Business Beat
New faces:
Bob Niles has joined United Security Bank as a vice president in the Commercial Real Estate Group. Niles, who has eight years of experience in financing commercial real estate, was previously with First Union Small Business Capital/The Money Store Commercial Lending Division. Earlier, he was in commercial and industrial real estate brokerage for six years, helping clients buy, sell and lease properties. Niles, who is based in USB’s Northpointe office, will focus on providing conventional and SBA financing for all types of commercial real estate projects, including income properties and owner-occupied properties.
Dr. Joseph Harari has joined Dr. Howard Lawrence at Veterinary Referral Services in the practice of veterinary surgery. Both are board-certified small animal surgical specialists. Their practice is located at the Pet Emergency Clinic on Mission Avenue. Harari has served on the faculties of Washington State University and the University of Illinois as an associate professor in orthopedic surgery.
New look:
Avista Corp. has consolidated its Investor Relations and Corporate Communications staff to create an Investor and Corporate Relations team headed by Dave Brukardt, who was named chief communications officer and vice president of investor and corporate relations. Brukardt now reports directly to Avista Chairman T.M. Matthews. Besides Brukardt, other members of the staff include: Patrick Lynch, director of corporate communications; Steve Becker, manager of corporate media relations; Angela Teed, manager of investor relations; Ricky Campos, intern; Robyn Dunlap, communication specialist; Karen Eastwood, administrative coordinator; Laurine Jue, investor relations communication manager; Catherine Parochetti, communication manager; Scott Steele, corporate information coordinator; and Jessie Wuerst, employee communication manager.
Starting up:
Three current members and one former member of Itron Inc.’s management staff have formed Servatron Inc. The new company will perform various manufacturing-related services for original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, ranging from building printed circuit board assemblies to complete turnkey manufacturing of end products. Servatron’s facilities are located at 15520 E. Fairview. The company’s management team includes:
Larry Panattoni, president, has more than 20 years of experience in the electronics industry with National Semiconductor and 10 years at Itron. He has experience in start-up and management of manufacturing operations, including off-shore facilities.
John Miskulin, vice president service and customer support, was previously with Itron for seven years in a variety of management positions. He also has prior electronics manufacturing experience with General Electric and IBM. Miskulin has engineering degrees from the University of Utah and Arizona State University.
Keith Swenson, vice president manufacturing and customer support, has 20 years of experience in design and manufacturing of electronic products with AT&T, Miniscribe and 13 years at Itron. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial and management engineering from Montana State University.
Tod Byers, vice president materials and customer support, has seven years of experience in procurement and materials management in the electronics industry at Itron and Schweitzer Engineering. He earned a bachelor’s degree in operation management from Pacific Lutheran University and an MBA from Washington State University.
Shawn Taylor, treasurer and controller, is a CPA with more than five years of experience as an auditor, regulatory accountant, senior financial and tax accountant. Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Idaho and a master’s in accounting from Gonzaga University.
Charlene Sprague, production manager, has more than 12 years of experience as production manager and manufacturing manager for Itron. She has expertise in both high-volume and low-volume surface mount and RF products.
Tom Stuart, distribution manager, previously managed a custom brokerage firm for 10 years in Los Angeles. He spent more than three years as distribution manager for ISC and 16 years for Itron.
Elected:
The Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce has elected the following officers for 2000-2001: Chair, William Robinson, Whitworth College; chair-elect, Donald Barbieri, WestCoast Hospitality Corp.; and treasurer, Garman Lutz, Empire Health Services. James McDevitt, Preston Gates & Ellis, will continue as general counsel, and Rich Hadley remains president and CEO. New trustees elected to the board for three-year terms include: Barry Barth; Nate Batson, American Electronic Sign; Steve Duvoisin, Inland Imaging; Pete Forsyth, Kaiser Aluminum; Dave Lenartz, Byte-Dynamics; Susan Meyer, Telect Inc.; John Morrison, Spokane Airports; Alan Ross, Ross Printing; Greg Tarr, URM Stores Inc.; Sandy Taylor-Spring, Dakotah Direct II LLC; Jack White, WhiteRunkle Associates; Thomas White, Empire Health Services; and Diana Wilhite, Safeguard Business Forms & Systems. Appointed to one-year terms were: Sharon Fairchild, Group Health Community Foundation; Col. Erwin Lessel III, Fairchild Air Force Base; and Richard Rollnick, Crown West Realty. David Dayton of Itronix was appointed last April to fill a vacancy on the board and will complete his term next September.
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.
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 - A recruiting team from the Lincoln County (Mont.) Economic Development Council will meet with local businesses at 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel City Center. For information, call (406) 293-8406 or e-mail lced@kootenet.net.
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 Beth Ann at 924-4507.
Tuesday - Northside Power Networking meets at 7 a.m. Call 468-9695 or 467-2081 or check online at http://www.nwcities.com/pn for meeting details.
Tuesday and Thursday - Ralph Noyes and Stacy Cossey of Salomon Smith Barney present a free seminar on “Smart Women Finish Rich” at the Spokane Club. For information or reservations, call Noyes or Cossey at 455-6060.
Tuesday and Oct. 10 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Marketing a Start-up Business” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Wednesday - Lori Barnes, principal of Northwest Dynamics LLC, will speak on “Foolproof Fundamentals of Communication” during a meeting of the Coeur d’Alene Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals at 5:45 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene Inn and Conference Center. For more information, call Anne Hagman at (208) 765-4717.
Wednesday - The Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on the “ABC’s of Starting a Business” from 9 a.m.-noon on the second floor of the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. Cost: $20; for information or to register, call 353-2820.
Wednesday - The Small Business Development Center presents a “Pre-Business Workshop” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $25; call 358-7890 for information or to register.
Wednesday - The South Hill Spokane Chapter of LeTip International meets from 7-8:30 a.m. at Ripples Restaurant in WestCoast River Inn, 700 N. Division. For reservations, call Kelly Porter at 893-1743.
Thursday - “Hiring and Retaining Quality Employees” is the topic of a Breakfast for Your Brain seminar from 7:30-8:45 a.m. in Suite 240 of the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. Cost: $15 general, $10 for Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce members. For information or reservations, call 353-2800.
Thursday - The Inland Northwest Chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants holds a board of directors meeting at 6 p.m. at Spokane Community College. For reservations or more information, call Barbara at 838-5111.
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 Beth Ann at 924-4507.
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.
Thursday and Oct. 12 - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Marketing a Business-to-Business Company” from 6-9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Cost: $45; call 358-7890 for information or to register.