Business Beat
New faces:
Credit Bureau Services has hired Claudia Kehoe as an account executive. Kehoe has more than 20 years of real estate experience as a sales associate, manager/broker, education director and sales manager. She will concentrate on employment screening sales.
Michael Banks has joined Sacred Heart Medical Center as chief finance officer. Banks earned a law degree from Chase Law School and an MBA from Xavier University, both in Cincinnati. Most recently, he was chief executive officer and a senior vice president at Via Christi Health Systems in Wichita, Kan. Banks succeeds Joe Legel, who retired to a consultant’s role after 38 years at Sacred Heart.
Glen Walker and Associates has added a fifth attorney to its Coeur d’Alene staff. Brian Long, who has seven years of civil and criminal litigation experience, will focus on criminal defense, family law matters, personal injury and general civil litigation. Prior to joining Walker and Associates, he worked for the Kootenai County Public Defender’s Office and the law firm of Ramsden and Lyons.
JP Realty Inc. has appointed Cynthia Stanley-Lee as marketing director of the Spokane Valley Mall. She earned a degree in marketing and advertising from the University of Maryland, received a teaching certificate from California State Northridge, and is a recent graduate of the International Council of Shopping Centers Marketing I and II. Stanley-Lee, who joined JP Realty in 1995, previously was marketing director at Silver Lake Mall in Coeur d’Alene. Earlier, she was director of corporate marketing and advertising for Warner Brothers Inc. and a writer/producer at KTLA TV in Los Angeles.
The accounting firm of Williams and Webster P.S. has added the following people to its staff:
Bethany Meter, who holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., joined the firm as staff accountant. Meter has broad-based experience in federal and state tax structures in Texas, Arizona, and Colorado, as well as accounting experience in the oil and gas industry.
Chris Cardwell, who received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University, also was named a staff accountant. Cardwell was previously with BDO Seidman.
New additions to the staff of American Behavioral Health Systems include:
Cecco Alberti, who was named facilities supervisor. He is overseeing renovation of the new residential alcohol/chemical dependency treatment program facility at 44 E. Cozza Drive. Alberti was formerly the building maintenance manager at the Salvation Army Booth Center and earlier owned his own landscape/maintenance business in New York.
Kim Jones, who joined the company as an executive assistant to the CEO. Jones has 20 years of experience in office procedures and administration, as well as a counseling background. She was formerly marketing coordinator and executive assistant at BDO Seidman LLP.
Tomlinson Black Valley has added Dale Strain to its staff as an associate broker. Strain previously worked in the retail industry, most recently as a district director for ShopKo stores.
Dr. Joseph Gunselman has joined Physicians Anesthesia Group P.S. in the practice of anesthesiology. He graduated from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1982, completed an internship and residency at the Naval Hospital of San Diego in 1986 and a fellowship at the University of Maryland Hospital, also in 1986. He has been accepted for membership in the Spokane County Medical Society.
Business consultant and former banking executive John Thielbahr of Sandpoint has been named director of conferences and institutes at Washington State University. Thielbahr was the regional training director and manager of the Bonner Business Center Incubator for the Idaho Small Business Development Center in Sandpoint from 1991 to 1993, before establishing a private consulting business.
Antoinette Ursich has been appointed chief of the Attorney General’s Washington State University Division. An assistant attorney general, Ursich has seven years of experience advising and representing higher education institutions in Washington. She will oversee the AG’s Pullman office, which provides advice and representation to the university. She is a 1983 graduate of the University of Washington School of Law.
Moving up:
Judy Hall has been named dean of instruction for business, computing, mathematics and science at Spokane Falls Community College. Formerly an office technology instructor and department chairman at SFCC, Hall has served as interim dean since 1997. Hall, who has worked for the community colleges since 1974, received a master’s degree in education from Eastern Washington University. She joined the faculty at SFCC as an office technology instructor in 1989.
Tim Mueller has been named broker and managing partner of Tomlinson Black North Idaho Inc. Mueller has been a partner in Tomlinson Black since Jan. 1, as well as associate broker. He specialized in commercial investment real estate as well as business opportunity real estate.
