This week’s business meetings (all are open to the public)
Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce — Weekly luncheon meetings are held Mondays at noon in the second-floor meeting room of the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St.
This Monday’s speaker will be First Federal President and CEO Larry Hueth with a report on economic conditions across the North Olympic Peninsula.
Luncheon tickets are $15 and can be purchased from the meeting room cashier.
For those not having lunch, there is a $3 participation fee that includes a beverage.
Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce — Weekly luncheon meetings are held Mondays at noon at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge, 555 Otto St.
This Monday’s meeting will include a forum for candidates for Port of Port Townsend commissioner.
The candidates, who are being voted countywide in the Nov. 5 election, are Brad Clinefelter and Peter Quinn for port board District No. 2, and Peter Hanke and Leif Erickson for District No. 3.
Lunch at $8 will be catered by Subway. The meeting sponsor will be Ajax Cafe.
Forks Chamber of Commerce — Luncheon meetings are Wednesdays at noon at JT’s Sweet Stuffs, 80 N. Forks Ave.
This Wednesday’s featured speaker will be T. Scott Brandon, resource development manager for United Way of Clallam County.
Lunch costs $8; a bowl of soup, $4.75; and a cup of soup, $4. The entree is chicken alfredo.
North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce — Representing the “Emerald Towns” of the Hood Canal, Quilcene and Brinnon, the chamber meets monthly on the third Monday of the month.
This Monday’s meeting will be an End of Summer Mixer for chamber members and their invited guests at Cove RV Park, 303075 U.S. Highway 101 in Brinnon.
Food and beverages will be provided.
Port Angeles Business Association — Breakfast meetings are Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m. at Joshua’s Restaurant, 113 DelGuzzi Drive, Port Angeles.
This Tuesday’s guest speakers will be Port Angeles City Council menbers Dan Gase, Pat Downie and Brad Collins, all uncontested in the Nov. 5 election.
Downie and Collins are incumbents; Gase was appointed to a council vacancy Sept. 3 and is uncontested in the election for a different council seat.
There is a $3 minimum charge by Joshua’s for those who do not order breakfast.
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Energy Lunch set Tuesday
PORT TOWNSEND —Brian Evans, Space Propulsion Group project manager and development engineer, will discuss using local green energy to produce ammonia to power gas turbine generators at this month’s Jefferson County Energy Lunch Program.
The free, bring-your-own brown bag lunch event takes place at the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St., from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. (Sept. 17).
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Space Propulsion Group has overseen the development of Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two and helped develop payload capabilities of Generation Orbit Launch Services.
It has been evaluating using ammonia as an alternative fuel.
Evans will discuss ammonia-cracking techniques and the specifications and practical applications for 10-kW to 50-kW gas turbines that can be used to heat small commercial buildings or residential compounds.
The Energy Lunch programs, held every third Tuesday, aim to increase awareness of how energy policy affects life in Jefferson County.
Participants may arrive at noon to join an informal conversation with energy professionals.
The programs are sponsored by Power Trip Energy Corp., Sunshine Propane, Alaska Power & Telephone Co., the Port of Port Townsend, Frederickson Electric, Port Townsend Paper Corp. and Huber’s Inn.
For more information, visit www.L2020.org/Energy+Lunch+Programs.
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Feiro awarded Employer of the Quarter
PORT ANGELES The Feiro Marine Life Center has been given the Clallam County Health & Human Services Business Leadership Advisory Committee’s Employer of the Quarter award by Barbara Frederick, Port Angeles Downtown Association executive director.
The award recognizes employers who demonstrate diversity and inclusion in their hiring practices.
Accepting the award was Deborah Moriarty, Feiro Marine Life Center director, and Bob Campbell, facilities director of the Feiro center, which is at City Pier in Port Angeles.
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Local bed-breakfast named among top garden inns
PORT ANGELES — Sea Cliff Gardens Bed & Breakfast, located on the bluff between Sequim and Port Angeles, has been selected as one of the “Top 10 Garden Inns” in the country by www.BedandBreakfast.com.
BedandBreakfast.com is a global site for finding bed-and-breakfast properties around the world, with more than 13,000 properties worldwide representing nearly 80,000 rooms.
“We’re excited to be chosen for the Garden Inns award, which is based on traveler reviews. It’s great to see our hard work paying off,” said Bonnie Kuchler, gardener and co-owner of Sea Cliff Gardens.
For more information, visit www.seacliffgardens.com or www.facebook.com/seacliffgardens.
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OMC cancer center accredited
SEQUIM — Olympic Medical Cancer Center has once again exceeded standards, earning a three-year accreditation with “silver” commendation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the cancer center said.
“Commission on Cancer accreditation is a voluntary process of which physicians and staff at Olympic Medical Cancer Center are committed to achieving,” said Ken Berkes, director of Olympic Medical Cancer Center, located just north of downtown Sequim.
OMCC was compliant with all 36 standards.
