be.group Appoints New Members to Board of Directors

GLENDALE, Calif., Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- be.group (www.thebegroup.org), recently announced two new appointments to its Board of Directors.  They include William J. Battison III, founder & CEO of Angeles Capital Group, LLC, and Kay Rustand, vice president and general counsel for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.  In their roles, both will be charged with ensuring be.group achieves its mission of providing quality housing, health and support services for older adults in California and the western United States.

"be.group is dedicated to providing quality housing, health and support services, primarily for older adults of all faiths, enriching the physical, social and spiritual dimensions of their lives," said John H. Cochrane, III, be.group's president and CEO. "Bill and Kay will help us achieve our goal of being a preeminent leader in today's senior living industry."

Battison has more than 25 years of operational and transactional experience in the finance, marketing, operations and technology industries.  He is founder and currently CEO of Angeles Capital Group, LLC, a Los Angeles-based, FINRA-licensed investment banking company.  Battison is also a member and former director of the Pasadena Angels, an early stage "angel" investment group, as well as a member of the executive committee of the Los Angeles chapter of Business Forums International.  In addition, he is a founding member of the California CEO Forum.

He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia (UVA) and an MBA from the Colgate Darden Graduate Business School of UVA.  Battison is former treasurer and director of the Community Scholarship Foundation in his hometown of La Canada-Flintridge.

Specializing in securities law and mergers and acquisitions, Rustand is currently vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.  Headquartered in Los Angeles, Reliance is the largest metals service center company in North America.  Previously, Rustand was a partner at Arter & Hadden LLP.

Rustand received her bachelor's and J.D. from the University of California in Los Angeles.  In addition to being a deacon and elder at Hollywood Presbyterian Church, Rustand is also active in the Christian Lawyers of L.A., a program providing services to the needy.

About be.group
Glendale, Calif.-based be.group is a nonprofit organization that provides quality housing, health and support services to more than 5,300 older adults across California. Its communities are places where people of all faiths, beliefs and aspirations can truly be themselves. be.group's goal is to meet the housing and ancillary needs of today's senior population. Since its founding in 1955 as Southern California Presbyterian Homes, what is now be.group has developed into a broad range of programs and services, including home care, independent residential living, assisted living, skilled nursing, dementia care and other supportive programs. Services are provided through six continuing care retirement communities and four assisted living residences/residential care facilities for the elderly; home care and adult day care services; and 25 affordable housing communities. For more information, visit www.thebegroup.org or follow the organization and its communities on Facebook.

Andrea Schnorr, 847.884.0000

SOURCE be.group