The Spokane region boasts a hard-working, value-driven workforce. In every area: agriculture, industry, healthcare, finance, retail, education, hospitality, civil service, and even start-ups, there are those who seem to rise to the surface like rich cream settling atop a gallon of fresh milk. These individuals embody a concentration of character that can sell a vision, ignite dedication, and promote growth that will lead the Spokane area far beyond the foreseeable future.  It is our pleasure to honor and celebrate the influence of Catalyst’s 2016 Power 50 in this issue. There are a lot of familiar faces, but there are also some new ones: a good sign that change is still occurring and new ideas are being embraced. “With great influence comes great responsibility,” and these folks do not shy away from leading change. Congratulations Power 50 and keep up the great work.

1. W. Stacey Cowles, – President, Cowles Company

Stacey is president of the print media division which includes The Spokesman-Review daily newspaper and several weekly and bi-weekly publications and their associated websites.  Having joined the company in 1989, he has been Publisher of The Spokesman-Review since 1992.

2. Walt Worthy – President & CEO (Owner), Worthy Enterprises, LLC

Walt Worthy, along with his wife Karen, owns a development, construction and property management company, Worthy Enterprises LLC, and a hotel company, Worthy Hotels Inc. His local business investments began in the early 1970s and his most recent project was the Grand Hotel in Spokane.

3. Scott Morris – Chairman, President & CEO, Avista Corporation

Scott Morris is chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Avista Corporation. He has been with Avista for 35 years, was elected president in 2006 and named chairman and CEO in 2008. Scott has served on a wide variety of national state, and community boards.

4. Jim Frank – Principal & CEO, Greenstone Corporation

Jim Frank grew up in Coeur d’Alene and received both an engineering degree and a law degree from Gonzaga University. He practiced environmental and natural resource law for ten years, and then founded Greenstone in 1983. Greenstone’s projects include Kendall Yards, Eagle Ridge, River District, and more.

5. Elaine Couture – Regional Chief Executive, Providence Health Care Eastern Washington

Elaine Couture serves as regional chief executive of Providence Health Care, Eastern Washington. She oversees five medical centers including two critical access hospitals and a children’s hospital, plus a full range of health care services. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Washington State University College of Nursing.

6. Jack Heath – President & COO, Washington Trust Bank

Jack Heath is active in the community, currently serving on the board of Greater Spokane Incorporated, The Executive Board of Inland Northwest Council Boy Scouts of America, Gonzaga University Board of Regents, Pacific Coast Banking School Board, and PREMERA Board of Directors.

7. Jerry Dicker – Owner, GVD Commercial Properties, Inc.

Originally from the Bronx in New York City, Jerry Dicker later moved to California, where he graduated from UCLA and became involved in real estate. Projects followed in California, New Mexico, and Texas. In the Inland Northwest, his projects include Hotel Ruby, The Bing, the Ruby Suites, and the Red Lion Hotel on Division Street.

8. Betsy Cowles –  Chairman, Cowles Company

The Cowles Company is a diversified family-owned company. Betsy Cowles oversees the real estate, broadcast and insurance divisions, including television stations in Washington and Montana and retail development River Park Square. She is past chair of Greater Spokane Incorporated and the WSU Board of Regents.

9. Harlan Douglass – President, Harlan D. Douglass, Inc.

Harlan D. Douglass, Inc. is a private building and real estate investment company. Harlan  has been a director of Inland Northwest Bank since 1989. He has also been a director of Northwest Bancorporation Inc. since 1992. His primary business activities consist of the management of a diversified real estate business, including multifamily and commercial projects.

10. Scott Endres – Vice President – Flat Rolled Products, Kaiser Aluminum

Scott Endres formerly served as plant manager at Kaiser’s Trentwood facility in Spokane. Scott joined Kaiser in 1997 and has held numerous key management positions in maintenance and engineering, and served as project manager for the Trentwood facility’s heat treat plate capacity expansion project. He has more than 20 years of experience in the aluminum industry.

