Landed Gentry welcomes Adams
Landed Gentry Homes and Communities is excited to announce the recent hiring of lifetime Skagit County resident Barb Adams as the new real estate services coordinator.
“Barb has been a wonderful addition to our team; her attention to detail and extensive knowledge of the real estate industry has been great,” said Dave Moreland, chief operating officer for Landed Gentry.
Adams comes to Landed Gentry with nearly 11 years of experience in the real estate industry. She is a member of the Association of Realtors as well as an Accredited Buyer Representative. As a wife, mother of two and grandmother of one, she serves the community as a youth teacher for her church and as president of the Burlington Edison High School Football Booster Club.

Peoples Bank promotes two
Peoples Bank is pleased to announce that it is has promoted Cora Cowell to branch manager of its Burlington branch, located inside the Burlington Haggen Foods grocery store.
Cowell joined Peoples Bank in 2006 as assistant branch manager of the bank’s Mount Vernon office. She has seven years of financial services and management experience. She attended the University of Manila in the Philippines and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education.
She has lived in Skagit County since 1988 and is active in the Skagit Fil-Am Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of Filipino culture throughout the community.
Also, the bank announced the promotion of Matt Ireland from the Burlington office to the Mount Vernon office. He has accepted Cowell’s former position as the assistant branch manager in Mount Vernon. The Mount Vernon Financial Center provides retail, business banking and real estate loan services. Ireland joined Peoples Bank in 2002 as a customer service representative and was promoted to assistant manager at the Burlington branch in 2006.

Dewey Griffin’s Karb retires
Gary Karb, an auto repair technician for Bellingham’s Dewey Griffin car dealership, retired after 37 years on Sept. 15. He started working for the dealership in 1967.
An avid musician and hunter, Karb enjoys playing the guitar and hunting ducks in the wilderness of Whatcom County.

Jackson named VP for National Association of Marine Surveyors
David Jackson, a NAMS certified Marine Surveyor based in Anacortes, was recently elected Regional Vice President for the North Pacific Region of the National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS). In this position, Jackson will be a member of the NAMS board of directors and is responsible for organizing regional opportunities for continuing education in the field of marine surveying.

Six join Landmark Building & Development
Landmark Building & Development Inc. of Mount Vernon is pleased to welcome a number of new employees:
Doug Ellis is the new general manager. Ellis will manage the company as they continue to grow to new levels of home production and sales. Ellis has been the general manager for Homestead NW for the past six years.
Matt Richter is the new construction manager. Richter brings with him years of construction knowledge and management experience. Richter has a degree in construction technology. Richter has owned and operated his own construction business and served as senior project manager and construction manager for eight years at Homestead NW.
Tim DenBleyker is the new sales manager. DenBleyker will lead the sales team offering new homes in the Mount Vernon, Burlington and Sedro-Woolley area. DenBleyker had most recently been in home sales for Homestead NW for the past eight years.
Alex Desitkes is the new customer service, warranty and home delivery manager. Desitkes will oversee the new home warranty program, the punch list/fit and finish, and delivery of the new homes through a home orientation walk through with every home customer. Desitkes had most recently managed the trim install department for Homestead NW.
Kelley Conrad is a sales associate. Conrad will be a part of the sales team offering new homes in the Mount Vernon, Burlington, and Sedro-Woolley area. Conrad had most recently been in home sales for Homestead NW.
Ronda Marquis is a sales associate. Marquis will be a part of the sales team offering new homes in the Mount Vernon, Burlington, and Sedro-Woolley area. She also helps homebuyers in the new Landmark design center in selecting the color options for their home. Marquis had most recently been in the mortgage business and finance.
Calderhead designated e-Pro
Gloria “Glo” Calderhead of Fairhaven Realty has been certified as an e-PRO by the National Association of Realtors. The online certification course gives real estate agents the tools to make the most of Internet technology and to identify, evaluate and implement new Internet business models. Only 1 percent of all Realtors nationally have this designation.

