Business Beat

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New Faces

Stephen Pohl has been hired by NAI Black as managing broker retail for Black Commercial Inc. He previously worked as general manager of River Park Square and has extensive retail asset management, and leasing and development experience. He holds a degree from Purdue University.

Kootenai Electric Cooperative has hired Gene Zeckser as a member services supervisor. He previously worked for Center Partners as a team manager and served in the Navy 24 years. The company also hired Diane Griswold as human resources administrator. She previously worked in medical billing and holds a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer science from the University of Idaho.

Allison Benjamin has been hired as marketing and communications manager for Washington State University’s College of Nursing. She previously served as a marketing and public relations officer for Cancer Care Northwest. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Eastern Washington University.

Skils’Kin has hired Bill Bancroft as Fairchild Air Force Base project manager. He previously worked as a manager in the property services department at Sterling Savings Bank.

Tim Lederhos has been hired by Kootenai Electric Cooperative as an IT field technician. He previously worked for H2E Inc. in IT administration and industrial automation.

Promotions

Red Lion Hotels Corporation promoted Stacie Harper from national director of sales to vice president of sales. The company also promoted Julie Silbar from director of business systems support group to vice president of hospitality systems and central reservations.

Kudos

Pamela Mogen received a Merit Award for Advances in Library Service from the Washington Library Association. Mogen is director of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library.

The following Spokane Banner Bank employees received the company’s 2010 “Production Club Award” for superior performance: Aubree Bowman, Division Street Branch; Kaelin Smith, Riverside and Post Branch; Jessica Blakeman, Southeast Boulevard Branch; and Samantha Harper, Hamilton Branch. The company also presented mortgage loan officer Bobbi Wheeler with its 2010 “The Real Estate Leader’s Club Member Award.”

Linda Elkin received the 2011 “Power Woman of the Year Award” from the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce during the organization’s recent Power Women’s Summit. Elkin is regional president of US Bank in Spokane.

The American Accounting Association’s Forensic and Investigative Accounting Section presented Gary Weber and Sara Melendy with a “Teaching Innovation Award” for their “Justice for Fraud Victims” project. Weber and Melendy are faculty members of Gonzaga University’s Master of Accountancy program.

Harry Sladich has been named at-large director for the US Travel Association. Sladich is executive vice president for Red Lion Hotels Corporation.

The Spokane County Medical Society named Dr. George Novan “Spokane Physician/Citizen of the Year” for 2010. Dr. Novan works for Internal Medicine Residency Spokane and is associate director of WWAMI Medical Education at WSU Spokane.

Monica Gyarfas has earned Professional in Human Resources Certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute. Gyarfas is a Human Resources administrator for Global Credit Union.

Appointed

Gonzaga University appointed Rev. Frank Case, S.J. as chief mission officer. Rev. Case previously served as regional assistant for the United States at the Jesuit Curia in Rome, as general secretary of the Society of Jesus, and as a tenured assistant and associate professor of economics at Seattle University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in economics from St. Louis University; a master’s degree in sacred theology from Santa Clara University; and a doctorate degree in economics from Washington University.