New PSRC Head Introduced to Community

Tom Smith, new president of Puget Sound Refining Co., was introduced to local leaders and business people recently and said it was important PSRC remain “a valued member of the community.”

Smith, who has worked for Shell, was introduced, during an informal, late-March gathering at Crosswinds Restaurant at the Port of Skagit County’s Regional Airport, by Anacortes planner Ian Munce.

“One of the important things to us is to be a valued member of the community,” Smith told about 50 participants. “We have been welcomed by all of you. We bring jobs and taxes, but we bring other things, too.”

He referred to employees of PSRC — and neighbor Tesoro Petroleum — as participating in community events, education, public safety, fundraisers and the like. “Sometimes those get lost,” he said.

“We’re also interested in being here for the long haul,” Smith continued. “And we’re positioned to do that.

Smith, who succeeded Judith Moorad as head of the former Texaco refinery, worked as operations manger at Shell from 1994 to 1997. When Shell merged with Texaco to form Equilon Enterprises, the parent company of PSRC, the Shell refinery was sold to Tesoro.

Ironically, Smith said, there have been discussions about Shell merging now with Equilon. “I could be working for Shell again,” he said jokingly.

 

Quinn Joins PSRC as Manager

Doug Quinn, a 27-year veteran of the refining business, has joined Puget Sound Refining Co. as manager of maintenance and reliability.

Quinn, 51, comes to PSRC from the Athabasca Oil Sands Project for Shell Canada, the company he started with in 1974.

“Of the maintenance and reliability teams I’ve worked with, this (at PSRC) is the most experienced work force I’ve had the privilege to be part of,” he says. “I will encourage people here to capitalize on that, refocusing our attention on day-to-day activities to ensure this plant runs safely and efficiently.”

PSRC is the largest taxpayer in Skagit County, contributing about $7 million in state and local taxes, as well as $2.2 million yearly to the Anacortes Port District. The refinery provides a $27 million total annual payroll through 375 jobs and an additional $18 million yearly to about 100 contract employees.

 

Nelson New Clerk for Sedro-Woolley

Patsy Manion Nelson has been named the new clerk-treasurer of the City of Sedro-Woolley, Mayor Sharon Dillon announced recently.

A native, Nelson formerly worked for Gilliland and Associates in Mount Vernon and more recently as comptroller for Office Systems Northwest Inc. of Bellingham. She has an accounting degree from Western Washington University.

Dillon is still looking for a public-works director, the last of the key posts in city government she must fill. She elected last February not to renew the contract for City Supervisor Eric Stendal and replaced the position with those of clerk-treasurer and public-works director.

 

Street Named for Former S-W Mayor Walley

Former Sedro-Woolley Mayor Donald “Spud” Walley has been immortalized by getting a street named for him.

In a ceremony last month, the current mayor, Sharon Dillon, surprised Walley during a City Council meeting by announcing First Street, running three blocks from State to Nelson streets, would be renamed Walley Street.

Walley served 20 years as mayor — 16 consecutive years and then four more after a hiatus of four years — and was defeated in the last election by Dillon by only 26 votes. He also served as a teacher and wrestling coach at Sedro-Woolley High School, where “Walley Street” will end.

 

Needham Pegged Veep, Manager of BA Branch

Debbie Needham has been named assistant vice president and manager of the La Conner branch of Bank of America.

It’s a return to the La Conner branch for Needham, who worked for Seafirst there five years ago. She has been a teller in other local branches as well. She started with Seafirst’s Mount Vernon branch in 1991.

A Sedro-Woolley resident, Needham, her husband and 3-year-old twins plan to move soon to La Conner

 

Webb Certified in Floral Nursery Field

Lori Webb of Christianson’s Nursery recently passed the Washington Certified Nursery Professional’s test, recognizing her knowledge and achievement in the ornamental horticulture industry.

Christianson’s Nursery now has seven Washington certified nursery professionals on staff.

 

New Agents Find Homes at Skagit Prudential

Two new real estate agents have joined the team at Skagit Prudential Realtors in Mount Vernon.

Gary Carlson has nearly 20 years of experience in real estate sales and is a licensed associate broker, having held positions in sales and service and as branch manager, appraiser and educator.

