Business Beat

New faces:

Brendan Farnell has joined Rockey West Public Relations as an account executive. Farnell will be responsible for serving clients such as CH2MHill, the Spokane Economic Development Council and River Park Square. He previously has worked for the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council.

Output Technology Corp. has hired the following people:

Paul Paroff joined the company as senior process physicist. Paroff will oversee process development for high speed, non-impact printers. He was previously a senior research physicist at Moore Business Forms/Research Center in Grand Island, N.Y.

Bert Prins was hired as director of European sales, and is based in the Netherlands. Prins is responsible for managing sales within Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as product distribution, and overall distributor support. He was formerly national marketing manager for Xerox Engineering Systems and northern European sales manager at QMS.

Trinity Universal Insurance Companies has hired Craig Mathre as the commercial lines manager at its Spokane branch. Mathre came to Trinity from Allied Group Insurance in Des Moines, Iowa, where he held several management positions.

Amy Petteys has joined the Spokane offices of Coopers & Lybrand LLP as a business assurance associate. She is a Washington State University graduate.

Dennis Horn, dean of engineering, mathematics and science at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, has been named dean of engineering at Gonzaga University, effective July 1. Horn’s career spans more than 25 years and includes experience in teaching, research, administration and senior management at a consulting firm.

Net-Tel Inc. has hired Mark Newcomb as manager of customer services. Newcomb, previously in project management and applications software development for Spokane area companies, will oversee all aspects of service for new and existing clients in local area networks, stand-alone computers and peripherals configurations.

Moving up:

Todd Murphey has been named personal lines manager of the Spokane Branch of Trinity Universal Insurance Companies. Murphey, who joined Trinity in 1994, previously was personal lines unit manager.

The Spokane office of Coopers & Lybrand LLP has promoted the following employees:

Mary Kay Brown was named business assurance senior associate and has accepted an 18-month assignment at the Coopers & Lybrand LLP Learning and Education Center in Parsippany, N.J. She is a Gonzaga University graduate.

Jennifer Thompson was promoted to tax senior associate. Thompson is an Eastern Washington University graduate.

The following Washington Trust Bank employees have been promoted: Raymond Foisy was named assistant vice president and manager of the Northgate branch. He has been with Washington Trust since 1980.

Michelle Starry, who joined the bank in 1994, was promoted to assistant vice president and manager of the Indiana branch.

Carolyn LeFors was promoted to retail banking officer and Deer Park service manager. She joined Washington Trust in 1987.

Yvonne Reed was named service manager for the Lincoln Heights branch. Reed previously was a retail banking officer.

Laurie Robinson was promoted to service manager at the bank’s Indiana branch.

Roger Gordon has been named director of marketing for Master Funding Corp., a commercial real estate brokerage firm. Gordon, who has performed marketing duties for the company for the past two years, is now responsible for all marketing and agents.

Starting up:

Judy J. Foster has opened the Spokane County Bar Legal Placement Services Inc. at 115 N. Washington, Suite 250. The service will provide Spokane attorneys and law firms with legal support staff. Foster is executive director of the Spokane County Bar Association.

Ashley Richards has started Ashley’s Gift & Collector Baskets at 1819 E. Fourth. The company sells a wide range of unique collector baskets and will design baskets for business meetings or special clients.

Elected:

The Inland Northwest Chapter of the Air & Waste Management Association has elected the following officers for 1997: Beth Fifield, Spring Environmental Inc., chair; April Miller, Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority, vice-chair; Pete Bosserman, Benton County Clean Air Authority, secretary, and Mike Silvia, of IT Corp., treasurer. Two directors were reelected: Chuck Studer of SCAPCA and Darrel Sunday of Sunday & Associates Inc. Three new directors were elected: Kim Marcus, Dames and Moore; Jana McDonald, Central Pre-Mix Cement; and Robert Stenner, Battelle PNL.

