Jan 31, 2024

Wesley Homes

Klotz

Pajinag

McNamara

Wesley Homes is expanding its senior leadership team with the addition of vice president of operations, Kevin McNamara; Wesley Health & Home executive director, Kelly Pajinag; and Des Moines executive director, Ken Klotz. Celebrating its 80th anniversary, Wesley is a faith-based, nonprofit organization offering lifestyle options for aging-well. The organization has four Puget Sound residential communities: Wesley Des Moines, Wesley Lea Hill, Wesley Bradley Park, and Wesley at Tehaleh. Its continuum of care also includes Wesley Health & Home Care. McNamara brings more than 20 years of senior living and health services experience to his role in shaping and delivering the company's strategic plan and mission. He will oversee the day-to-day operations of Wesley's senior living communities. Pajinag brings his home health and hospice leadership to Wesley with a focus on driving profitability, strategic planning, business development, and patient satisfaction. As executive director, Pajinag is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, staffing, and controlling resources. Pajinag will oversee Wesley Homes Community Health Services, Wesley Homes at Home, Wesley Hospice, and Wesley Palliative Care. Klotz is a 20-year senior living and memory care expert. He will provide strategic direction, leadership, and management oversight of resident services, care delivery, and the structures of the retirement community.

Perkins Eastman

Shoesmith

Global architecture and design firm Perkins Eastman announced that John Shoesmith, co-founder of Shoesmith Cox Architects, has joined as principal in its Seattle studio and is now a part of the firm's international senior living practice. With more than 30 years of experience, Shoesmith's work involves the full continuum of senior living including active adult, life plan communities, assisted living, long-term care environments, and intentional intergenerational communities. He is committed to creating high quality memory care environments that allow residents to continue to be active, successful, and have a sense of purpose. His advocacy and participation with nonprofit organizations and working groups, including the Facilities Guideline Institute, have helped establish policy and recommendations at the industry-wide level for the planning, design, and construction of senior living and healthcare facilities. In his role, Shoesmith will collaborate with clients on projects nationwide. Perkins Eastman ‘s practice draws on its 1,000 professionals networked across 25 studios worldwide.

Yesler Solutions

Seattle-based Yesler Solutions announced the addition of Adrian Blocker to the company board of directors. Yesler offers a suite of software tools built specifically for lumber and building materials sellers and their customers. Blocker joins Yesler CEO and founder Matt Meyers and existing board members: Mike Galgon of PSL Ventures (Seattle), Blake Patton of Tech Square Ventures (Atlanta), and Phil Boyer of Crosslink Capital (San Francisco). Blocker is the former senior vice president of Timberlands and Wood Products for Weyerhaeuser. In addition to his role on Yesler's board of directors, Blocker serves on the board of directors for lumber giant Tolko Industries (Vernon, Canada) and Conner Industries (Fort Worth, Texas). He also holds leadership roles across numerous industry associations, including president of the Working Forest Initiative, director of the Bi National Softwood Lumber Council, and director of US Endowment for Forests and Communities.

Jan 30, 2024

Greater Seattle Partners

Pedlow

Payne

Greater Seattle Partners (GSP) announced the appointment of Robert Payne to vice president, economic development, and the promotion of Jack Pedlow to economic development project manager. Both will report to GSP's CEDO and SVP Josh Davis and focus on generating opportunities for business attraction, global engagement, international trade, and economic development efforts to grow jobs and investment in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. For almost four years, Payne has led GSP's marketing and communications activities, from work in creating a framework for equitably shared prosperity as part of the Forward Together initiative, to the brand development, design and launch of the “Uncommon Thinkers Welcome” regional marketing campaign. Prior to his role at GSP, Payne served as the global account manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development for more than seven years. Payne has an MBA with a specialization in marketing from the University of Nevada, and a bachelor's degree from Clemson University. Pedlow has served as GSP's Research Analyst since July of 2021. Over the last year, he has partnered with economic developers across the region to create an inventory of regional assets, has engaged partners in site visit coaching, and has elevated site selection presentations. Pedlow received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Michigan. GSP is currently recruiting for the positions of marketing director and research manager. GSP is a public-private partnership that leads regional economic development through global business attraction, site selection and investment and trade opportunities in the Greater Seattle region.

