Business Beat

New faces:

Recent additions to the staff of LineSoft Corp., which provides consulting services and software solutions to the utility transmission and distribution industry, include:

Alex Wagenblast joined the company as a software technician in the quality assurance group. He will be responsible for maintaining the quality of LineSoft’s software products. Wagenblast was most recently a research and development technician II for Impra, a division of C.R. Bard.

Judy Kamisch was named an account engineer. Based in Taos, N.M., she will provide technical support to LineSoft’s customers in the southwestern United States. Kamisch previously worked at Rochester Gas & Electric Co. in Rochester, N.Y., as an environmental coordinator. She earned an MBA in operations management from the University of Rochester as well as a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology.

Tait Burns joined LineSoft as a software engineer in the customer support group. He is responsible for engineering software for various LineSoft applications. Burns received a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from Eastern Washington University and was formerly manager of The Onion’s downtown restaurant.

Tim McNabb joined the company as a software engineer, responsible for the design, development and support of LineSoft products. McNabb earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Washington State University. He previously worked at Kaiser Aluminum’s Trentwood Works plant as a senior systems analyst.

Albert “Bud” Brown has been named vice president and general manager of KREM-TV, effective Dec. 11. Brown has 25 years of experience in the broadcast business and has held key positions at four other TV stations also owned by the Belo Television Group of Dallas. Since August 1999, Brown has been vice president and general manager of KOTV in Tulsa, Okla., which Belo plans to sell. He also has worked at KHOU-TV in Houston, KIRO-TV in Seattle/Tacoma and WVEC-TV in Hampton/Norfolk since joining Belo in 1985. Earlier, he produced and directed evening newscasts in Raleigh, N.C., and in Winston-Salem, N.C. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from North Carolina State University.

Transactions:

Holy Family Hospital has purchased Greentree, an employee assistance program previously owned and operated by Spokane Mental Health. The program is now operated at two locations: Holy Family Specialty Centers, 5901 N. Lidgerwood, and the Tapio Center, 104 S. Freya. Greentree’s clinical director is Paul Quinnett; Zo Woods is administrative director, while Jane Banks is marketing coordinator and Sharon Nelson is counselor.

Moving up:

Sterling Savings Bank has promoted the following employees:

Nora Seelbach, the bank’s assistant controller, was named assistant vice president. She joined Sterling as an accounting assistant in 1996 and was promoted later that year to loan accountant and financial analyst. In 1999, Seelbach was promoted to treasury analyst, then to assistant controller. Before joining Sterling, she worked for a year in Guam as the controller for Hattori Inc. She also was a management consultant for Peat Marwick. From 1983 to 1990, she served in the Navy as an electronics technician. Seelbach received an associate’s degree in business from National University and a bachelor’s degree in finance/ accounting from St. Martins College.

Cindy Parker was promoted to senior vice president. Parker, who is information technology director, joined Sterling Bank in 1984. She has more than 22 years of banking experience, with the last 11 years focused on systems and technology.

Kudos:

Chipman Moving & Storage Inc., an agent of United Van Lines, has been honored as a member of the worldwide moving company’s “President’s Club” at the $1 million level. Membership honors agents who have generated at least $1 million in sales for the United system during the past year.

Verizon Wireless has donated $2,500 to support the Special Olympics of Eastern Washington. The funds will be used to purchase training equipment for the Spokane Iron Pumpers, a Special Olympics weightlifting team. The donation was made through the Verizon Wireless Community Relations program. For more information or a grant application, call (425) 603-7955.

Gonzaga University communication arts Professor John Caputo has been chosen to receive the Master Teacher Award from the Communication and Instruction Interest Group of the Western States Communication Association. Nominees for the annual awards include teachers from all levels of the educational system who teach in any area. Master Teachers receive formal recognition of their accomplishments in the classroom and are given a forum to discuss and/ or illustrate their approach to teaching and learning.