Business - Business News

POSTED: Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009

Steele & Associate's Kleinknecht passes surveyor exams

Erich Kleinknecht of Larry Steele & Associates, Land Surveyors recently passed the National and Washington State Land Surveyor exams, earning him his Washington State Professional Land Surveyor License.

Kleinknecht graduated from Sehome High School in 1990 and later enrolled in the Surveying and Mapping program at Bellingham Technical College, where he earned an associates degree in 2000. In October 2004 Erich began working with Larry Steele & Associates as a field crew chief and survey technician. As a professional land surveyor, Kleinknecht will work along side the firm's two other land surveyors as a project manager and will also continue to pursue his interests in the industries' advancing technologies.

Larry Steele & Associates is a Bellingham Land Surveying firm lat 1323 Lincoln Street and can be reached at 676-9350.

FARNHAM JOINS LANGABEER & TULL

Langabeer & Tull, P.S., announced the addition of Christina A. Farnham as an associate with the firm.

Farnham joins principals Richard J. Langabeer and Robert M. Tull, who recently marked their 33rd anniversary as partners. Other associates are Dominique Y. Zervas, who has been with the firm since 2003 and Dannon C. Traxler, who joined the firm in 2005.

Farnham, a member of the California Bar since 1987, began work with Langabeer & Tull, P.S., as a legal assistant in 2005. She recently passed the bar exam and is now admitted to practice law in Washington state. Farnham was a sole practitioner in California from 1987 to 2000, before moving to Washington in 2000. She has also been an instructor with the University of Phoenix for 10 years, teaching in both California and Washington.

Langabeer & Tull, P.S., maintains offices at 709 Dupont Street, Bellingham, and handles primarily land use, estate planning and probate, municipal and business matters.

BIRCH EQUIPMENT ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONS

Birch Equipment recently announced several promotions and the expansion of its communications team.

Bruce Miner has assumed the role of central dispatch manager after 10 years as shop manager in Bellingham. With more than 40 delivery trucks available, Birch offers equipment delivery drop-off and pick-up services to customers and transports equipment to its Northwest Washington locations six days a week.

Dean Parker has been promoted to shop manager. Parker has worked at the company for 10 years, serving as lead mechanic for eight years and then as parts manager for the last two. As shop manager, Parker oversees the 23 employees dedicated to the maintenance of Birch's entire fleet.

Cara Buckingham has joined Birch Equipment as information director. Buckingham will concentrate on internal communications, training initiatives and expanded outreach to local and national partners. Buckingham joins Birch after 10 years with General Growth Properties as both marketing manager for Bellis Fair Mall and most recently as a project coordinator for GGP's national Gift Card program.

Birch Equipment is a construction equipment rental company that has offices in Bellingham, Anacortes and Mount Vernon. For details, visit birchequipment.com.

U & ME COMPLETE TEACHING EXAMS

U & Me instructors Nathan Simler, Mary Simler-Evans, and Lecie McNees recently completed their professional teaching exam for associate in Salsa on 1 (LA Style) and Salsa on 2 (New York/Modern on 2).

The completion of the training took place during the visit of World Mambo Champion and National Examiner Jami Josephson.

This test encompassed lead/follow knowledge, explanation and demonstration of 15 moves, as well as 19 teaching questions. The certification is done as an oral exam, with the instructors demonstrating both on their own, and with a partner.