Networking – April 2026
NEW HIRES
• Holden Bistline is the new vice president of internal audit at Gesa Credit Union. He brings more than a decade of experience in the financial services industry and most recently worked as the vice president audit manager for Columbia Bank. Bistline is a graduate of the University of Idaho with degrees in accounting and finance. He also holds Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Information Systems Auditor certifications, along with project management credentials.
• Mackenzi Blackwell joined Prosser Memorial Health’s Grandview Clinic as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She earned her Master of Science in nursing as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner from the University of South Alabama. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Capella University and an associate of nursing from Joyce University. Most recently, she has managed a high-volume outpatient caseload with a focus on children, young adults and patients needing individualized, trauma-informed treatment plans.
• Planet Home Lending, a national mortgage lender and servicer, recently opened a Kennewick branch and has named two new branch managers:
‣Dan O’Neill has been in the mortgage industry for nearly a decade, specializing in first-time homebuyers, relocation clients and move-up buyers.
‣Scott Unger has worked in the mortgage industry for 33 years, specializing in serving veterans, first-time home buyers and multigenerational families. He is also a U.S. Navy veteran.
• Rebekah Dobbs has been named the commercial loan officer at bankcda’s Richland branch. Dobbs, a Tri-City resident for 15 years, has more than 20 years of banking experience, with a strong background in both commercial and residential lending. Dobbs is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School and serves on the Columbia Basin College Foundation board.
• Kristen Edwards is the new Tri-eCities branch manager at First Security Bank. She is a longtime local leader with more than 15 years of experience in finance, real estate and business ownership. Edwards previously served on the board of directors for youth sports programs, participated in Junior Achievement initiatives and has consistently contributed her time and resources to local charitable organizations and community events.
AWARDS & HONORS
• Brian Sites, a college and career specialist at Hanford High School in Richland, was named the College and Career Counselor of the Year by the Washington School Counselor Association. This statewide recognition honors school counselors and specialists who demonstrate exceptional leadership in connecting college and career readiness with students’ academic and social-emotional development. Sites leads several major initiatives that help shape students’ futures, including organizing a schoolwide Career Day that brings community partners to campus, overseeing Career and Technical Education programs, and coordinating Falcon Flight Day, an event that ensures every senior meets one-on-one with a mentor to plan for life after graduation.
• Drew Thomas, chief engineer with Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS), recently received the Paul Case Award, which recognizes Hanford workers who ensure the site is safe from electrical hazards. Thomas recently became a certified electrical inspector and Certified Electrical Safety Compliance Professional. He also performs electrical assessments at other DOE sites, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory.
• Ismerai Mendoza of River View High School in Finley served as a legislative House page. She was sponsored by Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview (no relation). Pages assist representatives and House staff by delivering messages and documents throughout the Capitol campus, preparing the House chamber for floor sessions and supporting other legislative duties.
• Financial services firm Edward Jones reclaimed the top spot among 23 other advice-based companies in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Investor Satisfaction Study. This is the first time the business has achieved the top spot since 2021. The firm, which has offices around the Tri-Cities, achieved Best-in-Class performance in four investor satisfaction categories: trust, people, products meeting client needs, and ease of doing business. Edward Jones earned an overall satisfaction score of 754 on a 1,000-point scale.
• Margaret Cheung, a computational scientist and biological physicist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS. Fellows are elected annually by AAAS for significant contributions and achievements across a variety of scientific disciplines, spanning research to public communications. She focuses her research on an approach that integrates physics and data to study how certain proteins interact and control living matter.
• A state-level economic development association singled out the Port of Benton and Port of Walla Walla for accolades in its annual awards for securing the most economically significant development projects in the past year. The Washington Economic Development Association, or WEDA, said the Port of Benton’s recruitment of Avalanche Energy FusionWERX and Port of Walla Walla’s bringing Rockwool North America to the Mid-Columbia made for equally excellent selections in the Economic Development Project of the Year-Business Recruitment Category.
BOARDS
• Tomas Kastner, principal architect, has been appointed to Meier Architecture • Engineering’s board of directors. He brings more than 44 years of architectural experience to the board, spanning historic renovations, multistory civic projects, health care facilities, commercial developments and federal work. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Hawaii and a Bachelor of Science in government from Cornell University.
• Kyle DeSomber, a hydropower advisor at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been elected to serve on the board of directors for the Northwest Hydroelectric Association. The regional trade association brings together hydropower professionals across the Northwest to share knowledge, strengthen collaboration and support the hydropower community. At PNNL, DeSomber leads research and strategy at the intersection of hydropower technology, grid services and national energy policy.
GRANT
• United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties received a $5,000 grant from Columbia Bank to support the Attendance Matters mentoring program. The Attendance Matters initiative works to address chronic absenteeism, one of the leading indicators of academic challenges. The grant will be used to enhance program resources, including family engagement tools and partnerships with local schools to identify and assist at-risk students.
CERTIFICATIONS
• Eight Visit Tri-Cities team members have earned a Professional in Designation Management certificate after completing a program that provides foundational training in destination marketing, tourism strategy and the role destination organizations play in strengthening local economies and communities.
The recipients are:
‣ Katie Carstens, convention and sports development manager.
‣ Jasmin Gervin, marketing communications manager.
‣ Riley Osborn, destination development manger.
‣ Natalie Smith, sales administrative assistant.
‣ Mary Solomon, visitor services specialist.
‣ Danya Taylor, business development and event services manager.
‣ Jason Watson, website and multimedia manager.
‣ Julia Webb, convention development manager.
PROMOTIONS
• Jennifer Pierce of Benton-Franklin Humane Society was recently promoted to senior development coordinator. In this role, she will lead the organization’s fundraising, events, marketing and planned giving efforts.
• Energy Northwest has announced two promotions:
‣ Reginald Wainwright is the new general manager at the new Project Management Office (PMO). He will lead the development of this new PMO, guiding major nuclear and non-nuclear initiatives, enhancing governance and coordinating project reporting across the agency. He has more than 23 years of experience in project management and plant operations, including serving as plant general manager since 2023.
‣ Jeremy Hauger is the new plant general manager, overseeing daily operations and maintenance, including radiation protection, chemistry and online and outage work management. Hauger is a Navy veteran and has been with Energy Northwest for 18 years. He has served in key roles across engineering and maintenance and has recently been acting site vice president.
