People in business
• Mark Leece has joined PBS Engineering and Environmental as its principal environmental engineer and practice leader, and will work in the company’s Vancouver office. Leece has more than 18 years of experience in all aspects of engineering consulting, including business development, project management and program implementation.
• Joseph Vance of Miller Nash LLP’s Vancouver office, has been named to the 2013 Washington Super Lawyers list as one of the top lawyers in the state. The annual ratings are based on peer recognition and professional achievement. Vance chairs Miller Nash’s Vancouver litigation team and represents clients in a wide variety of complex litigation cases in both state and federal courts in Washington and Oregon.
• The Vancouver Police Activities League, the primary youth crime prevention program for the Vancouver Police Department, has hired John Andersen as its new executive director. Andersen takes the position after 13 years with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington, most recently as director of teen services.
• Barbara Waite, who has more than 30 years business development, financial and management experience, has been named branch manager II for the downtown and Clark College branch of iQ Credit Union.
• Smith-Root Inc., a Vancouver firm that has supplied the fisheries industry and marine biologists with collection and fish guidance equipment for more than 40 years, has expanded by 11 new employees hired in the past 11 months. The hiring spree was prompted by Smith-Root’s successful electronic barrier method. New hires are: Andy Holmes, project director; Jackson Gross, aquatic nuisance species division; Patrick Cooney, customer training, marketing and sales; Graham Hardy and Mike Tavakoli, electronic design engineers; Eric Dillon, field service engineer; and Eric Meland, shipping/inventory clerk.
Other business news
• Karen Gibbs, owner of K~Home Decor and More Consignment, has opened her business at the corner of Northeast Highway 99 and Northeast 99th Street in Hazel Dell. The consignment store offers new items and home items on consignment and is open 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
• Burgerville has won one of two national EarthShare Partner Awards for Overall Excellence. The award was presented to Burgerville employees Jack Graves, Danise Combs and Leslie Hull, who lead the team that raised more than $82,000 for local charities this year, including more than $21,000 for EarthShare.
• Ridgefield’s Gougér Cellers Winery won awards in the San Francisco International Wine Competition, America’s largest international competition. The winery won international silver awards for its 2010 Malbec and 2010 Petite Sirah wines.
• Springhill Suites Vancouver Tech Center won the Silver Hotel Award and the Diamond General Manager of the Year Award at a recent conference in Orlando, Fla.
The Columbian welcomes submissions about Clark County residents or businesses, as well as regional business events. Information must be received by noon of the Tuesday preceding the intended Sunday publication date. Send to mary.ricks@columbian.com or fax 360-735-4491. Sales awards are not published.
