Business beat
Banking
Numerica Credit Union has named Jenifer Piper vice president of digital solutions and engagement, a new role created to enhance how Numerica engages with members through digital channels. Piper has been with Numerica for 14 years, most recently as Numerica’s North Idaho and Spokane-area vice president of retail experience. In her new role, Piper will be responsible for companywide member engagement and directing a vision for the company’s digital experience.
State Bank Northwest has opened a new loan production center in Rockford and announced the hiring of three team members. Jacob Holling is senior vice president and agriculture lending officer. Holling has 20 years of experience in banking. Zach Young is vice president and agriculture lending officer. Young has been in banking for eight years. Betsy Fuchs was hired as a commercial loan assistant. Fuchs has 40 years of experience in financial services.
Construction
ALLWEST, an engineering, environmental and construction materials testing firm, announced two leadership changes that will take effect Jan. 1 James Thomasson will be chief executive officer. Thomasson joined ALLWEST in 2016 as a senior geotechnical engineer and engineering department manager in the firm’s Hayden office. He was promoted to area manager of the Hayden office in 2018 and has served as area manager of the Missoula office since it opened in 2019. Taryn Perry will be chief operations officer. Perry joined ALLWEST in 2019, overseeing the company’s accounting, human resources, information technology and business development operations. Perry is currently the vice president of business operations.
Education
Dr. Janelle Clauser has been named Dean of the Foundations Phase of Education by the University of Washington School of Medicine, based at the Gonzaga University campus. Clauser will lead students during the first 18 months of medical education, referred to as the “foundations phase.” Clauser has been a UWSOM faculty member since 2013 and has been a leader in UWSOM’s Colleges System for the past six years, which pairs medical students with faculty mentors. Clauser is board-certified in internal medicine and pediatrics and maintains a practice at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Health care
Cancer Care Northwest has announced a new partnership with St. Joseph Regional Medical Center to offer radiation oncology physician services to patients in the Lewis-Clark Valley and surrounding areas. With this partnership, CCNW brought full-time board-certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Robert Fairbanks to its Lewis-Clark Valley team. Fairbanks has worked for CCNW for the past 20 years in the Spokane and Coeur d’ Alene areas and currently serves as the radiation oncology research director for CCNW. He is a graduate of Arizona State University, specializing in cell biology. Fairbanks attended medical school and completed transitional residency at Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans. He completed a radiation oncology residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. After completing his residency, Fairbanks served as an associate professor at Texas A&M Medical School.
Law
Piskel Yahne Kovarik PLLC has promoted William B. Emmal to associate attorney. Emmal previously worked as a law clerk. He specializes in construction, real property, landlord-tenant law and business litigation. The firm also hired Tabitha Gregory as firm administrator. Gregory previously worked in business management positions in Spokane and Valdez, Alaska.
Manufacturing
Clearwater Paper Corp. named Michael Urlick as senior vice president and general manager of the consumer products division. Urlick succeeds Joanne Shufelt, who will retire from the company in the coming year. Urlick joined the company in 2013 and most recently served as vice president of sales and marketing for the consumer products division. He previously held sales positions with Georgia Pacific and Acosta Sales and Marketing. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and business management, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota.