LeAnn Bjerken

Associated Industries agrees to buy Red & Associates consulting firm

Acquisition is scheduled to be completed Oct. 1

September 24, 2015

Spokane-based membership organization Associated Industries of the Inland Northwest has signed a letter of intent to acquire human resources and business consulting firm Red & Associates LLC. The purchase is scheduled to become effective Oct. 1. Pam Py

Cardiac care expansion at Sacred Heart

$19.2 million project set to wrap up next February

September 10, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center is underway on the second phase of a $19.2 million redesign and expansion of its cardiac intensive care unit.

IRS Environmental seeing more LEED projects

Company president says green trend still growing

September 10, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Maureen Fay, president of Spokane Valley-based asbestos and lead removal company IRS Environmental of WA Inc., says the top trend she's noticed in the industry lately has been the shift toward green building projects, many of which are built to Leadersh

Call Center plans to add 350 workers in Spokane yet this year

Alorica Inc. to boost staff after acquiring West unit

September 10, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Alorica Inc., an Irvine, Calif.-based company that bought call center operator West Corp.'s client agent services operations earlier this year, plans to hire up to 350 new employees here by next year, says Rene Paiz, director of site operations for Alor

Marijuana retailers fret as state regulations start to shift

Medical dispensaries facing uncertain future

September 10, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

The Cannabis Patient Protection Act, commonly referred to as Senate Bill 5052 has some dispensaries here concerned both for the future of their businesses and the welfare of the patients they serve. The bill, which was passed earlier this summer, seeks to

New owner reopens hotel as La Quinta

Property north of Spokane underwent big renovation

August 27, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Malbco Holdings LLC, a Spokane-based real estate investment company that buys and sells office buildings and hotels, has reopened a hotel building along Newport Highway as La Quinta Inn & Suites-Spokane North.

Third-generation broker keeps Plese Realty thriving

Despite size, brokerage does substantial volume

August 27, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Forty-five-year-old Vic Plese has worked in his family's real estate business, Plese Realty LLC, for 26 years now.

Software company, Idaho firm collaborate

Companies aim to simplify payments via credit card

August 27, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Genesis Software Systems, of Spokane Valley, says it has begun working with Eagle, Idaho-based ChargeItPro on payment processing aimed at providing users of merchant software an easier way to accept credit card payments. Genesis Software Systems uses a

Nonprofit looks to open soul food establishment

Eatery to be located In East Central area

August 27, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

A nonprofit group here called The Spokane Eastside Reunion Association (SERA) is working on opening a soul food restaurant in the former Flipper's Ice Cream building at 3029 E. Fifth in the East Central neighborhood. The 1,500-square-foot space, which

Aspen Dental-branded clinic planned in Valley

Chain says it now includes 500 practices in 31 states

August 27, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Aspen Dental Management Inc., a Syracuse, N.Y.-based chain that provides nonclinical, administrative and business support services to independently owned and operated dental practices, says it plans to open a clinic in Spokane Valley this fall. A yet-to-