Nov 27, 2013

City of Tacoma

Tacoma City Manager T.C. Broadnax named Kurtis Kingsolver to be Public Works director and Peter Huffman to be Planning & Development Services director. Both were serving on an interim basis. Kingsolver joined the city as a civil engineer in 1990, and has served as traffic engineer and city engineer, working on large capital projects such as Murray Morgan Bridge, Pacific Avenue streetscape, Stadium Way arterial and Hylebos Bridge. Huffman has worked on the comprehensive plan, land use codes, and improving permitting services, zoning standards and customer service.

Pilchuck Glass School

Collectors, philanthropists and artists raised $1.2 million at the 35th Annual Pilchuck Glass School auction at The Westin Seattle in October. Proceeds from the event will benefit glass education and artist residencies.

Nov 26, 2013

Kent School District

Superintendent Dr. Edward Lee Vargas of the Kent School District was named 2014 Superintendent of the Year by the Washington Association of School Administrators.

NanoString

NanoString Technologies, a provider of life science tools for research and diagnostic products, named David W. Ghesquiere senior vice president of Corporate and Business Development. He has more than 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. As SVP at Dendreon, he led the pursuit of next-generation technologies and therapeutics.

Visualant

Visualant, a provider of disruptive light-based technologies, promoted Dr. Richard Mander to chief technology officer. He developed ChromaID, a light-based identification and measurement technology. Mander also worked at Apple on emerging technologies.

Nov 22, 2013

Peninsula College

The White House has named Peninsula College educator Brian Walsh one of 10 Champions of Change. He directs the college's corrections education efforts and has expanded technology in classrooms at Olympic and Clallam Bay correction centers. Prisoners now can see offline versions of programs such as Khan Academy and Ted Talks using a secure network server. Walsh also started a program that pairs basic education with hands-on job experience. The RAND Corp. found that inmates who participated in education programs had 43 percent lower odds of returning to prison.

State Attorney General

Attorney General Bob Ferguson named Nancy Kreier as the open government ombudsman. She was a lawyer for the state Public Disclosure Commission. Former ombudsman Tim Ford left the position recently to work for a Senate committee. The position became halftime in 2011 but this fall Ferguson said it will be full time again.

Nov 21, 2013

Frontier Communications

Frontier Communications, a provider of broadband, voice, data, FiOS and television services, named Bret Larsen general manager of the Kirkland market. Larsen will oversee field operations, sales and community relations, and is responsible for customer experience. He will report to Vicky Oxley, vice president and general manager for Western Washington. Larsen was VP of operations for Northland Communications.

Frenchy's Cafe and Crepery

Frenchy's Cafe and Crepery, at Steilacoom Boulevard and Edgewater Drive Southwest in Lakewood, recently opened. The founder and owner is Lindsey Hubbard.