• Kyle Westfall has joined Northwestern Insurance Group in Bend as a new agent. Westfall graduated from the College of Idaho and has a degree in marketing and international business.

• Marshall Greene has joined the Bend Science Station as an instructor. He will assist with curriculum development and helping to teach students. Green has a degree in neuroscience from Middlebury College and a master’s degree in population health science from University of Wisconsin. He is also a cross country ski racer and five time winner of the Pole, Pedal, Paddle.

• Pamela DiDente was recently appointed to serve as a Certified Ombudsman by Mary Jaeger, the Long Term Care Ombudsman for the State of Oregon. DiDente will serve as an advocate for residents of long-term care facilities in Bend and has been assigned to Touchmark at Mt. Bachelor Village. DiDente has a master’s degree in nursing from University of Washington and has experience as a nurse in Washington, California and Oregon. She has also been an adjuct faculty member at University of Portland School of Nursing.

• Laura Hilton, a broker at GoBend Realty in Bend, has received the accredited buyer’s representation designation through continued education and specialized training. This designation covers issues involved in representing home buyers. Hilton has been in the real estate industry for 11 years.

• Several people at John L. Scott Real Estate in Redmond recently received awards. Everett Decker and Noah von Borstel were recipients of the John L. Scott Presidents Elite award. Bobbie Strome was the recipient of the John L. Scott Presidents Gold award. Lisa Hart and Bea Leachwere the recipients of the John L. Scott Presidents Award. Brenda Johnson, Peggy Kimball and Paul Carter received the John L. Scott Emerald Award.

For the complete calendar, pick up Sunday’s Bulletin or visit bendbulletin.com/bizcal

Chinese economy shows gains

HONG KONG — The giant Chinese economy picked up some steam during the last few months of 2012, closely watched data from Beijing on Friday confirmed. But at the same time the figures underlined the view that the pace of future growth is likely to remain well below that seen in recent years.

China’s gross domestic product expanded 7.9 percent in the final quarter of last year, compared with a year earlier — slightly better than expectations, and significantly above the 7.4 percent pace recorded during the previous quarter.

Venture capital investment falls

Venture capital investments nationwide took a tumble last year as economic uncertainty created by the presidential election and contentious “fiscal cliff” negotiations caused some financiers to hold onto their checkbooks.

Investors funneled $26.5 billion to companies in 3,698 deals during 2012, a 10 percent drop in dollars and 6 percent decline in number of deals compared to the prior year, according to a report issued Friday by National Venture Capital Association and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

— From wire reports