Business Beat
NEW FACES Demetrica Bland has been hired by Storhaug Engineering as an administrative assistant/receptionist. She holds an associate’s degree in personnel management from the Community College of the Air Force.
Ethan Jelinek has been hired as a manufacturing engineer by Blue Water Technologies. He previously worked for the U.S. Navy.
HollisterStier Laboratories has hired Rebecca Rockefeller as a scientist I. She holds a degree in biology from Washington State University.
Linsey Mattison has been hired as an associate attorney by Owens & Crandall in the practice of civil and criminal law. She holds a degree from Gonzaga University School of Law and previously worked as a deputy prosecutor for Kootenai County.
Lisa Brittain has been hired as a staff accountant at McDirmid Mikkelsen & Secrest. She holds a degree in professional accounting/economics/finance from Eastern Washington University.
Dr. Bryan Tompkins has been hired by Shriners Hospital for Children-Spokane as an orthopedic surgeon. He holds a medical degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and completed his residency at Stony Brook University Hospital.
Benjamin Groebner has been hired by Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport & Toole as an associate in the litigation department. He holds a degree from the University of Washington School of Law and previously clerked for Judge Justin L. Quackenbush.
Dr. Tiffany Hanf has been hired by Holy Family Hospitalist in the practice of internal medicine. She graduated from the American University of the Caribbean and completed her internship and residency at Internal Medicine Residency Spokane.
Rick Varnell has been hired by Telect as regional vice president of sales for the Americas. He previously worked for Transtector and Northern Technologies.
Dale Cloninger has been hired as a financial consultant by Harbor Financial Services. He previously worked as a financial adviser with Merrill Lynch.
Clearwater Summit Group has hired Kim Bradshaw as an administrative assistant. She previously worked as a finance manager for a dentist office.
Bryn Harman has been hired as chief financial officer at HuntMountain Resources. He previously worked as vice president and director of research for ICM Asset Management. He holds a degree in commerce from the University of Saskatchewan.
Maggie Babb has been hired as regional director of sales at Red Lion Hotels Corp. She has 18 years experience in hospitality sales and marketing.
Blaze Gannon has been hired as a certified physician assistant by Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California.
Bernardo-Wills Architects has hired Rupali Joshi as a project manager. She previously was a business consultant and former partner of an architectural and interior design firm in Mumbai, India.
PROMOTIONS Robert DesRoches Jr. has been promoted to partner at Englund Dentistry, an aesthetic and restorative dental practice. He has been with the practice for nine years. He holds a degree from Northwestern University Dental School.
Patricia Shea has been promoted to Coeur d’Alene regional business manager by Avista. She has been with the company since 1979 and was most recently Spokane area regional business manager.
Linda Wilson has been promoted to vice president of human resources at URM Stores Inc. She has been with the company 27 years. She was previously director of human resources.
KUDOS Lita Burns, health professions and nursing director at North Idaho College, was recently named to the Nursing Workforce Advisory Council.
Karen Corcoran, owner of RE/MAX by the Lake, recently received the certified international property specialist designation by the National Association of Realtors.
Yong Yudt of the Holiday Inn Express Spokane Valley recently received the 2007 breakfast bar attendant of the year award. There are more than 1,500 Holiday Inn Express franchise properties.
Jim Watson, an associate broker with Kiemle & Hagood Co., recently received the Sister Marie Marceau Award from the Volunteers for America in recognition of his support of the Hope House Women’s Shelter.
Certified nursing assistant Ruben Colon was recently awarded the Dr. Philip Morrison Award by St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute. The award is given to employees who demonstrate St. Luke’s mission and values.
The Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing was recently named the Organization of the Year by Greater Spokane Incorporated.
Amanda Stirn of Stirn and Associates was recently given the bridge builder award by the Inland Northwest Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Dr. Gary Cantlon was recently named on the America’s Best Doctors in the field of otolaryngology by Spokane-Coeur d’Alene Living magazine. He has been with the Spokane Ear Nose and Throat Clinic since 1981.
Real Estate Marketplace Northwest Inc. of Deer Park won the New Business Category in the Northwest Washington Family Business of the Year Award competition run by the Family Enterprise Institute of Pacific Lutheran University’s School of Business. The category included businesses open less than 10 years that were judged on innovative business practices, performance and contributions to community.
APPOINTED Dr. Katherine Tuttle has been appointed chair of the health care professional work group for the national Diabetes Education Program. The program is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is medical and scientific director of Providence Medical Research Center.
ELECTED Steve Appel, a wheat and barley grower from Whitman County, was recently reelected president of the Washington Farm Bureau. He has held the position since 1994.
NEW BUSINESS Dr. Scott Smith has opened the Spokane Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center in Spokane Valley. The practice can be reached at (509) 892-2480.