County Realtors Present 1999 Awards Greg
Grant, associate broker for Coldwell Banker Miller-Arnason in Bellingham,
has been named Realtor of the Year by the Whatcom County Association
of Realtors. Grant
was one of seven people honored with 1999 awards by the association. Grant
serves as a state director with the Washington Association of Realtors,
which presented him its State Community Service Award last year.
He also is a member of the local association's professional standards
committee and a former president of the organization.
He has been a member of the Whatcom County Planning Commission,
the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce board and a Bellingham
Technical College advisory committee and helped raise funds for
the YMCA, Salvation Army and Red Cross. Brothers
Robert “Bob Miller and John Miller of Coldwell Banker Miller-Arnason
are joint recipients of the Realtor Lifetime Achievement Award. They
are the sons of Edward H. Miller, who started a Whatcom County real
estate business in 1907. Robert Miller started an insurance business
with his father in downtown Bellingham in 1950. John Miller joined
the firm in 1950 and in 1957 the office began its appraisal business. Robert
Miller has been in the real estate business for 50 years and today
appraises properties with his son, Gragg Miller, broker, president
and owner of Coldwell Banker Miller-Arnason. Robert Miller served
two years as president of the Whatcom County Association of Realtors
and also has been board president of the Bellingham Jaycees, Bellingham
Civic Music Association (now Whatcom Symphony Orchestra), Western
Foundation and Totem Council-Camp Fire Girls. John
Miller was a real estate broker at Coldwell Banker Miller from 1950
until several years ago. He also served as a broker and appraiser
at the real estate firm established by his father, Edward H. Miller
& Company. He appraised right-of-way property from the Blaine
to Seattle for the state Highway Department during construction
of Interstate 5 and also worked with the federal government in determining
monetary losses and damage to buildings in Anchorage, Alaska, after
the 1964 earthquake. Mike
Kent, a Realtor with John L. Scott Real Estate in Bellingham, received
the Rookie of the Year Award for service to the community and the
Realtor organization, as well as sales success.
Doug
Weeks, a Realtor with RE/MAX Whatcom County, was presented the Community
Service Award. He chaired the Realtor I-5 clean-up committee two
years, was chair of the local association's Realtor Political Action
Committee and served on the association's team that interviewed
local candidates for political offices. He also has been active
in sports programs within the Mount Baker School District. Kelli
Jarrett, a marketing and sales representative for First American
Title in Bellingham for 19 years, is the Affiliate of the Year.
She has assisted Realtors in all aspects of escrow, marketing and
sales and been a frequent contributor to the local association's
activities. The
Citizen of the Year award went to Pat Rowe, development director
for the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce. The award is based
on contributions to the public as a public official, educator and/or
business professional, as well as personal service to clubs, organizations,
churches and the general community. Rowe recently completed a term
on the Bellingham City Council and was chair of numerous committees,
including Planning and Community Development when it reviewed the
city's comprehensive plan. He also has worked closely with Western
Washington University on joint projects that benefit the community,
including residential parking zones and a park-and-ride bus service
for students heading to Civic Field. Rowe has been on the boards
of Current Industries, Bellingham Central Lions Club and Whatcom
County March of Dimes. The
Building Industry Association of Whatcom County received the Partner
of the Year award. The BIAWC has taken a strong position on the
cost of Bellingham building permits and joined Realtors in expressing
views on issues involving private property rights, Lake Whatcom
water quality and water negotiations. The BIAWC also has provided
the local Realtors organization with information on proposed regulations
and legislation. Benton Chairs Port Board of Commissioners Ginny
Benton, starting her second four-year term as a Port of Bellingham
commissioner, was elected president of the board of the commissioners
for this year. Scott
Walker will serve as vice president and Doug Smith is secretary. The
commissioners will continue to meet at 4 p.m. the first Tuesday
of the month and 2 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month. Meetings
are conducted in the Harbor Center conference room at 1801 Roeder
Ave., Bellingham. For
more information, call the Port of Bellingham, 676-2500. Haggen Promotes Two, Adds Norton to Exec Group Haggen,
Inc. has added Dave Norton to its executive committee. Norton
has been vice president of the company's Center Store (nonperishable
products) division. He now has responsibility for the pharmacy,
pricing and store brands at Haggen and reports directly to Dale
Henley, the president and chief executive officer. The
company also promoted a pair of employees. Julie
Lamb was named vice president of fresh foods and also became part
of the Haggen executive committee. She joined the company in 1995
and has served in various positions, including service deli merchandiser,
director of food services and, most recently, vice president of
perishables and food service. Before joining Haggen, she worked
for Fred Meyer for 18 years. Becky
Skaggs was promoted to manager of consumer insights and will plan,
manage and analyze all of the company's consumer research. She
will continue as executive assistant to Henley. Haggen
operates 24 supermarkets under the store names of Haggen Food and
Pharmacy and TOP Food & Drug. It is the largest independent
grocer and the seventh-largest private company in Washington state.
