Business Beat

NEW FACES:

ALSC Architects P.S. has added the following people to its staff:

Chuck Crane joined the firm as a project architect. Crane, who received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Washington State University in 1990, is currently working on the new Quincy Elementary School and Quincy High School modernization and addition.

Tom Wagner, who graduated from the University of Idaho in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, is assigned to the Quincy Elementary School project. He is a registered architect in Washington state.

WhiteRunkle Associates has hired two new associates:

Scott Steele was named a copywriter. Steele, who holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Washington State University, previously worked as an advertising copywriter for Egghead Computer.

Matthew Budke joined WhiteRunkle as a proofreader. Budke received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Puget Sound. He was previously a copy editor at Egghead Computer.

Wendt Advertising has made the following additions to its staff:

Carl Heidle, an award-winning designer formerly with Banik Creative Group in Great Falls, Mont., was named art director of Wendt’s Spokane office. Heidle earlier was an art director in the firm’s Great Falls office, where he handled Web site banner ad design.

Donna Wardin joined Wendt as a designer and production manager. Wardin has more than 14 years of experience with design firms and agencies in Michigan.

Bobbi Reisnouer, who formerly handled production as well as media buying at the agency, now is a full-time media buyer. Reisnouer has been with the agency’s Spokane office for two years.

New additions to the staff of Group Health Northwest include:

Tim Borne joined the HMO as organizational effectiveness director. Borne will be responsible for internal team building, communication training, mediating, and conflict resolution. He was previously a planning and development specialist for Kaiser Permanente of the Northwest and Portland.

Dr. Scott Strongin joined the medical staff of Group Health Northwest’s Urgent Care Center. Strongin, who is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Physicians, was previously a family practice physician at Pacific Beach Family Medical Center in San Diego.

Greg Schuster has joined Tomlinson Black North as an associate broker. Schuster, who is licensed in Washington and Idaho and has been selling real estate for more than 22 years, was previously the owner/broker of Homestead Properties Inc.

Fred Haslam has joined the Spokane Regional Health District as director of administrative services. Haslam, who received a master’s degree from the University of Rochester, has administrative experience from private and public health science centers at the University of Maryland, the University of Washington, the Eastman Dental Center and the University of Rochester.

MOVING UP:

Jerry Lyon, who has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, was promoted to regional manager of Sterling Savings Association’s Southern Region. Lyon joined Sterling in 1996 as Valley area manager. He was promoted to vice president in 1997.

Farm Credit Services has named Randy Pownell senior auditor. Pownell joined Farm Credit Services in 1996 as a senior credit officer in Caldwell, Idaho, after 10 years as a commissioned examiner for the Farm Credit Administration. Earlier, he was a commercial bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

ELECTED:

1998 United Way of Spokane County officers and board members include: Chairman of the board, Charles Rehberg, Cowles Publishing Co.; vice chair of marketing, Kathy Bixler, Gerald Boyd and Associates Realtors; vice chair of human care planning, Marcy Drummond, The Gamble Group; vice chair of administration, Gary Garrett, Wells Fargo Commercial Banking; general campaign chair, William Norman, Safeco Insurance Co.; vice chair of community services, Max Spalding, Spalding Auto Parts; and vice chair of resource development, Barbara Umbdenstock. New board members are: Erick Davis, Washington Trust Bank; Cindy Doty, Washington Mutual Bank; Garman Lutz, Empire Health Services; Kim Parker, Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center; Robbie Paul, Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education; Thomas Stevenson, McFarland and Alton P.S.; and Chud Wendle, Wendle Ford.

CERTIFICATIONS:

Michael Metcalf, vice president of human resources for Hospitality Associates Inc., has earned the Chartered Life Underwriter professional designation from the American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Candidates for the designation must complete a 10-course curriculum of study and 20 hours of supervised exams.

Curtis Anderson of Design Works has successfully completed the Council for Qualification of Residential Interior Designers examination and has met the requirements to be certified as a residential interior designer. He also is eligible to become a professional level member of the Interior Design Society.

