Pumphrey Named BTC President

Gerald Pumphrey, an educator and administrator with experience at colleges in North Carolina, has been named president of Bellingham Tech-nical College.

“The board has been looking for someone who can encourage the continuation of everything that currently works well for us here at BTC,” says Sheryl Hershey, chair of the Board of Trustees.

“We’ve been looking for someone with the experience and innovative abilities to lead us into areas that we may not yet even have considered for the future,” she adds. “We want someone who can provide the necessary impetus to ensure that BTC will continuously strive to be an innovative, progressive and dynamic leader for work-force training and technical education. We’ve been searching for a president who has the knowledge and drive to ensure that BTC continues and expands its role in the economic development of this community during these challenging economic times. That person is Dr. Gerald Pumphrey.”

Pumphrey has been at Guilford Technical Community College, North Carolina’s fourth-largest community college, since 1995, most recently as vice president of instruction. He earned his doctorate of education in vocational/technical education at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. He received a master’s degree in industrial and education and technology from Appalachian State University in North Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in English from Florida State University.

Pumphrey replaces Des McArdle, who retired this spring.

Bellingham Technical College has more than 4,000 students enrolled in programs leading to 26 associate of applied science degrees and 36 certificates.

 

LeCocq Celebrates 50 Years at Bank

Irwin LeCocq, chairman of the board of Peoples Bank, recently surpassed 50 years of working for the bank.

LeCocq first joined the bank in 1951 when it had a single office in Lynden and approximately $1.5 million in assets. He started working as an assistant cashier and became president in 1968. A son, Charles LeCocq, was appointed president and chief executive officer in 1985.

Originally founded in December 1920 and opened for business in January 1921, Peoples Bank now has 14 offices in Whatcom, Skagit and King counties and more than $375 million in assets.

“The bank has been the focus of our family since 1938 when my father purchased a majority of the bank’s stock,” Irwin LeCocq says. “During the ensuring years, we have realized that the bank is only as successful as the people involved in it. In a large part, it is the feeling of real ownership and responsibility that drives all of us.”

 

Northshore Veterinary Adds Coyne to Staff

Dr. Colleen Coyne has joined Northshore Veterinary Hospital in Bellingham as an associate veterinarian.

Coyne received her veterinary degree in 1995 from Washington State University and practiced in Seattle for six years before moving to Bellingham. She has a special interest in emergency medicine and critical care.

Northshore Veterinary Hospital, founded four years ago by Dr. Kimberly Barron, is located near Lake Whatcom at 601-D Northshore Drive. For more information, call 738-6916.

 

Hoagland Pharmacist Gains Certification

Tony Dickerson, a pharmacist at Hoagland Pharmacy in Bellingham, has received national certification as a meno-pause educator.

Dickerson passed an exam to gain certifications from the North American Menopause Society and the National Corporation for the Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neo-natal Nursing Specialties.

 

Dr. Meyer Contracts with Crisis Services

Dr. Shannon Meyer recently agreed to provide clinical services for Whatcom Crisis Services in its state-certified Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Program.

Meyer has a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University at Stony Brook. She has been in private practice the past nine years, providing treatment to self-referred and court-mandated abusers. Meyer, who recently moved from New York to Whatcom County, also developed and directed one of the country’s only domestic-violence diversion programs supported by criminal court judges and district attorneys.

Meyer is available to conduct evaluations for individuals who are concerned about abusive behavior patterns. To schedule a consultation, call the Whatcom Crisis Services business office, 671-5714.

Whatcom Crisis Services also announced five new board members: Todd Gunn, attorney with Langabeer, Tull & Lee; attorney Steve Hathaway; Lori Reece, owner/broker of RE/MAX Whatcom County; Susan Browne, Ferndale High School librarian; and Jeff Parks, chief sheriff’s deputy of the Whatcom County’s Sheriff’s Office.

For information about treatment for abusers or for information about services for victims of abuse, call the business line or the 24-hour hotline, 715-1563.

 

WestCom’s Finnegan Gains Certification

Brian J. Finnegan, president of WestCom Properties, Inc. in Bellingham, has earned his Certified Commercial Investment Member designation.

