Business Beat

NEW FACES:

Susan K. Servick has joined the law firm of Quane Smith L.L.P. as an associate. Servick, a former member of the Coeur d’Alene City Council who is licensed to practice law in Idaho and Washington, received a bachelor’s degree from Boise State University in 1982 and a law degree from the University of Idaho in 1985. She spent two years as a deputy public defender in Kootenai County, then worked for Quane Smith Howard and Hull from 1988 to 1994. From 1994 to 1999 she was employed by Ramsden & Lyons, and after that worked briefly for Glen Walker and Associates. Her areas of practice include governmental tort and civil rights defense, employment cases, personal injury defense, professional malpractice defense, real estate errors and omission defense, criminal defense and family law matters.

Fulcrum Environmental Consulting has hired Kelly Finley as an environmental technician. Her responsibilities include asbestos surveys, lead surveys and Phase I investigations. Finley has six years of experience.

WindStar Group Inc. has named Jeff Kavadias as chief financial officer. He will oversee all aspects of WindStar’s financial, accounting and lease operations. Kavadias has a background in tax, taxation and mergers and acquisitions. He received both a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s of accountancy from Gonzaga University. WindStar also has added the following people to its staff: Ralene Hendrickson, administrative assistant; Greg Prado, Irene Gonzales and Kevin McCarty, all account managers; and Joel Hobson, Jason Hilzendeger and Jason Ramsey, all technical consultants.

Malcolm Friedman has joined the Colville-based Rural Information Technology Center as executive director. The organization was formed last year to be a liaison in information technology for northeastern Washington. Friedman has 28 years of management and business experience.

MOVING UP:

Brian Sawyer has been named vice president of Life Center of America’s newly formed Columbia Region, which covers seven nursing facilities in Idaho and Washington. Sawyer will oversee executive directors and managers at the facilities to ensure quality services, financial stability and regulatory compliance. He most recently served as executive director of Life Care Center of Sandpoint. Earlier, he was clinical nurse manager of Life Care Center of Coeur d’Alene. A 17-year veteran of the long-term care industry, he is a licensed nursing home administrator. Sawyer earned a degree in nursing from North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene and administrator training from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

TRANSACTIONS:

Strategic Resources of Spokane has formed a strategic alliance with GuestTrack, a Los Angeles-based producer of Web and e-mail personalization software. The companies plan to develop interactive and personalized Web sites in support of integrated marketing campaigns, relationship marketing initiatives and customer relationship management systems. Strategic Resources will utilize GuestTrack’s Web site personalization and customization system to assist clients in maximizing the value of their Web sites and advertising campaigns.

The Newport office of Mortgage One has become an affiliate of Republic Mortgage, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Old Kent Bank. Brenda Jones-Walton, branch manager, said the change allows her to offer a higher level of service and wider range of competitive mortgage products. The office will retain its existing phone number and location.

NEW IDENTITY:

Spokane Railway Credit Union plans to change its name to Numerica Credit Union, effective May 1. The new name was chosen to reflect the greater diversity and broader geographic reach of the credit union’s expanded membership base. The name does not reflect any change in ownership status. Spokane Railway Credit Union, which has about 39,000 members and assets greater than $284 million, has five locations in Spokane and one in Coeur d’Alene.

KUDOS:

Tim Nemec of Spokane-based Pella Products Inc. has been named a 1999 President’s Club award winner by Pella Corp. Recipients are recognized for outstanding service, customer satisfaction, sales growth and industry leadership. Nemec, who is a first-time recipient, was among 33 Pella Direct Sales Network members to receive the award. Pella Products Inc. has operations in Coeur d’Alene and Kennewick, as well as Spokane.

EVENTS:

Tuesday and April 18 - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Marketing a Start-up Business” from 6-9 p.m. both days at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45, for information or to register, call 358-7890.

Tuesday - Power Networking meets at 7 a.m. to exchange business leads, discuss developments in the business community and often hear from a speaker. For more information, go to http://www.nwcities.com/pn.

Tuesday - The Valley Chapter of Leads Club, a networking organization for business owners, managers and sales people, meets at 12:15 p.m. at Shari’s restaurant, 320 N. Sullivan. For reservations or information, call Bill at 483-4015.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Preparing a Successful Business Plan” from 8 a.m.-noon on the second floor of the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. Cost: $35; for information or to register, call (509) 353-2820.

Wednesday - Diane Quincy, director of leadership and organization development for Avista Corp., will discuss how to create a professional development plan to help achieve career goals during a meeting of Northwest Inland Empire APICS starting at 5:15 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel Spokane Valley. Cost: $20 for dinner; for reservations, call Nancy Seifert at 927-3799 or e-mail nseifert@wagstaff.com.

Wednesday, April 19 and 26 and May 3 - The Training and Education Coordinating Center presents a series of Zenger Miller Frontline Leadership core workshops starting with “Your Role and the Basic Principles” from 9 a.m.-noon at EWU’s Downtown Learning Center, 705 W. First. Cost: $230 for the four-part series; for information, call 533-4700.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Panhandle Area Council, 11100 Airport Drive in Hayden. For appointments, call (208) 772-0584.

Wednesday - The South Hill Spokane Chapter of LeTip International meets from 7-8:30 a.m. at Ripples restaurant in Cavanaughs River Inn, 700 N. Division. For reservations, call Kelly Porter at 893-1743.

Wednesday - The Idaho Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Targeting Your Market” 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) 769-3444.

Thursday - A general membership meeting for Hispanic Business/ Professional Association is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. at Days Inn on Sunset Highway. For information, call Grace at 927-1936 or e-mail HBPA2000@cs.com.

Thursday - The Idaho Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Contracts” 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) 769-3444.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents an employers tax seminar from 8:45 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $20; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a workshop on “Cultural Sensitivity for International Business-Brazil” 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.

Thursday and April 20 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Marketing a Business-to-Business Company” from 6-9 p.m. both nights at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Thursday - The Lake City Women’s Chapter of Leads Club meets from noon-1:15 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene Inn, 414 W. Appleway in Coeur d’Alene. For information or reservations, call Karen Welts at (208) 667-5606.

Thursday - The Downtown Chapter of Leads Club, a networking organization for business leads and referrals, meets at noon at C.I. Shenanigan’s, 332 N. Spokane Falls Court. For reservations or information, call Susie at 455-8600.

Thursday - The Downtown Spokane Chapter of LeTip International Inc. meets from 7-8:30 a.m. at the Ram restaurant, 908 N. Howard. For reservations, call Pat Bishop at 926-0141.

Friday - The Spokane International Trade Alliance presents a foreign trade zone seminar from 8-10 a.m. at Telect, 2111 N. Molter in Liberty Lake. For information, call 459-4123.

Friday - Tony Bonanzino, president and CEO of Hollister-Stier Laboratories LLC, will speak on the area’s bio-tech and bio-med industries during a meeting presented by the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce starting at 7:15 a.m. at the West Coast Ridpath Hotel, First and Stevens. Cost: $12 for members if prepaid by Wednesday, $15 after, or $25 for nonmembers if prepaid, $30 after; call 459-4105 to register.