Business Beat
New faces:
Tim Rhodes has joined the Spokane Area Convention & Visitors Bureau as convention sales manager. Rhodes previously worked for the DoubleTree Hotel City Center as director of sales and marketing. He moved to Spokane in 1997 after working in Salt Lake City for DoubleTree, Red Lion and Hilton Hotels.
Post Falls-based Smart Shop Software Inc. has added the following people to its management team:
Russell A. Volz joined the company as vice president of sales. Volz, formerly senior sales consultant for Leadership Strategies Inc., is responsible for sales and market development across North America. Volz has 20 years of experience in software sales, including stints with Astea International, Databyte, Boeing and Martin Marietta Computer Services. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from Florida Institute of Technology.
Tina Roberts was named director of marketing and will coordinate the company’s strategic marketing activities across the United States. Roberts has 13 years of marketing experience in the food service industry. She previously was marketing coordinator for Food Services of America and has experience in new product development, public relations, company imaging and relationship marketing. She received bachelor’s degrees in public relations and organizational communications from Pacific Lutheran University.
Sacred Heart Medical Center has made the following appointments:
Dana Miller was hired as director of finance. Miller, a certified public accountant, previously was an auditing manager with McFarland & Alton. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Dr. Roy Almeida joined the medical center as senior epidemiologist in the Epidemiology Department. He previously was director of the Delaware State Public Health Laboratory. Almeida received a doctor of public health degree from the University of North Carolina and a master’s in microbiology from the University of Texas.
Gonzaga Preparatory School has hired Carol H. Neupert as director of development. She succeeds Trish McFarland, who will now focus solely on her duties as manager of the school’s Covenant for Excellence comprehensive campaign. Neupert, a certified fund-raising executive, previously worked for Sacred Heart Medical Center for 10 years as director of planned giving and then, director of development. She has served as a member of the board of overseers of Gonzaga Prep’s foundation.
W. Davida Adamski has been named assistant vice president of instruction, professional/technical education at Spokane Community College. She will oversee SCC’s professional/technical programs, including architectural technology, engineering, electrical maintenance technology, carpentry/cabinetry and cosmetology. She earned a master’s degree in criminology/criminal justice from Eastern Michigan University. Adamski previously was assistant dean, transfer/general education division, at Butte-Glenn Community College District in California.
Moving up:
Gary Hayden, president of the Spokane branch of Food Services of America, has been named president of the company’s Kent, Wash., branch. Mike George, vice president of merchandising at FSA’s Spokane branch, will succeed Hayden as president of the local operation. Hayden, a 26-year veteran of the food service industry, has been president of the company’s Spokane distribution facility since 1995. A former restaurant manager and food broker sales representative and product merchandising manager, George has been with FSA since 1989.
ITT Educational Services Inc. has promoted William King to area manager. He will oversee all education, recruitment, financial and career services functions at five ITT Technical Institutes in Washington, Utah and Oregon. Prior to his promotion, King was director of the Spokane ITT Technical institute. He received a bachelor’s degree in education from California State University-Hayward.
Gemi Larsen has been named network service supervisor for AT&T in Spokane. Larsen will supervise a team of workers responsible for maintenance, installation and acceptance of all AT&T network elements in the area. She joined AT&T in 1997 and spent the last two years in the Business Market Division, most recently as a data network specialist.
Dale Nusbaum, who has worked 18 years for the Spokane Transit Authority, has been named vehicle maintenance manager. Nusbaum also has served as assistant business agent for the Amalgamated Transit Union for more than 10 years and for the last year has served on the Spokane Labor Council’s executive board. He is a member of the Washington State Transportation Study Panel, which is developing a 20-year transportation plan for the state.
Smart Shop Software Inc. has promoted the following employees:
Stephen Faust was named director of training development. His responsibilities include customer training curriculum and software documentation.
Pam Knudsen was promoted to director of technical services. She will oversee software support services such as technical, training and customer relations.
