Remembering Reugh

I got to know Wendell Reugh a little bit over the last 20 years, because he was a modest stockholder in Inland Northwest Bank. I found him to be a kind, sweet and generous man with a great sense of humor and an impressive business acumen. I view Reugh as the quintessential self-made man, coming from humble beginnings and rising to be an extremely successful real estate developer.

I think most people don’t fully appreciate the risks someone like Reugh took in his lifetime, and the hard times he had to endure to become a successful property owner. For example, imagine owning a leveraged real estate portfolio in the early 1980s when interest rates hit 21 percent.

I believe Spokane is a better place today for Reugh having lived here. In his lifetime, he made many contributions to our wonderful community and enriched the lives of more of our citizens than most of us will ever know. Rest in peace, Wendell, and thank you for a job well done.

Randy Fewel

President and CEO, Inland Northwest Bank

Spokane