Business FYI

People

Kyle Kurisu has joined Mountain Pacific Bank as a vice president and branch manager for the bank’s Everett location at 38th Street and Broadway. Kurisu has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and 17 years of experience at financial institutions.

Lorry Darling has been promoted to loan officer at the Monroe office of Frontier Bank. Dolly Coss was promoted to assistant vice president and information security manager at the bank. Linda Kastner, also from the security department, was named assistant vice president and Bank Secrecy Act manager. Marilee Paddock was named assistant vice president and fraud risk manager, and Rozanne Reedy was named assistant vice president and physical security manager.

Ron Lind of Lind’s Pharmacy in Langley was honored by the Washington State Pharmacy Association recently for his community service. The Bowl of Hygeia award goes to only one member in each state. Hatam Shafeen of Shiraz Pharmacy in Everett was named

the association’s distinguished young pharmacist of the year. And Michelle Valentine of Valentine Consulting Community Pharmacist in Mukilteo received the innovative pharmacy practice award.

New businesses

The new Lowe’s home center in Monroe will hold its grand opening celebration at 10 a.m. Thursday at 19393 Tjerne Place SE. A board cutting event will replace the more common ribbon cutting ceremony.

Events

The head of communications for Tourism BC will talk about the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the quarterly tourism forum for the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau and SnoGold 2010. Both organizations are trying to help local businesses identify business opportunities related to the games. The luncheon meeting will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center, 2000 Hewitt Ave., in downtown Everett. Cost is $30. Call 425-348-5802.

Snohomish County’s fourth annual Focus on Farming Conference is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Lynnwood Convention Center. The event will include a daylong series of workshops on business, sales and marketing strategies, managing water and climate changes and trends in nurseries, greenhouses, organics, livestock and local market farming. It will be capped with a wine and cheese tasting. Call 425-388-3137 for information or registration.

A business roundtable breakfast held by Snohomish County Councilman John Koster is planned for 7-8:30 a.m. Dec. 13 at the Monte Cristo Hotel, 1507 Wall St. in Everett. Cost is $25 per person. Call Cindy Brengman at 425-397-7799.

Getting Your Dough to Rise, the monthly personal finance show on KSER 90.7 FM, will feature four financial professionals as guests starting at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The show on Snohomish County’s public radio station is hosted by Chuck Noel. He’ll interview Bill Reith, a CPA, on year-end moves to save on taxes; Jessica Pavish, of Edward Jones in Everett, on investments, Eric Smith, a certified fianancial planner, on socially responsible investing, and Kathleen Victor, a certified appraiser, on increasing the value of family heirlooms.

Business info

The state Employment Security Department estimates that businesses in Washington will hire 14,600 workers to help out for the holiday season, down 900 people from the previous year. Most of the jobs will be in general merchandise stores, followed by retailers selling clothing and accessories.

Ways to give

Giving programs at Everett Mall this year include: A Tree of Giving in which shoppers can choose a tag from a tree at the mall, buy a gift, wrap it and place it under the tree; bring a new unwrapped toy to the Community Toy Chest; buy a special gift gard that benefits Children’s Hospital; and give a donation to Snohomish County Explorers, who will wrap gifts on weekends and the entire week before Christmas.

Send news and color photos to Mike Benbow, Business editor, The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206, by fax at 425-339-3435 or by e-mail at economy@heraldnet.com.