New Hires & Promotions

Spokane-based Place Landscape Architecture LLC has expanded its team with two new promotions and two new hires. Justin Weathermon has been promoted to principal and owner from operations manager. Sean McMillion has been promoted to senior project manager from designer. Maeve Collins has been hired as designer. Collins recently served as an intern at the firm. Brianne Bienemann has joined as business development director. Bienemann has over 15 years of experience in the design, hospitality, and building product industries.

Spokane-based Hatch Interior Design LLC, which does business as Hatch Interiors, has hired Jordan Christensen as senior interior designer. Christensen previously worked as an interior designer for Spokane-based MMEC Architecture & Interiors LLC.

Coeur d’Alene-based Mountain West Bank, a division of Glacier Bank, has promoted April Fortier to vice president, regional treasury sales manager from vice president and treasury support manager.

Spokane-based architecture firm Bernardo Wills Architects PC, which does business as Bernardo Wills, has hired Peter Dahlmann as architectural Revit technician. Dahlmann previously served as senior project coordinator for Sacramento, California-based Nacht & Lewis.

Spokane Valley-based State Bank Northwest has hired Nicole Montgomery as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Montgomery previously served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Post Falls-based Community 1st Bank.

Coeur d’Alene-based Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty has expanded its team with two new hires. Alison Lawhead and Chad Baker have joined as real estate sales associates. Lawhead has experience in real estate, land development, and infrastructure. Baker has prior experience in hospitality at Gozzer Ranch, a Harrison, Idaho-based golf club.

Awards & Designations

Community-Minded Enterprises has awarded Stephaine Courtney, founder and executive director of the Shades of Motherhood Network, with the Helping Hand Award and named her Spokane’s Community Connector of the Year. The Helping Hand Award recognizes a Spokane resident whose work has left a lasting mark on the people or networks around them.

The U.S. Fulbright Program has awarded Kraig Wheeler, Hugh W. Johnston professor of chemistry at Whitworth University, with a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to conduct research in Norway. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and fosters understanding through academic and cultural exchange around the world.

SportsEvents Magazine has named The Podium Powered by STCU as one of the nation’s Top 10 volleyball venues in the publication’s 2026 Ultimate Volleyball Venues contest. The recognition celebrates facilities that combine tournament-ready capacity, strong operations, spectator amenities, and a memorable destination experience.