* Toper Taylor has been promoted to president of international distribution, marketing and consumer products for Nelvana.

Taylor also remains president of Nelvana Communications, the company’s L.A.-based sales and development office.

Adding to his current responsibilities, his new role will unify all distribution, licensing and merchandise sales activities under one structure.

Taylor has been with the company for 13 years.

* Laura Lightbrown has been appointed CEO of Haddock Entertainment. She was formerly the head of business affairs and the financing producer on Da Vinci’s Inquest.

* Susan Hummel has joined MGM Worldwide Television Distribution Group as VP, television distribution, Canada. Based in Toronto, Hummel will oversee distribution and sales of all MGM programming to stations in the Canadian market.

* Cogeco has named longtime company executive Michel J. Carter president and CEO of Cogeco Radio-Television and the TQS network. Carter is chair of the board of Musicaction and a director of PPV service Canal Indigo. TQS is owned by Cogeco (60%) and Bell Globemedia (40%).

* Rand Stoll has been named evp, domestic sales, for Lions Gate Television. Previously, Stoll, a 23-year industry veteran, was executive VP of programming for Pearson Television’s North American division (now FremantleMedia).

* Patrice Lagarde has been appointed marketing director for Eastern Canada with exhibitor Les Cinemas Famous Players.

* Mark DesRochers, former director of the B.C. Film Commission, has taken a six-month contract to be the Yukon’s film commissioner.

* Ross Mrazek has been appointed Western Canada manager for entertainment financing for CIBC, based in Vancouver. Previously, he worked with the Business Development Bank of Canada in venture finance.

* Laurie Freudenberg has been named president of the Toronto chapter of the Wired Woman Society. Freudenberg, who is director Internet services for career development firm Axmith, succeeds Christina Rodmell, one of Wired Woman Toronto’s cofounders.

* Veteran music industry executive Shelley Stein-Sacks (Sam the Record Man, Groupe Archambault) has been appointed director of the Music Entrepreneur Program at Telefilm Canada. Stein-Sacks is a former president of Musicaction and Musicaction FACTOR Canada, and has served on both boards since 1986.

* Arts supporter Adrian Burns has been appointed vice-chairperson of the National Arts Centre board of trustees.

Her appointment, announced by Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, is complemented by the recent election of prominent lawyer and arts patron Guy Pratte as chairman of the board of the NAC Foundation.