NEW HIRES

• Chris Pitts is the new small business administration sales manager at Gesa Credit Union. Pitts brings more than two decades of financial industry experience and will help empower small businesses across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In his new role, Pitts will lead Gesa’s team of SBA relationship managers, helping small businesses secure the capital they need to expand and thrive.

• Joel Keller joined Numerica as a chief financial officer. He brings more than 30 years of financial leadership experience spanning both the credit union and banking sectors. He most recently served as chief financial officer and executive vice president at 1st Capital Bank in California. Keller holds a master’s degree in finance from Seattle University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Whitman College.

• Kurt Beckley joined First Interstate Bank as a commercial relationship manager. He has 16 years of experience in the financial industry, specifically in agricultural and commercial lending. Beckley also holds a Bachelor of Science from Washington State University, a Master of Business Administration from Jones International University, and has attended Pacific Coast Banking School.

• Sarah Read is a new associate wealth advisor at Petersen Hastings Wealth Advisors in Kennewick. She has more than a decade of experience building meaningful relationships through philanthropy and holds a master’s in teaching from Concordia University and a bachelor’s in humanities from Washington State University.

• Elly Loera and Sarah House are the two new client service specialists at Petersen Hastings Wealth Advisors in Kennewick. Loera has a background in banking, administration and customer service. House is originally from Olympia and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Columbia Basin College.

DONATIONS

• The grand prize winner of the 37th annual Rotary Mid-Columbia Duck Race received a 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross for having the first duck over the finish line on Sept. 20. Rotary club members turned over the keys to Chrystal Curiel at Toyota of Tri-Cities in Kennewick during a special ceremony on Oct. 24. The car is valued at $27,503. Forty other businesses and individuals also sponsored prizes, ranging from cash and gift cards to free business services and spa packages, for other top finishers in the event. Rotarians sold 16,672 tickets for this year’s duck race, raising $166,720, or about 85% of the club’s fundraising goal. The fundraiser supports nonprofits, human service projects, educational programs and scholarships.

• Benton Franklin Fair Association has donated $2,852 to Second Harvest Tri-Cities. This contribution is equivalent to providing 8,556 meals to those in need in the Tri-Cities area. The funds are sourced from the fair’s initiative of donating a portion of proceeds from admission tickets sold on opening day.

•  Visiting Angels of the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla raised over $70,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association at its annual Starry Night Gala. The event was hosted at the Moore Mansion and was in part a celebration of Visiting Angels’ 20th anniversary.

GRANTS

• The Tri-Cities Cancer Center Nursing Academy was selected by the Gesa Community Foundation as a recipient of Gesa Credit Union’s Local Heroes Grant Award. A $10,000 award will support 25 nurses throughout a 12-week program for those who are new to oncology.

• Gesa Credit Union awarded a combined total of $528,000 to 52 organizations across the Pacific Northwest through its Local Heroes Grant Program. Gesa’s Local Heroes Grant Program provides direct funding to organizations that support any of the Gesa’s outlined Local Heroes categories, including firefighters, law enforcement, educators, health care workers and veterans.

• STCU awarded $20,000 in grants to 100 randomly drawn educators, including several from the Mid-Columbia region. The grants are $200 each, and educators may spend them on anything that enhances students’ classroom experience.

Local winners are:

• Educational Service District 123: Burgandy Langston, Candy Mountain Academy.
• Kennewick School District: Holly Trinnaman, Edison Elementary School; Jennifer Johnson, Edison Elementary School; Kendall Makela-Scoma, Westgate Elementary School.
• Pasco School District: Amanda Baumgartner, Ruth Livingston Elementary School; Ana Mendoza, Rowena Chess Elementary School; Blanca Salgado, Virgie Robinson Elementary School; Chelsey Farias, Chiawana High School; Lucia Pineda, Barbara McClintock STEM Elementary School; Mayra Mendoza, Emerson Elementary School; and Mishelle Bosted, Reynolds Middle School.
• Richland School District: Adam Hancock, Hanford High School; Evelyn Silva, Carmichael Middle School; and Windy Hancock, Richland High School.

AWARDS & HONORS

• Hanford Mission Integration Solutions President Amy Basche was named the 2025 Athena Leadership Award winner at the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Women in Business conference on Sept. 22. Basche has worked at the Hanford site for the past 34 years and was promoted to her current position in 2024. The Athena program honors women in leadership roles that make them effective, admirable and successful leaders and have also contributed to the development and empowerment of women. Janae Parent was named the 2025 Athena Young Professional Leadership Award winner. She is the district administrator of the Benton-Franklin Health District, where she has worked for more than 11 years. Winners of this award must be 40 years of age or younger at the time of the award presentation.

• State Rep. Stephanie Barnard was honored with the Outstanding Service to Veterans Legislator Award by the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs and the Governor’s Veterans Advisory Committee. The award recognizes legislators who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, compassion and service to Washington’s veterans and their families. Barnard sponsored and championed House Bill 1106, which phased down the disability rating requirements to ensure more disabled veterans are eligible for property tax relief.

• CEO of Metis Erik McLaughlin was named 2025 Wine Industry Leader by Wine Business Monthly. He has represented both sellers and buyers in some of the year’s most notable wine industry transactions. He was selected for his exceptional work in facilitating complex acquisitions and partnerships that have reshaped the wine landscape across California, Washington and Oregon.

• Anna King, senior correspondent and special projects lead at Northwest Public Broadcasting, was one of 50 people and organizations recently honored by Humanities Washington for their outstanding contributions to the public humanities. The awards were presented in celebration of Humanities Washington’s 50th anniversary.

PROMOTION

• Kena Chase is the new market chief nursing officer of Lourdes Health and Trios Health, effective Nov. 3. She has served as the CNO of Lourdes Health since November 2020 and as interim CNO of Trios Health in 2022 and again in July 2025. Chase will oversee nursing operations across the market, including Lourdes Behavioral Health, leading initiatives focused on clinical quality, patient safety, staff engagement and nursing excellence.