Business Beat

NEW FACES:

Jan Scharnweber has joined Northwest Mortgage as a loan officer and will handle residential and commercial loans. Scharnweber previously worked at First Interstate Bank as a vice president, manager and commercial loan officer.

Empire Insurance Agency in Coeur d’Alene has added two people to its staff:

Julie Hamik, a licensed agent, has joined Empire as marketing manager. She formerly worked for State Farm Insurance.

Debbie Low will handle auto, homeowners and business coverage. She formerly owned her own agency in Anaconda, Mont., and was affiliated with the Farmers Insurance Group.

Metropolitan Mortgage and Securities Co. has hired the following people:

Nobumichi Hara joined Metropolitan as assistant vice president of human resources. Hara has more than 17 years of experience in the human resources field and was formerly with the Seattle Community College District.

Erik Skaggs will be responsible for developing and managing corporate public relations and government affairs as government affairs director. Skaggs is a former campaign manager and district director for U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt.

Kyle BrinJones was named retail manager for one of Metropolitan’s affiliates, Summit Property Development. He will oversee all retail projects, including Spokane Valley Plaza and Broadmoor Park in Pasco. BrinJones previously spent more than nine years with Winmar Co. Inc., a subsidiary of Safeco Corp. in Seattle, where he was leasing manager.

Barbara Parchman-Wong has joined Holy Family Hospital as director of emergency services/short stay unit. Parchman-Wong has experience in emergency nursing and emergency department nurse management and formerly worked as a research nurse/ clinical trial coordinator at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology.

Optimal Systems Integrators Inc. has hired the following people:

Kevin Pope will lead OSIs account development efforts. Pope formerly worked as a technical liaison with Arrow Electronics.

Noah Sutherland has joined OSI as a programmer and systems administrator. Sutherland is a recent University of Idaho graduate and will be responsible for UNIX support to clients and C++ programming.

Peter Bozhinov has joined John L. Scott Real Estate Network as a new sales associate.

MOVING UP:

Holy Family Hospital has promoted the following employees:

Jerry Markopoulos was appointed director of social work and case management. Markopoulos, who joined Holy Family in 1994, will be responsible for managing social work, case management, utilization review, and discharge planning.

Mary Ann Jurgensen has been named director of the Holy Family Health Center. Jurgensen was the coordinator for the Holy Family Women’s Health Center before it was remodeled and renamed the Holy Family Health Center to reflect its expanded focus. She joined the hospital in 1991.

Metropolitan Mortgage and Securities Co. Inc. has promoted the following personnel:

Elaine Holliday was named vice president, underwriting. She joined the company in 1986 and has served in various management positions in the Contact Acquisition Division. Holliday will continue to serve on the company’s Underwriting Committee.

Mike Fulton has been promoted to assistant vice president. Fulton, who joined Metropolitan in 1993, will continue his duties as corporate tax manager.

Hope Findley has become assistant secretary. Findley, a 1990 hire, will serve as direct assistant to the senior vice president, chief operations officer.

Jonnie Mann has been named vice president and a member of the board of directors of Metropolitan Investment Securities, an affiliate of Metropolitan Mortgage. Mann has been with MIS since 1995 as general manager.

Western United Life Assurance Co., an affiliate of Metropolitan Mortgage, has promoted the following employees:

Susan Thomson was named vice president. Thomson, who also serves as vice president for Metropolitan in its corporate legal department, joined the company in 1989.

Dave Luhn has been promoted to controller. He was previously accounting manager for Metropolitan and has been with the company since 1985.

The following Key Tronic Corp. employees have been promoted:

Doug Burkardt, who previously was director of molding and assembly operations, was promoted to director of customer satisfaction.

Joel Smith was named managing director of Northwest operations. He formerly was director of worldwide manufacturing.

Anja Krammer has been promoted to director of marketing and retail sales. Krammer previously was responsible for the marketing division only.

