Apr 19, 2023

Department of Ecology

April is earth month, and the Washington Department of Ecology is marking the event with a campaign that places an emphasis on keeping Washington litter free. Roadside litter affects road safety, the environment and the wellbeing of local communities. More than 75% of Washington residents do not litter, but despite this, an estimated 26 million pounds of material still litter Washington's roads every year. Each year, the Washington State Department of Transportation and Ecology spend more than $12 million combined to fund cleanup efforts. Pickup crews and volunteers collected more than 1,641 tons of garbage off state highways in 2022 alone. Millions of pounds of litter are left behind. Ecology's “Simple As That” campaign is designed to reduce littering by changing the behaviors that cause it. The campaign gives people simple tips to avoid littering. It encourages Washingtonians to keep a litter bag in your car. Use a litter bag while traveling to keep your vehicle tidy and reduce the chances of littering accidentally when you open a door or window. When visiting parks and other recreation areas, bring a bag with you so it's easy to pack out what you packed in.

ESS Tech

ESS Tech, a manufacturer of long-duration energy storage systems for commercial and utility-scale applications, will deliver three Energy Warehouse systems to Coldwell Solar, a developer and builder of renewable energy projects for California's commercial, agricultural and utility sectors. The systems will be installed in a solar + storage microgrid at Roederer Estate, Scharffenberger Cellars and Domaine Anderson, California wineries in Mendocino County known for their sparkling and still wines. Coldwell Solar worked with the wineries to design a system that met their needs and the microgrid is expected to be operational in late 2023. The ESS solution will safeguard the wineries against the impacts of Public Safety Power Shutoff events and other grid interruptions to ensure winery operations 24/7, demonstrating the role that energy storage can play in rural agricultural applications and supporting the operations of a major employer in the region. In addition, the winery will avoid significant demand charges and realize energy savings by utilizing ESS technology to reduce grid electricity use during peak periods. ESS' long-duration energy storage technology is safe and non-toxic, making it ideal for wildfire prone regions. ESS Tech is based in Wilsonville, Oregon.

Fluke

Everett-based Fluke, a provider of industrial tools and integrated software, announced its designation as a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Registered Training Provider (RTP). As a NABCEP RTP, Fluke will provide educational resources to help solar professionals work safely, efficiently, and accurately in support of the growing industry. Fluke recently launched its new NABCEP-approved training course, Tools and Techniques for Commissioning and Maintaining PV Systems, led by Fluke's NABCEP certified solar application specialist and educator, Will White. Designed for professionals who want to expand their expertise on the tests and measurement tools used during PV array installation, commissioning, and maintenance, the course can be credited toward a professional's NABCEP certification. In some cases, it can help satisfy the hours required to take NABCEP's exam for PV Installation Professional Board Certification. Fluke will also be offering its new NABCEP registered training course online.

Apr 18, 2023

Alaska Communications

The Alaska Communications Board of Directors has appointed Jim McCarley to act in the role of interim CEO on a temporary basis. Bill Bishop, current president and CEO, is taking a leave-of-absence due to health issues. McCarley has 30 years of technology experience, including aerospace and oil and gas. He has over 18 years leading large organizations, including multi-national corporations and technology companies. McCarley will relocate to Anchorage during his time as interim CEO. He will officially join Alaska Communications April 24. Alaska Communications, an affiliate of ATN International, is a provider of advanced broadband and managed IT services for businesses and consumers in Alaska. The company operates a statewide data network connecting Alaska to the contiguous U.S.

Vacasa

Portland-based Vacasa, a vacation rental management platform, announced that director Eric Breon has decided not to stand for re-election at the end of his current term. Breon, who founded Vacasa in 2009, has served on the company's board as the director designee of his controlled affiliate, Mossytree, since December 2021. Mossytree has selected Kimberly White, a former employee of the company, to serve as its designee on the company's board of directors, subject to her election as a director at the Annual Meeting, expected to occur on or about May 23, 2023. Jeff Parks, is chairman of Vacasa's Board of Directors and is the co-founder and managing partner of Riverwood Capital. Vacasa manages homes across more than 500 destinations in the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

ExtraHop

Seattle-based ExtraHop, a provider of cloud-native network detection and response (NDR), has been recognized by Gartner in the Overall Enterprise Network Equipment Market, Worldwide, ranking second in NDR market share. ExtraHop is one of 11 vendors named in the Overall Enterprise Network Equipment Market report. Demonstrating consistent growth throughout 2022, the company experienced a 34.5% increase in revenue year-over-year. This comes on the heels of the news that ExtraHop was named as a Representative Vendor in the 2022 Gartner Market Guide for Network Detection and Response for the third time. In 2022, ExtraHop expanded its partner ecosystem with 15+ new integrations to drive greater adoption of Reveal(x), the ExtraHop NDR platform, and help customers streamline their security tool stacks.

Apr 14, 2023

Lamb Weston

Smith

Lamb Weston Holdings appointed Mike Smith as the company's chief operating officer, effective May 29, 2023. Smith will continue to report to Tom Werner, president and chief executive officer of Lamb Weston. In this newly created position, Smith will have accountability for the commercial, supply chain, agriculture, marketing and innovation organizations for the company. Smith joined Lamb Weston in 2007. Most recently, he served as senior vice president and general manager, foodservice, retail, marketing & innovation. He previously led strategy development for the company as senior vice president, growth & strategy. He holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. In connection with Smith's new role, Sharon Miller will become president, North America, and Marc Schroeder will become president, international, both reporting to Smith. Gerardo Scheufler also will report to Smith in his role as the company's chief supply chain officer. Lamb Weston, along with its joint venture partners, is a supplier of frozen potato, sweet potato, appetizer and vegetable products to restaurants and retailers around the world. The company is headquartered in Eagle, Idaho.

BERK Consulting

Cortes

Bjorn

BERK Consulting announced that Andrew Bjorn has been promoted to associate principal and that Katherine Cortes has joined the company as senior associate. Bjorn has been with BERK since 2017 and has 13 years of experience in economics and land use planning. He has expanded BERK's capabilities in pro forma analysis, urban economics, and online tool development. He works with rural communities on economic development strategies and community planning projects, and his client list includes communities, tribes, and organizations across the Pacific Northwest region. Cortes brings more than 20 years of experience in local government and non-profits on a range of fiscal and policy issues. She most recently served as the finance & operations manager for the city of Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Previously, she worked for the Council of State Governments Justice Center, housing-focused nonprofit Building Changes, and in both the legislative and executive branches of King County. She recently joined the board of ECOSS, an environmental justice nonprofit providing outreach, engagement, and services in the greater Seattle area.

Pacific Office Automation

Pacific Office Automation (POA) has acquired Fenton's Office Solutions (FOS), a Konica Minolta and Epson family dealer in Idaho Falls that serves Southeastern Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. This expands POA's Konica Minolta footprint into three new markets for the company. Fenton's Office Solutions customers and the region will have immediate access to an expanded product and service line including IT services and software, backup and recovery products, cybersecurity, mailing systems, telephony services, commercial security cameras and electric vehicle charging solutions. As part of the transaction, Vernon Fenton will join POA in a consulting capacity and all employees of FOS will become part of the POA team. Founded in 1976, Pacific Office Automation is a privately held office technology company headquartered in Beaverton, with more than 1,300 employees across eight states.