Published May 2003

People Watching

BIOTECH
Jue-Hsien Chern has joined the board of directors for Bothell-based Quinton Cardiology Systems Inc. Chern, who holds a doctorate degree in engineering, is a vice president and divisional manager with Mentor Graphics Inc.

EDUCATION
Walt Bubelis and Chandler Clifton were selected by their peers to be the 2002-2003 recipients of Edmonds Community College’s Echelbarger-Sherman Exceptional Faculty Award for their service to students, expertise and teaching abilities. Bubelis began teaching at EdCC in 1967 as the college’s first horticulture instructor. He served as the chair of the department for 30 years planning the schedule, attracting and hiring new faculty and creating new programs and classes. Clifton has worked full time at the college since 1990 in the Developmental Education Division. He is currently Bridge Department chair.

Ben Munkres, lead instructor for Discreet software training at Puget Sound Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology, has been named one of only seven certified training specialists in the world for Discreet’s Combustion software, which is used in the production of television commercials, corporate training videos and graphics for TV news programming.

ENGINEERING
Sparling, an electrical engineering and technology consulting firm with offices in Lynnwood, has promoted Kristy Alley to associate and Joe Leger to principal of technology consulting. As marketing manager, Alley directs market research and lead development for the firm. Leger, who joined the firm in 1998, will lead marketing and business development for the technology studio.

FINANCIAL
D. Gregory Williams and Debbie Taglialavore have been promoted to vice president and team leader in the Private Client Group of EverTrust Bank. In their new positions, they will focus on building the bank’s business and private banking practices, with Williams working in EverTrust’s downtown Seattle office and Taglialavore working in Everett.

James M. Stewart has been named chief lending officer at Whidbey Island Bank. Stewart, who joined the bank in late 2002 as senior vice president and regional manager in Skagit County, will now manage the overall quality of the bank’s loan portfolio. He has 35 years of banking experience and was the first president of Valley Bank in Mount Vernon. Also, Robert Schutte has been named to head the credit review, special credits and collections department for the bank. A 32-year banking veteran, Schutte joined Whidbey Island Bank in 1997 as a credit administrator.

Frontier Financial Corp. founder Bob Dickson has stepped down as president and chief executive officer of the holding corporation that owns Frontier Bank. On April 18, Michael Clementz took over as president and chief executive officer of Frontier Financial. Dickson, who had previously announced his intent to retire, becomes chairman of the board. Clementz had been executive vice president of Frontier Financial Corp. and Frontier Bank. He joined Frontier in June 2000, following the merger of Frontier and Liberty Bay Financial Co., where he had been chairman and chief executive. Dickson announced in January his plan to retire in May, which triggered a series of promotions among bank executives who will succeed him. His son, John Dickson, will become chief executive officer of Frontier Bank as part of the reorganization. He also has been elected executive vice president of the holding company, Frontier Financial’s board announced.

Patti Olson has been promoted to vice president and manager of the Snohomish office of Frontier Bank. She has been with Frontier for 16 years, working in the secondary-market mortgage lending department for 10 years and then as a commercial loan officer for the past six years.

Banker Mike Hall recently relocated to Everett as part of an effort by U.S. Bank to increase its visibility in the local business community and its share of the local business-banking market. Hall, who began his banking career in 1974 with Old National Bank, will relocate from Bellingham, where he has worked for the past 23 years.

Karen Cleveland of Bothell has been hired as a consultant at Debt Management Consultants in Lynnwood. The local branch office of the nationally franchised business, which provides debt counseling and relief services, is owned by Michael Mallonee, also of Bothell.

Kevin Vitulli has been hired as vice president and commercial banking officer for Horizon Bank. He will work out of the Everett Commercial Banking Center, serving business customers and expanding Horizon’s presence throughout Snohomish County. Vitulli has 22 years of financial industry experience, working most recently as a leasing specialist at Bank of America.

Tod Finley and Kevin Sylvester have both been appointed vice president and business banker at Cascade Bank. Finley has more than 15 years of banking experience, including business banking, credit analysis and sales relationship development positions. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University. Sylvester has 12 years of banking experience, including positions managing portfolios of small-business and commercial real estate customers. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Arizona State University.