11. Peter Stanton – Chairman & CEO, Washington Trust Bank

Peter Stanton was named president of WTB in 1990, becoming the fourth generation head of the bank that is now the oldest and largest privately owned commercial bank in the Northwest. Peter serves as chairman of the board for WTB Financial Corporation, and is a board member for Inland Northwest Council, Boy Scouts of America and serves on the Washington Roundtable.

12. Michael Patmas, M.D. – Former CEO Rockwood Clinic

Michael Patmas was named Washington Healthcare CEO of the Year by Acquisition International Magazine in 2015. As CEO of Rockwood Health he improved financial performance, recruited 115 new providers, opened three new offices, expanded the Rockwood market into Idaho and increased clinic encounters and net revenue. He lives in Spokane with his wife, Karen Patmas.

13. Marty Dickinson – Executive Vice President & Cultural Enhancement Executive, Umpqua Bank

Marty Dickinson joined then-Sterling Bank in 2011 after spending six years as president of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, where she led a comprehensive downtown marketing and revitalization program. Prior to that, she was vice president of both the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce and Spokane Area Economic Development Council.

14. Bobby Brett – Owner, Spokane Indians & Spokane Chiefs

Bobby Brett played baseball with the Kansas City Royals in June 1972. Bobby began working in the real estate investment business in 1975. In 1985, he joined with brothers George, Ken and J.B. in purchasing the Spokane Indians. The brothers bought the Spokane Chiefs major junior hockey team in 1990.

15. Harry Sladich – Executive Vice President, Hotel Operations & Sales Red Lion Hotels Corporation

Harry Sladich leads companywide sales initiatives in national and international markets, in addition to hotel operations for nearly 1,600 employees at more than 130 hotels under five brands. He serves on two prominent national industry boards, including the U.S. Travel Association and Destination and Travel Foundation Board of Trustees.

16. Dave Black – CEO, Principal of Black Realty, Inc; Black Commercial, Inc; Black Realty Management, Inc, and Black Management Services, Inc.

Dave Black started his real estate career in 1981 and became CEO of his company in 1984. He now manages well over 100 people and properties. He holds an undergraduate degree from WSU and a Masters of Business Administration degree in Real Estate and Construction Management from the University of Denver.  He sits on many boards including Greater Spokane Incorporated, the Downtown Spokane Partnership, and the Boy Scouts of America.  He is a leader whether at work or play.

17. Ray Sprinkle – CEO, URM Stores

Ray Sprinkle is the President and CEO at URM Stores Inc. He joined the company in 2003 and became the CEO in 2013. URM is the seventh largest privately held company in the state of Washington, employing 2,900 employees. URM Stores has been serving the independent grocer since 1921 in the four state area of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana and owns Rosauers Supermarkets and Peirone Produce.

18. Mark Few – Head Coach, Gonzaga University Men’s Basketball

Gonzaga University head coach Mark Few has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division I basketball annals in his 17 seasons at the helm, and in the process has made Bulldog basketball a household name across the country. With 26 years on the Gonzaga bench, Mark is the longest tenured men’s basketball coach in Bulldog history.

19. Ron Wells – Owner, Wells and Company

R. Ronald Wells is a licensed architect, general contractor, and realtor, and real estate developer, who owns and operates Wells and Company. Ron began purchasing, renovating, operating, and managing historic buildings in 1979.

20. Tom Johnson – President & CEO, Spokane Teachers Credit Union

Tom Johnson had been associated with STCU since 1994, when he joined their volunteer board of directors. He became part of the management team, as vice president of administration, in 2006. He was involved in every major decision for 17 years before becoming president and CEO of the largest credit union in the Inland Northwest.