The company's headquarters are in Bellingham. Ho Joins Practice of Whatcom Vision Clinic Dr.
Lloyd Ho, an optometric physician, has joined the staff of Whatcom
Vision Clinic in Bellingham. Ho
graduated with honors from Pacific University College of Optometry
in May. He was presented its vision development award for clinical
excellence in vision therapy and pediatrics. His primary professional
interests include children's vision and contact lenses. Ho
also has earned a bachelor of science degree and a bachelor of education
degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C.
He taught high school math and chemistry for two years before attending
optometry school. Staeb Elected Officer by State Broadcasters Rick
Staeb, market manager of the Cascade Radio Group in Bellingham,
has been elected vice chairman of the Washington State Association
of Broadcasters. Staeb
oversees the operations of the five stations in the Cascade Radio
Group: AM 790 KGMI, AM 930 KIXT, AM 1170 KPUG, KISM 92.9 FM and
KAFE 104.3 FM. Cascade Radio Group is owned by Saga Communications,
Inc. of Grosse Point Farms, Mich. Staeb
started in the radio industry 28 years ago as an announcer and salesperson
for a station in Iowa. He earned a dual degree in broadcasting and
business from Central Michigan University. He moved to Seattle in
1980 and worked as a radio and television station sales representative
before moving to Bellingham in 1988 to work for KGMI and KISM. Whatcom State Bank Promotes Hudson Whatcom
State Bank has promoted Linda Hudson to commercial loan officer
at its Bellingham branch. Hudson,
who has worked for the bank since 1987, previously was responsible
for its consumer loan portfolio. She has 20 years of lending experience. Hudson
graduated from Ferndale High School and Whatcom Community College.
She has served as president of the Whatcom County Division of the
American Institute of Banking. Whidbey Island Bank Adds Elsasser Karie
Elsasser has joined Whidbey Island Bank as a real estate loan officer. Elsasser''s duties include generating construction and residential real estate
loans in Whatcom County. Her office is in the bank's real estate
loan center at the corner of York and State streets in Bellingham.
Elsasser previously was employed as a real estate loan officer by
Washington Mutual. Finger Heads Board of Farmers Market Mike
Finger has been elected president of the board of directors of the
Bellingham Farmers Market Association for the 2000 market season. Finger
is co-owner of Cedarville Farms, several miles south of Everson.
He previously has served the association as board president and
is one of its founding members. The
board's other officers are Nick Guilford of Sunseed Farm near Acme,
vice president; Jay Christensen of Cold Mountain Farm near Deming,
secretary; and Jan Quanz of B.B. Meats in Bellingham, treasurer. The
other board members are Cindy Katzenberg, who makes organic cat
food; Beth Hailey of Dona Flora in LaConner, Les Price of Jones
Creek Farms near Sedro-Woolley, Gail Blackburn of Blackburn Flowers
in Bellingham and Sharon Swanson of Greenwood Enterprises in Bellingham. The
market will reopen along Railroad Avenue in downtown Bellingham
on April 8.
Dennis
Larson has been promoted to gravel division manager by Cowden Gravel
& Ready Mix, located near Nugents Corner at 3463 Cedarville
Road, Bellingham. Larson
has been the lead delivery and placement specialist for Cowden Gravel
the last several years and worked there since 1986. Cole Named to Board of Puget Sound Energy Craig
Cole, president and chief executive officer of Brown & Cole
Stores in Bellingham, has been elected to the board of directors
of Bellevue-based Puget Sound Energy.
Craig Cole is a proven leader with great insight and invaluable
experience, says William Weaver, president and CEO of Puget Sound
Energy. “We look forward to his help and guidance as Puget
Sound Energy works toward its goal of becoming the world's best
energy delivery company.
