Richard Ripley

Photo courtesy of University of Washington

Simulator hub possible here

UW dean says spin-off companies, intellectual capital likely

February 11, 2010

Small-town doctors don't deliver babies very often, but to keep their skills current—and to avoid catastrophic medical mistakes—they can practice deliveries with childbirth simulators at the University of Washington School of another can

Report makes case for med school here

Task forces highlight shortages of doctors here, in region, across country

January 28, 2010

Richard Ripley

Spokane and Eastern Washington have significant shortages of physicians, and it's projected those shortages will worsen dramatically in the next 10 to 20 years, says a report by two task forces that studied development of a four-year medical school

ISM revamps board, to hire full-time CEO

Nonprofit sees busy year as it sets up tissue bank, clinical data repository for researchers

January 14, 2010

Richard Ripley

The Institute for Systems Medicine, which just received a $675,000 grant to help establish a human tissue bank and a clinical data repository here for biomedical researchers to use in studies, also will seek a federal grant for the project, has its

Itron Inc. looks beyond poor 2009

Stimulus-grant decisions hurt its market; giants enter fray

December 23, 2009

Richard Ripley

Itron Inc. President and CEO Malcolm Unsworth said at the United Nations Climate Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, last week that expansion of the company's advanced utility meter technology into smart-grid applications has the potential to help a

Medical school here said feasible

Task force reports coming; UW, WSU to report to lawmakers later

December 10, 2009

Richard Ripley

A task force that has studied whether it's feasible to establish a four-year medical school in Spokane has concluded that such a school is feasible, says Brian Pitcher, chancellor of Washington State University Spokane and a member of the task a 1

CVB to add panel to study future funding

Also plans to open joint office with Hartford CVB in Washington, D.C.

November 25, 2009

Richard Ripley

The Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau will seek to appoint a blue ribbon committee of board members and other business leaders to help it address long-range funding issues.Separately, the CVB and the Greater Hartford (Conn.) and a

Spokane bankers refocus on closer ties to customers

After real estate heyday, building 'relationships' regains strong emphasis

November 12, 2009

Richard Ripley

Bankers here say they're more interested in relationships.They aren't talking about their feelings, but the word "relationship" does have special meaning to them, especially during a financial sector crisis that has sent them scrambling to get a

Farm Credit's earnings fall in quarter

Cooperative's net income is $29.9 million; loan-loss provision is $70 million

November 12, 2009

Richard Ripley

Northwest Farm Credit Services, of Spokane, has reported third-quarter net income of $29.9 million, compared with $39 million in the year-earlier quarter.Through the first nine months of this year, earnings were $65.6 million, compared with in a

Cooler maker seeks to douse bottled water

Pure Health Solutions, of Sandpoint, racks up $17.5 million in sales

November 12, 2009

Richard Ripley

SANDPOINT—Despite sales growth of 25 percent last year, a Sandpoint company that designs and manufactures innovative office water coolers might have achieved only a drop in the bucket of what's possible, its president says.The executive, a

At work on recovery

Gilkey, Stanley to receive no severance due to TARP regulations

November 12, 2009

Richard Ripley

Days after a tide of negative news buffeted Sterling Financial Corp., its new top executives said last week the Spokane bank-holding company has a recovery plan in place, has been working under it for a year, and is making headway.Acting and CEO