Nov 29, 2016

Skagit County Superior Court

Svaren

Judge David Svaren will be sworn in Friday as Skagit County Superior Court judge. He has served as District Court judge for 17 years as well as presiding over municipal courts in Anacortes, Burlington and Mount Vernon. Svaren also was in private practice as a partner with Twede and Svaren in Burlington.

Washington State University

Four Washington State University faculty have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Wei Hong (Katie) Zhong in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at WSU Pullman, Markus Flury in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at WSU Puyallup, Susmita Bose in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at WSU Pullman and Kelly A. Brayton in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and the Allen School for Global Animal Health at WSU Pullman.

Construction Services Group

Vancouver-based Construction Services Group added Kirk Pawlowski as director; Amber Ballard as budget analyst; Thomas Johansen and Wayne Lounsbury as project managers; and Gina Bixby, Whitney Henion and MegAnn Scharpp as assistant project managers. Pawlowski is a former principal at the architectural firm SRG Partnership. He also was assistant vice provost for capital resource planning at the University of Washington, and executive director of capital planning and development for Washington State University and Oregon State University. Ballard previously was a finance technician with the city of Bend and an instructor of business for Central Oregon Community College. Johansen is a registered architect in Washington and was formerly with Farrell & Johansen Architects and LSW Architects. Lounsbury has 35 years of construction experience, a general contractor's license, project management certification from the University of Toronto and PMP certification from PMI. Bixby previously was finance administrator for Oregon Health and Science University and a senior management analyst for Clark County Treasurer's Office. Henion was a national project manager for The Western Group and an architectural project manager for Dull Olson Weekes Architects. Scharpp has more than 25 years of project management experience in the private and public sectors. CSG is a program of Educational Service District 112 that supports school districts with services from the pre-bond period to building occupancy.

The Walsh Group

OSHA re-certified The Walsh Group into the voluntary protection mobile workforce program. The VPP certification applies to all Walsh federal projects in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. For the certification, OSHA investigates and inspects jobsites and written safety programs. Keith Dyer is Walsh's regional safety manager.

Nov 25, 2016

Urban Commercial Partners

Elrod

Smith

Suarez

The firm formerly known as EHI Real Estate Advisors has a new name: Urban Commercial Partners. It was founded in 2003 by Patrick Suarez as an brokerage and advisory firm, and specializes in real estate acquisition/disposition, development and land sourcing. The firm named two new partners: Drew Smith and Jason Elrod. Together the three have over 40 years of experience in commercial real estate. Recent deals include representing Goodman Real Estate in the $11.8 million purchase of the 156-unit Brierwood Manor Apartment in Everett. The website for the firm is urbanseattle.com.

Seattle Economics Council

Olsen

The SEC meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 7, will include a talk called “Housing Affordability in Seattle” by Skylar Olsen, chief economist at Zillow. The UW-trained Ph.D is the author of “A House Divided: How Race Colors the Path to Homeownership” and the creator of Zillow real estate indices and metrics including the Buyer-Seller Index and the Buy-Rent Breakeven Horizon. The event is at noon on the 40th floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower. Registration and other info: SeattleEconomicsCouncil.org.

Matt Dillon

After closing his Pioneer Square restaurant Bar Sajor in July, Vashon chef and restaurant entrepreneur Matt Dillon has reopened a new venture in the space at 323 Occidental Ave. S. Copal is a Mexican-themed bar and eatery at the corner of South Jackson Street. Dillon is also known for Sitka & Spruce, Bar Ferd'nand, The Corson Building and London Plane (a neighbor to Copal). Samis is Dillon's landlord in the 1890 building. Tacos are on the menu.

NAIOP Washington State

Everything you always wanted to know about Lincoln Square but were afraid to ask — that's the gist of NAIOP's “Defining Moments” program for December. It is at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at Bellevue Hyatt Regency, with a panel discussion by Tom Abbott of Colliers, Richard Leider of Trinity Real Estate and Jim Melby of Kemper Development. Kemper revived stalled plans for Lincoln Square in 2003. Those plans began in 1998 with a different name and developer (Westbank). Kemper Freeman is expanding the mixed-use project along Bellevue Way with office space, apartments, retail and a W Hotel in two new towers. Event registration and more info: naiopwa.org.

Schnitzer West

Schnitzer West announced a new partnership with Washington Athletic Club at Madison Centre, the 37-story office tower now rising at Fifth and Madison. Madison Centre will have a fitness and wellness center operated by WAC. Founded in 1930, the WAC has never operated outside its space at 1325 Sixth Ave. Madison Centre is scheduled to open next June, with Davis Wright Tremaine as a prime tenant.

CREW

Commercial Real Estate Women Seattle & Sound will hold a December talk and networking event called “How to Pioneer Your Career in the 21st Century.” The speaker will be attorney Julie Benezet, formerly with the global real estate team at Amazon, now the author of “The Journey of Not Knowing: How 21st Century Leaders Can Chart a Course Where There Is None.” The event will be at Washington Athletic Club starting at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8. Register at crewseattle.org or by calling (206) 417-5580.

Lane Powell

Seidenstein

Lane Powell said Counsel to the Firm Julie H. Seidenstein was named the King County Washington Women Lawyers Chapter 2016 Volunteer of the Year. Seidenstein is an active volunteer at Mary's Place, which supports homeless women and families.

Seattle Public Theater

Seattle Public Theater is making some leadership changes. After 16 years as artistic and education director, Shana Bestock is leaving. Associate Artistic Director Kelly Kitchens will be interim artistic director and Charlotte Tiencken is the new interim executive director.