Business Beat

New faces:

Sandpoint-based Panhandle State Bank has added the following people to its staff:

Dennis Durfee was named assistant vice president and controller. His responsibilities include financial reporting, audits and federal compliance. Durfee has 12 years of community bank experience as vice president of operations at Cache Valley Bank in Logan, Utah. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Utah State University.

Kelly Jackson has joined the bank as project coordinator and training manager. Jackson’s background includes work at Chase Financial Services Corp., plus several years in human resources at British Petroleum’s U.S. headquarters in Cleveland. She also has experience in software and training. Jackson is serving on the bank’s Technology Committee, which is studying online banking. Other responsibilities include writing employee and job manuals, training employees and performing other human resource duties, as well as implementing new products.

Recent additions to the staff of General Industries Inc. include:

Scott Jones was hired as principal engineer, specializing in designing on-site commercial, residential and community wastewater treatment systems. Jones, a professional engineer, has been appointed to the Washington state Department of Health Wastewater Disposal Technical Committee for the next three years.

Robert “Bob” Johnson joined General industries as electrical administrator. Johnson, who has 31 years of experience in the electrical field, holds certified electrical licenses in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Dorothy Ferrell has joined Country Homes Realty as an agent. Ferrell has more than 15 years of experience as a Realtor in Spokane and had earned the Graduate Realtor Institute and Accredited Buyer Representative designations. She specializes in residential and residential acreage sales.

Coffman Engineers has added the following people to its staff:

Leon R. Spitz left Hydrometrics to join Coffman as a licensed environmental and process engineer. Spitz has 35 years of consulting engineering experience and is currently registered as a professional engineer in three states. He is board certified by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers in water/ wastewater treatment. Spitz is working on a project for Kaiser Aluminum and will support Coffman Engineers’ Anchorage office in water treatment design efforts.

Scott Ottley has joined Coffman as an assistant construction manager. He previously worked for Pacific Construction Systems doing work on the Microsoft campus.

Dana Thompson is Coffman’s new network administrator. Thompson, who has a strong interest in network security, formerly worked for Software Spectrum doing technical support for Microsoft MCP 98.

Moving up:

Coeur d’Alene-based Idaho Independent Bank has promoted Michael T. Smith to vice president and manager of its real estate departments in the Coeur d’Alene and Boise areas. Smith, who has more than 12 years of mortgage lending and finance experience, joined the bank in 1994. Prior to joining Idaho Independent Bank, he worked for Lilac City Mortgage and Pac West Services in Spokane.

Moving on:

Bill Poppy, administrator and chief executive officer of the Rockwood Clinic, has resigned effective June 30. Poppy, a veteran of more than 30 years in the health care industry, is leaving to become senior vice president of Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. His focus there will be strategic revenue development and contracting. Poppy worked for Virginia Mason before joining Rockwood Clinic in 1991. During his tenure at Rockwood Clinic, the clinic’s financial systems were reorganized, more than 60 physicians were recruited, capital equipment and facilities were expanded and upgraded to include an ambulatory surgery center and offices, eye clinic, cardiology offices at The Heart Institute and a family practice satellite was constructed on North Country Homes Boulevard.

Kudos:

Camelot Estates has received the 2000 Community of the Year Award from the Idaho Manufactured Housing Association. Paul and Dee Coye own and manage the seven-year-old Post Falls housing project, which has 206 homes. The IMHA award is based on several factors, including appearance, local association involvement and resident relations.

Coeur d’Alene Brewing Co’s Polar Bear Stout won the Microbrew Judging Competition at the Wine, Stein and Dine event held recently to benefit the Post Falls Education Foundation. The company’s Honeymoon Wheat Ale won the People’s Choice first place award.