Business Beat

New faces:

Kevin Kirking has joined US West as senior account manager for large business services for the Inland Northwest. Kirking, who has nearly 20 years of sales and management experience in the data and telecommunications industry, previously worked for Cabletron Systems, managing the company’s on-site business relationship with Microsoft. He also founded Tour Information Systems Inc., which developed a multimedia system for the National Parks.

Spokane Athletic Supply has hired the following people as sales representatives:

Greg Gores previously was an assistant baseball coach at Gonzaga University.

John Hinkemeyer formerly was business development manager for Hartz Mountain Corp.

Jeannie Brown has joined First American Title Co. of Coeur d’Alene as a business development representative. Her responsibilities include developing new business as well as maintaining existing accounts. Brown, who has more than 13 years of finance experience, previously was a loan officer in Coeur d’Alene for 10 years.

Sunpoint Securities Inc. has appointed Mike Sheikh as a financial consultant. He previously was affiliated with National Securities and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Sheikh, who plans to work from his home office in Spokane, also teaches investment classes at Spokane Falls Community College.

Moving up:

Washington Trust Bank has promoted the following employees to vice president:

Nancy Beauvais will continue as manager of the Item Processing Department, a position she has held since 1982. She joined the bank in 1980.

Janeen Van Slyke, who has been employed by Washington Trust for more than 23 years, will continue as manager of the Deposit Support Department.

Larry Pasby, who has 31 years of banking experience, recently joined Washington Trust as the manager of special credits in the Credit Administration Department. He previously held a similar position with Seafirst Bank.

Teresa E. Laird has been named vice president and manager of First American Title Co. in Coeur d’Alene. She joined the company a year ago as director of business development. Laird, who has more than 25 years of title, escrow and management experience, previously managed First Montana Title Co. in Great Falls for more than 13 years.

Moving

Dean Davis Photography has relocated its studio to 216 W. Pacific, Suite 102. Davis, who specializes in commercial, architectural and industrial photography, has served corporate and advertising clients in Spokane since 1990.

Transactions

Coombs Manufacturing Co. of Spokane and J.E. Love Co. of Garfield, Wash., have reached a deal whereby Coombs will become the exclusive manufacturer and marketer of J.E. Love Combine Attachment Products beginning in March. The arrangement will allow J.E. Love, which has built combine pickup reels, cutterbars and related agricultural products since 1932, to pursue new business opportunities, the two companies said in a statement. Coombs, which acquired the Calkins Farm Equipment product line in 1996, operates a plant on the West Plains.

Elected:

1999 officers of the Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council include: President, Jay Meyers, Associated General Contractors; vice president, Cliff Smith, Modern Electric and Water; and secretary-treasurer, Merry Gregory, Tele-Communications Inc.

“Independent Brokers”, an association of 35 nonfranchised real estate brokers, has elected the following new officers and directors for 1999: President, Betty Roecks; vice president, Joe McKinnon; secretary, Greg Hansen; treasurer, Neil Von Holt; and directors, Larry Lee, Clancy Bean, Sonja Reuther, Guy Preece and Sabrina Jones.

John Love, a commissioner at the Port of Whitman County, has been elected vice president of the Washington Public Ports Association. Love is in line to become president of the group in December.