NICHOLS BROS. BOAT BUILDERS UNDERGOES MANAGEMENT CHANGES
Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, which recently exited bankruptcy and sold its assets to Ice Floe LLC, has announced the following management changes in an effort to restore its capabilities as a builder of quality tug boats, car ferries and high-speed ferries.
Len York was named CEO, and members of the Nichols family were given new management assignments. York has previously completed restructuring assignments with Cornerstone Propane, L.P., a retail propane business; Coast Energy Group, an energy trading company; Precision Specialty Metals, a producer of precision engineered stainless steel; and Bayamon Steel Co., a steel service center.
Matt Nichols, former CEO, will remain as managing director and focus on requalification of the company with the Washington State Ferry System and several other significant contracts for future business.
Archie Nichols will return to the company as master boat builder, in charge of day-to-day construction operations.
Bryan Nichols was named vice President of Sales and Marketing and also will manage the company’s environmental matters.
Ice Floe LLC is backed by Treadstone, a Dallas-based, private equity fund, and the Usibelli family of Alaska and the Seattle area.
“We recognize that Nichols Brothers is an important member of the South Whidbey Island community,” York said. “We will continue to do our part to support the community and be a good neighbor to the residents of Freeland and Holmes Harbor.”

ISLAMIC INVESTING EXECUTIVE NAMED RISING STAR
Monem Salam, director and vice president of Islamic Investing for Saturna Capital Corp., has been recognized by Institutional Investor News as one of the “Twenty Rising Stars” in the mutual fund industry. The Islamic Investing division manages the Amana Funds, designed for Islamic investors.
Nominees were suggested by mutual fund industry veterans and then selected by the editorial staff of the Institutional Investor News. Those recognized are “the trendsetters of the future,” having demonstrated “experience, dedication and consistency” in their capacities as professionals in the financial world.
Salam, deputy portfolio manager of the Amana Funds, oversees all of Saturna’s halal (permissible) investment management accounts and has been instrumental in building Saturna’s Islamic-related assets under management to more than $1 billion. He has also chaired and participated as a speaker at several Islamic finance and investment conferences worldwide.
Salam is active with the Muslim community in North America as the current chairman of Peaceful Communications, a nonprofit organization that recently wrapped up post-production on the documentary “On a Wing and a Prayer: An American Muslim Learns to Fly.” He has spoken in more than 400 Islamic communities about spirituality and Islamic investing during the past three years.

BAILEY RECEIVES THREE APPOINTMENTS, AWARD
Tenth District Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, has been appointed to serve on the Washington Tourism Commission, the State Council on Aging and the Washington Economic Development Commission. She also received the Hospitality Hero Award from the Washington State Hotel and Lodging Association.

HAWN OF BLAINE TAKES ON LINVILLE FOR LEGISLATIVE SEAT
Quality management professional Jere Hawn of Blaine is running for the 42nd District State Representative seat against incumbent Kelli Linville.
Hawn serves as program manager for the manufacturing and supply chain management program at Western Washington University and teaches classes in operations management at the College of Business and Economics. He also owns and operates Innovations In Quality, LLC, a Bellingham-based consulting company. He and several of his employees educate and train companies on how to improve efficiency, productivity, performance and achieve positive results. His clients include Labinal of Everett and Meridian Yachts of Arlington.
“People in our community want more leadership, greater accountability and improved efficiency, and a focus-on-the-customer attitude from the government,” Hawn said. “I have the qualifications, the ability and the experience to make those improvements.”
Hawn retired from the United States Navy in 1995 after 12 years of active duty. He is currently active in the Naval Reserves and serves on the board of directors of the Foundation for Private Enterprise Education and the Washington State Quality Award Board of Judges.
Hawn’s family has lived in Whatcom County since 1918. The Whatcom Community College graduate received his bachelor’s degree and master’s in business administration from Western Washington University. He is the recipient of the distinguished Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, Board of Examiners, 1998, 1999 and 2000; won the Florida Baldridge-based quality award called the Sterling Award in 1994; was a finalist in the Presidential Quality Award in 1995; and he served as the executive director of the Wyoming State Quality Award.

RAMSAY APPOINTED NEW BELLINGHAM POLICE CHIEF
Interim Police Chief Todd Ramsay has been appointed chief of the Bellingham Police Department by Mayor Dan Pike. He replaces Randy Carroll, who retired in January.
“Chief Ramsay has performed an extraordinary job in the time he has served as interim chief,” Pike said. “He has earned my confidence, and the confidence of the City Council and members of the community with whom he works. He brings to the position extensive qualifications, an outstanding reputation with the community, and has been a top performer in the department since he began his career here in 1987. Chief Ramsay shares my vision for open, transparent government, strong connections with the community and promoting public safety as a key city priority.”
Ramsay has served as interim police chief since the end of January. Prior to being appointed interim chief, Ramsay served as deputy chief of police, a role that serves as second in command for the 167-employee department. As a member of the department’s command staff since 2002, Ramsay has overseen all operational and personnel aspects of the department.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Washington State University, is a graduate of the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Senior Executives Program, and has completed numerous other continuing education and certification programs.