21. Marshall Farnell – Former CEO, Spokane County

Marshall Farnell was named the as Spokane County budet director in 1973.  Farnell was praised for his leadership by all who came to know him, and upon his retirement in 2015, he left quite the legacy. We wish him all the best in all that is to come in his life.

22. Kevin Twohig – CEO, Spokane Public Facilities District

Since Kevin Twohig graduated from Gonzaga University, he has worked in Spokane. He owned and operated a touring concert production company that provided services for Expo ‘74, the World’s Fair. In 1975, he accepted a position with the City of Spokane at the Spokane Opera House. He has been operating public facilities in Spokane ever since.

23. Dick Vandervert – President & Owner, Vandervert Development

Vandervert Development was founded by Dick Vandervert, as a general contracting firm in Spokane, in 1975. Initially focusing on local retail and hospitality projects, Vandervert Construction soon developed a reputation for superior workmanship, outstanding project management, and budget and deadline adherence. They have served Spokane proudly for decades.

24. Todd Mielke – CEO, Greater Spokane Incorporated

Five generations of the Mielke family have called Spokane home. Born and raised on Spokane’s north side, Todd was educated in Spokane public schools and attended college in the Inland Northwest. Todd served a handful of years as a State Representative in the early 90s. He is now the CEO of Greater Spokane Incorporated, the regional Chamber of Commerce.

25. Larry Soehren – President & CEO, Kiemle & Hagood Company

Larry Soehren is President & CEO of one of Spokane’s largest property management and commercial real estate companies. He joined their Commercial Management Division in 1983, became Director of Commercial Management in 1992, and a full partner in January, 1996. Larry oversees several divisions within the company today.

26. Tom Simpson – Co-founder & Chairman, etailz, Private Investor

27. Phil Haugen – COO, Kalispel Tribe Economic Authority

28. Lisa Brown – Chancellor, WSU Spokane Campus

29. Shelly Redinger – Superintendent, Spokane Public Schools

30. Brian Newberry – Executive Director, Leadership Spokane

31. Michael D. Currin – Principal, Witherspoon Kelley

32. Barry Baker – Owner, Baker Construction

33. Jeff Phillips – CEO, Rosauers

34. Dana Harbough – CEO, NAC Architects

35. David T. Ruff, P.E.  – President, Mechanical Engineer, Coffman Engineers

36. Pat Jones – General Manager, Triumph, Inc.

37.  Larry Swartz – CEO, Lydig Construction

38. Mark Richard – President, Downtown Spokane Partnership

39. Mark Hurtubise – President & CEO, Inland Northwest Community Foundation

40. Kristin Goff – Owner, President, Wendle Ford Nissan Infiniti

41. Jim Sheehan – Founder, President, Center for Justice and Community Building Foundation

42. Scott Brewer – General Manager, Larry H. Miller Toyota

43. Bob Tomlinson – CEO, Partner, Tomlinson Real Estate Group

44. Thayne McCulloh – President, Gonzaga University

45. Cyrus Vaughn – Owner, Principal, Vaughn Investments

46. Gregory Green – President, Fatbeam

47. Rick Betts – Partner in Charge, CPA, Moss Adams

48. Adam Hegsted – Chef, Owner, Wandering Table

49. Philip Mezey – President & CEO, Itron

50. Thomas Tedder – Owner, Founder, Tedder Industries

Top 10 Public Officials

1. David ConDon – Mayor, City of Spokane

2. Kevin Parker – State Representative; 6^th District, Spokane

3. Ben Stuckart – Council President, City of Spokane

4. Ozzie Knezovich – Sheriff, Spokane County

5. Cathy McMorris Rodgers – Congresswoman, Washington’s 5^th District, Republican Conference Chair

6. Larry Haskell – Spokane County Prosecutor

7. Al French – Spokane County Commissioner, District 3

8. Michael Baumgartner – Senator, 6^th Legislative District

9. Shelly O’Quinn – Spokane County Commissioner, District 2

10. Tim Fitzgerald – Spokane County Clerk