Starting up:
Scott Murock, an investment representative for Edward Jones, has opened an office at 1301 N. Pines, Suite 202, in the Spokane Valley. The new office is a full-service brokerage that sells a wide range of investments for individuals and businesses, including federal tax-exempt bonds, government and corporate bonds and trusts, mutual funds and common stock.
WorldTravel Partners has opened a branch on the lower level of the Spokane Valley Mall near the east entrance. WorldTravel Partners, formerly BTIAmericas Travel, is a full-service travel agency offering leisure and corporate travel arrangements as well as on-site corporate travel management.
Events:
Monday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Doing Business with Pro-Net” from 6-8 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $25; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Monday - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents session II of a Zenger Miller frontline leadership core series on “Giving Constructive Feedback” from 6-9 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $230 for the four-part series; call 533-4700 for information.
Monday through April 27 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents a course on “New Directions Career Planning” from 5-9 p.m. each Monday through Wednesday for four weeks at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $221.32 for Washington residents; call 533-4728 or 533-4700 for information.
Tuesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners from 9 a.m.noon at the Tri-County EDD, 347 W. Second, Suite A, in Colville. For appointments, call (509) 684-4571.
Tuesday - Power Networking meets at 7 a.m. to exchange business leads and other business information. For location and topics, call 468-9695 or 467-2081.
Tuesday and Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Your Financial Statements” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Tuesday through April 29 - The Idaho Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Basic Bookkeeping for Small Business” from 6-9 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday at the North Idaho College Workforce Training Center, 525 W. Clearwater Loop in Post Falls. Cost: $97; for information, call (208) 769-7863.
Wednesday - Johnny Cox, a medical ethicist and vice president of Providence Services, will speak on “Professional Ethics - Changing Patterns” during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Society of Consulting Professionals at 7:15 a.m. at the Spokane Club, 1102 W. Riverside. For reservations, call 742-8868.
Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on the “ABC’s of Starting a Business” from 9 a.m.-noon on the second floor of the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. Cost: $20; for information or to register, call 353-2820.
Wednesday - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Managing Your Energy Resources” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $20; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Wednesday and April 14 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Market Research Made Easy” from 6-9 p.m. each night at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Thursday - The Hispanic Business and Professional Association meets at noon at Cavanaughs Fourth Avenue, 110 E. Fourth. For more information, call 891-0625.
Thursday - Lea Werner of Washington Trust Bank and Jeoff Forshag of LeMaster & Daniels will discuss “Y2K - Your Business and Your Bank” during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Spokane Club, 1002 W. Riverside. Cost: $18; for reservations, call Susan Thomas at (208) 773-3906.
Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents an “Employer’s 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.
Friday - The proposed expansion of the Cheney Cowles Museum and its impact on the area will be discussed during the monthly membership meeting of the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce at 7:15 a.m. at the Days Inn Spokane Airport, 4212 W. Sunset Blvd. Cost: $12 for members if paid by Wednesday, $15 after then; $25 for nonmembers if prepaid, $30 after Wednesday; for information, call 459-4111.
Friday - Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents a workshop on “Creating Excellent Colunteer Relationships.” For information on times and cost, call 326-6885.
April 13 - Robert Lowman, associate vice provost for research and director of the Office of Research Services at the University of North Carolina, will discuss locating, establishing and managing industry and academic partnerships during a free workshop on “Building Industrial Partnerships” from 8:30 a.m.-noon in Room 307 at SIRTI, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. To register, call 358-2059.
April 14 - Hospice of Spokane presents workshops on “Living with Grief: At Work, at School, at Worship” from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and on “Grief in the Workplace: A Seminar for Human Resource and Business Personnel” from 2:30-5 p.m. at the Metropolitan Performing Arts Center, corner of Sprague and Lincoln. Cost: $15 per workshop; to register, call Carrie at 456-0438 by Friday.