Business Beat

NEW FACES

Empire Airlines in Coeur d’Alene has hired Belinda Jones as director of human resources. Jones has over 20 years of experience in the field and holds degrees in management and organizational leadership.

Dr. Sanjeev Vaderah has become an associate at Inland Cardiology Associates. Vaderah is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease and his interests include non-surgical repair of certain congenital heart conditions and valve repair.

Country Insurance and Financial Services has hired Craig Griffiths as an agent. As part of his training, Griffiths completed the New Agent School that is part of the company.

Matthew Wagner has been hired at Country Insurance and Financial Services. As part of Wagner’s training, he completed the company’s New Agent School.

The Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce has hired R.D. “Bob” Robinson as member services manager. Robinson earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Alberta and his master’s of business administration at the University of Toronto.

Linda Kozora has been hired at Performance Physical Therapy. Kozora has 19 years of orthopedic physical therapy experience and specializes in lumbopelvic disorders, treats dance injuries and is a certified yoga instructor.

WestCoast Hospitality Corp. has hired Anupam Narayan as executive vice president and chief investment officer. Narayan has almost 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and was previously an executive officer of Best Western International Inc.

Jan Smith has been hired as a member services representative at the Post Falls branch of Global Credit Union. Smith was previously employed as a sales representative at Granny’s Wild Geranium in Coeur d’Alene.

Global Credit Union has hired Adrianne Imada as a member business representative in the bank’s Spokane Valley branch. Imada was previously a florist at Ritter’s Florist and Nursery.

PROMOTED

WhiteRunkle has promoted Tola Rogalski to vice president of the interactive department. Rogalski helped create this department six years ago and has been with the company for eight years.

KUDOS

Kenneth Heydon of MassMutual Financial Group in Post Falls has earned a Certified in Long-Term Care designation. The program Heydon participated in to receive this designation is independent of the insurance industry and teaches insurance professionals to help their clients afford long-term care.

Dae Uh of Scollard’s Cleaners in Spokane, has become a Certified Garment Care Professional through the International Fabricare Institute. To receive this certification, Uh completed courses to become a Certified Professional Drycleaner, a Certified Environmental Drycleaner and a Certified Professional Wetcleaner.

Jill Quinn, Caitlin Cornell and Cory Campbell, students at Gonzaga University, have placed among the top 16 students at the Great American Mock Trial Invitational Tournament in Washington D.C.

Potlatch Corp.’s Cypress Bend, Ark., mill has received the Arkansas Institute for Performance Excellence’s Governor’s Award. The mill manufactures paperboard for packaging.

The Spokane Small Business Administration has honored the Spokane VA Medical Center as Agency of the Year. The center was recognized for increasing by 62 percent the number of contracts it awards to small, disadvantaged and minority businesses.

Travel Management Inc. in Post Falls has achieved membership in the Virtuoso Luxury Travel Network. This network is comprised of the top leisure agencies in North and South America, the Caribbean and Australia.

APPOINTED/ELECTED

Gregory Deckard has been appointed as president of the Washington Independent Community Bankers Association. He is the president and chief executive officer of State National Bank and has 17 years of experience in diversified commercial banking.

The Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association has named Steve James, project manager at J-U-B Engineers Inc., its president-elect. James has been a member of the PNCWA for eight years and has 15 years of water and wastewater experience.

NEW BUSINESS

Noelle and Chad Wilson of Spokane have opened Drop In and Play, a new childcare activity center inside the NorthTown Mall. The center has a ball pit, library, educational and interactive games and a “Mini-town” where kids can play dress-up. The center can be reached at 484-PLAY.

Clean Systems Inc. of Spokane has opened a tunnel car wash, Car Wash Express, at 4920 E. Sprague. The new store offers services that range in price from $6-$10 and also features two Ruff N’ Fluff dog washes where customers can pamper their pooches. The store can be reached at 981-4380.

Robbie and Tony Ferrante have opened a café and shop on the South Hill of Spokane called Ferrante’s. The café offers calzones, pizzas, panini sandwiches, espresso, beer, wine and gelato. The shop features gifts and personal accessories. Ferrante’s is located at 4516 S. Regal and can be reached at 443-6304.

Peggy Santos has opened Center Target Sport Indoor Shooting and Training Facility at 3295 E. Mullan Ave. in Post Falls. The facility has 15 indoor lanes, a 25-yard firing line, two classrooms, an on-site gunsmith and a specialty pro-shop. The facility can be reached at (208) 773-2331.

GIFTS

Richard Pearson, a chiropractor in Spokane, recently devoted one business day to collecting donations for area food banks by asking clients to donate cash or canned goods in lieu of payment. He raised $200 and an amount worth of canned goods.

Avista and Cravens Coffee Co. have created a special blend of coffee called Share the Warmth. A percentage of each coffee sale will benefit Project Share, an energy assistance program administered by the Spokane Neighborhood Action Program.