Business Beat
New faces:
Ronald Connors has been named resident vice president of the Spokane Complex of Merrill Lynch, which includes offices in Spokane, Richland, Coeur d’Alene, Billings and Bozeman. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Boston, he joined Merrill Lynch as a financial consultant at its Oakland, Calif., office in 1980. Connors was promoted to resident manager of the San Mateo, Calif., office in 1992, then was named an Assessment Center approved sales manager in 1996 and Chicago district sales manager in 1997.
Spokane Computer Inc. has added the following people to its staff:
Dave H. Broughton was named a network systems engineer. He will focus on providing specialized Unix support for SCI customers. Broughton has more than 10 years of systems experience, ranging from IBM mainframe to mobile networking technologies. He previously was a systems consultant in Houston, Texas.
Todd Gasperin and John McLeod joined the company as network account executives. Both men will focus on computer network sales, including hardware and software.
Gasperin, who has four years of experience selling and designing computer networks in the Eastern Washington area, is familiar with all the major networking technologies, as well as GIS/CADD systems. McLeod has six years of experience in the high-tech industry with the last three years in the Eastern Washington area.
Recent additions to the staff of the Girl Scouts Inland Empire Council include:
Kristin McRoberts was named membership coordinator for Medical Lake, Cheney, Fairchild Air Force Base and most of Spokane. She is a graduate of Western Washington University and was a legislative intern while in college.
Mary Green joined the council as fund-raising and publications manager. Green, a Gonzaga University graduate, previously was a program coordinator for the International Students Program at GU.
Jessica Nelson was named camp property and product sales manager. She previously was the project manager for the Thornton Creek Project, a watershed education organization. Nelson received a master’s degree in cultural geography from the University of Washington.
BJ Libby was hired as program director. She previously was membership manager for the Pioneer Valley Girl Scout Council in Massachusetts and a volunteer field director for Girl Scouts while working in Okinawa, Japan.
Moving up:
Telect Inc. has realigned its executive management team with the addition of two new vice presidents and expanded and refocused the responsibilities of two existing vice presidents:
William McMillan, formerly director of engineering and technology, was promoted to vice president, engineering and technology. McMillan, who joined Telect in 1991, earlier worked for Itron Inc., Data Line Systems and American Sign & Indicator, as well as Bell Telephone Labs in Illinois. He received a master’s degree from Washington State University and has a strong background in engineering management, strategic planning and quality assurance.
Susan Meyer was named vice president, human resources and corporate relations. She joined Telect after two years with PG&E Gas Transmission Northwest and seven years as executive director of Momentum. Meyer, who received a master’s degree in business administration from Eastern Washington, will oversee human resources and corporate administration, as well as government, community and media relations.
Tim Szymanowski, vice president of sales, has assumed expanded duties as vice president of sales and marketing. Szymanowski, who joined Telect last year, received bachelor’s degrees in business and communications from Northwest Nazarene College, as well as a master’s degree in theology from Western Seminary in Portland. He previously worked for Van Waters & Rogers, a global chemical distribution company, and Colgate Palmolive.
Harold Alexander, senior vice president, operations, has been assigned the task of increasing the company’s focus on global operations and expansion. Alexander, who joined Telect in 1986, is a certified public accountant who received a bachelor’s degree in business from Eastern Washington University. Before joining Telect, he spent six years with Pepsico as assistant controller for the Spokane region.
Mike Riddle has been named managing partner of the Spokane General Office of New York Life. He will oversee the entire operation of the local office.
Transactions:
Coeur d’Alene Ophthalmology and Coeur d’Alene Eye Clinic are merging to become the North Idaho Eye Institute effective Monday. The new institute will have six ophthalmologists and one optometrist. The 8,000-square-foot Coeur d’Alene Eye Clinic at 1814 Lincoln Way is being remodeled to accommodate the move with new exam rooms and an enhanced waiting area being added to the surgery center, optical center and offices. A satellite office at 1110 Polston in Post Falls will operate five days a week. Paul Weil is administrator of the institute.
