Venture West Names Prez

Scott Braly has been named president of Venture West Funding Inc., El Segundo, Calif., which specializes in apartment, single-family, and commercial mortgage loans.Mr. Braly was formerly president and chief executive officer of Hawthorne Financial Corp. and Hawthorne Savings, whose turnaround from near insolvency he orchestrated, Venture West said. He was previously president and CEO of Valley Federal Savings and Loan and chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Bel-Air Savings and Loan.