Meetings & Events

The American Society for Training and Development's Inland Northwest chapter will hold a Leadership Roundtable and Board Presentations meeting on Friday, March 1, from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Luigi's Italian Restaurant, 245 W. Main. The cost is $15. For information, go to astdinw.org/events.

Gonzaga University will hold an informational meeting about its MBA in health care management program on Tuesday, March 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in the Jepson Center, 502 E. Boone, and an informational meeting about its MBA program on Tuesday, March 12, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. For information and to RSVP, go to gonzaga.edu/infomtg.

Leadership Spokane will hold an information meeting about its leadership class of 2014 on Wednesday, March 6, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., at the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. For information, go to leadershipspokane.org or call 321-3627.

The West Plains Chamber of Commerce will hold its March breakfast meeting on Thursday, March 7, from 7 to 8:30 a.m., at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, in the Q Sports Bar, at 100 N. Hayford, in Airway Heights. The topic will be energy challenges and opportunities in the region. Chad Jensen, CEO of Inland Power & Light, will speak. The cost is $17 for members and $25 for others. For information, go to westplains.org or call 747-8480.

Connect Northwest will hold an Executive Connect breakfast on Thursday, March 7, from 7:30 to 9 a.m., at the Spokane Club, 1002 W. Riverside. Jim van Loben Sels, general manager and viticulturist at Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, will speak. The cost is $30. To register, go to bit.ly/YtXhw4.

Greater Spokane Incorporated will hold Good Morning Greater Spokane on Friday, March 8, from 7 to 9 a.m., at Mirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center, 1100 N. Sullivan, in Spokane Valley. County Commissioner Shelly O'Quinn will present the annual state of the county address. The cost is $25 for members until March 6, $30 thereafter, and $55 for others. To register and for information, go to greaterspokane.org or call 321-3630.

Leadership Spokane will hold a Leadership Lights the Way Gala on Friday, March 8, from 6 to 9 pm., at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, 100 N. Hayford, Airway Heights. Dinner is included and semi-formal dress is required. The cost is $55. For information and to register, go to leadershipspokane.org or call 321-3639

Hispanic Business Professional Association of Spokane will hold its Annual Fundraiser-Viva Vino 2013 on Saturday, March 9, at 7 p.m., at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, 4000 W. Randolph. The cost is $40 in advance and $45 at the door. For information and to register, email vivavinospokane@gmail.com or call 499-3812.

The Inland Northwest Latino Chamber of Commerce will hold its March meeting on Tuesday, March 12, from 7 to 8:30 a.m., at the Children's Home Society, 2323 Discovery Place, in Spokane Valley. Kimberlee Melcher, with Lyoness, a global loyalty rewards program, will speak. For information, email inwlcc@yahoo.com or call 435-8635.

The Inland Northwest chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners will hold its March meeting on Thursday, March 14, at 5 p.m., at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln. The topic for discussion will be succession planning, led by Brent Soloway, a financial planner with MetLife. The cost is $34 for members and $49 for others until noon on March 12, and $39 for members and $54 thereafter. RSVP to reservations@nawbonw.org or call 731-3309.

The American Advertising Federation Spokane will hold its 2013 Addy Awards event on Friday, March 15, at 6 p.m., at the Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland. For information, go to aafspokane.com.

Workshops & Seminars

Spokane Regional MarCom Association will hold a Seizing the Opportunity-Media Placement in a Dynamic Landscape workshop on Friday, March 1, from 7:30 to 9 a.m., at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln. Brian Coddington, formerly of Hill Knowlton Strategies, will present. The cost is $20 for members, $30 for others, $5 for student members, and $15 for students and includes breakfast. To register go to spokanemarcom.org.

Public Relations Society of America's Greater Spokane Chapter will hold a customer satisfaction workshop titled "Is Customer Satisfaction Dead?"on Tuesday, March 5, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Roy Barnes, former senior vice president of strategic planning and customer experience for Marriott's Leisure Division, will teach. The cost is $55 for members, $65 for others, $15 for student members, and $20 students. Register at roybarnes.eventbrite.com.

SCORE will hold a How to Start a New Business workshop on Wednesday, March 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and a How to Write a Business Plan workshop on Wednesday, March 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The workshops will be held at the Spokane Regional Business Center, 801 W. Riverside. The events are $40 pre-registered, $50 at the door, and $15 for an additional person from the same company. To register and for more information, call SCORE at 353-2821 or go to ScoreSpokane.org.

Greater Spokane Incorporated and the Eastern Washington Procurement Technical Assistance Center will hold a free Introduction to Government Contracting seminar on Thursday, March 7, from 8 to 11 a.m., at 801 W. Riverside. For information and to register, go to greaterspokane.org.

ActionCOACH Spokane will hold a ContactRICH workshop on Thursday, March 7, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, in Spokane Valley. The cost is $75 per business teams of three. For information and to register, go to actioncoachspokane.com or call 455-5053.

The Inland Northwest chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners will hold a Shoestring Marketing in a Velcro World workshop on Monday, March 11, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln. Suzanne Foust, owner of Kindred Creative Services, of Spokane, will teach. The cost is $19 for members and $29 for others before noon on Monday, March 11, and $25 for members and $35 for others thereafter. RSVP to reservations@nawbonw.org or call 731-3309.

Associated Industries, of Spokane, will hold a Diversity and Human Resources-Community Workforce Trends workshop on Tuesday, March 12, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., at 1206 N. Lincoln. The workshop is $50 for members and $70 for others. To register or for information, call 326-6885 or email cmerrill@aiin.net.

The University of Idaho will hold the third meeting in the free Recreation and Tourism Speaker Series, The Business Side of Rec-Tech on Wednesday, March 13, from 4 to 5 p.m., in room 241 at the University's Harbor Center, 1031 N. Academic Way, in Coeur d'Alene. Thomas Cusick, senior vice president of finance and CFO of Columbia Sportswear, will present. For information, call 208-667-2588 or go to uidaho.edu/cda.

Spokane Public Radio and City Cable Channel 5 will present an SPR Health Forum titled ObamaCare: Fact & Fiction on Tuesday, March 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the Spokane City Hall council chambers. Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler will be among several panelists discussing the Affordable Care Act. The event is free and open to the public. For information, go to spokanepublicradio.org/forums.

Conventions & Shows

Spokane River Forum will hold its 2013 Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26 and 27, at CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, in Spokane Valley. The cost for the two-day conference is $75 and includes lunch. For information, email info@spokaneriver.net.

Home & Yard Show
Feb. 28-March 3
Spokane County Fair & Expo Center
Expected Attendance: 15,000