PNNL’s Baker receives ACS Rising Star award 

Erin Baker, a bioanalytical chemist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, is one of six winners of the American Chemical Society’s Rising Star award. The ACS Women Chemists Committee gives the national honor to up to 10 exceptional early to mid-career women chemists.

Baker is a senior research scientist in PNNL’s biological sciences division. Her specialty is studying biological systems by using ion mobility spectrometry in conjunction with mass spectrometry.

She has a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in chemistry from Montana State University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, respectively.

Baker will be recognized with the other recipients at an ACS award symposium in April in San Francisco.

Trios Health receives initial accreditation status

Trios Health has received initial accreditation status as a sponsoring institution of graduate medical education by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. ACGME is one of two accrediting bodies for medical residency programs in the U.S.; the other is the American Osteopathic Association. Trios Health’s residency programs are accredited under the AOA.

The AOA and ACGME are in the process of unifying under ACGME, requiring all AOA accredited programs nationwide to now seek ACGME accreditation.

All residency programs require an institutional sponsor to become accredited. Trios Health applied to be its own institutional sponsor, which is allowed under ACGME. Trios Health’s initial accreditation status confirms its application substantially complies with the requirements.

Trios Health is the Kennewick Public Hospital District’s system of care serving the greater Tri-Cities.

Tanke earns AIF designation from Fiduciary360

Ben Tanke, associate retirement plans adviser with Petersen Hastings in Kennewick, has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation from Fiduciary360.

The Fi360 organization offers training, tools and resources to promote a culture of fiduciary responsibility and improve the decision making process of fiduciaries. The designation signifies knowledge of fiduciary responsibility and the ability to implement policies and procedures that meet a defined standard of care.

Petersen Hastings is a registered investment adviser in Kennewick and has nine AIF advisers.

Gastroenterologist joins Trios Medical Group 

Dr. Tegpal Atwal has joined Trios Medical Group’s gastroenterology team to provide patient care at Trios Care Center at Vista Field in Kennewick.

Atwal previously practiced gastroenterology at Crossroads Community Hospital in Mount Vernon, Illinois. He completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and an advanced gastroenterology fellowship in pancreatology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Atwal received his medical degree from Dayanand Medical College in Ludhiana, Punjab, India, and completed residency training in internal medicine at Lincoln Medical Center Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York. He is board certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine.

Trios Health is the Kennewick Public Hospital District’s system of care serving the greater Tri-Cities.

WSU Tri-Cities named military-friendly school 

Washington State University Tri-Cities, which enrolls about 1,800 student veterans, earned the 2017 Military Friendly School designation from Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM Jobs and Military Spouse magazines.

First published in 2009, Military Friends is a resource for veterans selecting a college, university or trade school to receive education and training to pursue a civilian career. Institutions earning the designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from Victory Media’s proprietary survey.

WSU Tri-Cities will be showcased with other schools in the annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools, special issues of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse and at militaryfriendly.com. About nine percent of WSU Tri-Cities’ student population are veterans.

For more information about WSU Tri-Cities’ commitment to supporting military students, visit tricities.wsu.edu/veterans.

Hawley, Johnson re-elected to CBDL board 

The Columbia Basin Development League, a water group that supports the Columbia Basin Project and future development by protecting its water rights and educating the public on the renewable resource and multiple purpose benefits of the project, recently named its board members. Two Franklin County residents were among them.

Orman Johnson of Connell and Matt Hawley of Pasco were re-elected as trustees to three-year terms.

Johnson is president of Johnson Agriprises, a diversified farming operation in Adams County. He also serves on the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District board and is the current CBDL board chair.

Hawley works for Lamb Weston/ConAgra Foods’ farming enterprises and has responsibilities surrounding different facets of corporate water right interests.

STEM Like ME! program receives $5,000 grant

The Mid-Columbia STEM Network’s STEM Like Me! program, which connects students in underrepresented STEM fields with STEM professionals engaged in environmental remediation at the Hanford nuclear reservation, recently was awarded a $5,000 FieldSTEM Career Connected Learning grant from Washington STEM and Pacific Education Institute.

The grants will allow the program to increase the number, reach and impact of career learning opportunities. Career connected learning is a continuum of awareness, exploration and work experiences where students develop skills to support their future career success.

Raymond appointed to state forensic council

Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond of Pasco was recently appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to the state’s Forensic Investigations Council.

His term expires in August of 2020.

Bradshaw named Benton REA general manager

Michael J. Bradshaw has been named the new general manager/executive vice president of Benton Rural Electric Association. Bradshaw has been acting as the interim general manager since February.

Bradshaw has 35 years of experience in the electric utility industry, including 27 with Benton REA. He was previously manager of finance and special services for the cooperative.

Rajayer joins Trios Southridge Hospital 

Dr. Salil Rajayer has joined Trios Health’s hospitalist team to provide dedicated care to admitted patients at Trios Southridge Hospital.

Rajayer completed his medical residency at Woodhull Medical Center, New York University School of Medicine in Brooklyn, New York. He completed two years of surgical residency at Harlem Hospital Center, Columbia University School of Physicians and Surgeons in New York and worked as a post-doctorate research fellow at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine in Manhasset, New York.