FERNDALE ALLSTATE AGENT EARNS CHAMBER ACCOLADES
Allstate agent Annette Booth received the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce’s “Up and Coming” Small Business Award for 2007.
Booth serves the Ferndale and Whatcom County community. She opened her agency in February 2007 and has been active in local business and community activities since then.
“We at the Ferndale Chamber are lucky to have a such a valuable resource as Annette Booth here in our community,” said Guy Occhiogrosso, Ferndale Chamber of Commerce executive director. “She kicked off 2007 with joining our chamber and truly showed her qualities as a true up-and coming-star in our organization.”

HAGGEN CHEF TRAINS CHEFS FOR NEW CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT
Bryan Weener, executive chef of Haggen Market Street Catering, recently trained line cooks and sous chefs for the January opening of a highly anticipated San Francisco restaurant, Epic Roasthouse.
The Epic Roasthouse’s menu features steak, lamb, veal and duck entrees with local and organic ingredients. Weener also taught the chefs how to prepare bone-in tenderloin, which is rarely offered, and charcuterie items such as country-style pate and lamb prosciutto.
Weener is familiar with many renowned chefs after working with them the past three years at the annual Masters of Food and Wine events in Carmel, Calif. Internationally recognized as one of the most spectacular gatherings of celebrated chefs and winemakers, the Masters of Food and Wine presents unique culinary demonstrations by acclaimed chefs.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Weener joined Haggen Market Street Catering in 2003. He is responsible for menu development, quality control, training and supervision.

HENDERSON EARNS MICROSOFT WINDOWS SERVER 2008 CERTIFICATION
Network engineer and business owner Matt Henderson of Litzia LLC has earned the title of Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) for configuration of Windows 2008 Server Network Infrastructure, Windows 2008 Server Active Directory and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. Additionally, Henderson added the title of Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA) to his professional qualifications.
According to recently posted Microsoft statistics, Henderson stands out as one of approximately 1,500 IT professionals worldwide with similar MCTS status.

TWO SALES CONSULTANTS ADDED TO PIONEER FORD
Sales consultants Howard Hanna and Harris Nieuwsma have joined the team at Pioneer Ford in Lynden.
Hanna previously worked at a Ford dealership in Bellingham for six years and is a Ford certified sales consultant, reflecting his knowledge of the company’s cars and trucks. The Whatcom County native and Western Washington University graduate also operated a rental-car franchise at Bellingham International Airport for 20 years.
Nieuwsma, born and raised in Lynden, returned to the community after four years at Bellingham dealerships. He is a Ford Master Certified sales consultant.

STREMLER HONORED AS ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR
Gena Stremler of Peoples Bank has been named the 2007 Associate of the Year for the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County (BIAWC).
Stremler, who joined Peoples Bank last year, has 15 years of mortgage lending experience. She works out of the bank’s Bellingham home loan center where she is responsible for offering her customers a wide range of mortgage services, including first-time homebuyer programs, construction loans, and purchase and refinance loans within Whatcom County. She also is an active member of BIAWC, a private, nonprofit trade organization of builders, remodelers and other businesses related to the home-building and construction industry.

FRAKES JOINS INSURANCE AGENCY
Licensed insurance agent Andrea Frakes has joined Booth Insurance Agency Inc., an Allstate Insurance Co. in Ferndale.
The Whatcom County native and Lynden High School graduate has experience in customer service and the mortgage industry.
“The insurance industry is something I am very interested in because of the fact that I will be able to assist families and businesses with their insurance needs to protect hard-earned investments,” Frakes said.

TOURISM AGENCY ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS
The following new members are on the Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism Board of Directors: Trey Campbell, Hampton Inn general manager; Guy Occhiogrosso, Ferndale Chamber of Commerce director; and Terry Bornemann, Bellingham City Council member.
Campbell, who joined the Hampton Inn in September 2004 and became the general manager in July 2006, says he will combine his role in the tourism industry with his board position to maintain strong community connections and enhance the opportunities in the Bellingham/Mount Baker region.
Occhiogrosso became the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce’s director in 2006 after working for The Bellingham Herald in sales and marketing. He says his position on the board is a good match with his work at a local, small-town chamber and involvement in both contributes to the countywide scope of tourism.
City council member Bornemann brings to the board his commitment of diversifying the local economy and preserving the environmental quality of Bellingham. He partakes in Bellingham’s outdoor attractions, spending his extra time hiking, skiing and fishing.
The new board members will serve two-year terms.

