Business Beat

New faces:

Tony McMillen has joined Mutual Travel as client sales and service manager for the Eastern Washington region. A graduate of San Diego State University, McMillen has worked in the travel industry in Spokane since 1993. Before joining Mutual Travel, he was a branch manager for Global Travel and retail sales manager for USTravel. He earlier was president of A and J Travel Associates in San Diego for eight years.

Spokane Railway Credit Union has hired Linda Tasca as vice president of human resources. Tasca spent 17 years in human resource management with Kaiser Aluminum and most recently was a human resource consultant for Kaiser and other major employers in the area. She is a graduate of Washington State University.

Mindy Whitcher has joined Spokane Railway Credit Union as manager of the Lincoln Heights office. Whitcher has more than 10 years of financial institution experience, most recently as office manager at Johnson-Lieber.

Motoko Ishida has joined the Big Bend Economic Development Council as an intern under a Professional Exchange Program. Ishida, who is a graduate of Junior college in Nagasaki, Japan, will be in Moses Lake for one years. Her goal is to become a translator, assisting in translating contracts, technical manuals and correspondence between the two nations.

The Spokane Office of Coopers and Lybrand L.L.P. has added the following people to its staff:

Shane Adams joined the firm as a business assurance associate. Adams is a graduate of the University of Idaho.

Kevin Cox was hired as a tax associate. Cox was previously with BDO Seidman L.L.P. in Spokane.

Christine Erickson, who is a graduate of Washington State University, was named a business assurance associate.

Scot Halladay was hired as a business assurance associate. Halladay is a graduate of Brigham Young University.

Jason Palmerton joined the firm as a business assurance associate. Palmerton was previously with Bonar Plastics Inc., in Tualatin, Ore.

Dr. James Dunlap has joined the practice of Associated Orthopaedics Specialists PS. He received training in orthopedic surgery at Tulane University, with an additional fellowship in foot and ankle orthopedics at Baylor University in Houston. His office is in the Deaconess Health and Education Building.

Moving up:

Sterling Savings Association has promoted John Bumgarner to assistant vice president. Bumgarner, who is a private banking loan officer at the downtown Spokane branch, joined Sterling a year ago and has more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Idaho.

The Spokane office of Coopers and Lybrand L.L.P. has promoted the following employees:

Jennifer Frank was promoted to business assurance senior associate. Frank was previously a business assurance associate.

Deena Presnell was promoted to business assurance senior manager. She previously was a business assurance manager.

Transactions:

LeMaster and Daniels PLLC has acquired the accounting practice of Ferguson-Warmenhoven and Co. of Grandview, Wash. Ferguson-Warmenhoven’s practice includes tax, estate planning and business consulting, with a strong emphasis on agriculture. LeMaster & Daniels plans to continue the Grandview operations at their present location. Donald Warmenhoven and Kevin Naylor, both CPAs, were named members of LeMasters & Daniels. Jerry Ferguson, one of the original founders of the Grandview firm, was named a senior adviser.

Elected:

The Inland Northwest Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Association has elected the following officers for 1998: President, Tom Craig, city of Spokane; vice president, Larry Andrews, Andrews Mechanical; secretary, Bill Maxwell, M and L Supply; treasurer, Dennis Morissey, Banner Fuel; technical committee, Bob Kaul, Washington Water Power, and Kevin Davey of Johnstone Supply. Directors include: Chuck Russell, Allied Heating; John Hare, Northwest Boiler Repair; Ron McCleary, McCleary Heating and Air Conditioning; David Mertens, A and M Quality Heating; Robert Holliday, Holliday Heating and Refrigeration; Jon Redinger, Barton’s Heating and Air Conditioning; Bill Hanaen, Sturm Heating; John Hurliman, Hurliman Heating; Gary Gordon, C and R Plumbing; Tammy Winebarger, RSD; Fred Oberdorfer, Comfort Supply; Rosie Retherford, Thrifty Supply; Don Anderson, Washington state; Art Erickson, Spokane County; and Harold Wilkinson, Washington Water Power.

