Olson Takes Reins at Resource Center

Marijo Olson, vice president of business and community development at Skagit Valley College, recently took over the role of director at the college’s Business Resource Center in downtown Mount Vernon.

She replaces Astrid Aamot, who was contracted as interim director through June.

Olson will split her time between her on-campus duties and the center, which provides resources of all kinds to new and existing businesses in the county.

In addition, she will oversee improvements to the center at 220 W. Montgomery St., which was a downtown post-office branch in former times. Today, the structure houses the offices of the Economic Development Association of Skagit County, Business Resource Center, Service Corps of Retired Executives (S.C.O.R.E.), Skagit Council of Governments, Partnerships for Rural Development and WorkSafe Institute.

Olson says she also plans new programs to enhance the center’s role of assisting businesses.

 

Changes in Personnel at PNWB Riverside Branch

Madeleine Roozen, former manager of Pacific Northwest Bank in Mount Vernon, has been promoted to relationship officer at PNWB’s Mount Vernon Financial Center. At the same time, Doug Davidson, a veteran banker in the valley, was appointed to the branch manager’s position and made a vice president.

Roozen has been in the financial-services industry for 26 years — 22 of them with PNWB, formerly InterWest Bank. She’s held managerial positions in operations, lending and branch procedures and has an extensive real estate and construction-lending background.

A graduate of Seattle University, the Institute of Financial Education and the UCLA Leadership Institute, Roozen will be responsible for management, direction, administration and production of business and commercial lending activities in the Skagit County area.

“I look forward to the challenge of serving the needs of the business and professional community,” she says.

Davidson, a veteran of 26 years in commercial banking, is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University and completed studies with the American Institute of Banking and Robert Morris Association.

He will direct and coordinate operations as well as consumer and commercial services for the full-service Mount Vernon office, located at 1511 Riverside Drive.

PNWB is a bank holding company, operating 55 financial centers in Washington state.

 

Sager Promoted at Horizon Bank

Tina Sager has been promoted to retail office manager for Horizon Bank in Mount Vernon.

A 10-year veteran in the banking industry, Sager has been a teller, new-accounts representative and consumer lender. She’s been with Horizon for three years.

“We’re pleased to recognize Tina and thank her for her contributions,” says V. Lawrence Evans, Horizon’s president and chief executive officer from his headquarters in Bellingham. “Tina has contributed to the success of the bank though her many areas of responsibility and years of service.”

The Mount Vernon branch is located at 1503 Riverside Drive.

 

Her Closet Doing Well in Burlington under Sager

Her Closet, a consignment clothing shop for women opened in Burlington last February, has been growing steadily under the management of DiAnn Sager, according to owner Kay Hall.

Hall, who also owns Kay Hall’s Consignment Boutique on South Burlington Boulevard, says Sager has done wonders in the newer store. “She blew in like a tornado. She’s one heck of an upbeat lady,” Hall states.

“We say ‘consignment,’ but it’s different than other stores,” Sager points out. “We won’t take anything to sell unless it’s clean and has no spots or animal hairs. Kay classes up the word ‘consignment.’”

The store, formerly Vale’s and then for a short time a pottery-painting shop, has been filled with clothing, shoes and accessories, much of it “upper end,” according to Sager, an Anacortes native who has lived in Burlington for about nine years. The store caters to women up to size 26 and has many items for the professional, she adds.

Stop by at 113 E. Fairhaven Ave. or call 755-5054

 

Volkman Joins Bayshore Office Products’ Team

Craig Volkman is the newest addition to Bayshore Office Products in Anacortes.

He serves as sales representative for the Panasonic copier and fax lines in Bayshore’s photocopier department.

Volkman, who grew up on a farm near Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; his wife, Arlene; and their teen-age son and daughter live in La Conner.

 

Crow Newest Agent at Prudential Realtors

Joanna Crow recently joined Prudential Skagit Realtors of Mount Vernon in the dual role of agent and finance counselor, according to owner/broker Robin Ross.

