Business Beat

NEW FACES:

Spokane-based Dealers Auto Auction Northwest, an independent wholesale auto auction, has added the following people to its management staff:

Jennifer K.B. Dunham joined DAA as human resource manager, overseeing all human resource and payroll functions for the company. Dunham has more than 10 years of human resource experience and is president-elect of the Northwest Human Resource Management Association.

Leonard J. Roll was hired as DAA Northwest’s body shop manager. He previously worked as manager of Northwest Salvage Auto in Pasco.

Ted Kaluza manages DAA Mechanical, the company’s on-site automotive repair shop. He previously owned and operated Automotive Specialties.

Mitzi Winchell joined the company as marketing manager. She will oversee advertising, corporate communications, public relations, special promotions and e-commerce development. Winchell has more than 13 years of marketing and sales experience within the Spokane and Seattle markets.

Doug Mahugh was hired as information systems manager. His responsibilities include design, development and support of DAA Northwest’s information systems and coordinating the implementation of SERVIS, a high-performance customer service system developed by Mahugh and DAA’s new in-house software development team. Mahugh previously owned and operated Second City Software of Chicago.

Recent additions to the management staff at Liberty Lake-based Telect Inc. include:

Kenny Lohmeyer was named cable product manager in Telect’s Marketing Department. He previously worked for U.S. Lottery in Worley, Idaho, as a senior director of operations. Lohmeyer will manage all aspects of Telect’s cable products line.

Lou Nocella was named corporate account manager in the Outside Sales Department. Nocella previously was a national account manager for Sprint North Supply in New Century, Kan. He will focus on AT&T as a national account.

Diane Charlton and Dr. Gisella Tuttle have taken over management of Banfield, The Pet Hospital, located in the PETsMART store at 9950 N. Newport Highway, from Dr. Karl Salzseider. Charlton is the new hospital director, while Tuttle serves as chief of staff. Banfield, formerly VetSmart, is a national veterinarian practice dedicated to quality medicine.

Matthew Walker has joined Coffman Engineers as a senior construction manager. Walker, who has 14 years of experience, was previously with g.d. longwell architects. He will lead Coffman’s telecommunications facilities group, which provides various engineering services for data centers, switch facilities, co-locates sites, regen sites and cell towers.

MOVING UP:

Dealers Auto Auction Northwest has promoted Mike McGaughy from transportation manager to operations manager. His responsibilities now include overseeing the company’s vehicle check-in and transportation departments as well as supervising security, facilities and maintenance. Before joining DAA Northwest, McGaughy was a commissioned officer in the Air Force.

Victoria McDuffee has been named manager of sales and business operations at Windermere Real Estate/ Manito LLC. McDuffee, associate broker at the Windermere affiliate, has been a real estate broker for more than 20 years. She owned and operated a real estate office in the Seattle area before relocating to Spokane four years ago. Windermere/Manito, headed by owner/ broker Joe Nichols, specializes in residential and commercial real estate.

ELECTED:

Officers and directors of the Spokane Building Owners and Managers Association for 2001 include: President, Eric Mewhinney, Carpet By Design; president-elect, Brad Bailey, Empire Health Services; vice president, John Mielock, Sterling Savings Bank; and directors, Justin Chipley, Building Maintenance Supply; Toni Habets, Sound Elevator Co.; Gordon Hester, Kiemle & Hagood Co.; Mary Whitson, American Building Maintenance Co.; Ron White, Jones Lang Lasalle; and Kevin Kragt, G&B Real Estate Services, who is immediate past president of the association.

APPOINTED:

Jennifer Leinart, a geologist for Western Mine Engineering Inc., has been appointed to the Washington state Advisory Committee, which was formed to draft rules and regulations necessary to implement state licensing procedures for geologists. Legislation passed by the 2000 session of the Washington state Legislature requires licensing and regulation of the geologist profession beginning July 1, 2001. Leinart is the only geologist on the committee with a mining background, and the only representative from Eastern Washington.

EVENTS:

Monday - The Downtown Chapter of Business Networking International presents “Networking at Noon” from noon-1:30 p.m. at the Ram Restaurant. For more information, call Carol Groves at 994-0047.

Monday - The Professional Business Referral Group meets from 7-8:15 a.m. at Solicitor’s Corner, 6301 N. Division. For more information, call John B. Nugent at 327-7707.

Tuesday - A report on AHANA and Spokane’s economic development and a presentation in honor of Sacred Heart Medical Center’s commitment to minority business development and partnership with AHANA are planned during a meeting of the AHANA Business and Professional Association from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. For more information, call Ben Cabildo at 325-5057.

Tuesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives offers free counseling to potential and existing small-business owners from 9 a.m.-noon at the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, 8817 E. Mission. For appointments, call 924-4994.

Tuesday - The Valley Chapter of Leads Club, a networking organization for business leads and referrals, meets at 12:15 p.m. at Shari’s Restaurant, 320 N. Sullivan. For more information, call Dianne at 926-8481.

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 more information, call 353-2820.

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

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 more information, call Michele at 755-5000.

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.

Nov. 28 - Vorpahl Wing Securities presents a free workshop on “Smart Women Finish Rich” based on the book by David Bach from 6:30-8 p.m. at 601 W. Main, B1 conference room. For more information, call Dennis Roginski at 444-1333.

Nov. 30 - The “Year 2001 Regional Economic Forecast” featuring Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Senior Vice President Jack H. Beebe, U.S. Bancorp economist John W. Mitchell and ICM Asset Management Inc. President Jim Simmons is scheduled from 7:30-10 a.m. at the WestCoast Ridpath Hotel. Cost: $30, including breakfast, prior to Wednesday, $50 thereafter. To register or for more information, call 459-4105.