Opportunities:

Applications for Leadership Spokane’s 10-month community leadership program are available at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, 801 W. Riverside, Suite 400, or by calling 459-4110 or 459-4116. Applicants must attend one of four one-hour briefing sessions. They are scheduled at noon Tuesday at Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook; 7:30 a.m. Friday in room 326 at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd; 5:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone; and at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 12 at the Gonzaga University Career Center. Deadline for applications is 4 p.m. March 11.

Kudos:

Steve Russell, a sales associate with Tomlinson Black North, has been awarded the Accredited Buyer Representative designation by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council of the National Association of Realtors. To qualify, candidates must complete a comprehensive two-day course in buyer representation and a written examination on legal and practical aspects of client representation and have practical experience in the field of buyer representation.

Events:

Monday - Gary Thompson, Bonneville Power Administration account executive, will discuss “BPA and Electric Utility Deregulation” during a meeting of Associated Engineers at noon at Cavanaughs Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Cost: $3 for salad alone, $10 for full lunch.

Tuesday - Northwest Nexus presents its first Spokane Bagel Bytes Seminar on “What Will 1998 Bring” from noon to 1 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. The seminar is free, but reservations are required; make reservations by e-mail at bagelbytes@nwnexus.com, at the Bagel Bytes Web side at http:/ /bagelbytes.nwnexus.com, or by phone at (888) NWNEXUS.

Tuesday - Mark Aspinwall of First American Title Co. will speak on “Title Claims Chronicles” during a meeting of the Eastern Washington Escrow Association at 5:30 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s Fourth Avenue. For more information, call Robert Golden at 353-4120.

Tuesday - County Commissioner Dick Compton will speak on the state of the county during a business development breakfast seminar presented by the Coeur d’Alene Area Chamber of Commerce at 7:30 a.m. at the AmeriTel Inn in Coeur d’Alene. For information, call Toni at (208) 664-3194.

Wednesday - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Critical Issues in Business Continuation Planning” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $15; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Wednesday - Jim Gurnea of Associated Industries will discuss “Workers Compensation Understanding the Labor and Industries Rating System” during a meeting of the Spokane Area Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s River Inn. Cost: $14, $7 for students; call Scott Wilhelm at 921-8766 for more information.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Basics of Recordkeeping from 9 a.m.-noon at the Small Business Administration Conference Room, 601 W. First. Cost: $35, including materials; for information or to register, call 353-2800.

Thursday - The National Association of Investors presents a workshop “Stock Analyst Lite” from 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. at the North Side County Library, 44 E. Hawthorne. Cost: $15 if prepaid, $20 at the door; to register, send name, address, phone number and check payable to Inland Empire Council, NAIC, P.O. Box 781, Davenport, WA. 9122. For more information, call Linda Wilbur at 534-0660, ext. 19.

Thursday - Merrill Lynch presents a free luncheon seminar on “The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 - Focus on Education” from noon-1 p.m. at Patsy Clark’s Mansion. For more information or to register, call Margot Hamstra at 458-4219.

Jan. 22 through Feb. 10 - The Inland Northwest Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Association presents a class on “Advanced Oil Service” from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on class days at the Master Technician Training Center, 811 E. Sprague. Cost: $280 for association members, $380 for nonmembers; for information and registration, call 747-8810.

Mondays and Wednesdays from Jan. 21 to March 18 and Saturdays March 7 and 14 - The Inland Northwest Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Association presents a class on “Gas Codes and Installations I” from 6-9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays at the Master Technical Training Center, 811 E. Sprague. For registration information, call 747-8810 or 1 (800) 786-3148.

Jan. 26 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents the second in a four-class Zenger Miller Leadership Training Core series on “Giving Constructive Feedback” from 6-9 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $225 for the series; call 533-4700 for information or to register.

Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Top Performing Employees” from 6-9 p.m. both days at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Jan. 26 through March 5 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents a course on “Introduction to Business Office Skills for Health Care” from 6-9 p.m. each Monday through Thursday for six weeks at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $290.56 for state residents, plus a $42 lab fee; call 533-4700 for information or to register.

Jan. 27 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class 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.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 photos

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