STARTING UP:

Dr. Michael R. Valente has opened a chiropractic practice at 6301 N. Market. Valente, who attended Whitworth College and Spokane Falls Community College, is a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa.

Wade Hinkle has opened Hinkle Advertising Consultants at 1809 W. Grace. The company markets imprinted advertising specialities, premiums and business gifts ranging from key chains to more elegant gifts for executives.

EVENTS:

Monday through Thursday - The Institute for Extended Learning presents a class on “Computer Basics” from 5:30-8:30 p.m. each day at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $110; for information, call 533-3770.

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. in the Business Information Center at 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 and Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Cash Flow Management” from 6-9 p.m. each day at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; for information, call 358-7890.

Wednesday - Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Inland Northwest presents a free money management workshop on “Healthy, Wealthy and Wise” from 6-7 p.m. in Cheney and in Sandpoint. For locations and registration information, call 327-3777 or (800) 892-6854 and ask for the education department.

Wednesday - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop 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; for information, call 358-7890.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners at the Panhandle Area Council, 11100 Airport Drive, Hayden. For appointments, call 772-0584.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Preparing a Business Plan” 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 - A customer service video - “Give ‘em the Pickle” by Robert E. Farrell - will be shown during a meeting of Spokane Chapter 143 of the National Association of Women in Construction at 5:30 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s Fourth Avenue. Cost: $13, including dinner; for reservations, call Ardy Luttermoser at 747-0950 by noon Tuesday.

Thursday - Directors of Volunteers in Agencies of the Inland Northwest will meet from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Gonzaga University’s Schoenberg Center, 200 E. Cataldo. Cost: $6 for lunch; call Bonnie Abernethy at 624-0151 for lunch reservations.

Thursday - The Association of Records Managers and Administrators will tour Inland Imaging, 525 S. Cowley, at 5:30 p.m. and get a demonstration of Inland’s diagnostic image display systems. For reservations, call Joyce Simmons at 459-5260.

Thursday - Les Wylie of the Department of Revenue and Ron Bradford of the Employment Security Department will discuss “Taxation with Representation” 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; for information, call Gordon Cudney at 922-7160.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a “Small Business Tax Seminar” from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $25; for information, call 358-7890.

Thursday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners at the North Idaho College Workforce Training Center, 525 Clearwater Loop, Post Falls. For appointments, call 769-3296.

Friday - Professor Val Limberg of Washington State University will speak on “TV Ethics and Entertainment” during the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Bureau luncheon meeting at noon at the Stockyards Inn.

Friday - Merrill Lynch presents a free luncheon seminar for women on “What Every Woman Should Know about Money” from noon-1 p.m. at Patsy Clark’s Mansion. For more information or to register, call Margot Hamstra at 458-4219.

Saturday - The Inland Northwest Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists holds its 1996 Excellence in Journalism Awards and Banquet at 6 p.m. at the Spokane Valley Red Lion Hotel. Cost: $18, $15 for students, including dinner; for reservations, call Chris Huss at 467-6933 by Monday.

May 19 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents an “ISO 14000 Overview” from 8 a.m.-noon at the Business Training Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $75; for information, call 533-4700.

May 19 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Payroll Recordkeeping” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $35; for information, call 358-7890.

May 22 - APICS presents its “Top Management Night” starting with social hour at 5:15 p.m. at Templin’s Resort in Post Falls. Cost: $20 for dinner; for information, call Debra Benson at 459-5202 or e-mail Debrab@Spokesman.com. Reservation deadline is Friday.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 Photos

MEMO: Do you want to submit an item for “Business Beat?” Send a brief press release to: Bill Sallquist, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane WA, 99210-1615. Photos will be used, space permitting, with new staff additions, promotions and new businesses. Put names on backs of photos. If you want a photo back, write “WILL CALL” on the back and pick it up at the newspaper reference library. Allow three weeks for publication.