Jon Eliassen, appointed interim president and chief executive officer of Red Lion Hotels Corp. in January 2010, has been given the job permanently.

Eliassen, 63, has been a member of the Spokane company’s board of directors since 2003.

Chairman Donald Barbieri said Red Lion’s board has been pleased with the results of Eliassen’s efforts to grow the Red Lion brand and build shareholder value.

Eliassen was the president and CEO of the Spokane Area Economic Development Council from 2003 to 2007, when it was folded into Greater Spokane Incorporated.

He retired in 2003 as chief financial officer of Avista Corp., where he worked for 33 years. He is also chairman of Itron Corp., a director of It Lifeline Inc. and principal of Terrapin Capital Group LLC.

Bert Caldwell