Business Beat
NEW FACES Lynn Riggins has been hired by Hennessey Funeral Homes as an ambassador to assist with services. He is a retired chaplain at Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Keven Martinez has been hired to the sales team at Countywide Home Loans’ Liberty Lake office. He previously worked for Market Street Mortgage.
Holly Bamer has been hired as a staff accountant at Dingus, Zarecor and Associates. She previously worked for Grays Harbor PUD and holds an accounting degree from Washington State University.
The Merry Glen Home and School has hired Doug Overlock as executive director. He previously worked for the Center for Human Development in LaGrande, Ore.
Dr. Michael Hixon has been hired by the Rockwood Clinic internal medicine group. He holds a medical degree from Loyola University and completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Mich. He previously worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Fort Harrison, Mont.
Willamette Financial Group has hired Richard Westerman as a financial consultant in the company’s Spokane office. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University.
Payne Financial Group has hired Kele Yake has an administrative assistant.
Roy Scott has been hired as a packaging engineer with Telect. He holds a degree in packing technology from Indiana State University.
John Wartinger has been hired as operations manager at Target Media Northwest. He has more than 32 years of experience and previously worked as the production director for Gannett at Florida Today.
Kirstin Votava has been hired as a corporate communications coordinator at ICM Asset Management. She holds a degree in public relations from Gonzaga University and previously worked for the KXLY Broadcasting Group for 12 years.
Bill Belknap has been hired as a community development director for the city of Moscow. He holds a degree in environmental science from the University of Idaho.
Jason Shriver has been hired as an embedded software engineer for Telect. He holds a degree in electrical engineering and previously worked for ISR in Liberty Lake.
PROMOTIONS Roberta Lyon has been promoted from customer service representative to real estate agent at Century 21 Beutler and Associates in Coeur d’Alene.
Besse Bailey has been promoted from credit analyst to commercial banker at Sterling Savings’ Coeur d’Alene branch. She has been with the company since 2005.
Clare Palmer has been promoted to publications officer at Idaho Independent Bank. She has been with the company since 2005.
Kevin Oliver has been promoted to general manager at Target Media Northwest. He has more than 20 years experience in sales and marketing.
KUDOS Suzanne Metzger, a senior tax accountant with Magnuson, McHugh and Co., recently completed the American Institute of CPAs National Business Valuation School.
USKH Inc. has been ranked among the 500 largest engineering, architectural and environmental design companies in the country by Engineering News Record. It placed 470th on the annual list.
Sunset Towing of Coeur d’Alene has been named a Service Provider of Excellence by AAA Washington and North Idaho. Only three other towing service providers in the region have received the recognition. The rating is based on service quality, on-time performance, facilities, training programs and more.
Potlatch Corp. was recently recognized by the Rainforest Alliance for integrating environmental and social sustainability into its work. The company has worked with the alliance to gain Forest Stewardship Council certification for its forest lands in Minnesota, Arkansas and Wisconsin.
Colmac Coil Manufacturing has been awarded the 2007 Governor’s Emerging Trader of the Year Award by the World Trade Club in Seattle. The award is given annually to a Washington business that has contributed to the development and expansion of international trade in Washington state.
Three people were recently inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. Developers Walt and Karen Worthy were selected for their entrepreneurial success and Ed McWilliams, former president of Fidelity Mutual Savings Bank, for his extensive community service contributions.
TriGeo Network Security recently received Frost and Sullivan’s 2007 North American Technology Innovation of the Year Award for security management and analysis. The company produces software that protects networks from data theft and breaches.
Carl Hueber of Winston and Cashatt has been awarded the Smithmoore P. Myers Professionalism Award. It is given every year to a Spokane County Bar Association member who exemplifies ethical and professional standards.
ELECTED St. Joseph Family Center recently elected a new board of directors. Newly elected officers are Lona Barnum, of The Rally Girls, chair; Julie Griffith, of Money Management International, vice-chair; Shawn Mayo, of Northern Quest Casino, secretary. Newly elected board members are Marijane Hresko, of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia’ Gary Jurgenson, of Sterling Savings Bank; Patricia Millen, of Kitsap Family Center; Henry Montgomery; Andrea Poplawski, of Burke and Associates; Angela Ruff, of Gonzaga University, and Lorna Walsh, of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.
NEW BUSINESS Marianne Dean has opened Destiny Medical-Legal Nurse Consulting in Colfax. Dean is a certified legal nurse consultant and works with attorneys on cases involving medical issues and medical records. The company can be reached at (509) 397-3827.