Jun 30, 2017

Pioneer Square Labs

Sandler

Pioneer Square Labs, a Seattle-based startup studio, said Julie Sandler is joining the organization as a managing director, along with directors Greg Gottesman, Mike Galgon and Geoff Entress. Sandler was a partner at Madrona Venture Group, a Seattle-based venture capital firm. Since its inception 18 months ago, PSL has spun out six companie and has a entrepreneur-in-residence program. She is adjunct faculty at the University of Washington Foster School of Business. She also worked on Amazon's Kindle and for Accenture.

Lewis & Clarks

The former president of Portland State University, Wim Wiewel, will become the new president of Lewis & Clark College in Portland. Wiewel was at PSU for nine years and starts the new job Oct. 1.

Jun 29, 2017

Guild Mortgage promotes Currier

Mortgage

Guild Mortgage has named Gemma Currier vice president of its national retail sales operations. She is based in Bellevue will oversee the company's sales technology, sales training and development, retail administration and project management, leading a team of 25. Currier is a nine-year veteran at Guild, which was founded in San Diego in 1960, and now has 250 offices in 25 states. The company generated almost $16 billion in loans last year.

Berkadia handles AVA U District sale

AVA University District [enlarge]

The Seattle office of Berkadia said its team of Kenny Dudunakis, David Sorensen and Ben Johnson helped represent AvalonBay's recent sale of the AVA University District at 4535 12th Ave. N.E. Also representing the seller in that $112 million deal were Kevin Larimer and Greg Gonzalez from the firm's Chicago office. Berkadia is a joint venture of Berkshire Hathaway and Leucadia National Corp. In a statement, Larimer said, “Student housing seems to be the product type of choice right now for investors. Investors have identified the strong fundamentals of student housing with fewer deliveries, average occupancy above 97 percent, annual rent growth more than three percent and a fixed resident base from which to draw.”

KM works on Tacoma Gateway deal

[enlarge]

Tacoma Gateway

Kidder Mathews said it represented both the buyer and seller on a big sale of industrial land in Pierce County. Panattoni Development Co. has acquired almost 22 acres where it plans to develop Tacoma Gateway at 14801 Spring St. S.W. The warehouse/logistics facility will have 467,526 square feet. The seller was a private investor group called YKC LLC. In a statement, Panattoni's Bart Brynestad said, “This project's accessibility to I-5 and the Port of Tacoma is unmatched in the market.” KM's team for the $7.3 million deal was Vanessa Herzog, Holly Yang, Sophia Wong and Michelle Yeh. When Tacoma Gateway is completed, KM's Herzog and Thad Mallory will represent the space. Tacoma Gateway's team also includes Tahoma Design Group, architect; AHBL Engineering, civil engineer; and Alston Construction, general contractor.

University of Washington Bothell

A political refugee from Uganda who graduated from the University of Washington Bothell and the UW School of Law won the 2017 UW Bothell Distinguished Alumni Award. Stephen Ssemaala won for his professional achievements and community service. Ssemaala was a politician in Uganda and started an AIDS education organization but later sought asylum in the U.S., where he attended Everett Community College, UW Bothell and UW School of Law. Ssemaala is an adjunct instructor at South Puget Sound Community College, teaching American politics.

Semiahmoo Resort, Golf, and Spa

Semiahmoo Resort, Golf, and Spa in Blaine has named Kanami Fujita director of sales. Fujita has worked in the hospitality industry for over 17 years, most recently at Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham Hotel and Conference Center, and before that at Hilton Seattle, Kimpton Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara and Grand Hyatt San Francisco.

Jun 28, 2017

Mithun

Hagen

Harris

Swaab

McBride

Mithun promoted Lynn McBride and Daniel Swaab of the Seattle office, and Malcolm Harris of the San Francisco office to principal, and Erik Hagen of the Los Angeles office to associate principal. McBride has been with Mithun for 20 years, managing national projects, including Mesa Nueva Graduate and Professional Student Housing at the University of California, San Diego. Swaab is an architect with over 20 years of experience with public and private projects, including Heartline and Press Blocks in Portland. Harris does project management and has led design and construction administration for multifamily projects in California, including 1180 Fourth Street. Hagen is an architect and project manager on higher education, multifamily, workplace and retail projects. His work includes Mesa Court Towers for the University of California, Irvine.

Caron Architecture

Yang

Dai

Blaha

Minotti

Parikh

Seattle-based Caron Architecture hired Pragnesh Parikh as a senior project manager, Stefania Minotti as a project architect and Aaron Blaha, Jing Dai and Mei Yang as designers. Parikh has over 25 years of architectural and project management experience. He works on mixed-use and high-rise projects, including the 39-story Shilla Tower in Seattle. Minotti is an architect with over 10 years of experience on residential, mixed-use and commercial projects. She is working on Shilla Tower. Blaha has over two years of experience on retail, commercial and mixed-use projects, and is working on 2121 5th Avenue, an 18-story mixed-use project in Seattle. Dai has over three years of architecture and interior design experience, and works on multifamily and mixed-use projects. Yang has over four years of international design experience. She works on Tacoma Town Center, which has housing, office and retail spaces. Caron provides predevelopment/master planning, architecture, interior design and space planning.

Davido Consulting Group

Williams

Feathers

Gilbertson

Lasley

McArdle

Harkness

Davido Consulting Group hired Carly McArdle, Jack Lasley and Selina Gilbertson as civil engineers, Spencer Feathers and Lacy Williams as design engineers, and Joel Harkness as a structural engineering technician. McArdle has nine years of experience in civil site design. She is working on sitework for private and municipal projects. Lasley is a recent graduate of Seattle University, and works on stormwater and drainage projects. Gilbertson works on water resource projects. Feathers holds a master's in civil engineering from the University of Washington, and works on multifamily projects. Williams is a recent graduate of California Polytechnic State University, and works on stormwater and drainage projects. McArdle, Lasley and Feathers are in the Forest Park headquarters of the engineering firm. Williams and Harkness work in Mount Vernon, and Gilbertson on Whidbey Island.

Downtown Seattle Association

The Downtown Seattle Association is starting DSA Young Professionals Group next month and registration is open to 40 people. It will help young professionals get more involved in DSA's work of creating a healthy downtown, with quarterly events that combine programs with networking, appetizers and drinks. Contact Kaarin Borel at (206) 613-3245, or kaarinb@downtownseattle.org. The first meeting is July 18 from 5-7 p.m. at E. Smith Mercantile, 208 First Ave. S.

Eddyline Kayaks

Burlington-based business Eddyline Kayaks has been acquired by a new management team. Founder Tom Derrer and his wife, Lisa, are retiring. Mount Vernon resident Scott Holley has joined the company as president, and will work with the existing management team of Todd Keane, Tom Remsing and Janet Sutton. Eddyline makes kayaks, paddles and accessories. Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County's staff said they helped introduce the Derrers to Holley.

U.S. District Court of Idaho

Idaho Supreme Court Clerk Stephen Kenyon has been named the new clerk of courts for the U.S. District Court of Idaho. The Boise resident has served as clerk of the Idaho Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals since 2005.