Business Beat

New faces:

John O’Neil has been named properties and contracts manager for Spokane Airports. O’Neil previously worked for the city of Houston’s Department of Aviation, where he managed all properties, operations and maintenance issues for Intercontinental Airport’s Terminal C. Earlier he was supervisor of leasing at King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Chris Barclay has joined Trinity Universal Insurance Cos. Northwest Region as a personal lines underwriter. He previously was a supervising underwriter for Safeco Insurance and a senior statistician with Standard & Poors in Denver.

Dain Bosworth Inc. has hired Gary Hardwick as associate vice president and investment officer at its Spokane office. A 20-year veteran of the securities industry, Hardwick formerly worked with Prudential Securities in Spokane.

Medical Service Corp. of Eastern Washington has named Marty Stewart vice president of sales. Stewart previously worked for Guardian Life Insurance Co. He will manage MSC’s sales department, create sales systems and initiatives and maintain relations with brokers and the general business community.

Gross-Hatch & Associates has added the following people to its staff:

Dave Sonntag, a Gonzaga University graduate, joins the firm as an assistant account executive with responsibility for the agency’s Pontiac accounts.

Dana Pruiett was named a traffic director, production coordinator and assistant broadcast buyer.

Jon Dixson is a graphic artist. Both Pruiett and Dixson are recent Eastern Washington University graduates.

The John L. Scott Real Estate Network has hired three new sales associates from Spokane: Jamie Nichols, Jerry Jantz, and Marshall Fahland.

Dave Chamberlain has joined DMI Computers of Coeur d’Alene as a member of its Internet and networking staff. Chamberlain is a recent graduate of the University of Idaho and has worked in the fields of closed-circuit video, photography, radio/television and security systems.

Moving up:

Trinity Universal Insurance Cos. has promoted the following people:

Jerinne Audel was promoted to a claims unit manager. Audel joined Trinity two years ago as a senior claims adjuster.

Linda Galvin was promoted to a personal lines underwriter. She was hired as a personal lines underwriter trainee last year.

Jacklin Seed Co., Post Falls, announced the following promotions:

Tom Stoeser was named chief financial officer. Stoeser, who joined the company in 1984, is a member of the Panhandle Area Council Loan Committee and serves on the board of directors for Jobs Plus.

Kevin Becar was promoted to controller. Becar, who has been with Jacklin Seed since 1994, will oversee the company’s accounting department.

Westco Martinizing has promoted Meri Fowler to certified dry cleaning manager. Fowler will manage Westco’s store at 6319 N. Wall.

Nick Blaylock was promoted to yard supervisor at Lumbermen’s Building Centers’ Spokane facility. He was the yard supervisor at Lumberman’s Vancouver location for the past five years.

RW Robideaux & Co. has promoted the following people:

Susan Person was promoted to account executive in the residential division. She previously was an assistant account executive in residential properties.

Colin Conway, previously executive assistant for commercial properties, was named an assistant account executive in the residential division.

Jennifer Arnold was promoted to store manager of Publishers Warehouse in Post Falls. Arnold, previously the assistant manager, replaces Patrick Hoffer, who has been named manager of the company’s Loveland, Colo., store.

Kudos:

Bill Byrne, president and CEO of The Production Group Audio Design Inc., of Spokane, received the Marketing and Media Hall of Fame Award in the audio/ music category, sponsored by Seattle-based Media Inc. magazine and the American Marketing Association.

Michael Swain was honored by Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Co., for outstanding sales achievement. Swain has attained the designation of advanced property and casualty council member.

Core-Mark International Inc., a wholesale grocery supplier, has chosen Todd Stevens as general manager of the year for 1995. Additional award recipients for the Spokane Division include Paul Chadderdon, sales manager of the year, and Thomas Ward who was named food service manager of the year.

Sharon Harkrader was elected as Women in Construction (WIC) of the year by the National Association of Women in Construction, Spokane Chapter. Harkrader is the general office manager for Garco Construction.

Fred Zirkle received the 1995 outstanding performance award from the Geneva Cos., a merger and acquisitions firm. Zirkle, president of Zirkle & Co., was selected based upon the number and size of transactions he closed.

