Business Beat
NEW FACES:
The law firm of Stamper, Rubens, Stocker and Smith P.S. has added two new associates:
Ray Pollari graduated from the University of Virginia in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and from Gonzaga University Law School in 1994. He will focus on family law, personal injury and general business practice.
Jeffrey Herbster earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial and management engineering from Montana State University in 1988 and graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1993. His practice will focus on transactional law, including corporate and business matters, commercial leases, and business sales and acquisitions.
Independence Funding Co. LLC has named Tammy Morris as vice president of lending in its Hayden, Idaho, office. Morris spent the last five years with a variety of financial institutions in Hayden, including Financial Dynamics. She received an associate degree in pre-law at UCLA and has a bachelor’s degree in business.
Dr. James Petrin has joined Advanced Dermatology and Skin Surgery. Petrin earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington and worked as a certified public accountant from 1986 to 1990. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1994 and completed an internship in internal medicine and residency in dermatology at the University of Washington and Affiliated Hospitals.
Jacob L. Smith, a Bellingham, Wash., attorney, has been named to the board of directors of Plenum Communications Inc., parent company of Internet-based mortgage rate, fee and program provider, Lenders Interactive Online Network (LION). Smith, who has been practicing business law for 33 years, also serves on the board of the Whatcom County Public Utility District.
PacifiCAD Inc. has added the following people to its staff:
Lew Cosens was named general manager, responsible for companywide operations including marketing, sales and services. Most recently, Cosens spent six years in New Zealand working as a general manager and completing a masters degree in business administration.
Judd Jones, who was named mechanical sales manager, comes from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Jones spent the last 10 years at Cal Poly as an IT division manager. He has an extensive background in technology sales, service, and support.
Steve Inman, who joined PacifiCAD as an MCAD account executive, previously worked for Egghead Software. He has an extensive background in customer support, software technology sales, and service.
Sarah Little was hired as training coordinator, responsible for scheduling all classes and other activities at the company’s training facilities in Spokane and the Tri-Cities.
Terry Schultz was promoted to training manager and has added to his responsibilities as lead trainer to include overall management of PacificCAD’s training centers and instructors.
Hope Findley has been promoted to customer service coordinator. Her duties will include managing the VIP programs and all support contracts.
Sharon Rosema was named marketing coordinator. Her duties will include organizing seminars, trade shows, and promotional pieces. She joined PacifiCAD a year ago and formerly was with Farm Credit Bank’s public relations department.
Heather Williamson was hired as receptionist and human resources coordinator, with responsibility for incoming calls, shipping, review of job applicants and sales support.
Todd Gasperin GIS account executive, joined PacifiCAD from Cabletron. He has a background in inside sales.
Erin Rurey was hired as a bookkeeper, with responsibility for accounting functions.
MOVING UP:
Columbia Lighting has promoted the following employees:
Ken Stelly, who held the position of operations manager in the company’s Houston facility for the past five years, is the new Spokane operations manger. Stelly has been with the company since 1989.
Jeff Goodsall, who was previously the assembly/distributions manager, is the new manufacturing manager. Goodsall has been with the company for more than 30 years.
Kevin Clark, formerly Spokane operations manager, was named chief information officer. Clark has been with the company for 11 years.
STARTING UP:
A new 59-room Country Inn and Suites By Carlson has opened at 3808 N. Sullivan. The hotel is the lodging chain’s 145th and its first in Washington state. Pam Baker was named general manager of the Spokane facility, which features an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool and sauna. Complimentary amenities include coffee, cookies and newspapers, local phone calls and extended continental breakfast.
Staples Inc., operator of 734 office superstores throughout North American, has leased a site for a new store in Sandpoint’s Bonner Mall. The 24,000-square-foot store, expected to open in October, will have up to 40 employees and stock more than 7,600 brand name office products. It will feature a technology center with expanded computer services, including in-house tech support for upgrades and enhancements.
KUDOS:
Ponderay Newsprint of Usk, Wash., has won the 1998 Recycling Award from the Association of Washington Business. The company’s efforts to recycle waste include a waste recovery system; office waste, aluminum can and bailing wire recycling programs; an employee at-home recycling program; alternate uses for effluent treatment sludges; using recyclable solvents; selling sawdust screened from incoming chips as a raw material for fuel pellets or other paper products; and marketing oversized wood chips and knots as hog fuel to generate electricity.
Inland Power and Light of Spokane has won the 1998 Resource Conservation Award from the Association of Washington Business. Through a unique computer network called Northwest Irrigation Network, irrigators receive a weekly report which forecasts water usage and advises users how long to run their equipment based on weather conditions, growing days, solar radiation and other factors. The results of the program for the 1997 irrigation season were total energy savings of 1,092,925 kilowatt hours and 7,542,244 gallons of water.
