Business Beat

NEW FACES:

Verio Inc. has hired Stephen R. Wilson as the branch sales manager at its Spokane office. He will oversee the Verio direct sales team and Value Added Resellers in Eastern Washington, Idaho and Montana. Wilson formerly worked for ABC Office Equipment Co., most recently as general sales manager. Earlier he was employed by IBM’s National Marketing Division. He majored in business management and public relations at Whitworth College.

Brian L. Ernst has joined the Spokane law firm of Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller LLP as an associate. He graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1984 and is certified as a trainer by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. He was an assistant attorney general for the state of Washington for nine years. His practice will focus on labor and employment law.

Mortgage One has added the following people to its staff:

John Mellick has 17 years of experience in the mortgage lending field, including stints with Washington Mutual Savings Bank and Seafirst Bank.

Geoff Lee, who has 23 years of experience in mortgage lending, previously was with US Bancorp Mortgage and Seafirst Bank.

Irven Just has 27 years of experience in the real estate industry as a new home builder and for the last several years as a Realtor for Windermere/The Tupper Group.

Recent additions to the staff of Zak Designs Inc. include:

Neal Elliott was named vice president, product development. He is responsible for directing and coordinating the research and development of all products. Elliott previously worked for Homewares Plus. He received a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University.

Janice Britton joined the company as assistant controller. Britton previously worked for Puma Technology Inc. in San Jose, Calif., where she was an account manager. She has 19 years of experience in the accounting field.

MOVING UP:

US West has promoted Beth West to account consultant for large business accounts in Eastern Washington. West previously was customer service manager for US West’s Disconnect Center in Spokane. She has held various sales and services positions during her 30-year career with the company.

Laurie Greer has been named product manager of Zak Designs Inc. She will oversee all aspects of product development for Zak’s Selandia product line. Greer joined the company five years ago and previously was product specialist in the Product Development Department. She received degrees in psychology and technical writing from Eastern Washington University.

Mary Carr has been named dean of instruction, library and media services at Spokane Community College. Carr came to SCC in 1996 from North Idaho College, where she served as director of library services from 1989 to 1991 and then as director of learning resources. A graduate of the University of Washington, Carr has a bachelor’s degree in Latin and a master’s degree in librarianship. She also has a master’s in human resources from Gonzaga University.

KUDOS:

The Spokane Agency of Principal Life Insurance Co. has earned the 1998 Professional Growth Award EAGLE. The award, granted by the American College, recognizes life insurance agencies that have demonstrated an active commitment to professionalism through education. Scott Kine is general manager of the Spokane agency.

Moses Lake-based Western Polymer Corp. has obtained ISO 9002 certification, which is recognized worldwide as a measure of the integrity of a company’s quality processes. To achieve certification, WPC employees underwent a lengthy preparation, training and review process of operational procedures culminating in a quality certification audit.

Spokane-based Garco Construction and architect Andy Mahaffey have been honored by Garco Building Systems. The company received top honors for “Design and Construction Excellence in Metal Architecture” for the firm’s recently completed project for Zak Designs in Airway Heights. Mahaffey, the project’s architect, was named “Design Professional of the Year.”

Poe Asphalt Paving Inc. of Clarkston has received a Community Involvement Award from the National Asphalt Pavement Association. The awards are given to recognize hot mix asphalt companies which conduct exemplary programs of involvement in their communities.