* Pierre Dion is the new president and CEO of Montreal-based TVA Group, succeeding Serge Gouin. Before joining TVA in 2004, Dion was an executive at Videotron, and also headed Canadian Reader’s Digest.

* Studio B Productions of Vancouver has named Rob Simmons as general manager, a new position handling the company’s financial and day-to-day business. He also retains his current role as CFO.

* Ellis Entertainment’s releasing arm has hired Lynn Valiquette as sales director, luring her away from Ciné Télé Action International, and has promoted Caroline Godin to head of sales. Valiquette is responsible for sales to French- and Spanish-speaking territories as well as Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa, while Godin stays with English-speaking territories and multi-territory clients. Toronto-based Ellis is expanding its distribution operations.

* Prentiss Holman is the new director of international sales for distributor Oasis International of Toronto. She has been with the company for five years.

* News veteran Graham Richardson is now CTV News’ Los Angeles bureau chief, handling stories from the western U.S. and Latin America.

* Bud Pierce is joining Citytv Vancouver as director of news and information programming – overseeing its BreakfastTelevision and CityPulse News programs. Pierce created BT during his previous post at Citytv Toronto, where he worked for 24 years.