Business Beat
NEW FACES:
Global Credit Union has hired Sean Harrington as manager of its Spokane Valley branch. Harrington was previously a consumer lender with Sterling Savings and a loan officer with Whitefish Credit Union in Polson, Mont. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Montana.
Jeffrey Bell has joined The Gallatin Group, a Northwest public affairs firm, as a Spokane senior associate. He will work with Spokane partner Chris Carlson and will handle media strategy and media training for Gallatin clients. Bell was formerly executive vice president at Benscheidt Communications Group, specializing in providing media training for top executives nationwide.
Washington Transit Advertising has added two account executives to its Eastern Washington branch office:
Art Acuff will be responsible for transit advertising sales in Spokane, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and Yakima. Acuff was previously a sales manager for Screen Tek.
Susan Mattox will handle transit advertising sales in the Spokane area. Mattox was previously promotions director for Triathalon Broadcasting.
Melanie White has joined Re/Max of Spokane as an associate broker Realtor and business consultant/recruiter. White has been a real estate professional in the Spokane market since 1983. She previously managed an office for Century 21/Prudential Crane, has been a real estate instructor and owned and operated ACE Real Estate School.
Michael Vyvial has joined Monarch Fisheries as the executive chef. Vyvial comes to Coeur d’Alene from Wenatchee where he was the executive chef at the Four Seasons Inn. He is a graduate of the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Output Technology Corp. has filled two positions in its Sales & Marketing Department:
Kay Van Epps was hired as a technical support specialist I. Her responsibilities include providing technical support via telephone, fax and Internet to Output Technology’s western region customer base, as well as working with the engineering and operations departments on product performance feedback and improvement. Van Epps was previously a computer operator at Empire Health Consolidated Services.
Peter O’Brien also joined the company as a technical support specialist I. His responsibilities are the same as Van Epps’, only to Output Technology’s central region customers. O’Brien previously worked in the manufacturing and computer industries.
MOVING UP:
Katie Haney has been named business development manager of the Spokane Area Economic Development Council. Haney, who had been the agency’s membership manager since 1995, will be responsible for identifying and working with companies who want to expand or relocate to Spokane. Before joining EDC, she was director of marketing/communications for Wismer Martin.
Carol Goodman has been promoted to manager of Washington Mutual Bank’s Coeur d’Alene Financial Center inside the Fred Meyer store. Goodman, who has more than 21 years of experience in banking, will oversee the management and operations of the financial center and its seven employees. She previously managed Washington Mutual’s Northwest Boulevard Financial Center in Spokane.
Output Technology Corp. has promoted the following employees:
Jan Grandinetti was named associate product manager. Her responsibilities include product life cycle management projects that support and improve products or introduce new products. Grandinetti previously was a product management analyst.
Sandee Patterson was promoted to engineering change analyst II. Her responsibilities include facilitating the engineering change process, maintaining document control records, assigning and entering new part numbers and product structure, and assisting all departments in their product records needs and questions. Patterson previously was an associate buyer/ planner.
Linda Guy has been promoted to warehouse supervisor and will oversee receiving, stockroom and warehousing activities. Guy previously was a material clerk IV.
Maxine Maurer was named service sales rep. She is responsible for sales of Output Technology’s factory express service and third-party service agreements. Maurer was previously an assembler IV on the company’s production floor.
STARTING UP:
GMAC Mortgage has opened an office in Coeur d’Alene. The new facility is one of more than 130 lending locations that GMAC Mortgage operates nationwide. Mitch Driller was named manager of the office, located at 1620 Northwest Blvd. Loan originators working in the Coeur d’Alene office include Steven Allen, John Beebe, Andrea Biania and Patti Harris.
Ann Ozuna, a human resources professional with 20 years of experience, has opened Personnel Solutions, a full-service human resources consulting business. Specialties include Web page and computer applications for human resources, resume and interview skills classes, Myers Briggs typing and team building.
