MEETINGS AND EVENTS

The Northwest Inland Empire chapter of the Association of Operations Management will hold an Improving Operations Through Dynamic Communication no-host dinner today, July 28, at 6 p.m. at Conley's Place Restaurant, 12622 E. Sprague, in Spokane Valley. Bill Cochran, Mark Christensen, Carlene Hoene, and John Newlyn will speak. To register or for more information, call Dale at 747-3344 or go to http://tinyurl.com/3oh7g3b.

Spokane County Young Republicans will host a free candidate forum Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m., at the Spokane Skills Center, 4141 N. Regal. Fourth District state senate candidates, City of Spokane mayoral candidates, and Spokane City Council candidates will speak. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/SpokaneYRs.

The Spokane Home Builders Association will hold a free Nothing But Networking event Thursday, Aug. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Coyote Rock Waterfront Living, 11501 E. Coyote Rock, in Spokane Valley. To register by Aug. 2, call 532-4990.

Greater Spokane Incorporated will host a 2011 Roof Deck Rendezvous on Wednesday, August 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., on the roof of the Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The cost is $25. For more information or to register by Aug. 10, go to http://tinyurl.com/3kteuqn.

The 18th annual Affordable Housing Conference will be Monday through Wednesday, Sept. 26-28, at the Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. Keynote speakers will include Judith Bell, president, PolicyLink; Michael Pyatok, principal, Pyatok Architects Inc.; Arun Raha, executive director, Economic & Revenue Forecast Council; Robyn Stone, executive director, LeadingAge Center for Applied Research; and John Zogby, chairman of the board and chief insights officer, Zogby International. The conference is $230 after registration by Aug. 15; $300 after registration by Sept. 15; and $375 after registration after Sept. 15. To register or for more information, call 1-800-767-4663, ext. 773, email conf@wshfc.org, or go to www.wshfc.org/conf.

Greater Spokane Incorporated will hold its annual meeting Sunday, Sept. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. Mark David Milliron, deputy director of postsecondary improvement for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will speak. The cost is $45 for members and $75 for others. To register, call 624-1303 or go to www.greaterspokane.org.

Washington Policy Center will host a reception and dinner simulcast Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m., at The Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln, in Spokane. Indiana governor Mitch Daniels and Fox News commentator John Bolton will be featured. The starting cost is $55 for individual tickets and $500 for a table. For more information or to register, call Chris at 570-2384 or email ewadinner@washingtonpolicy.org.

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

LaunchPad Inland Northwest will host a strategic relationship forum Tuesday, July 26, from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The cost is $40. To register or for more information, call 981-8439 or go to http://tinyurl.com/lpinwforum2011.

The Spokane Home Builders Association will hold a Getting Financially Organized workshop Wednesday, July 27, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the SHBA Board Room, 5813 E. Fourth. Jim Rund and Meagan Jay will speak. The cost is $10 for members and $25 for others. To register, call 532-4990 or go to www.shba.com.

The International Trade Alliance will host free Doing Business in India and Doing Business in Russia seminars today, July 28, and Thursday, Aug. 11, respectively, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Chase Bank Building, 601 W. Main, in Spokane. To register or for more information, call Courtney at 413-1470 or email charris@intrade.org.

Inland Northwest Health Services' Wardrobes for Women event will hold a business clothing drive today, July 28, through Sept. 2, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute, 711 S. Cowley. Dress slacks, blouses, skirts, dresses, shoes, handbags, and accessories, new or gently used, will be accepted. For more information, call 232-8179.

SCORE will hold two workshops, How to Start a New Business and How to Write a Business Plan, on Wednesday, Aug. 3, and Wednesday, Aug. 10, respectively, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at 801 W. Riverside. The events are $40 to pre-register, $50 at the door, and $15 for each additional person. To register or for more information, call SCORE at 353-2821 or go to www.ScoreSpokane.org.

Community Colleges of Spokane, IEL Economic Development, will be offering two classes for business professionals at the IEL Magnuson Building, 2917 W. Ft. George Wright. Fundraising without Fear will be Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $49. The Entrepreneur's Life %u2013 Do You Have the Right Stuff? will be Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 3 and 4, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $79. For more information or to register, call 279-6251 or email amayer@iel.spokane.edu.

The Spokane Home Builders Association will hold a ServiceRICH workshop Thursday, Aug. 4, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place. The cost is $75 per business team. To register, go to www.ActionCOACHSpokane.com.

Greater Spokane Incorporated will host a free Introduction to Government Contracting workshop Thursday, Aug. 11, from 8 to 10:30 a.m., at 801 W. Riverside, Ste. 100, in Spokane. To register or for more information, call 624-1393 or go to http://tinyurl.com/govcontracting.

CONVENTIONS AND SHOWS

Spiritus Ministries Northwest Steubenville July 29-31, 2011
Gonzaga University %u2013 Campus Services
Expected Attendance: 1,000

Manufacturer's Expo
Oct. 11-12, 2011
SpokaneCommunityCollege's Stannard Technical Education Building
Expected Attendance: 300-400