Business Beat

NEW FACES:

Valeri M. Zaharie has been named executive director of Guardian Angel Homes assisted living facilities, which are under construction at 1050 E. Mullen in Post Falls. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing. She also is licensed as a nursing home administrator in both Idaho and Washington. Zaharie has several years of experience in the elderly care industry. Her family owned a chain of nursing homes throughout California, Oklahoma and Texas.

Helen Pavlischak has joined CLS Mortgage Inc. as a loan officer. She previously worked for Cherry Creek for eight years.

David H. Hunter has joined Re/Max of Spokane as a sales associate. Hunter has many years of experience in sales and in the construction business. He is a Washington state real estate instructor and presents seminars for first-time home buyers. Hunter has been selling real estate in the Spokane area for six years.

Wendt Advertising Inc. has added the following people to its staff:

James Ford was named creative director of the agency, which has offices in Great Falls and Spokane. Ford, formerly of The Schiller Group in Honolulu, was honored as the 1996 Hawaii Ad Association’s Young Advertising Person of the Year. He has won 25 regional Addy awards and 30 Telly awards.

Andy Tyer joined Wendt as associate creative director with responsibility for all advertising copy. Tyer, another former employee of The Schiller Group, has done work for clients such as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Portabox Storage and Molokai Ranch.

Philipp Batallia, also of The Schiller Group, was named an art director at Wendt. He will continue expansion of the firm’s Internet capabilities. His skills in electronic media include Web site design and direct marketing online.

Gordon Pettit has joined Synergistic Software Systems Inc. as national sales director. He previously was sales director for credit software provider MicroBilt of Atlanta, Ga. He joined MicroBilt in 1983 and held several positions with the company, most recently managing sales, marketing and assisting in the development of new products.

MOVING UP:

Steven J. Piscitello of Coeur d’Alene has been named a principal at Spokane-based 3E Design Group P.S. Piscitello, who joined the firm in mid-1997, has served as lead architect for a $26 million project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He has 25 years of experience in architecture, specializing in design and project management for medical, educational, commercial and government facilities. He has had a role in additions and improvements to Deaconess Medical Center, Rockwood Clinic, Valley Hospital and Medical Center, Holy Family Hospital and the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Spokane; modernization of schools in East Valley, West Valley and Freeman school districts; design development for the Coeur d’Alene Resort and Convention Center, Kootenai River Inn, University Inn and Coeur d’Alene North condominiums; and renovation of the historic Federal Building/U.S. Post Office in downtown Spokane.

Michone Preston has been promoted to executive director of Habitat for Humanity-Spokane. She succeeds Dia Hadley, who has been named affiliate support manager in the mountain states region for Habitat for Humanity International. Hadley will direct and consult with more than 30 affiliates in Washington, Idaho and Montana. Preston has been the local affiliate’s director of fund development for the past five years. As executive director, she will supervise the activities of eight paid staff and will manage a $1.5 million annual budget.

Karen Feltes has been named senior director of corporate human resources for Avista Corp. Feltes has more than 20 years of human resource experience, the past two at Avista as an HR business partner and diversity manager. Her background includes managing, creating and implementing HR programs in large organizations in both public and private sectors.

Gonzaga University has promoted the following 13 staff members, effective Sept. 1: From associate professor to full professor: Kenneth Anderson, business management; Noel Bormann, civil engineering; Gabriella Brooke, modern languages; Kay Carnes, accounting; John Downey, religious studies; and Kent Hickman, finance. From assistant to associate professor: Maria Bertagnolli, biology and chemistry; Jeffrey Bierman, physics; Massimo “Max” Capobianchi, mechanical engineering; Kenneth Mark Derby, special education; Shann Ferch, doctoral studies in education; Steven Schennum, electrical engineering; and Benjamin Semple, modern languages.

APPOINTED:

The California Student Aid Commission has appointed Thayne McCulloh of Gonzaga University to fill an open seat on the EDFund Board of Directors. McCulloh is dean of student financial services at Gonzaga, where he has held various positions since graduating in 1989. The commission is responsible for administering the Federal Family Education Loan Program in California.