I am proud to have been asked to be a part of a company that is
nationally Puget
Sound Energy is Washington's largest energy utility. It serves
1.2 million natural gas and electric customers in Park, Zatylny Honored by County Realtors Christine
Park and Sandy Zatylny have been honored by the Whatcom County Association
of Realtors. Park
has been named Realtor of the fourth quarter. She is on the staff
of Coldwell Banker Miller-Arnason Real Estate in Bellingham and
has been a Realtor in the county since 1988. She was selected for
the award for her outstanding contributions to the association and
its activities. Park has been chair of the annual affiliate appreciation
event that honors local businesses. She currently is a member of
the grievance committee that upholds the professional standards
of the Realtor code of ethics. Park''s community activities include involvement with the Mayor's Capitol
Improvement Task Force, the board of Whatcom County Big Brothers/Big
Sisters, Maritime Heritage Park and the Bellingham YWCA. Zatylny,
a marketing and sales representative for Chicago Title in Bellingham,
was named affiliate of the fourth quarter. She has worked in the
real estate industry for eight years and was chair of the county
association's annual banquet, presented Jan. 8 at Resort Semiahmoo. Zatylny
also has helped the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County
with its Tour of Homes, was a team captain for the Jingle Bell Run
for Arthritis and coordinated a Chicago Title bowling team for a
Big Brothers/Big Sisters fund-raising event. Snapper Shuler Kenner Insurance Hires Employees Snapper
Shuler Kenner Insurance in Lynden has added Krista Van Soest and
Kelli Van Dyken to its staff. Van
Soest is a customer service representative in commercial insurance.
She previously was employed by DeWaard & Bode Appliances for
8 1/2 years. Van Soest graduated
with a degree in marketing and business administration from Western
Washington University in 1998 and recently completed extensive insurance
training at Safeco Insurance in Seattle. Van
Dyken is a personal lines agent who sells and services homeowner
and auto insurance policies. She completed a week of agent licensing
school and passed a state insurance agents exam in October. Pollock Heading March of Dimes Fundraiser Cathy
Pollock of Bellingham, an insurance administrator for The Unity
Group, has been named Whatcom County chair of the March of Dimes
WalkAmerica 2000. The
walk, chaired by Pollock for several consecutive years, is scheduled
April 29 in Bellingham. It will start and end at St. Luke's Head
Education Center on Ellis Street. Pollock
wants to increase corporate and organizational participation in
the local event,. Last year about 200 walkers and volunteers participated
in the Whatcom County WalkAmerica and raised about $25,000 last
year.
This event presents an opportunity for all of us, business and
community, to focus on the health of babies and our future, Pollock
says. The
mission of the March of Dimes is to save babies by presenting birth
defects and infant mortality through programs of community service,
research, education and advocacy. For
information on organizing a walk team or helping with the event''s logistics, call Pollock at 734-8025, ext. 244, or the March of
Dimes, (800) 291-DIME. Cornwell Heads Local Chapter of Architects Brad
Cornwell of Ross & McClure Architects in Bellingham has been
elected president of the Northwest Washington Chapter of the American
Institute of Architects. The
other officers are: Jean Steinbrecher of Langley, president-elect;
John Cheney of Mount Vernon, treasurer; and Greg McCracken of Burlington,
secretary. Board
members include David Christensen, Jed Clark, Thomas Entriken, Larry
Kwiatkowski and Douglas Landsem, all of Bellingham, and Lowell Larson
and David Hall, both of Mount Vernon. Prager Completes Dental Aesthetic Program Dr.
Jeffrey Prager recently completed the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum
at the University of Pacific in San Francisco. Prager
heads the Northwest Center for Esthetic Dentistry in Bellingham.
He larned about state-of-the-art procedures for restoring smiles
with modern, metal-free and virtually life-like materials.
