Local veterinarians recognized

The Washington State Veterinary Medical Association recognized several veterinarians, staff and citizens at its Pacific Northwest Veterinary conference in Spokane in early October.

Dr. Lauren Neuhaus with Desert Veterinary Clinic in Richland was given the Recent Grad Award for her excellence as a practitioner and advocacy for animal health and wellbeing.

Dr. Diana Thomé, also with Desert Veterinary Clinic, was elected as alternate delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association House of Delegates by the association’s board of directors.

WSVMA is a statewide, not-for-profit, professional organization for the benefit of veterinary medicine.

Bump named corporate health, safety manager for NV5

Certified local industrial hygienist, health physicist and project management professional Stephen L. Bump has been named corporate health and safety manager of Dade Moeller’s new parent company, NV5.

In his new role, Bump will be responsible for maintaining a strong safety culture throughout NV5’s 58 offices, ensuring corporate compliance with U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, managing a strong safety training program and advising leadership on best practices related to safety.

Bump will continue to work from the Dade Moeller/NV5 office in Richland.

Saven appointed to Energy Northwest Executive Board

Gov. Jay Inslee recently appointed John Saven to the Energy Northwest Executive Board. His term runs through June 2020.

Saven’s service to public power spans more than 44 years. Most recently, he retired as the founder and CEO of the Northwest Requirements Utilities in Portland, Oregon. NRU represents the interests of the Bonneville Power Administration’s full requirements customers, ensuring access to low cost and reliable power supply.

Saven’s appointment fills the position previously assumed by Dave Remington, whose term expired.

The executive board has 11 members: five elected from the board of directors, three appointed by the board of directors from outside Energy Northwest and the remaining three appointed by the governor of Washington. The executive board sets the policies that govern the operations of the organization.

Owner of WestWind Martial Arts earns award

Dennis Mills earned 4th dan in the U.S. Chung Do Kwan Association in early October.

Mills holds the title of associate master and will become a master after completing requirements set by Senior Grandmaster Brenda J. Sell of Lakeland, Florida, next year.

Mills owns and operates WestWind Martial Arts in Prosser.

Kennewick Kiwanis names 2016-17 officers

The Kiwanis Club of Kennewick recently named its officers for the 2016-2017 year: President Cynthia Kittson; President-elect Chuck DeGooyer; Vice President  Cory Manley; Secretary Russ Keefer; Treasurer Penny Gardner; and Past President Rick Corson. Board members are Maureen Bell, Amy Coffman, Gary Deardorff, Olja Djuranovic, Kevin Gunn, Pat Johnstone Jones, Rick McKinnon and Gloria Seeley.

Richland veterinarian to retire  

Veterinarian Jen M. Ranta will retire Nov. 28 from Desert Veterinary Clinic.

Dr. Ranta joined the clinic in 1978 as an associate veterinarian, became a partner in 1980 and managed the practice until 2012 when she sold the practice to her then-partner, Ethan Nelson, and Diana Thomé, an associate veterinarian there.

The Richland clinic employs five veterinarians, seven licensed technicians and eight support staff.

Kadlec Clinic administrator completes fellowship

Lisa Mallory, practice administrator at Kadlec Clinic Associated Physicians for Women, has completed her fellowship from the American College of Medical Practice Executives.

It is the highest level of distinction one can receive in the medical practice management profession.

Port of Pasco names director of properties

The Port of Pasco has promoted Mayra Reyna to director of properties.

Reyna started at the port in 1998 as an administrative assistant supporting the properties department. She received her business administration degree from Washington State University in 2002. In 2011, she was promoted to leasing associate, and promoted to property manager in May.

Reyna is responsible for the management of all the port’s industrial properties. Her primary functions are lease negotiation, lease management, property sales, tenant and community relations and promotion of the port.

Cunningham receives full-tuition scholarship

Casey Cunningham, manager of the Employee Connection Center for Goodwill Industries of the Columbia, received one of 10 full-tuition scholarships in the U.S. provided by Goodwill Industries International and the University of Phoenix.

Cunningham will pursue her bachelor’s degree, which will allow her to expand her skillset and move into a senior management position at Goodwill Industries of the Columbia.

WSU Tri-Cities honor society elects officers

Washington State University Tri-Cities recently opened the 338th chapter of Phi Kappa Phi national honor society.

Officers elected by the chartering group to serve the new chapter include President Mark Mansperger, President-elect Katherine Banks, Secretary Darlene Scrivner, Treasurer Debbie Nogueras, Public Relations Officer Maegan Murray, and Awards and Grants Coordinator Christopher J. Cree.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 at the University of Maine and is the nation’s oldest collegiate honor society.

