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Using clients' values to guide wealth-related advice

Loran Graham Co. here asks clients to align goals, retirement, family legacy

December 5, 2013

Spokane-based financial planner Loran Graham says he approaches the retirement and wealth management goals of his clients by asking them what they value most. Common themes are time with family and community service, he says. "You can tell what's import

Despite some pessimism, investors should be bullish on '14

Look for sectors that do well in recovering times, steer clear of gold market

December 5, 2013

Michael Maehl

"There are only two kinds of forecasters-those who don't know, and those who don't know they don't know." - John Kenneth Galbraith, economist Yes, it's that time of year-when Wall Street starts putting out projections for the market year to com

'Family bank' shown to hurt plans to retire

Many who provide money to relatives say they don't factor that into expenses

December 5, 2013

Staff Report

During the last five years, roughly three out of five Americans age 50 and older have provided financial assistance to members of their family, including adult children, parents, grandchildren, siblings, or other relatives, says a Merrill Lynch study rele

Incapacitation strategy said to be key to wealth management

Power of attorney, asset transfer useful to qualify for Medicaid assistance

December 5, 2013

Mike McLean

An incapacitation plan can help protect family assets if one spouse loses the ability to make financial and health-care decisions due to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or severe stroke, which are among the top causes of disability for older people

Preparing wills still not high priority for many, experts here say here say

Contributing influences include youth culture, procrastination

December 5, 2013

Katie Ross

Planning for death is still proving to be a challenge for many adults across the nation and here in Spokane, say elder law and estate planning attorney Lynn St. Louis and financial planner Paul Viren. St. Louis and Viren both say they see many adults pro

Confined spaces on the move

Oxarc, Honeywell partner to build vault environment for mock hazard scenarios

November 21, 2013

Treva Lind

Employees doing work in confined spaces such as a silo, manhole, pit, or vault must follow strict safety procedures under state and federal rules.This year, Spokane-based Oxarc Inc. began offering a new way to train employees to follow safety by

Engineering firm slims down machine manufacturing

Lambie uses 'right-sized' technology, robotics to streamline processes

November 7, 2013

Katie Ross

Lambie Engineering LLC, of Spokane Valley, is hoping to revolutionize the way companies fabricate parts through the concept of lean manufacturing. One of the tenets of lean manufacturing, says Lambie Engineering President and owner Ken Lambie, a

Blue Room adds to rural hospital work

Small architectural firm designing medical center planned in North Dakota

November 7, 2013

Kim Crompton

Spokane-based Blue Room Architecture & Design PS says it and its team of local consulting engineers is beginning work on the design of a $25 million replacement hospital in Bowman, N.D., a small town in the southwest corner of that state.John is

ZBA transitions to new owners

Architectural firm aims to stay in design forefront with sustainable housing

November 7, 2013

Mike McLean

Randy Vanhoff and Mark King, the newest partners at ZBA Architecture PS, of Spokane, say they don't plan to stray from the firm's core business as they lead the firm through a rebranding effort.ZBA, which was founded 29 years ago as Zeck Butler

Applying legal mind to national engineering issues

Attorney here serves as VP of government relations for big group

November 7, 2013

Treva Lind

While Spokane attorney Keith Grzelak represents engineers and inventors here on intellectual property legal matters, he also plays a national role in support of these professionals for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-USA.As