Latest News

March 12-30, 2009

March 12, 2009

Meetings & Events The Spokane chapters of Toastmasters International will hold public speaking contests on Saturday, March 14, at 9:30 a.m., at the Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne, and at 10 a.m. at the Otis Orchards Library, 22324 &

Auburn company finds uses for scrap timber left in woods

Forest Concepts makes structures, straw aimed at preventing erosion

February 26, 2009

Jeanne Lang Jones

Auburn's Forest Concepts LLC was started by three guys and a chain saw, Jim Dooley jokes.In 1998, Dooley, a former Weyerhaeuser Co. executive and forest engineer, teamed up with two other Weyerhaeuser alums, Ken Chisholm and John "Jocko" Burks a

Manufacturing group provides dark outlook

All 12 areas measured in survey show declines, underlining challenges

February 26, 2009

A sharp, precipitous slide has gripped the manufacturing sector and will pose consistent challenges for at least several more months, a recent survey indicates.The quarterly analysis is called the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI Survey on the a for

Growth by diversifying

Wilbert Precast, once known for burial vaults, now makes a host of concrete products

February 26, 2009

David Cole

Wilbert Precast Inc., a longtime Spokane-based manufacturer of concrete products, says it's holding its own amidst a tough economy because it has been quick to expand its offerings as opportunities arise, giving it a diverse product line upon which

'First responders' scramble to help area manufacturers

Assistance organizations in region say demand for help is growing

February 26, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

Two federally funded organizations that assist manufacturers here say the tough economy is driving more such companies to seek their help because of diminishing sales.The two organizations, Mukilteo, Wash.-based Washington Manufacturing which an

Equipment leasing demand grows, as do credit concerns

Enterprising Capital sees applications triple; others say reasons to lease remain

February 26, 2009

David Cole

Demand from businesses that are interested in leasing equipment has been growing briskly in recent months, as borrowers seek alternatives to the battered loan market, but credit standards for leasing also are tightening, those in the industry of in

RiverBank cuts loss, grows loans, deposits, and assets

Three-year-old boutique institution anticipates smaller gains this year

February 26, 2009

Kim Crompton

RiverBank, which opened for business here in 2006, posted a loss of $282,000 for 2008, according to data it has filed with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.That's improved, though, from a loss of $797,000 in 2007, and President and CEO Duane a

Intermountain to talk about TARP program

Bankers also will seek communities' ideas in town hall meetings

February 26, 2009

Richard Ripley

Intermountain Community Bancorp, of Sandpoint, says it will hold town hall meetings in March in 19 communities it serves across Idaho and Eastern Washington to talk about how it will use money it has received from the U.S. government and also to in

TARP won't have a big loan impact

Long-term outlook falls to 'D,' lowest in history of the quarterly survey

February 26, 2009

Most lenders across the nation don't believe the federal Troubled Asset Relief Program will have a significant impact on lending, according to the latest quarterly Lending Climate in America survey conducted by Phoenix Management Services, a Chadds

A new dawn AT SBA?

New administration, stimulus bill give loan-program administrators optimism

February 26, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

After a number of years of reduced funding, and following a precipitous drop in loan volume last year, the U.S. Small Business Administration's Spokane District is expecting an upturn in activity under the Obama administration.The stimulus bill