Genetic counselor joins Trios Medical Group

Sarah A. Hall has joined Trios Medical Group’s Oncology and Hematology team to provide genetic counseling services.

Hall is board certified in genetic counseling and licensed by the Washington State Department of Health as a genetic counselor. She has a master of science degree in genetic counseling from the Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics at the University of Arizona.

Trios Health is the Kennewick Public Hospital District’s system of care of serving the greater Tri-Cities. Trios Medical Group, comprised of nearly 100 employed physicians and providers, serves as the core of a growing medical staff network of 325-plus providers throughout the Tri-Cities.

Mahler voted state mentor of the year

Simon Mahler, Mid-Columbia Tri-Cities SCORE business mentor, was voted the 2016 Washington State Mentor of the Year for District 1013, his third straight year to receive the top honor.

More than 11,000 business experts volunteer as mentors in 320 SCORE chapters serving local communities with entrepreneur education to help grow one million small businesses annually. The Mid-Columbia Tri-Cities SCORE chapter provides resources in 15 counties in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Ashby Law ranked No. 2 on Law Firm 500 List

Ashby Law in Kennewick was ranked No. 2 on the Law Firm 500 List, which recognizes the 500 fastest growing law firms by revenue in the U.S.

The award program is open to U.S. law firms of all sizes and winners are determined solely on their revenue growth over a three-year period.

Nominees were evaluated by an outside accounting firm and subjected to a review process.

Vit plant earns DOE excellence award

The Hanford viticulture plant construction site has been recognized by the Department of Energy’s Voluntary Protection Program for the second consecutive year with the Star of Excellence Award for its safety statistics and mentoring efforts in 2015.

The vit plant recorded a lower total recordable case rate for the fourth consecutive year, and its best safety performance ever in 2015.

The Star of Excellence is the highest category of the DOE-VPP annual achievement awards.

HFG Trust planner earns CTFA

Michael Tallman, a certified financial planner with HFG Trust in Kennewick, was recently awarded the certified trust and financial adviser, or CTFA, designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers, a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association.

A CTFA designation is awarded to those who demonstrate excellence in the field of wealth management and trust administration. To qualify for the certification, individuals must have certain levels of experience and education in the trust profession, pass an exam and abide by a code of ethics.

Tallman joined HFG Trust in 2004. In addition to being HFG’s trust officer, he is a financial adviser and chairman of the Trust Administrative Committee.

Pasco School board receives state distinction

The Pasco School District Board of Directors was one of 24 Washington school boards named a 2016 Board of Distinction by the Washington State School Directors’ Association.

Board President Scott Lehrman, Vice President Steve Christensen, and members Sherry Lancon, Amy Phillips and Aaron Richardson will be recognized during the association’s conference Nov. 17 in Spokane.

The annual Boards of Distinction program honors school boards that demonstrate effective use of the Washington School Board standards.

Applicants submitted essays and supporting evidence to demonstrate how they are putting those standards into practice. Applications were evaluated by an independent review panel.

Small Business Incentive program awards $30,000

At its October luncheon, the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce awarded 26 members a total of $30,000 through its Small Business Incentive program, funded by Washington River Protection Solutions.

In its sixth year, the program helps local small businesses by awarding grants to purchase key products or services.

Regional chamber members meeting the eligibility requirements applied during July and August.

For a complete list of grant recipients, visit tricityregionalchamber.com.

Dexter named to Waddell & Reed financial planning council

Kim Dexter has been named to Waddell & Reed Inc.’s 2016 Financial Planning Council, one of the highest honors for financial advisers at the firm.

The council comprises the top eight Waddell & Reed financial planning advisers nationwide, a ranking based on total financial planning activity.

As a member of the council, Dexter will meet periodically with firm management and other advisers, providing insight regarding financial planning-related topics.

This is the second time Dexter has earned this honor. He joined Waddell & Reed in 2010.

CBC’s Schlegel wins service to veterans award

Columbia Basin College Veterans Services Director Jason Schlegel has won the 2016 Washington State Outstanding Service to Veterans award by the Governor’s Veterans Advisory committee and the state department of Veterans Affairs.

The Army veteran was instrumental in starting the Veterans Services office at CBC, which annually serves about 400 veterans seeking college degrees.

INB opens loan office

INB has opened a loan production office in Kennewick.

Nancy Boettcher, senior vice president and commercial/ag banker, and Mark Gray, vice president and commercial/ag banker, will lead the office.

