Business Beat
NEW FACES:
JP Realty Inc. has appointed the following managers for the new Spokane Valley Mall:
Byron Orton was named general manager. Orton, who has more than 13 years of experience with JP Realty, has operated the Eastridge Mall in Casper, Wyo., and the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso, Wash. He will oversee marketing, maintenance, tenant relations, permanent/temporary leasing and overall operations of the mall.
Jerry Moreau was named operations manager. Moreau has more than eight years of experience, most recently with Silver Lake Mall in Coeur d’Alene. He will be responsible for all maintenance and security operations including janitorial, lighting, landscaping and parking.
Wendy LePaine is the mall’s marketing director. She has more than 11 years of experience in marketing and advertising and was previously marketing director at Franklin Park Mall. LePaine will be responsible for coordinating all advertising, promotions and public relations.
Joy R. Karsevar has joined ShoWorks Inc. of Spokane as sales manager for its domestic and international operations. Karsevar previously was corporate sales manager at the WestCoast Ridpath Hotel.
Action Mortgage Co. has hired Thomas Shideler as a mortgage loan officer at its North Spokane office. He was previously a sales representative for Wendle Motors and Sutherland Motors and earlier was a crew boss for a commercial fishery.
Carol Nickson has joined Idaho Independent Bank as a real estate loan originator in Coeur d’Alene. Nickson has seven years of experience in real estate lending, and previously worked for Summit Saving Bank in Bellevue. She also has eight years of experience in residential real estate sales and real estate education and sales training.
Richard Warren has been named senior vice president of member services at Spokane Railway Credit Union. Warren, who has more than 30 years of experience in the financial industry, previously was vice president of lending for 10 years at University Federal Credit Union in Austin, Texas.
Humanix Personnel Services has added the following people to its staff:
Laura Wood was hired as clerical department manager in the Spokane office. Wood previously worked for Metropolitan Mortgage and Securities Co.
Kevin McDowell was hired as technical recruiter and will be based in the company’s Coeur d’Alene office. McDowell was previously employed in the technical recruiting industry.
Derek Schumacher has joined Jacklin Seed Co. as a grower services field representative for Jacklin’s Oregon operation. Schumacher will be responsible for placing and contracting tall fescue and perennial ryegrass proprietary varieties. He received a bachelor’s degree in crop and soil science from Oregon State University and worked summers with Doerfler Farms Inc. in Aumsville, Ore.
Washington State Court of Appeals Judge Philip J. Thompson has been named corporation counsel of Gonzaga University, effective Oct. 1 when he plans to leave the judiciary after 25 years. Thompson replaces Leo Driscoll, who held the position since 1994. A 1962 Gonzaga Law School graduate, Thompson was appointed a District Court judge in 1972, and a Superior Court judge in 1978. He was elected to the Washington State Court of Appeals in 1983. He served as chief judge of Division III of the Appeals Court from 1989-1990 and 1993-1995, and presiding chief judge of the Washington State Court of Appeals in 1990 and 1993-94.
MOVING UP:
Scott Kine has been appointed general manager of the Spokane Agency of Principal Mutual Life Insurance Co. A graduate of Eastern Washington University, he has been with the company for 12 years.
The Bon Marche has named Robin Schultz as manager of its NorthTown store. Schultz joined Bon Marche in 1983 as an executive trainee at the downtown Spokane store. In 1985, he became divisional sales manager at the Everett Mall and from 1987 through 1995 worked in management positions at stores in Walla Walla, Pocatello and Longview, and most recently was the Lewiston, Idaho, store manager for two years.
ELECTED:
The Spokane Chapter of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants has elected the following officers for 1997-98: president, Louise Andrews, Farm Credit Services; president-elect, Terry Watanabe, Spokane School District 81; secretary/ treasurer, Eva Weisenburger, who has her own accounting business; directors, Jim Falkner, Dominican Outreach Foundation; Shelly Merrill, McDirmid, Mikkelsen & Secrest; and Brenda Scherf, Pentzer Corp.; past president, Kevin Sell, McFarland & Alton P.S.
Joe Spoonemore, director of special projects for facilities management at Washington State University, has been chosen president-elect of the international Association of Higher Education Facilities Officer, formerly the Association of Physical Plant Administrators. He will become president of the association next year. Spoonemore has been WSU’s member representative to the association since 1984.
