Wismer Martin Shareholders May Bring Some Questions

Wismer Martin holds its annual meeting Tuesday at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park at 1 p.m. amid speculation that the Spokane software company is in financial difficulty.

Rumors about the company have percolated since the resignation last week of president Stan Hatch and several other top executives. The annual meeting will give shareholders an opportunity to ask Ron Holden, board chairman and chief executive officer, questions about the company’s future.

In other events this week:

Today

Spokane Teachers Credit Union holds its annual meeting at 4 p.m. at the main office, W106 Nora Ave.

Holy Family Hospital chief executive Ron Schurra, state Sen. John Moyer and five other panelists will address a free public forum on health reform in Washington state at 6:30 p.m. in the Spokane City Council chambers, W808 Spokane Falls Blvd. Sponsor KPBX-FM radio will broadcast the forum at noon March 20. Call 328-5729.

Tuesday

John Mosby, founder of Mr. Tux, will be the feature speaker at the Colville Chamber of Commerce noon luncheon at the D&P Restaurant in Colville.

ISO 9000 Roundtable Breakfast at the Hungry Farmer Restaurant, E9107 Montgomery. 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Call 533-4712 or voice mail 533-3448 for information. Also, an ISO 9000 workshop on internal auditing is scheduled at the Applied Technology Center, N3939 Freya. The daylong, $300 seminar starts at 8 a.m.

Wednesday

Pacific Northwest Country Elevator Council opens its annual meeting at the Sheraton-Spokane Hotel, running through Thursday. Call the Pacific Northwest Grain & Feed Association. 503-227-0234 for information.

Gonzaga University Deans’ Business Forum focuses on growth management. The forum is at 7:15 a.m. on campus. Call Dean Bud Barnes at 328-4220 for more information.

Thursday

The National Association of Female Executives and Edward D. Jones & Co. will co-sponsor a seminar on “Owning and Growing Your Own Business: Capital and Business Planning.” For more information, call Mary Beth Heying at 1-800-441-1384.

Consultant Michel Budowski will explain how to take advantage of the European market by trading through Spain, particularly the Murcia region, at a free continental breakfast sponsored by the Spokane Department of International Development. The presentation will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Spokane Chamber of Commerce Building, W1020 Riverside. Registration is required; call 624-6190.

Friday

At least 2,100 people will convene for Amway Distributors’ Worldwide Dreambuilders, Inc. convention from Friday through Saturday at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park. Call the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 624-1341 for more information.

Saturday

Members of the Inland Power & Light Co. will vote on a proposed merger with the Lincoln Electric Cooperative Inc. Meeting is set for 9:30 a.m. at East Valley High School in the Spokane Valley.

MEMO: This sidebar ran with story” ON THE SHELF Business Week, March 20: The global currency mess can be traced to one problem - deficit spending, says Business Week. Forbes, March 27: Magazine offers tips on how to avoid an IRS audit.

Money talks There’s big money in talking about money, according to TJFR Business News Reporters’ ranking of the nation’s best-paid business journalists. Here’s the magazine’s estimates of annual pay: Louis Rukeyser, Wall Street Week, $1 million-plus. Lou Dobbs, CNN, $1 million-plus. Marshall Loeb, Fortune magazine, $1 million-plus. Jane Bryant Quinn, Newsweek, $700,000-plus.