Business Beat

Peggy Hubbell has been hired as vice president and private banker of Sterling Savings Bank. She has over 26 years of banking experience and previously worked at Washington Trust Bank.

Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller has hired Shannon Deonier as an associate, specializing in family law. She previously worked at Mary Schultz & Associates and is a graduate of the Gonzaga University School of Law.

Gayle Terry has been hired as a real estate agent in the downtown Spokane office of Century 21 Beutler & Associates.

DCI Engineers has hired Matthew Thomas as a structural project engineer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Walla Walla College.

Justin Le Grand has been hired as a designer and AutoCAD drafter at Storhaug Engineering.

Dr. Jeff Collins has been hired as the chief medical officer at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Collins practices with the Physicians Clinic and is a past president of the Spokane County Medical Society.

Coffman Engineers has hired Demeritius Griffin as a mechanical drafter. He is a recent graduate of Spokane Community College and holds an associate’s degree in architectural technology.

PROMOTED

Rex O’Neel has been promoted to network administrator at New Horizons Computer Learning Center of Spokane. He will also lead the company’s Mentored Learning Program.

HollisterStier Laboratories has promoted Denise Polack to small lot manufacturing aseptic specialist. She has been with the company for 15 years and previously worked as an SLM lead manufacturing technologist.

Kris Garber has been promoted to senior professional relations representative at Asuris Northwest Health. She has been with the company for 10 years.

Moloney O’Neill Insurance has promoted Gail Jones to account manager. She has been with the company for 16 years and previously worked as an account assistant.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories has promoted Nancy Hindman to senior vice president of finance, human resources and information services. She has been with the company since 1989 and most recently worked as vice president of finance.

Timo Korkeamaki has been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor at Gonzaga University. Korkeamaki teaches in the School of Business Administration.

KUDOS

The Spokane Public Relations Council has awarded its 11th Annual SPARC Awards to the following: Marketing Communications; Industry, Retail Manufacturing, Excellence Award, Michelle Hege, Andrei Mylroie, Erika Neff, Itron, Intron International Marketing Group 2005 Marketing Program, produced by Desautel Hege Communications; Services, Excellence Award, Tamara Hartman, Terry Rayburn Mitchell, Garrett Riddle, Greg Orwig, Julie Riddle, Whitworth College, Whitworth Admissions Publications Package; Government, Association, Nonprofit, Merit Award, Ron Nichols, Natural Resource Conservation Service, CSP Campaign; Merit Award, Annie Matlow, April Brast, Jolene Balyeat, Spokane Symphony, 2005 Beethoven Bash; Excellence Award, Jennifer West, Amy Fritsch, Eric Moses, Inland Northwest Economic Alliance, Southern California Media Tour, produced by Rockey Hill & Knowlton.

APPOINTED

Ivonne Freas has been appointed to the board of directors of Spokane Teachers Credit Union. She is the owner/operator of Freas Farm and Orchard and a proposal specialist at Telect Inc.

NEW BUSINESS

Steve Halliday has opened a new Allstate Insurance Company office at 880 Hess Street, Suite 2, Hayden Lake, Idaho. He has 12 years of insurance experience, and can be reached at (208) 772-9535.

Babies ‘R’ Us has opened at 6104 N. Division St. The baby products store can be reached at (509) 482-0724.

GIFTS

Aegis Biosciences has received a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health. The funds will be used to develop innovative wound-dressing materials.

RETIRED

Dr. G. Thomas Miller is retiring from the position of chief medical officer of Sacred Heart and Providence Health Care. Miller has worked in this capacity since 1998 and will retire Oct. 13.