Business Beat

New faces:

John Etter has joined the firm of Etter, McMahon and Lamberson P.C. Etter, who received his law degree from Gonzaga Law School, will focus on general civil and trial practice, including insurance, medical and commercial litigation, including matters dealing with intellectual property rights and U.S. Customs enforcement. Etter’s previous experience includes work as a clerk for the Court of Appeals, Division I, an assistant attorney general for the state of Washington, and in private practice in Seattle and Portland, and as corporate counsel in private industry.

The accounting firm of Williams and Webster P.S. has added three people to its staff:

R. Scot Haug was named director of information services. Haug is a certified NetWare engineer and instructor and has a broad background in computerized accounting and office automation applications.

Patricia Comings was hired as a senior accountant for business assurance services. Comings, who has extensive bank management and audit experience, received a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Central Florida and completed post graduate studies in accounting at Eastern Carolina University.

Katherine Iverson was appointed client relations manager. A graduate of Gonzaga University, she previously was assistant registrar at Gonzaga.

Spokane Transit Authority has named Jacque Tjards purchasing manager. Tjards was previously the purchasing manager at Western Soap Co. for nine years.

Chris White has joined North By Northwest Productions where he will handle sound design, music composition and copy writing. White previously worked for the KXLY Broadcast group as a copywriter and sound designer and earlier handled location audio for Candid Camera during a brief stint with King World Productions in Los Angeles.

Leonard Sweet has joined McDirmid, Mikkelsen and Secrest P.S. as an intern accountant.

Moving up:

McDirmid, Mikkelsen and Secrest P.S., has promoted Keith Schmidt to senior accountant. Lori Largent and Brent Oenning have both been promoted to staff A accountant.

Matthew LaVigne has been promoted to general manager of Bank and Office Interiors’ Spokane and Eastern Washington Division. LaVigne has 26 years of office furniture experience and previously was regional sales manager for the Seattle Division.

Starting up:

Tomlinson Black North Idaho has expanded its insurance branch to include life and health insurance coverage. Diana Witherspoon, one of the company’s top real estate sales persons who was in the insurance field for eight years before becoming a Realtor, will expand her duties to include life and disability insurance sales.

Elected:

D. Patrick Jones, general manager of Harvey’s Inc. in Spokane, has been elected chairman of the Washington Retail Association’s Board of Directors. He is the first Spokane retailer to serve in this position.

Kudos:

Robert Butterfield, of Spokane, placed fifth in the November 1997 Uniform Certified Public Accountant examination by the Washington State Board of Accountancy. Other candidates from the area who successfully completed the examination are: Cheney - Shu Yi Chen.

Coeur d’Alene - Connie Lovoi.

Missoula - John Dayries.

Moses Lake - Kristine Nitta and Roxanne Reindl.

Post Falls - Debbie Morrison.

Pullman - Philip Ho and Michael Schad.

Richland - Nicole Bisping, Frank Jisa and Jennifer Pena.

Spokane - Marjorie Bjomberg, Johanna Flynn, Connie Goodman, Jason Munn, Sheri Pritchard, Ann Swanson, Kristen Vance and Gwen Zigmund.

Valley - Charity Hegel.

The Spokane Area Economic Development Council has presented Lifetime Economic Development Awards to Gordon Budke and Paul Redmond. Budke recently retired as managing partner of Coopers and Lybrand and Redmond is the chairman and chief executive officer of Washington Water Power Co. The two local business leaders were recognized for their continued commitment to diversify and strengthen Spokane’s economy.

Events:

Monday - Escrow Association of Washington officers Sandra Smith and Shannon Morgan and Mark Thompson of the Department of Financial Institutions will discuss “The Common Sense Approach to Liability” during a meeting of the Eastern Washington Escrow Association at 5:30 p.m. at Cavanaughs Fourth Avenue. For more information, call Robert Golden at 353-4120.

Monday - Kaiser engineer Ken Tegg will present a “Slide Tour of Kaiser Mead” during a meeting of Associated Engineers at noon at Cavanaughs Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Cost: $10 for full lunch, $3 for salad alone.

Monday through Friday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers business 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.

