Business Beat
New Faces
Payne Financial Group has hired Jeremy Kahn as a commercial lines sales executive for the company’s downtown Spokane office. He previously served as a golf professional for Discovery Land Company. The company also hired Nicole Dieter as an administrative assistant. She previously worked as a receptionist for Century 21 Beutler and Associates.
Stephanie Jones has been hired as a sales and marketing specialist for United Lithographers in Spokane Valley. She has previous sales experience working in the finance and hospitality industries and is a Washington State University graduate.
Windermere Real Estate/Valley Inc. has hired Nick Morelli as a sales associate for the company’s Liberty Lake office. He previously worked for Keller Williams for the past five years.
Eco Depot has hired Bill Easley as a sales representative. He previously worked as a real estate agent for ReMax.
North Idaho College has hired Phil Roche as library director. He previously served as an assistant professor and access services librarian at Southern Utah University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Humbolt State University and a master’s degree in library science from San Jose State University.
Phil Baker has been hired by OAC Services Inc. as a project engineer for the company’s Spokane office. He has seven years of related experience and previously worked for Jaynes Corp. and PCL Construction. He holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Central Washington University.
Don Malone has been hired as director of operations for Spokane Ear Nose and Throat Clinic. He previously worked for AmericanWest Bank as a regional manager and senior vice president. The company has also hired Lora Wilkinson as controller. She previously worked as a financial analyst for Providence Health Care.
New Position
Ric Gaunt has been hired as community development manager and Community Reinvestment Act officer for Sterling Savings Bank. He replaces Ray Mooney, who is retiring after 18 years in the position. Gaunt previously worked as a commercial loan workout specialist and has been with the bank since 2009.
Kudos
Soroptimist International of Coeur d’Alene presented Mikki Stevens with a Women of Distinction Award in the arts and culture category for her role as a founding member of the Red Hot Mamas performing group. Stevens is a communication instructor at North Idaho College.
Travis Prewitt has been named one of the 2010 “Best Financial Advisors for Doctors” in the country by Medical Economics magazine. He leads the Prewitt Group team at UBS Financial Services in Spokane.
Chefs Doug Fisher and Robert Lombardi have been inducted into American Culinary Federation’s American Academy of Chefs for their work in the professional organization and community. Both chefs are instructors at the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy at Spokane Community College.
Appointed
Eastern Washington University has appointed Rex Fuller as provost and vice president for academic affairs. He has held this position on an interim basis since June and will continue to serve as executive dean of the Riverpoint Campus.
New Business Location
Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson and Feary Attorneys at Law opened a new office in Spokane at 505 W. Riverside Ave., Suite 583. The firm specializes in transportation law and has hired Annette Sandberg, of counsel, for the new office. Sandberg previously served as a deputy administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and as administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. She holds a master’s in business administration from City University in Bellevue, Wash., and a law degree from Seattle University School of Law, and she attended the Government Executive Institute at Harvard University and the FBI’s National Executive Institute. She is licensed to practice law in Washington and Alaska and in federal courts, and is admitted to the Supreme Court Bar. Contact: (509) 747-1800. Website: www.scopelitis.com.