Washington Wine Industry Foundation

Monique Ortiz was selected to receive the $5,000 Bill Powers Sabbatical by the Washington Wine Industry Foundation Board of Directors. Ortiz serves as a viticulturist and assistant vineyard manager at North Slope Management in Walla Walla, where her work includes assessing disease and pest pressures, studying historical phenology data, monitoring leafcutter bees, improving biodiversity, managing crews, planting, and shipping harvest fruit. She holds a bachelor's degree in viticulture and enology from Washington State University. Ortiz will travel to Spain in April 2024 to connect with winegrowers and winemakers facing threats to the country's wine industry similar to those faced in Washington state. The Bill Powers Sabbatical is a collaborative effort between Badger Mountain Vineyard and Powers Winery, who started and continue to fund the sabbatical award to honor the legacy of their former owner. Each year, one Washington state wine industry applicant is selected for the award, which allows them to travel to an established wine-producing region of the world. The sabbatical fund and selection process are managed by the Washington Wine Industry Foundation. Beginning March 1, individuals may request an application for 2024 at washingtonwinefoundation.org/sabbatical/.

Pacific Northwest Ballet

Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer James Yoichi Moore has announced that after a 20-year career with the company, he is retiring at the end of PNB's 2023-24 season. Moore joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2004 and was promoted to soloist in 2008 and principal in 2013. His two decades with the company will be celebrated at the Season Encore Performance June 9 at McCaw Hall. Moore and his wife Kristen recently opened two Tutu Schools in Renton and Tacoma. Tutu School is a boutique-style ballet school that caters specifically to children 18 months to eight years old. Early seed money for Moore's Tutu Schools was provided, in part, by Second Stage, PNB's career transition program for its company dancers. Conceived in 1999, Second Stage supports PNB dancers and PNB School Professional Division students in achieving their goals following a career in dance. Moore is from San Francisco, and trained at San Francisco Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. He danced with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre before joining Pacific Northwest Ballet. In 2019, Moore co-founded Seattle Dance Collective with Noelani Pantastico.

Jan 26, 2024

Binaytara Foundation

Marquart

The Binaytara Foundation named Justin Marquart as its new chief development officer. With a background in philanthropy and development, Marquart transitions to the Binaytara Foundation from Ruffalo Noel Levitz, where he served as vice president and senior consultant. His career also includes significant roles at Sightlife and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. At Sightlife, Marquart served as vice president of philanthropy and business development. He was deputy director for individual giving at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where he was responsible for managing fundraising teams and enhancing development strategies. In his new role at the Binaytara Foundation, Marquart will be working with the founders and board of directors to augment fundraising initiatives both domestically and internationally. His primary focus will be on evaluating and enhancing current fundraising efforts, as well as formulating and implementing strategic plans to identify new revenue streams. The Binaytara Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to improving access to cancer care by developing and implementing innovative projects in underserved areas. The foundation's major projects include hematology/oncology conferences and the establishment of a 200-bed cancer hospital in Nepal.

Department of Ecology

Bowen

Washington Department of Ecology Director Laura Watson selected David Bowen as director of the agency's Central Region Office. Bowen has worked for Ecology since 2016, most recently serving as manager of the agency's nuclear waste program, which oversees cleanup at the Hanford nuclear site. His previous experience also includes private and public sector roles in forestry, planning, renewable energy and economic development. He is a former Kittitas County commissioner and lifelong central Washington resident. Ecology's Central Region Office stretches the length of Washington, encompassing Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan and Yakima counties. As Central Region director, Bowen will oversee the state's regional environmental projects and partnerships with stakeholders, Tribes, and local, state and federal agencies. The office focuses on critical issues affecting the health, economy and development of the region's communities and environment. These include meeting water supply needs, reducing wildfire smoke impacts and addressing legacy pesticide contamination. Ecology staff are also supporting efforts to clean up PFAS contamination at the Yakima Regional Training Center and promote ongoing habitat restoration in watersheds throughout central Washington.