HONORS & AWARDS

Skone Irrigation of Pasco was named one of Reinke’s top five highest-selling dealers in the Northwest territory, as well as a top five parts dealer in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, the dealer received a Diamond Reinke Pride award that notes superior achievement levels.

Bin Yang, an associate professor of biological systems engineering at Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland, recently was selected for the Fulbright Distinguished Chair Award, the most prestigious appointment in the Fulbright Scholar Program. Fulbright awards about 8,000 grants annually. Of those, 40 are selected for the this award. Yang marks the first professor in WSU history to be selected for the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Energy and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Award.

Beginning in August, he will serve for six months through the Fulbright program at Aalto University in Finland, while on sabbatical leave from WSU. While in Finland, he will teach and conduct research. In addition, he will continue to manage his research team at WSU. His research at Aalto University will focus on the development of novel lignin-based compounds that do not resemble an existing petroleum-derived compound in structure. Lignin is a material comprised in the cell wall of plants and is one of the largest waste products in the bioproducts industry because it is so hard to break down and process.

Connell attorney Toni Meacham was recognized by the American Institute of Legal Counsel as 2018’s 10 Best Legal Counsel for Client Satisfaction. Meacham graduated from law school at University of Idaho and is a Connell native.

Ed Brost, retired Franklin PUD general manager, received a Lifetime Achievement award from Washington PUD Association for his extensive work during his more than 30 years in the industry. Brost started his career in 1984 at the Bonneville Power Administration and worked with the Franklin PUD from 2006 until his retirement in 2015.

NEW HIRES

Tiffany Lundstrom of Richland has joined the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, Focus magazines and Senior Times as advertising director. She worked for 20 years at KNDU-TV and SWX as an account manager and for a year at the Tri-City Herald in accounts receivable. Lundstrom is active in the BNI Gunners and Linkup2us networking groups, and has served for 18 years as a board member of the Salvation Army Mid-Columbia. She earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Washington State University.

Ashley Hite has joined Cougar Digital Marketing & Design of West Richland as a search engine marketing strategist and designer. She has 10 years of experience as a communications professional, most recently as marketing director of the American Academy of Oral Systemic Health. She has a bachelor of science degree in technical writing and Spanish from Missouri State University.

Nick Kellogg has been hired as a financial analyst for Piton Wealth in Kennewick. He previously worked as a vice president for institution equity at Dougherty and Co. in Minneapolis.

Lawyer David Hevel joined Smart Law Offices in Kennewick. He has been a longtime Tri-City attorney and has practiced in Kennewick since 1975.

The American Red Cross Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region hired Dr. Randall Covin as medical director. Covin’s region includes the Tri-Cities, and he is based in Portland. Covin most recently was the medical director for the Blood Bank of Hawaii in Honolulu.

CERTIFICATIONS

Cory Briggs of Petersen Hastings in Kennewick passed the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards examination.

DONATIONS

Columbia Basin College collected 483 pounds of nonperishable food in addition to $700 for Second Harvest Tri-Cities through its annual Hawk Trot 5K run/walk on its campus. Participants donated cash or food in lieu of their entrance fee. The donation will provide more than 3,900 meals to people in need.

Columbia Center Rotary gave $2,170 to Kadlec Foundation in support of the Sparkle and Shine Pageant, a pageant for children with special needs.

Northwest Farm Credit Services donated $2,000 to the Kadlec Foundation to buy equipment for the Kadlec Academy, a program for first- through fifth-graders that once a week for a month teaches children the basics about their body systems, related physical activities, hands-on CPR and healthful snacks.

Hanford vit plant, or Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, workers teamed up with Bechtel and AECOM to raise more than $21,000 to give to the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program. In addition, a financial donation was given to the Local 598 pipefitters Bike for Tikes, where local pipefitters bought and assembled 350 bikes and helmets for Toys for Toys. Griggs/Ace Hardware supported the vit plant effort by providing transportation and bikes. In addition, employees donated $300,000 to United Way and $15,000 to Second Harvest, bringing donations for the year to more than $800,000, which included $450,00 in corporate donations.

Leidos and Centerra, parent companies of Mission Support Alliance, donated $3,500 to Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels. MSA and its employees also donated $32,000 to nine organizations in December and purchased 7,000 pounds of turkeys to contribute to the Hanford Community Food Drive.

Energy Northwest employees sponsored 15 Benton-Franklin Head Start parties as a part of an effort to distribute Christmas gifts of toys and clothing to 500 children from low-income families.

GRANTS

Lav Khot, assistant professor at Washington State University’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering, has received a three-year $300,000 grant from the Foundation of Food and Agriculture Research to study reducing the use of broad-spectrum pesticides that leave residues on food. Khot is collaborating with WSU scientists Betsy Beer, Michelle Moyer. Gwen Hoheisel and Matthew Grieshop.

Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council awarded a two-year $477,894 grant to Goodwill Industries of the Columbia from the Families Forward Demonstration Project. The project will help 100 noncustodial parents to improve earnings and family stability through career counseling, training, placement and other support systems.

The Beverly J. Jewell Memorial Foundation gave $50,000 to Kadlec Regional Medical Center to assist in a $126,000 project to buy five infant beds at the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit — the Tri-City area’s only Level 3 NICU facility. The specialized beds are critical for a preemie baby’s first 30 days of life.

BOARDS

Matthew Petersen, chief compliance officer for Petersen Hastings in Kennewick, has become the company’s sixth shareholder. Petersen joined the investment company in 2013 as the third generation member of the Petersen family to be in the company his grandfather, Jim Petersen, started in 1962. He also works with his father, Jeff Petersen.

GRADUATION

The Tri-City Regional Fire Training Recruit Academy’s inaugural class graduated in December. Here’s the list of graduates: Kennewick Fire Department: Jess Koistinen, Joshua LaPlante, Joshua Lopez, Eric Love, Robert Nielsen and Chandra Walker; Pasco Fire Department: Fred Carlson and Pedro Loera; Richland Fire Department: Collin McCabe; Benton Fire District 1: Jaret Maynard.