Business Beat

NEW FACES

Tomlinson Black Commercial Inc. has hired Christopher Bell as part-time corporate counsel and as a sales and leasing specialist. Bell is a graduate of the Seattle University School of Law.

Aaron Lake has been hired at Tomlinson Black Commercial Inc. as a commercial sales and leasing agent. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and was previously the chief investment analyst for Prime Capital Ventures in Phoenix.

Tomlinson Black Commercial Inc. has hired Johnathan Makus. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international business from Johnson and Wales University.

Howard Martinson has been hired at Verizon Information Services as regional account manager for North Idaho and Spokane County. He previously owned Coeur d’Alene Wireless.

Coldwell Banker Northwest Group Real Estate has hired Ira McMorris as a residential specialist. He was previously a pastor in Texas.

Judy Gibbs-Foy has been hired at Spring Environmental Inc. as an environmental, health and safety consultant. She previously worked at Conoco Inc.’s environmental resources and audit program teams.

Holy Family Hospital and Spokane Urology has recently hired Dr. Michael Oefelein. He received his medical degree from Case Western University in Cleveland and completed his residency at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Dr. Raymond Miller has been hired at Spokane Urology and Holy Family Hospital. He is a graduate of the University of Washington and completed his residencies at the University of Washington and at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Spokane Urology and Holy Family Hospital has hired Dr. Mihai Alexianu. He earned his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, Romania and his residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.

Next IT has hired Josh Knowles as a lead software developer. He previously worked at World Wide Packets and Webiness.

Ted Lewis has been hired at Next IT as an account executive. He has worked at Itron Inc., LineSoft, Getronics and Pansophic Systems and has over 20 years of high tech sales experience.

Anthony, Baker & Burns Real Estate has hired Jacci Bottler as a residential salesperson. She has over 11 years of experience as a Realtor and holds a master’s degree in education.

Keith Jones has been hired as the director of the Office of Intellectual Property Administration at Washington State University. He previously worked as the director of commercialization in life sciences at Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc.

The Spokane Valley office of Windermere Real Estate has hired Melanie Lopez as a sales associate. Lopez previously worked in accounts payable for EDMO District.

Tyler Vinson has been hired as a sales associate at the Spokane Valley office of Windermere Real Estate. Vinson was previously a sales associate at Olympic Boat Centers.

PROMOTED

Tidyman’s has promoted Fred Fritts to perishable merchandiser at the company’s Lyons Avenue store. He was previously the assistant store director and has been with Tidyman’s for 19 years.

Karen Riba has been promoted to director of human resources at Tidyman’s. She was previously a human resources manager and has been with Tidyman’s for 15 years.

Rossi Insurance Company has promoted Jeff Wilkins to a principal in the company. He has worked at Rossi since 1989 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management.

Susan Welton has been promoted at the Washington state Department or Social and Health Services. She will now lead the office responsible for determining eligibility for cash assistance, basic food, Working Connections Child Care and medical assistance for the downtown, east central and west central areas of Spokane, Airway Heights, Medical Lake, Cheney and Lincoln County.

The Washington state Department of Social and Health Services has promoted Pete Casimir to lead the Spokane Valley office. He has been with the department for 15 years.

Mike Midkiff has been promoted at the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services to administrator of the Spokane North Community Service Office. He previously worked at the Spokane Valley office of the department.

The Washington state Department of Social and Health Services has promoted Bill McCracken to supervisor of the Spokane North Community Service Office. McCracken is a 1996 graduate of Eastern Washington University and was previously a social worker for the Spokane Valley Community Services office.

KUDOS

Paul Kirkpatrick of Kirkpatrick & Startzel has become a certified mediator. Kirkpatrick received this designation after completing the mediation program at the University of Washington School of Law.

Jennifer Wiemers has been awarded the Personal Banker of the Year Award for the Northwest region by Sterling Savings Bank. Wiemers has been with the bank since 1997, when she started working at the Argonne branch, and now works at the Coeur d’Alene branch.

Fran Bailie, a human resource associate at S.L. Start, has earned certification as a professional in human resources by the Human Resource Certification Institute.

The International Trade Alliance has awarded Esterline Advanced Input Systems the Inland Northwest Global Business on the Rise Award and Wagstaff was awarded the Inland Northwest Global Business of the Year Award.

United Country-Lake Roosevelt Realty Inc. in Davenport, Wash., has been ranked among the top 20 percent of United Country’s offices. The office is owned and operated by Sherie Wardian.

Avista Advantage has been awarded the Excellence in Promoting Superior Energy Performance award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The company received this award for its contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

ELECTED/APPOINTED

The Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery has elected its board of directors for 2005. They are chair, Jeff Benesch of Trans-System Inc.; chair-elect, Rick Beebe of BDO Seidman; treasurer, Drew MacAfee of Washington Trust Bank; secretary, Pat Cerutti of Lukins & Annis; and counsel, Carol Haugen, an attorney in private practice.

Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz has been appointed to the board of directors of Coldwater Creek. She was recently executive vice president of merchandising for Victoria’s Secret Stores.