Business Beat

New faces:

Dwight Weigelt has joined the Valley office of LeMaster & Daniels PLLC. Weigelt is the former owner of Convergent Systems Inc., and will head up the firm’s Computer Solutions Group.

Steve Quai has been hired as Telect’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) account manager. Quai will handle all purchasing agreements, vendor management agreements, joint ventures and other relationships with manufacturers worldwide. He previously was director of international sales for Northern Technologies and earlier worked for Advanced Input Devices and Key Tronic Corp.

Ryan Yohe has joined Allstate Insurance Co. as a neighborhood exclusive agent in the Spokane Valley at 3426 S. University, Suite 100.

John Bumgarner has been appointed private banking officer at Sterling Savings in Spokane. Bumgarner has more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, most recently as an assistant vice president and branch manager.

Richard Weigand has been named a turf specialist for Post Falls-based Medalist America, which distributes turf seed varieties. Weigand will handle sales to architects and distributors in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He previously worked for United Horticultural Supply in Findlay, Ohio.

Gerry Gerlach has joined Windermere Real Estate’s SpokaneManito office as a sales associate. Gerlach most recently worked with Century 21/Premier Service and is a 27-year Air Force veteran.

Family Medicine Spokane has added the following physicians to its faculty:

Dr. Roger Garvin is a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland who completed his residency at Family Medicine Spokane. He was in private practice at Cheney Medical Center for eight years. His responsibilities include coordinating the medicine, ICU and cardiology curriculum.

Dr. Frank Otto received his medical education at the University of California, Los Angeles and completed his residency work with Family Medicine Spokane. Otto, who has been in private practice on Spokane’s North Side for seven years, is responsible for Family Medicine Spokane’s pediatrics and gynecology curriculum as well as practice management.

Monica Flood, formerly with the Kootenai County Public Defender’s office, has joined the Coeur d’Alene law firm of Ramsden & Lyons as an associate. Flood is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and the William Mitchell College of Law.

Gold Reserve Corp. has hired three new executives: James Geyer has joined the company as senior vice president responsible for all mining and related technical activities. Geyer has more than 20 years of experience in mining operations and most recently was responsible for six operating gold mines and several development projects for an international gold mining company.

Richard Kehmeier was named vice president of exploration. Kehmeier, who has more than 25 years of experience in international and domestic exploration, will oversee exploration and development of new opportunities for the company.

Mary Smith joined Gold Reserve as vice president of administration. Smith spent the past 16 years with an international gold mining company.

Loretta Cael has been appointed a loan representative at Washington Mutual’s Spokane Home Loan Center. Cael most recently served as a loan representative at Washington Mutual’s University City Financial Center and earlier worked as a manager for Transcoastal Mortgage.

Moving up:

Peter Stanton has been named chairman of the board of Washington Trust Bank. Stanton will continue his role as president and CEO of the bank. He succeeds Philip Stanton, who will continue as chairman and CEO of the bank’s parent holding company, W.T.B. Financial Corp.

Dr. David Thorne has been named medical director of radiology at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Thorne, who received his medical degree from the University of Utah, completed his residency at Washington University in St. Louis and has completed fellowships in nuclear medicine and imaging. He has been a member of the medical staff at Sacred Heart since 1990.

Mike Kelly was named director of facilities at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Kelly has served as assistant director of the department since 1992, when he joined Sacred Heart from Ballard Community Hospital in Seattle. Phil Kercher, who came to Sacred Heart from Mt. Carmel Hospital in Colville in 1993, was named assistant director of facilities.

Michael Cleare has been appointed president and managing director of Johnson Matthey’s Electronic Materials Division. He succeeds Geoff Wild, who is leaving the company at the end of February. Cleare has held several senior management positions during his 30-year career with Johnson Matthey, most recently as president and managing director of the company’s Catalytic Systems Division.

Starting up:

Kelan Fischer has started a real estate company which bears his name. Fischer, who has been a Realtor since 1990, specializes in new homes and is the exclusive agent for the Westgate Rim development in west Spokane.

Moving on:

Gilbert “Bud” Brierley, director of plant operations and maintenance at Sacred Heart Medical Center, retired last month after 23 years.

