Business Beat

New faces:

Mortimore Productions has named Leslie Brennan production manager. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Brennan was director of protocol for the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base before joining Mortimore. Since leaving the Air Force in May, she has taken radio and television courses at Eastern Washington University.

Roger A. Kauffman has joined Hecla Mining Co. as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Kauffman had been with Hecla from 1985 to 1994 as manager and vice presidentindustrial minerals. He left Hecla to accept the position of senior vice president, then president, of Amax Gold Corp.

Tracie Bruno has been named marketing manager for Tomlinson Black Affiliate Services. Bruno, who received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Idaho, has more than seven years of marketing and media experience. Before joining Tomlinson, she worked for the Journal of Business.

Greg Benner has been named sales manager for Tomlinson Black South. Benner, who is president-elect of the Spokane Association of Realtors, previously was co-owner of Showcase Properties.

Brian W. Bender has joined Egghead Inc. as senior vice president, chief financial officer and secretary. He succeeds Edward S. Wozniak, who has left the company. Bender returns to the post he held at Egghead from May 1995 to May 1996. He had been CFO of Proffitt’s Inc. since May. Earlier he was senior vice president, controller and assistant treasurer of Younkers Inc., a department store chain, and senior vice president and chief financial officer of a division of the May Department Stores Co.

Sandy Worley has been named manager of Tapio Secretarial Services in the Tapio Office Park. Worley previously worked at Thermoguard Equipment in Spokane.

Windermere’s Spokane-East Sprague office has added five sales associates:

Lonna Vopat has four years of experience in the real estate industry, working most recently with John L. Scott. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Whitworth College.

Jerry Nokes, previously with Coldwell Banker Associate Brokers, has been in real estate for two years.

Roxanne Grimm, who attended Spokane Falls Community College, worked with Coldwell Banker Associate Brokers for one year.

Barbara Lavaglio has one year of real estate experience and was president of Barbara Lavaglio for seven years.

Eric Gamache, who is new to real estate, attended Seattle University and Eastern Washington University before entering the banking industry in 1994.

Windermere’s Spokane-North Wall Street office has hired three sales associates: Rod Harris has five years of experience in real estate and served in the Air Force for 11 years.

Justin Asher spent 14 years in hospitality management before joining Tomlinson Black in 1995.

Kathi Hoover, new to real estate, worked with the Riverside School District for 13 years.

Moving up:

Hecla Mining Co. has promoted the following employees: George R. Johnson was named vice president-metal mining. Johnson, who joined Hecla in 1983, previously was manager-metal mines, U.S. operations.

John P. Stilwell was named chief financial officer. A certified public accountant who joined Hecla in 1985, he previously was vice presidentfinance and treasurer.

Kandi Carper has been named services and relocation director for Tomlinson Black Affiliate Services. Carper, who has more than 14 years of experience in real estate, previously was a sales agent with Tomlinson Black North.

Joan McCluskey has returned to residential sales at Tomlinson Black South after 3 years as sales manager. McCluskey, who is an associate broker, has more than 11 years of experience in real estate.

The Spokane Valley office of LeMaster & Daniels PLLC has made the following promotions:

Jim DeRoetth and Suzanne Scriven, who joined the firm in 1995 through a merger, were named managers. DeRoetth works in the audit department; Scriven is assigned to the tax department, specializing in partnership and estate taxation.

Shawn Taylor and Andrea Zacher were named senior accountants. Taylor, who joined the Valley office in 1995 in the tribal department, previously was a staff accountant in LeMaster & Daniels’ Tri-Cities office. Zacher joined the firm in 1995 as a staff accountant in the audit department.

Doug Dumais has been promoted to vice president-investments in the Spokane office of D.A. Davidson & Co. Dumais also was named to the firm’s President’s Club.

Adams & Associates Consulting Inc. has promoted Donna J. Halvorson and Maxine G. Lammers to vice president. Halvorson, who joined the firm in 1995, previously was an associate, while Lammers, an employee since 1994, was a senior associate.

Elected:

John L. Gilbert, president of the Bank of Latah, has been elected chairman of the American Bankers Association Agricultural Bankers Committee for 1996-97. Gilbert began his financial services career in 1971 as a stockbroker for Kidder, Peabody Inc. He joined Bank of Latah in 1974 and was named president in 1988. The goal of the ABA Agricultural Bankers Committee is to help rural bankers gain access to additional funding sources.

