ARTINO NAMED PRINCIPAL OF METCALF HODGES
Certified public accountant Stephanie Artino is the newest principal and shareholder of Metcalf Hodges, a Bellingham-based accounting and business-consulting firm.
Artino joins Harte Bressler, CPA, and Julie Johansen, MBA, CPA, as equal shareholders of the firm. She has more than 14 years of accounting experience and has been with the firm since 1999. In her new role, she will continue her leadership of the firm’s consulting practice and will develop additional strategic offerings to support the firm’s growth and development.
Since joining Metcalf Hodges, Artino has become director of the firm’s RAN ONE Consulting program, an international network of chartered accountants and CPAs who provide a variety of consulting services to help clients grow their businesses. Along with implementing RAN ONE at Metcalf Hodges, she works with clients on a variety of other projects such as compiled or reviewed financial statements, tax preparation and other client services.
In addition to her professional work, Artino also has been involved in several local organizations, including representing the firm as a member of the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County, Construction Financial Management Association, Bellingham/Whatcom County Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Whatcom Referral Network. She also serves as president of the Northwest Chapter of the Washington Society of CPAs, Advisory Committee member for the Whatcom Young Professionals and chairwoman for the Bellingham Technical College Advisory Committee for Business and Computer Information Systems.

BELLINGHAM POLICE CHIEF RETIRES AFTER 30 YEARS OF SERVICE
Bellingham Police Chief Randy Carroll officially retired in January after serving with the Bellingham Police Department since 1977, and as police chief since January 2000.
In addition to leading the city’s law enforcement services, Carroll has helped start many new initiatives during nearly eight years as police chief, including improving response to domestic violence incidents and increasing safety for victims; leading interagency work regarding national, state and local security issues; and increasing attention to identity theft and other “cyber” crimes. He also has advanced the use of technology in all aspects of law enforcement, participated in local efforts to improve emergency response and recovery and has directed extensive special investigations targeting drug trafficking and gangs.
“I have worked for and with honorable women and men who have mentored me and provided me the opportunity to succeed, and for that I am truly grateful,” Carroll said. “I thank the citizens of Bellingham for their support throughout my career.”
Carroll will continue to work with Mayor Dan Pike and others to plan the transition to new leadership.

GOOSEFOOT BOARD WELCOMES THREE NEW DIRECTORS
Carmen Cook, Michael Davis and Marsha Morgan have been elected to the Goosefoot Board of Directors on Whidbey Island.
The new directors join the board as Goosefoot, based in Langley, enters the planning stages for the redevelopment of nine acres of commercial property at Bayview Center, the home of Casey’s Red Apple, Sebo’s and the Exxon gas station.
Cook brings her experience as a human resource professional as head of Human Resources for Oracle Corp. in the late 1980s. She has lived on Whidbey Island for 10 years and is currently president of Highpoint Experience, a training company dedicated to transformative learning for personal and team development.
Davis is a Seattle-area native who moved to Whidbey in the early 1970s. He began his career in construction with his father, and in 1982, assumed the leadership of the company specializing in developing and building gas stations and convenience stores. Davis and his wife Steffi Savage own and operate Davis Industries, including eight gas stations/stores in Western Washington and a fuel delivery business.
Morgan moved to Whidbey Island in 2003 from Santa Cruz, Calif., after a 25-year career as the co-owner of a real estate development company specializing in affordable housing and commercial uses.

Skagit County PUD adds Tate
Kevin Tate has been named community relations manager for Public Utility District No. 1 of Skagit County. Tate brings more than 18 years of experience as a marketing-communications professional working in both the public and private sectors. His previous work in the public education arena received numerous national awards for professional excellence in communications.
As community relations manager, Tate will focus on improving and maintaining strong working relationships between the PUD and its customers. He will oversee the PUD’s customer service and meter departments.

Silver Reef Casino adds three
Ferndale-based Silver Reef Casino, Hotel and Spa recently announced that it has hired three new employees.
Randi Axelsson joins the Silver Reef as the hotel sales manager. Axelsson formerly worked as the events and promotions specialist at Haggen Inc. Axelsson’s responsibilities are to assist the sales and catering department in booking group rooms at the Silver Reef Hotel.
Kim Wilson brings years of customer-service experience as the new Diamond Dividends manager. Wilson comes to the casino after working as the front desk receptionist at the Cascade Radio Group. Wilson previously worked at the Lummi Casino at Gooseberry Point in the 1990s.
Aaron Thomas, a Lummi tribal member, has been hired as the director of marketing after working two years in public relations/marketing at Northwest Indian College and five years at Lummi Indian Business Council. Thomas now directs the Silver Reef Casino marketing strategy as well as key managers of the marketing department.
“We believe in the people we have brought on to the team,” said casino Manager Harlan Oppenheim. “They will only add to the continued success of the business.”

