Names and Faces

WTR Consulting Engineers recently announced two additions to the firm’s Helena staff.

Randy Steckler joined the firm as a mechanical designer. He brings more than 13 years of mechanical design engineering and drafting experience.

Kyle Lawrence joined the firm as an environmental technician. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Montana.

Samantha Mongoven has been promoted to manager of ebusiness strategies at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, responsible for the organization’s Internet services. She has been with BCBSMT for 16 years, most recently as an ebusiness specialist. She holds an associate of arts degree in communication from Carroll College.

Urban Mountain Development recently announced two additions to its staff.

Allison Leake will assist in community relations and district development on the Bullwhacker Block and the Placer building. She is a nursing student at Carroll College and previously worked as a clinical coordinator and surgical assistant in Virginia and as a mental health technician at Shodair Hospital.

Angela Albers will help with customer relations and property management issues at the Placer Building. She previously worked in customer service at AAA MountainWest in Bozeman.

Joslyn Murphy has joined the sales team at Montana Marketing after a long career in sales. She is on the board of directors of the Career Training Institute and served as president of the Helena Committee for the Montana Meth Project.

Daniel Trost has joined the Helena office of D.A. Davidson & Co. as a financial consultant. He previously spent nine years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. He holds an undergraduate degree from Montana State University and a master’s in banking from Georgetown University.

The Montana Municipal Insurance Authority recently announced several additions to its staff.

Gayle Casey joins MMIA as an administrative support/scanning technician who will also work as a claims technician in the Workers’ Compensation department. She previously worked for 22 years at the Federal Reserve in Helena.

Ann Komac has been hired as the claims manager for Liability, Workers’ Compensation and Property programs. She has 14 years of experience in mediation for the Department of Labor & Industry and has also worked at Montana State Fund in a variety of claims management roles.

Janet Engstrom has joined the organization as an employee benefits enrollment and eligibility specialist. She has prior experience in the Benefits and Wholesale Accounting departments at Heritage Propane and also has 15 years of banking experience.

Recognition

Dusti Johnson and Sandra Boggs, recycling and marketing development specialists with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, were recently recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for outstanding achievement in recycling, receiving plaques made of recycled glass. According to the EPA, Johnson and Boggs have increased recycling of glass, plastics and electronics, developed new markets for recycled products and developed partnerships to ensure the state’s recycling program is sustainable.

Trinity and Paige Vandenacre of Townsend were recently promoted to the Bronze Ambassador level by Reliv International, a direct selling company that markets nutritional supplements.

Learning Ops

Montana State Fund will host a free safety workshop entitled “Get Online with Your Safety Program” on Friday, Sept. 5 at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel. Topics will include Web sites for safety; helping employees lift properly to avoid back injuries; and how to set up ergonomically designed workstations to keep employees safe and productive. Any Montana employer, employee, supervisor or safety committee member is encouraged to attend. The session will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon. For more information or to register, go to www.montanastatefund.com or call (800) 332-6102.

Ed Clinch of Edward Jones will host a professional broadcast on international tax issues on Wednesday, Sept. 10 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Edward Jones office at 1235 Birch St., Suite 4. The program will introduce tax practitioners to issues individuals and businesses may have with entry or expansion into the United States. Cost is $40, and the class is approved for two hours of continuing professional education and continuing legal education. For more information or to register, call 449-3883.

Anniversaries

The following were recently recognized by their employers for their years of service:

Montana Marketing — Demaris Bruce, 1 year.