Business Beat

Cody Carlson has been hired as an estimator/project coordinator at Garco Building Systems.

The Heart Institute office of Heart Clinics Northwest has hired Dr. Michael Ring as an interventional cardiologist. He is a 1982 graduate of Vanderbilt Medical School and completed his internship and residency at the University of Arizona. He is also the medical director of Cardiac Services Line and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Claire Naccarato has been hired as a market research analyst at Northwest Farm Credit Services. She holds degrees in economics and international business from Whitworth College and previously worked as an intern in the marketing department of Northwest Farm Credit Services.

Century 21 Beutler & Associates has hired Tovy Yunikov as a real estate agent in the company’s new downtown office.

Anne Hagman has been hired at Spokane Teachers Credit Union as a business development officer for Kootenai County. She previously worked at Contractors Northwest and is a graduate of the University of Hawaii, Hilo.

Washington Trust Bank has hired Jim Branson as vice president, team leader/relationship manager in the Private Banking Group. He has worked in the financial industry for over 13 years.

Ken Hunt has been hired at AmericanWest Bank as vice president, residential and construction lender in the Private Banking Department. He has over 35 years of banking experience.

Desautel Hege Communications has hired Kolbi Young as an account assistant. She graduated magna cum laude from Southern Utah University with a degree in public relations.

ConoverBond has hired Doug Griepp as general manager of the Montvale Hotel and the Catacombs Pub. Griepp previously worked at the Hotel Lusso and holds bachelor’s degrees in recreation management and hotel and restaurant management from Washington State University.

PROMOTED

Washington Trust Bank has promoted Cindy Anderson to vice president, retail operations team leader. She has been with the bank since 1980 and also manages the retail operations team.

Heidi Austin has been promoted to assistant vice president of Sterling Savings Bank. She has been at the bank for two years and holds a degree in finance and marketing from Gonzaga University.

North Idaho Title has promoted Linda Evans to assistant manager of its Sandpoint location. She has been with the company since 2004 and is a graduate of the University of British Columbia.

Teri Fisher has been promoted to vice president of Sterling Savings Bank. She has been at Sterling for a year, has 10 years of banking experience and 14 years of fee appraising experience.

KUDOS

The following were awarded Inland Northwest Tourism Awards from the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau: First Impression-Hotel, Bob Bruce, E.J. Roberts’ Mansion; First Impression-Transportation, Allen Rogers, The Davenport Hotel; First Impression-Sales, Tammy Lease, Doubletree Hotel Spokane City Center; Silver Spoon, Paul Santos, Mirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center; Rising Star, Heather Pappin, Holiday Inn Express Downtown Spokane; White Glove, Jasmina Mekic, Holiday Inn Express Downtown Spokane; and Hospitality Volunteer of the Year, Valerie Hester, Republic Regional Visitors & Convention Bureau.

GIFTS

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories has granted $1 million in funding over the next 10 years to the Palouse Discovery Science Center. The funds will be used to purchase a new building for the center.