WSBA LEADERSHIP
OFFICERS
President: Steve Ellithorpe (Providence Hospitals)
Steve Ellithorpe is the Executive Director-Clinical Technology Services for Providence and has been in the Clinical Engineering/Biomedical Services field for 34 years. Prior to joining Providence, he served in technical and supervisory roles at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, WA. Steve is a graduate of Spokane Community College and is both a certified biomedical equipment technician (CBET) and certified healthcare technology manager (CHTM). He is also a former officer, President, and Eastside Chapter Chair of the WSBA. Steve grew up in Eastern Washington and enjoys the outdoors, playing golf, and time with family.
Treasurer: Gary Hoffman (Pronk Technologies)
Gary is the Director of Sales for Pronk Technologies. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from Norwich University and an MBA from City University of Seattle. Gary developed and is now managing the US independent sales organization for Pronk Technologies, Inc. Prior to joining Pronk he spent six years as the General Manager of an FAA regulated electronics manufacturing facility and twenty-five years with Fluke Corporation selling electronic test instrumentation and managing a variety of sales organizations including industrial, networking and biomedical test instrumentation.
Secretary: Brandon Keith (Providence Hospitals)
Brandon is the Director for Service Delivery of Clinical Technology Services for Providence in the Northwest Region of Washington. He received his AAS from North Seattle Community College and his B.S. from the National Graduate School in Quality Systems Management. His career started at Evergreen Hospital in 2011 as a BMET. In 2013, he made the move to Swedish, eventually moving into management. He is a strong advocate for the promotion and recruitment in the field.
Membership Chairperson: Perry Morgan (MultiMedical Systems)
Perry is the Director of Client Solutions, for the NW Territory, with MultiMedical Systems, Inc (MMS). Perry has worked in the Medical Industry for over 25 years, providing equipment related services and solutions in the Hospital Industry, to include the Clinical Engineering Teams. Prior to time with MMS, along with other companies, Perry spent 15 years as an Account Executive with UHS, in the Seattle area, in which many of the relationships with the Clinical Engineering Teams in the area, began. Perry is honored to be a part of the WSBA, in hopes to continue to better understand the current interests and needs of the Biomedical Technicians, that in turn, may bring valuable content and information to the WSBA community.
Membership Co-Chair: Topher Shipp (Providence Hospitals)
Before deciding to become a Biomedical Equipment Technician Topher has held a wide range of positions ranging from retail management, non-profit financial counseling, bookkeeping, IT management, human resources, and many others. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Montana and an Associate in Healthcare Technology Management from North Seattle College. He currently works as a BMET in Kirkland, Washington.
Video/Multimedia Expert: Russell Elledge (GE Healthcare)
Russell is a CT Technical Support Engineer for GE Healthcare. He graduated from the Biomed program at Spokane Community College in 2000, moved to Seattle, and spent the next 10 years as an in-house biomedical technician, joining GE Healthcare in 2002. In 2011 Russell moved into a field service role supporting diagnostic imaging equipment, primarily CT & ultrasound. In February 2022 Russell moved into his current TSE role, providing remote technical support for customers, field engineers, & in-house engineers. In 2019 he moved back to Spokane, where he volunteers on the video production team at his local church, enjoys video editing, strength training in his garage gym, and is learning to ski.
WSBA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS Benjamin Roberts, MS, CBET (Professor, North Seattle College)
Jim Kenyon (Eastern Washington)
Ron de Ru (NorthWest Supply, Inc.)
Stevie Schmidt (Interstate All Battery Center)
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Ben started his career as an Electronics Technician in the Air Force. After his enlistment he joined the Air National Guard in Portland Oregon while he worked for Qwest communications. He then decided to go back to school, obtaining his Bachelors of Science in Electronic Engineering Technology. Followed by a Master of Science in Applied Physics. After working as an Optoelectronic Design Engineer he decided he wanted to work in the field again. Ben started his biomed career at Providence’s Cooperative Health Resources (CHR) in Portland Oregon. He moved to the Seattle area to work with the University of Washington Scientific Instruments. Scientific Instruments supports direct and indirect patient care, and research equipment. He is now the Biomed professor in the Electronic Department at North Seattle College. While in Oregon he was a proud member of the Oregon Biomed Association (OBA). He is now a proud board member of the Washington state biomed Association WSBA.
I grew up in Eastern Washington and graduated from the Spokane Community College Biomedical Technician program. I began my career at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, WA and stayed there for 17 years, the last six as Supervisor. Moving back to Eastern Washington in 2004, I joined the Engineering Services Dept. at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, WA as a Field Service Engineer. I have been in Pullman, WA since that time. I served the WSBA in many positions while at Good Samaritan over the course of eight years. I have served as the WSBA's Eastside/East Cascades representative for several years. We envision bringing more education opportunities to Eastern Washington and enhancing the profession for all who work in its varied settings.
Ron has been in the biomedical equipment industry for 35 years. He is currently the owner and operator of Northwest Supply, managing biomedical and imaging equipment services, dealing in surplus, and performing appraisals for the greater Seattle area. He has been functioning as the WSBA secretary for a number of years and is interested in promoting practical application, education and maturation of incoming students and career-change technicians.
I’ve worked in a number of fields during my life including making drapes, building long line fishing gear for commercial fishing boats and for 20 years selling Marine and Diesel parts to the Ballard Fishing Fleet. I love the technical aspects of batteries, they keep me challenged and learning. Helping to solve a problem for a customer or find a battery for a custom application is something I enjoy. Most of all, I am a slave to my grandchildren who are two of the cutest little terrors I have ever met.