Rajayer attended medical school at Manipal University in Karnataka, India. He completed the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination and is board eligible in internal medicine.

Trios Health is Kennewick Public Hospital District’s system of care serving the greater Tri-Cities.

Tri-Cities branch of Right at Home receives award

The Kennewick franchise of Right at Home, a home care company, recently received the Right at Home corporate “Rising Star” award for its performance and growth over a 52-week period.

The Kennewick location is owned by Shana Duncan and Adam Loomis.

Each Right at Home office is individually owned and operated and offers a number of services including laundry, light housekeeping, medication reminders, transportation, meal planning and preparation, and bathing assistance.

Right at Home was founded in 1995 in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2000, the company started franchising and has grown to more than 500 locations in the U.S. and internationally.

KSD staff raises record amount for United Way

Kennewick School District employees participated at their highest rate and contributed more money than ever in the district’s annual fundraising campaign for United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties.

Together, KSD donors raised $43,369 to help fund United Way programs, which include education- and health-related efforts.

Staff at every school and district building contributed to the effort.

PNNL researchers in top one percent of citations

Six Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers, Richard Easter (geosciences), Steven Ghan (geosciences), Philip Rasch (geosciences), Janet Jansson (microbiology), Jun Liu (chemistry, materials science) and Yuehe Lin (chemistry) are among the most influential in the world, ranking in the top one percent of cited scientists on the 2016 Highly Cited Researcher list by Clarivate Analytics.

The list, which includes 3,100 researchers with global and scientific impact, features scientists from around the world whose citations rank in the top one percent within 20 subject areas. Citations accrue when newly published scientific papers refer back to previously published research findings. Clarivate analyzed publication and citation statistics between 2004-14.

Bruggeman named BBB marketplace manager 

Anna Bruggeman has joined the Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest as its marketplace manager.

Bruggeman was previously with Century 21 Tri-Cities. In her new role with BBB, she will host and attend community and private sector events, provide educational workshops and act as a liaison for BBB to the local community, businesses and media.

Pasco School Board earns top state honor

The Pasco School District Board of Directors recently was named Board of the Year in the large district category by the Washington State School Directors’ Association.

The program honors school boards demonstrating effective use of the Washington School Board standards, including being accountable to the public, seeking divergent perspectives in decision making, adopting a collaboratively developed district plan focused on learning and achievement, employing and supporting quality staff, and providing professional development.

The board was also named a board of distinction in 2014, and in 2009 it was named a WSSDA board of the year. The 2016 boards of the year were chosen from a field of 24 school boards of distinction.

Atwood joins Desert Canyon Mortgage

James Atwood has joined Desert Canyon Mortgage in Kennewick as a licensed mortgage loan officer.

Atwood spent 12 years as a retail banker before transitioning to mortgage lending this fall and has worked in the Tri-City community since 2013.

Wine Tourism Council board of directors named

The Mid-Columbia Wine Tourism Council, a program coordinated by Visit Tri-Cities, has established a new board of directors to promote the interests of Tri-City region vineyards and wineries through research and marketing.

The elected board members include: Deborah Barnard, Barnard Griffin Winery; Kristine Bono, Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery; Michel Clarke, Kiona Vineyards and Winery; Kathy Cortembos, J. Bookwalter; Tara Divers, Prosser Wine Network; Amy Johnson, Purple Star Wines; Jenn Nance, Red Mountain AVA Alliance; April Reddout, Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center; Shelbey Sawyer, Chandler Reach Vineyards; Kaury Balcom, Ste. Michelle Estate WSU Wine Science Center; and Kathy Moore, SpringHill Suites by Marriott.

Lashbaugh joins D.S. Baker Investments team 

Keri Lashbaugh has joined the D.S. Baker Investment team of Baker Boyer Bank’s Kennewick office. She has been with the Walla Walla office since 2002, specializing in working with and advising high net worth clients to define and quantify their financial needs and wants.

Lashbaugh holds a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi University for Women and a master’s degree in personal financial planning from the College for Financial Planning. She is an investment professional and holds Series 7 and 66 registrations, as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance licenses.

Telquist honored by AIOPIA for client satisfaction 

George E. Telquist, with TZMC Law—Telquist, Ziobro, McMillen and Clare, Attorneys at Law—in Richland has been honored by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys as Two Years 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys for Client Satisfaction and exceptional performance.

The institute is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top Ten personal injury attorneys in each state. Attorneys who are selected to the “10 Best” list must pass an election process  based on client/peer recommendations, research and independent evaluation.

Mulhausen joins Cornerstone Wealth Strategies 

Katie Mulhausen has joined Cornerstone Wealth Strategies in Kennewick as a client services specialist. She is a certified financial planner and graduated magna cum laude from Washington State University Tri-Cities with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Mulhausen will work with the Cornerstone team to build client financial plans and assist in other administrative responsibilities.

PNNL’s CENATE receives editor’s choice award

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Center for Advanced Technology Evaluation, or CENATE, was recently honored with a 2016 HPCwire Editor’s Choice award for Best HPC Collaboration between government and industry.

Launched in 2015, CENATE is a central place for government and industrial developers of advanced, next-generation supercomputers to evaluate the potential and guide the design of early technologies. It is supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research and directed by Adolfy Hoisie, who is also PNNL’s chief scientist for computing.