Business Beat

NEW FACES

Bob and Darlene Stravens, of The Stravens Group, have joined Century 21 Beutler and Associates in Coeur d’Alene. They have more than 35 years of combined real estate experience and specialize in residential, residential waterfront and land property sales.

Spokane Teachers Credit Union has hired Marlis Petersen Spawn as director of finance and accounting. She previously worked as vice president and chief financial officer for IT-Lifeline in Liberty Lake.

Melissa McFadgen has rejoined NAC Architecture as a senior associate. She has a wide range of experience in K-12, higher education and recreation facility projects, and she is working on a design for a new dormitory at Whitworth University and the Campus Classroom Building at Spokane Falls Community College.

AmericanWest Bank has hired Rob Stewart as downtown Spokane financial center manager. He has more than 20 years of banking and finance industry experience.

Meredith Galvan has been hired by Sterling Hospitality Management as director of sales for the downtown Spokane and Spokane Valley Holiday Inn Express Hotels. She will focus on the sales and marketing efforts of both hotels in addition to assisting with other projects.

The law firm of Dunn and Black, P.S. has hired Susan Nelson. Her background is in wage and hour law and general civil litigation.

PROMOTIONS

D.A. Davidson and Co. has promoted Kirt Fredericks to senior vice president/financial consultant at the Spokane branch office. He has been with the firm since 1994. Craig Holmes has been promoted to vice president/financial consultant at the Spokane branch office by D.A. Davidson and Co. He has been with the firm since 2002.

KUDOS

Numerica Credit Union has awarded Dianna Wood the company’s Bud Crump Award for Service Excellence. She works as training coordinator for the company.

Bernadette Pillar has earned the Graduate Realtor Institute designation. She completed three 30-hour courses, covering every facet of real estate practice. She works for Tomlinson Black South.

FedEx Freight has honored the following individuals for Outstanding Safe-Driving Performance: Steve Lloyd of Airway Heights, Edward Poindexter of Post Falls, Michael Sheldon of Otis Orchards, William Winters of Colbert, Harland Simon of Spokane and Danny Marks of Elk. These recipients are among 259 FedEx Freight drivers who have worked at least 20 years without a preventable accident.

Spokane Transit Authority has received the “Success in Enhancing Ridership Award” by the Federal Transit Administration for increasing ridership by 9 percent. STA is among 10 transit agencies nationally recognized for creatively boosting ridership.

GIFTS Washington State Mentors has awarded Gonzaga University a $202,047 grant for the Mentoring At-Risk Youth Project. The project will be administered by the university’s Center for Community Action and Service Learning and will fund up to 150 mentor-mentee matches, comprised of Gonzaga University students and at-risk fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from nearby schools.

The Spokane Public Schools board received a 2007 rebate check for $248,499 from Avista Corp. for new construction and upgrades to its facilities, including Lincoln Heights, Lidgerwood and Ridgeview elementary schools.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc. raised $20,792 for the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery during its eighth annual Burgers with a Heart Fundraiser.

APPOINTED

Brett Sullivan, of Sullivan Homes/Flagstone Development, has been appointed president of the Spokane Home Builders Association board of directors. Other officers are Bruce Georgen of Georgen Homes, first vice president; Diane Gwynn of AmericanWest Bank, second vice president; Ron Soss of Banner Bank, secretary; and Jay Alderson of Alderson Custom Homes, treasurer.

DCI Engineers has appointed Mark Aden as president and CEO of the company’s board of directors. He will also serve as a managing principal for the Spokane office and as a member of the senior management team.

Beth Ann Diagre has been appointed to the national board of directors for the Military Officers of America. She serves as a local board member for the organization’s Spokane chapter.

ACQUIRED

Bob O’Dea has purchased Professional Crane Inspections Inc. The Liberty Lake company, which specializes in overhead crane inspections, sales, operator training, parts and maintenance services, is in the process of relocating to a larger facility on Appleway Avenue in Spokane.