Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest has named building-industry executive Jim DeWalt as its new president and CEO.


Associated Industries, a Spokane-based nonprofit employers group, had been looking for a new CEO since February, when its longtime leader, Michael J. Murphy, died unexpectedly.


DeWalt, a Washington state native and graduate of Eastern Washington University, most recently was president and CEO of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) chapter here.


Before joining ABC, DeWalt was a vice president of MetWest Financial Services, a unit of Spokane-based Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co., and was president of Northwest Capital Inc., a private investment company here.


DeWalt says that increasing membership and providing a high level of service to existing members will be among his biggest priorities at Associated Industries.


They have a great reputation around town, and that gives us something we can build on thats outstanding, he says.


Associated Industries mostly human-resource-related services to its members, including such things as helping companies negotiate union contracts, developing employee handbooks, doing salary surveys, providing legal assistance, and helping devise benefit plans.


The organization currently has about 450 members, located mostly in the Inland Northwest. Its located at 920 N. Washington, and employs 18 people.


Associated Builders & Contractors has named Richard Myracle, former marketing director at Fulcrum Environmental Consulting Inc. here, as its interim manager while it conducts a nationwide search for DeWalts successor.