Valley Hospital and Medical Center received accreditation with commendation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Gair Petrie of Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller LLP, was elected a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

The Insurance Women of North Idaho presented the following awards: Bill Hilderbrand, industry leader of the year; Joyce Hilderbrand, insurance woman of the year; and Kathy Taylor, rookie of the year. Certificates of appreciation were given to the following individuals who will retire this year: Barbara Nixon, Lillian Jaynes, and Bill Hilderbrand.

Jerry Carlson, Hayden, Idaho, was recognized as a member of the 1996 President’s Council for Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. This is the second year Carlson has earned the honor.

Patty Seebeck, registered dietician at The Heart Institute, won the 1996 Community Nutrition Award for Excellence, a statewide award from the Washington State Dietetic Association. Seebeck was honored for her work on the institute’s “Lite ‘n Hearty” restaurant program.

Transactions:

Baker Construction has built an 8,760-square-foot manufacturing facility at Metropolitan Mortgage’s Airway Business Park, and a law office for Charles Conrad in the Spokane Valley. The combined cost of both projects is nearly $600,000.

Andy Conforth and Corey Prior were awarded the franchising rights to own and operate the Precision Tune center in Spokane. Conforth and Prior previously managed Precision Tune centers.

Elected:

The Spokane Chapter of the American Society of CLU & ChFC (chartered life underwriter and chartered financial consultant) has elected the following officers: Jim Bedard, president; John Kapek, vice president; Jim Bockemuehl, treasurer; Scott Cordell, secretary; Chuck Harris and Steve Gray were elected as directors; Ed Van Vliet will continue to serve as director.

The Spokane Association of Professional Mortgage Women has installed new officers: Deb Walter, Q Point Home Mortgage Loans, president; Trish Nesti, North American Mortgage, president-elect; Luanna Lee, Qualifax, treasurer; Ginger Michaels, Q Point Home Mortgage Loans, corresponding secretary; Linda Wise, Mortgage Wise, recording secretary; Cheryl Creel, Spokane County Title, director and parliamentarian; Lori Endsley, Huppin Ewing Anderson & Paul, director; and Mary Lausten, North American Mortgage, director.

Appointed:

Andrew Golmicz, Coeur d’Alene, was named the Idaho State Representative for the National Association of Realtors Property Management Section. Golmicz is president and manager of Resort Property Management in Coeur d’Alene.

Jane Orr, director of planned giving for Gonzaga University, was appointed to the education committee of the National Committee on Planned Giving.

Events:

Monday and July 29 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Low-cost Promotional and Marketing Strategies” from 6-9 p.m. both days at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7544 for more information or to register.

Tuesday - The Spokane Falls Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association holds its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Casey’s Restaurant. Call Diana West at 534-1554 for information and reservations.

Tuesday-Thursday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) offers free business counseling to potential and existing small business owners from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Business Information Center in the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. Call 353-2820 for appointments, or 924-4994 for appointments at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce office.

Thursday - Merrill Lynch presents a free luncheon seminar on what every woman should know about money, from noon-1 p.m. at Patsy Clark’s Mansion. Call April Vorpahl at 458-4254 or Margot Havermann at 458-4219 for information and reservations.

July 29 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “How to Evaluate the Feasibility of a Business Idea” from 6-9 p.m. at SIRTI, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $50; call 358-7544 for more information or to register.

July 29-Aug. 1 - The Institute for Extended Learning presents an introduction to Windows 95 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $110; call 533-3770 for more information or to register.

Conventions:

Sunday-Wednesday - Les Schwab Warehouse Center Inc., multiple national assistant managers meeting, Red Lion City Center.

Monday-Saturday - Whitworth College, Institute of Ministry, Whitworth College.

Thursday-Saturday - Staff training for technical and community colleges, annual summer meeting, Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park.

Saturday-July 28 - Spokane Singles Summerama, annual summer gathering, Sullivan Park.

Saturday-July 30 - Association of American Indian Physicians, annual national symposium, WestCoast Ridpath Hotel.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 photos

MEMO: Do you want to submit an item for “Business Beat?” Send a brief press release to: Bill Sallquist, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane WA, 99210-1615. Photos will be used, space permitting, with new staff additions, promotions and new businesses. Put names on backs of photos. If you want a photo back, write “WILL CALL” on the back and pick it up at the newspaper reference library. Allow three weeks for publication.