Mar 13, 2018

Symetra Financial

Symetra Financial appointed former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to its board of directors. Jewell also was president and CEO of REI, and spent 19 years in commercial banking. Symetra is a financial services company based in Bellevue.

Zones

Auburn-based Zones launched Zones nfrastructure to provide IT solutions and managed services. Dan Pickett is the subsidiary's CEO. In late 2016, Zones bought nfrastructure Technologies and has now fully integrated the company under the new subsidiary.

MBA of King and Snohomish Counties

Sims

The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties hired real estate attorney Kathleen Sims as its new executive director. Sims is the first woman to lead the association in its 109-year history. She was vice president of environmental affairs, sustainability and corporate responsibility at Weyerhaeuser.

Absher Construction Co.

Knudson

Tania

James

In Puyallup, Absher Construction Co. hired Noel James as project manager, and Hanna Tania and Rachel Knudson as project engineers. James is working on the Tacoma Town Center project. He has 28 years of experience. Tania is working on the Sound Transit Northgate Link extension. She spent five years in property management, with the past three focused on architectural design. Knudson is working on the Olympic Middle School reconstruction project in Auburn. She worked with civil, foundation, transmission line and installation trades in Minnesota's energy market.

Mar 09, 2018

Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe

Chris Maykut, founder and partner of Seattle's Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe, said the separate ownership group that operates its University District location will terminate the relationship with Chaco Canyon and open a new independent cafe in the space on 12th Avenue Northeast. Chaco Canyon still operates two cafes in West Seattle and Greenwood, and is searching for a third location in a different neighborhood.

Garvey Schubert Barer

Akane Suzuki, a principal at Garvey Schubert Barer in Seattle, was elected to the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law. Suzuki is one of only four members of the academy in Washington state. The academy is a global organization of law professionals that analyze tax consequences of wealth transfers.

BECU

BECU later this year will open its first financial center in Sammamish, on the corner of 228th Avenue Northeast and Northeast Eighth Street. It will have a “tellerless” layout. Consultants will help open accounts and offer other services. BECU is a community credit union.

Mar 08, 2018

Hale now partner at Panattoni

Travis Hale was named partner at Panattoni Development Co. in Seattle. Hale has been with Panattoni since 2014 and has 23 years of commercial real estate experience, ranging from institutional asset management to build-to-suit projects. He joins current partner, Bart Brynestad, who has led the Seattle office since 2003.

Horizon Partners promotes Wittrell

Horizon Partners Northwest of Tacoma promoted Cammy Wittrell to president. She's been with the company for 16 years, starting as property manager and moving to asset manager. Company founder and CEO Mike Bartlett said in a statement, “Promoting her to president is not only the natural fit, but it's a move that will position Horizon Partners as an industry leader, continuing to provide the excellent customer service we offer to our tenants.” Horizon Partners is overseeing the mixed-use Brewery Blocks redevelopment project, which is expected to break ground soon in Tacoma. Horizon Partners owns and manages nearly 400,000 square feet in all sectors of commercial real estate.

Stewart Title adds to local team

Houston-based Stewart Title is expanding its staff here. Joining the Seattle CBD office are industry veterans Warren Samek, Peter Johndrow and Shawn Elpel. Stewart Title is part of publicly traded Stewart Information Services Corp., a global real estate services company.

NAIOP goes to Tacoma

NAIOP holds this year's South Sound Forecast on March 15. The breakfast gathering starts at 7 a.m. at Pacific Grill (1502 Pacific Ave.). Panelists will address issues like how cities are planning for growth. Tacoma city council member Conor McCarthy will moderate. Panelists will be: Ben Mauk of UW-Tacoma; Ian Munce of the city of Tacoma; Su Downie, retired former executive director of the Foss Waterway redevelopment planning team; and Loren Cohen of MC Construction, which is part of the Point Ruston redevelopment team. Details and registration at: naiopwa.org.

RealWear

Andrew E. Chrostowski joined RealWear as chief operating officer. Chrostowski was president of Tyco's Scott Safety division in North Carolina. His career has spanned aerospace and automotive electronics, sensors and surveillance systems, consumer products and industrial safety equipment. Vancouver-based RealWear makes wearable computing devices for light and heavy industry that are voice-driven and head-mounted.

Stokes Lawrence

Stokes Lawrence has added Lori Rath and Alison Warden to the Estate Planning & Administration practice. They were previously part of the Estate Planning, Trusts & Probate practice at Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson. Stokes has offices in Seattle and Yakima, representing businesses and the families and individuals who run them.