Wilson Receives Dealer Award from Time

Rick Wilson, president of Wilson Motors in Bellingham, is a recipient of the 2001 Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award.

Wilson and only 60 other dealers from more than 20,500 dealers nationwide received the 32nd annual award Feb. 3 at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas, Nev. The award recognizes outstanding new-car dealers for exceptional performance in their dealerships and distinguished community service.

A panel of faculty members from the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business Administration selects the finalists.

Wilson began working as a commissioned salesperson at his father’s dealership in 1968. After becoming general manager, he added Fiat, Mazda, Mercedes, Saab and Toyota franchises in the 1970s and Buick and Pontiac in the 1980s. Wilson Motors now features Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Daewoo.

Wilson began to buy his father’s interest in the company in 1986 and completed the buyout 10 years later.

An active member of the community, he serves on several committees of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and has donated vehicles to the athletic departments of the University of Washington and Western Washington University.

“I have received the recognition, not because I have done anything outstanding, but because of an outstanding staff that has attended so well to the needs of our customers,” Wilson says.

 

Jilk Heads Partnership for Sustainable Economy

Steve Jilk, Lynden city administrator the last seven years, was selected to head the newly formed Partnership for a Sustainable Economy.

The Whatcom County organization will be funded by the Port of Bellingham but all of the county’s seven cities, as well as Whatcom County government and Whatcom County Public Utility District No. 1, are partners with the port in it. The Partnership for a Sustainable Economy will work with its partners and other local organizations on economic development issues and projects affecting the entire county and including all economic sectors.

Jilk has been a city administrator for 23 years, including 17 years at two cities in Minnesota before he accepted the Lynden position in 1993. He will oversee the Partnership for a Sustainable Economy’s $420,000 budget, including a supporting staff. Jilk says he wants to start communication among all of the partners and other entities, such as the Nooksack and Lummi tribes and all of the local Chambers of Commerce.

 

Timmer Heading Local Realtors

Karen Timmer, associate broker at the Lynden office of Windermere Real Estate, has been installed as the 2001 president of the Whatcom County Association of Realtors.

Timmer, a county native, has been a Realtor for the past 10 years and active in the local association’s committees and as a director.

This year’s other officers are: Troy Muljat, The Muljat Group, president-elect; Chris Thorndike-Kent, Windermere/Bellingham, secretary; and Ken Larson, Peoples Bank/Bellingham, treasurer.

Board directors include: Rebecca Reich and Christine Park, The Muljat Group; Gloria Calderhead, ERA Fairhaven; James Heintz, Prudential Kelstrup; Jackie Ryan, John L. Scott;, and Richard Baila and Michelle Clark, RE/MAX-Whatcom County.

 

Woods Certified as Interior Designer

Tirzah Woods of Zervas Group Architects in Bellingham has passed the exams necessary to gain certification from the National Council for Interior Design Qualification.

NCIDQ certification recognizes that an individual has met nationally recognized standards for the practice of interior design.

“Tirzah joined Zervas Group Architects three years ago in order to offer more comprehensive design solutions to our clients,” says Mike Smith, principal of the firm. “A look at her achievements since shows that she has exceeded our expectations.”

Woods and Zervas Group Architects recently received an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects, Northwest Washington Chapter, for the design of the Wood Stone facility at Bellingham International Airport. The Kelly Building at Whatcom Community College previously was recognized with a Merit Award. Other examples of her work include the DIS offices in downtown Bellingham, the Blaine Boating Center, the new building for Roger Jobs Motors and the Campus Services Facility (with construction scheduled to start this spring) at Western Washington University.

 

Brownlie Starts Business Law Practice

Simon Brownlie has resigned from the Bellingham law firm of Brett & Daugert to open his own corporate and business law practice in Bellingham.

A Bellingham resident since 1995, Brownlie has extensive experience in advising clients on a wide range of domestic and international corporate, business and finance matters. Brownlie was a partner in a large South African corporate law firm and then president and chief executive officer of a Toronto-listed mining corporation before establishing a legal practice in Bellingham in January 1998.