WEITZEL CONTINUES TO EARN TOP RE/MAX REALTOR AWARDS
Realtor Chris Weitzel of RE/MAX Whatcom County was named the 6th Top RE/MAX Realtor in the entire Pacific Northwest and 5th Top RE/MAX Realtor in Washington during the 2007 RE/MAX Regional Awards Ceremony in Seattle.
The Pacific Northwest region consists of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Locally, Weitzel is the No. 1 RE/MAX Realtor in Whatcom County for 2007. He has consecutively been the top RE/MAX agent in Whatcom County since 2002.

PEOPLES BANK PROMOTES HOLLEMAN
Peoples Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Lisa Holleman to senior vice president of finance by Peoples Bank, which is headquartered in Lynden.
Holleman, who has been with Peoples Bank for more than 15 years and has served as the bank’s controller since 1999, is responsible for accounting, financial analysis, fiscal reporting and budgeting for the bank.
Holleman graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central Washington University and also is a graduate of the Bank Administration Institute’s Graduate School of Bank Financial Management. She is currently attending Pacific Coast Banking School, a graduate school focused on bank management, and serving as a classroom adviser with Junior Achievement.

KENSOK JOINS SKAGIT STATE BANK
Jaron Kensok is the newest commercial lender to join Skagit State Bank.
Kensok previously served as a Small Business/Commercial Loan officer and assistant branch manager. He has served in a variety of positions throughout his banking career, including commercial and consumer real estate lending, loan underwriting and personal banking and loan support.
Skagit State Bank has 13 branches from north Whatcom County to north Snohomish County.

STRINGFIELD JOINS BELLINGHAM BUSINESS BANKING TEAM
Wade Stringfield has been named business banking relationship manager by Wells Fargo and will be based in Bellingham.
Stringfield serves customers in Whatcom and Island counties. He most recently worked as a Wells Fargo banking store manager in Ferndale.
The Bellingham resident earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from Oklahoma Baptist University and a master’s in business administration from University of Oklahoma. He serves on the boards of the Ferndale Boys & Girls Club and the Lummi Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).


RAHM ELECTED TO EXECUTIVE BOARD
Loni Rahm, president and CEO of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, has been elected to the executive board of Washington Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (WACVB).
The association, which strives to enhance the awareness and influence of the visitor industry as a viable economic generator for Washington, is comprised of destination marketing organizations and convention and visitor’s bureaus throughout the state. Rahm first joined WACVB in 1994, and served as its president in 1999.

MATZ IS HOME-LOAN CONSULTANT FOR COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS
Randy Matz has been named a home-loan consultant for the Bellingham office of Countrywide Home Loans.
Matz has been a residential loan officer for two years and has more than 15 years of business experience. He is qualified to assist clients with a full range of residential loans, including purchases, refinances, new construction and home equity lines of credit.
Countrywide’s Bellingham office also has added an in-house loan processor, reducing the time needed for loan applications to close.

Barkley Company Expands Staff Responsibilities, Hires New Project Manager
The Barkley Company has expanded the roles of two long-time employees and hired a project and facilities manager to ensure the company’s growing operations continue to run smoothly.
Senior Vice President of Real Estate John Arrigoni will continue his role in leasing, marketing and property management but will expand his existing role in Barkley’s general operations. Arrigoni has worked at Barkley for the past 10 years.
Barkley Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration Doug Stewart has been responsible for the company’s finances and accounting since 1992. Stewart’s role is expanding to now oversee HR and general administration at Barkley.
John Moullen comes to Barkley Company with extensive experience in general contracting, structural maintenance and commercial construction. Moullen holds a master’s degree in architecture, and prior to joining the Barkley Company ran his own general contracting business for 11 years.
The Barkley Company is owned by the Talbot family, who have been a part of the Bellingham business community since 1941.

NEW OFFICERS APPOINTED TO WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL GROUP
The following have been appointed as 2008 officers for the Whatcom Women in Business association:
Evelyn Turner of The Easy Entrée has been appointed for a second term as president, Missy Bartel of Connections SLP as secretary, Cindy Grass of Al’s I-5 RV as treasurer, Barbara Sanford of Launching Success Learning Store as vice president of programs, Jeanette Coffey of Pre-Paid Legal Services as vice president of membership, Annette Booth of Allstate Insurance as vice president of publicity, and Patricia Campbell of Life By Desire as at-large officer. Diana Banister of Arbonne International is Webmaster and Becky Raney of Print & Copy Factory, past president, has agreed to continue her work on the group’s newsletter.
Whatcom Women in Business is comprised of women business owners and managers who focus on developing and maintaining proactive role models within the association and the community at large.