Three Snohomish County bankers rank among Wells Fargo’s top performers, earning them the right to represent Washington state at the bank’s national sales and service conference in Hawaii. Kamla Charan, manager of the Monroe branch; Corey Charboneau, a banker at the Frontier Village branch; and Cindy Tate, a banker at the Lake Stevens branch, will attend the event.

Robin Rosa has joined EvergreenBank’s Lynnwood office as vice president and commercial lender. Rosa has more than 11 years of commercial banking experience. She attended the University of Southern California for her master’s in business administration.

GOVERNMENT
The Port of Everett has hired Kim Buike as marina director. He will replace Connie Bennett, who has been with the port for more than 30 years. Buike has more than 20 years of management experience in operating and maintaining ships and small craft. He was commander at Naval Station Everett from 1998 to 2001. Most recently, he was commander of the Naval ROTC unit at the University of Washington. Buike was selected from among six finalists to replace Bennett, who retired in June 2002 but agreed to stay on as the interim marina director until a qualified replacement could be hired. Buike will begin his employment at the port in July.

Snohomish County building official Don Summers will retire May 31 after 25 years of working for the county.

HEALTH CARE
Dr. Alan Burnstein recently joined The Everett Clinic ophthalmology team. Board certified in ophthalmology, Burnstein received his medical degree from McGill University in Montreal and completed his residency at Wayne State University in Detroit. He completed a cornea fellowship at the University of Toronto and completed a second fellowship in glaucoma at Indiana University.

Pharmacist Dawn Ipsen has joined Kusler’s Pharmacy in Snohomish as director of patient-care services and compounded products. The pharmacy specializes in custom compounded medications.

LEGAL
Vickie Norris, an attorney with Everett-based Anderson Hunter Law Firm PS, has become a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Norris, who has been practicing law in Everett for the past 25 years, is one of only 5,200 members of the college, which is composed of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Also, Scot Swanson has joined Anderson Hunter as an associate attorney.

MANUFACTURING
Thomas F. Mrowca has been named vice president for business development at Integrex of Bothell, an electronics manufacturing services company. Integrex CEO John Carleton said Mrowca’s experience in medical device manufacturing will help the company as it increases its focus in that area.

NONPROFITS
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Snohomish County has announced new board members for the coming year, including Mike Ellis of Overall Laundry Services Inc., Christian Kar of Espresso Connection, Celestine Gates of Allstate Insurance, Suzan Frueh of Kimberly-Clark, Paula Kukay of ATL Philips Ultrasound, Steven Erickson of Cascade Bank, accountant Jenise Kazen, attorney Deanna Dawson, Cecelia Barnes and Robert Lee.

REAL ESTATE
James Hansen has joined John L. Scott Real Estate’s Evergreen Way office in Everett as an agent specializing in business and commercial real estate. He has 30 years of experience in business analysis, sales and valuation. An instructor for 16 years for the Washington Real Estate Education Foundation, Hansen is a certified business appraiser and a former Northwest regional governor of the Institute of Business Appraisers.

Joshua P. Koffler has joined Windermere Real Estate’s Lake Stevens office as a sales associate, beginning a new career while transitioning from a career with Boeing. Sales associate Bree Johnston, also new to real estate, has joined Windermere’s Mill Creek office. Sales associates Gary A. DeRosa, Renee Ecklund, Michael J. Piccione, Jessica Jordan and Jeffrey S. Wang have joined Windermere’s Lynnwood office. Sales associate Cathy Reese has joined Windermere’s Everett-South office. She previously was the director of relocation with Baxter Healthcare.

RETAIL/SALES
Kiya Tafoya of Stanwood has been promoted to an independent regional adviser in The Longaberger Co.’s sales program. Longaberger’s 70,000 independent sales representatives market and sell the company’s baskets, pottery, home decor accessories and other products.

SPORTS
Curt Aylen is the new ticket manager for the Everett Silvertips Hockey Club. He will be in charge of all ticketing and the box office for the team, which will begin playing in the fall. Prior to his new job, Aylen was an account executive for the Spokane Chiefs, another Western Hockey League team. He also previously worked for the Vancouver Canucks.

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