Brownlie’s goal is to continue to provide clients with Seattle-quality service at affordable rates. He believes attorneys need to “get back to basics” and return to their traditional role of counselor and adviser, stressing personal accountability.

Brownlie’s office is located in Suite 405 of the Crown Plaza building at 114 W. Magnolia St. For more information, call 392-3992 or send e-mail to simonlaw@crownoffices.com.

 

Fox Communications Hires Peterson

Trisha Peterson has been chosen by Fox Communications Corp. to open a regional sales office in Bellingham.

Peterson most recently was the top sales producer for FiberCloud, a high-speed fiberoptic co-location facility in Bellingham, and is continuing her relationship with FiberCloud as a referral agent. She also is seeking other strategic partnerships for Fox Communications, a 13-year-old Washing-ton company offering Internet services, residential and business long-distance voice options, cellular services and satellite services. Peterson is focusing on Whatcom, Skagit, Island and Snohomish counties.

After earning a college degree, Peterson began her professional career in Belling-ham as the sound-department manager for Jafco. She soon was promoted to electronics buyer for the 22-store chain. Peterson later spent 18 years in high-tech sales in Seattle and Portland, Ore. before returning to Bellingham.

For more information, visit www.foxinternet.com or call (360) 758-2763.

 

Impero’s Huber Named Contractor of Year

Dave Huber, president of Impero Contracting in Bellingham, was presented the Contractor of the Year award from the Associated General Contractors of Wash-ington at its annual meeting Jan. 26.

Huber serves on the AGC of Washington board as a district vice president representing the Northern District, based in Bellingham, and as a trustee for the AGC of Washington Education Foundation. He also is vice chair of AGC of America’s Supervisory Training Committee, for which he meets up to four times a year with contractors from throughout the country to review and revise AGC’s supervisory training and leadership courses.

Huber attended Western Washington University. He has been in the construction industry for 34 years, having worked at almost every level from craftsman up.

Almost 80 years old and with 600 members, the AGC of Washington is the largest and oldest construction industry group in the state. Members are general contractors, specialty contractors or subcontractors. Associate members come from supply and consulting businesses, law offices and other fields related to the construction industry. The Bellingham office is located at 2211 Rimland Drive, Suite 100. For more information, call 647-7762.

 

Schwandt Continues as EDC President

Wayne Schwandt of Pacific International Terminals was confirmed in February as president of the Bellingham Whatcom Economic Development Council.

Other officers continuing in their two-year terms are Peggy Zoro, first vice chair, Key Bank; Bill Taylor, Wilder Construction, second vice chair; Kathy Larson, secretary-treasurer, Puget Sound Energy; and Fred Haskell, immediate past chair, Haskell Corp.

Continuing directors are Greg Boos of the law firm of Chang & Boos, Jim Cunningham of Georgia-Pacific West, John Gargett of Fairhaven International and Pam Meals of The Bellingham Herald. New directors are Steve Brinn of Trillium Corp, Guy Jansen of LTI Inc., Jeff Kochman of Barkley District, Gary Nelson of FiberCloud and Duane Sammons of Duane Sammons Insurance.

Ex-officio directors are Ginny Benton, Port of Bellingham Commission; Sam Crawford, Whatcom County Council; Bill Hager, Port of Bellingham; Willie Jones, Lummi Business Council; Karen Morse, Western Washington University; and Barbara Ryan, Bellingham City Council.

Patron awards for donations of $10,000 or more in support of the EDC were presented to Key Bank, Barkley District, St. Joseph Hospital, Trillium Corp. and Bank of America.

Gary Nelson of FiberCloud received the EDC’s Chairman Award for his outstanding contributions to the EDC and significant investments in the community that furthered the cause of economic development.

 

Greenacres Funeral Home Promotes Lytle

Dennis Lytle has been promoted to manager of Greenacres Funeral Home, located several miles north of Bellingham.

Lytle has served with the locally owned parent company, Whatcom Memorial, since 1987, most recently as manager of Moles Funeral Home in Ferndale and earlier as funeral director at Jones-Moles Funeral Home in Bellingham. He assumes full operational responsibility for Greenacres, the only funeral home in Whatcom County that also has its own cemetery.