WWU hires vice provost for faculty relations
Rhonda Allen has been named vice provost for faculty relations at Western Washington University. Allen was selected following a nationwide search and will begin her new duties Oct. 1.
Allen was most recently the assistant dean for faculty development and associate professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. In that position her responsibilities included the administration of academic personnel procedures, faculty development and promotion, and tenure process for more than 900 basic science and clinical faculty.
Allen’s vice provost position at Western is a newly established one. Allen will work with the WWU provost to provide vision and leadership with regard to faculty issues, will provide oversight for personnel processes related to faculty, will advise the provost on retention, tenure and the promotion process, and will monitor compliance with collective bargaining with faculty.

Bellingham Kiwanis Club announces 2007-08 officers
The Kiwanis Club of Bellingham announced its officers for 2007-2008 at its annual Installation Banquet on Sept. 28 at Fox Hall.
The officers are: President Dick Zagelow, President-Elect Richard Emerson, Vice President Jim Carney, Secretary Emily Citron, Treasurer Vaughn Hagen and Past-President John Wilson.
The Bellingham club, formed in 1922, is part of Kiwanis International, a community service organization for men and women. The main goal of Kiwanis is to support programs for children as well as programs that benefit the community at large.

Brown attends national leadership summit
Bellingham Realtor Mark Brown, of Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom, Inc., attended the National Association of Realtors’ 2007 Leadership Summit in Chicago in August.
Brown attended sessions on leadership roles and responsibilities, communication and technology trends, and encouraging diversity in association membership. Brown is the incoming president of the Whatcom County Association of Realtors for 2008.
“I was especially interested in the diversity program,” said Brown. “Realtor associations are working hard to be inclusive to minorities in leadership positions. I was honored to be a representative of our local group at this dynamic conference.”

Bellingham Whatcom EDC announces promotion, addition
As part of the Bellingham Whatcom Economic Development Council’s (BWEDC) plan to reorganize and implement strategies, it is pleased to announce the promotion of Derek Attwaters to the position of administrative director and the addition of John Michener as the new programs manager.
Attwaters’ new responsibilities will include human resources, accounting, payroll, ensuring the office’s information technology remains current, and working with the BWEDC secretary treasurer on budgeting issues. His past efforts have shown the tremendous level of dedication he brings to the job and the EDC is pleased to have him.
As the new programs manager, Michener will be working to enhance existing programs available to the community and clients. Increased levels of communication and the expansion of partnerships throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County are desired outcomes.

CCg hires two
CCg Inc., Bellingham’s full-service marketing, advertising, design and public relations company, has announced the addition of two new personnel.
Phil Acuncius joined the company in the middle of August, and holds the position of graphic designer. He comes to CCg from The Bellingham Herald, where he worked as a production artist in the newspaper’s advertising department. Acuncius graduated from Western Washington University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. He is originally from Spokane and lives in Bellingham with his wife, Amy.
Cheriss Boseant holds the position of media account executive, and started with CCg at the end of August. She graduated from Pacific Union College in Napa, Calif., and worked for the past four years in the Los Angeles advertising industry on national accounts that included Hyundai and TGI Fridays. She lives in Bellingham and enjoys snowboarding.

Bode joins Fisher & Sons
Ginny Bode has joined the staff of Fisher Companies as director of marketing and business development for Fisher & Sons Inc. Bode, a long time member of the Skagit County business community, has owned and operated Bode Design since 1986.
“Fisher has been a client of Bode Design for more than 15 years – throughout that time I’ve been very involved in the strategy of the company’s communication materials, as well as interviewing many of its customers,” said Bode. “It’s a natural step for me to think about the company’s communication strategy on a full time basis.”
As director of marketing and business development, Bode will also oversee the company’s community involvement and corporate giving.
After 21 years of business, Bode will close Bode Design. She will continue her involvement with the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival as designer of the event’s poster and merchandise. A graduate of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., Bode has completed numerous post-graduate courses, including the University of Washington’s certificate program in marketing communication.

Hilton Hotels honors Burlington employee
Hilton Hotels Corporation has honored Audri Rocha, a guest services employee for Hampton Inn & Suites in Burlington, with the company’s national Spirit Award, designating Rocha as a top performer within the Hilton Hotel chain.
Rocha was nominated for the award by her peers after proving to be an exceptional role model. Rocha continues to make outstanding contributions to guests and her fellow team members, showing great enthusiasm in all areas of her work at the hotel, said general manager David Weston. “We are proud of her recognition as a Spirit Award winner, Hilton’s most prestigious team member award.”

