Aug 07, 2009

UnitedHealthcare

Mercer Island-based UnitedHealthcare hired Nancy Ellison as government affairs director for the Northwest region. Ellison will direct government affairs activities and will be the liaison to Alaska, Oregon and Washington's congressional delegations, state legislatures and various governmental agencies. She previously worked at Regence BlueShield.

The Bluff Restaurant Bar Terrace

The Bluff Restaurant Bar Terrace, a new restaurant at Friday Harbor House on San Juan Island, hired Jason Codding as its new chef. Codding was formerly a sous chef with the Salish Lodge & Spa in Snoqualmie. He has also worked at Anthony's Home Port at Point Defiance in Tacoma.

Oles, Morrison, Rinker & Baker

Jessica Blanche has been named director of marketing at law firm Oles, Morrison, Rinker & Baker. Blanche has worked with Southern California's Rutan & Tucker and Richards, Watson and Gershon.

DNA 2050

Specialty denim boutique DNA 2050 will open its newest store in Bellevue in The Shops at The Bravern in September. DNA 2050 offers a mix of over 30 denim brands including True Religion, 7 for All Mankind, PRPS and J Brand. The company has stores in New York City, McLean, Va., and is opening a new store in Chicago.

Aug 06, 2009

Association of Legal Administrators

Law firm Stoel Rives announced Rita Alli, director of business and professional development, has been appointed to serve as 2010-2011 president-elect of the Association of Legal Administrators. She will guide strategic planning and will oversee all board, inter-association and media spokesperson activities. Alli has been a legal administrator for more than 20 years.

Regence BlueShield

Regence BlueShield in Seattle announced that Rep. Eric Pettigrew, who serves Washington's 37th legislative district, has joined the company as director of community and business relations. Pettigrew was previously director of community affairs for Safeco Insurance and deputy chief of staff for public safety with the Seattle Mayor's Office.

OCS

OCS, a national provider of healthcare data analytics and informatics, has formed Seattle-based Dentra, a new business unit dedicated to the needs of dentistry and oral healthcare. Dentra has launched two new solutions: Patient Satisfaction and PracticeView.

Aug 05, 2009

Washington State University

The Washington State University College of Business announced Nancy Swanger will head the School of Hospitality Business Management as director. Swanger has been with the college of business since 2000. She will replace Interim Director Darrel Muehling, who has been in the role since spring of 2008 following the retirement of Terry Umbreit, who led the department for 24 years. Muehling will continue as chair of the college's marketing department.

Escala

Escala, the nearly completed 30-story condominium development in Seattle, hired Cynthia Johnson as membership director for Club Cielo, a private club located in the building. Johnson was an owner and partner of London Flat, a home furnishing design studio and owner of Cynthia Johnson Designs, a residential and commercial design company.

Teens in Public Service

Teens in Public Service, a nonprofit that raises social awareness in teen leaders, elected John Cox, Patrick Harris and Jeff Nielson to its board of directors. Cox is a senior vice president of Alexandria Real Estate Equities. Harris is operations and acquisitions manager at North Country Legal Recovery and was a Teens in Public Service intern in 2001. Nielson is a principle of B&N Builders in Seattle.

Nyhus Communications

Nyhus Communications, a Seattle-based strategic communications and advocacy firm, hired Jim Blundell as vice president of public affairs. Blundell was vice president of corporate and public affairs at Edelman Seattle. He will lead Nyhus' public affairs team and will help open an office in Washington, D.C. in the coming year.