A designation establishes Finnegan as an internationally recognized professional in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, asset management, valuation, and investment analysis. There are more than 6,000 commercial real estate professionals with this designation throughout the world and only four based in Whatcom County.

Founded in 1995, WestCom Properties is a commercial real-estate brokerage and property-management company. Over this time, WestCom Properties has been involved in more than $20 million in commercial real estate transactions. For more information, call Finnegan at 647-2856.

 

Parker Named Adult Day-care Director

Charlene Parker has been hired as director of Chet’s Place, a Blaine adult day-care facility that opened June 5.

Parker has more than 27 years of experience serving the aging population of Whatcom County, including 10 years with Visiting Nurses and more than two years at an assisted-living facility. She is a licensed certified nursing assistant and holds a restorative aide certificate and current first-aid and CPR cards.

Chet’s Place, owned by Charleen Zucca, is in the historic Drayton Harbor Building at 483 Peace Portal Drive in downtown Blaine. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday with regular hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and extended-care hours of 6-9 a.m. and 4-6:30 p.m. Clients are welcome for just a few hours or the entire day. For more information, call 332-1785 or send e-mail to chetsplace@home.com.

 

Servais Heading Sales for ioCreative

Longtime marketing professional John Servais became in May the sales manager for ioCreative, a Bellingham advertising agency offering Web, print and marketing consultation services.

Servais has 30 years of experience in sales, advertising, press relations, marketing strategy and Internet operations.

“John is a highly technical problem-solver,” says Seth Murphy, president of ioCreative. “He brought together some of the first servers for the Internet in this area and he has valuable experience and a genuine grasp of e-commerce in terms of its possibilities, as well as an understanding of how to move past the potential difficulties. I believe he will prove invaluable in articulating ioCreative’s vision.”

For more information, call 527-1042 or visit the Web site at www.iocreative.com.

 

Gorman Elected Chair of Business Council

Taimi Dunn Gorman of Bellingham was elected in May chair of Gov. Gary Locke’s Small Business Improvement Council.

The council consists of small-business owners and representatives of government agencies who advise the governor on small-business concerns. Gorman, co-owner of The Colophon Café and The Doggie Diner, served as vice chair last year.

 

Grey Launches Consulting Business

Paul Grey, who has 30 years of experience in information technology, has started Grey Consulting in Bellingham.

Grey concentrates on two primary areas: business planning and business development. “Translated, this means helping businesses answer two key questions: 1) Where are we going? and 2) How do we get more business?” Grey says.

He helps businesses develop a three-year plan that becomes a working road map for the management team and a focus for all employees. He also will evaluate a company’s marketing/promotional mix and examine possible partnering opportunities.

In 1987, Grey co-founded and became president of SoftCHEC, Inc., a developer and system integrator of MICR and image check-processing systems, in Kirkland. After the company’s sale to its largest competitor in 1998, Grey remained as president of the Kirkland business unit until 1999.

Grey has a master of business administration degree from the University of Detroit.

For more information, call Grey at 715-2120 or send e-mail to pgreyfly@aol.com.

 

Haggen Promoted to Grocery Buyer

Andy Haggen has been named grocery buyer in the grocery merchandising department at the Bellingham corporate office of Haggen Inc.

Haggen graduated from the University of Arizona in 1988 with a degree in general business. He then spent a year with Giant Food in Washington, D.C., as a retail management trainee and worked for the employment center at Fry’s Food & Drug in Phoenix, Ariz. He worked for Haggen Inc. as a produce clerk, seafood clerk, front-end checker, self-service deli manager and night stocker before attending the University of Southern California’s Food Industry Management program in 1998.

Haggen then became perishables manager for the company’s store in Beaverton, Ore., before being promoted to store manager, first in Lacey and then at the new Marysville store.

Also, the company announced that Dick Goodspeed has been added to its group of advisers. He fills the slot vacated by Bob Bolinder, who recently resigned from the board. Goodspeed is a retired president and chief operating officer of the Vons Companies in California. He also was president and chief executive officer of the Lucky Stores.