Further, it received a “silver” level of accreditation, earning commendations in six of eight commendation standards.
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New bank owner soon
PORTLAND, Ore. — The two Sterling Bank branches on the Peninsula are expected to have a new owner in 2014.
The parent company of Portland-based Umpqua Bank is acquiring Spokane-based Sterling Financial Corp., the parent of Sterling Bank, second-largest bank based in Washington with $9.2 billion in assets.
Sterling has branches in Port Angeles and Forks.
The merger will boost Umpqua to a company with approximately $22 billion in assets, $15 billion in loans, $16 billion in deposits and 394 branches in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California and Nevada.
In 2010, Umpqua bought two failed Washington state banks, Tacoma’s Rainier Pacific Bank and Seattle’s Evergreen Bank.
The merger is expected to close during the first half of 2014 and is subject to approval by each company’s shareholders and regulatory approval.
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Hoarder training
PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles marriage and family therapist Luci Chambers completed her training in “Compulsive Hoarding: Conceptualizing and Treating the Chaos” from Cross Country Education.
Chambers, also an art therapist, is the sole practitioner of Turning Leaf Art Therapy, 618 S. Peabody in the Peabody Plaza.
Chambers collaborates with Loving Care Estate Cleaning, owned and operated by Susie and Ken Winters.
Together, they cover a wide range of services for people with family or friends who need help cleaning and organizing a home or other space, and the emotional and mental support that is needed.
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Business opens
SEQUIM — A 30-year veteran of surveying and drafting on the Olympic Peninsula has opened his own business in Sequim.
Brian Cays opened Olympic Peninsula Surveying & Drafting at 239 E. Washington St. last month.
The business provides all aspects of property surveying, plans for house construction and remodeling, and large-format printing in both black-and-white and color, Cays said.
He can be reached by phoning 360-460-2934 or emailing opsurveying@olypen.com.
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Building group hires ex-KONP personality
PORT ANGELES — Diana Johnson has joined the North Peninsula Building Association.
Johnson, who had been workng as a KONP radio personality and sales executive, will oversee membership development as well as marketing efforts for NPBA products and events such as its annual Expo.
She also will help expand participation in events such as the annual golf tournament, scheduled for Sept. 27 at Cedars at Dungeness.
A Washington State University graduate, Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration.
“We’re thrilled Diana has agreed to join our team,” said NPBA President Garret DelaBarre.
Johnson joins recently hired Executive Officer Lary Coppola, the former president and CEO of Wet Apple Media, publisher of the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WestSound Home & Garden, and Remodel Kitsap Magazines, and past mayor of Port Orchard.
“Diana’s expertise and connections to the business community will definitely help move the NPBA in the direction we intend to go,” said Coppola.
Prior to her stint in radio, Johnson, who lives in Sequim, spent nine years as office manager for TruLine Construction.
She also held a position with Hanson Medical as a sales representative.
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New administrator
PORT ANGELES – Angela Cerna is the new administrator of Crestwood Health and Rehabilitation Center, a skilled nursing and post-acute rehabilitation residence at 1116 E. Lauridsen Blvd.
Cerna is responsible for the overall management and operations at Crestwood.
She began her career in skilled nursing in 2001 as business office manager for Life Care Center of Port Townsend.
In 2007, she began the administrator-in-training Program.
Cerna has more than 12 years of experience in long-term care.
She received her Bachelor of Science in business management in 2008.
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Sequim school foundation has new treasurer
SEQUIM — Jeanne Martin has been appointed treasurer of the Sequim Education Foundation, replacing Jerry Anderson, who retired.
Martin was one of the founders of SEF in 2001 along with Lee Lawrence, Jim Pickett, Walt Schubert and Alan Millet.
“Jeanne was faithful in her support of SEF during all of our formative years,” said SEF President Dick Hughes. “I have always appreciated her wise counsel and guidance.”
In 2011, the board gave Martin its SEF Crystal Apple Award to mark her 10 years of service.
Other recipients include former SEF President and Treasurer Katie Gilles, former Director and Secretary Patsene Dashiell and former Superintendent of Schools Bill Bentley.
“Jerry Anderson came to SEF in a time of need,” Hughes added.
“We are very thankful for his service.”
SEF is a local nonprofit formed to help Sequim public school teachers and students. For more, visit www.sequimed.org.
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Hobby shop staffer
PORT ANGELES — Anthony Richards has rejoined the staff of Pacific Rim Hobby, located on the corner of Railroad Avenue and Oak Street, adjacent to the new waterfront esplanade.
Richards is an expert on radio-controlled aircraft and has been a writer/tester for RC Sport Flyer magazine.
Richards also operates Subsonic Photography at www.Subsonicphoto.com.
Visitors can stop by Wednesdays and Fridays after 2 p.m. to welcome Richards back and see radio-controlled aircraft in action (weather permitting). Pacific Rim Hobby is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
The business is owned by Greg Scherer.
For more information, phone 360-457-0794.
