About Us

Jim DeWalt

President & CEO

Jim is a Washington native, he graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor’s degree in pre-law and English. He also earned a Master’s degree in a MBA-Administration from the University of Washington.

Before leading the Associated Industries team, Jim served as President and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Spokane, Vice President at Metwest Financial Services of Metropolitan Mortgage, and as President of Northwest Capital Inc.

Jim is an active participant in community affairs and is a member of several Eastern Washington University committees, and serves on the board of the Association of Washington Business.

Nicole Tedrow

Chief Operating Officer

Nicole joined Associated Industries in 1999. She leads the employment team as well as directly serves members with employment law consulting and reviews.

Nicole graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1999 and Washington State University in 1996. She is licensed to practice law in both Washington and Idaho. She is actively involved in community organizations and is a member of the Board of Directors for Mid-City Concerns. A regular presenter on employment law topics, Nicole has also authored numerous articles and teaching materials related to these matters.

Nicole is also the Board President of City View HOA (DBA City View Country Club), a Board Member and member of the Board Governance Committee – Project Beauty Share, and a Board Member – Breakfast Forum (monthly meeting of business leaders)

Angela Hayes

Chief Legal Counsel

Angela joined Associated Industries in January 2009. She was previously a managing partner of Randall & Danskin, P.S., her practice areas included Civil Litigation, Trust and Estate Dispute Litigation, Guardianships and Medical Negligence Defense.

Angela graduated summa cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law, and is also a registered nurse offering a unique healthcare perspective to her work with members. Angela is licensed to practice law in both Washington and Idaho, and is a member of the Washington State Society of Health Care Attorneys, the American Health Lawyers Association and the American Association of Nurse Attorneys.

Debbie Longshore

Senior Accountant

Debbie joined Associated Industries in 2015, she brings more than 25 years of experience to our finance team. She has worked in accounting for the agricultural, construction, mining, and manufacturing industries. Debbie supports our team by taking care of accounts payable, financial reporting, and banking reconciliations.

Stefanie Howe

VP of Marketing and Sales Enablement

Stefanie has a bachelor’s degree from the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication and Media Studies from Washington State University. She brings more than nine years of consultative sales and business development experience, previously working in the hospitality and technology industries.

Stefanie’s role is to help small and mid-sized organizations, across multiple industries, address employer related issues more effectively through Associated Industries’ membership support and services. She will connect you with the HR & Legal support you need to make operating a business easier, safer and more prosperous.

Sabrina Sawyer

VP of HR & Business Solutions

Sabrina joined Associated Industries in June 2021 as the Vice President of HR and Business Solutions. She is a graduate of Whitworth School of Business, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2021 and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Sabrina has a broad range of experience in organizational management and leadership and has a passion for helping companies build better processes. She also serves as the CEO of Integris, our background screening partner. Sabrina previously worked in the background screening industry for 16 years and holds an Advanced FCRA Certification from the Professional Background Screening Association. As a leading expert, Sabrina brings a unique approach to help you build a system that better serves your company and your human capital.

Larry Tripp

Director of Benefit Services & Trust Administration

Larry has worked in the employee benefit field for nearly 35 years.  He has worked with a number of Association Healthcare Plans across the Pacific Northwest from the timber industry, to working with benefits at the Hanford site in southwestern Washington, Taft Hartley plans in Washington, Idaho and Montana and now with Associated Industries.  He also worked as a bank trustee at US Bank serving defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans along with foundation plans in the region.  He also provided oversight to retirement plans utilized at the Hanford site and regional Taft Hartley plans.

He has a vast knowledge and expertise with ERISA governed benefit plans and brings a long history working with health care plans to Associated Industries.

Jennifer Hanson

Senior Legal Counsel

Jennifer joined us in the summer of 2019, she was previously a principal at her former law firm where she focused on employment law, municipal law and general litigation. She earned her undergraduate degree from Central Washington University and graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law. Jennifer is licensed to practice law in Washington and Idaho.

Megan Livres

Legal Counsel

Sara Morrison

Business Development & Workforce Training

Sara joined Associated Industries in 2021, bringing extensive experience in Sales, Employee Development, Corporate Training, and Human Resources. Her diverse background enables her to effectively navigate the complex challenges that employers face in today’s ever-evolving workplace.

