Business Beat
New Faces:
Robin Valaitis-Heflin has joined Medical Service Corporation of Eastern Washington as the Communications Director. Valaitis-Heflin, who was previously Employee Communications Representative Senior at Northrop Gurmman Corporation in Palmdale, Calif., will oversee communications activities for the company.
Packet Engines, Inc. announced that Jeffrey White will join the company as vice president of marketing. White comes to the position from FORE Systems, Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he served as director of marketing for the Enterprise Business Unit.
Scott Hume and Lyn Brandt have been named personal financial advisors with the Spokane office of American Express Financial Advisors, Incorporated. Hume will consult with clients on a one-to-one basis to help them achieve their financial goals by developing and implementing personal investment strategies. Brandt, who was previously an investment broker in the Bay area of San Francisco, will be working with a variety of clients including small business owners to help them identify and achieve their financial goals by implementing proven investment strategies.
Sedgwick of Washington, Incorporated recently hired Debbie Osburn as a Commercial Account Assistant. Osburn was previously with Granite Insurance Services in Portland.
Allan Marter has been elected to the board of directors of Minera Andes Inc. Marter, a mining finance professional, is currently the treasurer and a trustee of the Northwest Mining Association, which he has also served as a past president.
The Kootenai-Shoshone & Benewah Soil Conservation Districts in Coeur d’Alene and Plummer have named Walter Edelen Watershed Resource Conservationist.
Jeffrey Thomas has accepted the position of Executive Director for Family Service Spokane. Thomas has a masters of social work from Eastern Washington University and a doctorate in administration and psychology from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.
Tomlinson Black Valley office has recently acquired Kathy Moore as a new agent. Moore has five years previous experience in residential real estate.
Corkrum: Computers & Consulting has recently hired two new employees to its staff. They are:
David Dillion, a former Senior Test Technician for Intel, has been hired to be the Director of Technical Services.
Jason Bomhold, who has more than eight years experience in computer repairs, networks and database design. Bomhold recently graduated with honors from Big Bend Community College with an associated arts degree in Computer Sciences.
Sharon Fosseen, who was previously the Development Director at St. George’s School, has joined Foundation Northwest, The Community Foundation as the Development Director.
Moving Up:
Penny Piper-Griffith has been promoted from breakfast hostess to food and beverage coordinator at the Quality Inn Oakwood. She will oversee all catering for conference rooms as well as help coordinate conferences and group meetings.
Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems USA, a division of Sara Lee, has promoted Denny Setzer to regional sales manager. Setzer, who has been with the company for two years, is a former territory sales manager.
Aaron Miller has been named branch manager of the Norwest Financial office in Burley, Idaho. Miller joined the company in 1995 as a credit manager at the Spokane office and was named assistant manager of the Lewiston office in 1996.
Jerry Lyon and Carolyn Gay have both recently been promoted at Sterling Savings. Lyon, who joined in 1996 as a Valley Area Manager, will become Vice President. Gay, who joined in 1996 as an Accounting Manager, will become Assistant Vice President.
Goodale & Barbieri Companies announced the promotion of John Taffin to Vice President of Hotel Operations. Taffin, who has served as regional manager of the Spokane Hospitality Division for Cavanaugh’s Hotel’s, brings 15 years of hotel experience with him.
Elected:
The Directors of Volunteers in Agencies of the Inland Northwest has elected officers for 1997-98: Co-Presidents, Jerrie Allard, Girl Scouts, and Susan Cairy, Juvenile Court; vice president, Lincoln Davis, Pine Lodge Pre-Release; treasurer, Dora Faye Hendricks, Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect; and secretary, Bonnie Abernethy, Inland Northwest Blood Center.
Rotary North officers and board members for 1997-98 are: John Carlson, president; Bernadine Spalla, president-elect; Jim Hoffman, vice president; Eric Moro, treasurer; and Karen McBride, secretary. Directors include: Chuck Rehberg, Ron Gies, Mark Lang, Scott McQuilken, Terry Fossum and Ken Koch.
