Business Beat
New faces: Melanie Moore Bell has been named director, Western Region, for the National Student Clearinghouse, which serves as a central repository for collection and exchange of collegiate student data with the banking and student loan industry, collegiate institutions, prospective employers and commercial companies. Bell is responsible for collegiate marketing/public relations in 13 Western states and teleworks from her West Plains office. She previously owned a collegiate consulting business for administrative/academic support services/software implementations. She served 30 years in registrar/admissions functions at the University of Washington, Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University and Whitworth College.
Crown West Realty has added the following people to its staff:
Sarah Druffel was named manager, special projects. She recently completed requirements for a master’s degree in agricultural economics at Washington State University, where she subsequently worked as a researcher.
Dean Stuart joined the company as a business development representative. Stuart has 14 years of sales and marketing experience, primarily in industrial and media related sales. Most recently, he owned an advertising agency.
David Janson has joined Country Homes Realty as associate broker. Janson has been a licensed real estate broker in Washington for more than 25 years and has been designated a senior right of way agent by the International Right of Way Association. He will assist individuals and businesses required to move because of government projects in the Spokane area. He will be based in the Country Homes Realty office on North Wall.
The following Realtors have joined Keller Williams Realty Spokane:
Terry Norlen, who was formerly with Prudential Crane Real Estate, has more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience and had been in real estate for the past eight years.
Diane Watters, formerly with Janek Co., holds the CSP (Certified Sales Professional) and GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute) designations.
Tim Ray, who previously worked for Coldwell Banker, holds the ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) designation. He is a buyer’s agent for the Hardie Group.
Danielle Kropf has joined the Civil Division of DCI Engineers in Spokane as a project engineer. She previously worked for Meier Enterprises Inc. in Kennewick.
Jeff Lathrop has joined Encompass, a unit of Divco Inc., as service manager for the area from East Spokane to Coeur d’Alene. Lathrop previously worked for Heat Transfer in Spokane. Encompass provides commercial building mechanical and electrical services nationwide.
Moving up:
Sara Johnston has been promoted to account services manager for Desautel Hege Communications. Johnston, who previously worked as an account coordinator for the Spokanebased public relations and marketing firm, will be responsible for the efficient flow of client work through the agency, from initial proposal to final results. She also will continue to service new and existing accounts. Johnston joined DHC in 1998 after receiving a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Eastern Washington University.
The Spokane office of Marsh has promoted the following employees: Sean O’Keefe and Jodie Bailey were promoted to account executive from account manager. Their new responsibilities will include sales and service of employee benefits.
Kristi Giles was promoted to account manager from analyst. She will work with Mike Reilly and Dave Jones in the benefits department.
Leslie Hanisch was named a claims coordinator. Hanisch, who was previously an account manager, is assigned to Marsh’s Third Party Administrator unit.
Debbie Wilkey was promoted to account coordinator from analyst. She also will be part of the Third Party Administrator unit.
Laurie Larsen, previously mailroom manager, was named a customer service representative. Larsen also is part of the Third Party Administrator unit.
Sheri Pond was promoted to senior clerk in Marsh’s mailroom. She has been part of that department since joining Marsh in November 1997.
Starting up:
Stephen Haskell has opened a law office at 222 N. Wall, Suite 402. Haskell has been in practice for 23 years and has extensive courtroom experience and trial expertise in civil matters. The new firm will focus on trial practice, specializing in claims of personal injury including medical negligence, product liability, insurance issues and commercial and employment litigation.
Transactions:
Techline Spokane has been acquired by its general manager, Pat Runyan. Runyan, who has been with the company for the past five years, will remain as general manager. He has changed the company name to Techline Studio. The business specializes in furniture and commercial cabinetry, desking systems and custom work surfaces for the education and health care markets, as well as small business and home office environments.
Sherie Wardian and John Sloan have become affiliated with United Country Real Estate in Davenport as broker and sales associate, respectively. They are the owners and operators of United Country-Lake Roosevelt Realty Inc. Wardian has been marketing real estate for the past five years. United, based in Kansas City, Mo., has affiliates nationwide specializing in marketing residential, agricultural, recreational, business and commercial real estate.
Events:
Monday - Mark Few, Gonzaga University head basketball coach, will be the featured speaker at the Greater Pasco Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at noon at the DoubleTree Hotel in Pasco. Cost: $8.50, payable at the door; for reservations, call (509) 547-9755.
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 - 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 - 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 and Thursday - The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “Marketing Your Business on the Internet” 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 - 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 Service Corps of Retired Executives presents a workshop on the “ABCs 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 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.
Wednesday - Rob Buckham of Hecla Mining will discuss workplace ethics for the Coeur d’Alene Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals. The dinner meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene Inn. Call Anne Hagman, (208) 765-4717.
Wednesday and Thursday Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center Inc. presents a workshop on “How to Develop Highly Effective Marketing Plans & Competitive Strategies” from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day at West Coast Grand Hotel at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Cost: $495; to enroll, call (800) 258-7246 or register online at http:/ /www.natsem.com.
Thursday - Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors presents a four-hour seminar on ergonomics starting at 8 a.m. at the WSU Spokane-Riverpoint Campus, Phase I Classroom Building Auditorium. Cost: $15; for registration and additional information, call Sherry Lynn Dow at 535-0391 or (800) 572-4108.
Thursday - The board of directors of the Inland Northwest Chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants meets at 6 p.m. at Spokane Community College. For 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.
Friday and Saturday - Nancy Isaacson, associate professor in the doctoral program in leadership studies at Gonzaga University, will lead a workshop on “Healing Dysfunctional Organizational Behavior” from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on each day. Cost: $249; register online at http://www.gonzaga.edu/ continuingeducation or call Leisa at (800) 793-1722 or 323-3548.
Friday and Saturday - CompEd Solutions presents an “Adobe Photoshop 2000 Conference” from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day at the DoubleTree Hotel Spokane Valley, 1100 N. Sullivan. Cost: $165 to $295, depending on options; to enroll, call (800) 682-5078 or register online at http:/ /www.natsem.com.