Your business community

JOB CHANGES

Sterling Savings Bank has hired Ed Lukas as vice president of the bank and commercial banker at its Boise Commercial Banking office, 420 W. Main St.

Lukas has worked as a commercial banker for Wells Fargo Bank and Zions Bank, both in Boise. He also has worked as a commercial real estate loan officer with StanCorp Mortgage Investors in Portland, Ore.

Lukas is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration. He is active with Junior Achievement and Boy Scouts of America.

University of Phoenix Idaho campus has hired full-time enrollment counselors Christa Cameron and Chance Pasley.

Cameron comes to University of Phoenix from State Farm Insurance where she was responsible for managing customer accounts and creating new marketing strategies.

Pasley recently moved to Idaho from Portland, Ore., where he was a recruiting specialist for the United States Air Force. In his previous position, he was responsible for organizing human resource programs as well as directing community relations programs. Pasley also spent two years at Mountain Home Air Force Base as an employee orientation manager.

Carollo Engineers, a water and wastewater engineering firm, has named Bryant Bench, P.E., a partner with the firm.

Based in Carollo's Boise office, Bench directs master planning, treatment process selection and design of major water and wastewater projects throughout the Idaho region for industrial and municipal clients.

RECOGNITION

The 2008-09 officers of the NAIFA-Idaho (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of Idaho) were installed at the state convention in Sun Valley. New officers are: President John Bellamy, United Heritage; President-elect April L. Howard, Howard Insurance Agency Inc.; Secretary Deborah Dale, United Long Term Care Inc.; Past President Debbie Flandro-Stratton, Farm Bureau; Executive Director Kay Paulson; Area I Vice President Daniel Buck, Shaffer-Buck Insurance Inc.: Area II Vice President Steve Fuhriman, Farm Bureau.

The NAIFA is the professional organization that helps regulate and educate the insurance agents and financial advisors in America.

GOOD DEEDS

Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS) has received a $10,000 grant from the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation Inc. to continue and expand the BUGS in Schools program, a series of workshops designed to engage students and their teachers in small-scale gardening strategies for urban backyards and schools.

News Assistant Pat Carson compiled this report. E-mail items to bizcom@idahostatesman.com, fax Your Business Community at 377-6449, or mail items to Your Business Community, c/o Newsroom, Idaho Statesman, P.O. Box 40, Boise, ID 83707. Individual portraits are welcomed. Information submitted to the Idaho Statesman may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other form.