Counselor Hanenburg hired by Trinity Western
Mental health counselor Debra Hanenburg has been appointed assistant director of Trinity Western University’s Bellingham campus. Hanenburg will serve as the program’s career specialist in human services, providing special enrichment events and assisting with various parts of the university’s academic program in Bellingham.
She was previously a clinical administrator and special education coordinator for Timber Ridge Center and was also in private practice in Lynden. Additionally, she has served as a university resident director and teaching assistant.
Hanenburg received her master’s degree in counseling from Trinity Western Seminary and University and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

DeChaine receives grant to study climate change
Eric DeChaine, an assistant biology professor at Western Washington University, has received a $419,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to continue his research on climate change and how it affects biodiversity.
DeChaine just completed his third summer of research in the National Petroleum Reserve on Alaska’s North Slope; previous sites have included other federal land such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The goal of his research is to better understand how plants have reacted to historic climate change so scientists can better predict species’ reaction to the current worldwide changes in climate.
The grant will pay for DeChaine to take two undergraduate research assistants with him next summer, when he will conduct sampling on islands in the Bering Sea, and, hopefully, in Siberia as well.

Cole receives certification
Craig Cole, president and CEO of Brown & Cole Stores, has received the Certificate of Director Education from the Corporate Directors Institute of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). The Institute offers a nationally recognized continuing education curriculum and certificate program for corporate board members committed to practicing engaged, effective and ethical corporate governance.
Cole is a director of Puget Sound Energy, a New York Stock Exchange business.
Approximately 1,000 corporate board members hold this designation after successfully completing the intensive two-day director professionalism course.

Dutrow completes career agents course
Shirley Dutrow, an agent for Farmers Insurance Group in Bellingham, has completed the Career Agents Course at the University of Farmers.
The University of Farmers training facility, located in Agoura Hills, Calif., offers training to 14,000 Farmers agents and their staff, 500 district managers and 10,000 claims staff year round.
“Shirley completed the five-day Career Agents Course, which is clearly defined and targeted to enhance the professional skills of Farmers agents,” said Farmers Vice President Annette Thompson. “The course gives an agent the ability to learn how to successfully understand the needs of Farmers customers and help them choose the right insurance to meet their needs.”

Brewer joins Allied Arts of Whatcom County
Chris Brewer joined the staff of Allied Arts of Whatcom County as education project manager in September.
Brewer has a bachelor’s degree from WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment and a master’s degree in music therapeutics from Columbia Pacific University. She has dedicated her career to expanding the use of arts in the education and health fields.
Brewer brings with her more than 20 years of experience in managing artists-in-schools and arts integration programs similar to the award-winning Allied Arts Education Project (AAEP). AAEP has been providing arts education to Whatcom County elementary-aged school children for more than seven years and is partially funded by an Arts Education Community Consortia Grant from the Washington State Arts Commission.

McCoy is 2007-08 president of IAAP
Judy McCoy of Bellingham was recently installed as the international president of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). IAAP is the world’s largest association for administrative support staff, providing education, training and networking opportunities for more than 40,000 members and affiliates worldwide.
McCoy is administrative manager and co-owner of Camtec Precision Inc. a manufacturing firm in Bellingham. She joined IAAP in 1993 and is currently a member and past president of the IAAP Bellingham chapter.

Countrywide announces promotions, additions
Josh Zandstra was appointed branch manager for the Bellingham office of Countrywide Home Loans on Aug. 1.
Zandstra, a graduate of Bellingham High School, has surpassed $100 million in residential loan production during his career, which includes the last two years in Bellingham. Zandstra oversees Countrywide’s Bellingham office and assists clients in obtaining residential loans for purchases, refinances and new construction, as well as home equity lines of credit.
Countrywide’s Bellingham office also added two home loan consultants, Tom Mathewson and Tony Lalonde, and production coordinator Amy Ritz.
Mathewson, a longtime Bellingham resident, has more than 16 years of experience in serving home buyers and contractors. Lalonde, born and raised in Bellingham, entered the home-mortgage sector last year after 10 years in sales.
Ritz, a Lynden resident, provides efficient processing and support for customers obtaining home loans.