Crow has a law degree from Mexico and is bilingual. She offers lenders financing assistance for her customers and clients.

Prudential is located at 300 E. College Way.

 

Bricka Named First Symphony Exec

Skagit native David Bricka has been named to a new post as executive director of the Skagit Symphony.

The board of directors chose Bricka for his business knowledge, marketing skills and knowledge of music. He is a trained classical pianist and pipe organist.

A graduate of Sedro-Woolley High School and Washington State University in hotel and restaurant management, Bricka will be in charge of day-to-day operations of the 60-member symphony, which starts its 24th season in October. He is also on the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Board of Directors and sings with the Skagit Valley Chorale.

The first concert series for the 2001-2002 season is a Gilbert and Sullivan Spectacular, Oct 20, 7:30 p.m., at Salem Lutheran Church, Mount Vernon, and Oct. 21, 3 p.m., at Brodniak Hall, Anacortes. Kathleen Ash Barraclough is symphony music director and conductor. Call 848-0263 for more information.

 

Attorney Railton Becomes Member of Bellingham Firm

W. Scott Railton, a former civil litigator in Mount Vernon, has become an attorney with the Bellingham law firm of Chang and Boos.

Railton will practice U.S. immigration law with an emphasis on immigration benefits for business executives and other professionals, including scientists and athletes, according to Chang and Boos. His practice will also include litigation of constitutional aspects of immigration matters.

Railton, a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and Western’s Huxley College where he was magna cum laude, Railton is a member of the state Bar Association, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the state Trial Lawyer’s Association and recently attended AILA’s annual conference in Boston.

In addition to his attorney duties, Railton has served as basketball color analyst for KLKI AM 1340 Radio in Anacortes, run marathons and participated in Kiwanis Club.

 

Services Expanded at Island Hospital

Island Hospital has added Ken Crane, CRNA, nurse anesthetist, to its comprehensive birthing services.

Crane’s addition allows for expanded epidural anesthesia services for women giving birth at the hospital. Crane comes to Island from Spokane, where he has provided obstetrics anesthesia for more than 20 years at Deaconess Medical Center.

“Expanding our labor epidural services has been a concern for Island Hospital’s Birth Center for several years,” says Barbara Ringhouse, RN, assistant administrator for patient services. “Our community has asked that we increase the availability of this service and the addition of Ken enables us to do just that.

“We now have nearly 100-percent epidural availability through our scheduling arrangements with Ken and Dr. Robert Prins, OB/GYN,” she continues. “We are very proud of our birthing program and our commitment to meet the needs of the island communities we serve.”

For more information, call the Birth Center at 299-1331.

 

Changes Made at Garrison Engineering

Carl Garrison recently took over the role as president of Garrison Engineering and announced the hiring of John Raby as head of civil and structural divisions.

At the same time, Garrison Engineering effected a move from Sedro-Woolley to the Burlington Hill Business Park at 1997 Park Lane, Burlington.

Raby brings to Garrison 25 years of engineering experience and is licensed in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii.

Garrison, who holds engineering licenses in Washington, Idaho and California, says his company continues to provide engineering for civil, mechanical, industrial and structural projects.

Engineering specialties include water systems, storm drainage, subdivisions, mechanical HVAC (heating, ventalization and air conditioning), nonresidential energy code, utilities, pump stations, plumbing and fire protection. Structural specialties include industrial, commercial, residential and pole barns, he says.

 

Fischer Earns HR Certification

Erin Fischer, affirmative action consultant for The Regence Group, recently earned certification as a senior professional in human resources.

Fischer joined Northwest Washington Medical Bureau (NWMB) in Burlington four years ago and is a 1986 graduate of Mount Vernon High School, later receiving her bachelor of arts in business administration from Western Washington University.