TRANSACTIONS:
Spokane-based Baker Construction has received contracts for the following projects:
Construction of 10,000-square-foot retail stores for Big 5 Sporting Goods in Bullhead City, Ariz., and Klamath Falls, Ore. Both are owned and developed by Nicholson Investments of Seattle.
Construction of a new facility for Pacific Waterworks on East Marietta in a new section of the Spokane Industrial Park.
Development of a $1.8 million building in Lacey, Wash., for Bagnich L.L.C., a partnership between Baker Construction and Nicholson Investments. Video Update, a Minneapolis-based video rental chain, will occupy nearly half the completed building with remaining space available for rent.
Remodeling of 12,000-square-foot building for Schuck’s Auto Supply in the Ash and Rowan Shopping Center, where Schuck’s will replace Excell Foods Stores as the center’s anchor tenant.
Construction of 7,500-squarefoot buildings for Hollywood Video in Covington, Wash., and Canyon Park, Wash.
Development of a 3,000-square-foot building for Field Instruments & Controls on North Colfax in Spokane.
A 3,000-square-foot addition for Videoland in Richland, Wash.
Remodeling a Spokane Valley building into an office for Allegro Escrow Services.
Construction of a retail store for GTE Wireless. Located in the new Spokane Valley Mall, the outlet will be the company’s third Spokane store.
KUDOS:
Chipman Moving & Storage of Spokane, has been recognized as United Van Lines’ “Agent of the Month” for June. The program recognizes agents who rank best in the areas of customer service, vehicle safety, low claims experience and operational performance.
The Council of Rural Electric Communicators has honored Kootenai Electric Cooperative as a 1997 winner of the “Spotlight on Excellence” awards. The co-op received the Award of Excellence for the best newsletter category for PowerLines; and an Award of Merit in the best total communications program for Ice Storm ‘96.
John R. Downes won the fiction award at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. Downes, who recently completed a suspense thriller novel entitled “Criminal Bent,” has written three optioned screenplays and is the author of a 1982 nonfiction book, “The Power of Persuasion.”
EVENTS:
Monday through Friday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners from 9 a.m.-1 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 - Leads Club, a structured networking organization for business leads and referrals, meets from 12:15-1:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel at Sullivan and Mission in the Spokane Valley. For more information, call Ann Daigre at 921-9581.
Wednesday - The Spokane office of the Department of Revenue presents a free New Business Outreach workshop from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and again from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Department of Revenue’s Spokane office, 4407 N. Division, 8th floor training room. To register or for more information, call 482-3805.
Wednesday - Marla Warnecke of COLTs, will speak on “Changing Our Lives Together,” a preventive program aimed at inner city youth, during a meeting of the Spokane Building Owners and Managers Association from noon-1 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Cost: $9 for lunch; call 466-4905 for reservations.
Wednesday - The Executive Women’s Network will meet at noon at the Doubletree Hotel at Interstate 90 and Sullivan in the Spokane Valley. For reservations or more information, call Janie Rumberger at 924-1595 or Angie Marsh at 928-1714.
Wednesday - Merrill Lynch presents a class on the basics of financial planning and investing at 5:15 p.m. at Patsy Clark’s Mansion. For more information or to register, call Margot Hamstra at 458-4219.
Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Cash Flow Strategies” from 8 a.m.-noon at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. Cost: $35, including materials; for information or to register, call 353-2820.
Thursday - Lincoln Davis, community involvement coordinator at the Pine Lodge Pre-release Center, will discuss “Volunteer Screening Strategies” during a meeting of the Directors of Volunteers in Agencies of the Inland Northwest at 11:30 a.m. at the Schoenberg Center, 200 E. Cataldo. Cost: $6 for lunch; for reservations, call Bonnie Abernethy at 624-0151.
Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents an employer tax seminar from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $20; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Thursday - The Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce presents Business After Hours from 5:15-7 p.m. at the YMCA in Riverfront Park. Cost: $5; for reservations, call 459-4111.
Thursday - Leads Club, a structured networking organization for business leads and referrals, meets from 12:15-1:30 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s Inn on Fourth Avenue. For more information, call Nora Laughlin at 466-6832.
Thursday - Power Tipps, an organization for sharing business leads and networking, meets from 7-8 a.m. on the North Side. For more information, call 468-9695 or 891-2353. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 Photos
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