Arco’s Whitmore Promoted to Senior VP, Secretary

Atlantic Richfield Co. General Counsel Bruce G. Whitmore has been elected senior vice president and corporate secretary of the Los Angeles-based oil company. Whitmore, 50, assumed his duties as Arco general counsel on Jan. 1, succeeding Francis X. McCormack, whose retirement was announced last summer. Whitmore previously served as vice president and general counsel of Arco Chemical Co. in which Arco has an 83.3% ownership interest. As corporate secretary, Whitmore succeeds Howard L. Edwards, 63, who retired last year after a 26-year career with Arco.

* Thomas J. McDermott Jr. has joined the Los Angeles law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips as chairman of its litigation practice group. McDermott comes to Manatt, Phelps from the Los Angeles office of the Bryan Cave firm. McDermott’s selection culminates a long search, said Gordon M. Bava, Manatt, Phelps’ managing partner. Previously, he had been senior partner and litigation head at Kadison, Pfaelzer, Woodward, Quinn & Rossi in Los Angeles. Previously, the practice was headed by Paul Hall and David Elson. Elson remains a partner at the firm; Hall joined Stein & Lubin in San Francisco.

* Joe Weller has been named chairman and chief executive of Nestle USA Inc., a food and beverage company. Weller was previously president and chief executive of the Glendale-based firm. The position of president will not be replaced. Weller succeeds Timm Crull who retired at the end of 1994.

Nestle USA is a unit of Nestle of Switzerland.