Drake, a former head of an investor relations firm, has joined marketing staffing firm Brookwoods Group as business development manager.

Rick Garcia has joined Pointsmith, a national at-store marketing company serving the retail, quick-serve restaurant, and convenience/fuel retail industries, as chief information officer.

Chris Hanslik, chairman of Houston law firm BoyarMiller, recently joined the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas board of directors.

Dan Bass has joined Performance Trust Capital Partners as managing director of its new Houston office. Bass will be responsible for expanding the company's reach in the investment banking arena.

Calpine Corp. announced the following promotions in its regulatory compliance and legal services groups. Kevin G. McMahon is senior vice president of internal audit and chief compliance officer, and Shonnie Daniel is vice president, deputy general counsel and assistant secretary.

James Field has joined Offshore Kinematics as director.

Vinson & Elkins has promoted the following lawyers to its partnership: Gregory Dillard, whose practice area focuses on employment, labor and OSHA; Sarah K. Morgan, capital markets; and Darin Schultz, finance.

Neil Wizel has been promoted to managing director of First Reserve Corp., a global investment firm dedicated to the energy industry. Wizel continues to build the firm's buyout investment capability in the downstream and oil field service areas.

Hart Energy announced two executive promotions in the expansion of its research and consulting group. Tammy Klein has been named senior vice president-downstream research, and Michael Warren has been named senior vice president-upstream research.

Jo Drake Keim has joined Partner Engineering and Science as a project manager.

Jay Survant has been promoted to vice president of human resources at Stallion Oilfield Holdings.

Holland Services, a provider of oil and gas land related services, has selected Erika Courtade to lead its efforts in the international marketplace. Courtade will serve as legal counsel and head of international business affairs.

Global Geophysical Services announced the appointment of Ross Peebles to senior vice president, E&P services and Lawrence "Larry" Scott to vice president, global microseismic services.

Houston trial attorney Eugene R. Egdorf from the Lanier Law Firm has been elected as a fellow in the Texas Bar Foundation.

Literacy Advance of Houston announced officers for the 2013 board of directors: president, Max Cameau, Merrill Lynch; vice president, Michelle Simmons, Black Elk Energy; treasurer, Michael Landers, UHY Advisors; secretary, Michaela Murry, Packaging Service Co./SolvChem; and immediate past president, Steve Ginsburgh, Universal Weather & Aviation. At-large board members will be: Val Aldred, Solomon Edwards; Michael Bybee, Comcast; Jolea Bryant, Center for Houston's Future; Sally Dwyer, USI Southwest; John Dyer, Hughes and Associates; Joanne Ericksen, the Ericksen Law Firm; Ruben Elustondo, Shell Oil Co., retired; Ashok Garg, Allied Exports; Christine Holland, Vanguard Environments; and Bill St. Clair, B2B CFO.

The Chronicle lists appointments to executive-level positions in Houston. Send announcements to katherine.feser@chron.com.