Business Beat

NEW FACES

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in Spokane Valley has hired Julia Hansen as a home mortgage consultant. She previously worked at Washington Mutual Bank in Spokane Valley and has over six years of mortgage lending experience.

Nicole Cox has been hired at the Spokane Valley Branch of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Cox previously worked at Washington Mutual Bank and has over six years of mortgage lending experience.

Fidelity Associates Insurance Brokers has hired Gary Duckworth as a commercial producer. Duckworth has a background in commercial insurance and business risk management.

HollisterStier has hired Damian Eachan Dilley as a Scientist I. He previously worked at Eon Labs in North Carolina and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Michael Gosmer has been hired at HollisterStier as a senior validation specialist. Gosmer previously worked at Synchem Inc. in Aurora, Ohio and Oakwood Laboratories in Solon, Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and chemistry from Kent State University.

HollisterStier has hired Gary Lund as a distribution supervisor. Lund previously worked at Pasta USA and holds a bachelor’s degree in operations management from Eastern Washington University.

R.C. Lavasseur has been hired at HollisterStier as a programmer/analyst. Lavasseur previously worked at Itron and holds an associate’s degree in business computer programming from Spokane Community College.

PROMOTED

WhiteRunkle has promoted Bill Northrop to vice president and executive creative director. Northrop has more than 25 years of experience.

Julie Caires has been promoted at HollisterStier to regulatory affairs specialist. She has been with the company since 2003 and has been working as an environmental monitoring technician. Caires holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental chemistry from Washington State University and a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from California Polytechnic State University.

HollisterStier has promoted Janelle Jovick-Leonard to communication manager. She has been with the company since 2002 and holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and Asian studies from Gonzaga University.

Rick Lapointe has been promoted to senior vice president of operations at HollisterStier. Lapointe has been with the company since 1997 and was previously the vice president of operations.

HollisterStier has promoted Andrea Swanson to senior accountant. She has been with the company since 2003 and previously worked as an accountant. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Portland.

ELECTED/APPOINTED

Spokane Authors and Self-Publishers has recently elected a new board of directors. They are: president, Barbara Cagle, a retired real estate broker working on a book about her mother; vice president David Demers, operator of Marquette Books; treasurer, Michael Hinz, a retired civil service worker and publisher of two books; and secretary, Jan Loehr, a personal caregiver who writes poetry and short stories.

Barb Lundberg, the North Idaho College Student Support Services director, has been elected president of the Idaho Association of TRIO Programs. Lundberg will serve a two-year term.

Ken Briggs has been appointed executive director of the Spokane Lilac Festival Association to succeed Brusan Wells. Briggs spent over 20 years in nonprofit management in the Seattle area and was previously the executive director of Northwest Regional Facilitators.

The Arc of Spokane County has appointed Les Nipp as manager of employment/community options. Nipp previously worked in law enforcement and has been with the Arc for 17 years.

Ron Kurz has been appointed manager of the personal support network of the Arc of Spokane County. Kurz most recently served as director of the National Arc AmeriCorps Project and has been with the organization for over 20 years.

The Arc of Spokane County has appointed Cathie Griffith as the home ownership opportunities specialist. Griffith has 15 years of experience in the developmental disabilities field.

The American Hospital Association has appointed Jorge Bombel to a Region 9 trustee. Bombel is the board chairman of Inland Northwest Health Services and will serve a two-year term.

KUDOS

Scott Murock has earned the designation of chartered financial consultant from the American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Murock works at Edward Jones in Spokane.

The Emerging Technologies and Healthcare Innovations Congress has awarded Inland Northwest Health Services first place in technology innovation. INHS received this award for developing a TelePharmacy that offers 24-hour services to rural hospitals and health care facilities.

GIFTS

Avista Foundation distributed $46,000 to various recipient agencies in the fourth quarter of 2004, which brings the total amount of the foundation’s grants for the year to more than $100,000.

MILESTONES

Laser Quest has recently celebrated 10 years of business in Spokane. The Spokane Laser Quest is parent company Versant Corp.’s largest U.S. laser tag facility.