Monday and Tuesday and March 23, 24, 30 and 31 - The Inland Empire Beekeepers Association and the Community Colleges of Spokane present a beginning beekeeping class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. each day at Riverside High School. Send for a course application from the Institute for Extended Learning, 3305 W. Fort George Wright Drive, MS 3090, Spokane, WA, 99204-5228, or call 533-3770.

Wednesday - Fred Zirkle of Zirkle & Co. will speak on “Business Valuations and Acquisitions” during a meeting of the Spokane Area Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Cavanaughs River Inn. Cost: $14, $7 for students; call Scott Wilhelm at 921-8766 for more information.

Wednesday - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents a briefing on “Immigration Law and I-9 Changes” from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at 920 N. Washington. Cost: $15 for members, $19 for nonmembers; for information or to register, call 326-6885.

Wednesday - The Spokane office of the Department of Revenue presents a New Business Outreach workshop from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and again from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in the eighth floor training room at 4407 N. Division. To register or for more information, call 482-3805.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Basics of Recordkeeping” 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.

Thursday - Ken Dunham of Associated General Contractors will discuss “Road Coalition/Legislative Process” during a meeting of Spokane Chapter 143 of the National Association Of Women in Construction at 5:30 p.m. at Cavanaughs Fourth Avenue. Cost: $14, including dinner; for reservations, call Becky McMahan at 535-3531 by noon Tuesday.

Thursday - Certified management consultant William T. Olson will discuss “Measuring the Unmeasurable” during a meeting of the Association for Quality and Participating at 3 p.m. at Gonzaga University’s Schoenberg Conference Center, 900 N. Pearl. For more information, call Lois Quinn at 324-5669.

Thursday - Carolyn Crawford and Pam Weigand will speak on “Oops! Your Customer Service is Showing!” during a meeting of the Spokane Chapter of the Association of Records Managers and Administrators at 5:30 p.m. at the Shilo Inn. For reservations, call Jim Shansky at 534-5080.

Thursday - Carla Preston of the Small Business Development Center is the guest speaker for a meeting of home-based business owners sponsored by the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce “Lone Eagles” at noon at Percy’s in University City Mall. For more information, call 924-4994.

Thursday - VRI and Corkery & Jones present a free workshop on “Positive Communication in the Workplace” from 7:30-9 a.m. Call Marcy Few at 624-7360 to register.

Thursday - VRI and Corkery & Jones present a free workshop on “Parenting: If What We Say to Our Kids Is So Important, Why Don’t They Listen?” from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Call Marcy Few at 624-7360 to register.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a small business tax seminar from 8:45 a.m-5 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $20; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

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

Thursday - The American Society for Training and Development presents a luncheon program and workshop on “Running with the Big Dogs: How Two of Spokane’s Largest Companies ‘Do’ Training” from 11:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m. at Cavanaughs River Inn. Call 625-3843 by Tuesday to register.

Thursday through April 4 - The Inland Northwest Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Association presents a class on “Refrigerant Piping” from 6-9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on March 28 and April 4 at the Master Technician Training Center, 811 E. Sprague. Cost: $320 for members, $420 for nonmembers; for information, call 747-8810 or (800) 786-3148.

Friday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Starting a New Business” from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, 8817 E. Mission. Cost: $35, including lunch and materials; to register, call 353-2800 or 924-4994 or e-mail score@dmi.net.

March 23 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents Session IV of a Zenger Miller Frontline Leadership Series on “Managing Change” from 6-9 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $65; call 533-4700 for information.

March 23 and 24 - National Seminars Group, a division of Rockhurst College, presents a workshop on “How to Be a More Effective Team Leader” March 23 in Spokane and March 24 in Lewiston. Cost: $99; for information or to enroll, call (800) 258-7246.

March 25 and 26 - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents a workshop on “How to Design Your Training Programs” at 920 N. Washington. Cost: $99 for members, $149 for nonmembers; fax registration to 328-6832 or register online at http://www.aiin.com. Registration deadline is Thursday.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 12 photos

MEMO: Do you want to submit an item for “Business Beat?” Send a brief press release to: Bill Sallquist, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane WA, 99210-1615. Photos will be used, space permitting, with new staff additions, promotions and new businesses. Put names on backs of photos. If you want a photo back, write “WILL CALL” on the back and pick it up at the newspaper reference library.