Business Beat

NEW FACES:

Recent additions to the staff at Yoke’s Foods include:

Steve Brooks was hired as an assistant store manager. He most recently worked for Safeway Inc.

Pearl Deymonaz was hired as assistant controller. She previously worked for the Principal Financial Group as a pension service associate. Deymonaz received a degree in business from Eastern Washington University and is a member of the Association of Computing Machinery.

Shirlene Ingraham joined Yoke’s as grocery marketing analyst. Ingraham has more than 25 years of experience in retail grocery sales. Most recently, she worked for Albertson’s district office in Spokane.

Michelle Mors was hired as benefits administrator. She spent the previous six years as a staffing specialist for Volt Services. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Northwest Human Resource Management Association.

Terry Humo, an attorney, author and nationally recognized expert in employee benefits law, has been named corporate consulting attorney with Marsh. Humo earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a law degree from the Potomac School of Law in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Melanie S. Lang has joined Dr. Mark C. Paxton at Spokane Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Lang earned a doctor of dental science degree from the University of Nebraska in 1991. She then completed a general practice residency in hospital dentistry at the University of Washington, followed by a one-year oral and maxillofacial surgery clinical and research fellowship at the University of Nebraska. Lang then completed a combined degree residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University of Florida, receiving her medical degree in 1996. She completed a facial cosmetic surgery fellowship at the University of Alabama in June.

Kristi Erban has joined the Spokane Advertising Federation as executive director. Erban, formerly of Gross-Hatch Advertising in Spokane, has nine years of agency experience.

ELECTED:

William W. Zuppe, president and chief operating officer of Sterling Financial Corp., has been elected chairman of the Washington Financial League. The league, headquartered in Olympia, represents 25 Washington-based member institutions with holding company assets totaling about $210 billion. The organization is the primary advocate of its members’ interests with both state and federal public policy makers and shapers.

Tom Weber of Spokane was elected an alternate delegate to the 117th annual meeting of the American Angus Association, which will be held Nov. 13 in Louisville, Ky. Weber is one of 328 Angus breeders who have been elected by fellow members to serve as an alternate state representative at the annual meeting.

The Children’s Museum of Spokane has elected officers and directors for 2000-2001: President, Stella De Barros; vice president/secretary, Heidi Ilenstein; treasurer, LuAnn Bray; community volunteer, Stephanie Aden; Nancy Brown, Washington State University; Gavin Cooley, North Coast Life Insurance Co.; Kurt Dehmer, Northern Technologies Inc.; Linda Elkin, U.S. Bank; Lisa Heath, Washington Trust Bank; Wendy Hechtman; community volunteer; Michael Love, Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller; Loreen McFaul, community volunteer; Annie Matlow, Spokane Symphony; Melanie Mikkelsen, Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility; Eileen Nave, community volunteer; Tess Neilson, Olympic Foods Inc.; Dr. Linda Partoll, Northwest OB-GYN; Julie Olds, community volunteer; Marybeth Smith, Spokane Public Schools; Melinda Travis Remington, community volunteer; Leslie Warner, Telect; and Angela Wilkey, Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke and Miller.

KUDOS:

Potlatch Corp.’s Clearwater Wood Products mill has been awarded Star safety status by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. There are about 500 industrial sites in America which have received Star status out of 7 million potential sites. The Star designation acknowledges excellence in safety and health programs through cooperation among employees, employers and the government.

The Spokane Valley Outback Steakhouse was named a finalist in the Restaurant Neighbor Award program sponsored by the National Restaurant Association and its Educational Foundation. The program recognizes restaurateurs for their outstanding community involvement. Outback Steakhouse has supported Cancer Patient Care and other local charities and schools, including a one-day bike ride this year which raised more than $25,000 for Cancer Patient Care.

Luanna Hansen, representing the Spokane headquarters office of ACRAnet CBS, was awarded the Spokane Chapter Association of Professional Mortgage Women Member of the year for 1999 for her outstanding participation and contributions to the chapter. She has served on the board of directors and also as treasurer.