March 27 / AmericanWest to acquire San Diego bank

AmericanWest Bank, of Spokane, said it has agreed to merge into its operations Security Business Bank of San Diego. Security Business Bank has four locations in the San Diego area, including a downtown branch. The transaction is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

March 27 / Employment here rises

About 203,100 people held nonagricultural wage and salary jobs in the Spokane area in February, up by 2,300 from the prior month and up by 1,400 from the February 2011 level, preliminary state figures said. Preliminary results from another state survey put the unemployment rate at 10.1 percent during February, up from 9.7 percent in January, but down from 11 percent in the year-earlier month.

March 23 / More medical student training set here

Washington State University and the University of Washington School of Medicine announced jointly they intend to collaborate on a pilot program under which Spokane, for the first time, will host second-year WWAMI medical students starting in 2013. Beginning in the fall of next year, up to 20 medical students can choose to spend their second year at WSU Spokane, rather than at UW's main campus in Seattle. Currently, some first-year medical students take classes and receive training in Spokane.

March 23 / Mayor to establish business advisory council

Spokane Mayor David Condon said he plans to create a business advisory council that will advise him on issues and topics important to businesses here. Condon has developed criteria for membership in the council and invited businesspeople who fit the criteria to participate in quarterly meetings of the council. The development of the council was an action item in the mayor's 100-day action plan.

March 21 / Crux Subsurface to be acquired

Crux Subsurface Inc., the Spokane Valley-based geotechnical exploration and construction company, agreed to be acquired by Quanta Services Inc., a publicly traded, Houston-based specialty contractor. Crux co-founder Nick Salisbury said in a prepared statement that Quanta has been a major customer for many years, and the two companies have worked closely on projects, so joining together "makes perfect sense." The Journal had reported earlier this year that Crux employs about 110 people.

March 21 / Inland Power names new CEO

Inland Power & Light Co., of Spokane, announced that it has selected Chad Jensen to become its new CEO, effective May 21. Jensen has been serving as vice president of Lower Valley Energy, an electric cooperative in Afton, Wyo. He has worked for that company for 22 years and also has served as mayor of Afton. Kris Mikkelsen, Inland Power's current CEO, disclosed plans to retire late last year.

March 12 / Providence takes Liberty Lake space

Providence Health & Services, owner of Providence Health Care Eastern Washington, said it has leased 32,000 square feet of office space in the Meadowwood Technology Campus, at 24011 E. Mission, in Liberty Lake. Providence is renovating the space to accommodate its Spokane-area revenue cycle management operations and expects to move into the space in August or September. It announced in December plans to consolidate revenue cycle offices and to add 150 positions at the new office, giving it a total of 250 workers in those operations here.