 

Griffitts Launches HR Consulting Firm

Sheahan Griffitts of Ferndale, formerly vice president of human resources for Trillium Corp., has opened a consulting firm, Partner in Human Resource Management.

Griffitts is focusing on small businesses that lack an HR person but are experiencing employee growth that is beginning to overwhelm the office manager or payroll specialist. Her primary focus is auditing and developing HR practices, policies and procedures, such as employee handbooks and legally compliant employment-related forms. Her other areas include management training, personnel recruitment (advertisements, job descriptions, legally compliant interview questions, applicant screening, letter of offer and contract), compensation strategies and labor litigation discovery.

Griffitts has 15 years of experience in human resources in a diverse array of businesses, including resort operations, health care and real-estate development and affiliate operations. For more information, call 384-1504 or send e-mail to griffit4@gte.net.

 

Steffey Heads Sales for Consolidated Cellular

Rex Steffey has joined Consolidated Cellular as its vice president of sales.

Steffey has an extensive background in retail sales, primarily in the specialty-stores apparel industry. He most recently was president and chief executive officer of Jay Jacobs, Inc., in Seattle.

Consolidated Cellular, with headquarters in Sedro-Woolley, offers cellular phones, accessories and air packages in 20 Washington locations, including Belling-ham, and six Oregon cities.

 

Larson Leading State’s United Ways

Mark Larson, president and chief professional officer for United Way of Whatcom County, was elected president of United Ways of Washington at its February board meeting.

“The 27 United Ways in Washington are doing great work for our state’s neediest people,” Larson says. “I look forward to working with the association in the coming year as we determine how to enhance our work in each of our communities.”

United Ways of Washington is a trade association of all United Ways in the state.

 

Farwell Joins Whatcom Land Title

Bonnie Farwell, who has 24 years of experience as an escrow closer, has joined the staff of Whatcom Land Title in Bellingham.

Farwell specializes in commercial closings.

Whatcom Land Title, the only locally owned title company in Whatcom County, provides closing services to anyone who is buying or selling their home, land, business or mobile home. It’s located at 2011 Young St. For more information, call 676-8484.

 

VCR Print’s Baker Opens Local Office

Ben Baker, a consultant for VCR Print Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C., has opened an office in the Crown Plaza building at 114 W. Magnolia St., Bellingham.

Baker has four years of experience at print brokerages, including the last two years at VCR Print. He previously worked in the computer industry, both in retail sales and national accounts.

VCR Print has been offering complete print management services for more than 20 years. It will consult with clients on developing projects, provide writing and graphic services, recommend the best printing process for a project and obtain competitive bids from more than 40 printing partners. It also handles delivery of completed jobs, provides warehousing and manages ongoing distribution.

VCR Print also offers full-color printing in any format, including business forms and stationery, as well as packaging, bindery services and mailing services.

For more information, call Baker in Bellingham at 392-2889 or send e-mail to bbaker@axion.net.

 

Moss Adams CPA Gains Master’s Degree

Michelle Van Dellen, a certified public accountant in the Bellingham office of Moss Adams LLP, recently received her master of science degree in taxation from Golden Gate Univer-sity.

Van Dellen joined Moss Adams in 1993. She provides professional services to clients in many different industries, including farming, manufacturing, banking and real estate. She has a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Western Washington University and is a member of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Moss Adams is a regional accounting and management consulting firm and the anchor firm for Moores Rowland International, an association of leading independent accounting firms. The Bellingham office provides accounting, tax, financial and business advisory services to clients internationally and in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties.

 

Boos Gives Talks on Border Issues

Greg Boos, a U.S. immigration attorney in Bellingham, spoke about border issues at a regional seminar and a Chamber of Commerce annual meeting in February.

Boos was chair of a panel on North American Free Trade Agreement and border issues at the 2001 Northwest Regional Immigration Seminar in Bellevue. He also provided the keynote address for the Nanaimo (B.C.) Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting, addressing current initiatives to reconceptualize the U.S.-Canada border so that it better facilitates trade and commerce between the two countries.

