Baila Named State Realtor of Year

Richard Baila of RE/MAX Whatcom County was named Realtor of the Year by the Washington Association of Realtors during its annual fall conference in Kennewick.

A Realtor since 1992, Baila has donated many hours to political and business activities of the association at local and state levels. He has served as local treasurer, political affairs chairperson and member of the candidate interview, budget and finance committees. Baila will be treasurer of the 15,000-member state association in 2002.

Previous recipients of the award from Whatcom County were Mel Hollinger (1966), Mark Anderson (1976) and Cal Leenstra (1993).

Nominees from the county for other awards this year include: Carl Williams, Horizon Bank, Affiliate of the Year; Jerry and Sharon Landcastle, Colonial Realty, community service; and The Bellingham Herald, Partner of the Year.

 

Hotel Promotes Applegate to GM

Dorthy Applegate recently was promoted to general manager of the 101-room Holiday Inn Express in Bellingham.

Applegate began in the hotel industry in 1980 when Bellingham’s Lakeway Inn was associated with Holiday Inns. She joined the Holiday Inn Express in Bellingham when it opened in 1993. Her positions have included executive housekeeper, breakfast bar hostess, guest services representative and rooms division manager.

The Holiday Inn Express, located at 4160 Guide Meridian, includes an indoor pool and hot tub and offers a continental breakfast to its guests. For more information, call 671-4800.

 

Deveau Becomes Moss Adams Partner

Moss Adams LLP has named Brian Deveau a partner in its Bellingham office.

Deveau has more than 21 years of experience as a financial professional, including 12 years assisting tribal governments in public accounting, plus nine years as a successful chief financial officer for tribes in Arizona and Washington. With Moss Adams, he provides tribal governments, not-for-profit organizations and businesses with a full range of professional services, including accounting and auditing, as well as consulting on grants management, indirect costs and other issues.

Deveau is a 1980 graduate of Michigan State University and is licensed as a certified public accountant in Arizona and Washington.

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.

 

Dember Heading Jingle Bell Run/Walk

Barbara Dember, regional vice president for business development at St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, is chairperson of the city’s 14th-annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis.

Participants can choose to complete a four-mile run or a two-mile walk. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 8 at Bellingham Athletic Club, 1616 Cornwall Ave. The $25 registration fee include an event T-shirt and “jingle bells” for one’s shoes. The registration fee is waived if $25 or more is collected in pledges.

“It is an honor for me to chair this year’s event,” Dember says. “It is particularly meaningful for my family and I as we will be walking in honor of my remarkable mother Bessie. She was stricken with rheumatoid arthritis at the young age of 22 and courageously battled the crippling disease for over 40 years.”

In last year’s Bellingham run/walk, 2,900 people raised $155,000 for the Arthritis Foundation and its mission to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases.

For more information and to receive a registration and information brochure, call the Arthritis Foundation, 733-2866, send e-mail to whewitt@arthritis.org or send mail to it at 809 E. Chestnut St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

 

GeoEngineers Gives Drury Promotion

Tracy Drury has been promoted to senior river scientist in the Bellingham office of GeoEngineers.

Drury has six years of specialized experience in river science and engineering. Currently, he is leading a restoration of the South Fork of the Nooksack River that involves habitat rehabilitation work. Drury has been performing similar work for the U.S. Corps of Engineers throughout the state.

GeoEngineers is a 200-person firm offering diverse geotechnical, environmental, geologic, ground-water, ecological, permitting and Endangered Species Act consulting services. Besides its office at 600 Dupont St., Bellingham, GeoEngineers has six other offices in Washington and one apiece in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and California. For more information, call 647-1510.

 

Highgate House Names Booth Manager

Terri Briant Booth has been named community manager for Highgate House, a 48-unit, assisted-living facility in Bellingham.

Highgate House, located at 151 E. Kellogg Road, also includes an adjoining cottage specializing in dementia care with 18 residents.

Booth is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Highgate House buildings and will take on marketing duties.

Highgate House and The Cottage employ more than 30 people in their business office and dietary, nursing, maintenance and housekeeping departments.

Booth has been working with senior adults since 1982. She most recently was administrator of The Courtyard Dementia Care Community in Bellingham. After being appointed to that position in 1998, Booth oversaw construction and start-up activities of The Courtyard, a 62-unit facility that opened in July 1999 and is devoted to the care of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

Booth joined Northwest Care Management in 1997 and assisted in the opening of Orchard Park Assisted Living until she was promoted to administrator of The Courtyard. She also has been director of the Whatcom County Council on Aging’s Senior Information and Assistance program and worked nearly 10 years for the senior adult program of the City of Seattle Parks Department.