Fred Meyer, a partner and designated broker for Tomlinson Black North Idaho Inc., is leaving his duties as designated broker to help promote the continued growth of companies owned by him, Bob Tomlinson and others. In addition to Tomlinson Black North Idaho, those companies include Tomlinson Black Valley, Tomlinson Black Mortgage, Tomlinson Black Insurance, Glenngrae, Prairie Falls and Southview.
Moving on:
Thomas McBride has joined the Seattle law firm of Betts, Patterson and Mines P.S. as an associate in the Defense Litigation Practice Group. He formerly was associated with Winston & Cashatt in Spokane, where his primary focus was in commercial litigation.
Transactions:
Lamar Advertising has acquired all of the billboard assets of Pridemark Outdoor Advertising in the Spokane and Inland Northwest areas. The acquisition included nearly 800 advertising displays. Duane Halliday was named vice president and general manager for Lamar in Spokane. He has been in the billboard business for seven years, and managed Pridemark’s operation here for the last two years.
Elected:
The Credit and Financial Development Division, Spokane Chapter of the National Association of Credit Management has elected the following officers for 1998-99: Jan Corrieri, Boise Cascade Corp., president; Kay Havens, System TWT, president-elect; Michelle Walter, Core-Mark International, vice president; Linda Fonville, Levy and Associates P.S., treasurer; Renee Keith, Inland N.W. Distributing, secretary; and Jennifer Walsh, Washington Trust Bank, and Shari Mills, EM Space Inc., members at large.
The Children’s Museum of Spokane has installed the following directors and officers for 1998: Cheryl Gotzian, president; Nelou Fennessy, vicepresident; Gavin Cooley, treasurer; Stella DeBarros, marketing/public relations chairperson; Melinda Travis Remington, exhibits co-chair; Eileen Nave and Janey Anderson, long-range planning; and Cyndi Duren-Ramsden, development chairperson. Board committee members include: Steve Mumm and Lisa Heath, marketing; Coleen Monahan, Dugie Shannon and Suzanne Brooks, exhibits; Susanne Simpson and Chris Barrone, finance; and Julie Olds, Trink O’Connor, Bob Brennan and John Wagner, development.
Kudos:
Sunny Creek Residential Community in Spokane was named Community of the Year for 1998 by The Manufactured Housing Industry. Its owner/developer, Brian Layton, has received the Developer of the Year award from American Homestar Corp. and Guerdon Homes, Boise Division.
John Marcheso of John Marcheso and Associates Inc. has qualified for the Court of the Table in the Million Dollar Round Table, a worldwide insurance industry organization. Less than 2 percent of agents worldwide reach this sales status.
The Gold Level Top Performers’ Club award for extraordinary sales during 1997 has been awarded to John Nelson, a salesperson for Sir Speedy center in Spokane.
Donita Skinner, of D.A. Davidson and Co., has been named to the Kite and Key Club by Franklin Templeton Distributors Inc. Skinner placed sales of more than $1 million in Franklin Templeton mutual funds or Franklin Valuemark variable annuity products during 1997.
Jeff Taylor, a vice president and financial consultant in D.A. Davidson and Co.’s Spokane Valley branch, has been named a member of the 1998 Fidelity Advisor Council by Fidelity Investments. To qualify for the program, representatives must have at least $1 million in gross sales of Fidelity Advisor Funds over the prior 12-month period.
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.
Tuesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners from 1-4 p.m. at Trico, 347 W. Second in Colville. For appointments, call 684-4571.
Tuesday - Northwest Nexus presents a “Bagel Bytes” seminar on Internet search engine plecement, banner ads and how to make it work for your business from noon to 1 p.m. at the Spokane Club. The seminar is free, but reservations are required. Make reservations by e-mail at rene@nwnexus.com or online at http://bagelbytes.nwnexus.com.
Wednesday - Rich King of Dale Carnegie Training will speak on stress and memory management 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.
Wednesday and July 29 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “How to Develop a Basic Marketing Plan” 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 more information or to register.
Thursday - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents Part 3 of a four-part series for trainers on “Leadworker Training” from 8:30 a.m.-noon at 920 N. Washington. Cost: $199 for members, $299 for nonmembers; call 326-6885 for more information.