Dorcas Toombs has lived 12 years in Skagit Valley and worked in industrial sales.

Call 428-4111 or stop by the office at 300 E. College Way.

 

Ross Award Winner with Prudential

Robin Ross, owner of Prudential Skagit Realty in Mount Vernon, recently was recognized by Prudential as a President’s Circle Award winner.

Ross received her award at Prudential’s National 2001 Sales Convention held in Las Vegas.

The award reflects her customer service and sales accomplishments, which were among the top 5 percent nationwide.

 

McKeon Requalifies asLong-term Care Insurance Rep

John McKeon has requalified as a master long-term care representative with GE Long Term Care Insurance.

An active long-term-care insurance specialist serving Skagit, Whatcom, San Juan, Island and north Snohomish counties, McKeon qualified for the third consecutive year after he assisted 189 people obtain valuable insurance protection against the high costs of long-term care last year.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, McKeon and his wife, Heidi, live in Arlington.

GE Long Term Care Insurance is a division of GE Financial Assurance, an integrated family of consumer-focused insurance and investment companies.

 

DeGoedes Honored at Tulip Bash

Tom and Jeannette DeGoede were honored for their contributions to the local tulip industry recently during the annual kickoff to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

The DeGoedes, who have been growing bulb flowers for 40 years in Skagit County, operate Tulip Town on Bradshaw Road during the three-week festival in April.

Audrey Smith, executive director of the festival, presented the DeGoedes with the Director’s Award for their years of participation.

 

Pickett Honored by Mount Vernon Rotary

The Rotary Club of Mount Vernon has recognized Gretchen Picket, owner of Gretchen’s kitchen and wine shop downtown, as business person of the month.

Gretchen’s opened in May 1997 at 509 S. First St. and has grown to include evening and day cooking classes, as well as a wide variety of kitchen utensils and other paraphernalia.

She has been active in the community and continually lends her support to various civic and charitable groups, the Rotarians say. She’s also been involved in promoting and creating a viable downtown for Mount Vernon.

 

Larson Completes Paintings in Time for Fest

Local artist L. Galen Larson unveiled his triptych of Skagit Valley tulips recently, just in time for the annual festival celebrating the county’s number-one agricultural product.

Larson, who has produced four of the festival’s 15 or so posters, owns Galen Design and Gallery in the Old Town Grainery in downtown Mount Vernon.

The three-part series of paintings include one with a barn and field with typical rain clouds moving in, another with a field of robust tulips with white house and lone cotton tree, and a third with a row of cottonwoods in the background and an array of tulips in the foreground..

Larson produced the first Skagit Valley Tulip Festival poster in 1986 and had a series of three, presented in consecutive years in the early ’90s, using soft pastels and featuring trumpeter swans and tulips.

The latest series, “Tulip Fields at Sunset,” completes a three-year project, he says. They are on view at his granary art gallery, 100 E. Montgomery St. Call 424-1000.

 

Mohler Graduates from Esthetics Institute

Linda Mohler, esthetician and owner of Salon on the Boardwalk in Mount Vernon, recently graduated from the Institute of Advanced Clinical Esthetics in Seattle.

Mohler says the course, at Swedish Hospital, was to advance her education and keep her up to date on the latest in skin treatments.

“This advanced program was taught as 10 two-day learning sessions with highly credentialed professionals, including cosmetic chemists and scientists, university professors, medical doctors, dermatologists, plastic surgeons and highly accomplished skin-care specialists,” she says.

Salon on the Boardwalk is located at 315-B Main St. Call 336-2985.

 

Two Rotarians Presented Paul Harris Awards

Two members of Rotary clubs in Anacortes have received the prestigious Paul Harris Awards for exemplary service to the community.

Pam Putney of Rotary Club of Anacortes-Fidalgo Bay was honored for her dedication to the community and her tireless volunteer efforts, Rotarians say.

Terry Johnson of Rotary Club of Anacortes was honored for his commitment to the ideals of Rotary through donations to the community.

The presentations were made during a recent meeting at Flounder Bay Café at Skyline.

 

Countryman Joins Hair-care Design Team

JC Countryman, owner of Salon Bella Bella in Anacortes, recently joined Goldwell International Hair Care as a design-team member.

