A former executive vice president of operations at Walt Disney World Resort will give free presentations in Clarkston this month.
Lee Cockerell will speak at 7 p.m. on February 21 and again at 7 p.m. on February 22. Both events will take place in the auditorium at Clarkston High School. The school is at 401 Chestnut St.
The first presentation is for the community and the second is for parents and students.
Attendees are encouraged to obtain free tickets to events. They are available at Clarkston Public Schools offices and on the Clarkston campus of Walla Walla Community College.
Cockerell’s visit to the area will include seminars on how to create magic and build a better future for the community, according to a press release about his visit.
At Disney, Cockerell led a team of 40,000 actors and was responsible for the operations of 20 resort hotels, four theme parks and two water parks. One of his accomplishments was the creation of Disney Great Leader Strategies, which was used to train and develop 7,000 leaders at Walt Disney World.
“As a community that supports each other, we continually work together to build and uplift our city,” Clarkston School District Superintendent Thaynan Knowlton said in the news release. “When businesses and residents work together to achieve greatness, they will always find a sense of family and hope here in the Valley.”
Cockerell’s 2008 book is titled “Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From a Life at Disney”.
In the book, Cockerell describes his leadership style of burning the free fuel of appreciation, recognition and encouragement, as well as giving people a purpose, not just a job, according to a description on Amazon.
This approach was formed during his transition from a poor farm boy in Oklahoma to an executive at a multi-billion dollar company, according to the description.
The Clarkston School District sponsors the Cockerell Tour, along with Tri-State Memorial Hospital and Clarkston Medical Campus, Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Walla Walla Community College.
Hospitality in Space: Blue Origin’s Sarah Phelps to Speak at WSU
PULLMAN – Hospitality in space is the subject of a talk at Washington State University next month.
Sarah Phelps, Director of Astronaut and Guest Experience at Blue Origin, will be presenting titled “A New Era in the Space Astronaut Experience: Hospitality for the New Golden Age of Space Travel” .
Blue Origin is a Kent, Washington-based spaceflight company working to increase access to space through reusable rockets.
Phelps’ free in-person lecture is at 1:25 p.m. March 10 at the CUB Auditorium on WSU’s Pullman campus is the annual Burtenshaw Distinguished Lecture. Registration is not compulsory.
His talk is one of many events that will be part of an annual Hospitality Week at WSU’s School of Hospitality Business Management, which also includes expert panels on Zoom.
One focuses on career opportunities and challenges in the hospitality industry at noon on March 8 and another focuses on women in hospitality at 4:30 p.m. on March 8.
The first features Sam Johnson, senior vice president of operations at The Hotel Group in Seattle; Joe Fugere, founder and CEO of Neapolitan pizzeria Tutta Bella in Seattle; Brian McGinnis, owner Pinnacle Real Estate LLC in Issaquah, Washington; and Julie Purnell, senior director of asset management at Flynn Holdings in San Francisco. It will be moderated by Bob Harrington, director of the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management.
Three women will speak at the second event which will be hosted by Abby Murtagh, General Manager, Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.
They are Odette Brown, Regional Vice President of Franchise Services, Choice Hotels, Little Rock, Ark. ; Leah Murphy, Senior Manager Jane Hotel Group, Milwaukee; Zoe LaClair, Director of Asset Management, Magna Hospitality, Providence, RI
AARP provides free tax assistance
Free tax assistance, preparation, and e-filing are offered in Moscow and Lewiston through AARP.
The Moscow service is available to low- and middle-income taxpayers, with a particular focus on people 50 or older.
In Moscow, appointments are required for assistance from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from now until April 15 at the 1912 Center at 412 E. Third St.
Taxpayers should wear face masks and bring Social Security cards, photo ID, all income and expense documents, and previous years’ tax returns.
Appointments in Moscow are available by calling (208) 310-0193.
A similar form of help is available in Lewiston through AARP. It is available Monday through Thursday through April 12. Appointments can be made by calling (208) 717-4520.
Personal finance topic of online discussions
Free online chats called “Let’s Talk Money” will take place at noon on the third Thursday of every two months starting this week.
Forums are a place where individuals can get answers to financial questions covering issues such as credit, debt, investing, and inheritance planning.
“We never know what this topic will be, but the discussions are always interesting, helpful and informative,” according to a flyer for the event sponsored by the University of Idaho Extension Latah County.
The first chat is Thursday. The dates for the others are April 21, June 16, August 18, October 20 and December 15. Additional information is available by emailing krichel@uidaho.edu.
The session on Quickbooks is planned for this month
MOSCOW – A Quickbooks course is offered this month in Moscow by the University of Idaho Extension Latah County and McCully Consulting Group.
Ten in-person places are available for the three-hour session at 1 p.m. on February 22, in the second-floor conference room, 200 S. Almon St., Moscow. An unlimited number of online spots are offered.
The cost is $97, including a snack for the in-person class. Participants should bring a laptop or tablet to the in-person session.
Registration is available by calling (866) 363-5580.
Resources for Minority and Women Entrepreneurs by Umpqua Bank
Umpqua Bank launched the Small Business Empowerment Program which expands access to capital, resources and expertise for minority and women-owned entrepreneurs.
Part of the program is a multilingual loan readiness center that provides personalized technical assistance “that takes entrepreneurs from ‘loan’ to ‘loan successful,'” according to a press release from Umpqua Bank.
At the same time, Umpqua Bank is introducing “culturally appropriate loan products that expand access to capital for underfunded borrowers,” according to the press release.
Coaching and education are part of the effort that focuses on working with traditionally underserved populations such as low- and middle-income people, women, veterans, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community. .
Umpqua has five locations in north-central Idaho and southeastern Washington. They are in Clarkston, Pullman, Lewiston, Moscow and Grangeville.
