Sep 24, 1996

Food Lifeline

Leila Wilke has joined Food Lifeline as marketing director. She formerly managed the exhibit department at Pacific Science Center. Food Lifeline is a non-profit food bank supplier located in Seattle.

MetaInfo

MetaInfo has hired Gary McAvoy as vice president of marketing and sales. His primary responsibility will be the international product marketing program. McAvoy was president of Northwest GeoGrafx Corporation. Headquartered in Seattle, MetoInfo provides Internet messaging and directory services software for Microsoft Windows NT.

Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce has announced its 1996-97 officers chaired by Roger Eigsti, chair and chief executive officer of Safeco Corp. Other officers include: Robert Wallace, first vice chair, Wallace Properties Group; Anne Farrell, affiliate relations, The Seattle Foundation; Deanna Oppenheimer, events and communications, Washington Mutual; Jose Gaitan, local government relations, Gaitan Lenker Davis & Meyers; Pat Fearey, membership, The Fearey Group; Roberta Greer, small business action council, Tillicum Village and Tours, Inc.; Maureen Frisch, state government relations, Simpson Investment Co.; Dennis Okamoto, urban affairs, US West Communications; Richard Ford, general counsel, Preston Gates & Ellis; Richard Fox, treasurer, Ernst & Young; Bob Watt, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

Electronic Transaction

Electronic Transaction Corporation, provider of SCAN, a check authorization network, has changed its name to Deluxe Payment Protection Systems. As a newly formed division of Deluxe Corp., Deluxe Payment Protection Systems is an integrated approach to check loss and fraud prevention for the retail and financial institution industries. The name change is part of Deluxe's strategy to integrate all of its protection services into one network. Based in St. Paul, Minn., Deluxe serves its customers through Deluxe Financial Services and Deluxe Direct. The company operates facilities in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom.

Quality Classics

Quality Classics has hired Jill Radel as the new communications manager and Bob Stelton as the new shipping manager. Radal, formerly with Ocean Kayak, Inc., will be responsible for managing customer service, inside sales and marketing. Stelton previously worked for Computech. Located in Renton, Quality Classics designs wearable art and gifts.

Young Entrepreneurs' Organization

The Seattle Chapter of the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization (YEO) has made the following appointments to its board for the 1996-97 business year. Michael Miller, president, Capital Planning Corporation; Lindsey Schwartz, education chair, Cucina! Cucina!; Phillip Erickson, education chair, Ocular Instruments; Peter Holland, membership chair, Teletronics Management Services; Mark Blumenthal, forum chair, Blumenthal Uniforms & Equipment; Michael Mayes, treasurer, Mayes Testing Engineers; Jay Glass, marketing chair, MarketAbility. YEO is an international organization for business owners under the age of 40.

W.G. Clark

Harvey Hendrickson and Mike Sotelo have been named vice presidents of W.G. Clark Construction Co. Hendrickson joined the firm in 1991. He is a senior project manager with more than 30 years of estimating and project management experience. Sotelo has been with the firm since 1984 and has served as its human resources and safety director since 1987. He is also senior vice president of Approach Management Services, a founding member of the Construction Safety Task Force and a co-founder of the Puget Sound Area Construction Safety Summit.

Dyno Overlays

The Tacoma operation of Dyno Overlays Inc. has announced several personnel changes. Andy Pulido is the new technical service representative for overlaid plywood manufacturing. He has nearly 30 years of experience. Peggy Lemmer is a new product development scientist. She has 15 years of experience in her field. Tim Zattau is the new quality control manager. He has over 10 years of experience.

Fullman Company

Richard Smoke has been promoted to vice president of Fullman Company in Portland. Smoke has over 23 years of experience in the mechanical construction industry. He is responsible for conceptual estimating, marketing, information systems and CAD, total quality management, and Fullman College, the company's internal training program.

Henifin & Associates

The Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises has granted a women's business enterprise and disadvantaged business enterprise certification to Henifin & Associates Inc. of Bellingham. The company's services include heavy construction, site preparation, installation and renovation of water and sewer utilities, and road construction.

