Business beat
Have an item for Business Beat? Send it to businessbeat@ spokesman.com.
Accounting
Cindy Janikowski has joined BDO USA LLP’s Spokane office as a tax managing director. Janikowski has 22 years of public accounting experience and will be responsible for managing client and prospect relationships. Janikowski previously worked in BDO’s Orange County office.
Design
Zak Designs has announced recent internal promotions to their team. Deanna Sellers is now vice president of the international contract and manufacturing department and will oversee product development, special projects, the art studio, quality control and social compliance. Samantha Youngs has been promoted to director of business development and will focus on strategic vision implementation. In addition, she will establish, maintain and monitor Zak’s sales team’s goals. As Zak’s new director of sales for the Value Channel, Eric Enger will be focused on implementing distribution visions to value retailers across the country. Devon Renner has been promoted to value sales support manager and will focus on direct account support for Target. Johnny Williams will manage sales for an 18-state region and provide support for sales reps after being promoted to sales manager.
Graphic Arts
Raymond Lawton has been named the 2016 Lewis Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by the Printing Industries of America. The award recognizes business leaders who have made long-term contributions to the graphic arts industry. Lawton, chairman of Lawton Printing Services, joined his family business in 1970 after attending South Dakota State University and serving in the U.S. Army.
Real Estate
Windermere/Manito LLC recently hired Kelli Johnson to its Spokane office. She previously worked for John L. Scott.
Science
Four Washington State University faculty have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Wei Hong (Katie) Zhong, Markus Flury, Susmita Bose and Kelly A. Brayton were among 391 members elected because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Zhong was elected for her contributions in composites, nanotechnology and energy materials. She led a group that developed gumlike materials that could improve the safety of lithium ion batteries. Flury was honored for his contributions to soil physics, hydrology and colloids, small particles that can contribute to contaminant transport. Bose was elected for contributions in biomaterials, bone tissue engineering and education of the next generation of material scientists and conducts research in 3-D printing of bonelike materials. Brayton conducts research on livestock and zoonotic pathogens and led a team that generated foundational genome information for important animal pathogens.