Mar 21, 1996

Country Companies

Duane Aldrich has been hired as the new agency manager of the Country Companies Everett Agency, effective April 1. Aldrich will be responsible for recruiting Country Companies agents and administrating customer services in the Everett area. Country Companies offers life, auto, home, ranch, farm and disability income insurance, annuities and financial planning.

Northwest Cable Advertising

Northwest Cable Advertising has hired Diane Nye as research coordinator. She will be responsible for managing development of research tools to help cable advertising. Previously, Nye was a marketing assistant at KCPQ-TV.

Gerber Public Relations

Covalt Enterprises, Inc., the corporate office for Izzy's Pizza Restaurants has selected Gerber Advertising as its new agency of record. Gerber will provide strategic marketing planning, advertising concept development, media buying, direct marketing and public relations services for Izzy's. Landrey & Hunt, a public relations and issues management firm, will be working in conjunction with Gerber and will manage public relations for Izzy's.

KRWM - WARM 106.9 FM

Marijane Miltonhas been promoted from general sales manager to general manager of KRWM - WARM 106.9 fm. Milton joined KRWM as a salesperson in 1991 and was promoted to sales manager in 1993.

Noble House Hotels & Resorts

Noble House Hotels & Resorts has promoted Michael Benecke to chief financial officer. Previously, Benecke served as controller for Noble House. Prior to that, he was assistant controller for the Sheraton Universal in Universal City, Calif. and also served as an accountant for the Sheraton Huntington in Pasadena, Calif.

WhaM Communications

WHaM Communications has become the P.R. agency of record for the following three clients: Cascade Clear Water Co., Burlington; Selkirk Cider Co., Sand Point, Id., and Big Head Coffee Cola, San Diego. WHaM will conduct a national media relations campaign for Big Head Coffee Cola to publicize the launch of the nation's first coffee cola. For Cascade Clear, WHaM will conduct media relations, consumer product marketing, special event coordination and sponsorship development. WHaM will also provide brand marketing and publicity services for Selkirk Cider's Seven Sisters Cider brand.

Mar 20, 1996

Cucina! Presto!

Cucina! Cucina!, Inc. will open a new restaurant concept, Cucina! Presto!, offering eat-in or take-home Italian food. The restaurant will be located on the top of Queen Anne Hill and is scheduled to open for lunch and dinner on Monday, March 25. This will be the first restaurant in what is planned to be a rapid expansion, with a second lease signed for space on Elliott Avenue and future locations to be announced soon in Seattle and on the Eastside. Most of the locations will be between 1,500-2,200 square feet with a seating capacity of between 40-70 guests. Some locations will be free standing with a drive-through window. The new concept is an evolution of the smaller supermarket Cucina! Presto! outlets, which opened several years ago. Peter Kehayes is senior vice president for Cucina! Cucina!, Inc., the parent company of Cucina! Presto! restaurants. He will direct the openings of Cucina! Presto! restaurants in addition to overseeing operations and growth for the 10 existing Cucina! Cucina! Italian Cafe restaurants, including the planned expansion outside of the Pacific Northwest. Warren Howard is the general manager of Cucina! Presto! on Queen Anne.

Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma

Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma has been granted a bond rating upgrade by Moody's Investors Service. The upgrade raises the park district's bond rating for voter-approved debt from A to A1. The park district's bond rating was upgraded because of the district's favorable debt ratio and its strong management policies, as well as the general strength of the area economy.

Matson Navigation Company

Matson Navigation Company has added several new services to its Pacific Coast Service. The additions include a weekly feeder service between Los Angeles and Oakland for international cargo and weekly service from Seattle to Oakland for both international and domestic cargo. The improvements are a result of the recent start-up of Matson's Pacific Alliance Service with American President Lines. With the new fleet, Matson's has the additional capacity needed expand regularly scheduled service.

JayRay

Alec Lawson has joined JayRay as a copywriter. Lawson previously was employed by Mezzina/Brown, Bozell and BBDO. The JayRay ad lab is a creative boutique in downtown Seattle. JayRay is affiliated with Jacobson Ray McLaughlin Fillips, a full-service advertising and public relations agency with offices in Seattle and Tacoma.

Hagen, Kurth, Perman

Hagen, Kurth, Perman & Co., P.S., a Seattle certified public accounting and business consulting firm, has hired Christopher Spoerl as a tax specialist. Spoerl is a member of the firm's Health Care Services Group and works with physicians and medical groups on tax, financial and retirement planning issues.

Council on International Trade

The Washington Council on International Trade has chosen its 1996 board of directors. The 1996 officers are: chairman, Mack Hogans, Weyerhaeuser Company; vice president, Karl Ege, Frank Russell Company; secretary, Ronald Wambolt, Fluke Corporation; treasurer, Kimberly Ellwanger, Microsoft Corporation; General Counsel, James Dwyer, Bogle & Gates. The council is a private, non-governmental and non-profit association that works to support public policies favorable to expanding trade between the United States and its trading partners. The council's president is Patricia Davis.