The program provides practices like mine the opportunity to better
help people who have chewing problems or broken-down teeth and people
who are looking to dramatically improve the appearance of their
smiles, Prager says. Kleinknecht Named Interim Dean at WWU Ronald
Kleinknecht has been named interim dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences at Western Washington University. Kleinknecht,
chair of the psychology department, replaces Peter Elich, dean since
1984. Elich announced his resignation in October and is returning
to a part-time teaching position in the psychology department. Kleinknecht
has received the Olscamp Research Award and earned an international
reputation for his contributions in the areas of dental and medically-related
phobias. He is the author of three books, 22 book chapters and 46
journal articles. Kleinknecht joined the faculty at Western Washington
University in 1970 and was named chair of the psychology department
in 1990. Rice Insurance Partner Dickerson Retires Ron
Dickerson has retired as a partner at Rice Insurance Agency in Bellingham. After
working in the hotel industry locally, Dickerson joined Rice Insurance
20 years ago and handled all lines of insurance. He is a member
of the Bellingham Central Lions Club and an avid golfer. Rice
Insurance's current partners are John Hooley, Greg Gudbranson,
Ron Thorneycroft and Tim Dickerson. Bellingham Teen Becomes Youngest MOUS Master Josh
Apperson, 15, of Bellingham has become the youngest-known person
to pass the final Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) exam and
gain Office 97 master certification. Apperson
underwent hands-on computer training from a pair of MOUS master
certified instructors, Sandy and Vic Kiel, at The Fourth R of Whatcom
County, a franchise of The Fourth R, Inc. The training included
keyboarding, Microsoft Office products, Publisher and FrontPage.
To earn the master certification, Apperson passed an expert exam
for each of the primary office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint
and Access) with excellent scores in minimal time, according to
Vic Kiel. The Fourth R provides computer-training solutions in
hundreds of locations worldwide. The Fourth R of Whatcom County
opened in Bellingham in June 1997. It provides information technology
training for corporations, businesses, organizations, adults and
children.
Mike
McQuaide has been named editor of Kulshan.com, a Fourth Corner community
Web site operated by Sign Me Up Marketing in Bellingham. McQuaide
has been a features reporter and copy editor for The Bellingham
Herald the past five years. He received awards for feature stories,
music reviews and humor columns from the Society of Professional
Journalist and Washington Press Association. he graduated cum laude
with a degree in English from Western Washington University in 1993. McQuaide''s responsibilities will include writing, assigning and editing
stories and updating the site's events calendar. He takes over
some duties from former editor Glen Berry, who will devote more
time to developing Film Underground, a site dedicated to independent
filmmaking. Kulshan.com
was launched by Wayne Berry in January 1999. The site, as well as
the book it spawned, Kulshan.com's Guide to Whatcom County, includes
information about outdoor recreation opportunities, film and art,
restaurants, night life and community resources. Doughty, Russell Earn Professional Rating Jane
Doughty and Patricia Russell recently earned the Certified Professional
Secretary rating by passing a three-part, one-day exam conducted
in Bellingham. Doughty
works for the Whatcom County Public Works Department and Russell
is on the staff of the President's Office at Whatcom Community
College. Both are members of the Bellingham Chapter of the International
Association of Administrative Professionals. The
local chapter is forming review courses for the May exam. For more
information about the Certified Professional Secretary rating and
exam, call Francine Kincaid, 676-6717. Marysville Author Speaking at IAAP Program Alice
Rowe, known for her energizing presentations that encourage women
to celebrate their gifts and talents, will speak March 14 to the
local chapter of the International Association of Administrative
Professionals. Rowe
will explore what achievement means, the importance of “balcony
people, establishing an empowerment team and how to “smart
up. As a management consultant, she creates and delivers training
programs for businesses and industrial and government organizations
to develop strong management skills and build effective teams. The
program, which includes a light meal, will be presented from 5:30
to 8 p.m. at the Harbor Center conference room on Roeder Avenue
in Bellingham. The cost is $7.50 for IAAP members and $10 for non-members.
Registration by March 10 is required. For registration or more information,
call Kerry Messer, 676-6903. Kagan Presenting Seminar on Long-term Care A
free public seminar, “Long-term Care: A Family Crisis, will
be presented Feb. 12 in Bellingham by Robin Kagan, a local Bankers
Life and Casualty agent. Kagan
specializes in long-term care insurance. She will provide information
about the need to plan for long-term care, who pays for it and what
to consider when choosing a long-term care insurance policy. The
seminar will start at 1:30 p.m. at Northwest Freedom University,
a division of Western Washington University. Registration is required
for attendance. Call 650-3476 for more information. Moss Adams Promotes Baskin, Earl Moss
Adams has promoted two employees in its Bellingham office. Brittany
Baskin was promoted to senior in the Business Owner Succession Services
(BOSS) group of Moss Adams. With her business background in private
industry, she assists clients in providing successful planning advice. Rebecca
Earl was promoted to senior in the Business Assurance Department.
