People 10-14-02

Daniel Allred had joined Silicon Valley Bank, a subsidiary of Silicon Valley Bancshares (SIVB) in its Research Triangle office in Durham, N.C. Allred previously served as vice president of strategic development with the local Council For Entrepreneurial Development.

JeanLuc Abaziou, former president and CEO of Torrent Networking, has joined Highland Capital Partners as a venture partner. Abaziou will specialize in communications and information technology investments, with a particular focus on network infrastructure and wireless opportunities in the mid-Atlantic region.

Paul Bieganski has joined Cargill Ventures, an early-stage VC, as its chief technology officer. He will be based in the Minneapolis office. Bieganski was most recently chief technical officer at Net Perceptions.

Michael Nowak has been promoted to a general partner at Techno Venture Management (TVM). Previously, Nowak was a principal at TVM responsible for investments in the information & communications technologies field.

Coyne Gibson has joined CenterPoint Ventures as a general partner. Additionally, David Schaller was named a venture partner at the firm.

Bruce Goldstein and Brian Kaufman have both joined Milestone Merchant Partners LLC as managing directors. The two will contribute to the further development and management of the firmĂ­s bank & thrift practice under its broker-dealer, Milestone Advisors LLC. Goldstein and Kaufman both previously worked together for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc. and Sandler, OĂ­Neill & Partners LP.