Boos is a partner at the Bellingham office of Chang & Boos, a U.S. international immigration law firm which also has an office in Toronto. He limits his practice to matters relating to U.S. immigration law with an emphasis on business immigration. Boos has been recognized for his ongoing efforts on border and immigration issues, including work on the repeal by Congress of Section 110.

 

Fridlund Heads Sales for Navigant International

Greta Fridlund has been named director of sales for the Bellingham office of Navigant International/Northwest (formerly Mutual Travel), the largest travel agency in the Pacific Northwest.

Fridlund directs the company’s corporate sales efforts throughout the Bellingham area. She has worked with Navigant for more than eight years in a variety of sales and account management positions. She has been in the travel industry for more than 20 years with experience as a corporate and leisure agent and in airline sales, hotel sales and convention services management, as well as a district manager for a major rental car company. Fridlund graduated from Wash-ington State University with a degree in organizational communications.

“Some of our existing corporate clients, like VoiceStream, have opened offices here and many other corporations moving into the area are looking for the combination of locally-based, close-to-customer service and global resources that only Navigant International offers,” says Lyn Boice, Bellingham office manager for Navigant.

The Bellingham office is located in Barkley Village at 2930 Newmarket St., Suite 117. For more information, call 392-1213.

 

Nelson Heads Local Bar Association

David A. Nelson, managing partner of the Bellingham law office of Nelson, Brinson & Fryer, PS, became president of the Whatcom County Bar Association in January for a one-year term.

Nelson has been a member of the Wash-ington State Bar Asso-ciation and the What-com County Bar Asso-ciation since 1986. He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and practices in state and federal courts, focusing primarily on felony criminal defense.

Nelson also is the prosecutor for the cities of Ferndale and Blaine and a judge pro tem for Bellingham.

For more information, call Nelson at 676-9974.

 

Hospital VP Dember Honored by Society

Barbara Dember, regional vice president of development for St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, has received diplomate status in the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society.

Diplomate status in ACHE is held by only 7,000 health-care executives in the country. Diplomates must demonstrate their commitment to continuing education, progression in professional experience and participation in voluntary health care and community affairs. They also must successfully complete comprehensive oral and written examinations covering subjects related to health-care management.

ACHE works to improve the health status of society by advancing health-care management excellence. It offers comprehensive programs in credentialing, education, career development, publications, research and public policy.

 

Belle Flora Manager Receives Show Honor

Lois Thomas received a third-place award for her bouquet entry at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle.

Thomas, store manager and design consultant at Belle Flora in downtown Bellingham, was one of the few floral designers asked to design a bouquet for the prestigious show, presented each February. Her entry, “Sienna,” combined the colors used to advertise the show: olive green, reddish oranges, golds and yellow. Thomas placed sunflowers, orange tulips, red and yellow roses and fresh lemons in a vase.

 

Linde Handles Events at Lairmont Manor

Todd Linde recently was named events coordinator at the historic Lairmont Manor in Bellingham.

Linde, a Whatcom County native, has experience in the hospitality industry with hotels such as Extended Stay America, The Hampton Inn and Linde’s Landing. He also has worked closely with the convention and visitors bureau of Ocean Shores.

Lairmont Manor, located at 405 Fieldston Road in Fairhaven, hosts more than 200 events ranging from business seminars to wedding receptions each year. For more information, call 647-1444.

 

Sare Managing Holiday Inn Express

Vicki Sare has been named general manager of the 101-room Holiday Inn Express at 4160 Guide Meridian, Bellingham.

Sare previously worked 17 years, including the last three years as general manager, at the Holiday Inn Atrium Hotel and Convention Center in Sheridan, Wyo., which had 212 guest rooms, 10,000 square feet of convention space, 180 employees and annual operating revenues of $5.5 million. Before becoming general manager there, she was its food and beverage director for six years and also held the positions of human resource director, controller and bookkeeper.

In Bellingham, Sare will oversee a refurbishing project that includes every guest room, as well as the lobby and breakfast bar, in the next 18 months. The Holiday Inn Express, owned and operated by Caitac Enterprise Corp., offers a complimentary breakfast bar, free airport shuttle, local phone service and an indoor swimming pool and hot tub. Its corporate board room accommodates meetings and presentations for up to 15 people.