Kudos:

Lawrence Denny, professor of technology at Eastern Washington University, was named Engineer of the Year for 1997 by Spokane Chapter 248 of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Denny was cited for his pursuit of excellence in vocational/ technical education and for being the driving force behind the formation of SME Student Chapter 202 at EWU.

Children’s Home Society of Washington (CHSW) has honored Kaiser Aluminum/Trentwood as the 1997 recipient of its SweetHearts for Kids award. The award recognizes Kaiser for its outstanding support of children and their families.

Rock Cut Bridge has received an award of excellence from the Portland Cement Association. The bridge, which is located across the Kettle River between Stevens and Ferry Counties, was manufactured by Central Pre-Mix Prestress Co. in Spokane.

Events:

Monday - The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Foundation presents a continuing pilot education seminar on “The Most Dangerous Game” at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Coeur d’Alene. For more information, call 1-800-638-3101.

Monday through Friday - 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.

Monday, May 12 and May 13 - The Colville Confederated Tribes will hold annual Overall Economic Development Program meetings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday at the community center in Keller, from 5-7:30 p.m. May 12 at the community center in Nespelem and from 5:30-8 p.m. May 13 at the Omak community center. For information, call Mary Beth Clark or Pete Palmer at (509) 634-8869.

Wednesday - A panel of senior Spokane consultants will discuss selling professional services during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Society of Consulting Professionals at 7:15 a.m. at the Ridpath Hotel. For information, call William Olson at 455-8244.

Wednesday - Dr. Harvey Hoyt, who has raised more than $50 million through public and private offerings, will discuss “Seeking Capital in Biotech Start-ups” during a Technology Business Forum sponsored by the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute at 4 p.m. at SIRTI, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Basics of Recordkeeping” from 8 a.m.-noon at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 1020 W. Riverside. Cost: $35, including materials; call 353-2820 for information or to register.

Wednesday and May 14 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Starting and Operating a Construction Business” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Thursday - The University of Idaho presents a one-day seminar on “Family Owned Business: Challenges and Choices,” featuring Dr. Patricia Frishkoff, founder and director of the Austin Family Business Program at Oregon State University, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Templin’s Resort in Post Falls. Cost: $95 for each company’s first enrollee, $75 for the second and $50 for each additional person; for information or to register, call Yvonne Sertich or Jim Toomey at (208) 885-6611, or fax (208) 885-5580.

Thursday - The 1997 Agora Awards Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. at Red Lion City Center. Cost: $20 at the door; for information, call Diane Clawson at 459-4111.

Thursday - Dave Lenartz of Byte Dynamics will discuss how to raise capital on the Internet and Steve Lee of McDirmid, Mikkelsen & Secrest will speak on “Don’t Slip Your Disks” when choosing accounting software during a meeting 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, including a continental breakfast; for information, call Gordon Cudney at 922-7160.

Thursday - Rep. Cathy McMorris, chair of the Commerce and Labor Committee, will be the featured speaker at a meeting of the Inland Northwest Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners from 6-8:30 p.m. at Shilo Inn, 923 E. Third. Cost: $15 for members, $25 for non-members; for information, call Cathy Doerr at 838-8755.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “How to Deliver Excellent Customer Service” from 5:30-9:30 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $40; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “How to Successfully Manage Customer Accounts” 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.

Saturday - Glen Knight will speak on “How to Excite, Thrill and Wow Your Listeners with Audience Participation” during a workshop sponsored by the Inland Northwest Professional Speakers Association from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Gonzaga University’s Schoenberg Center, 800 N. Pearl. Cost: $35, including lunch; for reservations, call 433-0184 or (208) 664-2910.

May 12 - Glenn Schroeder will speak on “Protection of Intellectual Property on the Web: Is it Possible?” during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Chapter of the Washington Software and Digital Media Alliance at 5:30 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s Fourth Avenue. Cost: $18 for members, $20 for non-members; for information contact dan@rand.nidlink.com or paulb@iea.com.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 photos

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