Both have served Tri-City banking customers for many years.

Humane society manager leaves Kennewick agency

Elaine Allison, operations manager for the Benton Franklin Humane Society, has decided to move on to other opportunities.

During the four-and-a-half years Allison has worked at the Kennewick humane society, she helped to develop a transport partner program, which was “very successful in saving animals that might not have other wise survived,” according to the agency’s new release.

Allison is also credited with taking the Coyote Ridge Dog program to new heights, the release said.

Visit Tri-Cities elects board members

At its annual meeting, Visit Tri-Cities elected five new representatives to serve three year-terms on its board of directors: Kyle Cox, Mid-Columbia Libraries; Rich Cummins, Columbia Basin College; Ron Hue, individual member; Rae Moss, Mission Support Alliance; and Staci West, Bechtel National.

The Visit Tri-Cities board of directors assists in long-term planning and strategies to increase tourism spending in the region.

Academy of Children’s Theatre receives three grants

The Academy of Children’s Theatre recently received grant funding from three local organizations: $2,500 from US Bank to be the official season sponsor for the upcoming 2016-17 season, $2,000 from BNSF Railway for a new outdoor theatre classroom, and $1,000 from Pasco Kennewick Rotary for the same project.

WSU TC’s Lobdell, Penland elected to state association

Washington State University Tri-Cities’ Keri Lobdell and Shiloh Penland have been elected as east side representative and president-elect, respectively, for the Washington State TRIO Association.

TRIO was created by Congress through the Higher Education Act of 1965 to help low-income Americans enter college, graduate and move on to fully participate in America’s economic and social life.

Lobdell began working for Washington State University Tri-Cities TRIO Student Support Services as a retention specialist in October 2014, and previously worked for WSU Tri-Cities as student clubs coordinator in the area of enrollment management and student success.

Lobdell’s new role with TRIO requires her to keep east side TRIO programs informed of actions taken or under consideration by the board of directors, to attend association meetings, stay informed and facilitate legislative visits.

Penland, director of WSU Tri-Cities Student Support Services program, has been elected to TRIO as its president-elect. She has worked for WSU Tri-Cities since 2007 and with TRIO for more than three years. She has a bachelor of science in psychology and English from WSU, and a master’s in communication and leadership studies from Gonzaga University.

The WSU Tri-Cities TRIO Student Support Services program serves 140 students who are first-generation, low-income or have a documented disability with the sole purpose of providing support to help them reach their college education goals.

Visit Tri-Cities honors two companies at annual meeting

Country Mercantile was named as the 2016 Tourism Champion of the Year, and the Hampton Inn at Southridge was recognized with the Excellence in Service award at Visit Tri-Cities’ annual meeting on Nov. 2.

Country Mercantile was recognized for its embodiment of tourism and supporting Visit Tri-Cities to promote the region as a premier tourism destination.

Excellence in Service Award nominees were judged on the ability to serve as an example to others, provide exemplary customer service and create a memorable visitor experience.

PNNL wins R&D 100 awards

Two Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory technologies were honored at R&D Magazine’s annual R&D 100 Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 3 near Washington, D.C.

Tools that track underground contaminants using Real-Time Four-Dimensional Subsurface Imaging software, designed by PNNL’s Tim Johnson, and speed carbon capture technology development, an effort led by PNNL’s Xin Sun, were named among the 100 most innovative scientific breakthroughs of the year.

These honors bring PNNL’s total awards to 100 since the ceremony’s inception in 1969.

Turner named to state council for the blind

In October, Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Pasco’s Sheila Turner to the Rehabilitation Council for the Blind. Her term ends Sept. 13, 2019.

Howell joins Solarity

Scott Howell has joined Solarity Credit Union as its business services relationship manager.

Howell has worked with CEOs and CFOs in Washington for more than nine years and will help Solarity build its business services in the Tri-Cities area.

Solarity is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative.

Ignite Youth Mentoring named as expert partner

Mentoring Works Washington recently named Ignite Youth Mentoring as expert partner, a designation achieved through a guided evaluation process based on national research and experienced practitioner insight.

The process includes ongoing assistance to develop and implement a 12-month improvement and innovation plan, completion of a quality mentoring assessment path and commitment to follow outlined best practices.

Mentoring Works Washington is one of 28 statewide nonprofits dedicated to expanding the number of youth mentored, building best practices in youth mentoring programs and innovating improvements based on local research.

Of 150 mentoring programs in Washington, five have become an expert partner in the statewide program.