Coffman Engineers has hired nine employees at the Spokane office. Ashtyn Petersen, a recent graduate from Whitworth University, joins as a civil engineer. McKinley Borzcik also has joined as a civil engineer. Borzcik previously worked at DCI Engineers. Cassandra Potts has joined as a civil drafter. Potts previously worked for Kiewit Engineering Group. Allison Gleason has joined as the front desk coordinator. Keith Miner has joined as a lighting designer with over seven years of experience. Jake Tenold has joined as a mechanical drafter. Kendra Potratz , a recent Washington State University graduate, has joined Coffman’s industrial energy engineering department as a process engineer. Kyle Evans has joined as an industrial mechanical drafter. Evans previously worked for DCI Engineers. Bekah Palmer, a recent Washington State University graduate, has joined the industrial mechanical team as an engineer. 

Inland Power & Light has promoted two employees. Jennifer Lutz has been promoted to president and chief operating officer. Lutz joined the organization in 2010 and most recently served as chief administrative officer.  She previously worked at Sterling Savings Bank. Kim Gentle has been promoted to vice president of power supply & energy services. Gentle joined the energy industry in 1997 and has held various roles in the utility industry. She joined Inland Power & Light in 2023.

Awards & Designations

Eight schools in the Mead School District—Brentwood Elementary, Evergreen Elementary, Midway Elementary, Skyline Elementary, Mead Open Doors, Meadow Ridge Elementary, Prairie View Elementary, and Mt. Spokane High School—were recognized recently by the Washington state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for growth, achievement, and closing gaps as part of the Washington School Recognition Program. 

The state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has awarded Reneé Schoening, of Whitworth University, the Comprehensive School Counseling Programs Trailblazer Award. Schoening, the assistant professor and director of counseling and social emotional learning programs at Whitworth, joined the university in 2022.

Spokane Valley-based Numerica Credit Union was awarded the Champion of Diversity award by the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce. Numerica was recognized for exemplifying diversity and inclusion.

The Spokane International Airport was one of 28 airports in Washington state awarded money through the Airport Improvement Program. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell announced $8 million will go toward Spokane’s TREX Concourse C project, additional ticket counters, passenger boarding bridges, and hearing-impaired technology.