She has worked at Moss Adams for two years, primarily with financial
institutions and commercial enterprises. Both
Baskin and Earl are graduates of Western Washington University's
Bachelor of Accounting program. Moss
Adams is a regional accounting and management-consulting firm. Its
Bellingham office primarily serves clients in Whatcom, Skagit and
Island counties. Daughters Joins Peoples Bank in Bellingham Terry
Daughters as joined the downtown Bellingham commercial lending team
of Peoples Bank as a vice president and senior commercial loan officer. Daughters
has 23 years of commercial banking experience, including the last
10 years assisting businesses in Whatcom and Skagit counties. He
graduated from the University of Washington and the Pacific Coast
banking school. Swiecicki Accepted by Optometry Academy Dr.
Mira B. Swiecicki, owner and optometrist at Lynden Vision Clinic,
has been awarded fellowship in The American Academy of Optometry. Swiecicki
submitted extensive written work and passed an oral examination.
Both were approved by a panel of leading optometrists and vision
scientists. Swiecicki
also attended the organization's annual meeting, Academy'99,
Dec. 9-13 in Seattle. More than 4,000 optometrists, vision-care
professinals, vision scientists and optometry students from throughout
the world attended.
The American Academy of Optometry annual meetings are recognized
as presenting the latest in research and information on patient
and vision care, says Anthony Adams, its president.
Bellingham Marine's Halgren Reelected Chairman Larry
Halgren, executive vice president of Bellingham Marine, has been
reelected chairman of the International Marina Institute's board
of directors. Based
in Nokomis, Fla., the IMI is a nonprofit trade organization focused
on improving marina operations and facilitating relations with government.
It does so by utilizing education, research and lobbying. The organization''s members include owners, planners, designers, managers, dock manufacturers
and product and service providers. Some
of the issues IMI addresses are insurance requirements, customer
relations, the environment, new technology, revenue collection,
government regulations and emergency planning. Thomas Advising Clients at Dain Rauscher Karen
Thomas has been hired as an investment executive by Dain Rauscher''s Bellingham office, 515 Lakeway Drive. Thomas
earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master''s degree at Western Washington University. She
will help individuals and corporations select appropriate investments,
including stocks, taxable and tax-exempt bonds, options and mutual
funds. She also will assist clients in developing retirement plans
and money management programs. Dain
Rauscher has offices in 26 western states. Brown Becomes Sales Associate at Windermere Mark
Brown has become a sales associate at the Bellingham office of Windermere
Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc. Brown,
a lifelong Bellingham resident, worked two years as a Realtor assistant
to Sharon Griemsmann and now will be part of a sales team with her. Magnolia
Mortgage Co. Announces Changes Magnolia
Mortgage Co. of Bellingham has established an automated underwriting
system with this region's leading lenders, according to broker/owner
Steve Gray. The
new system allows Magnolia Mortgage to provide same-day mortgage
approvals and a wider range of mortgage options, Gray says. Also,
the company has hired Jim Ferguson as a loan representative. Ferguson
has been in the mortgage and insurance industry since 1989. A graduate
of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, he specializes in residential
purchase and refinance transactions. Magnolia
Mortgage is located in Suite 108 of the Crown Plaza building at
114 W. Magnolia St. Hawes Tabbed for HR Post at Puget Sound Refining Paul
Hawes has been chosen as the new human resources manager at Puget
Sound Refinery Co. in Anacortes. With
a staff of nine specialists, Hawes will provide leadership in overall
employee relations, including medical issues and training activities.