WCAR honors Wilson, LaValley
The Whatcom County Association of Realtors recently honored Mallina Wilson of RE/MAX Whatcom County and Marjorie LaValley of Horizon Bank.
Wilson was named WCAR’s Realtor of the Third Quarter. Based at RE/MAX’s Ferndale office, Wilson recently earned both the At Home with Diversity certificate from the National Association of Realtors and the Transactional Referral Certification. Wilson also has been elected to serve as secretary of WCAR.
The WCAR selected LaValley as its Affiliate of the Third Quarter. LaValley has been at Horizon Bank since 1989 and currently serves at its Meridian branch in Bellingham as a mortgage loan officer and assistant vice president.

Bellingham weatherman featured on holiday CD
Greg Otterholt, known as the former KVOS weatherman, is featured on the “Christmas in the Northwest 10” CD and TV special.
Otterholt has a big voice and an inspiring story. Otterholt was born without part of his left arm and was one of the youngest children fit with a prosthetic limb. He spent much of his childhood at Seattle’s Children’s Hospital. His story was featured Dec. 6 on “Evening Magazine.”

Groesbeck EARNS ACCREDITATION
Jean Groesbeck, associate broker for Windermere Real Estate/Anacortes Properties, has become an accredited buyer representative.
The Accredited Buyer Representative designation is the benchmark of exellence in buyer representation and is awarded to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate BUYER’S AGENT Council of the National Association of Realtors.
Groesbeck also serves as a premier director for Windermere Real Estate Corp.

HUMAN RESOURCE SOCIETY HONORS LEWIS
The Mt. Baker Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) selected Kelly Lewis for its 2007 Member of the Year award for her work in helping to increase the awareness of the chapter’s resources to local businesses.
Lewis is owner and principal of Allied HR Consulting and served as 2007 vice president of communications and public relations for the Mt. Baker Chapter of SHRM.
WWU’S DON ALPER RECEIVES DONNER MEDAL HONOR
Western Washington University’s Don Alper, director of the Center for Canadian-American Studies and Border Policy Research Institute and a professor of political science, was awarded the 2007 Donner Medal in Canadian Studies.
The medal, awarded every two years, is the highest award given by the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States for outstanding contributions in teaching, scholarship, administration and public affairs in Canadian Studies within the United States.
Alper’s work has had a strong and lasting impact on Western’s students and programs, and he is known for leadership nationally and internationally in the area of Canadian Studies. Most recently, he led the effort to create the Border Policy Research Institute at WWU, the only such research institute of its kind in the nation. Alper has received three WWU merit awards and has published numerous articles, books, manuscript reviews and conference papers. Earlier this year, he received a Certificate of Merit from the International Council of Canadian Studies.

ORR JOINS HKP ARCHITECTS
Adair Orr has joined HKP Architects of Mount Vernon as an architectural intern.
Orr is a graduate of the University of Washington College of Architecture and Urban Planning and a life-long resident of the Puget Sound region. He has three years experience in single-family residential design and project management with various firms in Seattle and an interest in sustainable building strategies.
Adair is currently working on two private residences for HKP and will be helping with several educational projects on the boards.

BRUNKOW ELECTED TO AMERICAN MUSEUM OF RADIO AND ELECTRICITY BOARD
Brian Brunkow, Esq., has been elected as a member to the American Museum of Radio and Electricity (AMRE) Board of Directors.
Brunkow, of the Law Office of Brian Brunkow, is a Washington and California attorney whose office assists small and startup businesses with regulatory compliance and transactional matters.
“As we all know, Whatcom County is now on the map,” Brunkow said. “The AMRE is incredibly well positioned to reach its deserved stature of a worldwide destination point right here in Bellingham. For those interested in the medium of radio and the scientific history of electricity development, the AMRE is a must see.”
The Western Washington native graduated with honors and a business law focus from Seattle University School of Law in 2000 and recently relocated his law practice to Bellingham from San Diego.

3D CORP. EXPANDS TEAM
Chris Anderson has been promoted to 3D Corp.’s Network Engineering Team.
Anderson started in the 3D Repair Service Department and successfully completed ProActive helpdesk and project team trainings before receiving his promotion.

SIMPON, ZEMLER JOIN RE/MAX WHATCOM COUNTY
Real estate agents Heather Simpson and Linda Zemler have joined the Bellingham office of RE/MAX Whatcom County.
Simpson, a Bellingham native, is utilizing her local knowledge to serve residential buyers and sellers, as well as those interested in new construction as part of a RE/MAX team with Lisa VanWingerden. She previously worked nearly two years in the administration of two local real estate offices, gaining knowledge about what is needed to ensure trouble-free transactions.
Zemler, a 15-year Whatcom County resident, is focusing on the sales, purchases and rehabilitation of homes. She also offers expertise in short sales, an alternative for some homeowners to foreclosures or bankruptcies, and is experienced in negotiating with banks and mortgage companies.

Helfield STUDIES SALMON-HABITAT RESTORATION IN SWEDEN
Western Washington University assistant professor James Helfield is working with a team of researchers in Sweden on salmon habitat restoration.
The team’s goal is to discover a way to reverse the environmental damage on key watersheds caused by more than a hundred years of intensive logging.
Helfield said the habitat-restoration work he has done in Sweden has many parallels to restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest, both in terms of goals and results.
“It’s very relatable to what many groups such as NSEA (the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association) are doing locally,” said Helfield, who will return to Bellingham in September of this year to continue the project.