For more information, call 671-4800.

 

Sadighi Selling at Wilson Motors

Jeff Sadighi has been hired as a sales consultant at Wilson Motors in Bellingham.

Sadighi, previously employed at Sims Honda in Burlington, says he took “the opportunity to join a top-flight dealership to be closer to my friends and acquaintances to serve their transportation needs.”

Wilson Motors, located at 405 E. Champion St., is the local dealership for Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Daewoo and also carries a large selection of used vehicles. For more information, call Sadighi at 224-5707.

 

Bank NorthWest Selects Peterson

Bank NorthWest has hired Mary Jo Peterson as a customer service representative at its downtown Bellingham office, 100 Grand Ave.

Peterson has five years of customer service experience and previously was a teller for U.S. Bank. She received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Western Washington University.

Bank NorthWest also is opening branches in Birch Bay and Bellingham’s Barkley Village later this year.

 

Williamson Featured in Magazine

Bellingham maritime artist James Williamson is the featured artist in the February/March edition of Traditional Boats and Tall Ships magazine.

Williamson’s full-color images are included in a six-page article in the magazine, which is available through The Newstand, 676-7772, at 111 E. Magnolia St., Bellingham.

 

Roles-Meier Joins Copy Source

Teresa Roles-Meier has been appointed business accounts manager for Copy Source in Bellingham.

She is responsible for marketing a wide range of digital printing, copying, desktop publishing and related services provides by Copy Source at 1122 N. State St.

Roles-Meier has more than 14 years of experience in sales and customer service, most recently with a national/international trade journal published in Bellingham.

For more information, call 738-1280 or send e-mail to sales@copysource.com.

 

Lehman Joins Muljat Group in Sales

Josh Lehman has joined the Muljat Group, a Bellingham real-estate brokerage, in its sales department.

Lehman plans to focus on people either buying or selling a home for the first time by helping them learn about real-estate transactions.

Lehman was raised in the Laurel area of Whatcom County and spent several years working on residential construction. He graduated from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah with a bachelor’s degree in technical sales and marketing. He will be part of a real-estate team with his mother, Terry Lehman.

For more information, call 739-7446 or visit www.inlehmanterms.com.

 

Bellingham Athletic Club Adds Esthetician

Esthetician Ulrike Bartlett has joined the staff of Bellingham Athletic Club at 4758 Guide Meridian.

Bartlett, also a make-up artist, re-ceived training in 1986 at the Hillside Design Academy in Victoria, B.C. She worked at the exclusive Raymond Salon on Robson Street in Vancouver, B.C., before becoming owner of an esthetics business in the city’s Kitsilano district for several years.

She has specialized in problem skin and handled make-up services at weddings and fashion shows. Bartlett also has vast experience in waxing clients ranging from male bodybuilders to dancers.

“It is my philosophy to educate my clients as I perform the treatment,” she says.

For more information, call Bartlett at 676-1800.

 

Swanson Named SPIE Technical Director

Nancy Swanson has returned to Bellingham as technical director for the International Society for Optical Engin-eering (SPIE).

Formerly a student at Western Washington University, Swanson is working with the science and engineering community in academia, government and industry to create technical events and engineering short courses each year. Held in locations throughout the world, SPIE’s events focus on a broad spectrum of optical and photonics technologies that have practical applications in many fields.

Swanson previously was employed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Va. She also was a research physicist at the Coastal Systems Station and an adjunct professor in physics and math at Gulf Coast Community College, both in Panama City, Fla., as well as a research assistant at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

Swanson earned at bachelor’s degree in physics and math from WWU and a master’s degree and doctorate in physics with a specialty in optics from the University of Oregon and Florida State University, respectively.

SPIE, with headquarters in Bellingham, is a not-for-profit technical society dedicated to advancing the profession of optical engineering and fostering the engineering, scientific and commercial development and application of optical, photonic, imaging and optoelectronic technologies.

 

Engineering Education Award Goes to Seal

The Society of Automotive Engineers has awarded Michael Seal, founder and director of the Vehicle Research Institute at Western Washington University in Belling-ham, its prestigious Excellence in Engin-eering Education Award.

