Business Beat: A collection of regional advancement and achievement

Accounting

Nadia Korovina and Jeremy Valdez have been hired by Dingus, Zarecor & Associates PLLC. Both graduated from Eastern Washington University and have been hired as staff accountants.

Dental

Cascade Dental Care has hired Dr. Heather Moore to their practice. She graduated from Carroll College in Helena, Montana, with a degree in biology and completed her doctorate at Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska.

Engineering

Steve Nelson has been hired by Century West as project manager and will be responsible for project management, civil design and business development efforts. His expertise includes aviation, civic facilities, infrastructure and construction projects.

Health

The Alzheimer’s Association Washington State Chapter recognized Garry Matlow as the 2016 recipient of the Swan Award as the Employee of the Year. The Swan Award is endowed by Kenny and Marleen Alhadeff in memory of Kenny’s mother Joan G. Alhadeff. Matlow is a 10-year employee of the association and is operations assistant in the Spokane office.

Literature

Kate Peterson, an English instructor at Eastern Washington University, has been appointed as the interim director of Get Lit!, starting Dec. 16. Peterson has been an adjunct professor at EWU since 2014, where she also earned her MFA. Her book “Grist” won the 2016 Floating Bridge Chapbook Prize after being published in October. A search for a permanent director will begin in February.

Science

James A. Wells will receive the Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award from Washington State University in January. The award is the highest honor given by the university to alumni. Wells was a founder, president and chief science officer at Sunesis Pharmaceuticals and is a professor and former chair of pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco. His research lab designs proteins and small molecules that trigger cellular processes in order to understand and treat cancer. Wells has authored more than 190 peer-reviewed papers and has over 60 patents.

Veterinary

Katrina L. Mealey, a Washington State University professor, has been elected a fellow of the National Academy of Investors, a prestigious group of scientists that includes 27 Nobel laureates. Mealey discovered a potentially fatal gene mutation in dogs, developed a test for it and has created a program at WSU of medical treatment individualized for each pet. Her nine patents have generated more than a million dollars in royalties and licensing fees for WSU.