• Robert Peabody has been named senior VP and COO of BioTime (Emeryville, California). Peabody previously served as VP of grant administration for Advanced Cell Technology. BioTime makes blood plasma volume expanders, blood replacement solutions for hypothermic surgery, organ preservation solutions and technology for use in surgery, emergency trauma treatment and other applications.

• Helane Morrison, regional director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in San Francisco, said that she will leave the commission at the end of October to become general counsel, chief compliance officer and a principal at Hall Capital Partners (San Francisco), an advisory firm. As head of the San Francisco office since August 1999, Morrison has been responsible for the commission’s enforcement and examination programs in Northern California, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Alaska.

• Jena Abernathy has been named to the newly created position of chief administrative officer at Premier (Charlotte, North Carolina), a healthcare alliance. Abernathy, who has been with Premier since 2000, has more than 20 years of senior level human resources and administrative experience.

• Sean McNerney has been named VP of sales for OmniSonics Medical Technologies (Wilmington, Massachucetts). McNerney most recently was VP of sales for the interventional products division of Datascope. OmniSonics makes products for use in the treatment of vascular disease.

• Brad Hancock has been VP of sales for VertiFlex (San Clemente, California). Hancock previously was a senior manager of Medtronic’s cardiac rhythm device management, spinal and neuromodulation divisions. VertiFlex is a private spinal technology company.