In her role, which focuses on business development and workforce training, Sara works closely with the HR advisor and legal teams at Associated Industries to help member businesses achieve compliance with federal and state regulations. She also develops customized training programs tailored to each business’s unique needs, ensuring they are equipped with the tools and knowledge to thrive in a competitive environment. Sara is passionate about fostering cultures of respect, collaboration, and growth within organizations.

Julia Guinn

HR Advisor

Julia joined Associated Industries in 2022 after a successful 17-year career with a large Spokane based commercial real estate and property management firm, ultimately handling all HR functions as a director of over 100 employees. She grew her career from the bottom up; starting as an executive assistant, and eventually becoming the Human Resources Director.  She is excited to share that background and experience with the member businesses of AI as an HR Advisor.  Julia truly considers HR policy and procedure to be a utilitarian venture.  “Solid HR process can help facilitate organizational happiness and health.”

Julia has lived in Spokane since the 1974 World’s Fair attracted her family to the area.  Traveling over the years to pursue her career outside of Spokane, Julia returned home permanently in 2005.  Outside of work Julia finds joy in baking, cooking, gardening, the outdoors, browsing (and buying) in thrift stores, and spending time with friends and family.

Maria Griffin

HR Advisor

Maria is a dedicated human resources professional with a strong foundation in accounting and a decade of experience in human resources. Her unique blend of analytical and interpersonal skills has allowed her to excel in various HR functions, including building an HR department and establishing a strong foundation in HR processes from the ground up for a software company. Maria leveraged her meticulous attention to detail and analytical talent to enhance her organizational efficiency, build a solid foundation, and ensure employee satisfaction.

Maria holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Gonzaga University and a SHRM-CP Certification, reflecting her commitment to professional development. Her endless curiosity drives her to continually seek opportunities to learn and grow in her field. As a trusted HR Advisor, Maria is passionate about helping our members achieve their goals and helping them thrive.

Outside of her professional life, Maria enjoys traveling and exploring new places but has a particular fondness for returning to Kauai and the Oregon coast. She loves seeing her favorite musical artists live in concert and is a dedicated fan of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, enthusiastically cheering on the Zags during basketball season.

Padric Olney

HR Advisor

Padric graduated from Gonzaga University in May 2019 with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration, specializing in Human Resources Management. They began their HR career as a recruiter at Pinnacle Investigations in January 2020, transitioning to Cerium Networks in September 2020 as a Human Resources Coordinator. During their tenure, they advanced to HR Generalist in September 2022 and took on a leadership role managing the IT Engineering Apprentice program, overseeing a team of nine. Padric joined Associated Industries in September 2024 as an HR Advisor.

Emily Caviness

Marketing Generalist/Social Media Manager

Emily joined Associated Industries in 2017, she began as an intern and has worked her way up to becoming our marketing generalist and social media manager. She is responsible for marketing and social media campaigns and is involved in member engagement as well.

Emily has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Eastern Washington University and has a second bachelor’s degree in Communications from Arizona State University.

Michelle Walczak

Senior Benefits Representative

Michelle joined the benefit administration team in 2008. She has taken on the role of team lead for implementation of new groups. Michelle has more than 20 years experience in the health insurance industry, including flexible benefits and self-insured employers. She has a Bachelor of Arts in accounting from the University of Montana and is a Life, Disability and P&C Licensed Producer.

If you are just starting out with our team, Michelle will get your coverage up and running.

Amanda Krautkraemer

Benefit Services & AR Administrator

Amanda joined the health benefits team in 2014, and has taken on the focus of managing accounts receivable and COBRA coverage services for our benefit plan groups. She has more than 12 years experience in the health care industry including customer service, accounts receivable, and collections.

Kim Dunbar

Benefit Services Administrator

Emily Snow

Benefit Services Representative

Ternisha Watson

Finance & Admin Specialist

Kandi Hoaglund

Executive Assistant

Kandi Joined Associated Industries in 2019 and supports our leave management program for outsourced HR members. She brings with her thirteen years of experience as an Employee and Labor relations Representative in manufacturing and eight years of experience in international leisure and sporting goods manufacturing as an office coordinator and sales force liaison. Kandi graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.