Business Beat
NEW FACES:
William “Bill” King has been appointed director of the ITT Technical Institute campus in Spokane. King will oversee all education, recruitment, financial and placement functions of the college, which is operated by Indianapolis-based ITT Educational Services Inc. He was previously director of Heald College in Portland.
Don Swanson has been hired as project manager for Cameron Contracting Inc. He was previously with Eaton Construction of Spokane.
John Chastain was appointed territory sales representative for Washington, Oregon and Idaho for Sauder Manufacturing, a major producer of furniture for churches, funeral homes and courthouses. Chastain, who has more than 17 years of experience as a manager, buyer and interior designer in the furniture business, was most recently involved in risk management for small businesses and churches.
Colin H. Forseth has been named manager of Tito Macaroni’s Restaurant at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. He graduated from Washington State University with a degree in hotel restaurant administration in 1988 and was previously a manager with Salty’s Restaurants.
Brett Fontana has joined the management staff of the Hayden Lake Country Club as executive chef. Fontana has served as executive chef for the Crown Plaza Hotel in White Plains, N.Y., the Spokane Country Club and Luna Restaurant on Spokane’s South Hill.
Windermere’s Spokane-Manito office has hired Yolanda Wasmund as a sales associate. Wasmund, who has worked in the restaurant business for six years, is new to real estate.
MOVING UP:
Brian Winkler has been named vice president of Cameron Contracting Inc. Winkler, who joined the company in 1983, previously was project manager.
Output Technology Corp. has promoted the following employees:
Greg Berry has been named sales manager and will be responsible for all U.S. and Canadian sales, providing direction and strategies for account representatives and overseeing government and GSA procurements. He was previously a national account representative.
Julie Yahnke was promoted to customer service manager from customer service supervisor. Yahnke’s responsibilities include overseeing the maintenance of orders processed, sales reports, bookings, training on company policy and promoting and maintaining positive customer service.
Mark Merhab was named technical support manager. He will be responsible for managing technical support personnel and providing technical support and service training for customers worldwide. Merhab formerly was supervisor of customer technical services.
Mathew G. May has been appointed group quality assurance/manufacturing systems manager at Johnson Matthey Electronics’ Wafer Fabrication Materials Group, which produces sputtering targets and other front-end products used in semiconductor production. May will be responsible for globalizing manufacturing processes, including quality assurance, information technology and manufacturing systems strategies. May joined JME in 1995 and most recently was sputtering targets engineering manager.
Carrie Green has been promoted to associate director of annual giving in Gonzaga University’s office of university relations. Green, who has been with GU for 13 years and previously was assistant director of annual giving, will be responsible for securing annual contributions using personal and phone solicitations, as well as overseeing regional volunteer boards.
Robert Martinez, vice president of South American operations for Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp., has been promoted to vice president of operations. Martinez previously served as vice president and general manager at Coeur’s Rochester Mine in Nevada. He has more than 25 years of experience in mining.
STARTING UP:
Sterling Savings Association has begun offering dealer banking services and named Richard K. Leichner as vice president, manager of dealer banking. Dealer banking serves automobile, recreational vehicle and boat dealers. Leichner has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and previously worked for West One Bancorp for 24 years, most recently as senior vice president and regional manager.
TRANSACTIONS:
Dwight Hille has merged his real estate business with Windermere Real Estate-North Wall Street, specializing in residential properties. Hille previously owned a North Side real estate company.
Chelan County PUD No.1 has authorized a two-year professional services agreement with Quality Resources & Services Inc. of Spokane for occasional short-term consulting engineering and technical inspection services in connection with the district’s electric distribution system.
ELECTED:
New officers of the Credit and Financial Development Division of the Spokane Chapter of the National Association of Credit Management include: Sara Hoyt, of Wayne Dalton/ Crawford Doors, chairwoman; and Kay Havens, of Systems TWT, and Larry Coulson, of Stock Steel, board members.
