Toyota of Tri-Cities honored again
Toyota of Tri-Cities in Kennewick has received the Toyota President’s Award for the seventh consecutive year. Toyota Motor Sales recognizes dealers who excel in all facets of their operations and show a strong bond to the communities in which they are located. Only 429 Toyota dealers out of 1,224 in the U.S. achieved the 2011 President’s Award.
Zacher named Inventor of Year
Alan Zacher, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory chemical engineer has been named Inventor of the Year for the Lab’s 2011 fiscal year. His current research includes developing methods and catalysts to create renewable, plant-based chemicals. He has received 21 U.S. patents and 25 foreign patents for his work. Zacher has worked for PNNL since 1993 and was named a Battelle Distinguished Inventor in 2008. He has two bachelor’s degrees from Washington State University and is an Ephrata High School graduate.
Paragon receives excellence award
Richland-based Paragon Corporate Housing received a 2012 Tower of Excellence Award for Provider Company of the Year by the Corporate Housing Providers Association. Paragon was recognized for its strong relationships with community and industry partners. Through these relationships, Paragon continues to grow as a successful business, support other CHPA members, advocate for the corporate housing industry and support charities. CHPA is a trade association dedicated to the corporate housing industry.
Martinez, Owen attend seminar
Dave Owen with Skone Irrigation in Pasco and Roy Martinez with Skone Irrigation in Warden joined Reinke for its three-day Advanced Plus Seminar in March in Deshler, Neb. Twenty-seven service technicians representing 21 Reinke dealerships throughout the U.S. attended the event. Reinke manufactures mechanized irrigation systems.
AnovaWorks awarded large contract
AnovaWorks of Wenatchee has been awarded a $7-million contract to provide onsite occupational medical services to more than 4,300 staff at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland beginning Oct. 1. The three-year contract has an optional one-year extension and covers medical surveillance, prevention and limited treatment and rehabilitation for work-related injuries.
Parks announces state candidacy
Kennewick City Councilman Bob Parks has announced his intent to run for State Representative Position 2 of the 8th Legislative District. He formed an exploratory committee to gauge interest in his candidacy and raise awareness in support of a bid for the post. Parks is serving his third term since being elected to the Kennewick City Council in 2002. He lives in Kennewick with his wife and two daughters.
Unwin named executive director
Heather Unwin was named executive director of the Red Mountain AVA Alliance in March. The RMAVAA represents 23 vineyard owners, winemakers and stakeholders who live, work or purchase wine grapes from Red Mountain. Unwin has been active in RMAVAA since it began in 2008 and became board member in 2010. She was the executive vice president of marketing at Terra Blanca Winery & Estate Vineyard since 2007 and will continue working for the winery in an advisory capacity.
CityView reaches 100,000 views
Richland CityView Cable 13 reached more than 100,000 distinctive views on its YouTube channel in March. Although www.youtube.com/RichlandCityView13 was created in 2007, most of its hits have been logged in the past year and a half — since the city started focusing more on social media. In addition to YouTube, Richland CityView archives all its meetings and programs for instant view at www.ci.richland.wa.us and hosts an iTunes page for downloading programs.
Cherry named Youth of Year
Brenna Cherry, age 16, from the Prosser Boys and Girls Clubs was named Washington State’s Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year in a reception hosted by Gov. Chris Gregoire . Cherry was chosen for her membership at Prosser’s Boys and Girls Club, volunteerism and extracurricular activities. She will represent Washington in the Pacific Region Youth of the Year competition in Los Angeles in July. The regional winner will go on to compete at the national level.
Bartram honored for volunteerism
Chad Bartram, assistant general manager/auditor/director of finance and business services for Benton PUD was named the 2011 United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties Distinguished Volunteer of the Year. He served on United Way’s Board of Directors from 2006-2011. During his time on the board, Bartram helped United Way address how to best improve lives for residents of Benton and Franklin Counties.
Polvi takes Dominican incentive trip
Richland’s Carolyn Polvi, a lia sophia advisor, traveled to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic in March for an all-expenses-paid trip. Polvi was awarded the trip for meeting certain sales and recruiting goals. lia sophia is a direct-selling company offering fashion jewelry through personalized, in-home demonstrations.
Johnson named AAHP President-Elect
Ray Johnson, Dade Moeller’s Vice President of Training Services was named President-Elect of the American Academy of Health Physics, the organization overseeing the program that qualifies candidates for certification in radiation safety. Johnson has been involved with radiation safety programs since 1963.
Builders named NAHB directors
Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities’ members Duane LaPierre and Jerry Cowden were named Senior Life Directors at the National Association of Home Builders’ annual meeting for their 20+ years of service on NAHB’s board. LaPierre is the founder of LaPierre Enterprises in Kennewick and has been a member of NAHB for 37 years. Cowden is the owner of All West Floor Covering and has been an NAHB member for 26 years. NAHB is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members.