 

Madsen Speaking at Business Forum

Dennis Madsen, chief executive officer of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), will be the speaker Nov. 15 for the first Bellingham Business Forum.

The forum, planned to be an annual event, is being organized by the Western Foundation, Western Washington University’s link to the private sector.

A primary goal for the forum is “to foster more interaction between the university and the business community so that each can draw upon the strengths of the other,” says Peggy Zoro, president of the Western Foundation and a Key Bank district president “Together, we represent a powerful force.”

Madsen was named CEO of Seattle-based REI in March 2000 after serving 13 years as the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. He has been praised for helping build the company, which sells outdoor sports equipment through retail stores, mail orders and a Web site, through innovation, rapid response to customer needs and by successfully challenging and motivating REI’s 6,300 employees.

Tickets for the luncheon, which starts at noon Nov. 15 at Bellingham’s Best Western Lakeway Inn, cost $25 apiece. For reservations (requested by Nov. 9) or table sponsorships, call 650-6825.

 

Bailey Collecting Funds for NSF Checks

Regina Bailey of Blaine has been named a Pacific Northwest marketing director for eCollect, which collects funds for NSF checks electronically.

According to eCollect, a division of Automated Clearing House Systems, it collects an average of 85 percent of all NSF checks through electronic debiting, which is allowed through a banking rule that became effective in 1998. Businesses receive 100 percent of the face value of the check and eCollect takes the “bad check fee” that is allowed by law. Businesses don’t pay a minimum amount or fee to eCollect.

Automated Clearing House Systems is a national electronic funds transfer network connecting the nation’s 20,000 financial institutions. In operation for nearly 25 years, ACH Systems processes more than 4 billion payments annually.

Before her marriage in 1996, Bailey was the marketing manager for the Bellingham Business Journal for 1-1/2 years. She also has been a marketing manager for Mid-West Collection Services Ltd. in Edmonton, Alberta. Also, Bailey and her husband Gary own and operate Bailey & Pagels Transportation.

For more information about eCollect, call Bailey at 332-1458 or send e-mail to regina_bailey@yahoo.com.

 

Cruise Specialist Opens Office

Linda Roggenburg, owner of Best Cruise Holidays & Tours in Bellingham, opened an office Nov. 1 at 909 Harris Ave., Suite 201-G, in Fairhaven.

Roggenburg has been arranging cruises for groups for 10 years. She has been a travel agent for a year, first with American Express Travel Services in Portland, Ore., and now has owner of a branch office of Cruise Holidays, a national company with a large volume of cruise business. Roggenburg previously worked for more than 20 years as a research analyst, mostly in drug abuse and program evaluation.

Best Cruise Holidays & Tours provides service for cruises and any vacation travel to resorts and hotels around the world. Its office hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, except only 2 to 5 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, call 714-1142.

 

Mander Writes Book on Web for ‘Dummies’

Richard Mander, co-owner of Zanzara in Bellingham, has co-authored with Bud Smith a book, Web Usability for Dummies.

The book takes Zanzara’s “usability design process” and applies to Web-site/application design. Mander says the central idea of the book is that good usability comes from building a product that is carefully tailored to meet the owner’s business goals and the user’s goals. The book will be available in stores in December.

For more information, visit Zanzara’s new Web site, www.zanzara.com.

 

Esthetician Moves Business Downtown

Shalana Elaine Lake, a licensed esthetician, moved her business in early November to downtown Bellingham.

Shalana’s Skin Care, opened by Lake two years ago, now is at 1310 N. State St., Suite 5, between Champion and Magnolia streets.

Lake specializes in microdermabrasion treatments, facials, acne treatments for all ages and face and body waxing services. Her business hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturdays.

For more information, call 756-0684.

 

Icicle Seafoods Employee Wins ‘Rodeo’

Andrew Wall, an employee of Icicle Seafoods in Bellingham, won the fourth-annual Forklift Rodeo Championship during an industrial safety conference.

Wall, an 18-year employee who sets up manufacturing lines for Icicle Seafoods, won $500 for placing first.

The competition, which drew 37 participants, was conducted Sept. 26 in Seattle during the Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Conference in Seattle. The conference, held for the 50th year, brought together representatives from businesses and the state Department of Labor & Industries to discuss the latest tools, technologies and strategies for improving workplace safety and health.