Haggen, with headquarters in Bellingham, operates 27 supermarkets in Washington and Oregon under the Haggen Food & Pharmacy and TOP Food & Drug names. It is the largest independent grocer and the sixth-largest private company based in Washington, according to Washington CEO magazine.

 

Zimmerman Leads Sales at Trendwest

Lloyd Zimmerman of TrendWest Resorts in Birch Bay recently was named the top sales representative among more than 600 in the vacation-industry company.

Zimmerman, in his third year with Redmond-based Trendwest Resorts, previously worked in the construction industry.

Trendwest Resorts is the developer of Worldmark, The Club with more than 40 vacation resorts in five countries and 41 sales offices. It’s been building a network of resorts since 1989. The Birch Bay resort, which opened in 1996, has 104 units.

For more information, call Trendwest Resorts in Birch Bay, 371-2803.

 

Moss Adams Accountant Receives WWU Honor

Kelli Visser, a staff accountant at the Bellingham office of Moss Adams, was chosen the outstanding accounting graduate and named a finalist in the commencement speaker selection for Western Washington University.

Visser’s selection as outstanding accounting graduate was based on grade-point average and contribution to the accounting department.

Moss Adams is a regional accounting and management consulting firm. The Bellingham office provides accounting, tax, financial and business advisory services to clients internationally and in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties.

 

Hawes Named CFO of Paulsen Co.

John Hawes became chief financial officer for the Peter Paulsen Co. of Bellingham late last year.

Hawes, previously chief financial officer for North Coast Credit Union for three years, graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in accounting.

Paulsen opened the Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham last year and completing construction of the Paulsen Business Center, a 34,144-square-foot office and retail building. It will feature high-speed fiber-optic Internet capabilities.

 

Roosendaal-Honcoop Hires Project Manager

Roosendaal-Honcoop Construction has hired Geoff Stodola as a senior project manager.

Stodola, formerly a senior project manager with Exxel Pacific, has more than 10 years of experience in construction and design management. He has managed commercial, retail and residential projects of up to $40 million throughout the West Coast. Stodola has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Washington and is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects.

Roosendaal-Honcoop Construction is a full-service general contractor based in Bellingham. For more information, call 398-2800.

 

Zediker Opens Portside Cruises

Tami Zediker of Lynden has launched Portside Cruises and Tours, which specializes in cruises for individuals and groups.

Zediker, who opened the business in November, sells packages for all cruise lines and has an extensive knowledge of the Princess and Carnival ships. She has a special interest in family vacations and also sells land tours worldwide.

Zediker worked for airlines for three years and for travel agencies for 14 years before starting Portside Cruises & Tours. She frequently takes tours and travels on cruise ships. Zediker recently sailed on the Carnival Spirit, a newly designed Carnival ship that currently is in Alaska and will be in the Caribbean this winter.

For more information, call Portside Cruises & Tours at 318-0931 or send e-mail to portsidecruises@aol.com.

 

McGrane Joins Staff of Karen’s Fine Jewelry

Sean McGrane, who has 23 years of retail jewelry experience, has joined the staff of Karen’s Fine Jewelry in Lynden’s Fairway Center.

McGrane creates custom jewelry and handles repairs and sales for the store at 1720 Front St. He previously worked for his family’s jewelry store in Anchorage, Alaska and has diplomas in colored stones and diamonds from the Gemological Institute of America.

Karen’s Fine Jewelry is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 354-7089.

 

Archer Group Promotes Jansma

Archer Group, a certified public accounting firm in Bellingham, has promoted Joanna Jansma to administrative assistant.

Jansma’s responsibilities include the firm’s billing and accounts receivable departments and organization of its monthly QuickBooks seminars.

Archer Group, located at 1621 Cornwall Ave., specializes in estate planning, taxes, valuations, pensions, business consultation and QuickBooks training. For more information, call 756-1010.

 

Brown Promoted by Boys & Girls Clubs

Carolyn Brown has been promoted to assistant executive director/marketing by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County.