Countryman has been an educator for KMS hair-care products for eight years. KMS recently merged with Goldwell, she says, and the new company launched Trendline Styling Products. Countryman presented the new line and demonstrated styles in Walnut Creek, Calif., near San Francisco in March and in Portland last month. She attended a design-team training session in Baltimore, Md., last February.

Salon Bella Bella is located at 3218 R Ave. Call 299-2227 or visit the Web site at www.salonbellabella.com.

 

Realtor Honored for Work with Children’s Hosp.

Belisa Weber, vice president of Skagit Valley Properties in Mount Vernon, has received special recognition for her volunteer fund-raising efforts for Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center.

Weber, who has been a guild member for many years and given many hours to raising funds for the Seattle-based hospital, was honored with the Anna Clise Award, named for the woman who raised money to open a 12-bed children’s orthopedic clinic in 1908. That clinic was the precursor of Children’s Orthopedic.

The Realtor, who lives in Conway, has been recently involved in organizing a benefit Saturday, May 19, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Christianson’s Nursery on Best Road west of Mount Vernon. That benefit will feature Seattle University horticulturist and radio gardening personality Ciscoe Morris.

 

Skagit Hospice Names Board of Trustees

The Skagit Hospice Foundation recently named 15 community leaders to its first board of trustees.

President is Jerry Willins, chief executive officer of Holland Health Services Inc., Mount Vernon, and a resident of La Conner.

Vice president is Sandi Sims, site assistant for Skagit Discover School, a five-year volunteer with Skagit Hospice and resident of Sedro-Woolley.

Secretary is Della Newman, former U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, who lives on Samish Island.

Treasurer is Alan Williams, a veterinarian and resident of Mount Vernon.

Others on the board include: Claire Painter Eberle, retired teacher; Carl Molesworth, writer and editor; Randi Dykstra, Affiliated Health Services; Kevin Tighe, actor, writer and director; Marijo Olson, vice president of business and community development at Skagit Valley College; Catherine Szurek, attorney; Carolyn Lloyd, Peoples Bank; Bobbi Krebs-McMullen, redistricting commissioner for the state Democratic Caucus; Pat Mahoney, Affiliated Health Services; Dottie Piazza, Coldwell Banker Piazza Realty; and Crete Harvey, horse breeder from Stanwood.

 

Hancock Appointed to Skagit Valley College Board

Elizabeth Hancock has been named to the five-member board of trustees for Skagit Valley College.

Gov. Gary Lock confirmed the appointment following recommendation from 10th-District Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island.

“I’ve known Elizabeth for more than 20 years and she’s always given 100 percent to whatever she’s doing,” Haugen says. “She’s an excellent representative of the entire area.

Hancock’s term expires Sept. 30, 2004.

 

Harper Named to State Economic Board

Elisabeth Harper, owner of Skagit Business and Staffing of Mount Vernon, has been named by Gov. Gary Locke to the state Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) for a second term.

The program is part of the Office of Trade and Economic Development and was set up to assist business and industry create and retain higher-wage jobs in rural areas.

Projects in Skagit County recently received $1.5 million in loans and grants from CERB.

 

EPS Owners Attend Leadership Conference

Mark and Sandy Hagen, owners of Express Personnel Services of Mount Vernon and Bellingham, recently attended their franchiser’s annual International Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City.

More than 800 EPS franchisees and staff representing over 400 offices worldwide participated in the conference, which included three days of workshops and training including recruitment, retention and successful business management.

“The conference was fun and exciting while giving us a chance to learn about new techniques to make our business successful,” Mark Hagen says. “It was a great opportunity to see what works for other franchisees and to get new ideas.”

 

SVC Students Garner Academic Accolades

Chandra Etherington and John Barone, both students at Skagit Valley College, recently received scholarships and medallions in Olympia for being named to the All-Washington Academic Team.

Dr. Lydia Ledesma-Reese, president of SVC, presented the medallions and local legislators Sen. Harriet Spanel, D-Bellingham, Rep. Dave Quall, D-Mount Vernon, and Rep. Kelly Barlean, R-Langley, were on hand to congratulate the students.

Etherington attends college in Mount Vernon, while Barone is on the Whidbey campus.

