HONORS & AWARDS

The Army Corps of Engineers’ Walla Walla District recently honored eight civilian employees and one team: Aaron Schuff, Engineering Excellence; Julio Morelos, Public Outreach and STEM education program; Joe Braley, Quality Proponent; and McNary Turbine Replacement Project Delivery team, Project Management Business Process. Patty Ramos, Andrew Dankel Ibáñez, Sonya Kurle and Matthew Reeves each received Support Employee of the Year awards.

Richland-based attorney Allison Michelle King, Richland-based attorney Katherine Sierra-Kelly and Kennewick-based attorney Jennifer Lacoste have been recognized by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys as 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction. 

Richland-based attorney Deric Orr has been recognized by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys as Two Years 10 Best Criminal Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction. 

AIOFLA is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Family Law and Top 10 Criminal Law attorneys in each state. Attorneys must pass AIOFLA’s selection process, which is based on client and/or peer nomination, research and the institution’s independent evaluation. 

The Washington Wine Industry Foundation recently named Marcus Rafanelli as the recipient of the 2018 Powers Sabbatical award. Rafanelli is the instructor of Applied Winemaking at Walla Walla Community College and cellarmaster for its College Cellars. The award grants up to $5,000 each year to cover travel expenses for a mid-level industry professional to travel abroad, expand their knowledge about growing wine grapes or making wine then share their learning back at home. Rafanelli will travel to France to dive into oak, an important aspect of red-wine production. The Washington Wine Industry Foundation helps fund solutions for the industry’s challenges.

Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory scientists Morris Bullock, Yuehe Lin and Sotiris Xantheas were among 29 new elected members of the Washington State Academy of Sciences for their outstanding scientific and technical achievements. 

Bullock was recognized for research on the reactivity of transition metal hybrids and molecular electrocatalysts. He is a PNNL fellow and director of the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis. 

Lin was recognized for his role developing new nanobioelectronic devices and nanomaterials for biomedical diagnosis and drug delivery. He is a PNNL fellow who holds a joint appointment between PNNL and Washington State University, where he is a professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. 

Xantheas was recognized for his contributions to understanding molecular interactions and collective phenomena in aqueous systems. He is a PNNL fellow and University of Washington-PNNL distinguished faculty fellow. 

Former PNNL fellow and now chief strategy officer of UniEnergy Technologies Co. Gary Yang was also among the newly elected members. During his time at PNNL, Yang helped develop technology for the breakthrough of vanadium mixed acid redox flow battery. He licensed that technology and in 2012 co-founded UniEnergy. 

The academy was created in 2005 and consists of 286 members from various academic disciplines. 

CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co., Mission Support Alliance and Washington River Protection Solutions received a three-star award by the Green Electronics Council and managers of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool label. The council recognizes companies for their efforts to reduce costs while protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gases. CHPRC, MSA and WRPS partnered to select products that help reduce the carbon footprint of the Hanford community.

Gesa Stadium, home of the Tri-City Dusty Devils, recently was named Ballpark Digest’s Best Short Season-A Ballpark in the country. Votes by fans helped Gesa Stadium beat out last year’s winner, LeLacheur Field in the semi-finals and Spokane’s Avista Stadium in the finals.

Hayden Homes made the top of Seattle Business Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list in the “Headquartered Outside Washington” category. The award recognizes companies that set standards for training, work environment, executive leadership, benefits, recognition and culture. Anonymous workplace surveys were sent to employees throughout Washington state as part of the selection process.

Mark F. Lindgren, retired Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, chief of Engineering and Construction division, recently received the district’s highest employee award. Lindgren was inducted into the District’s Gallery of Distinguished Civilian Employees for his 37-year-long federal service career. Some of Lindgren’s many notable achievements include being named federal engineer of the year by the National Society of Professional Engineers and being instrumental in the development of numerous fish hatcheries and fish passage modifications to dams on the Snake and Columbia Rivers.

Andrew Tate, driving the U-9 Les Schwab Tires unlimited hydroplane, took first in Hapo’s Columbia Cup on July 29 on the Columbia River. The win advanced Tate’s H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing series national points lead to 1,920. The series moved to Seattle the weekend after the Tri-Cities’ annual boat race weekend. 

Columbia Cup for 2019 will be July 26-28. 

NEW HIRES

Anesthesiologist Dr. Craig Calhoun recently joined the surgery team at Trios Health. Calhoun completed medical school and a residency at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He served in the Air Force as a firefighter and rescuer and worked at medical facilities in Oregon, Arizona and California. Calhoun is board certified and licensed to practice in Oregon, California, Idaho, Arizona and Washington.

Jessica Hendrickson has joined Kadlec Clinic: Plastic Surgery and Dermatology as master esthetician. Hendrickson has spent her esthetics career in the medical field and provides customized treatment and services including chemical peels, facials, waxing and microdermabrasion. She received her master esthetician training from the Academy of Cosmetology.

Michael C.H. Dale has joined Meier Architecture Engineering as a project architect. Dale has more than 10 years of experience, is a licensed architect and has a master’s of architecture degree from Washington State University.

Dr. Sumeet Sachdev has joined Trios Medical Group to offer general and interventional cardiology services. Sachdev received his degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. He completed his internship and residency in Iowa and a fellowship in Wisconsin and is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. Sachdev has written several research papers and is the author of “Fifty Cases of Peripheral Vascular Intervention.”

