Business Beat

NEW FACES:

The Spokane Area Economic Development Council has added the following people to its staff:

Thomas Burns has joined the council as a business recruiter for the California Business Recruitment Program. Burns previously worked for Key Tronic Corp. as director of OEM sales.

Katie Haney is the council’s new membership manager. Prior to joining EDC, Haney was director of marketing at Wismer Martin.

Travel Management Inc. in Coeur d’Alene has hired Paige Smith as corporate and leisure travel coordinator. Smith is an airline pricing and airfare audit specialist, and was previously with Time to Travel in Coeur d’Alene as corporate travel manager.

John Lee has joined D.A. Davidson & Co.’s Spokane office as an investment executive. A 1993 University of Colorado graduate, Lee was previously an audio/ visual technician with Garkie A/V in Boulder, Colo. He has completed Davidson’s executive training program.

Bing “Flip” Crosby has joined the Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty office in Coeur d’Alene. Crosby and his wife still own Crosby’s Floral & Gift.

Rita Heldenbrand has joined the Spokane Transit Authority as executive assistant for the Development Services Division. Heldenbrand was previously an executive assistant at Itronix Corp. and Itron Inc., and an executive secretary at ISC/Olivetti North America.

Carpet Center has hired Ray Wright as manager of its East Sprague store. Wright was previously a territory manager for Shaw Industries.

Bruce Deming has joined the staff at KKCH/KVNI as vice president and general manager. Deming has had programming and marketing experience in Seattle and Kansas City as well as Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. Most recently, he was a local sales manager for Citadel Communications in Spokane.

MOVING UP:

Jennifer Johnson has been promoted to vice president and cashier at Inland Northwest Bank. Johnson has worked for INB since 1989. Her new position will include supervising bank operations.

Monique Corigliano has been promoted to supervisor at the Valley office of LeMaster and Daniels. Corigliano joined the firm in 1993 and specializes in employee benefit, pension and profit sharing plans as well as closely held businesses.

Washington Trust Bank has promoted Susan Satterlee to private banking officer in the Private Banking Department. Satterlee has 17 years of banking experience and most recently served as a trust officer and property manager in the Trust Department.

Jeanine Pfarr has been promoted to manager, Group Premium and Billing (WRO), at The Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America’s Western Regional Office in Spokane. Pfarr is responsible for group premium and billing as well as overseeing the administration of conversions, beneficiary changes and cancellations. Guardian has promoted Susan Panidis to manager of Group Zeus Premium and Billing (WRO). She will oversee all aspects of Group Zeus premium and billing and cancellations and will be responsible for account reviewer training and development.

Art Dobney, Ron Rogers and Terry Urbat have passed the Washington State Broker’s exam and now work as associate brokers at the Windermere Real Estate’s North Wall Street office. The broker’s license is a stamp of professionalism to real estate sales associate with a minimum of two years’ full-time experience in the industry.

STARTING UP:

Global Federal Credit Union has opened a branch at the Tidyman’s store, 410 W. Neider, off Highway 95 in Coeur d’Alene. Connie Firkins has been named the branch manager. Firkins graduated from Evergreen State University and worked at Global’s Post Falls branch for the last two years.

EXPANDING:

Sta-Fit South has expanded with a new 6,000-square-foot collegiate size gymnasium. The new gym offers basketball, volleyball, leagues and youth camps, among others.

ELECTED:

The Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors has elected 1995 officers: Jerry Cox, Steelman-Duff Inc., Clarkston, first vice president; Joe Levernier, Levernier Construction Inc., Spokane, second vice president; and Robert Haney, Max J. Kuney Co., Spokane, treasurer. Newly elected members of the board of directors are Lonnie Cargile, Cargile-Hartwig Construction, Spokane; Jon Jordan, Dix Corp., Spokane; Jack Ilenstine, Tri-States Rebar Inc., Spokane; and Bill Hyslop, Lukins & Annis law firm, Spokane.

Leadership Spokane has elected 12 new members to its Leadership board:

Lunell Haught, currently training manager for Spokane County Human Resources; Judy Cole, Spokane area manager for Washington Water Power Co.; Chris Peck, editor of The Spokesman-Review; Sally Duffy, assistant vice-president/assistant regional manager for Washington Mutual Bank; Jack Phillips, executive director of Spokane Civic Theatre; attorney Stephen Faust; Kirk WoodGaines, manager of human resources of Miles Inc.; P.J. Watter, health promotion manager for Group Health Northwest; William A. Mester, superintendent of Mead School District; Alan W. Brislain, executive director of Spokane Food Bank; Ed Tsutakawa, assistant director of Mukogawa-Fort Wright Institute; and Mike Wilson, chief operating officer of Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Douglas Chadderdon, president of Carpet Center, has been elected to a two-year term as president of the National Floorcovering Alliance. Chadderdon has an MBA from Seattle University and a real estate development degree from the University of Washington.