The Anacortes refinery has 375 employees and a $27 million payroll,
as well as 100 contract employees. Hawes
most recently was labor relations manager at a refinery in Martinez,
Calif. The refineries in Anacortes and Martinez are owned by parent
company Equilon Enterprises, a joint venture formed in January 1998
that combines major business units of Texaco and Shell. Hawes
also has been a terminal manager at Shell's light products distribution
system in Detroit and provided leadership in several other human
resources assignments for refinery and pipeline operations. McCoy Receiving Training for IAAP Position Judy
McCoy, president-elect of the Washington-Alaska Division of the
International Association of Administrative Professionals, is attending
a conference this month at IAAP world headquarters in Kansas City,
Mo. McCoy
and 35 other division president-elects will receive leadership training
to prepare them for taking office June 1. McCoy
is co-owner and administrative manager for Camtec Precision, Inc.
in Bellingham. She has served as a local IAAP chapter leader for
seven years and a division officer for two years. IAAP,
formerly known as Professional Secretaries International, is the
world sponsor of Professional Secretaries Day each April. It has
30,000 members. Weed Receives Award from Moss Adams April
Weed, an employee at the Bellingham office of Moss Adams since 1984,
has received the company's Technical Excellence Award. Candidates
are nominated from over 1,000 employees in 25 offices. Only four
are selected to receive the award. Weed
has spent much of her career on providing assurance services to
Indian tribes and in recent years has focused on casino operations. HR Chapter Elects Schaumberg The
Mount Baker Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management
recently its board of directors for 2000. Charlene
Schaumberg of The Opportunity Council in Bellingham was elected
president. The other board members are: Michele Zlotek, past-president;
Kathy Klemmer,treasurer; Michelle Karsunky, secretary; Pam Davis,
membership; Larry Boone and Louise Boone, programs; Christine Anderson,
communications; Susan Sirguy, legislative liaison; Sheryl Mills,
certification; Tom Prescott, technology; Bernice Vonnegut and Shawna
Unger, professional liaisons; Michael Harris, student liaison; Lorna
McGowen, diversity coordinator; Kara Turner, education; and Kelcie
Sheriff, board member. Zlotek,
human resources manager for the Whatcom Transportation Authority
in Bellingham, was named Member of the Year for her many contributions
to the chapter in recent years. The
purpose of the local chapter is “to further the development,
improvement and application of human resources management which
will best serve the interest of both employee and employer; raise
standards of performance in all phases of the profession; promote
and uphold high ethical standards of human resources administration;
and foster professional contacts and the exchange of information
between members. For information about membership, call Pam Davis,
676-1500. The
chapter will conduct its next luncheon meeting on Feb. 16 at the
Best Western Lakeway Inn in Bellingham. For reservations, call Kathy
Klemmer, 734-5121. Thomas Named GM at Jack Niemann's Casino Noland
Thomas became in September the general manager of Jack Niemann's
Casino at 4156 Meridian St., Bellingham. Thomas
has 33 years of experience in casinos, including operations at Atlantic
City, N.J. and Las Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Designer Zeiler Joins Wright, Hart & Mather Rodney
Zeiler has joined the Bellingham firm of Wright, Hart & Mather
Marketing, Advertising and Design as design director/accounts manager. Zeiler''s extensive design and account experience includes work for Trillium
Corp., DIS Corp., Crowne Pacific, Alpha Technologies, IMCO General
Construction and Bellingham Cold Storage. He was design director
from 1990-1999 for Baron & Co. of Bellingham.
His expertise adds a new dimension to WHAM – expanding the
creating services we offer clients, says Yvonne Cartwright, the
firm's advertising director. WH&M
provides a full range of promotional services, including marketing
planning, advertising campaign development, public relations, graphic
design and digital design and illustration. Trillium Corp. Promotes, Hires Executives Trillium
Corp., based in Bellingham, has reorganized its personnel and made
a number of promotions and hirings. In
the Bellingham corporate office, Faruk Taysi, Jeff Johnson, Mike
Bayless and Shehan Griffits were promoted and Scott Davis and Bob
Libolt have been hired recently. Taysi
has been named senior vice president, planning and development.
He started at Trillium in January 1985. Taysi has a bachelor's
degree in architecture and is a registered architect. He is responsible
for the company's real estate development in Whatcom County, Denver
and California. Taysi will live in Denver and spend time in each
location during the coming year. Johnson
was promoted to vice president, sales/leasing. He joined Trillium
in April 1998 as assistant vice president, real estate. Johnson
leads real estate sales and leasing in Whatcom County with a particular
emphasis on the company's holdings on the Semiahmoo Peninsula.
He has 12 years of experience in commercial real estate transactions
and has a bachelor of science degree in business administration. Bayless
was promoted to vice president, treasurer. He joined the company
in April 1998 as corporate accounting manager and has assumed progressively
more responsible roles. Bayless previously was a senior accountant
at Larson Gross in Bellingham. He is a certified public accountant,
has a bachelor of science degree in accounting and has eight years
of management-level accounting experience. Griffits
was promoted to vice president, human resources. She was hired in
July 1998 and has 15 years of experience in human resource management
in public social work, resort operations and healthcare industries.