“The certification earned . . . demonstrates a commitment to personal excellence and to the human-resource professional,” says Helen Drinan, president and chief executive officer of the Society for Human Resource Management. To become certified, an applicant must pass a comprehensive examination and demonstrate a strong background of professional human-resource experience.

Regence BlueShield of Washington, which last year merged with NWMB, is a part of The Regence Group.

 

Post Completes Yoga Training with Master

Tim Post, partner in the AzurYoga Studio in Mount Vernon, recently completed a three-day intensive training workshop with master yogi Nancy Gilgoff during her rare appearance in North America in July.

Gilgoff is the first woman to study asthtanga yoga with guru K. Pattabhi Jois, founder and director of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute of Mysore, India. She presented her workshop to 40 practitioners in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The workshop included injury prevention, history of the practice since 1973, assists and techniques for postures and mental awareness of body and breath.

Post and partner Darlene Azure recently opened AzurYoga at 315 Main St. on the revetment. Call 336-5163 for more information.

 

Marshall Accepts State Museum Presidency Again

Karen Marshall, director of the Skagit County Historical Museum in La Conner, was recently elected to serve a second term as president of the Washington Museum Association (WMA).

The WMA is a federally recognized, nonprofit organization consisting of institutions, businesses and individuals whose mission is to promote increased professionalism in and communications among all museums within the state.

Marshall has served on the WMA Board of Trustees since 1997. She also will continue in her role as head of the La Conner museum.

 

NC Eye Associates Expands Optician Staff

Three members of the staff at North Cascade Eye Associates in Sedro-Woolley recently passed state boards to become licensed dispensing opticians, raising to five the number of opticians on staff.

The three were Scott Larson, Angelyn Pugh and Michel Jevens.

Larson has been an optician for 15 years but practiced only in states not requiring a license. He completed a six-month apprenticeship with North Cascade before taking the licensing exam.

Pugh and Jevens served three-year apprenticeships at North Cascade, achieving journeyman status, before passing their exams. Jevens also is a certified contact-lens examiner.

All three are nationally certified as opticians.

Meanwhile, Sarah Marossy, OD, also of North Cascade Eye Associates, recently returned from the Northern Rockies Optometric Conference in Jackson, Wyo. Dr. Marossy is a member of the state and national optometric associations.

 

Centenarian Receives Rotary’s Paul Harris Award

Elsie Fowler, 101, recently received a Paul Harris Fellowship from her twin grandsons, Duane and Doug Clark, during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Anacortes. The award was given for outstanding contributions to humanitarian efforts, her church and community work.

For 50 years, Fowler lived on Shaw Island but is now a resident at Cap Sante Court Retirement Community in Anacortes. She has 102 descendants of whom 37 are of high school age or below.

 

Two Lutheran Brothers Attend Insurance Conference

Two businessmen from the Burlington offices of Lutheran Brotherhood and its insurance-based financial services recently attended the prestigious 2001 Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) in Toronto, Canada.

Kent N. Jensen, a Lutheran Brotherhood district representative in Burlington, was invited to join MDRT because of his “high productivity, knowledge and ethical requirements,” according to the society, based in Minneapolis.

Robert A. Ford also earned the honor of attending the annual meeting last June. Ford is a 10-year MDRT members and one of about 7,000 people from 58 nations who were in Toronto for the event.

MDRT is an international, independent association of more than 24,000 of the world’s best life-insurance and financial-services professionals from around the world.

Lutheran Brotherhood is a fraternal benefit society of 1.2 million Lutherans joined together for financial security, charitable outreach and volunteer service. The Burlington office is located at 1837 Bouslog Road behind I-5 Auto World. Call 757-9300 for more information.

 

Hunter Slaps Hole-in-One

Realtor John Hunter knows how to score an ace.

The real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Eaglemont recently scored a hole-in-one on the 4th hole at Eaglemont Golf Course.

He used a six iron and played a strata 2 golf ball. Witnesses were Trudy and Lonnie Swenson.