People in business

• Heritage Bank has hired Zia Bhatti as branch manager of the Vancouver office. Bhatti has more than 18 years of banking experience, his most recent position as a branch manager with Northwest Bank.

• Banner Bank has hired Mark Brandon as senior vice president and division manager for Western Oregon and Southwest Washington. Brandon comes to Banner Bank from Columbia Bank, where he was senior vice president and regional manager of Oregon and Southwest Washington. Brandon fills the role formerly held by Janet Balzer, who has been promoted to senior vice president of strategic planning for the commercial banking group.

• The East Vancouver Business Association has named its 2011-12 board of directors, which includes new and returning officers, committee members and directors. Serving as officers and executive committee members are: Connie Christianson, president; Kenneth Hoffman, vice president; Tim Schiller, treasurer; and Terri Crotteau, secretary. Board directors are: Kris Greene, government affairs director; Jenny Duce, community affairs director; Tony Ruestig, public relations director; and Mitch Canton, communications director. The business group’s mission is to foster networking between businesses and neighborhood associations that support similar goals.

• Ameriprise Financial, 1499 S.E. Tech Center Place, Suite 220, has appointed D.J. Kerr III as a financial advisor.

Other business briefs

• The Miller Hull Partnership, the Seattle architecture firm that designed the new Vancouver Community Library, has received one of just four 2011 Honor Awards for Washington Architecture for the Vancouver library project from the AIA Seattle (an affiliate of the American Institute of Architects). Jurors appreciated the library’s “monumental presence” and felt the “public, semi-private and private spaces worked well together.”

• Equity Northwest Properties had its grand opening Oct. 27. The independent and locally owned real estate brokerage is at 1806 N.E. Third Ave., Camas. Charline Wright is the branch manager, and Judy Carroll is office manager. * 360-834-9197 or camasrealesatate@gmail.com.

• Alliance Industrial Group Inc. of Portland has acquired Alpha Iron, a Vancouver structural steel fabricator in the Columbia Business Center. The firm specializes in high-tech, sports arenas, commercial high rises and manufacturing facilities.

New business

• Mill Creek Pub will open Tuesday in the Garden Center at 1710 S.W. Ninth Ave., No. 101, Battle Ground. It will offer family-friendly dining, with 16 beers on tap. Hours: 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, with a daily happy hour. http://www.millcreekpub.com,">www.millcreekpub.com,">http://www.millcreekpub.com, 360-723-5223.

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