Sterling Financial Corp., the Spokane-based parent of Sterling Savings Bank, ended a brief involvement in the property-and-casualty insurance business by selling a small Billings, Mont., agency to an affiliate of a large Utah insurance buyer, LLC,

Jones & Mitchell Insurance & Risk Management Inc., a 94-year-old Spokane insurance brokerage, says it has built its business by making steady progress each year and diversifying to protect itself during tough times. Jones & Mitchell has about a

Washington Technology Center, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization, is helping many Spokane businesses develop their big ideas.The economic-development agency, which is funded mostly through the state, provides financial and technical to that

Kootenai Medical Center plans to start work on a $4.7 million parking garage next month as part of a major parking expansion designed to alleviate overcrowding at its Coeur dAlene campus.In addition, a surface parking lot expansion already is

Ag lenders here say demand for loans is strong as improved farm markets and low interest rates are leading growers to buy more land and equipment.Loan volumes at Spokane-based Northwest Farm Credit Services grew a healthy 10 percent last year,

Best Buy Co., the giant Minneapolis-based electronics retailer, plans to open a store in Coeur dAlene. Site work for the $3.5 million store at 425 Wilbur Ave. started last month, and the store is scheduled to open early next year, says Best a

The Coeur dAlene Tribe plans to develop a $15 million health-care facility in Plummer, Idaho, about 45 miles southeast of Spokane to handle growing demand for services in that rural community.Though the project is in its formative stages and

About $11 million in subcontracting bid packages for the big Spokane Convention Center expansion project have been awarded to several companies here that will lay the ground work for the centers planned new exhibit hall.The Spokane Public of

The Backup Training Corp., a growing Coeur dAlene provider of computer based-training programs for law-enforcement personnel, is taking steps to broaden its clientele.The company is gearing up to deliver any imaginable training topic to and a

Freds Appliance Inc., of Spokane, plans to move its Coeur dAlene store into the former Rosauers Supermarkets Inc. building at the busy corner of U.S. 95 and Appleway in November.Freds Appliance will lease about 9,000 square feet of floor