The goal of the “rodeo” was to promote safe forklift operation and display the talent of forklift operations. Competitors tested their abilities through a written exam, an inspection and an obstacle course.

 

Curley Honored for Shaklee Sales

Jayme and David Curley of Bellingham received a trip to New Orleans from Shaklee Corp. in recognition of their sales accomplishments.

The Curleys also attended business workshops and learned about new Shaklee products. They started their home-based health and wellness business 22 years ago.

For more information, call the Curleys at 676-5844 or visit www.shaklee.com.

 

House Donates Portion of Revenues

Nancy House, owner/operator of Electrolysis NorthWest in Bellingham, donated 5 percent of her October revenues to the American Cancer Society for research toward a cure for breast cancer.

“The majority of my clients are women and too many of us have had friends, relatives or personal experience with breast cancer,” House says.

House is a registered nurse, a registered electrologist and a national board-certified professional electrologist. For more information, call 715-1088.

 

McFearin Chairing YWCA Trustees

Shirley McFearin, real-estate manager for the Port of Bellingham, has been appointed chair of the YWCA of Bellingham’s new board of trustees.

The trustees will assist the YWCA’s board of directors in making sound business decisions, as well as providing professional expertise and assisting the YWCA in establishing a healthy endowment fund. The trustees will include men and women who can offer a two-year commitment to the organization, which provides the only emergency and transitional housing in the region for homeless and low-income single women.

People interested in becoming a trustee may contact McFearin at 676-2500.

 

Kent Joins Barbershop at Fairhaven

Kristy Kent has joined owner Diane Phillips at The Barbershop at Fairhaven, 1010 Harris Ave.

Kent has a decade of experience in tonsorial grooming, including four years at a Whidbey Island barbershop and 1-1/2 years managing Master Cuts at Bellis Fair mall in Bellingham. Her specialties are texturizing and trendy men’s styles.

For more information, call 738-8081.

 

Sehome Park Care Center Hires Schauls, Acalinas

Sehome Park Care Center in Bellingham has named Ginny Schauls interim administrator and Dalia Acalinas director of nursing.

Schauls has seven years of experience as an administrator. She has worked at numerous facilities throughout Washington, most recently in Walla Walla. Schauls is assisting Sehome Park Care Center reduce costs and implement and different and new perspective to providing long-term care. She has a bachelor’s degree in business from St. Martin’s College in Lacey.

Acalinas has more than 10 years of experience in management and most recently was director of nursing at an assisted-living facility in Lynden.

Sehome Park Care Center, located at 700 32nd St., is owned by National HealthCare Corp. It is a skilled-nursing facility that delivers short-term, long-term and Alzheimer’s care. For more information, call 734-9330.

 

Tails-A-Wagging Hires Pet Sitters

Simone Mundy and Carolyne Johnstone have been hired as professional pet sitters by Tails-A-Wagging Professional Pet Sitting Service and Doggie Day Care in Bellingham.

Mundy and Johnstone will care for pets in the homes of clients while they are gone on vacations or business trips.

For more information, call 733-7387 or visit www.tails-a-wagging.com.

 

Edward Jones Offers Course on Tax Law

“The 2001 Tax Law Update,” a course for certified public accountants and attorneys, will be presented at 11 a.m. Dec. 5 at the Fairhaven office of Edward Jones investment representative Denise Dibb.

The course, produced by Edward Jones and broadcast over its satellite system, will cover 2001 court decisions, new IRS regulations and other administrative decisions and tax and financial-planning opportunities stemming from recent changes.

The program is eligible for three CPE hours for CPAs and accountants. CLE credit for attorneys is pending approval in all states with general education requirements.

The enrollment fee is $50 and includes all course materials. Reservations are required by Dec. 3 by calling Karen Lawson at 714-8661.

 

Building Industry Honors Tremaine

The Building Industry Association of Washington has awarded longtime member Rick Tremaine its prestigious Associate of the Year award.

The award honors BIAW’s associate members — those who are involved in the homebuilding industry but aren’t themselves homebuilder or remodelers — for their meritorious service and exemplary devotion to the industry.

Tremaine, a senior vice president and real estate loan manager for Whidbey Island Bank in Bellingham, was honored for his countless contributions to the association. He has served on numerous BIAW committees and recruited many members during his 26 years in banking. He currently serves as secretary of the association and will be its second vice president in 2002.