Elected:
The Spokane Regional Plan Center has elected the following officers for 1999: President, Paul Ruckhaber, Journeyman Cabinets Inc.; vice president, Jerry Tombari, Tombari Structural Products; treasurer, Rick Thomas, Safway Supply Inc.; secretary, Rod Butler, Zeck Butler Architects P.S.; past president, Duane Ramsey, Ramsey Plumbing & Heating Inc.; and directors, Andy Dahlman, Aztech Electric Inc.; Dan Gambill, Interior Systems Inc.; Doug Hammond, COBRA Corp.; Linda Jones, Vanguard Window & Entry Systems; John Mantello, Associated Terrazzo & Ceramics Inc.; Ron Mickelson, Modern Dry Wall Inc.; Steve Moore, Auto-Rain Sprinklers Inc.; and Gregg Morin, S.G. Morin & Son Inc.
Tom McArthur, a heavy equipment operator at Eastern Washington University and president of Local 931 of the Washington Federation of State Employees, has been elected to a two-year term on the WFSE statewide executive board. The board operates and sets policy for the 19,000-member union.
Spencer Sherwood, a 1969 graduate of Eastern Washington University in business and accounting, has been elected president of the EWU Alumni Association. He is the controller for Baumgardner Imaging Inc. in Yakima.
Events:
Monday - John Falvey, a professor of international management at Whitworth College, will speak on“The Euro and the U.S.” 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.
Monday - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents a Zenger Miller Frontline Leadership class on “Clarifying Team Roles and Responsibilities” from 6-9 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $225 for the four-class series; to register, call 533-4700.
Monday and Wednesday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Marketing Your Business on the Internet” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; to register, call 358-7890.
Monday through March 23 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents a course on “New Directions in Career Planning” from 1-5 p.m. each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $221.32 for Washington residents; to register, call 533-4728 or 533-4700.
Tuesday - The Spokane Low Income Housing Development Consortium, Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce and Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce present a conference on “Keys to Our Community’s Future: Unlocking the Potential of Community Reinvestment” from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at Cavanaughs Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Cost: $45, including continental breakfast and lunch; for information, call either chamber office or 353-9858.
Tuesday - Northside Networking meets at 7 a.m. For additional information, visit the organization’s Web site at http://www.nwcities.com/ northsidenetworking or call 467-2081 or 468-9695.
Tuesday and Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Cash Flow Management” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; to register, call 358-7890.
Wednesday - A panel of local consultants will discuss “Consulting Proposals and Contracts - What, Why, How” during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Society of Consulting Professionals at 7:15 a.m. at the Spokane Club, 1002 W. Riverside. For reservations, call Bert Mills at 327-6681.
Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on the “ABC’s of starting a Business” from 9 a.m.-noon at the Business Information Center in 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 class on “Federal Tax Issues for the Construction Industry” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $35; to register, call 358-7890.
Wednesday - Leadership Spokane presents a briefing for potential applicants for its Class of 2000 at 7:30 a.m. at the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. For information or an application, call 459-4110 or 459-4116.
Wednesday and Thursday Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents a class on “Leadworker Training” from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. both days at 920 N. Washington. Cost: $204 for members, $259 for nonmembers; to register, call 326-6885.
Thursday - The Idaho Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Bookkeeping and Tax Reporting for the Contractor” from 6-9 p.m. at the North Idaho College Workforce Training Center, 525 W. Clearwater Loop in Post Falls. Cost: $39; for information, call (208) 769-7863.
Thursday through Saturday - The Clearwater-Snake Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Committee and eight other sponsors present a symposium on “Passages ‘99: Getting Under Way” at the Red Lion Hotel and Convention Center in Lewiston. Cost: $175; for information, call (208) 883-2890.
Friday - The Inland Empire UnitWashington State Chapter, National Association of Social Workers and the Region 1 Division of Children and Family Services present a reception in honor of Social Work Month from 3-6 p.m. at 1313 N. Atlantic, Suite 2000. For information, call Ronald Stewart at 363-3533 or Ayofemi Oseye at 363-3438.
March 10 - Jeff Brune of Avista Corp. will be the featured speaker for a joint meeting of Northwest Inland Empire APICS and ASQ on “Year 2000” at 5:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in the Spokane Valley. Cost: $17; for reservations, call Debra Benson at 459-5202 or e-mail her at debrab@spokesman.com by Friday.