Brown has been director of the Boys & Girls Club of Ferndale the last 10 years. During that tenure, she established many award-winning programs and successful fundraisers and community-outreach efforts. Recently, she was promoted to senior unit director/field services, which required her to oversee the Ferndale club and serve as a liaison to the other four clubs in the county, providing direction and support. Now, she will serve as second in command of the organization and its chief corporate fundraiser.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County recently opened a new Bellingham facility, which includes its administrative offices, at 1715 Kentucky St. It also operates facilities at 3230 Meridian St., Bellingham, as well as Blaine, Ferndale and Lummi Island, and runs programs at Lynden Middle School. For more information, call 738-3808.

 

Wisbey Managing Bank’s Lynden Office

Darin Wisbey has been appointed manager of Pacific Northwest Bank’s financial center in Lynden.

Wisbey also was named manager of its Mt. Baker District, which includes the bank’s financial centers in Bellingham, Ferndale and Sedro-Woolley. He will direct and coordinate operations as well as consumer and commercial services for the full-service Lynden office and bear responsibility for the development of deposits, loans and business accounts.

Wisbey, a graduate of Western Washington University, has more than 10 years of experience in financial services and banking.

Pacific Northwest Bancorp is a bank holding company that operates 55 financial centers through its commercial bank subsidiary, Pacific Northwest Bank. The Lynden center is located at 1780 Front St. For more information, call 354-6822.

 

Beardsley Receives Degree at Photography Convention

Terry Beardsley, co-owner of the Art of Photography in Bellingham, recently received his Associate Fellow of Photography degree at the annual convention of the Professional Photo-graphers of Washington.

Beardsley also received the PPW’s Volunteer of the Year award for his work as treasurer of the organization the past four years.

The PPW will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2002 and conducting its annual convention March 22-25 at Bellingham’s Best Western Lakeway Inn. For more information about the convention, contact Jeanne McGree of the Art of Photography, 647-8137. For information about joining PPW, contact Glenna Hansen at (425) 316-8228 or ppwgh@cs.com.

 

SJ Hanson Agency Tabs Office Manager

Debbie Hill-Leavy has joined Allstate’s SJ Hanson Agency in Bellingham as office manager.

Hill-Leavy has more than five years of experience in the insurance industry. For the past eight years, she has handled bookkeeping for several Whatcom County res-taurants and small businesses.

The SJ Hanson Agency, owned by Steve and Jan Hanson, is located at 303 Telegraph Road.

“Her strong ties to the community and her excellent customer-service and bookkeeping skills make her a valuable addition to our team,” Steve Hanson says.

The Allstate Corp. is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. It provides insurance products to more than 14 million households and has approximately 13,000 exclusive agents in North America.

 

Northwest Computer Supplies Hires Brounstein

Dennis Brounstein has joined the account-management staff of Northwest Computer Supplies in Bellingham.

Brounstein has 20 years of production-management experience in local electronic-assembly operations. He has received extensive Occupation-al Safety and Health Administration compliance training.

Operating in Bellingham since 1990, Northwest Computer Supplies is the region’s largest independent supplier of computer solutions and business products. It’s located at 1419 Cornwall Ave. For more information, call 734-3400.

 

Dentist Completes Post-graduate Study

Dr. Dennis Gale, who is celebrating 25 years in dentistry, recently completed two years of post-graduate study.

Gale’s work through the Dawson Center for Advanced Dental Studies in Florida complements his strong background in cosmetic and restorative dentistry. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry in 1974 and has established a practice at 520 Birchwood, Suite B, Bellingham. For more information, call him at 671-6303.

 

Milestone VP Gains Microsoft Certification

Jason Alexander, vice president of Milestone Information Solutions in Bellingham, recently earned the designation of Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.

Alexander gained a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in accounting from Western Washington University. He has been an employee of Milestone Information Solutions since 1996.

Milestone Infor-mation Solutions specializes in the analysis, implementation and design of automated business information systems. For more information, call 734-3387 or visit www.milestoneis.com.

 

Zonta Club Elects Smith President

The Zonta International Club of Bellingham inducted officers, including president Myra Smith of the United Way of Whatcom County, for its 2002-2002 term at its June 15 meeting.

