Business Beat

New faces:

Jennifer K. Mitchell has joined the law firm of Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller LLP as marketing and business development director. She previously worked for Avista Corp. as a corporate marketing and communications manager and earlier was promotions and special projects director for The Spokesman-Review. She graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1995 with a double major in journalism and government and is currently enrolled in Gonzaga University’s MBA program. Mitchell will oversee all corporate marketing and branding strategies for Paine Hamblen, as well as direct the firm’s corporate giving policies.

Desautel Hege Communications has added the following people to its staff:

Wendy Miller, who was hired as an account coordinator, will work with existing and new accounts to develop strategies, implement tactics and conduct research. Miller has previous experience in nonprofit public relations and secondary education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public affairs and history from the University of Denver and recently received a master’s degree in organizational communications from Eastern Washington University. Miller completed internships in the president’s office at EWU and at MSC/Premera Blue Cross.

Sarah San Jule joined Desautel Hege as administrative assistant. She will coordinate, plan and conduct research for new and existing accounts. San Jule received a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Arizona and completed a public relations and marketing internship at Gordley Design Group in Tucson, Ariz.

J. Jay Lewis has joined Washington Trust Bank as senior vice president and manager of the Inland Northwest Commercial Banking Group. Lewis has 22 years of banking experience in Spokane.

Spokane attorney Mike Casey has been named Gonzaga University’s corporation counsel. He succeeds former Washington state Court of Appeals Judge Philip J. Thompson, who held the post for the last three years. Casey earned a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga in 1970, a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Northern Colorado, and a law degree from the Gonzaga University School of Law in 1978. He has been with the firm of Reed & Giesa in Spokane since 1979.

Moving up:

Washington Trust Bank has promoted Roger Heskett to chief lending officer and manager of the Credit Services Group. Heskett, who joined Washington Trust in 1989, has 30 years of banking experience.

Starting up:

Drs. Daniel R. Peters and Douglas D. Tassi have opened ACXEL Vision Center in the Quail Run Office Building at 2204 E. 29th. The practice, which specializes in LASIK eye surgery, will also offer other ophthalmology services, such as cataract surgery. Peters, a medical doctor, and Tassi, a doctor of optometry, also have an ACXEL Vision Center in Yakima. Peters has been involved with laser eye surgery since the early 1980s and was a participant in the national surgical trials of LASIK procedures.

Appointed:

Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne has appointed the following North Idaho residents to the 23-member Science and Technology Advisory Council: Jim Coleman, president of J-U-B Engineers, Coeur d’Alene; Doyle Jacklin, president of Simplot Turf & Horticulture Group/Jacklin Seed in Post Falls; and Dennis Wheeler, chairman, president and CEO of Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp. in Coeur d’Alene.

Certifications:

Traci Hanegan, a mechanical engineer, and Steve Hawk, a structural engineer for Coffman Engineers, have passed examinations to become licensed professional engineers in Washington. Candidates for licensure must have eight years of experience, including four years credit for a bachelor’s degree, one year maximum credit for a graduate degree and the remaining years working under the supervision of a licensed P.E. The exam is eight hours.

Drs. John Peterson and Christopher Bajzer have passed certification examinations administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Peterson is now board certified in cardiovascular diseases as well as in internal medicine. Bajzer received board certification in interventional cardiology. He also is board certified in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine. Both physicians joined Spokane Cardiology PSC last summer.

Kudos:

William Hay of Northwest Home Inspections, which performs pre-purchase home inspections in the Inland Northwest, has been accepted as a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors. To qualify for membership, inspectors must meet rigorous professional and technical requirements, including the successful completion of two comprehensive exams. Candidates for membership also must perform at least 250 fee-paid home inspections that meet or exceed ASHI standards of practice. Hay has owned and operated Northwest Home Inspection for six years.