The only nominee among nearly 60,000 engineers, business executives, educators and students, Seal was honored for his outstanding contributions made to Engineering Education Board activities. He received the award March 6 during the 2001 SAE World Congress and Exposition in Detroit.

“He is an example of combining the practice of engineering with the theory of engineering,” nominating engineer Charles Allport says. “The list is very long of how he’s taken undergraduate students and they’ve excelled in many different arenas.”

Seal founded the VRI, part of Western’s engineering technology department, in 1974. Since then, experimental vehicles produced by VRI students have draw worldwide attention.

 

Rowe Teaching WCC Class on Meetings

Alice Rowe is teaching a class, “Meetings that Get Results,” from 9 to 11 a.m. March 16 at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham.

For more information or to register for the class, call 647-3277.

Rowe has a doctorate in human and organizational development. She has more than 20 years of experience as a corporate trainer, educator and public speaker. Rowe also periodically teaches classes on “Team Building for Top Performance” and “Managing Conflict and Confrontation.”

 

Northwest Computer Supplies Adds Newell

Northwest Computer Supplies has added Matt Newell to the retail sales staff of its store at 1419 Cornwall Ave. in downtown Bellingham.

Newell, formerly with Software, Etc., has experience in computer product sales as well as technical hands-on experience with computers.

For more information, call 734-3400.

 

Thomas Talking about Down Markets

David P. Thomas, a Bellingham investment representative for Edward Jones Investments, will present a free seminar, “Weathering a Down Market,” at 6:30 p.m. March 15.

The seminar will be conducted in Suite 116 of the Lincoln Professional Building at 1800 Byron Ave. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 752-9193.

The seminar will cover factors that cause stock markets to fall, common mistakes for investors to avoid, how to prepare a game plan for such times and more.

 

Courtyard Promotes Four to Managers

Four caregivers at The Courtyard Dementia Care Community in Bellingham have been promoted to the position of house manager.

Paula Nelson, Karen Sehrt, Mary Stiles and Lisa Tenney now supervise caregivers, coordinate care and work collaboratively with the entire management team to focus on the needs of individual residents.

The Courtyard developed the position of house manager to more closely follow the prosthetic model of care known as “gentle care.” This approach emphasizes the need for everyone involved in the care of the person with dementia to accept and value each person’s dignity and worth.

 

Powell Achieves Safety Certification

Richard Powell, safety and personnel director for Ludtke-Pacific Trucking, Inc. of Bellingham, has completed a certification of director of safety course.

Powell is only the fifth person to be certified in Washington and the 1,108th person in the country. The course is offered by The North American Transpor-tation Management Institute. The goal of certification is to designate competence with regard to the transportation industry’s high standards of performance, excellence and achievement.

Powell has been with Ludtke-Pacific for 18 years and a driver for 22 years. As safety and personnel director, he is responsible for materials development and establishing and implementing programs, policies and safety standards.

 

Louis Auto Glass Adds Smith to Staff

Bryan Smith has joined the outside sales staff of Louis Auto Glass.

Smith, a lifelong Bellingham resident, previously worked in the beverage industry. He will be helping Louis Auto Glass expand business throughout What-com County.

Louis Auto Glass is the largest and, in its 72nd year, the oldest independent auto-glass company in Western Washington. It has stores in Bellingham and Lynden.

 

Opoulos, Pleune Join 3D Computer Staff

Danial Opoulos and Jenifer Pleune have joined the staff of 3D Computer Corp. in Bellingham.

Opoulos became part of 3D Computer’s service staff. Formerly with technical support for AT&T@ Home, he has nine Microsoft certifications, including Microsoft Certified Pro-fessional and Micro-soft Certified System En-gineer.

“When it comes to Microsoft’s server and networking applications, there are only a handful of people in this area who have had as much training as Danial has had,” says Chris Gray, 3D’s director of operations.

Pleune joined 3D’s network engineering staff. A former business owner in Silver Valley, Idaho, she is a Microsoft Certified Professional with ex-perience in Macintosh and PC platforms, design and installation of LANs/WANs, software/hardware troubleshooting and Web design.

