Katherine Morgan, a Liberty Lake resident, was recently chosen from 25 applicants to lead the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

Morgan's first day was Sept. 21. She replaces Eldonna Shaw, who led the business organization, which is headquartered in Liberty Lake, for 13 years. Morgan is a native of the area and has worked in jobs locally and in the Midwest. 

"There are great opportunities all over the country, but opportunities like this in my backyard are very few," Morgan told The Splash's sister publication, The Current, for a profile that appears in the October issue.

A reception is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 23 to meet Morgan and unveil a new Chamber logo and image that was in the works before Morgan arrived. The event will be held in the Fireside Lounge of CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place.  The public is welcome to attend.  

Gravity Jack, a Liberty Lake tech company, recently designed and created an app for pop rock band, Maroon 5.

Developed for use on smartphones and tablets, the app enhances the album art on the band's new album as a means to capture the attention of a younger generation. Using a technology called augmented reality, a user can focus over the band's CD artwork and watch music videos on the screen via their mobile devices.

Currently the app is available for Apple devices, with an app for Android devices expected in the near future. For more, visit www.gravityjack.com. 

The Spokane Home Builders Association will present the second weekend of Fall Festival of Homes Oct. 3-5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Spokane area. The 10th annual free event is proclaimed as the largest new construction show in the Inland Northwest, and maps of the featured homes are available at www.spokanefestivalofhomes.com.  

New this year, the Festival of Chefs offers the public an evening of touring new construction homes while sampling local cuisine and beverages. Sponsored by Washington Trust Bank, the event runs from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 2. Tickets are $35 per person; participants must be 21 years or older. 

Liberty Lake sites participating in Festival of Chefs include Greenstone Homes in the River District, 19840 E. Indiana Ave., featuring cuisine by Ferrante's Marketplace Café, and Greenstone Homes in Rocky Hill, 24929 S. Stonecrest Ave. featuring Hay J's Bistro. 

For tickets and more information, visit www.spokanefestivalofhomes.com.   

Depositaccounts.com recently named Spokane Teachers Credit Union to the 2014 edition of the Top 200 Healthiest Credit Unions in America. STCU stood out in all the primary evaluation categories including deposit growth, capitalization and Texas ratio. 

Texas Ratio is determined by comparing the total value of risk loans to the total value of funds the bank has on hand to cover loans. Loans at risk are not backed by the U.S. government and are more than 90 days past due.  

For more, visit www.depositaccounts.com. 

Itron recently appointed W. Mark Schmitz as executive vice president and chief financial officer. 

Schmitz has 40 years of experiences in finance and executive leadership roles across the manufacturing, service, retail and technology industries including his most recent role as CFO for Alghanim Industries, a global multi-industry corporation in Kuwait.  

"Mark is an accomplished executive with a proven track record of success, including leading the finance organizations at several large, global manufacturers," Itron president Philip Mezey said in a press release. "We are confident that Mark will help drive our business to the next level."

Schmitz said he looks forward to working closely with the Itron team to contribute to the company's growth and success.

"Itron has several important strategic initiatives underway, and I am excited to join the company and help oversee the successful implementation of these efforts," Schmitz said.  

Schmitz will succeed Steven Helmbrecht as Itron's CFO. Helmbrecht will remain with Itron through December 31 to facilitate a smooth transition. 

For more, visit www.itron.com.