New Hires & Promotions

Spokane-based Exit Real Estate Professionals has hired Cole Schroeder and Maleny Mannino as real estate brokers. Schroeder is a business administration student at Gonzaga University. Mannino has prior experience in the retail and sales sector.

Visit Spokane has hired Katie Wiseman as visitor experience manager. Wiseman previously worked in event management and coordination for the Innovia Foundation.

Liberty Lake-based Spokane Teachers Credit Union has hired one employee and promoted another. Nate Wehunt has been promoted to senior vice president of product and intelligence. Wehunt previously served as vice president of enterprise product and intel solutions. Casey Waddell has joined as commercial agriculture banking officer. Waddell has prior experience in commercial and consumer banking at Banner Bank.

Parker Burgess has joined as associate coach of the Spokane Chiefs hockey team for the 2026-27 season. Burgess previously served as head coach of Canadian ice hockey team, the Vancouver Giants.

Eastern Washington University has promoted Kris Jeske to associate vice president for facilities. Previously, Jeske served in this role on a co-interim basis.

Cory Bartheld has joined Spokane Valley-based Numerica Credit Union as chief financial officer. Bartheld previously worked as managing director and head of financial planning and analysis at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Groups Americas in the greater Seattle area.

Bouten Construction Company has expanded its team with three new hires. Scott Benner has joined the Spokane-based construction company as assistant superintendent. Benner previously worked as field supervisor at L.A.C. Drywall. Ian Kirk has been hired as project engineer. Kirk was previously employed as construction manager at Texas-based AG|CM. Payton Summers has been hired as estimator. Summers previously worked as a project manager at STO Building Group, in Boston.

The Idaho Department of Labor has hired Lorren Morgan as regional labor economist. Morgan has recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in biology from Eastern Washington University.

Avalon 24 Real Estate LLC, of Liberty Lake, has expanded its team with five new hires. Sara Shay has joined as brokerage office manager. Shay recently worked as a brokerage office manager at a separate company. Avalon 24 also has hired four new agents including Chelsey Graves, who previously worked as a real estate agent for a different brokerage; Erika Solberg, who has prior experience as an agent in North Idaho and Spokane; Liwen Chang, who is new to the profession; and Kimberly Boenish, who joins Avalon 24 from another brokerage.

Spokane-based Kiemle Hagood has promoted five employees. Bryan Duncan, Kim Floyd, Ania Cassie, and Cheryl Klein have been promoted to commercial portfolio managers. Duncan and Cassie previously worked as commercial property managers. Floyd and Klein previously worked as senior commercial property managers. Stephanie Powers has been promoted to commercial portfolio associate from her previous role as commercial management assistant.

Coeur d’Alene-based Verdis has hired Michael Dobler as a project engineer. Dobler previously worked as civil engineer at Dobler Engineering, in Coeur d’Alene.

SVN Cornerstone Commercial has hired Hope Isom as associate adviser. Isom recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in real estate from the University of Washington.

Hug Construction, of Spokane Valley, has hired Brooks Allen as head of sales. Allen previously worked in sales at a different company.

Spokane-based nonprofit LaunchNW has hired Robyn Baird as development director. Baird most recently worked as compliance and business development manager at Goodale & Barbieri Co.

Awards & Designations

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives has named Alisha Benson as chair-elect of its board of directors. Benson currently serves as CEO of Greater Spokane Inc. 

The Health Sciences and Services Authority of Spokane has awarded over $700,000 in grants to eight organizations through its Bioscience Infrastructure and Ecosystem Building and Spokane Early Stage grants. Bioscience and ecosystem grant recipients include Asante Health, $100,000; Launchpad INW Foundation, $100,000; Startup Spokane, $99,500; and Women Helping Women Fund, $63,900. Early Stage grant recipients include HuT Biosciences, $100,000; Ithos Wellness, $100,000; Manifest Labels, $75,000; and Pacific Microdevices, $99,960.

Spokane City Councilmember Zack Zappone has been awarded the Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership. The certificate highlights those who have attended conferences and trainings, served their community, and further developed leadership skills.

The Numerica Heroes Fund has awarded three organizations supporting veterans, military families, and Gold Star Families with $42,500 in grants. These include $15,000 for Veterans Community Response; $15,000 for Washington State Fallen Heroes Project; and $12,500 to Spokane County Regional Veteran Services grants. The program awards organizations that uplift, honor, and connect veteran and military families with community resources.  

Spokane Arts has awarded $50,000 in grants to six recipients through The Spokane Arts Grant Awards. The program supports impactful work in youth poetry, workforce training, community filmmaking resources, and more. The 2026 winners include The Hot Club of Spokane, International Rescue Committee Spokane, Power 2 the Poetry, Craig Rickett, South Asia Cultural Association, and We F.E.W.

The Idaho Travel Council has awarded $11.1 million in grants to nonprofit organizations through the Idaho Regional Travel and Convention Grant Program. The program awards tourism development organizations across the state. Recipients in the Kootenai County area include $244,000 to North Idaho Tourism Alliance, Coeur d’Alene Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Post Falls Chamber of Commerce.