“As a former small-business owner, Jenifer has a keen understanding of a business’s needs and melds her business acumen with her strong technical skills,” says Dave Koshinz, 3D’s chief executive officer.

Located at 1423 Railroad Ave. in downtown Bellingham, 3D Computer has been serving Whatcom and Skagit counties since 1987. For more information, call 671-4906 or visit www.3dcomputer.com.

 

SSK Insurance Hires Den Hartog

Bethany Den Hartog has been named employee benefits manager and an agent for life, health and disability insurance for Snapper Shuler Ken-ner Insurance in Lynden.

Den Hartog is specializing in health-care plans, life and disability insurance and retirement plans for employees of businesses. She has two years of experience in insurance sales, plus a diverse background in education and banking. She is a graduate of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

Wallace Receives Insurance Designation

Keith Wallace, a life/health insurance producer for Rice Insurance in Bellingham, has been named a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow.

The designation is conferred upon individuals who meet standards set by the LUTC and the National Association of In-surance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). It marks an agent’s long-term commitment to professionalism on behalf of clients, establishes the agent’s competence and business experience, sets a commitment to NAIFA’s code of ethics and fosters additional professional development.

Wallace, employed in this profession for 11 years, is president of NAIFA Northwest. He also is active in the Bellingham Whatcom Chamber of Commerce and Industry as an ambassador for its monthly networking breakfasts and after-hours social functions. He also is a committee member for the chamber’s Ski to Sea golf tournament.

 

Northwest Computer Supplies Promotes June

David June has been promoted to sales manager at Northwest Computer Supplies in Bellingham.

June, an account manager with the company since June, has served in a variety of sales management and marketing roles in the office-automation in-dustry, in which he has nine years of experience.

Northwest Computer Supplies, located at 1419 Cornwall Ave., serves corporate, governmental and educational clients throughout the Northwest and across the United States. For more information, call 734-3400.

 

Read Joins Pacific Continental Realty

Bryce Read has been named a property services associate at Pacific Continental Realty in Bellingham.

Read works with the firm’s growing commercial management division. He also is responsible for marketing companies listed by Pacific Continental Realty.

Read is a state-licensed real-estate salesperson and has been a Bellingham resident for more than 20 years. He has held a variety of sales and marketing positions with local companies, most recently as an account manager for a commercial computer systems integrator.

Pacific Continental Realty is a commercial/industrial real-estate brokerage company founded in 1990. It provides sales and leasing brokerage services, site-selection services and commercial property management to clients throughout northwest Washington.

 

Members Financial Announces Changes

The Members Financial Services Program has announced two changes involving its Bellingham staff.

Kirk Crawford has been appointed a financial-services representative. Crawford helps clients analyze their financial status and assists them in the areas of long-term-care insurance, life insurance, annuities, mutual funds and equity investments. He also provides services in the areas of retirement, estates, college and tax-deferral planning.

Alex Wiley was promoted to sales assistant. She previously was the marketing coordinator for the Bellingham office, located in the headquarters building of North Coast Credit Union at 1100 Dupont St.

Both Crawford and Wiley are graduates of Western Washington University.

For more information about Members Financial Services Program, call 733-3982, ext. 3009.

 

Moles Funeral Home Welcomes Back Aase

Sigure “Sig” Aase has returned to Moles Funeral Home in Ferndale as funeral director after a brief absence.

Aase recently has undertaken brief assignments at Greenacres Funeral Home and Memorial Park, several miles north of Belling-ham, and Jones-Moles Funeral Home in Bellingham. All three funeral homes are owned by Whatcom Memorial.

Aase began in the funeral industry in 1977 in Bellingham and has worked at Moles Funeral Home since 1980. He became its full-time director in the early 1980s.

Aase is past-president of the Northwest District of theWashington State Funeral Home Directors Association.

 

Gordon Managing Second Office

J. Gordon, manager of the Bellingham office of GeoEngineers, has been named to also manage the firm’s new office in Everett.

The Everett office was established after GeoEngineers experienced an increase in projects in Snohomish and Island counties.

GeoEngineers now has 11 offices in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and California. The firm offers geotechnical engineering, environmental assessment and remediation and related services.