Dave P. Paul, director of the Spokane Regional Office, has been chosen as the Spokane Federal Executive Association’s overall Federal Employee of the Year for 2000. He was cited for providing the leadership resulting in improved and expanded risk management programs for Pacific Northwest agricultural producers. Others honored at the 9th Annual Federal Employee of the Year Awards luncheon include: Manager/supervisor, Kenneth E. Hay, CDS/NIOSH, Spokane Research Laboratory; agency or unit executive, Dave P. Paul, USDA Risk Management Agency; administrative/ professional, Michael D. Rice, USDA, Risk Management Agency; technical/ automation, Chris Mahelona, USDA, Risk Management Agency; administrative assistant, Charlene Knight, USDA, Risk Management Agency; military, TSgt Martin Westawski, 92nd Security Forces Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base; community service, Sandra L. Harvey, United States Postal Service; and special emphasis programs, Denise L. Rains, CDS/NIOSH, Spokane Research Laboratory.

A group of 20 students representing Eastern Washington University finished in the top 32 of 704 teams competing in the 2000 Hallmark Cards Students in Free Enterprise International Exposition and Career Opportunity Fair held May 21-23 in Kansas City, Mo. The EWU team competed against more than 150 others from the United States and several foreign nations. The teams were judged on educational outreach projects that they developed and implemented throughout the year. EWU’s team won $1,000 as the first runner up in the Black and Decker League, which consisted of eight teams. Team members included: LouAnn Berg, Travis Brewer, Patricia Courchaine, Stephanie Dahlstedt, Danica Durcrest, Christina Duvall, Nicholas Freese, Lesa Holzhauser, Kris Mack, Anna Marie Marsh, Dustin Masterson, Jennifer McCauley, Sheila Rae McColley, Isabel Sanchez Zamora, Jessica Sinclair, Erin Stenson, Thomas Sweeney, Doug Thiel Sr., Amy Wichenhagen and Michelle R. Young. Dianne Welsh, EWU professor of management, served as team adviser.

Events:

Monday - Spokane Mental Health, Elder Services and Aging and Long-Term Care of Eastern Washington present a conference for nonpaid caregivers and professionals working with caregivers from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at The Commons at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute. Cost: $20 for caregivers and students, $45 for professionals; to register, call 458-7450.

Monday - Jim Fuller, Les Dill and Jim Hutsinpiller will speak on the golf tournament at Wandermere during a meeting of Engineers Forum of Spokane at noon at Cavanaughs Inn at the Park. For information, call Tim Rahman at 244-3467.

Tuesday - Jim Goodenough of the Tri-Cities Project Management Institute chapter will be the guest speaker at the Project Management Monthly Forum at 6:30 p.m. in Room 117 of the Spokane Riverpoint campus, 668 N. Riverpoint Blvd. The meeting is free and open to the public; for more information, call Katharyn Getchell at 747-8031.

Tuesday - The Valley Chapter of Leads Club, a networking organization for business owners, professionals, managers and sales people, meets at 12:15 p.m. at Shari’s Restaurant, 320 N. Sullivan. For reservations, call Bill at 483-4015; for more information, call Beth Ann at 921-9581.

Tuesday - Northside Power Networking meets at 7 a.m. Call 468-9695 or 467-2081 or check the Web site at http://www.nwcities.com/ pn for meeting details.

Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on “Effective Marketing to Increase Sales” from 8 a.m.-noon on the second floor of the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. Cost: $35; for information, call 353-2820.

Wednesday - Webiness Inc. presents a class on “The Myths and Truths of Search Engines and Meta Tags” from 10-11:30 a.m. and 3-4:30 p.m. at 23403 E. Mission. For reservations, call 434-2000 or e-mail karen@webiness.com.

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.

Thursday - U.S. Bank presents a free seminar on “Financial Management for Small Businesses” from 8-10 a.m. at the bank’s Spokane Main Branch, 428 W. Riverside. For reservations, call Jen Brenner at 353-7481.

Thursday - 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 North Idaho College Workforce Training Center, 525 W. Clearwater Loop in Post Falls. For appointments, call (208) 769-3296.

Thursday - The Downtown Chapter of Leads Club, a networking organization for business leads and referrals, meets at noon at the Cathay Inn, 3714 N. Division. For reservations, call Melissa at 456-6067; for more information, call Beth Ann at 921-9581.

Thursday - The Lake City Women’s Chapter of Leads Club meets at noon at Perkins Restaurant, 290 W. Appleway. For reservations, call Kellie at (208) 772-6460; for more information, call Beth Ann at (509) 921-9581.

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.