She has a bachelor's degree in English/elementary education. Davis
was hired in September as Trillium's North American controller.
Previously, he spent 13 years in the accounting field as a staff
accounting and controller, most recently at Premier School Agendas
in Bellingham. He is a CPA and has a bachelor's degree in business
administration, finance and economics. Bob
Libolt also joined the company in September as vice president of
development. Previously, he was vice president of construction and
development for Homestead Northwest, Inc., and Homestead Northwest
Development Co., both in Lynden. He is primarily responsible for
Trillium's development projects in Whatcom County. At
the Denver, Colo. office, Paula Kurtz was promoted to executive
vice president and oversee the company's real estate portfolio
in that area. She joined Trillium in January 1989 and since then
has been in marketing and real estate sales positions. Most recently,
she was senior vice president, sales/marketing/leasing. Kurtz earned
a degree in business administration/marketing from Western Washington
University. Trillium
also promoted two people and hired another in regards to its South
America holdings in Peru, Venezuela and Chile. David
Blair was promoted to chief agricultural officer, South America.
He was hired by Trillium in October 1998 as vice president of agriculture
after serving as vice president of Northwest operations for Dean
Foods. Blair, who works at the Bellingham office, has a bachelor''s degree in business administration. Bruce
Clawson was promoted to executive vice president and chief financial
officer for South America, although he is based in Bellingham. He
started at Trillium in March 1998 as controller/treasurer after
serving as vice president of finance and chief financial officer
at Geographic, Inc., in Blaine. Clawson has a bachelor's degree
in economics and is a CPA. Mike
Razetto joined Trillium in July as plant manager of its Oriented
Strand Board plant in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. He has 25 years of
experience at Lousiana-Pacific, including the last 15 years perfecting
operations at its OSB plants Trillium,
started operations as a real estate company 25 years ago and now
is a major landholder in northwest Washington, Alaska, downtown
Denver and South America. David Syre is chairman and chief executive
of the company, which has approximately $70 million in annual sales
and 65 employees. The company emphasizes increasing the value of its holdings
through thoughtful master planning and innovative work with public
entities. Besides real estate, it also has interests in agriculture
and forestry in the United States and South America.
Northwest
Washington Medical Bureau announced two employees have been promoted
and two passed state licensing exams. Phil
Cummins, an NWMB employee for six years, was promoted to senior
account executive. Cummins, a licensed agent, services the NWMB
large-employer groups and is an agent/broker for new group inquiries.
He has a master of education degree from Western Washington University. Celicia Yeoman was promoted to corporate communications
specialist. Previously a marketing services specialist in NWMB's
Marketing Department, Yeoman now coordinates advertising, sponsorships
and newsletter production. She is a 1994 graduate of Mount Vernon
High School and a 1998 graduate of Washington State University,
where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications with
an emphasis in advertising. Two NWMB sales and service representatives, Alice Bohnker
and Kim Sandberg, have passed the Washington State Life and Disability
Licensing Examination. They now are licensed in the state to represent
NWMB products. Sandberg has been with NWMB since August 1998. She previously
worked in the Customer Service Department before being promoted
to the Marketing Department. Sandberg services NWMB employer groups
in Whatcom County. Bohnker has been with NWMB for six years. She began working
as a medical coder in 1994, then worked with dental predeterminations,
coordination of benefits and accident questionnaire audits. She
moved to customer services in 1995 and in July started working in
the Marketing Department. Bohnker has a bachelor's degree in social
sciences (economics/history) from the University of the Philippines.
She services all NWMB employer groups in Skagit and Island counties. NWMB, with offices in Bellingham and Mount Vernon, offers
medical insurance plans in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties. ARCO Selects Pitzer to Replace Retiring Cronen The
ARCO Cherry Point Refinery has named Jeff Pitzer production manager
of the facility, which produces 7 million gallons of fuel per day. Pitzer
will head both operations and maintenance at the refinery. He has
been with ARCO Products Co. for 19 years in a variety of operations,
engineering and marketing positions. Pitzer's most recent assignment
was as manager of planning in Los Angeles. He earned a degree in
chemical engineering from Oregon State University in 1981. He
replaces John Cronen, who is retiring after 27 years with ARCO.