 

County Realtors Present Awards

Richard Baila of RE/MAX Whatcom County was named Realtor of the Year during the 2000 awards banquet of the Whatcom County Association of Realtors.

Baila has been treasurer and political affairs chairman of the county association. He also has been a state director is treasurer-elect of the Washington Association of Realtors.

William T. Follis Jr. received the Realtor Lifetime Achievement Award. Follis returned from serving in World War II to join his father in the family owned real estate business. He expanded its services by offering property appraisals throughout Washington, as well as Montana and Alaska. Follis was twice elected president of the WCAR and also named Realtor of the Year. He also has been president of a regional appraisal organization and chairperson of the Whatcom County Board of Equalization.

Carla Williams, vice president of home loans for Horizon Bank, was named the WCAR’s Affiliate of the Year. She began in the banking business in 1988 and has been a major leader in the association, particularly as chair and an active member in its Banking and Finance Committee.

Jerry and Sharon Landcastle of Colonial Realty in Ferndale received the Community Service Award.

Jerry Landcastle, a past WCAR president, currently serves on the Ferndale City Council and the Whatcom Transportation Authority’s board of directors. He previously served seven years on the Whatcom County Planning Commission and two years on the board of Project Concern, the Ferndale food bank.

Sharon Landcastle, Realtor of the Year in 1997, volunteers for the Ferndale food bank (Project Concern) and the Salvation Army. She also is a member of the Ferndale Image Group and the local Heritage Society and actively participates in the community’s Pioneer Days festival. She previously was a board member of the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization and was a founding member of Whatcom Business.com.

The Political Action Leader Award went to Daryl McClelland of Windermere Real Estate. A Realtor for 31 years, McClelland has served as chair of the WCAR’s Political Affairs Committee and participates in its annual trips to the Legislature in Olympia. He also is an active member of the Whatcom Land Use Roundtable and chair of the Whatcom County Real Estate Report.

Josselyn Winslow, volunteer executive director for the Alzheimer’s Society of Whatcom County, was named Citizen of the Year.

The Bellingham Herald was selected as Partner of the Year for its coverage of local land-use issues and development of Northwest Homes, a bi-monthly real-estate publication included in the newspaper.

 

Fourth Generation Takes Business Reins

John W. Moles has assumed ownership of Whatcom Memorial, Inc., from his father, Robert M. Moles, to become the family’s fourth generation heading the business.

The transaction became effective Jan. 1. Whatcom Memorial includes Jones-Moles Funeral Home in Bellingham, Greenacres Funeral Home and Memorial Park in north Bellingham, Moles Funeral Home in Ferndale and Whatcom Cremation and Burial. The company employs 31 people and serves approximately 700 to 800 families each year through its various facilities.

John Moles is a licensed funeral director and graduate of Seattle Pacific University. He was attending Western Washington University’s master of business administration program when his father informed him of the decision to retire and sell the business.

The family business began when John H. Moles operated a mortuary business that became Moles Funeral Home in Ferndale in 1926. Robert L. Moles took over in 1949 and added Greenacres Memorial Park, located at the intersection of Northwest and West Axton roads, and Jones Funeral Home to the family business. Robert L. Moles remains active in the business.

Robert M. Moles assumed control of the business in 1972. Growth of the business has continued since then with the addition of a full-service funeral facility at Greenacres Memorial Park and the construction of a new facility adjacent to Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham. The Bellingham facility was renamed Jones-Moles Funeral Home to link it to the expanding family business.

Robert M. Moles currently serves as president of the Washington State Funeral Directors Association.

 

Moss Adams Trio Passes CPA Exam

Three accountants at the Bellingham office of Moss Adams LLP recently passed the certified public accounting exam.

Tasha Dunn, senior accountant, specializes in non-for-profit organizations, tribal governments and gaming enterprises. She graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor of arts degree in accounting and business administration.

Jay Kaiser, staff accountant, specializes in tax and accounting services. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Western Washington University.

Amanda Smith is a staff accountant in the business assurance department with an emphasis on auditing businesses, not-for-profit organizations and government agencies. She graduated cum laude from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

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.