NORDIC TUGS FOUNDER RETIRES AT AGE 80
While most people eagerly anticipate retiring at 65, this certainly wasn’t the case for Nordic Tugs founder Jerry Husted, who retired Dec. 21, 2007, on his 80th birthday.
Husted’s love of his beloved tugs kept him working well beyond the age most people retire. Although he quit working full-time in 2003, he has spent the last four years working three days a week as sea trial manager and also served as secretary to the company’s board of directors until earlier last year.
In the late ’70s, Husted joined forces with renowned Seattle boat designer Lynn Senour to design a “fuel stingy” boat that looked right going slow. The result of their collaboration was Nordic Tugs, Inc., officially founded in 1979 and headquartered in Burlington.
Throughout his 28 years with Nordic Tugs, Husted has played an integral part in the growth of the company. Since its inception, Nordic Tugs has expanded its model line to include the Nordic Tug 37, 42 and 54, and the new Nordic Tug 49, currently under development.

BANK OF THE PACIFIC PROMOTES TWO, HIRES four
The Bank of the Pacific has promoted Drew Wilkens and Lynda Erickson and hired Robert Yost, Kevin Bedlington, David Engels and Lucy Stackhouse.
Wilkens is now senior vice president residential real estate manager. He has more than 10 years of experience in sales, human resource and residential real estate management. During his four years with Bank of the Pacific, he has brought in more than $150 million in residential real estate transactions.
Erickson has been promoted from credit analyst to vice president commercial lender. The Whatcom County native attended Whatcom Community College and began her banking career in 1988.
Yost has joined the team as senior vice president and commercial real estate manager. During his 13 years of bank lending experience, he served as loan officer, commercial lender and senior vice president commercial lender with local banks. He is an active member of Bellingham Rotary and board of directors secretary/treasurer for Visiting Nurse Personal Services.
Bedlington has accepted the position of vice president commercial real estate loan officer. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Washington State University and his MBA in finance from Hawaii Pacific University and has earned awards in the past for outstanding loan production, credit quality and deposit growth.
Engels and Stackhouse both joined the bank in 2007. Engels is senior vice president credit risk officer. He has 36 years of banking experience, serving as a branch manager, commercial lending officer, chief lending office and team leader. The Western Washington University graduate is a member of Whatcom County North Rotary.
Stackhouse serves as assistant vice president Regional Retail coordinator and oversees the operational functions of seven branches. The Whatcom County native brings 26 years of banking experience and a variety of occupational expertise to the bank. She is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
The Bank of the Pacific has branches in Whatcom and Skagit counties.

Guay New BLUE SKIES FOR CHILDREN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Julie Guay has been named the new executive director of Blue Skies For Children, a local nonprofit serving homeless, foster and low-income children in Whatcom County.
Guay had served on the board for a short time before accepting a promotion as vice president for a national company in California. Since returning to Blue Skies, she has successfully managed the transition and office relocation of the agency to its new home in the 1900 block of N. State Street. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and is a member of Whatcom Women in Business.

LUNDSTROM is OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR ALLIED ARTS
Kristie Lundstrom has joined the staff of Allied Arts of Whatcom County as outreach coordinator.
Lundstrom brings to the position 28 years of experience in overseeing volunteers, membership activities and events for Western Washington University’s Alumni Office. The position, created specifically to enhance the membership and volunteer programs, also will focus on increasing public engagement in the many arts events and advocacy issues sponsored by Allied Arts.

WWU’S SBDC GAINS BUSINESS ADVISER
Debra Lee has joined Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics’ Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as a business adviser.
Lee comes to the SBDC from the position of sales director and consumer direct-sales manager at Allsop Inc. in Bellingham. Previously, she served as an assistant risk manager with BHP Petroleum, an employee benefits manager with Outrigger Hotels, and as a broker with Hawaii Land Management Inc. in Hawaii. Lee earned a master’s degree in business from the University of Hawaii.
“Debra brings to the SBDC the diverse business background and expertise needed by Whatcom County businesses,” said Tom Dorr, SBDC director.

LOWMON NAMED DESIGNATED BROKER AT STERLING
John Lowmon has been promoted to designated broker for Sterling Real Estate Group.
Lowmon will focus on agent recruitment, business and Eco-broker promotion as the firm moves into an expanded space at Harbor Mall at Bellingham’s waterfront.
The Whatcom County native, who has been with Sterling for one year, has six years of real estate experience. He also is a member of the Commercial Brokers Association.

PEOPLES BANK HIRES NEW BRANCH MANAGER
Marge Milnor has been hired as assistant vice president and branch manager of Peoples Bank’s Sedro-Woolley office, located inside of Food Pavilion at Crossroads Square.
Milnor has 20 years of financial service experience, 13 of which have been in management. In her new position, she will be responsible for branch operations and business development in Sedro-Woolley. Peoples Bank is headquartered in Lynden.
Milnor earned an associates of arts degree in business management from Skagit Valley College and is actively involved in the local community. She is a member of the LaConner Rotary Club, participates in the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and serves on the Skagit Valley College Business Management Program Board of Directors.