Business beat

Banking

STCU has promoted nine branch leaders to newly created oversight positions.

Lisa Chitwood is Valley district manager, based in Spokane Valley. Chitwood has worked at STCU since 1998, most recently as the North branch manager, and has bachelor’s degree in finance from University of Idaho.

Tracy Malley is district manager of the Main, Qualchan and South Valley branches. Malley has worked at STCU since 1999, most recently as the main branch manager, and is an Air Force veteran and Leadership Spokane graduate.

Eli Brown is South district manager, based in the south branch. Brown has worked at STCU since 2004, most recently as south branch manager, and has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Western Governors University.

Janell Pavlica is North district manager. Pavlica has worked at STCU since 1997, most recently as the Indian Trail branch manager.

Jamie Anderson is Northtown Square district manager. Anderson has worked for STCU since 2003, most recently as Cheney branch manager, and aided STCU’s collaboration with 2nd Harvest to create the Bite2Go program at Madison Elementary School.

Kate Bacon is Cheney area manager. Bacon has worked for STCU for 20 years and was most recently the Qualchan branch manager. Bacon has 33 years of experience with financial institutions

Nichole Smith is Coeur d’Alene area manager. Smith has worked for STCU since 2004, most recently as Spokane Valley branch manager, and has a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Whitworth University, in addition to being a graduate of Leadership Coeur d’Alene.

Delena Hamrick is Post Falls area manager. Hamrick has worked for STCU for five years, most recently as Post Falls branch manager. She is a Leadership Coeur d’Alene graduate and serves on the board for the North Idaho Chapter of Credit Unions, a local chapter of the Northwest Credit Union Association.

Courtney Crace is relationship branch manager for Downtown Spokane and will work to provide oversight of the Downtown Spokane and Hutton branches, as well as building and maintaining business relationships. Crace has worked for STCU for nine years, most recently as Northtown Square branch manager. She has a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications and business from Washington State University.

Business development

Greater Spokane Incorporated hired Jake Mayson as its public policy director. Mayson will work to advance public policy and legislative priorities in support of economic development initiatives in the Spokane region. After studying political science at Washington State University, Mason worked as a staffer for the Washington state Senate and later managed political races in King County. In 2017, Mason moved to lobbying where he worked on a team to represent the interests of Associated Builders and Contractors, the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Association of Dental Support Organizations, among others. He later became the director of a political action committee focused on municipal government and the government affairs director for the Central Washington Home Builders Association.

The Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance hired Lacrecia “Lu” Hill as an emergent strategist and Jonathan Teeter as the Live Local Palouse organizer. SIMBA also announced Executive Director Mariah McKay as the new director of dynamism.

Lu has 14 years of executive-level management experience in philanthropic, corporate and cannabis organizations. Teeters has more than a decade of experience in campaign and strategy development and will lead the Live Local Palouse initiative in partnership with the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship to support rural enterprise throughout Whitman, Garfield and Asotin counties.

Hospitality

Davenport Hotels has announced new hires across various departments, hotels and restaurants.

Shawn Healy is guest services manager, bringing 11 years of hospitality experience. His past roles include the manager of operations at Blue Zoo Spokane, supervisor of entrance operations at Universal Orlando Resort and assistant director of housekeeping at Sheraton Hotels in Orlando, Florida.

Moses Robles is director of front office services at the Centennial Hotel, bringing 11 years of hospitality experience. He previously was special events sales coordinator and VIP services manager at Tropicana Las Vegas, as well as front desk manager at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino.

Alan Grell was hired as front desk manager at the Davenport Grand, bringing seven years of experience in the marketing, hospitality and travel industries. Grell previously was guest services manager at the Residence Inn in Spokane Valley and AC Hotel Westport in Kansas City.

Theresa Flory is director of housekeeping at the Davenport Grand, bringing more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and housekeeping management. Flory previously worked in housekeeping management at Northern Quest Resort & Casino and Red Lion Hotels.

Jose Roca is director of housekeeping at the Centennial Hotel, bringing 14 years of experience, including work as housekeeping manager and bell services and valet manager at The Venetian and Palazzo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Brittany Bury is front desk manager at the Centennial Hotel. Bury previously was the assistant general manager at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Helena.

Melissa (Missy) Smith is wedding and social events services manager, bringing eight years of experience in the wedding and events industry. Smith previously led community and social projects at the Morning Star Foundation, and also as served as the special events coordinator at the Knitting Factory.

Jenna Hatfield is wedding and social events sales manager. Hatfield previously was the event coordinator for Hahn Event Rentals in Lewiston, where she oversaw reservations and managed event staff. She has five years of wedding and event experience and has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Lewis-Clark State College.

Lori Maher is meetings express manager, bringing six years of hospitality experience. She previously was the assistant manager at Warwick Yacht & Country Club in Virginia, as well as the preferred corporate accounts specialist at Davenport Hotels.