ART NEWBY
Columbia Credit Union has Art Newby as senior vice president, chief information officer.
Newby brings 35 years of industry experience to lead the strategic development and management of information technology (IT) and infrastructure at Columbia CU.
In his new role, Newby will be responsible for spearheading strategic projects, enhancing and developing information technology systems and performing updates to advance the credit union’s corporate objectives.
Newby most recently served as a chief technology officer for a large California financial institution where he successfully led a company-wide software conversion project over 200 servers and 2,300 workstations and implemented the company intranet. He has also served as an IT manager for an international oil and gas company, and as an IT regional manager for an Oregon computer and electronics service provider.
Newby has a bachelor’s degree in business management from the Marine Corps Officer School. He is a Cisco Certified Network Associate and holds IT systems engineer certifications from Microsoft and Novell.
Originally from Washington and most recently from California, he plans to relocate to Vancouver.
OTTO GUARDADO
Otto Guardado, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in Vancouver, was recently appointed to serve as an ambassador of the CFP Board of Standards Inc.
The CFP Board Ambassador program initially began in 2010 with seven ambassadors in seven regions in the U.S. There are now a total of 50 CFP professionals throughout the country serving as ambassadors.
According to the board, Guardado was chosen on the basis of his demonstrated leadership skills, passion for financial planning, and belief in CFP Board’s mission to serve the public.
“I’m very excited to serve as a CFP Board Ambassador where I will be able to use my experience and expertise as a CFP professional to help my community, providing information and insights on how financial planning can improve people’s lives,” said Guardado.
The mission of the CFI Board of Standards is to benefit the public by granting the CFP certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning.
PAUL MONTAGUE
Paul Montague is now serving as the consulting executive director for the Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce (BGCC).
Montague will work with the chamber’s Board of Directors, members and other community leaders to develop the future vision for the chamber, to build membership and to hire a permanent executive director to implement that vision.
Previously, Montague has held positions at the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and Identity Clark County. He currently serves as executive director of the Responsive Leadership Institute.
“We are thrilled to have Paul working with us as we chart the future directions for the chamber,” said Amy Price, BGCC board chair. “He brings a wealth of experience from his work in other local chambers and business organizations that we believe will make a difference here.”
BGCC has had an executive vacancy since December 2013.
J.P. PERFILI
U.S. Bank has named J.P. Perfili as senior vice president and regional manager for retail banking in Portland and Vancouver.
In his new role, Perfili will lead all aspects of retail banking for U.S. Bank in the region, encompassing 76 traditional bank branches in Portland and Vancouver.
“We are very pleased to welcome J.P. Perfili to Portland,” said Malia Wasson, president of U.S. Bank for Oregon and Southwest Washington. “His banking background and commitment to providing a high quality customer experience in our branches will further enhance our strength in the marketplace.”
Previously, Perfili served as U.S. Bank’s regional manager in Orange County and the South Bay area of Los Angeles. He has more than 18 years of experience in the retail banking industry.
Perfili attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah and is a recent graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington in Seattle.
LESLIE COOK
Leslie Cook has joined Davidson & Associates Insurance of Vancouver as a personal lines account manager.
Cook has 19 years of experience in the insurance industry and has been a licensed agent since 1995. She recently relocated to Vancouver with her husband and son from Kansas City, Missouri.
Davidson and Associates Insurance has served local businesses and individuals since 1990. The firm is located at 610 Esther Street, Suite 101 in Vancouver.
KEN ROSS
PeaceHealth Laboratories, a provider of medical lab testing in Oregon, Washington and Alaska under the PeaceHealth system of care, recently hired Ken Ross to serve as a sales account manager for the Portland/Vancouver region.
Ross brings more than seven years of healthcare product sales and service to his new position. He may be reached at 971.806.6711 or kross@peacehealthlabs.org.
JAMES BEST
Trendz Real Estate, a residential and commercial realty company at 11115 NE 14th Street in Vancouver, recently announced the hiring of James Best.