The Hot Rod Cafe in Post Falls has received the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce Customer Service Award for July. The cafe was recognized for excelling in customer service since opening its doors in January.
Eastern Washington University’s College of Business and Public Administration has given awards to five individual who exemplify commitment to business education:
Nate Greene, president/CEO of Empire Ford in Spokane, received the Distinguished Service Award. Although he did not earn his degree at Eastern, Greene initiated and continues to secure funding for the Minority Business Education Scholarship. The scholarship provides business students from African American, Asian, Latino/Chicano and American Indian descent with a cash award and internship in which the student is matched with a mentor from the business and Eastern communities.
Julie Prafke, owner of Humanix Temporary Services in Spokane, received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Prafke, who received a bachelor’s degree in administrative office management from Eastern in 1980, purchased Humanix in 1989. In 1992, Inc. Magazine recognized Humanix as one of the 500 fastest-growing companies in America. By 1995, the company was No. 2 on the list in Washington state and in 1996 Prafke was named the Business Person of the Year by the Future Business Leaders of America.
Barbara Greene, mayor of Lapwai, Idaho, received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award. A member of the Nez Perce Tribe, Greene received her master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Eastern in 1996 and is the first Native American and first woman to serve as mayor of Lapwai. Greene holds a full-time job as director of the Nez Perce Community Center.
Roderick Givens received an Outstanding Student Leadership Award. Givens is a new graduate of Eastern with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was also recently awarded the Frances B. Huston medallion, which is given to students who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. He has accepted a job with Boeing.
Christine Haas received an Outstanding Student Leadership Award. Haas, who recently graduated from Eastern with a bachelor’s degree in health services administration, was also recently awarded the Frances B. Huston medallion. Before attending Eastern, she served four years in the Army as a medical laboratory technician and is pursuing a career with a nonprofit organization.
Thomas Carney, a sales associate with Windermere Real Estate, and Jean Auerbach, who is affiliated with Tomlinson Black South, have been awarded the Accredited Buyer Representative designation by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council of the National Association of Realtors.
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. Counselors also are available on Tuesdays at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, 8817 E. Mission. For appointments there, call 924-4994.
Wednesday - Rod Hall, broadcast sales specialist for KREM-TV will be the featured speaker for a seminar on “Getting the Most for Your Advertising Dollars” presented by the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce from 7:30-10 a.m. at the Schoenberg Center, 111 Pearl, on the Gonzaga University campus. Cost: $50 for members, $75 for nonmembers; for information, call 459-4111.
Wednesday - The law firm of Brian Knopf presents the second of a free four-part series on taxing issues and legal liabilities. Session II, “Limiting Your Personal Liability through Insurance and Choice of a Business Entity (corporations/LLC/LLP)” will be held from 7-9 p.m. at Fourth Memorial Church, 2000 N. Standard.
Wednesday - Jan Brysden of the Washington State Department of Ecology and Scott Windsor of the Spokane Solid Waste Department will discuss “Hazardous Waste Disposal” during a meeting of the Spokane Building Owners & Managers Association from noon-1:15 p.m. at Cavanaughs Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Luncheon cost, $10; call 466-4905 for reservations.
Thursday - Laura Asbell of Asbell Professional Group will speak on “Increasing Management Effectiveness for Difficult Employees” during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Shilo Inn, 923 E. Third. Cost: $15; for information or reservations, call Susan Thomas at (208) 773-3906.
Friday - “Working Together Health Care: How It Benefits Our Region” is the topic of the Good Morning Spokane Area gathering presented by the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce at 7:15 a.m. in Room 268 of the Deaconess Health Education Center. Cost: $10 prepaid for members, $15 after Wednesday, or $15 prepaid for nonmembers, $20 after Wednesday; for information call 459-4111.
Friday through Aug. 16 - Ron Post, founder of Northwest Medical Teams International, will be the keynote speaker for the 81st Pacific Northwest District Kiwanis Convention. For information, call Chuck Young at 455-7844 or 467-9878, or Patti Reeves at 624-6161.
Aug. 18 - The Washington State Employees Credit Union presents an estate planning class on “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Schoenberg Center on the Gonzaga University campus. The class is open to credit union members and nonmembers. For information or reservations, call 532-8617.
Aug. 18 - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents a class on “Performance Feedback: Supporting Performance Improvement” from 8:30-noon at 920 N. Washington. Cost: $49 for members, $75 for nonmembers; call 326-6885 for more information.