The other officers are: charter president, Kari Page, Whatcom County Human Resources; vice president/programs, Annette DeSalvo, The Opportunity Council; vice president/service, Gail Kelley, Whatcom County Human Resources; secretary, Amy Brock, American Express Financial Services; and treasurer, Cheryl Ferrier, John L. Scott Real Estate.

The Zonta Club of Bellingham, chartered in 1997, is part of a network of more than 36,000 members in 61 countries. Zonta International is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women, particularly in developing nations. At the local level, the Zonta Club of Bellingham provides support for The Opportunity Council’s Dorothy Place and the YWCA of Bellingham.

Professional men and women are welcome to join the organization. For membership information, contact Page at 647-8297.

 

PACE Board Adds Four from County

The Pacific Corridor Enterprise Council recently appointed Greg Boos, Gene Moses, Max Legg and Jim Pettinger to its board of directors.

Boos is a partner at the Bellingham law office of Chang & Boos. He practices U.S. immigration law with an emphasis on business immigration.

Moses is a Bellingham business lawyer who specializes in U.S.-Canada trace activities. His focus is on corporations, business formation and commercial transactions.

Legg is a partner in the international services division of Moss Adams LLP. He has expertise in U.S. and cross-border investment and tax issues.

Pettinger is president of International Market Access. From its Bellingham facility, the company provides British Columbia businesses with a U.S. business identity, warehousing, distribution, order fulfillment and Foreign Trade Zone services.

Other PACE board members from Whatcom County are David Gellatly of Mobile Exchange, Inc., Mathew Hart of Resort Semiahmoo, Lloyd Ludtke of Ludtke-Pacific Trucking and Port of Bellingham Commissioner Ginny Benton.

Formed with the inception of the 1989 U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, PACE is a nonprofit, bi-national, private-sector organization that promotes free trade on behalf of businesses. Its goal is to minimize or eliminate legal and political free-trade barriers between Canada and the United States. For more information, visit www.pacebordertrade.com.

 

Hudson Heading New AWB Institute

Mike Hudson of Bellingham has been named executive director of the Institute for Workforce Deve-op-ment and Sustainbility.

The institute is a not-for-profit subsidiary of the Associa-tion of Washington Business. It was formed to assist Wash-ington businesses in the areas of workforce development, safety, en-vironmental compliance and competitiveness.

“I’ll be coordinating the workforce development needs of various Washington businesses with the state’s community and technical colleges, Workforce Development Board, labor organizations, other state agencies and outside third parties dedicated to ensuring that employers have a well-trained workforce to draw from,” Hudson says. “Having a ready, willing and able workforce is the key to ensuring that existing Washington businesses remain competitive and encourage new business to come to the state.”

Hudson has 20 years of experience in credit unions, including the last five years as president and chief executive officer of Bellingham-based North Coast Credit Union. He has a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Bethel College in South Bend, Ind.

“His experience in running a not-for-profit financial institution and his background in marketing, training and human resources make him uniquely qualified to shape and lead our new institute,” remarks Don Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business.

For more information about the Institute for Workforce Development and Sustainability, call Hudson at 671-9703 or (3600 943-1600, ext. 1024. For more information about AWB, visit its Web site at www.awb.org.

 

Attorneys Teach Seminar for Fire Commissioners

Attorneys Frank Chmelik and Jonathan Sitkin of the Bellingham law firm of Chmelik Sitkin & Davis taught a seminar at the spring seminar of the Washington State Fire Commissioners Association in Chelan.

Chmelik spoke about the Fair Labor Standards Act and public bidding for fire stations. Sitkin discussed siting and permitting issues involving fire stations. The seminar was attended by nearly 200 fire commissioners and fire chiefs from the state.

Chmelik Sitkin & Davis is located at 1500 Railroad Ave. It provides comprehensive legal services to municipal governments, closely held businesses and the people who own and manage them. For more information, call 671-1796.

 

Hypnotherapist Begins Practice

Margaret Magic recently gained her certification as a licensed hypnotherapist and started a practice in Whatcom County.

Magic says patients may use self-hypnosis techniques for various self-improvement goals, including weight loss, smoking cessation, self-esteem, phobias, reduced test anxiety and better memory retention for students and improved performance by athletes.