Test reactor may be restarted at Hanford

RICHLAND (AP) -- The Department of Energy is considering restarting Hanford's closed test reactor, but a top official says state residents must show they support the plant. Restart of the Fast Flux Test Facility, which could bring more than 1,000 jobs back to Hanford, "is getting the most serious consideration any project can get," Energy Undersecretary Tom Grumbly said Friday. Grumbly also said there will be more job cuts at Hanford as the environmental cleanup continues. He expects to see proposals for cuts in December or January. "But this isn't going to be like '95, when we said we've got to lay off 5,000 people because our budget went south," he said. Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary's decision on whether the closed reactor will be used to produce tritium, a vital component of nuclear weapons, is expected in December. Key to her decision is a report due next month from an independent panel, which has already made a preliminary finding that FFTF has the technical ability to produce 1.5 kilograms of tritium a year. But another key to restart is state and regional support, Grumbly said. "We've got to have not only the support of the Tri-Cities, but also the citizens of the Northwest," he said. Washington's Republican-dominated congressional delegation has repeatedly stated support for the project. But anti-nuclear activists have consistently opposed nuclear weapons production at Hanford in the past decade. Grumbly said the DOE "wants to go where people want us." The agency is attempting to gauge whether FFTF restart has broad support. "I'm wary that we'll get drawn into a situation where it seems the people want us to relocate facilities here, then find out there is no support," Grumbly said. He also said FFTF will not be restarted without a new tritium production mission.

PTI announces new office, staff additions

BELLEVUE -- PTI Environmental Services has announced the addition of new staff members and the opening of a new office in Washington, D.C. The Bellevue-based firm recently hired Thomas Redd as an environmental engineer. Thomas is a registered professional engineer with eight years of experience in environmental engineering and management. He has a bachelor's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia, a master's degree in environmental engineering from Utah State and an M.B.A. in environmental management from the University of Washington. PTI opened its Washington, D.C. office in August. David Ludwig recently joined PTI as a principal. He will work out of the new office. Ludwig received his doctorate in systems ecology from the University of Georgia. He specializes in ecological risk assessment and ecotoxicology. The Washington, D.C. office is PTI's fourth branch office. Other branch offices are in Lake Oswego, Ore.; Boulder, Colo. and Waltham, Mass.

Med-Tox receives AIHA accreditation

KENT -- Kent-based laboratory Med-Tox Northwest has received accreditation from the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) for airborne asbestos analysis. AIHA is known for its stringent airborne asbestos quality control program. Carol Evans, laboratory manager at Med-Tox, is a graduate of the University of Washington's Department of Engineering. In addition to analytical services and surveys, Med-Tox Northwest provides abatement specifications and air monitoring.

Indian graves damaged by dam, court says

PORTLAND (AP) -- A Klamath Falls man who built a dam on his ranch to enhance wildlife habitat and provide irrigation has been indicted on charges he illegally excavated an Indian archaeological site. A federal grand jury last week indicted Oliver R. Spires, who owns car dealerships in Klamath Falls and Lakeview and built the Rivers End Dam in 1994 on his ranch 25 miles north of Lakeview. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian L. Sullivan said the charges allege Spires illegally excavated U.S. Bureau of Land Management property neighboring his ranch in the course of building the dam. The land included old Indian graves. After the discovery of human bones in the dam, the Klamath Tribes, the Fort Bidwell Indian Community in California and Wilson Wewa Jr. of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs sued to have the dam torn down. Lawsuits were filed against Spires, the dam contractor and the federal and state officials who approved the dam. Spires' attorney, David V. Marshall of Seattle, said Spires is innocent of the charges. "The bottom line is the federal authorities were fully aware of what was going on at that site, and it was their project," Marshall said. "They're using Oliver as a scapegoat for the fact that they're getting heat for granting the permits in the first place." Spires sued the federal government last year after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers revoked his permit to build the dam, which was built with funding help from state and federal wildlife agencies. Spires said last year if he had known about the graves, they could have moved the site of the dam. Spires bought the Rivers End cattle ranch in 1992 and spent $350,000 on the dam, which was designed to enhance wetlands for fish and wildlife and provide irrigation for the ranch. Another $135,000 came from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit group that works to improve waterfowl habitat. Spires remained free and was expected to appear in federal court in Portland in late October for arraignment.

B.C. rivers recommended for heritage status

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Five of British Columbia's most outstanding rivers are being recommended to the provincial government for provincial heritage status. They are the Atnarko, Bella Coola, Horsefly, Kechika and Kettle. "It's important that we do all we can to manage and protect all rivers," said Mark Angelo, chair of the B.C. Heritage Rivers Board. "But some rivers have exceptional values that warrant extra attention." Last year, the board recommended the first seven rivers to be designated under the new B.C. Heritage Rivers System -- the Fraser, Skagit, Stikine, Adams, Babine, Blackwater and Cowichan. The government officially endorsed the recommendation last spring, a move that ensures a higher profile for the rivers but not outright protection. The eventual goal is to designate a total of 20 British Columbia rivers that display outstanding cultural, recreational and environmental values. Angelo said the declaration of heritage status is already paying dividends, citing the preservation of 670 acres on the Cowichan River and 14,820 acres on the upper Adams River during the past year. "It can result in positive action," he said. "It creates an awareness of how special our rivers are."