Business Beat
New faces:
Tamara Loney has been named manager of the south branch of Spokane Teachers Credit Union. Loney returned to the credit union after spending three years in Spain, where her husband was on military assignment. She is an 18-year veteran of the financial industry, having started as a teller and moving up to loan officer and card services supervisor. Loney replaces Sheryl Pedigo, who has moved to another state.
The following people have joined the staff of Re/Max of Spokane as sales associates:
Vernon Barnes has three years of experience in real estate sales, five years in property management and four years as a general contractor.
Beth Garske, a Spokane Association of Realtors award winner who has an extensive background in contract negotiations, has three years of experience in real estate. She is the business/administrative leader for the Sweet Adelines in Washington, Idaho and Alaska.
Jeannette Karis, who has earned the ABR, GRI and CRS designations, has four years of experience in real estate.
John Shearer brings eight years of real estate experience. Shearer, who has the ABR and GRI designations, previously was co-owner of Re/Max Citywide and has been in the wholesale food business.
Mary “Mickey” Keys, a former insurance underwriter with seven years of real estate experience, holds the ABR and GRI designations.
Bernadette “Bernie” Charles is a former high school and college teacher who owned a learning disability therapy center. She has one and onehalf years of real estate experience.
Cookie Sevier has seven years of experience in the real estate industry. Sevier, who attended Washington State University, previously was in specialty food manufacturing.
Sally Gibson is a 15-year veteran of the real estate industry. Gibson, who has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, previously was the managing editor for Sunset Publications and a property management coordinator for the state of Hawaii.
The Spokane Food Bank has hired the following people:
Nancy Lindberg was named development manager and will oversee all fund-raising programs, communications/media/public relations and special event planning. Lindberg, who has been involved in community/ public relations and special event management for nonprofit organizations in Spokane for the past 15 years, previously was marketing and special event coordinator for the Spokane Art School.
Kathy Murphy-Childs was hired as development associate. Her responsibilities include grant writing and producing newsletters. A graduate of the University of Alaska with a degree in English, she has a diverse background in writing journals, participating in debate and work with nonprofit organizations.
The Area Health Education Center at Washington State University at Spokane has hired Lois Quinn to direct its expansion in professional development and continuing education. Quinn, who formerly was quality and customer services manager at Gonzaga University, serves as chair of the Washington State Quality Award consortium. She received a bachelor’s degree in business managememt from Eastern Washington University. Quinn’s duties at WSU include developing lectures, conferences and professional development programs conducted by the center and other departments at WSU Spokane.
Moving up:
Lee Ann Freshour has been promoted as an independent sales manager with Weekenders USA, which markets a line of knitwear. Freshour, who joined Weekenders in October 1995, also is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and serves as vice president of the Inland Northwest Chapter.
The Spokane Food Bank has promoted Bob Hunt to operations manager. Hunt, who oversees all aspects of the warehouse operation, joined the food bank as a truck driver and warehouse worker about two and one-half years ago. He has more than 20 years of experience in the trucking industry.
Piper Jaffray Inc. has named the following Spokane employees to new officer positions in the company:
Steven M. Nowland, formerly vice president, has been elected managing director.
Richard M. Munson, formerly investment executive, has been elected assistant vice president.
Tammy Kelly of Coeur d’Alene has completed D.A. Davidson and Co.’s financial consultant training program. She passed all the exams required by the National Association of Securities Dealers. Kelly, formerly a registered associate in DAD’s Coeur d’Alene office, has become a financial consultant working with vice president and financial consultant Bryan Ross. Prior to joining Davidson, she was associated with A.G. Edwards.
Starting up:
Advance America Cash Advance Centers has expanded into Eastern Washington with two new branches in Spokane. They are located at 6009 N. Division and 11424 E. Sprague. Pam White is division director of operations.
First National Financial Group Inc. has opened a branch at 1810 Schneidmiller in Post Falls. The full-service office will offer contracts, real estate and business development, as well as home loans. The Post Falls branch is the company’s second location, with a third planned in Moses Lake. Dave Small has joined First National as manager of the Post Falls residential lending office. He has a background in lending and real estate and experience in the construction industry.
Appointed:
Jennifer E. Roseman, district director of communications, marketing and development for Community Colleges of Spokane, has been appointed to the newly formed Washington News Council. The 24-member council was created as a way for the public and news media to meet and discuss standards of journalistic fairness.
Kudos:
The Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites in Pullman has won the Bass Hotels and Resorts 1998 Quality Excellence Award, given only to hotels achieving distinction in all aspects of their operations. The Express in Pullman is one of 125 properties selected from the company’s more than 2,600 hotels in recognition of overall quality and excellence.
Sales associates and staff at Windermere/Coeur d’Alene Realty have teamed up with the Windermere Foundation to donate more than $2,700 to six local nonprofit organizations and $2,000 for two local college scholarship funds. Windermere donated $1,260 to four local nonprofit organizations to purchase winter boots and socks for needy children; the Coeur d’Alene Women’s Center received $1,000 to install new windows and create a space where mothers and children can spend time together; the Post Falls Food Bank received $500 to provide packages for homeless families during the holidays; and Tiffany Palmer, a freshman at North Idaho College, and Christina Pinola, a freshman at the University of Idaho, each received a $1,000 scholarship.
Opportunities:
The Service Corps of Retired Executives is recruiting business experts, managers and owners to join the association, which provides small-business counseling and mentoring. A nonprofit association with more than 12,000 volunteers nationwide, SCORE provides services throughout the country. For more information about volunteering, visit the SCORE Web site at www.score.org and click on volunteer opportunities or call the local SCORE office at 353-2800.
The Spokane office of Padgett Business Services is offering a $500 scholarship. Applicants must be graduating high school seniors who plan to attend a post-secondary accredited institution. The student’s legal guardian must be an active owner of at least 10 percent of the stock or capital in a local business that employs fewer than 20 people. Application deadline is March 1. For more information, call 838-8575.
Events:
Monday through Friday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives provides 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 - Northside Power Tipps meets at 7 a.m. For information and meeting location, call 468-9695.
Wednesday - George Sullivan of Everett, executive director of Washington Manufacturing Services, and Spokane project manager Dick Ward will discuss the organization’s work during a meeting of the Inland Northwest Society of Consulting Professionals at 7:15 a.m. at the Shilo Inn, 923 E. Third. For more information, call Vicki Hand at 448-8118.
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 or e-mail score@dmi.net.
Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Patents/Trademarks/Copyrights” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $35; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Friday through March 12 Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest presents an Interactive Leadership Training series from 8:30 a.m.-noon each Friday at 920 N. Washington. Session 1 is an “Introduction - The Organizational Demand for Leadership.” Cost: $595 for the 10-session series; for more information, call 326-6885.
Jan. 11 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on the “Top 20 Home-Based Business Ideas” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $35; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Jan. 11 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents Session II of a Zenger Miller Leadership Training core series on “Giving Constructive Feedback” from 6-9 p.m. at the Business Training and Applied Technology Center, 3939 N. Freya. Cost: $225 for the four-part series; for information, call 533-4700.
Jan. 11 through Feb. 10 - Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors presents a supervisory training program on “Problem Solving and Decision Making” from 6-8:30 p.m. at Carpenter Hall on the WSU campus in Pullman. Cost: $240 for AGC members, $425 for nonmembers, $100 for apprentices; for information or to register, call Carolyn Pierce at 535-0391 of 1 (800) 572-4108.