Business Beat
NEW FACES:
Wendy LePiane has joined Franklin Park Mall as marketing director with responsibilities for marketing, advertising, new event development and community relations. For the past 10 years, LePiane has been in the Spokane advertising and marketing industry and most recently was district manager of American Income Life.
Ivan Lippi, who has 25 years of experience with title insurance operations, has been appointed to First Security Bank’s Northern Idaho advisory board. The board provides local input regarding the needs of Idaho’s northern communities.
Perry Menard has joined the sales staff at Haas Fruit Co. in Yakima as director of domestic sales. Menard has been active in sales and marketing since 1987 and has 20 years of experience in the fruit industry.
Dr. Lisa Branford has joined Manito Veterinary Clinic as International Canine Genetics Network veterinarian with expertise in reproductive management.
Kimber Bishop, who previously worked for Network Health Plan in Seattle, has joined Medical Service Corp. of Eastern Washington as manager of the Tri-Cities branch. Bishop will plan, organize and direct the operations of the TriCities branch to service subscribers, providers, clients and brokers. She replaces Jack McDonald, who is retiring from MSC after 33 years of service.
James Haner has joined Phillips Junior College as director of admissions. Haner will be responsible for implementing a new state-ofthe-art information technology program.
Jim Flott has been named horticulture supervisor at Manito Park and Gardens. Flott previously worked as nursery manager for an 1,100-acre wholesale production nursery and as a researcher and teacher in the University of Illinois horticulture department. He has a master’s degree in plant pathology from the University of Arizona.
Anita Reynolds is the new accountant at Eastern Washington Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Reynolds graduated Magna Cum Laude from Eastern Washington University last June.
Kevin Becar has joined Jacklin Seed Co. as chief accountant. Becar is responsible for supervising the company’s accounting department, which handles the accounting for the various Jacklin entities.
Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest has added the following people to its staff:
Joni Bories is the new retail sales manager, responsible for merchandising standards, store operations and retail sales for Goodwill’s stores.
Clark Brekke has been hired as training coordinator and will supervise the training of clients and employees to enhance their employability in the community.
Roger Stanton, who has more than 20 years of experience in the field of rehabilitation and community-based services, is the new community employment services coordinator. Stanton is responsible for developing, implementing and supervising a community employment services program in the Idaho Panhandle.
MOVING UP:
Scott Reynolds has been promoted to general sales manager at McCollum Ford. Reynolds, formerly used vehicle manager, has been with the Valley dealership for 13 years and 18 years in the industry.
John Eide was recently named president of U-Haul Co. of Inland Northwest by U-Haul International Inc. Eide joined U-Haul in 1983 as a member of the customer service team in Beaverton, Ore. He later completed U-Haul’s account executive program and served as president of UHC of Michigan before taking the Spokane position.
Bill Garcia, a package delivery driver for United Parcel Service, has been promoted to on-car supervisor. Garcia’s new responsibilities include supervising package delivery drivers serving areas north of Spokane, as well as performing regular safe driving and injury prevention training with these drivers.
Susan Heil has been promoted to clinical research coordinator II at Pacific Coast Clinical Coordinators. Heil will assist the director in training new personnel and recruiting new clinical trials for Spokanearea physicians.
George Kelly, an 18-year real estate veteran, is the new manager of Windermere’s Coeur d’Alene office and managing broker for Windermere Real Estate/North Idaho Inc. Kelly previously worked as an associate broker for Century 21/Town & Country Real Estate.
RELOCATING:
Attorney William Strzelec Jr. has relocated his law practice to W1717 Broadway, Suite 3. The practice continues to be a general one with emphasis in family law, criminal law, and debtor/creditor relations.
Ron Douglas and Mark Wiggins have opened Windermere Real Estate/North Idaho Inc. at 2020 Lakewood Drive in Coeur d’Alene.
TRANSACTIONS:
Spokane Structures Inc. of Spokane has been appointed an Authorized Builder for American Buildings Co., one of the largest manufacturers of metal building systems in the world. Spokane Structures’ general contracting capabilities include design/build services backed by 10 years of construction experience.
ELECTED
Foundation Northwest, the Community Foundation, has elected the following officers for the 1994-95 fiscal year: Robert D. Fukai, chairman; William E. Shelby, vice chairman; Christine S. Schnug, treasurer; and Heidi B. Stanley, secretary.
New members of the board of directors include: Ronald P. Douglas, Paul D. Fitzpatrick, Neal R. Fosseen Jr., John E. Heath III, Steven R. Larson, Dr. Charles C. Leithe, Dr. Richard R. Stacey and Peter A. Witherspoon.
