If you need to catch up on the long, stressful road Sterling Savings Bank followed to survive and not fall victim to the FDIC axe, the best chance comes on Tuesday at the next Executive Connect Breakfast.

To add just a bit more focus to the post below about Ezra Eckhardt speaking at the next Greater Spokane Inc. event, here's some more bio on the featured guest.

His resume notes that before joining Sterling Savings Bank, Eckhardt was also involved in managing the Spokane Valley Honeywell site.

Before that, his bio makes note that Eckhardt was a director on the Microsoft corporate strategic planning and analysis team. One more detail worth noting:  He's also a 1992 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Ezra A. Eckhardt, president and chief operating officer of Sterling Savings Bank, will visit Greater Spokane Incorporated this week to talk about how he helped lead the bank’s recapitalization project.

The BIZStreet “A Conversation With….” event will be Thursday from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

Attend to learn how Eckhardt overcame the largest obstacle in his career: the recapitalization of Sterling. Greater Spokane stated, “Glean insights on how his team executed an intricate, complex capital raise while the bank was under a stringent regulatory order, with seven quarters of operating losses, and how planning, determination, and execution translated into great team performance and renewed sense of purpose and resolve.”

The cost to attend is $25 for GSI members and $50 for non-members.

Location: Greater Spokane Incorporated, 801 W. Riverside, Suite 100, Spokane.

Register at http://events.greaterspokane.org/default.asp?cale_id=1347&details=true