Marilyn Deutsch, office manager for Jacklin Seed Co., has been elected president of the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce. She has served as office manager for Jacklin Seed Company for 18 years.
Spokane Realtor Tom Quigley was elected president of the Washington State Commercial Association of Realtors (WSCAR). Quigley is affiliated with Kiemle & Hagood.
APPOINTED:
Daniel R. Chacon, Spokane Community College’s vice president of student services, has been appointed to the board of directors of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Chacon, who joined SCC in 1991, will serve a two-year term as Region V coordinator, representing community and technical colleges throughout the Western United States and two Canadian provinces.
KUDOS:
Malcolm Gray of the Spokane office of Principal Residential Mortgages has been named a “Top Producer,” placing him in the top 25 percent of all mortgage representatives in the company in production of residential loans.
Hampton Inn Spokane has been ranked fifth in the nation out of 634 Hampton Inns for the year 1996. Individual inns are ranked through surveys mailed to their customers. They are judged for cleanliness, customer service, decor and overall quality and guest satisfaction. The Hampton Inn Spokane has been ranked in the top 1 percent of its chain for the past four years.
Quality Inn Oakwood on North Division has been awarded its eighth Gold Award for overall quality within the chain. The award goes to the top hotels in the chain that meet strict standards for cleanliness, staff knowledge and customer service. The Quality Inn Oakwood has received this award for eight out of its nine years.
EVENTS:
Monday through Wednesday - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents the 8th Annual Environmental Forum for Business at the Spokane Convention Center. Cost: $200 for a three-day pass, $100 for students, or $20 for any one conference or seminar session, including a trade show pass; for information, call Lucy Forman Gurnea at 323-2641 or Kathy A. Miktuk at 323-2655.
Monday through Thursday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Business Information Center in the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. For appointments, call 353-2820. Counselors also are available on Tuesdays at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, 8817 E. Mission. For appointments there, call 924-4994.
Tuesday - The Small Business Development Center presents a “Pre-Business Workshop” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $25, including a business resource kit; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Tuesday and Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Selling Your Expertise” from 6-9 p.m. both days at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Wednesday - The Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors (AGC) sponsors a seminar for the construction industry on liens, claims and retainage in construction and recent changes in Washington and Idaho state tax laws at 8 a.m. at the Shilo Inn, 923 E. Third. Cost: $50 for AGC members, $75 for non-members, including handout materials and lunch; call Carolyn Pierce at 535-0391 for more information or send a fax to 535-3706.
Wednesday - John May of SIE Corp. will speak on “You Work Hard: Make Your Money Work Harder for You” during a luncheon meeting of the Inland Northwest Treasury Management Association at noon at the Shilo Inn, 923 E. Third. For reservations, call Ron Cruise t 533-0260.
Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “The ABC’s of Starting Business” from 9 a.m.-noon at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. Cost: $15; for information or to register, call 353-2820.
Wednesday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “How to Solve Common Computerized Accounting Problems” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $35; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Thursday - Attorney Rich Algeo asks “The Eternal Question (Employee vs. Independent Contractor?)” while Eric Carlson of Retirement Plan Specialists advises “Easy Does It” with 401(k) plans during breakfast talks sponsored by the Spokane Business and Industry Member Services Committee of the WSCPA and the Spokane Area Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Gonzaga University’s Schoenberg Center. Cost: $40 for members, $45 for non-members; for information, call Gordon Cudney at 922-7160.
Thursday-Saturday - “Managed vs. Non-Managed Forests” is the theme of the 1997 Washington Farm Forum Association Annual Meeting at the Northeast Washington Fairgrounds in Colville. Topics range from “Managing Stand Density and Composition: The Key to Healthy and Productive Woodlands” to “What We Can Learn From Tree Farming in Scandinavian Countries.” Cost: $30; for more information, call Rod Pfeifle at (509) 684-8550, Bob Playfair at (509) 935-6359 or Pat Graham at (509) 684-4828.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 Photos
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