Business Beat
New faces:
Michaela Reitcheck has joined the Valley office of LeMaster and Daniels as a staff accountant in the auditing and accounting department. Prior to joining LeMaster and Daniels, Reitcheck worked as an intern for the State Auditor’s office.
Bob Jones has joined Packet Engines Inc. as director of the intellectual property business unit. Jones was previously director of product management for Symbios Logic in Fort Collins, Colo., and earlier was director of engineering and business unit director for the start-up local area network business at NCR Electronics in Fort Collins.
US West Communications has appointed JoAnn Ficca as area manager for Eastern Washington. Ficca, a 27-year US West veteran who previously was marketing manager for Washington state, will be responsible for marketing, public policy, community and media relations in Eastern Washington.
Annette Miller has joined Nextlink as sales manager and will be responsible for development of the Spokane market. Miller has more than 10 years experience in the telecommunications industry, most recently with US West Communication, where she served as area manager for Eastern Washington.
Don Bender has been named the new director of Washington State University’s Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory. Bender, who also becomes the Weyerhaeuser Distinguished Professor at WSU, was most recently with Texas A&M University. He received his doctorate in agricultural engineering from Purdue University.
Tomlinson Black-North has added the following new agents:
Jessica Shaeffer joins Tomlinson Black with more than 10 years of sales experience.
Rolf Lanzendorfer was previously a commuter airline pilot and has experience in the building industry.
Sue Dullanty and Morrie Farr join Tomlinson Black as experienced agents.
Raenia Ferns, who specializes in residential real estate, joins Tomlinson Black with four years of agent experience.
Larry Briney has been named to oversee the Spokane division of the state Attorney General’s Office. A graduate of Gonzaga University School of Law, Briney joined the Attorney General’s Office in 1981 and previously served as the section chief for the Social and Health Services Division in Spokane.
The Coeur d’Alene-based Intermountain Forest Industry Association has hired Stefany Bales as communications program manager. Bales will serve as the primary media contact and will be responsible for pubic relations, education and community support programs. She previously was watershed coordinator for the Idaho Soil Conservation Commission.
Bobbie Lee Collins has joined Valley Empire Collection as a sales and marketing consultant for dental/medical practices in the Spokane area. Collins has 17 years of experience in accounts receivable management.
The Inland Power and Light board of trustees has elected one new trustee and re-elected three others. Michelle Caird of Suncrest has joined the board for a three-year term, representing District 1. Incumbents re-elected to the board for an additional term were Roy Doupe of Spokane, District 5; Ken Jacobsen of Davenport, Wash., District 8; and Guy LaRue of Nine Mile, District 3.
Moving up:
Creative Memories consultants Sandi Weber and Carol Rodda have been promoted to Unit Manager 1. Creative Memories is a national direct-sales company that offers classes on how to organize and preserve family photos. Weber has taught classes for more than three years and Rodda for four years.
Ron Ouren has been named vice president and manager of the Coeur d’Alene branch of U.S. Bank. Ouren will oversee 30 sales and service staff. He has 30 years of experience in the banking business and was most recently vice president and commercial loan officer for U.S. Bank in Coeur d’Alene.
Leslee Conner is one of nine new owners of Edmonds, Wash.-based Landau Associates Inc., an environmental and geotechnical engineering consulting firm. Conner is based in Landau’s Spokane office.
Expanding:
Blue Crick Auto has expanded and added a new line of recreational vehicles. The business will feature King of the Road and Komfort fifth wheels and travel trailers. Blue Crick RV and Truck is owned by brothers, Mick, Matt, Marc and Monte and their parents Dave and Donna Tareski.
Elected:
Richard Rubens, president of Metallic Arts Inc., has been elected chair of the board of directors of the Inland Automobile Association. Rubens has been a member since 1981 and has been on the board for six years. Stanley Miller was re-elected president and CEO, and James Calderhead was re-elected treasurer. William Anderson, Rod Barnett, Delbert Batchelder, Robert Dewey, Diane Ressler, Richard Rubens, Nancy Vorhees, and Richard Walter, were all elected to three-year terms on the board.
