Susan and Ira Amstadter have been proud owners of Express Employment Spokane for 29 years.

Ira grew up in Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelors in Animal Behavior. Between 1977 and 1980, Ira trained elephants and was a Pachyderm Keeper at the Brookfield Zoo outside of Chicago. During his time at Brookfield, he was the President of the American Association of Zookeepers and was on the Zoo's Speakers' Bureau. At the age of 27, he decided to join the Peace Corps and was sent to Zaire in central Africa where he spent the next five years as a volunteer, Peace Corps staff member, Technical Coordinator for a training center at the University of Zaire, and working for a cattle cooperative. He then spent a year in Rwanda administering food aid for drought relief for the Agency for International Development. Upon returning to the States, Ira did a 9,000 mile "blue highways" solo motorcycle trip and eventually landed in Tucson, Arizona. He attended the University of Arizona where he received a Master's in non-formal adult education. After moving to Washington D.C. to work as a Regional Representative for Africa with a cooperative development organization, and worked for the World Wildlife Fund where he was the Senior Program Officer for Madagascar.

Ira and Susan met on an airplane (note to self, skip the sweatpants). Thirty years later, they call Spokane their best home ever, and are so glad to have raised their three children here.

Ira and Susan purchased the Express office in Spokane in 1994. While the kids were young, Susan had the privilege of staying home, but she never forgot the enjoyment she derived from the practice of law. So when "the baby" was in high school at Lewis and Clark, Susan sat for the Washington State Bar exam and resumed her practice. She believes that Express has been a wonderful venue for her extrovert, people-loving husband, and has grown to understand what is entailed in keeping a small business running.

Susan has fun with photography, and is looking forward to resurrecting a roomful of craft projects (sometime). They are both proud of the fact that they have never used pesticides on their property. Ira is very proud of his kitchen composting efforts and is happy to share his worms, should anyone wish to start their own recycling project.

They are constantly giving back to their community with their involvement in Downtown Rotary (Ira was President 2011-2012), Leadership Spokane, Hospice of Spokane, Wishing Star Foundation, and Susan's Pro Bono Law work.

Have you ever seen a Gorilla riding around on a motorcycle with a sidecar? Then you've seen Ira!

Local Icon returns in gorilla suit to celebrate the parade with his friend .

Spokane Gorilla on Motorcycle .

Ira Amstadter receives Leadership Spokane Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award .

Fred K. Jones Award Presented to Ira Amstadter .