Business Beat

NEW FACES:

North by Northwest Productions has hired Ron Strom as the company’s sales executive. Strom’s responsibilities include expanding the company’s current client relationships, as well as developing connections throughout the Northwest and other regions. Strom has 18 years of media-related sales experience. From 1986 to 1993, he was marketing director for The Music Source in Seattle. He was executive producer at The Production Group in Spokane from 1993 to 1997. More recently, he was a broadcast sales specialist for KREM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Spokane.

Daniel Yeatts has joined Washington Trust Bank as a credit officer and assistant manager of the credit department. Yeatts has 25 years of banking experience in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

Mischelle R. Fulgham has rejoined the law firm of Lukins & Annis P.S. She received a law degree from the Western New England College in 1992. She rejoined Lukins & Annis after working for the legal department in Kootenai County. Fulgham, who will practice in both the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene offices of Lukins & Annis, will continue working in the areas of civil litigation, real estate, land use and employment law.

John R. Irby, who has more than 25 years of experience in journalism, has joined the journalism faculty at Washington State University. He is teaching reporting, editing and media management courses and is serving as adviser to the student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and as liaison to the newspaper community. Irby has served as publisher-editor of newspapers in California, Indiana and Wisconsin, and has been editor of two California newspaper groups. He has taught journalism courses at Pepperdine University and Bakersfield College.

Pat Brummett has joined Columbia Paint & Coatings as an account executive for Spokane Metro sales. His responsibilities include sales to selected accounts in Spokane, as well as targeting new accounts in the Spokane Valley, Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene. Brummett previously worked for Rodda Paint as an outside sales representative.

STARTING UP:

Jeffrey D. Lembeck has started a new commercial real estate appraisal firm to serve the Inland Northwest. Lembeck Appraisal & Consulting Inc., located in Suite 503 of the Flour Mill, specializes in appraisals for mortgage financing, with an emphasis on retail centers and low-income apartments. Lembeck, who has been a commercial real estate appraiser for 11 years, is certified in the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. He is currently the vice president of the Inland Northwest Chapter of the Appraisal Institute.

Scott Slusser has formed Custom Glass LLC at 1513 E. Francis. Slusser, who has 20 years of experience, previously managed Harmon Glass at the same address. Custom Glass covers auto, home and business jobs and is not restricted to insurance claims. Gina Conklin, formerly of Harmon Glass downtown, has joined Custom Glass and will oversee computer insurance claims, commercial accounts and public relations. She has been in the glass business for 11 years.

APPOINTED:

Inland Northwest Health Services has appointed the following officers and directors for 1999-2000: Chairman, Thomas M. White; vice chairman, Richard J. Umbdenstock; secretary, Gerald Hagood; treasurer, William Gray; and directors, Dr. Thomas J. Allerding, Ryland P. “Skip” Davis, Richard M. Fike and Wendell Satre.

KUDOS:

Coeur d’Alene-based Hanna & Associates has received the following awards:

The firm captured a Gold Award at WorldFest, the Houston International Film Festival. The award recognized creative excellence for a series of television commercials produced for Avista Corp. The campaign was developed to communicate a corporate name change.

The American Advertising Federation awarded Hanna & Associates a Citation of Excellence at the 1999 ADDY Award Ceremony. The company was honored for a 30-second commercial, titled “Midnight Shopper,” produced for Avista Corp. The spot was developed to encourage support for Project Share, which provides heating assistance to families and individuals experiencing hardship.

Hanna’s Midnight Shopper commercial also won a first place Silver Award from the National Telly Awards.

Mark and Sharon Johnson, owners of SERVPRO of South & West Spokane County, have received the Directors Platinum Award from SERVPRO Industries Inc. The award is for outstanding volume in 1998. The Johnsons have been SERVPRO franchise owners for 13 years.

CORRECTIONS:

Dr. Branden R. Reynolds has joined Drs. Berg, Selinger, Leonard, Coleman & Siwek in the practice of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. An item in the Sept. 11 Business Beat column gave an incorrect area of specialization.

Dr. David M. Johnson has been the associate medical director at MSC/ Premera Blue Cross since March 1996. An item in the Sept. 5 Business Beat column indicated he recently joined the insurer.