Monday, January 25, 2010

Congratulations to Barb Beddor, Toby Steward and the volunteers who put on the 2010 US Figure Skating Championships. 158,170 people were in the stands over 10 days, breaking the attendance record set in Spokane in 2007 by over 3,000!

Renowned actors Ellen Travolta and Jack Bannon will present three performances of "Love Letters" by A. J. Gurney, as a benefit to Interplayers Theater January 29th and 30th. Show times are 7:30 pm Friday, January 29th ; and 2 pm and 7:30 pm on Saturday, January 30th. Call 455-PLAY for tickets and information.

Greater Spokane Incorporated announces that applications are open for the 2010 Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. Businesses interested in applying for the Award can attend the Sloan Awards Panel event Thursday, January 28th from 11:30 - 1:00 p.m. at GSI. Attendees will learn more about the application process and hear from previous winners. Visit greaterspokane.org for more information or to register for this event.

Here’s a cool idea to increase your business revenue: improve morale, attitude and performance with ICE CREAM. Not just any ice cream but Ben & Jerry’s. They’ll come to your office, set it up, scoop it up and clean it up! It’s like having your very own Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop right at the office. There are over 27 euphoric flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt & sorbet. Turn your next meeting into an Ice Cream Extravaganza! Call the River Park Square Ben & Jerry’s franchise owner, Kari Conner and set it up at 509-455-8500.

You may not need a new trade show exhibit. You might have an exhibit you have been using for years. But how confident are you that you know the most successful tricks to get people to visit? Or, the latest tips at avoiding at-show expenses? Did your team perform as well as you had hoped at your last show? Skyline has created a helpful, "no charge" and "no sales pitch" seminar for busy exhibitors just like you. Skyline Northwest’s "Successful Trade Show Marketing Strategies" seminar is two and a half hours of condensed learning; it is February 17, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., with a bonus session, "Better Booth Staffing" from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Presented and hosted by Skyline Inland Northwest, 9922 E. Montgomery, #33. For more information and reservations call 509-892-5354 or go to www.skylineinw.com.

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John Pederson, IOM, Director of Membership, of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, has graduated from Institute for Organization Management, a four-year nonprofit leadership training program at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Gonzaga University will again host a series of workshops focusing on maximizing the effectiveness of a non-profit board and improving contributions of board members. In collaboration with Spokane County United Way, the Avista Foundation, Inland Northwest Community Foundation and Leadership Spokane, Gonzaga will offer a breakfast series beginning Feb. 4 through March 18 in the Washington/Cal Room from 8-10 a.m. with a full breakfast provided at 7:30 a.m. The cost for the entire series is $299; individual sessions are $59 each. For more information or to enroll, visit www.gonzaga.edu/ce or call 509-218-0551.

Peggy Doering, director of Valleyfest, has been named the recipient of the Harry E. Nelson award for Citizen of the Year by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. She will be honored at their 7th Annual Awards of Excellence Gala, Saturday, January 30, at CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N Discovery Place. 6:00 pm Social Hour & Silent Auction; 7:00 pm Dinner; 8:00 pm Award Presentation; 9:30 pm Dancing to Dragonfly. Other awards will be given, including:
Small Business of the Year; Finalists are MOJO Reprographics, Presentation Solutions, Rapid Refill Ink.
Medium Business of the Year; Finalists are Monique's Salon, University of Phoenix.
Large Business of the Year; Finalists are Coeur d'Alene Casino/Resort, Mirabeau Park Hotel Convention Center, Valley Hospital
Non Profit of the Year; Finalists are Center Pointe, Inland Northwest Blood Center, Treasured Locks for Children.
Chamber Volunteer of the Year; Finalists are Chuck Stocker, Jim Bowles, Jim Giles.
Community Caring Award; Finalists are AAA Washington, Luann Stallcup with American Red Cross, Barbara Olson with BNI, and Coeur d'Alene Casino/Resort.
The cost is $52 per person or $400 for table of 8. Advance ticket purchase required 509-924-4994 or register on-line under Chamber events at www.spokanevalleychamber.org.

The new Fred Meyer gas station across from the retail store in the 400 S block of Thor will soon have a car wash. Vandervert Construction is building a five self serve bay, two automatic bay car wash facility for Car Wash Plazas. This will be their fifth location in the Spokane Coeur d’Alene area. The 5,000 square foot project will be completed in the spring. The project cost is $450,000 not including the car wash equipment.

