Daily News Briefs

Semiconductor equipment supplier Applied Materials Inc., based in Santa Clara, Calif., announced that Nancy H. Handel, group vice president, has been named CFO, effective immediately. She succeeds Joseph R. Bronson, who resigned to pursue other interests. . . . Janos Technology Inc., a Townshend, Vt., manufacturer of precision infrared (IR) optical components, lenses and assemblies, has unveiled a new Web site (www.janostech.com) that features an online store and technical information including optical design notes, materials information, IR lens selection and an optical reference guide. Applications for Janos optical components and systems include commercial OEM, defense, security and surveillance, R&D, astronomy and education. . . . Lumera Corp., a Bothell, Wash., nanotechnology company that designs molecular structures and polymer compounds for a electro-optic, radio frequency and specialty coating applications, has named business and technology veterans Donald Guthrie, Fraser Black and James Judson to its board of directors. Guthrie will be chairman of Lumera's audit committee and a member of the compensation committee. He was previously vice chairman and CFO of Western Wireless Corp.; vice chairman of VoiceStream Wireless (now T-Mobile USA, which was acquired by Deutsche Telekom AG); and a senior vice president and treasurer of McCaw Cellular. Black, who will be a member of Lumera's audit and compensation committees, was formerly CFO of Onyx Software and was previously a managing partner at Pioneer Square Properties. Judson, who will serve on Lumera's audit and nominating and governance committees, co-founded Eagle River Investments LLC, a Kirkland-based venture capital fund, and is a business law partner at Davis Wright Tremaine in Seattle. Lumera announced last month it has developed an electro-optic polymer -- a molecularly engineered material -- for advanced, high-performance materials.