Kudos:
Century 21 Premier Service has received a Quality Service Award from Century 21 Real Estate Corp. The award recognizes Century 21 offices that provide a consistent level of service to their clients. The office also received the Centurion Award, which requires a level of performance reached by less than 10 percent of Century 21 offices.
Invisible Fence of Spokane has qualified as a President’s Club Winner. The award, which recognizes sales performance during 1996, is limited to the top one-fifth of Invisible Fence Co. Inc.’s dealer network.
Chad Hawley of Polo Air Freight’s Spokane station has received the company’s 1996 Gold Club Award, which honors sales account executives or managers who achieve annual revenues over $750,000.
The Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation has received grants totaling $17,000 from the Weyerhaeuser Co., Walla Walla Grain Growers Inc. and Country Companies Insurance Group. Weyerhaeuser contributed $15,000 to fund a position in the foundation’s leadership program, while each of the two others contributed $1,000.
Dakotah Direct Inc. received three awards of excellence at the Inland Northwest Advertising Awards in the categories of Special Event Material: Card/Invitation Announcement; Brochure: Four color or more; and Signage: On Site/Trace Show/Exterior/ Diorama. The creative team included Victoria Erickson, Cyndy Keys, Conboy/Davis Photography, Johnston Printing, Lawton Printing, Western Color Graphics and Seattle Exhibit.
Zak Designs, a leading distributor of licensed children’s and adult dinnerware and beverage ware, was chosen to receive Target Stores’ 1996 Vendor Award of Excellence. Target annually recognizes vendors who have reflected exemplary performance for stores in all markets and have met established performance criteria.
Certifications:
Brian Winkler, Joe Ross and Jeff Humiston of Cameron Contracting Inc. have been certified by the American Concrete Institute as flatwork finishers/ technicians.
The American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business has reaffirmed the accreditation of the Gonzaga University School of Business Administration. AASCB accreditation assures quality and promotes excellence and continuous improvement of business education programs through a process of self-evaluation and peer review.
Thomas P. Stoeser, chief financial officer for Jacklin Seed Co., has been accredited as a certified valuation analyst (CVA) by the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts. Certification follows completion of an extensive training and testing program. Stoeser has been with Jacklin since 1984.
Events:
Monday through Friday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free 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. For appointments, call 353-2820. Counselors also are available on Tuesdays at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, 8817 E. Mission. For appointments there, call 924-4994.
Tuesday and May 27 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop in “Beginning Recordkeeping” from 6-9 p.m. both nights at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; for information, call 358-7890.
Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Effective Marketing to Increase Sales” from 8 a.m.-noon at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. Cost: $35, including materials; for information or to register, call 353-2820.
Thursday - The Spokane Area Business Information Center will hold an open house to commemorate its second anniversary from 2-4:30 p.m. at the center in the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. For reservations, call 353-2800.
Thursday - Greg Deckard and Jim Abrahamson of Inland Northwest Bank will speak on “How Banks Look at Financial Statements” during a meeting from 7:30-9:30 a.m. sponsored by the Spokane Business and Industry Member Services Committee of the WSCPA and the Spokane Area Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Gonzaga University’s Schoenberg Center. Cost: $40 for members, $45 for non-members; for information, call Gordon Cudney at 922-7160.
Thursday - Paul Peyton, author of “Profit Power: 101 Pointers to Give Your Business a Competitive Advantage,” will speak at a Top Management Night dinner meeting sponsored by the Spokane affiliate of the National Association of Purchasing Management at 5:15 p.m. at Templin’s Resort in Post Falls. Cost: $20; for reservations or information, call Dean Stone at 927-6417.
Thursday - Merrill Lynch presents a free class on the basics of financial planning and investing at 5:15 p.m. at Patsy Clark’s Mansion. For more information or to register, call Margot Hamstra at 458-4219.
Friday - The Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce Issues and Answers session will focus on “Replacing the Kingdome: Boon or Boondoggle?” at 7:30 a.m. at the chamber, 1020 W. Riverside. Cost: $2, including continental breakfast; call 459-4118 or 459-4117 for information.
May 27 - The Small Business Development Center presents a Pre-Business Workshop from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $25; for information, call 358-7890.
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