HealthScan Screening is a new mobile medical service company that provides highly accurate and affordable health screenings and to ensure people are aware of unrecognized or un-symptomatic health issues. HealthScan utilizes a state-of-the-art mobile medical unit that contains the same equipment used in hospitals to perform in-depth preventive health screenings at businesses, community centers, retirement centers, senior living centers, social clubs, etc. The screenings are performed by highly trained health care professionals and are all reviewed by board-certified physicians to ensure the highest standards are met. They search for results for those at risk of stroke, heart disease, and osteoporosis and with their prevention program and early detection, these conditions can be treated. HealthScan serves communities throughout the Northwest, in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Current Mobile Screening Locations: January 31st - Felts Field Airport Spokane; February 1st - Felts Field Airport Spokane; February 16th & 17th - Valley YMCA Spokane; February 18th & 19th - Central YMCA Spokane; February 22nd, 23rd, & 24th - North YMCA Spokane. For more information go to www.healthscaninc.com or call 509-924-7997.

New Year. Fresh Start. Fresh Paint. Call The Paintworks for a free estimate. Over 25 years of quality workmanship, quality paint, affordability, and on-time schedules.
Call 509-838-6067.

Go Green Energy Solutions, a business selling energy saving and environmentally friendly products just opened at 21950 East Country Vista Drive in Liberty Lake. Owner Richard Foley offers a wide variety of products including one that reduces electricity use of continually running motors such as refrigerators and furnaces. They also sell solar energy packages, solar powered lighting and fans, and electric scooters.

The Spokane Regional MarCom Association will host Alina Wheeler, worldwide branding expert and the author of Designing Brand Identity, on February 5. Wheeler will conduct a program and workshop at the Gonzaga University McCarthey Athletic Center. The program will be during MarCom’s February breakfast meeting from 7:30am to 9:00am, focusing on the fundamentals and process of designing brand identity. A two-hour workshop will follow the meeting from 9:30am to 11:30am where participants will examine the branding process in further depth with group discussion and interactive components. The cost for non-MarCom members is $20 for the breakfast meeting, which includes a catered breakfast; $55 for breakfast meeting and workshop. RSVP is required by January 29 to attend. To register for the events, visit www.SpokaneMarCom.com.

The Spokane business community lost three of its stars last week. Former GU basketball coach, and Northern Quest Resort and Casino’s community relations director, Dan Fitzgerald passed away January 19 at the age of 67. Services will be Wednesday, January 27, 10 am at Northern Quest’s Pend Oreille Pavilion.
Writer, editor and public relations business owner Christianne Sharman died on January 20 at age 45 after a two year illness. Services are Saturday, 4pm at Millwood Community Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road.
Videographer Sean Stanelun passed away Saturday. He is survived by his wife, Dawn Picken and two children. Services are pending.

Magner Sanborn, a full-service advertising, brand design and marketing communications firm has hired Sara Hornor as Account Manager. She’ll be involved in overseeing the account management and strategic direction on the national Qualcomm business. Most recently at Seven2 Interactive, Hornor has deep experience directing marketing initiatives for major brands such as Nick Jr., MTV, Earthbound Farm and AT&T. She has a diverse background, including planning "Terrain", an art event in Spokane that promotes young artists. Hornor is also a published scientist, authoring work in Genetics in Medicine and Nature Genetics. Magner Sanborn employs 17 individuals in Spokane and Seattle; representing clients including Yoke’s Fresh Markets, Providence Health Care, Qualcomm, Washington State Department of Transportation, Amtrak Cascades, Netflix, Washington Dairy Commission, Thomas-Hammer Coffee Roasters, Gonzaga University and others. Their website is www.magnersanborn.com.

The Jilin Sister City Society invites you to Dinner and a Movie, this Friday, January 29, from 6pm-10pm. Dinner will be at Hong Kong Express, 2435 N. Division (6pm), and the movie is "Cow" at AMC Theaters, River Park Square (8:30pm). Paid Society Members will receive free dinner (no alcohol) and a free movie ticket. Membership forms available at the door. Please RSVP by Wednesday, Jan. 27 to margo.buckles@matrical.com. The Jilin Sister City Society’s mission statement is "To increase our understanding and appreciation of China and its people through exchanges with Spokane’s Chinese Sister City – Jilin"

Rainman Seamless Raingutters is moving to a new location at 205 East Ermina. The 9,800 square foot building will house a showroom, warehouse and office space. Rainman was previously at 2816 North Madelia. Rick and Chris Garrett have owned Rainman since 2007. The business employs 13 people.

The business thought of the week is from Jeffery Gitomer: "It’s your thoughts behind the words that you speak that create your attitude."

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