Continuing members of the board include: Janell S. Burke, William R. Green, Stephen R. Herling, Kevin Laverty, Nancy R. McGregor, Elaine Myers and Craig R. Soehren.
The Spokane Society of Financial Analysts has elected the following officers for the coming year: Steve Scranton, president; Bill Dezellem, vice president; Mike Barcelo, treasurer; and Tom Nesbitt, secretary.
Dick Siderius of Ellensburg and John Nelson of Reardan have been re-elected to the board of trustees of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation. Siderius manages Mid State Co-Op in Ellensburg and is a graduate of Leadership Spokane. Nelson is owner of NES Farms Inc., a wheat and barley operation located west of Reardan.
APPOINTED
Benning F Jenness, director of services and risk management for Washington State University, has been appointed to the Strategic Planning and Marketing Committee of Group Health Northwest. The advisory committee assists Group Health Northwest’s consumer-governed board of directors in developing plans and policies that guide the direction of the organization. Jenness has extensive experience in long-range planning and employee medical insurance administration.
Whitworth College has appointed three new members to its board of trustees: Judi Williams and Harvey Bolton, both of Spokane, and Scott Chandler, of Denver.
Williams is the executive vice president of Spokane-based Telect Inc., which produces products for the communications, broadcast and corrections industries. Bolton, a 1960 Whitworth graduate, is the former owner of Spokane Surgical Supply Co. in Spokane. Chandler is the Interprise Networking Services Director for US West Communications in Denver.
CERTIFICATIONS
Steve Dilley, owner of Steve’s Customized Carpets, has been certified as a master installer by the National Certified Floorcovering Installers Association. Dilley successfully completed a comprehensive examination to qualify for certification.
KUDOS:
Two Spokane County companies, The Coeur d’Alene Co. of Spokane and Tidyman’s of Greenacres have joined Wastewi$e, EPA’s new program for businesses voluntarily committing themselves to cut their generation of solid waste, to increase recycling, and to buy or manufacture more recycled products. They are among 280 charter members of the new program.
Eight area businesses and individuals have received secondquarter Chairman’s Awards from the Spokane Area Economic Development Council.
Rahco International Inc. and Taylor Engineering were honored for job creation. Rahco has expanded and added more than 80 employees, while Taylor added 10 percent to its work force this quarter.
Sterling Savings and Washington Trust Bank were honored for construction/expansion. Sterling recently opened a Spokane Valley branch. Washington Trust remodeled and expanded its Indiana Avenue branch, relocated and expanded its 5-Mile branch and opened a new branch bank in the Valley.
Jennifer West Public Relations was awarded the 1994 Dussault Award, which is presented annually to honor an exceptional public relations project, person or institution. The firm won the award for its 1993 public relations program for the Economic Development Council.
David Combs, Diana Hyland, and Fred Zirkle received honorary awards for their work on behalf of the Economic Development Council by doing consulting work with the Spokane County Parks and Recreation Department.
EVENTS:
Tuesday - The Colville Chamber of Commerce will hear a presentation on the introduction of cellular telephones in the community at the noon luncheon meeting at the Colville Chamber of Commerce.
Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives will provide free and confidential business counseling the second Wednesday of each month at the Pasco Chamber of Commerce. For more information or an appointment, call 547-9755.
Tuesday-Thursday - The Community Colleges of Spokane offer “ISO #9000 - How to Build the Structure” from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday at the Applied Technology Center, N3939 Freya. The seminar is designed to help businesses learn how to comply with quality standards set by ISO #9000. Cost is $500. For more information, call 533-3448 or 533-4154.
Wednesday-Thursday - A free community home buyer education seminar will be offered from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Spokane Public Library, W906 Main. The seminar, sponsored by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, includes information on how to determine affordable monthly mortgage payments, how to control the household budget and what types of assistance programs are available to first-time home buyers. To enroll, call Tim Jones of Medallion Mortgage at 535-2399. Conventions:
Monday-Saturday - Church of God in Christ state meeting at Cavanaugh’s Fourth Avenue.
Monday-Saturday - Air Force-Family Advocacy outreach prevention management training at the Ridpath.
Wednesday-Saturday - Washington State Emergency Medical Services annual EMS meeting at the Sheraton.
Aug. 12-14 - American Hot Rod Association AHRA world finals city wide. 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 back of photos. If you want a photo back, write “WILL CALL” on the back and pick it up at the newspaper reference library. Allow two weeks for publication.