Jan 11, 2024

Starbucks

Sievert

Mohan

Servitje

Starbucks Coffee Co. announced the election of Daniel Servitje, Neal Mohan and Mike Sievert to its board of directors. Servitje has been CEO of Grupo Bimbo since 1997 and chairman since 2013 of the global snack maker. He brings more than 20 years of global operations experience and insight into corporate business development. Mohan is CEO of YouTube. Before his appointment as CEO, Mohan served as the company's chief product officer, responsible for all YouTube products, user experience, and trust and safety. Sievert has been CEO, president and director of T-Mobile US since 2020. Under his leadership, T-Mobile has embarked on a multiyear growth strategy that is building out its 5G network.

AuthenticID

Alex Wong joined AuthenticID as vice president of product management. Wong is an industry veteran with over a decade of experience. He comes from Ping Identity, where he most recently served as a product leader for Ping's authorization portfolio. Prior to that, he steered product management at several industry leaders, including Early Warning and Symantec. Kirkland-based AuthenticID is a global leader in identity proofing and fraud prevention solutions.

TRInternational

Edmond's TRInternational, a chemical supplier since 1994, is rebranding as Catalynt Solutions. Megan Gluth-Bohan, the company's CEO and owner, announced the name change this week in addition to a new logo. As Catalynt heads into its 30th year in business, Gluth-Bohan says the new branding better reflects where the company is today. The new name combines the words “catalyst” and “talent.” Along with the rebrand, Catalynt acquired companies ChemBlend of America and American Chemie. Illinois-based ChemBlend's custom solutions capabilities and on-site lab services will expand Catalynt's offerings in formulating, manufacturing, testing, packaging and distribution. The specialty distribution expertise of Texas-based American Chemie, meanwhile, expands Catalynt's services in the personal care, cosmetics, cleaning, food, animal feed, nutraceuticals and lubricant industries.

Fennemore

Regional law firm Fennemore said it will combine with Seattle-based Savitt Bruce & Willey, effective Feb. 1. The combined firm will be referred to as Fennemore. James Savitt, the managing partner at Savitt Bruce & Willey, will continue as the office managing partner at Fennemore.

“Seattle's rapid ascent as a tech and industry epicenter makes it a natural focus for Fennemore's expansion,” said James Goodnow, CEO and managing partner of Fennemore, in a news release. “Renowned for their impressive litigation track record, the lawyers from Savitt Bruce & Willey will play a pivotal role in establishing and shaping the new Fennemore Seattle office.”

With this strategic combination, Fennemore's footprint expands to 17 offices across five states: Washington, California, Colorado, Nevada, and its founding state, Arizona. Fennemore's clients can be found in various industry sectors, including technology, business, real estate, and other areas that drive the economy.

Jan 10, 2024

SeaShare

Lindoff

Bainbridge Island-based SeaShare, a nonprofit helping the seafood industry donate to hunger-relief efforts in the U.S., announced the appointment of Hannah Lindoff as executive director, effective April 1. Lindoff succeeds Jim Harmon, executive director, who will retire in August. Lindoff is a long-time executive at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), a public-private economic development partnership between the state of Alaska and Alaska's seafood industry. She is currently senior director of global marketing and strategy at ASMI, and has worked with the organization's international program for over 15 years. Lindoff has a bachelor's degree from the University of Mary Washington and a master's degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Founded in 1994, SeaShare is the only U.S. nonprofit focused on seafood as a source of nutrition for food banks, and has distributed over 265 million servings.

City of University Place

Figueroa

Wood

The University Place City Council elected Council Member Javier Figueroa to serve as the city's new mayor and Council Member Ed Wood to serve as mayor pro tem. Both will occupy their new roles for the next two years, through the end of 2025. This change in leadership is standard practice in University Place, where the council sets the term for these positions on a two-year cycle. Figueroa served the last two years as mayor pro tem and also served as the city's mayor in 2016 and 2017. He has been a member of the University Place City Council since 2010 and serves on numerous regional organizations, including the executive boards of the Pierce County Regional Council and Puget Sound Regional Council. Wood was elected to the University Place City Council in 2021, beginning his term of service in November 2021. He has served the last two years as the city's finance committee chair. He has also been on the public safety advisory commission since 2010, serving as co-chair beginning in 2017, and serving as its chair in 2020 to 2021.

Gold Reserve

Following its earlier announcement that Rockne Timm will retire as CEO of Spokane-based Gold Reserve effective Feb. 13, the company announced further changes that will become effective upon Timm's retirement. James Coleman, currently executive chairman of Gold Reserve, will become president and chairman emeritus and continue his role as a senior executive of the company in that capacity. Robert Cohen, currently a director of Gold Reserve, will be appointed board chair. Timm will continue to serve as a director and advisor to Gold Reserve following his retirement. Gold Reserve's board is actively searching for a full-time CEO to manage the day-to-day affairs of the company.

Jan 09, 2024

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson announced that Julie Pendleton has been elevated to principal in the firm. Pendleton serves a wide variety of clients in commercial litigation, real estate litigation, and trust and estates litigation. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago, and her J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law, where she earned CALI Awards for Excellence in both her constitutional law and capital punishment seminar courses, and was vice chair of the Moot Court Board. Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson was founded 50 years ago in Seattle. Areas of practice include business and tax law, divorce and family law, general civil litigation, creditors' rights and bankruptcy, employment law, estate planning, probate and related litigation, and real estate law.

5G Americas

5G Americas elected Ulf Ewaldsson, president of technology at T-Mobile US, as chair of its board of governors for 2024. Barbara Baffer, who is vice president of government and policy advocacy at Ericsson, has been re-elected as treasurer of the wireless trade association. Ewaldsson oversees the management and development of T-Mobile's wireless network, IT services and technology operations. Baffer, who has been with Ericsson for 33 years, manages the company's regulatory and legislative advocacy in the U.S. and Canada. She is also involved with leadership of several other industry organizations, including the Information Technology Industry Council, Tech Titans and TIA. 5G Americas, headquartered in Bellevue, is a trade organization composed of telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to advocate for the advancement of 5G throughout the Americas.

City of Redmond

The Redmond City Council appointed Ching-In Chen as Redmond's poet laureate for 2024-25. Chen was selected through a process that included applying to an open call, and individual interviews by the selection panel, Mayor Angela Birney and the City Council. Chen is a lifelong educator, community organizer and poet. Chen is an assistant professor teaching creative writing and performance classes at the University of Washington-Bothell, and the current poet-in-residence at Hugo House.