For more information, call Magic, 201-6238.

 

Pulse Publications Names GM, Account Managers

Pulse Publications, the Bellingham-based publisher of Whatcom County Business Pulse, Northwest Life & Times and Skagit County Business Monthly, has named a general manager for the company and account managers for two of the monthly magazines.

Rhonda Saunders was promoted to general manager of Pulse Publications. Previously an account manager for Business Pulse, Saunders has many years of experience in managing businesses, including two years at Treasury of Memories and six years at the Jenny Craig Weight Loss Center, both in Bellingham. She now will oversee all aspects of Pulse Publications.

Account manager Kim Fisher has moved from Life & Times to Business Pulse. She joined the company in May 2000 after working 15 years in the insurance industry, including more than three years as sales and marketing manager for The Unity Group.

Bette Colacino, who has an extensive background in marketing and sales, returns to the company as an account manager for Life & Times. Colacino, who previously has sold advertising for Business Pulse and the Whatcom County Real Estate Guide, now will assist clients in the magazine’s circulation area of Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan and north Snohomish counties. Life & Times, launched in October 1999, offers features and information for active adults over 50.

For information about the magazines of Pulse Publications, call 671-3933 or visit www.businesspulse.com, www.nwlifeandtimes.com and www.skagitbusinessmonthly.com.

 

Sehome Park Care Center Adds Staff

Drs. Eduardo Goo and James Major of Bellingham have contracted to serve as medical directors at Sehome Park Care Center in Bellingham.

The skilled-nursing facility also hired Thuy Tran-Wong as a nurse practitioner and Karyn Glubis as admissions and marketing director.

Both Goo and Major are specialists and practitioners of internal medicine with a focus on geriatrics. Major has practiced for 23 years and Goo 17 years.

“Services provided to patients at Sehome Park are unique with a full-time, on-site nurse practitioner and multiple doctor visits each week,” Goo says. “This represents an exceptionally high standard of care and we are pleased to be affiliated with the facility.”

Tran-Wong, a nurse practitioner for five years, received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Michigan.

“No other facility in Whatcom County has a full-time nurse practitioner on staff,” states Jason Steen, administrator at Sehome Park Care Center.

Glubis has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree.

 

Mason Heads Marketing for Horizon Bank

Michelle Mason recently was named manager of marketing and investor relations for Bellingham-based Horizon Bank.

Mason is responsible for overseeing the marketing and advertising director of the bank as well as working with its stockholders.

Mason has five years of experience in banking and most recently was marketing manager for First Mutual Bank, headquartered in Bellevue. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington.

Also, Shawn Thelen was promoted to vice president.

Thelen, who has more than 25 years in the banking industry, recently started as a commercial loan officer and business development manager at the Holly office in downtown Bellingham.

Horizon Bank operates 15 full-service offices throughout Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties.

 

SPIE’s Arthurs, Nichols Honored

Eugene Arthurs, executive director for the International Society of Optical Engineers (SPIE), recently was elected to the board of directors for the Council for Optical Radiation Measurements (CORM).

A nonprofit organization, CORM establishes consensus on national, industrial and academic requirements for physical standards, calibration services and interlaboratory collaboration programs in the fields of optical radiation measurement. It also advises the National Institute of Standards and Technology on standards requirements and priorities.

“Optical standards and measurement of light have been and are vital to the progress of our discipline and industry,” Arthurs says.

SPIE also announced that Mary Nichols, its human-resources manager, was recognized for her outstanding contributions to education by Bellingham’s Partnership for Learning. A volunteer at Bellingham public schools, she was honored for her efforts in a number of projects as a parent, businessperson and community leader. Her service includes time on advisory panels for strategic planning, school facility planning, school-to-work initiatives and program reviews and on community panels assessing student work.

SPIE, with headquarters in Bellingham, serves the international technical community as a provider of education, information and resources covering optics, photonics and their applications. For more information, visit the Web site at www.spie.org.

 

Anderson, Welfringer Join Barkley Golf Center

Michael Anderson and Ginger Welfringer have joined the staff at Barkley Golf Center in Bellingham.

