Business Beat

North Idaho College has hired Eric Murray as vice president for student services. He previously worked as the dean of student affairs at the University of Montana-Western, in Dillon, Mont.

Braided Accents and Mountain Moulding & Millwork has hired Kevin Triphahn on the outside sales team. He holds a bachelor’s degree in forest products business management from the University of Idaho.

Kyla Meredith-Boucher has been hired as business adviser at the Inland Northwest Women’s Business Center, a division of The Inland Northwest Community Access Network. She previously worked as director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center at the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Miller Whiterunkle has hired Sheros Thomas to run its regional office in Atlanta. She previously worked at Y&R’s Wunderman Group in Southern California and holds a degree in political science from Duke University.

Laurentia Colhoff has been hired as a real estate agent in the downtown Spokane office of Century 21 Beutler & Associates.

HollisterStier has hired James King as a medical sales representative in the New York and New Jersey territories. He previously worked as a sales representative at Lincare and holds a bachelor’s degree in theater arts from Plymouth State College, N.H.

MaryAlice Gumaer has been hired as a financial analyst at Spokane Ear Nose & Throat Clinic. She holds a master of business administration degree from City University.

North Idaho College has hired Debra Ortiz as director of the radiology technology program. She previously worked as the program director of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology in Torrance, Calif.

Robert Ficken Jr. has been hired as the human resources director at North Idaho College. He holds a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix in San Jose, Calif.

Integrus Architecture has hired Thomas Burkle as a project manager. He holds a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Washington.

PROMOTED

Interplayers Theatre has hired Heather O’Brien as marketing and public relations manager. She holds a degree in theater and arts administration and was previously an intern for the theater.

Heidi Bouder has been promoted to assistant vice president, mortgage lending account executive in the mortgage division of Bank of America. She previously managed a banking center of the bank and has seven years of lending experience.

Laura Stirling has been promoted to professional placement recruiter at Volt Services Group. She holds a degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University.

Empire Airlines has promoted Andy Rish to maintenance planning and projects manager. He has been with the company since 2004 as a maintenance controller.

John Hengesh has been promoted to chief operations officer for Purcell Systems. He was previously the chief financial officer for the company and has over 20 years of experience in the high-tech industry.

KUDOS

Dr. Chris Greer has received the Washington State University Roche Preceptor of the Year Award. Greer is the preceptor at the College of Pharmacy’s experimental program at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories of Pullman has received the Manufacturer of the Year award from the Association of Washington Business, the Kent Chamber of Commerce, and Washington Manufacturing Services.

The Spokane Public Relations Council has awarded its 11th Annual SPARC Awards to the following: Print/Brochures Merit Awards, Tamara Hartman, Terry Rayburn Mitchell, Garret Riddle, Greg Orwig and Julie Riddle, Whitworth College, Road Place, Off-campus Study Map; Excellence Award, Tamara Hartman, Terry Rayburn Mitchell, Garret Riddle, Greg Orwig, Julie Riddle, Whitworth College, Identity brochure; Print/Four-Color Magazines, Merit Award, John Carter, Saint George’s Middle School Magazine; Print/Newsletters, Merit Award, Laurine Jue, Robyn Dunlap, Beth Berg, Sharman Communications and BHWI, Avista Corp., The View, Avista Employee News and Features; Print/Special Publications, Merit Award, Ed Bruneau, Spokane Advertising Federation, 2005 Grape and Grain poster, Produced by Creative Consultants.

DataPro Solutions of Spokane Valley has earned Microsoft Partner Program Certified status. The company has also earned the small and medium-size business (SMB) Select Partner designation from Cisco SMB Select Partners.

Mark Rowe has received the Air Monitoring Operator of the Year Award from the Washington Department of Ecology. Rowe is an air monitoring technician at the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority.

TransCanada has received the 2006 Clean Air Award from the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority for its upgrades to its Rosalia Compressor Station 6.

Eliant Inc. has awarded Shelter Associates with the 2006 Homebuyers’ Choice #1 National Ranking for “Highest Referral Rate” and “Overall Satisfaction.”

United Country-Lake Roosevelt Realty of Davenport, Wash., has reached a company sales achievement award for the first quarter of 2006.

ELECTED

Shirley Bonuccelli has been elected to the three-member Spokane Teachers Credit Union Supervisory Committee.

GIFTS

Inland Northwest federal civilian, postal and military employees have pledged $489,000 in payroll deductions to the Combined Federal Campaign.

Junior Achievement of the Inland Northwest has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation. The funds will be used to support educational programs in local classrooms.

Kathleen Greco has received the Berkshire Life Outstanding Community Service award and will receive a $1,000 check to be paid to the nonprofit organization of her choice. Greco is director of disability underwriting in the Spokane office of Berkshire Life.