 

White, Lihou Win Art Scholarships

Two Skagit Valley College Art Department students, Tyson White and Alex Lihou, recently received $1,000 scholarships from the Skagit Art Association.

They earned the awards based on portfolios of their work and intention to pursue degrees in visual arts.

Tyson, seeking an illustration degree, will apply for admission to Central or Washington State universities, while Carr hopes to earn a fine-arts degree at Institute of Art in Vancouver, British Columbia.

 

Local Restaurateur Continues Winning Horse Races

A horse owned by Mount Vernon restaurateur Mike Pegram recently won the richest prize in thoroughbred racing, the $6 million Dubai World Cup.

Pegram, owner of a score of McDonald’s restaurants in the northwestern counties, earned about $3.6 million in the race last March in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. His horse, Captain Steve, came from behind to beat To The Victory of Japan.

Pegram’s horse Real Quiet missed winning the Triple Crown of racing in 1998 when it lost by a mere nose at the Belmont Stakes after winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness races.

 

Membership Director Named for Girl Scouts

Deborah Corliss has been hired as assistant executive director of memberships for the northern region of Girl Scouts-Totem Council, serving Skagit, Whatcom, San Juan, Island and Snohomish counties.

She supervises a staff of six in developing growth of the membership for the five counties, which services 4,500 girls. She also will strive to develop strong relationships and manage funding requests within the five United Ways in her area, the council reports.

Corliss has extensive experience in scouting, having begun her career as a resident camp staff member in Pennsylvania early in life. She most recently was executive director for the Sioux Trails Girl Scout Council in Iowa.

For more information, call 1-800-767-6845 or visit the Web site at www.girlscoutstotem.org.

 

Business Community Loses Three Retired Members

Three long-retired members of the Skagit business community recently passed away.

• Howard Smiley, founder of Smiley’s Inc. of west Mount Vernon, died April 1. He was 86.

Smiley brought his family to Skagit County in 1953 and purchased the International Harvester dealership from Bert Robinson. Under the new name of Smiley’s, he served the farming community until retirement in 1972, turning the business over to his son, Dale.

According to his obituary, he understood farm machinery and was successful in modifying existing equipment to meet specific needs in the valley. He also built a machine shop behind the dealership, which had been moved to Memorial Highway on the Westside.

• Warren R. Geiger, owner of Geiger Custom Cleaner for 46 years until his retirement in 1985, passed away April 7, less than a month away from his 78th birthday.

He came to Sedro-Woolley in 1946 and started the cleaning business, the first in the valley. The business, now in south Mount Vernon, is owned by Frank Tuzzolino.

• Robert L. McCleery, a counseling psychologist in Mount Vernon since 1976 and a long-time member of the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon, died April 11. He was 77.

An active participant in Kiwanis International programs, McCleery was particularly involved with the organization’s Builders’ Clubs.

 

Moss Adams Hires Six Accountants

The Bellingham office of Moss Adams LLP recently hired six accountants.

Todd Kooiman, a certified public accountant, was named a senior accountant in the Emerging Business Group. Previously, he was a senior accountant with a private firm in Mount Vernon. Kooiman graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in accountant and business administration from Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Jeanie Johnson, Andrea Paciotti and Kelli Visser were named staff accountants in the firm’s Emerging Business Group. Johnson and Paciotti received their bachelor of arts degrees in accounting in March from Western Washington University and Visser will gain her degree from WWU in June.

Dale Meridith, also a staff accountant in the Emerging Business Group, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an accounting concentration from Washington State University.

Corinne Thorsen, a staff accountant in the Enterprise Group, graduated in March with a degree in accounting from WWU.

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.

 

It’s People Who Make the News

People make the news, and The Skagit County Business Monthly is proud to be the advocate of businesses, big and small, in the area, as well as the people who run them.

If you know someone who has won an award, returned from a conference or seminar, or just started with a company, let us know. New appointments are important to us, as are new hires, staff shuffles and new board members and officers.

We want to hear from you!

It’s the people of Skagit Valley who make the news.

Fax information to 416-0949, drop by the office at 2221-B Riverside Drive in Mount Vernon, or use the e-mail: bizmonth@fidalgo.net. And if you have a photo, all the better.

Deadline for press releases is the 10th of the month for the next month’s issue.