Cronen began his career at Cherry Point as a chemical engineer and
has had a variety of jobs in process engineering, special leadership
assignments and management. Prior to his assignment as production
manager at Cherry Point in 1998, Cronen held a similar position
at ARCO's Los Angeles Refinery. Two at Wilson Motors Place High in Contest Rodney
Pankratz and Rick Tjoelker of Wilson Motors in Bellingham swept
the top two positions in their district in the 1999 Toyota Master
Technician Skills Contest. The
contest tested technicians from a district which includes Toyota
dealerships in Mount Vernon, Everett, Lynnwood, Lake City, Kirkland,
Bellevue and Seattle, Pankratz, who placed first, will represent
the district in the upcoming regional competition at Portland, Ore.
We're proud of Rod and Rick's achievements and the amount of
time they invest in their profession, says Rick Wilson, general
manager of Wilson Motors. Wilson
Motors, located at the corner of North Forest and Champion streets
in downtown Bellingham, is the area's dealership for new Toyota
Mercedes-Benz and Daewoo vehicles, as well as quality used vehicles. Sunbreak Nursery Owner to Head State Association Rick
Wright, owner of Sunbreak Nursery Co. in Bellingham, was installed
in January as president-elect of the Washington State Nursery and
Landscape Association. This
is Wright's second trip through the executive leadership of WSNLA.
He served as second vice president, first vice president and president
from 1987-89. Officers typically proceed through the positions in
succeeding years. (The office names have changed since then to vice
president, president-elect and president). Wright
also has served as president for the Northwest Chapter of WSNLA,
as well as on various committees as local and state levels. WSNLA
is the largest statewide trade association serving the nursery and
landscape industry in Washington. Through its various scholarship,
research and certification programs, WSNLA provides members and
those interested in becoming nursery professionals with opportunities
to gain the knowledge, skills and strengths necessary to keep the
industry vital and growing. Ferry Fills New Position at New Concept Chemical Stephen
J. Ferry was hired to fill the new position of general manager at
New Concept Chemical Products of Bellingham. Ferry
has more than 30 years of retail experience locally with much of
that time spent as a store manager for Pay-n-Save, PayLess and Rite
Aid. New
Concept is a distributor of sanitary products and industrial/process
chemicals. Owner Randy Moa says the new position was created to
better handle recent growth in the company. Last year New Concept
acquired the accounts of Northwest Solutions and Global Dynamics,
two local chemical-service companies. Hullaballoon Coordinator, Balloonmeister Named Christopher
Key has been named coordinator and Scott Shields was selected as
balloonmeister of Hullaballoon 2000, an annual hot-air balloon event
in Ferndale. The
annual event, scheduled Aug. 4-6 at Hovander Homestead Park, is
expected to attract more than 20 colorful balloons from throughout
the Pacific Northwest. It incorporates a variety of events, including
a Civil War re-enactment, musical entertainment and arts and crafts
displays and demonstrations. Hullaballoon receives major financial
support from Haggen, Inc., and Tosco Ferndale Refinery, Key,
who moved to Bellingham in July, is an avid art collector and former
gallery director. He also has extensive experience in coordinating
special events after managing a number of nonprofit organizations.
Key founded the Bainbridge Island Oktoberfest and the Bainbridge
Island Music Festival, successful events which continued to be offered.
We have some very ambitious plans for Hullaballoon this year,
Key says. “There will be more emphasis on participation by area
artists and a new theme for the musical entertainment. All of our
efforts are oriented toward providing an event that appeals to everyone.
As
balloonmeister, Shields will serve as liaison between the pilots
and the organizing committee and ensure that only qualified pilots
are flying. He also will make decisions regarding alternate launch
sites or canceling a launch due to weather conditions. Foster Becomes Agent for ERA Fairhaven Dave
Foster has completed a course in real estate fundamentals and become
a sales associate at ERA Fairhaven Realty in Bellingham. Foster
is a graduate of Western Washington University. Morgan Stanley Pair Pass Test Robin
Babcock and Casey Curtis, sales assistants at the Bellingham office
of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, have completed the Series 7 test. Curtis
has worked for the firm since December 1996 and Babcock since May. |
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