PROMOTIONS

Tamra Meyer was recently promoted to statewide programs director for Junior Achievement of Washington. She previously served as the regional programs manager for the organization’s Southeast region for four years. In her new position, Meyer will oversee JA program managers throughout the state.

Anne Spilman has been promoted to executive director of the Academy of Children’s Theatre in Richland. She was previously acting executive director, interim artistic director, director, choreographer and drama instructor at ACT. In her new role, Spilman will be responsible for managing the vision, growth and sustainability of the nonprofit, as well as business operations and facility management. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran University.

CERTIFICATIONS

Jill Adcock, compliance and privacy officer with Chaplaincy Health Care, has earned a certification in health care privacy compliance, or CHPC, from the Compliance Certification Board. Adcock joins a growing group of privacy and health care compliance professionals who have demonstrated dedication to higher standards of practice in the health care industry.

The CHPC designation acknowledges HIPAA privacy compliance professionals who have demonstrated advanced knowledge of relevant regulations and expertise in compliance processes, sufficient to assist the health care industry in understanding and addressing legal obligations, and by promoting organizational integrity through the operation of effective compliance programs. It is built on established standards of practice, knowledge and ethics to differentiate health care professionals who have taken the steps necessary to become certified.

“Patient privacy and compliance is of upmost importance to Chaplaincy Health Care and the community we serve,” said Gary Castillo, Chaplaincy’s executive director. “Jill Adcock has continually demonstrated her caring, compassion and commitment to our patients by ensuring our team utilizes best practices in all areas of our business. Jill is to be commended for her steadfast pursuit of patient privacy and compliance, upholding the integrity of Chaplaincy Health Care.”

APPOINTMENTS

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, recently announced the appointment of six Central Washington students, including five from the Tri-Cities, to attend U.S. service academies: Curtis Clute of Prosser, Daniela Mendoza of West Richland and Clayton Porcaro of Richland will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; Luke Gorham of Kennewick will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy; and Adam Weissenfels of Richland will attend the U.S. Naval Academy. 

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies. 

GRANTS

Northwest Farm Credit Services awarded the Prosser Economic Development Association program Prosser Leadership with a $1,000 Northwest FCS Rural Community Grant. The money will be used to renovate the Sylvan Stage at Prosser’s City Park. 

In 2018 to date, Northwest Farm Credit Services committed more than $189,000 to 126 projects in rural communities across Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Since the program’s inception in 2007, it has awarded 932 grants totaling more than $1.65 million.

Denise Senor of Kamiakin High School and Dan White of Kennewick High School have received $48,500 from the Washington FFA Foundation to acquire Curriculum for Agriculture Science Education, or CASE, technology and equipment to advance agriculture science education. 

The money was allocated as part of the Washington State Legislature’s 2018 capital budget. Schools awarded grants have to employ a CASE-certified instructor who has completed an 80-hour national training and certification program. CASE is a system of instructional support for classroom teachers, managed by the National Association of Agriculture Educators. The interdisciplinary curriculum focuses on science, technology, engineering and math. 

The state Department of Commerce recently announced $39 million in grants to 18 health care providers in Washington that provide help for a variety of behavioral health issues. 

The funds will be used for construction and equipment costs associated with establishing the new facilities, and will leverage another $46 million in construction investment from other public and private sources. 

Although no grants were awarded in the Mid-Columbia, $7.8 million was earmarked for facilities in Spokane and Yakima. The remaining $31.2 million went to treatment centers on the west side of the state. 

The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs a $480,000 Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program grant. The money will be used for providing workforce reintegration services to homeless veterans. 

WDVA partners with veterans’ employment representatives from WorkSource offices across the state to connect veterans with employers who are hiring. Money can be used for work clothing, tools and transportation. 

Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Center, conveyor of WorkSource Columbia Basin, recently was awarded a $682,000 contract for Families Forward Washington, which funds re-employment opportunities and training services for 100 noncustodial parents. The program’s objective is to improve earnings potential of non-custodial parents, improving their ability to support their children. 

BFWDC, the fifth location in the U.S. to offer Families Forward, is issuing a request for information to assist in awarding $477,894 to a local service provider dedicated to ensuring the initiative. The chosen provider will provide career counseling, child support, training, financial capacity and job placement services. Respond to the RFI at bentonfranklinwdc.com by Aug. 24. 

Between September 2018 and December 2020, Columbia Basin College will offer short-term certificate programs to upgrade skills for higher paying jobs to the non-custodial parents served by FF. 

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Washington Wine Industry Foundation recently awarded $38,000 to 12 students pursuing careers in the wine industry: Bailey Bromiley, Crystal Kampling, Noel Perez, Kelsey Itameri, Austin Morrell, Margaret McCoy, Andrew “Tyler” Williams, Kaitlin Miller, Katherine East, Nataliya Shcherbatyuk, Garrett Lattanzio and Victoria Minette. 

The awards were made from four funds: Walter J. Clore Scholarship, Foundation Fund Scholarship, Horse Heaven Hills Wine Growers Scholarship, and George and Susan Carter Scholarship. 

The Washington Wine Industry Foundation helps fund solutions for the wine industry’s challenges, including the need for a future workforce that is well-educated. 

BOARDS

Kennewick Mayor Don Britain recently was elected president of the Association of Washington Cities. 

Britain has served on AWC’s board since 2014. He was first elected to the Kennewick City Council in 2009, and elected mayor in 2018. 

The 25-member AWC Board of Directors is the association’s governing body. Founded in 1933, the nonprofit serves its members through advocacy, education and services.