New officers of the Spokane Advertising Federation for 1997-98 are:
President, Marc Dahlstrom, North by Northwest Productions; presidentelect, Collen Quisenberry, Quisenberry & Partners; vice presidents, Mike Heiser, Rolatape Corp., Lisa Poole, Washington Transit Authority, and Bonnie Tapscott, Pridemark Outdoor Advertising; directors, Bill Burke, Burke Marketing & Promotion; Michelle Hege, Medical Service Corp.; Brooks Hogg, KREM Television; Rick Hosmer, Klundt & Hosmer; Jill Lamb, Spokane Transit Authority; Kosta Panidis, Triathlon Broadcasting; Brian Sullivan, KHQ Television; and Leslie Warner, Warner Birchell & Hall.
Steve Meltzer, director of the Area Health Education Center at Washington State University at Spokane, has been elected president of the Board of Directors of the newly-formed National Area Health Education Center Organization.
Kathy McBride has been elected to the Board of Directors of Toastmasters International. McBride, a Realtor for RE/Max, is a member of Altrusa International of Spokane and a board member of the Spokane Association of Realtors, the Fair Housing Committee and Expand Your Horizons.
Appointed:
The Spokane Chapter has announced the appointment of Sandy Alto of First American Title Company to the position of Regional Director for Executive Women International. Alto will be the liaison between the region, which includes Spokane, Seattle, Boise, Portland and Tacoma.
Camy Popiel has been appointed chairman to organize local training classes in The Life Underwriter Training Council’s Exploring Personal Markets, Meeting Client Needs, Business Continuity, Employee Benefits, Disability Income, Multiline Skills, Professional Growth, Advanced Estate Planning and Advanced Business Planning Courses. Popiel has been active in life insurance for five years and is presently an Account Representative with Horace Mann Insurance Company.
Kudos:
Three USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists at Washington State University have received the Ruth Allen Award from the American Phytopathological Society. Recipients include R. James Cook, who heads the Root Disease and Biological Control Research Unit, and two permanent scientists in the unit, David Weller, a plant pathologist, and Linda Thomas. The award is made annually to an individual scientist or a team of scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the science of plant pathology.
Jack L. Fallis Jr., executive vice president of Global Credit Union, has graduated from the CEO Institute. The two-year program includes curriculum in leadership, management and finance specifically focused on credit unions.
Rex and Barbara Reed, who operate the Sir Speedy center in Spokane, have received the Million Dollar Club Award. The award recognizes a Sir Speedy center that has surpassed the $1 million mark in total volume sales for the first time. The Spokane Sir Speedy accomplished this benchmark in 1996.
Western Medical Services of Spokane has been accredited with commendation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Western Medical Services, which provides home health care services, was accredited after an on-site survey conducted last April.
Sandpoint-based Litehouse Inc. has named Preston Lea as its “Broker of the Year.” Lea, of Portland’s Sandel Lea & Associates, has 15 years of experience in the grocery business. His efforts helped Litehouse achieve a 19-percent increase in regional sales in the past year.
The 1997 Preferred Supplier Award from Hewlett-Packard Company was recently awarded to Johnson Matthey Electronics. They received the award based on the rating of Hewlett Packards suppliers’ technology, quality, responsiveness, delivery, cost and concern for the environment. It also includes the suppliers level of commitment to provide the highest quality materials at the lowest total cost of ownership.
Former Spokane mayor and civic activist Neal Fossen has been presented the Community Colleges of Spokane Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor given by the local community colleges. Fossen has worked in support of community colleges for years and currently serves on the board of the Community Colleges of Spokane Foundation.
Certification:
Luci Johns, an agent for Tomlinson Black Valley, has recently completed a 90 hour course and received her Graduate Realtor Institute designation.
Events:
Sept. 30 - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents a program on “Affirmative Action: Surviving an Audit and Beyond” from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at 920 N. Washington. Cost: $99 for members, $149 for non-members; register on line at http://www.aiin.com. Registration deadline is Tuesday.
Oct. 3 and 4 - Gonzaga University School of Law presents its 24th Annual Tax Institute at Hill’s Resort, Priest Lake. For more information, call Marge Buck at 328-4220, ext. 3738, or (800) 448-2138.
Oct. 7 and 8 - Abadan Event Services presents the 17th Annual Computer and Business Technology Expo from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. each day at the Spokane Convention Center. For information, call Lee Pennell at 924-4200.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 Photos
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