Special Report

Ankle replacement interest grows

Procedure less common than those for knee, hip, but offers similar relief

July 3, 2013

Ankle replacement surgery, though far less common than knee and hip replacement procedures, gradually is gaining favor as baby boomers age, people become more aware of it as a medical option, and medical technology improves, orthopedic surgeons is

Washington ranks high in imaging jobs

More than 2,500 people work in specialized sector statewide, analysis says

July 3, 2013

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance says a newly released national employment analysis it commissioned shows that the medical imaging technology sector employs 2,510 people in Washington state, ranking it ninth among states nationwide.The

WSU College of Pharmacy starts the big move

School leaders expect research funding to rise sharply over next seven years

July 3, 2013

Jessica Valencia

As the newest academic building addition to the University District nears completion, Washington State University is gearing up for the College of Pharmacy to start its move to Spokane from Pullman next month.Gary Pollack, dean of the pharmacy &

Banks are boosting small-business focus, adviser says

SBDC expert helps clients here prepare loan requests, strengthen financial goals

June 20, 2013

Treva Lind

After working nearly four decades as a commercial banker, Alan Stanford has spent the last few years as an adviser with a Small Business Development Center office in Spokane, showing business owners how to strengthen loan applications, among other

Delaying succession planning likely to restrict options

Creating a good strategy is a continuing process, requires some flexibility

June 20, 2013

Hedley W. Greene

As a business owner, what do you hope happens to the business when you retire or die? Will it be closed, sold, or transitioned to family or an employee? Usually, we want something as personal as the business we have developed and nurtured to carry

Keiretsu Forum works to build momentum in Spokane

Start-up investment group screens young companies, looks for first funding here

June 20, 2013

Linn Parish

The months-old Spokane branch of San Francisco-based investment concern Keiretsu Forum is trying to build momentum, with young companies here formally introducing their businesses to the organization's investor network in hopes of receiving Taing,

Investor optimism said rising

Survey respondents who work shown to have rosier outlook than those already retired

June 20, 2013

U.S. investor optimism rose to an index rating of 31 in March, up from -8 recorded in November 2012, in the latest quarterlyWells Fargo/Gallup Investor and Retirement Optimism Index. The overall rise in optimism was due to a surge among whose

Harper West sees demand for analysis

Ownership transition at company prompted name change earlier this year

June 20, 2013

Jessica Valencia

Spokane's Erick West has worked in forensics for the past decade, although he doesn't spend his days on crime scenes or scanning fingerprints.West is the president and owner of forensic economics company West Economics Inc., doing business as a

Commercial banking bolstered

Bob Beck appointed VP to add expertise to AmericanWest's business-lending teams

June 20, 2013

Mike McLean

Commercial banking veteran Bob Beck has joined Spokane-based AmericanWest Bank, after working nearly half of his 40-year banking career at a North Idaho-based bank.At AmericanWest, which is refining its identity as a business-focused community a

ML Architect sees spike in multifamily projects

Surge in activity leads to 20 percent increase in revenue early in %u201913

June 6, 2013

Jessica Valencia

Mark Latham, founder and president of ML Architect & Associates Inc., says he's seeing a surge in multifamily housing work at the Post Falls firm, which currently is working on nearly 300 units of housing across the Inland Northwest.So far this a