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Trailer retailer here spins off service, repair business

Move follows what owner calls year-long test run

August 17, 2017

Spokane Valley-based Inland Pacific Trailer Service & Repair LLC has spun off from Inland Pacific Trailer Sales Inc. to become its own corporation, says Steven Hanning, one of the three owners of the spinoff company. Inland Pacific Trailer Service & Repa

MSI Engineers shows resistance to lulls

Firm designing systems for highly visible projects

August 3, 2017

Mike McLean

The Spokane mechanical engineering firm known today as MSI Engineers has enjoyed steady growth since its start, says founder William Meulink. 'Even during the downturn, we didn't contract,â€ he says. 'We continued to grow.â€ Today, MSI Engineers

Strata forges ahead after management changes

Company expects to top $17 million in revenue

August 3, 2017

Jim Murphy, CEO of Strata Inc., which specializes in geotechnical engineering and construction material testing and inspection, says the company has transitioned quickly from a leadership change that occurred in March this year. Murphy-who previously s

MMEC Architecture & Interiors plans for future

Spokane-based firm says leadership transition will be gradual

August 3, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane-based architectural firm MMEC Architecture & Interiors says it's embracing change as it prepares its staff for greater leadership roles and strives to incorporate the latest technology into its building designs. Established in 1999, MMEC offers

Youth refugee relocation program in Spokane sees gains

Group brings in 17 minors, with hopes to grow to 30

July 20, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Lutheran Community Services Northwest's Unaccompanied Refugee Minor program, which helps to resettle refugee youth who have been separated from parents or guardians, has grown again recently. Refugee foster parent recruiter Lisa Johnson says since Oct

SNAP finding ways to tap interlinked areas of need

Organization offers more than 30 programs here

July 20, 2017

Treva Lind

For decades, Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners has helped people establish stability and self-reliance. Today, more than 30 SNAP programs support Spokane County and Eastern Washington residents. Broader than many people realize, those services range f

Cooking up new ideas

Second Harvest Food Bank hopes to improve its distribution, education

July 20, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest is moving forward with new ideas to battle hunger, as it seeks to expand its distribution and improve its nutritional education programs through its kitchen space. Jason Luke Clark, the organization's C

Spokane COPS looks to balance future with effective past

Ex-police chief introduced community-oriented policing

July 20, 2017

Patrick Striker, executive director of Spokane Community Oriented Policing, known here more generally as Spokane COPS, says a challenge he sees facing the 25-year-old nonprofit-and others like it-is balancing its past successes with more recent and em

Rising doctors: Inspired to instruct

Young docs blend practice, teaching, focused research

July 6, 2017

By his own admission, Dr. Darryl Potyk, the chief of medical education for the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership, tends to approach situations-and people-in cautious fashion. So upon first meet

Entrepreneurial spirit runs in bagel brothers' family

Einstein Bros. franchisees to add more restaurants

July 6, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

On the surface Einstein Bros. Bagels may appear to be just another franchise, but for the Schmidt brothers, Matthew and Mark, it's always been a family-run business. 'Our family is definitely very involved in the business,â€ says Matthew. 'They h