KUDOS:

The Glass Depot auto glass distribution center has received two 1994 “Awards of Excellence” from the Installation and Distribution Division (IDD) of Apogee Enterprises. The Glass Depot received the “Silver Award” for outstanding overall performance among the 15 depots in IDD’s West Region for auto glass distribution. Spokane delivery driver Greg Baum was selected as an “Employee of the Year” in the region.

The Sales and Marketing Council of the American Trucking Association has chosen System Transport and T.W. Transport as first- and third-place winners respectively of a 1995 Sales and Marketing Communications Award for corporate sales literature. The marketing materials were designed by Pacific Marketing Group of Spokane. System Transport and T.W. Transport are wholly owned subsidiaries of TransSystems Inc., a Spokane-based transportation company serving 48 states and Canada.

Global Federal Credit Union has earned a five-star rating from Bauer Financial Reports Inc. The award places Global at the highest level of credit safety and strength.

All Lines Insurance Agency has been named as a Key Producer for The Ohio Casualty Group of Insurance Companies of Hamilton, Ohio. The Key Producer Program is designed to give special recognition to insurance agents exhibiting exceptional product knowledge, professionalism and service to their customers.

Lyle and Laura Beaudoin, who operate the Sir Speedy center at 510 W. Riverside Ave. Sherwood Mall, #213 in Spokane, have earned national VIP (Volume Increase Percentage) recognition for outstanding monthly sales performance for the 10th consecutive month.

EVENTS:

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) will provide business counseling to potential and existing small business owners/ operators at: North Idaho College Work Force Training Center, 525 Clearwater Loop, Post Falls, 9-noon, call 208-769-3296; Kennewick Chamber, 3180 W. Clearwater, 1-4 p.m., call 736-0510.

Wednesday - A class on “CustomerSupplier Relationships, Developing Customer Centered Service Skills” will be presented from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $59; call 533-4700 for more information or to register.

Thursday - Betsy Cowles, president of Citizens Realty Co. and Lincoln Investment Co., owners of River Park Square, will speak on “Renewing Downtown: The Challenge of Change” at the Dean’s Business Forum at 7:15 a.m. at Gonzaga University’s Jepson Center Auditorium. Cost: $6.50, including breakfast; call 328-4220, ext. 3402, for more information.

Thursday - The community colleges’ Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on business planning for start-up ventures from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute (SIRTI), 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-2050 for more information or to register.

Friday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) presents a one-day workshop for persons wanting to start or operate a successful business from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Templin’s Resort, Post Falls. Advanced registration is required. Call SCORE at 353-2820 or the Idaho Small Business Development Center at 208-769-3444 to register. Cost: $30 per person, including lunch.

June 5 & 7 - The community college’s Small Business Development Center presents a class on starting and operating a construction business from 6-9 p.m. at SIRTI, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-2050 for more information or to register.

June 6 - The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) offers business counseling to potential and existing small business owners/operators at: TRIDEC SBDC, 901 N. Colorado, 9-noon, call 735-1000; Lewis-Clark State College, SBDC at L-CSC, Lewiston, Idaho, 9-noon, call 208-799-2465.

June 6 - Pacific Printing & Imaging Association is sponsoring two informational seminars and a dinner meeting on the Internet. First seminar begins at 1 p.m. and the dinner meeting at 6:30. Quality Inn Valley Suites, 8923 E. Mission. Price per seminar: $45, nonmembers: $75. Call 1-800-762-7328 to register.

June 6 - The community college’s Small Business Development Center presents a pre-business workshop from 6-9 p.m. at SIRTI, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $20; call 358-2050 for more information or to register.

June 6 - Tips on how to prioritize each days workload will be presented during a class from 2-5 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $39; call 533-4700 for more information or to register.

June 6 - The community college’s Small Business Development Center offers on payroll record keeping from 6-9 p.m. at SIRTI, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $35; call 358-2050 for more information or to register.

MEMO: 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 backs of photos. If you want a photo back, write “WILL CALL” on the back and pick it up at the newspaper reference library. Allow three weeks for publication.