Best has more than 20 years of experience in upper retail management and will apply his skills in sales and negotiating to help others buy and sell.
Trendz was founded in 2002 and specializes in residential and investment properties.
TYSON FUEHRER
Preparing for changes to the health insurance landscape, Vancouver-based Biggs Insurance Services has added Tyson Fuehrer to manage a newly-formed compliance division.
With more than 10 years of extensive compliance related and third party administrator (TPA) experience, Fuehrer has hit the ground running, said Greg Seifert, company president.
“Just last week while advising an employer, who hasn’t previously offered medical benefits, we were able to save them nearly $60,000 in penalties by making a few adjustments,” he said. “That is money they would be paying to the IRS if they had proceeded without guidance.”
Biggs Insurance Services is located at 916 Main St. in Vancouver.
KELLY STONE & CALLIE GISLER
The Hoffman Agency, a global communications consultancy based in San Jose, California with an office in Vancouver, recently announced a pair of new hires: Kelly Stone as senior account executive and Callie Gisler as account coordinator.
In her new role, Stone will focus on media relations, strategy implementation, client planning, message development and content development/writing.
As the new account coordinator on two consumer accounts, Gisler will focus on media relations, digital strategy/implementation, content development and social media.
KELSEY ELWESS, SIERRA ECKMAN & URSULA PERKINS
Opsahl Dawson, a CPA firm with offices in Vancouver and Longview, recently announced a trio of company promotions: Kelsey Elwess to senior accountant; Sierra Eckman to CPA manager; and Ursula Perkins to CPA manager.
Elwess joined Opsahl Dawson in 2012 and previously served as an associate accountant with the Company. She has a degree from Centralia College and the Keller Graduate School of Management.
Eckman joined Opsahl Dawson in 2010 and previously served as a senior accountant. She is a graduate of WSU Vancouver.
Perkins also previously served as a senior accountant and has been with Opsahl Dawson since 2011. She, too, is a graduate of WSU Vancouver.
DAVID BRISTOL
Longview-based Pacific Northern Environmental Corp. (PNE), which offers general contracting, environmental, testing and design services for the petroleum industry, has hired David Bristol to serve as general counsel and vice president.
Bristol will continue his private practice assisting businesses and individuals in contracts, real estate, banking, intellectual property and other business matters.
He previously served with the regional law firm of Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt.
COWLITZ COUNTY OFFICIALS
Nine newly-elected and re-elected officials in Cowlitz County will be officially sworn in on Monday, December 29 by Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning.
Elected officials being sworn in are: Joe Gardner, Cowlitz County commissioner, District No. 3; Ryan Jurvakainen, Cowlitz County prosecuting attorney; Staci Myklebust, Cowlitz County clerk; Dena Diamond-Ott, Cowlitz County PUD commissioner; Terry McLaughlin, Cowlitz County assessor; Kris Swanson, Cowlitz County auditor; Kathy Hanks, Cowlitz County treasurer; Tim Davidson, Cowlitz County coroner; and Mark Nelson, Cowlitz County sheriff.
The swearing in ceremony will be held in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room, Room 303, located on the third floor of the Cowlitz County Administration Building at 207 Fourth Avenue North in Kelso.
STEVE MORASCH & VALERIE USKOSKI
The Board of Clark County Commissioners has reappointed Steve C. Morasch and Valerie Uskoski to serve on the Planning Commission through 2018.
Morasch joined the commission in 2006 and currently serves as chair. He is a land-use attorney with Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, representing clients in Washington and Oregon. He earned degrees from Northwestern School of Law, Lewis & Clark College, Willamette University and Clark College.
Uskoski joined the commission in 2009 and currently serves as vice chair. She is a professional civil engineer licensed in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Colorado. Locally, she is employed by Maul Foster Alongi of Vancouver. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Washington State University.
The Planning Commission makes recommendations to the board on land-use planning, zoning and development in areas outside any city boundary.