Anderson, formerly the head golf professional at Resort Semiahmoo in Blaine, was named the head teaching professional at Barkley Golf Center. He has taught golf for more than a decade and has professional and collegiate playing experience.

“Michael uses his expertise in a friendly, nonintimidating manner,” says Noreen Chrysler, the head golf professional and general manager at Barkley Golf Center. “He’s focused on what we value here: a comfortable, professional learning experience.”

Welfringer is the center’s assistant golf professional. She does some teaching and is involved in the management of the pro shop and driving range.

Welfringer graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in marketing after playing golf for WWU and Skagit Valley College. Formerly an assistant golf professional at Avalon Golf Links in Burlington, she passed the Professional Golfers Association playing and rules tests in April and now is a PGA apprentice.

The Barkley Golf Center, located just north of Barkley Village at 2421 Rimland Drive, opened May 25. The driving range features 24 covered and heated stalls and the pro shop is filled with clubs, balls and accessories. The center offers private lessons and the ability to book private functions. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information, call 527-8707.

 

Stewart Title Adds Osterdahl, Dolan

The Bellingham office of Stewart Title (formerly Charter Title) has added Mimi Osterdahl to its title and escrow staff and Karen Dolan to its marketing staff.

Before joining Stewart Title, which recently acquired Charter Title, Osterdahl worked in real estate for The Muljat Group in Bellingham. She also was instrumental in the launch of See It 360, a virtual-tour technology company from which she is on hiatus as its president and chief operating officer.

Dolan has an extensive background in advertising and a degree in English literature and journalism. She most recently was the national media buyer for four years for Olympic Health Management in Bellingham.

Stewart Title is located in the Haggen-Talbot Building at 2211 Rimland Drive, Suite 115. For more information, call 647-8155.

 

Unity Group, Lynden Agency Now Affiliated

Shane Van Dalen and Leslie VanderVeen are offering many lines of insurance and other services at the recently formed Unity-Van Dalen Insurance agency in Lynden.

The agency is the result of a partnership between the New York Life Insurance office in Lynden, owned by Van Dalen, and The Unity Group, which has headquarters in Bellingham.

Van Dalen started with New York Life in June 1996 after six years as a personal banker with U.S. Bank in Lynden and Bellingham. He continues to offer life insurance, investment retirement planning, estate conservation and long-term care and health insurance through New York Life.

VanderVeen will represent The Unity Group, where she has been an agent since 1987. She specializes in personal home and auto insurance, as well as all forms of commercial property and casualty insurance, including farms and agricultural businesses.

The Lynden office is at 517 Liberty St.

Both Van Dalen and VanderVeen are Lynden natives.

The Unity Group, the largest independent insurance agency in northwest Washington, also has offices in Sedro-Woolley, Lynnwood and Everett.

For more information, call Unity-VanDalen Insurance, 354-4433.

 

Trans-Ocean Names Management Personnel

Trans-Ocean Products, Inc. of Bellingham, one of the country’s largest processors and marketers of surimi seafoods, has appointed Larry Mulvey and Robert Schons to key management positions.

Mulvey, named national business development manager, is responsible for direct category management and market analysis initiatives at Trans-Ocean. One of the company’s original broker representatives, he previously served as national business development manager for Advantage Sales & Marketing in Irvine, Calif., and senior vice president for meat, seafood and deli for Advantage Sales & Marketing/ESM in Needham, Mass.

As director of food service, Schons is responsible for the development of the company’s food-service business throughout the United States. Prior to his promotion, Schons served as Midwest business development manager for Trans-Ocean. He was responsible for the development and expansion of food-service, retail and wholesale/distributor business and the management of the company’s area broker network. He has more than 15 years of food-service sales experience.

Trans-Ocean Products, founded in 1985, processes surimi seafoods that are sold under the Classic brand name and private labels. The vertically integrated company has three surimi block plants in Alaska in addition to its surimi seafood processing facilities in Bellingham and Salem, Ore. For more information, call (800) 290-2722 or visit www.trans-ocean.com.