Dr. Joan Craig , medical director of the Sacred Heart Cancer and Research Center, retired at the end of 1996. She had served as director of the Cancer Center since its inception in 1990.

Dr. Lyle Wendling has retired as medical director of radiology at Sacred Heart Medical Center to accept a similar position with the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Wendling had been at Sacred Heart since 1974.

Transactions:

Franklin Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center and The Gardens on University have been awarded a contract by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide nursing services to eligible veterans in the Spokane area. More than 20 companies nationwide bid for the contracts, which were awarded to six national health care companies, including Unicare Health Facilities Inc., the parent company of Franklin Hills and the Gardens.

The law firm of Ramsden & Lyons has been awarded a contract to provide public defender services to Bonner County.

Kudos:

Bauer Financial Reports Inc., has awarded its five-star superior rating to Global Federal Credit Union for the third straight year. The award, which is the highest presented by Bauer, covers the six months ended June 30, 1996.

The Spokane Area Economic Development Council has presented Extra Mile awards for extraordinary efforts on behalf of EDC to Don Williams of Tomlinson Black; Ron LaFayette, director of the Institute for Extended Learning, Community Colleges of Spokane; Dennis Scott, public works director for Spokane County; and Sterling Haskins, president of The Haskins Co.

Lowe’s Built-in Systems has been honored as the dealer of the year for 1996 by Beam Industries. The award is presented annually to the top new Beam dealer in the United States in terms of total sales of Beam products. Lowe’s was also recognized as one of the top 20 Beam dealers in the nation.

Spokane attorney Daniel McKelvey Jr. was named Lawyer of the Year by his colleagues in the American Board of Trial Advocates, whose membership is by invitation only.

Zak Designs has received the Vendor Award of Excellence from Target. Zak was honored for its spirit of cooperation, commitment to Target’s “Speed is Life” philosophy, dependability, support and superior service.

Events:

Monday through Thursday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free business counseling to potential and existing small-business owners from 9 a.m.-4p .m. at the Business Information Center in the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. For appointments, call 353-2820. Counselors also are available on Tuesdays at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, 8817 E. Mission. For reservations there, call 924-4994.

Tuesday - Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University, Washington State University, Whitworth College and Whitman College sponsor “Employment Expo ‘97” for students and alumni from 3-7 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park. Call career/ student employment offices at any of the sponsoring schools for more information.

Tuesday - The American Business Women’s Association, Spokane Falls Chapter, meets at 5:30 p.m. at the Town & Country Restaurant, 5615 E. Trent. Kevin Bratcher from Greentree Behavioral Health will speak about stress management skills. For reservations and information, call Diana West at 534-1554.

Tuesday - Continental Mortgage and ERA Heritage offer a workshop on “How to Buy a Home When You Thought You Couldn’t,” from 7 to 9 p.m. at North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Rd. For information, call 800-569-1119.

Wednesday - Jimmy Kamada of the Seattle Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco will speak on “The Future of Money” during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Treasury Management Association at noon at the Shilo Inn. For reservations, call Ron Cruse at 533-0260.

Wednesday - Merrill Lynch presents a free class on the basics of financial planning and investing from 7-8 p.m. at Patsy Clark’s Mansion. For more information or to register, call Margot Hamstra at 458-4219.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Starting a New Business” from 9 a.m.-noon at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. Cost: $15; for information or to register, call 353-2820.

Thursday - Gonzaga University’s office of planned giving and Moloney, O’Neill, Corkery & Jones Inc. present a free estate planning seminar and art exhibit from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Jundt Art Museum. For information or reservations, call Betty Ross at 325-3024.

Friday - Gonzaga University School of Law and its Tax Club present a 3-hour continuing legal education program on “What’s New in Taxes for the Non-tax Specialist” at 1:30 p.m. at the law school. Cost: $65; for more information, call Marge Buck at 328-4220, ext. 3738.

March 2 - The PCS Edventures! Learning Center, 1011 E. Second, Suite 3, holds an open house to celebrate National Engineering Week. For information, call Sunny Scott at 535-7804.

March 4 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “How to Buy or Sell a Business” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $35; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 Photos

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