 

Brown & Cole Adds Shareholders

Bellingham-based Brown & Cole Stores recently made two of its executives shareholders in the company.

Debra Jones, vice president for finance and administration, and Bill Weymer, vice president for store operations, were awarded shares of the company by its board of directors.

“It is our practice to reward key executives with an ownership position in the company,” says Craig Cole, president and chief executive officer. “These two leaders certainly have earned it.”

Jones joined the company in 1997. She has been the dean of administrative services for Bellingham Technical College and controller for Thrifty Foods. She graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant.

Weymer has held many positions in the grocery industry, including a stint as vice president of marketing and operations for Consumers Choice and director of operations for Thrifty Foods, as well as vice president and co-owner of Town and Country Markets. He earned a degree in food marketing from Michigan State University.

Other shareholders of Brown & Cole include Craig and Susan Cole, Dr. Jack Cole and Dr. Martha Cole, Larry Ziels, Jim Anderson, David Ballash, Bill Ziels, Steve Pake, Richard Cole, Dr. Ronald Cole and Jack B. and Ramona Cole. The 92-year-old company, founded in Lynden, has 35 supermarkets in Washington, Oregon and Montana and is ranked as one of the state’s top privately owned businesses, based on sales revenues.

 

Unity Group Promotes Dale, Hansen

The Unity Group, a Bellingham-based independent insurance agency, has named Rob Dale chief executive officer and Barry Hansen as president.

Dale reports directly to the company’s board and has overall responsibility for leadership and direction of the corporation. His responsibilities include strategic planning toward profitable growth, creating and monitoring a marketing process that promotes The Unity Group’s insurance and new financial-services division, overseeing human resources for production staff and building long-term company and client relationships.

Dale has been with the Unity Group since 1980 when he was hired as commercial marketing manager. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, he serves as the state national director for the Independent Insurance Agents of America.

Hansen is responsible for the day-to-day management of The Unity Group, including achievement of corporate growth and profit goals. He has been an insurance broker with The Unity Group and has worked for Federated Insurance and Tourville Inc. as marketing manager and business/financial manager, respectively.

The Unity Group, formed in 1987 as an employee-owned agency, has headquarters in downtown Bellingham and offices in Lynnwood, Everett and Burlington. The largest independent agency in northwest Washington, it offers auto, home, commercial, marine, life, group medical and long-term-care insurance, as well as 401(k) plans, financial planning, asset management and investment services. For more information, call 647-9000 or visit www.theunitygroup.com.

 

Nau, Bagley Rank High in Boat Sales

Rod Nau and Curt Bagley, salespeople for Olympic Boat Centers at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham, ranked as the top two in sales for the company’s Washington/Canada division in the fiscal year ending Aug. 31.

Nau recorded $3.4 million in sales of boats, becoming the first salesman in the Bellingham store’s history to surpass $3 million in gross sales and only the second among the company’s nine stores in Washington and Canada.

Bagley recorded sales of $2.3 million to rank second in sales among the nine stores in Washington and Canada.

Both Nau and Bagley have been selling boats at the Squalicum Harbor location since in opened in 1996.

Olympic Boat Centers has 22 stores in the United States and Canada, including one on the Guide Meridian, several miles north of Bellingham. It is the largest Bayliner dealer worldwide and also sells Trophy, Maxum and Northwood boats. For more information, call 671-5560.

 

Peoples Bank Promotes Lee, Kelley-Bertram

Peoples Bank recently promoted two of its management personnel.

Laura Lee was promoted to senior vice president and operations manager of the Lynden-based bank. Her responsibilities encompass overseeing the management of the bank’s deposit and consumer loan operations, as well as check processing and information technology. She joined the bank in 1992 as bank services manager and was promoted to vice president and operations manager in 1996. Lee has been instrumental in developing the bank’s fraud-control program and increasing its operational efficiency.

Yvette Kelley-Bertram was promoted to assistant vice president and branch manager II of the Barkley Village office in Bellingham. She joined Peoples Bank in 1995, was promoted to assistant manager of the bank’s Ferndale office and then was transferred to become the assistant manager of the bank’s new Barkley Village office, located inside a Haggen supermarket, in 1999. Later that year, Kelley-Bertram was promoted to branch manager I of that office.

Peoples Bank has $405 million in assets and operates 14 offices in Whatcom, Skagit and King counties.