Clean Water Services announces promotions
Byron Fowler was promoted to service manager for Lynden-based Clean Water Services on Aug. 1. Fowler joined the company in July. Also on Aug. 1, Clean Water Services promoted Vicki Visser to delivery manager. Visser has been with the company since July 1997.
Both staff changes followed the promotion of John Struiksma to general manager on July 1. He has been employed at Clean Water Services since November 2002.

WWU’s Bunn will train future leaders in arctic research
Andrew Bunn, assistant professor at Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment, is a primary investigator in a new initiative at the Woods Hole Research Center known as the Polaris Project, which will train future leaders in arctic research and education. The program will inform the public, which is essential given the rapid and profound changes under way in the Arctic in response to global warming.

Verneuil joins Bellingham ENT & Facial surgery
Bellingham Ear, Nose and Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery recently announced the recent addition of Dr. Andrew C. Verneuil to its team of physicians. Verneuil joins the four other partners in Bellingham ENT, Dr. Thomas Stackhouse, Dr. Joost Knops, Dr. Emil Hecht and Dr. David Olson.
His addition was made necessary by a large increase of new patients seeking care in their Bellingham offices. Verneuil practices general otolaryngology, but also has a specialty interest in voice dysfunction/laryngology, head and neck oncology, pediatric otolaryngology and sleep disorders.
Verneuil grew up in Southern California and attended UCLA, earning his undergraduate degree in kinesiology. He graduated from Mayo Medical School, then completed six years of internship and residency training in head and neck surgery at UCLA.

Evergreen Team Concepts appoints Ridpath, Hiller
Evergreen Team Concepts, a Bellingham-based organization specializing in training, consulting and staff development for companies throughout the Pacific Northwest, has appointed Mike Ridpath and Dave Hiller to its management team.
Ridpath, who was raised in Ferndale, was named senior manager for products and services. He is responsible for the development and implementation of multiple projects at Evergreen Team Concepts, including the team development group, the lean leadership institute and an empowerment group for professional women.
Hiller was appointed enrollment director with a focus on Whatcom County and British Columbia’s lower mainland. He informs companies and individuals about ETC’s numerous programs for developing workplace skills, including leadership, personal motivation, OSHA requirements, computer training and lean 5S certification. A Bellingham native, Hiller earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University and a master’s degree in Chicago before returning to Bellingham.

Guadalupe leads Toastmaster group
Cecelia Guadalupe, a loan originator at Neighborhood Mortgage, recently solidified her role within the Christ the King Toastmasters group when she was voted president for 2007.
Guadalupe has been an active member of Toastmasters for the past year and recently completed her first 10 public speeches to receive her Competent Communicator certificate.
“I was so excited to have this opportunity to lead my group in building our club and relationships. Toastmasters has enriched my professional life and removed my fear of public speaking,” says Guadalupe.

Ray Heating and AC hires Silva
Ray Heating and AC Inc., located in Bellingham’s Barkley neighborhood, is pleased to announce the employment of Jesse Silva Jr.
Silva has worked in the field installing heating and air conditioning systems in and around Whatcom, Skagit, and Island counties, and the Seattle area. He brings with him expertise in commercial and residential systems design and installation.
Jesse’s largest residential project to date with Ray Heating has been the design and installation of three stand-alone air conditioning systems. One of the systems was a unique high-velocity energy efficient system that included an energy recovery ventilation system.
The system was installed into a multimillion-dollar home in the Seattle area for the “Street of Dreams” award-winning contractor.

Laudenbach earns EcoBroker certification
Joe Laudenbach of Sterling Real Estate Group in Bellingham has earned the EcoBroker Certified designation after successfully completing a unique training program on the energy and environmental issues that affect real estate transactions.
Laudenbach joins the movement of professionals pushing the real estate market toward energy-efficient, sustainable and healthier design in homes and buildings. National surveys indicate that 80 percent of consumers consider themselves “green-minded.”l.
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