People in business
Erin Cross was hired in April as the new search engine optimization specialist at Sprout Digital, a digital marketing company that is a subsidiary of The Columbian newspaper. He will maintain Sprout Digital’s client web visibility for Google search and social media channels. He also will create web content, design in-depth data reports, prepare advertising proposals and work with the Sprout Digital team to find ways to increase clients’ web traffic through paid and organic digital marketing channels. Cross graduated from Washougal High School in 2006, attended Clark College and graduated from Washington State University Vancouver in 2016. He previously was employed as a marketing analyst at Cybear Interactive in Orlando, Fla. Sprout Digital is located inside of The Columbian building at 701 W. Eighth St., Vancouver. Contact Cross directly at 360-735-4578, erin.cross@columbian.com, or on Twitter: @thedudeerin.
The Nonprofit Network Southwest Washington, an organization that aims to build the Southwest Washington community by strengthening area nonprofits, announced new officers and board members for 2018-19:
• Carol Van Natta, chair, is the chief development officer for the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Foundation. Van Natta has a master’s degree in the management of nonprofit organizations and has been a professional fundraiser for more than 30 years.
• Nancy Pionk, vice chair, is an attorney specializing in conflict resolution, facilitation and training. Pionk served in leadership roles with Community Mediation Services for 20 years.
• Linda Reid, secretary, is a relationship banking officer for Columbia Bank. Reid has worked in banking for 40 years and has been involved with local nonprofit organizations.
• Jennifer Bugley, treasurer, is director of business development for CSNW Benefits. Bugley has 20 years of business development, talent development and program management experience at nonprofit agencies.
• Alan Hamilton, member at large, is the executive director of the Clark County Food Bank. Hamilton’s background includes banking, project management and serving as a pastor.
Washington State University Vancouver’s Carson College of Business celebrated the eighth anniversary of its Business Growth Mentor and Analysis Program, or MAP, on May 9 with an event to recognize the businesses, volunteers and students involved in the program.
Two student teams, all of whom are 2018 graduates, were recognized for their work:
Bike Clark County team members Emily Albright, Jorgan Cattin, Devin Cavanaugh, Kristie Linn and Rian Silva won the award for Outstanding Growth Assessment Project. Bike Clark County is a bicycle education and advocacy organization. The student team focused on The Community Hub, a full-service bicycle repair and retail shop carrying new and used gear, and refurbished bicycles in downtown Vancouver.
Reliable Emergency Shelters team members LeAnne Blankenship, Ashleigh Brosseau, Beth Currie, Jeremy Rodriguez and Katherine Sheckells received the Outstanding Startup Project award.
Reliable Emergency Shelters has developed a two-person rescue pod tsunami-survival shelter. The graduate-level student team did much field research to understand the market dynamics and customers. The team developed a 24-month business plan with recommendations.
Created in 2011, Business Growth MAP is a pro bono student-led consultancy. Student teams of four or five help local businesses in the areas of startup, growth, marketing and accounting. Volunteer mentors from the business community meet with student teams weekly during the semester-long project to offer advice and feedback. Faculty members from the Carson College of Business oversee each project. Businesses that would like to apply for Business Growth MAP services may call 360-546-9533, email bgmap@wsu.edu or visit business.vancouver.wsu.edu/bgmap. New projects begin in late August.
Dawn Stanchfield was named 2018 Business Person of the Year and Robert Barber Citizen of the Year by the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Riverview Community Bank.
Stanchfield has operated Lily Atelier clothing store in downtown Camas for more than 14 years. She is an advocate for small business and small-business expansion. Barber is the chair of Refuel Washougal, which helps to provide community members in need with a meal once a week. He works to help the homeless population with contributions to organizations such as Meals on Wheels.
The two will be honored on June 6 at the annual award banquet at the Camas Meadows Golf Club, 4105 N.W. Camas Meadows Drive, Camas. The public can attend the dinner. To find out more, call 360-834-2472.
Chris Griffin was hired as the new director of the Pearson Field Education Center, 201 East Reserve St., Vancouver, a nonprofit program of The Historic Trust that aims to inspire youth, through aviation, to pursue careers and education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Griffin has previous experience as a corporate pilot, emergency medical technician and firefighter-paramedic. He is the third generation in his family with ties to aviation and a life member of the Oregon Aviation Historical Society.
The Bonneville Power Administration recently recognized six people with ties to Clark County as part of its annual Administrator’s Excellence Awards. The program honors employees and members of the public who have “made exceptional contributions” to the agency’s mission, the electric utility industry or local community. The BPA is a nonprofit federal power marketer headquartered in Portland that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 Northwest electric communities. It serves consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana, and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Administrator’s Excellence Awards were presented to 32 people in nine categories.
The award winners were:
• Neil Arthurs, of Vancouver, received the Exceptional Service Award. He is a 1985 graduate of Hudson’s Bay High School and has worked at BPA since retiring from the Air Force in 2005. Arthurs is a physical security manager and implemented security strategies and infrastructure protection throughout the region.
• James Burns, an electrical engineer from Vancouver, received the Unsung Hero Award. He recently retired from the BPA after 41 years. He has worked at locations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho investigating power system disruptions and figuring out how to prevent them. The longtime Vancouver resident is originally from Idaho.
• Anders Johnson, of Ridgefield, received the Administrator’s Award for Workplace or Technology Innovation. He is an electrical engineer with BPA’s long-term planning department in Vancouver. He contributed to numerous cross-agency projects including the I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project decision. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Washington in 2002 and 2003. He has worked at BPA since 2002.
• Aaron Paulson, of Vancouver, was honored with the Administrator’s Award for Achievement in Equal Opportunity Employment or Diversity. Paulson is a compliance specialist with BPA’s Transmission Business Operations. He’s also a U.S. Paralympic gold medalist. Born in Bombay, India, Paulson contracted polio at 6 years old, which damaged the nerves in his legs. He was then adopted by Debbie and Larry Paulson of Portland, and started swimming at age 12. He graduated from Parkrose High School in 1995, received an associate’s degree from Mt. Hood Community College in 1999, and graduated from University of Oregon in 2001. He has competed in five Paralympic Games, beginning with the 1992 Barcelona games through the 2008 Beijing games. He has worked for BPA for 10 years.
• Bart McManus, of Vancouver, received the Administrator’s Award for Exemplary or Courageous Act, which recognizes BPA employees for their contributions in a lifesaving situation. McManus resuscitated a woman who he saw collapse on the sidewalk when he was leaving work outside of BPA’s Two Park Place offices in Vancouver on Oct. 17. It turned out that the woman was a BPA co-worker. McManus is an electrical engineer with the BPA Transmission System Operations Control and served in the Army.
• Josh McEllrath, of Brush Prairie and director of field safety with BPA in Vancouver, was part of an energy-efficiency team that received the Administrator’s Award for Safety Excellence. The team helped develop a more rigorous work safety policy.
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 lyndsey.hewitt@columbian.com or fax 360-735-4540. Sales awards are not published.
