Barrett Business Services Inc. (NASD: BBSI), a provider of staffing and professional employer organization services, on Dec. 15 approved an increase in the number of positions on its board of directors to eight from seven and appointed Vincent Price to fill the vacancy resulting from the increase, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The appointment takes effect Jan. 1 and Price will serve until the company’s 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, at which time he is expected to stand for re-election. The board has not yet appointed Price to any board committees. Price joined Cambia Health Solutions, a health insurance company headquartered in Portland, Ore., in 2009 and currently serves as its executive VP and CFO.

IT and life sciences staffing firm Eliassen Group hired Chad Durden as regional VP of its new Southwest region. Growth plans for the region will include the Dallas area location previously established by the company, with a second location opening soon in Austin, which will become Durden’s base of operations. Durden has 19 years of experience in the technology staffing industry, including time with both Kforce Inc. (NASD: KFRC) and TEKsystems.

Lucas Group, an Atlanta-based executive search firm, hired Catherine Loftin as corporate controller. Loftin’s 15 years of financial experience is primarily in controller and finance manager roles. She most recently spent two years with Pulte Group.

Talia Salvati is founder and chief talent officer of newly launched upLIFT HR, a boutique HR executive search and advisory firm based in New York.