John Schram, registered principal and branch manager with Linsco/Private Ledger in Spokane, has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to use the CFP certification mark and the Certified Financial Planner title. Schram specializes in retirement planning and wealth management.

EVENTS:

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 Room 240 of the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. For appointments, call 353-2820.

Tuesday - 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.

Tuesday - 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.

Tuesday - Kim Crumpacker will speak on “Welcome to the Information Age” during a meeting of the National Association of Purchasing Management-Spokane at 11:30 a.m. at the Quality Inn Valley Suites, I-90 and Argonne. For reservations, call Dean Stone at 927-6417.

Tuesday - VRI, Care Connection and Merrill Lynch present a free workshop on “Strategies for Successful Retirement” from 4-5:30 p.m. and “Estate Planning” from 5:30-7 p.m. at 2900 E. First, Rooms 210-213. To register, call 353-4461.

Tuesday and April 28 - The Gonzaga University School of Business Administration holds informational meetings for prospective MBA and master of accountancy students from 5:30-7 p.m. at Jepson Center. For more information, call Carol Wilson at 323-3414.

Wednesday - VRI, Care Connection and Merrill Lynch present free workshops on “Elder Care Planning Part I” from 4-5:30 p.m. and “Elder Care Planning Part II” from 5:30-7 p.m., at 2900 E. First. Call 353-4461 to register.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Cash Flow Strategies” from 8 a.m.-noon at the Small Business Administration conference room, 601 W. First. Cost: $35, including materials; for information or to register, call 353-2820.

Wednesday - Spokesman-Review Interactive Editor Rebecca Nappi shares her “Busy Person’s No-Guilt Guide to Empowerment and Stress Relief” at the Institute for Extended Learning’s seventh annual Secretaries Day Workshop at noon at Cavanaughs Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Cost: $15; for information or reservations, call 533-3770.

Wednesday - Humorist Tom Skierka will speak on “Why Men Should Be Paid More than Women” during a Secretary’s Day presentation for the Spokane Building Owners and Managers Association from noon-1:15 p.m. at Cavanaughs Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Luncheon cost: $10; for reservations, call Toni at 533-2701.

Wednesday - Gonzaga University presents an information session about its master of arts in organizational leadership program from 6-8:30 p.m. in Room 201 of Gonzaga’s Administration Building. For more information, call Neva Bishop at 328-4220, ext. 3245.

Wednesday and April 29 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Market Research Made Easy - A Step-by-Step Approach” from 6-9 p.m. both nights at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Thursday - Lt. Col. Kim Olson, commander of the KC-135R 96th Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base, will be the guest speaker at the Second Annual Take Our Daughters to Work luncheon presented by the Girl Scouts Inland Empire Council from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Spokane Convention Center. Cost: $17.50; for reservations, call 747-8091.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a prebusiness workshop from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $25; for information, call 358-7890.

Thursday - The Spokane Business & Industry Disaster Planning Committee presents a workshop to assist local business and industry to lessen the impact of a disaster from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Airport Ramada Inn. Cost: $50, including lunch; for reservations, call Carol Morrisen at 456-2204.

Thursday - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents a class on “Interviewing and Selection” from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at 920 N. Washington. Cost: $99 for members, $149 for nonmembers; to register, send checks to Associated Industries, P.O. Box 729, Spokane, WA 99210-0729 or register online at http://www.aiin.com; call 326-6885 for more information.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Hot to Buy or Sell a Business” 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.

Thursday through June 11 Spokane County Treasurer Linda Wolverton will discuss “How Do the Dollars Get from Me to Who?” at the first spring breakfast session sponsored by the Washington Society of CPAs from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Gonzaga University’s Schoenberg Center. Members pay $130 for all eight sessions or $40 per individual session; for more information, call Jim Morrison at 455-8173 or Debbie Hill at 467-7126.

Saturday - The Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd., presents its first annual open house from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. For information, call Nancy at 358-2059.