Mar 12, 2014

Presbyterian Retirement Communities

Presbyterian Retirement Communities Northwest (PRCN) is pleased to announce that Torsten Hirche will join the organization as the president and chief executive officer on March 31, 2014. Hirche brings more than 13 years of executive experience to his new role, including ten in the senior living business. He will oversee the strategic direction and growth of PRCN and its three communities: Park Shore, Exeter House, and Skyline at First Hill.

Hirche is currently the senior executive director at Oakmont Senior Living in Santa Rosa, California. From 2005 to 2012, he served in senior executive roles with Pacific Retirement Services in Medford, Oregon.

Torsten, who is originally from Germany, holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration, both from Southern Oregon University. He also received a bachelor's degree in international tourism studies from Hochschule Harz, University of Applied Sciences in Wernigerode, Germany. He is a member of Rotary International and a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Preceptor.

Elliott Bay Design Group

Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), a Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm with offices in New Orleans and Ketchikan, recently obtained approval in principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the design of a 2000 cubic meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) combination bunkering barge.

The EB-2000 LNG is one of several LNG barge designs developed by EBDG for clients to meet growing demand for efficient and cost-effective refueling of LNG powered vessels. The innovative 257 ft. EB-2000 was designed for either an ATB or towed configuration, and features a marine diesel fuel cargo tank for refueling dual fuel vessels.

Mar 11, 2014

City of Tacoma

After having served on an interim basis for the past nine months, Jack Kelanic has been named the City of Tacoma's Information Technology director.

As interim director since June 2013, Kelanic led the Information Technology Department as it delivered on major technology related projects including: the City's website; Tacoma Public Utilities' customer payment portal; the City's citizen request management system; the City's 311 initiative; and the City's online benefits enrollment system for its employees. Before becoming interim director, Kelanic served as the Information Technology Department's assistant director. Prior to joining the City, he was the chief information systems director for the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2008 - 2011. He has a bachelor's degree in engineering from Vanderbilt University.

Cort acquires AA Party Rentals

Cort, A Berkshire Hathaway Company, announced the acquisition of AA Party Rentals in Mountlake Terrace and Tacoma. For more than 40 years, AA Party Rentals has been providing top-quality rental equipment and services for consumer business including weddings and parties and to caterers, event planners and venues in the greater Seattle and Tacoma markets.

AA Party Rentals joins ABC Special Event Rentals by Cort and Cort Events in the Seattle market. AA Party Rentals will continue to operate independently. This acquisition provides customers with convenient access to an even broader range of event and party rental products and services then they had before, including tents and canopies of all sizes, flooring, tables, chairs, china, specialty linens, a wide variety of tableware and more.

Northwest Marine Terminal Association

Port of Kalama Harbor Master Sean Clark has been elected president of the Northwest Marine Terminal Association. Clark will lead the association in its mission to exchange best practices among deepwater ports in the Pacific Northwest.

Clark, who is also responsible for facility security and safety at the Port of Kalama, has represented the Port on the association for four years. The Northwest Marine Terminal Association is a voluntary organization of 15 deepwater ports in Oregon and Washington and has operated since 1939 under agreement approved by the Federal Maritime Commission. In his leadership role and under provisions of the agreement, Clark will help the association facilitate long range industry planning with respect to a broad range of factors such as setting uniform rates, establishing consistent rules and practices, exchanging relevant information, and pursuing cooperative ventures.

Mar 07, 2014

Matheus Lumber Co.

Matheus Lumber Co. of Woodinville hired Bryan Ashbaugh to head up its outside sales and marketing efforts throughout the Puget Sound region. Matheus is a major supplier of lumber, sheathing, form board, and engineered wood products to many of the region's largest construction projects. It is a private company that has been in the lumber business continuously from its founding in Seattle back in 1932. Ashbaugh has been the CEO of Street of Dreams, which produced 88 of its trademarked “Street of Dreams” events in major cities throughout North America since 1985. He previously worked for Burlington Northern's real estate subsidiary Glacier Park Co.

Zillow

Zillow announced Errol Samuelson will join the company in the new position of Chief Industry Development Officer to lead the company's real estate industry relations strategy. He will report directly to CEO Spencer Rascoff.

As former president of Realtor.com and chief strategy officer of Move Inc., Samuelson, 47, brings more than 20 years' experience in technology and the real estate industry to this role. In addition to building and strengthening Zillow's relationships with brokerages, franchisors, MLSs and trade associations around the country, Samuelson will also assume executive oversight for Zillow's real estate business-to-business products and tools.

Seattle Rotary Service Foundation

Seattle Rotary Service Foundation announces the recipients of its 2013-14 Major Grant awards. They include:

• Edward Thomas House, $100,000 grant

• Millionair Club Charity, $50,000 grant

• USO Northwest, $50,000 grant

“The foundation's commitment will address the needs of our most vulnerable, those who end up in myriad emergency rooms with mental health, addiction and homelessness issues. The grants will also target access to long term employment for the unemployed and serve our military men and women who now, more than ever, need our support,” said Maureen Brotherton, president of the foundation.