Dr. Ellen Brenner has reopened her psychotherapy private practice in Spokane. Brenner, who has a general psychotherapy practice, works with individuals, couples and families in her South Side Office.
ELECTED:
Spokane Airport Board officers for the 1997-1998 term include: chairman, Richard Atwood, co-owner of the engineering firm of Atwood Hinzman Inc. He was appointed to the board in September 1995 and most recently served as vice chair. County Commissioner Phil Harris was named vice chairman, and Irving Reed was elected secretary.
Leadership Spokane has elected 11 people to its board: Carl Benscheidt, director of corporate communications with Washington Water Power Co.; Dan Distelhorst, training and organizational development director for Group Health Northwest; Phyllis Edmundson, dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Eastern Washington University; Doug Floyd, interactive editor for The Spokesman-Review; Chris Hugo, senior planner for the City of Spokane; Ed Jolicoeur, director of quality control and member/owner, LeMaster & Daniels PLLC; Marianne Mishima, broadcast journalist with KXLY TV/AM/FM; Cynthia Norwood, vice president of Empire Health Services; Robbie Paul, Native American coordinator with the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education; Andy Rigsby, a Ferris High School student; and Keshia Shorts, a student at Riverside High School.
Leadership Spokane Board of Directors’ officers for 1997-98 are: chair, Sally Duffy, Washington Mutual Savings Bank; vice-chair, Bill Mester, Mead School District; treasurer, Larry Kissler, U.S. Bank of Washington; and Secretary, Rich Hadley, Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce.
KUDOS:
CPM Development Corp. has awarded four $2,500 scholarships to children of its subsidiary companies. Recipients include: Leah Free, whose father, Jeff, works at Interstate Concrete and Asphalt; Amanda Ringhand, whose father, Ron, works at Interstate Concrete and Asphalt Co.; Stephanie Sweeza, whose father, Ron, works at the Yakima Branch of Central Pre-Mix Concrete Co.; and Scott Thomas, whose father, Kirk, works at Interstate Concrete and Asphalt Co.
The Spokane Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants has awarded $500 scholarships to Leonard Sweet, Gonzaga University; Jackie Sandquist, Gonzaga; and Lorene Butz, Eastern Washington University.
The following Safeco agents in Spokane have received the company’s Award of Excellence: Anita Koch of Sedgwick-James Agency; Kim Impecoven of Blasingame Agency; and Jan Krogh of Jan Krogh Insurance Inc. The award recognizes agents who have distinguished themselves by their professionalism, knowledge of insurance and customer satisfaction.
Lutheran Brotherhood district representatives Kenneth Hydon and Denel Ingraham have earned Qualifying and Life status in the Million Dollar Round Table. Hydon is from the Post Falls district and Ingraham is from the Spokane district. Both are associated with Lutheran Brotherhood’s Peter Mauritsen Agency of Spokane.
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. Call 353-2820 for appointments. 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 Beth Ann Daigre at 921-9581.
Wednesday - The Small Business 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; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Wednesday - Jim Flott of the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department will discuss “Urban Forestry” 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 Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “The ABC’s of Starting a 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.
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.
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.
Sept. 5 - The Northwest Human Resource Management Association meets. Call Barb Christie at 467-0062 or Julie Love at 624-8143 for information. Reservations are required.
Sept. 9 through Oct. 28 - Northwest Inland Empire APICS presents a class on Materials and Capacity Requirements Planning from 5:15-7:45 p.m. each Tuesday. Registration deadline is Sept. 2. For more information, call Jim Holcomb at 455-8566.
Sept. 11 through Oct. 30 Northwest Inland Empire APICS presents a class on CIRM-Enterprise Concepts and Fundamentals from 5:15-7:45 p.m. each Thursday at Wagstaff Inc. Registration deadline is Sept. 2. For more information, call Jim Holcomb at 455-8566.
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