Business Beat

New faces:

Bob Geddes has been named general manager of the Pend Oreille Public Utilities District. He succeeds Larry Weis, who is leaving to accept the general manager’s position at the Turlock Irrigation District in California. Geddes most recently was executive director of the Oregon State PUD Association. Earlier, he spent 17 years with Pend Oreille PUD, including 14 as a commissioner and the balance as the director of regulatory and environmental affairs.

Pullman-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. has hired H. Scott Griggs as vice president of sales. He previously worked for Invensys Secure Power of Raleigh, N.C., where he served as the managing director of the company’s Latin American operations. Griggs will direct SEL’s customer service organization and its sales representatives and distributors. He is responsible for developing the company’s sales strategy, establishing sales goals and product forecasts and managing all portions of the company sales and services processes in 26 countries.

Griggs, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan Technical University, has 20 years of sales and marketing management, including 13 years of international experience doing business in 90 countries. He has worked for Honeywell Measurex and Beloit Corp. as well as Invensys Secure Power.

Moving up:

Hecla Mining Co. has promoted the following staff members:

William B. Booth was named vice president - environmental and government affairs. Booth, a 15-year Hecla veteran, previously was vice president - investor and public affairs. He will be responsible for overseeing Hecla’s environmental department reclamation projects and all governmental matters. Booth received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Idaho and an MBA from the University of North Dakota.

Ronald W. Clayton was promoted to vice president - metals division. Clayton has worked for the company since 1987. He has been mine manager for Hecla’s Lucky Friday, Republic and Rosebud mines, and has held a managerial position at the corporate office in Coeur d’Alene.

John P. Stilwell was named executive vice president - chief financial officer. Stilwell joined Hecla in 1985 and most recently was vice president - chief financial officer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration and an MBA in accounting and finance from the University of Southern California. Stilwell, who is also a certified public accountant, became Hecla’s internal auditor in 1985, then moved to corporate financial planner and in 1991 was named treasurer. He was appointed vice president - finance and treasurer in 1994 and was named chief financial officer in 1996.

Vicki J. Veltkamp was promoted to vice president - investor and public relations. Veltkamp worked for the company from 1988 to 1993 as its director of public relations, and returned in 1995 as manager of corporate communications. Her responsibilities include interacting with investors and financial analysts, as well as handling media and community relations and corporate contributions. She received a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications from Western Washington University.

Lewis E. Walde was promoted from assistant controller to controller. Walde, who has worked for Hecla since 1992, is responsible for establishing and monitoring the company’s financial accounting systems and controls. He received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Gonzaga University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Elected:

Tom Culbertson, an attorney with Lukins & Annis, has been elected president of the Spokane Club for 2000-2001. Culbertson, who joined the club in 1994 and was named to its board in 1997, has served as president-elect for the past year. Other officers elected include: Vice president, Mike Schnell, co-owner of Market Equipment Co. Inc.; treasurer, Craig Lee, structural engineer with PPL Coffman; secretary, Conrad “Hap” Gotzian, Spokane Packaging; president-elect, Diane Groh, vice president of personnel and operations, Farmers & Merchants Bank; and ex officio, Gary Lawton, president of File EZ Folder and vice president of Lawton Printing. New trustees are: Bill Brooks, commercial Realtor with SDS Realty; Steve Gray, Moloney & O’Neill Financial Services; and Rebecca Hille, a former mortgage and banking officer.

The National Association of Purchasing Management-Spokane has elected the following officers for 2000-2001: Director of national affairs, Laurie Hitchcock, city of Spokane; president, Kris Musante, Wagstaff Inc.; first vice president, Terrie Roberts, county of Spokane; second vice president, Renee Riggin, Honeywell Inc.; secretary, Lorrie Engle, Gonzaga University; treasurer, Charlie Gutierrez, city of Spokane; and trustees, Mark Hammonds, CTX; Dave Raymond, county of Spokane; Janet Prendergast, Kaiser Aluminum-Trentwood; and Denise Davies, Hollister-Stier.