The Spokane Regional International Trade Alliance, an affiliate of the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, has elected the following officers and board members for 1996-97: John T. Wegner, Seafirst Bank, chairman; Peter Kerwien, Washington Water Power, vice chairman; Gordon Budke, Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P, treasurer; and Bob Beschel, Winston & Cashatt, secretary. Board members include: Bill Pupo, city of Spokane; Howard Granger, Port of Seattle; Klaus Huschke, Itron; Rick James, Kaiser Aluminum; Bob Lee, Wagstaff Engineering; JoAnn Nielson, Whitworth (WIIM); Doug Smith, Buckeye Beans & Herbs; Ed Tsutakawa, Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute; John Roskelley, Spokane County commissioner; Ray Cazier, Olivetti North America; and Hiromi Yanagisawa, Jacklin Seed Co.

Certifications:

The following Washington Trust Bank employees have completed and graduated from the following programs: Personal Banker Certification Program: Kary Kennedy, Kim Grobe, Sharon Peters, Cathy Fricke, Leslie Morris, Melanie Roberts, Jane Williams, Linda Borders, Ann Willis, Jim Lombardi, Michelle Starry, Carol Franz and Randy Colee.

Staff Specialists Certification Program: Judy Kirking, Lisa Johnson, Monica Link and Michelle Starry.

Operations Managers Certification Program: Becky Waters, Georgine Froewiss, Randy Hurlbert, Diane Best, Debbie Wilson, Michelle Starry, Pattie Stanton, Leslie Whicker, Mary Jo Hoisington, Carolyn LeFors, Laurie Robinson, Shirley Knutson, Penny Perkins, Chris Knauss and Lisa Gottesman.

Kudos:

R.C. Roland, Garry Shea and Dave Milbrath have been named to D.A. Davidson & Co.’s Chairman’s Council. Glenn Baldwin was named to the firm’s President’s Club. The awards recognize outstanding performance and service to clients.

Ann Holmberg of Country Ranch Bed and Breakfast in Coeur d’Alene, earned a “Great Cook” certificate from Sunset magazine for her orange yogurt scones recipe, which was published in the November edition.

Momb Steel Buildings Inc., of Millwood, was named November’s builder of the month by the National Frame Builders Association.

Events:

Wednesday - Gonzaga University presents an information session for people interested in its master’s degree program in organizational leadership at 7 p.m. in Room 101 of Gonzaga’s Administration Building. For more information, call department chair Joseph Albert at 328-4220, ext. 3564.

Thursday - Merrill Lynch presents a free English high tea seminar for parents and grandparents on “Raising Financially Responsible Children” at 3 p.m. at Patsy Clark’s Mansion. For more information or to register, call April Vorpahl at 458-4254 or Margot Hamstra at 458-4219.

Thursday - Automated Options Inc. presents a free Solomon Solutions Seminar on Salomon IV for Windows from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Call 467-9860 for more information or to register.

Thursday - Pulitzer Prize winner James B. Stewart will speak on “From Wall Street to the White House: Ethics, Money and Politics” during Gonzaga University’s 1996 John L. Aram Lecture in Business Ethics at 11:45 a.m. in the Georgian Room at the Spokane Club. Cost: $25, including lunch; call 328-4220, ext. 3404, for reservations.

Thursday-Friday - The Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association holds its 10th Annual Convention and Trade Show at the Red Lion Inn in Pasco. For more information, call (509) 547-5538.

Friday - Glynis Hull of Spokane’s Youth Gang Drug Prevention Program will speak at a luncheon meeting of the Hispanic Business and Professional Association at 11:30 a.m. at Cavanaugh’s Fourth Avenue.

Friday - The Workplace Connection, a non-denominational Christian business group, will focus on “Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Therapy but Were Afraid to Ask” during a meeting at 7 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar.

Saturday - The Inland Northwest Chapter of the Appraisal Institute presents two half-day seminars at Cavanaugh’s River Inn. “Working with Legal Descriptions” is scheduled from 8 a.m.-noon, and “Zoning, Police Power and Regulatory Takings” is planned from 1-5 p.m. Cost: $75 each for members and affiliates, $100 for non-members, or $100 for both for members, $125 for non-members.

Dec. 10 - Fruci & Associates presents a class on “QuickBooks by CPAs” from 2-5 p.m. at the Spokane Convention Center, Executive Conference Room. Cost: $25, including materials; call Joni at 624-9223 to register.

Dec. 16 and 17 - The Washington Association of Accountants presents Sample & Baily 1040 tax seminars from 7:15 a.m.-5:10 p.m. Dec. 16 and 7:15 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Shilo Inn, 923 E. Third. Cost: members, $210; member’s staff, $225; non-members, $260, for registration by Dec. 2. For information, call 1-800-733-6286.

Conventions:

Tuesday-Saturday - Northwest Mining Association, annual international convention, citywide.

Thursday-Friday - Washington Correctional Association, annual winter planning conference, Spokane Club.

Friday-Dec. 10 - Washington Association of Wheat Growers, annual convention, WestCoast Ridpath Hotel.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 Photos

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The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Spokesman-Review staff