New Hires & Promotions

Community Colleges of Spokane has hired Fredrick Davis as its chief human resources officer. Davis previously worked at Tacoma Community College as the director of Diversity and Outreach Initiatives.

Spokane-based commercial real estate company Kiemle Hagood has hired Andy Butler as a broker. Butler previously worked at WEB Properties, of Spokane, as a property manager and broker.

Spokane-based SPVV Landscape Architects has promoted Katie Sherry to marketing director. Sherry has been at SPVV for 10 years as the office manager and marketing assistant.

Providence Medical Group has hired two new employees. Olivia Arguinchona has been named as its clinical operations director of pediatrics for the Inland Northwest. Arguinchona will oversee the group’s 13 pediatric specialties and 18 pediatric care clinics throughout Spokane. She previously served as the director of pediatric surgery and trauma at Utah-based Intermountain Health. Justin Voelker has been hired as the new chief finance officer for the Providence Inland Northwest service area. Voelker previously worked at MultiCare Health System as the Inland Northwest regional chief financial officer.

Spokane-based law firm Witherspoon Brajcich McPhee PLLC has hired Julie Schoffstall as an attorney. She was previously a deputy prosecuting attorney in Kootenai County Idaho for five years.

Spokane-based Whipple Consulting Engineers’ employee Sophia Trueblood passed her licensing exam and became a civil project engineer. Trueblood has over seven years experience specializing in commercial apartment projects, small and medium retail, and residential sites.

Awards & Designations

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed two Eastern Washington University alumni to its board of trustees. Carol Evans earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from EWU in 1991. Evans was awarded an honorary doctorate from EWU last June in recognition of her contributions to the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the community as a whole. She was the first woman to serves as chair for the Spokane Tribe. Alexis Alexander received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from EWU in 2008, and a Master of Business Administration in 2014. Alexander currently serves as director of information technology infrastructure at Spokane-based Avista Utilities.

Maigan Snider, of Bank of Idaho, in Coeur d’Alene, has been named MoFi’s 2023 Lender of the Year for North Idaho. MoFi is a nonprofit community development financial institution that operates across the West and Great Plains regions.

Chris Carpenter, of Spokane-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices First Look Real Estate, has earned the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Forever Agent Productivity Coaching certification.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $19.9 million grant to Gonzaga University. The Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment is one of 21 recipients granted the funding to help disadvantaged communities tackle environmental and climate challenges. 

Spokane Arts has awarded a total of $47,500 in grants to the following recipients: American Institute of Architects Spokane, Franklin Apple Program, HeARTworks, Inspiration Dance Studio, Kindling Dance Productions, and Re*Imagine Medical Lake. The Spokane Arts Grand Awards helps projects in architecture, education, public art, festivals, dance, and performance.

Spokane-based Hanson Carlen Architecture & Construction has won the 2024 Chrysalis Award for residential specialty item.

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, of Spokane, was awarded second place in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards for best winery restaurant.

Washington Department of Ecology has awarded five local treatment plants with the agency’s Outstanding Performance Award. Cheney Wastewater Treatment Plant, Fairchild Home Community Wastewater Treatment Plant, Liberty Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant, Liberty School District #362 Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Spokane County Regional Water Reclamation Facility were recognized for achieving compliance with their water quality permits.