Miller named Moon president
Michael A. Miller has been named President of Moon Security Services Inc., and the company’s new Vice President is Laurel Heinemann. Jolene Nelsen will remain as Secretary/Treasurer. Ruth Ann Pound-Clyde and family purchased Moon Security in 1969 from its original owner. Miller, Heinemann and Nelsen are children of Pound-Cycle. Moon Security is a full-service security company with more than 6,000 monitored accounts and an additional 6,000+ service accounts.
HPM receives award for NASA work
Kennewick-based, woman-owned HPM Corporation received the 2012 Contractor Excellence Award for Small Business of the Year for its work at NASA’s George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Companies applying for this award are evaluated on technical performance, schedule performance, cost performance, customer satisfaction leadership/quality improvement, research/development and innovative technology. HPMC received a perfect 1,000-point evaluation. The company offers occupational medicine, occupational safety and health and project management services.
Felice joins Dura-Shine Clean
Melanie Felice has joined Dura-Shine Clean as an account executive. Felice graduated from Gonzaga University in 2008 with a major in public relations. She then worked for the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic in the marketing department for two years. Dura-Shine Clean is a Richland-based, locally owned janitorial services company.
PNNL team presented award
The project management team responsible for the Physical Sciences Facility Project at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded the U.S. Department of Energy’s Secretary’s Award of Excellence in Project Management in early April. Completed in 2011, the PSF was a mixture of new construction and life-extension modification and the largest construction project in PNNL history. Since completion, PSF has allowed for successful transition out of much of the 300 Area on the Hanford site. PNNL’s Federal Project Director Chad Henderson led the seven-year project.
Lohman takes first in competition
Josh Lohman of Kennewick earned first place in the industrial category at the 40th Annual International Sheet Metal competition hosted by the International Training Institute for the sheet metal and air conditioning Industry in Las Vegas. During the two-day competition, apprentices took a written exam and completed a practical project in five categories. More than 250 sheet metal apprentices competed in five categories. ITI supports apprenticeship and advanced career training for union workers in the sheet metal industry throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Kennedy attends leadership forum
Shelley Kennedy, a Richland-based Edward Jones financial advisor recently attended the Edward Jones Women’s Leadership Forum at the firm’s headquarters in St. Louis, Mo. The forum, held to recognize successful female Edward Jones advisors, provided Kennedy with advanced training and networking opportunities.
Home show exhibitors honored
Nearly 12,000 people visited some 200 exhibits at the Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities’ 2012 Regional Home and Garden Show at TRAC in Pasco in February. The HBA collected more than 5,300 pounds of food for the Salvation Army. Awards were given for best-in-show exhibits: Rock Placing Company and Heritage Professional Landscaping-Best Landscaped Exhibit; Backyard by Design-Best Garden Area Exhibit; Spencer Carlson Unlimited-Best Single-Space Exhibit; and Western Materials-Best Multi-Space Exhibit.
Wyatt honored again by PAPA
David Wyatt, owner of Kennewick-based aerial photography company Loftics was honored in an international photography competition sponsored by the Professional Aerial Photographers Association International. Wyatt’s dramatic panoramic “Rattlesnake Summer” won the Judge’s Choice for Best Scenic. In 2011, Wyatt’s “Red Mountain” was chosen as Best of Show, People’s Choice and Best Scenic Aerial Photograph. Wyatt’s photos can be seen at www.papainternational.org/gallery.asp.
Dade Moeller joins DOE program
The U.S. Department of Energy approved Dade Moeller’s three-year mentor-protégé agreement with Ameriphysics LLC. Ameriphysics is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business based in Knoxville, Tenn. that provides radiological, environmental and waste disposal services for federal and commercial clients working in a variety of nuclear and environmental settings. Richland-based Dade Moeller provides professional and technical services to similar clients in support of nuclear, radiological, worker safety and environmental operations. This is Dade Moeller’s first mentor-protégé agreement.
Eadie passes RRC certification exam
Meier Architecture•Engineering’s Douglas Eadie, senior architect and project manager passed the RCI’s Registered Roof Consultants examination. RCI is an international association of professional consultants, architects and engineers who specialize in the specification and design of roofing, waterproofing and exterior wall systems.
Media manager honored by magazine
Bryan Hollenbaugh, vice president/regional market Mmanager for Adelante Media Group of Eastern Washington received Radio Ink Magazine’s “Medallas de Cortez” award as General Manager of the Year for Hispanic Radio. The award recognizes outstanding achievement and leadership in the Hispanic radio marketplace and is named after Raoul Cortez, a pioneer of Hispanic radio in the U.S.
Johnson named WRPS President
Michael D. Johnson has been named president and project manager for Washington River Protection Solutions where he will lead the remediation of radioactive and hazardous waste tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford site. Johnson replaces Chuck Spencer who retired from WRPS in January. Johnson has 40 years experience in the nuclear industry and a degree in mathematics from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.
by Mary Hopkin
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
